Reactive Training Systems

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

RE: Nick's Training Log

DaneKelley · Veteran Member

thanks for the words nick. im feeling alot better now and im confident that this new cycle will help jump start my lifts again once that happens i will be back to using the RTS methods but for now its good old periodization

Nick U · Senior Member

5/20 85%

Romanian DL goal 355
-decided to put on the belt because my back has been feeling a bit shaky
315-3
355-3@8 (should be shooting for a 9 but I didn't want to push my back)
355-3@8
355-3@8
355-3@8 no belt, no problem awesome
345-3 no belt
345-3 no belt

-back was feeling pretty good so I decided to wear a loose belt for my squats

Chain Squat goal 345

315-3@8
345-3@9ish
345-3@9-10
325-3@9

Glute-Ham Raise

45-10
45-10
45-10

I really like the GH raises, I have a real weakness in my hamstrings and it targets them perfectly

All in all not to bad of a workout, felt the groove coming back after my injury last week. A little concerned about only hitting my goal with the chain squats, the program calls for those to be without a belt and I hit the goal with a belt so it maybe should have been higher. But I have noticed that I get less and less help from my belt as my squat form becomes more upright, and the belt was pretty loose so I'm not gonna lose too much sleep over it. Oh and it helps that the squat was a 45lb PR.

Nick U · Senior Member

5/20 85%

Pause Bench goal 285
255-3@8
275-33@8-9
285-3@8-9
300-3@9
285-3@9
285-3@8-9
285-3@9

Cambered Bar Bench
265-3@8
285-3@9
270-3@8-9
270-3@8-9

Lying Tricep Press

225-3
235-3
235-3

Great workout. Bench is coming back fast, and my shoulder feels great. I'm continuing to visit the steam room after every workout. I also take contrasting showers every morning. Combined with stretching this type of recovery work is doing wonders for my lifts. Again my goals for the Oct 11th meet are a 580 squat, 410 bench, and 600 dead, its gonna happen baby! And since I always look ahead my goals for nationals are a 640 squat, 460 bench, and a 665 deadlift. Thats a 1765 total. Its big number for 198 and reminds me how much work I have left to do but as long as I keep hitting my goals I will acheive those numbers.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Write those goals down and put them somewhere you'll see them everyday. Also write down what you'll need to do for a 2 rep, 3 rep, and 4 rep set for each lift. If you put it somewhere you'll see it everyday, you'll get used to the numbers and when it comes time to lift them, it's just another set.

Nick U · Senior Member

Ok catching up

Romanian Dd goal 360

345-3@8
365-3@9
365-3@9
365-3@9
345-3@9
345-3@9

Chain Squat goal 350
325-3@9
350-2@9-10
330-2@9-10
320-2@9
320-1@9

G-H Raise
25-6 weight behind the head
25-4@10
25-5@10
25-5@10
25-5
judging RPE on these is really difficult

Missed the squat goal, sh!t happens. I've been using this exercise for 4 weeks, it doesn't surprise me that the gains have slowed.

Grant Gavran · Senior Member

how do you like the glut hams as soon as i find a gym with them i was thinking about doing them as like a 4th exercise.

Nick U · Senior Member

I like them alot, I find it very effective if I hold a hard arch thoughtout the entire movement, this makes it focus nearly exclusively on my hamstrings and glutes instead of my lower back

Nick U · Senior Member

wow what a week, great gains though

5/20
Medium Grip Bench 85%
275-3@8
295-3@8-9
315-3@9ish
315-3@9
300-3@8-9
300-3@9

Cambered Bar Bench 85%

275-3@8-9
295-3@9
280-3@9
280-3@9

Lying tricep Press
225-5
245-3
245-3

Really liking the cambered bar bench, gonna keep working it in and see how it turns out

5/20
Squat (Belt) 90% goal 385
355-2@8-9
385-2@9 very slow
385-2@10 belt too tight
365-2@9

DL (belt) 90% goal 460
445-2@9
460-1@9 wtf!
435-2@9
435-2@9

G-H Raise
25-6
25-6
25-6 @9-10
25-6

Holy crap, well my squat wasn't great, I'm still very weak in the hole, definitly a hamstring weakness. Also my deadlift is looking rough, I really haven't done anything for full ROM deadlift so its expected but disappointing, I'll just refocus and get back on track before tri-service. I also learned that having my belt too tight screws me up, I'm learning that I'm alot better in a loose belt.

5/20

Bench 90% 315
315-2@8-9
335-2@9ish
345-2@9 Big Raw PR!
330-2@9

Medium Grip Bench 90%
305-2@8
325-2@9ish
325-2@9-10 (setting the weight here due to pulling in left pec)

7 Pin LO

335-4
335-4
335-4

Good workout, got that bench PR which was nice. Gotta be careful with the bench as the weight gets heavier, very easy for me to get hurt.

5/20
Speed Singles Sm bands + chains (belt)
185-1
205-1
225-1
245-1
255-1
255-1
255-1
255-1

315-1 @8-9

GM 90% (belt)

225-3@7
275-2@9 on form
275-2@9 " "
275-2@9 " "
260-2@9

5" High Box Squat (belt)

365-4@8
405-3@8-9
405-3@9
405-3@9

The high box squats are more for nervous system priming leading into my peak than anything else. The GM were just hidious as always, my squat looks great but for some reason on the GMs I'm still fighting the butt tuck thing.

Nick U · Senior Member

BIG DAY FOR ME HERE!!!!!

7/25

Training Shirt Bench 95% goal 375

raw warmup to 335
365-2 (bout 2 inchs from touching)
385-2@8-9
405-2@9 BIG PR!
(cut it here, still worried about an injury, slight tightness in trap and cramping in neck)

Incline Press 95%

225-1@8
255-1@8-9
275-1@9-10
255-1@8
255-1@8-9
255-1@9

Medium Grip Bench

275-1 @7-8
305-3 @8

(cut it here, shoulders are smoked)

Well I'm now a member of the 400 pound bench club, feels good and it was a double at a nine, that's a true nine too would almost consider is below a nine. I don't know why I was doing doubles, just got screwed up in my head so techincally I was working at 90%. Got another 95% week next week and I'll do singles then. I don't think 420 is out of the question.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Holy crap, Nick. The first time you bench 400, you do a double? Nicely done!

Looks like training is going really well for you. How long until Tri Service?

Nick U · Senior Member

we are shooting for the 11th of October for Tri-Service, I'm sending emails to Navy, Army and VMI now. Won't know for sure until I hear back from them. AD told us we had to do it mid October so I checked the football schedules for the other schools and 11th of october is the most accomodating. Army will have to miss a home game against us, but we did it last year so I hope they are willing to compromise this year. We'll see.

In regards to training for tri-service my bench goal was 410 so I think I have that. I'll be in the suit tomorrow without wraps and with wraps next week so we'll see if my squat goal is on track. Aiming for 580. Deadlift has me nervous but there is still lots of time to get working for my 600 pull.

Nick U · Senior Member

wanna take a moment and talk about something old that I'm finally taking serouisly. CORE TRAINING. Bobby occasionly comes and trains with us in the recondo room and he invited me last week to train core with him. I've been working abs every day for the last few months so I thought I was ok, I was wrong. Apparently olympic lifters have to have a strong core and after about 15 minutes into his core workout I was in pain. Honestly thought I had hurt myself. My entire mid section was sore to the touch for about three days. But watching his perfect front and back squats made me realize that I needed much more core strength. So now its a main stay in my workout. Here's what it looks like.

45 degree incline situps with 45 pound plate (don't count reps just by feel)
superset with
weighted v-ups (dumbell between my feet and in my hands, dear lord these hurt)

2 sets of one minute bridges, I do one minute flat and then a minute on each side no rest in between.

on days when I'm still sore from the previous I use the cable pull down machine to do axe chops. I really like these, but it keeps pulling the cable off the pulley.

When I adjust to these I'll probably add some more.

Oh and on a side note, I'm at a steady 204 pounds of body weight, and gaining about a pound every two weeks. Getting kinda pudgy but I'm not concerned, still plan on competing 198 at tri service, I'll just cut. Only thing is my damn lever belt is getting too tight and i have to move out a hole. LOL never dreamed that would happen.

-- Edited by Nick U at 00:26, 2008-07-02

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Wow is all I can say to all that. The good, bad, and ugly of it.

Nick U · Senior Member

Thanks Mike.