Alpha's Work 3

Training Training Logs
521

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“Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person.” --Albert Einstein

Saturday, 12JULY2014 - Work For Today

CONDITIONING: 4 Rounds
1:00 Minute Battle Ropes
1:00 Minute Static Hanging “L” Sit Holds
1:00 Minute Double Unders
1:00 Minute Static Handstand Holds
1:00 Minute Rest

EVENT WORK: 4 Rounds
Sandbag Shuttle Run: Pick Up a 150lb Sandbag (Bear Hug Position) Sprint 50 Feet, drop the bag and sprint back to the Start for the Next Sandbag. Continue to do this for 5 Total Bags.
As soon as all 5 Bags Have Been relocated, Pick Up a 150lb Kettlebell and Duck Walk 100 Feet.
Rest 2 Minutes Between Rounds.

NOTES:

  • Very hard conditioning day. The Medley was no fun at all. Hope all is going well out there!
522

I just saw that you have a new log!
When i became a member here i found your old logs and read all of them! Since then you are my role model man!
I want to be as strong and as awesome as you and conquer the fighting world hahaha!
Please keep motivating us!
Best wishes man!

523

Poseidon: Thanks for the kind words brother and welcome to the log!

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“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” --Wayne Gretzky

Sunday, 13JULY2014 - Work For Today

6 Rounds, adding Weight Every Round
50 Foot Yoke Walk: Worked up to 750lbs on my last walk with zero drops
50 Foot Burpee Broad Jumps
50 Foot Backwards Bear Walk
50 Foot Gator Walk

Then 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8 Reps of
Glute Ham Raises
Glute Ham Raise Sit-Ups
Pull-Ups
Bar Dips (First Rep is a Muscle Up)
Sledgehammer Swings (Each Side)

NOTES:

  • Today was mainly active recovery since the place I fight wasn’t open for training today. Figured I would get something in.
  • Yoke walk is definitely getting better the more I do it.
    -Excited to start back at the week strong tomorrow. Hopefully it goes well.

dieEMPTY -NEVERsate.com

524

Great work man! It’s great to see you keep up the good work at stressful time (I guess) like this.

I wanna update you as well haha
I’m not quiet sure how it’s done in the US but here they’re build you some kind of profile with skills and all that. Yesterday I got the profile and it’s great! They suggests me a lot of thing-fighter pilot and a lot special units…
Should be great!

525

[quote]Alpha wrote:

usmccds: Thanks for buying a T-Shirt brother! I sent it out…Dude, seeing your address, you are only going to be like 10 minutes from where the gym is located! You better be a regular there! And no man, the site is out there so tell everyone you know!

[/quote]

Ya man, lol, I’m right around the corner. Once you’re up and running I’ll definitely check it out!

526

Regev: That is awesome man! If I can help you in anyway just let me know!

usmccds: You better man!

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Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." --Calvin Coolidge

Monday, 14JULY2014 - Work For Today

STRENGTH:
3 sets of 6 Conventional Deadlifts with 520 on the bar. 40 Double Unders Between sets

CONDITIONING:
In Front of a Running Clock Set for 12 Minutes…No Rest
3:00 Minutes of Barbell Snatches (135lbs)
3:00 Minutes of Hollow Rocks
2:00 Minutes of Barbell Snatches (135lbs)
2:00 Minutes of Hollow Rocks
1:00 Minute of Barbell Snatches (135lbs)
1:00 Minute of Hollow Rocks

GIANT SETS:
Farmer’s Walk Handle Deadlifts: 600x2, 600x2, 600x2, 600x2
Good Mornings: 275x6, 275x6, 275x6, 275x6
Ab Ring Layouts: 8, 8, 8, 8

NOTES:

  • Normal Rucking in the morning
  • It was a very interesting workout, I had more planned but going zero-sixty so quickly on all of the deadlifts at the beginning took a whole lot out of me and I puked directly after I finished them…
  • Then I did the conditioning portion, which was pretty killer…and puked again…
  • I was supposed to finish every round of the giant sets with a 400 but didn’t want to puke anymore so I called it a day!

Have a good one everybody!

527

Thanks man, sure!
You said yourself sometime that if you’re not feeling like going to puke after the training you clearly did something wrong so I guess you did something great! (at least I think so…) Just don’t over-do it.

528

[quote]Alpha wrote:
I was supposed to finish every round of the giant sets with a 400 but didn’t want to puke anymore so I called it a day![/quote]
That’s just a hurdle to jump over.

Sidenote: I won’t believe that.

529

Something I used to do before I trained strongman was regular GM’s (good mornings) and follow it up directly with seated GM’s. Kind of blew up my hamstrings and my lower back followed suit. I avoid things like this now just because my posterior chain takes such a beating from a lot of event work, but you seem like such a steel-forged motherfucker, so I could not see how it would bother you.

530

Alpha,
At first i have to say that your new site is full of awesomeness! Great work man!

In the last pages of you log i don’t see any fight training posts. Have you stopped mma to give more emphasis to strongman training?
Also i have one more question and i would really appreciate it if you could help me with it.

Considering your back injury do/did you get any pain during BJJ training? If yes how do/did you manage to train with it? Do you do any special exercises? My low back injury makes me hurt a lot during spine flexion and i can’t train properly…

531

Regev: Hahaha yea man, i have a problem with NOT overdoing it!

Dave 101: Yea man, you are probably right…Shoulda done my runs…

Strongmanvinny: Yea mna, I am hoping all of the posterior chain work will help me on things like the keg loads at nationals…Still trying to find a place that will sell me empty kegs!

Poseidon: Yea man, really I havn’t been hitting the MMA stuff as much because I am so busy with the new business and upkeep of NEVERsate.com…About the back, yea man, I have broken my back twice and both times laid me down pretty well. I actually find that rolling actually helps my back a ton from hurting on a daily base. But if yours hurts during flexion than that is going to make it very hard for you. If you have a training partner that you can trust implicitly, then I would only go with that one guy and let him help heal you and take it very easy. Don’t try to push through a back injury, you will just stay hurt longer. If you don’t have such a partner then I’d say take a little bit of time off and scour youtube for instructional videos and get as many mental reps in as you can. I hope that helps brother!

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“Never confuse movement with action.” --Earnest Hemingway

“Action springs not from thought but from a readiness for responsibility.” --Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Tuesday, 15JULY2014 - Work For Today

CONDITIONING: Used a 70lb Dumbbell For This
20 Dumbbell Swings
1 Turkish Get-Up
20 Dumbbell Swings
2 Turkish Get-Ups
20 Dumbbell Swings
3 Turkish Get-Ups
20 Dumbbell Swings
4 Turkish Get-Ups
20 Dumbbell Swings
5 Turkish Get-Ups
20 Dumbbell Swings
6 Turkish Get-Ups
20 Dumbbell Swings
7 Turkish Get-Ups
20 Dumbbell Swings
8 Turkish Get-Ups
20 Dumbbell Swings
9 Turkish Get-Ups
20 Dumbbell Swings
10 Turkish Get-Ups

STRENGTH:
5 Sets of 2 Flat Bench Presses with a 2" Axle Bar …I put 385 on the Bar.
1 Minute Plank Between Sets as Rest Period…Complete As Many Sets as Possible on the last Set. I got 7. (PR)

GIANT SETS:
Log Pendlay Rows: 255x5, 275x5, 300x5, 300x5 (PR)
Log Incline Bench Press: 255x5, 275x5, 300x5, 300x5
20 Windshield Wipers: 1, 1, 1, 1

NOTES:

  • I was pretty happy with today’s training session. The conditioning was tough but a great primer for the rest of the workout.
  • I wasn’t sure how many reps I would get on the last set because I am not much of a “rep” guy. Normally I would hit the 385 for a double and add weight. But since I am sticking to the plan, I went with it and was happy to hit 7. Like I said, I have never tried doing this before, so 7 is my new PR by default.
  • I am really starting to like the log incline press. I really hope it helps to transition over to my OHP and I was very happy with 2 sets of 5 @ 300lbs. But again, this is new to me so this was also another PR by default.
  • Normal rucking in the AM, will hopefully be able to hit fight practice tomorrow! I need my fix!
532

[quote]Alpha wrote:
Strongmanvinny: Yea mna, I am hoping all of the posterior chain work will help me on things like the keg loads at nationals…Still trying to find a place that will sell me empty kegs! [/quote]

Hit up a local microbrewery mate, as they would be buying them in second hand by the pallett usually (they do here in Australia I know for sure).

$50-$70 approx each if bought as a pallett load (in Aus).

(Also following your log and website - super impressive workload, and great motivational writing from you. Keep it up!)

533

Hey man, do you have any tips for not over-arching on overhead work? I feel like I always get to a point in either weight or reps where I really start to lean back.

Also, go get a keg of something from Flying Dog…don’t worry, I’ll help you empty it.

534

[quote]Alpha wrote:

Poseidon: Yea man, really I havn’t been hitting the MMA stuff as much because I am so busy with the new business and upkeep of NEVERsate.com…About the back, yea man, I have broken my back twice and both times laid me down pretty well. I actually find that rolling actually helps my back a ton from hurting on a daily base. But if yours hurts during flexion than that is going to make it very hard for you. If you have a training partner that you can trust implicitly, then I would only go with that one guy and let him help heal you and take it very easy. Don’t try to push through a back injury, you will just stay hurt longer. If you don’t have such a partner then I’d say take a little bit of time off and scour youtube for instructional videos and get as many mental reps in as you can. I hope that helps brother!

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[/quote]

Thanks a lot man! I train with a cousin of mine most of the time and he has also an injured low back so we take it easy on each other.
I will try to get used to it very slowly. If someone like you, who always trains no matter what, tells me to step back a bit i will definitely do it!
Cheers brother!!!

535

[quote]BJack wrote:
Hey man, do you have any tips for not over-arching on overhead work? I feel like I always get to a point in either weight or reps where I really start to lean back.

Also, go get a keg of something from Flying Dog…don’t worry, I’ll help you empty it. [/quote]

I’ll go ahead and throw in my 2 cents on this one. It’s either because you don’t know how to properly engage your core, your core is weak, or your body is putting itself in position to get better leverage to push the weight up.

The first two involve learning how to stabilize your hips and core and getting your core stronger.

The second one is learning when to shut down the set because your shoulders aren’t just strong enough to do it strictly or learn how to lean back without hurting yourself depending on what your goal is.

536

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:

[quote]BJack wrote:
Hey man, do you have any tips for not over-arching on overhead work? I feel like I always get to a point in either weight or reps where I really start to lean back.

Also, go get a keg of something from Flying Dog…don’t worry, I’ll help you empty it. [/quote]

I’ll go ahead and throw in my 2 cents on this one. It’s either because you don’t know how to properly engage your core, your core is weak, or your body is putting itself in position to get better leverage to push the weight up.

The first two involve learning how to stabilize your hips and core and getting your core stronger.

The second one is learning when to shut down the set because your shoulders aren’t just strong enough to do it strictly or learn how to lean back without hurting yourself depending on what your goal is. [/quote]

I think you’re pretty close; I can engage my core really well on things like deads and back squats, but anything requiring an upright torso is really hard for me to stay tight on.

Also, I might try just setting up in a more arched position and holding that arch. Instead of bracing in my normal position and having to extend my spine during the set.

537

[quote]BJack wrote:
I think you’re pretty close; I can engage my core really well on things like deads and back squats, but anything requiring an upright torso is really hard for me to stay tight on.

Also, I might try just setting up in a more arched position and holding that arch. Instead of bracing in my normal position and having to extend my spine during the set.[/quote]

I used to have this problem too, very recently. And I found that, for me, a lot of things started improving once doing z presses/savickas presses since they force you to stabilize your core. Sit on the ground, no back support, legs in front of you, press overhead.

Also I found supramaximal overhead holds helped somewhat.

Couple things you can try and see if they do anything for you.

Oh, and work on thoracic mobility. Put a PVC pipe/foam roller about mid-back, keep your butt on the ground, and then stretch back over the top of it. Move it up/down your spine a bit and repeat.

538

Raven78: Thanks man, that is a great idea. I will try that today!

Bjack: Hahaha yea man that is where I am going to head to. And emptying it sounds great, but I need like 5-6 Kegs!

I will Address Your first question below:

Poseidon: Yea man, if your back is so messed up that you are having that much trouble, I would tread very lightly. A “hurt” back is easy to train around. A “Injured” back is something to take very seriously!

Fletch/Lo Rez: I totally agree with what both of you said.

Bjack: I would really take into consideration what fletch and lo rez have already said and try putting it into practice. One thing that really has helped me overcome doing what you are talking about is not looking “up” when I press.

I start with my chin up obviously, to get the bar around it while trying to keep the bar path as close to over the center of my feet as possible…But as soon as the bar hits my eyebrows/crown of my head I try to “punch” my head through the window and look straight forward. I also think about pushing the bar “back” over the top of my head at this point rather than straight up.

Other things to consider are either using a false grip (Some people find it to be a better bar path) or squeeze the bar while trying to tear it apart. I know a lot of guys find success trying to push the bar “up and out” almost like making their body into a “Y” rather than an “H”.

Give those things a try and see if any of them work for you. Thanks for asking brother and keep me updated on the progress!

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“You’re going to fall down, but the world doesn’t care how many times you fall down, as long as it’s one fewer than the times you get back up.” --Andrew Sorkin

Wednesday, 16JULY2014 - Work For Today

CONDITIONING:
20 Pull-Ups
150 Foot Farmer?s Walk (225lbs each hand)
18 Pull-Ups
150 Foot Farmer?s Walk
16 Pull-Ups
150 Foot Farmer?s Walk
14 Pull-Ups
150 Foot Farmer?s Walk
12 Pull-Ups
150 Foot Farmer?s Walk
10 Pull-Ups
150 Foot Farmer?s Walk

STRENGTH:
Load a Barbell with 365lbs then Completed 3 reps - rest 15 seconds, completed 3 more reps - rest 15 Seconds?Continued to do this for 15 Rounds.

Then Load a Barbell with 225lbs and used the same pattern as above for 15 Rounds of Front Squats.

NOTES:

  • I did all of this at 430 in the morning…It was twice as hard as it should have been but I didn’t have any other time to fit it in today.
  • Fight Practice this afternoon
539

Hi man,
Question-I remember you doing straight 100 pullup and push-up in your insert.
How can I build that strength? At least how did you?

540

Regev: Nah man, it was never 100 pull-ups straight, it was always broken up into 3-4 sets. And I simply got that way by doing heavier and heavier weighted Pull-Ups. Your bodyweight doesn’t feel too bad if you can do 200 extra pounds hanging around your waist! as far as push-ups, i am just good at them man. I honestly couldn’t tell you how many I can do of them in a row but I know it is well over 200. I think maybe benching has helped me with that. I hope that helps out some brother!

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“Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when i believe I can, then I acquire the ability.” --Gandhi

CONDITIONING:
50 Dumbbell Man Makers
100 Deck Squats
150 Burpees

STRENGTH:
3 Sets of 6 Log Overhead Presses with 250lbs on the Log. Strict 1 minute Rest Between Sets

GIANT SETS:
7 Viper Presses: 165, 175, 185
10 Single Arm Dumbbell Overhead Press: 100, 100, 100 (Each Arm…This is the heaviest Dumbbell i had access to)
Z Presses: 135x10, 155x3, 175x3, 185x3, 205x1 (PR), 135x10
20 Weighted Decline Sit-Ups: 1, 1, 1