Joe Average: Cycle 22

[joeaverage]

start 7-30-05

#1-1 squat 640 x 10 (BOSS)
speed 195 8x2 + small

#3-1
bench 385 x 11
speed 145 8x3 + small
sled

#5-1
4B 385 x 5 + small
5B 405 x 4
6B 425 x 5
sled

#6-1
DL 505 x 9
ME squat 335 x 2 + med & sm (BOSS)

#8-1
ME bench 165 x 1 + lg & mini
sled

#1-2
squat 690 x 8
speed 145 8x2 + small

#3-2
bench 405 x 10
touch x 605
speed 145 8x2 + small

#4-2
sled

#5-2
4B 315 x 4 + medium
5B 335 x 4
6B 355 x 4
pull-ups

#6-2
MEDL 495 x 0, 455 x 1 + 4x mediums
ME squat 245 x 2 + 2 sets of mediums

#8-2
ME bench 85 x 2 + lg & sm
sled

#10-2
4B 225 x 5 + large
5B 245 x 5
6B 265 x 4
pull-ups

#1-3
squat 725 x 8 canvas
speed 195 8x2 + small

#3-3
bench 425 x 8
touch x 625
speed 155 6 x 2 + small
sled

#5-3
4B 405 x 5 + small
5B 425 x 4
6B 445 x 4
sled

#6-3
dl 555 x 5,3
ME squat 385 x 1 + med & small

#8-3
ME bench 70 x miss + lg, sm,mini
(just short of lockout)

#10-3
4B 330 x 3 + medium
5B 350 x 3
6B 370 x 3
pull-ups

#1-4
squat 765 x 3
speed 195 8x2 + small

#3-4
bench 445 x 6
touch x 646
speed 155 8x2 + small
sled

#5-4
4B 245 x 2 + large
5B 265 x 4
6B 285 x 4
pull-ups

#6-4
ME DL 375 x 2,1 + 4 x large
ME squats 325 x 1 + 2 sets medium

#8-4
ME bench 175 x 1 + lg & mini
sled

#1-5
squat 655 x 10
speed 145 8 x 2 + small

#3-5
bench 465 x 5
speed 155 8 x 2 + small

#5-5
4B 420 x 3 + small
5B 440 x 5
6B 460 x 3
sled

#6-5
DL 605 x 1,1
ME squat 555 x miss + med & mini
(note to self, no sled day before)

#8-5
ME bench 95x1, 115x2 + lg & sm
sled

#10-5
4B 330 x 3 + medium
5B 350 x 3
6B 370 x 2

#1-6
SSB 620 x 11
speed 200 8x2 + med

ME DL 475 x 1,1 + 4x med
ME SSB 300 x 1 + lg & sm

#3-6
bench 485 x 3
touch x 675

#5-6
4B 255x3 + large
5B 265x2
6B 275x2
pull-ups

SSB 820 x 1
SSB speed 200 8 x 2 + med

#8-6
ME bench 70x1 + lg,sm,mini

#10-6
4B 425 x 2 + small
5B 445 x 1
6B 465 x 1

DL 500 x 9,5
ME SSB 200 x 1 + lg & med

4B 315 x 10 + small
5B 335 x 10
6B 355 x 8

SSB 730 x 5
SSB speed 200 8 x 2 + med

ME Bench 135 x 7,7 + lg

4B 245 x 10 + med
5B 265 x 8
6B 285 x 6

squat 705 x 8
speed 195 8x2 + small

bench 400 x 11
speed 135 8x2 + small

4B 135 x 10 + large
5B 155 x 8
6B 175 x 6

TPDL 515 x 10
ME squat 275 x 1 + 2 sets med

4B 265 x 10 + sm & mini
5B 285 x 10
6B 305 x 7
pull-ups

Squat 805 x 3 (monolift)
SSB speed 200 8x2 + med

ME Bench 135 x 3,3 + lg & mini

4B 195 x 8 + Med & mini
5B 215 x 6
6B 235 x 4

MEDL 405 x 3 + med
ME SSB 310 x 1 + lg & sm

sled mill, used two choked mediums.
4 1/12 minute trips.

[joeaverage]

not happy with my sets of 10 at all. My conditioning isn't were it should be, been slacking off. Will work on that for my next cycle, if not, will drop weight and work back up.

[Dennis]

Are you still unhappy with the new Inzer shirt?
I need a new shirt and have heard from several places about the quality dropping a little.

[joeaverage]

got it tightened up and the material is holding. I cranked out 425 x 8 and got 625 moving, shirt marked me up real good. shirt is good right now.

[mbranz]

How comes you dropped the tension on 6-3, or are you starting the canvas cycles?

[joeaverage]

yes. I think I need 4 cycles in the canvas.

[Dennis]

Do you think you need the four cycles to handle heavier weight, or get used to the groove?

[joeaverage]

the 4 cycles to cycle my system to a peak.

[joeaverage]

Woke up feeling like shit on Sat morning, drank some coffee, then threw up. Had some Rice Krispies then went to the gym and got waffled. Just felt real queezy.
Got home and spoke with the family that came to visit the night before and had brought pizza. Both had gotten sick as well, the guy woke up at 4 am with the runs. So I'll blame my shit squat workout on the pizza.

[joeaverage]

My squat is officially in the toilet. I've been regressing for sometime now, just wanted to make sure it just wasn't one or two bad workouts. It also gave me time to ponder my squat. My initial reaction was that this whole 'mega' cycle just came to an end, time to drop everything including band tensions and work back up. Then it dawned on me, that my squat started to decline after I stopped using the SSB. The SSB really does give you an opportunity to pound some heavy weight and bands on ME days.
My second problem is my right thumb and wrist. I never wear wrist wraps when I squat. Although I bring my hands in real tight and cock my wrist back, my wrist never bothered me when squatting. Well, my last ME squat workout, I don't know what happened but the ligament that runs through the inside of my wrist into my thumb is all screwed up, hurts like hell. I tried doing some board work this past Sunday with Mazza, did one set and about screamed my head off. My bench was going good this cycle so I'm trying not to bag the cycle just yet, but if the thumb doesn't get better soon, I'll take some time to heal the thumb then start over. I will then incorporate the SSB back into my training.
Also, my workout schedule has changed, I will be working 3 over night shifts starting this Friday and am off all week. So, I started squatting with 3-4 guys on Tuesday nights, they are slowly incorporating the bands and free weight work that we do, so I figured I would just use the bands that they do on ME days, give myself a break from the insano tension for a while.

[joeaverage]

right now with my training, just doing whatever. I'm going to do at least 1 if not 2 rotations on my tri day with higher reps, just to reset my system.
went back to reg squat today, didn't get the 10 reps with 705 just 8, but the last 5 weeks on the SSB really got my strength going again. the 705 felt light on my back.
I got several guys that started training with me on squat/dl days, giving JA a try. They are doing Gene's meet on Dec 10, then we'll start over and go through a complete cycle. We had just enough time to get 4 cycles in.
But, I could really feel how the SSB is getting my squat moving again.
A guy today, never did the SSB before, did it with me for the last 5 weeks. He did 705 x 8 today, reg bar on the monolift, the best he ever did was in the low 600's for 3.
My point being, I stopped doing the SSB and got slammed. The SSB helps to develop such tremendous strength!

[joeaverage]

started my bench at 400, got 11 reps. my goal is to hit 500 on cycle 6 for a triple, I believe that would be a PR for a triple. I figure I need about a 515 x 3, for 600. so, I'm not going to focus so much on 600 right now as I am hitting 515-525 for 3 in the next several cycles.
I sent an ultimate denim to Inzer today for alterations. I messed around with an Inzer Rage X today, Mike helped to set the shirt for me. I brought 315 right down to my chest, shirt is a little loose, but I could feel how it was just biting into my tri's. So, I'll send that in as well for some tightening.
Mazza is going to try a find a phenom for me in his pile of shirts. I want to give these poly's a good try.

[mbranz]

What's a TPDL?

[joeaverage]

Sometimes I like to see if you guys are paying attention.
TrapBar deadlift. I figured we use the SSB as an effective alternative to the reg squat bar. I need an effective alternative to the reg bar dl. As far as the dl goes, I do the same thing over and over. Mike Miller uses the trap bar and likes it. It has helped his dl. I thought why not, give it a try. Being inside the trap bar, eliminates the sumo stance. I put my feet pretty close to the plates, so I'm a tad wider than conventional.
I thought I'd get a bigger carryover than what I did. I'm around 495-500 x 10 sumo, I did 515 x 10 with the trap bar, so it is an increase which means it's an effective alternative.
Keep in mind, alot of guys out there might say to do GM's or rev hyper's. Those exercises are assistant exercises which develops a weakness. The bands have pretty much eliminated any weakness, it's just a matter of finding alternative exercises that build strength, like the SSB. Any exercise that mimics the core exercise that allows you to lift more weight, should be an effective alternative. So we will see.

[joeaverage]

I took the plunge, I ordered a souped up Phenom last night. Mike Miller is doing very well in his, so what the hell!