how sharp is the knurling on the bar? is it really sharp and sticky or dulled and slick?

Nice job on the pull-ups, Dokk. :-)

Had another strong day, went heavy on T-bar rows, heavy on dumbbell rows, moderate on super-wide barbell rows, and finished with some pull ups. I thought of Christos, and never pulled my straps out of the bag....my forearms are wrecked. :-)

Fairly new bars. Not brand new but they aren't slippery at all.

Nice Pops :-)

Hard to understand unless I watch you strap in. Straps wont do all of the work for ya. You kind of have to learn how to use them. That kind of sounds weird but it makes sense I suppose. I need a video camera start taping your guys questions like a Q&A LOL...Explaining somethings would be easier if I could show you hahahahha.
:-)

I will use straps on deadlifts from the floor if I am planning on repping out a bit with a heavy weight. For a 1 rep lift, there's no need. You should also do a double overhand grip with straps, IMO. The straps fulfill the same purpose as the over/under grip, namely keeping the bar from rolling out of your hands.

Main thing to remember is to pull the bar tighter to your hand than you initially think. You want the strap to take the weight of the bar instead of having it held by your fingers, if that makes any sense. Your hands are effectively there to keep the strap from unwrapping, your wrist is actually holding the weight. Your body won't lift a weight it doesn't think your hands can hold, so if you are too far out on your fingers, you won't feel like you can lift it.

Anyway, went for a nice (4 mile-ish) hike on Saturday and got some lighter deads, squats and abs in yesterday before heading out for Easter dinner.

Yesterday was nothing special: 50 assisted chins, 50 assisted pull-ups, a mile on the treadmill (alternating walking and jogging), lots of stretching, and 50 triangle drills.

Today was chest day.

superset of chins, pull-ups, dips, pushups for 2 circuits to start

superset DB flat bench and 20lb medicine ball slams -- 10 reps each for 3 sets

superset of narrow grip barbell flat bench and HS declines -- 8-10 reps each for 3 sets

seated machine flyes -- 3 sets of 8-10 reps

then my partner left and I went back to kick out another 40 reps of assisted pull-ups and chins and hit the treadmill for 10 minutes before leaving

it was an active day, that's for sure. we certainly didn't waste any time at all. even with my additional stuff, I was outta there in about 50 minutes. :-)

head to the doc's today to have him take a look at my sacroiliac, hip, lumbar region, etc. something's not letting my right hip work right. my money is on a sacroiliac problem that needs some joint manipulation. I won't be surprised if he sends me for an MRI, too, though. we'll see....

good lifting to all today! :-)

Squat City
572x3,3
Pulls
off 8 mats 555x2(3rd = miss) off floor then 555 off floor x3

Pulls felt awful. I'm chalking this up to being totally tired from squatting.

Volume work today. Press, lat pulldown, front/side lat raise, HS rows. Good stuff.

Sore as hell today. I hope everyone else is getting it done. Little less than 5 weeks til the meet. Time to order a new singlet and some ammonia caps!

You're gonna kick some tail, Frank! :-)

mmmm Ammonia caps :-) nothing like breaking one on accident on the car ride to school/work :-)

I'll be rooting for ya Frank :-)

Volume chest and arm work for me this morning. Flat bench, incline bench, hammer curls and dips. Felt pretty low energy when I started, and wasn't sure I would make it through. Trying carb cycling (Tuesday and yesterday were no-carb days), and my energy levels are all over the place. We'll see how it goes.

Tore up back yesterday (today).

Bodyweight chins (I died fast) 22, 15, 14, 12 ,11, 11, 10, 9 for total of 100+

Heavy T-bar rows (5 and 6 plates for reps)

Heavy Dumbbell rows (130s for reps)

Super wide pulldowns (stack for reps)

Back is still tight 14 hours later.

Legs and shoulders manana.

Legs today, dead, squat and some ab work. Have been feeling really heavy lately, not sure if it was just the time off or something else. Anyway, spin tomorrow.

Forgot to turn my alarm on yesterday, missed the gym in the morning and was too tired by the time I got home. I'll make up for it tomorrow. Spin this morning.

been doing pull-ups and/or chins every day. started with 10-8-8 neutral pull-ups without any assistance today ... most I've ever done. followed that with another 50 assisted chins (we don't have just a regular bar to do chins). did a bunch of stretching. my leg was killing me. :-)

Sorry havent been keeping you guys posted. Been busy as hell and super tired. Training is getting extremely heavy right now.

Rather then get silly with a ton of posts here will be my last week of training...
Squats 630x2 Bench 445x2,2 Deadlift 600x2,2

Meet is still May 8th. Other than some tendinitis that has been bugging me this last week in my forearm everything is right on track. Skipped a few friday workouts because honestly my workouts Monday and Wednesday have been draining.

My openers for the meet are still up in the air. But they will be safe.
Squat will be mid 500's bench high 300's and deadlift will be high 500's.

On another note. Ordered a singlet and some caps. Turns out Inzer didnt have my singlet in stock which I had to find out by calling them. Which is total bullshit. Possibly the last time I ever order from them...Going to have to rock the navy blue singlet lolz!

My whole crew will be at the meet, including my old lady and tons of friends. Will make sure to take the camera and possibly video camera and get some action on film.

Kickin' some major arse, Frank!

I am off the gym for the 3rd day in a row after a freak accident. After repping with 335 on close-grip bench on a smith machine, I didn't rack it properly. As I backed off the bench, it all came down and my right thigh took the brunt. Nothing broken, nothing torn, but still severly swollen, 5 shades of purple and painful to walk on.

Hope to get back to some exercises by Monday.

Sounds like a nasty contusion or something there Tom. Stay away from that death trap Smith Machine. I just hope you don't squat in it...lolololol :-)