Strength
Squat
135 for a few sets; 225 for a few sets... meh
Hang Clean
185x2; 185x2; 185x2; 205x1
Conventional Deadlift
315x3; 365x2; 405x2; 455x2; 455x1; 315x5; 315x3
Suitcase Deadlift
135x3/3; 135x3/3; 185x1/1
Conditioning
400m Run
-First time in new shoes
Stadium Runs
-32 minutes
-every 5th climb or so was a semi sprint
-forgot HR monitor, but HR was higher than normal because I pushed it a bit
Notes
I tried squatting and setting my knees per convo with Gabe earlier in the day. It felt better, but I have some residual anterior knee soreness right now. I slightly widened my stance and it felt ok. I'll revisit squats next week.
First time deadlifting in months. I think since January where I was working on sumo pulls to get my glutes working. I had no plan other than just getting a feel for pulling from the ground again. It felt great. All reps were super clean and smooth. 455 isn't anything special, but in the context with where I'm at right now, I'm really pleased. My body felt so fucking solid. Last post I talked about "resetting" my core. It was really apparent last night.
One thing I noticed was my lockout was solid as fuuuuck. All those RDL's, swings and constant bracing/squeezing came to fruition. I wasn't even thinking about it, but my hinge was like BOOM. I haven't been going heavy on RDL's, but its been about patterning the movement. Also, I do a lot of random kettlebell shit I never post. I brace hard as hell during snatches, presses, etc. I think it is noticable in my squat vids now because my alignment is much improved.
Deadlifts are officially back in my training week.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Phase 3 Day 58
Strength
Bench
275x1; 290x1; 305x2; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 135x28
DB Row
75x8; 75x8; 75x8
Overhead Barbell Shrugs
Barx8; 95x8; 95x8
Facepulls
3 sets at 20 reps
YTI's
2 sets at 5/5/5
Curls
95x8; 95x6
Conditioning
Stadium Runs
-24 mins
-179 peak HR
-157 avg HR
-428 calories
Notes
Solid day overall. A little disappointed with the speed of 305x2 , but I kept it smooth and left a rep in the tank. I'm basically just training bench by instinct right now. My time is likely running out lol.
Stadium runs were inside the basketball arena since it was raining outside. I've had enough with mid-40s conditioning in the rain. Anyways, the steps were really steep and relatively high. It took me a while to get comfortable. I pushed it the last 25% just to see where I was at performance wise (hence the 179 peak). I'm pretty pleased with how far the aerobics/conditioning has come the past few months. I've been diligent and its paid off.
Lately, I've been thinking about how "Phase 3" really means nothing at this point. Originally, it meant that I was returning to some of the basic barbell lifts. I've done that and made great progress. When this all begin my hip was in excruciating pain. I had terrible tissue quality, I stabilized everything completely wrong, and I generally just moved in a fucked up fashion.
I've learned so much in the past 7-8 months its unreal. I can finally say that my core is "reset." My default is to fall into neutral positions. I still have a long way to go, and I've created some issues along the way, but I'm generally happy with where I've come to. (With very good guidance and advice from friends). But there is still much work to be done. See my last post about squats/knees.
I feel ready to take this all to the next level. I want to truly fix my thoracic spine and get my shoulders working correctly. I can't really do that while I'm in St. Louis. I'm training with people that are my good friends and I want to ride this out. I have one month left then I'm back in NH to study for the bar. And honestly, at this point, I'm more into the conditioning than the lifting.
So I'm going to keep conditioning hard, keep improving my core strength, and enjoy my last month here in STL. Then I'll go back home and train with more friends, but I think its the type of environment that will be much more conducive to my goals.
Bench
275x1; 290x1; 305x2; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 135x28
DB Row
75x8; 75x8; 75x8
Overhead Barbell Shrugs
Barx8; 95x8; 95x8
Facepulls
3 sets at 20 reps
YTI's
2 sets at 5/5/5
Curls
95x8; 95x6
Conditioning
Stadium Runs
-24 mins
-179 peak HR
-157 avg HR
-428 calories
Notes
Solid day overall. A little disappointed with the speed of 305x2 , but I kept it smooth and left a rep in the tank. I'm basically just training bench by instinct right now. My time is likely running out lol.
Stadium runs were inside the basketball arena since it was raining outside. I've had enough with mid-40s conditioning in the rain. Anyways, the steps were really steep and relatively high. It took me a while to get comfortable. I pushed it the last 25% just to see where I was at performance wise (hence the 179 peak). I'm pretty pleased with how far the aerobics/conditioning has come the past few months. I've been diligent and its paid off.
Lately, I've been thinking about how "Phase 3" really means nothing at this point. Originally, it meant that I was returning to some of the basic barbell lifts. I've done that and made great progress. When this all begin my hip was in excruciating pain. I had terrible tissue quality, I stabilized everything completely wrong, and I generally just moved in a fucked up fashion.
I've learned so much in the past 7-8 months its unreal. I can finally say that my core is "reset." My default is to fall into neutral positions. I still have a long way to go, and I've created some issues along the way, but I'm generally happy with where I've come to. (With very good guidance and advice from friends). But there is still much work to be done. See my last post about squats/knees.
I feel ready to take this all to the next level. I want to truly fix my thoracic spine and get my shoulders working correctly. I can't really do that while I'm in St. Louis. I'm training with people that are my good friends and I want to ride this out. I have one month left then I'm back in NH to study for the bar. And honestly, at this point, I'm more into the conditioning than the lifting.
So I'm going to keep conditioning hard, keep improving my core strength, and enjoy my last month here in STL. Then I'll go back home and train with more friends, but I think its the type of environment that will be much more conducive to my goals.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Phase 3 Day 57
Morning Walk
-2.89 Miles
-48 minutes
-Peak HR 115
-Avg. HR 105
-389 calories burned
-16:30 mins/mil
This is about as fast as I can go without looking like a power-walking twink. Also, if I take too long of strides I start heel striking like a mofo.
Strength
Squat
315x3; 315x3; 315x3; 315x3; 315x3; 225x3; 225x3; 225x5 video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_u39NJ9oVw
Hang Clean
155x2; 185x2; 185x2; 185x2; 185x2
RDL
135x10; 135x10
Ab Wheel
5 (PR); 3; 2
Prowler Conditioning
-40 yard runs
-210lbs x 6 runs
-90lbs x 6 runs
-161 peak HR
-137 avg.
-281 calories
Notes
My legs are shot. Conditioning Friday, all day Saturday, then 2 hour walk yesterday. Add on today, and I think I overdid it.
Squat was painful on knees again. The video was probably of my best set. I think somewhere along the line I became obsessed with dropped between my knees, and as a result its placed alot of stress on my knee joints. The video set didn't really hurt, but by then my knees were already screaming. I may drop squats for a little bit. I simply cannot do what I want to do with them if I'm training with other people. I'd rather just drop them, let the guys squat, while I work on my goblets or something. I worked on them a ton this weekend in my aptartment and made a lot of progress.
I was burned out by the time I got to conditioning. 210 lbs was significantly more difficult than the normal 90 I do for extended sessions.
-2.89 Miles
-48 minutes
-Peak HR 115
-Avg. HR 105
-389 calories burned
-16:30 mins/mil
This is about as fast as I can go without looking like a power-walking twink. Also, if I take too long of strides I start heel striking like a mofo.
Strength
Squat
315x3; 315x3; 315x3; 315x3; 315x3; 225x3; 225x3; 225x5 video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_u39NJ9oVw
Hang Clean
155x2; 185x2; 185x2; 185x2; 185x2
RDL
135x10; 135x10
Ab Wheel
5 (PR); 3; 2
Prowler Conditioning
-40 yard runs
-210lbs x 6 runs
-90lbs x 6 runs
-161 peak HR
-137 avg.
-281 calories
Notes
My legs are shot. Conditioning Friday, all day Saturday, then 2 hour walk yesterday. Add on today, and I think I overdid it.
Squat was painful on knees again. The video was probably of my best set. I think somewhere along the line I became obsessed with dropped between my knees, and as a result its placed alot of stress on my knee joints. The video set didn't really hurt, but by then my knees were already screaming. I may drop squats for a little bit. I simply cannot do what I want to do with them if I'm training with other people. I'd rather just drop them, let the guys squat, while I work on my goblets or something. I worked on them a ton this weekend in my aptartment and made a lot of progress.
I was burned out by the time I got to conditioning. 210 lbs was significantly more difficult than the normal 90 I do for extended sessions.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Phase 3 Day 56
Sunday Walk in the Park
-85 Minutes
-Avg. HR 101
-Peak HR 115
-559 cals burned
-4.89 miles
-3.4MPH
-17:21 mins/mile
Notes
Fantastic day for a brisk long walk. I tried to keep my HR above 100 most of the time. It was a little challenging because I had to keep reminding myself to keep the pace quick. I wore my minimalist shoes that I've been training in. Its really hard not to massively heel strike everything. By the time I got home I did a wall test and my ankles had excellent mobility/ROM.
I cooled down with stretching, some soft tissue work, and KB arm-bars and KB turkish getups. I felt loose, warm, and amazing.
I was going to do the sled tonight (I'm trying to do it everyday), but I think I'll just rest. The walk was restorative and relaxing. I'm just going to relax the rest of the day. It is Sunday, after all.
-85 Minutes
-Avg. HR 101
-Peak HR 115
-559 cals burned
-4.89 miles
-3.4MPH
-17:21 mins/mile
Notes
Fantastic day for a brisk long walk. I tried to keep my HR above 100 most of the time. It was a little challenging because I had to keep reminding myself to keep the pace quick. I wore my minimalist shoes that I've been training in. Its really hard not to massively heel strike everything. By the time I got home I did a wall test and my ankles had excellent mobility/ROM.
I cooled down with stretching, some soft tissue work, and KB arm-bars and KB turkish getups. I felt loose, warm, and amazing.
I was going to do the sled tonight (I'm trying to do it everyday), but I think I'll just rest. The walk was restorative and relaxing. I'm just going to relax the rest of the day. It is Sunday, after all.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Phase 3 Day 55
Conditioning Session 1
1. Tire Flips
-25 minutes
-Flip the tire, jump in, jump out, walk around, and then repeat
-Rounds in sets of 10 flips
2. Stadium Runs
-20 minutes
-Landed on each step, quick pace up, slow pace down
Session stats:
-45 minutes total
-Avg. HR: 147
-Peak HR: 174
-760 calories burned
Conditioning Session 2
1a. Prowler Run (90lbs)
1b. Slow Walk
1c. Waiter Walk (53lbs)
1d. One Arm Farmers Walk (70lb)
1. Tire Flips
-25 minutes
-Flip the tire, jump in, jump out, walk around, and then repeat
-Rounds in sets of 10 flips
2. Stadium Runs
-20 minutes
-Landed on each step, quick pace up, slow pace down
Session stats:
-45 minutes total
-Avg. HR: 147
-Peak HR: 174
-760 calories burned
Conditioning Session 2
1a. Prowler Run (90lbs)
1b. Slow Walk
1c. Waiter Walk (53lbs)
1d. One Arm Farmers Walk (70lb)
1e. Slow Walk
Each component was 80 yards in length
Session Stats
-30 minutes total
-Avg. HR: 136
-Peak HR: 168
-~550ish cals burned
Notes
Two solid conditioning sessions today. I'm really going to miss the student life. I basically just went around to different outside locations and worked out all day lol. As reflected by my average heart rate, I kept intensity moderate across the board. These aren't crazy/frantic metcon style workouts. Its all about staying in a manageable aerobic zone. Fun day. Lots of work, lots of calories burned.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Phase 3 Day 54
Strength
Bench
275x3; 295x2; 315x1; 315x1; 275x3; 275x3; 225x6
Standing Overhead
135x5; 135x5; 135x5
Cable Row
150x10; 150x10; 150x15
Poundstone Curls
70 Reps (+5)
Conditioning
Prowler (90 lbs)
75 yard runs for 42 minutes. Lost count of reps early on, but easily 30+ runs
Notes
Excellent day on both the strength and conditioning front. Its been 6+ months since I had 3 plates on the bench. First single was buttery smooth and fast. Second single wasn't bad, but I got out of the groove a little bit. 315 is probably about 95% for me right now. I was satisfied with some solid reps, so I dropped back down. The next 2-3 sessions I want more rep work in the 285 range. I still need considerable work with manageable weights if I want to PR in the next 3-4 weeks. My best bench is 340. So, I'll need to really be on my game for 345.
I was in a bad mood today for unrelated shit and yelled at my training partners about back work. "We should be twice as much fucking back work as we do." Connors response, "Well, you're the one that wants to bench twice a week." Haha, fair enough. Nonetheless, I need to get more back volume in.
Excellent conditioning session. I mostly do each "run" at a brisk walk. I stay on my toes and use big, powerful steps. Each 75 yard trip takes approximately 40 seconds. Early on in the session, recovery takes as little as 20-25 seconds. As the session goes on, recovery gradually creeps up to 45 seconds. That is basically where I ended today.
I judge recovery with a heartrate monitor. When my heartrate drops to 130 BPM, I start my next run. One 75 yard run usually bumps the HR from 130 to 145-150. As the session goes on, HR will bump up to 155 during one 75 yard run. Structuring sessions in this manner allows me to stretch the total time working without significantly impairing recovery. If my heartrate isn't going above 155, the session is easily something that is recovered from with one night's sleep.
Bench
275x3; 295x2; 315x1; 315x1; 275x3; 275x3; 225x6
Standing Overhead
135x5; 135x5; 135x5
Cable Row
150x10; 150x10; 150x15
Poundstone Curls
70 Reps (+5)
Conditioning
Prowler (90 lbs)
75 yard runs for 42 minutes. Lost count of reps early on, but easily 30+ runs
Notes
Excellent day on both the strength and conditioning front. Its been 6+ months since I had 3 plates on the bench. First single was buttery smooth and fast. Second single wasn't bad, but I got out of the groove a little bit. 315 is probably about 95% for me right now. I was satisfied with some solid reps, so I dropped back down. The next 2-3 sessions I want more rep work in the 285 range. I still need considerable work with manageable weights if I want to PR in the next 3-4 weeks. My best bench is 340. So, I'll need to really be on my game for 345.
I was in a bad mood today for unrelated shit and yelled at my training partners about back work. "We should be twice as much fucking back work as we do." Connors response, "Well, you're the one that wants to bench twice a week." Haha, fair enough. Nonetheless, I need to get more back volume in.
Excellent conditioning session. I mostly do each "run" at a brisk walk. I stay on my toes and use big, powerful steps. Each 75 yard trip takes approximately 40 seconds. Early on in the session, recovery takes as little as 20-25 seconds. As the session goes on, recovery gradually creeps up to 45 seconds. That is basically where I ended today.
I judge recovery with a heartrate monitor. When my heartrate drops to 130 BPM, I start my next run. One 75 yard run usually bumps the HR from 130 to 145-150. As the session goes on, HR will bump up to 155 during one 75 yard run. Structuring sessions in this manner allows me to stretch the total time working without significantly impairing recovery. If my heartrate isn't going above 155, the session is easily something that is recovered from with one night's sleep.
Phase 3 Day 53
STRENGTH
Squat (50/20)
315x1; 315x2; 315x1; 315x2; 315x3; 315x3; 315x1; 315x2; 315x3; 315x1; 315x2 (21 reps)
Power Clean
185x1; 205x1; 225x1; 225x1
RDL
225x5; 225x5
Ab Wheel
4(PR!); 4; 2
CONDITIONING
1a. Sled (90 lbs)
45 yards down; 45 yards back
1b. Kettlebell Snatch (53lbs)
5 per side
Approximately 30 minutes total. 12-14 rounds.
Notes
Squats feel like shit. I feel like I'm regressing. I feel zero pain in my hip, which is awesome, but lately I've been feeling a lot of stress on my knees. Started to really get frustrated with it again. One of the big issues is that literally every set I'm making mini adjustments. I keep searching for something that feels "right." Just no groove right now. I'm not dropping down naturally, and I think my knees are paying for that.
Conditioning sesh was about 2 hours post workout. It was 45 degrees out and raining. I used an umbrella to cover the KB in between sets haha. I've mentioned this a number of times, mostly because its been a shitty spring, but wet pavement makes the prowler 2x as hard. As such, I needed to significantly reduce the distance. I still got a solid session in. I just kept my heartrate in the appropriate ranges.
Squat (50/20)
315x1; 315x2; 315x1; 315x2; 315x3; 315x3; 315x1; 315x2; 315x3; 315x1; 315x2 (21 reps)
Power Clean
185x1; 205x1; 225x1; 225x1
RDL
225x5; 225x5
Ab Wheel
4(PR!); 4; 2
CONDITIONING
1a. Sled (90 lbs)
45 yards down; 45 yards back
1b. Kettlebell Snatch (53lbs)
5 per side
Approximately 30 minutes total. 12-14 rounds.
Notes
Squats feel like shit. I feel like I'm regressing. I feel zero pain in my hip, which is awesome, but lately I've been feeling a lot of stress on my knees. Started to really get frustrated with it again. One of the big issues is that literally every set I'm making mini adjustments. I keep searching for something that feels "right." Just no groove right now. I'm not dropping down naturally, and I think my knees are paying for that.
Conditioning sesh was about 2 hours post workout. It was 45 degrees out and raining. I used an umbrella to cover the KB in between sets haha. I've mentioned this a number of times, mostly because its been a shitty spring, but wet pavement makes the prowler 2x as hard. As such, I needed to significantly reduce the distance. I still got a solid session in. I just kept my heartrate in the appropriate ranges.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Phase 3 Day 52
Pause Squat
Few sets at 135, few sets at 225 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP1VKZnI1D8&feature=youtu.be
Pause Bench
135x10 for 3 sets
Bent Row (strict, paused squeeze)
135x10; 135x10
Standing 1 Arm Cable Row
2 sets
Facepulls
2 sets
Conditioning
Prowler Runs (90 lbs)
16 runs x 75 yards
-25 minutes
-Avg HR 137
-Peak HR 160
Notes
First workout since last Friday. I finished up with stuff yesterday around 4. Got home, and had no desire to round my shit up and get back to the gym. I worked through the weekend to prepare for a trial and then final negotiation. I'm completely done with 2 of my 4 classes now though. Tomorrow is my last class of law school. Then just one paper and one exam and I'm done forever.
I'm seriously looking forward to the next month. I'm going to train my ass off and be active as hell. I've definitely lost some conditioning according to my heart rate monitor (higher peaks and longer recovery between runs tonight). But, who cares. I said at the beginning of the year that school was my absolute number one priority. I'm finishing this shit strong.
Tonight I just went in and basically used the barbell to actively stretch. I felt great leaving the gym, and then had a solid conditioning session in the park. It was 75 degrees, and it felt amazing to finally sweat from the sun.
Squat video was just a quick form check. I've been really working on blending on improving my hip break without arching the low back. Looks like my lower back is pretty neutral in the bottom.
Training has been haphazard the past couple of weeks, but that is easily fixed. I'm in a good place right now.
Few sets at 135, few sets at 225 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP1VKZnI1D8&feature=youtu.be
Pause Bench
135x10 for 3 sets
Bent Row (strict, paused squeeze)
135x10; 135x10
Standing 1 Arm Cable Row
2 sets
Facepulls
2 sets
Conditioning
Prowler Runs (90 lbs)
16 runs x 75 yards
-25 minutes
-Avg HR 137
-Peak HR 160
Notes
First workout since last Friday. I finished up with stuff yesterday around 4. Got home, and had no desire to round my shit up and get back to the gym. I worked through the weekend to prepare for a trial and then final negotiation. I'm completely done with 2 of my 4 classes now though. Tomorrow is my last class of law school. Then just one paper and one exam and I'm done forever.
I'm seriously looking forward to the next month. I'm going to train my ass off and be active as hell. I've definitely lost some conditioning according to my heart rate monitor (higher peaks and longer recovery between runs tonight). But, who cares. I said at the beginning of the year that school was my absolute number one priority. I'm finishing this shit strong.
Tonight I just went in and basically used the barbell to actively stretch. I felt great leaving the gym, and then had a solid conditioning session in the park. It was 75 degrees, and it felt amazing to finally sweat from the sun.
Squat video was just a quick form check. I've been really working on blending on improving my hip break without arching the low back. Looks like my lower back is pretty neutral in the bottom.
Training has been haphazard the past couple of weeks, but that is easily fixed. I'm in a good place right now.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Phase 3 Day 51
Bench
275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x5
Push Press
135x3; 155x3; 185x3; 185x1; 135x1
Cable Row
135x15; 135x15; 135x15
Farmers Walk
125 per hand for "around the world." Maybe 150 yards total.
Poundstone Curls
30 reps... stopped because my forearms were falling apart after the farmers walks.
Notes
Excellent bench session. This might be the best I've ever felt benching. I felt like I could have done endless triples at 275. The last set of 5 wasn't really a "rep out" as much as testing my fatigue level after 27 reps. That one set told me a lot. Basically, those triples are the type of sets I think most people should do if they choose to work with lower reps. None were even close to a max or failure. But they were still heavy.
I think this approach is great for managing fatigue while still getting in very respectable volume with heavy weight. I have 5 weeks left in St. Louis. I intend to break my all time bench PR of 340 before I leave. For me, the key is going to be transitioning from this new mini-phase into true strength work.
Over the years I've developed a pretty good instinct as to how to shape my training approach week to week. With the 50/20 I was conditioning, getting in a lot of rep work to groove the lifts, and also building some size. I'm now in the middle part of the progression. For this phase I want to maintain decent volume while getting re-accustomed to heavy weight. The final, and shortest phase will be hitting heavy max weights.
I won't be doing push press again for a while. Felt huge lumber extension. No bueno. The other guys wanted to do it though, so I'm not going to argue since I get my way a lot.
275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x5
Push Press
135x3; 155x3; 185x3; 185x1; 135x1
Cable Row
135x15; 135x15; 135x15
Farmers Walk
125 per hand for "around the world." Maybe 150 yards total.
Poundstone Curls
30 reps... stopped because my forearms were falling apart after the farmers walks.
Notes
Excellent bench session. This might be the best I've ever felt benching. I felt like I could have done endless triples at 275. The last set of 5 wasn't really a "rep out" as much as testing my fatigue level after 27 reps. That one set told me a lot. Basically, those triples are the type of sets I think most people should do if they choose to work with lower reps. None were even close to a max or failure. But they were still heavy.
I think this approach is great for managing fatigue while still getting in very respectable volume with heavy weight. I have 5 weeks left in St. Louis. I intend to break my all time bench PR of 340 before I leave. For me, the key is going to be transitioning from this new mini-phase into true strength work.
Over the years I've developed a pretty good instinct as to how to shape my training approach week to week. With the 50/20 I was conditioning, getting in a lot of rep work to groove the lifts, and also building some size. I'm now in the middle part of the progression. For this phase I want to maintain decent volume while getting re-accustomed to heavy weight. The final, and shortest phase will be hitting heavy max weights.
I won't be doing push press again for a while. Felt huge lumber extension. No bueno. The other guys wanted to do it though, so I'm not going to argue since I get my way a lot.
Phase 3 Day 50
Squat
365x1; 365x1; 365x2; 315x3
RDL
135x20
Notes
Yep, that is it. This was a squeezed in workout on Thursday afternoon. Last night I had to make preliminary motions on my final trial for the semester, so it was a pretty hectic day. The options were to either go in, skip warmups and hope for the best, or warmup well and get a few good heavy reps in. I chose the latter. Its the crazy time of the semester, my last of law school.
Squats felt really hard. A lot harder than they used to at this weight. But I'm also squatting high bar and going substantially deeper than ever before. I really feel my whole body driving out of the whole. It feels like how a hard squat should feel (as far as I can tell).
365x1; 365x1; 365x2; 315x3
RDL
135x20
Notes
Yep, that is it. This was a squeezed in workout on Thursday afternoon. Last night I had to make preliminary motions on my final trial for the semester, so it was a pretty hectic day. The options were to either go in, skip warmups and hope for the best, or warmup well and get a few good heavy reps in. I chose the latter. Its the crazy time of the semester, my last of law school.
Squats felt really hard. A lot harder than they used to at this weight. But I'm also squatting high bar and going substantially deeper than ever before. I really feel my whole body driving out of the whole. It feels like how a hard squat should feel (as far as I can tell).
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Phase 3 Day 49
Strength
1. Bench (50/20)
275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; (24 reps)
2a. Facepulls
3x15; 3x15; 3x15
2b. Calves
120x12; 120x12; 120x12
3a. BB Bent Row
135x10; 135x10; 135x10
3b. Russian BB Twist
90x3/3; 75x5/5; 75x5/5
KB Conditioning and Skill Work
1. Windmills
53x3/3; 53x3/3; 53x3/3
2. Snatch
53x3/3 for 10 sets
3. Some random Pressing
Notes
I have some 24 hour bug thats been going around. I was very close to not going in at all, but I decided to just go in and hit 275 for 1-2 reps just so I didn't lose my routine again this week. Much to my surprise, I just started banging out triples. They didn't feel good... but they didn't feel bad. I stopped after I hit 8 triples even though I had about 2-3 minutes left on the 50/20. I accomplished enough for the day.
I'm pleased to see the 50/20 work capacity carry over into higher weights. My bench is grooved as fuuuck right now. On my last triple, which felt moderately hard, my oly lifting friend was like "wow that looked really easy." Why thank you, that is called increased movement efficiency.
Still in love with light weight super strict BB rows right now. Contraction feels amazing.
I'm starting to get "into" KB form more and more. For the most part I just dick around with KB's, but now that I have heavier bells, its probably time to get more proficient in the movements. Thats what its all about, isn't it?
1. Bench (50/20)
275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; 275x3; (24 reps)
2a. Facepulls
3x15; 3x15; 3x15
2b. Calves
120x12; 120x12; 120x12
3a. BB Bent Row
135x10; 135x10; 135x10
3b. Russian BB Twist
90x3/3; 75x5/5; 75x5/5
KB Conditioning and Skill Work
1. Windmills
53x3/3; 53x3/3; 53x3/3
2. Snatch
53x3/3 for 10 sets
3. Some random Pressing
Notes
I have some 24 hour bug thats been going around. I was very close to not going in at all, but I decided to just go in and hit 275 for 1-2 reps just so I didn't lose my routine again this week. Much to my surprise, I just started banging out triples. They didn't feel good... but they didn't feel bad. I stopped after I hit 8 triples even though I had about 2-3 minutes left on the 50/20. I accomplished enough for the day.
I'm pleased to see the 50/20 work capacity carry over into higher weights. My bench is grooved as fuuuck right now. On my last triple, which felt moderately hard, my oly lifting friend was like "wow that looked really easy." Why thank you, that is called increased movement efficiency.
Still in love with light weight super strict BB rows right now. Contraction feels amazing.
I'm starting to get "into" KB form more and more. For the most part I just dick around with KB's, but now that I have heavier bells, its probably time to get more proficient in the movements. Thats what its all about, isn't it?
Monday, April 8, 2013
Phase 3 Day 48
Strength
Squat
365x1; 385x1....began 50/20 after singles
335x3; 335x3; 335x3; 335x1; 335x2; 315x3; 315x2; 315x2; 315x2; 315x1 (22 reps)
RDL
135x15;135x15; 135x15; 135x15
Ab Wheel
3; 3; 2
Hanging Knee Raises
8; 8
Conditioning
Stadium Runs - 20 sprints
Notes
The good: hit a 385 single. Hard but not grindy. The bad: rep work was awful.
My sleep was terrible the past couple of nights. I was just going to do 335 for ten triples, but on the 4th set, I lost gas. Basically I went ultra-ultra deep. I swear my ass hit my calves. Anyways, this basically blew my circuitry. My legs weren't tired, just loss all drive and power.
I'm decently pleased with the 385 single. On one hand, it feels weird to be happy about a single at this weight. On the other hand, I'm just happy to be squatting. Also, this is high bar and deep without a belt. I'm really starting to realize how high bar is just a different animal. Its hard.
Got a really nice stretch going with the RDL's and made every rep crisp. My hinge has really improved over the past few months.
Squat
365x1; 385x1....began 50/20 after singles
335x3; 335x3; 335x3; 335x1; 335x2; 315x3; 315x2; 315x2; 315x2; 315x1 (22 reps)
RDL
135x15;135x15; 135x15; 135x15
Ab Wheel
3; 3; 2
Hanging Knee Raises
8; 8
Conditioning
Stadium Runs - 20 sprints
Notes
The good: hit a 385 single. Hard but not grindy. The bad: rep work was awful.
My sleep was terrible the past couple of nights. I was just going to do 335 for ten triples, but on the 4th set, I lost gas. Basically I went ultra-ultra deep. I swear my ass hit my calves. Anyways, this basically blew my circuitry. My legs weren't tired, just loss all drive and power.
I'm decently pleased with the 385 single. On one hand, it feels weird to be happy about a single at this weight. On the other hand, I'm just happy to be squatting. Also, this is high bar and deep without a belt. I'm really starting to realize how high bar is just a different animal. Its hard.
Got a really nice stretch going with the RDL's and made every rep crisp. My hinge has really improved over the past few months.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Phase 3 Day 47
Strength and Conditioning
1. Swings
70x10; 70x10; 70x10
2. Waiter Walks
70x100(yds); 70x100; 70x50; 70x50; 70x50; 70x50
3. Snatch Ladder
(1-5 w/ 70lb) (6-10 w/ 53lb)
left: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10
right: 10; 9; 8; 7; 6; 5; 4; 3; 2; 1
4. Clean and Press
53x3/3; 53x3/3; 53x3/3; 53x3/3; 53x3/3; 53x3/3
Notes
I finally got around to trying out my new Again Faster kettlebells. I got the 24kg and the 32kg. I'm gonna do a review hopefully this week. Again Faster is like a mini version of Rogue Fitness. They make hard use equipment that is pretty economical. Popular with Crossfit, et al. Overall, the Again Faster are decent economy bells that I would recommend for anyone on a budget. The finish is going to get destroyed pretty easy, but the overall design and shape (the most important part) is solid. The handles are also smooth. They are good enough for what I need.
During this workout, what I noticed pretty quickly is that the 70lb KB is heavy enough to beat me down. Those waiter walks were hard as fuck. I can snatch the 70 for low reps, but really need to improve my form because its in-efficient and hurts on the decent.
I'm pretty sore today from my shoulders down to my forearms. If your grip sucks, doing a bunch of kettlebell work will rectify that pretty fucking fast. Mid-back is also tight.
This was only my second workout of the week. One barbell session, one kettlebell session. I'm officially in finals season. Because I'm taking Trial and Pretrial, all of the end of the year stuff happens earlier. These are active classes that includes a ton of speaking and preparation. So anyways, didn't get to do to much this week. Its ok though because I was thinking it was time for a deload anyways. I haven't really deloaded all semester. I need to try to hit up some solid conditioning this weekend though. Aerobic fitness starts to decline pretty fast.
1. Swings
70x10; 70x10; 70x10
2. Waiter Walks
70x100(yds); 70x100; 70x50; 70x50; 70x50; 70x50
3. Snatch Ladder
(1-5 w/ 70lb) (6-10 w/ 53lb)
left: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10
right: 10; 9; 8; 7; 6; 5; 4; 3; 2; 1
4. Clean and Press
53x3/3; 53x3/3; 53x3/3; 53x3/3; 53x3/3; 53x3/3
Notes
I finally got around to trying out my new Again Faster kettlebells. I got the 24kg and the 32kg. I'm gonna do a review hopefully this week. Again Faster is like a mini version of Rogue Fitness. They make hard use equipment that is pretty economical. Popular with Crossfit, et al. Overall, the Again Faster are decent economy bells that I would recommend for anyone on a budget. The finish is going to get destroyed pretty easy, but the overall design and shape (the most important part) is solid. The handles are also smooth. They are good enough for what I need.
During this workout, what I noticed pretty quickly is that the 70lb KB is heavy enough to beat me down. Those waiter walks were hard as fuck. I can snatch the 70 for low reps, but really need to improve my form because its in-efficient and hurts on the decent.
I'm pretty sore today from my shoulders down to my forearms. If your grip sucks, doing a bunch of kettlebell work will rectify that pretty fucking fast. Mid-back is also tight.
This was only my second workout of the week. One barbell session, one kettlebell session. I'm officially in finals season. Because I'm taking Trial and Pretrial, all of the end of the year stuff happens earlier. These are active classes that includes a ton of speaking and preparation. So anyways, didn't get to do to much this week. Its ok though because I was thinking it was time for a deload anyways. I haven't really deloaded all semester. I need to try to hit up some solid conditioning this weekend though. Aerobic fitness starts to decline pretty fast.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Phase 3 Day 46
50/20.
1. Squats
315x2; 315x3; 315x5; 315x2; 315x3; 315x5; 315x2; 315x3; 315x5; 315x2; 315x3; 315x2 (37 reps, +2)
2. Bench
250x8; 250x5; 250x3; 250x6; 250x4; 250x5; 250x4; 250x4; 250x4 (43 reps +1)
3. Bent Row (strict)
185x5; 185x5; 205x5
4a. Chins
5; 5; 5
4b. Dips
8; 8; 8
Notes
Solid session all things considered. I missed yesterdays workout because I was hungover (yes on a Monday... had an Easter party). So I decided I needed to combine this shit to not get too far off track.
I got in 12 squat sets in 20 minutes. Thats kind of a lot, and I think I'm starting to push the boundaries of what is effective in terms of total sets vs actual reps and work achieved. I went +2 on those, but it easily could have been more. I just didn't feel like killing myself.
I'm starting to get really fed up with bench. I'm just not seeing great progress in terms of performance throughout the session. The actual movement feels GREAT. Seriously, individual reps are just very grooved right now. But, I'm a little stumped as to why I'm not combatting fatigue better. I'm basically going up by 1 rep per session right now. Thats pretty shitty when you consider I'm shooting for between 35-50 reps. I'm trying to be patient and will give it another week or two. I've been waiting for a break through day where I just blast shit, but it hasn't happened.
Pretty soon I'm just going to go up to 275 and start doing reps there.
Bent row felt amazing. This is kind of like RDL's for me now. I get so much more enjoyment/mileage out of them by going light an really focusing on the movement. I have zero body english on these sets. I'm not saying that super strict is great by itself, but I really feel my scapula moving and my core/spine staying rigid (without a super arched low back).
Edit: for the record, I'm now approaching 50/20 in a ladder style. It is my opinion that there is more to density training than just how many reps you achieve in a given block of time. For example, I do not think that:
doing doubles on the minute (40 reps), is the same as
cascading 8, 8, 6, 6, 4, 4, 2, 2 from high to low (40 reps), is the same as
hitting ladders 5, 3, 2, 5, 3, 2, 5, 3, 2, 5, 3, 2 (40 reps).
I think those approaches produces different training effects. Volume just isn't volume and total workload just isn't total workload. I'm actually not sure what quality the doubles and ladders necessarily produce besides better neuromuscular coordination. I need to read some Mike T. articles and think about that some more. I do know that the cascade seems to be more in the realm of hypertrophy. Why? Fatigue. Hypertrophy is induced by fatigue and time under tension. Cascade basically leaves you fatigued as hell and sore. Ladders, not so much.
Connor has been doing everything cascade. I was doing shit cascade, then I moved to ladders. Connor essentially willed his way through squats, but it seems to have caught up with him. Ladders seem to work fine for me with squatting, but aren't doing jack shit for bench.
I have no conclusions on any of this - not yet.
1. Squats
315x2; 315x3; 315x5; 315x2; 315x3; 315x5; 315x2; 315x3; 315x5; 315x2; 315x3; 315x2 (37 reps, +2)
2. Bench
250x8; 250x5; 250x3; 250x6; 250x4; 250x5; 250x4; 250x4; 250x4 (43 reps +1)
3. Bent Row (strict)
185x5; 185x5; 205x5
4a. Chins
5; 5; 5
4b. Dips
8; 8; 8
Notes
Solid session all things considered. I missed yesterdays workout because I was hungover (yes on a Monday... had an Easter party). So I decided I needed to combine this shit to not get too far off track.
I got in 12 squat sets in 20 minutes. Thats kind of a lot, and I think I'm starting to push the boundaries of what is effective in terms of total sets vs actual reps and work achieved. I went +2 on those, but it easily could have been more. I just didn't feel like killing myself.
I'm starting to get really fed up with bench. I'm just not seeing great progress in terms of performance throughout the session. The actual movement feels GREAT. Seriously, individual reps are just very grooved right now. But, I'm a little stumped as to why I'm not combatting fatigue better. I'm basically going up by 1 rep per session right now. Thats pretty shitty when you consider I'm shooting for between 35-50 reps. I'm trying to be patient and will give it another week or two. I've been waiting for a break through day where I just blast shit, but it hasn't happened.
Pretty soon I'm just going to go up to 275 and start doing reps there.
Bent row felt amazing. This is kind of like RDL's for me now. I get so much more enjoyment/mileage out of them by going light an really focusing on the movement. I have zero body english on these sets. I'm not saying that super strict is great by itself, but I really feel my scapula moving and my core/spine staying rigid (without a super arched low back).
Edit: for the record, I'm now approaching 50/20 in a ladder style. It is my opinion that there is more to density training than just how many reps you achieve in a given block of time. For example, I do not think that:
doing doubles on the minute (40 reps), is the same as
cascading 8, 8, 6, 6, 4, 4, 2, 2 from high to low (40 reps), is the same as
hitting ladders 5, 3, 2, 5, 3, 2, 5, 3, 2, 5, 3, 2 (40 reps).
I think those approaches produces different training effects. Volume just isn't volume and total workload just isn't total workload. I'm actually not sure what quality the doubles and ladders necessarily produce besides better neuromuscular coordination. I need to read some Mike T. articles and think about that some more. I do know that the cascade seems to be more in the realm of hypertrophy. Why? Fatigue. Hypertrophy is induced by fatigue and time under tension. Cascade basically leaves you fatigued as hell and sore. Ladders, not so much.
Connor has been doing everything cascade. I was doing shit cascade, then I moved to ladders. Connor essentially willed his way through squats, but it seems to have caught up with him. Ladders seem to work fine for me with squatting, but aren't doing jack shit for bench.
I have no conclusions on any of this - not yet.
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