The Inevitable Return of the Great White Dope

[El Exorcisto]

RE squat

Front squat: 15@45, 12@95, 10@135, 8@185, 3@225 - rep PR

Good morning: 3x8 @ 155

Hyper: 2x20, 1x30 @ bw

   superset with

Roll-out, quads on the deck: 3x10

Bilateral leg extension: 3x20 @ 111

   superset with

Unilateral hamstring curl: 3x10 @ 77

 

Since it was a volume day on squats I dropped the widowmaker set. I'll save them for ME and DE days since I was gasping like I just smoked a carton already. Everything else was unremarkable.

 

My car broke down on the ride to work today so my morning is going to be shot tomorrow. I'll be moving press day to Wednesday.

[matty_mcfly]

Fucking sucks about the car. But those front squat reps make this post impressive.

[El Exorcisto]

DE press

Log C&J: 6x2 @ 140

Slingshot CGBP: 10,8,7 @ 155

T-bar row: 15@45, 12@70, 10@90, 8@115, 11@135

T-bar row strip set: 8@160, 7@135, 11@90

Dips: 10,9,8 @ bodyweight

Reverse ring fly: 3x10

Barbell curl: 23,15,12 rest-pause with bare bar

 

Things got a little screwy tonight compared to what I planned. I ended up dropping chins, thinking that I'd SS them with dips. By the time I was done with my rows I could barely do a single chin let alone sets. Dips were rough after the other pressing work, and somehow my curls ate a big dick without any other biceps work. I usually train my press Tuesday mornings before work but it got done at 7pm tonight because I spent the day blowing a wad of cash on a new car. I'll just chalk it up to a shitty day in the gym and move on.

 

On the upswing, I hit for speed work what I hit for ME work a few weeks ago for a lot more doubles. The last double was ugly. I just lost all my drive and couldn't hit a decent jerk.

 

Tomorrow I max out on the 18" deadlift to see where my opener is going to sit on contest day.

[matty_mcfly]

Cash on a new car? The old breaking down was obviously a permanent issue.

Interested to see where your 18" deadlift comes in

[El Exorcisto]

Too much, but it's a necessary evil. I have over an hour commute and my wife has to drive back ass upstate NY roads at all hours of the night. We milked the last car for a long time and finally had to pay the piper.

 

I'm pulling this afternoon. My hams and lats are trashed from rowing last night so I don't know where I'll come in. I'm hoping for 425. I pulled 405 for 6 singles a couple months ago and I feel stronger than I was then.

[matty_mcfly]

Too much, but it's a necessary evil. I have over an hour commute and my wife has to drive back ass upstate NY roads at all hours of the night. We milked the last car for a long time and finally had to pay the piper.

I'm pulling this afternoon. My hams and lats are trashed from rowing last night so I don't know where I'll come in. I'm hoping for 425. I pulled 405 for 6 singles a couple months ago and I feel stronger than I was then.

Happy to know I'm not alone in that way too long commute group.

And how about you come do my pulls at my comp and I'll do your....yea I'm pretty sure you're stronger than me at all of your events, so not really a fair trade.

[Rooks]

So probably a dumb question... but I'm struggling to find an answer.  Does an 18" deadlift have the weights 18" off the floor, or the barbell?

[matty_mcfly]

So probably a dumb question... but I'm struggling to find an answer. Does an 18" deadlift have the weights 18" off the floor, or the barbell?

The barbell. The plates being 18" off of the floor would be a crazy short ROM...and I would still suck at it smh...

[El Exorcisto]

Yea, the bar is 18" off the floor. I set my plates on a 4" and 6" box then stand on a couple mats. It's great at stroking the ego but I don't get jack shit for carry over towards pulling from the floor. I'm only doing it so I can get better at it for my contest.

 

At a contest it could be that there are a pair of big fucking tires for plates, or it's set up like mine. It could also be a couple big plexiglass boxes full of silver dollars that weighs in at a grand like this:

 

[Jaelen]

And if you can carry them home, you get to keep the boxes of silver dollars?

[El Exorcisto]

Jaelen, I'm pretty sure Kaz won the money.

 

Morning weigh-in: 184.3

ME deadlift

18" deadlift: singles @ 375, 405, 425, 445, 455 - 50 motherfuckin pounds, bitch!

High box squat (DE): 8x2 @ 225

Hypers: 2x20, 1x25 @ bw

   superset with

Roll-out: 3x12

 

Holy shit. Yep, that's a 50 pound PR on my 18" deadlift setting my contest opener at 425. In all honesty I had more in me but I blew my wad on small jumps because I had no idea where I sat. 405 felt heavy a couple months ago and 365 felt great for rep work last cycle. I tried doing GHRs after box squats but my hamstrings thought it was a sad joke.

 

The Cube is working for me. I'm consistently breaking PRs again and I attribute it all to the periodization and putting in volume instead of living and dying by maxing out all the time. I'm sure that DE box squats are the biggest reason that both my squat and deadlift are moving, although all the upper back work has to be helping my pull too.

 

Now it's time to thaw out some bloody venison and make some dinner. Today is the start of another cut heading back down around 178.

[matty_mcfly]

Sweet shit! 50lb PR at this stage is fucking awesome. Fuck, now I HAVE to do these box squats

[El Exorcisto]

Bro day

Bench press: 15@45, 12@95, 10@135, 8@155, 4@175

   superset with

Ring chins: 2,3,4,5,6

Strict log: 15@50, 12@70, 8@90, 8@100, 5@110

3-way raise: 3x10 @ 15

Reverse ring fly: 3x10

   superset with

DB fly: 3x12 @ 15

Hammer curl: 40,20,10 rest-pause @ 15

 

I'm still recovering from pressing two days ago so I expected bench to take a hit today. I dropped the rest-pause strict press for a strict log pyramid and I'm glad I did. I've changed my clean technique some and get my elbows pointed ahead instead of down. Despite being nowhere near a PR they still felt really strong.

[El Exorcisto]

Morning weigh-in: 180 flat

DE squat

Parallel box squat: 8x2 @ 225, 45 seconds rest

High bar squat: 2x10 @ 185

Good morning: 8 @ 155

 

My gut was a wreck this morning and I was on the edge of puking when I walked out to the gym. I was fine through squats but it flared back up on my first set of GMs. I cut it short since puking sucks and the important work was already done. DE work took too much out of me for a widowmaker. I'll do widowmakers on ME days and 2x10 on DE days.

[El Exorcisto]

Morning weigh-in: 182.6

ME press

Log singles: 1@140, 1@150, 2@160 - PR

Dips: 3x12@bw

Superset with

Bar chins: 8,6,5

Reverse ring flyes: 3x10

Barbell curl: 31,11,8 rest-pause

I hit contest weight on the log with a little left in the tank. Today was a good day.

[matty_mcfly]

Just crushing PRs the past few weeks.  Good shit.

[El Exorcisto]

It's neat how that works when I'm not constantly hurt. Now the only thing that's in question is the yoke. I think axle walk-outs will be my ME squat next week.

[El Exorcisto]

Morning weigh-in: 180.8

RE deadlift day

Conventional deadlift: 12@135, 10@225, 5@275 - sick joke

High box squat: 8x2 @ 245

 

I shoveled heavy-as-fuck snow for 5 hours yesterday and didn't think it'd affect my deadlift day? For fuck's sake, what was I thinking. My lats and core were toast after the first set and the rest was just sad. Box squats went great even with the added 20 pounds. I tried some GHRs but my knees felt cranky.

[jdanger]

The Cube is working for me. I'm consistently breaking PRs again and I attribute it all to the periodization and putting in volume instead of living and dying by maxing out all the time.

 

Things look good in here, especially this. Keep up the good work.

[El Exorcisto]

Morning weigh-in: 181 flat

Assistance day

Circus DB: singles at 80, 90

Bench: 15@45, 12@95, 10@135, 8@155, 5@165

Klokov press: 5s @ 45,65,85

3-way plate raise: 12,15 @ 10

 

I'm still a wreck from shovelling a couple days ago and it showed in a big way. I did hit contest weight on a DB. The DB at the contest won't be a rattling Oly handle with screw collars digging into me so I should have an easier time with it. I can't get mine positioned on my traps without a lot of headache. I dropped my top set by 10 pounds on the bench because it felt like dogshit and my elbow was getting a little angry. The rest was just fluff so I didn't feel so bad just calling it a day.

 

Cutting is going a little slower than last time due to a couple fuck-ups. I think I'm just gonna ride it down to 175 so I don't have any worries about making weight.

 

I was a little confused about weight classes. LW novice tops out at 230. Fuck this cutting bullshit for now.

[CrazyMags]

Tempted to put this here:

http://greatergoodness.com/save-the-bros/

I don't know why... *runs off giggling*

Sent from Tapatalk, all errors are the app's fault! ;-)

[matty_mcfly]

 I'm thinking my big lifts in the next block will be:

 

Press: DE log, ME DB, RE axle jerk (cleaned first rep)

 

I have nothing productive here as I'm just starting Cube next week, but you're keep this scheme for the entire 9-12 week cycle?

 

I was thinking if it would be beneficial to rotate the presses every 3 weeks (I'm not doing deloads).

 

I'm thinking about having this setup:

DE - axle/axle z press

RE - Strict press/viking press

ME - Log/DB

 

As of now I really have no rhyme or reason for the set up.

[El Exorcisto]

I've been basing my spread on my contested lifts. Since I was eating shit at the log I spent a lot of time with it, sometimes even as an assistance movement on days that it wasn't a main movement. I hit 18" deadlift in each of 3 blocks so I got speed, reps, and max effort work in on it. I neglected the DB because I dont own the implement and I need the log more since it's the first lift of the medley.

 

If you don't know your next contest then my suggestion is to pick 3 squat/press/deadlifts each and hit each one for ME/RE/DE. I'd leave the log right out since you are doing a lot better with that than the other overhead implements. I prefer doing my DE/ME with jerks and RE work mostly strict. Strict speed work just sounds awful. After that block, figure out which movements felt the best at which effort and try to figure out what your builders are. For me, DE box squatting drives my squat and 18" deadlift. Fill out the rest with a nauseating amount of strict pressing, rowing, shoulder, more squatting, and hamstring work. If you're really lost, maybe try:

 

Front squat/parallel box squat/SSB squat

Axle/DB/log (strict on rep days)

Trap bar or farmer's handles/barbell from 1" deficit/axle from 4" blocks

 

Shit like the Z press is good for assistance filler but make sure you are using it correctly. It puts you at a severe disadvantage and cuts your working weight WAY down from a strict standing press. That's a bad fit for a main movement but perfect for the last pressing movement of the day when you're already half trashed.

[matty_mcfly]

Yea, the first press is the main press and the second is just a secondary because in 2.0 Thigpen talks about training 2 presses per day.

 

So strict press would be the required sets and reps and viking would be half the sets.

 

Squats and deadlifts are just following Lily's Cube Kingpin.

 

And yea, your press selection obviously makes sense being that you have your comp next month.  But I guess for now, I'll just experiment with this and see what happens.  I'll likely show you my program either this week or next and see what you think.

[El Exorcisto]

I like hitting my main press on DE and ME day then doing a pile of strict work. On rep day I'm too fried to put in another pyramid with another press to make it meaningful. Don't restrict yourself to what Thigpen or Lilly have to say as much as just following the idea of training all three methods across three week blocks. Everything else, the percentages, the specific movements, the agility and conditioning work, that's all just fluff to fill out the books. All of that is very specific to you, what you respond to, and what you need to train for right now.