Oct 27
DB Running Arms
3 x 60 x 2.5kg
Bench Press (1)
1 x 8 x 85kg
1 x 8 x 87.5kg
1 x 8 x 85kg
Explosive Pushups (1)
3 x 8
All sets of bench were close to my limit so a good workout.
Oct 28
Deadlift
2 x 5 x 121kg
Stiff Legged Deadlift
2 x 8 x 111kg
Hip Flexor Holds
5 x 15 secs
Good Mornings
1 x 12 x 35kg
1 x 12 x 37.5kg
1 x 12 x 40kg
Abs 4 x 30 sec holds
Wasn’t happy with deadlifting form so brought back GM’s to replace them. Did a bit of reading and wasn’t aware that with bent legs it’s an erector spinae exercise as well as glutes/hams, so will stick with that for now and no more DL. Probably shouldn’t be doing stiff leg and regular deadlift on the same day either.
Oct 30
Pause Squat Jumps
3 x 4
Depth Jumps
3 x 5 x 45cm
Single Leg Shock Jumps
3 x 5 x 70cm
Front Squat
1 x 7 x 92.5kg
2 x 7 x 95kg
Hip Thrusts
25 x double leg + 10kg
15 x SL mid-foot + 5kg
17 x SL heel + 5kg
Good Mornings
1 x 12 x 40kg
1 x 12 x 45kg
1 x 12 x 50kg
Abs 4 x 30 sec holds, 2 x 1 min side bridge
Stuck good mornings in place of HS curls as I didn’t feel 40kg did me justice on thursday. Consistency in front squat reps, nice rhythm. Particularly enjoyed ‘i wanna make love in this club’ coming on the stereo during my hip thrusts.
Nov 1
DB Running Arms
3 x 60 x 2.5kg
Plate Toss
3 x 12 x 15kg
DB Bench (1)
2 x 14 x 36kg
Explosive Pushups (1)
2 x 8
BB Curls
2 x 10 x 40kg
Was a little lacklustre today, bit sleep deprived and my focus was elsewhere. Back to bed I go…
Nov 2 - I love Tuesdays
Bulgarian Split Squats (1)
1 x 8 x 82.5kg
1 x 8 x 87.5kg
Hang Power Cleans (1)
1 x 4 x 78.5kg
1 x 4 x 81kg
Good Mornings
1 x 12 x 50kg
1 x 12 x 55kg
1 x 12 x 57.5kg
Abs 4 x 30 sec holds (reverse crunch isometric hold)
Side Bends
2 x 15 x 26kg
Sugar hit and a red bull. Hit p.b’s in first three exercises, probably most pleased with hang power cleans as I feel my technique is allowing me to really drive the weight up with all my power and I had more in the tank than 81kg but I wanted speed of movement. The transfer to my track work is noticeable and I can’t wait for my first block start.
Nov 3
DB Running Arms
3 x 60 x 2.5kg
Bench Press (1)
1 x 8 x 87.5kg
1 x 8 x 90kg
1 x 8 x 87.5kg
Explosive Pushups (1)
3 x 8
Pretty sure that’s a bench p.b. as the day I did my 1RM p.b. I only managed 6 @ 90kg so yeh, good stuff. Will have to check when the power matrix is introduced (8,5,3,1,1,1,5) but right now i’m happy with the progress in all my weights.
Nov 4
Stiff Legged Deadlift
2 x 8 x 111kg
Bird Dogs
2 x 20
Hip Flexor Holds
5 x 15 secs
Reverse Crunch Hold
4 x 30 secs
A lot more comfortable with stiff legged DL. Track session was a bit flat so glad to have an easy week next week.
Nov 6
Pause Squat Jumps
3 x 4
Depth Jumps
3 x 5 x 45cm
Single Leg Shock Jumps
1 x 4 x 60cm
1 x 4 x 70cm
Front Squat
1 x 7 x 95kg
1 x 6 x 95kg
1 x 7 x 95kg
Hip Thrusts
25 x double leg + 10kg
22 x double leg + 15kg
17 x SL mid-foot + 5kg
20 x SL heel + 5kg
Eccentric SL Ham Curls
1 x 7 x 30kg
1 x 6 x 32.5kg
Side Bridge 1 mins
Front Bridge 2 mins
Went too low in the middle set of front squats and only managed six reps. Think HS curls after hip thrusts was excessive and will just do the thrusts in future. I feel weakened today so a submax week is most welcome.
Nov 8
DB Running Arms
2 x 60 x 2.5kg
Plate Toss
2 x 12 x 15kg
DB Bench (1)
2 x 14 x 36kg
Explosive Pushups (1)
2 x 8
BB Curls
2 x 9 x 40kg
Start of an easy week, took a set or a rep off and kept the weight the same. Pleased with DB bench as I could’ve got 18 had I pushed it. Block starts tomorrow 
Nov 9
Bulgarian Split Squats (1)
2 x 8 x 85kg
Hang Power Cleans (1)
1 x 4 x 78.5kg
Good Mornings
1 x 10 x 57.5kg
1 x 10 x 60kg
Reverse Crunch Hold
3 x 30 secs
Side Bends
2 x 15 x 26kg
Did weights in the evening as my track work took 3 hours. Need a few warm up sets on split squat to get the right depth, but once i’m there I think 90kg will be comfortable. Enjoyed the power in the cleans.
Vid from today: first movement to 10m in about 1.96 secs worked out from slow motion.
Nov 10
DB Running Arms
2 x 60 x 2.5kg
Bench Press (1)
1 x 8 x 87.5kg
1 x 5 x 92.5kg
Explosive Pushups (1)
2 x 8
Intended to do 6 @ 92.5kg so a little annoyed since the 5th rep was a real struggle.
Nov 11
Stiff Legged Deadlift (1)
2 x 6 x 111kg
Bird Dogs (1)
2 x 20
Hip Flexor Holds
3 x 15 secs
Reverse Crunch Hold
3 x 30 secs
All easy. Realised I changed deadlift to good mornings and they’ve mysteriously drifted to tuesdays, leaving space for a new exercise, so…
Next week I will be starting 5/3/1 with Back Squats. I know someone suggested it a few pages back so it’s worth a shot since lots of people are getting good results, plus I like the idea of not having to plan sets/reps. My 1RM is around 161kg/355lbs so that’s 145kg/320lbs for the calculations. Week 1 next Thursday.
13 Nov
Pause Squat Jump
2 x 4
Reactive Jumps (step off 45cm box and rebound off the floor onto a higher box)
1 x 4 x 45cm → 75cm
1 x 4 x 45cm → 90cm
Shock Jumps (2 legs)
1 x 4 x 90cm
1 x 4 x 95cm
1 x 4 x 100cm (woo)
Dips, 2 x 20
Front Squats
3 x 6 x 92.5kg
Hip Thrusts
25 x double leg + 15kg
16 x double leg + 25kg (dammnnn my glutes felt that)
20 x SL midfoot + 5kg
20 x SL heel + 5kg
Ab Wheel from standing, 10 reps
Side Bridge 1 mins
Front Bridge 2 mins
Right knee was a little dodgy after a jump so switched back to two leg shock jumps, surprised with how easy the old height was so upped it all the way to a metre. Front squat onto a 39cm box. Pleased with hip thrusts, 25kg was a challenge, little annoyed that I can’t hold the bar in place as it tends to rock if i’m at all uneven. Ab Wheel is brutal on my feet instead of kneeling. Decided i’m going to do 5/3/1 for bench as well, and since 90% 1RM is ~100kg that saves any calculations.
15 Nov
DB Rows
3 x 10 x 35kg
Plate Toss
3 x 12 x 15kg
Alternate DB Bench (1)
1 x 18 x 36kg
1 x 16 x 36kg
Explosive Pushups (1)
2 x 8
Barbell Curls
2 x 10 x 40kg
Ab Circuit, 10 mins
Have been doing running arms twice a week, switched to bent over rows. Pleased with the alternate bench press. Pretty difficult ab circuit after a rest week, weights were easier but the conditioning aspect was harder. Four weeks to the first race so i’m getting my diet in check and coming off creatine.
Hi Fezz.
I read your posts in interest. Im a semi pro soccer player whos is lifting weights and trying to gain strength and size and speed in the offseason.
Do you do any pylometric work? Do you do any speed ladder work?
If you do, I would love to see a video of your pylometric routine(ie: bounding, hopping, skipping etc)
I would also be interested in your conditioning routine/philosphy.
Thanks in advance.
tweet tweet
Hey man,
I do a plyometric program pre-season (think it was from kelly baggett’s verical jump bible), did a customised version packed into Saturday mornings, involving line hops, lunge jumps, skips for distance, some bounding and box jumps. At the moment I have explosive medicine ball throws (4x5), box jumps (3x10) before track on tues & thurs, then sat morning I do jumps from seated, rebound jumps and shock jumps just to keep it ticking over. Never done speed ladder.
There’s some aspect of conditioning in speed work in that i’m not fully recovered before the next run, but the main work is wednesday & sunday.
wed - tempo, 1500-2000m made of 100s, 200s and 300s, with 50m jog/50m walk between each rep (pace 15-17 secs per 100m). then 3 or 4 circuits of bodyweight exercises (e.g. press ups, v-situps, lunge walk, burpees) each lasting 8-10 mins.
sunday - 8 x 200m with 2 mins rest between each, try and hit the same time each rep, i’m down to about 29-29.5 secs.
I found hurdle hops pretty useful - start with mini ones and increase height when you’re comfortable. I had 10 hurdles spaced 5 feet apart, started off stopping and setting myself between each one, then i’d do two consecutively, 3…4. etc. until I was happy doing all ten, then i’d up the height and do it all again.
Hope this helps and you can apply some of it to your sessions, good luck in your training
Fezz
Nov 16
Bulgarian Split Squats (1)
1 x 8 x 85kg
1 x 8 x 90kg
Hang Power Cleans (1)
2 x 4 x 83kg
Good Mornings
1 x 10 x 60kg
1 x 10 x 62.5kg
Reverse Crunch Hold
4 x 30 secs
Side Bends
2 x 15 x 26kg
Three personal bests, felt excellent today. Really good acceleration at the track as well, couldn’t have asked for much more. Had a warmup set in split squats and was much more comfortable hitting the correct depth.
Nov 17
DB Running Arms
2 x 60 x 2.5kg
Bench Press (1)
1 x 5 x 65kg
1 x 5 x 75kg
1 x 11 x 85kg
Explosive Pushups (1)
3 x 8
Starting 5/3/1 after an easy week might not be a fair reflection on my normal strength levels, as I couldn’t have done 11 reps at 85kg in previous sessions. That said my training is in 4 week cycles so it made sense to match up the deload weeks.
You should do dumbell bench presses instead of barbell bench. Save your shoulders.
Nov 18
Back Squat
5 x 95kg
5 x 109kg
12 x 122.5kg
Stiff Legged Deadlift (1)
2 x 8 x 113kg
Bird Dogs (1)
2 x 20
Hip Flexor Holds
4 x 15 secs
Reverse Crunch Hold
4 x 30 secs
Well… back squat was surprising. I was expecting 8 maybe 9 reps, felt fine at 10 then 11 and 12 were a bit slower to come up. Everything else was fine and i’m really enjoying my training at the moment.
Nov 20
Pause Squat Jump
3 x 4
Reactive Jumps
1 x 5 x 40cm → 90cm
2 x 5 x 40cm → 95cm
Shock Jumps
1 x 4 x 95cm
1 x 4 x 100cm
Front Squat
1 x 6 x 95kg
1 x 6 x 97.5kg
1 x 6 x 100kg
Hip Thrusts
20 x double leg + 25kg
17 x double leg + 30kg
20 x SL midfoot + 5kg
20 x SL heel + 5kg
Ab circuit, 5 mins
I weighed my mates “10kg bar” and it was 7.5kg (with the safety bits). I know half the weights won’t be exactly what they say and as a sprinter the numbers don’t matter but it’s a bit annoying to have all my p.b’s pegged back (except hang cleans). Anyway, enough moaning…
Edit: Weighed a few of the plates and the 15’s are 16 and a bit, so most p.b’s are fine.
Front squats felt strong, could have gone heavier but held back as hip thrusts tire me out.
Nov 22
DB Rows
3 x 10 x 37.5kg
Plate Toss
3 x 12 x 15kg
Alternate DB Bench (1)
2 x 16 x 36kg
Explosive Pushups (1)
2 x 8
Did 17 reps on the first set of bench but my right arm let me down so couldn’t squeeze that 18th out. Think if I had an extra minute rest after the previous exercise I might’ve got it.