Beached Whale Chronicles

[Tblock1]

Dude is that a new deadlift pr? Strong ass deadlift!!!!
I noticed you used a mixed grip with your left hand underhanded, I have been using my right hand underhanded. Are you right or left handed?

 

[Andalite]

Dude is that a new deadlift pr? Strong ass deadlift!!!!
I noticed you used a mixed grip with your left hand underhanded, I have been using my right hand underhanded. Are you right or left handed?

Thanks. The Deadlift is a new PR for me of sorts..

I use both types of grips - left over, right under and right over, left under. If you watch me doing 415x3 (in the video), you'll notice I used right under and left over. I try to use both grip for symmetry and because I don't want to get used to just one type. But, when I lift very heavy weights (like above 96% of my 1RM) I use left under right over which is more comfortable for me.

Actually, here's what my grip looks like:

Warm-ups:
135x7 - hook grip
245x7 - hook grip
295x5 - hook grip
345x3 - left over right under
385x3 - left over right under
Work Sets:
All weights between 415 and 435 are done with left over right under
All weights above 435 are done with right over left under

I am going to spend the next month working a lot with an over-over or hook grip.

 

[Andalite]

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 2
Press Day​

Beginning Thoughts:

This is yesterday's workout. I leave for Bombay in 20 minutes so I'm gonna me this quick...​

Workout:

Incline Close Grip Crazy Bell Bench Press:
155 lbs x 5 reps
175 lbs x 3 reps
195 lbs x 2 reps
215 lbs x FAIL
185 lbs x 2 reps
This was super hard lol...

Dumbbell Rows:
120 lbs x 3 reps x 5 sets

Pull-ups:
BW x 8 reps x 3 sets
Definitely a PR...

Cable Rows:
170 lbs x 10 reps x 3 sets

Weird Ab Exercise:
80 lbs x 6 reps x 3 sets​

Videos:

Press, Rows and Abs:
http://www.ironscene.com/play_hd.php?vid=3511[/url]​

Overall Impression:

Time to go...​

 

[Andalite]

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 2
Squat Day​

Beginning Thoughts:

So I arrived at 5 am today. I slept a lot on the plane...​

Workout:

Overhead Squats:
135 lbs x 5 reps
145 lbs x 5 reps
155 lbs x 4 reps, FAIL on 5th

Front Squats:
225 lbs x 5 reps
255 lbs x 4 reps
265 lbs x 3 reps
Tried to focus on form.

Back Squats:
295 lbs x 5 reps
315 lbs x 5 reps
345 lbs x 1 rep
365 lbs x FAIL because spotter helped my wrists
My goal next week is to get 315x5. That would be AWESOME!

Barbell Static Holds for Grip Work:
295 lbs x 10 seconds Over/Over Grip
205 lbs x 15 seconds x 3 sets Hook Grip

Weird Ab Exercise:
This exercise is damn hard to do on a Smith Machine. I just did some static holds. ​

Videos:

Overhead Squats, Front Squats and Back Squats:
IronScene | Powerlifting Videos​

Overall Impression:

I had a Pizza today. First time in 4 months. My replacement for Tacos I guess....​

 

[Andalite]

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 2
Pistol Squat Day​

Beginning Thoughts:

Eating too much shit....I might end up putting on a lot of fat if I'm not careful or if I haven't already. I had a Pizza for the first time in 4 months and I followed that with 2 burgers and a shitload of coke. Awesome.​

Workout:

Pistol Squats:
3 + 3 + 3 + = 12 reps
MUCH better form than last week.

Pull-ups:
(BW + 20 lbs x 2 reps x 5 minisets) x 4 sets
Total Reps = 40
This destroyed me. I wasn't gonna do my 4th set but I decided to anyway. I got Cluster Set #4 on record.

Pallof Press:
17.5 kgs x 12 reps
20.0 kgs x 12 reps
22.5 kgs x 12 reps
25.0 kgs x 12 reps​

Videos:

Pistol Squats & Pull-ups:
IronScene | Powerlifting Videos​

Overall Impression:

I'm gonna eat better tomorrow.​

 

[Tblock1]

Nice dude! Are you in Bombay right now? Your overhead squat form looks pretty good, my form was awful even with 95 lbs! My legs were all bowed in, it was ugly. I'm going to work on them more though.

 

[Andalite]

Nice dude! Are you in Bombay right now? Your overhead squat form looks pretty good, my form was awful even with 95 lbs! My legs were all bowed in, it was ugly. I'm going to work on them more though.

Yup. I am in Bombay at the moment. Thanks, I am still getting back into OH Squats. I took a hiatus for a few months and I am a bit out of my groove still. I keep expecting to be as good as I was before but I am slowly accepting that I simply need to practice more. I can't expect to hit 185 right off the bat - not when it took my 3 months of solid loading and progression planning to hit it in the first place. But thats fine, I'll nail 185 in due time.

I remember two tips which really helped me when I started doing these 8-9 months ago:
1.) Try to pull the bar apart throughout the movement and to keep your shoulder blades pinned together (exactly how you do on the bench press)
2.) Focus on your hips and not your legs. ALL squatting is from the hips - whether it's front squats or back squats or oh squats. Hips are everything so focus on that.

Hopefully with time you'll get better at them. It took my 3-4 months to get my form down. If you need help with this, let me know. I have gotten my overwight 265 lbs friend to get good at doing them. I am sure I can help you a bit too.

 

[Andalite]

Fall 2009 Training
Mesocycle 16 - Week 3
Deadlift Day​

Beginning Thoughts:

I was in no mood to go train...​

Workout:

Deadlifts:
425 lbs x 1 rep x 3 minisets
405 lbs x 1 rep x 5 minisets
425 lbs x 1 rep x 3 minisets
Ok several things to note here. Firstly, I need to desperately eat better. All I had eaten from 8:00 am till 5:00 pm was 500 grams of chicken and 2 scoops of whey. Secondly, I definitely overestimated my abilities here. I was supposed to take my 3RM and knock out 2 clusters of 5 reps each. However, I have never done clusters on Deadlifts before and they whooped my ass. Next time I am going to take 415 and stick to the plan. Lastly, this is a battle of the mind. You have to mentally go through the set.

Side Plank Rows:
Black Band x 30 seconds x 3 sets
Black Band + White Band x 30 seconds x 3 sets​

Videos:

Deadlifts:
IronScene | Powerlifting Videos​

Overall Impression:

Initially I was pretty disappointed with myself regarding this workout. But then I decided to take this as a learning experience. I've never done clusters before and this gives me something to work towards in the near future.​

 

[JDid23]

we all have shitty days from time to time man.. you looked distraught after your last cluster set sitting down lol.. how is your gym in bombay? the gym at your college i assume (trinity?) looked awesome from what i've seen from your videos.

 

[Andalite]

we all have shitty days from time to time man.. you looked distraught after your last cluster set sitting down lol.. how is your gym in bombay? the gym at your college i assume (trinity?) looked awesome from what i've seen from your videos.

I was distraught. I don't like the octagonal shaped plates....they really put me off and I'm not used to resetting my feet after each rep when the plates bang down unevenly.

My gym in Bombay is better than most - I could go to Golds and such but I get what I need in this gym. I need a bunch of plates and a powercage and so I am set. Gold's doesn't have a powercage - only half cages and they also have the same gay ass octagonal shaped plates. So I settled for something which costs me $10 for a month versus $40 at Golds.

My gym at Trinity is definitely heavenly. When I make a lot of money and I own a home gym, my goal is to make it like Trinity's on steroidzzz