APF Southern CA Push-Pull Training Log

[Kroncke]

Hello, my fellow forum members.

I have decided to re-enter the realm of competitive powerlifting on September 16 by entering the APF Southern California Push-Pull meet.

My 2 main goals for this journal are as follows:

1. Log my workouts for my own critical review and the critical reviews offered by other forum members.

2. Motivate myself to eat a clean, nutrient dense diet and to not drink during my preparations.

Please, feel free to comment on my log entries and to provide me with whatever positive, critical input you feel could aid me in my endeavor.

Kroncke

 

[Kroncke]

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

I will begin my log with my workout from yesterday . . .

Heavy Triceps/Arms/Cardio Day

1. close-grip bench press
45x10
135x5
185x5
225x5

275x5
295x3
315x2 all-time PR!!!
225x10
(all-time volume PR also!!!)

Notes: I missed a 315 close-grip bench press a few weeks ago by about an inch or so, so this felt great! I had not expected to go this heavy, but my training partner for this workout pushed me hard.

2. EZ-curl bar extensions
75x12
95x12
125x8 w/2 assisted reps

3. Hammer Strength dip press
180x12
270x12
360x6 assisted reps

4. EZ-curl bar curls (warm-up): 65x15

5. preacher curls:
75x6
125x6
145xpop!
75x10

Note: On the descent with 145 I felt a pop in my left wrist. A strong flow of blood followed and I thought I had seriously injured myselft. But my mobility was/is not limited and, luckily, the inflammation is only slight. I finished with 75x10 to get some blood in my forearms.

6. StepMill: 20 min. interval (5 min. level 10/5 min. l7/5 min. l10/5 min. l5)

Note: This session kicked my ass!

All-in-all, a good workout.

Kroncke

 

[s8nlilhlpr2]

I would consider dropping all the "extra" work until after your meet. You felt a "pop" doing preacher curls? I'd alternate a pressing workout, followed by a pushing workout personally. I'd push some box squats to help break the weight off the floor for deadlift, and some grip work.


Correct me if I'm wrong, you'll be benching and deadlifting?

 

[Kroncke]

I would consider dropping all the "extra" work until after your meet. You felt a "pop" doing preacher curls? I'd alternate a pressing workout, followed by a pushing workout personally. I'd push some box squats to help break the weight off the floor for deadlift, and some grip work.


Correct me if I'm wrong, you'll be benching and deadlifting?

I see your point on the extra work. After close-grip bench presses, I would normally just do band pushdowns and hammer curls, but this was my first time training with this certain training partner.

I also feel you on the box squats for breaking the weight off the floor for the deadlift. I do box squats that are below parallel for just this reason.

The pop I felt was due to the inability of my left wrist to support the zealous weight that my partner was motivating me to use. Like I mentioned earlier, I would normally have done hammer curls, or possibly dumbbell curls, for sets of 8-10 reps.

Thanks for the input.

Kroncke

 

[Kroncke]

Friday.

Back/Rear Delts/Cardio

1. supported T-bar rows
45x10
90x10
135x6
160x6
180x6 (w/straps)

2. close-grip pulldowns
130x10
160x8
190x8
220x8 (w/straps)

3. bent-over raises
25x10
30x10
35x10

4. StepMill: 20 min. intervals

Kroncke

 

[Kroncke]

Yesterday.

Deadlift Day

1. completely raw deadlifts (no belt, suit or briefts)
135x10
225x5
315x5
405x3

455x1
495x1
545x1 all-time PR!!!
565x0

Note: 545 was my goal for the day and I should have called it there, but I became over zealous and attempted 565. I couldn't even budge it off the ground. Though, still a great deadlifting day.

2. reverse hyperextensions
200x10
300x3x10

3. Roman chair sit-ups
bwx15
bw+10 behind-headx3x15

Kroncke

 

[Kroncke]

[WORK IN PROGRESS]

I feel the need to formulate a cohesive training split. So here it goes . . .

Sunday: Off

Monday: Maximum Effort Deadlift Day

1. ME Deadlift movement

A. deadlifts: 3x5, 3x3, 3x1; or speed deadlifts: 75%x5x1
B. bent-knee good mornings: 3x5 or 3x3
C. rack deadlifts: 3x5, 3x3 or 3x1

I will attempt to set new PRs each week and I will attempt each lift with or without a belt.

2. horizontal pulling movement

A. T-bar rows: 3x6-10
B. barbell rows: 3x6-10
C. DB rows: 3x6-10

3. vertical pulling movement

A. neutral-grip pulldowns: 3x8-10
B. close-grip pulldowns: 3x8-10
C. pulldowns: 3x8-10

4. reverse hyperextensions: 3x10

5. Roman chair sit-ups: 3x10-20

Tuesday: Off

Wednesday: Maximum Effort Close-Grip Bench Press Day

1. ME Close-Grip Bench Press movement

A. cg bench press: 3x5, 3x3, 3x1; or speed close-grip bench press: 75%x5x3
B. cg floor press: 3x5, 3x3 or 3x1
C. cg decline bench press: 3x5, 3x3 or 3x1

2. triceps movement

A. EZ-curl bar extensions: 3x8-10
B. decline EZ-curl bar extensions: 3x8-10
C. incline EZ-curl bar extensions: 3x8-10

3. band pushdowns: 3x10

4. biceps movement

A. barbell curls: 3x8-10
B. preacher curls: 3x8-10
C. DB curls: 3x8-10

5. forearms movement

A. preacher hammer curls: 3x8-10
B. hammer curls: 3x8-10
C. reverse barbell curls: 3x8-10

Thursday: Off

Friday: Speed Squat Day

1. box squats: 75%x5x2

2. quadriceps movement

A. front squats: 3x8-10
B. hack squats: 3x8-10
C. lunges: 3 trips

3. hamstrings movement

A. pullthroughs: 3x8-10
B. stiff-legged deadlifts: 3x8-10
C. stiff-legged good mornings: 3x8-10

4. calves movement

A. standing calf raises: 3x10-15
B. seated calf raises: 3x10-15
C. one-leg calf raises: 3x10-15

5. reverse hyperextensions: 3x20

Saturday: Speed Bench Press Day

1. speed bench press: 50%x5x3

2. chest movement

A. wide-grip bench press: 3x5
B. incline bench press: 3x5
C. decline bench press: 3x5

3. delts movement

A. dumbbell military press: 3x6-10
B. military press: 3x6-10

4. rear delts movement

A. band high rows: 3x10
b. band backhands: 3x10

5. cable crunches: 3x10-20

 

[Kroncke]

Yesterday.

Close-Grip Bench Press Day

1. close-grip bench press
45x10
135x2x5
185x5
225x5

275x5
295x3
315x2.5 (Damn it!)
225x12 PR!

Note: Well, I missed 315x3 by half a rep, but at least I showed some progress over last week. The 225x12 is a 2 rep burnout PR, so that's at least good.

2. overhead dumbbell extensions
40x10
60x10
80x10

3. band pushdowns
3x15

4. hammer curls
30x10
40x10
50x10

Note: 50x10 was heavy. A bit of body English was employed during the set.

Kroncke

 

[Kroncke]

Here's my new training split:

Monday: Maximum Effort Deadlift Day

Week 1: deadlifts: 3x5
Week 2: speed deadlifts: 75% of 1 RMx5x3
Week 3: bent-knee good mornings: 3x5
Week 4: speed deadlifts: 75%x5x3
Week 5: rack deadlifts: 3x5
Week 6: speed deadlifts: 75%x5x3
Week 7: deadlifts: 3x3
Week 8: speed deadlifts: 75%x5x3
Week 9: bent-knee good mornings: 3x3
Week 10: speed deadlifts: 75%x5x3
Week 11: rack deadlifts: 3x3
Week 12: speed deadlifts: 75%x5x3

Assistance Work

Workout A
1. straight-leg good mornings: 3x10
2. reverse hyperextensions: 3x10
3. Roman-chair sit-ups: 3x10

Workout B
1. overhand power shrugs: 3x5 (w/straps)
2. reverse hyperextensions: 3x10
3. Roman-chair sit-ups: 3x10

Tuesday: Off

Wednesday: Bench Press Day

Week 1: bench press: 3x5
Week 2: speed bench press: 75%of 1 RMx5x3
Week 3: decline bench press: 3x5
Week 4: speed bench press: 75%x5x3
Week 5: floor press: 3x5
Week 6: speed bench press: 75%x5x3
Week 7: bench press: 3x3
Week 8: speed bench press: 75%x5x3
Week 9: decline bench press: 3x3
Week 10: speed bench press: 75%x5x3
Week 11: floor press: 3x3
Week 12: speed bench press: 75%x5x3

Assistance Work

Workout A
1. wide-grip bench press: 3x5
2. lateral raises: 3x10
3. hammer curls: 3x10
4. band pushdowns: 3x15

Workout B
1. close-grip bench press: 3x5
2. military press: 3x10
3. barbell curls: 3x10
4. band pushdowns: 3x15

Thursday: Off

Friday: Squat Day

Week 1: speed box squats: 75% of 1 RMx5x3
Week 2: squats: 3x8
Week 3: speed box squats: 75%x5x3
Week 4: box squats: 3x8
Week 5: speed box squats: 75%x5x3
Week 6: squats: 3x5
Week 7: speed box squats: 75%x5x3
Week 8: box squats: 3x5
Week 9: speed box squats: 75%x5x3
Week 10: squats: 3x3
Week 11: speed box squats: 75%x5x3
Week 12: box squats: 3x3

Assistance Work

Workout A
1. glut-ham raises: 3x10
2. standing calf raises: 3x10
3. reverse hyperextensions: 3x10

Workout B
1. pullthroughs: 3x10
2. seated calf raises: 3x10
3. reverse hyperextensions: 3x10

Saturday: Back/Rear Delts/Abs

Workout A
1. T-bar rows: 3x10
2. close-grip pulldowns: 3x10
3. backhands: 3x15
4. side bends: 3x15

Workout B
1. barbell rows: 3x10
2. pulldowns: 3x10
3. band high rows: 3x15
4. side bends: 3x15

Sunday: Off

 

[Kroncke]

After an extended break visting my Father in Minnesota, I got back to lifting this last Saturday. I'm not going to be able to do the meet for which I began this log, but this has in no way affected my fervor.

I have set me sights on a 405# bench press and a 605# deadlift.

My old lifting partner just returned from Iraq a month or so ago, and it is also my intention to best him on both lifts also (there is nothing like a little competition to boost your lifts).

Kroncke