ME Bench 10.31.11

Today I had a great lift. Trained with our QB's coach who just wanted to do a heavy bench day... I didn't disappoint. I am really loving the drop down singles. I feel like my technique and strength are really improving.

1. Mini band reverse bench (barely helped at all) - 385x1, 405x0... should have gone 395, but i was feeling froggy

2a. Drop down singles 7x1 @90% - 345

2b. Pullups (dif grips) - 6x15, 1x10

3. Isometric press at chest - 3x5s

4a. BB Skull crushers - 3x8

4b. Hanging full leg raises - 3x10

4c. Blue band face pulls 3x12

Tomorrow will be an extra workout... gearing up for chain gang box squats on wednesday!

Xtra workout 10.30.11

Rumble Roller

Stretch

Shoulder Stuff

Hip/Glute Stuff

On treadmill-

5min walk

10x20s run @level9

10 min uphill walk

5min light cool down

I find it amazing how not running has made me a better runner! I guess there is a lot to be said for mobility and finding imbalances.... get in shape to run, not the other way around!

Deadlifts 10.29.11

Today was interesting because we lifted before a football game and got interrupted 7 times by recruits we had to chat with. So rest periods were a bit inconsistent.

1. Sumo pulls 6x1 @ 85%

2. Front Squat - 225x5, 275x5, 315x5 (long rest), 345x2 *felt awful, 225x8

3a. DB row - 130x8, 150x8, 150x8

3b. Rev Hyper - 3x10

3c. Decline Sit-ups - 3x20

Not a lot but took like an hour and half. Good lesson to learn because in meets rest r very inconsistent.

DE Bench 10.28.11

Real good lift today. Experimented with my bench grip width a bit to see if i can manage to go a bit wider. I'll see how i like it. Also, experimenting with wearing a belt while i bench. Again ill see how i like it.

1. Reactive Bench 55% 7x3

2a. 3 board press - 315x5, 335x5, 335x5 (2 reps better than last week on my last set)

2/3b. Weighted Chins - 50x3, 60x3, 70x3, 80x3, 90x3, 100x2, bwx20, bwx20

3a. Tate press - 80x8, 80x8, 100x8, 100x8

4a. band pull aparts - purple 2x50

4b. Cheat Curls - 135 3x8

4c. Incline Ghar Hammers 4x12

Feel good, lats are toasted. Relaxing and recovering for dead lift tomorrow.

Xtra workout 10.27.11

stretch, foam roll

glute activation

shoulder circuit with 5# plate

1a power runner x30s

1b. battling ropes x60s

1c. plank x60s

*repeated 4x

nothing special just a nice sweat and working on my weaknesses in the shoulder and hip/glute area

ME Skwatz 10.26.11

A big day of the week and it was somewhat disappointing, but I feel like I got better at some things.

1. Reverse band Squats (~70-80# at the bottom) - up to 585x1 and 605x0 (should have had this, but I did not wrap my knees tight enough and I went too deep lol)

2. back down to 90% - 495 x 7 singles... should have been 535 but i went without knee wraps. this was 85% of 585

3. Speed DL - 55% (315) 7x1

4. RDL - 315x5, 405x5, 465x5

5a. GHR Situps - 4x10

5b. Elevator Row - 4x8

added in 5x20 DB Shrugs at the end in between bouts of foam rolling and lamenting how sore I am going to be lol.

Overall a great day. Needed to work my technique a lot more as my depth is inconsistent between too low and right on the nose. Everything after the ME work went great. Look forward to benching on friday.

And a note to Nick... You're strong as fuck!

Today's Personal Training

1. Dynamic Effort Squat: 8x2 @ ~60%              SUCKED
              + red bands, buffalo bar, box, and suit
2. RDLs off a 4 inch platform to floor: 5x5
3a. Barbell Shrugs: 3x10
3b. Hip Flips onto 6 inch box: 3x5
4. 100 Situps

My Lift for Yesterday

1. Close Grip Bench Press: worked up to a 3 rep max then tried for a few ones after
             (For Paul: 365x3, 375x1, 385x1 with help, 385xF, 365x2
2. Incline DB Press: 3x?   120's X 10
3. Double Band Press Down: 3x10
4. Blast Strap Pull ups: 10x5
5. Lateral Raise: 3x10

Xtra Lift 10.25.11

This was one of my GPP/ weak points workouts. I started with foam rolling, some stretching and glute and shoulder prefab/ rehab.

1. Barbell Complex (5 rdl, 5 clean pulls, 5 cleans, 5 front squats, 5 push press) x5

2a. Battle Ropes 5x60s

2b. Broken treadmill march 5x60s

Not too bad, got a good sweat going. SO READY FOR SQUATS TOMORROW! PR's all day!

women's lax for today

Warmup: shoulder combo, lateral figure 8's, Rose wall slides, drop jump
1. Box Squat at 55-60%: 4x15
2. Sumo Deadlift: 4x6
3a. Glute Bridges: 3x10
3b. Pullovers: 3x10
3c. Reverse Fly: 3x10
4. 200 partner medball abs

The reasoning behind me doing reps of 15 is that they have been doing very low reps and high percentages for the past 4 weeks, now I think it was time to lay back and start breaking down the muscle without max work.  Soon we will increase the load again. 

ME Bench 10.24.11

1- Pin Press at chest - up to 365

2 - Back down to 85% - 315 x 5x1

3 - Strict Standing Military Press - 135x8, 155x8, 185x5

2/3- 100 Pullups in 9 sets throughout

5a - Standing overhead BB Tricep Extension - 95x10, 105x10, 115x10

5b- Dragon Flags 3x10

5c - Facpulls on lat pulldown - 70x3x15

Goals are within sight! I am very happy with today and I am well on my way to my 375 goal.

Update since Thursday

So I spent this past weekend attending my girlfriend's white coat ceremony in Tampa. Training took place at Elite Strength and Conditioning (http://www.goelitesc.com/).

Thursday - DE Bench

1 - Reactive bench 8x3@60%

2 - 3 Board press 3x5 - 315, 335, 335

3 - Strict DB Tricep extensions - 3x8

** did 80 pull-ups, and some abs in there as well

Friday - ME Deads

1 - Sumo Dead - up to 525 (10# PR)

2 - Front Squats - 275x5, 315x5, 335x5

3 - Atlas Stone - 190# 3x3 to a high platform

**abs of some sort, i forget... and 4x8 DB Row

Today's Lift

1. Dynamic Effort Box Buffalo Bar Squat: 10x2 @ 60% roughly with Yellow Bands and 30 second break
2. Buffalo Bar Goodmornings: 5x5
3a. GHR Situps: 3x10
3b. Hip Flips onto 10 in box: 3x5
3c. Barbell Shrugs: 3x10-15
4a. Situps: 100 reps
4b. DB Curls: 4x10

Again. killed the abs because my abs are weak.

Men's Lax for Today

Warm up: Shoulder combo, KB Swings, OH Squat
1. Zercher Squat: 6x3 (3 sets @ 80%, 3 sets @ 85%)
2. Sumo Deadlift: 6x3 (3 sets @ 80%, 3 sets @ 85%)
3. RDL: 3x15
4. Broad Jump: 3x6
5. Hammer Curls: 4x10
Team Weighted Abs using 25lb and holding overhead
20 crunches
20 full situps
20 russian twists
30 full situps
All with 25 in air with arms fully extended

Women's Lax Today

Speed/Agility Day
Warm up Performed 2x each
1. Walking Lunges
2. High Knees
3. Butt Kicks
4. Skips
5. A-Skips
6. Lateral Shuffle
7. Carioca
8. Tapioca
9. Bounding
10. Two Leg Bounding
11. Baby Bounding
12. Speed Skaters

Performed 4x each
1. 20 Yard Sprint
2. OverDrive Sprint (Jog 20yd, Sprint 20 yds)
3. Backpeddle to sprint (20 yds)

Redirection Drills: Performed 3x Each
1. 10 yd, cut, 10 yd
2. 20 yd, zig, 20yd
3. Lateral Shuttle

Wk 1 Day 2 - ME Squat 10.18 (+Women's Lax and Softball)

So due to my travel plans this week I had to squat today instead of tomorrow. It went extremely well, even though I did not get enough sleep, and had a lot of groups in the morning.

1. Safety bar squat - up to 450x1 (30lbs PR)

2. Back down singles @90% - 6x1 (420... should have been like 405, but I was feeling froggy, and wanted to keep 4 plates on the bar lol)

3. Speed Deadlifts - 8x1 @50% (285)

4. RDL - 315x5, 405x5, 455x5

5a. Elevator Row - 4x8

5b. Hanging Leg raises - 4x10

Lets see how the rest of the week of training goes in Florida. If I don't update, I apologize but I am visiting my girlfriend for her white coat ceremony in med school.

As for the teams, women's lax did:

1a. Banded KB Swing 6x5

1b. Weighted Hip Jump 6x3

2. Back Squat 5x5

3a. GHR 4x10

3b. Pushups 4x12

3c. Bodyweight Rows 4x15

3d. Band Pull Aparts 4x30

Prehab circuit of 4 way band retraction series, Bulldog glute circuit, fat bar timed hold and TKE.

We finished up with torso as a team - 200reps

Softball also lifted today, they did:

1a. Overhead reverse medball throw - 20 reps

1b. Med Ball Side throws - 15 ea

2. Push press - 6x4

3a. Pushups 4x10

3b. Bodyweight Rows 4x10

3c. GHR 4x10

3d. 3 way shoulder raise (like a cuban press broken into steps) - 4x10ea

Torso - 200 reps

As you can see, Lax does a bit more volume and they have a huge focus on prehab/rehab. Softball is mainly in to increase force development and increase posterior chain stability and strength. the goal with softball is also to progress them to full olympic movements, as it has been requested that they incorporate them.

Hope this was as interesting to read as it has been to write... its been a LONG day!

Todays Lift

1. Close Grip Bench Press: worked up to a 3 rep max, then a 1 rep max
2. Incline DB Bench: 1x8, 1x6, 1x3
3. Weighted Pullups: 2x8, 2x5
4. Skulls Reverse Grip: 4x8
5. Lateral Raise: 3x15

Wk 1 Day 1 - ME Bench 10.17

Had a great lift today, which is the exact way to start a meet prep. Went very smooth and I did some things I have never really done before. The basis of my Max effort days will be back down singles after my 1RM.

Today was:

1. Reverse band bench (orange, so takes like 40# off bottom) - up to 405x1, 425x0

2. 6x1 @ 90% - 365

3. ISO press at chest - 3x5s

4. BB Skull Crushers - 3x8

Also did 10x8 pull-ups, and 3x20 grey band face pulls during my accessories

5. Dragon flags - 3x8

Look forward to some big things to come!

As for my teams, only WBBall lifted today. They did:

1a. High Pull 10x3

1b. Broad Jump 10x2

2. Front Squat 6x4

3a. GHR - 3x10

3b. Blast Strap Pushups - 3x10

3c. Pullups - 3x10

Torso - 200 reps

Slowly progressing them into the full olympic lifts. This team has a few who have, lets say movement dyslexia, so it is taking a while. This isn't a bad thing because becoming proficient in basic movement patterns will only help the team as a whole. Injuries are already way down during this preseason compared to last!

Later ya'll

FAIL (today's personal Lift)

1. Max Sumo DL: worked up to 1 Rep.
     I have absolutely no problem getting the weight off the ground but as soon as I hit knees or lockout, I fail.
2. Front Squat: Worked up to heavy 5 then heavy 3 then failed.
3a. Weighted GHR Situps: 3x10
3b. Dumbbell Shrugs: 3x15-20
3c. Face Pulls: 3x15
4a. Full Situps: 100 reps
4b. Hammer Curls: 3x15

Killed the abs today hard because I have been neglecting them.  I have been hitting lower back 2-3 times a week and am lucky if I hit abs once in 2 weeks.

Men's Lax for 10/17

Lifting 3 Days a Week for Men's Lax so Dynamic Day looks like this:
Warm up: Shoulder Combo, Band Tear Aparts, KB Swings, Hip Flips
1. Dynamic Effort Box Squat: @55% onto box 10x2
2. Bench Press: @ 55%, 10x2
3a. DB Rows: 4x10
3b. Incline DB Press: 4x10
4a. Blast Strap Tricep Ext: 3x15
4b. Reverse Hyper: 3x10
4c. Glute Ham: 3x6

Friday 10/14

Today's personal lift:
Dynamic Effort Squat with yellow bands, squat suit, and buffalo bar @65%: 8x2
Buffalo Bar GoodMornings: 5x5
Hanging AB raise: 3x25
Hip Flip: 3x5
Barbell Shrugs: 3x15 or 20 or 10 or 5  (I hate these)

Deads... and a lot of other stuff

So today I wanted to see how close my sumo pulling is to my conventional pulling. I pulled 565 2 weeks ago in training. Today went like this

1. Deadlifts (warmups were done going conventional, then sumo) - 135 x3+3, 245 x2+2, 335x1+1, 425x1+1, 475x1, 515x1, 565 (for shits and gigs)x0

2. Above knee pulls - 425x5, 475x5, 515x5

3. SSB squats - 135x10, 225x10, 275x10

4a. Elevator Row - 5x8

5a. GHR abs - 25lbs x3x10

5b. BB Shrugs - 315x3x20

Today was fun! Meet prep starts monday officially. Tomorrow I am fasting cause all the cool kids are doing it, so I'll see you Monday if I am alive!

ME Bench

Today was a Max Effort bench day for myself, and with my meet prep starting next week I wanted some numbers to see where I am at.

The lifts was pretty simple:

1. Paused Bench (with commands) - up to 335x1, 355x0... this would have been a 5 lbs PR

2a. 4 Board press - 315x5, 345x5, 365x3, 225x20

2b. Weighted Pullups - 20lbs 8x5

3a. Black band triceps press downs 4x20

3b. 3 way shoulder raise - 20lbsx3x10ea

3c. Barbell rollouts - 4x10

Not very impressed with myself today, I felt great but I should have had the 355. It flew off my chest and stalled about a 4board high. Got a lot of work to do if I am to hit my goal numbers for my meet.

As for my teams, women's bball lifted today and absolutely killed it! They had a post practice lift and performed.

1a. Clean pulls 10x3

1b. Vertical Jump 10x2

2. Box Squats 8x3

3a. Pushups 3x10

3b. Pullups 3x10

3c. GHR 3x10

Torso training as a group - 200 reps.

They did all of this within 45 minutes and had a great intensity. Its lifts like this that make me love my job!

Talk to ya'll later!

Day before a Game/Lacrosse

Tomorrow, Wagner men's lacrosse will be playing two different teams in a scrimmage and under Coach Poskay's request, today was just a GPP day and pre-hab day for the men's lacrosse. Today's day looked a little like this.

2x8 shoulder combo
2x8 Overhead figure 8s
3x10 Bosu Squats
3x10 Bosu Pushups
3x10 Lateral Raise
3x20 Band Tear Aparts

GPP:
2x Lunge Walk (20 yds)
2x Reverse Lunge Walk (20yds)
2x Lateral Lunge Walk (20yds)
2x Forward/Reverse/Lateral Gooch Walk (20yds each)
2x Walking Spidermans (20 yards)
2x Lying Scorpions
2x 10 Pushups
2x 10 Froggers
2x10 Burpees

3x5 Hip Flips
3x5 Reverse Hyper (150)
3x20 Kettlebell Swings

Partner Assisted Stretch with slight PNF

Very basic day, lots of movement, lots of stretching, low weight, and lots of complaining.

The worse mood

My training is the greatest anti-depressant.  Today is my off day, but in order to make it through rough times and a hectic life, my training is there to take the edge off. Nothing great to say except when all else fails in life, there is always somewhere to take the rage out.

Xtra training day

Hey,

So today was my "Xtra" day. This day usually involves performing some type of circuit style lifting which addresses my weak points and increases my weekly training volume. It also serves as an amazing GPP booster because it often includes some type of conditioning element.

Today was:

Foam rolling and a dynamic warmup

5 rounds of

30 second battle ropes

30 second march on the broken treadmill (kinda like a sled drag)

30 second backpedal on the same Tmill

10 Glute ham raise sit-ups

10 pall off press per side

10 barbell military press

20 barbell Rows

10 barbell good mornings

10 barbell lunges

(all the barbel movements were with the empty bar)

I did this all in 22 minutes.

I finished with some shoulder rehab and glut activation stuff (did it with my softball team as part of their warmup)

The reason for no traditional weighted movements today was the soreness I had from my squat session yesterday and the lift I have planned tomorrow. Got a great sweat and pump going and I feel awesome heading into tomorrow.

Later!

Training for today

Much like Nick, I will be posting my own training on the site. I also follow a conjugate model of periodization not unlike the Westside Barbell template. I differential in the volume of my accessory work and the organization of my days.

M- ME Bench

T - Xtra

W - ME Squat/ DE Deadlift

R - Xtra

F - DE Bench

S or Sun -ME Deadlift (depends on our lifting groups schedule)

Today was my ME squat and DE Deadlift training session. It was as follows:

1. Reverse band squat (grey band so it takes about 90lbs off the bottom) - Worked up to 585x1, 605x miss

2. Glute Ham Raise - Trying to do these with as little assistance as possible from the machine, 3 holes showing 4x10

3. a - BB Split Squat 135x3x10

b. Hanging windshield wiper abs - 3 each, 3 each, 2 each... added leg raises to the bar after each set up to 10 reps

This was a tough lift today and the goal was to test out some knee wraps and work my technique. Very pleased with the results. See ya tomorrow!

Training for 10/11/11

My personal training has been also a conjugate method, but started out at a hypertrophy phase.
I am currently documenting all of it, because it worked great for me.
I am still trying to stay as tight as possible on the bottom of my squat.

Today was as follows.

warmup: scorpions, rollovers, KB swings, pushups, shoulder combo
1. Reverse Grip Lockouts: worked up to a 3 rep max
2. DB Bench Press: worked up to the 150's
3. Skulls: 4 sets of 10
4. DB lateral Raise: 3 sets of 15.

First Post/Lacrosse Training

Currently I have been working with a men's lacrosse team in New York City.  My primary goal for the year is to not have any muscular or ligament injuries that I can prevent through strength training (primarily ACL).  I started the team out with a basic periodization model much like one would see in the NSCA.  I started them off with about  3 weeks of basic hypertrophy (high reps and lots of fatigue).  After they accomplished a few weeks of this, I did two weeks of clustering (adapted from Brandon Beach; unlike any training I have seen before).  As of now, we are running through a basic conjugate method training three times a week.  Because the days are split into Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, Our week starts on Thursday with heavy box squatting/Zercher Squatting (surprisingly, the team has grown to love Zercher Squats), Fridays-power shrug and bench press/3 Board.  All accessory work has been in the high repetition range. We have also been working with alot of rotational work such as torso rainbows and anti-rotational work such as pile-off press. 

Accomplishments for this year include:
1. a 425 pound box squat from a student athlete
2. a hip flip onto a 17 inch box by a student athlete