Training has been going great the last 4-5 months and I've been hitting some nice weights on multiple lifts. I'm hoping to get back on the platform this summer.   Heres video of my workout from yesterday where I work up to a 675lb reverse band rack deadlift and a 315lb zercher squat for 5 reps; the rest of the workout is listed in the video after the main lifts. 

I'll list a couple of other notable workouts I've had lately in no particular order. 

Max floor press week 1
Floor Press w/ 40lbs of chain 135lbsx3 185lbsx3 225lbsx3 245lbsx3 275lbsx3 PR 285lbsx2 (325lbs w/chains) PR 225lbsx12
Lockouts (pin3, ~top half of press) 225lbsx3 315lbsx3 335lbsx3 365lbsx3 405lbsx2 PR
Incline db press 85lbs 3x15-10  
Chest supp row 1platex5 2platesx5 2plates&25lbx5 2plates&35lbx5 3platesx4.5
One arm pulldown 60-80lbs 3x7-8
Rolling db extensions 40lbs 2x8-10 50lbsx8 45lbsx8 Chain extensionsx20
One arm rev curl 65lbs 3x8
Chest supp Y 12lbs 3x10-15
External rotation at side 15lbs 2x12

Max floor press week 2
Floor Press w/ 32lbs of chain 135lbsx3 185lbsx3 225lbsx1 275lbsx1 300lbs2x1 PR (340lbs w/ chains)
225lbsx~10
One arm face pull 30-60lbs 5x8-12 (in between sets)
Rack lockouts (hole 3) 225lbsx3 315lbsx3 365lbsx2 405lbsx1 315lbsx8
Incline db press 85lbs 3x8-15
Chest supp row +45lbsx5 +70lbsx5 +90lbsx5 +125lbsx5 +115lbsx6PR +90lbsx10
One arm  pulldown 60lbs 3x8
Db extensions 40lbsx8 band pushdowns grey 3x8-10
One arm rev cable curl 50lbs 3x8
One arm chest supp Y 15lbs 3x8-10
Ext rotation at side 3x10-12

Max Box Squat week 1 at Badgers Facility
Buffalo Bar Box Squat w/ 88lbs of chains  (buffalo bar is 52lbs) worked up to 282lbs+chainsx3 322lbs+chainsx3 (410lbs) PR 332lbs+chainsx2 (420lbs) PR  332lbs+chainsx3 232lbs+chainsx8
Trap Bar Deadlift 1platex5 2platesx5 3platesx5 4platesx5 3platesx5
One leg glute ham raise 3x8
One leg belt squat machine 3x8  (+10-+45lbs)
Reverse hypers +90lbs 3x~20reps
Hanging leg raises, high to low rope chops, offset farmers carry
Clams/side leg raises/psoas raises/adductions
Belt squatx20/belt pullx20 3rds nonstop  airdynex20s



Max Box Squat week 2
Saturday
Box Squat w/ ~80lbs of chain 135lbsx3 185lbsx3 225lbsx1 275lbsx1 315lbsx1 335lbsx1 355lbsx1 PR 365lbsx1 PR (445lbs w/chains)  315lbsx5 PR 225lbsx6
Yoke Bar Good Morning off rack 132lbsx5 172lbsx5 222lbsx5 262lbsx5
One leg press 2platesx8 3plates 2x8 3plates&25lbx8
One leg glute ham raise 2x8  ghr w/ grey band 3x8-10
One leg reverse hyper short strap +70lbs 3x8 Lateral kb lunge 52lbs 3xreps
High to low chop 90lbs 2x8 Hanging leg raise straight and to sides 2xreps
Offset kb carry 52lbs 2x fwd and bwd

From about a month back
Wednesday
Front Reverse Lunge 95lbsx5 135lbsx5 185lbsx5 235lbsx5 PR 205lbsx5 135lbsx5 w/ pause
Barbell One leg hip thrust 135lbsx5 155lbs2x5 135lbsx5
Tall kneeling cable hold 40lbs 2x8
Hanging circumductions 3xreps
High to low chop 80lbs 2x8
Long strap reverse hyper +90-+140lbs 3x12-20

A couple weeks ago
Speed Box Squat 135lbs+greensx2 185lbs+greensx2 205lbs+greens ~6x2
Speed Deads 135lbsx2 225lbs 4x2
Step up 135lbsx5 185lbsx5 215lbsx5 225lbsx5 PR
One leg bb hip thrust 135lbsx5 155lbs2x5
Reverse Hyper long strap +180lbs 3x12-20
Tall kneeling cable hold 50lbs 2x8
Hanging/cap chair oblique/leg raises 3xreps 
High to low chop 90lbs 2x8
One leg calf raise/ reverse raises

A couple months ago
Saturday one
Reverse Band Box Squat w/ greens  straight weight warmup 135,225,315 bands on  365lbsx1 405lbsx1 455lbsx1 495lbsx1 505lbsx1 PR 405lbsx5
Sumo Deads off rack (floor level, speed) 225lbsx5 315lbsx3 365lbsx2 335lbsx3 315lbsx5
Sled Drag 5-6plates fwd bwd 3 trips
Reverse Hypers long strap one leg/dbl leg 180-230lbs 4x8-10
Back extensions 2x15-20 w/ rotation on 2nd set/ reverse hyper 180lbsx20
Hanging leg/knee raise 3x15-20  Horizontal cable chop 70lbs2x8
Suitcase hold 115lbs2x6
Band one leg curl  grey 3x12
One leg calf raise/reverse 3x6

Saturday two
Zercher Squat off rack w/ yoke bar 122lbsx3 172lbsx3 222lbsx3 262lbsx3 312lbsx3 PR 332lbsx1 PR 352lbsx1 PR 372lbsx1 PR 402lbsx1 PR 172lbsx5
Good Morning off rack w/ yoke bar 122lbsx5 172lbsx5 222lbs2x5 172lbsx8
Sled drag 6platesxd*b 7platesxd*b 8platesxd*b
Back extensions (45deg) avg band 2x12-15, offset kb x16/bwx10 w/rotation
  Superset w/ Roller Reverse Hyper +90lbs 3x10-15
Band one leg curl avg band 3x12,12,10
Hanging leg raises 3x8-15 alt raisesx~20 leg/knee raise pulse above 90xreps
High to low cable chop 70lbsx8/side 80lbsx8/side
Suitcase hold 135lbs 2x8
Calf raises dbl and sgl, dorsiflexions dbl and sgl



Those workouts are taken straight from my  log.  Essentially my training schedule right now looks like this.
Monday- Speed Work for Bench if in cycle, Overhead work, accessories with shoulders/arms focus

Wednesday- Speed or power work for squat/deadlift, heavy single leg variation, accessories for glutes/hams/back/abs/quads, etc.

Thursday- Max Strength Upper w/ a heavy press and pull variations, accessories w/ more of a chest/back focus

Saturday- Max Strength Lower w/ accessories for glutes/hams/back/abs/quads/etc.

Conditioning 2-3 days a week for extra workouts

I still do lots of low/mid trap and tricep work on my upper days and lots of glute/oblique work on my lower days.  These have been weak points I've been bringing up the last couple of years.

I've been doing 4 week cycles of max strength and speed strength work followed by 2-3 week cycles of deloading from barbell work with mostly moderate to high rep sets with exercises like pushups, goblet squats and pull throughs in place of barbell presses, back squats and deadlifts.  This allows me to ramp up neural output and strength for a month, rest my CNS for a few weeks while adapting differently to some superset, high rep bodybuilding style stuff, then coming back for another 4 week cycle hitting new strength levels again.  This has been working good for strength and muscle gains, recovery and staying healthy.  Reading and understanding lots of material on block periodization has helped me plan my training a lot more effectively than I have in the past. I've found that if I go too intense/heavy for much more than 4-5 weeks that I will start to drain my nervous system a little too much.  Thats not to say that I'm not challenging myself at all during the 2-3 week lower intensity cycle; I'm just training in a way that allows my nervous system to recover while still building the important muscles and movements that will help the big lifts.

I'm looking to hit some nice numbers coming up.  For raw numbers, I'd like to hit a mid 1300 total with a mid 400's squat, a low to mid 300's bench and a low 600's deadlift.  Geared (w/ lifting suits/shirts) I'd like to total 1500-1600 w/ a mid 500's squat, a low to mid 600 deadlift and a 400+ bench.   I'm also closing in on a 225 overhead press; I've come close with 215.  I've been doing lots of overhead work as its something I've wanted to bring up.  It definitely helps with my bench.  I've done one arm presses w/ a slight push with 85lbs for 8 reps as well.  All of the heavy single leg work I've done has contributed greatly to improved squat numbers, which will help with improved pull numbers.  I've never felt more stable or stronger with squatting and all of the single leg work, glute work and oblique/core stability work has helped tons.

I got a nice workout in at the Badger's facility a few weeks ago with Jeff Zuhlke, a good buddy of mine from college, who is an awesome strength coach out there.  Also checked out Nx Level in Waukesha last week and caught up with another buddy from college, Nic Hansen; very awesome place with lots of knowledgeable coaches out there. Always good to pick up some good tools to add to the toolbox from other good professionals.  My facility should be opening this summer and I'll knock out some details when everything is set.  All I can say is that it will be THE place to train in this area.  Lots going on and lots of exciting things coming up.  I should have a couple of articles posting either here or other sites relatively soon.  A great one on the importance of aerobic training, one on self soft tissue modalities and a couple on figure skating training and firefighter training.  Stay tuned!  Hope everyone's training is going as well as mine. 

Congratulations to Anesley Middlecauf on her accomplishment with her skating.  She won first place in the pre-preliminary freeskate at WIM Figure Skating Competition held at Wilson Ice Rink in Milwaukee.  She and her brother Palmer (who I fully expect to have a nice showing at his next competition) both train hard every week both on and off the ice.  All of the hard work is paying off as they have both improved movement patterns, stability, strength, power and posture.

It is absolutely essential that skaters of any age, especially at a young age, perform the proper off ice training to not only optimize performance but also to prevent injury, especially when jumping becomes more frequent.  The ability to stabilize the pelvis in one leg stance, control the knees, maintain an erect thoracic position, maintain stiffness during rotations and perhaps most importantly, the ability to absorb force correctly upon landing are some of the most important needs to address within an off ice strength & conditioning program.  An article is in the works that will get more in depth with off ice training. Stay tuned kids. 

Over the course of this past year, I have had the privilege of working with multiple fire fighters from the St. Francis Fire Department.  They are all very hard workers and have made great progress with their training and bodies.  A couple of them are shown in the videos below. Todd, who you see in the top video, has lost over 10% bodyfat and gotten rid of multiple pain issues in pretty decent time. Abbie, in the bottom video, has made some pretty awesome strides herself and can hang with most guys with multiple exercises and lifts.  They have gotten to the point that they are implementing work specific circuits within their firehouse to improve strength and conditioning for better job performance.  Its not an easy job and you have to be in shape to do job tasks successfully.  Here are a couple of training videos that were sent to me that show some awesome conditioning circuits they are using at their firehouse.  Firehose battle ropes and body drags!! Awesome stuff!  I'll write more about common training needs for firefighters in the near future.