Existence Is Punishment: Grappling Strong

21/06/2017

45° Single Leg Press

Sledx3x10
20kgx10
40kgx10
60kgx3x12

Hamstring Curls (slow eccentric)

10kgx12
20kgx12
Single Leg
15kgx3x15

Seated Cable Rows

35kgx12
70kgx4x8

Lat Pull Downs

30kgx12
60kgx4x12

23/06/2017

Front Squat

Barx3x5
40kgx5
50kgx1
60kgx1
70kgx1

Close Grip Bench

Barx4x10
50kgx10
70kgx8
90kgx1
107.5kgx1
115kgx1
100kgx3x5
  • More deloading and a physio session in between. Hamstrings are bad, however physio now think it isn't hamstrings but external rotators causing the issue as glutes were not doing the work. Slow going
  • No assistance on day 2 as off to Stoke now, then Norwich to fill in on bass for a friend's band
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25/06/2017

High Bar Pause Squat

Barx3x5
40kgx5
60kgx3
80kgx1
100kgx1
110kgx1
120kgx1

Bench

Barx4x10
40kgx5
60kgx3
80kgx1
100kgx1
120kgx1
135kgx1
115kgx8 *PR*

Seated Rows

35kgx12
75kgx3x12

Lat Pulldowns

30kgx10
60kgx4x15

Facepulls

45kgx3x15
  • Got through this on 4 hours sleep and playing a gig the night before
  • Hamstring pain was better but didn't push it
  • The 135kg bench hurt the biceps a bit but the 115kg set was relatively smooth, followed by lots of back work
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27/06/2017

45° Single Leg Press

Sledx20
20kgx8
40kgx8
60kgx8
80kgx5
90kgx3x10

SLDL

60kgx10
80kgx5
90kgx10

Hamstring Curl
15kgx20
25kgx3x12 (slow eccentric)
Single Leg
15kgx3x15

Seated Cable Row

40kgx8
75kgx4x8

Lat Pulldown
40kgx8
65kgx4x12

Tricep Pressdown
40kgx4x12
superset
Facepull

40kgx4x12

Overhead Rope Tricep Extension

25kgx4x12
  • Hamstring pain vastly reduced. Jacked & tan session
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29/06/2017

Bench
Barx4x10
40kgx5
60kgx1
80kgx1
100kgx1
120kgx1
132.5kgx1
137.5kgx1
110kgx3x5

45° Back Raise
BWx3x20

Hack Squat
Sledx3x15

Hamstring Curl (single leg)
25kgx3x12

OHP
Barx5
40kgx8
50kgx4x6

Laterals
9kgx3x10

Overhead Cable Tricep Extension
30kgx3x15


  • Bench / bodybuilding day. Squats & deads tomorrow
  • Pause on 137.5kg bench was a little long
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Last edited:
30/06/2017

Hip Circle Warmup

Squat

Barx3x10
40kgx5
60kgx3 *belt
80kgx1
100kgx1
120kgx1
140kgx1
150kgx1
140kgx3

Deadlift

60kgx3x3
80kgx1
100kgx1
120kgx1
140kgx1
160kgx1
120kgx5
100kgx5x3
  • 1-2-1 session with Tom. Squatting was fine until the first rep at 140kg which hurt the right hamstring, I think I divebombed it a bit or did something wrong
  • Deadlifting was therefore painful but we figured out I was hyperextending the low back, which was cause pain at lockout. Flattening/rounding slightly takes strain off hamstrings. Lockout was no longer painful
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Last edited:
02/07/2017

Hip Circle Warmup & Stretching

Front Squat

Barx3x5
40kgx5
60kgx1
80kgx1
100kgx3x3

Bench

Barx4x10
40kgx5
70kgx3
90kgx2
110kgx1
125kgx1
132.5kgx2 *PR*
112.5kgx3x5

Seated Cable Rows

70kgx3x12

Pec Flyes

10kgx3x10

DB Rows

30kgx3x12

Facepulls

40kgx3x12


  • Good day. No real pain on squats and looked OK, chest needs to stay up
  • Bench was OK, spent too long holding the bar on the setup but managed the double
  • Loads of bodybuilding to finish
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04/07/2017

45° Single Leg Press

Sledx20
40kgx8
80kgx5
100kgx3x10

SLDL

60kgx10
80kgx5
100kgx10

Hamstring Curl
15kgx20
Single Leg
25kgx3x12 (slow eccentric)

Seated Cable Row

40kgx8
80kgx4x8

Lat Pulldown
40kgx8
72.5kgx4x10

Tricep Pressdown
45kgx4x12
superset
Facepull

45kgx4x12

Cybex Curls

50kgx8
62.5kgx15, 12 10
  • Hammy pain 1/10, bodybuilding day. Cushty
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05/07/2017

Bench
Barx4x10
40kgx5
60kgx1
80kgx1
100kgx1
120kgx1
132.5kgx1
140kgx1
125kgx5 *PR*

Spoto Press
70kgx3x12

45° Leg Press (no lockout)
40kgx10
80kgx10
120kgx10
160kgx3x12

Overhead Cable Tricep Extension
35kgx4x12


  • At physio tomorrow so moved session to today. Forgot to train shoulders but was tired from the leg presses, these were tough, and no point doing back again after yesterday
  • The 140 bench was hard, kind of went off-plan as Tom is still in Finland having his bicep reattached
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Last edited:
Your bench has flown up big time over the past year. Do you feel like your technique has changed much?
 
Your bench has flown up big time over the past year. Do you feel like your technique has changed much?

Definitely yes, but it's not the whole reason.

Technique wise, upper back tightness, arch and leg stability have all been worked on. Grip moved out, then back in slightly, I started touching lower on the chest, and I started using cues like breaking the bar, tucking elbows and bringing chest to bar - all added kilos. I also started benching on my toes and firing glutes hard while stretching hip flexors.

Second of all, I gained bodyweight. Adding muscle to my lats, chest and triceps all helped.

Lastly, programming had a huge impact. I've benched more frequently, with higher intensity than ever before. 3-4 times per week and using close variations such as close grip and 3ct pause benches. Also I focused on rear delts and aggressively fighting the bicep tendinitis with rehab. At one point I had tendinitis in my pec attachments as my body adapted to the new stresses, it's just something you have to get through.

Also don't forget my bench was a lagging lift; most of these gains have been noob gains I never got the first time due to not training the lift properly. There was a spell where I only did OHP for example, which was silly. Bench is the best pressing exercise by far, when done with good technique.
 
Definitely yes, but it's not the whole reason.

Technique wise, upper back tightness, arch and leg stability have all been worked on. Grip moved out, then back in slightly, I started touching lower on the chest, and I started using cues like breaking the bar, tucking elbows and bringing chest to bar - all added kilos. I also started benching on my toes and firing glutes hard while stretching hip flexors.

Nice-- just tried it, & this is an awesome set-up for me. On the toes, really stretching out those hip flexors, & tightening the upper back. Everything felt a lot more efficient & compact. Cheers man! Keep it up btw.
 
Nice-- just tried it, & this is an awesome set-up for me. On the toes, really stretching out those hip flexors, & tightening the upper back. Everything felt a lot more efficient & compact. Cheers man! Keep it up btw.

Glad to hear it! Just be careful you don't bridge your glutes off the bench when shit gets heavy.
 
07/07/2017

Hip Circle Warmup

Squat

Barx3x5
60kgx3 *belt
80kgx1
100kgx1
120kgx1
140kgx1
160kgx1
172.5kgx1
155kgx3

Deadlift

70kgx3x3
100kgx1
120kgx1

SLDL

70kgx2x5
80kgx5
90kgx5
100kgx5
110kgx5


  • Another 121, this time the squats kind of fucked up the deads. Hamstring aggravation too high, deadlifts are to be moved to another day, and this day will be a squat & bench day
  • I will also do triceps and shoulders on this day...maybe
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09/07/2017

Front Squat

Barx3x5
40kgx5
60kgx3
80kgx1
100kgx1
115kgx1
125kgx1 *PR*

Bench

Barx4x10
40kgx5
60kgx3
80kgx1
100kgx1
120kgx1
135kgx1
117.5kgx5, 4
112.5kgx6

Deadlift

60kgx2x5
100kgx1
140kgx1
160kgx1
180kgx1

Beltless Deficit Deadlift

100kgx3
60kgx3x10


  • Average session. Got the front squat PR which crushed my 120kg previous PR, low back has been bothering me a bit though
  • Bench just wasn't really there, think the weight loss is catching up now (down 8kg so far). Will come back once calories come back up a little.
  • Deadlifts weren't painful but the deficit work has been prescribed by Tom to fix my sticking point. 100kg hurt my hamstring like hell so going to build up from 60kg
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11/07/2017

45° Single Leg Press

Sledx2x20
20kgx10
40kgx10
60kgx10
80kgx8
100kgx5
110kgx3x8

SLDL
60kgx2x5
110kgx10

Hamstring Curls

20kgx10
30kgx3x10 (slow eccentric)
20kgx3x10 (single leg, slow eccentric)

Seated Cable Row
50kgx8
80kgx4x8

Lat Pulldown

45kgx10
80kgx2x8
72.5kgx2x8

Facepull

30kgx3x12
superset
Tricep Pressdown

30kgx3x12

Rope Curls

30kgx2x20
superset
Overhead Cable Tri Press

30kgx2x20
  • Hamstrings felt a bit worse on SLDL, otherwise just a pomp session
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13/07/2017

Deficit Deadlifts

40kgx5
60kgx3
70kgx5x3

Hamstring Curls

10kgx10
20kgx10
30kgx5
35kgx3x10
Single Leg
15kgx2x10

DB Rows
20kgx10
40kgx4x10

Pulldowns

40kgx8
72.5kgx8
80kgx5
65kgx3x10

Cybex Curls
50kgx4x10

45° Back Raise

BWx3x12
  • Pain on deficits until I forced knees out and kept bar closer. Heavier session tomorrow
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15/07/2017

Squat
Barx3x5
40kgx5
60kgx3 *belt
80kgx1
100kgx1

Bench
Barx4x10
40kgx5
60kgx3
80kgx1
100kgx1
120kgx1
135kgx0
110kgx5x5

BTN Press

Barx10
40kgx4x10

Standing Shoulder Press Machine

50kgx4x8
  • Squats were hurting from 40kg so called them early
  • Bench is suffering from the weight loss. 135kg was an arse off the bench fail but the backoffs were OK
  • Quite like BTN press
  • However the standing shoulder machine is brutal
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Last edited:
16/07/2017

Front Squat
Barx3x5
40kgx2x5
60kgx1
80kgx1
100kgx1
120kgx1
130kgx0 *FAIL
70kgx5x3

Bench

Barx4x10
40kgx5
60kgx3
80kgx1
95kgx1
105kgx3x6

Deficit Deadlifts

60kgx5
80kgx5x3

Facepulls

50kgx3x12
  • Thought I could get that 130kg but it was an upper back fail. Next time
  • Bench was nice, no wraps or cuffs
  • Tiny bit of pain on the deficits but manageable
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19/07/2017

45° Single Leg Press

Sledx2x20
20kgx10
40kgx8
60kgx5
80kgx5
100kgx3
120kgx3x8

SLDL
60kgx2x5
80kgx3
100kgx1
120kgx10

Hamstring Curls

20kgx10
30kgx3x10 (single leg, slow eccentric)

Seated Cable Row
50kgx8
80kgx3x10

Lat Pulldown

45kgx10
80kgx3x8

Tricep Pressdown

30kgx3x10
superset
Cybex Curls

62.5kgx3x10

45° Back Raise

BW+5kgx3x12
  • No real pain, bodybuilding day so nothing out of the ordinary except a mega pump
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