PS12 Training Journal

[ps12]

I'm new here, former basketball player that's trying to wet my beak into powerlifting. In the past year I've raised my raw total from 800 to just over 1000.

Current stats are:
Bodyweight: 176lbs
Height: 6'2"
Age: 22
Squat: 380lbs
Bench: 210lbs
Deadlift: 425lbs
Total: 1015
- all are gym lifts

Monday, July 2, 2012

Squat: 135x10, 185x5, 225x10, 265x8, 285x6, 305x4

Front Squat: 135x5, 3x155x5

Squat: 135x20

Leg Curls: 4x115x12

Lunges: 3x30x10

- I've recently moved my squat stance in considerably. The past 14-16 months of squatting wide with a raw stance has trashed my right hip and after 4 months of dealing with it, finally switching things up. It's almost like I'm learning a new lift. Leg extension machine was broke at the gym for whatever reason today so wasn't able to get those in. Took it easy on lunges since I haven't done them for awhile.

Here's the video from Monday.


http://youtu.be/3NZZH7tCUxA

[ps12]

Floor Press: 45x20, 95x10, 115x8, 135x5, 145x5, 155x3, 165x3, 175x2, 185x2, 195x2

Incline DB Press: 30x20, 30x25

Lateral Raises: 3x15x12

Shrugs: 2x70x12, 80x12

Pulldowns: 3x120x10

Pushdowns: 2x60x10, 45x10

-Bench has always been my worst lift. Weighing 170 and being 6'2" doesn't help any in the matter.

[ps12]

Pulls from 4" mats: 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x3, 315x3, 365x1, 405x1, 425x1

Pulldowns: 4 sets up to 160x12

Shrugs: 4 sets of 200x12

Leg Curls: 4 sets of 100x15

I think the starting point for the pulls off the mats is right around my weak point of the lift. Had trouble getting setup and getting any type of leverage off the ground, couldn't really pull myself into the bottom position like I usually can. My legs are extremely sore from Monday still, no matter how much I roll 'em, my hammies won't get loose, will squat tomorrow.

My split will look like this:

Monday - squat
Tuesday - bench
Wedesday - pull
Thursday - off
Friday - squat
Saturday - bench
Sunday - off

Brandon Lilly will be handling my training.

Video from today:
http://youtu.be/Dd3AL4-WaeM

[Brandon Lilly]

Awesome work, the deads did exactly as they are supposed to do. They put you in a weak position so you have to use different leverages than normal. All in all your first week is shaping up well. Keep it up and keep eating!!

[ps12]

Squat: 135x10, 185x5, 225x10, 245x8, 265x8, 285x8

Front Squat: 135x5, 145x5, 2x160x5

Leg Curls: 115x10, 130x10, 2x145x10

DB Lunges: 3x30x10

- Cut all my squats high tonight, getting way too lazy with the higher reps, not taking any air and not keeping lower back locked in. Was stuck working in a 130+ degree boiler room for 4 hours this morning and then worked at basketball offices until 7 tonight so didn't eat as I should. Still able to grind everything out despite the music being played at the gym. Here's to hoping DOMS doesn't last 4 days like it did after monday's session.

Video from tonight:
http://youtu.be/04SLjVkrRGc

[Brandon Lilly]

I understand the soreness but you gotta eat to help your body fuel itself to heal. No food, equals no growth.

[ps12]

Military Press: 45x15, 65x10, 4x85x8

Flies (db and machine): 6x10

Skullcrushers: 4x10

Bicep Curls: 6x10

- Quick one today, will squat tomorrow. I've been sped up all week with shit so I've done a less than average job of planning my meals. Will do better this week. I did happen to get 40 some of these Gatorade Shakes (http://www.esportshealth.com/g-series-pro-nutrition-shake-01-prime) for free this weekend though. I'll squat tomorrow.

[ps12]

Squat: 45x20, 2x135x5, 185x5, 225x10, 245x8, 265x6, 285x6, 305x6

Front Squat: 135x5, 155x5, 2x170x5

Squat: 135x30

Leg Curls: 2x100x10, 2x145x10

Lunges: 3x35x10

- My squat was a little off today, was having a hard time getting the bar set on my back. Since I moved my stance in, I tried to carry the bar a little higher but with no luck. About failed on my last rep of 285 and thought about just calling it there but decided to take 305 and really tightened everything up, especially my lower back. Wasn't able to get video tonight unfortunately, got to the gym and camera died during my set of 225.

[ps12]

Reverse Band Bench (green): 95x10, 115x8, 135x5, 155x3, band on, 185x3, 205x3, 225x3, 245x3, 265x1

Incline DB Bench: 35x20, 35x15

Lateral Raises: 3x15x12

Pulldowns: 120x10, 130x10, 140x10, 150x10

DB Shrugs: 85x10, 95x10, 2x100x10

Pushdowns: 4x45x10

- Bench is at an all time low. With the same set up, I have singled 315 and tripled 275 where I could barely single 265 today. I need to gain about 100lbs.

[ps12]

Sumo Pulls against Minis: 10x225x1

Pulldowns: 3x140x12
Shrugs: 3x12

Leg Curls: 3x115x15

- Sumo form felt better than usually does today. I feel my hip slowly starting to heal since moving my squat stance in a bit.

Video From Today (http://youtu.be/pah158Nzx4g)

[Brandon Lilly]

Good work man. Way to stick with the squats even when you felt like quitting. The hip will heal!!! Eat!!! Lol

[ps12]

Squat: 135x5, 185x5, 225x10, 265x8, 285x8, 305x8

Front Squat: 135x5, 3x155x5

Leg Curl: 145x10, 160x10, 140x10

Lunges: 3x40x10

- Took about a fifteen minute break after my set of 265 so I could throw up and shit, I think my preworkout is starting to get to me. Squats felt okay today, little tweak in my left lower back from my unrack of 285. I had to change camera angle on the last 2 sets and looks like I was cutting them real high, asked some numbskull to spot me on my last set and after watching the video, noticed that his hands were on the bar the last couple reps, hopefully not helping who knows, still got a great struggle in.

My dumbass can't figure out how to embed this video, but here is the squat footage from tonight. (http://youtu.be/Emc4DjJ7zQ8)

[ps12]

Squat: 2x135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 245x8, 265x8, 305x6, 325x6

Front Squat: 135x5, 155x5, 170x5, 190x5

Squat: 135x20

Leg Curls: 3x100x15

Lunges: 3x30x10

- The working sets of squat really took it out of me so I took it a little easier on the assistance work. I'm getting in a bad habit of cutting depth on my squat, my 305 set was awful and 325 set wasn't a lot better. Maybe not pushing my knees out enough, I'm up for ideas though. 325 for 6 is a pr, old best was 315x5.

Squat video from tonight. (http://youtu.be/wtFYOXcqqWE)

[ps12]

Close Grip 2 Board press: 3x95x5, 135x5, 155x5, 175x3, 185x2, 195x2, 205x2

Incline DB Press: 40x20, 40x13

Lateral Raises: 3x15x15

Pulldowns: 3x120x10

Pushdowns: 3x10
Overhead Band Extensions: 3x10

[ps12]

Deficit Pulls (4 mats): 2x135x5, 225x5, 3x275x5

Pulldowns: 3x12

Leg Curls: 3x10

Shrugs: 3x20

- I have a weird nagging in my shoulder/neck/trap area that I couldn't work loose today. The bar I was using today was so bent, could not pull the slack out of it no matter which way I turned it. Overall my sets were shit and I took assistance work light because of it. Will squat tomorrow and work on burying all my reps. ON the positive side, I've been eating a lot better. Better as in more.

Deadlifts from tonight (http://youtu.be/GQwmWQrzx8s)

[ps12]

Squat: 135x5, 185x5, 205x10, 225x10, 240x8, 260x8

Front Squat: 135x5, 145x5, 2x155x5

Leg Curl: 3x10

- Dropped my work sets 25lbs per Brandon's suggestion. Made sure to sink all my squats tonight. I've got some type of pinched nerve in my upper back that runs through my shoulder and my neck/trap, couldn't even hold onto a dummbell in my right hand without sending shooting pain up my neck. Good news is that the chiropractor I go to is great with these type of things.

[ps12]

Squat: 135x5, 185x5, 225x8, 245x8, 285x6, 305x6

Front Squat: 160x5, 170x5, 180x5, 190x5

Leg Curl: 115x10, 130x10, 145x10

Lunges: 3x10

- Made sure to sink my squats tonight, depth felt right on. My squat feels weird, having trouble finding a groove where I can get some rebound out of the hole. 190x5 ties my front squat pr from awhile back and a few weeks ago.

7/24/2012 Squat Video (http://youtu.be/2kPFTJEgNY8)

[ps12]

Floor Press (pinkies on rings): 45x10, +40lb chains 95x5, 115x3, 135x3, 155x1, 165x1, 170x1, no chain 135x8

Incline DB Press: 30x20, 30x25

Lateral Raises: 3x15x15

Pulldowns: 3x100x10

Dips: 3x10

Biceps: 5-6 sets

- Trying to work on various things on bench press, I think I may be pinching my shoulder blades together and up instead of together and down, think this may be causing some or all my stability issues on bench. I lowered the weight on accessory movements to feel my muscles working, sometimes I think I use too much momentum and sling myself through the accessory work if that makes sense.

Floor Press Video (http://youtu.be/3f3vLI2qL3U)

[ps12]

Pulls off 2" mat: 2x135x5, 185x3, 225x3, 275x3, 315x3, 365x1, 385x1, 405x1, 430x0

Pulldowns: 3x110x10

Leg Curls: 3x10

Shrugs: 5x10

- Did the one thing today I wasn't supposed to do in the program, fail on deadlift. I tried starting with my shins a little farther away from the bar and had trouble keeping the bar from drifting too far out in front of me. My deadlift form has all gone to shit since I've been pulling for reps with 5/3/1 before I started this program. Mid february I pulled 425 from the deck. The 430 was real slow off the ground and kind of just quit on it, first time I can really say that on any deadift I've ever done. When I set up with my shins further away from the bar, I can't wedge myself in quite as much or wasn't today, had no tension in my hamstrings to begin the lift. It's sad to say that none of my lifts have moved an inch since February.

[ps12]

Squat: 2x135x5, 185x5, 225x8, 245x8, 265x8

Front Squat: 135x5, 145x5, 155x5

Military Press: 45x10, 55x10, 2x65x8

Flies: 4 sets
Leg Curls: 4 sets

Lying DB Extensions: 3x10
Biceps: 3x10

- Going to be gone and away from a gym all weekend so kind of threw these two together and called that that.

[ps12]

Squat: 2x135x5, 185x3, 225x8, 260x6, 305x4, 325x4, 135x50

Front Squat: 145x5, 180x4, 190x3, 200x3

Lunges: 55x10, 65x10, 75x10

Leg Curls: 115x10, 3x145x10

- Still trying to find groove on my squats. Depth is getting there, most of all my reps were right there. Need to find a bigger memory card for my camera, by the time I video my work sets, I never have anything left for my last set of squat.

Squat footage from tonight. (http://youtu.be/xf1IrRoeoN4)

[ps12]

Speed Pulls against minis (60%): 2x135x2, 185x2, 185x1, 225x1, 8x255x1, 255x1 no band

Pulldowns: 3x145x12

Shrugs: 3 plates 3x10, 3 and quarter x10

Leg Curls: 3x100x15

- Sumo form doesn't feel too bad, bar gets out in front of me at times but I'm able to get down into my starting position a lot easier than I used to be able to due to healthy hips.

Speed pulls from tonight. (http://youtu.be/6cfbPzyzyVo)

[ps12]

Squat: 2x135x5, 185x5, 225x6, 260x6, 2x275x6

Front Squat: 4x135x5

GHR: 3x10

- Felt like shit all day, pretty worn day and out of it. Got in my main work and got out.

[ps12]

Overhead Press: 3x85x10
Pulldowns: 3x10
Flies: 4 sets
DB Extensions: 4 sets
Curls: 4 sets

- I'm five weeks in now so assistance work should change I believe is what Brandon said, we'll see.

[ps12]

Squat: 2x135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 245x6, 275x6, 315x3, 335x2

Front Squat: 145x5, 170x4, 2x180x4

Leg Curl: 3x130x10

DB Lunges: 3x40x10

- Squat feeling off lately, have an ache in my lower left back and a twinge in my right upper back. Having a hard time getting the bar set on my back still. Feel like I'm pitched too far forward.

[ps12]

Close Grip 1 Board: 2x95x5, 115x5, 135x5, 155x3, 175x3, 185x3, 195x3

Incline DB Press: 40x10, 50x10, 30x10

Chest Supported Row: 3x95x10

Lateral Raises: 3x20x10

DB Extensions: 20x10, 2x25x10

[ps12]

Rack Pull below knee: 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5, 5x315x5

Pulldowns: 115x10, 130x10, 145x10

Leg Curls: 3x15

Abs: 5x10

[Blaine-O]

Off to a consistent start. Looks like some solid work man and that gym you are training in looks bad ass.

[ps12]

Squat: 2x135x10, 3x225x10

Front Squat: 3x135x10

Leg Curls: 3x10

- My second squat day is going to be a lighter, more recovery type workout from here on. It's pretty hard for me to recover and squat heavy after a day of deadlifting. Got in and out in an hour today.

[ps12]

Off to a consistent start. Looks like some solid work man and that gym you are training in looks bad ass.

Appreciate the kind words. Now in regards to the gym, looks can be deceiving haha. The gym alone isn't terrible, a lot of second hand equipment but it's in a basement and they don't care about how you use equipment, etc, but there are a lot of dumb trainers around and sometimes the place looks like a three ring circus.

[ps12]

Overhead Press: 45x10, 65x8, 85x8, 105x8, 115x8

Flies: 3 sets of 10

A1. Tricep Extensions: 3x10
A2. Barbell Curls: 3x10

B1. DB Tricep Extensions: 3x10
B2. Incline DB Curls: 3x10

[ps12]

Squat: 2x135x, 185x3, 225x5, 275x5, 295x2, 315x2, 335x1, 365x1

Front Squat: 145x4, 165x4, 180x4, 190x4

Leg Curls: 145x10, 160x10, 175x10

- The original program called for me to hit my old pr of 380 tonight on squat but since I knocked the numbers down 25lbs I was only called to hit 355 but I wanted 365 so that's what I did. It wasn't fast but any means but not a total grinder. I had the rack set at the 25th setting which proved to be just a tad high, elbows flew straight back trying to get it out of the rack so will go 24 from here on out if I can remember. Besides that, it wasn't bad for hitting it after some reps. It is the highest weight I have taken since moving my stance in.

Squat footage from tonight. (http://youtu.be/lA5qE1oz-Q8)

[ps12]

Bench Press CG: 95x5, 115x5, 155x5, 5x165x5, 115x12

3 Board CG: 3x135x10

Incline DB Press: 2x45x10

Chest Supported Row: 3x95x10

Lateral Raises: 3x10

- Need to figure out how to keep my left lat tucked and drove into the bench. May try doing the whole bridge setup and see how that works next time. Didn't have my training partner with me today so went real light on the 3 boards because setup was a bitch.

[ps12]

Squat: 2x135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 245x5, 265x5, 275x5

Front Squat: 135x5, 3x145x5

Elevated GHR: 3x10

Lunges: 3x10

- Now not only the leg extension but also the leg curl machine are broken in the gym, it's getting better day by the day. My right hip was hurting a lot today especially going into and coming out of the bottom of the squat, all the reps and sets were easy though.

[ps12]

Bench Press: 95x5, 115x5, 135x5, 155x3, 4x170x5, 170x3

Incline DB Bench: 3x45x10

Chest Supported Row: 3x115x8

DB Extensions: 4x10
Curls: 4x10

- I can't hold my setup for more than 1 rep on bench press before my left lat flattens out on me. Took some pictures and my left lat appears to be significantly further from my spine than my right one. Does anyone have any issues with this? I've never had this problem before until I switched to a closer grip bench. Right now I am right at pinkies on the rings.

[ps12]

Deficit Pulls (2"): 135x5,x3, 225x3,x3, 275x3,x2, 315x1,x1, 365x1,x1

Lat Pulldowns: 4x10

Leg Curls: 4x10

Shrugs: 5x10
Abs: 5x10

- Hip is bothering me too much to get where I need to get pulling conventional, I look like diesel weasel 2.0 out there. I pulled conventional and then sumo, the sumo numbers are second in line. The most I've ever handled sumo is like 320 from the deck so 365 is a PR, it wasn't easy but wasn't max effort. Right hip binding up way too much on me in conventional for me to keep pushing on. Set up a soft tissue appointment with my chiro right after.