Dr. Squat - Dr. Fred Hatfield

That's me.

squat warm-ups to 5x155, 5x175, 2x5x185, 5x190

overhead press 5x65, 5x85, 4x5x95, 8x105(?)

chins 2x5x25, 3x25 (missed 4th), forced reps with bodyweight by hopping off the floor a bit for a few more reps

straight leg "scissor" sit-ups 2x5x10

saxon side bends 5x10, 5x12.5

post-training weight 178 (back on schedule to weigh 181 by June)

RPE 8/10
RPS 10/10

My overhead press shot up. Squat workouts have the worst numbers because most of the exercises are exericses I'm weak at. But it's been the workout that I've had the most regular progress in. So that's motivating. The 8 repd with 110 was just me being curious about how hard I was actually working--overhead presses *feel* hard, but I've noticed that they feel harder than they actually are, so I repped out to see. Turns out I'd been just playing around on the last 4 sets, which is cool because I'll be pressing with wheels again a lot sooner than I thought. Weird head game, the overhead press.

I am making by far the most progress I have ever made in weight gain.

deadlift 15x1x340, about 90 seconds rest on average, not easy, but not hard, yanked off a callous and had to use straps

chins 4x5x25, 3x25 followed by partial reps (this is a huge lead from just 4 days ago)

BNP 3x12x45

no abs

bodyweight 175 (I've been slacking on eating the last couple of days)

Try this with chins do a set of around 6 reps with weight until you get to the last rep you think you can do, drop the weight and then do a few chins with just BW until you get to the last rep again, then do more reps by hopping off the floor a little to get you through the first half (the top will still be insanely hard), then, when you miss, just do reps starting from the bottom until you get to the point in the rep when you can't make it any further and just work in that range of motion. It's basically forced reps by way of just doing the range of motion that you're able to do given the state of fatigue that you're in. I did this twice and just about doubled my weighted chin-up volume in two workouts.

I'm experimenting with how infrequetly I can do abs and get away with it. Probably once a week intensely is fine. I'm finding that the less I do in the gym and in general, the easier it is to gain weight. Probably due to my metabolism. So I'm keeping my mind focused on the 80/20 rule.

Lots of low back and knee pain today. Shoulders are fine.

deadlift, hook grip 12x1x365, lost a callous on the other hand this time

chins 3x5x25

BNP 2x12x45, 2x8x65

static ab work

post workout weight 178

Taped my thumbs up. Keeps the skin on your fingers where it belongs, but does very little to alleviate the pain. I keep losing callouses. This has never happened before. I am sanding them down with one of those pumice stones. Minimal knee pain. May have found a few training partners.

power style squat 8x3x185

overhead press 2x5x95 5x105--super weak plus shoulder pain so I stopped

reverse hyper 10 reps with 70, 120, and 170

supersetted low pulley rows with 220/bodyweight chins for reps of 10/7 and then 10/2 + forced reps

post workout weight 180

After 8 weeks of OL squatting, power squatting is a breeze. I really wanted to go heavy today, but my left knee hurt even on the walkout, so I kept it light and concentrated on form and setting up.

I think I have milked chins and overhead work for a while. The next couple of weeks until this meet will be some sort of impromptu taper + peaking for the deadlift.

Did yesterday's reverse hypers plus took a military press max

Overhead press 1x145

reverse hyper 3x10x170

post workout weight 178

I want to press 200. 165 is my old weight. But I am not sure how to work it into PL training, nor am I sure that my left shoulder is up to it.

sq 4x3x225, 1x275
reverse hyper 3x10x205
bench 4x5x135, 12x135 (!?)
pull-downs with double handle grip to the sternum leaning way back***
reverse bridge on elbows. 3 sets of 6 seconds

***This was basically me trying to fit my skinny 6-foot arse into an old-school nautilus machine. Turned out to work really well.

post workout weight 180

This was one of those sessions where everything went up, which is always cool.

I am sold on reverse hypers and oly squats, or a combination thereof--my low back has never felt so solid during a power squat.

Weight is very slowly going up, which is good because the initial move from 148 to around 175+/- I think really affected my knees negatively. But they seem to be adjusting.

I now work full time, so I am training in the evening for the first time. Unbenownst to me, during the evenings, my gym is flooded with hot mexican girls. Nobody tells me these things.

power squat, belt 6x2x250
bench 6x2x175
db press, no lockout 4x10x35
pulldowns 4x12x135
reverse hyper 10x140, 3x10x200
post-workout weight 181

This session is the beginning of 6 weeks of 10x2-3 for the squat and bench, and basically westside without the speed day for pulls. I'm alternating front squats and power squats every week.

raw power squat 10x3x235 (85%) this was *&$ing hard!

db overhead press, no lockout 4x10x35

close grip pull downs 4x12x150

reverse hyper 4x10x190

static abs, 3 sets of reverse bridges

post workout weight 178

Update

My weight went DOWN a few days after this workout (176 as of today, the 2nd). I expected some sort of temporary loss because this is a lot of work for me. I'll probably get a sling shot effect around workout 2 or 3. I am still sore after several days. Going to play some frisbee today and workout the kinks.

raw squat, belt 5x3x245

db press 5x35 5x50 5x60 4x70

post workout weight 180

This was one of my best sessions so far since I started training "heavy."

Also, backing out of this weekend's meet. First time I've done that and I feel like sort of a loser for doing it. But there's no sense in getting hurt during a "come back" meet.

Gus was really nice about it and said I could put the fee toward my next WABDL meet. So I won't risk injury and I haven't lost any cash (which is a lot for me right now--LOL!) So it's win-win.

Holy cripes my back just kills today. The only thing that helps is ice. I have these 800mg IB's left over the dentist and they don't make a wit a difference.

Next time I pull racks, it's going to be for reps. I also have not been training abs. I did this on purpose to see if I could get away with it. But I missed 510 due to form break down, not really due to strength (if I'd of kept tugging on it, it probably would have gone up). Plus, my abs are sore as all get out today. So that tells me that I need to train abs in order to handle heavier weights.

I'm also having a little trouble with pitching forward in the squat during the set up. Again, abs.

June 18-July 23 thereabouts

Goals:Pull 500 in a belt
Power Squat 350 in a belt
Bench 230
Weigh 190

Monday: Squat/Board Press

Smolov program, adjusted to twice a week, 6 week cycle

Board press 54321, various boards

Thursday: Squat/Dumbbell Incline Press

Smolov program, adjusted to twice a week, 6 week cycle

DB Incline Press 10x3, slight incline

Saturday: Deadlift/Chins

Deadlift
week 1: 70% 12x1
week 2: 75% 12x1
week 3: 80% 10x1
week 4: 1RM in racks from just above the knee (goal: 550)
week 5: 85% 6x1
week 6: 90% 3x1

Chins, dead hang, various sets and reps

Notes:

--I adjusted my previous cycle for the deadlift with less reps and higher percentages to max my recovery time, which is somewhat shorter than the average lifter. I'm also going heavier during the last two weeks compared to last time. I seem to peak faster and for a shorter time in contrast to what I had planned for last time.
--The squat routine is an adjusted "Smolov Jr." cycle that I found in PT's "Beyond Bodybuilding" book. Squatting 4 times a week is something I neither mentally nor physically ready for.
--I training around a bum shoulder by using boards and dumbell work and then I'm going to do a taper the last couple of weeks with bench only. I've already done 225 easy, so I'm shooting for a very conservative 230, but expect more than that come judgement day.
--Training days are flexible, but set up on the days above more for the sake of writing up a program.

squat 5x7x225 (75%)
dumbbell press on a slight incline 5x3x65
bw 178

Shooting for 10x3 with dumbbells. Just not in good enough shape for it yet.

Squat 7x5x255 (80%)
2-board press 5x195, 4x205, 3x215, 2x225, 1x235 (25lb PR from last week)

Last rep of first set of squats had me miss forward. Had to dump the bar. If my arse was strong enough, I could stand up straighter, but I just can't do it.

When I'm done with this 6-week cycle, I'm going to really concentrate on booty strength.

Update

255 is not 80% of 300! I just did 5 sets of 7 today with a weight that I should have done 10 sets of 3 with on Thursday. No wonder it was so hard. Good PR, though!

Got to the gym and it was closed. Got on cell and called the number on the sign that says "Call if we're not here during working hours" and got a recording of some dude telling me to leave message. Left message. No one got back to me. Sat in car a little bit and fantasized about what I'd lift if the gym was open. The following imaginery workout ensued

Deadlift 4x10x800 (slight hitch on last rep of last set)
Chins from a dead hang, 3x25 with a 100-pound plate
post-workout weight 220, 4% bodyfat

Sat around another five minutes and went home.

squat 9x4x225 (70%+10lb)--last set I really wasn't sure whether I could do, so I paused all the reps just for FU's sake

2-board press 5x210, 4x215, 2x220 (missed 3rd rep--a little too ambitious), stopped there

Pretty strong today. Lots of large PR's. Board presses are going fantastically, but I need to be more prepared with specific weights when I go in. Today, I just sort of winged it, which left me with a missed weight.

squat 4 or 5 x5x80%+10lb (250) knee blew out on last rep of set 4 or 5 (can't remember how many sets I did). The pain was brief but severe. It went away, but I played it safe and stopped a few sets short of 7. Not that concerned, being that I *accidentally* did 5 sets of 7 with 255 a week ago.

board press 5x205, 4x220, 3x225, 2x230 (this is last week's weight for a single, which was a 15lb PR at the time!), 1x235--5lb PR and I was easily good for 245, but stopped

post workout weight 179--little light lately, but it doesn't seem to be making much of a difference with regards to strength. Really got the hang of keeping my back tight during pressing tonight.

rack pull from the knee cap 525--not the 550 I was hoping for, but a 25lb PR nonetheless. Gains are starting to slow down.

pull ups 3x6

weight 179

315. Three wheels! Stoked. That's a 15lb PR in 4 weeks.

bench 220x1. Was supposed to be a solid double. Not sure what's going on.

deadlift 6x1x385

bench 1x220

Hey! Whaddya know! A taper day that went well!

deadlift 465 (10 pound PR in 4 weeks)

bench 235 (10 pound PR in 5 weeks. This is also the weight I used for 2-board press two weeks ago)

bodyweight 179

Routine worked. Onto the next one.

Deadlift (around Tuesday)
Rack pulls from the knee 3x5
Power clean from floor 3x5 (flat soled shoes, no belt)
One heavy ab exercise 5x5

Squat/Bench (around Saturday)
Squat 5-4-3-2-1, 3-5x5
Bench 5-4-3-2-1, 3-5x5
superset rolling triceps extension and standard dumbell curls 3x6
One heavy oblique exercise 5x5

The progressive movement training is out of sync with the other work in that it'll take weeks to move through the rack, whereas the 5-4-3-2-1 training is something you peak out on in as little as a few weeks. 3 sets of 5 is more appropriate. I'll just have to be careful about double progression. Also added arm work on SQ/BP day. More time on the weekends, so...

squat 5x225, 4x235, 3x245, 2x255, 1x265

BP 5x185, 4x190, 3x195, 2x200, 1x205

DB side bend 5x5x60

bodyweight 177

Light today. The 54321 stuff was a lot more difficult than I'd anticipated. Back off sets and arm work were pretty pointless. Going to measure my arms and see if I can get them bigger without any direct arm work this month. They definitely look like they've gotten bigger in the last 6 weeks, but I never bothered to check.

Weight's back up to 180. My metabolism has slowed a bit in the last year. But as soon as my activity level goes up (I've been walking about two miles a day because of school), I need to get an extra meal in. Now, the weight is a lot easier to get back. Soon, I'll have a power pooch.

Mmmm, can't wait.