Upper Push

Ya, I'd train her too

6:45am start to my workout, oh well it's only pushing.

Incline DB Bench Press
60sx10
65sx10
70sx10
75sx10

5 Rounds for time
10 Dips
15 Pushups
Time: 11:40

Overhead Rope Extensions - 3x12......70

I used to do those dip and pushup routines all the time, while I couldn't find one like this, I did find one similar.  Way back I did one that was an AMRAP in 12 minutes of 5 dips and 10 pushups, I got 7 rounds plus 4 dips.  So that totals 39 dips and 70 pushups, today's totalled 50 dips and 75 pushups in 20 seconds less, considering I would have thought I was better at these back then I'm happy with that improvement, very happy.

Legs

Leg day, a love/hate for this day, didn't have as much time so wanted the first one to be a good bang for your buck exercise.

Squat Cleans (touch and go)
135x5
155x5
175x4
195x3

Superset
Jump Squats - 3x5.....95
HB Tension Back Squats - 3x10......95

Good Mornings - 3x10......95

My legs didn't have the same juice, yesterday I went for an accidental trail run and they weren't feeling the same.  I say accidental because when a friend and I went hiking we didn't plan on getting lost, but we did and because I had to head into Brinks soon I had to run around trying to find my way out, I made it on time but we were in there for about an hour.  Having said that the squat cleans matched my pr, but they did kind of feel harder in the earlier sets, maybe my imagination.  The jump squats were done how I read they should be done, stay just above parallel, reset each time and focus on max explosion, that's how I did it and it hurt, it's not about weight on that exercise but exploding power.  The back squats were done without setting the bar down, so it was one long set, and while 95 is super light, I kept the tension on my quads so I never fully stood up, it burned like crazy.  I haven't done good mornings in ages, I liked it though my legs were spent after this, which is good for a shorter one.

Upper Pull

Wide Grip Cable Row
120x5
140x5
150x5
160x5
170x5

Chinups (1 1/2 reps)
7, 6, 5

Face Pulls
40x10
50x10
60x10

Incline Curls - 3x10......25s

Finally back at it, felt good.

Weekend

Over the weekend I was at a friends cottage, I maybe could have worked out Sunday evening but then I got called into an 11 hour overnight shift, suffice to say I barely made it through haha, but I survived and while I got up and now have to head off to Toronto, I missed working out again.  Next in line is a pulling day and it should be completed tomorrow.  I did however get to show off my fitness while at the cottage.  Myself and two others went boating and the motor broke down when we were at the farthest point out.  So myself and the girl started rowing, she got tired and then switched out for the guy, then he got tired and so on and so on.  I never switched out, not once, but even more so there was a point both were spent and I took over by myself, that was one hell of a workout.  Rowing only able to use my arms and back was kind of a pulling day, but it was a blast that I was able to stand so well, good ego boost, okay off to Toronto I go.

Upper Push

Pushing day, and I should mention my quads, glutes a bit, erector spinae, lower back, and upper back are very sore.

R-Band Bench Press (blue band)
115x5
135x5
155x5
165x5
170x5

DB Incline Bench Press, 1 1/2 reps - 50sx8, 8, 7

Alternate Sets
Tension Incline DB Flies - 40sx10, 45sx10, 10
Pushdowns - 3x12.....100

I really like resistance band bench press, it's surprising how much harder that blue band makes it, 170 isn't really close to my 5rm but it certainly was today, almost didn't make it.  The bench press with the 1 1/2 reps really burned they always do, but burned in a good way, same with the tension flies.  I rarely workout on Friday afternoons but I know I can't workout tomorrow so I wanted to get this in.

Heavy metcon for legs

Decided to try another heavy metcon that is practically all legs and hip drive, this one also from the same guy who gave me the one I did on July 28th.

4 Rounds for time
4 Front Squats - 205 (from floor, no rack or stands allowed)
4 Deadlifts - 315
After 4 rounds complete, do 50 Russian KB Swings - 24 kg
Time - 14:53

Drop Set
Weighted Situps, first set with 50 lbs added, second with 25 lbs added
10-6, 10-6, 10-6

Well, that was fucking brutal, like seriously what the hell is wrong this guy who's designing these haha.  This is one of the harder workouts I've done recently with a timed component.  The deadlifts were heavy, but I knoe 315 in timed components it's not out of the this world, but the front, son of a bitch that is why it was hard.  Even worse was having to clean it each time, so I rested a bit longer between movements so I didn't have to do any extra cleans, every set was unbroken for the squats yet every rep per set (minus the first one) felt like it could be my last, I think I blacked out on the last rep in the last round.  These put together was simple torture, the deadlifts made the cleans harder, and it all made squatting harder.  Even with the relatively light swings at the end my hips and legs had barely anything left I had to resort to using a lot of my back.  This simply hurt, badly, but at the same time was awesome when I finished.  The situps were random but burned pretty good, short workout but hammered my legs into submission.

Upper Pulling

Upper pulling to go with yesterdays upper pushing.

Weighted Pullups
35x5
40x5
45x5
50x5
55x5

Superset
Wide-Grip Cable Row - 120x10, 130x10, 10
Reverse Lateral Raises - 22sx10, 10, 10

Underhand Pulldowns
120x10
130x10
140x10

DB Curls - 30sx10, 10, 7

I followed a bit more of a set muscle group split the last three days, one I have been on several times in the past.  Although I'm not really rigid enough to follow plans, this one still gives freedom on choice on exercises, so I may give it a shot (or go back to my usual).  I do want to focus a bit more on my upper body, it's nice to be able to deadlift north of 400, squat north of 300, and be decently efficient in the olympic lifts, but sometimes it's also nice to be seen and people know you workout.  That may sound vain, but I think anyone who works out does it so they can look better, at least at some level.

Upper Pushing

Upper body pushing, something I haven't done in a while.

DB Bench Press
70sx5
80sx5
90sx5
95sx4
100sx2 (assisted on a third rep)

Superset
Cable Flies - 50x10, 60x10, 70x8
Pushups - 14, 10, 8

R-Band Bench Press (blue band) - 110x9, 8, 8

R-Band Pushdowns (grey band) - 18, 12, 10

I wanted to test my pushing strength a bit, interesting choice considering it's still only my third workout back, either way I was curious.  Last time I did the 95s I got 5 reps, today I only got 4, whatever I wanted to try the hundreds anyways.  That was the only set where I got a handoff, which doesn't count as a rep, I got 2 reps completely on my own after that, and wanted to try a third knowing I wasn't going to get it so he helped a bit.  They were heavy but it is the first time I've used them for flat, as I have done decline (stronger angle) with the 100s before.  The super set burned like crazy, like usual.  The resistance bench press was a new one, I liked it but was surprised how little weight I could handle, it makes the top half of the lift harder as the band stretches more, good for lockout strength, which isn't exactly my weakness on the bench but still fun to try something new.  I haven't done an all upper pushing day in a while.

Legs and power

A leg and power day, one of the more painful days.

Power Snatch
95x5
115x3
135x1x1x1
145x1x1x1

HB Back Squats
135x10
165x10
185x5
205x5
225x3
245x2
265x1

Box Jumps Holding two 12kg Kettlebells
24 inches x5
26 inches x5
28 inches x5

The power snatches are written out a bit different, the first two were tough and go, I wanted to get up to weight quickly.  The other sets were resetting, sometimes resting almost a full set between reps (more so at the 145), and other times just a few second.  The snatch frustrates me because it's so technical, if I make one mistake it can throw off my entire lift and I either fail or pressout.  Sometimes when everything clicks the right away the lift almost feels easy, 145 was mostly good, the first one being a clear pressout.  The back squats I kept hamstring to calf and high bar, wanting to just lift heavy.  I didn't push any set to absolute failure, I was curious what I could squat for a single, 265 I must admit was on the light side for a 1RM, it was pretty quic, but I've never gone for a 1RM on HBBS only low bar.  The box jumps were fun, my legs has less juice in them, but it felt great for my second workout back.

Full Body

Back into it today, went easier than normal.

Alternate Sets
Incline DB Bench Press
50sx10
60sx10
70sx10
Cable Row
100x10
120x10
140x10

Alternate Sets
Tension Incline DB Flies
35sx10
40sx10
45sx10
Pullups - 3x10

Trap Bar Deficit Deadlifts (tng)
170x10
220x10
240x10

Alternate Sets
Cable Curls - 80x10, 90x10, 100x10
Tricep Pushdowns - 120x10, 140x10, 150x10

Some of the things felt heavier than usual, others did not.  Tension flies are pretty self explanatory, deficit deadlifts make them much harder as it increases your range of motion, in this case I stood on a wooden platform.  Felt great to lift some weights again, i fear I lost some weight while out west as I wasn't able to eat much food, but still got some decent meals in me.  I didn't really push it much today, wanting to ease back into it.

Alberta!!!

Had to do something

No, i didn't fall off the earth or ignore my blog or decide to never workout again, I was on my first vacation ever in my young life, although waiting till 24 is still too long to wait.  It was a blast I had a lot of fun, the scenery out there you just can't see here in Ontario, but I am glad to be back and working.  Also glad to get back into workout out.  While out there I did some uphill hiking, freaking thin air made a difference.  Rock climbing, real rock climbing, man that's harder than the indoor kind my forearms were screaming by the end, but in the end it was nice to not worry about working out and just relax, but now I'm eager to get back.  A bit harder because my one job has me very busy to make up for being gone, but that's okay, expect posts more often now.

Full Body

Usain Bolt - He may be a showboater, but he's earned the right

DB Bench Press
65sx10
70sx10
75sx10

Cable Row
120x10
140x10
150x10

Incline DB Flies
40sx10
45sx10
52sx10

Chinups - 10, 10, 10

6 Sets of 40 yard sprints, somewhat timed.

I haven't done sprints in ages, I missed them they are a lot of fun, obviously inspired by not only the above man but all the olympics.  I did realize I am a bit slower as I struggled to get under 5 seconds, but that's okay I haven't worked on sprinting in ages.  This workout was actually done yesterday, and this morning I did some more sprints of the same distance with my clients, right now my legs are done...damn those take a lot out of your legs.  But when you look at the leg size of olympic sprinters it's no surprise.

Heavy Metcon

Not just a pretty face - Jessica Ennis, winner of 2012 Olympic Heptathlon

Another metcon with an emphasis on a heavy lift like last weeks.

5 Rounds for time
3 Power Snatches - 135
5 Box Jumps holding 12kg kettlebells - 24 inches
7 Handstand Pushups
Time: 11:57

GHD Situps - 3x10

I liked that one too it was fun, it seems my snatches were strongest at the beginning (duh) and at the end, the middle struggled a bit but I avoided pressouts by the end.  The box jumps holding the weights is a brande new way to do that exercise.  It definately adds a new component to it, they were obviously much tougher than box jumps would typically be at that height.  The handstand pushups were broken after round 2, I wonder if that one will ever not be a weakness....freakin long ass frame.  Fun workout though!

Round 1 and 5 can be seen here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGRVh7_vlxo&list=UUY76daDPRwJx9guouwnll4A&index=1&feature=plcp

Upper Body

It's not real....in case you were wondering

Some drop sets and extended sets today.

SuperSets
Incline DB Bench Press - 60sx10, 65sx9, 65sx8
"              "            "       - 45sx8-7-5

Wide Grip Pullups - 10, 9, 7
Neutral Grip Pulldowns - 100x8, 6, 5

DB Military Press - 40sx9, 7
DB Push Press - 40sx5, 5

Cable Row - 120x10, 10
Chest Supported Row - 120x8, 6

Pushdowns - 100x10, 120x10, 150x8
Cable Bicep Curls - 80x10, 10, 10

This style of training hurts like a bitch, but still fun, the only extended set was the third one, all the rest were supersets.  Good upper workout!

Mostly Legs

Brent Hayden - Mid shot reaction to winning Bronze for Canada

One exercise cut short as I tried to play it safe.

Power Cleans (tough and go)
135x5
155x5
175x5
195x3
205x3

LB Back Squats
135x5
135x5
185x5
225x5
255x1 (stopped there)

Weighted Situps
40x10
50x10
60x10

I think on the last set of power cleans at 205 I used every muscle my ass has, it hurt like a bitch afterwards, but 205 for 3 unbroken reps is a personal record too.  The low bar back squats I cut short, almost as if I pulled something in my glute I wasn't able to recruit those muscles to assist me in the lift, which is very important on LBBS, so it seemed to place the load on my quads, which is good, and my back, which felt bad.  I decided to stop with memories of my old back injury, which hasn't come up in a while, come flooding back to me.  Sitting here typing this my glutes are still feeling it, and instead of doing front squats or HBBS which require less glutes, I decided to do some abs in a desparate attempt to rid myself of that weakness.  Of course my weakness in high rep ab work, not weighted ones, so I didn't do much to correct that haha.