Ronin's Unbeaten Path

[vince89]

We have almost identical squat form, hell I recorded a 375x3 set this very week as well, ha. It looks like you are squatting in some wrestling shoes? If you are, I HIGHLY recomend picking up some Olympic lifting shoes at some point. They are the high bar squatters best friend.

+1 Im a high bar squatter and I just got some oly shoes and it feels much better to get depth, it also feels like Im going deeper despite using the same technique if you know what I mean.

Also, sorry to hear about your aunt

And thirdly, Standard you mentioned youre doing back extensions on a preacher bench how exactly are you setting that up because Ive rigged up a ghetto way to do reverse hypers but if I can rig up a ghetto back extension that would be twice the cool.

 

[Donut62]

Thanks for the tip. I didn't realize that high vs low bar made a difference on the shoes. It's actually some soreness in my hips (front, not inner) that's got me wondering about my form again. I have been thinking about getting some shoes though, guess I need to suck it up and do it.

Generally the more upright your torso in the squat, the more you will like having a heel to squat.

 

[ronin0352]

And thirdly, Standard you mentioned youre doing back extensions on a preacher bench how exactly are you setting that up because Ive rigged up a ghetto way to do reverse hypers but if I can rig up a ghetto back extension that would be twice the cool.

Actually, unless I'm reading it wrong, he mentioned doing pull ups, then hyper-extensions, then using the preacher bench to crack the back. That's the best use there is for the preacher bench IMO. The gym I go to has a couple different set-ups for hypers, one can also be used for GHR's too. I've never even thought of using the preacher bench for hypers.

Thank you both for the shoe ideas. I'll be looking at them tonight I guess. Do they generally run true to size? I hate buying something that expensive without trying them on first, but nowhere around here sells them, I have checked.

 

[vince89]

Adidas weightlifting shoes are narrow compared to normal running shoes but size wise theyre the same as my Asics. People say to get 1 size under but I disagree.

 

[ronin0352]

cool, thanks Vince

 

[Standard]

And thirdly, Standard you mentioned youre doing back extensions on a preacher bench how exactly are you setting that up because Ive rigged up a ghetto way to do reverse hypers but if I can rig up a ghetto back extension that would be twice the cool.

All i use the precher stand for is to crack my back on, i just walk to the side where the bar would normally go, postition my back on the pad and press back to get my crack on. I`ve with bands you could rig up a way to do hyper and reverse hypers but that`s about all i can think of off the top of my head.

Vince is right about the sizing of the shoes, i have the adistars and find them narrow but the proper length. I`m a bit different though i am a very low bar squatter so i`ve switched from oly shoes to wrestling shoes for back squats but sill prefer the oly for front squats

 

[ronin0352]

Damn, and I just switched to the wrestling shoes from Chucks, lol. Are the Adistars pretty much the same price everywhere? I've looked a couple places and haven't noticed any significant difference anywhere.

 

[Standard]

Damn, and I just switched to the wrestling shoes from Chucks, lol. Are the Adistars pretty much the same price everywhere? I've looked a couple places and haven't noticed any significant difference anywhere.

Wrestling shoes are a good investment IMO, they are great for any type of lifting, but with the mechanics of high bar squats oly shoes do offer advantages. Everywhere i have seen them is about the same in price. I have the older Athens style adistar, they are about $150 now where the ones for the Bejing games are now $200. Iron workers are a good price too.

I got mine from Dynamic Fitness and was very happy with their service, good guys.

 

[ronin0352]

Thanks Standard. I'll send in my order tomorrow. Weird to see a website that you can't order from though.

 

[ronin0352]

De-Loading Week​

Probably went a little overboard for a week where I'm supposed to be resting, but I don't think there's any way in hell I can just sit around all week and do nothing. Instead I went with more light-weight, dynamic stuff...well, mostly.

Cleans

Warm-up Set
1 - 50kg x 8

Work Sets
1 - 90kg x 5
2 - 90kg x 3
3 - 95kg x 2

SOHP
(Wasn't sure how much the work I've been doing with seated OHP would carry over, I'm happy with it)

Warm-up Sets
1 - bar x 25
2 - 95 x 10

Work sets
1 - 135 x 5 (Was my 1RM before, now a light easy set.)
2 - 155 x 3 (+20 lbs & 2 rep post-surgery PR...and this was dynamic, went up fast and easy)

Push Press
(plan was to start push pressing when SOHP got slow, therefore not dynamic.)

1 - 175 x 3
2 - 195 x 3
3 - 215 x 2 (1 rep PR)
4 - 235 x 1 (+10# PR)

Front Squat + Push Press

1 - 135 x 2 (lost balance on #3 & took a step forward, throwing my push press effort off)
2 - 135 x 3
3 - 135 x 3

Face Pulls
(Light shoulder rehab/prehab)

1 - 50 x 8
2 - 40 x 10
3 - 40 x 10
4 - 40 x 10

Assisted Pull Ups

1 - 55 x 5
2 - 40 x 3
3 - 25 x 2
4 - 0 x 0 (Attempted full BW, didn't work. pulled up till elbows were lower than my shoulders, couldn't get all the way up )
5 - 70 x 5 (Held for 5 seconds in top position, since it's obviously the weak point)
6 - 7- x 5 (Same as above)

Light conditioning/Cool Down

Jump Rope/Burpees - 100/10 x 3 rounds w/ less than 1 minute between rounds.
Elliptical Machine - 10 minutes @ lvl 8 ~ 100 spm.

 

[ronin0352]

Light/Dynamic Effort Work​

Dead Lift

Warm-up Sets
1 - 70 kg x 10
2 - 120 kg x 8

Work Sets
1 - 170kg x 3
2 - 170kg x 3
3 - 170kg x 3
4 - 180kg x 2
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5 - 190kg x 1
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Bench

Warm-up Sets
1 - Bar x 25
2 - 135 x 12

Work Sets
1 - 185 x 5
2 - 195 x 3
3 - 205 x 3
4 - 215 x 2
5 - 225 x 1
6 - 225 x 1 (Done after only about a 10 second pause/reset following set 5)

Dynamic Rows

Warm-up Set - 135 x 12

Work Sets
1 - 225 x 5
2 - 245 x 5
3 - 265 x 3
4 - 275 x 2
5 - 285 x 1

Cool Down

10 minutes or so static stretching

 

[ronin0352]

Test Squats after Smolov​

Squat

Warm-up Sets
1 - 135 x 5
2 - 225 x 5

Work
1 - 315 x 2
2 - 365 x 1
3 - 405 x 1
4 - 425 x 1 (+10lb PR)
5 - 445 x 1 (+30lb PR)
6 - 455 x 0 (Got stuck and had to dump it)
7 - 315 x 5

Pull Ups

1 - 70 x 5
2 - 55 x 3
3 - BW x 0 (Almost got it, much closer than last attempt. I should get this next week)
4 - 70 x 5 (Pause for 2-3 seconds at top of each rep.)

SOHP

Warm-up Sets
1 - Bar x 25
2 - 95 x 10

Work Sets
1 - 135 x 5
2 - 155 x 5
3 - 165 x 3 (This went up so easy I decided to attempt a new PR here too, completely unplanned)
4 - 185 x 1 (+30lb PR)
5 - 145 x 5 (I think on this lift I'm already stronger than I was before my surgery. Thank you S&P for showing me the light)


**I recorded the squats PRs (& failure) with a video camera since the quality of those phone videos sucks, but when I got home I realized I don't have a cord to plug it into my computer. I have to get one, then I'll post them.**

 

[ronin0352]

My Diet Log

If you've read this log, there will be a lot on there you've already seen. I C & P'd everything from here over there, but I also put my diet up there too. For anyone who says you can't improve using IF, I beg to differ.

I will be continuing with the IF, but going back to pull/press/squat starting Monday. After reading and learning more, it was probably a bit early for me to get into Smolov anyway. Still I'm not sorry I did it, I just feel like I should be spending more time doing other things as well, especially for my shoulder. It's obviously getting much stronger in the press, and bench is improving too, but certain positions still lack a lot of flexibility & are sometimes painful.

 

[ronin0352]

Pull​

Dead Lift

W/U - 120kg x 10

1 - 170kg x 3
2 - 190kg x 3
3 - 190kg x 3
4 - 190kg x 3
5 - 190kg x 3

GHR

BW x 5
BW x 5
BW x 5 (All done with a little assistance. ie- catching myself at the bottom & small push off bottom)

BOR

W/U - 135# x 10

1 - 225 x 5
2 - 225 x 5
3 - 225 x 5

Pull Ups
*Still assisted*

1 - 70 x 5 (Pause 2 seconds at top)
2 - 55 x 5
3 - 70 x 5 (Pause 2 seconds at top)
4 - 55 x 5
5 - 85 x 9

**Overall, not a very good workout. Decent enough numbers at this point, but just didn't have my head in it like I should have. Realized about halfway to the gym that I'd forgotten my mp3 player, then realized in the parking lot that I'd forgotten my log book.:icon_neut

Then I get home and started feeling light-headed & weak. The only thing I can figure is either too much volume on the DL or too much caffeine since I drank a Spike in addition to the caffeine I put in my peri-WO drink. Just weird that I felt fine, during & after my WO till I got home.

 

[ronin0352]

Updated #s follow:

Squat: 445#

DL: 210 kg (463#)

Bench: 245# probably ought to re-test this one soon

Zercher Squat: 365# (First time doing these was 6-6-2008)

Push Press: 235#

Power Clean: 100kg (220#)

SOHP: 185#

Zercher DL: Still need to do this. It will probably have to wait till my next days off when I'm not pressed for time at the gym.

 

[ronin0352]

Wow, that shit is a lot harder than you guys make it look. I decided it was something I wanted to give a try, so I purchased a Bag of Nails from Ironmind. Here's the results of my first attempt:

White was easy. Green was pretty easy to 90, but a little harder after that, nothing bad. I worked my ass off just to dent the yellow though. Damn I've got a lot to work on here. Anyone have any tips? I have no technique, if there is much technique involved, I can't tell.

 

[ronin0352]

Press​

Flat Bench

Warm-up Sets
1 - 135 x 15
2 - 185 x 8

Work Sets
1 - 205 x 5
2 - 215 x 5
3 - 225 x 5
4 - 235 x 4 (This sucked, I thought I could get 5. I was wrong. Had to call for a hand for a guy standing nearby. Good thing I'm still not doing a weight that will mess me up just lying on my chest)
5 - 225 x 3

Push Press

W/U - 135 x 8

Work
1 - 185 x 5
2 - 205 x 5
3 - 225 x 3

Unilateral DB Flat Bench

1 - 80 x 5
2 - 85 x 5
3 - 90 x 5
4 - 90 x 5

DB Incline

1 - 55 x 11
2 - 75 x 4 (Both of these sets hurt my shoulder in the joint, not the muscle, so both were aborted early, and no more were attempted.)

**Overall, I'm ok with this workout. Nothing great still, but it's steady progress. And after doing 235 x 3 on the flat bench, I'm sure I can do more than 245 x 1 now. I'll check in a couple weeks, I'm not that fussed over it.**

 

[Standard]

Talk to smashius about bending, i think mickeys is pretty good at it aswell

 

[ronin0352]

I had a feeling Smashy would be one to talk to, but I never know when he's on...

 

[ronin0352]

Squat​

Squats

Warm-up Sets
1 - 135 x 15
2 - 225 x 10

Work
1 - 365 x 5
2 - 385 x 3
3 - 405 x 2
4 - 425 x 1
5 - 315 x 10

Good Mornings

1 - 135 x 8
2 - 185 x 5
3 - 205 x 5

Front Squats
**Figured I'd give these a shot using the straps I bought for spinal decompression. Might as well get a little more use out of them than that. Worked ok, but it turns out I suck at front squats**

1 - 185 x 5
2 - 185 x 5
3 - 225 x 3

Stiff-legged Dead Lift off about 6" step

1 - 225 x 5
2 - 275 x 5
3 - 295 x 5

Core

10 kneeling ab wheel rollouts

3 rds of: 5 flags, 10 hyper-extensions, 5 kneeling ab wheel rollouts

Cool Down

Elliptical Machine - 13 min @ 8, 1 min @ 6, 1 min @ 4...all around 100 - 110 spm

** tried some reverse hypers on the core work but it really felt like it was stretching the lower back too hard, painfully. Will have to get accustomed to them and start using them**

Overall, I felt pretty good about today's workout.