Cube Method Week 7

11/26/12
Squat:
Bar x 10
135×5
185×3

Deadlift:
Bar x 10
135×5
225×3
275×2
315×1
—
355x5x2 sets

Snatch Grip Deadlift Off 4″ Blocks:
275×20

Wide Stance Squats:
205x12x3 sets

Dimmel Deadlift:
115×15
115×20

Back Raises:
30

11/28/12
Bench:
Bar x 10
95×5
135×5
Add 1 Board
155×5
185×5
210×5
215×3
220×2
240×1
260×1
275×0
275×1

CG Bench:
210x3x3 sets

Lat Pulldowns:
170x15x3 sets

Tricep Pushdowns:
30×15
50×15
60×15
70×15

Standing DB Military:
45×10
50×10
55×10

BB Shrugs:
225x15x4 sets

11/29/12
Squat:
265x2x8 sets
285×1

Paused Squats:
225x5x5 sets

Good Mornings:
115x12x3 sets

Leg Press:
2PPS+100PS x20x4 sets

DB SL Deadlift:
45×20
My sumo technique is getting better but very hard with reps. My form breaks down and I have my toes so close to the plates I really have to be careful lowering the weight. Hamstrings were still sore and tight from Friday. Was going to do GHR’s but my gym got rid of the machine. Decided to do Dimmel Deadlifts instead. Didn’t feel like I was doing them quite right but I can definitely tell I need hamstring work and think RDL’s would be a great choice. Benching was not great. Worked on the sink technique and it wasn’t working well. Also, the bungee I use to hold the board to my chest gets in the way and changes my bar path, as do boards in general. I am starting to not be a fan of movements that stray from the form. Close grip was hard. Changed my technique a little on the final set, but will have to see if that works with heavier weights or if I am better off just staying right and barely touching my chest or pausing on it. Could’ve gone heavier on the DB militaries but wasn’t sure from the pressing/pushdowns. Squatting felt strong and fast tonight. Ran out of time so just did one set of 20 on stiff legged deadlifts. Got asked for squat advice which was cool. The workout for the weekend will be curls, hang cleans, upright rows, and GHR’s if I can figure out how to rig it up at home.

Cube Method Week 6

11/19/12
Squat:
Bar x 10
135×5
185×3

Deadlift off 2″ Blocks:
Bar x 10
135×5
185×3
225×2
275×1
315×1
365×1
405×1
445×1
485×1

Sumo Deadlift:
330x2x8 sets

DB Rows:
110x20x2 sets

BB Shrugs:
225x15x3 sets

11/21/12
Floor Press:
Bar x 10
95×5
135×3
165×2
—
195x3x8 sets

Incline DB Press:
60x20x2 sets

Band Pushdowns:
100

Standing DB Military:
60×6
55x6x3 sets

Band Flys:
3×15

11/23/12
Squat:
285x2x6 sets

Wide Stance Pause Squat:
195x10x3 sets

Oly Squats:
150×45
Warmed up with light squats to get my hips warmed up plus you’re fatigued from squatting in a meet anyway. Will probably go up to 225 next time. Pulled conventional. Felt pretty good though on that last reps my hips came up which usually doesn’t happen. Think I figured out a way to make sumo work for me so I will have to try it on heavier weight next time- only thing is I have to watch my toes when going for reps, which throws the form off. Should’ve gone lighter on DB rows and used less body English. Floor presses felt great. Really tried to control the descent and explode up, and tried to get a feel for how I want my traps set when I bench by playing with my set up a little. Still trying to figure out the ideal bar path- felt like I’d hit it sometimes and sometimes I wouldn’t. Thought 60s would be good for military, but after 10 sets of pressing and pushdowns I decided to dial it down to the 55s. Usually use a light band for flys but only had my mini and it felt better- better squeeze and ROM. Squatted at Bods Barbell with Dan Green. Felt slow and weak and my back and hip were hurting. Felt nauseous and puked everywhere when I got home. Pretty sure I got food poisoning from the Subway sandwich I had for dinner. Curls and abs tomorrow before my tattoo appointment.

Cube Method Week 5

11/12/12
Speed Pull:
355x1x8 sets

Snatch Grip Pull Off 2″ Blocks:
225×29

Squat:
225×6
245×6
265×6
285×6
305×6

BB Shrugs:
225x15x3 sets

Band Pulldowns:
15×4 sets

11/14/12
Bench:
215×3
220×3
225×3
Add slingshot
245×2
255×2

Military Press:
95×10
115×10
125×10

Lat Pulldowns:
130x15x4 sets

Band Pushdowns:
100

Plate Side Raises:
100

11/15/12
Squat:
Bar x 10
135×5
185×3
225×2
275×1
315×1
Add knee wraps
345×1
375×1
395×1
Add reverse bands
415×1
Take off wraps and bands
205x12x2 sets

Leg Press:
2x100s per side +45 on top
3 sets of 20

Leg Extensions:
80x12x3 sets

Leg pain is still a constant. Oly squats got tough today reminding me that I may still have to go low bar for max effort work. Should’ve used two light bands for the pulldowns- one wasn’t nearly enough. Benching didn’t feel terribly weak, but not strong either. Still undecided how I feel about the thumbless grip. Squats went great. Put high bar to the test tonight and they felt strong and comfortable. Have never gone over 315 high bar or used wraps high bar, so while my depth was good it could’ve been a little deeper to be a true oly squat. Pretty sure I will be using high bar as my competition stance. Finished with leg extensions since lunges aggravate my knee and I’m still having pain around there. Just need to get my bench and deadlift dialed in now. Weekend work will just be curls, and and neck extensions- trying to lay off the triceps and not do anything explosive that might aggravate my leg.

MyFitnessPal

Found out about an app through Instagram called MyFitnessPal. Basically a calorie tracker, and gives you the option of gaining or losing half a pound or a pound a week based on your goal. Bases your needs off age, height, current weight, goal weight, and level of exercise. Right now I am sitting at about 230lbs, so I picked 250lbs as my goal weight (though ideally I would like to be 270lbs at some point) and put that I’d like to gain a pound a week. They have a huge database of foods so you can find what you’re looking for or pretty close to. And if not, you can create your own. I think my current calorie intake is fairly on point, but I am curious to see how the app shows how my training sessions affect my calorie intake- I have a feeling I am taking in enough calories if I wasn’t lifting, but that the lifting depletes them so I may need to add in some more. I also tend not to eat as much on the weekends. I think this app will be a great tool that I wish I had long ago. It will help me to better see where I am missing calories and to help me reach my goals quicker by holding me accountable. I’m not saying I’ll be 250 by the end of the year or 270 by the end of next year, but at least with this I can see where I am faltering and what changes I need to make.

Cube Method Week 4

11/5/12
Deadlift:
Bar x 10
135×3
185×2
225×2
315×2
—
380x3x2 sets

2″ Block Pull w/snatch grip:
275×20

Oly Squat:
225x10x4 sets

Lunges:
4×10

Back Raise:
50

11/7/12
Board Press:
Bar x 10
95×5
Add 2-board
135×5
185×5
205×5
225×3
245×3
270×2 miss load
275×2
Add 3-board close grip
155x15x2 sets

Lat Pulldowns:
140x15x3 sets

Tricep Pushdowns:
50×15
40x15x3 sets

Standing DB Military Press:
40×10
45×10
50×10

11/9/12
Squat:
285x2x5 sets
305×1

Pause Squats:
185×5
195×5
200×5
205×5
215×5

Leg Press:
100+3PPSx12x4 sets

Band Good Morning:
3×12

DB Swings:
3×15

Bench day was another shit show. Tool White Blood 2 for the first time, and since it is stim free, I took the full dose. I had acid reflux, felt like I was going to puke, was light headed and sweating like crazy the whole time. My friend was supposed to load 265 for my second to last set of board presses, but he threw a 5 on one side and not the other, so it was 270 but not evenly loaded. Was going to take 285 as my final set but could tell this wouldn’t happen as I strained my back on the previous set. On my second set of 3 board, I forgot to use a close grip and then completely forgot there was supposed to be a third set. Should’ve gone heavier on the dumbbell military press. Skipped shrugs because I felt like shit. Squats went well. Been staying with oly squats and they’re feeling stronger. Strained my lateral hamstring tendon which I really need to try to heal because it is starting to negatively effect all my workouts. Tomorrow I will do some Poundstone curls, hang cleans, and French presses.

Cube Method Week 3

10/29/12
4″ Block Pull (actually pin pull):
Bar x 10
135×5
225×3
315×2
405×1
455×1
495×1
545×1
565×1

Stiff-legged Sumo Dead:
225x5x2 sets

DB Rows:
80×10
85×10
90×10

DB Shrugs:
80×15
85×15
90×15

Up and Down Planks:
50

10/30/12
Floor Press:
155x5x5 sets

Inline DB Press:
55x15x3 sets

Band Pushdowns:
100

Standing DB Military:
35x8x2 sets
40×8

Band Flys:
3×15

Crunches:
50

11/1/12:
Squat:
225x3x5 sets

Wide Stance Good Morning:
135x8x3 sets

DB Lunge:
3×15

Oly Squat:
135×50

Abs

Pulling went well. Wanted 585 but that pin height seems to be right around my sticking point so I was happy with 565. Think I should have pulled it conventional instead of modified sumo. I don’t have quite the hip strength or flexibility to do wide sumo, but after seeing some videos of myself pulling and watching other videos, I’ve identified some corrections I need to make when pulling conventional and when pulling sumo. But with sumo I can’t make one of those big corrections without going wider. I know with either I need to keep my arms in tight to my body so the bar doesn’t drift forward and I need to focus in pulling back and keeping the bar closer to my shins and thighs on the way up. Floor press is also right around my sticking point. Bench has always been my weakest of the three but it has felt extra week lately. Also speed work always hurts my elbows. For squatting it’s misleading that I labeled the set of 135 as oly because I did my other sets oly as well. Having pretty much always done low bar, I am toying with the idea of doing high bar simply because it feels better to me. Obviously moving the most weight is the biggest priority, but if I feel I can do this oly style and without the pain I experience in my shoulders, hips and back when low bar squatting, I will gladly switch to oly.

As per usual, I will get in some neck work, Poundstone curls, barbell rows, and overhead press this weekend.