April Mathis Training Log

[April Mathis]

Later this evening I did some assistance work:

Flat DB Press
50sx10
80sx8
110sx8
140sx8
165sx2

Shrug Machine
405x10x4sets slow reps

Face Pulls
100x10x4sets

DB Rows
165x10x2sets each arm

Standing Cable Rows
100x10x2sets slow reps

Shoulder Horn
10sx8x3sets

I haven't been doing enough back stuff recently and I didn't do any assistance work earlier so this was alright.

[April Mathis]

05/06/2012 Heavy Squat/Light Deadlift

Squat w/Cambered Bar (black one)
barxsome
155x3
245x3
335x2
425x1 loose belt
475+40lbs. chainx1
475+80lbs. chainx1 loose belt/loose wraps
475+140lbs. chainx1 loose belt/medium wraps
475+240lbs. chainx1 tighter belt/tighter wraps
480+320lbs. chainx1

Deadlift (no belt on all sets)
225x3
Add purple bands
225x3x4sets
275x2x2sets

Knee traction with mini band
3sets of 20 each side

Good squat today. I wasn't sure how easy or hard it was going to be at first with this bar so that's why the smaller jumps at first. And my knees were sore so I put the wraps on a little early. With deadlift I'm just going to pull a little heavier against bands each week until the meet. Two of my best gains on my deadlift were just pulling with bands like this for 5-6 weeks and then going for a heavy pull, so I will just try it again. Probably next week I will try to squat (or even just unrack and hold some weight) with the regular bar to see if my shoulder feels good enough to be able to compete or not 6 weeks from now. If not I will just lift at the one in August instead. I'm taking most of this next week off though. Deload a few weeks ago wasn't enough, because my joints are still hurting a lot. So that will leave 4 weeks heavy and then a week off before the meet, which is a good layout anyways.

[GazzyG]

Mighty squatting, April! It'll feel weird for you when you're back using a normal bar again, I bet.

[Brian Hopper]

Great job April, thats some heavy weight at the top.

[April Mathis]

Thanks Brian and Gazzy. @Gazzy- It might. Probably feel alot better than these specialty bars (which all suck, but especially this black one).

Squat video from yesterday (last 2 sets): http://www.ironscene.com/videos/5928...tting-w-chains

[mastermonster]

Great squatting April! Hope the shoulder comes along fast!

[April Mathis]

Thanks Buddy.

05/13/2012 Moderate Squat/Heavy Deadlift

Squat w/Safety Squat Bar (using handles in power rack; walked out)
barxsome
155x5
245x5
335x3
425x3
515x3 loose belt
605x3 loose belt/loose wraps

Rack Pulls (from top of knees)
225x3
315x3
405x3
495x3 loose belt
585x3
655x1 (missed 2nd)
675x1
495x10 PR for reps

Later I did:

Barbell Shrugs with Cambered Bench bar (behind back)
135x8
225x8
315x8
405x8x3sets

Pullups
BWx8,7
BW+20lbs.x4,4

Weighted Decline Situps (weight behind head)
BW+20lbs.x8x4sets

Today was ok. A lot of volume. Squats were all easy. Didn't get what I wanted on rack pulls, but not too far off from the best I've done on them.

Still can't squat with a regular bar without my shoulder hurting. I tried when first warming up and it is a lot better than it was, but I want to wait till it fully heals. I also want to squat with a regular bar at least a few times before competing. So, I'm going to wait and compete at the SPF raw pro-am in August if everything goes well, instead of competing in June.

[Brian Hopper]

Probably a smart move by holding off on competing. Let that shoulder heal up and hit the numbers you know you can.

[April Mathis]

Brian- Yep. And if I do the meet in August I can win money to pay for the trip so that's good too.

05/14/2012 Shoulders/Triceps

Shoulder Press on smith machine
barxsome
135x8
155x8
175x8
195x8

DB Side Raises
15sx8
20sx8
25sx8

DB Front Raises
20sx8
25sx8
30sx8

Reverse PecDec
60x10x4sets each side

Triceps Pushdowns close-grip
60x15x4sets

Band Triceps Pushdowns
Doubled black mini bandx20x4sets

Shoulder work is feeling much better each time. The shoulder raises and reverse pecdec didn't hurt at all this time and with slightly more weight on each, although still light.

[April Mathis]

05/17/2012 Bench

Bench Press
barxsome
135x8
225x5
275x5
315x5
365x5 PR
Add slingshot
405x5 PR
435x3 PR
315x18

PecDec
90x10x3sets long pauses

Weighted Incline Pushups (paused reps)
BWx10
BW+20x10
BW+40x8
BW+60x6x2sets
drop set: BWxa bunch of reps

Good benching today. 365x5 wasn't too hard. Only slowed down a little on the last rep. Haven't tried to get 5 with it since last year when I got 4, so it was about time I finally did. And the side of my shoulder didn't hurt on anything today, which is good.

[Brian Hopper]

Strong PR April!!!

[thecityalive]

Nice PRS! I wanna let you know, I almost pulled a puker during my deads this week and thought of you. lolz. Glad to see everything is going well.

[April Mathis]

Thanks. And doesn't matter as long as you finish the lift Rob.

05/20/2012 Deadlift and Back

Deadlift w/Fat Bar
150x5
200x5
240x5
290x5
330x5
380x5
430x3 loose belt
480x2

Barbell Shrugs w/Cambered Bench Bar
135x8
225x8
315x8
405x8
495x8
585x6

Barbell Rows off floor
225x5
275x5
325x5
375x5
445x2 sloppy- stopped there

Lat Pulldowns wide neutral-grip
150x8x4sets

DB Shrugs on Incline Bench
20sx20x4sets paused reps, just trying it today to see if I like this or not

DB Preacher Curls (each arm)
20x8
30x8
40x8
50x6

DB Concentration Curls (each arm)
40x8
50x8
60x8

A lot of volume today. The fat bar deadlift was pretty interesting. I was worried about having a problem with grip on it since I cant even touch my hands around the bar, but I didn't at all which was good. Still hard to pull with and I kept hitting my shins and knees on every set, which was unusual because it pretty much never happens on a regular bar. Back to squatting heavy next week. My knees really needed a break and hopefully feel better by then.

[April Mathis]

05/21/2012 Bench Lockout/Triceps/Shoulders

Bench Press
barxsome
Add 4-board
135x5
225x5
315x5
405x5
455x2 (missed 3rd) PR heaviest I've tried
365x14

DB Side Raises
20sx10x3sets paused

DB Front Raises
20sx10x3sets paused

Reverse PecDec
60x10x4sets each side

Band Triceps Pushdowns
Blue Bandx20x5sets

Was hoping to get more reps with 455, but considering lockout is definitely not my strong point benching and it's the heaviest I've tried, it's not too bad.

[April Mathis]

A couple bench videos from last Thursday:

365x5 raw: http://www.ironscene.com/videos/5962...-doing-365-x-5

435x3 with slingshot: http://www.ironscene.com/videos/5964...3-w-sling-shot

[Brian Hopper]

Strong board presses April!!!

[NickAus]

Ever impressive April!!

[April Mathis]

Thanks Brian and Nick.

05/24/2012 Bench

Bench Press w/Cambered Bench Bar
barxsome
135x8
225x5 shoulder hurt too much, switched bars

Bench Press w/Fat Bar
290x3
330x3
380x2 easy
Add carpet
420xmiss touched too low
420x1 pretty easy
425xmiss touched too high I think

Incline Bench
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5 PR
295x5 PR
315x4 PR

PecDec (each side, one side at a time)
60x10
90x10
120x8
150x6
60x50 both at same time

Really should have just benched full-range the whole time. For some reason I kept getting out of groove with that carpet press pad. I think I either need to use it earlier and work up or not at all. I was just trying to go a little heavier each time full-range before using it or the slingshot or something else to make sure my shoulder won't hurt bad, but I think it will be just fine with benching now (other than the cambered bar which is still a bad idea for awhile and makes me think squatting with a regular bar with any weight on it will still be that painful too). Very happy with incline benching though. I have always been horrible at them and this is the first time I have done them in over a year and I have never done 295 or 315 for 1 even before.

[April Mathis]

05/27/2012 Squat

Squat w/Cambered Bar (newer one)
barxsome
155x3
245x3
335x2
425x1 loose belt
515x1
585x1 loose belt/loose wraps
625xmiss (got too far forward at the bottom) tighter belt/tighter wraps
625x1 better
515x1 loose belt/loose wraps

Squat lockouts off chains w/Squat bar (no belt)
145x3
195x3
235x3x2sets
285x3x2sets
335x3x2sets

Abs- 2sets BWx some reps

Not the best day, but still came back and got the 625. I wanted to go up to 645 or so today, and the 2nd attempt with 625 felt easy enough to, but that was enough. My back and knees were bothering me a lot today, so I just left it there. I was going to do a few reps with 515 but that hurt enough too so I just stopped at 1. The squat lockouts were only to start trying to use a regular bar to squat with a limited range of motion, and my shoulder wasn't too bad with these (285 and 335 hurt some but not that bad) and it doesn't feel like it made it any worse today, so that's a good start at least. I should be able to squat with a regular bar very soon.

[April Mathis]

05/28/2012 Bench Lockout/Shoulders/Triceps

Fat Bar Dead Press off Chains
Pin 6 on monolift (about 2.5-board)
barxsome
150x5
240x3
330x1x3sets
Pin 7 (about 3-board)
350x1x2sets
Pin 8 (about 3.5-board)
370x1x2sets
Pin 9 (about 4-board)
390x1
Pin 2 (just over chest height)
240x10

Reverse PecDec
75x10x4sets each side

Band Pushdowns
Doubled black mini-bandx20x5sets

Rear delts with mini-bandx20x3sets

some r/c stuff

My shoulder doesn't like these kind of presses too much right now, so I'm probably not going to do them much. Still some good work done. Decided to keep it moderately heavy for a bunch of singles instead of heavier for less sets.

[April Mathis]

05/29/2012 Deadlift/Back

Deadlift with Cambered Bar (black one) standing on 4" block (bar at lower part of knees to start)
155x5
245x3
315x3
385x3
455x3
515x3 loose belt

Rows on machine (each arm)
45x8
90x8
135x8
180x8

Lat Pulldowns wide-grip
200x8x3sets

Bench Shrugs
barx10x4sets

Someone had the idea a couple weeks ago to try deadlifting with this bar. It is the hardest bar I ever had to grip as it is quite abit thicker than a regular bar and is completely smooth. I never lose my grip with anything, but I started to feel like I was about to lose my grip at the lockout of the 515 set. Other than that is wasn't too hard, other than it also swings as you lift it as expected. My back still hurt so this was probably not the best idea today, but since this next weekend I will be helping at a meet 3 days in a row and not going to squat or pull, I just pulled today.

[April Mathis]

05/31/2012 Bench

Bench Press
barxsome
135x8
185x8
225x8
275x8
Add carpet
315x8
365x7
385x4 (just missed 5th)

Bench Press w/Cambered Squat Bar
barx5
115x5
155x5
205x5
245x3
295xmiss too unstable had spotter take it
245x3x2sets

PecDec (each arm separate)
60x10
90x10
120x8
75x30 (both arms)

Shoulder was pretty sore today so did some higher reps. A lot of volume but went well. I tried benching with the cambered squat bar and that was interesting to say the least. Similar to benching with hanging kettlebells on the bar but felt even more unstable than that. By the last set of 245 it felt much better. I think I will try these for awhile in between as assistance.

[April Mathis]

Helped at a meet for 3 days, so trained today instead of Sunday.

06/04/2012 Squat (light day)

Squat (all no belt and deep as possible)
barxsome
145x5
235x5
325x5
415x5
465x3

KB Swings
40x10x4sets

Leg Curls w/band
Green bandx20x3sets

Weighted Situps
BW+45lbx10x3sets barbell at arm's length

Some shoulder stretching and rehab stuff

Everything felt easy as it should even with my back being sore from the last few days. Felt a little awkward and off balance with a regular bar after not squatting with one in 3 months. Happy to squat with it again though with only a small amount of shoulder pain on the last 2 sets, but nothing bad.

[April Mathis]

06/07/2012 Bench

Bench Press
barxsome
135x8
225x3
275x3
Add carpet
315x3
365x3
405x3

Bench w/shirt (loose phenom)
2-board
405x1
455x1
1-board
455x1
full-range
455x1
475xmiss (shirt slid up and think I touched too high)
475x1 better

Shoulder hurt a lot today, need to take next week off benching. Stopped a little early raw with just 405. I wanted to try a new shirt someone I know just let me have. The good thing is I touched a lot easier than with the denim shirts I tried (and I did 2 out of 3 good reps touching, which is way better than my usual 1 out of 5-10). The bad thing, the sleeves are too big, so it doesn't help a lot. I can probably get a little over 500 with it, but not more than that without it fitting tighter or getting stronger. But I think I will like to learn it for awhile how it is, then I can get the sleeves tighter.

[Brian Hopper]

Some strong presses!!! When do u plan on doing a geared meet?