Progress, frustration and a shitshow all in one. Mondays "squat" session

Squats: Top set was 365 /2

Thats all I'm listing as that is all I could really take. No, scratch that. Thats all my knee, or what I perceive my knee could take. I wanted to go to over 500 but it was not to be I guess. I tried to take 405 but I just couldn't get through it. I felt that knee tighten on me and I just came right back up. Didn't even hit parallel. To have this happen and have only a few weeks before Nationals is incredibly frustrating. Am I doing all that I can in my squat, or am I just being a bitch about the whole thing and not pushing myself to the limits I'm capable of.

I was reminded by Gregg that aches, pains, and injuries happen. This is something I'll need to work through. I am deadset on a 700 squat, but if i don't have it the day of the meet, then I just don;t have it. I have to remember to play it smart and not get pissed off to the nth.

My warmup sucked also. I HAVE to warmup properly, if I don't then I'm shit. Period. Putting in goblet squats in my warmup also. If it takes 15 to warmup, then it takes 15. I did a warmup when my knee popped and up until that point, I was moving shit like a freight train. I felt great, form was tight and I was explosive. So when I get away from a proper warmup then I quickly get reminded of why I need to do one.

Good thing is that my job is paying my entry fee into the Nationals. So thats money I don't need to worry about paying.


Hope everyone had a Great Memorial day, but lets not forget why we celebrate it. It's more than a day off from work or time for barbeques and all that.


Bench on Wednesday, work at three, so I'll be looking at videos like these today.









Getting after it!

Past couple days training.

Friday- Deadlifts: Was supposed to go up to 460/5 but my knee was acting a bit buggy, so I only went up to 315.

315/1,1,1,1,1

Leg Curls: two sets for weight not even worth mentioning. Just a bit frustrated with my knee bothering me,

Saturday: Bench assistance, press day or whatever you want to call this concoction.

Military press: 65/5, 95/6,5, 135/3, 4, 155/2,2 (paused slightly above my clavicle with no leg drive)

CG Press: 135/10,10, 185/10, 225/3, 4

I had chains on for all these sets. Started off with one set of chain on the sets with 135 and went up to two with 185 and above.

Lat pulldown for 3 sets of 12.

Another heavy week coming up and we are 40 days away from USPF Nationals. Can't wait!

Bench Training

Bench Training

Bench: 225/5, 255/5, 295/5, 315/1, 365/1, 335/2(paused)

One Arm Rows: 100/8, 105/8, 120/8, 135/5

Paused Incline Barbell: 185/8, 5, 225/5, 6

Banded Pressdowns: 3 sets of 20

Rear laterals: 20/15,15,15

Good day in the gym today. I wasn't going to go that heavy on the bench, but I had some agression to workout and I believe that training is supposed to have a therapeutic effect when you need it regardless of what you are preparing for. It felt good to hit 365 after missing 375 once and then taking it again and nailing it.

We had a bit of a stupid thing go on today. We had a one arm row challenge with 150 lb dumbbell. We had to row it for as many times as possible and the highest rep count wins. It didnt matter if you had ten reps with your left and fifteen with your right, fifteen was the winning number. I was able to get 10 with my right arm and thought I was safe, until the rules were changed and you could do a deadstop row. BOOOOOOOOOOO. I lost to my training partner Greg by one damn rep. Smart thing to do, no. But fun.

Did 35 minutes of cardio after and felt pretty good. Deadlifts on Friday

GO BULLS!!!!

Mondays Training

Squats: 135/5,5 , 185/4,4, 225/5,3,3

Attempted deadlifts but the knee started acting a little funny, so I iced it a bit after.

Back raise: BW/10, (PINK BAND)10,10

20 mins of cardio.

Bench is tomorrow, looking forward to it.

Saturdays training

Saturdays training was the same as Wednesdays bench training in which I went up to 305 on the bench for three reps. However I didn't do any singles and did some seated military press after and headed into work.

No training on Sunday, just church and a surprise party that was orchestrated by my sister. I've never had a surprise party before so this was......well......a surprise! So thanks to my sister and ALL my family who showed up!

Bench day recap

So by now I'm sure that everyone has looked or at least heard of my debacle with my knee on Monday. It's good to go as in it's not as stiff as it was Monday and Tuesday. Just a bit sore and I'm sure I'll be able to resume some light -moderate squatting the week after next.

On Wednesday I went in to bench and was surprised my boy Greg showed up early. He's being coached by Matt Gary out of Maryland so our sessions are to push each other and coach each other and shoot the shit. I very much look forward to these sessions because it's largely a de-stresser for us although we try to smash pr's.

Bench for me went like this: Warmups, 250/3, 280/3, 305/3, 325/1, 350/1, 375/ miss, 1

I missed 375 the first time because i just wasn't tight enough. The second time I took it, I remember the setup Frey had me do at Learn to Train and the adjustments Greg had me do and I got it up. I was reminded of what Julia Ladewski said to me at the seminar in that you have to strain because you may get that lift thats a grinder and last 5 seconds, so I need to learn how to do that. I also need to not fear the weight and keep my steup TIGHT. Gonna get the back bigger too.

I've learned that bench is just not my specialty lift, and that I'm going to have get insanely strong to handle any decent amount of weight. And my ultimate goal is to have a raw press of 500. Long way to go, but it's about the journey.

No deadlifting but back and plenty of hamstring work and the same goes for next Monday. I'll resume deadlifting next Friday but for reps. Upward and onward!!

Part 2 of the learn to train seminar

Saturday comes and that means day 2 of the learn to train seminar and without a doubt this was where the action took place. We were put into groups based on strength so I was with the beefy crew who resembled washed up NFL defensemen. First station was the Q/A table with Matt Ladewski, Julia Ladewski and Landon Evans. There was a wealth of information there and i wasted no time in picking their brains about programming and nutrtion. Landon Evans said something that most people will not agree with. That meal frequency does not matter. There is more to it, but he believes in the leans gains approach. You can find out more at

After the q/a table, it was on to the squat station with Brian Caroll coaching us on squats. Brian is a beast on squats and hit I believe a 1030 squat that morning before coaching us, so not a bad guy to learn from. Made some tweaks and I'm confident I'll hit what I want to hit in July. Yes Greg, I know you told me first.

Next was the assessment station with Mike Robertson and Dr. Ryan Smith. It was rough, I hated it, hardest station of all, but I needed to see how my mobility was. It stinks like donkey ass is the short answer. It will get better though with time and patience.

After the assessment was the Bench Press station coached by Joey Smith, Jeremy Frey and Steve Diel. Biggest thing that was affected was my arch and grip on the bar. I caught a hard cramp during my first set because I honestly do not remember my set up being THAT tight. I was out of breath with just the bar. But Joey Smith said that none of this is supposed to feel good so get that shit out your mind.

Bench was done and my group went on to the deadlift which was coached by powerlifter/bodybuilder Matt Kroc. He explained the differences between sumo and conventional and we worked up to 405. I didn't want to go heavier because I had strongman next but we talked a bit about nutrition, how bodybuilding and powerlifting training are pretty well close in terms of training, and his future plans in bodybuilding.

The strongman station was next and Steve Pulcinella and Andy Deck had that station. I was throwing around the idea of doing a strongman meet in my mind, but after this station of log press, axle press and farmers walks, I decided against that. I will say that it will be useful in my training, The over head pressing also showed me how weak my triceps are and how that cannot be tolerated in the grand scope of things.

I have to say that it was a great weekend. I will try and make the next one and hopefully learn even more on my quest for elite status.

This past week

As a lot of you already know, I graduated from Harold Washington College this week. I won't harp on it too much but I will say that it was a journey that took 3 years and it finally setting in that I graduated. I have to thank everyone that was there for me including my sister Tracey, Miguel, Kenisha, Tom Hagler, Greg, Troy, Big Mike and a host of others, but most importantly I have to thank God because it was through His strength I was able to finish.

After the ceremony on Wednesday, I was on the road on Thursday with Dominic Rivera and we rolled to London, Ohio for the EFS Learn to Train Seminar. For those that don't know Elite FTS is a strength training website that has a roster of athletes that have a background in primarily powerlifting, but are also versed in bodybuilding and nutrition. The people that are apart of the team helped lecture and coach on all things related to programming, movements, business, the history of the company, powerlifting gear usage and life in general.

The first day was lectures and I was looking forward to James Smith (Otherwise know as The Thinker of EFS) presentation of The Block Periodization Training Methodology: Application and Adaptability. Block Periodization has been something I have been interested in for awhile mainly because of the results that people have gotten from it. James went through 39 slides that were each well explained and broken down into terms that anyone could understand. Long story short, I wanted to try a block model for my training but I found out that looking at the numbers I currently have and seeing that Block Periodization is mainly for the elite athlete, I'm not ready for it just yet. James also answered questions that I had on putting together a Block model for when I am ready and he pointed me to different resources in which to find out more about it.

The next presenters were Jeremy Frey and Brian Caroll who Went through a Q/A about the squat, bench and deadlift. Premise of the hour without going into minute detail was that you need to be strong. Shut up and do work if you want to be good, and it dont matter if youre a raw or multiply gear lifter, you still need to be strong.

Mike Robertson and Ryan Smith showed up and gave us a talk about corrective exercise and it's impact on our total. We had a few messed up bodies there so this one was all ears by everyone. They went in-depth about mobility and stability in regards to warm-ups and we went through some sample exercises on Saturday which I'll save for another post.

Steve Pulcinella and Andy Deck did a presentation on Strongman and Pulcinella was hilarious! Andy and Steve went into their background and how to train for strongman. I was curious about trying to do strongman and quickly reversed my decision about that after an axle press on Saturday. I was surprised at how big Andy Deck is. He is a SOLID 240 and my 240 is not like his! Mine is sexier though!

Matt Kroc went into nutrition and here is the bottom line. You dont have to be fat to be a powerlifter, lose some weight, gain some mass and train.

After all that, we had and open Q/A with Jim Wendler and Dave Tate. I have to say that if you have an opportunity to hear either gentleman speak, DO IT! As far as what was said, if you weren't there, then you just wont know. ;-)

Ill have more tomorrow as Saturday was a training day.....that I am currently feeling right now in my entire posterior chain.

Way overdue update

Well, I was going to put up this past weeks training, but I realized that I left my log back in my locker. But I can give rough estimates of where my top sets were for this week

Squat: 405/5

Bench:280/5

Deadlift: 460/5


With that being said, this is my "light" week in which I only go up to 85% of my training max which is 90% of my actual max (or somewhere in that ball park). I have a busy week next week and will have to put gas on. I have.....

-Spanish test on Monday

-Business Law test that I could really give to damns about. I should've never taken the class anyway in hindsight.

-Paper due in ethics

-at some point I have to wash my clothes so I don't have the scent of "Urban Musk" or otherwise known as funk.


I have military presses later in the afternoon if youre reading this and i have work at 7pm and then Sunday at 3pm.

Hitting a rough spot financially, but we all do at some point. But responsibilities come first as much as we don't want to take care of them. And if it looks like you take two steps forward but four back, just know that even in the rain, God is still shining.

95% week next week. And I will post a bench video. I have put it in my mind I will NOT have anymore bad bench sessions. The bar will move the way I want it to move and as fast as I want it moved. I will press 425 in July. PERIOD!