Explosive Squat Day

Here is tonight's training video:

Today, my goal was to work to something around rpe 6 and do 5 doubles there, while moving the weight down and up as fast and explosively as possible. I'm pretty happy with the speed of today both set-wise and in concerns to rest time as well. I kept my rest times at a minute or under for all of my speed sets.

The reverse band sets are awesome confidence builders and I encourage anyone doing some speed work to increase the weight a little at the end of your sets, slapping reverse bands on, and smashing some weight. They allow you to move so much quicker than plain straight weight. I do not think this is a result of the bands taking a ton of weight off absolutely. The way I set them up, they weren't taking anything off at the top

The highbar paused squats felt tough today, but totally manageable. I am trying to stay as tight as possible and descend slowly to really build that eccentric part of the motion. I've also noticed that whenever I add in these heavier highbar squats, especially paused, my deadlift moves well, too--something to think about

Squat
Barx10
135x5
225x5
275x5
315x3
335 5x2 @6
reverse band 365x2
reverse band 405x2 @6

Highbar Close Stance Paused Squat
335lbs 5x5 @8-9

Leg Press 4x20

GM's 
135 3x12

DB Stiff Leg Deadlifts
 65lbs each hand 3x15

Heavy 1 Board Benching and Slingshot Work

Here is tonights training video:


Another great day in the books with a PR off a one-board, and not a max attempt at that. I left a little gas in the tank today and worked up to an RPE 9. I tried to get a lot of sets in today to build some significant volume with some heavy weights. The last set could have probably been done for a double, which I am very pleased about. After, I threw on 10% extra, added a slingshot, and did a triple there. Once again, the slingshot is awesome when used sparingly.

I can't speak highly enough about this tool at the present time. Like I've said before, the slingshot's merit doesn't exist in letting you handle more weight, but rather it exists in letting you handle more volume at more weight--double whammy. I don't care that I can slap more weight on, but I do care that I can slap more weight on, rep out, and do it for a few more sets without burning out too badly. My close grip sets afterwards felt awesome again today too, no complaints there.

All this being said, yes I am making progress. All my lifts are moving, but I go back and look at these videos and think...what in the world?? It looks like I am not even trying on sets that I perceive to be rpe 8 or 9. Am I just being a puss? What's going on here? I need to push...period. It's time to up the intensity and make some real progress. I've been told this over and over too, but I'm not getting it. My set from tonight looks like a 7...not a 9.

1 Board Bench
Warmed up with the bar, 95, 135, and 175lbs all for 5 reps off my chest
205x5
225x5
245x3
265x3
275x2
290x1
300x1
315x1
325x1 @ 9
add slingshot
355x3

Close Grip Bench
245x3
255x3
255x3

Lat Pulldowns 3x15

Cable Press down w/ straight bar 4x15

DB Military 3x10

BB Shrugs 4x15

Abs: 3 sets hanging leg raise, 3 sets land mine twists   

Friday accessories and a new exercise

I woke up early this morning to go get some accessory work done before leaving for the weekend. Considering that I never train in the morning, and often feel weak when I do, this went really well. The close grip reps went well and I felt strong. I'm really happy that I've been able to keep pushing the weight week to week and still have the my benching, and the rest of my training, go amazingly. 

The snatch grip complex is something I came up with and it was actually a ton of fun. I will definitely keep them in my accessory day. The way it works is: you do a high pull, then a row, then a stiff leg dl all with a bar and a snatch grip. You just keep repeating those three for as long as you can. Try it

Close grip bench all reps paused

Barx10

95x5

145x5

175x5

205x5

235 5x5

185x10

Military press slow and controlled

95lbs 4x10

Calves 4x10

Snatch grip complex 

High pull - row - stiff leg dl

5 sets of ? Reps

Db shrugs 

3 sets

Preacher curls 

5 sets 

Abs

3 sets 

Cube Rep Squats: Squat Hell or Squat Heaven?

Squats are hell--they totally suck, but I love them. Seriously, no other movement is as satisfying.


I felt pretty decent going into today and I ended up working to a personal record of 405x6. Honestly, I wanted more, perhaps 425-445x6, but my lower back hasn't been able to recover the last few days. After pulling a big PR off of blocks the other day, I was just beat. My back was completely shot after that last set...just done. You can't ever argue with progress though, ya know.

Afterwards, I decided to add insult to injury and kept squatting for a total of an hour and a half. The highbar squats felt alright today, and I have been able to keep pushing the weights or reps higher. Eventually, I just got beat up enough that I called it a day.

Competition Style Squat
Barx10
135x5
225x5
275x5
315x5
365x6 @8
405x6 @10
The video is deceiving in this case. I really didn't have more today due to my lower back

Highbar Close Stance
315x5
335 4x5 @8.5-9

Wide Stance Pause Squats
225x10
225x5
225x5

Single Leg, Leg Press
3x15

Video of the day goes to Igor Lukanin and a 639lb front squat. No big deal...