Warmup:  5-10 minutes on an eliptical or treadmill.  Get your heart rate up some, break a light sweat.

Mobility Warmup

A = Deadlift =  1×5 @ 55% Working Max, 1×5 @ 62.5%, 3×10 @ 67.5% No more no less.  Hips down, drive through your heels!

B = Deficit Romanian Deadlifts = 3×8 - Use a double overhand grip (no mixed grip).  Stack two 45 lb plates on top of each other and stand on it.  This should create about a 3 inch platform and will give you a great stretch at the bottom.  Try and use the same weight as last time.

C = Barbell Hip Thrust = 4×8 - Might want to get the pussypad (thing you see people put on squat bars because “their neck hurts without it” - side note get some muscle on your back and it won’t hurt) to put on the bar so as to protect your pelvis, especially if you’re bony.  Focus on squeezing your butt cheeks together as hard as possible and getting your hips high.  If you can’t get it to where your pelvis and stomach is parallel to the floor, you need to go down in weight.

D = Lat Pull Downs = 5×12 - Never behind your head - that’s a great way to give yourself some shoulder impingement. Focus on retracting your shoulder blades.  Imagine someone has a string that is attached to your elbows and is pulling you backwards.  You want to focus on pulling through your elbows instead of pulling with your forearms and biceps.  This will help place emphasis where it should be - on your back.

E = Barbell Shrugs = 3×8 - okay you can finally use some straps, go heavy as you can on these.  It really helps stability in your bench, as well as increases your ability to lock out your deadlift.  Shoot for more weight this week.

F = One Armed Farmer Walk = 3 x 20 meters (3 for each arm) - focus on staying upright as much as possible and resisting the weight (KB or DB) pulling you down.

Cool-down = 15 minutes walking on an incline treadmill or take a walk outside.  Focus on slowing your breathing and reducing your heart rate.

Note*:  If you see me leave the reps/sets the same in a workout compared to last week, that means try to up the weight if possible.  We’re always striving to lift more, either via reps, sets, or actual weight.  Remember only do the prescribed reps/sets, no more, even if you may be capable of more.  If you’re capable of A LOT more than up the weight.

Seek yourself, find it, improve it.

Today’s Training:

5-10 minutes walking on an incline treadmill.  Walk, not run.  Get to a slight sweat or as the ladies like to say “glisten”.

Mobility Warmup

A = Box Squat = 1×5 @ 55% of working max, 1×5 @ 62.5%, 3×10 @ 67.5% - the box in the video is a bit high.  Again the knee joint needs to be higher than the hip joint here.  Focus on sitting back and deload the stored energy in your hips.  When you drive off the box focus on pushing your knees out and not letting them sink in - this is especially pertinent for women and younger athletes.

B = Box Squat = 8×2 ^ 60% of working max, rest = 45-60 seconds between sets, no more than this! - the focus here is perfect technique.  This is why it’s only 2 reps.  At 2 reps you can absolutely make them perfect reps.  Rest is kept short to help encourage neurological adaptations.

C = 45 Degree Back Extension = 100 rep set - 100 reps in as few of sets as possible, rest kept to 30 seconds between sets.

D = Shrugs = 3×8 - heavy weight as your grip will allow.  Always pull your traps straight up towards your ears.  Absolutely DO NOT roll your shoulders or bring them up then back then down.  Just up, Just down.  This will help prevent scapular retraction issues.  I mention this because I see so many people do these wrong in gyms.

E = Side Bends = 3×8

F = Pulldown Abs = 5×10-15

Cooldown = 15-30 minutes walking - either outside, on a treadmill, or wherever.  Just bring your heart rate back down.

Notes:  For box squats, find a box that when you sit results in your knee joint being higher than your hip joint.  For those who are taller, typical gym benches may work, those of us who are shorter (me - 5’8”) should use 25 lb plates stacked up to an appropriate height.  I use six 25 lb plates stacked for my depth.  When box squatting, focus on coming down under control and not crashing into the box.

A = Deadlift = 5×10 = 60% of working max - Don’t use wrist straps.  If your grip isn’t up to the par, this is the first day of the rest of your life of having a stronger grip.  Focus on getting your hips down!

B = Romanian Deadlifts = 3×8 - Use a double overhand grip (no mixed grip).

C = Barbell Hip Thrust = 4×15 - Might want to get the pussypad (thing you see people put on squat bars because “their neck hurts without it” - side note get some muscle on your back and it won’t hurt) to put on the bar so as to protect your pelvis, especially if you’re bony.  Focus on squeezing your butt cheeks together as hard as possible and getting your hips high.  If you can’t get it to where your pelvis and stomach is parallel to the floor, you need to go down in weight.

D = Lat Pull Downs = 5×10 - Never behind your head - that’s a great way to give yourself some shoulder impingement. Focus on retracting your shoulder blades.  Imagine someone has a string that is attached to your elbows and is pulling you backwards.  You want to focus on pulling through your elbows instead of pulling with your forearms and biceps.  This will help place emphasis where it should be - on your back.

E = Barbell Shrugs = 3×8 - okay you can finally use some straps, go heavy as you can on these.  It really helps stability in your bench, as well as increases your ability to lock out your deadlift.

F = One Armed Farmer Walk = 3 x 15 meters (3 for each arm) - focus on staying upright as much as possible and resisting the weight (KB or DB) pulling you down.

Cool-down = 15 minutes walking on an incline treadmill or take a walk outside.  Focus on slowing your breathing and reducing your heart rate.

Lastly, I don’t normally do this for people that aren’t paying clients, but if you need a review of your deadlift technique, film it, post it on youtube and message me the link.  I’ll critique it and give feedback on how to improve your technique so you can pull as much weight off the ground as possible in the future!

1 lb red potatoes

6 whole omega 3 eggs

6 egg whites

8 pieces of turkey bacon

1/2 cup mexican cheese

Tasty goodness.  Sundayfunday.

Things to do regardless of whether you’re pushing it hard today on the erg/water, getting in lots of steady state, or simply taking a full recovery day.

• Foam Roll - Entire body with a heavy focus on your lower extremities.
• Epson Salt bath - great for promoting recovery and helping to flush toxins out of the skin and muscles.  Relax and enjoy it!

Back on it tomorrow - look forward to deadlifting!