Keosawa's Powerlifting Log

It was totally empty today--I was ecstatic. Despite this, I managed at least one run-in with chronic bro stupidity, the end-result of which was nearly a mule-kick to the testicles.
 
Pretty great, and of course I wasn't there to help with filming. Dangit. And the background needs moar curling.

Yeah, I just come to Keo's log for the skinny guys in the background of his videos encouraging each other while they curl 20lb dumbbells.

I am disappoint.
 
Which bands do you use for reverse benching?

Those are blue bands. They give me 135 lbs. at bottom and 70 lbs. at the top for wide grip/60 lbs. at the top for close grip. If you stretch them the length of the cage, you'd probably get 200 lbs. per band: they increase tension in a hurry. You can see where they hang down to on my 225 lb. set.
 
^not answering question, as my deadlift doesnt like me. But every single article I read from Bret Contreras he talks about hip thrusts, glute bridges and the glutes. So imo he's a big believer in glute strenght and have found that working for him and his athletes.
 
yeah it seems like a decent article about muscle weakness and im trying to target one.

bret does have seemingly reliable articles
 
True, just wanted to note that from the articles ive read from him, he loves the ass.
 
I agree with 90% of this article, yes. Personally, I've found that other exercises have developed my glute strength better than barbell hip thrusts: I really think that the glute-ham raise is a go-to exercise for me, as are sumo deadlifts, Dimel deadlifts, and wide-stance box squats. Those three lifts have really helped build my glute strength. Barbell hip thrusts are an exercise that I use (I actually did some today) to build glute strength, and while a good exercise, they're not my go-to exercise.

I want to also say that the barbell glute bridge is sort of a misnomer, since the hamstrings are being targeted along with your glutes. In fact, I sometimes perform a barbell glute bridge with my feet elevated off the ground (so that the backs of my feet are pushing against a 12" block), and these are much more a hamstring exercise than they are a glute exercise.

The barbell hip thrust has become, over the last few months, a barometer lift for me. It tells me where my glute strength is at. Six months ago, before I started focusing on my glutes, my barbell hip thrust was 40-50 lbs. below where it is now. I haven't been training it, but when I perform them, I can tell that other exercises have really developed my glute strength. For me, it's recently become an exercise I use to gauge my progress and development through other exercises.
 
DE Box Squat, w/ reverse mini-bands (no idea on tension)
Barx5
135x3
135x3
225x2
275x2
315x2
335x2
335x2
335x2
335x2
335x2
335x2
335x2
335x2
335x2

DE Conventional Deadlifts, w/ reverse mini-bands (again, no idea on tension; maybe 80 lbs. at bottom, but that's a total guess.)
135x3
135x3
225x2
315x2
405x2
405x2
405x2
405x2
405x2
405x2
405x2
405x2
405x2

Barbell Hip Thrusts
135x8
225x8
405x8
405x8
405x5

Leg Curls
BWx200

Hip Abductions w/ mini-band
x20
x20
x20
 
Glad your tendinitis is getting better, I know how that is, starting to slowly work my way back to Olympic lifting after a long lay off due to tendinitis in my wrist.

I use bridges as a way to assess my SI issue and pelvic stability, it can be a very useful tool. You have good insight Keosawa.
 
Glad your tendinitis is getting better, I know how that is, starting to slowly work my way back to Olympic lifting after a long lay off due to tendinitis in my wrist.

I use bridges as a way to assess my SI issue and pelvic stability, it can be a very useful tool. You have good insight Keosawa.

Yeah--I'm thrilled about how I feel. I can deal with as much pain as I need to (within reason), but when it starts to detract from my lifting, I get upset.
 
So I'm thinking about avoiding straight weight from the floor for a few weeks with accommodating resistance on heavy days and just speed deficits on dynamic days to get my floor aggression back.
DE being thursday, ME being Sunday. Thoughts?

So last sunday was chain pulls and maybe reverse band this sunday?
 
So I'm thinking about avoiding straight weight from the floor for a few weeks with accommodating resistance on heavy days and just speed deficits on dynamic days to get my floor aggression back.
DE being thursday, ME being Sunday. Thoughts?

So last sunday was chain pulls and maybe reverse band this sunday?

That's a good idea. If you're trying to develop speed off the floor, I'd focus on banded deadlifts rather than reverse-band deadlifts; while I don't have any scientific evidence to back up my position, regular band training seems to do a better job of promoting maximal-intensity acceleration--the ability to accelerate as hard as possible into a lift, even through lockout--than reverse bands. This is probably because reverse bands provide what you could call a deloading concentric, while regular bands provide a progressive concentric, and deloading banded assistance doesn't seem to encourage acceleration as well as the increasing tension of a regular band. Reverse-band training can be great for overloading, handling heavier weights, building confidence, and adapting one's nervous system, but I've just never felt great about the speed I generate on reverse-band lifts, particularly deadlifts. This was something I realized in training just yesterday, when I used reverse bands for my speed pulls.
 
Oh, and I know I'm conflating "speed off the floor" with "aggression off the floor," and the two might not exactly be interchangeable. I just feel like if you put yourself in a position to have to be fast off the floor, you're going to cultivate the aggression you're looking for.
 
Compression Band stuffs, five min

Bench Press
Barx10
Barx10
135x10
135x10
185x5
225x15 (tied PR)


Incline Dumbbell Press
75x12
75x12

Kettlebell Overhead Tricep Extensions
26x20, 20
26x20, 20
26x20, 20
26x20, 20
26x20, 20

Hammer Curls
35x8, 8
50x8, 8
50x8, 8
50x6, 6

Compression Band stuffs for shoulder + external rotation, three mins
 
You trainin for dat der NFL Combine, Keo ?



Kidding, Congrats on matching your PR.
 
Do you see an issue with using chains as opposed to bands?? I just don't like the feel of bands. No legitimate reason. :)
 
For deadlifting, not really.

Well good. At least I have a rough plan now as opposed to shooting from the hip entirely.
My friends often criticize me for being so specific about the training of the people I work with but being completely reckless about my own. Oh well.
 
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