New Squat Technique

In the interest of saving my elbows after heavy squats I am changing my set up. A wide grip should do the trick. Also, so I don't grasp the bar too tightly I am putting my pinky under the bar instead of wrapping it around the bar with the other fingers. Felt pretty good.

Warm Up
Double Leg Swings and Extra Stretching.

New Squat Set Up
WG Squats (new set up) - bar/8 reps, bar/8 reps, 135lbs/6 reps, 135lbs/4 reps, 135lbs/4 reps, 225lbs/4 reps, 225lbs/4 reps, 315lbs/1 rep, 315lbs/1 rep, 365lbs/1 rep.

Deadlifts
Deadlifts - 315lbs/4 reps, 5 sets/1 rep/405lbs.

Today was a great training day. Even with the recent adductor the new technique felt good even at 365lbs. I really liked forcing the bar with my upper back only instead of pressing with my back and arms. I also put on my Santa t-shirt for training today as it is Christmas. Merry Christmas.

Snowdaddy

Adductor Problems

Last year this time I was plagued with an adductor tear problem. I would rest it and come back slowly but it would flare up as soon as I went heavy. Well, its back again.

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Squats - bar (20kg)/10 paused reps, 75kg/4 reps, 75kg/4 reps, 125kg/4 reps, 155kg/2 reps.

Power Phase
Squats - 4 sets/1 rep/175kg, 1 set/1 rep/185kg.

"Tweak"!!! Now my work out is done. I have been very sedentary lately and I think that is the problem. during the summer I was walking a lot and I think that must have strengthened those support muscles. Time to start walking again. But, its so cold!!!

Snowdaddy

Deadlifts

Not really feeling it today. The Christmas season is soon upon us and my mind is else where. Work is becoming a pain in the butt and I am working over the holidays. Because I can't work out at home (too cold) I am bringing my squat stands into work where we have a small gym with just enough Olympic plates to have fun. Today I "picked things up and put things down".

Warm Up
Paused Squats - 60kg/8 reps, 60kg/8 reps, 100kg/4 reps, 100kg/4 reps.
Deadlifts - 125kg/4 reps, 175kg/1 rep.

Working Sets
Deadlifts - 5 sets/1 rep/215kg (first two sets sumo in gear nxg)
Deadlifts - 3 sets/1 rep/175kg.

Like I said, nothing special. I spent a lot of time chatting with my good buddy Al B. At the begining of the work out I was trying out squats with a collar to collar wide grip on the barbell in an effort to reduce the pressure on my elbows during squats. I liked the way they felt but it is difficult unracking and racking the weights in a power rack. I pinched my hand once. I know, waaaaaa. Squatting with the stands will allow me to bring them in a bit and it will no longer be an issue.

Snowdaddy

Bench Press

I need to take a day of rest between Squats and Bench Press. My elbows today were bothering me so much I had trouble finishing the work out. I am pleased with my performance dispite the painfull elbows.

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Foam Rolling Back.
Bench Press - 60kg/12 reps, 60kg/12 reps, 100kg/10 reps, 140kg/4 reps.

Power Phase
Bench Press - 6 sets/1 rep/150kg.

Pump Phase
Bench Press - 6 sets/5, 5, 4, 5, 4, 4 reps/100kg + light bands.

WG Lat Pull Downs - 2 sets/6 reps/190lbs.

Lowing the weight was agony. the last few inches before touching my chest with the bar was very distracting. Although not any where near my strongest bench work out I am feeling better and every Power Phase rep felt very easy and controlled.

Snowdaddy

Squats

I am really enjoying Squatting in gear lately. Yesterday I tried a size 50 Titan Centurion but with NXG+ material, not the size 52 Super Centurion I normally wear. The NXG+ is much softer and very comfortable. Or, at least as comfortable as a squat suit can get.

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Paused Squats - 60kg/8 reps.
Rolling Legs.
Squats - 60kg/6 reps, 100kg/6 reps, 140kg/3 reps.

Power Phase
Squats (no knee sleeves, no belt) - 180kg/1 rep.
Squats (with knee sleeves and belt) - 200kg/1 rep.
Squat Suit - 210kg/3 reps, 230kg/1 rep, 250kg/1 rep, 255kg/1 rep.

Pump Phase
Squats (no belt, no knee sleeves) - 4 sets/3 reps/100kg.

Showered then off to work. Supper was left over turkey. Yummy!!! Feeling good.

Snowdaddy

Deadlifts

Split down from work a bit early today for some Deadlifts. More fun with gear.

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Paused Squats - 135lbs/6 reps, 135lbs/6 reps.
Deadlifts - (Sumo) 225lbs/6 reps, 315lbs/3 reps, (conv) 405lbs/2 reps.

Power Phase
Deadlifts - 475lbs/1 rep (classic conventional).
Sumo Deadlifts in Gear (Superior Suit NXG+) - 5 sets/1 rep/475lbs.

Pump Phase
Conventional Deadlifts (classic) - 4 sets/3 reps/315lbs.

Feeling good even though this week has been a bit crazy.

Snowdaddy

Bench Press

This training day was not at home or at the 17 Wing Strength Club. I have been deployed and I am located at an undisclosed northern location. I will be able to post pictures later but until then I will just be able to post on the lifts.

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Bench Press - 135lbs/12 reps, 135lbs/12 reps, 225lbs/6 reps.

Power Phase
Bench Press - 8 sets/1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1 reps/315lbs.

Pump Phase
Bench Press - 6 sets/6 reps/225lbs.

Extra Stuff
Cable Triceps Extensions - 4 sets/12 reps/various weights.
Hammer Strength Lat Pull Down Machine - 4 sets/8 reps/90, 180, 270, 180lbs.

I really liked the Pump Phase today. They were very dynamic with good speed. Working out at a commercial gym today meant that I was subject to the many weirdo's that work out there. One gym was doing 1/4 dips and pull ups and crashing the stand against the wall with every rep. I could hear him over my head phones. Hopefully I will scare away these geeks when I do Deadlifts next work out.

Snowdaddy

Deadlifts

Off to the 17 Wing Strength Club for some fun and games. What I mean is DEADLIFTS!!!

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Squats - 60kg/6 reps.
Quad Rolling.
Squats - 60kg/6 reps.
Sumo Deadlifts - 75kg/6 reps, 115kg/3 reps, 155kg/1 rep.

Power Phase
Sumo Deadlifts in gear (NXG) - 205kg/1 rep, 205kg/1 rep, 245kg/1 rep, 245kg/1 rep.
Conventional Deadlifts (classic) - 245kg/1 rep.

Speed Work
Deadlifts (2 sumo, 4 conv) - 6 sets/1 rep/150kg.

Extra Stuff
WG Lat Pull Downs - 2 sets/8 reps/190lbs.
Bent Over Dumbbell Rows - 1 set/8 reps/105lbs.
Cable Press Downs - 2 sets/12 reps/100, 120lbs.

It was a good Deadlift day and I feel better for it.

Snowdaddy

Squats

Oops I missed posting a work out from Tuesday.

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Squats - 60kg/8 reps
Rolling Legs
Squats - 60kg/6 reps, 100kg/6 reps, 140kg/3 reps.

Power Phase
Squats - 3 sets/1 rep/180kg, 2 sets/1 rep/190kg.

Pump Phase
OH Squats - 3 sets/6 reps/bar.

My elbows were really bothering me and I was distracted by some crappy FB posts. I guess I'm too sensitive. At least I got under the bar. Next week will be better for sure.

Snowdaddy

Bench Press

I suffered through Bench Press today. My elbows were bothering me after Squats yesterday. Today they really were aching. I grit my teeth and hammered through a pretty good work out.

Warm Up
Shoulder Rotations and Stretching
Bench Press - bar/12 reps, 60kg/12 reps, 60kg/8 reps, 100kg/6 reps, 140kg/4 reps.

Power Phase
Bench Press - 5 sets/1 rep/150kg.

Pump Phase
Bench Press (with light bands) - 6 sets/4 reps/100kg +light bands.

In an effort to try to keep my elbows warmed up I also did the following.

Barbell Curls (just bar) - 4 sets/12, 16, 20, 12 reps.

Lowering the last few inches with the bar to my chest was agony. The Pump Phase was light and was fun. I concentrated on speed and pressed the four reps as fast as possible. I would like to do the Pump Phase like this from now on. Lets see if I remember this for next week.

Snowdaddy

Bench Press and Deadlift

A busy week meant I had to get in my training on Saturday. It was also the RBC Sports Day in Canada and other clubs on the Wing were putting on presentations. So, I put on a "Try Powerlifting" class. No one showed up which gave me three hours to work out. Lots of time to hit Bench Press and Deadlift.

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Bench Press - 60kg/12 reps, 60kg/12 reps, 100kg/8 reps, 140kg/3 reps.

Power Phase
Bench Press - 2 sets/1 rep/150kg, 4 sets/1 rep/155kg.

Pump Phase
Bench Press (minus light bands) - 3 sets/4, 5, 5 reps/155kg (minus light bands ~ 15kg to 25kg)


Deadlifts
Sumo Deadlifts - 70kg/6 reps, 120kg/6 reps.
Sumo Deadlifts in Titan Superior Suit NXG+ - 170kg/1 rep, 210kg/1 rep, 250kg/1 rep, 250kg/1 rep.

Extra Stuff
Kettle Bell Swings - 25lbs/12 reps, 35lbs/12 reps.
Lat Pull Downs - 170lbs/8 reps, 190lbs/8 reps, 190lbs/8 reps, 210lbs/4 reps.

Today is a day later and I feel great! I thought I might feel sore but I don't. Tomorrow I want to Squat. Feeling Great!!!

Snowdaddy

Squats in Gear

The gear is feeling better. My Squat Suit felt very comfortable and I was able to concentrate on fundementals. The big one was my stance and spreading the floor. Depth is still a problem and all my Squats were high.

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Squats - 70kg/8 reps, 70kg/4 reps, 110kg/4 reps, 150kg/1 rep, 190kg/1 rep.

Squat Suit
190kg/3 reps, 230kg/2 reps, 250kg/2 reps, 260kg/1 rep.

I am very happy with these numbers as my best equipped Squat in competition is 265kg. 190kg for 1 rep was easier than it has been in quite some time. Next week I will give the gear a break and work my raw singles and Pump Phase. Fun!!!

Snowdaddy

Deadlifts

Since the gear has been working so good for Squats why not try it for Deadlifts. I have an old, unused Titan Deadlift suit. I believe it is NXG material but certainly not NXG+ or Super. What a trip!!!

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Paused Squats - 60kg/8 reps
Sumo Deadlifts - 160kg/1 rep.

Power Phase
at this time I put on my suit and the fun begins
Sumo Deadlifts (Titan Deadlift Suit NXG) - 160kg/1 rep, 200kg/1 rep, 240kg/1 rep, 255kg/1 rep.

Pump Phase
Conventional Deadlifts (no suit) - 4 sets/4 reps/160kg.

I believe that with a more agressive suit I would have pulled over 600lbs today. There are several things I need to work on as far as technique goes.

• Reach down for the bar and don't bend over.
• Engage the lats more.
• Push knees out and sit back into the pull.
• Keep head and shoulders upright and behind the bar.

I will play more as time goes on and perfect the Sumo Deadlift.

Snowdaddy

Bench Press

Over to the Base gym today for some Bench Press before going to work. I am saddened that my home gym is not insulated and is way too cold to lift safely. Pressing went well today. Not my strongest work out but my Bench has been lacking lately.

Warm Up
Shoulder Rotations
Stretching
Bench Press - 135lbs/12 reps, 225lbs/12 reps, 275lbs/5 reps, 315lbs/2 reps.

Power Phase
Bench Press - 5 sets/1 rep/335lbs.

Pump Phase
Bench Press (Titan RAM) - 3 sets/4, 5, 6 reps/335lbs minus Titan RAM.

Extra Fun Stuff
Bent Over Dumbbell Rows - 2 sets/10 reps/95, 105lbs.
High Cable Pulls - 2 sets/12 reps/80, 100lbs.
Cable Triceps Extensions - 2 sets/12 reps/80, 100lbs.

Really enjoyed today's pump. Tomorrow I will be busy and can't train. Thursday it is time for Deadlift!!!

Sowdaddy

Squats

Another great Squat work out. The gear is fitting well and working good.

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Squats - 70kg/8 reps, 70kg/6 reps, 110kg/4 reps, 150kg/2 reps, 190kg/1 rep.

Time to gear up.
Squats (straps down) - 190kg/3 reps, 210kg/3 reps. (straps up) - 230kg/2 reps, 250kg/1 rep, 230kg/2 reps.

Squats - 150kg/2 reps, 150kg/3 reps.

At this point I had a meeting for the 17 Wing Powerlifting competition. I am very pleased with the 250kg squat today. It was definitely legal depth. I am enjoying the gear... or at least my squat suit.

Snowdaddy

Bench Press Mess

I sure made a mess out of Bench Press this week. A cold garage kept me from benching and a failed attempt last night made things difficult at work today. At least I moved a bit of weight.

Last Night
Stretching.
Bench Press - 135lbs/12 reps, 135lbs/12 reps, 225lbs/10 reps, 315lbs/2 reps, 365lbs/miss.

I was cold in the garage. The air temperature was about -10 degC. I just couldn't warm up properly.

Today At Work
Stretching.
Bench Press - 135lbs/12 reps, 135lbs/12 reps, 225lbs/10 reps, 315lbs/2 reps, 315lbs/2 reps, 315lbs/1 rep, 315lbs/1 rep, 315lbs/1 rep. 225lbs/10 reps.

Not much to tell. Busy day at work. I'm fatigued. I need some rest. I don't want to rest. Squats on Sunday were great and I wish I could ride the wave. I will try and keep motivated and see what happens.

Snowdaddy

Squats

Feeling inspired by the 2014 IPF World Powerlifting Championships, Squats today felt amazing and I even brought along my squat suit to give it a try. It has been several years since I wore it and I was very surprised with my performance.

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Back Foam Rolling.
Squats - 60kg/8 reps, 60kg/4 reps, 100kg/6 reps, 140kg/3 reps, 180kg/2 reps.

Power Phase
Squats (squat suit, knee sleeves, and belt) - 180kg/3 reps (straps down), 200kg/3 reps, 220kg/2 reps, 240kg/1 rep, 250kg/1 rep (a bit high).

Pump Phase
Squats (knee sleeves and belt) - 4 sets/4, 3, 3, 3 reps/140kg.

What an amazing work out. Maybe there will be new hope for my geared lifting. Maybe.

Snowdaddy

Deadlifts

Came into work early for some Deadlifts. They felt good today.

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Squats - 135lbs/6 reps, 135lbs/6 reps.
Deadlifts - 225lbs/6 reps, 315lbs/6 reps, 405lbs/4 reps.

Power Phase
Deadlifts - 5 sets/1 rep/495lbs.

Pump Phase
Deadlifts (with light bands) - 4 sets/3, 4, 5, 4 reps/315lbs+light bands.

Core Work
Ab Wheel - 3 sets/6, 6, 8 reps.

A good, not great, Deadlift work out. I wanted to pull just over 500lbs but thick pumper plates kept me from putting any more weight on the bar. Oh well, it still felt good. The Pump Phase I drapped a light band over the bar and stepped on it. Nothing off the floor but lots at the top. A few weeks ago I tried out an ab wheel at home and I might have pulled a muscle in my tummy. Today they felt much better and I really like them.

Snowdaddy

Bench Press

On Tuesday I bundled up and went into the garage for some Bench Press. I also watched Transformers. Fun.

Warm Up
Light Stretching.
Bench Press - 135lbs/12 reps, 135lbs/12 reps, 225lbs/10 reps, 315lbs/5 reps.

Power Phase
Bench Press - 5 sets/1 rep/365lbs. Missed last single "DAMN!!!"

Pump Phase
Bench Press - 4 sets/4, 5, 6, 4 reps/225lbs+120lbs Chain.

Extra Stuff
High Cable Pulls - 4 sets/12 reps/40kg.

365lbs this week felt much heavier than last week. The Pump Phase was fun using the chains. The high cable pulls are something new but they really felt good. Nice upper back pump.

Snowdaddy

Squats

Went into the base a couple hours early today for some Squats. I didn't work out at the Strength Club. I wanted to freak out the public in the main gym. Fun!!!

Warm Up
Leg Swings and Stretching.
Squats - bar/6 reps, 135lbs/8 reps, 135lbs/6 reps, 225lbs/4 reps, 315lbs/2 reps.

Power Phase
Squats (with belt and knee sleeves) - 3 sets/1 rep/405lbs, 3 sets/1 rep/425lbs.

Pump Phase
Squats (with light bands) - 2 sets/2 reps/425lbs minus light bands, 3 sets/4, 5, 6 reps/315lbs minus light bands).

Squats are feeling good again. 425lbs is feeling controlled and would be an easy opener if I was competing. Now I'm at work and I feel like I could eat a whole cow. Come on supper!!!

Snowdaddy