9 PRs This Week! Squats, Benches, Deadlifts, Roundhouse Kicks And Stuff You Should Read

September 14, 2013 — Leave a comment

I got a PR for the most number of PRs set in a week at 9!

Previous best was 6 PRs in a week.

PRs This Past Week

Bench Press: 300 lb x 7 (Reverse Grip)

Wanted 8 reps for an 8 rep max, but after bench pressing 320 lb for 5 sets of 3 reps, then 300 lb for 5 reps, 7 reps was all I could muster. I guess this is a 7 rep max!

Front Squat: 340 lb x 1 (Paused + No Belt PR)

It was easy, but I just wanted to fill in the empty box in my PR table.

Front Squat: 330 lb x 5 (5RM)

Testing out a wider stance for front squats. Can't get as much depth as my previously narrower stance, but I'm feeling more bounce out of my adductors, so it's easier coming up from the bottom.

This could lead to more PRs.

Squat: 440 lb x 8 (8 rep max)

Decided to try squatting 440x8 after watching Natalya Kuzmina (member of the Kazakhstan powerlifting team who competes at 84 Kg) squat 200 Kg (about 440 lb) for 8 reps.

So I guess I'm strong as a girl now.

Also, the opening theme from Conan The Barbarian (1982 version with Arnold) gets me PUMPED.

Bench Press: 335 lb x 5 (Reverse Grip)

+5 lb 5 rep max

Theme song from Conan the Destroyer gets me pumped, but not as pumped as Conan the Barbarian (1982).

REGULAR GRIP Bench Press: 350 lb x 1 (1 rep max by 10 lb!)

350 lb regular grip seems puny compared to my 395 lb reverse grip 1RM lol

Had to wear neoprene pads because I'm not used to the bar pressure on my palms yet :/

Front Squat: 405 lb x 1 (1RM)

LMAO4PLATE milestone, and +5 lb PR with no knee wraps.

Wore the Three Wolf Moon shirt though.

Pretty sure I would have missed this rep without harnessing it's mystical, performance enhancing powers.)

Deadlift: 500 lb x 1 (No Belt, Hook Grip)

1 rep max with no belt. Time to start tracking no belt deadlift PRs.

Tip: Track a variety of different exercises and variations of the same exercise through many rep ranges, that way there's more opportunities to hit PRs all the time and post something on 70's Big every PR Friday.

Deadlift: 500 lb x 5 (5RM with straps and +40 lb PR!)

Missed at 550 lb THREE times (first two times used hook grip, third time used straps, but gassed out).

This pissed me off so I went for a 5 rep max with 500. Had to re-adjust the straps mid set because it wasn't tight enough.

Other Stuff

Roundhouse Kicks

"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."

- Bruce Lee

Dammit I did it wrong...I practiced TWO kicks.

This is going to double my workload now :/

I think my kicks are coming along.

Stuff You Should Read

  1. Pillars Of The Squat by Daniel Green
  2. The Valsalva & Stroke by Jonathon M Sullivan MD, PhD, SSC, FACEP

John Phung

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Ever since I started taking strength training seriously, I was bitten by the Iron Bug. Then it burrowed under my skin and laid eggs in my heart. Now those eggs are hatching and I... the feeling is indescribable.




Quick Stats
Height: 5'4" on non-squat days
Weight: 200 lb 210 lb ~220 lb (FOREVER BULK BRAH)

Credentials


Programs
  • Texas Method: March 4, 2011 - April 28, 2013
  • Smolov Jr for Bench Press: June 4 - 22, 2012
  • Starting Strength: Nov 29, 2010 - March 4, 2011