Lorenzo's Training Log

First off, congrats on getting that 600 lb deadlift you've been chasing. You smoked 585, which was your previous PR, no? 650 is probably just a matter of time.

LTomasiello wrote:

Okay so early tonight I mentioned on the facebook page upcoming meets I might do. I actually do not plan on doing any meets in the near future. I have decided to take powerlifting down a notch, or a few for that matter.
Now this does not mean I am quitting, retiring, or whatever. In my spare time I will lift when I feel like it. I will not be running any structured program. My training will be determined on the amount of spare time on my hands. Don't worry I will still be actively participating in the club (going to meetings etc.).
The reason I have decided to do this is because this past school year my GPA was not where I wanted to be, because I let lifting take priority over my studies. I have tried balancing it, but it just never works out. To put it simply if I am going to be powerlifting I would rather go all out or not at all. I apologize if I have disappointed anyone with this post, but I have thought a lot about this and I feel I'm making the right choice.
To be honest I am more than satisfied where my lifts are at compared to a year ago and I have you guys to thank for that. I never would have imagined I would be putting up the numbers that I am now, which makes me feel okay to be taking a break.

Alright, I want to start by saying a few things. First, you don't have to worry about dissapointing or letting anyone here down. We all want you to fit lifting into your life in the way that's best for you. Second, I really don't care if you ever decide to compete or not. You clearly have talent in the sport, but the drive to compete has to come from you, whether your total is 1000 lbs or 2000 lbs. That being said, I do think you'd hit some nice PRs training with a meet as the end goal as well as probably finding it a meaningful pursuit. Also, if it comes down to it (I'll speak for myself) and your in a time crunch to fit in training, I would sure hope that you'd take the opportunity to train instead of attending a meeting or something like that.

The other thing I want to touch on is the "all or nothing mentality". I'm very much this same way with things. I have the tendency to go balls out on anything I do, or just not do it at all. I think it might be something common to certain personality types. Regardless, I have found it to be a somewhat destructive mindset to have. As not fun as it sounds, often times a more moderate approach proves much more productive. Maybe ideally you would train 5-6 days a week for 2 hrs a day, but your school schedule just won't permit it. Making the choice to do some intelligent programing that is still very affective if you can only train 3 - 4 days a week for one hour at a time could potentially serve you very well. I don't think you need to find a specific program. I think you're smart enough and experienced enough to sit down and figure something out that works well for you. Give yourself some wiggle room where you can miss a day here and there if you need to. I had a lot of good progress just training squat one day, bench another, and then deadlift, I'd rest the 4th day. I just basically added weight and dropped reps each workout. If I missed a day I just picked up right where I left off. I did some accessories if I had the time. It was super simple and I got out of the gym in about an hour. That worked waaaayy better than just doing what I felt like when I had the time - which literally got me nowhere.

Lastly, and this may be something you need to experience before you believe me, giving up something you love and that brings you joy (trainining) to pursue something important (school) will leave you feeling empty inside. I understand and respect your commitment to school, but don't deceive yourself by thinking that by sacrificing something important to you you are somehow making your commitment to school any stronger. Making the time for the things you love will make your life more fulfilling and in turn that will lead to you be a more successful student. Time management is a very difficult skill to learn, but I'm confident that you are bright enough to make anything work that you want to do.

Wise words from Intramural Champion Handy Andy

D.E.D. 2 me

I've been lifting on and off for a while now figured I'd give you guys an idea of where I'm at currently.
Body weight: 205lbs
Squat: 465lbs 2 sets of 2 reps, 1 set of 1 reps
Bench: 270lbs 1 set of 5 reps
Deadlift: (@ 1inch deficit) 480lbs 6 reps

Wednesday January 7th:
Front Squat 8 sets 3 reps 195lbs
Low Bar Pause Squat 5 sets 3 reps 315lbs
Straight Leg Deadlift 3 sets 8 reps 225lbs-225lbs-275lbs
GHR 4 sets 10 reps
Hex Bar Deadlift 4 sets 10 reps

Thursday January 8th:
Bench Press 7 sets 3 reps 225lbs
Bench Press 225lbs 12 reps
Pendlay Rows 4 sets 10 reps
Close Grip Bench Press 4 sets 10 reps 185 lbs
T-Bar Rows 4 sets 10 reps
Dips 4 sets 10 reps
Reverse Curls 3 sets 10 reps
Tricep Pushdown 3 sets 10 reps
Hammer Curls 3 sets 10 reps

Friday January 9th:
Deadlift 1 Inch Deficit 8 reps 405lbs
Deadlift 2 sets 2 reps 500lbs
High Bar Squat w/ Rev Avg Bands 3 sets 8 reps 315lbs
One Arm DB Rows 3 sets 10 reps 90lbs
Lat Pulldowns 3 sets 12 reps (last two sets drop sets)
Clean and Jerk 3 sets 3 reps (form work)
Snatch 3 sets 3 reps (form work)
EZ Bar Curls 2 sets 21 reps
Rope Cable Curls 3 sets 10 reps

Quote :

Clean and Jerk 3 sets 3 reps (form work)
Snatch 3 sets 3 reps (form work)

What is this language you are speaking? I don't understand this nonsense.

Sunday Jan 18:
Bench: 6x2 225lbs
Pullups: 70 total reps
Incline DB Press: 4x12 75lbs
Pendley Rows: 4x10
Dips: 4x12
Incline Flyes: 3x15
Rev Curls: 3x10
Hammer Curls: 3x10

Monday Jan 19:
Low Bar Squat: 5x2 405lbs
High Bar Squat: 4x8 225lbs
GHR: 4x12
Stiff Leg Deadlift: 4x10
Leg Ext: 5x12
Leg Curl: 5x12

Tuesday Jan 20:
Bench: 3x2 275lbs
OHP: 4x8 95lbs (needs a lot of work)
Lat Pulldown: 5x12
Seated DB Press: 4x12 55lbs
Chest Supported Rows: 4x12
Lateral Raises: 3x12
One Arm Preacher Curls:3x10
Zottman Curls: 3x10

Wednesday Jan 21:
Front Squat: 5x2 265lbs
Low Bar Pause Squat: 4x3 374lbs
Low Bar Squat: 4 reps 418lbs
RDL: 3x8 265lbs
Leg Pres:5x12
Leg Ext: 3x12
Lunges: 3x10

Training Layout:
Sunday: Bench/Chest Assist
Monday: Low Bar Squat
Tuesday: Bench/Shoulder Assist
Wednesday: Front Squat
Thursday: Bench/Tricep Assist
Friday: Deadlift
Saturday: Rest

Thursday Jan 22:
Bench: 6 reps 255lbs, 4 reps 275lbs, couple of backdown sets
T-Bar Rows: 4x12
CG Bench: 3x12
Hammer Strength Pulldowns: 4x12
Skull Crushers: 3x12
Rev Curls: 3x10
Tricep Pushdown: 3x10
EZ Bar Curls: 2x21
Rope Cable Curls:3x10
Note: Wasn't really feeling Thursdays workout was pretty tired and strength wasn't really there

Friday Jan 23: Decided to take a rest day

Saturday Jan 24:
(All sets done beltless)
Deadlift: 7x3 405lbs, 5 reps 405lbs
Snatch Grip Deadlift: 3x8 275lbs
High Bar Squat: 4x5 275lbs, 5 reps 315lbs
Barbell Shrugs:3x12
Back Raises: 3x12
Lat Pulldown: 3x12
Note: This session went really well, which I think is due to the rest day I took Friday. Deadlifts felt explosive and High Bar Squats felt better than they've ever felt before thanks to moving my grip in (credit going to Sam for the advice on that). Honestly felt like an oly lifter doing these with the amount of depth I was getting out of them. I'd like to hit 405 on these sometime soon.

Monday January 25:
Bench 2x2 275lbs, 3 reps 275lbs
Pull Ups: 5-6x12
DB Bench: 4x10 80lbs
One Arm DB Rows: 3x15 80lbs
Wide-Grip Feet Up Bench: 3x12
DB Flyes: 3x15
Ring Dips: 3x10
Rev Curls: 3x10
Hammer Curls: 3x10

Wednesday January 28:
All sets performed beltless
Low Bar Squat: 1x8 375lbs (kind of an amrap could have grinded out a couple more)
Low Bar Pause Squat: 2x2 375lbs
High Bar Squat: 5x3 335lbs
Stiff Legged Deadlift: 4x8 335lbs
GHR: 4x10
Leg Press: 5x10
Leg Ext: 5x10

Notes: Training has been a bit on and off at the start of this week hopefully it resolves itself. High bar squat bar position still a bit off, some sets felt like nothing while others felt like my leverages were completely off.

Monday February 2:
Low Bar Squat: 6x2 reps 375lbs, 6 reps, 2 reps
Low Bar Squat w/ Rev Avg Bands: 405lbs 2 reps, 455lbs 2 reps, 495lbs 2 reps, 545lbs 1 rep (PR)
High Bar Squat: 3x5 reps 315lbs
GHR: 4x10

Wednesday February 4:
(All sets performed beltless)
Front Squat: 6x2 reps 275lbs
Low Bar Pause Squat: 3x2 reps 375lbs, 395lbs 2 reps, 408lbs 2 reps(PR), 419 lbs 2 reps (PR)
(Previous PR I believe being 405lbs 1 rep w/ belt)
Stiff Legged Deadlift: 2x8 reps 275lbs, 8 reps 352lbs
Leg Press: 5x12
Leg Ext: 5x12
Leg Curl: 5x12

Also attempted a 353lb front squat (w/ belt) but failed... but we can just imagine that never happened...

Friday February 6:
Bench: 4x2 reps 275lbs, 3 reps 275lbs
Pendlay Rows: 4x10
OHP: 5x5 reps 135lbs
Lateral Raises: 3x12
Rear Delt Raises: 3x12
V-Bar Lat pulldown: 3x12
Tricep Pushdown: 3x12

Saturday February 7:
Deadlift 1inch deficit: 8 reps 455lbs
Block Pull: 2x2 reps 495lbs
High Bar Squat: 3x8 275lbs
GHR: 4x10

Sunday February 8:
Bench Press: 15 reps 185lbs, 12 reps 205 lbs, 10 reps 225lbs, 8 reps 225lbs, 6 reps 245lbs, 3 reps 275lbs, 3x1 275lbs
Barbell Rows: 3x10 225lbs, 8 reps 275 lbs
DB Incline Press: 4x10 85lbs
Flat DB Flye: 3x15 35lbs
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown: 3x12
Rev Curls: 3x10
Rope Cable Curls: 3x10

Monday February 9:
Low Bar Sqaut: 2x2 455lbs, 2 reps 465lbs, 1 rep 485lbs
High Bar Squat: 5x3 350lbs
Stiff Legged Deadlift: 2-3x8 375lbs, 1 rep 455lbs
Barbell Lunges: 3x8
Leg Ext: 5x12
Leg Curl: 5x12
High Bar Squat: 3x10 (last 4 reps were a mix of a pause and 1 and 1/4 squat)

Also quick question if anyone is paying attention to my log, should I get medium or large sbd knee sleeves? I tried on Nelson's mediums and I could get them up with quite some struggle, but I never got a chance to work with them so I don't know how they'd feel during training...

Measurements:
Knee Joint: 14-14 1/2 inches
Calf (at largest part) 16 inches

LTomasiello wrote:

Also quick question if anyone is paying attention to my log, should I get medium or large sbd knee sleeves? I tried on Nelson's mediums and I could get them up with quite some struggle, but I never got a chance to work with them so I don't know how they'd feel during training...

Measurements:
Knee Joint: 14-14 1/2 inches
Calf (at largest part) 16 inches

Getting them on is 90% of the battle. After you do that you're good. I'd say the mediums if it wasn't a crazy struggle to the point where you have to take a break while putting them on.

Friday February 13:
(All sets performed beltless)
Deadlift: 5x2 455lbs, 4 reps 455lbs, 2 reps 500
Snatch grip deadlift: 3x8 315lbs
High bar squat: 2x6-8 315lbs, 12 reps 225lbs
Snatch grip high pulls: 5x5
Chest supported row: 4x10
Weighted back raises: 4x10

Sunday February 15:
Bench: 2x2 295lbs, 3x1 295lbs, 2x3 275lbs
Pull ups: 6x12
Ohp: 4x5 135lbs
Rev grip barbell rows: 4x10 225lbs
Incline db press: 4x8 90lbs
Incline flye: 3x15 50lbs
Rev curl: 3x10
One Arm db preacher curl: 3x10
Tricep push down: 3x10

SBD's came in today and it was the craziest squat session I ever had
Squat: 10 reps 405lbs (PR), 2x1 rep 455lbs, 1 rep 500lbs, 3 reps 405 lbs (beltless)
So this crazy (stupid) training session aggraveted the shit out of my patellar tendon and as of right now I'm just sitting here icing. I'm going to to take a nice rest from squats and focus on recovering
Bench: 3x2 295lbs
GHR: 4x10
Lat Pull down: 5x10

Quick review of the SBD knee sleeves:
They're a bitch to get on for the first time, but after that it gets easier. As far as squatting goes I honestly get a lot out of them, like a lot more than I expected. The rebound out of the hole was insane it was like my knees were a trampoline and I absolutely loved it. On top of that they make the squat a lot more comfortable. Recently I've developed some lower patellar tendon pain and the compression definitely seemed to aleviate a lot of that stress. I can't emphasize enough though about how this is only my own personal experience. I have heard of several other lifters saying how they don't get anything out of them at all in terms of rebound. Despite that though they're a great investment for knee health.

Your hook grip knee sleeves are a lot less substantial right? Idk maybe part of it is going from one end of the spectrum to the other. I'm wondering if you'd have the same experience going from rehbands to SBD. Or maybe that's a stupid thing to say from someone who's never worn knee sleeves. You're reminding me id like to get some soon. Hoping it will silence my noisy knees.

^ oh man I wasn't exactly uh in my right state of mind when I wrote that. Respond how you see fit OP

Yeah I definitely think the fact that I've never used a strong pair of knee sleeves had something to do with it. Don't get me wrong I like the hookgrips and they served their purpose, which at the time was a little compression and warmth, but I needed something a lot more than that.