Rojas Training Journal

[Mike_Rojas]

Thanks beast.

Here's a pic from today:

 

[tad69]

Damn Mike! Triceps are getting huge!!!

 

[revexrevex]

This is truely a chest and triceps of someone who benches over 300 raw

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Thanks brothas - my triceps have really started growing from the high boards and pin presses

 

[thebrute]

lookin like a freak..soon you'll have to take my old handle.."naturalfreak"...awesome shit brotha! tb

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Thanks brute. I wouldn't say I was lookin freaky yet - but that's the goal. Isn't that part of the reason we do this crazy stuff??

 

[thebrute]

Thanks brute. I wouldn't say I was lookin freaky yet - but that's the goal. Isn't that part of the reason we do this crazy stuff??

that's the fuckin idea brotha!! sometimes..crazy fuckin works!! tb

 

[WalkingBeast]

Big fucking triceps! Nice!

 

[Mike_Rojas]

11/12/2003

Squats
225 5x3

SLDL
185 3x5

Ab pulldowns: 4 sets
Misc calf jumps

 

[bigguns15]

Nice tri's

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Re: 11/11/2003

Thanks bigguns!

Decline Bench
warm ups
305x3 (5 pound PR)
275x3
275x3

2 Board
225x3
275x1 (not enough rest)
275x2
275x2

Low Pin Press
225x3
250x1 (not enough rest)
250x3
250x1 (spent)

Rack Lockout (1-2" ROM)
315x1
405x1
485x1 (10 pound PR)
405x3
405x3
405x3

One thing you can say about those rack lockouts is that the beat the crap out of your forearms!

I think my rotator problem is gone. I will continue doing rotator work, though.

I'm freaking sore from that workout today. Chest, shoulders, triceps and even traps.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Here's what I've done the last few days. I've had limited access to my gym.

11/15
Deadlift to 350x1 PR
Tried 365 twice, bombed out a few inches off the ground.

11/17
Bench to 285x1 - I was going for 3
Barely got it. My max is 305, so I was pretty pissed. Need a break from benching

11/18
Squat 225x6

I'm going to cut back to benching once a week. All the board work I've done has improved my lockout considerably, but my strength at the bottom half of the movement needs help.

 

[Zander1983]

More lower back stuff, heavy abdominal work and speed deads/olys will help your deadlift.

Get stuck into floor presses, inclines and lat work in a bench plane. You need to be doing much more rowing than you have been.

After my competition I'll have a similar focus to what I just suggested, because its my weakness too. However, when shirted it might be a different story and become more important for me to focus on the mid-point/lockout, but we'll have to wait and see.

It seems we have identical weaknesses and very similar strengths, although you're not much of a deadlifter until you've hit 400 (j/k bro).

 

[Mike_Rojas]

More lower back stuff, heavy abdominal work and speed deads/olys will help your deadlift.

Get stuck into floor presses, inclines and lat work in a bench plane. You need to be doing much more rowing than you have been.

After my competition I'll have a similar focus to what I just suggested, because its my weakness too. However, when shirted it might be a different story and become more important for me to focus on the mid-point/lockout, but we'll have to wait and see.

It seems we have identical weaknesses and very similar strengths, although you're not much of a deadlifter until you've hit 400 (j/k bro).

I'll get to 400 soon. I agree with the points you brought up, especially about rowing. Thanks borlie.

 

[thebrute]

I'll get to 400 soon. I agree with the points you brought up, especially about rowing. Thanks borlie.

i would also work on speed bench brutha..u and zander since u both have the same weakness there. and i agree with zander..you not a puller until u hit 400!! tb

 

[delldell2]

Have you been doing low reps on bench for awhile? You might want to cycle higher reps for 3 weeks.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

11/21/2003

Clean Pulls
135x10,10
185x10,6,6

These I start at my knee level and pull explosively to my upper ab/lower chest area. Edit - I called these power shrugs earlier, but then I realized they were more like clean pulls. Great for the traps.

*********************************
Dips
10,10,8,10

Very little rest between sets (except for last one). Hell of a nice pump. I'm not used to high reps.

*************************************

Barbell Curls
95 3x8

Little sloppy on the last reps

***************************************

1 arm pressdowns with 2 mini-bands
3x10

Bands are great because if they are feeling light, you just adjust your grip a few inches up for more resistance.

*********************************

Face Pulls with 2 mini-bands
3x20

Great for the rear delt area.

************************

Squats
225 5x5

Here is a video Any comments appreciated. I'm slowly increasing the weight while (hopefully) using good form.

**********************************

Edit:
Forget to add Ab Pulldowns w/heavy band
3x15

******************************

HIIT cardio
10 minutes

Alternated jogging with sprinting around my neighborhood. Gotta burn off some fat. It's very hard to run after doing squats.

And thanks for your comments delldell. I think I will cycle in some high reps.

 

[delldell2]

You squat form looks great, but I think you lost a little depth on 2 out of 5 reps. No biggie though.

That's crazy to run after squats. What's your schedule like? You might want to do it on a separate session on the same day or another day.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

You squat form looks great, but I think you lost a little depth on 2 out of 5 reps. No biggie though.

That's crazy to run after squats. What's your schedule like? You might want to do it on a separate session on the same day or another day.

Thanks for the comments, dell. I find it hard to squat to the same depth every rep.

Regarding the running - I learned to do sprints on the same day as I worked lower body. When I did them on a seperate day, I would overtrain badly. I don't want to have sore legs 7 days a week.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

11/24/03

Standing Military Press (strict, full range)
135 5x5

Squat
235 5x3

SLDL
185x10

Ab Pulldowns w/blue band
3x15

 

[Mike_Rojas]

11/26/03

DL: 135x5,5 185x3, 225x1, 275x1, 315x1, 355x1(PR), 365x1(15 pnd PR)

Barbell Row (torso 45 degrees)
135x10, 185x5, 225x4,4 185x10 (Last 3 sets loose form)

Incline Bench with doubled minis
135x5,5 155x5 165x5,5
Working on speed at the bottom

 

[Mike_Rojas]

11/28/2003

High Pull
135x5, 135x5, 185x5, 185x5, 225x4, 225x3

Barbell Shrugs
225x10, 225x10


Decline Bench
135x10, 185x10, 225x10, 225x8

Curls
95x8, 95x8, 95x8

Green Band Pressdowns
8, 8, 8

 

[WalkingBeast]

Re: 11/28/2003

High Pull
135x5, 135x5, 185x5, 185x5, 225x4, 225x3

Barbell Shrugs
225x10, 225x10


Decline Bench
135x10, 185x10, 225x10, 225x8

Curls
95x8, 95x8, 95x8

Green Band Pressdowns
8, 8, 8

Nice routine Mike! Solid fucking lifts too!!!! Keep setting PR's!!!!!!!!!!