Alpha's Work II

Training Logs
1


So it has been close to a year since I deleted my last log from here, and not having it has taught me two things.

The first being: keeping an online log keeps me more accountable, disciplined, and motivated.

And the second being: I genuinely enjoy helping out other people reach their goals and stretching into areas they formerly thought impossible…If answering questions and posting my workouts helps do that, than I am more than happy to do so.

However, the last log got taken down because of too many questions about my occupation…Please keep any inquiries concerning said occupation to yourself and I will be keeping my mouth shut about it…If you do ask, the question will be ignored. Please don’t be offended if I, or someone else, points you right back here to this first post.

Thanks in advance.

That said, I will be back here as much as I am able, but my training is going to look slightly different than it was before, simply because my goals have changed a bit…

My current job has been keeping my out of the country more and more, thus, if I do not answer you right away or if there is a delay in workout postings, just please understand that I look forward to all of your questions and comments and will respond as soon as I can.

The workouts will look different because I am trying to get into an even crazier career path, one which will have some pretty ridiculous tryouts/selections/PT tests that I need to be in a little bit different kind of shape for. I still do my strength stuff, but there is a lot more metabolic conditioning and puke-initiating sections that will help me perform faster, stronger and longer than I could before.

I will also be trying to put up some more vids and progress pics as this things goes along.

Here is my Youtube page:

There you will find some links to my current PR’s.

Deads: 615x1

Squat: 605x1

Military Press: 265x1

Bench: 500x1

Incline Bench: 435x1

Front Squat: 435x1

Pull-ups: 205x2 (4 plates and a 25 hanging from waist)

Weighted dips: 280x5 (6 plates and a 10 hanging from waist)

Anyway, I truly do appreciate all of the support and questions from all of you…and so Alpha’s work II begins.

Impossible is nothing…

Die Empty

2

sweet sassy molassy this is AWESOME!!

3

Inspiring stuff. Huge numbers. Best of luck. Which reminds me I gotta go eat

4

At first I was like “No way!”, then clicked, now I’m like “Sweet!”.

5

It’s good to have you back, Alpha. I look forward to following your training and learning from you.

6

Great to have this back man. Youre last log was fucking inspirational - practically became a pre-workout read for me. Alll the best.

7

it’s about time!

8

Good to have you back man, looking forward to the 2nd edition of your training.

9

Awesome, great to see you back.

I look fwd to reading about your ‘metabolic conditioning and puke-initiating sections’ :slight_smile:

L&E

10

For those of us who missed your first log, and only have somewhat of a snippet of how you used to train, would you mind briefly posting what you did to get to where you are today? I remember that you were a strong proponent of multiple (4-5 ?) total body sessions per week with a focus on getting as strong as possible in all the key compound lifts.

How did you go about structuring these type of workout sessions that got you to your current stats? In addition, if someone had similar goals to yours and wanted to implement your style of training, what type of template or strategy would you suggest for them to follow?

Thanks for starting this log, really looking forward to actively following you and your workouts this time!
Justin

11

Very glad to see you back man!

btw all you have to do to link a video on the forum now is post the Youtube address, you don’t need to attach it to the post.

12

Holy crap this is great! It’s a shame I missed your first log! I look forward to reading one of your infamous rants in the future!

13

TheDude, Bambi, FuzzyApple, htargett, bowl, jlutz, Lift and eat, and Ninny: Thanks so much for the warm welcome back! It has been a while but I look forward to doing this thing. really, thanks so much for checking in…

StClair: I was about to text you and tell you this thing was back up! You should have come out for the workout today…it was pretty brutal…

Iron Abrams: Hey man great to see you back as well! Man that is what i was trying to do! I just cut and pasted (if that’s even a word?) the url on here and I get a white Box…that’s all I used to have to do. Stupid technology moving on without me!! If you, or anyone else, knows what i should be doing differently, shoot me a PM and please let me know so that my vids will actually show up! Thanks in advance!

jrl:

Hmmmmmm, this is where I wish i could refer back to the old log…well, as you said I am a big supporter of full body workouts, but that is also because I am not a body builder. My goal is to pretty much be in the best cardiovascular shape as possible, while being strong as possible, and as dangerous as possible…for me, full body workouts have always been the way to go.

When i was younger (like high school age) I trained more like a body builder, with splits and such, but once I graduated and started college and began taking my MMA training seriously, body building was counterproductive…so I’ve been doing full body splits ever since…

If i were to give someone an idea of how to get to where I am, I would tell them to rotate 10x3, 5x5, 4x8 based workouts (approximately 3-4 months each)throughout the year. Sticking with whatever works best for them,splits or Full body. Just make sure all of the workouts are brutal…When planning workouts I think of what I seriously hate the most, and that is what I focus the day around. Doing what your body hates doing the most will make your body change the quickest.

Also, make something break inside your head that allows you not care too much about what others think or say will work and just simply put in that hard work on the compound lifts…as heavy as you can and often. Taking very little rest between sets, and keep your diet as clean as you can.

If you were just to do this for a few years, anyone would be astounded at the results. But most people simply do not have the ability or mental fortitude to get in and grind it out day after day, beating their log book each workout…it is what separates those who “want to” for those who “Do”. Be the latter.

I recommend reading some of Dan John’s articles on here or Wendler’s Books…

Whenever i start getting overly complicated with all of this stuff, I go back and read anything from them, and they remind me it is not so much what you do, but how well and how hard you are doing it…

i hope that helps. Everyone new will get an idea of what kind of workouts i do as this thing progresses.

Thanks for the first questions! it was a good one!

14

“Do today what others won’t, so you can do tomorrow what others can’t.”

29March2010: Training

Insert: Complexes: 8 reps each exercise without putting down the bar. 3 sets, 95lbs, 105lbs, 115lbs.

   Deads
   Bent BB Rows
   Hang cleans
   Front Squats
   Military Press
   Back squats
   Good Mornings
   Sprint 400 Meters

Strength: Giant sets. 1a, 1b,1c, rest 1 minute, repeat

   1a. Bent BB Row: 235/5, 245/5, 255/5, 265/5, 255/5
   1b. Flat BB Bench: 335/5, 365/5, 385/3, 405/3, 415/2
   1c. dragon flags: 5 sets of 8 reps

Metcon: 5 rounds as fast as possible:

   10 Burpee pull-ups
   10 ring dips
   10 Knees to elbows
   repeat

Accessory: DB incline Bench: 110/10, 110/8, 110/8

Extract: Complexes: 8 reps each exercise without putting down the bar. 2 sets, both at 95lbs.

   Deads
   Bent BB Rows
   Hang cleans
   Front Squats
   Military Press
   Back squats
   Good Mornings
   Sprint 400 Meters

Notes:

Insert/Extract: just warming up with the complexes is genuinely hard, but finishing with them again at the end makes you wish you would just pass out so your lungs would stop hurting so much!

Strength: i have been taking it extremely easy with my heavy sets lately because of re-hurting my back some, and plenty of other excuses…plus right now my 1RM isn’t really my goal for these workouts…that time will come and I hope to smash all of my current numbers, but 415 for 2 isn’t bad for getting back into the swing of things…

Metcon: If you have never tried doing a number of burpee pull-ups in a row, do it…for nothing else it will a great test of your mental discipline!

Accessory: my chest was bashed after the BB bench and 50 ring dips so i did these with good contractions and actually trying to “feel” the Mind-muscle connection in my pecs…

Overall:

Was pretty brutal…it was my last day of the 4 strength days that i have right now. (None of you thought I would actually start out with chest did you?!?) the days go, Deads, military, Squats, and bench…

we will see how this goes for a while.

people look at you funny when you get done benching 415 then run over and start repping out burpee pull-ups…not sure i can blame them, at the time it felt as stupid as it sounds!

The entire thing took about 50 minutes and I am spent.

Thanks again for the support and for nice words, it is because of all of you that i am back taking my spare time up with this thing…

15

Excellent. Glad to see you back!

16

I read through your entire first log before it was deleted. I’m very much looking forward to following this one from the beginning.

17

donpalmero and buffbills:

thanks so much fellas, it is good to be back!

18

I just finished up 30 minutes of shadow boxing followed by some stretching and LAX ball recovery stuff…

Fuel:

Meal 1: Turkey meatballs, 2 BCAA’s, 1 Flameout

Meal 2: (Peri workout) 1 Scoop Optimum nutrition 100% whey, 1 Scoop Surge 15 BCAA’s

Meal 3: 4 eggs, ham, and 2 pieces of extra protein wheat bread (my version of a moons over mihammy sandwich), 2 BCAA’s, 2 Fish oil Caps

Meal 4: Shrimp with tomato sauce, spinach, onions, Milk, 2 BCAA’s, 2 Fish oil caps

Meal 5: The rest of the Shrimp with tomato sauce, spinach, onions, Milk, 2 BCAA’s, 2 Fish oil caps

19

That is one hell of an intense workout Alpha! Its definitely motivating, to say the least. Also I’d like to thank you for your kind response; you have been invaluable in helping me dial in the correct mindset. Especially one of your earlier posts in your how do you train thread where you advised everyone to ask: “Will this make me better, help me accomplish my goals?” before every little action we take, whether it be training and nutrition related or not. It is a kick in the ass question to ask yourself, and an awesome one at that.

I’ve realized recently that if I want to push the boundaries of my physique to its limit, I need to get as strong as humanly possible and the biggest and best compound lifts. Sitting at 6’2 200lbs and 11% bf, I have a lot of potential size to add. Seeing as size is my primary goal, what do you think of using all three key rep ranges you spoke of (10x3, 5x5, 4x8) at the same time in a split routine, i.e.:

Day 1 and 4 - Chest & Back
BB Bench: 10x3
Inc DB Bench: 5x5
Dec Neutral Grip Bench: 4x8

Rack Pulls: 10x3
Pullups: 5x5
Cable Rows: 4x8

This would allow both size and strength to be trained in its maximal capacity, right? As long as there is a focus on beating the logbook every time and proper diet and supplementation is in place, would you think this would allow be the best way to train for a bodybuilder who needs to get stronger?

(Sorry to pester you with long questions, but I just respect your viewpoint on training related issues to the highest degree)

Thanks
Justin

20

So good to see you back, Alpha.

bookmarked