joeaverage: cycle 23

[joeaverage]

start 12/13/05

#1-1
SSB squat 690 x 10
SSB speed 200 8x2 + med

#3-1
bench 405 x 10
touch x 565
speed 135 8 x 2 + small

#5-1
4B 325 x 4 + sm & mini
5B 345 x 4
6B 365 x 3

#6-1
TBDL 530 x 10
MESSB 240 x 1 + lg,sm,mini

#7-1 sled mill

#8-1 ME bench 145 x 1 + lg & mini
pull-ups

#10-1
5 hole 225 x 1 + med & mini
6 hole 235 x 1
7 hole 245 x 1

#1-2
SSB 740 x 4
SSB speed 150 8x2 + med

#3-2
Bench 425 x 9
touch x 565
speed 145 6x2 + small

#5-2 skipped, right shoulder bothering me from SSB

#6-2
MEDL 455 x 2,2 + 4x med
MESSB 220 x 1 + lg & med

#7-2 sled mill

#8-2 ME bench 125 x 1 + lg & sm

#9-2 sled mill

#10-2
5h 135 x 1 + lg & mini
6h 145 x 2
7h 155 x 2

#1-3
SSB 830 x 1
SSB speed 200 8 x 2 + med

#2-3 sled mill

#3-3
bench 445 x 4,5
speed 135 8x2 + sm

#4-3
sled mill x 3
log press 100 3 x 5

#5-3
5h 315 x 1 + sm & mini
6h 325 x 2
7h 335 x 3
pull-ups

#6-3
TBDL 580 x 5,3
MESSB 110 x 1 + lg,med,mini

#7-3
sled mill

#8-3
ME bench 65 x 0 + lg,sm,mini
(just short of lock-out)
pull-ups

#9-3
sled mill
log press 100 3 x 5

#10-3
5h 230 x 1 + med & mini
6h 240 x 1
7h 250 x 1
pull-ups

#1-4
squat 705 x 8
speed 195 6 x 2 + small

#2-4
sled mill

#3-4
bench 465 x 5,5
touch x 565
speed 135 8x2 + sm

#4-4
sled mill
log press 120 2 x 5

#5-4
5h 140 x 2 + lg & mini
6h 150 x 2
7h 160 x 2
pull-ups

#6-4
MEDL 385 x 1 + 4xlg
ME squat 365 x 1 + med & sm

#8-4
ladder press 605 x 1, 695 just miss
ME bench 175 x 1 + lg & mini

#10-4
5h 320 x 1 + sm & mini
6h 330 x 1
7h 340 x 2
pull-ups

#1-5
squat 755 x 4
speed 135 8x 2 + sm

#3-5
485 x 0 (shirt blew out)

#6-5
TBDL 630 x 3,3
ME Squat

#5-5
5h 225 x 1 + med & mini
6h 235 x 1
7h 245 x 1
(used loose ultimate denim)

#8-5
ladder press 585 x 1 + med
ME bench 115 x 1 + lg & sm

#10-5
5h 155 x 3 + lg&mini
6h 165 x 3
7h 185 x 3

#1-6
squat 805 x 3
speed 145 8x2 + small

#3-6
bench 485 x 3
touch x 565
speed 135 8x2 + sm

#5-6
5h 345 x 3 + sm & mini
6h 375 x 3
7h 395 x 3

#6-6
MEDL 395 x 0,0 + 4xlg
ME squat 195 x 0 + 2 sets med & mini
(today sucked!)

#8-6
rev press 585 x 1, 635 x 0 + smalls
ME bench 65 x 0 + lg, sm, mon mini

Max TBDL 710 x 1, 740 x 0
ME SSB 330 x 3 + lg (straps down)

Max Bench 475 x 1, 525 x 1, 600 x 0

SSB 380 x 3 + lg + BOSS and wraps
240 x 6 + lg + straps down and wraps
SSB speed 150 8x2 + med

Rev band bench 765 x 1, 815 x 0 + lg
ME bench 135 x 1 + lg & sm

4B 405 x 4 + small
5B 425 x 4
6B 445 x 3

SSB 750 x 5
SSB speed 150 6x2 + med

4B 355 x 4 + med
5B 375 x 4
6B 395 x 4
weighted pull-ups

[joeaverage]

2-3 cycles ago when I was still doing SSB, the most I did for 10 was 690. Did 685 today so I'm right there again. Was only going to go 670 but this new guy I'm training with wanted 685 so I said what the hell. The guy weighs 285, this will be his first full JA squat cycle, he did his set with just knee wraps and a belt. His Titan suit is still on order. He'll do 750 for 10 when he gets that suit, freak'in strong as hell. So, for the first time in a long time, I have someone to really push me! Could be a good cycle for me both mentally and physically.

[joeaverage]

Scratch that, I actually did 690x10, I added wrong. SSB is 60 pounds, I was counting it as 55.

[Dennis]

Funny how things come full circle isn't it?
I am very excited to see how this cycle pans out for me starting Saturday.

[joeaverage]

as far as the dl, I'll probably pull the free weight days with the trap bar and ME days with the reg dl bar.

[joeaverage]

going to do my touch sets a little different this cycle, will stay at 565 the remainder of the cycle, will see how far I can push it up by cycle 6. I was pretty well shot after 425 x 9, so it did move off the chest but only several inches.

[Dennis]

That's the problem I have with the touch sets, after the failure set I'm a little wiped and the hardest part is getting it out of the rack. My wife isn't quite strong enough to hand off 500 pounds!

[braunbeck]

Your speed weight is up, raw strength must be getting pretty good!

[joeaverage]

I haven't maxed my raw strength in a while. My raw indicator is that I can push up doubled large bands x 1 raw, took me a while to get to that point. Every day 8 I warm up with bands, first the smalls, then a set with the med, then 1 rep with doubled larges all raw.

[joeaverage]

last 2 times I tried a set of 10 with 705, I only got 8. I did loosen my suit a tad and am having better quality sets, but I used to be able to crank out the first seven reps and then do the last 3 one at a time. Today, I got to 4 and ran out of air. I think my straps may be to tight and it's compressing my chest. Anyway, not real happy, I hate missing the required reps.
Also, we were talking after the workout, the rack that we use for our SSB, we have to use a relatively close stance as compared to the wider stance when on the monolift. Our hammies and glutes may not be getting worked like they should. With a wider stance, the hammies and glutes get worked more. So, I'm taking one of Mike's racks to the shop to get worked on so we can use a wide stance next cycle with the SSB.

[joeaverage]

first, my legs are so freakin sore from Tues especially where the glutes and hammies tie in. I think the conventional stance SSB is hurting my wide stance squat, I have to get the rack adjusted so I can get my stance out with the SSB.

good bench today. first set at 465, muscled the weight to much, did a second set, brought the weight down faster and really threw it up. Mike did a great job setting my shirt again. Even after 2 sets at 465, 565 touch set moved real nice.

Bill C taught Mike these reverse band presses off a ladder contraption. I haven't seen Mike do these yet, but I like the idea behind it. I am not a big fan of reverse band anything, they just stroke the ego of the lifter. But, the idea behind this is to learn to bring the weight down real fast and throw it back up. using the ladder, the bands are hooked up so they give out around 5 inches from lock-out, the bands are completely off the bar. You will be handling max plus weight because of the reverse band effect, but if you do not develop enough speed on the way back up, you will not lock out the weight.
I'm able to bench much more weight when I bring the weight down fast and throw it up. But like everyone else, you throw max weight on the bar, you get nervous and tend to slow down and that you usually kills your attempt. Speed is the key to lifting heavy weight.

[joeaverage]

I did the ladder press with big Mike. It's nothing more than a reverse band press, but the ladder is placed across the pins far below the top of the rack where the bands are usually hung from. so, the bands give out just above the half way mark, so you are pressing all the weight the last 1/3 of the lift. the faster you brought the weight down and threw it back up, the better we did locking the weight out.
How did it translate to my ME bench? on cycle 1, I did 145 bar weight for a hard one rep, I went up 30 pounds today and crushed it. I had more confidence today getting the weight down faster and throwing it up through the tension.

[joeaverage]

my DD blew out in the left sleeve, I sent that to Ginny to get patched. Still no sign of my triple denim and my phenom came yesterday for the second time, still way to big.
so, right now I'm shirtless.

[joeaverage]

my squat today was the best it felt in a while, I was much more stable with the weight. Mike was back spotting me and had me focus on squeezing the shoulder blades and staying more upright. Straps were a tad to tight, did 3 easy, could have done 5 but had air problems. Will do an extra cycle and shoot for 855 x 3 in 2 weeks, then max.

After I squatted, Mike did his last squat before the meet, did 3 warm-up sets and then jacked 1055 with straps down and knee wraps, was called plenty deep.
He's looking very strong!

[Dennis]

One day sucking is going to happen.
You are making great gains overall.