Past week.

I suppose I should take the time to log what I've been doing... Haven't really gotten around to it because I've been so busy working on the gym at UrbanEvolution! Pretty soon, this blog will be defunct (the actual blogger content.. will probably maintain in some semblance on PKTO and PKVA, but not regularly). Eventually, the UrbanEvo website will house an education-based blog for Parkour and strength training written by yours truly. Also, expect some big things in the future, for anyone who cares.

Last Friday: Loaded up the barbell at UrbanEvo with all the weight we had at the time (385lbs) and DL'd it with ease.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/video/video.php?v=1339436496955&ref=mf

Monday: I loaded the bar with 345 and squatted singles. No video, but I did take a photo of the bar:
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs585.snc3/30854_743437209437_72600567_43272530_6915313_n.jpg

Then 90lb sled sprints uphill in our parking lot:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs525.ash1/30854_743437409037_72600567_43272533_2618193_n.jpg

Today: 435lb DL attempt (couldn't even get it off the ground). Got 415 without a problem, though. Then floor press, 185 for a triple. Then clean and jerks with 95lbs for metcons.

"Dynamic Effort" Box Squat/Box Jump and Some Other Crap

Box Squat / Box Jump Superset:
1x8 135lbs / 1x3 36" Jumps
1x5 225lbs / 1x3 36" Jumps
3x3 315lbs / 1x3 36" Jumps

DB Overhead Press:
1x8 2x50lbs
3x6 2x60lbs

DB Bent-over Row:
1x8 2x60lbs
3x5 2x70lbs

Strict Curls:
3x8 60lbs
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Felt really good and strong today. I've started to do box squats just slightly above parallel because I feel that more accurately simulates how low you go for a jump than an actual squat, so when we're doing dynamic work like this, there's no reason to go deep. A super deep box squat doesn't seem that different from a regualr free squat, anyhow. All the same, I'm pretty happy that 315lbs on box squat feels so light. I can triple 315 on free squat fairly easy now, and I think since I'm not on an actual program right now (seems more appropriate for dieting/maintenance during the "on" season to not worry about progressing), I'm just gong to try to increase reps on 315 until a set of 5 feels as easy as a set of 8 on 225.

Was good to get some shoulder work in, since it's been neglected lately. And first time I've pushed the weight on those lifts, too.

Deadlift/Bench

Deadlift w/ Chains:
1x8 135lbs
1x5 225lbs
1x5 275lbs
1x3 315lbs
5x1 365lbs

Bench Press:
1x8 empty bar
1x5 135lbs
1x5 185lbs
1x1 225lbs

DB Bench:
2x8 2x60lbs

Power Pull/Handstand Superset:
3x8 pulls/1 handstand hold for max time
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So, one set of chains is definitely not enough when it comes to deadlifting. Left my belt at home today, so did it completely raw, and well.. 385 felt easy, nevermind that there was an extra 40lbs at the top. It should help my lock-out, though, so I'm going to keep this in for a little bit.

"Power pulls" are really just plyometric pull-ups. No clap, nothing fancy, just pull, hands come off, then catch and return to deadhang. Was fun.

Banded Box Squats!

For the record, last Wednesday, I did a failed 435 DL attempt, a failed (and nearly locked out) 425 attempt, and on Friday, I did chained bench. Nothing major.

Today, I got a handful of exercises in.. in particular, what felt to me like a dynamic effort day (surprisingly):

Banded Box Squats:
1x5 135lbs + Light Bands
1x5 225lbs + Light Bands
3x5 275lbs + Light Bands

Then I took one of my connector chains, hooked it up to the Smith machine, hung a Double-D grip from it, and did foot-elevated inverted rows close-grip (stolen from DeFranco's site), then proceeded to figure out that this is a MUCH easier (technically speaking) and MUCH more difficult (muscularly speaking) way to perform unilateral gliders.

Squat/Pull

Squat:
1x8 empty bar
1x5 135lbs
1x5 185lbs
1x3 225lbs
1x3 275lbs
1x1 315lbs
1xFail 365lbs
1x1 355lbs

Ice Cream Makers:
3x10
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Thought I had 365, and I didn't, but I managed to get 355 out. I'm off of 5/3/1 for a little bit while I retest and get some things in order.

Deadlift/Bench DELOAD

Deadlift:
1x10 135lbs
1x5 185lbs
3x5 225lbs

Bench:
1x8 empty bar
1x5 95lbs
3x5 135lbs

DB Incline:
2x10 2x35lbs

Box Jumps:
5x3 36 inches

Squat/Pull DELOAD

Squat:
1x8 empty bar
1x8 95lbs
1x5 135lbs
2x5 185lbs

Ice Cream Makers:
2x8 BW

Handstand Push-ups/Front Raise Iso Holds Superset:
2x6 BW / 2x20 sec 2x20lbs
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Light, short, to the point.