Hill Sprints # 45

Clean and Jerk. Week 1 Cycle 8 | Hill Sprints # 44

My double chin is really starting to come in nicely.

Whoops forgot to post this workout before I left for vacation:

I'm starting cycle 8 early, since I'll be unable to lift for a bit due to the upcoming holidays and travel. Anyway, today was the c&j. The final weight for today was 205lbs, a weight I've seen a few times over the last eight cycles (getting 205 x 5, 205 x 6, and  205 x 8). Well, since I lifted 207.5 x 9 last cycle, I knew that I should at least get 10 today. WELL I GOT 11 OKAY!? GET OFF MY BACK. Gawl.

Goals for today:

155x5
180x5
205x5

Lifted:

155x5
180x5
205x11



Assistance work.

I was tired so I cut the volume for chins in half: 5 sets of 6 reps with +25lbs
Standing overhead press: 135lbs for 5 sets of 5
Abhweel: 5 sets of 6.

Progress on week-1 clean and jerks over the last 8 cycles has thus far been:

Cycle 1: 175x8
Cycle 2: 180x8
Cycle 3: 185x9
Cycle 4: 185x10
Cycle 5: 190x10
Cycle 6: 195x10
Cycle 7: 200x9
Cycle 8: 205x11 (+30lbs and +3 reps)


Another way to look at the progress is to compare my first c&j workout (175 x 8) to my last week-3 c&j workout (220x7). Damn near 50lbs added to c&j since beginning 5/3/1.


Video of final set below:

Squats. Week 3 Cycle 7.

Squats still ugly as sin, but progressing nonetheless.

Momentous day for me. Today marks the end of cycle 7 and I knew I had the chance to make it special (you'll see why below). Despite only a few hours of sleep, my warm-ups felt great, my first two working sets felt great, and I didn't have the usual feeling of dread when getting under the bar. I was excited. I nailed the final set and now my squat matches what my deadlift was when I started 5/3/1: 400 x 7. Holler. Another way to put this into perspective is that a year ago, almost to the day, I did my first powerlifting competition in which my final squat was 390lbs. This is progress.

Week 3 squat progress of 7 cycles thus far has been:

cycle 1: 345x4
cycle 2: 355x5
cycle 3: 365x6
cycle 4: 370x6
cycle 5: 380x7
cycle6: 390x6
cycle7: 400x7


Goals for today:

315x5
355x3
400x1

Lifted:

315x5
355x3
400x7


Assistance work:

• 5 sets of front squats: 3 reps at 225lbs
• 5 sets of muscle ups: 3,3,3,4,3 reps. No chalk, this felt dangerous w/o chalk, so I kept the reps to a minimum.

Video of final set below:

Hill Sprints #43 | Bench (prescribed reps only). Week 3 Cycle 7

Today is the last day that I'll be hitting only the prescribed reps for bench. Next cycle I'll be going back to attempting rep records.


Goals for today:

190x5
220x3
250x1

Lifted:


same as above

Assistance work:

• 5 sets of 10 reps of 1-arm dumbbell rows @ 100lbs
• 5 sets of 10 reps of barbell bench @135lbs

I'll be back Saturday with a real squat workout. 

Deadlifts. Week 3 Cycle 7.

I lift in a bar from the 80s.

Grip failed me today. It failed on my First set of 355 (pre-chalk) and on my last set of 455lbs. Anyway, Today's final set called for 450lbs, which marks the +50lbs on weight added to deadlifts since I started 5/3/1. Unfortunately, my gym has these comically large clown plates that take up too much room on the bar so I couldn't actually fit all the little plates it takes to get to 450lbs and I had to go up to 455. Also, I blew it with the recording again today since I got chalk all over the lens. Speaking of chalk, I was told (after 6 months of lifting at this gym) that I'm not allowed to use it anymore. Time to quit my membership there.

Assistance work:

• 5 sets of weighted (+45lbs) wide grip pull-ups: 6, 6, 6, 6, 5 reps
• 5 sets of ab-wheel. 

Goals for today:

355x5
400x3
450x1

Lifted:

355x5
400x3
455x10


Progress on week 3 deadlifts after 7 cycles thus far has been:

• Cycle 1: 400x7
• Cycle 2: 405x10
• Cycle 3: 415x10
• Cycle 4: 425x10
• Cycle 5: 430x11
• Cycle 6: 440x10 
• Cycle 7: 455x10

Video of final set below: