Wolf's Log: From Cub to Direwolf

[Michael Wolf]

Coming from two strong guys who are also great coaches - thanks, always means a lot.

Today was a mixed bag - some good, some not as good. But overall feel good coming out of it.

Squats
45x5x2, 155x5, 240x4, 325x2, 390x5x4, 375x5. Rested about 5 mins between the first three sets, then more like 6-7 for the last two.
I had trouble staying tight and not getting forward on a bunch of reps today, but got em all done and none felt "hard." I suspect it was fatigue left over from squatting the heavy singles on Saturday, instead of Friday, so I'm not too worried. For the same reason, I backed off again on the last set to 375, and it was the easiest of the 5 sets. Total volume was 150 more lbs than last week's VD, whereas a normal addition of 5lbs to the work sets adds 125. I thought that was appropriate, considering the 385 last week was a conservative start to account for the time lost because of the storm. Aggressive, but not stupidly so.

Bench Press
45x5, 135x5, 195x3, 255x2, 305x5x5. Rested 4-5 mins between sets.
Chose 305 for my first 5x5 bench day. It's about 90% of my 5RM, and my bench has been responding very well so felt OK being aggressive. All 5 sets were solid - none hard, none easier than expected.

Rack Pulls
275x4, 385x2, 465x1, 545x5, 595x1
I just smoked these. The 545 was so easy I felt like I needed to ride the wave, so threw on a pair of 25s on each side, waited 5 minuted, and then smoked 595 as well. 545 tied the most I've ever held in my hands (a failed 545 DL 3rd attempt at the May meet). 595 was a whole new territory but I got SQUOZE as Steve says, and just out and out smoked it. It felt great, especially considering this was after my 5x5 squats, 5x5 bench, and 5 rep rack pulls at programmed weight. If I can get 600 to my knees at the meet, I should have no trouble locking it out.

Rack Pull Videos Below. As usual, please excuse the 1. Offensive commercial gym music 2. Fact that I rack pull off of group-x class steps. They're the best option where I lift, don't judge. 3. Excited squeal "woo-hoo!" from the trainer who took the vid. Same trainer who took the 440x5 squat vid the other week. She's young and has a lot of potential, so I'm trying to bring her into the lifting fold a bit. Unsuccessful thus far, but I did get another new trainer interested today, who is a former gymnast, so that could be interesting as well. Anyway, video with bad music and girly squeal below:

545x5:

595x1:

[John Petrizzo]

That is probably the first time those group fitness class steps have helped someone do something useful in a gym.

Nice lifting Wolf,

JP

[Mac Ward]

I was hoping against hope that the Kathy Smith step risers would be crushed, causing mayhem and sadness throughout the aerobics community world wide.

I'm not a hater, I just a have an active mind. (And I still think Kathy Smith is one of the hottest women alive.)

Nice work on volume day, Wolf.

[Michael Wolf]

Quickie today (that's what she said).

Squat - TM Recovery
45x5x2, 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5
Didn't push it at all. Really just did enough to be well warmed up for pressing.

Press
45x5x2, 95x5, 135x3, 175x2, 195x1, 215x1, 197.5x3x2, 175x3
This was kind of a make-it-up-as-I-go-along. Last time I did a bench focus before a meet, I lost more pressing strength than I want to. So I want to do enough on Wednesdays for that not to happen again. On the other hand, pressing heavy torches my triceps and if I go really hard, won't be recovered for Friday.

I decided on working up to a heavy, but not limit single, then two sets of 3 with a micro-load addition to what would have been my next 3 sets of 5 weight, and then one more set of 3 with about 90% of that. This isn't based on a specific system or anything, just my kind of off the cuff guess on a volume and intensity combo that will allow me to keep my pressing strength while I focus on bench, without being too taxing and messing with Friday's heavy bench day.

Chins
10, 10, 9

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

did you see the roster?
They initially had me listed as a 198. LOLOLOL...i screwed up my entry form.

Its corrected now.

[Les Hahn]

did you see the roster?
They initially had me listed as a 198. LOLOLOL...i screwed up my entry form.

Its corrected now.

Heh, you would have to run the Reynold's Super Weight Cut to make that! :-)

Michael, nice job with all your lifts. I hope everything goes well at your meet.

[Brodie Butland]

My favorite part of the 545 set was the first dude walking in, and then giving the "oh shit" look.

Nice lifting, Wolf! Keep posting videos...reminds me how much further I have to go.

[Michael Wolf]

did you see the roster?
They initially had me listed as a 198. LOLOLOL...i screwed up my entry form.

Its corrected now.

198 - which leg?!? lol

I just looked at the roster - this guy John Durner who will be lifting Raw Classic with me in the 242's did a 550/400/660 1610 total back in April. Guess I won't be winning my weight class. If everything is clicking perfectly, 500/400/600 would be about the best I could possibly hope for at this one. Something closer to 485/385/565 is probably more likely. I compete primarily as a competitive outlet against myself, and to motivate my own training so that doesn't really bother me at all. I won the 242 raw classic in May with a 1330 - just because some people did or didn't show up. Getting 100lbs over the May total is my goal, not winning the class.

Thanks Callador - welcome to my log!

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

Seeing that I'm going to be a 275, I was hoping that I would at the very minimum that I could out-total you....LOL. This is not going to be the case as my bench is doing horrendously lately. So, the new goal is to PR my squat and my deadlift...and not mess up my left shoulder more while benching.

A lot of the guys in 275 are geared and come from my gym; so I'm used to feeling weak around them. Its good motivation.

I think you'll hit your goal numbers based on what I'm seeing here in the log.

Two more weeks!

[Rob Israel]

Wait, you're pulling 545 with a DOH grip? Wow Wolfie...