The Great Squat Experiment, Week 8

Josh Trammell

Lots of driving this week, which means I've had to do a lot more in the way of warm-ups to get ready for lifting. Still getting the work in though.

Wednesday, 11/26/14

Competition Stance Squats w/ Belt

 - 365x1

Add Belt

 - 345x1

 - 385x1

 - 405x1

 - 420x5 - PR 5RM - I was expecting somewhere between 2-5, based on how the first two reps felt. Told the spotter the same. Turns out, the first 2 reps felt easy, the 3rd rep felt easy, the 4th rep felt easy, and the 5th was slightly grindy, but I had one more rep in me. Very, very, very happy with this PR. Biggest PR of the cycle, in my book.

Sumo DLs w/ Belt

 - 365x1

 - 405x1

Add Belt

 - 405x1

 - 465x3 - +10lbs PR - my goal is to just add 5-10lbs on my triples each week leading up to the meet on this day, eventually transitioning to heavy doubles, and max effort singles about 2 weeks out or so. Again, happy with this.

 - 425x2 - hexagonal plates were rolling all over the place, whether it was into my shins or away from the body. I got pretty pissed at this point and just called it at 2 reps.

Friday, 11/28/14

Competition Stance Squats w/ Belt

 - 365x1

Add Belt

 - 365x1

 - 405x1

 - 435x2 - PR 2RM. Felt pretty crappy after long days of traveling and sitting down in a car. All the sitting down wrecked my hips and threw my groove off (again), but I managed to hit this on a pretty bad day, all things considered.

 - 405x2

Close Grip Pause Bench

 - 185x4

 - 225x5x3 sets - fairly happy with this. Again, max is probably sitting around 270-275 or so. Some elbow pain, not quite as bad as last bench session though.

Saturday, 11/29/14

High Bar Paused Squats

 - 365x1

 - 365x2

 - 345x3

This day felt like absolute crap. Came in and put in the work and called it a day.

Sunday, 11/30/14

Eccentric-Emphasis High Bar Squats w/ Belt

 - 365x1

 - 385x4 - +1 rep PR


Deficit Sumo Deads:

345 x 1,1,1,1,1

355 x 1,1,1

365 x 1,1

Playing around with this more than anything. Just an experiment. Tried to move bar as fast as possible off the floor.

Monday, 12/1/14

Front Squats

 - 315x1

 - 345x1

 - 365x1 PR + 10lbs

 - 345x2 - new 2RM PR

Week really thrown off, but I ended up with a couple of nice PRs.