Mehdi's Strength Training Log

by **Mehdi** on Tue Sep 18, 2007 5:48 pm

Stats & goals first.

Stats:
* 26y old
* 72kg bodyweight (158lbs)
* 1.72m (5'8")

Goals by january 2008
* Front Squat: 140kg
* Overhead Press: 70kg
* Power Cleans: 100kg
* Deadlift: 180kg

Current max
* Front Squat: 112,5kg
* Overhead Press: 60kg
* Power Cleans: 95kg
* Deadlift: 150kg

Injuries
* Snapping hip syndrome left which has improved recently after seeing sport doctor for it. It tends to give pain in my left knee/lower back left/right ankle.
* Wrist pain right hand (a lot of desk work), right scapula/trap hurting somewhat, but also seemed to improve recently after getting tips from a chiropactor online.

Routine
* Smolov for front squat, just started. Stretches for piriformis/psoas/adductor for the groin.
* Overhead Press: left hand is much stronger than right, blame it on wrist/right scapula injury of last months. Lots of unilateral & postural work.
* deadlift & powercleans: whatever my legs/lower back can take after the smolov.

by **Mehdi** on Tue Sep 18, 2007 5:49 pm

Mo 17/09/2007 smolov week1/day1

Front Squat
4x9 77,5kg PR

1 dumbbell Push Press
5x21kg
5x23,5kg (4x right)
5x26kg (2x right)
1x28,5kg (1x right) PR

Power Cleans
5x60kg
5x70kg
5x80kg

Turkish Get Ups
5x21kg (3xleft)
5x23,5kg (2 left) PR

Dips
5x10kg
5x15kg
4x20kg
2x25kg

Chin-ups
5x10kg
3x15kg

Comments
Very aggressive on the Front Squats. Lots of power. For the info, I did the introduction phase for front squats. I felt from the warmup the power. Reps were fast. First 2 worksets were hard but easy (i'm not used to do +5 rep range). 2 last sets were harder. Lots of grunting, but I had fun. That's a PR btw.

PR on the Push Press too, but it's the second time I do them since years. Could do more if my legs weren't that sore.

Lower back couldn't take it anymore on the power cleans. 4x9 on front squats is very hard on the lower back it seems. 70kg was very heavy (did 20 reps last week for the info). Had trouble getting the weight high enough with the 80kg.

Turkish get-ups PR. Also new exercise, third time I do them I think.

Dips & chin-ups weren't planned. I trained with my younger brother (new to the sport btw), he wanted to do "arm work". So I did a few sets with him. It's been too long since I did them.

First workout front squats done. No pain in groin, no pain in wrists, no pain in shoulders. All ok, I liked it. I don't expect problems on the squat the first week.

by **Mehdi** on Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:54 am

we 19/09/2007 - Smolov week 1 day 2

Front Squat
5x7 82,5kg PR

Pendlay Row
5x70kg
3x80kg
5x5 70kg
10x60kg

1 Dumbbell Overhead Press
5x16kg
2x23,5kg right PR
5x23,5kg left PR
5,4,4x21kg right
5,5,5x21kg left

Comments
Trained early this morning. Got an appointment with the sports doc for my groin/neck later today.

First 2 sets front squat easy. Starting 3 sets no more easy. First 5 reps ok, then trouble keeping the chest up.

Had nauseas after the Front Squat, just didn't felt great this morning. I'll do better Friday.

by **Harsh** on Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:01 pm

Smolov, looks like a gr8 squat routine !!

by **Mehdi** on Thu Sep 20, 2007 3:55 pm

Posted By: HarshSmolov, looks like a gr8 squat routine !!

You can find more info about smolove on this page. Download the excell program & fill in your max & the weights it wants you to lift. You'll understand the heaviness of theprogram.

My previous max on the Front Squat was 112,5kg. After this program I should be lifting at least 130kg. I hope 140kg.

by **Mehdi** on Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:36 pm

FR 21/09/2007 - Smolov week 1 day 3
Front Squat
7x5 87,5kg PR
Overhead Press
3x50kg
1x55kg
3x50kg
5x45kg
Power Cleans
5x70kg
5x80kg
5x85kg
10x75kg PR

Turkish Get-up
5x16kg
2x26kg right | 1x26kg left PR
4x23,5kg right & left PR

Comments Front Squats were easier than the days before. I like lower reps. I ended leaning forward during the last reps of the last sets. Very annoying. Weight gets on my wrists. Also right heel tends to come from the floor. Still that left leg that seems to be stronger than the right one. Probably because of the groin injury. Groin feels fine btw. No knee or lower back pain. Was exhausted afterwards. The 55kg overhead press lasted 5seconds I think. Left stronger than right again. Next Power Cleans. Lower back felt fine after the squats, wasn't sore like the other days. Went up to 85kg. Then I planned to do 20 reps with 75kg. Turned out into 10 breathing reps. I could have continued to 20 reps but I was too tired. A bit disappointed for not doing 20 reps looking back. I should have.

by **Mehdi** on Sat Sep 22, 2007 6:11 pm

SA 22/09/2007 - Smolov week 1 day 4
Front Squat
10x3 92,5kg PR

Push Press
1x60kg
5,5x50kg

Pendlay Row
5x80kg
5,5x75kg
5,5x70kg

Comments Front Squat were very easy compared to the other days. I think I could have done 5 reps on every set. So I'm already stronger than on the previous routine. Back then I struggled doing 5x5 with 90kg. Little lower back pain left side. Groin fine. Some wrist pain. But nothing serious. Stretching & spinal decompressions post workout. Overhead strength is still way behind what it was before my holiday.

by **Victor** on Sat Sep 22, 2007 8:11 pm

Good job Mehdi, it is indeed wonderfull that you're getting stronger while you're squatting with such a high frequency. I knew when I just started with smolov the first day was a total pain, the weights felt heavy and the reprange was so high. But when I started with week 2 I felt stronger, my body was adapted to the intensity so making pr’s wasn’t that difficult.

by **Harsh** on Sun Sep 23, 2007 5:19 am

Great work Mehdi, I think i am yet not ready for smolov yet, I need to deal with all my injuries and other stuff before going into any routine...

by **Mehdi** on Sun Sep 23, 2007 7:33 am

Posted By: victorGood job Mehdi, it is indeed wonderfull that you're getting stronger while you're squatting with such a high frequency. I knew when I just started with smolov the first day was a total pain, the weights felt heavy and the reprange was so high. But when I started with week 2 I felt stronger, my body was adapted to the intensity so making pr’s wasn’t that difficult.

Indeed. I was thinking this morning while having breakfast: I did 7x5 87,5kg tuesday, now I have to do 4x9 87,5kg. It's only 4 reps more but 3 sets less

Weights seems much more realistic now that I started.

Harsh: if you have injuries first, certainly take a look at them. For the motivation: smolov's premise is a 80lbs squat increase in 4 months.

by **Harsh** on Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:10 am

80lbs jump is really so tempting...

by **Mehdi** on Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:31 am

Indeed

by **Mehdi** on Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:01 pm

Mo 24/09/2007 - Smolov week 2 day 1

Front Squat
2x9 87,5kg 1x8
87,5kg
1x7 87,5kg

Close Grip Bench Press
4/3/3/3/3 x 65kg
10x50kg

Db Overhead Press
8x11kg
4x16kg
6x13,5kg

Pendlay Row
5x70kg
5x75kg
4x5 70kg

Comments @à|#§ Front Squats! Goal was 4x9, missed two times the weight. Leaning forward, couldn't keep chest up, felt the bar falling of my shoulders & there it went. Bar felt off my soulders on the pins. I had the leg strength today, I had the endurance, but just that chest that I couldn't keep up. Very very pissed after missing these 3 reps. Close Grip Bench Press was months ago. Exhausted on oh press/pendlay rows. Bah, I'm pissed at these front squats.

by **Victor** on Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:24 pm

What a pity Mehdi high rep front squats are indeed very heavy, the balance is so hard. But you could have put the bar back rest for some seconds and make the last rep(s) from the last two sets?

by **Mehdi** on Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:29 pm

My plan was to do 10 reps on the last set. I could have done a 5th set of 3 reps, but what's the point. Strength was not the problem, endurance was.

Won't happen twice this week.