Mosin's Log of Inestimably Shitty Progress: Rebuilding the Squat

[Mosin Warrior]

Squat:
95x5
135x5
165x5
195x5
225x1 (lowbar, felt mad awkward)
225x3 (first 2 were very solid, last rep was a bit sloppy)
225x2
255x1 (pretty solid)
225x1
225x1
225x1
225x1 (very solid)
225x1
235x1

Pause Squat:
135x3 (felt all kinds of awful, stripped the bar and fucked around with the empty bar for a bit)

Speed Deadlift:
245x3
245x3
245x3 (these were good but my hand was going to be gushing blood if I went any heavier)

Squat:
95x10
95x5
135x5
165x5 (I did these out of frustration, these were all much better because I was getting much better trap tightness before unracking the bar)

Notes: 80%er big time. First round of squats had good and bad reps and was mostly frustrating. The second round of squats was much better. I have a cue for setting my upper back that is bang on for me. I need to thing "loose arms" when I get set up. By this, I mean that my back is tight enough that my arms can be tension free and the weight will not move around as I move. This worked very well.

Starting next week, I am going to pause squat first and then regular squat. I think focusing on pause squats will help iron out form and allow me to build on bottom end strength at the same time. The goal will be a clean, paused triple with 225 by the time I start ramping the strength focus back up in October. With the pause squats, I will use a pyramid system working up to a top triple, and then back down for a total of 6-7 sets. After pause squats, I will do regular squats with the focus being to hit some clean singles, doubles, or triples with a weight that is a bit challenging.

[Woody]

Hi Mosin, just found your log, good stuff.

Have you been told by the trainers not to use chalk?? We have a 'no chalk' rule at the commercial gym that I go to, although I just started using it anyway. A couple of others have started doing the same. We're fairly discreet about it. It seems that as long as we're respectful by cleaning up properly after our workouts, the trainers are happy to turn a blind eye. Maybe worth a go?? It makes such a huge difference with deadlift and squat to be able to chalk up.

[Mosin Warrior]

Hi Mosin, just found your log, good stuff.

Have you been told by the trainers not to use chalk?? We have a 'no chalk' rule at the commercial gym that I go to, although I just started using it anyway. A couple of others have started doing the same. We're fairly discreet about it. It seems that as long as we're respectful by cleaning up properly after our workouts, the trainers are happy to turn a blind eye. Maybe worth a go?? It makes such a huge difference with deadlift and squat to be able to chalk up.

Thanks, Woody!

I haven't been told by trainers not to use chalk, rather it is a written policy at my gym. Unfortunately, the pencil neck gym owner is always there and I'm sure he wouldn't take kindly to me using chalk. This is a man who has given me shit for "dropping" my deadlifts even though I didn't.

[Mosin Warrior]

Bench:
185x1/2/3 @9
185x1/2/3 @9
185x1/2/3 @8.5 (each ladder got progressively better)

3ct Pause Bench:
155x3
155x3
155x3

Seated PBN:
65x10
75x10
85x8
85x8

DB Rows:
90x12
90x10
90x10

DB Extensions:
65x10
65x10
65x10

Curls:
70x6
70x6
70x6
70x6

Face Pulls:
45x12
45x12
45x12
45x12

Notes: Session started shitty and got better with each bench ladder. By the third ladder, all of my reps had some pop to them and were moving with some force.

[Mosin Warrior]

3ct Pause Squat:
95x3
135x3
155x3
175x3
185x3
175x3
155x3
185x1
205x1
205x1
185x1
185x1
195x1
195x1

Deadlift:
315x3
365x1
365x1
365x1
365x1

3ct Pause Deadlift:
275x3
275x3 (damn, these work the muscles of the thoracic spine like whoa).

45 Degree Extensions:
x8
x8
x8
x8 (add 10 for next session)

Notes: Today was not very good. Pause sqauts were harder I thought they should have been, maybe its because the muscles used in a properly performed squat concentric are weak as fuck from using shit form for so long. I did learn that as I ramp back up, I will need to learn to grind weights while maintaining proper position. I do think focusing on pause squats while I relearn form will pay huge dividends going forward.

Deadlifts sucked ass but that isn't too surprising because I haven't pushed them the last two weeks. I am going to add 3ct pause deadlifts after regular deads to work on pulling in the correct position from the floor to just below the knee. I also think they will help strengthen my mid-back with could always use more strength.

[Mosin Warrior]

Bench:
190x1/2/3 @9
190x1/2/3 @9.5
190x1/1/2 @9

3ct Pause Bench:
155x3
155x3
155x3
155x3

Seated Press:
105x5
105x5
105x5

DB Row:
90x15
90x10
90x10

DB Extensions:
65x10
65x10
65x10

Curls:
70x6
70x6
70x6
70x6 (bump to 8 next time, I need to push these harder)
50x10

Face Pulls:
45x12
45x12
45x12
45x12

Notes: Not a bad session. The first two ladders weren't bad, I bitched out on the third run. Oh well, I will kill it next session.

[Mosin Warrior]

After a weekend of too much drinking and too little food, I knew today would be a shit session.

Weight: 199.6 (down from 218.3 on 5/8, still need to drop 15 more minimum to be able to bulk again.)

3ct pause squats:
135x5
165x3 (do 5 next time)
195x2 (supposed to be 3, but second rep was deemed unacceptable form wise so I shut it down)
205x1
225x1
205x1
185x1
185x1
185x1
195x1
195x1
205x1 (ugly rep)

Deadlift:
315x3 @7.5
365x1 @8.5
385x1 @9.5 (used straps, set up was not good, had trouble breaking the floor because of that)
335x1

3ct Pause Dedlift:
275x3
275x3
275x3

45 Degree Back Extensions:
10x8
10x8
10x8
10x6

Notes: Shitty session, -10%. I need to start doing 5's for my pause squats to up the volume and because 5's are awesome for building strength, but suck to do. Also, Kirk, Ed, and Furnas all used 5's as the basis of their training and all were strong as shit. Time to man up and totally ditch the ego.

Edit: I have been rewatching video of me squating, and I need to get my elbows and arms in line with my torso better, and I need to carry the bar a touch higher than I currently am. I think the elbow and arm angle could be causing some of the issues out of the hole that I am still experiencing. It is damn hard breaking old habits, and this is one that I never really paid any attention to but after watching video of good high-bar squatters, they all have one thing in common and that is the angle of the arms matches the torso angle throughout the lift.

[Mosin Warrior]

Bench:
190x1/2/3 @9
190x1/2/3 @9
190x1/2/2/3 @9

3ct Pause Bench:
155x3
160x3
160x3

Seated Press:
105x5
105x5
105x5

DB Rows:
90x15
90x10
90x10
90x5

DB Tricep Extensions:
65x10
65x10
65x10 (increase next time)

Curls:
70x8
70x8
70x6
70x6
50x12

Face Pulls:
45x12
45x12
45x12
45x12

Notes: Good session today. I fucked up the bar path on the first attempt at a triple on the third ladder. I was going to do a single to get the total volume, but it came up so good I figured it was worth going for the triple again and I nailed it.

[Mosin Warrior]

Conditioning: 12 hill sprints...I did the first 7 without any rest between sprints other than walking back down the hill and getting set.

[Mosin Warrior]

3ct Pause Squat:
135x5
165x5
185x3
205x1
215x1
225x1 (felt all kinds of awful)
135x5
185x3
215x1

Notes: Today was a shit session. My lower back felt iffy all day and I decided to just see how it would go. Wasn't too bad, but I skimped a bit on the pre-workout mobbing and a it was a detriment to my performance. I was very pleased with how clean the rep at 215 was. The rep at 225, not so much, but I'm not going to beat myself up over it.


Didn't deadlift or do any assistance because my lower back felt like shit and didn't want to strain something pulling on a day I knew I didn't have anything.