sunday at the OG

full lineup at the original grindhouse today

me:

squats 3x5 at 215
bench 3x5 at 160
deads 1x5 at 305

willy j

squats 3x5 at 285
bench 2x5 at 185, 1x5 at 195 (i think)
deads 1x5 at 325

horst

squats 3x5 at 305 ( i think)
bench (don't remember)
deads 1x5 at 325

here is a pic to inspire you to be more like arnold

Deadlift 5x5

5x5 Deadlift
Loads: 265-275-285-300-300

Ran 5k on Monday and did a scaled version of Crossfit's "Nate" WOD on Wednesday.

Posted a pic of 300 lbs on my bar. I think I should invest in another few 45 lb plates.

thursday grind

Horst:

Squats: 3x5 at 295 lbs
Press: 3x5 at 135 lbs
clean: 5x3 at 225 lbs

Root:

Squats: 3x5 at 205 lbs
Press: 3x5 at 120 lbs
Clean: 5x3 at 165 lbs (much better form)

wrapped it up with 3xFailure hanging straight leg raises

Keep GRINDIN' (start at 2:00)

also, i have a new fitness/life goal.  i've simplified it into a single picture

all i need are some grizzly bear stem cells and a hypobaric chamber

GT Workout

Quick update from this morning's lift:

Squats: 2x5x265, 3x5x275
Pendlay Rows: 6x3x175
Overhead Press: 1x155 (sort of bounced it up... dunno if it counts), 5x3x135
Pullups: 20

Decent workout.  Definitely feeling like I'm getting back into shape.  Metabolism getting cranked up. 

The dude next to me was box squatting well over 500lbs.  Beast.

Grindhouse I Gains Weight

Picked up +255 lbs in steel weights off of craigslist after work today.  Like the rest of my equipment, they are dirty, but solid.

Workout Tuesday was Squat/Bench/Deads plus some pull ups with Grover (the blue rubber band).

Horst: 

Squat: 3x5 at 275

Bench: 2x5 at 205, 1x5 at 215 (or was it 225?)

Deads: 1x5 at 295

Root:

Squat:  3x5 at 195 (+40 lbs from my 155 start)

Bench: 3x5 at 155

Deads: 1x5 at 295

Just two weeks in, the Starting Strength plan has shown great results for me.  I haven't had to deload yet, which is encouraging.  I'd like to use this simple Linear Progression program until I really stall hard, then switch to the Texas Method.

Texas Method is volume day/light day/intensity day, and has proven to bear great fruit with advanced novice/intermediate trainers who've stalled using simple linear progression.  An example week on squats would look like this:

Sunday: 5x5 (volume)

Tuesday: 2x5 at 80% of Sunday's weight (light day to maintain motor pathways, but aid recovery from volume)

Thursday: 1x5

Reportedly, the Texas Method came about when coach Pendlay was putting his lifters on volume/light/volume cycles.  The lifters would complain about being burnt out for a second volume day on the third work day, so he told them if they PR'd on the second volume day, they'd only have to do 1x5.  If they didn't PR, they had to drop 10% and do the full 5x5.

This regiment started showing great results, so it was standardized and now somewhat prolific in the strength building community and for athletic training during the off-season.

p.s. I've set a goal for 225/300/400 1RM's for bench/squat/dead by end of 2012!

Root

Willy J Morning Joy

Went to GA Tech this morning and worked out with all the other meat heads over there.  They installed some more squat racks so that's a bonus.  Of course, they were still all full when I arrived.

This morning:

Squats: 1x315, 1x295, 2x285, 2x4x275, 2x5x255.
Tried some Snatch grip deadlift on a platform: 4x6x185
Incline press: 3x3x185, 7x155, 5x155

As you can tell I wasn't being all that disciplined about my reps and sets.  Just kinda felt it out.

Snatch grip deadlift felt good, my lower back feels pretty trashed already.

Keep grinding it out.

Came across this in an article today while cruising around on T Nation during lunch.  It was a Q and A with Charles Poliquin , reportedly a world renowned strength and conditioning coach (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Poliquin).

I've never seen or heard of folks doing platform snatch grip deadlifts...what are your thoughts?

The Single Best Exercise?

Q: Looking around most gyms, what's the most beneficial but neglected exercise you can think of?

A: The snatch-grip deadlift, specifically a snatch deadlift on a four inch platform. The idea here is to get a large range of motion by standing on the platform and using the wide grip.

If you told me you were going to jail and only had a barbell and didn't want to get raped in the showers and could only do one exercise to put mass and strength on, then I'd tell you to do the snatch deadlift on a platform.

This exercise alone makes people gain weight like crazy. Any time I have someone who needs to gain weight fast and doesn't have a whole lot of time, I have them do snatch deadlifts. And with the snatch grip deadlift, straps are okay because you'll be doing reps above three, but don't use them until you get to your working weight.

If you think about it, this is the opposite of the sumo deadlift, which shortens the range of motion. Likewise, some powerlifters will lift in ballet shoes to shorten the ROM. What we want to do here is lengthen it. The snatch grip and platform will take care of that.