Reactive Training Systems

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

RE: Big Mike's Training Log

Date: Aug 27, 2008

Hey its Grant,

I see that you were training in the dual quad for the deadlift and honestly i dont think that those really do anything for the deadlift. Mine is always the same, but i do train in it way out from the meet just to get a feel for how to set up and how to wedge myself into the bar. Do you have an actual deadlift suit. I have the metal one but i hear good things about the inzer fusion. I dont know much about the titan one but underwood loves it for sumo. They do make a difference. They pull from the front more than the back which allows you to keep those hips engaged more instead of just popping up.

deanredzic · Veteran Member

I found that metal deadlift suits are built better for deadlifting.
I am able to get better air than the titans.

Deadlift suits are really different to squat suits (as grant said) they pull in totally different areas.

Squat suits suck to pull in...unless you pull sumo.

The specific titan deadlift suits are much better than pulling in a dual quad.

But over all the Metal rules

RIGDON · Member

YOUR AN AMAZING LIFTER MIKE. KEEP IT UP. WILL BE ORDEING YOUR BOOK NEXT WEEK.

Date: Aug 29, 2008

Mike,

Like you, i fought with DL suits back and forth, going raw and back. I pull conventional, tried sumo and used a Titan dual quad and it worked well, but I'm better off conventional. Having said that, I bought Titan's DL suit, it's really light and a little more than a singlet (obviously better material), but what it did for me was give me enough pop to guarantee me a lift that I may or not make at the end of a meet with just a singlet.

I did have to play with belt position and had to pull the legs very high to get into a comfortable position to utilize sound technique.

I do have a metal that i ought to give another shot, but like you don't want to lose decent technique and be put in a bad groove and risk injury.

Good Luck !

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Thanks for the advice, guys. I think I'll work on getting a for-reals DL suit and see where that takes me....

Thursday BDB
Shirt Bench (Marie)- 70-80%, 10-14 NL
525x3 @7
565x3 @8 touched
595x3 @8 grooved a little low
595x3 @9 (21m)

Deadlift- 70-80%, 10-14 NL
565x3 @7.5
605x3 @8
645x3 @8
645x3 @8.5 (20m)

Standing Military- x6, 15-19 NL
195x6 @8.5
205x6 @8
225x6 @9 (11m)

Total Training Time: 94min

This was a good training session for what it was. Obviously the throttle is pulled back a little this week, so volume and intensity were low.
Okay, so I loaned this shirt to an unnamed friend of mine for a meet about 3 weeks ago. Hes a bigger fella, so he sweats a lot. At his meet, he soaked the shirt. When he was done, he put it back in the plastic back and sealed it closed. Fastforward 3 weeks. I go to lift today in my shirt. I pull it out of the bag and it literally smells like a chicken coop. It cleared the room. Old ladies on the treadmill across the room were like, whats that smell?
Ah well The bench work wasnt bad. I got the weights down pretty good today, so thats definitely good. Im doing a better job of being competition legal in training than I have been doing in the past.
I did more raw pulling today. Things feel much better than they did a few weeks ago.
After I got home, I washed the shirt. It took 2 wash cycles to get the smell out.

Friday SBD
Squat- 70-80%, 10-14 NL
515x3 @7.5
555x3 @8
585x3 @8
585x3 @8.5 (17m)

Bench (pinky on ring) +90c- 70-80%, 10-14 NL
355x3 @8
385x3 @8
405x3 @8.5
405x3 @8 (16m)

DL to knees +3ct ISO- x6, 15-19 NL
425x6 @8
455x6 @8
485x6 @9 (14m)

Total Training Time: 78min

Today was pretty good. I am feeling better this week, after being fairly taxed after the last Transmutation block. Squatting was pretty solid today, as was benching. The DL to knees was actually a really good exercise! I liked it and Im interested in seeing where it goes over the next few weeks.

Chad McMullin · Senior Member

Mike, was wondering when is worlds and what numbers are you looking to do?

And have you tried the new super katana yet? I have one, but have not tried it yet.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

I compete in Worlds on November 8th. I have some numbers in mind, but I don't want to call my shot yet, but if you read my training log closely you should be able to get a good idea.

I haven't tried the new super Katana. I don't know exactly what I'll do with it, because I still have to get the regular katanas stretched out before they're competition ready. Using a normal katana - if it's new, I won't be able to touch less than 700, which is ridiculous.

KTW · Member

I've got the super Katana. It has unreal support and a lower groove from what I can tell.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Week 2 Accumulation
Tuesday SBB
Suit Squat (bonita)- 70-80e%, 18-23 NL
695x3 @7.5
735x3 @8
775x2x2 @8
775x2 @8.5
775x2 @8
775x2 @8.5
695x2 @7.5 (60m)

Raw Bench- 70-80e%, 18-23NL
365x3 @8
395x3 @8
420x2 @8
420x2x3 @7.5
420x2 @8
365x2 @7.5 (29m)

Flat Back Floor Press- x5, 15-19 NL
335x5 @8
355x5 @8
380x5 @9 (10m)

Total Training Time: 144min

Overall numbers for this workout are pretty high volume wise and low intensity wise. Thats a product of the varied stress/intensities within the week to make a pre determined average at the end. More to be said on this during the Weekly Analysis.
Squats were okay. Im having trouble hitting depth despite the looser suit. Maybe its still pretty stiff. I never would have thought I could load 775 and still be limited on depth. Either way, today was a ton of volume (7 tons of squatting to be more exact) and the pace was quick, so I guess I shouldnt complain too much. Check out the squat videos does it look like I need more posterior chain work? Im thinking my squat training has centered around quads for a while. Maybe I need more hamstring work.
Benching went well. I dont feel like I have gone heavy in a raw bench in a long time, so Im a little uneasy about what will happen when I do.

Wednesday DBS
Suit Deadlift (abby)- 70-80e%, 18-23 NL
585x3 @8
635x3 @8
635x3 @8 ditched the suit
670x2 @8
670x2x4 @8 (50m)

Bench +360pppp- 80-90%, 8-10 NL
225x2 @8
240x1 @7.5
255x2 @9
255x1 @8.5
225x2 @8.5 (22m)

SSB Wide Squat- x5, 15-19 NL
425x5x2 @8
460x5 @9 (21m)

Total Training Time: 137 min

Overall, this workout was also on the volume side of the spectrum, but not as bad.
Oh, by the way, I cant stand Deadlift suits. At least not yet. I tried it again today and it was worse than without. Getting into position was awkward and painful. Worst of all, it was worse than last week. So I decided Ill pull raw with a belt again this meet. Well see how things go if I ever get a actual DL suit that fits.
Everything else went pretty much as expected. My technique on the SSB wide squats was actually pretty good. It was encouraging enough that Im thinking of widening my squat stance a little.

Thursday GPP
Single Arm External Rotations- 30x10x3
Barbell Rollouts- 8, 8, 8

Circuit
Overhead Squat
Lunges
Pushups- x20
Hang Snatch
5 reps, 95 pounds 10% fatigue (Heart rate), 2:1 work to rest
Completed 3 sets 2:40 (173 bpm), 2:30 (177 bpm), 2:15 (182 bpm)

Stretching

I learned a lot about the AREG of conditioning work today. First of all, there is an upper limit as you approach your max heart rate. I havent yet quantified it, but it makes sense. If your first set gets you to 92% of your max heart rate and the protocol requires 10% fatigue, where do you end up? Also, the length of time each set requires needs to be commensurate with the energy system youre trying to train. This is a duh statement, but its not that obvious to a lot of people (me included). Lastly, this particular circuit was too lower body intensive. There needs to be some upper body work to balance things out.

Friday BDB
Shirt Bench (Marie)- 70-80e%, 18-23 NL
525x3 @8
565x3 @8
595x2 @8
595x2 @8.5 touched
595x2 @8.5
595x2 @8
595x2 @8
525x2 @7 (44m)

Deadlift- 80-90%, 8-10 NL
645x2 @8
695x1 @8
727x2 @9 Wow! No PR next week
727x1 @10
645x2 @8.5 (26m)

Standing Military- x5, 15-19 NL
205x5 @9 shoulder was bugging me, so I changed it up

Neutral Grip DB Military
60x5 @7.5 I like these!

Total Training time: 118 min

The overall numbers today were more on the intensity side due to me dropping the 3rd exercise, but of what I did today, things were more on track than they have been all week
Bench work went well. The shirt I was using was pretty wrung out, so touching was easier, but pressing was harder. Oh well, thats why I wore this shirt today.
Deadlifts went well. I hit a small PR here today, but it was definitely a gut-check.
My shoulder has been bugging me on the standing militaries for a couple weeks now. I think I need to give that pattern a break. I tried Neutral grip DB militaries and loved them. It was a really fun movement and it feels right, so Im going to go with it.

Saturday SBD
Squat- 80-90%, 8-10 NL
585x2 @8
625x1 @8
660x2 @9.5

Bench (pinky on ring) +90c- 80-90%, 8-10 NL
405x2 @8.5
435x1 @8
455x1 @10 Just aint got it today (13m)

Total Training Time: 64 min

Man, I was smoked coming into this workout. I dont know quite why this week beat me up the way it did, but I was walking half dead. I took my best shot and came up short on the first squat and bench movement, so I just packed up and went home. Its probably not a bad idea, because Im minus 1 recovery day next week.

Weekly Analysis
I learned a ton of stuff this week, much of which will result in some tweaking of the program. Its important to note a lot of the changes coming down the line have been in the works for a while I just didnt know if I wanted to jump on it right away. Im not being rash with any of these decisions that will be showing up in the next couple of weeks.

PS: I just got a call from Pete at Titan. I should have a couple of goodies arriving on Tuesday. I guess I'll try a real deadlift suit next week.

-- Edited by Mike Tuchscherer at 20:20, 2008-09-06

-- Edited by Mike Tuchscherer at 21:38, 2008-09-06

Brady Stewart · Senior Member

Dang Mike that is a ton of shirt work with about 85-90% weights!!! NICE!!!

Grant Gavran · Senior Member

hey mike where did u get ur chains. i need to buy some soon

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

I bought mine from Iron Woody. The hardware stored didn't have chains big enough.

jamwithtupac · Veteran Member

hi Mike, your youtube vids are an inspiration, i like that you train alone and you can do everthing without relying on training partners, something which Ive had to do myself most of the time.

Do you not use boards when benching? I notice you shirt everyweek though

-- Edited by jamwithtupac at 17:27, 2008-09-09

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

I don't use boards that much anymore. I'll probably go back to them after worlds though. I never got anything out of them before. Perhaps it's time for another try or maybe just use them as a General-Specific exercise. We'll see.