Reactive Training Systems

MichaelG · Senior Member

RE: Medium Mike's Training Log

MichaelG · Senior Member

Tuesday 1/27- DBS

Deadlift w/belt- x1 @9-10, est. range 475-500
455x1 @9
475x1 @9...strapless PR
475x1 @10

Olympic Squat
4 sets of 6 with 205

Didn't feel like getting crazy today so I just worked up to an estimated 95%...I've pulled 500 in the past but that was with straps and a hitch. Grip was tough since the bars at school are thicker for some reason. I did some extra grip work too at the end. I just skipped pressing altogether today to rest my shoulder for Thursday, when I will be shirting up.

MichaelG · Senior Member

So it turns out my shoulder problem was more than I initially thought, as some bruising actually developed which leads me to believe I actually tore something. However, thanks to my proven aggressive rehab protocol I was back up to 100% today.

Thursday 1/29- BDB at Hanisak Sports Performance

Shirt bench- goal was to touch weight
315x2 @10...first was 1" away, 2nd touched
335x1 @10...almost touched
335x1 @10...ugly, came down too fast and too high
315x1 @9...perfect, touched
315x1 @9...perfect, touched

Deadlift on plates- 2RM
405x2 @8.5
445x2 @10...PR

Standing military presses
5x5 with 135

Took a short trip to bench with Jay Hanisak who helped me out a ton. Today I just wanted to see what I could get to touch, turns out I just needed to be patient, tuck, and belly up to get down that last inch, which results in extreme pressure, I have red dots above my eyes, and arms were even more torn up than usual. Military presses were actually better than ever...maybe I should tear my shoulder more often...haha.

MichaelG · Senior Member

Friday 1/30- SBD

Pause squats (no belt)- x1 @9-10, est. range 338-356
335x1 @9
360x1 @10...PR
335x1 @10

3-second paused incline bench- x2 @9-10
185x2 @9
195x2 @10
185x2 @9.5

SLDL
4 sets of 5 with 275

One-armed BB hold
3 sets of 10s with 135...some kids saw me doing this, went over to an empty bar and fiddled with it, then said to me: "you're trying to keep it straight? that's [explitive] ridiculous!" Figures, the one comment I get in the gym is on the spur-of-the-moment grip exercise I decide to do.

Squats went great again, worked up to only 5lbs less than my belted, no-pause PR of December. The incline bench here at school is harder because it's at a steeper angle and for some reason the pad tapers at the top (made for people with a wider butt than shoulders I guess?).

MichaelG · Senior Member

Volume Block, Week 3

Monday 2/2- SBB

Squat w/belt and wraps- x3 @9-10, est. range 353-374
345x3 @9
375x3 @10
345x3 @9.5

Raw bench- x2 @9-10, es.t range 260-274
260x2 @9
275x2 @10
260x2 @10

Close Grip Floor Press
205x5

Small PR's for both squat and bench. The benches here at school are real easy to slip on so I lost my arch on the 2nd rep of 275, still got it though, which is good because that was my 1RM in December. I tried to devise a way to do floor presses out of the weight pins on the smith machine but it was more trouble than it was worth.

MichaelG · Senior Member

Tuesday 2/3- DBS

Deadlift w/belt- 1RM, goal 500
505x1 @10...PR

Phone Book Press- x1 @9-10
295x1 @10
315x0 @10...boo

Olympic squats
4 sets of 7 with 205

The 505 actually moved fairly well, grip was the main issue, but that's easy to fix (grip work, chalk, and a normal size bar would all help). This is an all-time PR, exceeding my 500 that I used straps and a hitch on. The PB presses just haven't been going well this cycle, I plan on starting these back more conservatively next cycle and will try and keep my ego out of it.

MichaelG · Senior Member

Thursday 2/5- BDB @ Hanisak Sports Performance

Shirt bench- 3RM, goal 341
315x3 @9
335x3 @10
345x3 @10...PR (40lbs over what I tripled 3 weeks ago)

Deadlifts on plates- x3 @9-10, est. range 397-421
405x3 @9
425x3 @10
405x3 @10

Standing military press
5 sets of 6 with 135

Shirt benching went great, wasn't too concerned with touching, but apparently I still got pretty close on a few reps anyway. 345 was just a tough set from start to finish. Deadlifts felt very heavy, not too surprising really since I pulled big two days earlier. Last day in the shirt until my peaking cycle in 7 weeks.

MichaelG · Senior Member

Friday 2/6- SBD

Pause squat, no belt- x2 @9-10, est. range 324-342
315x2 @9
345x2 @10
315x2 @9
315x2 @10

3-Second pause incline bench- x1 @9-10, est. range 195-205
195x1 @9
210x1 @9.5
215x1 @10
195x1 @10

SLDL
4 sets of 6 with 275

One-armed BB hold
2 sets of 15s with 135

Last day of this mesocycle, finished strong. I'll probably post up some overall thoughts and before/afters soon regarding the past 6 weeks in RTS.

-- Edited by MichaelG at 00:42, 2009-02-07

MichaelG · Senior Member

Okay so in 6 weeks doing RTS ("before" lifts were done at the beginning or in the 2 weeks prior):

Squat w/wraps- 335x2 to 395x2 and 375x3 (est. 1RM 372 to 417)
Shirt bench- 315x2 to 345x3 (est. 1RM 350 to 383)
Deadlift- 405x3 to 505x1 (more just getting used to not using straps than anything)

Less important but still cool:
Pause squats- 295x3 to 345x2
Raw bench- 235x3 to 260x3 and 275x2
Deadlift on plates- 365x4 to 425x3

Needless to say I'm incredibly pleased with these results. Just goes to show how strong you can get in the movements when you actually DO the movements, and do them frequently and heavy. The raw bench actually didn't move as much as it might appear, mostly because of the shoulder problems during the 4th and 5th weeks. Speaking of, the main thing I learned this mesocycle is that I HAVE to stay consistent with shoulder prehab work otherwise I'll run into more injuries considering how much I'm pressing in a week. I'm looking forward to continued progress in the mesocycles leading up to my next meet in May.

MichaelG · Senior Member

"Off-season"

2/10

Alternated between these:
Walking DB lunges- 20 steps
Pullups- 5 reps
3 sets of each

Bench
2 sets of 20 with 135

The high rep stuff sucked the life right out of me, I don't know why I thought it was a good idea.

MichaelG · Senior Member

2/11- AM

Incline walking- 20 min, 2.5mph, 12%

2/12

Overhead squats
3 sets of 5 with 135

Flat DB press
45x10, 55x10, 65x10, 75x10

45deg back raise
2 sets of bwx15

Last one of these this week, mostly because I'm sick of doing stupid workouts, haha. I'll do some light cardio the next two days and then begins the 12 weeks of work and pain.

MichaelG · Senior Member

"In Season" Phase/Mesocycle
Volume Block
Week 1

Monday 2/16- SBB at HSP

Suit squat- x3 @8-9
335x3 @7
365x3 @7
385x3 @7
405x3 @7
425x3 @7
455x3 @7
475x3 @8...an easy 8 at that, and I may have overestimated

3-second pause bench- x4 @8-9
185x4 @8
205x4 @8
225x4 @9
205x4 @8
205x4 @8
205x4 @8.5

JM press
4 sets of 8 with 65

First day back at it and couldn't be happier. Suit work was awesome, I actually ended up just stopping out of sanity, the weights were real easy and I didn't want to get carried away on my first day back. 475x3 @8 calculates out to 594, which is fun to think about but probably unrealistic. Straps are probably too loose on the suit since I can get them both up easily by myself, but the legs are TIGHT so I don't seem to be lacking any power from the suit yet, we'll see how things stretch out.

JordanLinteris · Senior Member

Good work man! I wish My 1rm would be what the chart works it out to be as well.

MichaelG · Senior Member

JordanLinteris wrote:

Good work man! I wish My 1rm would be what the chart works it out to be as well.

Thanks, although at least last cycle the chart was spot on for the squat estimation...so one can dream, haha. The way 475 was flying I wouldn't doubt it...but whether I could even hold that much on my back is another story.

MichaelG · Senior Member

Tuesday 2/17- DBS

Band deadlifts +90pp (total estimation, no idea)- x2 @8-9
315x2 @8
335x2 @8
365x2 @10...oops
315x2 @8
315x2 @8
315x2 @9

Close grip phonebook presses- x5 @ 8-9
245x5 @8
255x5 @8
265x5 @9
245x5 @8.5

Pause squats
4 sets of 5 with 225

So for the band deadlift I stand on a doubled light band...like I said, I don't know what the band tension is but I just figured 90lbs since that's an extra plate per side and easy to visualize. They were tough though, they will really help me drive to the top and challenge my grip. I'm taking things real light on the phonebooks to start and will gradually build up, learning from mistakes last cycle.