PR Friday is a forum to allow you to share your triumphs and failures with your strength training brethren. How has your training been this week? What questions do you have for your peers? Talk and mingle.
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No PR’s to report. Yet. Going for a squat PR in a couple sessions.
What are some good exercises that hit the proximal portion of the hamstrings that aren’t like the RDL? Movements like that cause my disc herniation to flare and become pissy.
Not Justin, but..
I’d imagine back extensions and GHD the best choices? If you can do those ofc…
I should find a way to rig something up. I don’t have either at my gym, but could probably find a means. Thanks!
What do you guys do for grip accessory work? My grip is the weak link in my deadlift, specifically my left hand, which is the suppinated one. I’m pulling 565, but feel I could get close to 600 pretty quickly if my left hand was opening up like it does. I’ve added holds onto the last rep of my rack pulls (I do conventional, then deficit, then rack pulls on DL days) and added in heavy dumbbell rows so far, so I’ll see if that helps next time I test in April.
One of my favorite grip exercises was passed on to me by a pro strongman. He called them “power hangs”. Set up the pins as high as you can in the rack, then put the barbell on the pins. Grab the barbell as if you were going to do a pull-up (don’t use a thumbless grip though), then just hang with bodyweight only for about 30 seconds. Once can do that, throw on a weight belt and start adding weight. The bar rolls a bit in the pins so it’s tough and if you work up to some good weight you’ll have a good grip.
I am interested in the same thing because I have the same issue. I went to straps on DL because my left hand was/is so wussified that it was holding back my progress. If you were doing the 70s Big LP, I guess you would throw in specific grip work on Fridays since this is after Wednesday’s DL with two days to rest before Mondays clanging and banging python fest? Is one day a week enough, especially if I’m using straps on DL? Probably not since, if I’m gonna go with straps, I need not worry about fatiguing my grip since I’m actively avoiding my grip on DL anyway. But I’d be curious to know that the crowd thinks.
Can never go wrong with farmer’s walks too. Once I got to where the heaviest dumbbells in my old gym were easy, I started stacking weight on a pair of triceps bars then used them as farmer’s implements. By the time I actually used a pair of farmer’s implements, I was using a lot more.
Just grab them at the red circle and you’ll see what I mean.
http://s18.postimg.org/iwrpk3r49/image.jpg
good call on the improvised farmer’s implements! I’m gonna just drag heavy DBs around til this grip business sorts itself out. Then I will use your idea. Thanks for the tip.
You might try doing some of the deads with fat gripz or use a fat bar if you have one. Elitefts has them on sale right now too. Good luck.
I’ve been using a fat/strongmang bar for most of my barbell accessory shit (RDLs, rows, rack pulls) and found it to be pretty helpful. I still have to hook grip above 365, but it’s getting better. Also my thumbs are getting pretty fucked up from hook grip.
PRS
Power Clean(from blocks)75×1
Front squat 75×5(clean in first)
overhead press 60×5
now my knees are painfull and I have pain attacks from my glutes to my calf via the itb. Any suggestions what to stretch and roll?
No PRs yet slowly working back to my base line. Any suggestions how to taper High light medium training For a meet ?
Just learning the C&J, so any weight was a PR, but I worked up to 155lbs. Also set a deadlift rep PR with 275 for 7.
Clean pr of 275, hang snatch pr 185×1 (5).
No PRs yet. Through my first week of 70s big LP and loving it. Sticking to the standard template but adding arms on to the end since it’s almost beach weather here in FL.
Since I can’t edit:
Justin I had a question regarding the isolation work in the LP: am I correct in assuming that accumlating volume on isloation exercises is the key to stimulating more growth? If so why not approach them with a 6 sets of 5 with a higher weight rather than 3 sets of 10? Potential to inhibit recovery? time?
Was revisiting some of Jordan Feigenbaum’s stuff today and he mentioned that specific example, so I thought I’d run it by you to get your perspective.
No PRs this week. I am getting closer to breaking my squat 5RM which is at 365lbs. and this week I hit 360lbs for five. I’ve thought about running this week again since 360×5 was pretty nasty in terms of technique. I really don’t want to push it and end up jacking something up.
I also want to try running the TM in a split form. Does anyone have a spreadsheet that is already set up, I’m not the best at making them myself. If not it’s cool, trial and error baby!!
Thanks guys!!
Because the TM isn’t a workout to workout progression it does not lend itself well to spreadsheets. Excel makes it look pretty but becomes pretty useless. Best bet is to write yourself a template and just keep a log (see the examples in the appendices of PPST).
This accomplishes a couple things; it keeps your eye on how well you are progressing, provides feedback to determine whether your food/water/rest is in check and keeps the program focused purely on Friday PRs instead of just “working out”
-source: running TM since 2011. Still works
Oh I’m definitely aware that it’s not a “workout” program, it’s a training program. I’ve been running the TM standard Mon,Wed,Fri template for quite sometime using a spreadsheet that I found on AllThingsGym.com. In my opinion it works better than having just notes. It allows you to forecast where you should be in x number of weeks/months, cycles, and deloads/meet prep. I feel it holds a trainee a little more accountable when it’s all laid out yet said trainee isn’t hitting PRs (myself especially). Plug, print, and go!
Either way, I made one for the TM split that is based on standard progression/standard rep/set schemes. I’m not to the point where I need to rotate speed and heavy squat/deadlifts, or decrease volume. But when the time comes it’ll be easy to do.
If anyone would like to check it out for use or programming pointers I’ll be more than happy to email it to you.
PRs for the week:
I tore my posterior tibial tendon in my left ankle awhile back so I’ve deloaded the squat to 60% for 5×5 CAT (similar to Sam Byrd’s style of training).
Low-bar Back Squat: 5×5 @ 315 finished all sets in 10 minutes (belt-less)
Bench: 300×10, 305×8 @ RPE 9 (I think the Shreveport Tens Method works really well for off season powerlifting)
Sumo: 425×5 @ RPE 8
Front Squat: 3×6 @ 315 (belt-less) @ RPE 8.5
I have my annual fitness assessment in mid-April; going to be transitioning back to a 3-day Texas Method split to save recovery space for the added conditioning.
Question for Justin:
After this fitness test period and finally taking some vacation time after I’ll be looking at 2.5 months of calorie restriction followed by crap nutrition. Do you make any changes to Paleo for Lifters based on muscle building vs weight (fat) loss? Beans & Rice vs potatoes? Emphasis on nutrient timing?
Would you program the Overhead Press differently for someone who isn’t concerned about increasing their bench press? I don’t compete in powerlifting, but I would like to start competing in Strongman. So, would you allow more Overhead Press volume if you weren’t concerned about also bringing up the bench press? Basically, how would you structure an Overhead Press specialization program?
Squat: 255 x 8
Deadlift: 325 x 8
Bench: 187.5 x 7
2 questions:
1. I keep sliding backwards off the bench when I bench press. Usually happens around rep 6 and I lose all tightness as I prepare for my body to slide off the bench and have my thoracic cavity be crushed by what’s not even an impressive weight. Besides not wearing slick under-armor-ish shirts, does anyone have any tricks to prevent this? Only benches in my gym are covered in this faux-leather stuff that’s kinda slick.
2. Life is handing me a deload in a couple weeks as I’m going out of town for 8 days. Things are starting to get heavy on my LP, so I don’t mind having a week to recover. I plan on using the time to work calisthenics, run, and mob, but what’s the best way to eat during this week? Wouldn’t mind coming back a bit leaner.
No PR’s this week, but… well, I decided to switch to high-bar squats.
PRd clean and jerk at 230 today for the crossfit open workout. Not 70s big because I am a collegiate tennis player but I like to imagine it may happen some day. First post one here and finally made an account. Have been following for the past few months. Good to finally jump in.
I did hit two PRs this week. My first was on Wednesday where I finally hit a 140kg Jerk out of the boxes and failed at 142kg. Looking to finally hitting that 140kg in the next couple of months.
I know this one isn’t as impressive, but I was happy about it. I did hit a 100kgx10 Front Squat. I do not do a lot of 10 reps with some of my assistance exercises, but I was happy about that.
Just completed my first week of the entry level program from the 70s Big LP. I took all my measurements prior to starting, going to keep track of them monthly see what changes. Also trying to wean myself onto the Paleo for Lifters approach, though milk and cheese are still my kryptonite.
My working sets this week: Press 105, Squats 225, Chin-Ups BW only right now (falling a rep or two short each set) plus additional sets to 10, Bench 135, DL 275, Rows 135, Dips BW+10 for 3×5 and additional sets to 20 reps with BW only, Front Squats 155, Pull-Ups BW only right now (falling a rep or two short each set), RDLs 135.
I’ll only share big PRs from now on. I had a blast during all three workouts, really enjoying it so far.