A week filled with farm animals, loud music, bro activities and cold barbells

This one's for you Greg

Training this week was excellent and is definitely going in the direction. More big things to come. Better BELIEVE it baby!

It was a deload week (no deadlifts or bench press) but I still managed to have some fun and hit some new bests. It's getting cold outside so the alapacas have been coming in to hang out during training some times. Definitely the perfect storm for optimal training.

12/8/2011 - Dynamic Warmup + prehab


Fat Bar Dumbbell Press
140 x 3 - PR I think
110 x 13

Weighted Ring Pullup
45 x 4
55 x 4

Fat Bar Dumbbell Curls
3 x 8-10 @ 40lbs

Incline Bench "Y"
3 x 10 @ 10lbs

Round Robin Ring Dip Set - Me, Matt, Greg, Cameron, Juelz Santana (did anyone get that reference?)
10 x 10 reps

12/10/2011 - at crossfit MTL
Dynamic Warmup and Prehab

Push Jerks from rack
255 x 1
275 x 1
305 x MISS - I was feeling rowdy, ended up failing. Next time.

Power Clean
205 x 3
225 x 10 - New best?


Thruster
135 x 3
185 x 8 - PR

Met-con - something dreamed up by Pat Byrnes over at Crossfit Tribe - 2 rounds for time
15 Handstand Pushups / 20 Pullups / 25 Box Jumps / 30 deadlifts at 185 / 35 Burpees

16:55 - I had trouble bending over for the rest of the day.

12/13/2011 - Dynamic Warmup and Prehab


Overhead Squat - This was a terrible weakness for me, finally starting to improve
225 x 1
250 x MISS
250 x 1 - Hooty Hooo! about a 50-60lb PR

Turkish Sit-up
40 x 10/arm
60 x 10/arm

Band Punch Press - I'll get a video of these two exercises sometime soon.
Green Band 2 x 10/side

Met-con - 3 rounds for time
5 muscle-ups / 15 burpees + touch the ceiling 9' / 20 Lunges + 45lb plate overhead
7:40

Great week. I'm planning on competing in the crossfit open over at Crossfit Tribe in Pennsauken. I'm looking forward to ramping up my training in the next few weeks. Look forward to some big things! I'm still doing small sessions throughout the week working on skills and weaknesses. My eating has been on point too.

Training for the week Team Llama Bash

What's that dude in the background doing?

Lately I've added in a few extra days per week working on skill work for crossfit including things like running, double unders, pushups, handstands, burpees, bodyweight squats, pistols and pullups. I still keep 3 core lifting days per week.

12/1/11
Dynamic Warmup

Axle Floor Press
315 x 1
335 x 1 - PR woot woot


Thick Bar DB Press
110 x 8
120 x 8 - getting better

Ring Pullups 5 x 10

12/3/11- I've been training saturdays at Crossfit Tribe. Awesome community and great atmosphere to get deez loueez.

Crossfit Tribe - Training to be a boss

Dynamic Warmup

Push Jerk
245 x 3
270 x 2 - Almost dropped the third rep on my head, win!

Power Clean
225 x 3
245 x 3

Thruster
195 x 3
220 x 3 Maybe a new best?


Met-con (crossfit games clean and jerk C&J / rope climb)
5 C&J @ 145lbs + 5 rope climbs (13ft)
4 C&J @ 165lbs + 4 rope climbs (13ft)
3 C&J @ 185lbs + 3 rope climbs (13ft)
2 C&J @ 205lbs + 2 rope climbs (13ft)
1 C&J @ 225lbs + 1 rope climbs (13ft)
6:50 - Froning did it in just under 5 minutes.

12/6/2011
Dynamic Warmup

Llama Bash is looking clean and mean

I should probably stop posting all of my max effort attempts where my form falls apart. I promise my technique is not this terrible for every set!

(4-5") Deficit Deadlift
425 x 1
465 x 1
500 x 1 - PR no belt

Back Squat vs chains 100lbs @ top, 20lbs @ bottom
185 x 5
205 x 5 - the chains felt terrible, probably won't do these next week.

Overhead Squat
165 x 5
185 x 5 - PR, these are finally coming along some!

I decided to stop writing what I eat on a daily basis but to instead make separate posts occasionally with what I eat. Let me know if you guys are mad about this and wanted more of my food log.

Deficit Deadlifts with videos!

11/29/2011

Dynamic Warmup and Hip/Core prehab(Anyone curious about what I do here? I was thinking of doing an article/video of this)


4” Deficit Deadlift (Standing on two 35lb plates)
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3
325 x 3
375 x 3
425 x 3
450 x 3 - PR Felt great


Front Squat - went a bit heavier today, my upper back rounds quite a bit.
95 x 3
135 x 3
165 x 3
185 x 3
210 x 3
235 x 3
255 x 3 - PR

Overhead Squat + Ring Fallouts
95 x 10
120 x 10
145 x 10 - PR

Turkish Getup / 20 burpee box jumps
40 x 10/side + 20 burpee box jumps
50 x 10/side + 20 burpee box jumps

Best Thanksgiving Ever

Kitten Press, get jacked.

Thanksgiving Day Training:

Dynamic Warmup:

Floor Press: Did some Curls between sets
125 x 5
175 x 5
215 x 3
245 x 3
275 x 3
300 x 3 Thinks that's a best for floor press


Weighted Ring Pullup Supersetted this with Dumbbell Press
15lbs x 4
25lbs x 4
35lbs x 4
45lbs x 4
20lbs x 7


Axle Dumbbell Press
60 x 10
80 x 10
95 x 19
80 x 23

As promised, kitten videos. Kittens increase strength significantly.


Met-con:
4 Rope Climbs 12' / 8 Ring Dips / 12 box jumps - 5 rounds for time - 8:20

One enormous meal:
Cauliflour
Broccoli
Mashed Radish with butter
Turkey
Meatballs
Deviled eggs with bacon, courtesy of aunt val
Brussel sprouts with bacon

New Bench PR

Training 10/13/2011

Dynamic Warmup and Shoulder pre-hab

Weighed in at 190lbs tonight

Bench Press
Bar x 5
125 x 5
215 x 3, 3
245 x 1
275 x 1
300 x 1
320 x 1
340 x 1 - PR, previous best was 330 in 2007, I weighed 20lbs heavier back then

Terrible video quality, guess I won't be doing too many videos through the winter.

340 x 1

300 x 5

Dips
lots of goofy sets
70 x 22

Here is what my sets of dips have been looking like lately.

I forgot how to do drips properly.

Pullups - lots of front lever and one handed pullup work

Cable Curls


Eating

8:00
1/2 Shake
2 bananas
strawberries
blueberries
2 oranges juiced
1/2 can coconut milk
Kefir
1 TBSP red palm oil
2 TBSP olive oil

11:00am
other half of shake

3:00
Salad lots of veggies
1 egg
Sweet Potatoes with butter

6:00 20g BCAA and Gatorade

8:00
Sausage, spinach, beans, tomato sauce, garlic jamboree

225lb Bench Press Day

Yo guys, we had a large turnout over at llama bash today with Me, Greg, Matt, Maria, Pete, and Noel. We're all getting amped up and training out there with wild animals. For my deload week bench day I've decided to take 225 for a stroll in the park. Its been a while since I've really been focusing on bench and its been on the up and up so I was excited for today! i uploaded everyone else benching on youtube today too so check it out. http://www.youtube.com/my_videos?feature=mhee

9/22/2011 - Bench Deload day

Dynamic warmup + Band no money and pull apart

Bench Press SS w/MB Slam x 15
125 x 5
175 x 5
215 x 5
265 x 3
225 x 22 - PR here, nice

Dips SS w/pullup variations
BW x 12
45 x 12
70 x 12
90 x 9 - Don't know if this is a new best, I feel like it isn't

Axle Curls / Incline Bench external rotation

Done, and EAT. I have dropped a few lbs and lost some flabbo. My goals for now is to get stronger and stronger. i think I got a little carried away with my weight gain for my own comfort. I'm leveling out with my weight and am happy for future progress!

Hello friends of friends

Alpacas coming at ya.

Training 9/20/11 - Deload week

Dynamic warmup and hip/core prehab

Deadlift SS w/ 15 burpee box jumps
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 5

Tire Flips
550 x 3
750 x 3
800 x 3 - started using tacky cloth here
900 x 3
1000 x 3 PR

Sand Bag Shoulder
210lbs x 8 in 1:35 - tiring! PR

Band Rotary punches x 10-15 / Human flag holds / Ring absaw

Felt great today. Deadlift still feels a little iffy, i hope this goes away soon. New bests on the sandbag and tire though

I changed up my eating a little bit recently. I took my calories down to 4,000 from 5,000. the routine is pretty much the same food wise though. I was getting a bit flabby!

I started doing some gymnastics stuff on off days and I'm having fun with it. I'll try and post some stuff soon.

Hummingbirds and hale

Been a little stale with very little posting lately. Thought I'd come back with a little video PR. Baby Hummingbird drinks sugar water for reps. Cutest thing I've ever seen Just another reason why training at popes' gardens is the #1 place to get jacked.


Well, I was doing awesome with my training and then was feeling pretty beat up for about two weeks. I hit a 750lb Yoke walk for 100' with a few drops. Took about a minute. Pretty excited about that. Did a 200lb log viper press each rep from the floor x 8. Log 230 x 5 clean and jerk from the floor, both sets felt heavy.

I trained in a thunderstorm the other day too, it hailed the first 10 minutes and then thunder for 45 minutes. I was scared like a little girl and didn't touch any metal for about an hour. Anyway, here is the hail portion. It was about 90 degrees outside. The weather was confused today.


and here is the wildest rainbow I've ever seen that came after. Glad we didn't get struck by lightning.

OK!

8/12/2011 training, finally. You'd think I gave up training and became a full time nature junkie.

Dynamic Warmup + hip/core prehab

Farmers
105/hand x 100'
200/hand x 50'
250/hand x 50'
275/hand x 115' - new best. Happy this is finally going up again. Wasn't even my grip that failed, was the rest of my body.

Stone Trainer
145 x 3
190 x 3
215 x 3
245 x 2 - These things are hard!

Car Pushes
2 x 400' ya that sucked a little.

A few things I did to get over the plateau I had the past two weeks.

1. Eat more total calories. I went from 4500kcal/day to 5000kcal/day. Body weight is around 185 in the am. My butt seems to be growing, not sure what to make of that. Some say that most of my power comes from my butt.

2. Eat more carbs - I started doing white rice twice per day(before and after) on training days. Those carbs make a big difference.

3. I added in some D-aspartic acid - some studies show it can increase testosterone levels by 40% in 12 days. i thought hell, why not give it a shot. Doesn't seem to have any nasty side effects. Whether or not its the main thing helping me, who knows. I don't care about whether or not its placebo, as long as I'm progressing.

4. Sleeping more - this always helps. getting to sleep by 10ish at night. Sleeping till 6-7am.

5. Man up and get your mind right. I took a step back, I got back to what originally motivated me. I reorganized my training and got excited to get in there and tear up some weights. This is definitely one of the most important things to getting back on track.

Eating has been about the same. Still doing the 3000kcal shake every day split into 3 meals. I do a little 85% dark chocolate in the am also. The two other meals are heavy in meats/eggs/fish(the good stuff) vegetables, potatoes and grass-fed dairy.

I'm back!

In honor of the NFL combine, 225 lb push jerk for reps.

It's been a while so I thought I'd throw in some multimedia. Haven't done Db press in a few months because I lost the other DB handle!

7/28/2011

Dynamic warmup + shoulder prehab and plyos

Axle Push Jerk from the rack
85 x 5
125 x 5
175 x 3
215 x 3
245 x 3
220 x 17 - PR, reps are getting high.

Axle Push Press - no belt
135 x 8
175 x 8
195 x 6 - woo i was pooped

Ring Dips 3 x 6-8
Tricep extensions

DB lateral raises
Ab saw

Rosie for life

7/26/11

Dynamic warmup

Sand Bag
220lb x 5 shoulders in 60 seconds
300lb x 46" over bar - really happy with this

Tire + Sand bag medley
750 x 5, 220 bag x 5 shoulders - nice and tough

Farmers walk (should have done these first...)
100lbs/hand x 50'
200 x 50'
250 x 50'
300 x 30' - grip and low back was shot. Also sweaty and my grip isn't where it was.

Sled Drag
500lbs x 150' x 2 sets

My curser is not working now and I'm getting confused. Been eatinga beefcake shake every day, about 3k calories there as well as a lunch and dinner with meat and vegetables

I ate 9 bananas today

Dan Mcman battle of the badass, log press

Man, good day today. Lightheaded and dizzy. This heat is great!

Dynamic Warmup

Deadlifts
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 2
435 x 2
485 x 1
495 x 7 - PR belt on + straps, touch and go.



Farmers Walk

Worked up to 300lbs/hand. Barely picked it. Super shot from the deads and my grip sucks from using straps lately. Beat.

Sled arm over arm drag 60' / reverse drag 60'
500 x 1
660 x 1
760 x 1 - happy with these. Was feeling exhausted here though.

I might deload some time soon. My back has been feeling great but I think if I keep pushing it I'll run into some trouble. This 3 days per week stuff has been working great. I've eased back on any high intensity warmups. Started walking on off days for the heart. Lifts are all going up fast. My bodyweight is climbing slowly but steadily. With the extra weight I'm starting to feel an achilles tendonitosis coming on a bit on my left ankle/calf. Really stretching and rolling my calves because I'm deathly afraid of pulling something. Hammy was bugging me last week but it feels great now! Been drinking coffee before my sessions again. Crazy how much of an edge that gives me.

good eats:
9:00am
5 bananas
2 cups whole milk
8 TBSP coconut oil
Blend it up, put it down.

12:30
6 eggs
Swiss chard, garlic, mushrooms
Bacon lard for the cooking
1 banana

4:30pm
2 bananas
brians hummus and carrots(shit is great)

6:00 pm - 20g BCAA and water

8:30 - feel like I'm going to pass out. Had another banana - PR
Black Berries
vegetable concoction with chicken breast
Olive Oil
Plantains in coconut oil

11:00 or whenever I eat
Crock Pot london broil cooked with tomato sauce, garlic and lots of herbos from my mom and dad's garden. getting near 5k calories every day for the past few weeks now. This diet nonsense really helps.

Stack that cheese

Missed a post or two here. Had a good lift today so I thought I'd post a bit. Did a little log jamming today. Turning a weakness into a strength. Man I used to hate log press so much.

Bicep is still a little tweaked as well. Think I had a very small strain/muscle pull. Will keep my eye on it.

I did have a big new best today but didn't have the same motivation and pop as usual I thought I had 280 in me. Not today.

Dynamic warmup
Log Clean and Jerk
90 x 5
140 x 3
180 x 3
210 x 1
230 x 1
250 x 1
260 x 1
270 x 1 - PR, been some time since getting a new best here.


You're welcome for the view.

Viper Press - finally getting a bit better at these.
140 x 5
160 x 5
180 x 5
200 x 4

Barbell 1 - arm row / Cable face pull / Band no money / Axle curl

I'm gettin fat!

Well, past week has been a whole bunch of lounging and eating poorly! Exactly what you expect to see from me I know. Today I spent quite a bit of time rearming myself with good foods to be eaten greedily soon.

5/16/2011 - Mike Baturin is back in the mix training at the llama barn. Pretty amped he pretty much lost no strength after not training for the entire winter.

Dynamic Warmup

Axle Bench Press
35 x 10
125 x 5
175 x 5
215 x 3
235 x 2
265 x 2
285 x 2
305 x 2
320 x 2 - New best



Clothing optional gym, and you thought they didn't exist.

Bench vs chains - +60lbs at top
175 x 6
215 x 6
245 x 4

SS w/pullups
45lbs x 6
90lbs x 6
70lbs x 4

Rope Climbs / Cable Curl / Farmer's Shrug


My fork is my weapon of choice... and ya I ate the calculator too.


10:00am
raw milk
Eggs w/beef lard

2:00pm
Plantains
Salad w/olive oil and veggies
Raw cheese

6:00 - BCAA and water

8:00 - shake
2 bananas
2 cups raw milk
strawberries
shredded coconut

11:00 pm
Plantains
Salad w/dressing and cheese
Chicken drums sticks

riding solo today training. Matt and Greg were MIA (they have real jobs). Blogger.com was down the past day so I'm posting my training from today and yesterday. So here it went...

5/12/2011

Dynamic Warmup

Log clean once and press for reps
90 x 5
140 x 5
180 x 3
210 x 1
230 x 6 New best, starting to not hate this lift.

Viper Press
180lbs 2 x 5 man I suck at these

Well, pretty much dead after these two

DB Bench
110lbs 2 x 10

Axle Curls / Band No Money / Cable face pulls

5/13/2011

Dynamic warmup

Deadlifts - warmups felt heavy, Body is feeling the log press from yesterday. Suck it up body.
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3
325 x 3
375 x 1
425 x 1
455 x 1 - belt on
475 x 6 - new best. Got a video, probably should have stopped at 5. Na!

Yoke zercher carry
360lbs x 50'
450 x 50'
500 x 50' - felt like death, feet were moving pretty quick though.

Sled reverse drag
2 x 100' @ 440lbs

Sled Forward Drag
2 x 100' @ 440lbs

eating
7:00am
Glass raw milk

10:00am
Made these sweet potato pancakes, turned out more like a pile of potato dump, I'm sorry that was gross.

2:00pm
My grandfaughter treated my sister and I to PF chang's I had a rice and beef dish. Healthy day so far.

5:00 - I'm out of BCAA!

7:30
Raw Milk
Sweet potato from earlier

10:00 - your guess is as good as mine. My eating has been off since I finished school. I'm so lazy!

Deadlifting video 500 x 4

Round your back into a C!

What up

Almost through another semester of exams. 7 exams next week and then I'm cruising easy the next few weeks, until it all starts over again. Deload this week. The past couple days I've felt like fairly poor pretty consistently, but today my energy levels have come back around and I'm feeling good.

Dynamic Warmup - nothing but a good time

Bench Press SS w/ring muscleups 5 x 3
45 x 20
95 x 10
135 x 5
185 x 4
205 x 3
225 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 1
225 x 20 - new best by maybe 4-5 reps. Been a while since I did a rep set at 225.

Weighted Pullups - strict
45 x 4
70 x 4
90 x 4
80 x 4

Barbell 1arm rows / Trap Bar Shrugs / DB Curls

Gettin my swell on hard for the Jersey shore. Hittin the clubs like a boss DJing with Pauly D this summer.

Diet
8:30am
Broccoli
onion
mushroom
grassfed beef/venison jamboree
coconut oil

1:00
Broccoli
onion
mushroom
grassfed beef/venison jamboree
lara bar

5:00
applesauce - get my sauce on

6:00 - 20g BCAA in mutagen (who doesn't wish they could drink some sludge and turn into a ninja turtle?)

8:00 - same smoothie as usual but with coconut

10:00 - same beef medley as before

Some cool vids of some monsters training!

This past saturday I trained up in North Jersey with some old friends. Needless to say they have all gotten inordinantly strong.



This is Christina Lafex trotting with 275lbs per hand like she is late to work.



Chris Weaver with forearms that make elephants jealous. 435lbs/hand



And Big Sexy Brett Somerville moving with 445lbs per hand



And lonely Dan Pope with a 355lbs/hand farmer's walk

I have better quality videos up on my youtube page
http://www.youtube.com/user/djpope

It was awesome training with everyone. I'm such a little guy compared to all these monsters!

In other news I finished 2 exams today. Only 7 left next week and I'm a year into Physical therapy school!

4/25/2011 - deload week (feels good after this past saturday)

Dynamic Warmup

Flat DB Press SS w/MB soccer throws and Band Fallouts
100lbs x 21, 11, 11 - new best. Felt pretty tired.

Cable face Pulls + Db Curls - getting my "bro" on.

Oh ya, last week I forgot to post a workout, I got 455 x 8 dead stop deadlifts

Cuisine
9:00am
Eggs
butter
olive oil
grissly grass fed chuck roast
orange

12:30
Salad w/veggies
olive oil dressing
lamb
orange

5:00pm
Apple Pie Lara Ball
banana

6:00 - 20g BCAA and water

7:30 - fruit smoothie - oranges, grapefruit, bananas, strawberries

10:00
Venison Roast
Mashed Sweet Potato w/butter(grass fed)
Salad w/vegetables.

I'm beat!