Week 3: Chest Day 1

Today marks the last week of the smolov jr circuit, which is really exciting since that in turn marks the week before new 1RM attempts. I was skeptical of the progress I'd make in 3 weeks, especially with the disappointing first week. It seems like I've been able to keep up with the program, it really comes down to Day 3 and 4 and just grinding through the ridiculously high amount of sets (this past week I only had time to get through 6 of 10..) Regardless of the shortcomings, 275 felt lighter than ever today, and I have high hopes.

Since I haven't really voiced my opinion yet on the differences between Program 1, and the current Program 2, I'll take a few minutes here to list the pro's and cons':

PROS:

1. By happenstance, we initiated the new program with a new, early workout vs. the late afternoon. It has provided the incentive to show up to work a half hour earlier than usual, allowing me to leave around 4:30 every day, as well as free up my afternoon
2. It gives me more time throughout the day to eat, and makes me hungrier earlier. This is a crucial difference from the last program, where eating became a chore.
3. The actual workouts are only a fraction of the time. Before, I was doing about 3 exercises per muscle group, averaging about 15 sets. These workouts are shorter, with about 6-10 sets total.

CONS:

1. These workouts are extremely chest-intensive, and I may be sacrificing accessory work in order to optimize one lift (bench), leaving my shoulders, arms, and any smaller muscles alone. I try to account for this with core work every day, and a high rep workout on leg day, but it may not be enough.
2. Though this workout is less time, it is a 6 day program, which requires my presence in the gym almost every day of the week. I'm about to go out of town, and any thing I do outside of work may affect my program.

Overall I am interested in seeing progress with the smolov circuits, but more so I'm anxious to find out if I can keep up with the coan-phillipi workouts to improve my deadlift. It's supposed to be one brutal day a week, but I've noticed my recovery time is very quick, and it may not be beneficial to wait an entire week before each back day. Once the next couple weeks come, I'll be better able to judge the ramp up.

WEIGHT x REPS x SETS

Barbell flat bench:

• 135 x 10 x 2
• 275 x 6 x 6

Dumbbell bent over row:

• 65 x 15 x 3

Abs:

• leg raise 6", 45*, 90*, 45/90 split, switch, 6" (15 sec increments)
• side plank, lift leg, side plank (15 sec increments)
• belly down plank, left leg raise, right leg raise, plank (15 sec increments)
• switch side plank, lift leg, side plank (15 sec increments)

Week 2: Chest, Day 4

This day we didn't get enough time before work to complete the workout, which was a major bummer. I was starting to feel gassed too, but would have liked to at least attempt the last 4 sets. I can tell it is working, I am really interested to see how next week goes. I'll eat big, and make sure it happens.

WEIGHT x REPS x SETS

Barbell flat bench:

• 135 x 10 x 2
• 320 x 3 x 5
• 320 x 2, 1 asssisted

Week 2: Chest Day 3

Another quick update to the blog for records only.

WEIGHT x REPS x SETS

Barbell flat bench:

• 135 x 10 x 2
• 300 x 4 x 8

I will say this, I am very happy to report that unlike last week, with the proper diet, acclamation to the early workout, and extra few minutes of rest between sets, I hit every rep neeeded.

Week 2: Legs

These next few blog posts will be just the record of the lifts, unfortunately. I have been using the time after work to help with an apartment move, and right now I'm completely immersed in the Olympic games. Go EE.UU!

WEIGHT x REPS x SETS

Barbell squat:

• 135 x 10 x 2
• 185 x 20
• 205 x 20
• 225 x 20 x 2

Leg curls:

• 205 x 15 x 3

Ab leg lifts

Week 2: Chest Day 2

So far, I have mixed feelings about this program. I can handle the first half of the week without a problem (hit every single rep this time), but it becomes a nightmare the last two days. Maybe I'm just conditioned to handle mid-range sets of mid-range reps better, or maybe it's designed to punish everyone the same way. In any case, today's lifts went well. Abs are sore, so I switched to a series of crunches using the machines for a total of 100, all of which hurt.

Simple blog post today, here's the breakdown:

WEIGHT x REPS x SETS

Barbell flat bench:

• 135 x 10 x 2
• 285 x 5 x 7

Dumbbell bent-over row:

• 60 x 15 x 3

Ab machine:

30, 30, 10, 30> 100

Week 2: Back

Due to a series of events outside of the weightroom, our morning lifts have been pushed even morning-er, so this week we start at 7:00am sharp. Luckily, my subconscious (the one responsible for getting me out of bed) has obliged and it has generally improved my productivity, or potential productivity, as well as allow me to log an extra hour to my workday and pick up some sweet sweet OT even with a 5:00 departure.

As well, I feel a lot less nauseous during these morning workouts, so my body must have adapted to expect the early expenditure and subsequent intake of calories. Either way, it seems to be an improvement from the last program.

This week's coan-phillipi routine was successful, and I even worry it seemed too easy. I trust that I am doing enough accessory work in the circuit of SLDL, upright rows, and good mornings, I just hope that once the main sets start to go into uncharted territory I can stick to it. I'll start posting the vids of my main lifts next week.

WEIGHT x REPS x SETS

Barbell deadlift:

• 145 x 10 x 2
• 335 x 2 x 1
• 295 x 3 x 8 (90 sec rest between each set)

Circuit (SLDL/ upright row/ good morning):

• (145 x 8/ 60 x 8/ 90 x 8) x 3

Reverse grip lat pulldown:

• 180 x 8 x 1
• 210 x 8 x 1
• 225 x 5 x 1

Laying belly up, leg lift 6", 45*, 90*, split 45*/90*, alternate split 45*/90* 15 seconds each, x 2

Plank, both feet, left leg up, right leg up, both feet, 15 seconds each x 1

Final thoughts: I am doing a bit of research on proper deadlifting technique and have tried to imagine that instead of lifting up the weight, I am pushing the floor away. It is an interesting method, and once the weight becomes significantly heavy, I'll really have to rely on technique, so I hope to develop the right habits early.

Week 2: Chest Day 1

A full two day's rest does wonders to recuperate, and the start of this second week of Smolov Jr felt strong, not that I'm getting my hopes up. Because of its brutal nature, I am abstaining from any other upper body lifts, and instead focusing more of my research and attention to lower body and core. Yesterday, I got a lazy 3 mile jog in, and added a good 15 minutes worth of stretching afterwards. I am still uncertain about the logistics/ types of stretches to engage in to reduce soreness and improve flexibility. Any help on that would be appreciated!

As well as the upper body, I added a new ab routine that, legend has it, is part of the New England Patriot's regiment. The story  is some Joe Swole was minding his own business, when a random big guy asks if he'd like to join him in a cardio workout. Joe agrees, and inadvertently gets schooled by Jermaine Cunningham (go Gators).  I took what I could from the story, and will incorporate to a greater degree than I did today.

WEIGHT x REPS x SETS

Barbell flat bench:

• 135 x 10 x 2
• 265 x 6 x 6

Rear deltoid fly:

• 135 x 10 x 1
• 150 x 15 x 1
• 165 x 15 x 1

Abs machine:

100 curls

Laying on back(2x):

• Leg lift 6" off floor, 10 seconds
• Leg lift, 45*, 10 seconds
• Leg lift, 90*, 10 seconds
• Leg lift, split left leg 45*/right leg 90*, 10 seconds
• Leg lift, split right leg 45*/left leg 90*, 10 seconds

Laying on stomach (2x):

• Plank, 10 seconds
• Plank, lift left leg, 10 seconds
• Plank, lift right leg, 10 seconds

Final thoughts: As I approach the third week, I'll start filming each set, since I miss throwing some videos up on each post. As far as ab work, I'll extend how long each interval is, and add more sets.

Week 1: Chest Day 4

Alright everybody, listen up. Take all my optimistic views on smolov, and the hopes that I can successfully carry on for another 3 weeks. And disregard. Today I felt like Samson with a buzzcut.

Maybe it was the back to back chest days, or the fact that today we did 10 sets of 3 reps at 85% of my 1rm (ended up being 310lb). Either way, I left the gym a broken man, mentally more than physically. It was exactly like this guy reviewed on his blog:

[using smolov for squats]Okay, if you are new to the idea of grinding out multiple sets with I’m going to die intensity then listen up. Take 5 to 10 minutes between your working sets. Use this time to focus, eat timbits, jiggle your quads, visualize your next set and work yourself into a frenzy before getting under the bar again. Smolov is not a social guy. Actually, he is very anti-social. Actually, he’s the kind of racist who hates every race. He does not like it when you are daydreaming or talking to fellow bros or checking out chicks. He is greedy and demands your full attention. 

 I knew all of this, which is why I felt even more miserable when I couldn't keep up with the routine.  I had to drop the weight 15lb and was still missing my 3rd rep on almost every single set. For shame. Anyways, here is the breakdown, of which I'm obviously pretty disappointed in. Hopefully Week 2 will be a little different:

WEIGHT x REPS x SETS

Barbell flat bench:

• 135 x 10 x 2
• 310 x 3 x 1
• 310 x 2, 1 assisted x 3
• 295 x 2, 1 assisted x 4
• 275 x 3 x 1

Dumbbell bent-over row:

• 40 x 15 x 3

Final thoughts: I wish I could figure out how it is expected to hit 310lb for 3 reps 10 TIMES, but I don't have it yet. I will just eat big, sleep well, and continue next week.

Week 1: Chest Day 3

Four early mornings in a row, yet this time it wasn't as early (8:15). Still, I'm going to keep aiming for a 7:30 workout, with the advice you guys gave me and report back about whether it helped with the fatigue and nausea.  Because of the late start today, I was only able to do the smolov lift, but that alone felt pretty brutal.

Once again, I took progressively longer periods of rest, and I failed on the very last rep (purely mental). That  is really the bread and butter behind this program, and why it works. Despite the exhausting amount of sets, and the high %1rm, the difference is between thinking "I can probably do this" and "I must do this". The day is only a success when I complete each set, and failing on the last rep is my way of postponing the fatigue until it's just too much.

This was the lift today:

WEIGHT x REPS x SETS

Barbell flat bench:

• 290 x 4 x 7
• 290 x 3, (1 assisted) x 1

Final thoughts: I was surprised at the effort I was able to give in the last few sets, especially in cranking out the last rep. I've never hit the sticking point, and succeed, so often. I guess that's really the point in doing so many sets in a row.

Week 1: Legs

Three days of morning workouts in a row, got to be a personal record. And for all the extra time it has allotted me in the afternoons, I am beginning to see a pattern of some drawbacks that also come with this change. For one, as I mentioned before, I have from the time I throw my lunch and work clothes together, through the drive to the gym (about 10 minutes), to scarf down any sort of sustenance to keep me fueled for the workout. Today I got half a cinnamon raisin bagel down before I pulled up, and I felt pretty nauseous throughout. I don't want to blame too much of my fatigue on lack of energy, but it is what it is.

The second downside is that I don't have time to head back home and blend up my revered svunt shake, as I drive straight to work and do a parking-lot deck change before heading in (I'm pretty sure nobody has seen me yet, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was a new rumor about the poor guy at work who lives out of his car). So, this obviously impacts my protein and caloric intake. Convince me otherwise, but I find it difficult to come home nearly 10 hours later and ingest the post-workout shake and expect anywhere near the same results as if I had taken it within 30 minutes of the workout. This issue I hope to find a workaround to (bring a refrigerated pre-blended shake with me in the morning comes to mind), but if you guys have any ideas, I'd love to hear them.

So, as stated, this workout was a little bit uncomfortable, and as the two-day window for maximum DOMS soreness kicked in from deadlifts, I was a bit of a wreck. Main issues were immobility, soreness, fatigue, and nausea, but I think most of these will diminish as the weeks continue. As I pick up running, I'm going to spend some of my down time stretching and trying to add to my hip and knee flexibility.

This is the basic, yet effective, breakdown for leg day:

WEIGHT x REPS x SETS

Barbell squat:

• 135 x 10 x 2
• 225 x 12 x 1
• 245 x 12 x 2

Leg curl:

• 135 x 12 x 3

Ab machine:

• 135 x 75

Final thoughts: I may take the hypertrophic aspect of leg day and do one better; setting the reps to anywhere in the 15 to 20 range. Weight is a secondary priority to form, and I want to really get used to a deep, legitimate technique.

Week 1: Chest Day 2

Two days of morning workouts, and I have noticed a couple things I can do better: eat something before, and bring a water bottle. A good amount of my fatigue comes from the much more strenuous workout, but it doesn't help that my last meal is the dinner 10 hours before.

Today's chest workout went from Day 1's 6x6 at 70% to 7x5 at 75%, and it was a slow, steady battle. Each set required more and more rest, and I was sure I would fail by my fourth, if not fifth set. Right as I began my last set, a perfectly timed 'Tubthumper' started blaring across the gym, but I could still only squeeze out 4 of the last 5 reps. It was a battle, but even when I lost, I won.

Here is the breakdown:

WEIGHT x REPS x SETS

Barbell flat bench:

• 275 x 5 x 6
• 275 x 4, 1 assisted on the last rep

Reverse peck fly:

• 135 x 15 x 1
• 150 x 15 x 1
• 165 x 15 x 1

Abs:

• 75 crunches

Final thoughts: The accessory work from Day 1 (dips) was probably not a good idea, given I only have one rest day between each lift day. I am a little nervous about Day 3, but I'm going to be prepared!

Week 1: Back

This new program was created to focus on the weaknesses of my last program in order to improve. I took that train of thought a bit further, and decided that in order to take fuller advantage of the day, we change the schedule to lift mornings from 7:30-845, as opposed to late afternoon at 5:30-7:00.

First thoughts on the coan-phillipi routine are positive, I was glad to make each lift without difficulty. After gauging people's feedback, I decided to attempt all lifts without straps, and in retrospect I'm glad I did. I have a deep respect for lifters who can handle it without straps, and this program's massive amount of reps will help build grip strength. I will definitely need to take time throughout the week to stretch my legs and back, because it ripped everything to shreds.

Here is the breakdown:

WEIGHT x REPS x SETS

Barbell deadlift:

• 335 x 2 x 1

Barbell speed deadlift (90 sec rest between each set)

• 265 x 3 x 8

Circuit (90 sec rest between sets, 2 min rest between circuit)

     Stiff leg deadlift:

• 185 x 8 x 3

     Upright row:

• 50 x 8 x 3

     Good morning:

• 80 x 8 x 3

Reverse grip lat pulldown:

• 180 x 8
• 195 x 6
• 180 x 8

Ab machine:

• 90 x 40

Final thoughts: The speed deadlifts were light enough to power through, yet began to feel heavy near the end of the 6th, 7th and 8th set. I'm glad to have a week to recuperate, and hope that I can keep up with the progression I set.

Week 1: Chest Day 1

As I prepared for the week ahead, I headed to BJ's for some whole sale sustenance. Being able to prepare mass quantities of food to eat throughout the week saves me tons of time each morning, so I picked up 6 pounds of chicken and a huge pack of frozen veggies, and baked them together to pack in tupperware for lunch. I took an 18 count of eggs, and tossed them all in a pot to hard boil, then zipped 3 to a bag for a bit of breakfast. Picked up a 12-count of oversized muffins, and a 9-count of bagels to vary as my morning carbs. All the prep time on a Sunday night pays off as I take 30 seconds to throw about 2500 calories into my lunchbox.

Aside from the self proclaimed victory at the supermarket, I began day one of the smolov jr program. It was exciting, and I noticed a huge difference in the mental focus between my traditional workout and the endurance required for smolov. Six sets of six reps is deceptively long, and I was taking excessive rest for at least a couple minutes to recompose as much as possible. I believe when following this program it is important to rest up and hit the set no matter how long it takes. Here is the breakdown:

WEIGHT x REPS x SETS

Barbell flat bench:

• 135 x 10 x 1
• 255 (70%) x 6 x 6

Reverse fly:

• 135 x 10
• 150 x 10
• 165 x 10

Dips:

• BW x 15 x 3

Ab pulldown:

• 8 x 15 x 3

Final thoughts: This was a great first day, all sets were successful, and I like the idea of coupling the opposite muscle group so some variation of a rear deltoid exercise will probably coincide with chest work.

Creating Program #2

Background Info

It's been a few weeks since I last posted, and I've been enjoying the extra time off in the evenings. It felt like an actual, physical block of time that I had regained, to spend however I wanted. However, as always, the refreshing time off became routine, and it was starting to feel like time lost when I thought back to what I was doing with those hours in the gym. So, as promised, here is my post detailing the thought process I went through to develop my new program, which should take the next 10 weeks to finish.  I wanted to reflect on the progress I had made, the challenges I faced, and the areas I really felt needed the most improvement.

I finished my last program with a wish-list of items to focus on. After plenty of research, I realized that I could include a rigorous deadlift cycle, without compromising my other two lifts. On the contrary, what I am planning will actually involve no less than FOUR days of bench per week, but more on that later. Recalling the 'pillars' of this program, I want to: monitor my ~4k daily caloric intake, include several days of cardio and core strengthening, and improve my deadlift significantly. I specifically chose the areas that I found myself ignoring, so that I can improve and maintain a more balanced routine.

I'll go over each aspect of the workout by muscle groups, as each one follows a unique, and proven, method. Here is the week's layout:

Sunday: chest/core
Monday: back/core
Tuesday: chest/core/run
Wednesday: legs/core
Thursday: chest/core/run
Friday: chest/core
Saturday: run

Chest: Smolov Jr (4 week cycles)

The way I handled this muscle group was the biggest surprise, but actually makes the most sense to me. I'll start by saying that there are several specialized programs out there, for intermediate to advanced lifters who want to maximize their 1RM, which is what I'm trying to do with the 3-4-5 challenge. These programs vary wildly in their strategies to optimize the same variables in their own unique way.. #sets, #reps, volume (how many sets per week), accessory work (exercises you do in addition to the main lift), and technique are the main ones. One of these programs is the Smolov Jr routine (an abridged version of the Smolov). It requires 4 days each week, and runs for 3-4 weeks at a time, so I was highly considering using it for my deadlift. However, I believe this makes the perfect upper body split, and complements my naturally strong chest. I believe I can push my max from 365 to 380 or higher on this routine, and since it only spans 4 weeks for the first cycle, I can change my mind if I really have to.

Back: Coan-Phillipi (10 week cycle)

I attempted to follow this very same routine before, but I made an impossible goal (add 120lb in 10 weeks). This time around, I'll be more reasonable, and track an increase from 405>455 in 10 weeks. I was initially planning on using the Smolov Jr routine to improve my deadlift, but I don't think my back is as prepared for that intensity as my chest is. The Coan-Phillipi routine applies a good amount of assistance work as well.

Legs: High set/ Low rep (10 week cycle)

 My squat was highly improved as a result of my last program, with a 415 PR (though I can still work on depth). I don't want to overwork my lower posterior chain, especially with a rigorous deadlift routine. There was nothing wrong with what I was doing earlier, and I intend to continue a mild variation of the typical high set/ low rep program I used before, with some additional accessory work like leg press and leg curls.

Core work:

I have never been a fan of targeted abdominal or lower back work, yet I know the huge potential for overall strength gains that come from a strong trunk. I have incorporated 6 days of core workouts, and plan on mix and matching a wide variety of ab exercises, probably doing a circuit of 3 each day. It may be overboard, and if I find it interfering with my leg or back days, I'll adjust to a more reasonable amount.

Run: 3-5 miles (10-15/week)

In the realm of fitness, my strength gains have fallen pretty sharply in the anaerobic side, which is great. I want to maintain more balance, and improve my cardiovascular system to lower blood pressure (which, sadly, is raised by anaerobic activity like powerlifting).  Running 3 days a week on upper body or rest days should still be considered muscle growth/ stimulation since it's relatively low mileage. I was keeping up with 3 mile runs earlier this year, so this shouldn't be too far a stretch.

I'm providing the sites I used as resources below:

This guy did pretty much what I plan to do

nice review on coan-phillipi routine

interesting alternative workout, based on high set/low rep

ab routine 1 ab routine 2

hip mobility