Monday, May 18, 2015

Redline training...hanging on for dear life

A photo posted by Matt (@regionbarbell) on

The last few months have been very stressful and that stress is culminating as I move into a new chapter of my life. My training has been my companion, my savior, my void.  I have pushed it as hard as I ever have and my body is responding.  Things have not been idea so my sleep and recovery have been off but I continue to move forward in a positive direction.

I have been focused on my nutrition while stress has been high and this has been a great thing for me. I am still under eating but keeping as much mass as I can.  If all works out I will lift at 220 in July.


5/12 dynamic effort lower
Roller hypers and roller leg curls
70 4 sets of 10 hypers and 10 leg curls

Box squat - Not as speedy as I would like but it is what it is.
255 5x2

Back was out some so I skipped deadlifts
Goblet squat 1.5's on ramp - Occluded (2 sets) 30x15,15,12

A1 - Occluded TKE 2x25, 1x25 5 second hold on multiples of 5
A2 leg raises 2x20


5/13 Dynamic effort upper

Elitefts shoulder saver bench press - 320, 340, 365x5
Speed bench w/ 1 chain 185 3x5, 205 3x5, 225 3x5, single at 255 and 275

A1 - Low incline dumbbell fly - 5 second lower 15x12, 20x12, 25x12
A2 - overhead rope pushdown 20x15 w/10 sec hold on last, 40 2x15 w/ 10 sec hold.

5/14 Upper assistance

A1 - reverse hyper rows 200 4x12
A2 hammer curls across body 25, 35x12, 40 2x12

B1 Incline curls 20x12, 25 2x12
B2 6 way 12 3x6
B3 spider walk 3x 3 up and down

5/15 Max effort lower

I want's planning on doing anything heavy today but thanks to Aaron who is helping me deal with my stress by pushing me in the gym. Without him there I would have gone through the motions.

Deficit deadlift on 3 small mats
315x2, 365, 415, 455, 505, 545, 585, 615x1, 500x8 - Not sure that is a PR but it has been a while since I pulled over 600 raw conventional.  This are working.


GHR ladders x8,7,7 super set with keg carry 3x distance



Walking lunges to the street and back - 120 total

A1 - short strap hypers 4 1/2 plates 2x15
A2 - Pulldown abs 3x15

5/17 - Max effort Upper

pause bench - 330x5,4,3,3

A video posted by Matt (@regionbarbell) on

Illegal wide bench 225 275, 290x10

A1- Ahrens overhead press - 25, 30, 35, 40, 45x10
A2 - Piston pushdown orange 4x25

B1 serrano ohp 5x8, 8x8,x10
B2 sled drag Y+T 45 3x distance

bent over swing rear delt 40 x until traps took over

C1 steep incline db fly 15x12, 20, 25x15, 30x20
C2 decline curls 3 sec lower - 20x15, 25 2x15, 20x  partialsxfail



Saturday, May 16, 2015

Redline training - How far can I push it?



So I am a little behind. Things have been hectic and posting has been on the back burner.

5/4 - I did something but really didn't write down much.

5/6 Dynamic effort upper

Elitefts sholder saver 265. 285. 305, 325, 345x5

speed bench w/ 1 chain 9x5 185 3x5, 205 3x5, 225 3x5

close grip bench+ 1 chain 305 2x1, 325x1

rolling dumbell extension on incline 50 4x10, then a drop set 45, 40, 35x 10


5/7 upper assistance 

Tbar rows work to a hard 10 190x10
straight arm grenade pulldowns 60x12, 60 2x12
pull ups with band assistance 3xfail (20, 12, 12)

side raises to heavy 8 - 40x8
Ahrens press - 30 3x15
bradford press+1 muscle round   85 miss on set 5 rep 4, rest 20 set get 3 more reps.
band pull aparts monster mini 2x50

barbell curls 3 sec up and 3 down - 65 x12, 10, 8
light band pushdown x100
db preacher curl 20 x12, 10, 10

5/8 Max effort lower

short strap hypers 205 3x12
pulldown abs 4x12
alternating leg curl with iso hold on opposite leg - org 4x10
Yoke bar Anderson squat + chain  405, 435, 455x1, strip set 235x10, 185x10, 135x10
leg extension with 5 second lower 3x12
single leg hypers 250 2x8

5/10 Max effort upper

BW 238.5

Floor press 273x5, 311x5, 354x2, 379x1, 409x1

Took too big of a jump with no hand out. I got greedy and should have played it smart.
Dumbell press on 4 inch incline 70, 100x12 130x12,12,9


Started doing Fat DD pulldows to upper abs inbetween dumbells and continued into next set of exercises. 130 5x12

Barbell extension to neck 135 4x6 superset with dips 5x15 and a few sets of pulldowns
Hex dumbbell press together low incline 20x12, high 20x12 superset with alternating dumbell curls 25 2x12

Alternating dumbbell curls 3x12, facepulls orange 3x20, band upright rows 3x20 orange triset
Trifecta (rear, side front raise without putting down dumbbell 12x20/20/20, 15/15/15, 12/12/12






Friday, May 8, 2015

Redline training - pushing harder for a few more weeks.

I continue with my redline training.  Things are pushing the limits and I can tell that I am breaking down some. Sleep is not great, appetite is poor but strength and speed are still there. I am also making diet changes in hopes to remove a little more bodyfat. If it works I might be able to cut to 220. If it doesn't I will be a leaner 242'er

4/27
Short strap hypers 205 2x15

Speed deadlift with bow and arrow band set up
20x1 - 10 conventional and 10 sumo.


I didn't write anything else down.

4/29
BW 238.5

elitefts shoulder saver 275, 320, 340, 365x5

speed bench 9x5 185, 195, 205

close grip bench with 1 chain  265, 285, 305, 320x1
https://instagram.com/p/2EW59XSDbz/?taken-by=matt_ladewski


Tates flat + mini band
https://instagram.com/p/2ElqKkSDSr/?taken-by=matt_ladewski

Arnold press 25x20, 20, rest pause x12, 6, 4

5/1
Sumo deficit deadlift
Knees were achy and I should have stopped before I started. Worked up to 545 and knew I could do it better. Took 585 (way out in front of me) push left knee out hard and left glute and hamstring got real unhappy.  I was done and went home.
https://instagram.com/p/2KgHu4SDT9/?taken-by=matt_ladewski

5/3
pause bench 305 3x7
Illegal wide bench 225x3, 275x8, 295x8

A1 barbell extension to neck 115x6, 135 x6, 6
A2 dips 12, 15, 15, 20

B1 db curls 30 x12, 12
B2 front raise  30 x8, 8




Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Redline Realization/deload week

Stress has been tough and training has been tougher. I needed a week to recover but allow my training to catch up so I can continue to push forward. Body weight is all over the place. From 241 down to 237. Working to get my eating in order to keep recovering.

4/21
Superset 20/15/10 reps
A1 Glute ham raise
A2 short strap reverse hypers 205

Front squat continuous pump sets. I tried to not lock these out 105x25, 115x20

Serrano split squat drop set 
120# chain x4, 60# of chain x4, body weight x4

Occluded TKE 1x50

4/23
Steep incline dumbbell press 80 3x15

Bradford+1 95 2x8, rest pause x5, 3, 3(20 seconds rest)
A1 Arnold press 15x20, 20x20, 15x20
A2 tates (flat) 40 3x12
Side raise partials 30x50

4/24
TKE 2x15
Ghr 21’s x1, up 11 inches x1 (fail on last rep), on floor but foot plate moved up 1 notch – fail on 3 full rep.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow14m2KrJ1g

Stiff leg deadlift 315 4x6
Leg curls with light elitefts band 40, 30, 20, 10
Split squat drop set 40#x20, 20#x15, bwx10, 40#x12, 20#x6, bwx5
4/26
Bench press
275x1, 315x1, 225x22 PR
Alternating dumbbell overhead press 40x10, 45 3x12
A1 Alternating dumbbell extension 40 3x10
B1 barbell curls 65 4x10