Grant Voshell's Log

13 January 2014

Squat: 5x 230, 3x 275, 2x 320, 1x 345, 375, 7x 390 (PR) w/ wraps

I was not sure about this session today. My low back has been feeling a little sore the past few days. I was debating on pushing it back one day to tuesday but 3 days rest sounded better than 2 so i convinced myself to get after it. I looked at the spreadsheet that calculated my numbers and they seemed a bit off. I collected the percentages and calculated the exact amount and all were rounded up by 3-4 lbs so i rounded down to the nearest multiple of 5.

On the 225 set, i just kind of gave the wraps a small pull and probably got 5-6 revolutions of just a straight wraps. As i progressed through the sets, i started wrapping tighter and tighter. On the 320 sets, i switched to my cross or "x" wrap but i kept the X as horizontal as i could to put more wrap behind the knee and ultimately get more rebound. On the top sets, my back was stiff and sore so i paced a bit more and gave myself a couple extra minutes. I wrapped 370 and 390 decently tight; i think 9 revolutions. I had tanner give me a spot and i told be on it because i knew 7 would not come easily. Reps 1&2 were boom fast and good, 3&4 my eccentric was a bit slower so i misgrooved a bit, 5-7 were good but tough. Hips started to come up on 6&7 but not terribly.

I would give it an RPE 9 and i believe i could have had 1 more but that would have been it. With this set done, my training max is now bumped up to 475 or 480. I have not decided yet. Lastly, the song i listened to while wrapping was "stillborn" by black label society

15 January 2014

Bench: 5x 135, 3x 160, 2x 190, 1x 200, 1x 215, 6x 230 (Failed 7), 1x 245



Benching went pretty well this day; the bar speed was phenomenal. I can only credit this to the cue "pull the bar apart" since it was the only thing i changed. It just kind of came to me early in warm-ups while i was setting up and i immediately noticed the drastic increase in acceleration as well as stability. However, one thing i did notice was the cue slowed down my eccentric but with the acceleration and stability, i will gladly accept it. I had keosawa give me press commands on 215 and 230 to keep my pauses honest. I was hoping for 7 reps on 230 but i spent too much time under the bar. If i was to get 7, i needed to move at a faster pace but it happens. With 6 reps, my JTS training max becomes 275 and i transition to the 3-rep phase. I noticed the last week of bench on JTS is 250x3+ which seems pretty close and accurate. I believe i hit 2x250 before the Nov. meet so 3+ would be solid progress.

After the AMRAP, i decided to add some weight in order to begin working with heavier loads. I will be dropping the AMRAPs and doing these heavier singles for my squat and bench just to get some heavier weight on the bar which ultimately preps me for the upcoming Feb. meet. For now, I will probably add around 10lbs per week on bench and around 15lbs per week on squat but this is subject to change depending on how my body is feeling that particular day.

17 January 2014

Deadlift: 5x 365; 4x, 1x 390, 1x 390 (sumo)

Deadlift was not feeling well at all today. Supposed to do 3x4 390 but was not happening. F*** this

19 January 2013

Bench: 5x8 205, 1x 225, 1x 245

CAT Bench: 3x 135, 155, 190



So many benches recently. During warm ups, the bar speed felt great and the bar was really moving but i hit the wall or something when i got to 205 and you can see that in the video. This could be some residual from the 230-AMRAP and the 245-single last Wednesday; maybe it took a bigger toll than i thought. The first set or two was moving like molasses so on a whim, i decided to drastically increase the eccentric speed and this helped quite a bit. On my 5th set, the bar was moving pretty well and i misgrooved maybe once on the set. Keosawa did notice that my unrack to set up took quite a bit of time and ultimately just means that i am under the bar that much longer so on the 245-single, i attempted to get as close as i could to the hooks and get the bar over my chest as fast as i could.

21 January 2014

Squat: 5x3 360, 1x 395, 1x 425 all w/ wraps



Squatting took a long time this session; i think about 3+ hours. Rolling the wraps and putting on the wraps usually adds some time but i also took a couple of extra minutes between sets just to make sure i was fresh and ready. Overall, squat speed was just a little slow but still strong. JTS programming originally had 7x3 but i dropped the last two sets and added heavier singles. Based on my calculations, 425 is about 89-90% of JTS training max and despite doing some work sets before and fatiguing myself, i felt like i could have hit 425 for a double. Next week i will drop the last 2x3 @ 395 then proceed to do 425 and 440 (92% of JTS) for a single.

I believe i am getting used to the wraps but there is still some work left. When i hit the hole and the wraps are very very tight (11 revolutions) it becomes difficult to hit the hole simply because it becomes to hard to bend the wraps any more. Also, the extremely tight wraps shoot my knees backwards before i come up when i am in the hole. During my warm ups, i was at about 7 revolutions, on the first 360-set i was at 9 rev (too loose), the second set was 11 (too much), the rest were all 10 but some were a little tighter than others.

Went to the chiropractor on the 22nd, he said there is not much wrong and nothing too serious. The left side of my pelvis was rotated towards the posterior and the lower part of the spine was just slightly rotated towards my right so he realigned those as well as other small tweaks. I feel sore/stiff but i feel like things are becoming better. Deadlifting this friday should give my body enough time to adjust but i was advised to stop if i experience some discomfort.

22 January 2014

Bench: 5x3 205, 1x 230, 1x 255



I had some intense cramping while warming up but luckily that subsided. The first set was a little wobbly. I noticed the hooks were uneven and this kind of threw off my groove and i did my best to compensate for it. Other than that, the weight was moving pretty well and quickly. I am finally backing way down on the volume so my body is beginning to feel rested for sets. After the 205-sets, i knew i would do a single at 230 and increase based on feel. After 230 flew right up, i went big and decided to do 255 which also went pretty well. Next week, i will work up either 260 or 265 depending on how the day goes.

Back Update: i went to the chiropractor this morning and he did some work and it felt stiff but it felt like it was normal. benching went well but when i came home, i quickly twisted to my right and my back sounded like popping popcorn. this made it spasm up a little bit but eventually went away. shortly after the soreness subsided, i sat up and there was a deep pop at the base of my spine and now there is a sharp, acute pain in that spot. i am going to sleep it off and see how it feels in the morning. if it remains, i may call a doctor to get something set up for a second look.

is the seagrams still standing?

KevinAlvy wrote:

is the seagrams still standing?

It is still very much alive

challenge accepted

groce

Brometheus wrote:

The first set was a little wobbly. I noticed the hooks were uneven and this kind of threw off my groove and i did my best to compensate for it.

Were the hooks at different heights?

Quote :

Other than that, the weight was moving pretty well and quickly.

It looked like you had good control during all of those sets.

Chris Anderson wrote:

groce

so you are in?

Liquor is keto friendly.

Andy Awad wrote:

Brometheus wrote:

The first set was a little wobbly. I noticed the hooks were uneven and this kind of threw off my groove and i did my best to compensate for it.

Were the hooks at different heights?

Quote :

Other than that, the weight was moving pretty well and quickly.

It looked like you had good control during all of those sets.

The hooks were at the same height, both on 14, but i think the rubber/plastic piece on the hook was worn off on one of them or maybe a hook was bent. I only noticed it on the first set or two, you can kind of see me rotate the bar at the bottom.

Thanks man. Bench has really come quite a long ways

That 255 looked like it moved pretty well. It seems like your benching has just gotten a lot more consistent as far as set up and all and its paying off. Good work man.

24 January 2014

Deadlift
1x5 365
3x4 390
8x3 315 w/ 1 min rest
2x10 SLDL

Deadlifting was much better this week. The bars at the FH had a much better knurling than the CRWC and it felt good in my hands. Anyways, i was working with keosawa and i was unsure if i should work up to a heavier weight but he reassured me that my form and speed were good so i decided to keep going. The top sets kind of made me nervous but after the first set, i felt a little more at ease. I was originally supposed to 3x8 @310 w/ 3 min rest but i already had 3 plates on and i respond better to lower rep sets so that is why i switched it up.

26 January 2014

Bench: 7, 7, 7, 6 210; 1x 235, 255



Benching was pretty awful this day. I just could not pull things together and do the work well. The singles did not feel too bad. 235 went up well and 255 was not too bad but i pushed the weight towards my toes just a bit.

27 January 2014

Squat: 2x2 395 w/ wraps; 1x 315, 365, 385, 405 (PR)



Squatting in wraps was decent up until i got to the 395 sets. I was supposed to do 3x3 at 395 but the weight was crushing me and the wraps felt terrible too. So i dropped some weight and decided to do unwrapped work instead. I worked back up to 365 which was my unwrapped PR from months ago. I hit that smoothly. 385 was a little slower but still fairly smooth. By the time i hit 405, i was pretty gassed but still managed to squeak one out for a 20lb unwrapped PR. After the way the wraps went and how well unwrapped went, i have decided to compete unwrapped at the meet in a couple of weeks. I am going to earn my natty card back.

29 January 2014

Bench: 1x 195, 1x 215, 3x3 225, 1x 245, 1x 265



The bar was moving very well today. I believe it all started with my warm ups with the bar. I recently read some opinions and views on CAT training during warm ups so i applied them here. During my warm ups, i lowered the bar at a normal and controlled pace but accelerated upward as fast as possible. The 225 sets moved very well so i decided to take kind of a big jump to 245, see how that rep went and proceed from there. Once 245 came up easily, i decided to go big and try 265. This went up well, a little slow but well and i noticed some small technical breakdowns which i what i wanted to see so i can figure out what is breaking down.

Off the chest i initially pushed towards my feet but remembered to bring it back towards my shoulders as i approached lockout. Second, i noticed from early sets that my bar is very uneven. For some reason, my left side is always lower than my right side. The bar stays at the same angle throughout the lift so i am guessing it must be a set up issue. I wonder if it is always from my recent chiropractic adjustments and straightening out my back. I will keep an eye on it see if i can set up a little differently these next few times.

Team Muscletech.

31 January 2014

Deadlift: 2x 410, 2x 415, 1x 440; 6x2 335 w/ 45-60 seconds rest



Deadlifting was pretty macho bravo today. That deadlift bar felt amaz-za-zing in my hands and the speed was fast. So i was supposed to do 2x 390 but i accidentally grabbed 35's instead of 25's #lifterprobs. I thought the weight felt a little heavy but i just never noticed or checked because i forgot that 22nd Street has 35's. Anyways, the doubles felt fine but form was not great however, the heavy single felt wonderful. I felt like I was using just a little to much back and after watching the videos, i noticed my knees locked out early on some and later on others.

2 February 2014

Bench: 3x7 215; 1x 240, 265



Benching was absolutely awful on this day. I had absolutely no balance, was teeter-tottering on every rep, and the bar was uneven again. I cannot figure out why the bar is uneven throughout the entire ROM but it is starting to bother me. My arms lockout at the same time so I am guessing it is a set up issue or an unbalance in strength between my right and left side. Be brutal on the comments; anything noticed is appreciated. On the bright side, the singles felt strong

3 February 2014

Squat: 5x 215; 3x 260; 2x 305; 1x 325, 350, 370; 4x 390; 1x 405, 415 (PR)



Squatting was not too bad today but was not great either. I spent 3.5-4 hours in a car today and drove all of it so when i got home i tried to move around and be active. The lighter sets felt a little slower than i would have like but i kept moving. My top set of 390 made me a little nervous/anxious so i reminded myself to just take it one rep at a time. However, after the first rep i knew i would be okay. I did 4 reps but i definitely had 1-2 reps but i did not want to push it this close to the meet plus i had heavy singles planned for after. The 405 rep felt decent and 415 felt decent also but after looking at the film, i wonder if the reps were just a hair high and i would not have been surprised if someone told me they were. My knees kind of shot me backward on the 415 single so i will have to be aware of that and try to maintain composure in the hole

To me the uneven lockout looks like a setup issue. You can see in the last few reps of your second set that even before you lower the bar your left side is lower than your right. Almost like your setting up a little further to that side on the bench so more of your body is off the surface on that side. Also, are those the SBD knee sleeves? Squat looks strong.

Yes definitely a set up issue. After having a few people look at it, it seems my feet might be a little narrow causing me to be unstable so i will widen them a couple of inches on wednesday.

Yes, those are SBD sleeves. I was in the middle between a medium and a large so i decided to order down. They are very thick and very supportive and i like them a lot. They can be a little tough to get on despite the size but i could offer a couple of tips to anyone interested

You'll be interested to know that I now have motor transportation again and I should be able to bring you the glycerol sometime this weekend. I have drill Thursday-Sunday and we're in Camp Dodge the entire time so I could pop over to 22nd Street whenever we are released each day.

Chris Anderson wrote:

You'll be interested to know that I now have motor transportation again and I should be able to bring you the glycerol sometime this weekend. I have drill Thursday-Sunday and we're in Camp Dodge the entire time so I could pop over to 22nd Street whenever we are released each day.

Excellent. I thought i saw something for this on the book of faces. I will be training friday and sunday

5 February 2014

Bench: 5x 135; 3x 165; 2x 195; 1x 205, 220, 235; 3x 250 (3-Rep PR); 1x 275 (PR)



'Twas quite an excellent bench day. The lower weights were a little wobbly but as the weight increased, it leveled out a bit. I widened my feet just a couple of inches and this helped keep the bar somewhat level. My old 3-rep PR was 240 (i think) so an easy 3x250 is wonderful progress. However, on the 275 PR, i neglected to move my feet to this spot and i was close to my original/old position so I had a little bit of an uneven extension. Nonetheless, 275 felt felt a little heavy obviously but it flew up pretty well and i honestly felt like there might have been 1 more rep.

I believe it was the 195-set, i noticed that some of the uneven bar comes some slack on my right side. My shoulder blade on my right side comes a little lose and my left is still tucked. Just something i will have to be mindful of while benching.