Silverback Strength Systems

10/25/08

Power Clean from the Hang Position (Mid-thigh)

95 -3x5, 115 - 2x5, 135 - 2x5 (1st Power Cleans since shoulder injury on 07/24/07) - Pain free.  Praise the Lord! 

10/22/08

Gillespie Back & Shoulder Circuit: DB Front Raise x12, Horizontal Row x6, Lateral DB Raise x12, Pull-ups x6, Bent DB Lateral Raise x 12, 1 Arm Bent DB Rows x6. (3 sets)

Bench Press 175 - 5x10 (Still going light to strengthen shoulder & increase flexibility)

Skull Crushers 3x8 

10/21/08

Back Squat 225x5, 315x5, 405x5, 425x5 (w/Belt & Rehband Knee Sleeves)

Military Press 115x5, 135x5, 175x5, 200x3  

10/16/08

Rotational Medicine Ball (8#) GHD Sit-ups 2x8

Threw 12k & 16k KB's for Height (w/swing & from dead stop)

Threw 56# & 28# Weights for Distance 

Trained w/ Dave Voth, Strongman & Highland Games competitor

10/15/08

Deadlift 5x315, 5x405, 5x495

Bench Press 170 - 5x10 (Starting back light)

Standing Tricep Extension (1 DB) 3x8

Triceps Pressdown 5x10

Sky Crunches 3x20 

Skull Crushers 3x8 

10/14/08

Back Squat 6x205, 6x315, 6x405 (No Belt, No Wraps, etc.) 

Push Press 6x165, 6x205, 6x205

Fat Bar Bent Barbell Rows 6x150, 6x170, 6x190, 6x200

Sky Crunches 25#, 3x20

DB Curls 5x10

10/07/08

Back Squat 5x5 - 345

Push Press - 6x95, 6x115, 6x135, 6x155, 6x165, 6x175

10/01/08

Back Squat 5x5 - 335

Barbell Rows (Dead stop between reps) 8x135, 5x155, 5x175, 5x200, 5x245, 5x255 (BW) 

09/29/08

CrossFit "Fran"

21-15-9

95# Thrusters & Pull-ups - 8:22 New PR 

09/26/08

Back Squat (Low-Bar) 2x10 - 225

Stiff Leg Deadlift (5" Box) 3x8 - 225

Barbell Rows (5" Box) 3x8 -115, 135, 155

Military Press 3x8 - 135

09/25/08

Treadmill 20:00 

09/24/08

95# Thrusters & Sumo Deadlift High Pulls 21-15-9

For Time - 6:54 

09/23/08

Military Press 5x5

Pull-ups 3x10

Back Supported Rows 3x0

09/22/08

Olympic Squat 315 - 5x5

24" Box Jumps 2x15 

Back Extension 3x10

Tabata Stationary Bike 

09/19/08

Treadmill 20:00 

09/18/08

Deadlift 225 & Push-ups, 21 - 15 - 9 for time, 4:07 

09/16/08

Military Press 135x5, 155x5, 175x5, 185x5, 155x5

Pull-ups 3x10 (with a kip)

Farmer's Walk 330 - 2x25 yds., 410 - 2x25 yds., 510 - 2x25 yds.

195# Stone Carry 2x25 yds. 

09/15/08

Olympic Squat 275 -5x5

Back Extensions 3x10 - caused super tightness

Straight Bar Curls (Pyramid) 5x10

Stationary Bike Tabata

Since shoulder surgery in March, I've made good progress on the Bench Press hitting 400 x2 on August 29th.  However, I've also experienced some shoulder discomfort.  Therefore, I'm going to forego the competition I had planned for December and focus on strengthening the shoulder through strict military presses and other exercises for the rotator cuff.  I'm also going to increase metabolic conditioning.

09/12/08

3 Way Shoulder Circuit 3x10

Military Press 3x8

Parallel Grip Pull-Ups 8, 7, 6

Incline Press Machine 3x8

Chest Supported Rows 3x8

1 Mile Jog 10:00:62 

09/09/08

YTM's Face Down on Incline Bench 3x15

Floor Press 225 - 3x8

Tate Press 3x8

Triceps Press-Down 4x8

Sationary Bike Tabata (20 seconds of work/10 seconds of rest x 8 rounds)

09/08/08

Good Mornings (Straight bar) 135x10, 225x4, 315x2

Olympic Squats 225 -3x10

Dead Hang Pull-ups 3x6

C2 rower - 30:00 Minutes

09/04/08

Bent Barbell Row w/ Fat Bar 205 - 3 x5, 235 x2

Fat Bar Military Press 165 - 3x5

Hammer Curls 50 - 1x6, 65 - 2x6 

09/03/08

Deadlift off Knee High Pins up to 1RM Single, 545x1, 585x1, 635x1

3-way shoulder circuit for rotator cuff, 3x10

Bench Press, warmed up then 335x4

Chest Supported Rows 3x8 (last set with stack)  

08/29/08

Box Squat 355 (65% x 550) 8x2 w/45 seconds rest between sets

Bench Press 375x2, 385x2, 400x2, 326x6, 335x6

YTM's w/cables 2x8

08/26/08

Deadlift off Knee High Pins up to a 1RM Single, Last Set 510x1

Bench Press 310- 3x6, 1x12

5 Rounds of Superset: Dips x 10 / Chin -ups x 5

08/22/08

Deadlift 415x6, 405x6, 500x5

Bench Press 225x10, 315x10, 335x4

Zercher Squat 225x6, 315x3

08/20/08

Rotator Cuff Warm-up - YTM's w/Mini-bands

Bench Press 270 (68% of 400# Estimated 1RM) - 3x8, 1x15 

Military Press 3x6

LatPull-down 3x8

Triceps Press Down 5x12

08/18/08 

Deadlift off Knee Height pins (or box)- work up to a max single:  Warm-up, 315x4, 405x2, 465x1, 500x1

1 Leg step up to 14" box - Green band resistance 2x15 (each leg)

Reverse Hyper 3x8

Tabata Squats to Medicine Ball (Lowest round- 11)

Vacation 08/08-15/08

08/07/08

3 Way Shoulder Circuit x3

Bench Press 270 - 3x4, 270 - 1x14

3 round Superset: Military Press x 6 /Pull-ups x 6 for 3 rounds

3 round Superset: Close Grip Incline Bench x 10 / Horizontal Pull-ups x10

08/06/08

Good Mornings w/ Buffalo Bar, warm-up then 285x3, 325x1, 355x1, 370x1

24” Box Jumps w/ Jump Stretch band resistance, 3x8 w/purple, 1x8 w/green

Seated Femoris Curl 3x10 w/green band

07/29/08

3 Way Shoulder Circuit x 3

Bench Press 250 - 3x6, 250 - 1x18

Bent 1 armed rows w/Sorinex Landmine 6x6

Tri Extension (facing away from machine) 5x10

07/28/08

Good Mornings w/Buffalo Bar (Most comfortable option) 145x8, 235x8, 285x3, 325x1, 345x1

1 Leg Step-ups onto 14” Box, green Jump Stretch band resistance, 2x15 each leg (Attach bands to side of belt and try to complete all 15 reps without stopping.)

Sled Pull-through 180 + Sled x 50 yards, 135 + Sled x 50 yards

07/25/08

Bench Press 3x300, 3x315, 3x320, 8x260, 8x265, 8x275

JM Press 3x8

3 Way Shoulder circuit (See 07/08)

Tri Press Down 3x10

07/24/08

Box Squat 300 (55% of 550 1RM box squat w/suit bottom) + green Jump Stretch band resistance 12x2, 45 seconds rest between sets

Sled Face Pulls (Sled + 90#) 4x50 yards

Pull-ups 3x6

Horizontal Pull-ups 4x10

BB Curls 3x8

07/22/08

Good Mornings w/Straight Bar 6x135, 4x175, 2x200, 2x225, 1x255, 1x275, 1x300, 1x315, 1x335

Close Grip Incline 8x135, 5x185, 3x205, 2x225, 1x275, 1x300

Horizontal Pull-ups with feet on Swiss Ball 1x15, 1x12, 1x10

Lat Pull-Down 3x8 (Sets 2&3 w/stack)

Military Press 3x10

Tri Press Down 3x10

07/17/08

Box Squat 275 (50% of 550 1RM box squat w/suit bottom) + green Jump Stretch band resistance 12x2

Reverse Hyper 2x8, 1x6

Seated Femoris Curl w/ green Jump Stretch band 3x10

Standing Core work with Sorinex Landmine 3x8

BB Curls 3x8

07/15/08

(Missed Monday. Had to cram 2 workouts into 1)

Good Mornings w/Safety Squat Bar 8x155, 6x175, 4x200, 1x235, 1x255

Pull-ups 3x6 (1^st since surgery. Last set was tough.)

Seated Femoris Curls w/purple Jump Stretch band 3x10

Reverse Hyper 3x8

12 round circuit:

Bench Press 2x170 (50% of estimated raw 1RM - 340) + Horizontal Pull-ups x 7

Tri Press Down 3x8

BB Curls 3x8

JM Press 3x8

07/11/08

Deadlift 330 (60% of estimated raw 1RM of 550) 8x2 w/45 sec rest between sets

Lat Pull-down 2x10, 1x8 (Last 2 sets w/the stack)

Reverse Hyper 3x6

Tate Press 3x10

Seated Rows 3x10

JM Press 1x10, 2x6

Tri-Press Down 3x8

07/09/08

Squat 440 - 6x2 (light knee wraps)

07/08/08

3 Way Shoulder Circuit (Light warm-up & rehab w/10# plates) for 3 rounds:

-Front Raises w/thumbs up x 10

-Lateral Raises w/thumbs up x 10

-Bent Lateral Raises w/thumbs down x 10

Bench Press 315 - 3x3

Seated Rows 3x8

Dips 3x6 (Still leery of dips until shoulder flexibility returns fully)

JM Press 1x6, 2x8

07/07/08

Squat 440 - 6x4

(Ran out of time)

07/05/08

Squat 440 - 6x2

Bench Press 185x5, 225x4, 275x2, 315x1

07/02/08

Squat 440 - 6x3

Military Press 3x6

JM Press 3x8

This page will be used to track my workouts and hopefully, answer questions readers may have.  I do not claim to know it all or attempt to re-invent the wheel when it comes to strength programming.  Much wiser and more experienced men, like Bill Gillespie, Louie Simmons and Mark Rippetoe have laid the groundwork and influenced my training more than anyone else.  I encourage anyone who is interested in strength training to learn from these men.

I began strength training in 1981 and won my first Powerlfiting meet in 1985.  Accordingly, the techniques and weights that I use may not be appropriate for newer lifters.  Consult your physician before beginning any strength training program.    

 

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe is the best book I have ever read for explaining the basic techniques for strength development.

When training for a powerlifting meet my program is built upon a four-day routine utilizing the Conjugate Method. 

Sets and reps will be listed in this format.  The sets will precede the repetitions.  For example, 3x8 would mean that the lifter would conduct 8 repetitions, rest briefly, then repeat twice more. 

Each week in my powerlifting cycle should have each of these workouts.

Max Effort Squat/Deadlift.  The exercises on this day focus on development of strength for those exercises even though actual squats and deadlifts are used infrequently.

Dynamic Effort Bench Press.  These workouts are designed to develop speed (power).

Dynamic Effort Squat/Deadlift.  These workouts are designed to develop speed (power).

Max Effort Bench Press.  The exercises on this day focus on development of strength for those exercises even though actual flat bench presses are used infrequently. 

For more information about the Conjugate Method research Louie Simmons' articles at www.westside-barbell.com.