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After CrossFitting for about two years I switched last November the focus to strength training. During the last five months I followed a "classic" TM-Template, so three full body workouts per week (Volume Day, Recovery Day, Intensity Day). I made some decent progress, my Squat for example went up from 5x120kg to 5x167.5kg which is almost by 50kg in five months. However, other things didn't develop as desired, mainly the upper body lifts didn't move in the right direction. Recovery also became more and more an issue. So I decided to switch to another, still TM-inspired template (TM/5,3,1 hybrid, 4 days per week). Before I start posting my trainings, here a few stats:
Age: 40
Location: Bern, Switzerland
Bodyweight: 95kg (used to be 85kg 5 months ago, so the 6-pack is gone, thanks to tons of finest Swiss Cheese;-)
Height: 180cm
Squat: 1x175kg
Bench: 1x133.5kg
Press: 1x80kg
Deadlift: 1x210kg
Main Goal: Bring the Squat up to 200kg @ a bodyweight of 100kg max!
First day using the new template:
Bench 5x5x110kg
Press 3x10x55kg
Pull-ups 3x12
Hammer Curls 3x12x20kg
Dumbbell Triceps Ext. 3x12x12.5kg (from chest to side)
Volume upper body was actually yesterday. Volume lower body today. I was stupid last night as I did in addition to the volume training a heavy metcon, don't ask me why (10/9/8/....1 reps of Kettlebell Snatches 32kg l/r, between rounds 200m sprint with Kettlebell). So my legs were pretty sore...
Squat 5x5x145kg
Speed Deadlifts 15x1x100kg
Good Mornings (first time I did this exercise): up to 5x70kg
So here is the actual template, heavily inspired by the one I found in sking's log (which is a great log in my opinion):
Monday (volume upper body)
Bench 5x5
Press 3x10
Pull-ups/Chin-ups 3xmax reps
Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 3x12
Hammer Curls 3x12
Tuesday (volume lower body)
Squat 5x5
Speed Deadlifts 15x1 (one rep every 30 seconds)
Good Mornings 5rm
Thursday (intensity upper body)
Bench 5/3/1
Press or Push Press (some heavy singles)
Incline Bench 3x10
Dips 3x10
Friday (intensity lower body)
Squat 5/3/1
Deadlift 5/3/1
Power Clean 5x3
On Wednesday and Saturday/Sunday one hour mobility/soft tissue work. Not sure yet how and when to implement conditioning sessions. I would like to do one or two conditionings per week. Has anyone experience with this kind of template and how to program in conditionings?
One hour mobility and soft tissue work (foam rolling, work with lacrosse ball, stick, etc.). Always feels great afterwards. This stuff works wonders. I used to have some lower back pain from time to time. Not anymore, so it's well invested time. I will now set the targets for tomorrow's intensity workout (Benchpress). The minimum has to be 5x113.5kg, the target will be 8x113.5kg which would result in a theoretical 1rm of 144kg.
Good session today. First intensity workout using the new template. I'm much better recovered and had plenty of energy to attack the upper body parts and to harvest 3 new PR's.
Warm-up: 500m row, dynamic stretching, mobility work
Bench: 5x20kg (5x44lbs), 5x40kg (5x88lbs), 3x60kg (3x132lbs), 3x80kg (3x176lbs), 1x100kg (1x220lbs), 8x113.5kg (8x250lbs) (PR). Left approximately 2 reps in the tank.
Press: 1x20kg (1x44lbs), 1x40kg (1x88lbs), 1x60kg (1x132lbs), 1x70kg (1x154lbs), 1x83kg (1x182.5lbs) (PR). Went pretty easy. I guess something like 1x85kg (1x187lbs) will be realistic within a few weeks.
Incline Dumbbell Press: 8x30kg (8x66lbs), 8x40kg (8x88lbs), 8x40kg (8x88lbs). Next time all three sets with the 40s.
Dips: 3xbw+20kg (44lbs), 3xbw+32kg (70lbs), 3xbw+44kg (97lbs) (PR), 8xbw+20kg (44lbs) (backoff set)
Double Ab Wheel (from knees): 3x12
In order to put some "social pressure" on me, I'm posting my goals in the main lifts per 31st October 2012 (this would then be 1 year of strength training on TM):
Squat: 440lbs (now 385lbs)
Bench: 320lbs (now 294lbs)
Deadlift: 520lbs (now 465lbs)
Press: 200lbs (now 182lbs)
bw: 220lbs (now 208lbs)
According to my spread sheet it should be possible to reach those goals. However, reality is usually another bitch and tougher to handle than MS Excel.
Today I truly hate myself. I had to pay the price for the Monday night madness doing a heavy CrossFit MetCon (110 Kettlebell Snatches with the 32kg bell and carrying the bell around the block ten times) in addition to the TM volume training for the upper body. During the whole week my hamstrings and traps felt like toast. This conditioning also had a negative impact on recovery. So it was not very surprising that the deads felt like shit today. I was lucky to get at least the minimum number of reps (5) that I had to pull. The take away point from this experience: CrossFit Conditionings and a big time strength program don't get along, they hate each other like the devil and holy water. Never ever again will I do such a stupid thing just out of a "warrior mood".
So todays workout was:
Warm-up: 100 double unders, dynamic stretching, mobility work
Squat: some warm-up sets, then 10x147.5kg (left 2 reps in the tank). PR.
Deads: some warm-up sets, then 5x180kg (the bare minimum ... last week I could easily do a single @ 210kg, so 180kg should have been easy for say 8 reps ...)
Power Cleans: not motivated anymore, did just some light sets with focus on speed and technique (5x3x60kg) and left ..
The split set-ups really takes away a lot of pressure. For this week I will probably switch back the power cleans to the lower body volume day, as is makes not a lot of sense to me to do power cleans after heavy squats and deadlifts on lower body intensity day.
Warm-up: 100 double unders, 60 abmat sit-ups, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Bench: 5x5x111kg. Easy and fast.
Press: 3x10x56kg. Very very tough just after benching. The first six, seven reps are no problem, but then it really gets tough.
Chin-ups: 13, 13, 10
Hammer Curls: 3x12x22.5kg
Triceps Extensions (Dumbbell, to the side): 3x12x15kg
A few take aways from today's session. Never ever will I use a medball for measuring the squat depth again. As I don't have a regular training partner I'm using a medball from time to time as a feedback device for measuring the depth of the squats. However, once I take the ball away things get somewhat strange (for example going way too low). So I guess it's better to just do the squats and to videotape from time to time a sequence and then to adjust accordingly. As for the squat I have to tell me always the same three things: 1. commit to depth, 2. go down fast (even when the weight is heavy), 3. drive through hips on the way up. Having this mental picture in mind, the squats usually come easily.
Warm-up: 500m row, dynamic stretching, mobility work
Power Cleans: 5x3x75kg. Easy.
Squat: 5x5x146kg. Easy. Going slowly up again.
Good Mornings: up to 5x75kg. Still learning the movement.
Ab wheels from knees with 5kg plate on back: 3x12
Mart002
04-18-2012, 05:44 AM
So here is the actual template, heavily inspired by the one I found in sking's log (which is a great log in my opinion):
Monday (volume upper body)
Bench 5x5
Press 3x10
Pull-ups/Chin-ups 3xmax reps
Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 3x12
Hammer Curls 3x12
Tuesday (volume lower body)
Squat 5x5
Speed Deadlifts 15x1 (one rep every 30 seconds)
Good Mornings 5rm
Thursday (intensity upper body)
Bench 5/3/1
Press or Push Press (some heavy singles)
Incline Bench 3x10
Dips 3x10
Friday (intensity lower body)
Squat 5/3/1
Deadlift 5/3/1
Power Clean 5x3
On Wednesday and Saturday/Sunday one hour mobility/soft tissue work. Not sure yet how and when to implement conditioning sessions. I would like to do one or two conditionings per week. Has anyone experience with this kind of template and how to program in conditionings?
Interesting, like to see how you get on, is that an AMRAP on 5/3/1 or RM's?
it's an AMRAP, at least that's the idea. So the 5/3/1 are the lowest number of reps that should be "harvested" on that particular day. However, I may continue with singles across on intensity day for a few more weeks before I get into this 5/3/1 stuff.
Sometimes things don't go as planned. Today was a bad session, the mind didn't want to train. So I decided to cut the weights (and reps) a bit back, which was probably a wise step..
Warm-up: 100 double unders (finally they come unbroken again, good stuff), 3x12 hanging straight leg raises, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Bench: 5x1x125kg (slight reset, back from 132.5kg)
Press: 5x1x70kg (slight reset, back from 75kg)
Incline Dumbbell Benchpress: 3x8x40kg. Easy. Shooting for 3x10 next week @ 40kg
Dips: up to 5xbw+44kg (PR). Then 10xbw+20kg back-off set. Will try 5x45kg next week. I'd like to hang the 48kg Kettlebell soon on my bell for 5 reps.
Good stuff today. 2 PR's that I did not really expect to happen, as I'm still mentally not up to par.
Warm-up: 500m row, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Squat : 5x1x177.5kg (PR). Looking forward to break through the 180kg wall next week. Those singles did go surprisingly easy. I guess 1rm should be around 185kg right now. Which means still 15kg away from my lifetime goal.
Deads: 1x212.5kg (PR). Kind of a grinder, but form was solid. Will shoot for 215kg next week. Then 2x2x190kg as back off sets.
Pull-ups: 3xbw+16kg, 3x3xbw+24kg, 10xbw as back off set.
Ab wheel: run out of time, so will have to do them tonight
Workout Program next week, mental prep starts now ...
Monday (volume upper body)
Double unders 4x25
Abmat sit-ups 3x20
Bench 5x5x112.5kg
Press 3x10x56.5kg
Pull-ups 3xmax reps (Target: 15/13/11)
Dumbbell Triceps Extensions (to side) 3x8x17.5kg
Hammer Curls 3x8x25kg
Tuesday (volume lower body)
Row 500m
Ab wheel 3x12
Power Cleans 5x3x76kg
Squat 5x5x147.5kg
Good Mornings 3x5x60kg
Thursday (intensity upper body)
Double unders 4x25
Hanging straight leg raises 3x12
Bench 5x1x127.5kg
Press 5x1x71kg
Incline Bench 3x10x40kg
Dips up to 1x5x45kg, 1x10x20kg back off
Friday (intensity lower body)
Row 500m
Ab wheel 3x12
Squat 5x1x180kg
Deadlift 1x1x215kg, 2x2x190kg
Chin-ups up to 1x5x32kg, 1x10x12kg back off
Motorschweitz
04-20-2012, 07:13 AM
Good stuff today. 2 PR's that I did not really expect to happen, as I'm still mentally not up to par.
Warm-up: 500m row, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Squat : 5x1x177.5kg (PR). Looking forward to break through the 180kg wall next week. Those singles did go surprisingly easy. I guess 1rm should be around 185kg right now. Which means still 15kg away from my lifetime goal.
Deads: 1x212.5kg (PR). Kind of a grinder, but form was solid. Will shoot for 215kg next week. Then 2x2x190kg as back off sets.
Pull-ups: 3xbw+16kg, 3x3xbw+24kg, 10xbw as back off set.
Ab wheel: run out of time, so will have to do them tonight
Congrats on the PRs! Looking to hit around those weights on the squat and dead too, but I've got a bit of work to do to get there.
200kg squat - that would be impressive.
you will get there soon, for sure. Good to have someone "sitting in the neck". This keeps motivation high to progress further. Let's keep the ball rolling!
In addition to the upper body volume training I programmed a short but intense conditioning. 100 Kettelbell Snatches in 5 Minutes max. (24kg Kettlebell), just one hand change after 50 Snatches allowed. I set a new PR with 4:20. Funny to see that with increased strength level conditionings become easier, despite the fact that I'm hardly doing conditioning work. So doing less conditionings (almost none) means getting better at them;-)
Warm-up: 4x25 double unders, 3x20 abmat sit-ups, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Bench: 5x5x112.5kg
Press: 3x10x56.5kg
Pull-ups: 15, 10, 10 (bw)
Dumbbell Triceps Extensions (to side): 3x8x17.5kg
Hammer Curls: 3x8x25kg
Still suffering a bit from yesterday's conditioning. Therefore squats not as easy as usual. As I did run out of time I kept assistance work short and light.
Warm-up: 500m row, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Power Cleans: 5x3x76kg. Easy.
Squats: 5x5x147.5kg. Not as much pressure/tightness as usual. However, didn't have to grind the reps. Probably will leave the volume weight for the next one or two weeks at 147.5kg.
Ab wheel: 3x10 from knees
Good mornings: 3x10 with 24kg Kettlebell in neck
Two PR's today. Did Floor Press with Barbell for the first time, so easy to get a PR .. I will do Floor Presses again in about three weeks and will see if I can get any better.
Warm-up: 4x25 Double Unders, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Floor Press: up to 1x125kg (PR)
Dumbbell Incline Benchpress: 3x8x42.5kg
Press: 5x1x71kg
Dips: up to 5x45kg (PR), back off set 10x20kg
Straight hanging leg raises: 3x12
Dumbbell Biceps Curls: 20x12.5kg, just to get a pump and to counterbalance a bit the dips
Major Squat PR, finally hit the 1x180kg, with good depth. Energy level was low, so it ended up being a real grinder, head almost exploding when going through sticking point. Body needs a reset now for the squat, so I will take it easy the next few weeks squat wise.
Warm-up: 4x25 double unders, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Squat: 1x180kg (PR), 2x2x160kg
Romanian Deadlifts: 5x5x100kg (didn't feel like lifting heavy after squatting)
Chin-ups: up to 3 x bw+32kg (PR @ 95kg bw)
Warm-up: 4x25 double unders, 3x20 abmat sit-ups, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Close Grip Bench: 5x5x80kg. Easy and explosive.
Military Press: 10x60kg (PR, two more reps in the tank). 8x60kg, 6x60kg.
Chin-ups: 12/12/12
Triceps Extensions to side: 3x10x17.5kg
Hammer Curls 3x10x25kg
Warm-up: 4x25 double unders, dynamic stretching, mobility work
Power Cleans: 5x3x80kg
Squat: 5x5x80kg. Big reset to give me a break. Tried out weightlifting shoes for squatting. Reps easy and fast (as expected)
Romanian Deadlifts: 3x8x100kg
Conditioning: 15 Min. Sled Work (Pulling)
Warm-up: 4x25 double unders, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Hanging straight leg raises: 3x12
Rack Bench off Pins Max Effort: 1x60kg, 1x80kg, 1x100kg, 1x120kg, 1x140kg. Height about 2 boards above chest. 140kg extremely hard to lock out. Pushing from dead stop very different (harder..) from normal pushing, as there is no elastic energy stored out of the eccentric phase
Military Press: up to 5x70kg
Incline Dumbbell Bench: 3x8x45kg
Dips: 17, 10, 8. Triceps was screwed after inlines
Conditioning: 15 Min. Sled Pulling
Warm-up: 4x25 double unders, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Front Squat: up to 5x120kg (PR). It's been a long time that I haven't done front squats. Compared to the backsquat 5rm I should be able to do at least 5x125kg. So I will work on the front squats up to 5x130kg before going back to my regular squats on intensity days.
Speed Deads: 15x1x127.5kg (1 rep every 45sec)
Strict Pull-ups: 3x12
Ab-wheel on knees: 3x12
Changed lower body volume work to Monday instead of Tuesday. This will allow to do some short and heavy conditioning work on Monday evenings, mainly Kettlebell stuff. So this is part one of today's training. Conditioning later on (10 Min. AMRAP Kettlebell Clean&Jerks).
Warm-up: 4x25 double unders, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Abmat sit-ups: 3x25
Power Cleans: 15x1x80kg, one rep every 45 sec. Still easy.
Squat: 5x5x120kg. Almost came like speed squats. Fast and deep and no rest between reps. Still strange to wear weightlifting shoes for squatting. I will work up the weights over the coming three weeks up to 5x5x150kg in about a month.
Romanian Deadlifts: 3x10x100kg. Hammies are toast.
Press Fun: strict Press with Kettlebell, 1x40kg (just for fun)
Conditioning: 10Min. AMRAP Kettlebell C&J (one Kettlebell), 105 Reps
Warm-up: 400m run, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Close Grip Bench: 5x5x90kg. Working the way up. Easy and fast. Next week up to 5x5x100kg.
Dumbbell Press ("Arnold Style"): 3x6x25kg. Heavier than expected. Keeping same weight next week, till reaching 3x10x25kg.
Pull-ups: 5x5x(bw+10kg). Easy.
Lying Triceps Extension (Barbell): 3x10x40kg
Hammer Curls: 3x6x30kg. Heavy.
Band Good Mornings: up to 10 reps with green band. Then 1x20 reps with purple band.
Hanging Straight Leg Raises: 3x12
Still taking it easy on Squats and Deadlifts, I would call this and the next week active recovery.
Warm-up: 400m run, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Ab wheel: 4x12 from knees
Squats: up to 5x140kg
Deadlifts: up to 5x170kg
Chin-ups: 5x5x(bw+10kg)
Band Good Mornings: 1x20 (purple band)
Conditioning: 15 Min. sled pulling
Warm-up: 100 double unders and some dynamic stretching
Incline Bench (45 degrees): 1x110kg (PR)
Press: 4x71kg, missed 1 ...
Dumbbell Bench: 3x6x50kg (PR)
Dips: 20 (PR), 17, 13
Warm-up: 100 double unders, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Abmat Sit-ups: 3x26
Power Clean: 15x1x80kg (one rep every 40 sec)
Squat: 5x5x130kg. Easy. Last set was the best one.
Romanian Deadlift: 3x8x102.5kg
Pull-ups: "Greasing the Groosve", total 50 reps just before going to sleep
Warm-up: 400m run, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Close Grip Bench: 5x5x100kg
Dumbbell Press: 3x8x25kg
Kroc Rows: 3x6x50kg
Lying Triceps Extensions: 3x8x42.5kg
Hammer Curls: 3x8x30kg
Straight Hanging Leg Raises: 3x13
Band Good Mornings (purple band): 3x10
Warm-up: 100 double unders, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Squat: 1x5x150kg
Deadlifts: 1x5x175kg, feeling strange with oly weightlifting shoes
Chin- ups: 5x6x (bw+10kg)
Warm-up: some dynamic stretching
Floor Press: up to 1x127.5kg (PR)
Push Press: up to 1x95kg (PR)
Incline Dumbbell Bench: 3x6x47.5kg (PR)
Dips: 8x10kg, 8x20kg, 3x8x25kg
Ab wheel: 3x13 (from knees on rolled gymnastics mat)
Warm-up: 100 double unders, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Power Cleans: 15x1x82.5kg. One rep every minute on the minute. Good working weight.
Squats: 5x5x135kg. Nice and deep.
Romanian Deadlifts: 10x102.5kg. Bad form. Knees are not just unlocked but really bent, not good. Went back to 2x6x100kg. Still not perfect form, will build that exercice up from the ground again.
Abmat Sit-ups: 100
Band Good Mornings: 1x20 (purple band)
Warm-up: skipped, no time for general warm up. Just some dynamic stretching
Close Grip Bench: 5x5x102.5kg
Standing Dumbbell Presses: 3x10x25kg
Chin-ups: 3x5x(bw+20kg)
Lying Triceps Extensions: 3x10x42.5kg
Kroc Rows: 3x8x50kg
Hammer Curls: 3x8x30kg
Hanging Straight Leg Raises: 3x13
Everything felt heavy today (reason unknown..).
Warm-up: 400m run, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Squat: up to 1x5x155kg. Way too slow whilst going down, needs improvement
Deads: up to 1x5x177.5kg. I don't know. Sets of 5 just suck for Deads
Chin-ups: up to 1x(bw+48kg). Relatively easy. PR. Room for more
Band good mornings: 1x20
Ab wheel from knees on gym mat: 3x13
Good upper body session with 3 PR's.
Warm-up: 100 double unders, dynamic stretching and mobility work
Rack Bench Press (from Pin Nr. 17, about 5cm above chest): up to 1x142.kg (PR). Much easier than 1x140kg three weeks ago.
Push-Press: up to 1x97.5kg (PR). Up to 100kg next week.
Dumbbell Incline Bench: 3x8x47.5kg (PR)
Dips: 5x15kg, 5x27.5kg, 5x30kg, 5x32.5kg, 5x35kg, 13x16kg back off set
Dumbbell Curls ("3x7s"): 1 set with 15kg dumbbells
Power Clean: 15x1x85kg
Squat: 5x5x140kg
Romanian Deadlifts: 3x10x60kg
Band Good Mornings: 1x20 (purple band)
Abmat Sit-ups: 3x25
Close Grip Bench: 5x5x105kg. Last set was the easiest one. Reason: could improve set-up during the sets.
Single Kettlebell Strict Press: total 15 reps left, 15 reps right. Wanted to do sets of five with the 32kg Kettlebell, but that was too ambitious (first set ok, then I was already screwed, so did singles and doubles afterwards to get up to 15 reps). Will switch to 5x3 next week to get the desired volume.
Chin-ups: 5x5x24kg
Lying triceps extension: 3x6x45kg
Kroc Rows: 3x10x50kg. Grip becoming slowly an issue, expecially after the chins (on fat bar)
Hanging Straight Leg Raises: 3x14
Hammer Curls: 3x8x30kg. Grip was getting weak.
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