Full Body

Decided to try that clean complex again that I did back on October 20th and see if I can hit a higher number, back then I got up too 205.

Clean Complex
1 Power Clean+3 front squats+1 Squat Clean
135
155
175
195
215

Power Snatch
95x3
115x3
125x3
135x2
140x1
145x0x1 (pressout)

Hollow Rocks - 3x15........15, 15, 15, 12

That's an improvement on not only the weight I used but how long I waited before doing the squat clean (you dump the bar after the last front squat, then get set for the squat clean).  At 205 I actually walked about 15 feet away and then came right back and did the lift, this time I stayed with the bar and did the squat clean quicker, and with 10 more pounds.  My form was iffy but I could feel my olympic lifting had improved, the power clean portion was easythe front squats were slow but the squat clean takes some damn mental toughness to get under that bar, that one really hurt.  I then wanted to see if I could match my snatch max when I don't start with them, turns out not really.  145 is my max (which I started with in that workout) and while I got did 145 after a failed attempt, it was a definite pressout which some see as a failed rep, others don't, I'm undecided but it wasn't like the last time I got 145.  Hollow rocks are pictured above, and they are harder than I thought, my abs simply gave out on the last set, overall good workout.

Full Body

Today was a fun day, hit a huge pr for me, good day.

Deadlifts
135x10
185x5
225x3
255x3
295x2
315x1
335x1
365x1
385x1
405x1

10-8-6-4-2 reps for time
Handstand Pushups
Neutral Grip Pullups
Time: 4:36

405.....or 4 plates each side, either way this has been a goal of mine for years.  For a while I had actually given up on this goal due to a back injury, but this is proof my back is better.  I feel my form was good, my hips may rise faster than my shoulders but my back does stay relatively straight (I have videos of them).  I wasn't going to go for it, but after I hit 335 I decided to, hells ya!!  The last part was just for fun, give me a break from the barbell stuff, my arms were getting pretty tired.  A video of both the deadlifts and the circuit are on my youtube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/user/paul771771?feature=watch

Legs

Ben Smith

Today turned into a leg day, front and back squats, awesome.

Front Squats
95x10
135x5
155x3
175x3
195x3
205x3
225x3
235x3
245x3

Back Squats - 135x20

185x10
185x10
185x10

Whenever I go heavy on front squats it seems to take a long time, today was no exception.  I wasn't going for a pr as this is only the second time I've simply done front squats without the plate under my heel, I wanted to see if I could match my old 3RM.  I did, 245 is my pr from before for 3 reps, so I am very happy I got that, and I maybe could have done a bit more weight it didn't feel as hard as it did last time so I happy with the front squats.  The back squats went well, the set at 135 I am going to remember as I plan on slowly increasing that weight.  There is something called widow makers for squats, it's where you perform 20 reps without moving the bar from your back, you keep adding weight until you can no longer hit that mark.  Back squats are an exercise that you can rest in the standing position, but the bar cannot move off your back, in my opinion this only works for back squats, with front squats your traps would fatigue too quickly.  The set at 135 for 20 wasnt exactly easy but not as hard as it could be.  The sets at 185 felt good.  Good leg workout!!

Full Body

Today was a change my mind in the middle of the workout kind of day.  I realize that to go for a true 1RM, I need to use the split jerk, the push jerk is not my strength (like many others).  The first many sets I used a push jerk, and was going to stop once I hit my max.  After the set of 215 I was feeling good so I decided to go for a pr, so I switched to a split jerk.

Power Clean and Push Jerk
135x3
155x3
175x2
195x1
205x1
215x1

Power Clean and Split Jerk
225x1
235x1 (pr)
245x1 (pr)

Alternate Sets
Weighted Situps - 10, 10, 10, 10...........30, 35, 40, 45
Pushups - 4xrelative max reps........30, 25, 20, 15

The video is the last set of the power clean and split jerks.  I don't really know what my right leg did there, it kind of darted out which I wasn't happy with, I need to work on straight power cleans more often.  The split jerk I felt strong on, and as you can see I kind of chased forwards a bit but I still held that lockout.  This isn't a pr on the split jerk, that is 250, but this is a power clean pr, which I am happy with (despite lackluster form).  This is ties the most weight I have gotten from ground to shoulder as I have also squat cleaned 245, either way I am happy with that lift despite the iffy power clean form.  The situps I liked last time I decided to go up again, having the 45 pound dumbbell on my chest was less than comfortable, and the last few reps were slow moving but completed.  The pushups felt good, most sets I maybe could have gotten a few more but I'm looking for steady progress here.  Good workout!

Full Body

Great workout today, and time for some videos, the above is my 4th set of the snatches.  I wanted to do some pushups as well but I had to get home for supper, maybe I'll do them later tonight.

Clean Complex (1 Squat Clean + 1 Front Squat)
155
175
195
205
215
225
235

Power Snatches
95x3
115x3
125x3
135x3
135x3

Starting with the snatches, I knew I wasn't going to go for max weight today I just wanted to keep snatching at a decently heavy weight.  The sets at 135 felt good I was more or less happy with my form.  They are such a technical exercise, in the video it looks like my last rep was the best rep, I am also happy with my starting position.  The clean complex was fun and tough.  I liked complexes a lot and this time I picked one that would allow me to go heavy.  235 was heavy, especially considering my max squat clean 245 I am happy with the weight I got up too.

A video of all the clean complex sets can be found on my youtube channel, as well as the single set of power snatches.

http://www.youtube.com/user/paul771771

Full Body

Didn't go for max weight today but good workout nonetheless.

Push Jerk
135x5
155x5
165x5
175x5
185x5

Deadlifts (reset each time)
135x10
185x10
225x5
255x5
275x5
295x5
315x5

Weighted Situps (feel not anchored)
25x10
30x10
35x10
40x10

I am very surprised I was able to do 185 for 5 unbroken push jerks, yes I know there was some pressouts but I was still happy with it.  The deadlifts went even better, this to me is proof my max has gone up.  I heard before by a professional that resetting each time is the best way to do deadlifts, I'm not saying I'll never do touch and go again but resetting is a preferred method.  The sets at 135 and 185 were touch and go but more warmups, the rest were all resetting.  315 for 5 reps, all from the stop position on the ground is pretty good for me, makes lots of noise but I was happy with that.  Weighted situps was again to throw some ab work into my workouts.  I placed one dumbbell, the flat end on my chest, never moving the dumbbell forwards or down, and because I had to hold the dumbbell in place I never used my arms as momemtum to start the pull.  Overall good workout!

Full Body

Missed yesterday due to a weird stomach bug, oh well, good workout in store today.

Power Snatch
95x5
105x4
115x3
125x3
135x3
140x3
145x3

Front Squats
135x5
155x5
175x5
185x5
205x5

Bear Complex (1 Power Clean + 1 Front Squat + 1 Push Jerk + 1 Back Squat + 1 Rack Jerk = 1 rep)
95x3
105x3
115x3
135x3

Great workout, pr on the power snatch and I also believe my form was much better this time, I attribute that to better form I really focussed on squatting down nice and low before starting the pull, using my legs more.  The first 2 sets were touch and go, the rest were resetting each time, with the last 2 sets being done more at 3 sets of singles.  I have kind of reset my front squats, I have decided to removed the plate from under my heels, I got too used to that and I was pleased that I didn't really miss it today.  For 5 reps I think my pr is right around 205 so I didn't really drop any weight, I liked doing it without the plates as I was still able to get full range of motion.  The bear complex I decided to do sets of 3, rotating through the circuit 3 times making it more of a breather than when I did it last time (only doing it once, so heavy).  I was happy I could finish with 135 but it was close, my breathing, arms, and legs were all getting tired, the set at 95 was too light but I wasn't sure how it'd feel for 3 reps.  Overall it was a great workout.