Don't let the coward in your head, control the badass in your heart

COH

A) Bench + Light Band
50kg x8
70kg x6
90kg x4
110kg x2
122.5kg x1
135kg x2

Pull Ups
(4x10)

C) Bench - Paused
70kg x5
90kg x3
110kg x1
125kg (3x10) ... https://www.instagram.com/p/BPDEYbbgRj1/

D) Lat Pulldown (5x8)
E) Rev Fly (4x10)
F) Tricep Pressdown (3x15)


Bench felt pretty solid today - have dropped the pause deads from this phase of training so basically just an upper body session. Would love to bench either 130x10 or 135x8 and 145 against the light band at the end of this block bit sure we'll see how it goes.

COH

A) Front Squat
55kg x5
75kg x4
95kg x3
115kg x2
140kg x1
*belt/sbd*
155kg (2x2)

Deadlift
77.5kg (2x6)
117.5kg x4
157.5kg x2
177.5kg x1
197.5kg x8

C) Single Pause Deadlift
175kg (5x3)

D) Seated Row (5x10)
E) Hamstring Curl (5x10)
F) Abs -120 reps


Had to see a doc today about the side pain I have had been experiencing since June... turns out the popping noise when I thought I hurt my rib back then was actually some soft tissue seperating from the ribs... fun times! Anyway had some needling done and was told to keep training moderately for a few days so 197.5kg for 8 deadlift for a total non-event. Felt heavy though... as did the pause pulls. Hip flexors def responding lethargically to the needling. Anyway the day is done and the next one will be better. Light bench Friday, heavy squat Saturday.

COH

A) Tempo Bench - 42X0
Bar x12
40kg x10
60kg x8
80kg x6
100kg x4
120kg (6x3) .... https://www.instagram.com/p/BPNcLfPgsG-/

Plate Loaded Row (5x10)
C) Tricep Pressdown (5x10)
D) Facepull (5x10)


Squat tomorrow - might have to reintroduce the age old custom of Friday night dominos mega deal.

COH

A) Squat
80kg (2x8)
120kg x6
160kg x3
180kg x1
200kg x1
*belt/SBD sleeves*
220kg x1
*knee wraps*
240kg (2x3)
240kg x4 ... https://www.instagram.com/p/BPP0olWg9ug/

Speed Deadlift + light band
120kg (8x3)

C) Hamstring Curl (4x10)
D) Seated Row (4x10)
E) Banded Ab Pulldown - 100 reps


I knew today was going to be a good day based on how the beltless squats up to 200kg felt in the warm up. 220kg in SBDs felt much better than last week and I wore my old comp knee wraps for the top sets. First two sets on 240 moved well - the lighter knee wraps felt much better thwn my training wraps. Last set feel like I could have done 5 reps but delighted with how they moved.

Speed pulls with lighter weight and a heavier band - felt crisp. Everything else just was what it was. Food now to beat the band then heavy bench on Monday which I am quite looking forward to.

7 weeks out from IPO nationals now - lifting on the Saturday (the drug tested day).

COH

Yesterdays warm up sets squatting 180/200/220... https://www.instagram.com/p/BPSLOG9gd1X/

Still trying to do more work with less support in the warm ups. Not in video are 80kg (2x8), 120kg (x6) and 160kg x3. Sometimes if things are feeling off or if the bar speed is low Ill already be in a belt/knee sleeves at this point (or sooner) but on the days when things feel good I'll try to use as little support as possible.. First set in vid is 180kg for a single. No belt, no knee sleeves, no wrist wraps, no chalk... aka super-raw and the closest you can come to squatting naked without being arrested. Marker set.

Second set is 200kg for a single also with no belt/knee sleeves/wrist wraps/chalk. Heaviest beltless squat in quite a while now and a good indicator that the proceeding belted squat will move well. Confidence high.

Third set is 220kg in belt, SBD knee sleeves and wrist wraps and felt like jumping practice. I sometimes prefer to do the last warm up as I plan to do the prescribed top sets (in wraps) but this far out from comp and on days where I have multiple top sets and time to get it right I'm happy to push the last warm up without them and leave the first set in wraps to chance. Ready to train.

After these were done I squatted 240kg for two triples and a set of four in wraps (yesterdays vid) knowing that they'd move well before I unracked them based on all of the above. No guesswork!

COH

A) Bench Press + Light Band
40kg x8
60kg x6
80kg x4
100kg x2
120kg x1
140kg x2 (PR)

Bench - Paused
132.5kg (3x8) .... (Volume PR) https://www.instagram.com/p/BPVA30hAUrG/

C) Pull Ups
(5x10)

D) Seated Row (4x10)
E) Rev. Fly (4x10)
F) Tricep Extension (4x10)


Current feels:

COH

A) Front Squat
65kg x5
85kg x5
105kg x3
125kg x1
145kg x1
*belt/SBDs*
165kg (2x2) PR ... https://www.instagram.com/p/BPaAzpFAbgX/

Deadlift
80kg (2x8)
120kg x6
160kg x3
180kg x1
*belt*
200kg x1
215kg (3x6) ... https://www.instagram.com/p/BPa5flClpSG/

Front squats felt great! Could have put a few more kgs on the bar but didn't see any point in moving into testing territory. Deads felt great as well... warm ups moved very well and no residual bullshít from that low back tweak over Christmas at all.

Then my left hamstring popped on last rep of third set... quite a painful one but won't make any assumptions until tomorrow. Hopefully doesn't bruise up but as it stands can't really put any weight on it at all (which made driving the motorbike home a bit of a feckin' nightmare!).

Currently have an ice pack on it and have the whole thing compressed with a knee wrap.

Current feels: :mad:

Commence unplanned deload

DylanJM

Ah man, that's rough. Hoping it's not bad and doesn't put a spanner in the works.

How is it feeling today?

COH

DylanJM wrote: »

Ah man, that's rough. Hoping it's not bad and doesn't put a spanner in the works.

How is it feeling today?

Not great - but in with my physio tomorrow to determime the extent of it, fingers crossed its just a 1-2 week job. These things happen, in the grand scheme of things its just a bump in the road.

Lots of feet up benching in the meantime!

COH

A) Tempo Bench - 42X0
40kg x8
60kg x6
80kg x4
100kg x2
125kg (5x3) ... https://www.instagram.com/p/BPfXfK7lsgZ/

Seated Row (5x10)
C) Tricep Pressdown (4x12)
D) Face Pull (3x15)



Physio on the hammer this morning... possibly the least fun I've ever had being assaulted by a large man.

COH

A) Squat
Bar (2x20)

Leg Ext - (5x12)
C) Calf Raise - 100 reps


#rehab

COH

A) Bench + Band
65kg x8
85kg x5
105kg x3
125kg x1
145kg x2 (PR)

Bench - Paused
137.5kg (2x8) (PR)

C) Plate Loaded Row (x20,12,12,10,8)
D) Seated Row (x20,15,12,10,8)
E) Tricep Pressdown (x20,15,12,10,8)

Bench is FLYING at the moment - couldn't be happier with it tbh.
Just raging now to be missing the heaviest squat/deadlift sessions of this phase of training. Will see my physio on Thursday and then rethink the whole peaking phase to see how best to make sure I can get on the platform in 6 weeks.

COH

A) Naked Squat
Bar (2x20)
75kg x8
115kg x5
155kg x3
175kg x1

Split Squat
BW x8
+5kg x8
+10kg x8
+15kg x8

C) Hamstring Curl
(3x20)

D) Neutral Grip Pull Ups (2x15)
E) Calf Raise (2x20)
F) Ab Pulldown - 100 reps



That all felt pretty muck, hamstring still grumpy - but good to be moving anyway. Felt like my right leg was taking two thirds of the load squatting but moved well and tried not to be too tentative out of the hole. Will chalk the last week down to a deload, pull the deadlift %s way back from next week and move on from here with my physios blessings tomorrow.

COH

A) Bench - 42X0 Tempo
50kg x8
70kg x6
90kg x4
110kg x2
130kg (5x3) ... https://www.instagram.com/p/BPvDmHFFodV/

Lat Pulldown (4x10)
C) Facepull (4x12)
D) Tricep Extension (4x15)


Very happy with how the bench moved today... such a miserable tempo for any lift especially at these percentages. Would usually wait until Friday for this session but having not done any meaningful lower body training this week I fel fully recovered for it and gives me a day to chill out tomorrow.

Had physio before this session at lunchtime - by the end of it he said 'this is starting to feel like a hamstring again' and said it'll be sore as hell for a couple days but should be ok to resume comp squatting this weekend and deadlifting next week.

Phew!

COH

A) Squat
Bar (2x15)
80kg (2x8)
120kg x6
160kg x3
180kg x1
200kg x1
*belt/SBD*
220kg x1
*knee wraps
240kg x5 ... https://www.instagram.com/p/BPzxF7Ygyk2/

Leg Extension - (5x15)
C) Plate Loaded Row - (6x10)
D) Calves - 100 reps


Thoughts in vid.

COH

A) Bench
40kg x12
60kg x10
80kg x8
100kg x20
105kg x20... https://www.instagram.com/p/BP5GY70l4wl/

Lat Pulldown (5x10)
C) Single Arm Row (5x10)
D) Tricep Pressdown (5x10)
E) Rev. Fly (5x10)



Hamstring still f*cked.

COH

A) Front Squat
40kg x8
60kg x5
80kg (4x3)

Squat
75kg x3
115kg x3
145kg (2x5)

C) DB RDL - 100 reps
D) Hamstring Curl - 100 reps
E) Calves - 100 reps

COH

A) Tempo Bench Press - 42X0
40kg x8
60kg x6
80kg x4
100kg x1
120kg x1
140kg (2x2) .... https://www.instagram.com/p/BQAscy5llBs/

Lat Pulldown
40kg x15
60kg x12
80kg x10
100kg x8
120kg x6

C) Seated Row (5x10)
D) Tricep Pressdown (5x15)
E) Deadlift - 70kg (5x5) :mad:

COH

A) Squat
80kg (3x5)
120kg (2x5)
160kg x2
180kg x1
200kg x1
*belt/SBDs*
220kg x1
230kg x1 .... https://www.instagram.com/p/BQGAuFdg4qw/

Front Squat
70kg x5
90kg x3
110kg x1
130kg x1
150kg (Beltless PR)
*belt/SBDs*
170kg x1 ... (PR in sleeves) https://www.instagram.com/p/BQGG6-9gYIz/

C) Hamstring Curl (4x15)
D) Lat Pulldown (4x12)
E) Low Row (4x10)


Heaviest squat in sleeves in quite a while... wraps cut into my hamstring too much so just something heavy to preserve forwards momentum and stay under a heavyish bar while it heals. Front squat felt handy ... all time PR there in sleeves and didnt feel close to really testing.

Bodyweight also on the move... but in the wrong direction (I'm losing weight )

COH

It's funny how things only go very wrong at times when training is going very VERY well. Usually it's a pulled muscle, joint pain or some sort of sports/gym related injury... all standard stuff you know yer'self

In this case though it came in the form of a rather large Mercedes-Benz skipping traffic and wiping me off my motorbike on Monday morning :mad:

Anyway I walked away so have to count my blessings it wasn't a whole lot worse but will be taking an enforced break from training for a while now and competing is off the menu. F*cking typical, you'd think he could have at least waited until after nationals to hit me with his d*ckhead-mobile

Anyway - hopefully be back at it sooner rather than later.

Ciao for now

VIS VIRES

I have a few pages to read back on to catch up with how your training is going. But first I have two years of my log to update.

Mr. CooL ICE

How goes the comeback? Does ranting about Merc drivers result in any bench PRs?

COH

Nicolas Cage wrote: »

How goes the comeback? Does ranting about Merc drivers result in any bench PRs?

Yes actually - had an all time paused bench PR of 170kg on an ER Rack with an eleiko bar and calibrated plates here a couple months back

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRTkiDalMTb

But recovery is taking a lot longer than anticipated. Training the past couple months has gone loosely like this but there is no set plan:

9 weeks ago - squatted 80kg for a few 5s and it hurt. Messed
around with some light deads and RDLs,
felt awful https://www.instagram.com/p/BSbgQYilCRK

8 weeks ago - squatted 100kg for a few 5s and they hurt too. Deadlifted up to around 140kg but they felt awful and looked worse https://www.instagram.com/p/BStk3xrl41B

6 weeks ago - squatted 140kg x5 and thought I was going to die on every rep. Deadlifted up to around 160kg and shut it down because feltt crap https://www.instagram.com/p/BS3tBySFuHB

Last week - squatted 140kg x8 and they hurt https://www.instagram.com/p/BTXV8PmFock

Last monday - squatted 180kg for a single and it hurt. 140kg x8 back off sets. Then got pissed off and deadlifted 200kg https://www.instagram.com/p/BTjkFlBlvni/

Yesterday - squatted 190 for a single and 140kg x15 back off sets. Deadlifted 210kg and didn't die but def felt like was rolling the retard dice somewhat. https://www.instagram.com/p/BTpLSh-Fo9w

In between those sporadic sessions I do the following three workouts(ish):

A) DB Overhead Press up to a rep max (45kg dbs x9 my most recent best) then do three drop sets
Lat Raise - Pyramid up and back down again - loads of reps
C1) Facepull
C2) Overhead Tricep Extension
D1) Rev. Fly
D2) Tricep Pressdown

A) Lat Pulldown - Up to a rep max (Pin 17 x6 in Raw my recent best) then do 3 drop sets
Single Arm Plate Loaded Row up to 125kg x10 each hand (that's all that fits on the machine in Raw) with three drop sets
C) Barbell Shrugs - up to 180kg x max reps then three drop sets (140/100/60kg xAMRAP)
D) DB Hammer Curls - loads

A) Bench up to heavy single/double for the day - in and around 160kg most weeks https://www.instagram.com/p/BTRn1BrlYFO

*4 Rounds*
B1) Bench at 75% of daily top set x AMRAP
B2) Neutral Grip DB Press 33% of B1 each hand x AMRAP
B3) DB Flys 25% B2 each hand x AMRAP


My bodyweight is down from a yearly high of 107.1kg in Jan to 99.9kg again now... carbs with every meal, a couple of pints every weekend etc. no tracking just mostly good food and having fun with every training session.

I'm basically living vicariously mostly through the successes of the people I coach now while doing as much as my body will allow me to do.. plus some extra! No idea how long it will be until I am back in any way close to 100% but pretty much at the absolute limits of what I can do at the moment so I'll just keep doing that and adding 10kg per session until I'm fixed or snapped in two. Unlikely to compete this year at all and as such haven't been on this forum or logging at all.

COH

A) Bench - Paused
60kg x10
80kg x8
100kg x5
120kg x2
140kg x1
150kg x1
160kg x1

Squat
60kg x5
80kg x5
100kg x3
120kg x1
140kg x1
160kg x1
*belt/sbds*
180kg x1
200kg x1 ... https://www.instagram.com/p/BTwRQrglO0z

C) Deadlift
60kg x5
80kg x5
100kg x3
120kg x1
140kg x1
160kg x1
180kg x1
*belt*
200kg x1
220kg x1


Came in today just to do some benching and the accessory work I outlined above but there was a little voice in the back of my had that was saying 'don't listen to your physio... you can totally squat 200kg and deadlift 220kg'.

Bench was great - everything up to 120kg against a band then three heavy single at 140/150/160kg the last of which was the easiest it has probably ever felt.

Squatting looked better than it felt. just delighted to have that sort of weight on my back again and the bar path was better than 190 was on Wednesday or the 180 on Monday.

Can generally tell how deadlifting is going to be based on how easy the double ovr hand sets are in warm ups. 160 double overhand felt fine, did the 180 beltless with mixed grip and moved well and once got the belt on knew that if I could stay in one piece I could probably have a crack at five plates. It came up ok, feally felt it in my sacrum and was a definite 'oh sh*t' moment just off the floor but figured may as well pull through and see what happens. Looking back its also the heaviest I have deadlifted at all since the Battle of The Boyne last summer since had only been focused on volume... Jaysus :eek:

COH

A) Squat
60kg x8
80kg x6
100kg x4
120kg x2
140kg x1
160kg x1
180kg x1
*Belt/SBDs*
200kg x1
*Caution to Wind*
220kg x1 https://www.instagram.com/p/BT1mHDrFMNE

Deadlift
80kg x5
120kg x3
160kg x1
*mixed grip*
190kg x1
*belt*
210kg x1
*F*ck it Anyway*
230kg x1

C) Hamstring Curl (x20,15,12,10,8,6)
D) Leg Ext (4x30)
E) Ab Pulldown - 100 reps


Fourth time squatting & pulling in the last week just recklessly adding weight each time. Going to pound away until my useless mortal body complies with my desire to address my unfinished business on the platform.

Anyway... things to note. Got up to a 180kg beltless squat which I am delighted with. Getting back to five plates this year was the goal and despite it not feeling great its one of my favourite ever reps - There was quite a bit of anger/frustration behind it and felt like the me of old racking it. Still feel a million miles away from being able to stabilise heavier weights in wraps but that will come in time.

Deads didn't feel very smooth in the warm ups but double overhand to 160kg and a beltless 190kg both good markers of progression. 210kg felt really heavy, but 230kg was relatively smooth and considering I haven't pulled over 240ish in years I'm excited that I know at some stage sooner rather than later I'll be able to really push it.

COH

A) Seated DB Overhead Press
20s (2x20)
25s x10
30s x10
35s x8
40s x6
45s x11 (PR)

Lat Raise
12.5s x10
17.5s x10
22.5s x10
> Drop Set 15s x AMRAP
> Drop Set 10s x AMRAP

C1) DB Front Raise (3x12)
C2) DB Rev. Fly (3x15)

D) Tricep Pressdown - 100,000 reps


Getting the dumbbells into position from the floor is a nightmare... will call that a DB Power Clean PR by default. Very happy with where the pressing power is at the moment all the same

Mr. CooL ICE

Btw, I had to google sacrum. In what way was it injured? Is that pretty much where you landed or were hit by the car?

I'm guessing you won't be doing any DL volume any time soon?

COH

Nicolas Cage wrote: »

Btw, I had to google sacrum. In what way was it injured? Is that pretty much where you landed or were hit by the car?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8S7WH2wico

I'm guessing you won't be doing any DL volume any time soon?

Unlikely!

Alf Veedersane

COH wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8S7WH2wico

That's still up there as my favourite interview of all time.

COH

A) Lat Pulldown
Pin 6 x20
Pin 8 x15
Pin 10 x12
Pin 12 x10
Pin 14 x8
Pin 16 x6
Pin 18 x4
> 2x Drop Sets

Seated Cable Row
Pin 8 x12
Pin 10 x12
Pin 12 x12
Pin 14 x12
Pin 16 x12
> 2x Drop Sets

C) Single Arm Seated Plate Loaded Row
25kg x10
50kg x10
75kg x10
100kg x10
125kg x15
>4x Drop Sets

D) Power Shrugs
60kg x10
100kg x10
140kg x10
180kg x10
220kg x8
250kg x5 :pac:
> 3x Drop Sets

E) Seated Hammer Curl
15s x8
20s x8
25s x8
30s x8

F) Face Pull
(5x10)



Basically I went level 10 retard and I enjoyed every second of it.