zen and the art of strength training

[kopp]

3/27 Tuesday

Press 150x 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1
Kroc 80x 20 20 (40 each arm)
Speed Bench 7x2x 115
Repetition effort close grip bench 115x15

[kopp]

3/30 Friday

Deadlift DOH 1x355
Mixed Grip, w/ Belt 395x 3 3 2 3 2 1 1 1
315x7

I really wanted to get 18 total reps, but towards the end decided that discretion was the better part of valor. In general really happy with today's lift, it is a huge increase over last time at 395, though admittedly last time I wasn't feeling great. I think I am well on my way to pulling over 500 by the end of the summer, the end of the year by the latest. Assuming of course that I don't get injured. Right now the plan is to press on sunday, do deficit speed deads on tuesday, and press on thursday. I am travelling over easter and will not lift again until the following tuesday.

[kopp]

4/1 Sunday

DB Bench 5x5x80s
LTE 3x7x (big bar, 25s on each side)

My back and legs were pretty ragged from the deadlifts on friday, so I decided to do some horizontal pushing. These went fine, all things considered. usually the first lift after deadlifts I am pretty sluggish. Right now my week is look incredibly busy, so I will probably consolidate speed deads and pressing into one workout on wednesday, and then take off until the following tuesday.

School is winding up. I am still missing way to many obvious things in our practice exams, which is frustrating. Yesterday I was so exhausted I was worried my brain was shutting down. I am really looking forward to going home over easter. Ann Arbor is cold and depressing.

[kopp]

4/4 Wednesday

Press 155x 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (1x3, 8x1)
115x10

Speed 2in Deficit deadlift 8x2x205
Lying Tricep Ext 4x7x (big bar 25s on each side)

I am feeling pretty ragged right now. the presses went fine, most of the reps were solid, some had layback. I think if I can keep pounding away at my triceps there is a ton of room for improvement. my triceps are definitely the week point right now. I clearly have a hard two months ahead of me to get up to 8x3x155 by the beginning of June. The deadlifts went well, I really liked pulling from a deficit. I think I am going to keep rotating these in occasionally on speed days. If I decide I really like them then I may do a heavy cycle from a deficit towards the end of the year.

I go back to maryland tomorrow, and will be there until monday. My next lift should be tuesday afternoon.

[kopp]

My deadlift has clearly improved. I think when I reset in the press I will find that I am stronger than I was pre-injury. Hoping to restart setting PR's in Press in April and then get up to 8x3x155 by end of May

Deadlift
10/28 375x3 3 3 3 2 1 1 (16)
11/9 385x2 3 3 3 2 1 1 (15)
11/16 395x 3 2 1 1 1 1 (9)
11/22 405x 3 2 1 1 1 1 (9)
12/2 420x1 1 1 1 1 1 (6)
12/9 435x1 1 1 1 1 (5)
12/27 355x3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 (24)
1/03 365x3 3 3 3 3 3 3 (21)

Injury-two months no progressive deadlifting

2/27 365 x 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 (24)
3/6 375 x 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 (22)
3/20 385 x 3 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 (20)
3/30 395x 3 3 2 3 2 1 1 1 (16)

Press
10/21 135x 5 5 5 5 3 3 (26)
10/26 140x 5 5 5 3 3 3 (24)
11/11 145x 5 4 3 3 3 3 2 (23)
11/18 150x 3 3 3 2 3 1 (15)
11/28 155x 3 3 2 2 (10)
12/4 160x1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (7)
12/11 135x5 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 (39)
12/14 140x5 5 5 5 5 3 3 (31)
12/20 145x5 5 5 3 3 3 3 (27)
12/28 150x3 3 3 3 3 3 (18)
1/08 155x 3 3 3--Injury

1/08-3/10--injury and recovering from pulled trap

3/10 135x 5 5 5 5 5 3 (28)
3/18 140x 5 5 3 3 3 2 2 (23)
3/23 145x 5 4 3 2 (14)
3/27 150x 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 (19)
4/4 155x 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (11)

[kopp]

tuesday 4/10

Deadlift DOH 1x365
Deficit 2 in Deadlift 1x365
Mixed grip DL 405x 3 3

After my second set at 405 I sat down for a few minutes, and when I got up my lower back and butt were really ragged and stiff feeling. I decided that discretion was the better choice and called it a day. This might have been too much too soon. Fortunately my week off went well, it was very relaxing, full of good sleep and food. I am mentally prepared to finish out the last three weeks of school, and push through to the end.

I will press on thursday, speed deadlifts over the weekend, and then press and deadlift sometime next week. I will repeat 405.

[kopp]

thursday 4/12

Press 135x 5 5 5 5 2 5 3 3 3 3 3 (42)

Today was just a shit-ton of pressing. My fifth set my breathing got messed up. There is a huge difference between doing sets of 5 and sets of 3 because I can do 3 with a single breath. That second breath really messes things up. I wanted to do more than the 39 total reps that I did on 12/11, the last time before pulling my trap that I pressed 135. I think I am making good headway toward my goal of 8x3x155. I should be able to get 8x3x150 this time through, and then sometime towards the end of may get that goal

[kopp]

Sunday 4/15

Speed Deficit 2in Deadlifts 15x1x245
Defecit 2 in DL 1x315 345 385pr
Kroc Row 90pnds x 20 reps each arm

Good day today, I think my speed was slower than I may have wanted. The single at 385 felt really solid. My grip was solid all the way through. I am pressing on Tuesday and repeating 405 on friday.

[kopp]

4/17 Tuesday

Press 140x 5 5 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 (39)

Today was a really solid improvement over my last time through, and 8 more total reps than what I did at this weight in december, though today was less sets of 5. i am feeling really good with my pressing, and think that i have a really good shot of getting 8x3x150 at the end of next week.

Tomorrow is my last day of classes. I really need to kill it over the next 4-5 days before finals start up. I am descending into a profound state of panic with regard to school. Fuck. Summer can not come soon enough.

Also today marks a year of lifting: quite a ways away from pressing 3x5x75!

[kopp]

4/20 Friday

Deadlift 405x 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 (14)