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^ My elbows go forward a lot, they're not always to the sides. Makes it easier. Not sure how much it changes in terms of muscle recruitment though.

^^ Thanks I'll try that out. I go wide so that I could hit my chest more and I don't even do direct tricep work, and haven't in years (I can elaborate on why I do that if you care to know). It makes it hard to keep my elbows tucked in more, but i do try to remember to do so.

Any cues on keeping elbows in? My shoulder blades are always squeezed.

Week 103

Monday - 02/10/16
195.2lbs

-= Workout Log =-

ATG Squat
135 x 8                                >> 3min rest.
135 x 8                                >> Played ball yesterday so I'm not recovered to squat today.
185 x 5                                >> Still... 380x3 is disappointing.
185 x 3                                >> I actually can't fathom how I did a triple 25lbs over this before.
225 x 3
275 x 1
315 x 1
365 x 1
405 x 1
380 x 3
325 x 8

Bench Press
45 x 15                               >> 3min rests.
95 x 8                                 >> I have no idea but I nearly failed on last two sets. Weird!
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 1
240 x 5 PR
240 x 2
240 x 2

Romanian Deadlift
225 x 5                              >> Legs sore from bball. These are painful.

Calf Raise Machine
450 x 5                          >> 60sec rests.
495 x 13 PR
495 x 8 PR
495 x 8 PR

Haven't been getting good sleep lately. I did pretty good last week and felt a huge difference... need to get back on that!

Missed day of lifting.

I played ball today for the first time in almost a year.
Got 4hrs of sleep going into saturday. Same into sunday.

Today (sunday) i was almost falling asleep in class. At home i was contemplating not playing at all, i was so tired.

Whatever, it was a league game and i was filling in for someone just one game. Didnt even take a jumpshot in the warm ups. Grabbed rim with two hands easily off two steps. Took a really high rim touching layup.

Play the game, im feeling good. Missed my first shot, a three, but sank the next 3 or 4 threes. Killing it driving in and stuff. Had ~20pts and my team scored only 36. Could have had way more but they werent feeding me the ball. Nobody can stay in front of me with my first step. I expected to play way worse, skill wise, but i was wet.

Anyway, at half time i dunked 2 hands 2 feet on my first try!!! Then right after that i threw down a clean 2 hand tomahawk on first try! Wtf!

Last year i was squatting 365x3 and i could barely tomahawk after 3 weekly games. But i ended up getting a monster one just a few weeks later after getting movement efficiency up.

This year i squat 375x5 and i get a clean tomahwak my first bball day back. The only jump work ive done is like 6 SVJ reps a week lol. Some tuck jumps and jump roping too. I dont have much movement efficiency yet. Sometimes i dont even do them. Got up 36-37" today. Even if i dont increase my squat or cut weight, i am 100% sure i would hit 40" after just 3 weeks of playing ball twice a week at my current relative strength levels.

My squat workout will probably suck tomorrow since i played all 40min but thats okay. I cant wait to see how high i could get up with a 385x5 squat at 195lbs. And after a few weeks of bball.

 

Week 102

Thursday - 03/10/16

-= Workout Log =-

ATG Squat
135 x 8                                >> 3min rest.
135 x 8                                >> This went nicely.
185 x 5                                >> 325x8 was done with way less of a pause between each rep.
185 x 3                                >> It had me breathing heavy! I'll do them that way from now on.
225 x 3
275 x 1
315 x 1
365 x 1
405 x 1
375 x 5 PR
325 x 8 PR

Bench Press
45 x 15                               >> 3min rests.
95 x 8                                 >> Was supposed to do 240lbs but I was feeling good.
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 1
245 x 4 PR
245 x 3 PR
245 x 2 PR

Romanian Deadlift
225 x 5                              >> 2min rests.                           
275 x 2                              >> Can't remember the warm up weights. I used some other guys bar.
315 x 1                              >> It had bumper plates and stuff and they weren't 45's.
365 x 4                       >> Each rep was preceded by a regular deadlift. Worked out at a friends gym.
335 x 8                       >> Had to pull from the floor initially.

Calf Raise Machine
3 sets to failure
Friend's gym, so whatever

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8myUJwoU_0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8myUJwoU_0</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oRYisJ7Cig" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oRYisJ7Cig</a>

Bar speed looks good on squats! Well of course itll be faster than the 3RMs i was doing. But i notice improvement on todays 375x5 vs last sessions 370x3. Today felt easier than last session too.


I've been getting some pretty good sleep lately. I DEFINITELY feel a difference in my day to day life! I didn't even realize my eyes have been dry for months before this... like yeah they're dry when you get 5 hours of sleep or whatever. Then you get a consistent 7 hours and think theyre not dry anymore. Nope, wait till you get a consistent 8 hours of sleep. THEN you realize.... "wait, THIS is how i'm supposed to feel as a human?!" It's crazy!

196.6lbs this morning. Pretty excited to lift today. I've been getting good sleep and the weather has gotten much better here in NYC. I'm sure I'll hit 375x5 on squats today.

Once you let your body go concave (the opposite bend of waist that you are trying to avoid) your putting load on low back and wont be able to get back up.  Negatives are ok, personally i prefer the on floor rather than bench with arms on a ladder or a bar above the head so your much more vertical.   Just go down as far as you can to go back up.  I look at dragon flags as more of a test than an exercise.  Would rather the bulk of training come from heavy leg lifts or crunches.  If you can knock out straight leg lifts on slant bench w a 30-50lb dumbell your abs are strong imo.

That'll work my hip flexors primarily and abs secondarily. I want to do the opposite of possible. It's one reason why i loved the ab pulldowns so much... it's the only time i've ever gotten an ab pump in my life. A freaking pump. im my ABS. not a burn! a PUMP. i sat down to take off my shoes after the workout and my stomach was in the way!!!

i also liked them because i could increase resistance on them consistently until the weight stack is maxed out, or i started lifting off the ground (at which point i would need to hook my ankles under something).

if only the ab pulldown went up to 200lbs and was facing another machine that i could hook my ankles under...