After coming off my best meet performance of my career, I am now officially a beat up powerlifter. I'm having some minor low back issues that I'm working on mending up, and then I'll begin to find a competitive option. My goals for 2017 are to compete in a bodybuilding show and also get back to the platform 100% healthy.

For programming and coaching inquires, please email SmitleyPerformanceSystems@gmail.com or visit brandonsmitley.com

Tuesday I still trained at the rec for some leg work since I'm still not doing a true dynamic effort training session. I really wish I could, but I still got a few weeks to lay off the barbell work. I'm considering throwing in some box jumps on this day to begin working in explosive work so that when I do go back to some actually speed work, I haven't lost much. I'm still not even sure how I'm going to build back into that, as I can't jump back into my normal working weights, even though my speed work is generally light. I feel confident that I can jump and land pain free, but that is something that I just don't test much anymore. I've always been an athlete, so it would never hurt to get back to that for at least a little bit. But otherwise this training session was really good. I felt great and have been really happy with how I've felt during all my lower body work. All done pain free, and making some strides on the leg press has me feeling optimistic.


Items Used in this Training Session

Warm Up
PRI Breathing Work - 5 min
Hip Flexor Stretch - 30 sec per leg
Leg Swings (forward and side to side) - 10 each
Single Leg RDL - 10 per leg
Bulgarian Split Squat - 10 per leg
Goblet Squat - 10
Standing Band Crunch - 15

A1) Standing Single Leg Leg Curls
1x15
1x12
1x10
1x8
per leg

B1) Seated Single Leg Leg Press
1x15
3x12 per leg
*This was a different leg press than I normally use. The one I normally use was out of order for the day. This is an interesting piece but allowed me to really get a great ROM*

C1) Pull Throughs
3x20

D1) Leg Press
Up to a moderate set of 20 reps with 5 plates per side
*This was basically a test to see how the low back was doing. I kept it later in the workout to keep the weights down, but I'm happy that there has been zero pain. My goal with be to slowly try to increase my weight one this - pain free of course*

E1) Leg Extensions
3x15
E2) Seated Leg Curls
3x15

F1) GHH/Back Extension
2x25

G1) Stability Ball Stir the Pot
3x20