Jesse's Quest For Master Class (Yet another TM training log)

[enlightenedsnipe]

Hi Guys. I'm a converted Crossfitter turned lifting junkie who's trying to earn the ranking of Master Total in RAW powerlifting (1354 total), though that's still a ways off. I first started CF in January of '09, and it wasn't until I spent several months at a box and then saw my strength numbers go down for it that I saw the light. I started lifting in my basement last winter, hit PRs, then this spring discovered Starting Strength and the wonder that is linear progression. After following that for 4 months and seeing huge gains, I decided (like a dumbass) to take some time off and get my "conditioning" back up to par.

A month later I returned to lifting, with a 40 pound loss off of my squat to my dismay, and weaker all around. I'm just starting my second cycle of Texas Method, and have regained all of my strength and have been setting PRs left and right.

A few stats for anyone interested.
Height: 5'11
Weight: 206.5

*10/20/10
1RMs (ironically this was as high as they got on TM, I crashed and burned due to stupid programming several weeks later)
Squat: 375
Deadlift: 455
Press: 150
Bench: 205
Power Clean: 195


*3/30/11
Squat: 385 beltless
Deadlift: 500
Bench: 235
Press: 160

*6/31/11
Squat: 405x3
Deadlift: 510
Bench: 225
Press: 160

*12/21/11
-Squat 405x3, 415x1

*3/10/12
Press 175x1, then the next week
Powerlifting Meet
Squat: 425, Bench 225 (stupid pause), Deadlift: 530

*7/25/12 (started medical school and my lifts went to crap)
Squat: 275x19

*11/10/12
Press: 175 again. Push Press: 210.


The Standard Program that I'm on Currently is Texas Method with assistance added depending on the day, usually shrugs, chins, barbell hip thrusts, and adductor work. I follow a Tues/Thurs/Sat. schedule due to time constraints, and do martial arts on Monday and Wednesday.

Tuesday (Volume Day, moderately heavy weight)
Squat 5x5
Bench 5x5
Deadlift 1x5

Thursday (Recovery, light weight)
Front Squat 3x3/Squat 3x5 Depending how I'm feeling
Press 3x5
Power Cleans 3x5

Saturday (Intensity Day)
Squat- 1,3, or 5RM
Bench- 1 or 5RM
Dead- 1 or 5RM

That's the basics. I'll be logging workouts, probably posting vids, and trying to keep on target here. I train at the local Y these days, where I'm told (and this is verbatim) "Remember, if you want to reduce fat, make sure you eat food that has a lower percentage of it's calories from fat than your bodyfat percentage" (yes, it hurt me too)

Cheers!

Edit: I crashed and burned under a bunch of mistakes in programming the Texas Method. Still rebuilding and improving with 5/3/1. Still can't believe I was so idiodic with my programming. But hey, have to learn somehow.

[enlightenedsnipe]

Alrighty, a rundown of yesterday's volume day.

Squats: 45x5, 95x5, 135x5, 225x5, 275x1, 315x1, 325x5x5 - I wasn't resting long enough between sets, the last two reps of the final set were almost good mornings, my erectors felt fried.

Bench: 45x5, 95x5, 135x5, 175x5x5 - Felt great. 4 min rest between sets and all the reps went up solid with a good bar path.

Deadlift: 135x5, 225x5, 315x5 - my back felt pretty fried, so I kept it light on deads. Just got in a good set and tried to make sure technique was dialed in.

Assistance work
-Starr Shrugs 225x5, 315x5, 405x5, 495x5, 585x1 (more of a DL lockout, it didn't move much)
-Adductor machine - 125x1x10. Called it early, was running out of time and was feeling destoyed.

[stronger]

congrats on seeing the light and I'll be following your progress

[spiderman]

A month later I returned to lifting, with a 40 pound loss off of my squat to my dismay, and weaker all around. I'm just starting my second cycle of Texas Method, and have regained all of my strength and have been setting PRs left and right.

Did you see any benefits at all from the month of conditioning? Heart felt better? You had plateaued on TM and now that you are back on TM you are setting PRs?

Alrighty, a rundown of yesterday's volume day.

Just out of curiosity, how much time did that workout take? How do you feel when you wake up the next day and during the next day?

[enlightenedsnipe]

Just out of curiosity, how much time did that workout take? How do you feel when you wake up the next day and during the next day?

I did Linear progression, then took a month off. I didn't really notice any difference in how I felt, though I could do certain things and it took a little longer to get out of breath. I started TM after my break, and regained all of my lost strength in about 3 weeks.

The total time for my volume days is just under two hours. My recovery days usually take around 45-50 minutes. Intensity days are around an hour, maybe a little longer.

As for how I feel, I'm pretty beat up today (thurs morning), but that's pretty normal. Haven't been eating quite enough, and I'm coming off a huge weekend bender, so still getting my recovery factors in line. I'll be feeling okay by tonight, and unless something goes wrong will be feeling good after recovery.

[enlightenedsnipe]

Thursday 10/21/10 Recovery Day

Front Squats: 45x5, 95x5, 135x5, 185x3, 225x3 (tweaked elbow), 135x5
Presses: 45x5, 95x5, 125x3x3
Power Cleans: 135x5, 155x3x3

Adductor Machine: setting 7, 125x2x20

I was feeling pretty dead today. Been doing long hours of construction this week, and it's taking a toll. I haven't front squatted above 135 since last december or so... my PR back then was 195 for a screamingly hard 1. Knocked out the 225x3, and had plenty more in my legs, it was my arms that gave out. I have a shitty, shitty rack position from large amounts of unuse... so I'll have to work back into it.

Presses were fine, two/three minute rests, was a little forward on the last set (as in, was coming up onto toes, which has never happened before), but I got all reps clean. Power cleans were kept light, since my arm was still tweaking, and I didn't want to mess with it more. Adductor work was fine. Will do three sets next time, and then move up again.


Also, Non-Bar Squat PR. Was at martial arts last night (I train kenpo and Kali), and threw one of the guys across my shoulders and squatted him for an easy 5 below parallel. He weighed around 175, so no biggie. Then my instructor friend came in (he's lost weight to get down to a 5'11- 255). I picked him up fireman's carry, and busted out 3 reps below parallel with him. Wish I had gotten pics, it was pretty fun. After I did that, I didn't catch any flack for saying that I didn't want to do squat-jumps the day after volume day.

[enlightenedsnipe]

I really need to start eating more before lifting.

That being said, today was pretty solid overall. Long day of work then I hit the gym.

Squat: 45x5, 95x5, 135x5, 185x3, 225x3, belt 275x3, 315x3, 345x3, 360x3 (PR)

Bench: 45x5, 95x5, 135x3, 155x3, 185x3(PR), 190x3 (PR)

Deadlift: 135x5, 225x5, 315x1, 405(f)???, belt 435x1

Adductor machine 135x20.


I was shooting for 435x3 on deads, but I was just beat by the time I got there. Squats were heavy but good, by the time it got heavy bench felt solid. Deads felt so light on 315 I went straight to 405 after 30 seconds of rest... stupid. Belted up, cranked up the music, and muscled up 435 the hard way. Overall, a solid day. My bicep tendon has been a bit sore, but other than that feeling good.

Starting another 30 days of Paleo tomorrow, which should really help my recovery levels, and shouldn't hurt my strength, as long as I eat enough meat. Fortunately I picked up 15 pounds today at Costco to get me started.

[enlightenedsnipe]

Sooo... a quick note. While i still believe that Paleo is the best for my longterm health, and I have specifically noticed huge recovery upticks when I exclude grains... damn the adaptation week sucks. Going to throw in some more sweet potato and fruit to up my carbs some.

Squats: 45x5, 135x2x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5, 315x5x3- The weight wasn't bad, but my muscular endurance was just destroyed. I felt terrible after the first rep of every set, and was going really hard, though without any technique breakdowns.

Bench: 45x5, 95x5, 135x5, 185x5x3- These were hard, but felt good. Last set was really slow going up, but it made it.

Deadlifts: 135x5, 225x3, 315x3, 365x3x1.- Went slow on the deads, and made sure to focus on a good liftoff and solid unit of my body. Belted up for the very last rep, it flew off the ground easy.

Held off assistance work, will throw some in thursday. I know I'm getting enough protein, I ate 5 eggs, 15 chicken wings, 2 burgers, and a pork chop today... so it's not low on meat, I'm just adjusting again. Hopefully this won't take too long this time around. Either way, I'll keep lifting through it.

[enlightenedsnipe]

Well, another crappy training day. Personal stress has been messing with my lifting, and I need to get my head back in the game this weekend.

Front Squats: 45x5, 95x5, 135x5, 185x3, 225x2(failed third), 185x5- my arms and my rack and what was weak here. I had a tad bit of forward lean, since I was trying to get them without a belt, and the weight just fell out of the rack. I'm putting it right across my deltoids at the hollow of my throat... I just need to work on staying more stable and getting my elbows up. Very frustrating.

Push Press: 45x5, 135x5, 155x3, 185x1, 155x3- This was supposed to be threes all around, but my right wrist couldn't handle the weight. I think my grip was in the wrong spot, because the bar wasn't directly over my wrist, which was causing it to feel wierd and not conduct force well. On the 155s my grip was too wide, which was causing my right elbow to come in a little and felt torqued up. I'll have to start working technique on these again. It's been so long since I've done them.

Because my elbow and wrist were bothering me I skipped power cleans, and jumped to my first assistance exercise in a while.
Barbell Hip Thrusts- 45x5, 75x5, 115x5, 115x5, 165x5. Did these with a short bar, hence the odd weight. Holy crap did I feel it in my glutes! This will definitely help the top of my deadlifts. I've never gotten glute activation anywhere near like that, though on the last one I could feel my hamstrings coming in to take up the slack as the weight got too heavy.

Overall I left the gym somewhat annoyed but feeling good. Feel fine this morning after good food and some solid sleep. We'll see how it stacks up tomorrow. Going to make sure to eat a ton.

[enlightenedsnipe]

So.. a somewhat disappointing, but not terrible Intensity day.

Squat: 45x5, 135x5, 185x3, 225x1, 275x1, 315x1, 365x1 (easy), 385x1 (miss, fell forward out of the hole)
Bench: 45x5, 95x5, 135x3, 155x1, 185x1, 195x1, 205(f, stalled out)
Deadlift: 135x5, 225x1, 315x1, 365x1, 405x1, 435x1 (better than last time), 460(f, ran out of breath. Was going steady, broke right above knees, couldn't hold my breath any longer for some reason. It was weird.)

Well, considering I was coming off of 5 hours of sleep and 2k calories for the day... not terribly suprising. Will do better next week. Technique actually felt pretty good across the board.