The Basement Tapes 2015

[btwrestler119]

I'm hoping Santa brings me a trap bar so I can add farmers to my routine.

These were with the spud traveling farmers handles that santa brought early. The only bad thing about them is they have almost 50mm handles that rotate some, so they are much harder to hold onto than traditional farmers implements or a trap bar.

Gotta be careful of the momentum when making that turn, right? I nearly tipped over the first time.

With traditional farmers handles that's a problem because the weight sits out in front and behind your body so it carries any momentum. With the straps I was using the weight just hangs straight down. So the tough part of turning is just that it kills all of your forward momentum and speed.

 

[btwrestler119]

12/15/16

Deadlifts - Mag-Ort week 9

135x10
225x4
315x2
385x4,4,4,4
435x2
485x2 +5lb 2RM
385x8



The first rep was a bit grindy, I think I rushed it and started pulling before I had taken all the slack out. Still, only 10lb off my max so I'm happy with it, and I'm dealing with a cold, so I'm happy with it. I settled for the minimum on the last amrap set, I just pulled 8 as fast as possible, took about 24 seconds.

Paused front squats

135x3
225x2
275x3,3,5



Threw on a belt for the last set, another paused pr, I really love how well these are going. The only downside is that my previously injured right knee doesn't love sitting in the bottom position under a heavy load. I don't think its anything more than achy-ness though.

 

[btwrestler119]

12/17/16

Fighting a cold, but still managed to have a good workout.

Axle DOH Deadlift

Worked up to a clean single at 205lb, got 215 to the knees, dropped back and did a set of 5 at 185

Overhead Medley - 205 clean and 2 presses, 2 x 110 db press

EMOM for 5 minutes



This was the last round, it was primarily a conditioning challenge, this is the same medley that I'm going to see at the competition in February except that the clean and press is with a 215lb log and the dumbbell is 145lb. I'm going to increase the weights as I go, I started particularly light with the db so I could ingrain good technique.

Standing 1 arm db press

70x12 each
70x9 +3pp each
70x9 +3pp each

Ring Pull-ups

BW+15x5,5,5,5,7

 

[MilkManUK]

Looking good mate, you have really grown the last few months from what I can tell on your vids anyway.

 

[btwrestler119]

Looking good mate, you have really grown the last few months from what I can tell on your vids anyway.

Thanks, my weight has stayed the same (around 210), but I've lost some stomach fat and I've put on a bit of mass in the shoulders/traps/upper back region. I've grown out of every dress shirt I own. I attribute it to the higher volume work and doing a lot more overhead work.

 

[btwrestler119]

12/19/16

Squats

135x8,8
225x5
295x2 paused
355x2,2 paused
Added belt
355x3 paused +10lb 3RM



355x8,5,5 +10lb 8RM



Really happy I got this, especially after the shitty performance with 345 last week.

RDLs

235x8,8,8

 

[SteveX]

Solid work man. Pause squats are brutal.

I thought you were lifting in jeans at first lol

 

[btwrestler119]

Solid work man. Pause squats are brutal.

I thought you were lifting in jeans at first lol

Thanks, I'm loving this training cycle, doing paused squats and paused front squats has really helped me. Those are some tight jeans, lol.

 

[btwrestler119]

12/20/16

Paused Bench Press

135x8,8
225x3
255x2
275x1
295x3,3,4,2



295x4 is a PR, the most I'd done at this weight is 3.

Row

135x5
235x6,6,10



SOHP

45x20
135x3,3
155x1
175x8,5,5 +5lb 8RM



80 facepulls

 

[btwrestler119]

12/22/16

Quick workout today.

DOH axle clean

155x3 EMOM for 10 minutes.

Burpees

5/minute EMOM for 10 minutes, did as many as possible in the last minute (16).

61 total.

 

[btwrestler119]

12/23/16

Deadlifts-mag-ort week 11

155x4
225x4
315x4
395x4,4,4,4
445x2
Added belt
495x2 +10lb 2RM and matches my 1RM



Back to beltless
395x10 +10lb 10RM



Paused Front Squats

135x3
225x2
285x3,3
Added belt
285x5



Another paused pr, only 10lb off my non paused pr.

 

[btwrestler119]

12/24/16

1 arm db press (strongman style)

60x5 each arm
110x3 each
130x2 each
150xf each
I was too casual with the first attempts at 150.
150x1 each +9lb left arm pr
155xf,f very close the first attempt, locked the elbow but couldn't stabilize overhead. The second attempt I was spent.



90x10 each, first 2 strict
90x10 each, first 3 strict
80x10 right, first 8 strict
80x6 left, all strict, wrist was bothering me.

Ring Pull-ups

BW+20x5,5,5,5,6

 

[SteveX]

Awesome work on the circus DB. One thing I've done in the past is use a Fat Grip to simulate the handle thickness you'd find in a competition.

If anything the version you're doing is harder. I find the thicker handle puts my wrist in a better position for the press.

 

[btwrestler119]

Awesome work on the circus DB. One thing I've done in the past is use a Fat Grip to simulate the handle thickness you'd find in a competition.

If anything the version you're doing is harder. I find the thicker handle puts my wrist in a better position for the press.

Thanks! I have a set of fat grips, but the combination of fat grips and a rotating handle is pretty sketchy with my small hands, the dumbbell wants to roll through my thumb. Plus the fat grips don't fit onto my dumbbell handles correctly, they are the contoured handles that are thicker in the center for some reason.

I know that a 125lb prostyle dumbbell is much easier than the same weight with my plate loaded DBs. I'm hoping that I will be equally good with the 12" circus dumbbell at the upcoming competition, I'm going to need to hit 145x2 after a 215 log for 2.

 

[btwrestler119]

12/26/16

My elbow and knee are feeling a bit achy, so I decided to go ahead and deload a few movements this week. I'm still going to be pressing and deadlifting, but I'm going to deload squats, rows, front squats, and axle work. It's been 4 weeks since I've deloaded so it's about time.

Squats - deload

225x3 paused
225x5
225x3 paused
225x5
225x3 paused
225x5

RDLs

135x6,6,6,6,6

I also did some gripper work with my one of my Christmas gifts.

 

[btwrestler119]

12/27/16

Bench Press - all paused

135x8,8
225x3
275x1
305x2,2,3,1 +10lb 3RM



I was hoping 305x3 would be easier than that, but it was after a long day at work and limited sleep the night before, so I'm happy to get it. 8 total reps at a weight that was my 1rm 5 months ago is pretty satisfying as well.

Rows - deload

135x5,5,5,5,5

SOHP

135x3,3
155x2
180x6,5,4



Not nearly as good as 175x8 last week, but still the most weight I've done for 6 reps.

Reverse Fly/Axle curl superset - 3 sets of a bunch of reps of each.

 

[MilkManUK]

I may have said this before, but your missus looks about as impressed as mine does when it comes to lifting!

 

[btwrestler119]

I may have said this before, but your missus looks about as impressed as mine does when it comes to lifting!

Haha, yeah, she hates spotting me too. At least your missus does deadlifts, I've tried unsuccessfully to get my wife to lift serious weights.

 

[MilkManUK]

Haha, yeah, she hates spotting me too. At least your missus does deadlifts, I've tried unsuccessfully to get my wife to lift serious weights.

Yeah, she benches, deads, squats and overhead, same as me really, but she also is training for a half marathon and does a load of gym classes like spin etc.....none of which takes my fancy at all.

 

[btwrestler119]

Yeah, she benches, deads, squats and overhead, same as me really, but she also is training for a half marathon and does a load of gym classes like spin etc.....none of which takes my fancy at all.

That's cool that she's into it. My wife does these workout videos from the internet, it's like aerobics with some strength movements with light weight and high reps. She knows how to lift though, she was a high level college athlete back in the day, which makes it more frustrating that I can't get her hooked on powerlifting.