Training week 24/3/2014

Monday 24/3/2014

Max Effort Lower
High Bar Close Stance Squats to Box + 3 Readers Digest Books
(Conventional stance)
20kg x 10
40kg x 5
50kg x 3
60kg x 3
70kg x 1
75kg x 1
80kg x 1 (Form finished here....)

Reverse Hypers
10,10,10,12

KB Swings
16kg x 16,16
20kg x 10, 12
(Felt a niggle in my lower back)

Straight Arm Pull Down
12.5kg x 8,8,8,10

Abs
Reverse Crunches
15,15,15

My Nemesis: Front Squats

I really don't like Front Squats...
When I was doing crossfit style routines, Front squats were done with 5kg - 15kg preloaded barbells or bumpers. They were done for high amounts of reps and for time. There was never an instance where form was corrected. So unfortunately the barbell was unracked where comfortable and was mostly coordinated with another exercise like Front Squat + OH Press, or Clean + Front Squat. 
It was when I made the switch to Powerlifting that the Front Squat appeared in my program, I just cringed every Monday when it came up in my program and used KB's instead. I never made the effort to learn to do them properly. So anyone who knows me well knows I hate Barbell Front Squats. I hate them so much I bought an SSB to eliminate the duty of front unracking.

However after the SSB v Ankle incident, I wont use that bar on my current Force USA rack until safety slings are installed, or new pins made up. So I am forced to make friends with Barbell front squats in the meantime. 

I was front squatting in the 40kg range for reps with the SSB but I'm finding my upper body wants to dip forward with the Olympic Barbell. I am aiming to get back up to repping minimum 40kgs with the Barbell. My last 1rm check was a 60kg Front Squat.

Mobility:
My previous Chest/shoulder injury seems to have loosened up my shoulders and back enough to unrack correctly. My main mobility issue is in the wrists. 
I am still doing a banded dynamic warm up routine to get the upper body flexible and warm. 

Videos:
Barbell: Front Squats 22.5kg x 8 March 2014
SSB: Front Squat 65kg 1 Rep Max - November 2013
Barbell: Front Squat 30kg x 5 - July 2012 @ PTC Sydney

Training Week 17/3/2014

Saturday 15/3/2014

Lower body
Squats (Not low or high bar)
20kg x 10
25kg x 10
40kg x 5,5,5
45kg x 5 (started tipping forward on this set)

Goodmornings
25kg x 8,8,9,8

Lunges with 8kg OH
10/10, 10/10, 6/6, 8/8

Lat Pulldown
15kg x 12
20kg x 12,12,12

Ab Rollout on Gymball
2 x 10

Notes:
Shoulder niggle started on Lat Pulldowns.
All sorts of mobility issues with squat, most notably hamstrings, inner thighs.
So much tightness through the front of the chest, stretching daily at the moment but maybe worthwhile increasing stretch sets throughout the day. Legs were so shakey afterwards!

G's Notes: Avoid good mornings, and replace with hypers. Good mornings affect my squat. Play with width of feet for squat.

Tuesday 18th March 2013

Upper Body

Bench Press

(All paused)

20kg x 10, 2 (Wide & Mid grip)

25kg x 10 Wide Grip

25kg x 10 Mid Grip

25kg x 10 CG

(Just searching for niggles in the chest)

Mid Grip Bench Press (Almost flat backed)

35kg x 5,5,6,6

Assisted Dips

(Orange Band)

7,7,7,7

Tricep Dips off Bench with 8kg KB

7,7,7

12kg KB x 6

(No niggling issues this far)

Pendlay Row s/s OH KB Press 4kg

25kg x 10/15, 10/15, 10/15, 10/15

Could have gone a little heavier/more reps of Pendlays, just didn't have my boxes to set up from.

(Started to get a sternum niggle on 3rd set)

Crossfit-Style Pull ups

Orange Band + Gym Rings

6,4,5

Bicep Curls

6kg DB's

10/10, 10/10, 10/10

Notes: Almost zero chest pain. Basic upper body warm up with bands. Mid grip felt most comfortable.

Friday 21st March 2014

Lower Body
Deadlifts
Mobility is terrible for sumo so went Conventional for some volume, no harm in practicing conventional form.
25kg x 10
40kg x 10
50kg x 10
60kg x 12
The low bar on the smaller weights <60kgs were a bitch to set up on. I don't think there was any Lats invovled at all. Lost count on the 60kg deadlifts.

Front Squats - Barbell
No SSB bar until I get my safety straps. I have zero faith in that bar on this rack!!
20kg x 5,5
22.5kg x 5,6
Tried arms across the chest first, then went traditional front rack. Found traditional more comfortable, but I'm taking a guess that my abs aren't strong enough to stay upright correctly. My upper body just wants to dip forward.

Single Leg Deadlifts
2 x 8kg KB's (16kg) x 8/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10
Could really feel this working my lower back
I found using one KB made me lean unnaturally during the lift.

Figure 4 Weighted Dips
5kg Plate
Could barely get left side into a figure 4. Had to keep trying to stretch it out.
10/10, 10/10, 10/10, 10/10

Ab's
Boring Crunches
10/10/10

Notes: Single Leg DL's and Figure 4's in one session takes too long!

22nd March 2014

Upper Body

Speed Bench
Bar + Bands
Mid Grip x 10,10
Close Grip x 10

Mid Grip
25kg x 3,3,4,3
CG
25kg x 3,3,3,3
(Chest injury niggled through band presses)

Military Press
20kg x 10
22.5kg x 6,6,5

Flyes
4kg x 10
5kg x 8,8

Lat Pulldown
20kg x 10
25kg x 12,12,11

Facepulls
12.5kg x 10,12,12,12

Bicep Curls
EZ Bar
16kg x 12, 10, 10

Triceps
Bench Dips s/s OH KB Press
Alternating
50 reps total
Crashed after 25 straight.

1hr 15min session