Marine Gets Stronger...

[Grant Broggi]

Starting a new log as I'm switching my training protocols a bit. While deployed I was fortunate enough to have access to weights and ran the TM 4 day split as outlined in PPST3, you can view the old log here

My top PRs before returning home in August were:
Squat:465
Bench Press: 355
Press: 235
Deadlift: 505
If you peruse the old log I believe I have videos for each one of those.

Now that I'm back and in a regular Marine Corps training environment I'm having to work around field exercises and other requirements; my goal here is to show that you can still get stronger with some hard work and thoughtful programming.

73", 222lbs, 15% Bodyfat (as per USMC taping). I use weight x reps x sets.

While on leave my first few weeks back in the US my training was all over the place. Decided to get back on track by running the SS Linear Progression again, currently running the advanced novice version with a plan to ultimately switch to Starr's HML. Here's what the last month has looked like:

9/2 (Tues): Squat 335x5x3, Press 175x5x3, Deadlift 415x5, Chins BWx10x3
9/5 (Fri): Squat 345x5x3, Bench 280x5x3, Deadlift 425x5, RDLs 225x10x3
9/8 (Mon): Squat 355x5x3, Press 180x5x3, Power Clean: 205x3,215x3,225x3,235x3,245x3
9/10 (Wed): Squat 365x5x3, Bench 282.5x5x3, Deadlift 435x5, Chins BWx10x3
9/12 (Fri): Squat 370x5x3, Press 185x5x3, Cleans 275, 285, 300 (PR), 315 (fail),
Chins: 32x5x3

Leave Over, start of conditioning work:
9/15 (Mon): Squat 375x5x3, Bench 285x5x3, RDLs 245x10x3
9/16 (Tues): Prowler, 90lbsx30mx10 - total time: 9:15
9/17 (Wed): Squat 380x5x3, Press 187.5x5x3, Deadlift 445x5
9/18 (Thurs): Hill Sprints, 50m, Every 3 minutes, Total time 28minutes
9/19 (Fri): Squat 385x5x3, Bench 287.5x5x3, RDLs 255x10x3, Pullups 36lbsx5x3
9/20 (Sat): Prowler: 100x40mx10 EMOM

9/22 (Mon): Squat 390x5x3, Press 190x5x3, Power Clean 245x3x5
9/23 (Tues): Hill Sprints, 50m, every 3 minutes, Pullups: 10,10,8,2
9/24 (Wed): Squat 395x2, 315x5x2, Bench 290x5x3

Tried to work up to 395 and quickly realized I wasn't going to finish the set, salvaged the workout with two back off sets at 315. Was completely spent after the bench press and skipped pulling. Was a morning lifting session and it just didn't go well.

9/26 (Fri): Squat 395x5x3, Press 192x5x3, Deadlift 455x5
9/27 (Sat): 20 minutes of Prowler work with workout partner, folllowed by Chins, BWx8x5

That catches me up through september, will start posting workouts at the end of each week. For the time being I'm going to try and continue to run SS but with workouts every 72 hours as outlined in the Advanced Novice phase. I've been trying some different things with pulling as you can see, started SLDLs instead of RDLs this week to try and pull a little more weight.

[Grant Broggi]

Last week's training was a little weird because I ended up having to take a trip in the middle of the week, it all kind of worked out though.

9/29 (Mon): Squat 400x5x3, Bench Press: 292x5x3, SLDLs 385x5x3
9/30 (Tues): Prowler 90lbsx40mx10 - started every minute on the minute, total time - 13:15
10/3 (Fri-AM): Squat 405x5x3, Press 193.5 x 4 x 3, Deadlift 455x5, RDLs 275x8x3 - - - PM: Prowler 100x40mx10 - 12:55
Was still able to hit my squats after "missing" thursday, press suffered. Was at work and ran out of room on the bar - so 455 again for deadlift with some RDLs for back offs.
Training was a little off schedule but ended up with a decent week.

[Grant Broggi]

10/6 (Mon): Squat 410x5x3, Bench Press 295x5x3, no time for pulling.
10/7 (Tues): AM - 3mile platoon run, PM: Pwr Cleans: 245x3,265x1,275x1, 285x1 + Jerk, 290 x fail x 2, SLDLs 395x5x3 - wanted to get my pulls in, figured I'd do some heavy pwrs to start.
10/8 (Wed): Platoon circuit course and run, 40min total cardio.
10/9 (Thurs): Squat 415x5x3, Press 194x5, 194x3, 194x4, Deadlift 465x5
10/10 (Fri): Prowler, started EMOM, 100x40mx10, total 12:20, Pullups 40x5x3
10/12 (Sun): Squat 365x1, 395x1, 420x5x3, Press 195x5, 195x4, 194x3, SLDLs 405x5, 365x5x2, Chins BWx10x3

Going to do another week of Press/Bn/Press format leading up to Iron Fest. This week will be interesting, a couple mandatory long runs that I'm going to have to train around plus an upcoming field op. Overall good week, squats have been brutal but somehow I'm still hitting all the reps. Press is slightly stalling but still making progress.

[Grant Broggi]

I had quite the lead up to my first meet, but overall I was happy with the results at October Iron Fest. Details below.

10/13 (Mon): Snatch 2x8, 135,145,155,175,185,190, failed 195 twice. Felt like getting some light pulling in, wasn't a great session. Followed with C2 work: :20on, :40rest x8
10/15 (Wed): Squat 395x1, 425x3, 350x5x2, Bench 297x5x2, 297x4, was working off about 4 hours of sleep, was still able to move up in weight but couldn't get a set of 5 on squats. Did some back off work and then benched. Did not have time to pull.
10/16 (Thurs): Pwr Clean: 225x3, 245x1, 255x1, 265x1, 275x1, 285x1, Deadlift: 475x5, SLDL 315x5x2 Made up for not pulling the day before, good quick session.
10/17 (Fri): Mandatory Marine Corps Staff & O mountain run (climb), 7.6miles in 1:28 - completely wrecked afterwards.
10/19 (Sun): 365x5, 395x5, 430x2, 430x1, 395x5, 365x5, Press 197x5, 200x2, 210x2, 215x1, Deadlift 485x2, SLDL, 405x5, 315x5
I knew I would be out doing a training evolution from Monday - Friday so I wanted to create as much stress as possible before taking week off of training but still hit some new weights. Was still recovering from the run but all things considered it was a decent day.

October Iron Fest - Crossfit Oakland
Finished our field exercise on Friday at about 5pm and was exhausted, went to catch my flight and it was delayed so I didn't get into Oakland until about midnight. The event at Crossfit Oakland was awesome, great atmosphere and people and some great competition. I was a little confused as to what to open with knowing that I had just finished a field exercise for the Marine Corps with little sleep and poor food for 5 days. My goal was to hit PRs on each lift no matter how small.

Squat: opened up at 445 and ended up getting red lighted for not racking the weight properly even though I made the lift. My original plan had to jump to 470 (previous PR was 465) on my second attempt but since I didn't have anything on the books yet I did my second attempt at 455. Second lift felt strong, I thought about getting greedy but decided to just go for 470 and was able to hit it (videos below).

Press: opened with 210 and that was probably too low, second attempt was 225 (good lift) and then tried my third at 237.5 (previous PR was 235). Failed 237.5

Deadlift: opened at 495 which was way to light, jumped to 525 which was a 20lbs PR and then finished at 555 for a tough but good pull.

Finished with a 470/225/555 for a 1250 total - happy considering the circumstances although I would have loved to hit 237.5 on Press. Had a great time, and enjoyed watching the animal Wade who squatted 600lbs!

Squat: http://youtu.be/535fBNd4jvw 470
Press:http://youtu.be/pHkUb17xeos 225 http://youtu.be/Z2sojJo8V-4 237.5
Deadlift: http://youtu.be/fb-oXRtr5y4 555

[Leah Lutz]

Great lifting yesterday!

[ColoWayno]

Nice lifts.

[Grant Broggi]

10/28 (Tues): Squat 405x5, 385x5x2, Bench Press 298.5x5x2, 298.5x5, RDLs 225x10x3

5% Reset from last week following Iron Fest on first set, was able to hit 405 but knew I didn't have any more in me so I did two back offs. Bench Press went well considering I have not been able to train it for about 2 weeks. Lower back was still feeling the effects of Saturday so I just hit some light RDLs. Hoping to have a good full day Thursday.

[Coconut Chris]

Nice lifts. It was cool to warm up squats with you last Saturday, Grant. Sorry I couldn't get you guys a ride on Friday - my friend in SF came down early for the Stanford game, so I had to leave from home in the morning.

Wade was a quiet animal indeed.

[Grant Broggi]

So three days after Iron Fest I decided I would train and see what I could do, played around with the squat and ended up with the following:

10/28 (Tue): Squat 405x5, 385x5x2, Bench Press 298.5x5x2, 298.5x4, RDLs 225x10x3

Squat felt heavy but was able to get three decent sets. Bench Press surprised me, considering I hadn't trained it in over two weeks. Low back wasn't ready for any heavy pulling so I just did some light RDL work.

10/30 (Thurs): Front Squat 225x3, 245x3, 265x3, 275x3, Press 195x5, 195x4, 185x5, Chins BWx10x3

Had a limited amount of time to train so tried to hit a quick workout, front squats and press with 3min rest.

I had the Marine Corps Ball last weekend and was unable to train and then we had a training exercise early in the week. The first time I was able to get back to train was Wednesday coming off of little sleep - rough day.

11/5 (Wed) Squat 365x1, 405x4 (failed 5th), 345x5x3, Press 175x5x3, SLDLs 405x5, 315x5, Chins 45x5x3

I was going to try and replicate the workout from the previous week but I couldn't get the 5th rep up on my first set. Realized I should have probably taken a bigger reset, I went conservative on Press and SLDLs to try and hit everything. Looking for a good training session today.

[Grant Broggi]

11/8 (Sat): Squat, 345x1, 385x5x3, Bench Press 300x3x3, Deadlift 455x4, SLDLs 365x5x2, Chins 50x5x3

11/9 (Sun): C2 - 5K: 20:16