1400 Total @ 148?

[Ape288]

I'm visiting home for the week and so I've had the opportunity to use my own equipment, which is always nice. In this past week's squat session I managed to work up to a pretty solid single with 485lbs. As you'll hear in the video, given my ability to grind out squats, with the way I blasted through the sticking point here I surprised even myself. I would say 500 was definitely there. Old Alec would have just done it, but new Alec is wise enough to know it was there without needing to actually do it. Or maybe I'm just chicken shit these days. Who knows. Anyway, I made the executive decision to cut my 3m EliteFTS Krait wraps down to 2.5m so that I will be able to use them in my upcoming USPA meet. This was my first session using the Krait wraps. The previous 2 sessions I used a pair of 2.5m Titan Titanium wraps. It would seem that the extra assistance provided by the Kraits (as compared to the Titaniums) drastically covered up the weakness in my legs from the lack of squatting. In turn, my torso/core, which I've been training like a madman lately, is able to blast through my old sticking point with ease now. It's an interesting turn of events haha. I'm hoping to get in one more squat session here before I leave. I'm about 4 weeks out now.

4/21/17
Squat- 135x5, 225x5, 275x3, 325x1, 375x1, 425x1, 455x1, 485x1
Front squat- 225x2, 275x2, 325x2, 375x2
Standing ab wheel- 3,3,3,3

That's about it.

485lbs Squat @ 160 (Triple Body Weight) - YouTube

[Ape288]

Deadlift 510lbs @ 160 (3.2x BW) - YouTube

I got in my last deadlift session a couple days ago and ended up pulling a pretty easy 510 sumo. I would estimate that my max is about 525lbs or 530 tops if I could figure out how to deadlift again. I had planned to go to about 520 this session but unfortunately on my 505 attempt that I took before the 510 I let the bar whip throw me forward about an inch away from lockout and that messed with my technique. The lift was so easy and I had already considered it a foregone conclusion and was planning a jump to 525 when I just completely lost the bar forward lol. I don't have very much experience with deadlift bars and they always seem to throw me off. I think I will be investing in the Rogue deadlift bar in the near future for my new home gym. Anyway, not wanting the final session before the meet to potentially end on a bad note, I took an ultra conservative jump to 510 and I still fell out of the groove at lockout here too lol. If I could maintain position, these lifts would appear seamless. The weight is not what's slowing me down. Just the lack of tehcnical proficiency.

I have already planned out my next training cycle to take me through to the end of the year. It includes a deadlift day every other week starting with a very conservative weight. And a squat day once a week also starting off very conservatively. I think I have proven to myself that I can continue to get stronger without killing myself on the squat and DL week in and week out, I just need to maintain some modicum of tehcnical efficiency on them by not throwing them out the window entirely.

This upcoming meet will be nothing special. Likely something between 1200-1300 unless I bomb. But my year end goal is to total 1430 @ 148 and earn the coveted 500 raw wilks. I think I can do it. I think I have finally figured out how to work around this injury and in about 6 weeks I will have my own home gym again where I can really be myself and train uninhibited. So circumstances are ripe for progress again. And I plan on taking it.

5/1/17
Broad jump- 3,3,3,3,3
Standing rollout- 3,3,3
Sumo deadlift- (135x5)(225x3)(315)(375)(425)(475)(505x)(510)
Zombie hold- (405x20 secs)(455x20)(505x20)(525x15)
Weighted hypers- (195)- 4,4,4,4,4, (145)-16

Done.

[Chris McCarthy]

You mini-Bugenhagen, you.

[Ape288]

You mini-Bugenhagen, you.

Haha I may be a little crazy, but I'm not THAT crazy.

[Chris McCarthy]

Haha I may be a little crazy, but I'm not THAT crazy.

True.

Don't invest in a Deadlift Bar...just lift on a proper bar, like the Universe intended...

[Ape288]

True.

Don't invest in a Deadlift Bar...just lift on a proper bar, like the Universe intended...

Mannn, I've done that for years and, fittingly, I get no benefit when I use the DL bar in meets and I get always get thrown off by it. I have no intention of competing USAPL so I'll always be stuck using a DL bar at meets. So it just kind of makes sense to learn how to use it.

[Ape288]

Did my last squat session this past Saturday, 7 days out from the meet. I worked up to a relatively easy 455, which was supposed to be in the vicinity of my opener, but I'm not sure if it will be. It moved a little slow to be an opener and things have been pretty inconsistent as I've been switching between equipment, so I'm going to have to play it by ear on meet day I think. Anyway, I just want this meet to be over with and go take care of business so I can start my real training cycle. That's really what I'm excited for.

Side note: first time competing with wraps in the USPA. Anyone with experience there think this is a little shallow?

Squat- 135, 225, 275, 325, 375, 425, 455
Front Squat- 225, 275, 325, 375
Hyperextension(150)- 5,5,5,5,5

Done.

455lbs Squat @ 160 (One Week Out) - YouTube

[Ape288]

Just finished up week 2 of my new training cycle. I've gotten in some good work on the deadlift so far with some meh work on the squat and the bench. I'm almost done setting up my new gym, which is pretty sweet. I can't describe how much better it is to have my own place to train. Unfortunately, during the last few weeks prior to this I hadn't had much time to train and I apparently wasn't eating enough either and my body weight dropped by about 5lbs. My squat and bench press strength seem to have taken a pretty big hit as a result. Hopefully they bounce back quickly. Deadlift feels good right now. Also, I built some legit farmer's walk handles out of 4x4's and plumbing pipe. I Just got to try them out for the first time yesterday and they have a solid feel to them, similar to real implements. I went up to 220 per handle (200lbs of weight plus the handles themselves weigh 20lbs) and was able to get a good grip on them. It should be fun to mess around with those over the next few months!

Yesterday's session went:

7/13/17
Power clean from the floor! - (95x3)(125x3)(145x3)(165x3)(185x3)(205x3)
Sumo deadlift (w/hook) - 415lbs x 8 singles in under 20 min
Sumo burnout set (w/straps) - 415 x 12
Farmer's walk - (110 x length of my driveway)(160 x length of my driveway)(190 x length of my driveway)(220 x length of my driveway)
Hyperextension(160) - 10,10,10


Here are a few videos from some recent pulling workouts:
Sumo Deadlift 415lbs x 12 @ 155 - YouTube
Deadlift 415lbs x 9 @ 155 - YouTube

[Chris McCarthy]

The big question is...how long IS your driveway?

[Ape288]

The big question is...how long IS your driveway?

Million dollar question, my friend. Nobody knows.

In all seriousness, you could line up 5 cars in it so I'd say about 20-25 yards. Don't worry, I'm super OCD. One day soon I'm sure I'll be out there with the tape measure.