[Smack]

So it's November already, meaning it's time for October's training review:

Not much to say. October's training went well I suppose: new squat 1RM and 5RM (only taken me a year to get mind you...) as well as a new bench 5RM and deadlift triple.

Now doing the Texas Method as I could no longer make bench progress after the squatting. It also fits nicely into my schedule as only one day is a really long day at usually greater than two hours; recovery day is over nice and quickly and intensity day also doesn't take too long.

I'm going to keep doing the Texas Method for as long as possible. Doing a pre-made routine also keeps things nice and simple, too, as it removes much of the thinking element.

[Smack]

Recovery day week 3

Painful session tonight. Because I'm not very flexible when it comes to squatting and feel it mostly in my knees and low back I just didn't feel that great squatting today. Everything was painful, even my arms from supporting the bar, which never usually happens as I keep my elbows up and use a thumbless grip which means that none of the load from the bar is being supported by my hands/arms.

Biceps were really painful on overhead pressing too, so didn't even bother to chin.

Squats:

105 x 5
105 x 5

Press:

61 x 3
61 x 3
61 x 3

45 degree back raise:

bodyweight x 10
bodyweight x 10
bodyweight x 10

Easy enough, just trying to get some blood flowing.

Task for Friday is to research some proper dynamic warm ups and stretches.

[Smack]

Quick update about where I'm heading with the Texas Method.

Missed intensity day on Friday because I was busy with my masters project.

Going to change from Justin from 70sbig's way of setting it up to Rippetoe's from a recent article.

The main difference is that deadlifts are done on the volume day rather than intensity day, and at a slightly lower intensity. I'll be starting at 170kg tomorrow for a set of five; this will be beneficial to me as I believe that I have a lot of form issues that need to be ironed out, and there's also a lot to be said about not going balls out all the time on the deadlift, especially when I'm squatting and cleaning.

Oh, and that's something I'm going to reintroduce: power cleans. They're fun to do, and even if they don't actually increase the powerlifts, they're still fun to do.

Oh and lastly, benching will still be done every week as I am chasing PRs.

[Smack]

Volume day week 4

Squats:

138 x 5/5/5/5/5

Not too bad. Form was better than last week, although wasn't quite making as good a use of the bounce as I could have on all reps.

Bench press:

78 x 5/5/5/5/5

Not too bad apart from the last rep of the third set. Probably went too quick again.

Deadlifts:

170 x 5

Easy enough. Tried out a new technique with hips higher at the starting position, and it feels much better. More leg drive at the start, stronger lockout contribution from hamstrings and and also shorter ROM.

Then did some arms, but couldn't find my favourite EZ bar (the only one that's ends actually spin) so did some triceps push downs and curls on a crappier bar.

Stretched and home.

[Smack]

Recovery day week 4:

Front squats:

60 x 3
70 x 3
80 x 3
90 x 3

These were extremely easy from a legs point of view, the only awkwardness was that I haven't had a bar in the rack position for a very long time. Going to keep doing these on recovery day since they're not really a leg exercise, but instead challenge my abs and thoracic strength, which will be beneficial for my squats, whilst aiding recovery.

Press:

62 x 3/3/3

Not too hard, but biceps still very sore on these for some reason.

GHRs:

bodyweight x 10/10/10/10/10

First time doing these in a while. Did them barefoot and I can really feel them in my hamstrings now.

[Smack]

Intensity day week 4

Good session tonight.

Squats:

165 x 5

Not the best form. Hips weren't nearly far enough back, knees were buckling a bit and far too quads dominant, but I got them all.

Bench press:

87.5 x 5

Nice PR. Spotter said I had lots more in me, too. (And he was a proper spotter that knew what he was doing as I think he is a lifter himself given by the way he trains; certainly not another "it's all you bro!" ****.)

Power cleans:

80 x 3
90 x 1
92 x 1
94 x 1
96 x 1
98 x 1
100 x 1

Nice PR considering I've not cleaned in ages. Pretty damn hard and even had a miss in there somewhere (I think it was 94). For my five triples across next week (the recommend set and rep scheme on the Texas Method) I'll probably do 80-85 just to get reacquainted with the technique again.

Chins:

bodyweight x 3/5/4

Okay. Biceps were hurting quite bad initially though.

[SMed]

Nice. Is that a 5 rep PB?

[Smack]

Yes.

[ibysaiyan]

Congrats on the PR

[Smack]

Cheers bro. Next week I should hopefully get a 90 x 5 bench. Would be really happy with that considering where I was back in September.

[Smack]

Volume day week 5

Squats:

140 x 5/5/5/5/5

Not too hard, people said they looked fairly easy. For was also better this time too, kept elbows up and they felt absolutely fine too. Only problem is the dreaded butt-wink. Really need to get my ass in gear and research foam rolling, dynamic warm ups and better stretching.

Bench press:

79 x 5/5/5/5/5

Harder than the squats.

Deadlifts:

175 x 5

Pretty easy.

Skull crushers supersetted with curls:

bar + 25
2 x 10

Went later tonight and noticed quite a lack of benders doing **** that disrupts others' training and needlessly uses up power racks. Going to start going regularly at this time on my Monday workout.

[Smack]

Recovery day week 5

Front squats:

90 x 3/3/3

Very easy.

Press:

63 x 3/3/3

Not too bad apart from last rep of last set which was an absolute grinder.

Biceps were also really sore today, too. Going to drop the arm isolation work on Mondays and replace with chins/dips to see if it persists. I've heard that direct arm work can be the cause of such pain and I'd like to see if that's the case with me.

GHRs with broomstick:

bodyweight x 10/10/10/10/10

Easy enough.

[Gakthoil]

Post pictures of your aesthetics, bro.

[Smack]

Intensity day week 5

Squats:

167.5 x 5

Very difficult; much more so than last week.

Form even worse, too. What I'm going to do is, because I can already squat over four plates so don't have my ego getting in the way, is reset my squat on intensity day back to 160. There's no point in continually ramping up the weight when form is getting worse and worse. Best learn how to squat correctly (i.e. use all of the muscles on my legs, not just the quads) sooner rather than later.

I'm going to completely ditch front squats again as, apart from being useless for non-Olympic lifters, are probably messing with my squat form. The fact that my hips hurt on recovery day is because I'm squatting wrong, and as Rippetoe says: squatting correctly will un**** the things that have been ****ed from squatting incorrectly.

Bench press:

90 x 2
90 x 4

No-one I knew and trusted in the gym tonight so had to get some random guy to spot me. Failed after two reps on the first set because I kept having to explain to him to not touch the damned bar and to not get his hands in the way. Did the second set without a spotter and probably wouldn't have made the fifth rep at this point.

80 x 3/3/3/3/3

Form much improving.

Chins:

bodyweight x 5/4/3

Meh.

Stretched and went home.

[Smack]

(Original post by Gakthoil)
Post pictures of your aesthetics, bro.

Only your mum is allowed to see those.

[SMed]

Nice work. You probably have got the 100kg bench now.

[ibysaiyan]

(Original post by Smack)
Intensity day week 5

Squats:

167.5 x 5

Very difficult; much more so than last week.

Form even worse, too. What I'm going to do is, because I can already squat over four plates so don't have my ego getting in the way, is reset my squat on intensity day back to 160. There's no point in continually ramping up the weight when form is getting worse and worse. Best learn how to squat correctly (i.e. use all of the muscles on my legs, not just the quads) sooner rather than later.

I'm going to completely ditch front squats again as, apart from being useless for non-Olympic lifters, are probably messing with my squat form. The fact that my hips hurt on recovery day is because I'm squatting wrong, and as Rippetoe says: squatting correctly will un**** the things that have been ****ed from squatting incorrectly.

Bench press:

90 x 2
90 x 4

No-one I knew and trusted in the gym tonight so had to get some random guy to spot me. Failed after two reps on the first set because I kept having to explain to him to not touch the damned bar and to not get his hands in the way. Did the second set without a spotter and probably wouldn't have made the fifth rep at this point.

80 x 3/3/3/3/3

Form much improving.

Chins:

bodyweight x 5/4/3

Meh.

Stretched and went home.

Well done !

[Adidas90]

Front squats may be uselss to non olympic lifters (debatable). but they are fun. I quite like them as something to do after squats, or after DLs where I'm too wiped out to squat

[Smack]

(Original post by SMed)
Nice work. You probably have got the 100kg bench now.

Hope so. But I'm not maxing out for a while yet.

(Original post by ibysaiyan)
Well done !

Cheers bro!

(Original post by Adidas90)
Front squats may be uselss to non olympic lifters (debatable). but they are fun. I quite like them as something to do after squats, or after DLs where I'm too wiped out to squat

I don't find them fun. I only did them because, due to my poor squat form, squatting on recovery day was painful for my hips and I can front squat with hip pain because I don't feel front squats as a leg or lower body exercise.

[redbuthotter]

Got any videos of you squatting smack?