Oblivian's Adaptations

Good job man thats a good press especially at your bodyweight.

I appreciate it. My SOHP and Push Press numbers have been going up steadily yet I'm still in a 7 month plateau on bench. Go figure.
 
Damn nice press im jealous. I'm around 180lbs right now and i'm having trouble getting my SOHP and Bench to go up. I'm going to try different rep schemes and adding in additional volume with close-grip bench presses. Pressing has always been a weakness for me. My PRs at the moment are only 210 bench and 150ish SOHP. Any tips? I'm following the 2 day split but looking to add in some assistance to get my pressing numbers up. I do not want to incorporate dips though if that's possible.
 
Damn nice press im jealous. I'm around 180lbs right now and i'm having trouble getting my SOHP and Bench to go up. I'm going to try different rep schemes and adding in additional volume with close-grip bench presses. Pressing has always been a weakness for me. My PRs at the moment are only 210 bench and 150ish SOHP. Any tips? I'm following the 2 day split but looking to add in some assistance to get my pressing numbers up. I do not want to incorporate dips though if that's possible.

I am definitely not the guy to be asking about Bench Press. I've been in a 7 month plateau! As for SOHP, I've followed a few different programs. I think I tried 5 programs for bench in the last 7 months, and I also did the same programs for SOHP. None of the programs worked for bench, but each program added around 5 lbs - 10 lbs for SOHP. I did Coan, a failure program, a program I made up, 5x5, etc. As I said, each of them worked about the same for SOHP so it's hard for me to give specific advice. Honestly, I think SOHP is just a lift I'm naturally good at compared to other lifts.

The only real advice I'd have is clean the bar before you do it. I drop 10 lbs or so if I don't do that. Besides that, get under the bar as soon as you feel you might start sticking. Also, Push Presses helped me recently. Besides that, I really think consistency of doing the lift at least once a week helped me out.
 
Well this week I had a lighter/volume based SOHP session of 5x8. Today I'll have a heavier bench of 6x4 and a close-grip bench of 3x8-10. I'm just trying to vary the reps and see if it stimulates anything new for me. I guess that's really the only way to figure it out.
 
Well this week I had a lighter/volume based SOHP session of 5x8. Today I'll have a heavier bench of 6x4 and a close-grip bench of 3x8-10. I'm just trying to vary the reps and see if it stimulates anything new for me. I guess that's really the only way to figure it out.

When I first started making good gains, I was doing a program somewhat similar. One week I'd bench 5x5 and do SOHP 5x3 and do Close Grip something like 3x3, then the next week I'd do bench 5x3 and do SOHP 5x5 and do Close Grip something like 3x8. What I am going to do with my next routine to get bench up is as follows:
3 days of benching per week.
Day 1: Volume 5x5
Day 2: Recovery (5 sets of 10 with light weight)
Day 3: Heavy (singles, doubles, pause presses, etc. Nothing above 2 reps)

It's basically the Texas Method. If you are struggling, you may want to try that out either on SOHP or Bench. I will not be doing any other push movements throughout the week. It should be pretty intense.

Do you clean the bar up on SOHP? I can't stress enough how that helps. Taking it off of the rack doesn't activate your back. Someone smarter and better than I can explain the technicalities of that.
 
When I first started making good gains, I was doing a program somewhat similar. One week I'd bench 5x5 and do SOHP 5x3 and do Close Grip something like 3x3, then the next week I'd do bench 5x3 and do SOHP 5x5 and do Close Grip something like 3x8. What I am going to do with my next routine to get bench up is as follows:
3 days of benching per week.
Day 1: Volume 5x5
Day 2: Recovery (5 sets of 10 with light weight)
Day 3: Heavy (singles, doubles, pause presses, etc. Nothing above 2 reps)

It's basically the Texas Method. If you are struggling, you may want to try that out either on SOHP or Bench. I will not be doing any other push movements throughout the week. It should be pretty intense.

Do you clean the bar up on SOHP? I can't stress enough how that helps. Taking it off of the rack doesn't activate your back. Someone smarter and better than I can explain the technicalities of that.

Your recovery day is WAY too much volume, IMO.

The clean thing is just neurological (as opposed to actually mechanically changing the movement). It basically "primes" the CNS for the work it has to do.
 
Your recovery day is WAY too much volume, IMO.

I was going to do like 5x10 with 135 lbs. Really light weight for 10 reps. Is that still too much? I was going to really work on form for that day with the light weight.
 
Yeah that's way too much. And form work with weight that light is probably counterproductive, if you think about it.

If you want to do 135x10s, I'd say 3 sets, tops. I did 2, and 1 at around 155 would probably be enough. Remember, all you're doing is keeping the motor pathways fresh. You can make them "more fresher" by piling on more volume.
 
just to put it in perspective, in the 5-3-1 'boring but big' template, i will do 5 sets of 10 with 135 (60%ish of my 1rm) for the majority of my assistance lifts.

too heavy for a recovery day. maybe do 3x5 with 135.
 
just to put it in perspective, in the 5-3-1 'boring but big' template, i will do 5 sets of 10 with 135 (60%ish of my 1rm) for the majority of my assistance lifts.

too heavy for a recovery day. maybe do 3x5 with 135.
 
I'd do 3x8 for the recovery day if I were you. As other's have stated 5x10 is a bit much volume.
 
Yesterday was a really light day. Today will be pretty light as well. Going for a Bench PR tomorrow.

Grappling
30-40 minutes (Nothing special. I did decent passing guard to half by controlling the ankle throughout the night.)

Heavy Bag Combinations
I actually worked a lot of these in slow motion. Really trying to work on technique. Like I said, it was really light. I did this for about 10-15 minutes.

*On another note, I designed my new routine this morning. It's geared towards improving my two lifts that are stuck, pullups and bench. It's only going to be 4 weeks, but I'm hoping to improve my bench to at least 245 lbs. I'm hoping to close the gap somewhat between my chins and pullups. My pullups are significantly worse than chins, far more than they should be. Here's what it looks like:

Day 1
Bench (5x5)
Pullups (max at bodyweight)
Deadlifts (4x2)

Day 2
Bench (Recovery 3x8 @ 135 lbs)
Pullups (Heavy Weighted- singles, doubles, etc)
Front Squat (4x3)

Day 3
Bench (Heavy - singles, doubles, pause, etc.)
Pullups (5x5 w/ weight)
Power Clean (form work)
Overhead Squat (4x2 with the goal of doing 135 lbs 4x2 on the last week)
 
Kept it light yesterday to rest up for today.

Heavy Bag - Technique/Combo Work
Three 5 minute rounds (certain combos worked on below)
1. jab, right uppercut, left hook, right straight, inside leg kick on way out
2. right straight, liver punch, right head kick or right body kick
3. stiff jab, right hook to body, left head kick or left body kick
4. right straight, left uppercut, overhand right, clinch/knee
 
Kept it light yesterday to rest up for today.

Heavy Bag - Technique/Combo Work
Three 5 minute rounds (certain combos worked on below)
1. jab, right uppercut, left hook, right straight, inside leg kick on way out
2. right straight, liver punch, right head kick or right body kick
3. stiff jab, right hook to body, left head kick or left body kick
4. right straight, left uppercut, overhand right, clinch/knee

Hi Oblivian -

You recently posted some help in my training log and I have since made changes at your recommendation, Thank you.

I'm looking at your log and really enjoying the combos. Are these Thai combos? Where I train we don't get much Muay Thai and I'd really like to learn a lot of standard combos for hitting the bag. Do you know where I could find a bunch of standard Thai combos to train?
 
Warmup
Jump Rope: 10 minutes

Bent Over Row
155 lbs x 8 (warmup)
205 lbs x 5 x 2 sets
225 lbs x 3 x 2 sets

Bench - going for new 1RM
135 lbs x 8 (warmup)
205 lbs x 3
240 lbs x 1 (+5 lbs PR - as you'll see in the video below, this was a bitch. Broke a 7 month plateau)

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Overhead Squat
65 lbs x 5 (warmup)
95 lbs x 3
125 lbs x fail x twice (not sure what happened. I lost my balance both times. This was going to be my warmup set before trying 135 lbs.)

Pullups
+10 lbs x 5 x 5 sets (the very last rep on the last set was questionable)

Grappling
30 minutes. (Felt really good. My hips are getting a lot better. I had good sweeps last night)

Core/Stretch
Weighted SItups: +20 lbs x 20 x 2 sets
Leg Raises: 25 x 2 sets
Static Stretch: 20 minutes
 
Hi Oblivian -

You recently posted some help in my training log and I have since made changes at your recommendation, Thank you.

I'm looking at your log and really enjoying the combos. Are these Thai combos? Where I train we don't get much Muay Thai and I'd really like to learn a lot of standard combos for hitting the bag. Do you know where I could find a bunch of standard Thai combos to train?

Drew:
I have very little formal training in standup. I've been hitting the bags for about 3-4 years though, and have been taught a few things along the way. I'll try to explain certain basic combos that go along with the "flow" of punches. Basically any combo I do is based upon how my body transfers after a punch. The combos I worked on there are a bit complex to explain, so I'll go through what I follow as "the basics"

1. When I throw a jab - right straight (1 2 combo), I'm always bringing my right hand and bodyweight back after the right straight while keeping my left hand guarding my jaw. When my weight starts leaning back, it's the perfect opportunity to throw a left kick (any height). It's also a good opportunity to duck and throw a left hook (1 2 3) combo.
2. On uppercuts, I tend to bend at the knees and lean the opposite way of the arm that is throwing. This gives a good opportunity to throw a hook with the other hand afterwards.
3. It's always felt natural throwing a right kick after a left hook for me.

It's hard for me to explain without showing. I go through combos in slow motion quite a bit. I also do the Bas Rutten thai boxing tapes where you add a knee or kick at the end. I experimented with different things there. Besides that, I get on youtube or browse the standup forum. Trust me, there are a lot better people to take advice from on standup than me. I just do what feels right where my technique doesn't feel sloppy.
 
Warmup
Jump Rope: 10 minutes

Bent Over Row
155 lbs x 8 (warmup)
205 lbs x 5 x 2 sets
225 lbs x 3 x 2 sets

Bench - going for new 1RM
135 lbs x 8 (warmup)
205 lbs x 3
240 lbs x 1 (+5 lbs PR - as you'll see in the video below, this was a bitch. Broke a 7 month plateau)

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LInZKZTTlXc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LInZKZTTlXc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Overhead Squat
65 lbs x 5 (warmup)
95 lbs x 3
125 lbs x fail x twice (not sure what happened. I lost my balance both times. This was going to be my warmup set before trying 135 lbs.)

Pullups
+10 lbs x 5 x 5 sets (the very last rep on the last set was questionable)

Grappling
30 minutes. (Felt really good. My hips are getting a lot better. I had good sweeps last night)

Core/Stretch
Weighted SItups: +20 lbs x 20 x 2 sets
Leg Raises: 25 x 2 sets
Static Stretch: 20 minutes

Yay!

It might just be the angle, but your grip looks very narrow.
 
Yay!

It might just be the angle, but your grip looks very narrow.

I was so excited after this. Someone else commented on the narrow grip in the PR thread. The bench I've been using for the past couple years (and through high school) is a small standard bench. If I grip wider, I feel weaker because I'm so used to the close grip. I can't really work on a wider grip either because it's too hard to re-rack on this bench. It got me thinking though, and this is the same grip I use for SOHP. Maybe that is why my SOHP is strong compared to my bench.

Anyways, after my tax refund I'm getting a new setup. I'm either getting a power rack or this deluxe olympic bench with a rack in the back for squats. Either way, I'll be able to work on a wider grip. I'm thinking once I get used to that, I may be able to put up more weight.
 
Well, jeez, man that's why you have an XTrainer-class bench! A couple months training with a wider grip and your bench will shoot up.

I will be alone in my bench misery, but at least someone will be stronger :)
 
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