View Full Version : Defying the Odds
Long story short: I took an interest in powerlfting about a year back. I had already been diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis and had been in many flare ups with my most recent in October of 2014 dropping me from 150 lbs to 115 lbs in a time span of about 3 weeks. The doctor did/has done all he could to help me with medications but told me I probably wouldn't be able to get much above 140-150 in weight so I settled on the 67 kg weight class and I came to find my own ways to treat my issue optimally without the use of 30 pills a day. Fast forward to now. About 9 months of progress since I have been back into it. The only local meets are APF so I have been glancing at their records just out of curiosity and have come to find out I am not that far off in my weight class. I have not selected a meet yet (stress can be a serious contributing factor to my Colitis flaring again). Was going to do an upcoming one in the beginning of may but have since started educating myself on the conjugate method, and In one small wave have made atrocious PR's so I decided to wait until later this year to do the November meet. I will be logging everything I can.
Yesterday was a ME lower body. I was pretty pumped up before the session.
low bar back squats:
135 x 5
225 x 5
260 x 1
300 x 1
275 x 5
block pulls
225x3
315x3
365x1
425x1
(*Dropped it to the floor)
Sumo deadlift:
315x3
315+50 lb chains x2
325 + 100 lb chain x 1
hyper deadlift 3x10 @ 120
ham curl 3x10 @ 35
reverse hyper 2x10 (no weight)
usually I do 3-5 sets of abs at the end but I was in a rush to leave the gym was running late for class and I needed the hours.
Today was supposed to be a dynamic bench day but I decided to see what I could do with the slingshot today.
flat bench
135x5
135+ 50 lb chains x5
135 + 100 lb chain x3
165+ 100 lb chain x1 (20 lb PR on this exercise)
185+ 100 lb chain x1 (with slingshot)
200+ 100 lb chain x 1 (with slingshot / 25 lb PR on this exercise)
135+ 100 lb chain x3 (as fast as possible)
135 + 50 lb chain x3 (as fast as possible)
135 3x3 (fast as possible for a dynamic that's about 60% of my max)
3x5 incline db press 80's
3x10 pec fly/rear delt fly superset (mainly used to pump blood into my pecs and rear delts)
3x10 db rollbacks 25's
tbar rows(weight not including X bar weight):
90 1x10
135 1x10
185 1x8
210 3x5
Weight is not really relevant but I was at 151.4 this morning before heading out to the gym. Today felt really good, initially wasn't going to lift today but I felt more ready than ever. Also today was the first time I had 300 lbs at lockout on the bench press. The best part is I unracked it myself, I find that unracking my slingshot sets myself has made my regular bench PR attempts go much smoother. Something I have implemented lately.
rest day today nothing out of the ordinary upper body was a bit sore.
The House
03-27-16, 8:08 pm
Good luck on your journey keep pushing buddy
Good luck on your journey keep pushing buddy
thanks man I appreciate it.
today was supposed to be a Lower body dynamic day but I just got some mini bands in the mail and I had to give them a test.
2x10 reverse hypers unweighted
deadlift: (all sets have one red mini band on each side)
135x3
225x3
315x3
365x1
385x1 (just past knees before failure)
1x10 reverse hypers unweighted
squat (against doubled over mini's)
45x5 (bar + bands)
135x3
145x3
145 + 50 lbs of chains (+bands)
145+100 lbs of chains (+bands)
leg press
3 plates per side 1x10
4 plates per side 1x10
5 plates per side 1x5
6 plates per side 1x5
7 plates per side 1x5
leg extension
200x1x10
215 2x10
150 1x20
hyper deadlift:
75 1x10
125 1x5
145 2x5
reverse hyper (single mini band as resistance) 3x10 superset with 3x15 abs
Today was supposed to be floor presses for a new PR but all the racks were taken so I did chained/banded work
flat BB bench (grips vary depending on set completely random)
135x10
225x1
185 + 50 lb chains x3
195 + 50 lb chains x2
205 + 50 lb chains x1
135 + doubled mini bands x3
155 + doubled mini bands x2
165 + doubled mini bands x1
135 + doubled mini bands 2x3
3x12 DB OHP 50 lbs
seated cable row ( v grip handle)
120 x 10
140 x 10
150 x 10
160 x 2x8
130 x 15 (slower reps)
lat pulldown ( v grip handle)
120 x 10
140 x 10
150 x 8
25 lb dumbell amrap seated curls (13)
25 lb dumbell lying rollbacks amrap as explosively as possible (13)
notes: 225 is what I have been using as a 1rm for random calculations and stuff but I hit that 225x1 as a warmup today and it went up quick without issue. I will be testing my 1rm 4 weeks out from this competition on may 7th to see where I am at. If I am comfortable with my numbers I will run a quick 4 week westside template and do the meet for fun! I am wicked pumped with the increases in all my lifts. I know my squat is a good 20 lbs more than what I currently consider a 1rm also.
rest day
been going 2 on 1 off for a while now. Normally il do 2 on (Max effort days) then 1 off. The next 2 days back are dynamic effort days with straight weight / bands / chains or a combination of two or three. then 1 rest day again and back to two ME days.
ibnmahama
03-30-16, 1:54 pm
keep up the hard work!
keep up the hard work!
Thanks man ! Was supposed to rest today but did straight legs and farmers walks until my hand skin tore and I had to call it for the day.
Bb back squats
135x5
225x5
275x3
285x1
295x1
Both singles were easy 295 is what I would consider to be an opener at this point.
Deadlifts:
225x3 sumo and conv
275x3 sumo and conv
315x1 sumo and conv
365x1 sumo ( all sets done as fast as possible
135+ mini bands 5 reps conv
185 + mini bands sumo and conv 3 reps
235 + mini bands sumo and conv 3 reps
285 + mini bands sumo and conv single
310 + mini bands sumo and conv single
335 + mini bands sumo single
Farmers walks
110 each hand 40 feet
130 each hand 40 feet
140 each hand 40 feet
160 each hand 40 feet ( skin on hand tore in half, stopped for the day)
today was mostly speed bench and back but I had to pick and choose what exercises because the tear on my hand is sort of limiting at the moment
bench:(explosive and as fast as possible)
135x3
155x3
165x3
165+ 1 mini band x3
155 + 1 mini band x3
135 + 1 mini band x3
135 + 2 mini bands x3
155 + 2 mini bands x3
165+ 2 mini bands x3
135x10
185x8
205x3
minimal rests (30-45 sec)
Pendlay row:(used a strap on my right hand and also used the fatter bar)
135x8
155 2x8
close grip cable pull down: (these were supersetted in with the rows)
120x1x10
130x1x10
140x2x8
BB Ohp:
75x1x10
95x1x10
105x1x8
125x1x5
dips + chains
bodyweight 1x10
1 chain (25 lb) 1x10
2 chain (50 lb) 1x10
3 chain (75 lb) 2x5
bodyweight 1x10
face pull with an ez curl bar attachment:
110x1x10
120x1x10
130x2x10
tricep pressdowns:
110x1x10
130x1x10
150x1x10
160x1x10
shoulder superset no rest(all exercises done twice over)
DB side raise 25 lb 10 reps
DB hammer front raise 25 lb 10 reps
DB rear delt fly (bent over) 25 lb 10 reps
taking the next three days off so that on monday I can find my new max's.
Pale Rider
03-31-16, 10:56 pm
Nice work
Nice work
thanks man, may not seem like much but every post I get in here keeps me pushing just a little harder.
today I was supposed to rest, couldnt help it. I had a headache all day, had to go to class for like five hours and at the end of the day i was just being a douche for no reason so my wife sent my ass to the gym.
kept it fairly light today
squat (explosive)
135x5
185x5
185+ mini bands( each side doubled) 6x2
185x3
conv deadlift (explosive)
135x3
225x3
275x2
275+50 lb chain weight x1
295 + 50 lb chain weight x1
sled pull medicine ball hold (straps around a belt)
2 plates + 20 lb medicine ball hold (75 feet)
3 plates + 20 lb medicine ball hold (75 feet)
4 plates + 20 lb medicine ball hold (40 feet)
5 plates + 20 lb medicine ball hold (40 feet)
box jumps
started at about solarplex height worked up about 5-6 sets of jumps up to about nipple height (I am 65" tall)
burnout curls (hammer and regular) 25 lb dumbells just because I am going to hit biceps every time there is a day they arent touched(non consecutive days)
Been about 6-7 weeks since I maxed on my lifts, went for a new PR on flat bench today (previous max was 225)
135x3
165x3
185x1
210x1
225x1(previous best)
240x1 (failed first attempt. The bar got away from me and I just couldnt keep pushing it up from the position that it was in)
240x1 (nailed the second attempt looked like I had 5-10 lbs more in me but a 15 lb increase in 6-7 weeks is good enough I didnt want to get greedy)
after that I threw on the slingshot
225x10
245x5
265x2
280x1 (barely made this one, glad I asked some random dude to spot me because the unrack on this alone was sketchy as hell)
dropped down for some speedy band work
135 + doubled mini bands(1 each side) 5x3
close grip lat pulldown 140x4x10
weighted dips:
+35 lbs on belt 1x10
+60 lbs on belt 2x8
+35 lbs on belt 1x12
db rollbacks 25x4x10
pec fly/rear delt fly superset 2x10 each (60 rear delt 120 pec fly)
today was a damn good bench day thats for sure all signs point to band and chain work aiding alot considering before today I had been stuck at 225 since december. Only when I started utilizing bands and chains did the weights start to feel lighter and easier to press. Rest tomorrow.
Yesterday was supposed to rest.... Decided to test my DL max (hadnt in 6-7 weeks last was 405 real slow)
135x5
225x3
275x3
315x1
375x1
420x1 (boom 15 lb increase)
hit some box jumps after that started off at bottom ribcage level and I add a block that is about 2" each time. Worked up to about my adam's apple (for a rough idea head to toe I am 65")
sled pulls (straps around a belt around the waist) holding 35 lb plate at eye level (fighters stance)
2 plates + 35 lb in hand 80 feet
3 plates + 35 lb in hand 80 feet
4 plates + 35 lb in hand 80 feet
5 plates + 35 lb in hand 80 feet
hyper deadlifts
95x1x10
115x1x8
135x1x8
a couple random sets of reverse hypers in there to stretch out the posterior chain as well.
today I did some benching with chains mixing some dynamic sets and some heavy sets (would have been a straight heavy day anyway) and destroyed shoulders back and arms. Rest tomorrow for sure i feel really good but i can tell my body needs a day or two.
145x3
145+double mini bands(1 each side) 1x3
155+double minis 1x2 rep
165+double minis 1x1 rep
removed the bands (did 5 second pause sets)
185x3
195x3
205x3
215x3
dropped to 135 and added 1 chain each side(25 lb each) these sets are still paused
135+chains (185 lockout) 1x5
155+chains (205 lockout) 1x3
165+chains (215 lockout) 1x3
185+chains (235 lockout) 1x1
200+chains (250 lockout) 1x1 (5 lb PR)
135x3 (checking speed while fatigued)
cable face pull
110x1x10
130x1x10
140x1x10
150x1x10
cable upright row
100x1x10
120x1x10
130x1x8
140x1x8
dumbell row (had to strap my right hand about four days ago I tore my hand skin in half gripping the farmers walk handles wrong)
70x1x10
80x1x10
90x1x10
100x1x5
DB rollback superset slow curls
30x2x10 (each exercise no rest)
that's all folks! rest tomorrow like I said. day after that squats are comin in I gotta max out on them it hasnt been quite as long as for deadlift and bench but I am confident in a good increase anyway.
So even though I can never manage to take a rest day successfully I noticed that I sort of implement an RPE system in my head..... Never noticed until now.
bench today, I never know what im doing until I walk in the gym.
For benching two days ago, and maxing out five days ago today my bench felt very good. I hit a flat bench PR of 245(5 lb increase from five days ago which was 240 (15 lb pr from 6 weeks prior)) went from a max of 250 at lockout(100 lb chain) to 265 at lockout same setup. Slingshot also went up from 300 at lockout (100 lb chains) to 305 at lockout same setup easy.
flat bench
135x3
135+1 mini band x3
135 + 2mini band x3
185 x 3
225 x 1
245 x 1
dropped down added chains
135 + 50lb chain x5
135 + 100 lb chain x3
155 + 100 lb chain x1 (5 lb pr)
165 + 100 lb chain x1 (15 lb pr for the day)
165x4x3 (dynamic bench 30-45 sec rests)
parallel dips
bodyweight x10
25 lb chain x10
50 lb chain x10
tricep pressdowns (cable)
110x10
130x10
150x10
nice work! keep it up man!
forgot to take my second shake last night. by the time I ate this morning it had been like a 15 hour fast (oops). I weighed in at 146.8 so weight is down but my strength is right there steadily going up which I can really only say I have changed my training style, I tend to abuse the shit out of bands and chains every other session. Not just light sets for dynamics but im pushing through singles with more than my max while using weights + bands or chains. It is seeming to help very much. On the days I do not do heavy band/chain work i do my dynamic sets and then dynamic accessory exercises or 8-10 rep sets focusing on a weak point. It is really just me doing whatever I feel I have not hit for a few days in an area associated with my main lift. For example a few bench sessions ago I was having trouble really keeping the shoulder blades back and the traps tight so after my main bench I hammered face pulls and upward rows for like 8-10 total sets then went straight to close grip lat pulldowns to squeeze em up good with little rest. I shall continue down this path and see where it leads.
weight as of this morning (empty stomach) 146.8
1rm's:
squat: 305
bench: 245
deadlift :420
total: 970
SO close to 1000 lb total. 30 lbs more and I achieve a LIFETIME goal. Having Ulcerative Colitis means at any moment I could get very sick (like shitting blood 30x a day and sleeping 18 hours of the day until someone convinces me to go to the hospital. Potentially having health complications due to severe anemia by loss of blood and potentially blood transfusions (which has happened already). This can happen suddenly and without warning for the simplest of reasons. I have had trouble in the past getting anywhere over 150 lbs because the volume of food that I have to eat exacerabates the condition and causes one of these attacks. I never thought that I would be able to hit a 1000 lb total in my life because hey im like 145 lbs. thats quite small. But I know without size there can still be strength. Weight lifting has become this insane passion of mine and I can honestly say that I would be honored to be able to coach men and women to achieve their goals but first I need to see where I can take myself. Resting today or tomorrow I have an infusion one of the days and it makes you feel like you got hit by a truck after. Next lifting day is skwaats.
today was a good lower body / posterior chain day
sumo deadlift(what my max is done with)
135x3
135+ 1 red mini each side
235+ 1 red mini each side
235+ 1 red mini each side + 50 lb chains in middle
325+ 1 red mini each side + 50 lb chains in middle
345 + 1 red mini each side + 50 lb chains in middle (couldn't lock out)
2x10 reverse hyper no weight
box jump(I am 65" tall)
waist height
rib cage height
nipple height
adams apple height
eyebrow height (4 attempts, feet touched top every time but couldn't get my hips up onto the box)
front squat machine plate loaded(weight taken by plates added only)
180 x 5
250 x 5
320 x 5
410 x 3
465 x 2
485 x 2
damn were those last sets heavy as hell
hyper deadlift
95x10
105x10
115x8
95x10
hanging leg raises 2x10
that was all, was strapped for time. still felt like a good lifting day though. benching tomorrow with bands + chains we will see what happens.
Looks pretty good. You're working hard, man.
I wish my gym had a front squat machine.
Looks pretty good. You're working hard, man.
I wish my gym had a front squat machine.
thanks man, I appreciate it.
I wish my gym had a belt squat machine.
bench day today felt weak. Taking that as a sign. Sunday rest and then next week will be a Monday squat / wed bench / fri deadlift for 50/60/70% dynamic NO HIGHER. NO BANDS. NO CHAINS. One accessory and abs. Moderate intensity fairly low volume I have been shedding a few lbs to see if I can get around 132 with minimal strength loss. anyway:
bench
135x3
135x3 + 1 red mini
135x3 + 2 red mini
185x1 str8 weight
225x1 (5 second pause but felt weak and slow off the chest)
135+50 lb chainx3
155 + 50 lb chain x3
165+50 lb chain x2
185+50 lb chain x1
195+ 50 lb chain x1
145(bodyweight) x 20
parallel dips
1x10@25 lb belt
1x10@50lb belt
1x12@ 25 lb belt
superset face pull + close grip lat pulldown (traps focus on both) 3x10 each no rest
superset cable curl / push down 2x10 @ each no rest
both increased in weight each set.
felt weak today tomorrow rest followed by a light week.
all is well.
its been 5 days. rested two. lifted 4/11 bench nothin special worked up to 225 for a quick single (225 is not even a problem now) then h it my max of 245 for 5 with the slingshot on. shoulders and tri's it was really just a "i need a lift" type of day. yesterday was ME lower. weighed in at 142.2 yesterday morning and last time i maxed out on DL i barely missed(my overhand gripping hand lost it). So i decided to try for 3x bodyweight so I worked up to 405 for a single, felt a little wobbly but I loaded it up too 427.5 (142.2x3=426.6) and ripped it up no problem, hitched a little at the last inch of lockout but il take it anyway. after that i did 6x3 SSB squat dynamics then over to weighted box jumps worked up to 43" with 20 lb dumbells in hand(one each hand). I am hoping to get up to 50's in each hand for a 40+" before I try them again unweighted. abs and reverse hypers to end the session. Today was speed bench a little over 60% (150) for 10x3 @ 30 sec rest for a quick dynamic bench session today.
worked up to 405 x2 then 415 and 425 for one rep on my below knee rack pulls trying to fix my lockout. Threw in 5-6 x3 on 60% speed squats then was done.
heres a video of my 427.5 pull. Hitched at the top i know but il take it anyway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eNjd0GU0kQ
SMuncey
04-15-16, 11:51 am
Great consistency brother! Keep it up
Great consistency brother! Keep it up
today was chest shoulders tris
flat bench varying grips
135x5
185x5
205x1
215x1
225x1
dropped all weight added a doubled mini to each side
135+ bands x3
145+bands x3
155+bands x1
165+bands x1 (failed) had to self spot wasnt a problem though.
that is the first time I have failed on anything in quite a while, humbling.
incline db paused press 60'sx3x8
seated db OHP varying motions (hammer/regular/arnold presses 1 set of each for 3 sets) W/ 50'S
threw in some side raises / face pulls for some extra shoulder pump
1 max set body weight dips until failure ( i dont bother counting but its well over 30)
tomorrow rest then im starting a new routine m/w/f with all 3 lifts each day but one is a ME one is a DE and one is a 20 rep day. IE monday (ME squat / 20 rep bench / DE deadlift)
first day of my programmed Dynamic effort bench session
50% + doubled mini bands (125 lbs + 1 doubled mini on each side) for 9x3 using 3 different grips for 3 sets each changing each time. (1,2,3,1,2,3,1,2,3)
weighted pullups superset with weighted dips 3x5 @ 45 lbs on belt (i am also using this as an active recovery method for my legs and hips since it is a low weight I do not remove the weight until all sets are finished. it comes out to about 4-5 minutes)
tbar rows 2 warmup sets then 3x5@170 (3 plates and a 25. I do not factor in bar weight when doing tbar rows)
2x20 seated shrugs. (first time trying these but since i programmed them i couldnt skip them. Turns out they work alot better than standing shrugs because i use less leg momentum on the way up. static hold at the top about 3 sec)
2 x max on tricep pushdowns 100 lb on the cables (first set was 31 second was 26)
Sounds crazy but on my days before rest days (both lower body days) I am doing feeder sets of 50+ reps overhead tricep ext. and different types of curls with a 20 lb dumbell before bed. Seeing what effects it has on my arms. Besides it cant do much harm and I am a crazy mother fucker anyway hahaha
4/22 hit worked up to 335x1 conventional deficit dl on the big block (i use two different deficits, 2 plates stacked or i use the smallest pulling block my gym has which puts my feet about 1" below the bar) then I tested my max on the cambered bar box squat (worked up to 235x1 had no spotter and it was my first time EVER using a cambered bar) then did some accessory work 30 lb dumbell in each hand box squats up to about rib cage height. followed it up with cable pullthroughs.
4/23 didnt have time on sunday to do my ME bench day (ideally 72 hours after last benching session) so I did it on saturday hit 230 lb floor press (5 lb PR. Decided i am not maxing out on my regular bench press until my floor press is = to my regular bench max) then hit BB OHP 135x1 wasnt too bad considering im at 143 right now and havnt done barbell OHP's for anything less than 8 reps in quite a while. hammered shoulders and tri's with delt raises and face pulls then AMRAP lying db tricep rollbacks (dnt really know what to call the exercise?) for 2 sets.
4/24 rest day. my daughters bday party.
4/25 DE deadlifts 60%(255 + singled red mini on each side) 10x1 followed by high rep squats (155x20 / 175x12 / 225x5 wanted and could have done more but my legs were done because these had like no rest) after this i hit 4x5@135 hyper deadlifts then some leg extensions 155x20 / 185x20 / 215x20 immediately after hit a double drop set back down 185x10 / 125xamrap (i dont count on these)
4/26 DE bench session should be fun adding another 5% + the bands. Feeling really good about training lately.
4/27 ended up doing ME rack pulls, 405 + 100 lbs chains from right at the knee which really surprised me because my last ME rack pull was 425 and that was a small pr (it was leading up to my last 427.5 PR on deadlift). followed it up with some front squats hit a 10 lb pr on that of 215 (did 205 a few months ago never kept with them). I plan on using DE box squatting combined with ME front squats for a week or two until the increases stop and then switching. looking to see how that affects my squat because it is by far my weakest lift.