Jake's Training Log

[jake241983]

Hello, Exodus Strength. I stumbled upon this board awhile back Google searching something training related. Bookmarked it because I really liked what I saw and recently have been doing some reading here and decided to join. I lurked the SS forum around 2014, but never posted anything.

Anyway, about me. I'm 36 years old, male, 5'10", and 198lbs currently. I usually compete at 220lbs, but been cutting some weight recently. I'm a truck driver for a fairly large trucking company. I drive a dedicated night shift route in Eastern Illinois and Western Indiana and I'm home every morning. Been working out in some form for eight years, but specifically for powerlifting about five years. Big scifi and fantasy fan in terms of books and movies. I also do a little gaming, mostly RPGs and simulation. Bit of a car and truck enthusiast as well.

Best meet lifts at 220lbs raw:
227.5kg/501lb squat
185kg/407lb bench
305kg/672lb deadlift
717.5kg/1581lbs total

Relevant gym lifts at 225lbs or less:
500lb low bar squat in sleeves
550lb low bar squat in wraps
475lb high bar squat in sleeves (beltless)
440lb bench
700lb sumo deadlift
600lb conventional deadlift
755lb high handle trap bar deadlift (beltless)
405lb front squat (beltless)
225lb overhead press

Training history I started out just doing calisthenics and cardio for a couple years, then typical bro splits before getting into strength training. Discovered pretty early I had a knack for deadlift and been strength training since. Have run The Texas Method, 5/3/1, DUP, the RTS Generalized Intermediate Program, Sheiko, worked with one coach, and now currently doing kind of a combination of stuff that's worked for me over the years. Looking for something new, but haven't decided on anything yet.

I've competed in five meets, two APA and three USPA. Last one was a USPA meet in October where I went 7/9 and totalled 717.5kg/1581lbs at 220lbs. 501lb squat, 407lb bench, and 672lb deadlift with some decimals in there somewhere on those to add up to 1581lbs. Missed my third bench attempt of 429lbs and my third deadlift attempt of 705lbs.



^ last meet video

Was pretty disappointed in this because I'd benched 405x2 and 395x3 in training and pulled 645x5 and 700x1. Undershot my squat by a lot as well. Due to elbow issues from low bar I'd only done low bar maybe five times this year, so didn't really know completely where I was on it. Also due to the elbow issues I had to take a week off bench a few weeks before the meet. I think I had a mid 1600's total in me had I made better attempt selections and better training circumstances, but oh well, you live and learn.



^ the 700x1 pull after doing 665x2



^ the 405x2 bench after doing 385x2

More bad choices after the meet continuing to train really hard within days I tweaked my back a bit. So I've taken two months off squat and deadlift and taken the time off to cut some weight from 220lbs to 198lbs. Have done some light squats and deadlift this week and it felt alright. Bench obviously feels terrible after the weight loss. Got my next couple months of training figured out and will be putting some weight back on. I typically walk around 205-210lbs in the off season and bulk up to 220lbs for meets. No meet picked out at this time, but I am itching to do another fairly soon for an elite total at 220lbs or maybe even at 198lbs.

My upcoming training block will be off season training. Higher reps and going to try to add some hypertrophy in for a change. I'll be incorporating AMRAPs on my heavy days and being that I'm coming back from two months off squat and deadlift and cut some weight I will be starting with lower weights on the big three. Basically will be cardio the first few weeks.

Goals for this year I'd mostly like to catch my squat up. Because of the elbow issues I've mostly given up low bar and have been front squatting and trying out wide stance high bar. I think it's a shoulder mobility issue and I should probably work on that. Have been better about doing mobility work the last year and need to keep it up along with cardio. Squat I'd like to see 550lbs in sleeves, high or low bar. Bench 430-440lbs. Deadlift 700+ at a meet and hopefully closer to 725lbs. Hopefully not to spend so much time injured in 2020 if such a thing is even possible.

Glad I found this place, seems like a lot of knowledgeable people are active here. It'll be nice to get some feedback and different perspectives on training and programming. I've picked up a few things over the years myself and might be able to help some people out, too. I live in a rural area where almost nobody else is into strength training, so don't get to discuss training much in real life. Anyway, new training block starts on Tuesday. If you've made it through my short novel intro thanks for reading.

[mbasic]

welcome dude

impressive benching

[jake241983]

welcome dude

impressive benching

Thank you!

Was the first good stretch of injury free benching for me in quite awhile. Forgot to mention in my intro, but also ran Smolov Jr. for bench leading into my meet along with my regular squat and deadlift programming. Despite the elbow issues from low bar it seemed to work quite well. 5-10lbs less and I'd have gotten that third attempt.

[jake241983]

Did a little cardio this morning. Taking tomorrow and Monday off and will resume more normal four day a week training on Tuesday. Got some light doubles on squat and then some hypertrophy stuff.

Until I get my low bar squat elbow issues worked out I'll be doing some wide stance high bar. I toyed with wide stance SSB and kind of wide stance front squats a little this year, but not really with high bar yet. Also bought some raised heel shoes to try out with them right before I tweaked my back, so will finally get to test those out. Never tried them before as I always wore Chucks for low bar.

[jake241983]

Bodyweight 198lbs this morning

5 minute warmup on elliptical

Wide stance high bar squat with black bands (light day)
Warmup
Bar x5
135x5
225x3
275x2
Working sets
295lbs for 12 sets of 2

Romanian deadlift
Warmup
135x10
225x10
Working sets
275x10
295x10
315x10

Single leg press
140lbs for 5x10 each leg

Seal rows
100x10
100x10
120x10
120x10
120x10

Lat pull downs
150lbs for 5x10

Back extensions
Bodyweight for 5x10

First day back to more normal training after about two months off squat and deadlift due to injury. Also first time trying out raised heel shoes for squat. Too early to really say how that's going yet. Everything feels bad after time off and cutting weight. Before my last meet I was mostly doing front squats for a long time because of elbow issues from low bar. Hopefully I can bring my low bar up without destroying my elbows doing high bar. Been mostly stalled on squat for years and I think there's lots of room for improvement there.

Romanian deadlift felt okay. The last couple years I haven't included much conventional stance work. Wondering if it's hurting my sumo numbers, so I'm including these and probably conventional block pulls in my next set of training blocks. Part of me thinks my biggest problem is technical, but in case it's not I'm wanting to hit quads, glutes, and lower back a little extra over the next few months.

Diet wise cutting ended last week. Dropping fasted cardio and adding more calories and carbs back in over the coming weeks starting today.

[jake241983]

Forgot to weigh this morning

5 minute treadmill warmup
Various dynamic stretches

Touch and go bench (peak set day)
Warmup
Bar x20
135x10
225x5
250x3
Working sets
275x3
275x3
275x3
275x13 (AMRAP @ RPE 8.5ish)

Zercher squats (medium stance)
Warmup
Bar x10
135x10
Working sets
225lbs for 3x10

Incline dumbbell press
100lb dumbbells for 5x10

Dumbbell glute bridges
100lb dumbbell + heavy green band for 3x30

Lying side adductions
5x10

Hamstring curls
105lbs for 5x10


Bench didn't feel as bad as I thought it would. Right after my meet in October I did an AMRAP of 19 with 275lbs, although I was 15-20lbs heavier. Zercher squats I don't have much experience with and I hurt myself doing them last year, so I'm a little scared of them. Wanting to replace front squat with them for awhile though. I'm coming back down with some kind of sinus thing I thought had went away. Not feeling 100% at all today.



Working sets of bench

[cole]

I used to drive truck, my back was always destroyed from sitting. Good training to you!

[jake241983]

I used to drive truck, my back was always destroyed from sitting. Good training to you!

Thank you and yeah, it's either worn out from loading/unloading on local jobs or stiff from sitting in the truck all day when on the road.

[jake241983]

Forgot to weigh this morning

1 hour of incline treadmill at 10% incline and 3mph

Before a couple months ago I'd neglected cardio for several years. Not gonna keep on with the fasted cardio now that I'm done cutting, but planning on trying to keep doing some cardio at least a few times a week.

[JohnHelton]

Good lucking lifts, Jake. I'm following you on Instagram.

[jake241983]

Good lucking lifts, Jake. I'm following you on Instagram.

Thanks, John. Followed back on IG, too.

[jake241983]

Didn't weigh this morning

Dynamic warmup for deadlift

Sumo deadlift (volume day)
Warmup
135x5
225x5
315x5
405x5
455x5
475x5
Working sets
500x5x5

Secondary press
Close grip slingshot bench press
275x10
295x10
275x10

Secondary deadlift variation
Sumo stance free weight belt squats + holding a 15kg kettlebell
210lbs for 5 sets of 10

Dumbbell pull overs 60x10, 70x10, 70x10, 70x10, 70x10

Cable chest flyes 50lbs each side for 5 sets of 10

Bodyweight push ups x50, x40, x30, x25, x25

Deadlift felt alright for having taken all those weeks off. Bench felt terrible, maybe fatigued from Thursday or just still weak from cutting weight. Overshot RPE though big time. Belt squats I have the Spud Inc. belt squat belt and I'm doing them off the assisted pull up and dip machine at my gym. The platforms are perfect height and width for doing them. Tried holding a kettlebell like in a goblet squat position for the first time today while doing them in order to keep my back more upright. It definitely helps a lot, gonna do them like that from now on.



^ all the deadlift sets from 455lbs up

[jake241983]

Seated dumbbell overhead press 60's x10, 65's for 4x10

Chin ups 3x10

Bodyweight dips 3x20

Side raises 10lbs for 3x10

Triceps push downs 70lbs for 3x10

Dumbbell preacher curls 15lbs for 3x20

Farmers walks 110lbs per side 3 sets of 1 gym length and back

Had more stuff planned today, but can't shake this sinus thing I've got. Feeling really run down and got nauseous halfway through this session. Had this for two weeks, then was better for about two weeks, and now have had it again for going on about ten days.

[jake241983]

198lbs first thing this morning

10 minute warmup on elliptical
Dynamic stretching

Wide stance high bar squat (peak set day)
Warmup
Bar x5
135x5
225x5
315x3
335x3
Working sets
350x3
350x3
350x3
350x8 (AMRAP, but hit safeties on 8th rep and stopped)



Romanian deadlift
225x10
315x10
335x10
365x10

Single leg press each leg 140x10, 140x10, 180x10, 180x10, 180x10

Seal rows 100x10, 100x10, 110x10, 110x10, 110x10

Lat pull downs 165lbs for 5 sets of 10

Back extensions 5 sets of 10

Not sure how I feel about wide stance high bar. Don't know if it's all the weeks off, cutting 20lbs, or just not used to it. Or maybe all three, doesn't feel strong yet. Probably had 10 reps on the AMRAP if I didn't bang the safeties. When I bought my belt squat belt from Spud Inc. I bought some straps. First pair I've owned in like five years. I bought the wider set and I'm not digging them. They don't seem like they get tight and end up coming loose mid set.

[jake241983]

I'm in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for work. Was gonna hit the gym after I unload tomorrow, but decided to do it tonight and try to make the whole drive back home tomorrow. Can have a three day weekend that way. Tomorrow will be a 14 hour day though.

Comp bench
Warmup
Bar x15
135x5
225x5
250x5
Working sets
275x5x5

Zercher squats
Warmup
Bar x10
135x10
Working sets
185x10
205x10
225x10

Incline dumbbell press
100's for 5 sets of 10

Normally I use a front/zecher squat harness for front squat or zecher squats. Didn't want to pack it in the truck. Those are pretty uncomfortable on the bare arms. Just knocked out the main stuff and called it a day. I've been sick with some kind of sinus and throat thing for a couple weeks and really feeling run down today. Probably gonna end up having to get some antibiotics since it's not going away.

[jake241983]

Didn't weigh this morning

5 minutes elliptical
Skipped normal deadlift warmup because running late and light day anyway

Beltless sumo deadlift (light day)
Warmup
135x5
225x5
315x3
Working sets
405x1x12



Two board paused bench
Warmup
Bar x10
135x5
225x3
250x3
275x3
Working sets
295x3
315x3
335x3



Just bought one of those bench block things and wanted to test it. Bench still feeling pretty weak since cutting weight.

Belt squats holding a kettlebell
210x10x5

Dumbbell pullovers
80lb dumbbell for 5 sets of 10

Cable flyes
50x10, 60x10, 60x10, 60x10, 60x10

Push ups
x40, x40, x40, x40, x40

I'm going to finish up this training block next week and then start up Sheiko Advanced Medium Load. I'm wanting to do higher volume, lower intensity training and not comfortable programming it just yet. So I think Sheiko will be a good fit for now. I bought the bench block for that reason and going to figure out a chain setup since my gym has chains already.

[jake241983]

Stated dumbbell overhead press 60's x10, 60's x10, 60's x10, 70's x10, 80's x10

Chin ups 5x10

Dips 5x20

Side raises 10lbs for 3x20

Triceps push downs 3 sets of 20

Dumbbell preacher curls 20lbs for 3x20

Ab wheel 2x20

Face pulls 40lbs for 2x20

30 minute incline treadmill

[jake241983]

Change of plans for me. Was gonna finish this training block and try to hit a deadlift rep PR on Saturday. I usually don't work weekends and that's my time to go in fresh and deadlift, but my boss booked a job Friday to Monday of long work days. So I'm just gonna start Sheiko tomorrow and not worry about it.

Also did an hour of incline treadmill walking after work today.

[jake241983]

Sheiko Advanced Medium Load
Prep cycle 1
Week 1
Day 1

Didn't weigh this morning, but right at 200lbs just now after three meals today

Front squat
145x4
195x4
245x4x3

Paused bench press
195x5
235x4
275x3
295x2x4

Low bar squat
270x3
315x3
365x2x4



Decline dumbbell flyes 30lb dumbbells for 4 sets of 8

Ab wheel extremely slow and controlled for 3 sets of 10

So I'm still sick. Went to the walk in clinic Friday and got some antibiotics. My throat still hurts and just fell unwell overall. Kinda getting worried. If it doesn't clear up by the end of the week guess I'll have to go back.

I entered 485/390/685 as my maxes for this program. Slightly lower than recent PRs, but they were also set 20lbs heavier. I think squat and deadlift numbers are fine, but might have to lower bench. Will continue for now in case today was just a bad day.

I also swore I wasn't gonna do low bar, but I've been reading and watching videos and thinking maybe I was just setting up wrong and that's why my elbows hurt so bad. So did low bar today for the first time since October and tried it with the Olympic shoes. Felt okay today at least. We'll see how my elbows feel in a week or so, it doesn't always manifest right away.

[jake241983]

Sheiko Advanced Medium Load
Prep cycle 1
Week 1
Day 2

Forgot to weigh this morning

Sumo deadlift paused 2 count at the knees
345x3
410x3
480x3x4



Bench press
275x3
275x5
275x7
275x4
275x6
275x8



Sumo deadlift paused above the knees
515x2x4



Weighted chin ups bodyweight + 45lbs for 4x6

Skipped 5x5 good mornings

This was not my day. Tripped up at work and hurt my knee, I'm still a little sick, and lower back is bothering me again. It's weird because there's zero pain during deadlift, but then I bend down for a 10lb plate and get a sharp pain in my lower right side of my back. So gonna call and see about an extra round of antibiotics tomorrow. I'm working every day until next Saturday, so there will be no rest time. Ibuprofen and ice time, I guess.