Rack Pulls

November 29

Noon

Today was good. Back was still pretty fatigued from Monday and the pulls from the floor felt slow. As soon as I went to the rack I threw on my straps and belt. I figured screw it, they could use a bit of a break from Mondays work and last nights arm wrestling. 

I'm pretty happy with the pulls. Last time I did rack pulls above the knee cap was at the beginning of August and my best set was 695 x 2.5 so today was a substantial jump in the right direction. Another thing I was thinking of was the whole effectiveness of pulling this high and for some people to get nothing or very little out of them. They're a great overall stressor to the body to just get used to having that much weight hanging off of your arms but I also think that they have better carryover for someone like me just because of my body type. Long torso. When I pull the bar is up and over my nads (painful) whereas a lot of the people built for pulls have long arms, short torsos or both so the ROM is even shorter for them whereas I still get a half decent stroke out of the movement. Just a thought anyways. 

I had to cut the assistance short as I had commitments that I had to attend to. Anyways, got the core work done and hard. 

1) Deadlift

135 x 5

225 x 2

315 x 1

405 x 1

475 x 1

2) Above Knee Rack Pulls - Pin 15 - Belt & Wraps

495 x 3

545 x 3

585 x 3

635 x 3

675 x 1

725 x 4

585 x 10

3a) Squat

45 x 5

135 x 3

3b) DB Bench w/Manus

40e x 20

3c) WG Pulldowns

125 x 20

Friday Pulls - Epiphany Day!

August 3, 2012
Afternoon

Still doing form work on my deficits which is far from perfect yet. I've come across one thing that's made a huge difference today and that's widening out my grip. I've decided as well that I've probably got to widen it out a bit more. I've finally figured out what gives me that little bit of a counter clockwise twist halfway up. It's my left elbow/lower bicep grazing my leg.

I also figure that when I've got to do these glute bridges I'll wear my NB Minimus shoes. No slipping around makes a lot stronger of a movement. For my SLDL I really worked on squeezing out every bit of hamstring/glute activation that I could. I know my low back and legs will feel this tomorrow.

1) Deficit Pulls - CV - Bar CL at 7"

135 x 2

225 x 2

315 x 1

405 x 1

425 x 1

445 x 1

465 x 1

Added Belt

480 x F - I think the belt buggers me up on these so I took it off again.

475 x 1

480 x 1, F - Just lost my aggression to pull

2) Rack Pulls - Midshin - Bar CL at 14"

405 x 3

495 x 3, 3, 2

3) SL Deadlift

225 x 15, 15, 10

4) Single Leg Glute Bridges - Back on the Bench

BW x 15, 10, 5

Friday Pulls

July 27, 2012
After Lunch

Well the deficit pulls are starting to come, slowly but surely. I worked up to a couple of singles at 465 and called it while the form was still half decent. Today I did the rack pulls mid shin (well a tad above at 14.25") with the pins set at the bottom hole and me standing on plates and a heavy rubber mat. These suckers were dead! Pulls were definitely harder than what they would've been off of the ground. I tried to keep my shins fairly perpendicular to the floor to minimize the quads and get more out of my hip hinging. I didn't bother putting on the belt on these and continuing as I felt like I got enough work in.

1) Deficit Pulls - 2"
135 x 2
225 x 2
315 x 1
405 x 1
425 x 1, 1
445 x 1
465 x 1, 1

2) Rack Pulls - 14.25" to bar centre
405 x 3
455 x 3
495 x 3

3) SL Deadlift
225 x 18, 15, 2

4) Single Leg Glute Bridge
BW x 10, 10, 10

Friday Pulls

July 20, 2011

Well I felt like I was getting better with the deficit pulls today. Checking back on the video I was getting my shoulders over the bar and higher than my hips. Man is it ever a tight position to get in lol. I cut the workout short and didn't get my glute bridges in as I was late for prior commitments.

Noon

1) Deficit Pulls - CV
135 x 2
225 x 2
315 x 1
405 x 1, 1, 1, 1
455 x 1 - I'll start moving up in weight next week.

Before Supper

1) Rack Pulls - Just above the kneecap
405 x 3
495 x 3
545 x 3
585 x 3
635 x 3

Add Belt
655 x 3
675 x 3
695 x 2.5

2) Stiff Legged Deads - Stood on Plates for a Good Stretch
225 x 18, 17

I Need to Learn Deficit Pulls

July 13, 2012
Before Supper

Well this cycle is calling for some deficit pulls. Man am I ever crap at them! Lots to learn. It's really hard for me to get my shoulders over or behind the bar and to keep my back tight. Lots of work. I was table topping the lifts lots which caused me to fail a bunch at a relatively light weight. I dropped back to 405# to work on my form more.

1) 2" Deficit Pulls - CV
135 x 3, 3
225 x 2
315 x 1
405 x 1
465 x 1, f, 1, f, f, f - Very frustrating. Once I get this crap fixed it'll help my pull a lot.
405 x 1, 1, 1, 1

2) Rack Pulls - Below the knee
405 x 3
495 x 3
545 x 3
565 x 2.5 - Didn't ramp properly for the 3rd rep and I thought I pooped myself with the second.

3) Stiff Legged Deadlifts
225 x 15, 15, 5

4) One Legged Glute Bridges
BW x 15, 15

Pulls and a Stinking Huge Leg Pump!

June 15, 2012
Noon

1) Deadlift - CV
135 x 5
225 x 3
315 x 1
405 x 1
465 x 13 x 1 - I could've kept going but ran out of time on my lunch hour.

Afternoon

1) 2-3/8" DB Rows
125# x 1/1, 2/2, 2/2, 2/2, 2/2, 2/1

Before Supper

1) Rack Pulls - Below the Knee
315 x 3
405 x 1
495 x 1
545 x 1
Add Belt
585 x 2 - Grip go sweaty and let out. That's pretty embarrassing lol! This bar is thick and has almost no knurl though so it's not too bad. Working on widening up the chest and getting the lower back flatter and tighter.

2) SSB Lunges - Forward Step
65 x 10, 10, 10, 5 - Holy crap!! I haven't done any sort of lunge in years and this sure opened my eyes to glaring weaknesses. Quads were so pumped I could only get up to 35 total reps. I need to keep at these to get 50 reps a session then get adding some weight to the bar. Way tougher than dumbbell lunges.

3) Glute Bridges
BW x 15, 12, 12, 12 - My wife's going to love my apple ass after a couple months of this hahaha!

Pulls and Supplementary Work

June 4, 2012
Noon

Warm-up with CV Deads
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 2
405 x 1
455 x 1

Rack Pull - Below the Knees
495 x 1
545 x 1
585 x 1
605 x F

Add Belt
605 x 1
635 x 1
655 x F

Remove Belt
515 x 3.5 - I was standing to close and had my shoulders over the bar a bit. Hands were starting to feel chewed up as well.


Before Supper

1) RDL's
225 x 5
315 x 3 x 10

2) Shrugs - w/hip ext
495 x 8-9 x 3

3) Standing Band Crunch Circuit - Neutral/RL Forward/LL Forward
Green/Avr x 25EW x 2 Circuits (150 total reps)

Whatever Day: Pulling Stuff

January 21, 2012 - 2ish

1a) DO Axle Pulls - Sumo
143 x 5
213 x 3, 3
273 x 1
283 x 1
293 x 1, 1, 1, 1

1b) Rack Pulls plus a shrug at the top of each rep - Pin 1 - 7" Lift
315 x 5
405 x 3
495 x 3, 3, 3, 3
545 x 2

1bb) DB Rows - No humping, straps, etc.
147 x 8, 8

Decided to try on my singlet today for my workout for the first time......weird.

I think dropping down to pin 1 on the rack pulls is going to have better carryover to my regular pulls. It equates to a 7" lift and feels like it's right around where my sticking point is. The 495 reps were also feeling much tougher than they should've. Prior to the 3rd set I put some talc on my thighs and that made one helluva difference! The weight flew up.

I thought it was the talc but as I'm writing this maybe not; my thumb-pads are super smooth right now. It was making it difficult on my last two axle sets. I even went and washed my hands and reapplied chalk but it seems that I've just wore the texture right off.

Sick (as in oogy) Press and Pulls

December 27, 2011 - Before Supper


Well I guess Gail and I didn't manage to avoid the various kidling boogers and illness this weekend. We both woke up with really sore throats, I feel very fatigued and she's coughing a lot.

I thought I was going to do a heavy workout today but my body had other ideas so I just hit a medium day and it was still tough going getting the sets in.

1) Seated BTN Presses
95 x 10
155 x 3, 3
185 x F - Got the decision made for me that it was a medium day :)
155 x 5, 5, 4

2) 18" Rack Pulls
315 x 5
465 x 5, 5, 5 - Lots of fire and snap still on the last set but I don't want to sacrifice my recovery from my illness or workout.

3) Seated DB Hammer Curls w/Stiff Grip4orce
40e x 8, 8

18" Rack Pulls

December 20, 2011 - Noon

1) 18" Rack pulls with my very stiff bar
405 x 3
495 x 3
545 x 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2 20:00

Wow I sure get a sore throat from these and all heavier pulls (for me anyways). Only had a few minutes to get some work in again at lunch. At least this frees me up to maybe do some grip, bending, neck and maybe some ab roller work (Ack!!) later.

18" Rack Pulls, Curls and IM Pad Bending

November 14, 2011 - Before Supper
18" Rack Pulls, Curls and IM Pad Bending

1) 18" Rack Pulls
405 x 2
455 x 2
505 x 2
525 x 2 Straps
545 x 2
565 x 2
585 x 1
605 x - Halfway, couldn't lock out
595 x 1 Easy peasy 33:30

2) Alt DB Curls w/Stiff Grip4orce
30e x 12, 8, 6 2:40

3) Reverse - IM Pads
6" gr8 x 10' in 3h - Just hurts way to much with my bruised up knuckle on my lead hand. I think I can get this if I wasn't all banged up.

4) DU - IM Pads
3 Blues all about 80-90' - These felt very easy. I think it's quite possible my strength with these pads is about the same as with my 1" wraps for DU bending.

18" Rack Pulls and Bending

November 4, 2011
18" Rack Pulls and Bending

1) 18" Rack Pulls - No wraps, belt, etc. I don't usually mention this but I don't use nothing unless specified
405 x 2
455 x 2
505 x 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 14:25

2) Reverse in Singles
450# x 7" x 8mm - 3h 25'

3) DU in Singles
60d - 92', 93'
gr8 - Wobble
375# x 7" - 8'

I think the reverse taxed me to much for decent DU and I was still fatigued/sore a bit from the DU's a couple of days prior. Not an excuse. Just couldn't do it tonight.

18" Pulls, a bit of arms and a braced bend

October 21, 2011
18" Pulls, a bit of arms and a braced bend

1) 18" Rack Pulls
315 x 3
405 x 3
495 x 3
515 x 3
535 x 2
555 x 2
575 x 1, 1, 1 27:00

2) Alt Dumbbell Curls
55ea x 10, 8, 6 5:15

3) Tricep Band Pressdowns - Draped Band
MM x 25, 15, 15 3:15

4) Braced Mid-Length Bend
28" x 5/8" A36 - Done

First braced bend in ages. Hurt my left arm again. Definitely needs some time to heal.

Pulls, Pinching and Another Reverse Cert. Submission

October 17, 2011
Pulls, Pinching and Another Reverse Cert. Submission

1) Deadlift - Froggy
315 x 1
365 x 1
405 x 1
455 x 1
475 x 1, 1, 1, 1 11:40

2) 18" Pin Pulls
495 x 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 13:30

3) 3/4" Block Set TSG
5/8" SM x 2/1, 1/1
IM 2.5 x 4/2, 4/1, 4/2, 2/1 10:50

3) 2HP @ 54mm
107 x 3
157 x 2, 3, 1
162 x 1, 1 8:50

4) Reverse - Singles
FBBC 6" x 1/4" CRS Square - 2 Hits ~50'

Still don't have all of my wind back so kind of a crappy workout. The deads felt to slow. The lockouts felt really good and strong though. Felt easy. 2HP just wouldn't work today but I did get that feisty little piece of 6" done with. So far only Eric Milfeld is on that list and Mike Hadlund is on the 5.5". I think I need to be the first at 5"  :twisted:

Pulls, Shrugs and Pinch

Sept 22, 2011
Pulls, Shrugs and Pinch

1) Rack Pulls - Pin 3, 11" Lift, Just under knees
405 x 5
455 x 3
525 x 3, 3
495 x 2, 2, 1 15:31
Put my heels together on the last 2 sets.

2) Standing Band Crunches
Avr x 125 x 100

3) BB Shrugs
335 x 15, 15 2:10

4) L Blobs - EW - Double Lifts
40 x /3, /6, /4, /4, /4, /1
45 x 3/, 6/, 4/, 4/, 4/, 1/

Rack Pulls, Shrugs, Bending and Blobs

Sept 15, 2011
Rack Pulls, Shrugs, Bending and Blobs

1) Rack Pulls - CV Stance - Pin 3 - 11" Lift
315 x 3
405 x 3
455 x 3
505 x 3
525 x 3
545 x 2
565 x 2
575 x 1 25:30

2) Standing Band Crunches
Avr. x 100, 75 4:25

3) Shrugs
315 x 20, 15

4) Saxon Bar Sumo
170 x 3, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3 18:00

5) Reverse Axle Curl
83 x 5, 5

6) Reverse in Singles
Red Nail x 17' in 3 hits. Back was to pooped

7) A bunch of wide pinch work. Did a few lifts and max holds with the L45#ers. Slid the L50#er back a few times on the rubber mat then the York 50# blob. My hands were cooked!