Alpha V

Training Training Logs
422

@Lonnie123 Thank man, i appreciate that! And Benanything pretty much hit the nail on the head, but yep. I will only hit that specific variation once every 5-6 weeks. An easy way to look at it is:

I am doing conjugate in 6 week waves.
on my ODD weeks I am hitting heavy Squat and Bench Variations.
On my EVEN weeks I am hitting Heavy Deadlift and OHP Variations.
I hit all four every week during my dynamic effort work (which stays the same every week) with: Banded SSB Box Squats, Banded Deadlifts, Banded Bench Press and Banded Overhead Press. The only thing that changes is the percentages.

Hope that clears things up man!

@Benanything Thanks for that brother!

@ANIMAL_M0THER I think it depends on the exercises and when they fall into my assistance work or what my goals are.

For the most part, my triceps as so fried after my maximum effort work and then the volume stuff that there isn’t a whole lot of room for progressive overload. Or it is unnecessary because there is no isolation exercise that is going to tax my triceps as much as what I have already done.

I do program in isolation stuff, but not until the very, very end of my workout. At that point it is only “finishing” them off, so I guess you would say that I am just getting a “pump” although i rarely do.

think you can program good mornings with way. If your form is spot on, I think going for progressive overload is a great way to build up your squat and deadlift. If it is not, then that will send you to the hospital. So for most people, i would say sticking with strict form and higher reps is better.

For abs, I don’t like progressive overload because I don’t think you can really isolate them that well in that manner. If you keep pushing the weight on them, eventually you will just start pulling with your hip flexors or other muscle groups and that is not what you are trying to do. That is why I put a ton of stress on my core with heavy squats, deads, yokes, carries, etc…and then still hit them between my sets with just my bodyweight.

I can’t really tell you how to program them if I don’t know what you are training for. My answer would be different for a strength athlete vs. a Bodybuilder, vs. a crossfitter

423

Thanks for your answer.

What would you recommend for a strength athlete vs bodybuilder?

I dont do a ton of isolation stuff. Bis, tris, upper back/traps and abs.

Ive just heard different philosophies regarding how to train them. Some say to progress on them like any other lift, even if progress is slow. Others like Paul Carter, Wendell and Louie Simmons say to just do a shit ton of volume with strict form and get a pump/work the muscle. Thats supposed to be more effective and be better for your joints. Just wondering where you stand.

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@ANIMAL_M0THER I would program a strength athlete just like you described Wendler and Date Tate doing. For a bodybuilder, I would do more progressive overload as well as more isolation work in general. But honestly, not that much more. Basic exercises build basic mass. A bodybuilder may need a little more isolation work to help round out their physique, but overall, I think most of their work should be large compound movements with assistance stuff that closely resembles their main effort of the day. I would rather see them doing something like dips or incline dumbbell rather than tricep push-downs or kick backs simply because the heavier weight will cause more adaptation than with what they could could with strictly isolation alone.

You don’t need to do this as much with strength athletes simply because of the loads they are lifting during their main movements.

When i trained to get bigger I did it like a traditional bodybuilder…Like straight from Arnold’s encyclopedia kind of stuff and I barely grew. When i switched to 10x3 I started putting on mass much easier.

It makes so much sense in my head…If I can do 3 sets of 10 @ 100lbs my body doesn’t have to adapt much (other than muscular endurance) in terms of putting mass on my frame. If i do 10 sets of 3 @ 300lbs, my tendons, muscles, even my bones get thicker to deal with that kind of weight.

Just my opinion man, i hope that helps!

1 Like
425

Happy Birthday Alpha!

426

@Benanything Thanks Brother!

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“A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does the genius or the madman. It’s only you and I, with our big brains and our tiny hearts, who doubt and overthink and hesitate.” --Steven Pressfield

“It’s better to be in the arena, getting stomped by the bull, than to be up in the stands or out in the parking lot.” --Steven Pressfield

WEDNESDAY, 25MAY2016 - Work For Today
Wave 1/Week 4/Day 3

STRENGTH - Maximum Effort Upper
Variation: Incline Log Bench Press
155lbs
245
300
335
355
375
385 (PR)

Supersetted with Pendlay rows (rows were performed before my presses)
225x5
275x5
315x5
335x5
315x5
315x5
315x5

VOLUME - 2 Sets
Pendlay rows - 225 x10
Log Incline Bench Press - 245 x 10

CONDITIONING - 200 Meter Sled Drag @ 205lbs
Supersetted with Puking

NOTES:

  • Log Bench went MUCH better than I expected it to today! So that was good, then I thought I would test out my foot with some long distance sled drags. This proved to be less good. Ended up puking my brains out off and on for about a half hour. I am not sure if it was more the pain from the foot or from exhaustion or (most likely the combination of the two) but it definitely took something out of me.

Honestly, i cannot think of a better way to spend my last few hours as a 35 year old…

2 Likes
427

Puking is a great supetset movement. Works the abs from the inside.

You had a great year in training Alpha. Here’s to another 35 more.

428

Happy 36th birthday!

Onto to many years of reverse eating!

429

@T3hPwnisher Hahahaha that was perfect! Thanks man!

@Panopticum Hahaha thanks man!

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I uploaded the last workout video while being 35 Years old. If you are interested, feel free to check it out, and if you want to make my Birthday even better, please subscribe to my channel!

430

Happy birthday! Thanks for all that you do man!

431

Hey Alpha,

Rows were incredibly strong there, but I think the way Pendlay teaches the Pendlay row is:

  • Back is completely parallel to the floor
  • Dead stop each rep on the ground
  • Explosive rep speed

Here he is teaching it:

Hope you can see where I’m coming from here… Not trying to be a know it all or correct you, but you seem like the kind of guy who appreciates the information and likes to do things the right way.

432

@strongmanvinny2 Thanks brother, that means a lot!

@Lonnie123 Touche my friend. You are definitely right.

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“It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience.” --Julius Caesar

“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.” --Harvey Fierstein

MONDAY, 30MAY2016 - Work For Today
Wave 1/Week 5/Day 1

STRENGTH - Maximum Effort Lower
Deadlifts
135
225
315
405
500
585
655

VOLUME - 3 Rounds
5 Deadlifts @ 530lbs
10 Axle Roll-Outs
8 Bodyweight ManMakers

ASSISTANCE - 3 Rounds
12 Close Stance Stiff Leg Deadlifts @ 315lbs
12 Glute Ham Raises
Max Effort Bumper Plate Farmer’s Carries.

NOTES:

  • A very meh workout. I was hoping to hit more than 655 on the deadlift today but while I was working my way up, I could just tell that it wasn’t there. So i tried to salvage the day by getting some other good work in and called it.
433

A video about how I got involved in Strongman and remembering my friend Mike Jenkins…

2 Likes
434

Great story. Mike was always my favorite. I was 17 years old and dying to get into strongman but I didn’t know how and felt I wasn’t strong enough. Then I saw him on TV at worlds and it all changed. I saw him lose the deadlift event due to an injury and a nagging weakness he had, but it didn’t matter. He was SO good at everything else that he was incredibly hard to defeat. I instantly related to this, and of course his immense overhead strength. He was the guy I rooted for and I always loved hearing him speak about the sport in interviews because he was so easy going and seemed so happy to be where he was.

It reminded me to have fun with what I was doing because in the end we’re all just trying to get better in a strange unknown sport. Anyway, knowing you and Mike were great friends kind of brings me some solace because this little feedback loop we have going on, in some way directly, starts back to Mike. Without him I may have never been inspired enough to have the fire lit, and you may not be here now passing off such invaluable awesome information and just good old esprit de corps.

1 Like
435

@strongmanvinny2 Man, it means a lot that you would share that man. It is crazy how small the world is and how connected we all are to each other. I really, really appreciate you saying all that you did.

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“You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.” --C.G. Jung

“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.” --William James

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.” --Theodore Roosevelt

TUESDAY, 31MAY2016 - Work For Today
Wave 1/Week 5/Day2

STRONGMAN
So, i knew i wanted to play around with kegs today but didn’t really have much of a plan. What ended up happening was:

A bunch of Keg over bar: Heaviest weight was a 300lb keg

A bunch of Keg Clean & pressing: Heaviest weight was a 270lb keg…Which would have been a PR but i don’t think I can count it because my left arm wasn’t completely locked out…

And a bunch of Keg throws.

Really, I was just kind of messing around but ended up getting some good quality work in and should have some decent shots for the next video, especially with all of the throws. Hoping to try some different editing stuff with this one since there was so much dynamic/explosive movements, some slow-mo/reverse type of stuff might be cool. We will see. Should be a good project for me Thursday, but I am also trying to find time to make a new 350lb Atlas stone…Hmmm decisions…

Hope everyone is doing well out there!

436

Great inspiring video! More videos like this would be great.

437

Amazing job on the C&P PR! That looked really solid, and the throwing intro was pretty cool. I’ve really been enjoying your channel, and always look forward to the next video.

Happy late birthday, I hope it was a good one!

438

@Panopticum Thanks man, i don’t do a lot of personal stuff because I am a pretty private person and a lot of my background I cannot really talk about. I am sure more personal stuff will come out when appropriate, but I don’t offer a lot of that up at will.

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"If you plan to build walls around me, know this - I will walk through them. --Richelle E. Goodrich

WEDNESDAY, 01JUNE2016 - Work From Yesterday
Wave 1/Week 5/Day 3

STRENGTH - Maximum Effort Upper
Axle Continental Clean & Press
135
225
275
300
325
350 (PR)
Was doing 10 Knees to Elbows Between Attempts

VOLUME - 4 Rounds
4 Axle Continental Clean & Presses @ 275lbs
10 Knees to Elbows

ASSISTANCE - 4 Rounds
Axle Z Presses @ 185 (Max Reps Each Set)
Lateral Raises @40 lbs (Max Reps Each Set)
Banded Face Pulls (Max Reps Each Set)

NOTES:

  • Definitely a good day for me. Tuesday went well with all of the Keg stuff so i wasn’t sure what I would have left in the tank for this day but it ended up going really well and I am really happy about the 350 PR.

Here is the latest training video that I think turned out pretty well. I tired a few new angles and edits I am happy with them. It shows a lot of Tuesday’s Keg Work as well as the jumps leading up to Yesterday’s PR. Check it out of you are interested. I really appreciate the support guys!

439

That keg toss… lol good stuff

440

I know you are a more private man. I am too, much more, but that is because I don’t have any benefit to gain from it, while it makes you help building your business. Internet can be a scary place when you get too much of yourself out there (Selfie generation, eat your heart out). But nevertheless, that makes every scarce thing of yourself you get out there much more valuable. Keep a bit of the mystique, brother;)

441

@kckfl349 Hahaha thanks man!

@Panopticum Yea man, it can definitely get out of hand fast