Phase 2, Week 3 to The Arnold!

TUESDAY
Bench Press - Bar x 20 x 2; 135 x 8 x 2; 185 x 6; 250 x 5; 295 x 4; 340 x 3 x 2 sets; 385 x 2 x 4 sets; 395 x 1
Rolling DB Ext - 45 x 10; 65 x 10 x 3 sets

WEDNESDAY
Squat - Bar x 10 x 2 sets; 135 x 8 x 2 sets; 225 x 6; 315 x 4; 365 x 3 x 2 sets; 405 x 2 x 4 sets; 405 x 7
Reverse Hypers - 10 x 3 sets
Hammer Lat Pulls - 10 x 3 sets

ARNOLD SPORTS FESTIVAL

The Arnold Sports Festival rankings have just been finalized and I am excited to announce that I will be lifting in the IPF Titan Pro Bench Bash to be held in conjunction with the Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH March 6-7, 2010. For those not familiar with this event, it is invitation only and you have to qualify at a national or international event. It is a tremendous honor to be lifting on the Arnold stage! In my opinion, this is the second biggest competition on the planet just behind IPF Open Bench Worlds, so I a stoked to get to lift in the meet!!

As you can see on this link, http://usapowerlifting.com/nationals/arnold/2010/10ARNOLD_bp.htm, I was ranked 5th out all the lifters in the 220 pound class through the Super Heavyweight class. Time to start turning the intensity up in my training because March will be here before you know it!

Phase 2 / Week 2 to.....

TUESDAY
Bench Press - Bar x 20 x 2 sets; 135 x 8 x 2 sets; 225 x 6; 275 x 5; 315 x 5; 340 x 4 x 2 sets; 365 x 3 x 2 sets; 390 x 2 x 2 sets; 365 x 3 x 2 sets; 340 x 5; 315 x 6; 275 x 8; 225 x 10
Dips - 8 x 3 sets

WEDNESDAY
Squats - Bar x 8 x 2 sets; 135 x 6 x 2 sets; 225 x 6 x 2 sets; 315 x 5 x 4 sets; 315 x 10
Straight Leg DL - 225 x 6 x 4 sets
Lats - Hammer Pulls 10 x 3 sets

New Week

MONDAY
Squats - Bar x 10 x 2 sets; 165 x 6 x 2 sets; 275 x 5; 275 x 2.
NOTE: Stopped due to left hamstring. Still feeling something a little funny there. No need to push it right now.
Reverse Hypers - 10 x 3 sets
Hammer Curls - 10 x 3 sets

WEDNESDAY
Straight Leg Deadlift - Bar x 10 x 2 sets; 135 x 10 x 2 sets; 225 x 8 x 2 sets; 315 x 6 x 2 sets
Lat Pulldowns - 15 x 2 sets

THURSDAY
Bench Press - Bar x 20 x 2 sets; 135 x 8 x 2 sets; 225 x 6 x 2 sets; 315 x 2. 3-Board - 225+120 chains x 3 x 2 sets; 275+120 chains 3 x 3 sets; 315+120 chains x 3.
Close-Grip Bench - 275 x 8 x 2 sets; 315 x 7
Front Raises - 45 x 20 x 2 sets
Abs

SATURDAY
Squats - Bar x 10 x 2 sets; 135 x 8 x 2 sets; 225 x 6 x 2 sets; 315 x 3 x 2 sets; 315 x 5
Bench Press (pinky on the ring) - Bar x 20 x 2 sets; 135 x 8 x 2 sets; 225 x 6 x 4 sets; 315 x 2; 365 x1
Rolling DB Ext - 40 x 10; 60 x 10; 80 x 8
Shrugs

After a short hiatus....

...I got back in the gym tonight.

MONDAY
Squats - Bar x 8 x 2 sets; 135 x 8; 225 x 6; 275 x 5; 319 x 4; 363 x 3; 407 x 3 x 2 sets; 407 x 4. Felt a little strain in my left hammy...shut 'er down.

Bench Press - Bar x 20 x 2 sets; 165 x 8 x 2 sets; 231 x 6; 275 x 3; 319 x 3; 363 x 1; 385 x 1

THURSDAY
Bench Press - Bar x 20 x 2 sets; 135 x 10 x 2 sets; 225 x 6; 275 x 5; 315 x 5 x 5 sets

Phase 1 / Week 2

MONDAY
Squat - Bar x 8 x 2 sets; 135 x 6 x 2 sets; 225 x 5; 275 x 5; 340 x 4; 385 x 3 x 2 sets; 440 x 3 x 3 sets; 455 x 3
Notes: I felt pretty good tonight as I ease back into squatting and deadlifting. I did all my work tonight without a belt. I would like to work up to 550 x 3 with a belt (no wraps) before Master's Nationals. Sidenote: I had a wierd thing happen with my head again tonight on the 455 x 3. It's like I am pinching a nerve or something and I get sharp pains in my head. I had the same thing happen Thursday night on my last set of deadlift (405 x 13). It may have something to do with my sinus as well.

WEDNESDAY
Bench Press - Bar x 20 x 2 sets; 135 x 8 x 2 sets; 185 x 6; 225 x 5; 275 x 4; 320 x 3 x 2 sets; 370 x 3 x 4 sets; 405 x 2
Floor Presses - 315 x 5 x 5 sets
Plate Raises - 45 x 15 x 3 sets

THURSDAY
Deadlift - 135 x 8; 225 x 6; 315 x 5; 405 x 3 x 2 sets; 455 x 2 x 4 sets; 500 x 2; 550 x 1; 585 x 1
NOTES: All sets done without a belt. 585 was a personal best. It beats a 573 I did back in April with a belt. Here is video of the 573 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgOo7LPxYlw&feature=player_profilepage. The 585 tonight was much easier and I believe I could have pulled 605 had I worked right up to it. I am pretty pleased with that!
Pullups - 8 x 3 sets
Abs
Wrist Roller - 3 sets

SATURDAY
Bench Press - Bar x 20 x 2 sets; 135 x 8 x 2 sets; 185 x 6; 225 x 6; 275 x5; 320 x 4 x 2 sets; 340 x 3 x 2 sets; 365 x 2 x 2 sets; 340 x 3 x 2 sets; 320 x 3 x 2 sets; 275 x 6; 228 x 8
NOTES: All sets done with pinky on the ring grip.
Rolling DB Ext - 40 x 10; 55 x 10; 65 x 10
Tricep Pressdowns - 2 sets
Preacher Curls - 2 sets

Phase 1 / Week 1

MONDAY
Squat - Bar x 8 x 2 sets; 165 x 8 x 2 sets; 275 x 5; 331 x 4; 385 x 3 x 2 sets; 412 x 3 x 5 sets
Straight Leg DL - 275 x 5 x 3 sets

WEDNESDAY
Bench Press - Bar x 20 x 2 sets; 165 x 8 x 2 sets; 215 x 5; 259 x 4; 303 x 3 x 2 sets; 341 x 3 x 4; 363 x 3
Rack Lockouts w/ Green Bands - 225 x 5; 315 x 5 x 5 sets
Wrist Roller - 3 sets

THURSDAY
Deadlift (no belt) - 135 x 8 x 2 sets; 225 x 6; 285 x 5; 345 x 4; 405 x 3 x 2 sets; 430 x 3 x 4 sets; 405 x 13 (+2)
NOTES: At the encouraging of Randy and Jeff, I attempted to deadlift 405 for as many reps as possible. I was doing quite nicely until I ran out of air at 13 (which calculates to a 608 1RM) and almost blacked out. I believe I could have do 20 had I controlled my breathing a little better. Maybe next time...

SATURDAY
Bench Press - Bar x 20 x 2 sets; 135 x 8 x 2 sets; 185 x 6; 225 x 5; 275 x 4; 315 x 3 x 2 sets; 340 x 2 x 2 sets; 365 x 1 x 2 sets; 340 x 2 x 2 sets; 315 x 3; 275 x 5; 225 x 7
Rolling DB Ext - 60 x 8 x 3 sets

The Comeback Begins!!

Tuesday
Squats - Bar x 8 x 2 sets; 135 x 8 x 2 sets; 225 x 6 x 2 sets; 315 x 5 x 5 sets; 405 x 1; 495 x walk out
Bench Press - Bar x 15 x 3 sets; 135 x 8 x 2 sets; 185 x 5; 225 x 5 x 5 sets; 315 x 3
Delts - 10 x 3 sets
Tricep Pressdowns - 15 x 3 sets
NOTES: Trained at Olympic Gym in San Antonio.

Thursday
Deadlifts - 135 x 8 x 2 sets; 225 x 5; 315 x 5; 405 x 3 x 2 sets; 455 x 3; 405 x 3 x 2 sets
Reverse Hypers - 25 x 10; 50 x 10 x 3 sets
Pullups - 6 x 3 sets
Abs - 12 x 3 sets