RyanS' Training Log

[Ryan Secor]

Warmup
2 Min Shoulder Warmup
Catalyst Warmup

Workout
Deadlift
200# x 5
250# x 5
300# x 3
370# x 5
420# x 3
470# x 1+ - 8 reps

Overhead Press
60# x 5
70# x 5
85# x 3
105# x 5
120# x 3
135# x 1+ - 6 reps

Wtd Pullups 3x5 +45

Going to work for one day... then a deload workout... then basically a weird schedule into next week (the person who does our watch's days off isn't very good at making everything workout really well for everyone... it's a rare art I suppose).

[Ryan Secor]

DELOAD WORKOUT

Warmup
2 Min Shoulder Warmup
Catalyst Warmup

Workout
Back Squat
155# x 5
185# x 5
225# x 5

Bench Press
115# x 5
135# x 5
155# x 5

Deadlift
225# x 5
275# x 5
315# x 5

Overhead Press
65# x 5
75# x 5
85# x 5

[Ryan Secor]

Warmup
2 Min Shoulder Warmup
Catalyst Warmup

Workout
Power Cleans 5x3 @ 165#

Back Squat
155# x 5
190# x 5
230# x 3
250# x 5
290# x 5
330# x 5+ - 10 reps

Bench Press
105# x 5
135# x 5
155# x 3
170# x 5
195# x 5
225# x 5+ -11 reps (PR)

Pullups 3 x AMRAP - 13/10/8


Today was a GREAT workout. For the first time in a long time I'm feeling completely pain free during and after my workout. I'm feeling (and getting a ton stronger) - my bench (which historically is one of my worst lifts) is showing this pretty well. I hope I don't jinx it now... I hope I stay pain free now and everything is good to go.

[Ryan Secor]

Warmup
2 Min Shoulder Warmup
Catalyst Warmup

Workout
Deadlift
200# x 5
250# x 5
300# x 3
330# x 5
380# x 5
430# x 5+ - 13 reps (PR)

Overhead Press
65# x 5
65# x 5
85# x 3
95# x 5
110# x 5
125# x 5+ - 10 reps

[Ryan Secor]

Warmup
2 Min Shoulder Warmup
Catalyst Warmup

Workout
Back Squat
155# x 5
190# x 5
230# x 3
270# x 3
310# x 3
340# x 3+ - 9 reps (wife said they looked really good --- nice encouragement)

Bench Press
105# x 5
135# x 5
155# x 3
185# x 3
210# x 3
235# x 3+ - 9 reps

Feeling good and strong right now. Not in as much pain right now (definately a good thing). Going to be working for the next 2 days so I'll be back in the gym on Wednesday.

[Júlíus G. Magnússon]

Strong work!

Are you pretty much ditching the assistance work or just not posting it?

[Ryan Secor]

Originally Posted by Júlíus G. Magnússon

Strong work!

Are you pretty much ditching the assistance work or just not posting it?

Thanks man... trying to get even stronger!

What I post here is what I actually do in my workouts, but in my programming I have planned assistance work (cleans, snatches, pullups, and dips)... however whether I end up doing it depends basically on how I'm feeling and how much time I have. Recently I haven't been doing as much assistance work due to some nagging injuries (don't want them to flare up) and I honestly haven't devoted enough time to be in the gym to get to it. I'm not real worried about it, but it's something I do have planned/intend to do.

Thanks again for stopping by and commenting.

[Ryan Secor]

Warmup
2 Min Shoulder Warmup
Catalyst Warmup

Workout
"Tactical Strength Challenge" hosted by 70's Big
1 RM Deadlift - 605# (HUGE HUGE HUGE PR!!)
Strict Neck-Tapping-Bar Pullups - 15
KB Snatches (24 kg) in 5:00 - 83

Press
100# x 3
115# x 3
130# x 3+ - 7 reps

WOW! I'm stoked about my deadlift. I wanted to go after it today for the TSC and I was happy to hit it huge. It was f-ugly with a Diesel Weasel like hitch at the top... but I got it and that's what I care about (a little lumbar curve loss won't kill me once or twice a year on my max outs). By no means were my numbers good enough to win anything, but I was fairly happy with my performance - I really put out everything I had... I was quite shocked I did semi-ok on my Snatches since I haven't done any real cardio since probably last summer (a few little workouts at the beginning of this year too).

Anyway - it was a lot of fun and real cool of 70's Big to put it on. Now in the spirit of 70's Big I'm going to down my milk and cook up some t-bone steak!

EDIT: 5/3/1 is definitely working for me. 1 RM DL is up from 530# to 605# in about 4 cycles (haven't tested anything else yet). I will probably test my 1 RM Bench Press next month since I think I'm probably going to compete in our Department's Bench Press competition (it's the only thing that slightly resembles what I can do... especially since I'm not interested in running 5-6 miles at Baker to Vegas).

[Júlíus G. Magnússon]

Congrats on that deadlift! Breaking 600 is damn impressive.

And thanks for the info. I was thinking I'd extend my deload week due to finals, but since this low assistance approach seems to be working so well for you, I guess I'll just go in and do my work sets and go home.

I have another quick question if you don't mind... Are you pulling your 5/3/1 deadlift reps from a dead stop every rep or "touchandgo"ing? I put your last 5/3/1 deadlift numbers into the estimated max formula and it's actually pretty close to 605 (616). Just wondering, because I'm "touchandgo"ing the 5/3/1 deadlifts myself and I feel like my estimated maxes are way too high.

[Ryan Secor]

Originally Posted by Júlíus G. Magnússon

Congrats on that deadlift! Breaking 600 is damn impressive.

Thanks man... it was nice to finally break that barrier. Now if only I can start pressing/bench pressing a respectable amount haha.

Originally Posted by Júlíus G. Magnússon

I was thinking I'd extend my deload week due to finals, but since this low assistance approach seems to be working so well for you, I guess I'll just go in and do my work sets and go home.

Cool - do whatever works for you and what's going on in your life. Judging from your log you're a really strong guy so leaving out the assistance work (or taking an extra day off) isn't going to kill you. Jim actually discusses the low assistance approach in his book in the "I'm not doing Jack Shit" option. He doesn't suggest it and neither do I for the long term, but I like it in that you go in - hit your big lift - and you're gone.... and that lift is the important thing especially when you/I have bigger things going on in life.

Good luck with finals... they suck. Not doing them is one of my favorite things about being out of college.

Originally Posted by Júlíus G. Magnússon

I have another quick question if you don't mind... Are you pulling your 5/3/1 deadlift reps from a dead stop every rep or "touchandgo"ing? I put your last 5/3/1 deadlift numbers into the estimated max formula and it's actually pretty close to 605 (616). Just wondering, because I'm "touchandgo"ing the 5/3/1 deadlifts myself and I feel like my estimated maxes are way too high.

I just touchandgo. I know some will disagree, but I don't think it matters that much whether you touchandgo or pull from a dead stop - especially on the max rep sets since I probably get a few extra reps out of it. I thought my estimated maxes were way too high also, but ended up being pleasantly shocked when I pulled the 605# yesterday (it was pretty ugly though). I think part of the high number of reps though may be a fast/slow-twitch dominance sort of thing... meaning that I think from my genetics and more recent training background (I used to bodybuild/powerlift then did Crossfit and now am back with powerlifting) I'm probably more slow-twitch dominant (may be the case with you) so I can pull a bunch of reps that would give me an inflated one-rep max when I plug it in a calculator. The again - don't cut yourself short. Based on your #'s, you seem like a real strong guy and I'll wager you're capable of far more than you think.