Tentative Program for Now

Hoping this will work because the squat program is usually pretty low volume.

Saturday - Back Squat, Front Squat, DB Row

Tried front squatting it doesn't hurt at all anymore! Yes!

Back Squat:

-195 x 9

-250 x 6

-285 x 2

-320 x 2

-285 x 6

Front Squat mini test:

-135 x 1,4

-185 x 3

-225 x 2

-275 x 1

-315 x 1 (94%)

DB Row:

-50 x 8

-65 x 8

-85 x 8,8

Making a new full body program

Since I can't Olympic lift, but I can lift in other ways besides squat, its time that I came up with other exercises to do instead of just screwing around after squatting. The first step is coming up with a list of exercises I can do heavy right now. Then, coming up with a list of exercises I will need to take from the ground up. Third, making a list of exercises I want to be able to do, but I can't do yet. Lastly, making a program for what I choose.

List is of course subject to change.

Exercises I can do heavy:

-back squat

-deadlift

-dumbbell row

Exercises I need to take from the ground up, but can be done:

-DB press

-front squat <- this might not be too bad actually

-weighted pullups

Exercises I can't do now, but I want to work towards:

-clean

-jerk

-snatch

-barbell press

-clean and snatch pulls

Thursday - Squat, DB Row

Tested out the dumbbell row on the advice of my PT. It worked out fine, and I think its going to be a great exercise. Interestingly, it was harder on the right side because I supported my body with the left. This will be good. I need to make a real program of this stuff. Its been a long time since I couldn't just say: "Snatch, Clean and Jerk, Squat, go home".

Squat:

-195 x 10

-230 x 7

-285 x 4

-250 x 9

This was really easy today, blew through it.

DB Row:

-60 x 10

-70 x 10,10

Wednesday - Squat, Deadlift

On week 2 day 3 of Bulgarian program.

Squat:

-195 x 10

-250 x 8

-305 x 5

-230 x 9

Deadlift:

-135 x 3

-225 x 3

-315 x 3

-345 x 1

-375 x 1

Kept the deadlifts light and low volume. Just felt like doing some.

Sometimes hindsight only comes after months...

For some reason, I just realized why my program back from September of 2011 didn't work. I had taken the program that Mario made for me, and modified it by putting my own exercises in, back squatting more often, and overall just taking random stuff that I didn't like out and putting my own stuff in. Which was dumb.

I got nothing out of the program except some time to rest my hurt shoulder...which albeit was good, but I shouldn't have to lose that time for real progress. I didn't realize at the end of the program why it sucked so bad. I didn't even max my lifts after, because I was missing at 90% left and right. I went right to Smolov Jr where I made progress.

I can't believe I didn't learn from that. Either I need to do what a coach tells me, or I need to make something new. I can't just take the same old program and change the exercises and volume and not expect it to just suddenly work better. I'm sure that there was a reason that I wasn't simply back squatting every day in the program, and instead doing pulls some days. Things I didn't think about at the time, or really ever until now.

Hell, even the first day sucked because I didn't even know what percentages to use for stuff.

Here it was: http://cloystreng.blogspot.com/2011/09/first-day-of-new-program.html

Monday - Squat

Week 2 day 2

Squat:

lbs

-135 x 4

-195 x 10

-230 x 7

-285 x 4

-250 x 9,9

Friday - Squat, Pullups

Squat:

-90 x 10

-112 x 6

-145 x 4 (This was supposed to be 138, but I messed up counting. I knew it felt heavier than it should..)

-122 x 6

-102 x 9

RDL:

Did a few RDLs with 70 kg to stretch, nothing heavy at all.

Pullups:

-BW x 5,5,5

Thursday Night - Squat, Deadlift, Pullup

Figured that since I can deadlift, might as well do it. Keeping the volume low for now though becaue I'm doing a squat program, though I may up the volume and intensity as I go because I can only really do three exercises right now.

Squat:

-79 x 10

-99 x 7

-130 x 4

-115 x 10

Deadlift:

-110 x 6

-143 x 5,3

Pullups:

-BW x 5,5,5,5

rehab stuff

Tuesday - Day 2, plus some extras

Did rehab stuff in the morning. Lifted afterward. Managed to get my heavy bag mounted in a way where it doesn't sit on the ground, which took some effort. Hopefully it remains up like this.

Squat (KG):

-80 x 10

-113 x 6

-137 x 5

-121 x 8

This wasn't nearly as bad as yesterday because of the walking.

Pullups:

-BW x 5,5,5

Deadlift: (I was able to do this with zero pain. When I tried to press, it was not the case. No pressing still. I can do pushups now though.)

-up to 160 kg x 1,1,1,1

Monday - First Day of the Bulgarian Squat Program

This was harder than it should have been, but I walked around for like 7 hours yesterday, so thats why. I can see that this program is really meant to be used in conjunction with other lifting, its not enough volume for an all-encompassing program like RSR or Smolov Jr.

Squat (I tried to match the weights as close as I could):

-79 kg x 10

-107 x 7

-131 x 4

-111 x 9

Pullups: I can do these now!

-BW x 5,5,5

Rehab:

-DB Press: 25 lbs x 10,10

-Front Raise: 10 lbs x 10,10

Saturday - Squat Test

KG this time.

Squat:

-60 x 4

-80 x 4

-100 x 3

-130 x 3

-140 x 2

-152 x 1

-161 x 1 (92%) (355)

-166 x miss

I'm going to start the Bulgarian squat program, and use the 92% value of 161 for my max. I did lose a bit of strength and I'm planning on doing more than 3x per week.

Wednesday - Mini Squat Test

Tried some heavier singles today, with pretty good results. I got an 88% squat, missed a 91% but I think if I had rested a bit more I would have it.

Squat:

-135 x 5

-185 x 5

-225 x 4

-265 x 3

-285 x 2

-305 x 1

-320 x 1

-335 x 1

-350 x miss

Tuesday - Squat

Up to 285 today, not too bad. Its getting hot. Shorts weather for sure, especially for squatting.

Back Squat: lbs

-135 x 5

-185 x 5

-205 x 4

-235 x 4

-265 x 5 (This did not seem too hard, so I moved up in weight)

-275 x 5

-285 x 6 (meant to do 5)

Next time I'll bump it up higher, getting closer to where I want to be before I max for the squat program. I don't want to go into it too early, but at the same time I don't want to stagnate and lose strength for any longer than I have too. I already stopped everything for a month.

Monday - Squat

Took out the paused reps because its getting heavier and I want to get back to normal weights now. I did the first sets up to the first work set with pauses though.

Squat:

-135 x 5

-155 x 5

-185 x 5

-205 x 5

-225 x 5

-245 x 5,5,5

(111 kg)

Olympic Lifting Training Programs

These are all copied from the book "The Sport of Olympic-Style Weightlifting: Training For the Connoiseur" by Carl Miller. There is a lot of great analysis that goes along with stuff like this, and these are just some of the programs that are in the book. I highly recommend the purchase. Its pretty cheap on Amazon. I figure its fine posting these here for people to see, but if anyone wants me to take them down I will do so.

Note: Each image is a different program. Most are 6 weeks long.

Next Program to Do

I was pretty worried that I wasn't going to be able to find a good program that worked for ONLY squatting. I didn't really want to do Smolov Jr again because its so short, or the Russian Squat program, because both of those require strict adherence and I remember them being REALLY hard, and boring.

I found some interesting programs in the book I bought called "The Sport of Olympic-Style Weightlifting: Training for the Connoisseur" by Carl Miller. He gives nine programs, but I wasn't able to consider some because they weren't meant for squatting, incorporated two or more lifts (instead of just one), or they were shorter than I wanted. I narrowed it down to three: a Soviet program, a Bulgarian program, and a Hungarian program. I made some notes in the book which I scanned outlining my choice of the Bulgarian program.

I don't think I will use my actual max, though I might. I'll likely use either 90 or 95%. (EDIT: I may max and use that, since the grip is different and all that.)

Notes:

Bulgarian:

Hungarian:

Soviet:

Saturday - Paused Squats

Felt pretty good today, though harder than it should be at 225 lbs.

Paused Back Squat:

-95 x 5

-135 x 5

-175 x 5

-205 x 5

-225 x 5,5,5

There were all done with at least 1second pause at the bottom position.

DB Press:

Left - 20x10,10

Right - 50 x 6,6,6

Incline pushups and wall arm raises.

Friday - Squat

I can feel it getting easier to squat. I found a lowish bar position that feels the best right now. Still a very Olympic squat though, its straight down.

Squat:

-135 x 5

-155 x 5

-185 x 5

-205 x 5

-210 x 5paused,5paused,5paused,5paused

Doing paused reps to try and build strength. Also, too fast of a bounce at the bottom is tough with the position I'm holding the bar right now. Its feeling better over time, I'm getting used to squatting with the straps.

New goals

Since the AC injury, I realized I need some new goals to work towards. Most things are out in the short term, but I can still strive for excellence.

My new short term goals are:

Get back to squatting comfortably, even if it is with straps instead of holding the bar. Today I managed a relatively pain-free bodyweight squat at 195 on the bar.

Get a full range of motion in the shoulder.

Still short term, but a bit farther down the line:

Snatch anything. Clean anything. Front squat anything. Barbell press a full range of motion. Deadlift. Bench press, though this is more for my own mobility than anything.

Long term:

Get back to my max squat and pass it. Olympic lift heavy, and beat my old maxes!

Injured Workout: Squat

Put another 10 lbs on the bar this time, and did less volume because that was really stupid last time. Not that I couldn't hit today's numbers, or anything. Its not the legs that are the deciding factor here, its whether I can unrack it on my shoulder.

Cycled for 5 minutes and walked to the gym as warmup.

Back Squat:

-95 x 5

-135 x 5

-155 x 5

-175 x 5

-185 x 5

-195 x 5,5,5,5

Got a video of the squat setup:

DB Press:

-15 x 10,10 for the left

-30 x 10, 50 x 6 for the right

A few sets of incline pushups.

I'm a bit wary of over working the right side and becoming lopsided. Not sure exactly what I should do.

First Workout Since AC Injury

I got cleared to lift, but I'm pretty limited in what I can do. I managed to set up a squat where I hold the bar via straps attached to it. Its still not very good, because I can't fully tighten the left side of my back, but I feel it getting there. Puts a bit too much strain on the uninjured shoulder. At the end of the workout I felt a sharp twinging pain in the uninjured upper back, probably from straining it a bit too much, so I left. It doesn't hurt though, I think I just need to start off a bit easier.

Squat (lbs):

-95 x 8

-135 x 8,8,8,8

-145 x 5

-155 x 5

-165 x 5

-175 x 5

-185 x 5,5,5,5,5,5 with paused reps

Attempted one more set but the right side hurt taking it out of the rack, so I left. Until I can fully use my upper back to set the weight right, its going to have to be light.

Started physical therapy for the injury. Its a Grade I (lowest) AC separation. Right now just range of motion and passive stretching, though I am told on Monday I will be able to start using some resistance bands to get some strength back.