Exceptionally Average!

[Cricket_Fire]

Right, so a little info to start off.. I'm 22 years old, 230lbs, currently lifting raw (I've competed both raw and equipped in the past).

Over the past couple years I gradually dropped my bodyweight from 300lbs to 204lbs, and settled back into 230-240 range the last 6 months or so.

Getting ready for CPF Raw Nationals (June 2nd). Plan on competing at 220. I'm on track to set personal bests on all lifts (best so far in competition 530/319/639 @ 220)






Apr 14/12

Rack Pull (hole 1, standing on 2 45lb plates) - worked up to 655
**this setup puts the bar 2-3" higher than a deadlift off the floor

45 Degree Hypers - 3x80x12

Circuit:
Sled Push - 6x180x2 lengths
Decline Situps - 6x8
Kettlebell Swings - 6x32kgx8

[Cricket_Fire]

April 14/12

Pullups - 2x8

Barbell Row:
3x275x5 overhand
2x245x12 underhand

Pulldown (wide):
255x8
2x270x5
2x195x10
165x12

BB Curl - 50 x12, 10, 8
DB Preacher Curl - 25x12, 2x30x8
Seated Calves - 3x7 plates x 8, 3 x6 plates x 12

Treadmill 100 mins


Bunch of pvc rolling and static stretching later on

[Coke]

Good luck moving forward big K - missed you up in here.

Gonna kill it at the CPF Raw Nationals in June!

[BULK_BOY]

Welcome Back bro! Been wondering where you went. Lifting RAW eh? Welcome to the Dark Side. ;)

[Cricket_Fire]

Thanks Terry

Derek, I'm not strong enough to lift RAW, I'm only raw

[Cricket_Fire]

April 16/12

Speed Bench:
+doubled minis - 9x155x3

Military Press:
155x5
2x175x5 (dead stop at bottom)
2x145x6

Incline Bench:
255x5
225x10
205x6

DB Flies (slight incline) - 4x45x10
H Roll - 4x25x12

Treadmill 100 mins


PVC rolling and static stretching later

[BULK_BOY]

Derek, I'm not strong enough to lift RAW, I'm only raw

haha

[Cricket_Fire]

April 17/12

70 mins cardio this morning, another 30 tonight. PVC rolling and static stretching this afternoon

[Cricket_Fire]

April 18/12

Speed Squat (to an 11" box):
+average bands:
6x315x2

Squat - 535x1 miss 2nd

SSB Goodmorning - 3x275x5
Hanging Leg Raise - 3x8
Pallof Press - 3x42.5x8
Laying Hamstring Curl - 3x14x12

Treadmill 100 mins



-terrible squatting.. I've got a cold so I'm gonna blame it on that, but I'm really not happy with that. Plan was to go for 3, but on the 2nd rep I just had no drive up whatsoever
-speed squats weren't fast enough to be called speed work either lol.. all around a really poor session

[Rileigh]

Good to see another Canadian here!

[LuNa]

best so far in competition 530/319/639 @ 220


I'm weak now, but not for long

Dont know how that is considered weak, its time to change your sig.

Good to see you start a journal again.

[BULK_BOY]

-terrible squatting.. I've got a cold so I'm gonna blame it on that, but I'm really not happy with that. Plan was to go for 3, but on the 2nd rep I just had no drive up whatsoever
-speed squats weren't fast enough to be called speed work either lol.. all around a really poor session

Rest up mate. Get some Buckley's into ya! :)

[Cricket_Fire]

lol thanks guys. I've got a ways to go yet though Luna!



April 19

100 mins treadmill this morning. Going in for some deep tissue work this afternoon, and I'll get some stretching in before work.

As mind-numbingly boring as all this recovery work is, it seems to really help

[Cricket_Fire]

Apparently my right bicep at the shoulder is about 70% tighter than my left... explains the pain lol

[BULK_BOY]

Apparently my right bicep at the shoulder is about 70% tighter than my left... explains the pain lol

Too many Beer Curls. Tsk Tsk.

[Cricket_Fire]

April 20/12

Paused Closegrips - up to a real smooth 315, then a mysterious miss @ 325

Dips - +90 x 8, 8, 8
Paused Bench - 3x225x5

Bent Rear Laterals 3x45x8 // Hammer Curl 3x45x8
2 Arm DB Laterals 3x35x12 // Overhead DB Extension 3x35x8
Standing Calves (bobbi jo's routine)


-315 moved really well, no idea why I missed the 325


Calf Routine

reps / rest (seconds)
10 / 5
15 / 10
25 / 10
15 / 10
10 / rest a few mins, then repeat

[Cricket_Fire]

Apr 21/12

Speed Deadlift - 6x365x1
Sumo Deadlift - up to a pretty easy 615, and a miss at 635 (surprising with how 615 moved.. just like yesterday's benching lol)
Squat - 405x12, 2x405x5

Treadmill 60 mins

Another 40 mins treadmill later, along with some stretching / pvc rolling

[T o m m Y]

strong pullin man.. trainin is looking on point.

[Cricket_Fire]

Cheers Tommy




April 22/12

Treadmill 70 mins this morning. Bit of pvc/stretching after. Upper back work was a few hours later..

BB Row:
overhand - 2x275x6, 255x8
underhand - 2x255x8
**not very strict, but I'm not too concerned lol

Pulldown - 270x6, 2x225x8, 2x195x8
Seated Row - 3x120x12 (super duper strict)

Superset:
BB Curl - 60 x 10, 10, 8
Decline Situp - 3x10x8
Straight Arm Pulldown - 3 x no idea how heavy x a lot of reps

Superset:
DB Preacher Curl - 3x 30 x 8-10, ending with negatives
Side Bend - 3x135x10

Treadmill 30

[Coke]

Big day with the pulling and all bro.

[LuNa]

Lots of treadmill work. Is that more active recovery or are you trying to get rid of some fat?

[Cricket_Fire]

Thanks guys

Luna - I was trying to drop bodyweight, but I've been feeling real weak lately. I'm 6 weeks out now; think I'm going to scrap that idea and just stay as a 220 for this one. All that treadmill work has made me feel real weak



April 24

Military Press - up to 195x1, felt rediculously harder than it should've
Bench (paused) - 5x225x8
Dumbell Flies (slight incline) - 4x50x10
H Roll - 4x30x10

[Cricket_Fire]

April 25/12

Squat:
5x365x2
405x1
495x1
555x1 **smooth but not happy with depth
555x1 **happy all around with this lift.. 10lbs more than I've squatted since I was super duper fat

Superset:
Kettlebell Swing - 3x40kgx10
Seated Calves - 3x5 platesx12
Pallof Press - 3x52.5x6

Superset:
Kettlebell Swing - 3x40kgx10
Seated Calves - 3x5 platesx12
Spud Pulldown Abs - 3x130x12

[Coke]

Damn dude, super squats going on!

[Cricket_Fire]

Thanks Terry; it's nice to FINALLY be squatting decent again after it took such a nosedive for so long lol

[LuNa]

Nice squatting!

I can imagine you feeling weak, that was a whole lot of cardio. I dont think i would be able to do that on a consistent basis.

[Cricket_Fire]

Thanks bro. Back at it today because I'm wishy-washy as hell


Apr 27/12

Rotator Cuffs and other warmup stuff

Floor Press (paused) - up to 3x320x1
**felt pretty heavy but they all moved nice and smooth

Bench (3 second pauses) - 3x295x1, 245x5
Swiss Bar Bench - 3x225x8

Superset:
Bent Rear Lateral - 4x45x8
Hammer Curl - 4x45x8

Superset (no rest):
2 Arm DB Laterals - 40x8, 35x8, 30x8
Laying DB Extension - 30x12, 10, 8

Treadmill 90

[Cricket_Fire]

****ty workout today.. I think I know where I've been going wrong in my deadlift training though. Need more overall volume; I haven't been doing enough on the speed work, and when I get to the heavy work, I'm only doing 1 heavy set.. basically just been repeatedly testing my strength instead of improving it. Onward and upward I suppose

[Cricket_Fire]

April 29

Treadmill for 45 mins this morning. 6 hours later...

Wide Pullups - bodyweight x 10, 8, 6

BB Row - 5x245x5
*fairly strict.. could've been better but I was happy w/ it

Pulldown (wide) - 4x225x8, 180x10
*real strict

Seated Row - 5x135x10
*super duper strict. Wore straps on these but nothing else

Standing calf routine, 2 rounds

Supersets:
BB Curl // Decline Situp // HRoll 3 sets
DB Preacher Curl // Side Bend // HRoll 3 sets

Treadmill for another 45. I'll stretch and roll around on the pvc pipe later tonight if I can drag my ass off the couch

[Cricket_Fire]

April 30

Military Press:
185x1
205x1
215xmiss
190x3

Bench (paused):
3x265x5
235x5 **felt sharp pain in right bicep.. nothing serious but didn't wanna risk any more

Superset:
1 Arm DB Lateral Raise - 5x40x10
1 Arm Overhead DB Extension - 35x10, 10, 8, 30x12, 8

1 Arm Pushdown - 3 sets to fail, no rest

Treadmill 60. Another 30 after work tonight.

PVC rolling and stretching before work

[BULK_BOY]

Watch dem injuries boy!

[Cricket_Fire]

lol yeah after this meet I'm gonna take some time off benching to heal up the bicep, and I'll get the knee checked out to see wtf is wrong with it (been like this since I was getting ready for a meet in December)





May 1

2 cardio sessions today 45 mins each. Morning cardio I just went to a park nearby because I couldn't face that god damn treadmill.

PVC rolling and stretching this afternoon before work. I can't afford a massage this week so I'll just have to try hitting the pvc rolling even more

[LuNa]

Great work CF. A morning walk in the park sounds like a great way to start off your day.

[Cricket_Fire]

Thanks bro



Apr 5/12

Speed Squat - 6x315x2 with large bands

Squat:
500x5
5x500x1
405x15 (used knee wraps on this set)

Laying Hamstring Curl - 2x10

Superset:
Kettlebell Swing - 5x10
Pallof Press - 5x8
Seated Calves - 5x8

Superset:
Band Pullthrough - 5x8
Pulldown Abs - 5x10
Seated Calves - 5x12



-one of the best squat workouts of my life I think
-500x5 is 5lbs under my best 5-repper, but depth was awesome on these and there was more in the tank
-hit 5 singles @ 500 after which all moved very nicely
-no rest during either circuit

[Coke]

Holding down some outrageous squats!!

[Cricket_Fire]

Thanks homie! So happy with how my squat has been going!



April 3/12

FINALLY after being stuck for so long, weight's started moving down again (225 this morning)
Cardio 2 sessions @ 45 mins today. LOTS of pvc rolling/stretching too since I can't get in for a massage

[LuNa]

Great squats. That is a big improvement (500x5) versus the 530 you have squatted in a meet before. Awesome work.

[BULK_BOY]

Don't worry folks, he's alive and ready for his meet this weekend. Gonna cheer him on and kick his ass if he needs it. :)