JK's Road to Elite

[Coke]

Wish you the best as you keep everything moving along.

[Brian Hopper]

I was wondering where you went, lol. Glad to see your back is feeling better. Nice work bro!!!

[jkstrength]

Wish you the best as you keep everything moving along.

Thanks Buddy!

I was wondering where you went, lol. Glad to see your back is feeling better. Nice work bro!!!

Haha. yeah I graduated so thought a vacation was in order. Feeling good and rested.

[jkstrength]

Wednesday 5/16/12 - Bench

Bench:
280x2
280x2
280x2
280x2

Paused bench against light bands:
205 + bands x 5
205 + bands x 5
205 + bands x 5

Barbell Rows:
185x8
185x8
185x8
185x8
185x8

Side Raises:
3x10

Curls:
3x20

Good day but the benches felt heavy. Meet cycle starts next week and I think I am going back to conjugate periodization for this meet for a couple of reasons.
1) the main reason I switched is I was feeling beat up alot but guess what, I'm feeling beat up no matter what I do so might as well go with what works which brings me to my next reason...
2) I've gotten to masters level with conjugate with no signs of slowing down so I'm pretty sure I can adjust and make my run at elite with it too.
3) It a hell of alot of fun.

We'll see what happens....

[jkstrength]

Friday 5/18/12 - Deadlift

Deadlift:
405x2
405x2
405x2
405x2

GHR:
bw x 10 x 4 sets

Farmers Carrys:
210 each hand x 60 feet x 4 sets

Decent day. Deads felt heavier than they should have but they probably should as I haven't been going to heavy the last 2 months. That all changes Monday when the meet cycle starts. I've got 11 weeks to train my ass off and take my first shot at 1400. If I don't get it, it won't be because I didn't work for it. By the way, the farmers were killer and fun as hell.

[Brian Hopper]

Nice work bro, im looking forward to following your 11 weeks of intense training!!!

[jkstrength]

Nice work bro, im looking forward to following your 11 weeks of intense training!!!

Thanks Brian. I'm looking forward to it too! Body is feling pretty good so thats a good thing.

[jkstrength]

Monday 5/21/11 - ME Upper

1-board Press:
bar x some
135x10
135x5
185x5
added 50 pounds chain
225x3
245x3
275x1
295x1
315x1
325x1
330x1

Flat Dbell Press:
85x10
85x10
85x10

Barbell Rows:
185x10
185x10
185x10
185x10
185x10

SKulls:
70x12
90x12
90x12
90x12

Dbell Curls:
3x12

Start of meet cycle and it started off great. Had some more in me on the main movement but decided to end it on a good, heavy single rather than risk a miss. Everything else was fine. Its great to be lifting heavy again!

[Coke]

Glad to see the heavy bench work, this should be a great run for you man, will rock the next meet.

[Brian Hopper]

So far your off to a good start, nice work bro!!!

[jkstrength]

Glad to see the heavy bench work, this should be a great run for you man, will rock the next meet.

Thanks Coke. I hope your right!

So far your off to a good start, nice work bro!!!

Thanks Brian. Got alot of work to do but I'll get there.

[Justin Randal]

Farmers are great gpp. Nice work in here.

[jkstrength]

Farmers are great gpp. Nice work in here.

Thanks bro! Yeah farmers are great. My whole upper back is on fire for a day or two afterward.

[jkstrength]

Wednesday 5/23/12 - DE Lower

DE Squats:
225 + light bands x 2 x 12 sets

Ultra Wide Free Squats:
185x10
225x10
225x10

GHR:
25x8
25x8
25x8
25x8

Side Bends/Weighted situps superset:
60x12/25x10
70x12/25x10
70x12/25x10

DE squats were without a box cause I want them as close to comp as possible. Still fast and explosive. Utra wide squats were to work on hamstring mobility and hip strength which mine sucks. Hoping it will help with my pull too. Can't hurt. Lovin the new GHR.

[Brian Hopper]

Nice DE session!!!

[jkstrength]

Nice DE session!!!

Thanks!

[jkstrength]

Thursday 5/24/12 - DE Upper

DE Bench:
175 + 60 pounds chain x 3reps x 9 sets

Weighted Chins:
bw + 45 x 8
bw + 45 x 8
bw + 45 x 8
bw + 45 x 8

Floor Press:
185x8
225x8
225x8
245x8

Dbell Shoulder Press/barbell curl superset:
10/20
10/20
10/20

Right pec started to get tender at the delt tie-in so almost all pressing sets today were close grip. As I went on it got better and I was able to move to comp grip halfway through the floor presses but I was careful. Last thing I need right now is a torn pec. Ice and rest and I'll be good as new on Monday. Actually felt really strong today despite that so things are going well. Saturday is ME Lower and 4 inch block pulls are on the docket. Can't wait.

[Brian Hopper]

Strong pullups!!!

[J L S]

good to see you back with the dark side!

started off strong, i hear you on the box being taken away. Ive been sqautting without it for the best part of 8 weeks now on D/E days and my squat feels alot better for it.

[Brian Hopper]

I agree. I'm starting to do paused speed squats and hopefully I'll see a difference.

[jkstrength]

good to see you back with the dark side!

started off strong, i hear you on the box being taken away. Ive been sqautting without it for the best part of 8 weeks now on D/E days and my squat feels alot better for it.

Haha, I couldn't stay away. I feel alot better just lifting heavy, physically and mentally. Yeah box wasn't doing anything for me so why use it? I need to tighten up my form a bit anyway.

I agree. I'm starting to do paused speed squats and hopefully I'll see a difference.

Yeah I'm hoping to see a difference too.

[jkstrength]

Saturday 5/26/12 - ME Lower

Sumo Pulls Against Chains:
135x110
135x5
225x5
315x3
added 50 pounds chain
405x1
460x4 (approximately 510 at the top)

Comp Squats (70%):
315x5
315x5
315x5

Hanging Leg Raises:
bw + 15 pound chain x 10 x 3 sets

Great day for the first ME session of the cycle. This is what I like and what works for me. I was scheduled to pull from blocks with straight weight but last night I changed it up a bit to pull from the floor, where I feel I need some work. Previous best was 460 x 5 straight weight so this was probably a good bit better than that and since this was my first ME attempt at this movement, it was a PR by default. It was tough squatting after this but I think it will pay off in the end with a strong squat.

[Brian Hopper]

Strong pulls!!!

[jkstrength]

Strong pulls!!!

Thanks Brian! I recently changed my set up a little bit and I think it is paying off. I used to dance around and do some pre-pull rituals and I think I was 1)wasting energy and 2) psyching myself out a little. So now I take my breath while standing and then just reach down, get my grip, sit back and rip it. I think I'm able to stay tighter this way.

[jkstrength]

Monday 5/28/12 - ME Upper

Close Grip Bench:
135x10
135x5
185x5
225x3
275x2
300x3

Comp Bench:
185x12
185x12
185x12

Barbell Rows:
190x10
190x10
190x10
190x10

Dbell Skulls (30 seconds rest):
30x12
30x12
30x12
30x12

Dbell side raises:
25x12
25x12
25x12

I'm capable of more on close grip but it wasn't going to happen today. Still hit a heavy triple and got some good work in. Feeling good about August.