Alpha V

Training Training Logs
402

@Panopticum I am not sure if I can point to an exact instance where I felt my strength change in relation to everyday things. That said, there is not much in normal everyday life that feels heavy to me anymore. If I am helping someone some a piece of furniture or something like that and it feels even remotely heavy to me, I quickly begin to wonder how the person on the other end is holding up!

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Latest Training video where I answer a question about mobility for the deadlift and then show my training day which included a 635 Paused Deadlift PR. Check it out if you are interested.

4 Likes
403

I’m loving these videos. They show up on my phone notifications like a text so I can know when one has come out (one of my recent techno accomplishments I’m pretty proud of…). Great information, great inspiration. It seems like things at the gym are really starting to move forward. I hope that is the case and that it keeps getting better.

Also good luck with all these questions haha! Most of any I could think of have been asked or covered. I really enjoyed the Q&A.

404

I friggin’ love this thread. I swear I check this thread more often than all other threads/articles/websites/books/etc combined! Also, incredible work on the videos, I’ve been catching up with some of them tonight as I’ve actually been home for a bit (unfortunately youtube is blocked on my work computer!). I’m excited to watch along as you get more and more recognized for your expertise.
Keep up the grind, we are definitely all rooting for you.

405

Jumping on the wagon here, been watching your vids on your site and wanted to dropp a humble thank you!
-half

406

@Roran Man, thank you so much for saying that man! Things are going great and the gym has been taking off like crazy, as well as all of the online training stuff. things are awesome brother, i hope things are going well for you!

@littlesleeper Thank you so much for the kind words brother! And thank you for the support! The youtube channel seems to be growing which i am really happy to see. I have some (hopefully) good things coming up that I am pretty excited about.

@halfbreed Man, thank you for stoping in to say that and for taking the time to check out my site. I really appreciate it man!

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“The quality of a man’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field of endeavor.” --Vince Lombardi

WEDNESDAY, 18MAY2016 - Work For Today
Wave 1/Week 4/Day 3

STRENGTH - Maximum Effort Upper
Log Press (out of the Rack)
155
205
245
275
300
325 (PR)
330…Nope, it was there but I was an idiot about my technique.

VOLUME - 3 Rounds
3 Log Clean & Presses @ 255lbs
10 Dragon Flags

BODYWEIGHT
66 Unbroken Dips (PR)

ASSISTANCE - 3 Rounds
10 JM Presses @115lbs
10 Dragon Flags
15 Banded Tricep Extensions

NOTES:

  • Definitely happy with the 325 Log Press PR. The 330 was there, nut I definitely have a lot of technique work to do on that event if I want to get better. I see so any things wrong which what I a doing on it. But today…It was a success…
    https://www.instagram.com/p/BFj0RQFpHbi/?taken-by=neversate
2 Likes
407

Here is the video from yesterday’s Maximum Effort Upper Day. It has a 325 Log Press PR, 66 Unbroken Dips and a Medical update. Thanks for the support everyone!

408

Yo Alpha,

I was asking myself. You are quite big fellow, and quite active, so you need to get a substantial amount of carbs in, even if you stay at the very low end of carbs.

As an estimation, how much vegetables, fruit, etc. do you eat on a daily basis?
And maybe, how much fats?

409

@Panopticum I think you would surprised man. If you fat is high, you don’t need very many carbs for energy. I honestly have no idea how much (macro-wise) I get but here is what i ate yesterday.

Meal 1: 2 Scoops of protein in water. Black Coffee with 2Tbs of Coconut oil & 2 Tbs Grassfed Butter. 1 Flameout, 2000 IUs of Vitamin D

Meal 2: 8 Omega 3 Eggs, 6 Pieces of Sausage, 1 Flameout, Lots of Milk.

Meal 3: 3 Scoops of Protein in Water. 1 Flameout.

Meal 4: 2 Scoops of Protein in Water. 1 Flameout. 1 Avocado.

Meal 5: Very Large Salad. (prob 2-3 servings worth) The vegetables were Kale, Carrots, Cucumbers, mushrooms, Avocado, Tomatoes. The Protein was 1.5 Chicken Breasts and 1 Turkey Breast.

That’s it man. Not many carbs in there at all, but a lot of fat. Hope that helps man.

2 Likes
410

Thanks for the reply!

Indeed very low on the carbs! I doubt you hit more than 100g. Might be low enough to go in ketosis (if your cardio is killer, your explosiveness drops a bit (nevermind that…) and your breath is kinda sweet stinky, you probably are in ketosis).

Do you on purpose keep fats and carbs apart btw? Heard it does some good stuff, but not sure in any way.

Helped a lot man. Keep awesome.

411

@Panopticum I don’t really keep them separated on purpose all that much. I honestly don’t think it is that complicated. A lot of people make this game more difficult than it has to be. Work hard, eat clean, repeat. Do that long enough and people will get to where they want to go.

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“Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.” --Thucydides

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.” --Vince Lombardi

FRIDAY, 20MAY2016 - Work For Today
Wave 1/Week 9/Day 5

CONDITIONING - Bring Sally Up Burpees. Every time the song says, “Bring Sally Down” Hold the bottom part of the push-up without allowing your chest to touch the floor.

Dynamic Effort Lower/Upper

A whole lot of overhead presses @ 135 for the taping for the latest video…Then

At the top of every minute for 10 Minutes
2 Banded Deadlifts @ 365 + 270lbs of Band Tension

At the top of every minute for 10 Minutes
3 Banded Bench Presses @ 245lbs + 90lbs of Band Tension

At the top of every minute for 10 Minutes
3 Banded SSB Squats @ 235 + 300lbs of Band Tension

NOTES:

  • Just did what i had time to do today. It was all fine and worked well. Dynamic Effort stuff is kind of like doing homework. It isn’t fun and it isn’t sexy, but it will matter when test time comes. I’m just putting in the time needed to get to where i want to be.
1 Like
412

Holy crap, this things are brutal. I’ve seen the push ups/pull ups version of this and they’re hella brutal. I sure hope it makes it into the next video.

413

@Benanything Hahaha thanks man, i didn’t video it, but they are always pretty rough. The worst thing I have done to that song thus far is front squats where you pause in the hole. Bru-tal…

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So I have gotten quite a few requests to do a video on the strict overhead press. I broke it down into 3 easy steps and hope that some of these tips/cues will help a few of you hit bigger numbers. Check it out if you are interested. Thanks everyone!

2 Likes
414

Hey, are you the guy to ask about weighted chin ups? I’ve been pointed in your direction.

I’m trying to get 4 sets of 8 reps with 40kg.

At the moment I’m on 4 sets of 7 reps with 38.5kg and hit a big plateau.

I’m interested what type of progression/periodization model do you follow? And what do you do if you plateau?

Also, how important is it to gain mass when increasing weighted chin-ups?

415

One of the most sane ideas around in this crazy world full of fads.

Btw, do your shoulders ever bother you with all the heavy pressing involved?

416

@caceye Well, the weighted Pull-Ups are just something I do as an assistance movement, I have never really cared about them too intensely…They were always used in Giant sets with other compound movements . I would say that i saw my best results when using 10x3.

Unfortunately, to tell you what to do differently, in order to break your plateau, I would need to know what you have been doing. You didn’t provide that, so my advise is limited.

As far as mass and chin-ups. I think gaining strength for doing more of them is very important. But I think gaining mass will only hurt your progress. It would just make you heavier. Unless you can get stronger quicker than you can get lighter, then mass wouldn’t make much sense. Just my opinion. I would have more of an answer for you if you let me know what you have been doing.

@Panopticum Nah man, but I completely attribute that to always doing pulling movements in the same plane PRIOR to the pressing. I read it years ago and it has always served me well.

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“We often miss opportunity because it’s dressed in overalls and looks like work.” --Thomas A. Edison

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas A. Edison

MONDAY, 23MAY2016 - Work For Today
Wave 1/Week 4/Day 1

Maximum Effort Lower - Variation: Pause Squats
135
225
315
405
500
585
650 (PR)

VOLUME - 3 Rounds
5 Pause Squats @ 520lbs
16 Windshield Wipers

ASSISTANCE - 3 Rounds
8 Barbell Good Mornings @ 315
16 Windshield Wipers

STRONGMAN - 3 Rounds
Frame Carries for 50 Feet @ 410lbs

NOTES:

  • Very Happy with how the workout went. I didn’t feel good at all but 650 flew up. The walkout was dicey…The walk IN was more dicey, but no children were hurt in the process and I walked away with a PR.
  • Foot actually felt ok on the carries. They may have been oo light to tell, but its a start.

Here is the 650 paused squat from my instagram account. I should have the full video uploaded tomorrow.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFwtRiPJHQw/?taken-by=neversate

1 Like
417

Here is Yesterday’s Training video where includes a 650 lb Paused Squat as well as questions answered about protective gear. Check it out if you are interested. Thanks for the support everyone!

1 Like
418

This thread is crazy, its amazing to see your PR’s keep coming

Based on what you wrote earlier, is it correct to say you get back around to each lift every 5-6 weeks? Meaning you do a variation of the lift each week, but you dont do the same lift again until 5-6 weeks later??

419

@Lonnie123
You might want to have a look at post #358, #361 and some of the following posts, they might help. I’ve no idea how to include it in but just input it in the thingy on the bottom right corner.

420

Thanks Ben, I think that clarifies it (In so far as it means that my initial assessment was correct, he only performs each ME lift once every 6 weeks, with the SSB speed work happening every week)

1 Like
421

Hey Alpha,

I know you don’t do many isolation exercises if any at all, but if you were to program them (say triceps exercises to help with pressing) do you try for progressive overload on them or just do them strict with good form to get a pump and work the muscle? Same goes for ab work and good mornings. Thanks.