Archives For high bar squat

Texas Method volume day.

Added more volume to the squat today, and it felt pretty brutal. To recap:

Low bar squat

  • 5x3
  • 2x5

High bar squat

  • 5x5

My lower back muscles were pumped after the low bar squat at 350x2x5. I had a hard time trying to determine if I was contracting my muscles during the high bar squat.

It was pretty exhausting, but doable. I had to lay down on the bench with my legs in the air after the 2nd set of high bar squats.

I felt pretty messed up and a bit disoriented after all those squats. Didn't regain my composure until after a few sets of bench press.

I like it! Hopefully I don't end up breaking anything.

Foam Rolling

Low Bar Squat

  • 45 lb: 20
  • 140 lb: 10
  • 230 lb: 5
  • 320 lb: 3
  • 410 lb: 1
  • 460 lb: 1
  • 400 lb: 3,3,3,3,3
    • About 3.5 minutes in between sets.
    • Same weight as last week.
  • 350 lb: 5,5

High Bar Squat

  • 350 lb: 5,5,5,5,5
    • +2.5 lb from last week (microloading with fractional plates).
    • About 3.5 minutes in between sets.

Face Pulls

  • 70 lb: 12

Reverse Grip Bench Press

Paused until work sets.

Paused first rep on work sets.

Also, I think I figured out why I can un-rack the bar so easily with reverse grip. It's because the bar is almost directly over my shoulders, rather than over any part of my face.

Need to get someone to take some pictures/videos to verify this is the case.

  • 45 lb: 10
  • 140 lb: 5
  • 230 lb: 3
  • 320 lb: 1
  • 285 lb: 5,5,5
    • +2.5 lb from last week.
    • 3x5 instead of 5x5

360 bench press

Texas method intensity day. Increasing the volume slightly for the squat, and a lot for deadlifts.

Foam Rolling

  • 10 minutes on the Rumble Roller and lacrosse ball.

Low Bar Squat

  • 45 lb: 20
  • 140 lb:10
  • 230 lb: 5
  • 320 lb: 3
  • 410 lb: 1
  • 460 lb: 1
  • 417.5 lb: 3,3,3
    • +2.5 lb from last week

High Bar Squat

  • 380 lb: 5,5
    • Same weight as last week, but 1 more set.

Face Pulls

  • 70lbs: 12

Reverse Grip Bench Press

Had some shoulder problems and a cold last week. This week, no problems.

  • 45 lb: 10
  • 140 lb: 5
  • 230 lb: 3
  • 320 lb: 1
  • 360 lb: 1 *PR!
    • +5 lb PR! First PR this year...About time!
    • On the descent, it felt like it moved a fraction of a millimeter out of the groove. Stuck with it and brought it down under control before blasting it back up.
  • 310 lb: 3,3,3
    • +2.5 lb from 2 weeks ago. Same weight as last week (didn't get 3x3).

Deadlift

Hook grip.

Wore Vibram TenToes.

Going to try something new: Work up to a heavy single, followed by 3x5 5x5 deadlift (3x5 felt easy so I kept on going). Starting out nice and easy. 320 lb feels like baby weights. It's like I'm using a 320 lb pink dumbbell or something.

  • 140 lb: 5
  • 230 lb: 5
  • 320 lb: 3
  • 410 lb: 1
  • 500 lb: 1
  • 320 lb: 5,5,5,5,5
    • Straps
    • About 3.5 minutes in between sets

Texas Method volume day. Turning up the squat volume on volume day, so now I'm doing 5 sets of 3 reps for low bar squat, followed by 5x5 for high bar squat, which is 40 total reps for squats. Previously it was 5x3 for low bar squat and 3x5 for high bar squat (30 total squat reps). Wanted to make this change because volume days was feeling a little too easy lately.

Also, the door bell rang in between sets during my squat warm up. Had to run from the basement all the way to the front door, and running with weightlifting shoes doesn't work very well. I'm sure the mailman heard me running though.

Foam Rolling

Low Bar Squat

  • 45 lb: 20
  • 140 lb: 10
  • 230 lb: 5
  • 320 lb: 3
  • 410 lb: 1
  • 460 lb: 1
  • 400 lb: 3,3,3,3,3
    • About 3.5 minutes in between sets.
    • +2.5 lb from last week (microloading with fractional plates).

High Bar Squat

  • 347.5 lb: 5,5,5,5,5
    • +2.5 lb from last week.
    • About 3.5 minutes in between sets.
    • Added 2 more sets, so it's 5x5 instead of 3x5.

Face Pulls

  • 70 lb: 12

Reverse Grip Bench Press

Paused until work sets.

Paused first rep on work sets.

  • 45 lb: 10
  • 140 lb: 5
  • 230 lb: 3
  • 320 lb: 1
    • Easy.
  • 282.5 lb: 5,5,5,5,5
    • +2.5 lb from last week.

Wide Grip Bench Press

I want to see how this feels.

Index fingers on the bar markings.

  • 140 lb: 8
    • Doesn't feel too good. Aggravates my shoulders, even at this weight.

Got a flu shot yesterday. Feels like Ryu just Dragon punched my left shoulder.

And still recovering from that cold. Blowing my nose in between sets all workout. Nasty.

Texas method intensity day.

Foam Rolling

Low Bar Squat

Added 1 more set than last week, so it's 3x3.

  • 45 lb: 20
  • 140 lb:10
  • 230 lb: 5
  • 320 lb: 3
  • 410 lb: 1
  • 460 lb: 1
  • 415 lb: 3,3,3
    • +2.5 lb from last week

High Bar Squat

  • 380 lb: 5
    • +2.5 lb from last week

Face Pulls

  • 70lbs: 12

Reverse Grip Bench Press

  • 45 lb: 10
  • 140 lb: 5
  • 230 lb: 3
  • 320 lb: MISSED
    • A little bit of pain running down my arms. Dammit.
  • 320 lb: 1
    • Felt a lot harder than normal. Usually 320 lb feels like nothing...I tripled this weight before!
    • Was going to attempt 360 lb, but 100% sure I will miss.
  • 310 lb: 2
    • +2.5 lb from last week
    • Missed on 3rd rep.
    • Planning on 3x3, but going to cut it short.

Deadlift

Hook grip. Wore my Nike Romaleos 2 to deadlift today.

  • 140 lb: 5
  • 230 lb: 5
  • 320 lb: 3
  • 410 lb: 1
  • 460 lb: 1
  • 500 lb: 1
  • 485 lb: 2
    • Straps.
    • Aimed for 3, got 2.
    • Also switched to my Chuck Taylors. Romaleos felt like it was tilting me forward during the pull.
  • 460 lb: 3
    • Straps.
  • 410 lb: 5
    • Straps.

 

My cold is almost gone. I'm at that stage where I'm periodically coughing up really sticky phlegm.

Texas method volume day.

Foam Rolling

Low Bar Squat

  • 45 lb: 20
  • 140 lb: 10
  • 230 lb: 5
  • 320 lb: 3
  • 410 lb: 1
  • 460 lb: 1
    • Left nostril started bleeding. First time that has ever happened to me while lifting. Cool!
  • 397.5 lb: 3,3,3,3,3

High Bar Squat

  • 345 lb: 5,5,6
    • +2.5lbs from last week
    • Wanted more reps on the last set,but feeling exhausted. Probably because of my almost-gone cold.

Face Pulls

  • 70 lb: 12

Reverse Grip Bench Press

Paused until work sets.

Paused first rep on work sets.

I missed the last rep during the last set last week, but I'm going to increase the weight this week anyways.

Also, I obtained an anti-slip shelf and drawer liner to help prevent my back from slipping on the bench. Works pretty well so far!

  • 45 lb: 10
  • 140 lb: 5
  • 230 lb: 3
  • 320 lb: 1
  • 280 lb: 5,5,5,5,5
    • Benching felt strong today.