PL/BB Journal

[FearFactory]

Training:

5/3/1 with a focus on heavy singles. A meet every 4-5 months. I just did my first meet and totaled an anemic 1130 (370,260,500), but I went very,very,verryyyy conservative and I only had 3 weeks to prepare and hadn't even deadlifted in 6 months prior. I plan to hit 1275-1300 May 19th for my next meet. Hoping for at least 425/300/550, although I see the deadlift being higher by then since I am actually training it regularly now.

Diet:

I like having a nice physique to go along with my strength goals, but I still need to gain about 12 lbs before May to get into the top of the 242s, so I am taking a carb backloading approach (Have e-book). Been using it for 6 weeks and it is working quite well....weight is up a few lbs and I look the same or possibly slightly leaner (tough to gauge since my body appearance fluctuates so much depending on if I am pounding the carbs or not). All I know is it is NOT like the last time I bulked at all, which got me pretty damn fat.

[FearFactory]

1/25/12

Military - 5's - 160 input
100 x 5
115 x 5
135 x 5

Just way too easy. Need to up input max by 10 lbs next cycle, maybe 15.

Pendlays off pins
195 x 10
175 x 10
155 x 10

DB Bench
100's x 10
90's x 10
80's x 10

100's felt real easy.

Neutral Chins
+10 lbs x 10
BW x 10
BW x 9

Close Grip Bench
195 x 10
175 x 10
155 x 10

My setup is much better, I am getting nice leg drive.

[FearFactory]

1/27/12

Squats
275 x 8
245 x 8
215 x 8

Deads - 5's - 500 input
Yes, I prefer to squat before deads even if it is my accessory, because I cannot do it the other way around. This is the way it will be in a meet, so I may as well train this way.
325 x 5
375 x 5
425 x 5

Leg Press Calf
3 plates + 30ps x 15 + 8

Incline DB Curls
40's x 12

Hammer Curls
55's x 15, each arm

Decline Abs
+10 x 10
BW x 10
BW x 10

My form was really off on squats/deads today. Shame on me for slacking on my mobility work during the week.

[FearFactory]

1/29/12

Bench - Heavy paused singles day
255 x 1
265 x 1
275 x 1
285 x 1

Definite confidence booster today.

Pendlays
200 x 10
180 x 10
160 x 10

Military Press
120 x 10
105 x 10
90 x 10

Neutral Chins
+15 lbs x 10
BW x 10
BW x 10

Close Grip Bench
205 x 10
185 x 10
165 x 10

Workouts are getting much better as of late. My intensity in the gym is up.

Was pretty happy with the 285 bench. It wasn't a PR or anything, but I had no pain in my shoulder and had great drive off my chest.

[FearFactory]

2/1/12

Squats - Heavy Single - 385 input
315 x 1
345 x 1
375 x 1
390 x 1

Stretched like crazy the last 3 days. Squats felt much better. Wanted 405 today but the low back was still under recovered from last pull day.

Incline DB Curls
40s x 13

Seated Calf
3 plates x 15 + 9

Hammer Curl
55's x 16 each arm

Walking Lunges
55's x 10 x 2, each leg

These are going to be my savior...not sure why I always dropped these from my routines...my best squats/deads are when these are in the routine. These stretch my psoas while simultaneously strengthening my glutes. I am already sore from them and it was light weight.

[chevelle2291]

Nice work. Is that 390x1 belted?

[LuNa]

Good stuff dude!

[FearFactory]

Nice work. Is that 390x1 belted?

Um yeah, very loose though actually. I was at that awkward point where I can't quite get to the setting I need, but the setting I am currently on is still too loose (need a lever belt). I get a solid 75 lbs out of my belt due to my hip issues (MAJOR anterior pelvic tilt,which puts a TON of stress on my low back during squats). So really, for now, the belt is a huge crutch for me until I fix my issue. Walking lunges are going to be the cure, I can tell already. I expect my squat to make some giant leaps in the next couple of months as my hip loosens up.

Good stuff dude!

Yeah!

[chevelle2291]

I'll let you know how the lever feels when I get it here today.

[FearFactory]

2/3/12

Military - 160 input - heavy single day
All super strict, starting from weight on my shoulders.
120 x 5
135 x 3
155 x 1
165 x 1
175 x 1
185 x miss
185 x miss again
185 x miss again...this time I tried unracking the weight halfway up so I could get a little bit of a rebound. Got it 3/4 of the way up but still missed.

Only the 4th time I have trained this lift within the last 6 months so I guess 175 isn't too bad.

Pendlay Rows
Very strict (90 degree back angle), but off pins. Useless for me doing them from the floor with my super long legs. It would basically be a deadlift into a pendlay row.

205 x 10
185 x 10
165 x 10

DB Bench
105's x 10
95's x 10
85' x 6

Little too aggressive on the back down sets.

Neutral Chins - BW about 230-232 with clothes on
+20 lbs x 10
BW x 10
BW x 10

Close Grip Bench - pinkies 2 fingers inside the rings
210 x 10
185 x 10
155 x 10

Pressing is starting to get a bit better. I am happy with my progression on DB bench...only been 3 workouts and I am back up to over 100's for reps.

[chevelle2291]

Pendlays looking strong. Chins too.

[FearFactory]

Pendlays looking strong. Chins too.

Thanks.

Workin hard to get that back bigger. So important for PL.

[FearFactory]

2/5/12

Deads - 500 Input - Heavy single day
375 x 5
425 x 3
475 x 1
520 x 1 (ties pr, but this 520 was way easier than the last)

Went conservative today...back wasn't feeling that great. 520 moved very slow for the first 2 inches...I actually got light headed while pulling and had to let my air out right away. After the first couple of inches, the weight just flew to lockout though. I can lockout anything I can break off the floor.

Incline DB Curls
40's x 13

Leg Press Calf
3 plates + 35ps x 15 + 8 + 6

Hammer Curls
55's x 20, each arm

Decline Abs
+15 lbs x 10
BW x 10
BW x 10

Walking DB Lunges
65's x 10, each leg
50's x 10
35's x 10

Lunges are fucking awesome.

[LuNa]

Very solid pull. Are you doing any sort of deficit pulls as supplemental stuff?

[FearFactory]

Very solid pull. Are you doing any sort of deficit pulls as supplemental stuff?

Nope. Squat goes up, dead goes up..not vice versa though.

[Coke]

Fine training in here, good luck with your goals for the upcoming meet in May.

[FearFactory]

Thanks Coke

2/8/12

Bench - 3's - 285 input
185 x 3
225 x 3
255 x 3
275 x 1
290 x 1

Both singles TnG (not bounced). 290 flew up like nothing. I was/still am fucking pumped about it.

Pendlay Rows of pins
Very strict as always
210 x 10
190 x 10
170 x 10

Military Press
125 x 10
110 x 10
95 x 10

Neutral Chins
BW + 25 x 10
BW x 10
BW x 10

Close grip bench
Pinkies two fingers inside rings
215 x 10
185 x 10
155 x 10

Couple notes.

1) Buzzsaw is a fantastic preworkout. No jitters at all and gives me great intensity and energy
2) Ring finger is easily my strongest bench grip. I warmed up using my middle finger and 255 felt heavy. Then I went 1 finger closer and 275 felt like nothing.
3) Pendlay rows have ridiculous carry over to flat bench. When I pull the weight out now on bench it feels a ton lighter and I feel my back muscles activating a lot more off the bottom of the press.

[Time+Patience]

I just did my first meet and totaled an anemic 1130 (370,260,500), but I went very,very,verryyyy conservative and I only had 3 weeks to prepare and hadn't even deadlifted in 6 months prior.

Edit again. Get rid of the exuse making as the introduction.

Like the goals and the plans. PL and BB can both be done.

Check-- new follower.

[FearFactory]

Edit again. Get rid of the exuse making as the introduction.

Like the goals and the plans. PL and BB can both be done.

Check-- new follower.

Yeah basically I am just weak, but if I put the entire meet writeup in here you would understand why I went conservative . I had to wait over 14 hours until my 1st squat because the meet was run extremely poorly. I didn't really care though I just wanted the experience.

You are right though.

As for the BBing part, I am WAYYYY leaner at current 230 than my last 230 6 months ago or so. It is night and day. Carb back loading is working very well so far. If I can look as lean as I am now at 242 and continue gaining past that at the same low rate of fat gain, I may never cut again.

[Coke]

Good deal on the pendlay rows and the effect they have on your bench.

[FearFactory]

My new favorite channel

http://www.youtube.com/user/lolzgym#p/u/45/VvQ4PwTpfqI

[FearFactory]

No workout today guys..

Got to the gym, started working out and either had

a) A panic attack
b) Hypoglycemia
c) A combination of both
d) Exercise induced asthma (I had asthma until age 13 and seemingly "grew out of it".

This has been happening frequently lately and I am getting worried so to the doctor I go. Basically what happens is that my heartrate suddenly increases and I get a feeling that NO OXYGEN is enough and a feeling that I can't swallow (classic panic attack signs). I went to the ER for this 6 months back or so because I didn't know what it was and I literally thought I was dying. They ran a million tests on me and found nothing wrong and chalked it up to a panic attack. It happened on and off randomly...like I would just be watching a movie and everything is ho hum and suddenly it happens.

One of the reasons I think it may be related to hypoglycemia is because it happened REALLY bad wednesday after my workout and I was very depleted (didn't eat much at all during the day) then I had 3 servings of cereal in milk, so basically pure sugar, and 20 minutes later I started literally shaking and had the same feeling I got when I went to the ER. Then I ate a ton of fat/protein food through the night and I was 100% fine an hour or so later...slept like a baby.

I personally think it is probably hypoglycemia that triggers the event, then I freak out and make it even worse (panic attack) and a vicious cycle occurs.

Either way, I have good insurance so I am getting it checked out.

[FearFactory]

2/11/12

Squats - 3's - 395 input
275 x 3
315 x 3
355 x 3
365 x 1

365 may as well have been 1000 lbs. I need to squat more than once every 9 days, so I will be squatting a bit on deadlift days again as an accessory. Squat progression seems to be very much like my bench progression. If I hit it hard and often, it goes up.

Incline DB Curls
40's x 14

Leg Press Calf
3 plates + 40ps x 15 + 8 + 6

Hammer Curls
60's x 15 each arm

Just went home after this. Skipped abs/lunges, was tired.

[chevelle2291]

Just went home after this. Skipped abs/lunges, was tired.

Pussy.

[FearFactory]

Pussy.

Ok let me be more honest.

I was so pissed about how my squats felt, I just wanted to leave. I am really discouraged about that movement. I swear to god I am going to pull 600 while still having barely a 405 squat.