Redline training...hanging on for dear life

A photo posted by Matt (@regionbarbell) on Mar 13, 2015 at 7:27am PDT

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 May 17, 2015 at 4:25pm PDT

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

Redline Training W2/3 – More volume and iron therapy

This is week 2 of my Redline training but I did a week prior to starting the push. SO is this week 2 or 3?

4/13 dynamic effort lower

Short strap hypers – 200 2x15

Box squat – 235 5x2

Speed deadlift 405+60 pound of chain 20x1 (10 conventional, 10 sumo) Time of 10 min 15 seconds

A1 – pull through 100x12, 110 3x12

A2 – single leg alternating leg curl – orange band 4x15

B1 – short strap hypers 250x12, 295 2x12

B2 – band leg extension w/ 5 second lower   averagex8, strongx8, 8

4/16 AM dynamic effort upper

Dad was in the hospital on Wednesday and I was unable to get to the gym so I had to push this back a day later than normal. All went well and his procedure only took a few hours.

Elitefts shoulder saver bench press Up to 365x4

Swiss bar speed bench 225 9x5

Close grip bench against 60 pound of chain 305 5x1

A1 – JM press (reverse light band) to foam pad 255 x6, 5, 5

A2 – neutral grip pushdown 55 5x15

4/16 PM  upper assistance

This is my normal Thursday session but I had to push it to the afternoon because of the morning make up. This also allowed me to train with someone else and it was great to have Rob push me.

Dead stop dumbbell rows 100x10, 130 3x10

Tbar scap row and row 115 x 12/12, 125 3x12/12

Serrano arm complex 3x

Trifecta muscle round 20 2x

4/17 AM Max effort lower

 hips and low back were a little tight from the adjustment and back work the night before.

Long strap hypers 160x15, 205 2x15

Deadlift with plates on 4 mats. 425, 475, 515, 565, 605x1

Stiff leg deadlift standing on wood platform – 225x8, 275x8, 315x7, 365 3x8 (I am hurtin!)

That was all I had time.

4/17 PM  lower assistance

Reverse hyper long strap – sets of 8 until I got to 10 plates. Then did 1 drop sets.  10 reps with 10,9,8,7 plates. Stopped just enough to have partner remove the plate.

A1 - Glute ham raise 21’s – After the stiff leg deads in the morning this was a bad idea. 7 back raises, 7 glute ham raises from parallel, then 7 back raise+ glute ham raise.  3x

A2 – pulldown abs 3x12-15

I didn’t do any quad work and I really need it but again time was an issue. 

4/19 Max effort upper and pump city!
Fat gripz bench 225x5, 275x3, 315x1, 345x1, 370x1 PR, 385x1 PR - It was ugly but I finished it.

Overhead press - A weak area I really need to bring up.  155 x6, 6, 12
A1 dips - +25 poundsx8, +45x8, +90x8, 6, +45x muscle round - fail on last rep.

A2 Mag grip pulldown  130 5x15

B1 6way 10 x 2 muscle rounds
B2 hammer curls 2 sets after each muscle round

band pull aprts 3x30


An end to a good first cycle. I need to force myself to deload. Stress has been too high for me to run at this pace any longer. Weight is down 4-5 pounds. Holding body weight  between 240-241.

Been talking with a body builder friend and working on my physique.  I know shoulders and legs need much work but my back is not bad. So here is a bonus progress picture. DOn't mind the grown out mohawk and shaggy hair.