Soleyn's Training Log

[Michael Wolf]

You don't have nearly the knee sliding issues that I do, but I would add a bit of depth to your squats. They look just a touch high from here (watched the 390x5 set and the first two sets @ 345x5 today).

[Nicholas Soleyn]

Thanks, Michael. For some reason, what feels rock bottom to me is always "borderline." I am trying to be more consistently south of the border, which is why I started working on getting my knees set better: I had started trying to get lower by (unconsciously) closing my knee angle, making my back more vertical, and doing nothing for my depth.

At this point, it is like breaking a bad habit. Here's a set from today (relatively light); this is what rock bottom feels like to me: http://youtu.be/S6fD2kmb-V4/. Better than the sets you watched but still....

[Nicholas Soleyn]

03/13/2013 (Wed)

squat
45x5x3
135x5
225x3
255x2
276x5x2*

Bench
45x5x2
95x5
135x3
165x2
185x5x3

Chins
(Red band)
5-5-5

RDL
230x8

[Nicholas Soleyn]

03/15/2013 (Fri)

Squat
45x5x3
135x5
225x3
315x2
365x1
385x1
395x5* (x)
Squats are terrible. All reps were high. Am going to back off a good bit and work back up.

Vid: http://youtu.be/XBHyECknQFM

Press
45x5x2
95x5
125x3
155x2
175x1
190x3* (3RM)

Will upload vid, shows how much higher my left "shoulder" is than my right; very unbalanced, but does not seem to affect my presses much.

Power Clean
95x5
135x3
155x3
175x2
185x3x5

Working my way back up, but I think my form is looking much better.

3d set: http://youtu.be/2KAGdgcYYsY

[Nicholas Soleyn]

03/18/2013 (Mon)

Squat
45x5x3
135x5
225x5
315x2
335x1
350x5x5*
Looked back at my log and realized my squats started going high and haywire back in January after I damaged (I think) my costal cartilage. Didn't really miss any workouts but I was wrapping my chest for 2 months following so I could lift pain free. Wondering if either I changed things to protect my ribs or if maybe the wrap around my chest (new proprioceptive input) caused me to squat with a more vertical back. .. Either way I thought today's squats were better than last Mondays but still not where I need them.

1: http://youtu.be/kBEw2JpMMCY
2: http://youtu.be/gHF-0HTrNJU
3: http://youtu.be/agqdQgIXnXk
4: http://youtu.be/KcASrWin3lM
5: http://youtu.be/VCiIsjq4HBo

Bench
45x5x2
95x5
135x3
185x2
205x1
216x5x5*

Will need to DL this evening

[Nicholas Soleyn]

03/20/2013 (Wed)

Squat
45x5x3
135x5x2
225x5
280x5x2*

press
45x5x2
95x5
115x3
135x5x3*

pullups
Red band
5-4-4

[Nicholas Soleyn]

03/22/2013 (Fri)

squats
45x5x3
135x5
225x3
315x2
365x1
385x1
400x3*
So, the plan was to do 3 sets of five at a lighter weight. But, was a little pumped this morning for whatever reason and decided I really wanted to get 400# for (legitimate) reps. This is one reason why it's good if coach and lifter are not the same person. Anyway my squats have been seeming better and I thought these looked pretty good. Though I'm biased:
http://youtu.be/mE8cXWQfRi0

Bench
45x5x2
95x5
135x3
185x2
225x1
245x3*
Been pondering how my funky left shoulder might affect my presses. Sits higher and tighter than my other shoulder and my ROM for external rotation is significantly limited (think externally rotating the shoulder with scapular elevation). In the press this means an abnormally wide grip to try and get a vertical forearm w/o the ability to "pull" my elbow in. In the bench, causes impingement-like pain. The fix seems to be bringing the bar lower on the chest than usual. The extra bar movement may explain my, relatively, weak bench. Will try and get a video.

Deadlift
135x5
225x5
315x3
365x1
405x4(x)

This was supposed to be an easy deload, but I'm going to go ahead and blame my experimental platform that I've been using. An ideas for noise dampening for my father in law, we put compacted sand under plywood, under the plates. Unfortunately, no matter how compact the sand it just cannot stay level, leading to uneven ~2" deficit reps. Not a viable design and would never have a lifter use this. Oh well it was a cool idea at least.

Power clean
135x5
165x3
185x3
205x1
215x1
220x1
225x1
Since my DL was a bust went ahead and worked up to a heavy power clean.

[Nicholas Soleyn]

03/25/2013 (Mon)

Squats
45x5x3
135x5
225x3
315x2
335x1
355x5x5*

1: http://youtu.be/0DRQjraqyQA
2: http://youtu.be/0ij-lFjQRq0
3: http://youtu.be/FeR_yhOYYyQ
4: http://youtu.be/pMCrZT2tjPg
5: http://youtu.be/Ncj0UT9EGB4

Press
45x5x2
95x5
125x3
155x1
173x5x5*

Ribs starting hurting on the third set. Wrapped my chest and pain mostly went away. Focus on driving the weaker left arm hard through to the top, helps keep the bar more even on the way up. See set 4 v. set 5 below:

Set 4: http://youtu.be/oPWtVEiiNtk
Set 5: http://youtu.be/B8R9niRZuRo

Did not get my DLs in again this monday. The volume day is starting to get too long to fit into my short morning. I don't think I can get up much earlier than 5:30am, as it is I get about 5 hours of sleep on nights before a workout. Need either to be more efficient with my time, or may need to go to a 4 day split.

[Nicholas Soleyn]

03/27/2013 (Wed)

Squat
45x10
45x5x2
135x5
225x5
285x5x2*

Bench
45x5x2
95x5
135x5
165x3
185x5x3*

Chins
6-6-5 (red band

[Nicholas Soleyn]

03/29/2013 (Fri)

Squat
45x10
45x5x3
135x5
225x3
315x2
365x1
385x1
395x1
405x1
420x1* (PR)

http://youtu.be/o729qUYf33A

Why the singles? I sometimes forget that I am actively, if not dramatically, dieting and am doing this high-volume program on a caloric deficit. I have been finding 5's on ID to be nearly impossible, as I run out of gas after the 3rd rep at anything over 385. So far in the past 6 weeks I have lost only about 7#'s, but my BF% is trending about 2% lower and have noticeably become leaner. BF% says 24.5 right now (measured electronically). Would like that to be in the 20% range. Until then, I will probably have to settle with slow, if any, gains and just suck it up for now.

Press
45x5x2
95x5
135x3
155x2
175x1
195x3* (PR)

http://youtu.be/I_gHfofmL1Q

Felt good, except ribs hurting again, a little bit. Tried to go for more than 3 reps but it wasn't there. Still, progress has been decent on the presses.

Deadlift
135x5x2
225x5
315x3
365x1
415x5*
475x1
Still on a deload (down from ~445x5)
http://youtu.be/ROGDd1mDvzw (not the best pulls ever)