David Petersen's Log

8/4/13
Deadlift: 330
135x5
160x3x1
185x1
205x1
Belt
230x3
265x3
300x3+ Did 5. Hips were all over the place. Got out in front of the bar on the first 2 reps, and felt my hips start popping up on the last half of the set. Also didn’t feel like I had any power with the hips.

Good Mornings 135x2x5 135x5x8

Hamstrings 3x12
Low Back 3x15
Abs 3x12

Notes---First deadlift session where I walked away disgusted in my performance in a really long time, maybe ever. Everything felt heavier than it should have, even 135 felt disgustingly heavy in my hands. My AMAP was a disgusting 5 reps, and not a single one probably looked the same.

The realist in me says this about being at the YMCA
The bar was fat as fuck, fatter than anything I have ever pulled or squatted with.
The cages didn’t have platforms, and were set up in a way that you couldn’t deadlift outside of the cage…So I pulled in the cage with about a half of an inch clearance on each side, that did wonders distracting me.
Never missing bros humping each other to force rep a triple w/ 225 on the bench…Not even once…

The rest of me thinks the realist is full of shit.

I wouldn't sweat it to much, man. You can't have a great training session every time. Just bounce back and rock your next session.

agreed with seth. you will have your share of bad days. just make sure you are eating a lot of good food and resting/recovering when you can

8/5/2013
OHP: 125
95x3
105x3
115x3+ did 10

Floor Press
95x6 135x6 155x5x6

Rows 60x8 80x3x8
Face pulls 3x15
Arms 3x15 superset

Notes:
I noticed, for the first time, how much further I bring my wrist through/under the bar on my non-injured side (letting the bar sit nicely in my hand) where on the injured side I keep it really straight. I tried to do a better job of bringing my left wrist through, but it was causing me some pain, and this is the first time, in a while, I’ve had noticeable lingering pain after pressing.

Floor pressing was interesting. The only place to do it was inside the cage. The lowest I could set the hooks was about an inch too high for me to unrack/rerack it comfortably. I had plans to do some heavy triples but kept the intensity pretty low just in case something went wrong.

8/6/13
Squat: 300
bar
135x2x5
160x3
185x1
Work
210x3
Belt
240x3
270x3+ Did 5. Left one, maybe two in the tank.

Good Mornings 135x2x5 185x3x3
Back Raises/Tried to do a GHR on their weird back extension thing
Unweighted hamstring curls 1x200
Notes: Someone working at the gym had already told me I can't use chalk, so when I pulled I did it at the Y  (the same employee at In Shape also didn't seem to keen on my deadlifting when I asked). Today I was at "In Shape" because I thought I could get away with no chalk. I did. The knurling was terrible, but I told myself "hey if I have to dump the bar off my back because it slides off that's pretty much the risk they run not letting people use chalk."
My speed seemed real good despite the above. I really am trying to focus on keeping my upper back tight, and the difference in feeling is noticeable.

8/7/13
Bench: 185
130x3
150x3
165x3+ Did 8. TnG for 5. Paused last three.

Floor Press 135x3x8

Squeeze stuff all done in circuit style
Face pulls 3x12
Curls 3x12
Tricep Pushdowns 3x15
Rows 3x6

Notes: Now that I am settling into this new bench technique it looks like I am taking advantage of it. Hitting some pretty sick rep PRs. I really am not feeling the close grip work. Wrist pain is also back in a big way. I’m probably going to schedule an x-ray when I get back to Iowa City, just to be on the safe side. Otherwise, I get through the sessions alright, and manage the pain right now with a truck load of NSAIDs.

Does anyone think it is a bad idea to Floor Press 2x a week? Once after my bench day and once after my overhead press day. Maybe do one heavy day, and one lighter day.

Allprocro wrote:

Does anyone think it is a bad idea to Floor Press 2x a week? Once after my bench day and once after my overhead press day. Maybe do one heavy day, and one lighter day.

Give incline bench either with DBs or BB a try

You only have one bench day? There's your problem, Dave.

Chris Anderson wrote:

You only have one bench day? There's your problem, Dave.

I haven't deviated from 5/3/1 much. The only thing I do differently is I take days off/deloads by feel and not the way Wendler prescribes. I did notice it felt like I wasn't getting enough Reps on the bench. My solution was to always do a bench variation on my overhead press day. Other than that I wouldn't know how to insert another bench day into the current format, do you think another bench session is needed somewhere?...I dread the day when I have to leave 5/3/1 and figure out how I am going to train.

Broceidon wrote:

Allprocro wrote:

Does anyone think it is a bad idea to Floor Press 2x a week? Once after my bench day and once after my overhead press day. Maybe do one heavy day, and one lighter day.

Give incline bench either with DBs or BB a try

Right before my mock meet I was doing some incline work. I think this is what I will end up doing.

Allprocro wrote:

Chris Anderson wrote:

You only have one bench day? There's your problem, Dave.

I haven't deviated from 5/3/1 much. The only thing I do differently is I take days off/deloads by feel and not the way Wendler prescribes. I did notice it felt like I wasn't getting enough Reps on the bench. My solution was to always do a bench variation on my overhead press day. Other than that I wouldn't know how to insert another bench day into the current format, do you think another bench session is needed somewhere?...I dread the day when I have to leave 5/3/1 and figure out how I am going to train.

Instead of doing a bench variation after you OHP, just bench. Do a few sets with some moderate weight to get some more work in.

Have you read anything about Beyond 5/3/1? Wendler came out with a new book about a month or two ago. I downloaded it the other day, a lot of good information. It builds on the basic principles of the program, but gives you a lot more variation. Volume is increased a good amount as well - Joker Sets for example. I can send you a copy of the PDF if you're interested. Deloads are also cut from every fourth week to every seventh week - so a deload for every 2 3-week cycles. I was thinking about giving it a shot after my leg heals up and I can start squatting again.

zchaib wrote:

Have you read anything about Beyond 5/3/1? Wendler came out with a new book about a month or two ago. I downloaded it the other day, a lot of good information. It builds on the basic principles of the program, but gives you a lot more variation. Volume is increased a good amount as well - Joker Sets for example. I can send you a copy of the PDF if you're interested. Deloads are also cut from every fourth week to every seventh week - so a deload for every 2 3-week cycles. I was thinking about giving it a shot after my leg heals up and I can start squatting again.

One of my training partners sent it to me. I busted into it a couple days ago since I have had some free time here in Oregon. I've incorporated Joker Sets into my training already. I think they will be especially key for training wrapped. I plan on doing all my regular set squats unwrapped and then make a 5-10% jump and do a wrapped set

8/8/13
Deadlift: 330
250x5
280x3
315x1+ did 10. Reset hips each rep...
Joker set
350 for a triple.

Front squats 135x5x5 with paused rep on the last rep of each set. 1, 2, 3, 4 ,5...
Ham curls 1x200
Back raises/kinda ghr 3x15
Mobility work. Shoulders. Hips. Ankle

Notes..I'm gonna novel a bit, cause I need it. Surprising, but today has been shit concerning things not related to my training/recovery. Maybe personal life shit motivated me to go harder today...I don't know...Something got me going today...

So my warm-ups felt fantastic other than the bar was spinning in my hands. I have no idea why. I had my chalk today so I hid it, and chalked up for the last two sets (used my bag as a chalk bowl and cleaned up because if I am going to break rules, I'm at least going to not be a dick about it). My goal was 315x6 (that miserable 300x5 demanded I do 6 at a higher weight)..... Everything past 5 I was in a state of euphoria. When would it start feeling heavy? My 10th rep was fast. If I would have been training at home, no one would have let me quit after my 10th rep. I decided to end the set on a good note, and do a joker set.

350 (what I hit at my mock meet in July). I decided I would try for a double....The second rep was way too fast to quit, so I did a triple...I actually fell backwards, caught myself with my left foot, and got squared...the bar on my over-hand also fell out of my palm and into my fingers....But I locked that shit out like a fucking boss.

Also my speed off the floor is getting way better...I give all of the credit here to watching Kyle's videos...I have a) learned what it means to pull slack out of the bar and get tight before I pull and b) am learning how to actually pull with some force off the floor, by watching him pull

8/9/13
OHP: 125
95x5
105x3
120x1+ did 7 *rep PR by one. 8 got stuck where I always get suck. For some reason I was holding my lockout unusually long.

Floor Press 135x3x8

Superset
Rows 3x6
Face Pulls 3x12

FST7 w/ 12 reps
Lat Pulldown..first time doing an FST7. Interesting...

I was pretty achy...I didn't drink a ton of water today before I lifted and woke up somewhat dehydrated...The dry heat here sucks the water out of you pretty quick if you are not careful.

Shutting it down for the weekend..I'll be back in Iowa City Sunday night, and will squat Monday. Excited to get back into the wraps.

8/12/13
Squat: 300
Warms Ups
Belt
225x5
255x3 Wrapped.
285x1+ Did 5. Did not use wraps for this. Left one in the tank.
Joker Set
315x2 Wrapped.Ugly double

Good Mornigs 135x5x5
Hamstring curls 80x3x12


Notes--I wanted to do a set in the wraps before hitting my AMAP/max effort. I wrapped them myself, probably the ugliest wraps ever. 255 felt good in the wraps, and felt like I found a groove. My goal for 285 without wraps was only a triple and so 5 was a nice suprise, and felt good. I focused on being as explosive as possible on all my warm up sets and was chugging the weight off my shoulders until my working sets. Even 225 chugged at the top. The first rep at 315 felt alright, but the second was ugly, I came forward and actually hit the cage on the way up. I somehow recovered and grinded it out.


Wrap Notes...I was really distracted by having the wraps on (only my second time using them and first time wrapping them myself)..My inability to wrap correctly kinda got me off my game as I thought the wraps were going to come off at any moment. The third rep at 255 was the best. Down was faster, and I came out of the hole a lot quicker than the firs two reps. 315 had the same issue, slow down, and very slow up. For some reason I have it in my head that if I drop too fast into the hole the wraps are going to come off or wreck my knees.


I guess maybe the way to solve this is doing some sub-max work with wraps in the 70-85% range? This way I can focus on being fast/explosive with the wraps and also get use to the difference in feel... Don't know, any advice on how to get worked into wraps is welcome.

Best knee wrapping tutorial video on the internet, hands down:

Inb4 anderson

no u

Seth wrote:

Allprocro wrote:

Chris Anderson wrote:

You only have one bench day? There's your problem, Dave.

I haven't deviated from 5/3/1 much. The only thing I do differently is I take days off/deloads by feel and not the way Wendler prescribes. I did notice it felt like I wasn't getting enough Reps on the bench. My solution was to always do a bench variation on my overhead press day. Other than that I wouldn't know how to insert another bench day into the current format, do you think another bench session is needed somewhere?...I dread the day when I have to leave 5/3/1 and figure out how I am going to train.

Instead of doing a bench variation after you OHP, just bench.  Do a few sets with some moderate weight to get some more work in.

 I missed this till today. I think this is what I am going to do up until the meet. I actually never thought of doing it, but it makes sense.

My gut is telling me to treat it like a "rep day". Just do sets of 5 or so working up till I can't anymore.

Also one of my training partners/the guy mentoring me brought in more chains than I think we will ever know what to do with. Super-not excited that my training doesn't let me use those, or the swiss bar....But...rumos are circulating about a DL bar, shhhh...That I would use.

Yeah I've added in that extra bench day when I get close to meets and it has treated me well. You could always use the chains with some assistance work.

8/13/13
Bench: 185
135x5
150x3
175x1+did 5.

Bench 135x5x2

Super set
Face pulls 60xx3x12
Rows 70x5x8

Super set
Pushdown 3x12
Hammer curls 25x12x10x8

8/14/13
Deadlift 340
225x5
255x5
290x5+ did 12. Had to validate that 315x10 by pulling a higher rep here...blooded the thighs, nose, and shit myself a bit. I'm over it. Learning how to pull fast off the floor is doing wonders for my DL...

That was all. In DSM right now so this is short as I'm on my phone