Charles Fay Training Log

[Charles Fay]

Several weeks ago i did my first comp after a 2yr layoff going 950-605-735-2290 @275, which qualified me for APF nationals in June. I have a long way to go to get back into PR territory for my squat, bench and total but after taking a week off after the meet, i am getting back into my training.

Saturday Bench

Warmup: Flat DB Press 55s 3x15, bowling pin swings, band rows 3x20

Fat Bar Bench
bar x20
160x10
210x5
250x5
300x5
340x3
360x2
390x1
410x1 PR

Flat DB Press 100s 2x15 Supersetted w/rev hyper shrugs 3x20
Chest supported rows 3x20 supersetted w/1 arm band extensions 3x20
Standing Abs 5x10 supersetted w/ 2 extra sets of 1 arm band extensions for rt arm

Overall a good day for my first day back benching, the 410 fat bar press came up easy and i didnt push beyond that due to my history of bilateral pec tears.

[Charles Fay]

Tuesday Upper

Warmup: Circuit of the following with no rest, double outside the leg KB swings 3x10, double overhead KB press 3x10, Pulldowns 3x15, indian club swings.

BB Powercleans 135x5 185 2x5

BB Overhead Military Press (cleaned from floor)
135x5
155x5
175x5 (all sets easy and light)

Supersetted presses with strict pullups 3x6

Bent dead stop from floor BB Rows 225 3x6 supersetted w/1 arm overhead KB press 72lb 3x6

Landmines 5x10
Finished with pushing the prowler

[Charles Fay]

Thursday Squat/Dead

Warmup: GHR 2x12, 45 degree hypers 2x12, band hip abduction, dynamic stretching.

DE Box Front Squats w/harness
barx10
135x5
225x3
work sets
275x2
315 5x2
365x2
405x2

Raw Sumo Pulls (form/hypertrophy work) 185x10, 195 2x10, 205x10, 215x10

1 leg KB Deadlifts w/2 35lb KBs 4x5
Ab wheel 5x10

Another good day, the body is feeling good on a whole and the front squats all moved well and the raw sumo work went well enough but will still take alot of getting used to. Hopefully as i develope the musculature of the hips more with this high rep sumo pulling, it will get easier and more comfy.

[Brian Hopper]

Great to see you posting here Charles. Any word on where the Senior Nationals will be?

[Charles Fay]

Thanks Brian. KK told me that nationals will be in Myrtle Beach SC sometime in June. Thank god it is in a location that i would actually enjoy going to for a vacation!

[Brian Hopper]

Thanks Brian. KK told me that nationals will be in Myrtle Beach SC sometime in June. Thank god it is in a location that i would actually enjoy going to for a vacation!

Thats cool. I might consider doing it since the meet is close to home.

[Charles Fay]

Sunday Bench

Warmup: Bowling pin swings, Flat DB Press 55s 3x15, Band rows 3x15

BB Bench w/35lb KBs hanging from mini bands
bar x5
135x3
185x3
225x3
275x3
295x3 (365 total weight)

3 board bench
315x5 365x5 405x5

Standing Fat T-bar cable rows 3x20
Band Rotating Face Pulls 3x15
Supersetted rows and face pulls with 1 arm tricep band extensions 6x20

Weighted leg raises 5x10 supersetted with hammer curls 5x15

I got off of a busy 24 hr shift this morning and managed to have enough energy to get in some decent volume. Pretty good workout on a whole.

[Brian Hopper]

What do you do to work a 24hr shift?

[Charles Fay]

I am a firefighter/paramedic for a busy FD in south Florida and one of the busiest per capita depts in the southeast. I work 24 hr shifts and then get 48 hrs off. Often i get off shift and have to workout with very little sleep, but i guess if i can lift tired then it will come in handy when im in my next 12 hr long meet and im worn out.

[Brian Hopper]

I'm sure that would help, lol. Especially after how late you guys were at the Southern States. Does Dave Sharky still train with you guys?

[Charles Fay]

Dave has not trained with us for a while due to alot of recurring injuries and other commitments, however we are still close to him and hope he will eventually be able to train with us again.

[Charles Fay]

Warmup: Treadmill, indian club swings, flat db press 3x15, pulldowns 3x15

DE BB Bench w/fat bar
barx10
160x5
190 2x5 close
210 4x5 medium and wide

Supersetted w/pullups 3x7

Finished with more treadmill

Because of the rotating nature of my schedule, every 3rd wk i train on wed and pretty much just do DE bench work and little assistance so that im fresh for my Squat/Dead day on thursday. If i do overhead pressing the day before lower work it tends to hurt my squatting a bit.

[Brian Hopper]

Dave has not trained with us for a while due to alot of recurring injuries and other commitments, however we are still close to him and hope he will eventually be able to train with us again.

That sucks. Dave is pretty much the main person who got me started in powerlifting. I met him at a World's Gym in Deerfield back in 98-99.

[Charles Fay]

Warmup: 45 degree hypers 2x12, reverse hypers 2x12, GHR 2x12, band hip abduction, band x walks, foam rolling and stretching.

Raw Cambered Bar Box Squat (counting bar as 45lbs)
barx10
135x5
225x3
315x3
405x1
455x1
495x1 stopped here, knees killing me today

Raw Sumo Pulls Form Work 185x10, 205x10, 225x10, 235x10, 245x10

Standing Abs 5x10

I pretty much felt like total shit today, uncoordinated, headache and knees killing me. As a result i turned it into a deload day. I have been under alot of stress lately between work and family shit and i think the stress is starting to add up. Hopefully i can rest up and come back next week feeling up to par.

[Charles Fay]

Warmup: Green band rows 3x15, Flat DB Press 3x15, Bowling pin swings

BB Floor Press
bar x20
135x10
225x5
275x3
315x3
345x2
365x1
385x1
405x1
425x1 10lb PR!

JM Press w/safety squat bar (counting it as 45lbs)
135x10, 185x8, 225x5, 275x5, 315x5

Chest supported rows 5x12 various grips

Ab wheel 5x10 supersetted w/band pullaparts 5x20

I felt good today and it was nice to hit a PR on the floor press. Its funny because it seems like whenever i eat like total shit, i hit PRs.

[Brian Hopper]

Great job on the PR.

[Charles Fay]

Thanks Brian

[Charles Fay]

Warmup: Indian club swings, double outside the leg KB swings 3x10, double overhead KB press 3x10, pulldowns 3x10

Hang Power Cleans 135x5, 185x5, 205x5

Standing Military Press (cleaned from floor)
155x5
175x3
195x8

Supersetted military pressing w/strict pullups 3x6 close, medium and wide grip

Bent BB Rows from floor 235 3x5 supersetted w/1 arm overhead KB press 96lb 3x5
DB Hammer Curls 3x12 supersetted w/KB rolling extensions 3x12
Finished with sled dragging and side bends 5x10

Good day today, kept a good pace and got a nice pump and kept the heart rate up.

[Charles Fay]

Warmup: GHR 2x12, 45 degree hypers 2x15, Band hip abduction, rolling, stretching and then i put on my new pair of boss briefs to give them a try.

BB Free Squats
bar x10
145x10
235x5
325x3
415x3
505x3 at parallel
555x3 started to break parallel here
595x3
665x3
705x3 moved pretty well

Stiff Leg Deads Standing on 2" box
315x5 365x5 405x5 455x5

1 Leg split squat bwt x10, w/35lb KB x10 supersetted these with 1 leg KB deads 35lb KBs 2x6
Reverse hypers 3x10 supersetted w/leg raises 5x12

I bought the briefs a month before last meet, they were loose and i didnt have the time to learn them so i had them tightened up in the hips. The still could fit tighter, but i have been using shitty, worn out briefs for so long that these seemed like a ton of support. I will keep them as they are for now and maybe tighten them again down the line when they are broken in and i am stronger, otherwise it would be too much in combo with my canvas suit. The 705x3 felt solid and im happy with it for now.

[Charles Fay]

Warmup: Bowling pin swings, Flat db press 3x15, various band rows 3x20

BB Bench
barx20
135x10
185x5
225x5
275x5
315x5
add SDP Shirt
365x3 3 board
405x3 3 board, 2 board
455x3 2 board, 1 board, 1/2 board
full range work sets
495x2
505x2
515x2 all of these moved pretty easily

Cable Fat T-Bar Rows 5x10 supersetted w/DB flare extensions 5x15
Rotating Face Pulls w/monster mini 3x20
Twisting straight leg situps w/med ball 30lbs 2x10
Ab wheel 3x12

After having such a poor showing in my SPD shirt last meet and feeling uncomfortable touching weight, i enlisted the help of Mike Schwanke from TBB. He has been kind enough to help me and has advised me to do doubles, full range with the shirt worn high over the shoulders and wetting down the shirt. He also gave me a few other tips on wearing the shirt. I am going to continue trying to touch light weight and eventually work my way up to 6 sets of 2 off the chest which Mike feels is optimal for volume. I will slowly add weight each time around. After a while i will add in some board work in order to feel heavier weights.

[Charles Fay]

Warmup: Indian club swings, Pulldowns 3x10, Double KB outside the leg swings 3x10, Double KB overhead press 3x10

Pullup ladder with various grips of 1,2,3,4,5,4,3,2,1 (25 total reps)

Hang Power Cleans barx10, 135x3, 185x3, 215x3

Standing Military Press (cleaned from floor)
155x3
170x3
195x10

Supersetted presses w/wide grip pulldowns 3x10

1 arm KB snatch 53lb 3x8 supersetted w/sitting lateral raise 3x10
DB Curls 3x12 supersetted w/rolling KB extensions 3x12
Band extensions 2x25

Later on i did some treadmill, sled dragging and abs.

Im trying to increase my volume of pullups, the ladder is a good way to do it, but it was getting hard towards the end. Im hoping this will add some more mass to my back.

[Charles Fay]

Warmup: Foam rolling, stretching, mobility work, 45 degree hypers 2x15, GHR 2x12, band hip abduction.

Raw Box Squatting w/SSB +bands (counting bar as 45lbs)
barx10
bar+purple bands x10
135x5
work sets
225 2x2
275 4x2
315 2x2
365 x2

Conventional Pulls
315x3, 415x3 double overhand
485x3, 545x3 over/under

Raw Sumo Pull Form Work 225 2x10, 245 2x10, 255x10

1 Leg Glute Bridge 3x10
1 Leg doubled mini band leg curls 3x10
Landmines w/grappler 5x10
Standing Abs 3x12

I got in a good bit of volume today in hopes of building a bit more mass and raw strength as well as having my legs be a bit more equal. I had an ACL replacement 11 yrs ago and my legs are still a bit uneven. I use a medium stance on my raw squats because my hips and knees cannot handle wide raw squats. The SSB makes my knees hurt a good bit so i use only moderate band tension with this. A few more weeks of raw work, then i will do my squatting in briefs again.

[Charles Fay]

AM- Extra workout (I normally do 3-4 of these a week, but dont bother logging them)
Sled, treadmill, GHR 3x12, Rev hyper 3x12, rolling and mobility work

PM ME Bench

Warmup: Indian club swings, Flat DB Press 3x15, Various rope rows 3x15

Strongman Log Pin 3 Presses on floor (log weighs 100lbs)
log x10
190x5
280x3
330x3
370x3
400x1
420x1
440x1
460x1
330x7
Supersetted pressing with Rope rows 3x20 and Face pulls 3x15

Chest supported rows 3x8 supersetted w/DB flare extensions 3x10

Later i did some more light sled dragging

I had to workout on my own today because im on shift tomorrow and have a wedding to go to sunday. My shoulders have been aching a bit this week so i figured i would try the log since it has a relatively narrow parallel grip on it. At pin 3 it was about at a 3-4 board press range of motion, working the midrange and top end for me since i have long arms. They definately ended up being a grind, but were friendly to my shoulders and really forced me to use my tris, so it was a fun change from the norm.

[Coke]

Wow, spectacular with all lifts - great to have someone of your stature posting on here!!

[Charles Fay]

Thanks Coke. I would not consider myself to be "spectacular with all lifts", but i do appreciate the complement. I am just trying to be somewhat of a well rounded powerlifter and get back to and beyond where i was before my 2 year layoff. I hope that by posting here i can learn from and get insight from others as well as share what i do.