My fitness journal

[Being_the_Don]

My Fitness Journal - Abbreviated Log Entry Sat. June 5, 2010

I've regularly been going to the gym and keeping notes on my progress but I just haven't posted much on this forum. So I'll post up a workout from last Saturday.

Sat. June 5, 2010

dL: 10 x 135 lb

1 MR

dL: 5 x 360 lb

3 MR, water

dL: 2 x 360 lb

5 MR, water

dL: 2 x 360 lb

4 MR

dL: 1 x 360 lb

4 MR

dL: 1 x 360 lb

10 MR

dL: 1 x 360 lb

As you can see I focused on deadlifts during this workout. My legs were sore because on the previous day I had been doing leg presses and hack squats. By increasing the repetitions at heavier weights I will be able to get my lifts up well above 400 pounds much sooner than I would if concentrating on lifting at say 315 - 320 pounds.

 

[Being_the_Don]

My Fitness Journal - Abbreviated Log Entry Sat. June 19, 2010

I have been hitting the gym but not updating my log. Here is a short summary of what I did yesterday and today. I feel good!

Fri. June 18, 2010

clean/MP: 1 x 135 lb hold 18 secs

40 s rest

dumbbell side bends (dB s.b.): 25 x 40 lb in each hand

20s rest

chinups (sw): 14 x bw

40s rest, water

clean/MP: 1 x 155 lb hold 12 secs

10s rest

dB s.b.: 25 x 40 lb each hand

10s

chinups (sw): 11 x bw

40s, water

clean/MP: 1 x 160 lb hold 10 s this is a PERSONAL RECORD :cheer:

20 s rest

dB s.b.: 25 x 40 lb in each hand

20 s

chin ups (sw): 10 x bw

50 s rest, water

clean/MP: I cleaned it w/o difficulty. I tried to press but could barely get it off my shoulder. I lowered it to shoulder and tried again, but couldn't press it overhead. But I'm good.

20 s

dB s.b.: 25 x 40 lb in each hand

10 s

chinups (sw): 10 x bw

I had a good time at the gym. I can't describe how good it felt to clean and press 160 pounds in one move. To be honest, it didn't even feel that heavy coming up in the clean. Then pressing it overhead and HOLDING that position was fantastic! I'm very pleased with this. It's important to keep training and believing.

Sat. June 19, 2010

dL: 1 x 135 lb

2 MR

dL: 1 x 425 lb Yes, that's right. And it's a NEW PERSONAL RECORD for me.


1 MR

dL: .5 x 425 lb (I got it off the floor but couldn't stand fully upright)

3 MR

chin ups (sw): 11 x bw

2 MR, water

chin ups (sw): 10 x bw

I ran my dL through 1 1 RM calculator and it suggests that I should be lifting at 459 pounds. I decided to do a little testing today so I set it up for 425 pounds. I hadn't eaten all that much today anyhow. I had about 4 oz pork & beans and baked beans, 2.5 oz chicken breast, 1 ketchup packet, one 20 oz cup of water and green tea for breakfast. Then I went with some friends to watch FIFA World Cup and had a bag of Act II popcorn for a snack. After that I went home and ate 6 oz baked chicken breast and 3 oz pork & beans and baked beans and 4 oz yogurt then went to the gym. The lift was good. I finally got above the 405 - 410 mental limit I had imposed upon myself back in late 2008. I have gotten past it now and I know my lifts will get higher in a shorter period of time. It won't hold me back anymore.

 

[Bevis]

I think running is a mental thing, especially for a young skinny person like you. When you saw people stop running, your attention probably wandered; you lost focusness. What I do when I'm trying to focus on running is to focus first on my breathing. Get that breathing pattern down pat, because if you don't your brain starts to panic. So, the breathing pattern, I was taught to do the four counts inhale through the nose, and try to make the exhale last as long as possible. what ever works for you.

So, getting your breathing focused should take no more than the end of the 1st quarter mile.

Then, after my breathing is going like clockwork, I focus on somebody that looks like they are doing pretty well, but not way far ahead. Maybe somebody 10 or 15 yards ahead of me. First goal is stay at the same pace as they are, 2nd goal is to catch them.

The great thing is that it's just human nature that they are not gonna want you to pass them. That worked well for me the other day, I was chasing a much, much skinnier person, got within a yard of her and she started to pull away, I kept up, then on the last quarter mile, I turned on a pretty impressive kick to finish in 8:44.

This 8:44 comes from a 45 year old fat guy who 9 weeks previous ran an 11:01.

If I hadn't picked out somebody to catch and pass, I probably run a 9:something, maybe even 10.

good luck

 

[Quagmire911]

Good job on the 425 dead! I think we should try and beat Fugly to 500...

 

[Being_the_Don]

I think running is a mental thing, especially for a young skinny person like you. When you saw people stop running, your attention probably wandered; you lost focusness. What I do when I'm trying to focus on running is to focus first on my breathing. Get that breathing pattern down pat, because if you don't your brain starts to panic. So, the breathing pattern, I was taught to do the four counts inhale through the nose, and try to make the exhale last as long as possible. what ever works for you.

So, getting your breathing focused should take no more than the end of the 1st quarter mile.

Then, after my breathing is going like clockwork, I focus on somebody that looks like they are doing pretty well, but not way far ahead. Maybe somebody 10 or 15 yards ahead of me. First goal is stay at the same pace as they are, 2nd goal is to catch them.

The great thing is that it's just human nature that they are not gonna want you to pass them. That worked well for me the other day, I was chasing a much, much skinnier person, got within a yard of her and she started to pull away, I kept up, then on the last quarter mile, I turned on a pretty impressive kick to finish in 8:44.

This 8:44 comes from a 45 year old fat guy who 9 weeks previous ran an 11:01.

If I hadn't picked out somebody to catch and pass, I probably run a 9:something, maybe even 10.

good luck

What on earth are you talking about?

 

[Being_the_Don]

Good job on the 425 dead! I think we should try and beat Fugly to 500...

Yes, let's do that.

 

[Being_the_Don]

My Fitness Journal Thurs. Sept. 9, 2010 - Fri. Sept. 10, 2010

I don't post about my workouts as frequently as I used to, but I still hit the gym. Here's a log of my end of the week workouts.

Thurs. Sept. 9, 2010

hack squat: 10 x 90lb

10s rest

leg press: 10 x 90 lb

10s rest

pull ups (wide grip): 10 x bw

10s

chest dips: 30 x bw

40s rest

hack squat: 10 x 270 lb

10s rest

leg press: 10 x 450 lb

10 s rest

reverse lat pulldown (close grip): 4 x 190 lb *

* The last time I did this exercise was about a year and a half ago, working out at about 120 lb

10s rest

chest dips: 30 x bw

30s rest

hack squat: 10 x 360 lb

10 s rest

leg press: 10 x 540 lb

10s rest

reverse lat pulldown close grip (rlpd cg): 4 x 190 lb

10s

chest dips: 30 x bw

10s rest

hack squat: 10 x 450 lb

30s rest

leg press: 3 x 720 lb

1 MR

rlpd (cg): 5 x 190 lb

15s rest

chest dips: 30 x bw

2 MR

leg press: 3 x 720 lb

30s rest

rlpd (cg): 4 x 190 lb

25s rest

chest dips: 30 x bw

2 MR, water fountain break

rlpd (cg): 2 x 200 lb

1 MR

rlpd (cg): 3 x 200 lb

5 MR, spotting a friend

rlpd: 3 x 200 lb PERSONAL RECORD

3 MR

rlpd (cg): 3 x 200 lb

30 s rest

chest dips: 30 x bw

I went to the gym with a couple of friends and got in a decent workout. My leg exercises are not at the level I had been doing last year (and late winter 2009) but is an improvement over these past months. I felt good doing them. As for the reverse lat pull downs, they weren't hard to do. I prefer chin ups and pull ups to this exercise, but it was something different so I enjoyed them.

Fri. Sept. 10, 2010

racked barbell overhead press attempt at 135 lb. I was too tired to get the bar overhead. Besides I prefer clean/MP anyway.

standing barbell bicep curls: 3 x 55 lb - again too tired to do much (and this weight is a lot less than I do on this exercise)

1 MR

inclined push ups (ipu): 30 x bw

2 MR

dB tricep extension: 10 x 50 lb

10s rest

ipu: 30 x bw

1 MR

reverse pull ups (wide grip): 3 x bw

1 MR

ipu: 30 x bw

20 s rest

ipu: 30 x bw

one arm chin up: 4 x bw (r), 2 x bw (l)

1 MR

one arm chin up: 4 x bw (r), 2 x bw (l)

2 MR

knuckle push ups (closed palms facing each other): 30 x bw

40s rest

triangle push ups: 30 x bw

1 MR

knuckle push ups (closed palms toward feet); 30 x bw

1 MR

one arm chin up: 5 x bw (r), 2.5 x bw (l)

35s rest

triangle push ups: 30 x bw

1 MR, water fountain break

parallel bar lower ab exercise: 10 reps

40 s rest

one arm chin up: 5 x bw (r), 2 x bw (l)

40 s rest

knuckle push ups (palms toward feet): 30 x bw

I haven't done knuckle push ups in years, they weren't hard to do at all. I went to the gym early, had a couple of friends with me, but I was tired from being up late the previous night. And I'm getting a little bored with some of my regular exercises (time to rotate them out), so the push ups and lower ab exercise made things interesting. I'm glad that I was able to get to the gym. Sometimes even the slightest thing can trigger chest congestion, and I don't want or need to be side lined for days so I go easy. Perhaps too easy, which maybe a factor in why my leg press and hack squats have not been good all these months: feeling short of breath and then stopping. I've gotta get past this. I will.

 

[Being_the_Don]

My Fitness Journal Thurs. 9/23/2010 - Fri. 9/24/2010

I went to the gym 5 days this week, this is entry covers the last two workouts of the week.

Thurs. Sept. 23, 2010

triangle push ups: 30 x bw *

* I did these in part for a demo and to get myself motivated to workout

10s rest

dbbp: 10 x 135 lb

30s rest

hack squat: 10 x 90 lb

10 s rest

leg press: 10 x 270 lb

10 s

side bends: 25 x 40 lb dB in each hand

30 s rest

hack squat: 10 x 360 lb

10 s rest

leg press: 10 x 450 lb

10s rest

side bends: 25 x 40 lb dB in each hand

1 MR, water fountain break

hack squat: 10 x 450 lb

10 s rest

leg press: 10 x 630 lb

10s rest

side bends: 25 x 40 lb dB in each hand

I went to the gym with a couple of friends for a morning workout. I set the plates up for a 720 lb leg press but I didn't have the energy to do anything. All in all my workout was okay.

Fri. Sept. 24, 2010

chin ups: (shoulder width): 14 x bw

10 s rest

chest dips: 30 x bw

10 s

pull ups (neutral grip): 10 x bw

1 MR

chin ups (close grip): 10 x bw

2 MR

dL: 10 x 135 pounds

1 MR

dL: 3 x 315 pounds

2 MR

dL: 4 x 315 pounds

2 MR, water fountain break

dL attempt at 405 pounds. I barely got the weight off the floor on my first attempt then staggered over to the wall to rest. A guy who regularly workouts out in the gym (and strong himself - doing fbbp at 235 pounds for 3 reps) came over and told me to try again. He said that he'd been watching me and knew I could do it. So I got back there and barely lifted it off the floor...again. So that was too attempts. *Sigh*

2 MR

dL attempts 2 at 405 couldn't even get the weight off the floor.

2 MR, water fountain break

tricep dips: 30 x bw

1 MR

pull ups (wide grip): 10 x bw

2 MR

pull ups (close grip): 8 x bw

I went to the gym with a couple of friends first thing that morning. I had a chicken thigh, 1 ketchup packet, 4 oz yogurt, green tea and 20 oz water for breakfast. You notice that I've mixed up my chin ups/pull ups this workout. Actually I did it earlier this week, too, with better results. I decided that instead of just picking one variation and sticking with it throughout a given workout, I should play muscle confusion and work different muscle groups in the same workout. As for the close grip (cg) chin ups, last weekend I watched a video where a trainer mentioned that Arnold himself regarded chin ups (cg) as the best way to build up the forearms. I added in pull ups (cg) because they would be a variation on my regular wide grip pull ups. I'll keep the pull ups/chin ups assorted routine for a while so as to keep my workouts interesting. As for the dL's, well next time I'll go straight for the 400 + lifts immediately following my warm up. I did have a decent workout, though, which is a good thing considering that there are many people in this world who can't even move under their own power and would be glad to do even get up and walk around on their own. (Just some stuff to remember for myself. )

 

[Alyssatom]

Well I think that different kinds of fitness exercises are useful for your body, for example, if you have got a lot of fat around your hips and tummy, you are to use a fitness exercise program which targets these areas. As we all know that exercise is really important for us, doing regular exercise make us fit and active.

 

[Being_the_Don]

My Fitness Journal Fri. Oct. 29, 2010

Fri. Oct. 29, 2010

Power rack lockout for flat bench barbell press: 10 x 135 lb

5 MR

Power rack lockout for flat bench barbell press: 5 x 345 lb

1 MR

chin ups (s.w.): 15 x bw

2 MR

Power rack lockout for flat bench barbell press: 2 x 395 lb * PERSONAL RECORD :cheer:

1 MR

pull ups (s.w.): 12 x bw

1 MR

pull ups (neutral grip s.w.): 13 x bw

1 MR

clean/MP: 1 x 135 lb hold 5 secs (I got a charlie horse at top of lift)

1 MR

pull ups (neutral grip w.g.): 9 x bw

4 MR, spotting a friend

clean/MP: 1 x 155 lb hold 6 secs

1 MR

clean: 2 x 160 lb

I went to the early this with a couple of friends, it was a good workout. I only started doing Power rack lockouts two weeks ago and they're a lot of fun. I will make them a regular addition to my workouts. As for the clean/MP, it's been a while since I lifted above 135 lb, I'm glad for the 155 lb lift this morning. And this workout was very good considering that for breakfast I only had four hours of sleep and had 5 oz of chicken breast, 1 cup of green tea, 1 medium sized banana, 1 ketchup packet and a 20 oz cup of water.

 

[Being_the_Don]

My Fitness Journal Mon. 11/1/2010 - Fri. 11/5/2010

Mon. 11/1/2010

Note: from now on I'm going to do my flat bench presses at the Power rack station. This way even if there's no spotter around, I can do my heavy lifts.

Power rack fbbp: 10 x bar

30 s rest

10 x 135 lb

2 MR

mid rack Power rack lockout attempt at 295 lb was a no go

3 MR

fbbp: 1 x 270 lb This is a PERSONAL RECORD!! :cheer:

3 MR

clean/MP: 1 x 135 lb hold 10 secs

1 MR

chin ups (c.g.): 16 x bw

5 MR

clean/MP attempt at 160 lb no go, same at 155 lb and 140 lb

2 MR

dBfar: 10 x 25 lb in each hand, 10 x 40 lb in each hand

20 s

dB side bends: 25 x 40 lb


I went to the gym with a couple of friends for an early morning workout. After doing some flat benches I decided to do a mid rack lockout just to see what I could do. This was much harder than the partial rack lockouts. So then I set it up for benching again and got in that 270 press. Fantastic! I did get a spotter but it wasn't that important to have him there. Actually, I told him I'd go for 1 rep, but after successfully getting that one in, I tried for a 2nd rep. I couldn't hold and the bar settled on the safety pins. The spotter lifted it back onto the rack, but it was good because I knew the pins could take the weight. Now I know that I can do them w/o need for a spotter. I didn't eat a lot of food for breakfast, I was going into the gym after a light meal. It was great to pull off that lift.

Wed. 11/3/2010

fbbp: 7 x 135 lb

1 MR

fbbp attempt at 245 lb

10 s rest

fbbp: 1 x 230 lb

40 s

chin ups (c.g.): 10 x bw

10 s

fbbp: (wide grip): 3 x 230 lb (This is the first time that I've ever used wide grip)

1 MR

fbbp (wide grip): 1 x 250 lb

10 s

fbbp (wide grip) attempt at 250 lb was a no go

1 MR

fbbp (wide grip) attempt at 250 lb no go

I went to the gym with a couple of friends for another early morning workout. Coming off the success of Monday's press, I wanted to see what else I could do. Doing them wide grip was new for me. I also use close grip (or narrow grip depending on your terminology) and the exercise is much more difficult than doing wide grip. I'll alternate between the grips from now on. All in all, the workout was good, even though I focused more on upper body than other muscles.

Fri. 11/5/2010

hack squat: 10 x 90 lb

5 s rest

leg press: 10 x 180 lb

10 s

standing OHP from rack: attempt at 160 lb was a no go.

10 s

standing OHP from rack: 1 x 135 lb barely held it for 5 secs

30 s

hack squat: 10 x 180 lb

5 s

leg press: 10 x 360 lb

10 s

standing OHP attempt at 160 lb no go

20 s

clean at 135 lb

40 s

hack squat: 10 x 180 lb

10 s

leg press: 3 x 630 lb

3 MR

fbbp: 4 x 135 lb

20 s rest

fbbp attempt at 245 lb

I went to the gym with a couple of friends for an early morning workout. I had been feeling short winded before I went there, and my chest was a bit tingly on the left side. It's been that way for a few days. I don't know if it had anything to do with Monday's benching or from frequent sneezing with heavy mucus, but I couldn't do very much on Friday. But all in all the workout was good.

 

[Being_the_Don]

My Fitness Journal Mon. 11/8/2010 - Thurs. 11/11/2010

Mon. 11/8/2010

fbbp: 1 x 135 lb

25 s rest

fbbp: 2 x 240 lb

20 s rest

clean/MP: 1 x 135 lb hold 15 s

pull ups (n.g. w.g.): 13 x bw

25 s rest

2 x 235 lb

10 s rest

clean/MP: 1 x 135 lb hold 7 s

10 s rest

pullups (n.g. s.w.): 10 x bw

1 MR, water fountain break

fbbp (c.g.): 2 x 235 lb 3rd rep was not good

10 s rest

clean/MP: 1 x 135 lb hold 5 s

10 s rest

pullups (w.g.): 12 x bw

45 s rest

fbbp (c.g.): 3 x 235 lb

10 s rest

clean/MP: 1 x 135 lb hold 8 s

10 s rest

chinups (c.g.): 14 x bw

2 MR

fbbp (c.g.): 3 x 235 lb

20 s rest

clean/MP: 1 x 135 lb hold 8 s

10 s rest

pull ups (c.g.): 10 x bw

1 MR

fbbp (c.g.) attempt at 235 lb

10 s rest

clean/MP: 1 x 135 lb hold 3 secs

15 s rest

chin ups (c.g.): 14 x bw

I went to the gym with friends for an early morning workout. I alternated between close and wide grip flat bench barbell presses and performed chinups and pullups and their variations. It was a good workout, the clean/military press was okay.

Wed. 11/10/2010

chest press (demo for friends): 10 x 3 x 40 lb

30 s rest

fbbp: 10 x 135 lb

10 s rest

clean/MP: 1 x 135 lb hold 10 s

30 s

fbbp attempt at 245 lb

10 s rest

hcr: 10 x 190 lb

30 s rest

fbbp: 1 x 225 lb

10 s rest

clean/MP: 1 x 145 lb hold 10 s

30 s rst

hcr: 10 x 210 lb

40 s rest

clean/MP: 1 x 155 lb hold 10 s

1 MR

clean/MP: 1 x 165 lb A PERSONAL RECORD!!! :cheer:

2 MR

clean/MP attempt at 170 - from the press phase I got it to my forehead twice.
I will get the weight overhead next time

3 MR

clean at 170 lb

I went to the gym with friends for an early morning workout. I'm very VERY happy about that clean/military press. 165 pounds!!!! I cleaned it straight from the floor and pressed it overhead1 Yes!!!!!! And those cleans at 170 lb weren't hard either. For the two that I was attempting to press overhead, getting it to my forehead was good, I just wasn't able to get it higher. After the first attempt, I lowered the bar to chest and tried again. So I know I am strong enough for this. For such a long time after doing a clean/MP at 160 pounds, I had gone back down to 135 pounds not pressing heavier weights successfully for a while. It was all mental (as usual). This time, I just said to myself "Do it!" and that's exactly what I did. I'm happy.

Thurs. 11/11/2010

hack squat: 10 x 90 lb

5 s rest

leg press: 10 x 180 lb

30 s rest

hack squat: 10 x 270 lb

5 rest

leg press: 10 x 360 lb

10 s rest

hack squat: 10 x 360 lb

10 s rest

leg press: 10 x 540 lb

45 s rest

hack squat: 4 x 450 lb

10 s rest

leg press: 3 x 630 lb

2 MR

dB side bends: 25 x 40 lb

1 MR

dB side bends: 25 x 40 lb

10 MR spotting a friend

l.e.a.e.: 20 reps

I went to the gym with friends for an early morning workout. I just wasn't into it all that much, the hack squats were only so so and the leg press I was just barely able to get 3 reps at 630 lbs. I've done much much better on both of those exercises. Oh well, I'll get back up to where I should be with them.

 

[Being_the_Don]

My Fitness Journal Mon. 11/15/2010 - Fri. 11/19/2010

Mon. 11/15/2010

clean/MP: 1 x 135 lb hold 5 secs

20 s rest

clean/MP attempt at 170 lb

2 MR

clean/MP: 1 x 165 lb hold 15 s

2 MR

barbell floor press (bfp): 5 x 135 lb

2 MR

clean/MP attempt at 165 lb only cleaned

1 MR

bfp (close grip): 4 x 235 lb

1 MR

chin ups (sw): 15 x bw

bfp (c.g.): 5 x 235 lb

10 s rest

bfp (c.g.) attempt at 235 lb

1 MR

pull ups (w.g.): 10 x bw

I went to the gym with a couple of friends for an early morning workout. The clean/MP at 165 pounds was a little easier than last week. I'll work at this weight a little longer then increase the weight by 5 pounds.

Tues. 11/16/2010

tricep dips: 30 x bw

1 MR

dB side bends: 26 x 40 lb in each hand

1 MR

t-bar row: 10 x 90 lb

15 s rest

t-bar row: 5 x 225 lb

5 s rest

t-bar row: 2 x 225 lb

1 MR

chin ups (c.g.): 14 x bw

10 s rest

dB side bends: 25 x 40 lb

1 MR

chest dips: 30 x bw

1 MR

pull ups (cg): 15 x bw

30 s rest

dB side bends: 25 x 40 lb

40 s rest

pull ups (n.g. c.g.): 11 x bw

15 MR, spotting friends

chest dips: 15 x bw + 25 lb *
* This is the only about the third time that I've done weighted dips

30 s

chin ups (cg): b x bw + 25 lb*
This is the first time that I've done weighted chin ups

I went to the gym with friends for a morning workout. The t-bar rows just weren't happening for me this time. But I decided to do some weighted dips, this is only the third time that I've ever done them. They weren't very difficult at all, the weight was too easy. I then did some close grip chin ups with weight and this was a definite first; they weren't very hard, though. I had a very good workout.

Wed. 11/17/2010

clean/MP: 1 x 135 lb hold 5 secs

40 s rest

clean/MP attempt at 165 lb no go

2 MR

bfp: 4 x 135 lb

4 MR, spotting a friend

bfp (c.g.): 2 x 245 lb

30 s rest

chest dips: 10 x bw + 50 lb

1 MR

chin ups (sw): 6 x bw + 50 lb

4 MR, water

chin ups (s.w.): 6 x bw + 50 lb

3 MR, water

pull ups (w.g.): 2 x bw + 50 lb

2 MR

pull ups(n.g. c.g.): 5 x bw + 50 lb

I did a lot of weighted pull ups and chins and they were FUN. Adding weight not only increases the resistance, it makes the workouts much more exciting. I'm happy.

Fri. 11/19/2010

chest dips: 30 x bw

40 s rest

chest dips: 10 x bw + 60 lb

2 MR

dL: 10 x 135 lb

30 s rest

dL attempt at 405 lb was a no go

35 s rest

chest dips: 15 x bw + 60 lb

2 MR

dL: 10 x 295 lb

2 MR

horizontal pull ups: 10 x bw

2 MR

dL: 6 x 315 lb

10 MR spotting friends

dL: 4 x 315 lb

I was at the gym with friends for an early morning workout. I decided to do some horizontal pull ups at the Smith machine. This exercise will take some getting used to, but it's useful. The dLs were not very good. I haven't done many of them since early summer, I'm thinkin', so the time away affected my performance. BUT I had fun with the chest dips. Adding 60 extra pounds wasn't all that difficult, either. I'm going to see how much more weight I can add before I reach my limit. All in all I had a good workout.

 

[Fuglydude]

Great work on the weighted chins/dips! All that leg work and chins will really help you deads... How's the bodyweight and body composition?

Keep it up man, doing great!

 

[Being_the_Don]

Great work on the weighted chins/dips! All that leg work and chins will really help you deads... How's the bodyweight and body composition?

Keep it up man, doing great!

Thanks, Fuglydude. I hope that it helps my dLs. At my last weigh-in my body weight was 160 pounds. I'm not checking body fat as often but waist is about 31 ". I was at the gym this morning, but was surprisingly sore from last Friday so I didn't stay very long. Hopefully I'll do better next time I get back there.

 

[Fuglydude]

You're a strong 160-pounder! keep it up! How's your stance on the deadlift? Play with your stance and find out what your "optimal form" is. Everyone is biomechanically unique and you need to discover what stance width/set up specifics will help you get the best lift. When I was training heavy I found narrowing my stance to the point where my feet were 2-3 inches apart made my deadlift shoot up around 40 lbs (from 410 to like 450 at around 165-170 lb bodyweight). I kept this up and eventually achieved a PB of around 470.

In my experience, I find leg drive is great for getting the weight off the ground, and then your back basically takes over after that. What part of the deadlift is the hardest for you?

Bodyweight clean and press is actually pretty tough, especially if you have crappy shoulders. Are you lifting explosively for the press?

 

[Being_the_Don]

You're a strong 160-pounder! keep it up! How's your stance on the deadlift? Play with your stance and find out what your "optimal form" is. Everyone is biomechanically unique and you need to discover what stance width/set up specifics will help you get the best lift. When I was training heavy I found narrowing my stance to the point where my feet were 2-3 inches apart made my deadlift shoot up around 40 lbs (from 410 to like 450 at around 165-170 lb bodyweight). I kept this up and eventually achieved a PB of around 470.

In my experience, I find leg drive is great for getting the weight off the ground, and then your back basically takes over after that. What part of the deadlift is the hardest for you?

Bodyweight clean and press is actually pretty tough, especially if you have crappy shoulders. Are you lifting explosively for the press?

My best dL was 425 pounds, I hope to get more practice in this winter. Every once in a while, I do hand grip exercises and farmer's walk. My dL problem is often with my grip. I use reverse grip with my left palm facing away from my body, I'm getting better with it, though. Also I use a shoulder width stance, push straight out with my glutes and come up. What advice do you have for improving my grip strength?

As for my clean/MP the press is an explosive movement. I follow the same movement as this lifter in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP8c812E9QU&feature=related

I do a lot of dips and pull ups and these have really developed my shoulders. And recently I've added weight plates to increase the resistance for my dips. I want to get up to a 200 pound clean/MP by early 2011.

BTW, since these exercise require a strong back I don't use straps or a belt when doing any of my exercises.

 

[Fuglydude]

Your deadlift co-efficient is around 2.65... this is around my personal best as well. I use the same grip as you. If grip is your biggest problem at this stage I have a feeling you'll be able to lift a lot more on your deads than your personal best. Do you use chalk? I've never had a problem with grip when I use chalk and a good bar. Also, prior to the lift kinda "lock yourself in" to the bar... I mean basically just chalk up, and twist your palms onto the bar until it feels like the bar is almost a part of you. Its weird to describe, but once you start doing it, you'll know what I mean.

Not all bars are created equal. Make sure you pick a good thinner bar with good grip. Powerlifting bars are fantastic. Not sure if you've ever had the chance to work with an actual powerlifting bar before.

Thats' pretty impressive that you don't rest the weight on your clavicle after your clean. For my clean and press I always rest it on my clavicles prior to going for the press.

Anyways good job man, keep it up!