Michael's Log

[Michael Park]

3/21/12: BW - 175 lbs

Squat: 45 x 5 x 2, 90 x 5, 140 x 3, 190 x 2, 240 x 5 x 2
Press: 45 x 5 x 2, 60 x 5, 80 x 3, 95 x 2, 115 x 5 x 3
Chins: BW x 5, BW + 40 x 5 x 3

[Michael Park]

3/23/12: BW - 175 lbs

Squat: 45 x 5 x 2, 105 x 5, 165 x 5, 225 x 3, 285 x 2, 345 x 1 x 5
Bench: 45 x 5 x 2, 85 x 5, 130 x 3, 175 x 2, 220 x 5*
Power Clean: 45 x 5 x 2, 75 x 5, 110 x 3, 140 x 2, 175 x 3, 2, 3, 3, 2

*After a couple months of having very good luck finding good bench press spotters, my spotter regressed towards the mean today. He was very friendly and encouraging, but he wouldn't take his hands off the bar after handing it to me. He was such a cheerful guy that I didn't have the heart to tell him to take his hands off the bar after the first rep, because I'm sure it would have sounded like I was angry with him. It felt like I would have gotten at least three on my own, and the last two might have been in doubt. I'll reattempt 220 x 5 on my next bench press intensity day.

I missed a couple of power cleans today. It feels like I'm pulling them high enough, but I'm not racking the bar very well. I end up catching them on almost straight legs with the bar about an inch and a half forward of where it needs to be for me to successfully complete the rep. I'm considering a deload to 157.5 to work on form as I progress back up.

Squats felt good today. Heavy, but good.

[Michael Park]

3/26/12: BW - 173.5 lbs

Squat: 45 x 10, 110 x 5, 175 x 3, 240 x 2, 305 x 5 x 5

I ate poorly and didn't sleep enough this weekend, so I'm a bit under recovered. I called it a day after the squats. I had already been in the gym over an hour, and I wasn't feeling very well. I'll do the press volume and deadlifts tomorrow. I may continue to split volume day up into two days in the future.

[Michael Park]

3/27/12

Press: 45 x 5 x 2, 65 x 5, 85 x 3, 105 x 2, 125 x 5 x 5
Deadlift: 135 x 5 x 2, 220 x 3, 305 x 2, 390 x 3

I didn't get much sleep last night, and I flew before heading to the gym, so I felt a bit run down. My grip began to fail on the third deadlift, but I was able to lock it out. I only got the fourth a couple of inches off the ground. I think I just lost concentration, because I was worrying about my grip. I'll have to search around and try to figure out how to make my grip stronger. I may switch to triples on the deadlift for a while and see how that goes.

[Michael Park]

3/29/12: BW - 172.5 lbs

Squat: 45 x 5 x 2, 90 x 5, 140 x 3, 190 x 2, 240 x 5 x 2
Bench: 45 x 5 x 2, 75 x 5, 110 x 3, 140 x 2, 175 x 5 x 3
Chins: BW x 13, 7

This was a much needed recovery day. I'm already getting nervous for Saturday's squat session.

[Michael Park]

3/31/12: BW - 174.5 lbs

Squat: 45 x 5 x 2, 105 x 5, 165 x 5, 225 x 3, 285 x 2, 350 x 1 x 5
Bench: 45 x 5 x 2, 90 x 5, 135 x 3, 180 x 2, 225 x 1 x 5

These are going to be my opening attempts on 4/21. I'm going to try to get them for two doubles on the 6th and a triple on the 13th.

Neck: 16"
Waist: 35"
Calculated body fat: 19%

[Michael Park]

4/2/12

Squat: 45 x 5 x 2, 110 x 5, 175 x 3, 240 x 2, 310 x 5 x 5

The first four sets felt super easy, and then the wheels fell off the bus on the fifth set. I finished it, but it was U-G-L-Y. 315 x 5 x 5 next Monday will be my last squat volume day before the meet, and if I hit all five sets, I will do a little happy dance.

[Michael Park]

4/3/12

Bench: 45 x 10, 80 x 5, 120 x 3, 160 x 2, 200 x 5 x 5
Deadlift: 135 x 10, 220 x 3, 305 x 2, 395 x 3

Next Tuesday will be my last deadlift session before the meet at 400 x 3. If it hit all my planned weights over the next two and a half weeks, I think I'm going to attempt:

Squat: 350, 370, 385
Bench: 225, 240, 250
Deadlift: 400, 420, 440

We'll see how it goes.

[Michael Park]

4/5/12

Squat: 45 x 5 x 2, 95 x 2, 145 x 3, 195 x 2, 245 x 5 x 2
Bench: 45 x 5 x 2, 75 x 5, 110 x 3, 145 x 2, 180 x 5 x 3
Chins: BW x 5, BW + 45 x 5 x 3
Back Extensions: BW x 10 x 3

4/7/12

Squat: 45 x 10, 105 x 5, 165 x 5, 225 x 3, 285 x 2, 350 x 2 x 2
Bench: 45 x 10, 90 x 5, 135 x 3, 180 x 2, 225 x 2 x 2

4/9/12

Squat: 45 x 5 x 2, 110 x 5, 180 x 3, 245 x 2, 315 x 5 x 5

Squats felt easy today. I was pretty excited about 315 x 5 x 5. I can't call myself strong yet, but I'm not weak anymore. I first got 315 x 5 x 3 on 2/3/12. I'm glad my persistence has paid off. I doubt I would have had the self discipline to stay with it this consistently (no missed training sessions since 12/14/11) if I hadn't entered the meet. I'm putting the cart a bit before the horse, but once I get done with this meet, I need to find another one to keep the momentum going.

[Michael Park]

4/10/12: BW - 177.5 lbs

Bench: 45 x 10, 85 x 5, 125 x 3, 165 x 2, 205 x 5 x 5
Deadlift: 135 x 10, 225 x 3, 315 x 2, 405 x 3

http://youtu.be/Cy0HqFv5jo8

The bench felt really easy today. I was supposed to do 400 x 3 on the deadlift, but this is my last deadlifting session before the meet, and I didn't want to be a punk, so I put 405 on the bar instead. It was my first time deadlifting 405, and I got it for a triple!