MonStar's Journal: Quest for Strength

Decided to start a new journal, that was more designed to fit my goals. My other journal was named "Absolute Dedication." Well, unfortunately, I was honestly not absolutely dedicated with anything except for my training. Which is not a good enough reason to have the entire journal named that.

My goals at this point in my life are:

Strength. Primarily on bench/squat/deadlift. But I do want to increase my strength overall from this point on. I have a lot of strength goals in mind for the future. But ones that I would like to see myself hit in the next 6 months or so are:

Bench: 405
Squat: 585
Deadlift: 675

Fat-loss. Dropping some flab is going to come when I clean up my diet. At this point I am going to focus on cutting out the empty calories, coming from liquer and sugar. Keeping my protein intake up is also something that I am going to be focusing on.

---To those of you who are unfamiliar with my training, its basically a modified version of Westside, and IM member Saturday Fever is basically my personal trainer, so to speak. Here is the current variation of the program

Lower Body 1 (squat)
Squats/Good AMs (sometimes we'll do speed work): to a 1RM (always mixing it up)
Compound Assist: high/low (SLDL, Good AMs, etc)
Heavy Legs (something suspended, or even negatives): 6 sets of 4 (hypers, suspended AMs, etc)
Hamstrings: 4 sets of 6 reps
Heavy Back: 3-6 sets of 4-6 reps (rowing)
Heavy Back: 3 sets of 8 (chins, whatever)
Biceps: anything you want

Upper Body 1
Close-grip Bench (or variation, treated as a warmup): sets of 5 to a 5RM
Rack Lockouts: to a 1RM (vary the lockout, 4", 6", etc)
Triceps: 8 sets of 4-6 (skulls, oh db press, etc and go HEAVY)
Triceps: 4 sets of 6 (pushdowns, dips, etc)
Shoulders: 4 sets of 6 (side laterals or front raises)

Lower Body 2 (deadlift)
Deads/GoodAMs (sometimes we'll do speed work): to a 1RM (always mix it up)
Compound Assist: high/low (pick any leg lift you like. leg press, SLDL, etc)
Legs: 4 sets of 6 (prefer hamstrings here, hypers maybe?)
Back: 5 sets of 5 (rowing or chinning, etc)
Biceps: whatever you want

Upper Body 2
Flat Bench (or variation): sets of 3 to a 3RM
Variety Pressing (JM's, CG Decline, Dips, etc): high/low like you do now
Triceps: 2-3 sets of 4-8 (skulls, etc)
Shoulders: 4 sets of 6 (heavy like a db press or uprights) (waves, this will change often)
Shoulders: 2 sets of 12 (side laterals or front raise)

Naturally, this will alter around a lot from session to session, sort of like what we do now. The only really noticable difference is that you have a squat and deadlift day instead of a general lower day.

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all I have to say.... is that your a nut

I think it's safe to say goodluck! no doubts Mikster!

Good luck, but I know you'll do GREAT .

Good luck, Mike. You'll nail those new PR's in 3 months easy.

3? You're going easy on him.

Jen: Thanks so much for the support, really appreciate it as usual. I am definitely hoping to hit all 3 of these strength goals. We'll see what happens. With SF's advice and knowledge, I really don't think it should be too much of a problem. My liquer intake is going to be cut WAY down, if not out completely, minimized. I had no idea how much alcohol slowed your metabolism.

Andrea: Thanks so much for the support!

Monolith: Thanks man, I really hope so. We'll see what happens I guess. 3 months IMO is cutting it close, lol, but who knows.

SF: LOL, man, I am glad that you're confident.

Take a look at the amount of arch this picture shows to have in your back when squatting. I personally don't arch this hard, but you should do some arching. It will protect your lower back when you're squatting.

425 right out of the hole. That's a HELL of a lift. Everything looks solid as hell. The accessory work is insane!

And of course I'm confident. You only need 40lb to hit 675, and you damn near nailed 650.

SF: Hey man, damnit I am having a tough time getting used to this new vbulletin, lol. It's so much damn different with the margins and the spacing, etc. Anyway, thanks for the picture of the squat, appreciate it. I am definitely going to concentrate more on arching my back the next time I do them. I think I am trying to come straight up with the bar instead of doing it in somewhat of a good morning style. Anyway, thanks for the support. I definitely am going to sh*t myself when I pull 675. I mean 7 plates per side? Holy f*ck.

Lower Body 1 (squat)

Suspended Squats: (from parallel)
135x3, 225x3, 315x2, 405x1, 425x1!, 455x0, 455x0

Good Mornings:
275x2, 275x2, 275x2, 275x2, 225x3, 225x3, 225x3

Hack Squats:
550x4, 550x4, 550x4, 550x4, 550x4, 550x4

V-Bar Cable Rows:
290x5, 290x5, 290x5, 290x5

Close-Grip Cable Pulldowns:
200x8, 200x8, 200x8

DB Hammer Curls:
50x8, 80x5!, 50x8

Eh, some good sets here today I think, whatever. These actually strained my lower back some, for whatever reason. Maybe because I was not warmed up enough, maybe because of the angle that I was squatting at, who knows. Hit 425 for a PR, not too bad at all from the bottom position. Tried 455 twice, bla. Again, squatting as wide as the power rack allows. Feel it completely in my hips, glutes, and lower back.

Some really really good sets of good mornings. For whatever reason, the suspended squats completely toasted my lower back. So these sets of good mornings were just beating a dead horse, lol. Lower back was gone. Not bad at all here today of hacks. Actually all of these sets are a PR I think, but whatever. Used 5 plates on each side, plus a 25 lbs. plate. Not too bad at all for 6 sets of 4 if you ask me. Legs were drained, ouch.

I have to admit that I LOVE this new way of pulldowns that I tried today. It's basically just CG underhand pulldowns---but for whatever reason I can feel it in my lats like crazy. Talk about some great lat contractions. My new favorite back exercise, lol. Really good sets today of hammers as well, basically just wanted to do these to see how many reps I could get with the 80's. Not too bad at all. Hit 5 reps with a little momentum. I was pleased. Overall workout was damn good IMO.

Diet:
- MRP + 1% milk
- Gatorade during workout, whey protein postworkout
- whey protein + 1% milk
- chicken quesadillas, orange chicken, rice, vegetables, salad + Italian dressing
- Healthy Choice ice-cream
- EAS AdvantEdge shake

Diet was pretty decent today. Honestly I was running around all day so I didn't really have that much time for anything huge. Maybe that was a good thing, lol. Good amount of calories and protein, some low-fat ice-cream, not too big of a deal, no liquer!

Sleep: 7 hours.

Weight: 230 lbs.

Still finishing up the last of my 6-OXO, and then I am going to most likely do a 3-week M1T cycle. See what kind of gains I can squeeze out of that. Other than that, I feel like a fat slob today.

MonStar said:

Other than that, I feel like a fat slob today.

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YOU of all people should NEVER EVER think like that! You are hot as hell, I've told you a gizillion times and I'm sure EVERY girl on this board agrees. But I know, we are all our own worst critics, but give yourself a break hun- your gorgeous.

Andrea: Thanks so much for the support, I appreciate it so so much. Especially when I pigged out last night and feel like total sh*t today. You're really good at making me feel good, you know that?

Hey Mike,
So you are doing suspended squats in place of box squats? Is the end result basically the same, or are you doing it for variability in your workout?

I was also curious as to what 6-OXO is.

Looks like a pretty solid workout to me!

-Dan

EXcellent work on the sus. squats! even the dark hacks are impressive!

what sort of form did you do on the GM's?

So you are doing suspended squats in place of box squats? Is the end result basically the same, or are you doing it for variability in your workout?

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Yep, just a variation on the ME lift, keeping the CNS guessing.

Subscribe.

Damn your post hase HUGE letters.

i swear I posted in this thread earlier today, I dont know what happened.

Well things look good here Mike, as with the other journal I will be following this closely. I plan on running something similar to this after my TP PT thing is over for a bit of a change/ break. Keep on poundin the weights man

Here's a video of Chuck Vogelpohl (weighs 220) deadlifting 795lb. This will be Mike in 18 months.

http://www.powermagonline.com/videos/Clip1084.html

Dan: I think SF answered your question pretty good, but the answer is yes that I do suspended squats basically to keep the CNS guessing. And because it strengthens my squat out of the hole. Which is definitely something I think all squatters can benefit from.

BTW, man, sorry, 6-OXO is a PCT (post cycle therapy). I did a M1T (methyl-1-testosterone) cycle for 3 weeks so to get my testosterone levels back up to normal I did 3 weeks of 6-OXO. Here is a link to M1T:

http://www.bulknutrition.com/?products_id=901

And here is a link to 6-OXO:

http://www.bulknutrition.com/?products_id=378

Hope that helps.

Jen: Thanks so much for the support. Yeah I was pretty happy with my hack squats, really beat the hell outta' my legs, and lower back. My form on the GM's was pretty standard. Unracking the bar like I am going to do squats, stepping back, and shoot my hips back while lowering the bar down, and keeping my knees nearly locked out. Did them at moderate depth, when going deeper or more shallow than usual, I'll note it in my journal.

SF: Thanks for chiming in bro, appreciate it. The video link didn't work for whatever reason. But that would be INSANE if I was pulling that much in a year and a half. I get f*ckin' giddy even thinking about pulling that much, lol. Tomorrow I am going to do some speed deads and some high/low rack pulls, and then some accessory work.

PreMier: Huh? Sorry bro but I have absolutely no idea at all what you're talking about.

X Ring: Hey man, yeah that journal was deleted, lol, long story. Sorry about that. Thanks for the support, I am looking forward to see how you like this type of program, I think you'll absolutely love it.

New journal eh? You get new journals almost as often as I do LOL! Well great, I think your journal needs to match the attitude you have at the time. I'm starting a new one tomorrow. Good luck and I'll be following along!

Good luck Mike. Keep away from that damn alcohol. Do that and I think it'll help you lots!!
Thanks!!

I was subscribing to this thread, then rambling... sorry.

PreMier: Oh okay, lol. I was like what the hell, did I miss something?

Your missing a lot alright http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/showthread.php?t=32377&page=4

Pic wise anyway.

PreMier: LOL, thanks for the link, I guess, since that has so much to do with my journal and my quest for strength, haha.

Morning Mike !! Hope your days going good! Have a good weekend

Good lifting. That's great lockout strength.

I think the next major step in your routine that we need to take is adding bands. None of your lifts are stagnant by any means, but I think adding accomodating resistance to your work is the next step in exploding your lifts. Plus, the addition of bands and accomodating resistance will add one more way to keep your CNS training.