Chris Anderson's Training Log

9/28- deadlift #10

Deadlift- 2x3@480
Pause squat- 365x1
Pullups- 10x3
GHR/reverse hyper/back raises- a bunch
Also some curls

Notes: I have been seriously slacking on my accessory work lately. I gotta keep up the volume to keep my low back from asploding because my form is turrble.

Video to come.

As a side note, I think pretty much all of my top sets are now PR's.

9/30- Bench #11
Bench- 2x2@250
Close grip high incline bench- 1x2, 4x1@225
Shrugs- 10x3@405
Face pulls- 5x15

Notes: Pretty good day here. Full pause on each rep, with good speed. I do need to do a slightly better job keeping my upper back tight after the first rep, though; I am just fine throughout the entire first rep, but as soon as I come down for the subsequent reps, I collapse a little bit. I also have a bit of an imbalance as I lower the bar, with the right side going down a bit further. Rx: additional back work and a bit of DB pressing.

You can see your right side collapsing a bit at the pause on the first rep on both reps; something wonky's going on there.

I was thinking about this earlier tonight, and I'm fairly certain is has something to do with my thoracic spine; one of my vertebra has been feeling a little out of place the past few days, and it could still be a little messed up. Otherwise, it may have to do with my terrible posture as I sit at my desk, or just some sort of muscular imbalance. Unilateral work will be the theme of my assistance work for the next couple weeks.

10/1- extra workout

Asshole workout
Klokov presses
GHR
Ab rollouts
PR strict curl

10/2- squat #11

Squat- 2x2@425
Deficit deadlift- 505x1, 515x1


Notes: No assistance work today. I lifted heavy things for a few reps and then left.

10/4- Press #11

Press- 2x2@180
Shrugs- 5x3@405, 3x3@455
Face pulls- 5x20
Neck cable raises- 5x20 front/back
Pullups/reverse curls/band pull-apart superset- a bunch

Notes: My elbows have been feeling awful lately, so I did a ton of pulling today, and that will be the theme for the assistance work for the rest of this cycle, on my bench and press days. Instead of doing a variation after my main sets, I will probably just do something like two sets of five at 80-85% of my estimated 1RM.

This will keep my volume high enough without having to set up for another lift, which will give me more time to work on assistance lifts, which again, will be pretty much all pulling. I may do a slight amount of high-rep isolation work for a bit of blood flow.

10/5- deadlift #11

Deadlift- 2x2@500
Low rack pulls w/short monster mini and short strong bands- 365x2
GHR- 5x10 +10, 3x5+25

Notes: Not the best deadlift day ever. I didn't lock out 100% on the second rep of the first set because my grip was shit. Just a mental thing, as I definitely had it. I went with straps on the second set and had no problems. My hands just need a rest; they've been taking a beating. Rack pulls were with ~250lb of tension at the top.

Video to come.

Extra workout today after the pump 'n' run.

GHR/reverse hyper/back raise superset
Face pulls
Pullups of various grips
Neck work


About 25 minutes in all.

Trained twice today.

AM- bench #12

Bench- 2x2@260
Rows- a fuckton

Notes: Worked up to 2x3@225, then did ten minutes straight of rows, with 15 seconds max between sets. Did 225 for triples, 185 for fives, 205 for triples and doubles, 225 for singles, all with different grips. If I wasn't changing weight, I was rowing.

PM- extra workout

Facepulls
Pullups
Hammer curls
Klokov press
Forearm rope thingy
Back raises
Decline sit ups
Neck work
Sled dragging

Notes: Did a bit of everything, but the emphasis was on pullups and face pulls. Everything else was just a set here or there, get a bit of a pump and blood flow, etc. My elbows felt pretty good today, so the extra volume on the pulling and bicep work has helped so far.

Video of the bench sets to come.

10/9- squat #12
Squat- 1x1, 1x2@440, 1x3@405
Rounded-back good mornings- 5x3@205

Notes: Was supposed to do two doubles at 440, but failed on the second rep of the first set. I switched back to my old knee wraps, and got both reps. I just don't like these new wraps; they are too stiff and I can't stretch them as far as I'd like. With my old ones, I can stretch them for miles and get a couple more layers around my knee. I'm kinda pissed that I ended up wasting my money on these wraps.

I'm also falling over a bit more than I'd like in my squat, so it's back to doing some good mornings to strengthen my upper back a bit. I really should have been doing these through the entire cycle.

Anyway:

10/11- Press #12

Press- 2x2@185
Shrugs- 5x3@405, 5x3@455
Face pulls
Neck work
High rep curls
Pullups

Notes: Good god I thought my elbow was going to explode today. I don't know what is up with it; it has never hurt while benching, only while squatting (due to my tendency to place a lot of the weight on my elbows/brachialis) or overhead work. Also, my right elbow was hurting today, when it's almost always my left elbow that bothers me.

More high-rep pulling work should help. Hopefully.

10/12- deadlift #12

Deadlift-2x2@520, 1x2@455, 3x2@405
Pause squat- 3x1@365
GHR-2x10BW, 2x10+10lb, 5x5+25lb
Reverse hyper- 3x10BW
Face pulls- 5x15
Curls

Notes: Used straps on the 520 sets. Today felt pretty good, other than a bit of soreness in my elbow after squatting. I really need to be careful.

Despite the fact that my phone filmed these in a weird vertical orientation that made me look like I was a 132lb lifter at about eight feet tall, these came out just fine.

10/14- bench realization

Bench- 1x250
Shrugs- some x3@405
Face pulls- 5x10
Pullups- some x3
Neck work- 5x25 forward and back

Notes: Keeping intensity high while lowering volume on this phase. Working up to about 90% for a single each day, then whatever accessory work I feel like doing.

10/15- extra workout

GHR/reverse hypers
Face pulls
Band pull aparts
Curlz
Pullups
______

10/16- squat realization

Squat- 425x1
Front squats- lawl
GHR- a lot

Notes: Felt like shit after squatting. Did two sets at 225 for front squats, then I remembered why I hate them. Did a bunch of sets from BW to +45 on the GHR.

10/18- press realization

Press- 185x1, 2x3@160
Shrugs- 5x3@405, 5x3@455

Notes: My elbows were feeling really good today, so I added in a couple back off sets. After the sets at 455, I went down to 405 to finish with some high-rep stuff, because I felt like obliterating my traps. My straps were having none of it, as the left one broke right on my third rep. I am going to order some Spud, Inc. straps tonight.

10/19- Deadlift realization
Deadlift- 500x1
GHR

Notes: I actually failed the 500 once, as the bar was bent and it rotated and slipped out of my hand not even an inch off the floor. I'd rather have that happen than have it happen halfway up and tear my bicep.

10/23- mini meet/openers

Squat-
365x1
405x1
445x1

Bench-
210x1
245x1
260x1

Notes: These all felt good, particularly the 445 squat. The 260 bench was a little slow, but I was rushing through my warmups and "attempts" very quickly and giving myself little rest, so I'm not worried. I was going to deadlift, but there's really no point to it; less is probably more for me at this point, as I'm not going to be getting any stronger. Nothing I do this week will help me any, but I can definitely hurt my performance. My training is done for this cycle.

Back on that train, high on cocaine.

10/28- light workout

Face pulls
EZ bar curls
Forearm work (rope weight thingy)
Neck work
Cable external rotations
Seated calf raises


Notes: These muscle groups (rear delts, biceps, forearms, neck, rotator cuff, calves) will be the emphasis on my light workouts, and occasionally after my heavy work on my main lifting days. I'm also not going to call them extra workouts anymore, as that kind of keeps me thinking of them as strictly extra, so that means I don't have to do them, right? Instead, they are just light days. Frequency will key in this training cycle.