With Winning in Mind

[Vince Cifani]

10/09/2017

1. Squat w/belt:

415 x 1 @6
440 x 1 @7
465 x 1 @7.5
375 x 5 @6.5
375 x 5 @7
375 x 5 @7
375 x 5 @7
375 x 5 @7.5
375 x 5 @8
375 x 5 @8.5

E1RM: 511 (+11)

Squat is feeling GREAT. Some guy at the gym said, "Nice squats, Vince!" No idea who he is.


2. Competition bench:

260 x 1 @6
275 x 1 @7
290 x 1 @8
275 x 2 x 8

E1RM: 315 (+5.5)

Bench also feeling great.


3. Close-grip bench:

200 x 6 @6
215 x 6 @7
230 x 6 @8
230 x 6 @8
230 x 6 @8
230 x 6 @8.5

E1RM: 291 (+5.5)

[Vince Cifani]

10/10/2017

1. Sumo deadlift w/belt:

490 x 1 @6
520 x 1 @7
550 x 1 @10 (Whoops)
370 x 5 @6

I dropped my hips on 550 and the bar got away from me. Felt like a million pounds. I realized my error right away. Instead of grinding out 550, I should have put the bar down, rested a few minutes, then tried it again, properly. Lesson learned.


2. Conventional deadlift:

350 x 5 x 6


3. Pin bench (mid-range):

265 x 1 @5
285 x 1 @6
300 x 1 @7
315 x 1 @8
295 x 4 @9
265 x 4 @7
265 x 4 @7

E1RM: 342 (+22)

It's nice to have three plates in my hands, even on an overload movement.


4. Front squat:

240 x 6 @6
260 x 6 @7
275 x 6 @9
275 x 4 @10
275 x 4 @10
275 x 3 @10

E1RM: 339.5 (-5.5)

My traps were too fatigued to hold the rack position. What else is new.


5. Chin-ups (GPP):

31 reps in 10 minutes

[Vince Cifani]

10/12/2017


1. Squat w/belt and wraps:

430 x 1 @6
460 x 1 @7
485 x 1 @8
455 x 4 @9
405 x 4 @7.5
405 x 4 @8

E1RM: 527 (+5.5)

Need to push knees out faster at the start so I don't end up sitting on my hamstrings.


2. TnG bench:

275 x 1 @6
290 x 1 @7
305 x 1 @8
240 x 5 x 8

E1RM: 331.5 (+5.5)

Bench keeps going up.


3. Push press w/belt:

125 x 10 @6
135 x 10 @7
145 x 10 @10
125 x 10 @8
125 x 10 @9
125 x 10 @10

E1RM: 196 (-17)

I'm still surprised by how quickly my press strength drops off.

[Vince Cifani]

10/13/2017

1. Rack pull (mid-shin):

455 x 1 @5
475 x 1 @6
505 x 1 @7
535 x 1 @8
500 x 4 @9
455 x 4 @7
455 x 4 @7

E1RM: 581.5 (+38)


2. 3-count pause bench:

240 x 1 @5.5
255 x 1 @6
270 x 1 @7
285 x 1 @8
265 x 4 @9
240 x 4 @7
240 x 4 @7

E1RM: 310 (+22)


3. Barbell row:

175 x 10 @6
190 x 10 @7
205 x 10 @8
205 x 10 @8
205 x 10 @8.5
205 x 10 @9

E1RM: 301.5 (+7.4)


Big jumps in strength on rack pulls and long-pause bench.

[Vince Cifani]

10/17/2017


1. Squat w/belt:

425 x 1 @6
455 x 1 @7
480 x 1 @8
375 x 5 x 10

E1RM: 521.5 (+11.5)

The ten sets of five was challenging. After the fifth set, I was having a hard time bracing and keeping consistent reps.


2. Competition bench:

265 x 1 @6
280 x 1 @7
295 x 1 @8
280 x 2 x 10

E1RM: 320.5 (5.5)

Tired from squats and couldn't get as tight as usual. Bench strength still went up which is all I really care about.


3. Close-grip bench:

210 x 5 @6
225 x 5 @7
240 x 5 @8
240 x 5 @8
240 x 5 @8
240 x 5 @8.5
240 x 5 @9

E1RM: 296 (+5)


I have to admit, this was a tough workout. After my last set of close-grip, I had a hard time getting off the bench. Probably the highest volume I've ever done in a single session. Tomorrow's working will be similar. Bring it on.

[NikhilT]

10/17/2017After my last set of close-grip, I had a hard time getting off the bench.

I can't imagine why. 10 sets of squats and then a ton of comp bench doubles.

[Vince Cifani]

10/18/2017


1. Sumo deadlift w/belt:

495 x 1 @8
385 x 5 @7
385 x 5 @7

E1RM: 538 (-12)

Disappointed that my deadlift has taken a sharp downturn, the past couple of weeks. I probably haven't been pulling sumo enough. I've been gradually transitioning from conventional but I probably need to step it up a bit.


2. Conventional deadlift w/belt:

345 x 5 @6.5
345 x 5 @6.5
345 x 5 @6.5
345 x 5 @7
345 x 5 @7
345 x 5 @7
345 x 5 @7.5
345 x 5 @7


3. Pin press (mid-range):

285 x 1 @6
300 x 1 @7
320 x 1 @9
295 x 3 @9
250 x 3 @7
250 x 3 @7
250 x 3 @7

E1RM: 333 (-9)

I need to let the bar settle and stop chattering on the pins before pressing. Otherwise the bar gets way out of the groove.


4. Front squat:

250 x 5 @6
270 x 5 @7
290 x 5 @8
290 x 5 @9
270 x 5 @8
270 x 5 @9
250 x 5 @9

E1RM: 358 (+18.5)

Traps were dead.


5. Chin-ups(GPP):

33 reps in 10 minutes

Lats also dead.

I can't imagine why. 10 sets of squats and then a ton of comp bench doubles.

This morning, I felt dead. Not easy to get out of bed.

[Vince Cifani]

10/20/2017


1. Squat w/belt and wraps:

440 x 1 @6
470 x 1 @7
495 x 1 @8
475 x 3 @9
405 x 3 @7
405 x 3 @7

E1RM: 538 (+11)

I noticed I've been pushing my knees out too far, outside my feet. I'll need to experiment with my stance width yet again. Always something. . .


2. TnG bench:

275 x 1 @6
295 x 1 @7
310 x 1 @8
230 x 12 @8.5
195 x 12 @6
195 x 12 @7
195 x 12 @7

E1RM: 337 (+5.5)


3. Push press w/belt:

110 x 11 @6
120 x 11 @7
130 x 11@8
130 x 11 @10
120 x 11 @9
110 x 11 @8
110 x 11 @10

E1RM: 206 (+10)


Abs were severely sore after this workout. I must be bracing better.

[Vince Cifani]

10/21/2017

1. Rack pull (mid-shin):

480 x 1 @8
475 x 0

E1RM: 533 (-48.5)

My lower back was extremely sore. 480 went up hard. With 475, I braced, set, and could not budge it. I could have dropped the weight a lot but there was a danger of hurting myself so I stopped.


2. 3-count pause bench:

260 x 1 @6
275 x 1 @7
290 x 1 @8
280 x 3 @9
235 x 3 @7
235 x 3 @7

E1RM: 315 (+5)


Skipped rows to spare my back. Not a great workout. My lower back was so tight and sore I had trouble moving the rest of the day.

[Bryan Dobson]

Apologies for the unsolicited. You had just done squat with wraps the day before hitting some high intensities. You probably could stagger your heavy pulling and squatting days a little further apart or only overload one of the lifts a week while doing regular lower intensity training for the other.