Bicep Tendon Repair Update Week 1
Still typing with one hand so this will be brief. I have not lifted since the surgery due to severe pain, but I will be as soon as I can. Thank you for all the support guys.
Ruptured Bicep Tendon and Stubborn Squats
I've torn my biceps tendon. I am scheduled to have surgery on June 1st, and will simply come back with time.
700x5 Squat RPE 9 w/ video!!!
I am pretty overreached currently but this was a great indicator of where my strength is, and the potential for where it can go by July 16. I have been pushing hard and the momentum is building.
HUGE Bench PR 455x5 paused reps!
Yes yes yes!!!! Coupled with patient rep work, and increasing the efficiency of my form I have been aiming for this for a while now! The hand off was sketchy, and slightly got me out of position but I managed to finish.
Grip's Getting Better and My Squats are Still Dumb Strong
My grip actually felt good today. This week is going to be a test of my strength. A huge deal of fatigue, and overreaching will be coming into play.
My Grip Still Sucks But I'm Good at Squatting. 625x6 SSB.
Okay, so I'm still hook gripping, but it's SO FUCKING FRUSTRATING. I suck at it, and I have tiny hands. I'm going to continue to do both, but I may try mixed next week. Jeremy Hamilton, Zahir, and a lot of other guys that have dealt with grip issues, simply increased grip strength rather than trying to revamp the entire pull. We'll see. It's just discouraging being held back by such a fickle thing such as grip. But it takes time, and effort, and that's what I'm giving.
495 Bench For Reps (w/ Reverse Bands)
Okay, so I misled you with the title, get over it. It's still nice to be able to move this much weight even with light reverse bands. I am very excited to see where my pressing ends up in the future, and will hopefully be hitting a big PR on July 16.
I've Sprung A Leak!!! 655x6 Squat PR and Nosebleed!
So, as you may be able to now tell, my blood pressure must get pretty high when squatting. This set is a GREAT indicator for where my strength is currently at, and I cannot wait to continue to push and aim for a big number come July!
Bench Practice. Reps with Heavy Weight. 405x6 Multiple Sets
Bench practice is usually the best thing I can do for my maxes. As I get better at repping weight in the 4-6 range, my max blows up without destroying my elbow tendinitis by dropping below 3 reps.
Hook Grip Chronicles, 625x6 Deficit Pulls
I need to keep pushing with hook grip. I have 8 weeks to be able to pull mid 7's with it in order to get the total I want. No more excuses out here.
Sub Par Benching, A Clock in Clock Out Session
Benching with the flu is not a fun thing really. Sub par strength, but showing up is half the battle.
Squat Cardio and Basebuilding 595x8
Higher rep squats are never fun, but if I can hit 600 for high reps, I'm fairly certain I'm getting stronger
Paused Bench PR of 405x8!
Training a variety of grips on bench, and cueing CONSTANT tightness is resulting in a very nice series of progression going on here. I'm optimistic for my competition on July 16th!
Mexican Vacation and 675 Hook Grip PR's!
I'm back and hook grip is still going well. Slower off the floor, but the change in positioning makes lockout a million times easier. As I said before, sometimes you have to take a few steps back in order to make the most progress forward.
Vacation and Career Gains
Coming back from vacation, a promotion, and getting ready to SMASH. FUCKING. WEIGHT.
Tempo Training for Squats and Bench!
The easiest way to drill form and technique for a more advanced athlete than others is to simply practice your positioning! How can you do that, you ask? Tempo training.
Learning How to Hook!
Hook gripping is an extreme change to technique, but I'm confident that with time it will only lead to benefit, and a respectable pull!
First Time Back to a Straight Bar? 700x3 Squat PR!
Coming off of only using the SSB and not wearing my belt, this session is fuel to my fire! If you cannot tell how excited I am for my upcoming meet simply stay tuned and see my momentum rising, and my fire growing! Let's go, boys and girls!!!
Max Legal Bench PR! No Shoulder Pain PR!
Making a change to grip, technique, or movement may be humbling at first but in order to make the most consistent progress forwards you sometimes have to start with a step backwards! Come check out my weaker, but more STABLE benching! 4 plates doe!
HUGE Yoke SSB PR!!!
One bad session does not define an entire block of training. Momentum is a fickle thing, and it can swing in an instant. Using aggression and emotion is a powerful thing, and rather than allowing the outside stress of the corporate world (could be school, could be anything) use it to build your arousal up in the gym, and focus the intensity into each and every set. This is how I made my heavy set move like light speed today. Come check it out.
The Cumulative Fatigue is Real: SSB and SLDL
Whenever an athlete makes a post with FATIGUE in the title, you KNOW the following entry is going to be a shit show! I still am able to move heavy weight on a bad day, but sometimes real life, work, sleep, and relationships take precedence over the focus required to have a 10/10 session. This is one of those sessions.
Pulling Back the Reigns: Cambered Benching
Pain is an incredible distraction, and when it becomes too bearable to successfully complete a training session, sometimes the most beneficial thing an athlete can do is to walk away from that day.
One of the Hardest Sessions of My Life
Life, training, and excelling never get easier. You simply get better and better. We are emotional beings and when using that emotion to fuel training, whether it's due to passion or pain, a fire can be lit under you that is unimaginable by people who have never felt this drive. It's hard to put into words, but my face in this video says it all.
The Cambered Bar Returns With Vengeance
Some shoulder issues are effecting my Close Grip Benching. However, a lot of the time as an athlete and as a competitor the name of the game is how to adapt and overcome!
Second SS Yoke Bar Session This Week!
ANOTHER ONE. More SS Yoke squats. Being so far from a meet, this frequency is both going to kick hypertrophy into gear, but also simply drill the proper movement patterns and cues to drive my head back into my brain. When I move back to a normal bar, the benefit is going to be immense!
Cambered Benching is Really Hard for a Raw PLer
Want to be humbled? Increase your bench ROM by 4 inches. Actually, increase any ROM by 4 inches (wink, wink) and you'd probably be humbled!
Safety Bar Squats and SLDL: Winning My Own Personal Hyper Trophy
These next weeks I will be focusing on reps and volume to actually BUILD some muscle in the areas that I'm lacking! By addressing these weaknesses, I'm going to avoid compromised form when at maximal weights in 12 weeks!
Big Backs = Big Benches!
This is the last workout of my work capacity block! I got a wicked pump, and had some fun training with my girlfriend on my day off. I talk about the importance of back work for your bench press, and how it integrates within the general health and maintenance of your shoulder. Check it out!
Dumbbell Bench Press Cardio, and a Wicked Shoulder Circuit!
I walked a fine line between endurance training and hypertrophy work today! I'm already obsessing over the date of June 26 in my mind! I can't wait to compete on the platform again!
Deadlifts Against Chains at THE ELITEFTS S4 COMPOUND
Talking about puke and pulling some heavy weights! 570lbs at lockout, on a deficit, and beltless has got me feeling QUEASY! The S4 compound was the PERFECT place for this workout!
Floor Press Against Bands and Other Things I Suck At
225 and band resistance of around 200lbs on floor press, and me trying to be jacked or something. Come read about it!
Beltless Front Squats, Crying at the Gym, and A Sponsorship
Joe Sullivan is a new member of team elitefts added just this February. He has a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from John Carroll University and competes raw (no wraps) with a personal best 1725-pound total in the 198-pound weight class. His first meet as an elitefts athlete will be the Chicago Fit Expo June 26.