new bests

[Matt Vassallo]

this coming from the 149 lb twig.

don't really want to bulk until after the triathlon. my left knee gets sore if i run and i weigh more than 160 lbs. few years ago it got hit by a sledgehammer ( long story), but right now i can run for a pretty long while as long as i try to keep my bodyweight low.

flat bar bench press - 185 lbs
dumbbell bench press - 85's in each hand
free back squat - 225 lbs
deadlift - 285 lbs
weighted pullups - +60 lbs hanging from me
clean and jerk - 155 lbs
turkish getup - 65 lbs
one legged pistol squat - holding 65 lbs / each leg

I would like to, in my ideal world, stay at 150 lbs, and have a 225 bench, 315 squat, 335 deadlift, 185 clean+jerk, and weighted pullups with 100 lbs hanging from me. i don't know if this is possible, but i feel like i should be able to get close to that. i've been making decent gains so far.

right now i'm about 11.5% bodyfat as estimated on my calipers. i don't use those electric things, cause i think they suck.

what i'm working with: this is post '300' workout. holy crap that's intense! hahaha. but good times.

http://ncogni.to/gallery/d/4242-1/april26-2007.jpg

advice would be appreciated.

Also another Q. if i wanted to be at ~10-11% bodyfat and 160 pounds, say waht would my 'bulk' up max weight be, 170 or so ? and then cut back down to 160 and be set ? or what.. I don't really want to gain more than 3 lbs a month.

[TotalChaos]

AWESOME face shot... :lol:

[BUDO]

AWESOME face shot... :lol:

:lmao:

[Frankie]

Looks like he's shittin' his pants. :lol: Nice numbers. Are you sure you can't bench a Miata?

[SpoofRocket]

AWESOME face shot... :lol:


lol

[SpoofRocket]

weird that your bench is only 185 but you can db press 85lbs.

i would also love to see you do a widegrip pullup with 60lbs plus your body weight.

[Clint]

weird that your bench is only 185 but you can db press 85lbs.

i would also love to see you do a widegrip pullup with 60lbs plus your body weight.
+1 on the db press, is that with a spotter, maybe helping a little?

+60lb pullup is good work :thumbup: thats about my personal best too

[Rdline1]

This is SPARTA!!!

[Matt Vassallo]

Sorry, was away for a few days.

Yeah, in the pic i'm exhausted and practically hyperventilating / still pumped / etc. It's actually a horrible pic, but whatever, i thought it was funny cause i look mad angry/disappointed / etc. haha.

I do my pullups with my hands about 14" wider than shoulder width, with a pronated grip. I'll try to get a video this week. I just did back today, so it will be at least two days before i go for more high weight pullups.

The db press is without a spotter, at all. I actually needed a spotter on my bench press, because i don't have the confidence with doing it.

I slightly agitated my right shoulder again last week, so i've dropped to working out with 75's or 70's depending on how much compounding work i'm doing involving the shoulders. my left shoulder was injured from middle school baseball (majors, allstars) , and my right shoulder had an E36 exhaust hyperextend it ( i didnt realize they were so heavy, and unbolted it, and my right shoulder took all of its weight, and twisted backwards).

I've worked on db press for the past year, I prefer the range of motion that it provides vs regular bench press.

I'd love to be able to bench 225 some day, and keep my current weight. i'm pretty sure it's possible, with more hard work and dedication.

my friend frank only weighs 8 lbs more than me and does weighted pullups with two 45 plates hanging from him, he can usually get two or three of them.

pullups are my favorite exercise these days, and my gains have gone up as a result of concentrating on this training.

[Clint]

If you are doing 85's in each hand for presses, I see 225 flat barbell press as a short term goal that you should reach without too much trouble.. I can bench 275 but I don't do db press higher than 95's (but i almost never do them!)

I have really enjoyed doing weighted pullups lately as well. I am at the point now where im getting 5 or 6 reps with a 45lb db between my feet.

Sounds good man, keep it up.

[Matt Vassallo]

If you are doing 85's in each hand for presses, I see 225 flat barbell press as a short term goal that you should reach without too much trouble.. I can bench 275 but I don't do db press higher than 95's (but i almost never do them!)

I have really enjoyed doing weighted pullups lately as well. I am at the point now where im getting 5 or 6 reps with a 45lb db between my feet.

Sounds good man, keep it up.

Yeah, ill keep at it and hopefully get the 225 up sometime in the near future.

i raised my deadlift today as well. pulled 300x1 with mixed grip.

i'll work on getting some videos this week.

[Clint]

Deadlifts have been my favorite exercise for quite a while, one thing we do to help get past the sticking point is to do rack pulls.

Basically you set up the full rack so that the bar starting position is just above knee level. (you may need to stand on a wooden block or a 45lb plate) Your range of motion is short, so you should be able to do a good amount more weight. Once you are comfortable with this setup, the next week you set it up so the bar is a couple inches lower. Get back up to the same weight you were pulling from above the knee after a couple weeks, and then move it a little lower. Eventually, you will be pulling that heavier weight from the ground no problem.

(sorry if this was a big runon sentence or anything :lol: )

[slowsohc]

Great numbers for your weight bro. Keep up the good work.

[Matt Vassallo]

Deadlifts have been my favorite exercise for quite a while, one thing we do to help get past the sticking point is to do rack pulls.

Basically you set up the full rack so that the bar starting position is just above knee level. (you may need to stand on a wooden block or a 45lb plate) Your range of motion is short, so you should be able to do a good amount more weight. Once you are comfortable with this setup, the next week you set it up so the bar is a couple inches lower. Get back up to the same weight you were pulling from above the knee after a couple weeks, and then move it a little lower. Eventually, you will be pulling that heavier weight from the ground no problem.

(sorry if this was a big runon sentence or anything :lol: )

what's your height and weight, and what are you pulling from the ground? how much do you go up each week when you're going for strength gains?

[Clint]

what's your height and weight, and what are you pulling from the ground? how much do you go up each week when you're going for strength gains?
height - 6'
weight 180-185 (fluxuates)

DL max pulled 455
- got 495 up over my knees but couldn't lock it out once.

I have been stopping at 405 and going for reps lately, I can get it for 5 or 6 usually, sometimes more, sometimes less.

Honestly, I jumped up from doing 225 for a couple reps to 405 max very quickly.. probably over the course of two or three months. I hadn't done deadlifts in about 8 years prior to that. a LOT of it is technique. More than you'd imagine.

Also, you said that you use the mixed grip when you pulled 300. Do the bars you are using have good knurling on them? Or does the bar feel pretty smooth?

A really good bar should be able to cut up your shins pretty easily, otherwise, get yourself some wrist straps and watch your lifts jump up.

http://www.inzernet.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=LFT_STRAP

[Clint]

oh yeah, also with the bench press, remember to push down with your feet, but not so much that you lift your butt off the bench! So many people don't realize how much driving force you get through your legs on the BP

[Matt Vassallo]

see, i wonder if i can get more on bench, because my left foot actually comes off the ground sometimes.

[Clint]

see, i wonder if i can get more on bench, because my left foot actually comes off the ground sometimes.
Somehow, I had a feeling ;)

[Matt Vassallo]

i'll see what i can do. at what weight do you start to need straps??

[Clint]

i'll see what i can do. at what weight do you start to need straps??
I do warmups of 135x10 - 2 sets

then 225x8 mix grip

then I put on the straps and belt and go to 315

with a really good bar, you don't need straps, but most gym bars kinda suck.

I've pulled 410 at a meet with a good, knurled bar. (no straps allowed at meets)

[Matt Vassallo]

I do warmups of 135x10 - 2 sets

then 225x8 mix grip

then I put on the straps and belt and go to 315

I pulled 300 with no belt. I was told a belt will only help you get away with having poor form. I have a friend who spots me, and if my back goes concave down at all he has me drop the weight.

what are your opinions of this?

[Clint]

I pulled 300 with no belt. I was told a belt will only help you get away with having poor form. I have a friend who spots me, and if my back goes concave down at all he has me drop the weight.

what are your opinions of this?
I like having a belt, there is a lot of controversy about them... If you don't want to use one thats cool just be careful jumping up weight...

[Matt Vassallo]

cool, ill keep it safe, go slowly, and see how it goes.

my back's not even sore at all today . but i'll keep stretching just to make sure everything's good.

[Strongest Man In The World]

NIce Job matt. Youve come a LONG WAY my friend!

[Matt Vassallo]

thanks donnie <3
haven't seen you in forever dude, hope everythings going well.