Push, Pull, Squat

kevpants

Good going Liam!

The max effort lifts were ugly but of course they were always going to be! They just show up your weaknesses, I wouldn't call anything an imbalance, particularly if it's self diagnosed. Everyone has a weakpoint.

On the squat, your weakpoint is clearly your trunk. You have 200kg legs and a 170kg trunk = a 170kg squat . The shape of your midsection completely changes at the bottom of the squat, it just goes a bit soft. It's fairly simple as to how this holds you back, imagine the chain on your bike was a rubber band instead. You'd have to pedal twice as hard to get the bike moving. The squidgy rubber band absorbs force rather than transferring it to the wheel. So your trunk is preventing all the force generated in your legs from getting transfered to the bar.

It's gonna have an effect on the deadlift too, your 210kg wouldn't have passed in comp but just get stronger and that will fix that!

Inspector Coptoor

Wednesday - Conditioning
6 rounds of:
sets of 12 tyre flips (1st two rounds)/4 sets of 20 tyre smashes with sledgehammer (last 4 rounds)
2 x 120m sled drags (sled plus 20kg)
steel log presses @ 25kg (12,10,15,16,17,18)
bit of stretching.
finally starting to get the conditioning side of the 5/3/1.
not an easy workout.

1 min rest between sets 1-3 and 4-6

Inspector Coptoor

5/3/1 Cycle 6 Week 1 (5 day)

Weight update: 18 stone 6 3/4lbs or 117.5kg whichever you're having
getting closer to 20 stone

Overhead Press
20kg - 2 x 10
40kg - 5

work sets
47.5kg - 5
55kg - 5
60kg - 10 PB by 2 reps (had wrist wraps and a belt on though)

Boring but Big
20kg - 5 x 10

Chin ups
BW - 6 PB

Assisted Chin ups
Purple band (50lbs)
4 x 6

Green Band (75lbs)
9

BW Dips
6,5,4,3,5

Ab Wheel roll outs
5 x 5

Flutter kicks
30 seconds

Scissor kicks
30 seconds

Bit of foam rolling on legs, lower and upper back.

Comments:

Very pleased with the OH pressing, it's going well.
the Chins are coming on slowly but that's to be expected at 117.5kg BW
Unhappy with the Dips, they really disimproved during the Smolov Month as i dropped them entirely because i was benching 4 times a week.
gotta get back up to 5 sets of 7 again soon and try to kick on from there

Inspector Coptoor

5/3/1 Cycle 6 Week 1 (5 Day)

Deadlift 1rm - 200kg
90% of 1rm - 180kg

Warm up: 5 mins on the stepper at level 10

Deadlift
60kg - 10
80kg - 8
100kg - 5

work sets
65%: 117.5kg - 5
75%: 135kg - 5
85%: 152.5kg - 16 Massive PB

Note: These were touch and go reps without a belt or straps. got two big handfuls of chalk, put the gumshield in and pulled like crazy.
I pushed my hips back more and had great speed off the floor and the bar didnt come into contact with my knees/thighs until about rep 14/15&16.

Was completely fried after this so just did

Shrugs
100kg - 3 x 10
60kg - 2 x 10

Good mornings
20kg - 3 x 12

done

going down to limerick tomorrow for a look at the powerlifting comp down there.

itsallaboutheL

Liam Henners257 wrote: »

going down to limerick tomorrow for a look at the powerlifting comp down there.

what comp??

Inspector Coptoor

itsallaboutheL wrote: »

what comp??

The GPC squat and deadlift competition in Ger MacNamara's Gym in Limerick.

Good event.

Saw 300kg deadlifts and 380kg squat.

Inspector Coptoor

5/3/1 Cycle 6 Week 2 (3 day)

Bench
20kg - 15
40kg - 10
60kg - 5

work sets
72.5kg - 3 (pause reps)
82.5kg - 3 (pause reps)
92.5kg - 10 (PB)

Incline DB Press
34kg DBs - 10,10,7,10,7

supersetted with

Face pulls (red mini band)
5 x 10

didnt have time for the one armed rows.

in and out in 40 minutes

happy with the PB

Inspector Coptoor

5/3/1 Cycle 6 Week 2 (3 day)

Squat
air squats - 10
20kg - 10
60kg - 10 (using low bar position)
100kg - 5 (using low bar position)

work sets
105kg - 3
122.5kg - 3
137.5kg - 6 PB was happy with this. form is improving a little. making sure to get a huge breath of air before each rep and holding it down in my belly to keep a big chest.

Box Squats (these were done on a bench and were 2 inches above parallel)
120kg - 5
140kg - 5
160kg - 5
180kg - 5
160kg - 5
140kg - 5
100kg - 5

all supersetted with

lying leg curl with purple band (50lbs)
7 x 10

Finished up with some steady state, fat burning cardio.
15 mins on the treadmill at level 8 incline at 7.5kph
5 mins on stationary bike @ level 5 @ 90rpm to cool down.

some hamstring, quad and hip flexor stretches to finish off.

1 hour 15 mins

Inspector Coptoor

5/3/1 Cycle 6 Week 2 (3 day)

Overhead Press
1rm - 80kg
90% of 1rm = 72.5kg

warm up
20kg - 2 x 10
40kg - 10

work sets
70%: 50kg - 3
80%: 57.5kg - 3
90%: 65kg - 7 PB by 3 reps

Boring but big/face pulls/band pull aparts
5 rounds of:
OH Press @ 40kg:
5 x 10
supersetted with
behind the neck band pull aparts (red band)
5 x 10
trisetted with
face pulls with purple band
5 x 10

BW Dips
7,7,5,4,3

BW Chin ups
4,3

Assisted Chin ups (purple band)
3 x 5

DB lateral raises:
14kg DBs - 5 x 8

Comments:
Was happy with the OH press, my previous best with 65kg was 4 reps.
the Dips are coming on a bit, thankfully.
was a bit wiped going into the chins but knocked out a few reps so not too bad.
Preyy happy with the session overall

Inspector Coptoor

5/3/1 Cycle 6 Week 2 (3 day)

Deadlift
60kg - 10
100kg - 5

work sets
70%: 125kg - 3
80%: 145kg - 3
90%: 162.5kg - 8 PB

Good mornings with safety squat bar using fully rounded back (wendler sytle)
35kg - 3 x 12
45kg - 2 x 12

done

Inspector Coptoor

5/3/1 Cycle 6 Week 3 (1 day)

Warm up
red mini band pull aparts
5 x 10

Bench Press
20kg - 2 x 15
40kg - 10
60kg - 8

work sets
77.5kg - 5
87.5kg - 3
97.5kg - 8 PB

80kg - 3 x 3 pause reps

Assistance work:
DB Incline Press (went up a higher notch on the incline tonight, made it a bit harder)
18kg DBs - 10
34kg DBs - 10,8,8,8,7

DB Rows (change my form on these so lowered the weight)
20kg DBs - 5 x 10 per arm

extra work
Purple band (50lb) tricep push downs
3 x 12

Overhead DB tricep extensions
10kg DBs - 3 x 10

DB Bicep curls
16kg DBs - 3 x 12

Comments:
Very happy to get 8 reps with 97.5kg
my best before that with 97.5kg was 3 reps before i did smolov for bench.
the 80kg 3 x 3 pause reps were handy enough
will go 3 x 3 @ 85kg in week 1 of cycle 7 and build it up for the single lifts
will prob open with a 90kg bench on Jan 23rd.

Felt the lats a lot more engaged with the better form on the DB rows.

cardio,shoot me

why would you open with a weight 7.5kg less than what you can rep for like 8?

Inspector Coptoor

cardio,shoot me wrote: »

why would you open with a weight 7.5kg less than what you can rep for like 8?

because they werent pause reps.

cardio,shoot me

how much of a drop off do you expect from paused? mine wasnt much at all.

Inspector Coptoor

5-10% on max.

1rm is 115kg at the moment unpaused.

plan for single lifts on bench is
opener - 90kg
2nd lift - 100kg
3rd lift - 107.5/110kg

cardio,shoot me

Liam Henners257 wrote: »

5-10% on max.

1rm is 115kg at the moment unpaused.

plan for single lifts on bench is
opener - 90kg
2nd lift - 100kg
3rd lift - 107.5/110kg

fair enough, im going for smaller jumps, around 2.5 -5, i have no plans for my 2nd or 3rd tho, im just deciding my opener then working from that on the day, i could feel like sh1te or absolutly awesome so i cant really plan for that.

Inspector Coptoor

5/3/1 Cycle 6 Week 3 (1 day)

Squat (changed my squatting style this evening, trying the low bar squat)
20kg - 10
40kg - 10
60kg - 8

work sets
115kg - 5
130kg - 3
145kg - 2 PB this is only a PB because i never repped with anything higher than 140kg before.
had at least one more in me but was still adjusting to the new bar position so i left it.

Boring but big practicing low bar technique
60kg - 5 sets of 8

SLDLs
60kg - 3 x 10

brutusthebarber

Liam Henners257 wrote: »

5-10% on max.

1rm is 115kg at the moment unpaused.

plan for single lifts on bench is
opener - 90kg
2nd lift - 100kg
3rd lift - 107.5/110kg

Just thought I'd throw my two cents in here..

IMO a 10kg jump from your opener is huge, if you can bench 115 unpaused, I'd think that 95/100 is there to be paused. You should just have a session attempting pause benches.

I hit 100kg a couple of times in training before last Saturday, it helps knowing that you can nail an opener! An 100kg seems like a more realistic opener for you.

Like I hit 100, then 105 and was absolutely buried by 110kg. So testing an opener might be worth while??!

Inspector Coptoor

yeah, that's the plan for the next few weeks.

we're 5 weeks out from single lifts now, so as you said, need to start doing more pause reps on the bench.
I did 3 x 3 pause reps with 80kg this week
will try 3 x 3 with 85kg the following week
90kg week after
95kg week after
100kg week after

then my deload week of 5/3/1 Cycle 7 runs into the single lifts so will take it very easy that week and wont lift at all the 2/3 days before hand.

Inspector Coptoor

5/3/1 Cycle 6 Week 3 (1 Day)

Overhead Press

Warm up
mini band face pulls
4 x 10

OH Press
20kg - 2 x 10
40kg - 10
50kg - 5

work sets
75%: 55kg - 5
85%: 60kg - 3
95%: 67.5kg - 6 PB (highest weight i ever repped with on the OH Press)

5 rounds of

A: purple band (50lb) face pulls
10,10,10,10,10

B: Overhead Press @ 40kg
10,10,10,10,10

C: Band Assisted Chin ups with 5kg plate on dipping belt
5,5,4,4, 5 (5kg plate taken off for last set)

Dips BW + 5kg plate on dipping belt
5,4,4,3,5, (5kg plate taken off for last set)

this was very tough

Seated DB Shpoulder Press
16kg DBs - 10
22kg DBs - 3 x 8

Alternating DB Bicep curls
14kg DBs - 3 x 10

Cardio
21 mins on treadmill burning 356 calories
various intervals at different inclines and speeds
finished off with a 90 second sprint at 15kph

podge57

You're hitting lots of PR's lately, training must be going well


Where'd you get the ssb from?

Inspector Coptoor

podge57 wrote: »

You're hitting lots of PR's lately, training must be going well


Where'd you get the ssb from?

what's an ssb?

brianthebard

safety squat bar I'm guessing. I was also wondering about that one.

Inspector Coptoor

podge57 wrote: »

You're hitting lots of PR's lately, training must be going well

yeah, it's going really well.
am taking in shed loads of protein and a can of red bull before each workout and really going for it.
feel stronger every week.
huge fan of the 5/3/1, have to say

podge57 wrote: »

Where'd you get the ssb from?

there's a safety squat bar in two of the gyms i train in.

you can get them here
http://www.irish-lifting.com/product_info_equipment.php?cPath=1_9&products_id=234
fairly pricey though.

Inspector Coptoor

5/3/1 cycle 6 week 3 (1 day)
deadlift
60kg - 10
80kg - 10
100kg - 8
120kg - 5
work sets
75%: 135kg - 5
85%: 152.5kg - 3
95%: 170kg - 5 (video to follow)
170kg x 5 is a PB for reps at 170kg but i got 180kg x 5 a while ago so its not really a PB

assistance work
strict hanging knee raises
5 x 10
good mornings using saftety squat bar
30kg - 10
32.5kg - 10
35kg -10
40kg - 2 x 10

Inspector Coptoor

170kg x 5

Inspector Coptoor

5/3/1 cycle 6 week 4 "deload"

shoulder warm up
band pull aparts
face pulls
scap rows

Bench
20kg - 15
40kg - 5

Benching with red bands (20lbs each side)
40kg - 8
50kg - 8
60kg - 8
80kg - 8

Pause benching
60kg - 5
80kg - 5
90kg - 3
100kg - 1,1
105kg - 1 (grinder)

3 rounds of
Incline DB Press
32kg DBs - 8,8,8

DB rows
16kg DBs - 10,10,10

DB Bicep curls
10kg DBs - 3 x 12

Face pulls
red band - 10,10,10

DB Floor Press
right arm only
20kg - 8
24kg - 8
30kg - 8

DB floor Press
Both arms
30kg DBs - 3 x 8

Inspector Coptoor

5/3/1 Cycle 6 week 4 deload

Squats
20kg - 15
40kg - 10
50kg - 10
70kg - 5
85kg - 5
105kg - 5

Lunges with steel log
15kg - 8 per leg
30kg - 3 x 8 per leg

Conditioning
6 x 150m shuttle runs in the snow at minus 5 degrees

2 x 35m flat out sprints

nearly had a case of pukyitis

Inspector Coptoor

Sunday and Monday were spent at the Dan John seminar doing different workouts and routines.

I also managed to get my bench press training done on monday.

Sunday:
Dan John warm up.
some oly lifting
VO2 max workout

Monday
Dan John warm up

big 5 for 55

A. bench press
60kg - 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

B. Double Kettlebell front squats
12kg KBs - 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

C. Power curls 9 (i didnt know these existed)
40kg - 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

D. walking over 9 hurdles
10 times

E. Prowler push with 40kg on the prowler
10 times.

5/3/1 Cycle 7 Week 1 (5 day)

Bench Press
20kg - 10
40kg - 10
60kg - 5

work sets
65% - 67.5kg - 5
75% - 77.5kg - 5
85% - 90kg - 8

Didnt have time for the assistance work as this was done during lunch.

Comment:
doing 55 reps @ 60kg on the bench in the big 5 for 55 took a good bit away from my balls out effort at 90kg.
i would think i'd be able for 11-13 at 90kg if i was fresh.

Inspector Coptoor

Training in Raw today at about 11am. i usually train at 6 or 7 in the evening

5/3/1 Cycle 7 Week 1 (5 day)

Squats
(front squats to warm up)
bar - 10
40kg - 10
50kg - 8
60kg - 5

Back Squats
80kg - 5

work sets
105kg - 5
120kg - 5
135kg - 5

Deadlifts
70kg - 10, 10
100kg - 5

work sets
122.5kg - 5
160kg - 2 (this was meant to be 140kg but i forgot i used 4 x 25kg plates)
160kg - 5

Accessory work
KB swings
16kg KB - 3 x 12

Round backed Good mornings (no safety squat bar unfortunately so kept the weight at just the oly bar)
5 x 12

Hanging knee raises
5 x 10

Knees to elbows on oly rings
3 x 3

Kalasdinas (sp?) get ups
16kg KB
one left, one right

Also did some wrist strengthening by doing push ups on the backs of my wrists
2,3,4

dead bugs with 16kg KB
2 x 10

Conditioning work
100kg tyre flips
3 x 10

Keg runs
sprinting down track in Raw carrying a keg, dropping it, sprinting back for another keg, sprinting back down the track, dropping it, sprinting back picking up the keg again, down to the other end and dropping it and sprinting back

Foam Rolling
calves
hamstrings
IT bands
lower quads
lower back
upper back
triceps

Comments:

today wasn't a bad session and it wasn't great either.
Im not used to training early in the morning and it was tough doing squat and DL together.
I was happy get the prescribed reps in each and do a lot of accessory work, conditioning and foam rolling in a short period of time