260lb Bench @ 180lb BW

- Bench: 102/225 x 1, 107/236 x 1, 113/249 x 1, 118/260 x 1 (PR)
- Squat: 127.5/281 x 3 x 5
- Weighted Chin: 25/55 x 2 x 8
- Weighted Dip: 20/44 x 3 x 10
- Ab Circuit
- Neck Harness: 24/53x4x50
- Conditioning: Prowler x 12 x 20m trips with 163lb in 10:00 (alternating high/low handles)



Today concluded Steel’s 5 week Big Bench program. I absolutely smashed my previous best and set a new 1 rep max of 118kg/260lbs at 180lbs. What has impressed me the most isn’t the 5% increase in my max but the relative ease with which I did it and the fact that I have been losing weight while on the program. Absolutely fucking stoked.

Needless to say, the rest of the session was great while I rode the high of the significant bench PR. Strength is coming back on the squats and I’m pushing the prowler with greater ease and recovering between trips faster than ever before.

Today’s performance convinced me to be designated driver this New Years Eve and not get wasted. I hope everyone has a great New Years!

A good day

- Deadlift: 140/308 x 2, 160/352 x 2, 170/375 x 2 x 2, 160/352 x 2, 120/265 x 10
- EZ Curl: 35/77 x 3 x 15
- DB Row: 22/48 x 3 x 15
- Ab Circuit
- Neck Harness: 24/53x2x50
- Conditioning: Prowler x 10 x 20m trips with 141lb in 10:00 (alternating high/low handles)

Really solid session today.

Deadlift felt infinitely stronger than last week. My stance is back to normal and everything feels “right” again. I am also going to stop calling my pull a sumo deadlift as it really isn’t sumo at all. My arms are inside my legs but the range of motion isn’t any shorter than conventional.

Everything else felt great and my body is feeling great too. I’m really tempted to just stay home this New Years Eve and not get wasted.

Boxing Day

- Bench: 96/211 x 3 x 2
- Close Grip Bench: 91/200 x 3 x 6
- Safety Squat: 100/220 x 5, 110/240 x 5, 264 x 5
- Weighted Pull Up: 25/55 x 2 x 6 + BW x 12
- Ab Circuit

I had to get a reasonably quick session in early this morning before work.

This is my last week of Steel’s Big Bench program. I max out on Friday and attempt a new 1RM.

Tiger balm and my Tommy Kono’s again and my knee is feeling pretty good, all things considered. I am stretching and foam rolling my quads and IT band 3 times a day and icing when necessary.

Hope everyone had/is having a great Christmas. I probably ate over 6000 calories yesterday. Back to normal today.

Wednesday & Friday

Wednesday 21/12/2011

- Deadlift: 140/308 x 2, 150/330 x 2, 160/353 x 2, 170/375 x 7 x 2
- EZ Curl: 35/77 x 3 x 12
- Ab Circuit
- Conditioning: 13 x 20m trips with 141lb in 10:00 (alternating high/low handles)

Friday 23/12/2011

- Bench: 107/236 x 6 x 1
- Squat: 125/275 x 3 x 5
- Weighted Chin: 25/55 x 3 x 6
- Ab Circuit

Bench was fairly easy. I only took about 2 minutes between sets.

Squats felt okay. I’ve definitely lost some strength not squatting for a month. I used tiger balm and knee sleeves (not wraps) and my knee felt pretty good. My abductors/inside thighs were killing me again though. It’s not a strain-like feeling but rather an incredibly painful aching sensation. It’s strange and I hope it goes away soon.

Bodyweight down to 82kg/180lbs and waist down to 32.5”. Not sure if should continue getting much leaner.

A life without squats?

- Bench: 90/198 x 12 x 2
- Squat: 120/264 x 3 x 5
- Weighted Pull Up: 30/66 x 2 x 6
- Neck Harness: 24/53x2x45
- Conditioning: 400m, 75 pushups, 400m, 75 sit ups, 400m in 11:02

I free squatted for the first time in a month today and while my knee didn’t give me any grief during the workout, it is now quite painful. While squatting seems to aggravate it the most, sprinting and even pushing the prowler bothers it a bit too. So I’m not real sure what to do. Three weeks without any squatting didn’t do anything to improve it, so maybe I have to accept a future without squats? Period. At any rate, I will try and find a good physio who can tell me something more than just not to squat.

Ordinary

- Bench: 96/211 x 2 x 3, 102/225 x 4 x 1, 73/161 x 10
- Press: 72/159 x 4
- 12” Box Squat: 100/220 x 5 x 3

Didn’t train until 8pm tonight after a fairly long and tiring shift at work.
Bench was easy, as it should have been.

Press was disappointing. I wanted 6, which would have been a rep PR. The set was pretty messy and probably could have gotten 5, but gave up when it got stuck at my forehead.

I did some light box squats and they didn’t really bug my knee.

I’m feeling pretty wrecked physically and am looking forward to taking a week off following New Years, after which I will almost certainly start 5/3/1.

Another torn callus

- Sumo Deadlift: 160/353 x 6 x 2 (2 minute rest)
- EZ Curl: 40/88 x 2 x 12
- T-Bar Row: 3 plates x 2 x 8
- Core work
- Neck Harness: 24/53x2x45
- Conditioning: 12 x 20m trips with 141lb in 10:00 (alternating high/low handles)



I tore the last of my calluses after the 5th set of deadlifts and so was forced to wear a glove on my left hand for the final set. The deadlifts definitely feel heavier without straps, making the pull a lot slower off the floor and thus harder at the top. I also feel that not squatting has had made my deadlift a bit weaker. I will continue to not use straps for as long as possible, however I based my estimated 1RM on the 190kg x 3 set I did with straps, so as I reapproach those poundages I will inevitably have to use straps again. I recognise that my grip is a weakness and I am addressing it, although I don’t see the point in allowing my pathetically small hands to limit how much I deadlift.

I wanted to do a lot more rowing/back work today, but my torn callus said no.

We had an awesome prowler workout today. We made sure each sprint was done as fast as fucking possible, really getting low and driving with the legs as quickly as possible. The low handles really smoke the quads.