April Mathis Training Log

[GazzyG]

Checking in to see how you train. Great stuff!

[April Mathis]

Checking in to see how you train. Great stuff!

I'm more random about things when not close to a meet. When I train for a meet it's different, just fyi.

[April Mathis]

01/06/2012 Back/Biceps

Barbell Rows
135x10
225x5
315x5
405x5x2sets strict form

Barbell Shrugs w/Cambered bench bar
behind back superset w/ in front
225x10/10
315x10/10
405x10/10
495x8/8

Lat Pulldowns neutral-grip
150x8x4sets

DB Hammer Curls
30sx8
40sx8
50sx8
60sx8


First time I did rows in awhile, so didn't go too heavy. That was enough today though because I'm squatting heavy Sunday.

[NickAus]

Big rows.......ill catch you!!

[mastermonster]

Not heavy on rows my ***! LOL!

[SELK]

those are insane rows. Im surprised your deadlift isn't higher given that kind of back strength (not say say your deadlift is weak at all!). I pull like 170lbs more than you but wouldnt have a hope in hell of rowing 4 plates for a single.

[April Mathis]

those are insane rows. Im surprised your deadlift isn't higher given that kind of back strength (not say say your deadlift is weak at all!). I pull like 170lbs more than you but wouldnt have a hope in hell of rowing 4 plates for a single.

My deadlift sucks, I know. You can say it's weak - I make fun of my deadlift all the time. I'm not really sure why I'm not better at it. I'm strong at pretty much all back stuff except deadlift. And I can pull pretty much the same completely stiff-legged than with better form, which is messed up. My rows and deadlift is almost the same for reps (I've done 455x5 on rows) and my squat is mostly back than anything else. Can we change the 3 lifts to squat, bench, row or squat, bench, goodmorning? I'm really good at those too.

Nick- No you won't, but you can try. I've not trained with anyone that could beat me on them. I know of only a few people that do them heavier.

Buddy- Lol, it's not for me.

[tom183]

Truly impressive numbers.

[GazzyG]

Those rows are ridiculous. Must have massive back strength to do that!

[mastermonster]

I know your young and tough but be careful with the rows that heavy and the extremely heavy hammer curls. I was already over 50 and more injury prone but around 06 I was going up to 465 for bent rows from the floor and 150 lb. hammer curls. When they did my shoulder scope in 06 they found that I'd frayed the tendon of my upper bicep. I do both moves lighter now for more reps. I'd make sure that shoulder problem you're having isn't that possibly.

[NickAus]

Love your attitude!!

I will try lol.

[April Mathis]

I know your young and tough but be careful with the rows that heavy and the extremely heavy hammer curls. I was already over 50 and more injury prone but around 06 I was going up to 465 for bent rows from the floor and 150 lb. hammer curls. When they did my shoulder scope in 06 they found that I'd frayed the tendon of my upper bicep. I do both moves lighter now for more reps. I'd make sure that shoulder problem you're having isn't that possibly.

Well my right shoulder has been messed up for a long time. The rotator is partially torn and it always aches and takes a long time to recover. However, recently, at the last meet I did I tore something in my left shoulder while pressing 415 on my second attempt (I was smart enough to pass on the 3rd even though it was still easy). It was bruised a small amount for maybe a week or just over. I benched 2 weeks later and felt fine benching. The next week I went heavier and it hurt a little but not bad, mostly about the same as my other shoulder is most of the time. After that it's been acting up quite a bit when I bench. It really felt like it was just a minor muscle tear when it happened, but it's lasted a long time (although I've also been benching heavy a lot so that may also be why). After a week off of benching it feels fine again, regardless of what else I do, so I dunno. I'm not really willing to not bench heavy when it's not really been getting any worse by benching heavy (been about the same, but not better) or interfering with strength in any way. So I've just been taking a week off a bit more often in between.

And the hammer curls I wasn't doing heavy. I very rarely do those heavy. I've done 100s a few times, but I have never seen anyone do 150s, damn. I thought I was pretty good at curls until I read that. I have aggravated my biceps tendon a few times where it attaches near the shoulder. I don't know that's not the problem, but it doesn't hurt at all to do rows or curls of any kind, just benching. I really do not remember what it hurt to do other than benching the other times. It was too long ago.

[April Mathis]

01/08/2012 Heavy Squat (1st session)

Squat
barxsome
145x3
235x3
325x2
415x1 loose belt
415+140lbs. chainx1
415+220lbs. chainx1
415+300lbs. chainx1 tighter belt
435+380lbs. chainx1 belt/loose wraps
455+460lbs. chainxmiss belt/tighter wraps

Weighted Decline Situps (weight held at arms length behind head)
BW+10x10
BW+25x10
BW+35x8

Did not get what I wanted on the squats today. They felt a little better the last time I used chains and had gotten 465+420lbs. chain, but it was still a decent jump in weight I went for on the last set. It felt ok on the setup and unrack, but I got too far forward on the way down (which is usually what happens if it's too heavy and I miss) and couldn't get it from there. My plan was to follow this set with somewhere between 475-505+ 500lbs. chain, but I guess that might be a little while longer. I might need to add in some goodmornings again for awhile.

Heavy Deadlift (2nd session)
135x5
225x3
Add purple bands (~150lbs. tension)
225x3
275x3
315x2
365x1
405x1 loose belt
455x1
505xmiss above knees, but close

Leg Raises- 3sets for time

I was helping a friend later and decided to deadlift since I'm taking a break next week (that way I don't skip pulling week). The purple bands are estimated tension similar to 150lbs. due to we have a very large platform they are stretched across, so there is already a decent amount of tension on the bottom also. I just wanted to work up to a heavy single and see what it felt like. The 455+bands I think ties my best previous and it felt pretty easy so I was happy about that. I tried 505 after(because 25lbs. plates were closest lol), and barely missed it. I really had no desire to try 485 or 495 after, so I just stopped there. I still felt much better about my deadlift this week than last week. Knowing I hit a 455+bands just before hitting a 585 deadlift in the gym in the past, I think I can pull 600+ right now.

[NickAus]

Strong squats!!

I personally love band pulls, my setup with purples is 110-120.

Great work!

[April Mathis]

Strong squats!!

I personally love band pulls, my setup with purples is 110-120.

Great work!

We have about a 10 foot platform and the band loops are on the edges of it. One of my training partners said that is about what they are. It feels about that but no idea. It's not the same as straight weight so can only compare it to itself and can sometimes attempt to draw a correlation if you have gotten stronger at it. Even though I can't get more than 4 reps with 485 straight weight, I am extremely good at singles in comparison.

[GazzyG]

Very strong training session! Very impressive stuff! At what point in your training did you begin training with chains and bands?

[April Mathis]

Very strong training session! Very impressive stuff! At what point in your training did you begin training with chains and bands?

When I've had access to it, which means I didn't use it at all the first few years. The first time I bought some bands was to use for reverse bands on benching to help get back to heavy weight without as much stress on the bottom after an injury I had. Other than that, I haven't used bands and chains very much until recently. I have done a couple training cycles of pulling against bands (and these were probably the best gains I've had on deadlift except for the first few years). I also have used chains with benching from time to time (usually I only had 50lbs. of chain to use for awhile). Squat I have done mostly all straight weight until the last 4 months, except I did 1-2 sets of reverse bands after all my straight weight sets for one squat cycle. So, in the last 4 months I have been using them a lot more than before.

[April Mathis]

01/09/2012 Triceps/Light Shoulders

Modified Triceps Press
barxsome
95x8
135x8
185x8
245x8 PR

Shoulder Press Machine
150x10x3sets

Band Pushdowns
Blue bandx20x5sets

Plate Raises
45x12x3sets

DB Side Raises
20sx10x3sets

Face Pulls
75x15x3sets each side

Shoulder Horn
10sx15x3sets

Just some assistance work. Going light the rest of this week. No bench, squat, or deadlift this week.

[April Mathis]

Added a bench program e-book to my website today. It's a 12-week meet cycle that focuses on strengthening the mid-range (2-6 inches off chest) of your bench if that is your weakness and peaking for a meet. It is $20 (by money order it is $15)and covers assistance work as well. It is located under the squat programs at the bottom of the training programs tab on my website.

[April Mathis]

I was in a pretty bad car accident on Tuesday night. I'm ok, just sore, but really pissed off about it. The other driver just pulled out in front of me when I was driving 45-50mph. Good thing I drive a large truck. I wasn't gonna bench today, but this screwed up a lot of stuff as far as work and everything for me for awhile since my truck is being totalled from it, and I wanted to do something because I was really pissed off. Need to take a week off next week though, because my shoulders really need it. I could tell because even using something that helps with shoulder pain, my shoulders were still very sore.


01/12/2012 Bench

Bench Press
barxsome
135x8
Add foam
225x3
315x3
365x3
405x3
435x1
450xmiss
365x7

PecDec (paused reps)
90x10
120x10
150x10
180x10

R/C stuff

A few guys tried benching with this piece of foam we have at the gym last week. So I thought this would be an interesting thing to try and it wouldn't feel too bad to bench with since my shoulders were sore. I might be able to get the 450 on a better day, but considering I'm not good at lockout work and bring it down too slow to take advantage of bouncing it, a pretty easy 435 still wasn't bad.

[April Mathis]

Here's a video my training partner Glenn taped of one of the sets. I'm not sure why he still can't spell my name right.

http://www.ironscene.com/videos/5709

[NickAus]

Hope your ok, sounds nasty.

[mastermonster]

Sorry to hear about the accident April. Thank God you weren't hurt worse! Take care and heal up quick!

[Brian Hopper]

Sucks to hear about the accident, im glad to hear your ok.

[GazzyG]

Sorry about the car accident, April! They always shake you up, even if you're not hurt.