It's Not Over Until I Win - Matty's Battle Log

[matty_mcfly]

11/03 - Monday Morning
915 Bench Strength/Squat Speed Technique Day
(C1: P2: W6)

Bench
training max: 205#
(3x3 @ 95%)

1x5 @ 45#
1x5 @ 95#
1x5 @ 135#
1x2 @ 175#
3x3 @ 195#
I need to adjust my set up on these.  The actual reps weren't too difficult, though I didn't feel confident enough to consistently hit pause reps at this weight, but the issue I'm having is unracking the weight.  I'm thinking I may need to move up on the bench a bit more so that I'm more under the bar to put myself in a better position to lift off.  Whatever I'm doing now is ruining my set up being that I have to retighten up with the bar in hand and above head.

 

Also, had seem funky feels in my left elbow and right shoulder.  I really expect to come out of the off days feeling fresh and 100% ready and that just hasn't been the case lately.

Chin Ups
 4x4

Incline Bench
5x3 @ 150#

 

Close Grip Chins

4x4

Overloaded Half Bench (Top ROM)
3x3 @ 225#
Thought wise to skip these with the elbow and shoulder feeling off.

Squat

1x5 @ 45#

1x5 @ 135#

5x2 @ 205#

[matty_mcfly]

11/04 - Tuesday Morning

915 Deadlift Day

(C1: P2: W6)

 

Deadlift

training max: 295#

(3x3 @ 95%)

 

1x5 @ 135#

1x3 @ 185#

1x2 @ 225#

3x3 @ 285#

Start of my second disappointing gym session.  These just felt off, I hit all the reps, but didn't feel good at all. 

  

Sumo Deadlift

5x3 @ 285#

These weren't nearly as awesome as last week.  Today was supposed to be 5 triples at 225#, but I said fuck it and kept the 285 on the bar and went for it.  I could not find the sweet spot in my set up on these.  My legs were either too wide or too narrow.  My grip was too wide or too narrow.  I was too bent over or too upright.  Very frustrating.

 

Rack Pulls

1x3 @ 135#

1x3 @ 225#

1x3 @ 275#

For some reason these continue to be quite annoying.  I don't really like these and I can't tell whether that's because I really don't like them or the fact I'm just no good at them.  Really irked my back.

[El Exorcisto]

My setup on sumo deadlift goes something like:

 

Step up to the bar, shins at the rings

Get air

Drop down trying to put my balls on the bar, knees go out not forward

Grip the bar at the inside edges of the knurl, which is shoulder width

Spread the floor and hump the bar, in that order

Rinse, lather, repeat

[matty_mcfly]

My setup on sumo deadlift goes something like:

Step up to the bar, shins at the rings

Get air

Drop down trying to put my balls on the bar, knees go out not forward

Grip the bar at the inside edges of the knurl, which is shoulder width

Spread the floor and hump the bar, in that order

Rinse, lather, repeat

When you grip the bar, is most of your hand on the knurl or on the smooth?

Last week I was able to pull sumo double overhand with just my pinky on the smooth. Today DOH just wasn't happening and the mixed grip just felt awkward.

[El Exorcisto]

Not the center knurl, the outer knurl... Get your whole hand on something you can grip. The smooth is to not make you bleed on conventional pulls, not to put your hands on.

[matty_mcfly]

Not the center knurl, the outer knurl... Get your whole hand on something you can grip. The smooth is to not make you bleed on conventional pulls, not to put your hands on.

Yeah when I'm that wide out my forearms seem to get in the way when I go to lockout when I'm using mixed grip. And yeah I'm not SOO narrow that I'm touching the center knurl.

Adding a quick vid from my worst set this morning. I ended up editing out after the second pull when I play with my grip and fail then go back to an awkward mixed grip.

 

[Rooks]

Can I ask why you don't "take the slack out" before each pull?  Seems like you tense and then heave (you hear the weights click before each pull).  I've always thought you should remove that slack by slightly pulling, then fully engage everything. 

[matty_mcfly]

Can I ask why you don't "take the slack out" before each pull? Seems like you tense and then heave (you hear the weights click before each pull). I've always thought you should remove that slack by slightly pulling, then fully engage everything.

That's a very good question sir. I'm always focusing on one thing so much that I forget some of the other cues.

[El Exorcisto]

You are letting your knees come out over the bar. Push them out, not forward. If you don't have really good mobility you will feel your adductors stretching on the setup. Remember, put your balls on the bar.

[matty_mcfly]

10/29 - Wednesday Morning

Bro Day aka Bullshit Day aka "Do You Even Lift" Day

 

Ab Rollouts

1x20

Hanging Leg Raises

2x20

Roman Chair Sit-ups

1x15

 

DB Bench

1x10 @ 60#; 1x5 @ 70#

 

Cable Seated Row

1x10 @ 90#; 110#; 1x5 @ 100#

 

Straight Bar Drag Curls

2x10 @ 30#

 

Machine Triceps Extension

1x10 @ 80#;1x6 @ 95#

 

DB Incline Fly

1x10 @ 35#; 45#

 

Lat Pulldown

1x10 @ 70#; 100#

  

Reverse Pec Deck/Delt Flyes

1x10 @ 55#; 70#

 

Seated Arnold Press

1x10 @ 35#;1x10 @ 40#

 

DB Side Raises

1x10 @ 20#; 25#

 

I was happy to get the ab work in.  I neglect doing direct core work unfortunately and I felt my abs burning by the time I got to the sit ups.  I need to start actually taking a real break after the supersets.  I start to feel weak and faint by the end of these sessions.  I'm pretty happy with the aesthetics of my body, but I do wish I had more defined shoulders so I hit those with the 3 exercises, but that meant I had to cut a biceps and triceps set.

[matty_mcfly]

As for my issues with the deadlifts, I did a quick rep or 2 focusing on what Rooks and EE said.  Also found a bar that has a bit longer knurl which allows me to bring my hands in where I'm comfortable but still grip the knurl.

 

Look forward to being able to focus on taking the slack out of the bar and knees out instead of spending so much time thinking about my grip and hand position.

[Kidney bean]

Not much to add re: deadlift. I kind of like sumos but always pull a muscle halfway through a set. How often do you DL in your program? Are you liking the whole thing overall?

[matty_mcfly]

Not much to add re: deadlift. I kind of like sumos but always pull a muscle halfway through a set. How often do you DL in your program? Are you liking the whole thing overall?

I'm really enjoying it actually. I'm pretty sure I won't be increasing my maxes anywhere near 15% as I have skipped some of the assistance work and 2 snatch days. Hoping it just brings my deadlift and bench max back to where it was before the triathlon and makes my squat somewhat respectable again.

I only deadlift once a week with this, which sucks when I get advice cause I have to sit on it for a week.

[Kidney bean]

Yeah, that used to suck with the original 5/3/1 template I set up. So many exercises, so little time.

[matty_mcfly]

Ok so I didn't get to bed until like 1:30/2 last night, which 5 years ago would have been cool, but present day that is WAY too late for me.  I still woke up around 5:30, but had absolutely no motivation to get to the gym this morning for squats and I strongly doubt I'll be getting to them tonight.

 

I will say, that the little ab work I did yesterday (rollouts, leg raises and sit ups) absolutely killed my stomach. I can still feel the soreness right now, so this will be something that I make a priority going forward.

 

Being that I didn't squat today, I figured I would throw the vid from last week on here.  As I've stated before, I'm working on hitting parallel as opposed to going as low as I can, like I have the past.  I don't really see the benefit of going too much lower than need be, but I fear that I may be on the opposite side now and might be a little high.

 

First set is a triple @ 185, then 3 triples at 225.  These weren't hard and this really shouldn't be heavy, but alas I'm on the road back to squatting 3 plates.

 

[Muscle Professor]

Video posts are great ways to inspire brother. I am going to have to sub to you on youtube.

[matty_mcfly]

Video posts are great ways to inspire brother. I am going to have to sub to you on youtube.

Haha can I be subbed on YouTube? I didn't think you could see any videos unless I shared the link.

Anyway great to have ya stop by. Don't make yourself a stranger

[El Exorcisto]

Your depth looks fine, but your back looks like dogshit. Your upper back is collapsing in the hole and your lower back is following. Drive your elbows down and forward instead of keeping them flared back. It will engage your lats and keep an arch so you don't fall apart at the bottom.

[matty_mcfly]

11/07 - Friday Morning
915 Squat Strength/Bench Speed Technique Day
(C1: P2:W6)

 

So I got on the scale today, looks like I've gained about 5-6lbs over the last couple of months.  I blame the reintroduction of beer, bowls of cereal, and work snack of pb&js.  But I'm really happy with the way my body is looking, so I'm hoping that its been 4 or so pounds of muscle.

Squat
training max: 250#
(3x3 @ 95%)

1x5 @ 45#
1x5 @ 95#
1x5 @ 135#
1x3 @ 185#
1x3 @ 225#

3x3 @ 240#
Felt good again.  Felt strong throughout the movement.  Looking forward to hitting my current max for a double next week.

Slow Squat
5x3 @ 205#

This is where I tried to put EE's advice about my dogshit back into play. These really exhaust me.

Bench
1x5 @ 45#
1x5 @ 95#
1x5 @ 135#
5x2 @ 170#

Realized my issue with unracking.  I've always read how you should use your lats to bring the bar out of the rack and into position and never understood it.  That's because I would roll the bar to the front of the rack and then attempt to unrack.  Today I just press it out pushing against the back of the rack then pulled it into position.  Felt much better.  I will be able to tell better next week when the weight is heavier.

Overloaded Half Squat
Skipped.  I stopped to talk to a guy about sumo deads on my way from the bench to the squat rack.  I gave him some tips on getting a wider stance and to use the bar I discovered on Wednesday so that he would be able to grip the knurl.  This took up too much time that I had to skip the half squats.

[matty_mcfly]

Phase 2 RECAP:

 

Phase 2 was...fun actually.  It was great to jump up in the weight again.  This phase was doubles, triples and more triples.  I'm pretty comfortable with the idea that this program isn't going to work on this first cycle.  I don't see my lifts going up 15% in 3 weeks, but I can't blame the program at all for that.  If you are going to probably judge any program, you have to do it as prescribed. I've skipped numerous snatch days and haven't made the overload lifts a priority...at all. There's a lot of red block out on my spreadsheet showing all of the skipped lifts I have done over the past 3 weeks.

 

The Good - Increased weight.  Got a chance to really use sumos and not just dick around with it.  Used incline bench again and I really feel a crossover to my bench and press (which I miss) when my incline is sailing along.

The Bad - Mixed feelings on these partial ROM movements.  Again mostly my fault for skipping them.

Changes - For bench I will probably use decline presses instead of the half bench. 

 

Phase 3 PREVIEW:

 

Phase 3 lasts for 2 weeks and it has me doing doubles at my 1RMs on the first week and then doubles at 105% of my 1RMs.  Looking forward to testing these.  Obviously, I will know by the end next week if I have gotten stronger on this program or not.

 

The first assistance lift is focused on reinforcing the part of the lift where you are strongest:

• Bench: Strongest at lockout - using decline close grip bench
• Deadlift: Strongest at lockout - using chains to make the lockout heavier
• Squat: Don't really know where I'm strongest tbh - using paused squats

The second assistance exercise is still built around overload and getting accustomed to pushing around heavier weights

• Bench - bench with chains
• Deadlift - this isn't part of the program, but since the deads with chains overlap here I figured this would allow me to keep working on my sumo form
• Squat - chains again

Looking forward to playing with the chains, as this is equipment I've never used before, it should be fun.  Just need to try to calculate what really works well here.  I'm pretty sure my gym has 4 chains, approximately 20lbs each.  So I'll be playing with chain weight vs bar weight here.  If any of you have experience with chains please share any advice.

 

Continuing to include the bro day during this phase.  It's been great to hit those smaller muscles directly.

[El Exorcisto]

EliteFTS has several articles about setting up chains. I'd imagine Westside's site would have something for you, too.

[matty_mcfly]

Okay so this...

...was my Saturday :-). Yummy beer and I love Lagunitas.

THIS...

...was my Sunday afternoon :-(. Someone smashed into my PARKED car. Awesome times.

Haha had a great bench session earlier this morning though. Which I will update later when I get to the office

[Hazard]

Nasty.  Did the person stick around and take responsibility?

[matty_mcfly]

11/10 - Monday Morning
915 Bench Strength/Squat Technique Day
(C1: P3: W7)

 

Bench
training max: 205#
(3x2 @ 100%)

1x5 @ 45#
1x5 @ 95#
1x5 @ 135#
1x3 @ 175#
1x1 @ 185#

3x2 @ 205#

So this was my max 7 weeks ago.  I remember, that session was ROUGH.  Had issue with unracking and the rep was UGLY.  Today I hit that weight for 3 doubles and the reps were pretty smooth.  The 4th and 6th reps were a bit of grinders, but I got them up without much worry.

Seated Cable Rows

3x8 @ 80#
My shoulder was still feeling a bit funky and because of the higher weights, I thought the rows might be a good substitute for the pull ups and chins.

Bench Press with Chains
1x2 @ 179# (135# bar weight + 44# of chains)

1x2 @ 199# (155# bar weight + 44# chains)

1x2 @ 219# (175# bar weight + 44# chains)

This was awesome and I really would love to incorporate work with chains far more often.  Lockout was rough, but I was crazy fast off my chest.  Hopefully that transfers over as it is supposed to.  Gonna play around with the bar and chain weight ratios.  My gym has one more set of chains for a total of 88lbs of chain weight.

 

Close Grip Decline Bench 
1x3 @ 155#

1x3 @ 165#

1x3 @ 175#

1x12 @ 135#

These felt great.  Never used the decline bench before and it was fun. Felt so good that I decided to drop down to just a plate on each side and bang out a burnout set.  My triceps were hating me at this point.

 

Chest Supported T Bar Rows

3x3 @ 1 plate

Same reasoning as the seated rows.

 

Squats

Skipped...smh

[matty_mcfly]

Nasty. Did the person stick around and take responsibility?

Yea thankfully we walked out to go to the store and the other driver, police and a tow service were in the scene.

If we had exceptional timing we would have left the house earlier and the car wouldn't have been there to be hit