Wolf's Log: From Cub to Direwolf

[Patrick Stroup]

Stroupster, I can't say I've noticed any significant difference in how performing the squat feels. However, I will say that with the half inchers, I have less of a tendency to get a little loose and forward at the bottom, which is one of the issues I was constantly battling previously. So even though I don't feel it while performing the movement, something is obviously different in a good way.

I do like them for pulling too, just sayin.

EFFIN SOLD.

This is my issues with my VS. Once I get close to 90+ plus I get forward out the bottom.

BAAAAMMMM thanks threewolfmike

[Michael Wolf]

EFFIN SOLD.

This is my issues with my VS. Once I get close to 90+ plus I get forward out the bottom.

BAAAAMMMM thanks threewolfmike

Glad to be of service. Hope they're as good for you as they are for me. No homo.

[Michael Wolf]

No footage today, since I knocked my phone off the ledge it was sitting on whilst removing my belt after the second set of squatskies. I had filmed them, but while the phone shows signs of power, I can't get the screen to work, and it's all cracked anyway. I'll probably need a new one...not an expense I needed.

Anyway, back to talking about lifting weights.

Squat
405x5x3, 385x5x2
Notes: I was tempted to do 405x5x5 to hurry things along with this meet coming up, but tempered and reminded myself this is just a tune up meet and i don't want to pile on the volume too much too soon. So too 20lbs off for the last two sets.

Honestly, these were easy. I rested 5-6 minutes between, and even the 5th set flew up pretty fast, felt easy.

Deadlift
Up to 545x1,then 505x5.
Notes: The 505 was definitely a bit harder after doing the 545 first - not the first rep, but the 4th and 5th. I actually should technically call this 505x4, because the 5th rep came way off my legs and I could actually feel the system weight go to my toes. I didn't do a good tight set-up and didn't pull the bar in that rep. But I fought it up and finished it.

C2 Erg
30s Row/90s Rest x 4 @ 1:38, 1:38, 1:38, 1:36
Notes: Only the 3rd conditioning workout and already feeling much easier. No surprise, but haven't consistently done this in so long that I forgot what it feels like. I would have done 5 or 6, but I rushed to get home and check my email, since I can't check anything from my phone and wanted to A) Send an email out saying I can't get calls or texts right now and B) Check to see if any of my clients emailed me anything about tonight or tomorrow morning's sessions.

So I skipped out a bit early here.

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

September 15th right?

[Michael Wolf]

September 15th right?

September 14th in Newark. Heavies start at 9am.

[Rob Israel]

September 14th in Newark. Heavies start at 9am.

Wait, I missed something. I thought your next meet was November on LI.

What fed? Deets please.

[Michael Wolf]

I'm doing this one as a tune-up. Didn't want to do a meet with people relying on me to perform, without having done one in a year. So although September is technically the RPS World Championships (and required qualifying totals to enter), for me, it's just to re-acclimate to meet conditions before November. I'm not sandbagging, but not doing much in my programming to prep or peak specifically for the meet. Just a bare minimum of some singles and a bit of practice with the paused bench, with minimal interference to my regular programming.

[Michael Wolf]

Press Volume and Bench Intensity went well today. Even got a big pump at the end, which I actually hate, but I guess it fulfills some sort of bro-quota. Also, before I list my work, a few random gym things from this week:

1. On Monday, the national manager or something like that, who is in charge of the exclusive "top tier" of trainers in the company of the gym I train at was there lifting next to me. He looks to be in his mid 30's and looks like he doesn't lift. He goes to the rack and does front squats up to 185 for 3-5 reps, but about 2-3 inches high. Then goes to back squats (high bar, obviously) and goes up to 225 but these are now half squats. 5-6 inches high at least. This is the person in charge of the highest level trainers in this company which employs almost 2,000 total trainers. Maybe 100-200 are in this 'select' group. He doesn't seem to notice or care that I was pressing 5x5, easily, as much as he was squatting (185)

2. Pretty sure Orlando Bloom, aka !!LEGOLAS!!, was at the gym today. He's no Aragorn, but still.

Now, to the training.
Press
210x5
Notes: Warmed up more thoroughly than last week, which was good and necessary since the gym is still cold as the north pole. I learned my lesson. So this was much easier, smoother, and better than 205x5 was last week. The way it should be.

Bench Press
305x5x5
Notes: Not hard, but my left shoulder (the one I hurt), seemingly by the pec insertion or tendon, was slightly irritated at the very bottom of these today, and was just a split second behind the right in pressing the bar up off my chest. It's actually been a nagging thing for a month or so, but today was a bit worse than usual. Will try to spend more time with the lacrosse ball and doing some mobility stuff, not just on days I bench.

Chins
BW x 8 x 3
Notes: Continuing to add 1 rep per set. The left shoulder area didn't like the bottom position of these too much either.

Accesory Work
DB Rows
90x12x2 - chose these instead of more pulldowns to spare the shoulder. Not very heavy, and were pretty easy, but since I've done these once in the past 2 years or so, figured I'd start small.

EZ Curl Bar OH Extensions
Bar + 70 x 12, 15

Alt DB Bicep Curls
50x8x2

[Michael Wolf]

That's kind of weird.

I actually know a few trainers from your gym chain(the 33rd st location) and while their ideas about programming are stupid, they know the lifts. One of them actually competed in a PL competition and a figure comp.

This will vary wildly by location, depending if there is/was a manager or trainer there who actually knows/knew something and influenced others and created a culture. A friend is a manager at a midtown location. He'll be taking the SS Seminar next weekend in Brooklyn, and is an intelligent guy and has competed in PL for at least a few years. His best lifts at 181 are something like 430/330/575 or thereabouts. I know he has a positive influence on the people he works with and who work for him.

But I have seen other locations with staff sizes of 40-50 or more, with not a single trainer, literally not one, knowing what a proper squat (even high bar) should actually look like, much less be able to coach it effectively.

But for the person who is supposed to be in charge of the "elite of the elite" to not squat to depth with mediocre weights was just...I can't even.

Guess it goes to show that no matter what the actual training, there will be good people and bad people in everything. Scary thinking about jobs like EMT and such having idiots regardless of the training regiment.

Ya, kind of scary.

[John Petrizzo]

This will vary wildly by location, depending if there is/was a manager or trainer there who actually knows/knew something and influenced others and created a culture. A friend is a manager at a midtown location. He'll be taking the SS Seminar next weekend in Brooklyn, and is an intelligent guy and has competed in PL for at least a few years. His best lifts at 181 are something like 430/330/575 or thereabouts. I know he has a positive influence on the people he works with and who work for him.

But I have seen other locations with staff sizes of 40-50 or more, with not a single trainer, literally not one, knowing what a proper squat (even high bar) should actually look like, much less be able to coach it effectively.

But for the person who is supposed to be in charge of the "elite of the elite" to not squat to depth with mediocre weights was just...I can't even.

Having worked for the same company as Wolf, I could not agree more with his opinion on this subject. The people who actually know how to effectively teach and coach the lifts will be in the minority in any setting such as this.