Squat Every Day

If you want to get good at something, frequency is your friend. For me, squatting every day is an extremely effective way to master the movement.

Round 1 of squatting every day last year took me from a 405 lbs to 455 lbs low bar squat.

This year, I've gone from a 425 lbs to 450 lbs high bar squat. 

Can't argue with those results.

Also, I just enjoy squatting every single day. I know I'm weird, but squats are fun and extremely enjoyable for me. There's something beautiful about feeling that heavy weight on my back. 

I'll keep squatting every day and we'll see how this keeps going. Rambling over.

Building A Future

When I started looking for a job out of college, I simply wanted to fulfill my calling to help people live better lives. This is because I believe that's what Jesus would do. I initially thought that, since I love fitness, I should get into the gym business. 

However, I don't know if this is where I need to be right now. I like my job well enough, but I feel the itch to create something for myself. Some kind of business, maybe? Or maybe get into some kind of service field so that I can devote more of my time to directly help people in the name of Jesus. 

I just needed some space to get some thoughts out. 

We'll see where God leads.

Check back later.

Ramblings 11-29-16

It's been well over a year since the last post on this blog that no one reads. Whoopsies. Many updates following.

Graduated college.
Had 2 different jobs.
Got married.
Moved states.

Lifting has gone pretty well, too. I'm up to 200 lbs bodyweight.

Current PR's:
Squat - 455 lbs
Bench - 315 lbs
Deadlift - 530 lbs (still)
Power Snatch - 165 lbs
Power Clean - 245 lbs
Overhead Press - 205 lbs
Push Press - 215 lbs
Barbell Row - 285 lbs

Real Strength

Once again, it's been a long time since I've posted anything on here. So much has changed. I finally started dating the girl of my dreams, I got a job, and school is almost over. Just 9 days ago, I got engaged, to boot! As time passes, I've been able to spend less time on training, and honestly I think it's for the best.

I'll never be the best in the world.

That's the truth. Plain and simple. I lift because I love it, but there is no good reason to sacrifice all I have to pursue elite status. I have nothing to prove. One year ago, if you would have told me that I'd be thinking like this, 19 year old me would have called you insane. There was nothing more that guy wanted than to be the very best. But there is so much more to life than lifting. And there is so much more to being strong than moving big weights.

In about one year, I'm going to be a husband. Just saying that blows my mind. I know in my heart, right now, I'm not ready for that. I am definitely working towards it, but I'm just not there. God has a lot of molding and shaping to do with my heart. After Melyssa and I got engaged, I only realized that there is so much more sin and darkness in my heart than I thought. I have failed her more in this past week than I have over the past several months. I don't want to fail her as a husband. She deserves better than that.

The weakness I felt after failing to love my fiancee was worse than failing any lift. Worse than being crushed by any bar. More painful than losing any contest. I am not strong enough. I am not strong enough. I am not strong enough.

So the temptation from all this is to tell myself to "be better." To pull myself up by my bootstraps and proclaim that "I will not fail!" Foolishness. Stupidity. I am human and I am sinful. I cannot change on my own strength. I cannot learn to love my fiancee more just by willing it to happen.

I have to run to the cross. Only by surrendering my life more and more completely to Jesus can I change my heart. Only then can I learn to love unconditionally. Only then can I learn to be whole. Only then will I find strength, satisfaction, and peace.

My favorite verse is Joshua 1:9. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

I am too quick to apply that verse to physical strength and hardship. I need to remind myself that God is with me wherever I go in my spiritual battles, and that He is always there to give me the strength to flee from sin. I can be courageous in the face of failure and doubt and persecution and trials, all because God is with me and is the one who leads me.

I just have to trust and surrender to Him.

Stay Strong,
JB

Training Log: 6/27/14

Friday 6/27/14

Deadlifts are hard sometimes. I honestly got scared of pulling 545 and it came back to bite me in the butt.

Deadlift:
1x5 135
1x4 225
1x3 315
1x2 405
1x1 455
1x1 495
3x1 545 (all failed)

Training Log: 6/13/14

Hitting a PR is such a good feeling, and it puts me in a state of mind where it almost doesn't matter what happens the rest of the day.

Deadlift:

2x5 135

1x4 225

1x3 315

1x2 405

1x1 455

1x1 515 (PR!)

Speed Deadlift:

3x3 380

Power Shrug:

2x5 380

SLDL:

2x5 365

Bent Over Row:

2x5 205

Good Morning:

2x5 175

Lat Pulldown:
2x5 180

Training Log: 6/11/14

Yesterday's pause squat and bench session was kinda brutal. Low bar is really taxing my mid back and I like it. We'll see how this affects deadlifts tomorrow.

3 Breath Pause Squat:
2x8 Bar
1x5 95
1x3 135
1x2 185
3x3 245

Bench:
1x15 Bar
1x10 95
1x8 135
1x6 185
1x4 225
2x2 250
(add slingshot)
3x8 225
(no slingshot)
1x14 135

Training Log: 6/10/14

Bodybuilding style assistance work for my Tuesday workout

Leg Press:
2x8 90
1x6 180
1x5 270
8x3 360

T-Bar Row:
1x15 45
1x12 90
1x10 135
3x10 180

Hammer Strength Shoulder Press:
1x20 90
1x15 140
3x10 180

Dumbbell Curl:
2x8 30
5x5 50

Training Log: 6/9/14

Training today was fun, but could have been more productive

Squat:
2x8 Bar
1x5 135
1x3 225
1x2 275
3x1 315
(add knee wraps)
1x1 315
1x1 365
1x1 405 (fail, shouldn't have gone for it)

Press:
3x5 135

Deficit SLDL:
1x5 135
1x4 225
1x3 315
3x3 365
1x3 315

Training Log: 5/22/14

Got a quick recovery/pump session in today. Didn't want to do anything too heavy though, as deadlift day is tomorrow.

Floor Press:
1x12 Bar
1x10 95
1x8   135
4x6   185

DB Curls:
4x6 40

4-way Neck Machine:
3x10 65

Training Log: 5/21/14

3 Breath Pause Squat:
1x8 Bar
1x5 95
1x3 135
1x2 185
3x3 235

Frankenstein Squat:
3x6 185

Bench:
1x12 Bar
1x10 95
1x8   135
1x6   185
3x3   235

T-Bar Row:
1x12 45
1x10 90
3x8   135

Plank:
2x90 seconds

Random Tuesday Thoughts and Bonus Training

I'm coming to the point where the minimal amount of work I have to do to progress is increasing. I have to attack my weak points harder and more often. I also have to prioritize recovery even more than I already have. Today I went in for an extra workout for weak points in my squat, namely my quads and abs.

Lunges (each leg):
3x6 135

GHD Sit Ups:
3x12 Body

Leg Extensions:
3x10 90

It's summer and I wanna relax and enjoy it, but I also don't want to lose my edge. At the same time, however, I know from experience that a temporary gung-ho attack mode only gets you so far. It's really consistency over time that produces champions, and every winner has periods of backing off.

Training Log: 5/19/14

So, it's been a while, yet again. Now that it's summer, though, I think I'll start updating this blog regularly again. Following is today's squat focused workout. It's my deload week so nothing too crazy. I even threw some movements in that I don't normally do.

Squat:
2x8 Bar
1x5 135
1x3 225
1x2 275
1x1 325
2x3 275

Iso-Lateral Leg Press:
3x8 340

One Arm DB Press:
3x6 65

Pull Ups:
3x8 Bodyweight

Back Extensions:
3x10 45

GHD Sit Up:
2x12 Bodyweight

Just a note: I did the GHD sit ups like Dan Green does, focusing on extending out, and not all the way down like CrossFitters do.

Training Log: 4/28/14

First training log on here in over a month. Figured I should keep up with this now that my life is slightly less hectic.

Squat:
2x8 Bar
1x5 135
1x3 225
1x2 275
4x3 315

Press:
1x8 Bar
1x4 95
3x4 135 (sprained my wrist a while ago so I have to take it easy on presses)

Deficit Deadlift (2 inches):
2x5 135
1x3 225
1x2 275
4x3 315

Pause Deficit Deadlift:
5x3 225


Stay Strong,
JB

Ramble

So it's been a while since I've posted anything on here. I think I'll just ramble a bit for my first post back. Recently, I competed at my first full powerlifting meet. I ended up taking 5th in the open and 1st in the 18/19 age group at the 181 weight class. This was about a week and a half ago. There's just this feeling of satisfaction contentedness that I've been experiencing. That's great and all, but I can't help but feel like I need to get that hungry feeling back. I just want to raise my total above 1300 as soon as possible and if I don't train harder than a starving wolf chasing a deer, I won't get there by my next meet.

On a somewhat unrelated note, deficit deadlifts, pause deadlifts, and breathing pause squats are the greatest exercises I have ever done. One day these exercises will help me pull 300 kg and a 250 kg squat. Honestly, I don't even really care about my bench anymore. It's just a means to a total now.

Stay Strong,
JB

Training Log: 3/22/14 (Kill the Obstacles)

Today's plan was simple. Deadlift and do it heavy. I think I did ok.

Deadlift:
2x6 135
1x3 225
1x2 315
1x1 365
1x1 405
1x1 440 (5lb PR)
1x1 465 (30lb PR)
1x1 485 (50lb PR)
1x1 500 (65lb PR)

Yeah, so the only word I can think of for today is "wow." After not training my deadlift at a weight above 405 for 5 months, I blasted through a slew of PR's like nobody's business. Sure the last rep was a little ugly, but it was meet legal and I've never been more psyched.

Keep breaking your boundaries.


Stay Strong,
JB

Training Log: 3/21/14

3/21/14 - Friday:

Squat:
1x5 Bar
1x5 135
1x3 225
1x2 275
5x2 335

Bench:
1x5 Bar
1x5 95
1x3 135
1x2 185
8x4 220

Dumbbell row:
3x6 110

Prowler Sprints:
4x25m 45 lbs added

This day was killer. My bench muscles were so fried after this session, and the prowler sprints left my core, quads, and lungs dying.

Stay Strong,
JB

Training Log: 3/19/14

Quick and easy session this morning. Then I interviewed our head football coach on what it takes to go into the coaching profession, which was a really neat experience.

Bench:
2x10 Bar
1x6 95
1x4 135
1x2 185
7x5 205

Dumbbell Row:
2x5 115

My chest and tri's were pretty sore at first, but by set 3, I was in a really really good groove like I hadn't felt in a long time (I don't enjoy benching). I should enjoy benching more because I have great leverages for it, but for some reason I just don't find it that enjoyable. I'd much rather squat any day, but you gotta do what you can to bring up your weaknesses.

Stay Strong,
JB

Training Log: 3/18/14 (Make Do)

So I had to go in today because I won't have enough time for my full session tomorrow. Originally, I had front squats, bench, good mornings, dumbbell rows, and hanging knee raises planned. I did half the volume today and will do half tomorrow morning.

Front Squat:
2x5 Bar
1x5 95
1x3 135
1x2 185
3x5 225

Good Mornings:
1x5 Bar
1x3 135
1x2 185
2x5 225

Hanging Knee Raise:
2x12 

I really enjoyed putting front squats back into my workout. I know it's getting close to meet time, but front squats give me a confidence boost that I can't explain. I used to be a weightlifter so I just like them a lot. Good mornings are the devil. That's why I do them. They allow me to hit my squatting and deadlifting muscles without having to do squats or deadlifts right after I've just done heavy singles on squat yesterday. Core work is my most needed thing right now, so the hanging knee raises were good. Pretty stoked to bench and row tomorrow. I think rows are my favorite assistance exercise.

Side note: I'm on the cheerleading squad at my school and I coach the lifting sessions too (I started them last year and they've been a big hit). I was wearing two hats tonight as I had to supervise the girls' and my buddy Brian's training while focusing on my workout as well. Like I've said before, seeing others make progress is the most rewarding thing for me, and tonight I had some athletes hit some rep PR's.

Stay Strong,
JB

Training Log: 3/17/14 (Peaking)

Starting the peaking cycle for my meet today. I say that like I'm actually experienced at peaking lol. Anyways, today I worked up towards a max squat and then started my Smolov Jr. bench cycle. I ended up hitting a 10 lb PR on squat and my bench groove felt good, so I'm pretty happy with this workout.

Squat:
2x5 Bar
1x5 135
1x4 185
1x3 225
1x2 275
1x1 315
1x1 345
1x1 375 (PR) video below
1x1 315 (beltless PR)

Bench:
2x6 Bar
1x5 95
1x3 135
6x6 195

Let me tell you, that chest pump is insane.

Stay Strong,
JB