Alpha's Work II

Training Training Logs
1021

Nlmain: Thanks girlie! But i think you are way too kind!

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So I just wrote this up over at http://5100block.com/ …but thought i would post it over here for all of you as well. You can see the real version with the pictures and Bold faces and such here: 全网最全欧美影视资源 - 免费观看高质量内容，尽情享受无尽乐趣 (it is definitely easier to read there!

anyway here it is…

Well, with my T-Nation log just about filled up, and me unsure whether I will start another one or not, I thought it would only be appropriate for me to put some weight amounts on what I consider â??Averageâ??, â??Strongâ?? and â??Beastâ??. (I know there have been a lot of articles written on this topicâ?¦but I wanted to throw my two cents into the ring as well.)

All three of these terms get tossed around a lot almost to the point of abuse. What people see as â??beastâ?? or â??strongâ?? has become extremely skewed in my opinion and I want to give those terms some real meaning and significance again.

Unlike many people, what I consider to be an amazing feat of strength has just as much to do with the weight on your body as it does with the weight on the bar. Is a 500lb bench impressive? If you weigh 200lbs, Iâ??d say definitely! But if you are tipping the scales at 350…not so much, in my opinion at least. That said, I will be giving my rankings in relation to bodyweight, not just an obscure amount of iron.

Now my classifications look something like this:

Average: What I think the normal 18-40 year old adult male SHOULD be able to perform in order to live a full active life, protect his family and survive whatever fate chooses to throw at him.

Strong: Someone who I observe in the gym or in life, who has obviously paid their dues, has continually pushed themselves physically and mentally and is observably reaping the benefits of years of such a work ethic.

Beast: I will stop what I am doing in the gym (or on a video) to watch what is about to happen next. This will typically be followed by me picking my jaw up off the floor, shaking my head, and simply sayingâ?¦That guy is a beastâ?¦I have a LOT of work to do.

***You will soon learn why I have called very, very few people a beast in my time.

So grab your calculators and make some goals because here we go:

BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES:

Pull-ups: Weighted (Weight hanging from your waist or performed with a weight vest on).

Average: Bodyweight + 40lbs hanging from your waist for 4-8 reps.
Strong: Bodyweight + Your own Bodyweight in iron hanging from your waist for 3 reps.
Beast: Bodyweight + Your own Bodyweight in iron + 25lbs more for 1-3 reps.
(At my bodyweight of 225 that is preforming Pull-ups with more than 250lbs hanging from my waist-I am within 40lbs of this—My current max is BW+205x2)

Pull-ups: Bodyweight for reps.

Average: 15+
Strong: 25-30+
Beast: 45+

Dips: Weighted (Weight hanging from your waist or performed with a weight vest on).

Average: Bodyweight + 100lbs hanging from your waist for 4-8 Reps
Strong: Bodyweight + Bodyweight in iron hanging from your waist +50lbs for 3-5 reps.
Beast: Bodyweight + Bodyweight in iron hanging from your waist + 100lbs or more for 3-5 reps.
(At my bodyweight of 225 that is preforming dips with 325lbs or more hanging from my waist-I am VERY close to this—currently doing 305x3)

Dips: Bodyweight for reps.

Average: 50-75
Strong: 75-100
Beast: 100+

Push-ups: Bodyweight for reps

Average: 75+
Strong: 100-150
Beast: 150-200+

LOWER BODY EXERCISES:

Squats & Deadlifts: Conventional or Sumo but not Trap bar.

Average: 2x your Bodyweight on the bar
Strong: 2.75x your Bodyweight on the bar
Beast: 3.5x your bodyweight on the bar
(At my bodyweight of 225 that is 787lbs or more-there are people out there doing this. I am just not one of them. Yet.—My max squat is 605x1 and my max dead is 615x1. I have work to do!)

Front Squats:

Average: Your Bodyweight on the bar for 4-8 reps.
Strong: 2x Your Bodyweight on the bar for 1-3 reps.
Beast: 2.5-3x your bodyweight on the bar for 1-3 reps.
(At my bodyweight of 225 that is 562-675lbs or more—Again, people are doing this. But sadly I am not. My max 435x1)

UPPER BODY EXERCISES:

Bench: Barbell Flat

Average: Your Bodyweight on the bar for 10 reps.
Strong: More than 2x Your Bodyweight on the bar for 1-5 reps.
Beast: More than 2.5x Your Bodyweight on the bar for 1-5 reps.
(At my bodyweight of 225 that is 562lbs or more—Iâ??m getting closer, Current max is 500x1)

Military Press: STRICT, NO leg drive, and from the chest.

Average: 90% of Your Bodyweight for 4-8 reps.
Strong: 1.3x Your Bodyweight on the bar for 1-5 reps.
Beast: 1.5x Your Bodyweight on the bar for 1-5 reps.
(At my bodyweight of 225 that is 340lbs or more—Current max is 280x1 so I have some distance to go!)

So there you go. I know it is not an exhaustive list of exercises by any means, but it should give you some sort of idea of what my perception of â??strongâ?? actually is.

The â??Beastâ?? numbers are goals of mine and places Iâ??d like to get to in the future.

Thanks for reading and for the support!

Anyway i would encourage you to head over to the 5100Block and check it out there, it is easier to follow with the texts and pics and stuff…

Ok now off to go sweat doing something with a semi-working leg! It is getting a little bit better though.

i think.

1022

Awesome targets there man and I am sure you will reach the status of beast in your mind, even though I think most people here will agree you are already. Your numbers are insane and show I still have a long long way to go. I barely scrape average based on your calculations and probably don’t even make that on squats and military press, although they are slowly getting there.

On a different note though I really hope you do write another training log and continue to contribute here. I think I speak on behalf of most of tnation when I say it is both informative and inspirational. Hope you overcome your injuries soon and continue to work towards your goals.

1023

Holy shit I don’t even make “strong” on a lot of those categories. I have a LOT of work to do.

Thanks for the motivation. Back to work!

1024

All I have to say is you’re the freaking man Alpha! Stay strong brother!

1025

[quote]Alpha wrote:

Missplucky: Well thank you! and follow away! I actually am quite a fan of your own log over on PW, i enjoy your writing style. i hope you feel better soon!

[/quote]

=D =D I had no idea!

happy dance

1026

Oh and please please please do another log!!

1027

I am no where near your graph of beastliness!

aw my little ego is crushed.

1028

well then…

I just SUCK! There is no option for SUCK so I too, better get back to work!

and you better start another log!! Cause I said so!

1029

[quote]nlmain wrote:
I am no where near your graph of beastliness!

[/quote]

I’m not even near AVERAGE for some of them. Stupid pull ups.
Oh well, I guess I won’t be causing any jaws to drop any time soon.

Where would we be without another Alpha log?
Not having another log will cause a TNation apocalypse.
You don’t want to cause an apocalypse, do you Alpha?

1030

Damn Alpha…I don’t think I’m even “Average” yet…FML

1031

Iron warrior: thanks so much for the kind words brother! and don’t worry, Average on that scale is doing good!

Bug: Man I barely make “Strong” on a lot of those also! They are high levels of performance, but well worth it! Thanks for checking in brother!

pbclax: Ha thanks man, but more like a broken foolish man right now! Thanks though!

Miss plucky: Yea totally! i have been for a while. Good stuff and entertaining. Oh and we will see about another log, it just takes up a lot of time ya know? Thanks for stopping by though!

Nlmain: well it was a scale for boys…I’d have completely different numbers for the girls scale! But I "honestly don’t really know how to do that…because I have a ding-dong…the world is confusing sometimes!

MIM: YOU DO NOT SUCK! Like i told main, the girl numbers would be different! and another log is still bouncing around in my mind…may need to wait until I am rehabed…I’m not sure yet…

Nikki: Wow, i didn’t even know you ever read this thing! and No i don’t want to start a T-nat Apocalypse, maybe just some anarchy! i think i would survive very, very well in a world with anarchy! Welcome to the log!

Ink: It’s ok brother, read below…and thanks for stopping in man!

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***Ok so i am catching some heat from where I set those levels yesterday…Understand that they were levels for Guys, not chicas (I would have a completely different scale for them), and also please understand that “Average” Is pretty darn challenging to be on that scale. but that was kind of my point. I want to raise the bar you know? Heck I am not a beast on any one of those levels yet! that is what i am shooting for, but there ARE people already doing those things…the sheer fact that someone can do something that i cannot yet infuriates me and makes me want to get better. i hope it does for you as well…

Secondly, consider the source. I am not right in the head. I can’t feel part of my left leg right now due to a herniated something in my back…it doesn’t work right…I have 2 pins holding my knee together, and have broken my back more than once…When i have pins holding the bones together in my hand, i took pliers and removed them so that i could pull them in and out at parties to amuse people.

Like a month ago i hurt my foot doing backflips in a hotel room, and 2 weeks ago I took all of the blood off my stomach sliding off of my buddies roof…and I’m 30!!! To put it lightly, I see the world in a different tint than most,and it makes my perceptions skewed…All of you reading this are more sane than me, and that is good! You should shoot for your own perceptions of strength…these are just mine!

Ok now that that was said, today’s gimpy leg workout was brutal…

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“The test of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there.”

-James Buchanan

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12November2010: GPP/Accessory stuff

Everything completed as fast as i could!

Ran 400 Meters with a 40lb Weight Vest on
21 Pull-ups with a 40 lb weight vest on
21 95lb Squat presses with a 40 lb weight vest on
Ran 400 Meters with a 40lb Weight Vest on
15 Pull-ups with a 40 lb weight vest on
15 95lb Squat presses with a 40 lb weight vest on
Ran 400 Meters with a 40lb Weight Vest on
09 Pull-ups with a 40 lb weight vest on
09 95lb Squat presses with a 40 lb weight vest on
Ran 400 Meters with a 40lb weight vest on

The complexes: 6 reps each exercise with a 95lb Barbell** all of this was done with the 40lb weight vest on…

-Bent over rows
-Deads
-Cleans
-Military
-Squats
-Good mornings
-Run 400with a 40lb weight vest on

Repeat 5 more times

Then this again…

21 Pull-ups with a 40 lb weight vest on
21 95lb Squat presses with a 40 lb weight vest on
Ran 400 Meters with a 40lb Weight Vest on
15 Pull-ups with a 40 lb weight vest on
15 95lb Squat presses with a 40 lb weight vest on
Ran 400 Meters with a 40lb Weight Vest on
09 Pull-ups with a 40 lb weight vest on
09 95lb Squat presses with a 40 lb weight vest on
Ran 400 Meters with a 40lb weight vest on

Then i did some Accessory stuff

1a. Behind the neck press: 135x10, 135x10, 135x10, 135x10
1b. Reverse grip Bent BB row: 185x10, 185x10, 185x10, 185x10, 185x10
1c. hanging leg raises: 4 sets of 12

Barbell Curls: 95lbs…some x some…

Notes:

-The weight vest is really upping my conditioning! and this workout was absolutely brutal…but somehow I am already tearing the thing! I guess it is not made for running…at least not 2.5 miles worth in quick succession!

-Running feels so weird because of my leg not working right! It is getting better but slowly…i have no doubt I will regain full control and ROM of it soon…

-The accessory stuff was just for fun. i am hoping to hot the real gym tomorrow mornign and get some lighting in…probably nothing heavy until I can feel things in my leg again, but more weights and less conditioning!

-Oh and it looks like I MAY be signing up to do one of those adventure race things in April…should be a blast and something to be training for while waiting for all of these injuries to heal!

I hope all of you have a great weekend and get outside to enjoy this weather!

Have a great night!

1032

Sorry, didn’t mean to be a lurker, I should’ve made my presence known :stuck_out_tongue:

You don’t need to wait to be rehabbed, people will still follow, regardless of whether you’re even training or not haha

1033

Alpha I just wanted to let you know that your workouts motivate the hell out of me and truly are an inspiration towards me working to be both strong and fast like you.

1034

Looks like I got my work cut out for me if I want to be a beast, haha. That post motivated man :smiley:
I think you should definetly do another log when this one fills, shit man, I think you’ve become a big part of T-Nation, not continuing to post your work would definetly leave a hole.

Hope you’re healing fast brother.

1035

Well according to you Alpha, I’m average on everything (except MP gotverdomme!). I would agree! And onward to “strong” status for me it is!

1036

Nikki: thanks girlie, it might happen!

Devildog: Thanks so much for the kind words brother! i really appreciate them and happy Veteran’s day brother!

Delta: Thanks man, i am still rolling around different ideas for a new log. And i have no doubt that you will hit those “beast” numbers in the near future brother!

Jab: Get at it man! I guarantee you will get there before you know it!

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well i have been doing a lot of rucking lately as rehab and recovery work. I actually just got back from a long one this morning. Good stuff and it is beautiful outside!

Oh and yesterday I signed up for this adventure race! http://toughmudder.com/

It looks like so much fun! I am doing a write up about it over at 5100block.com. i’ll get the link over here once i finish the article.

Thanks for reading and responding! I really appreciate it!

1037

In the last two days, I’ve no-lifed it and read all your posts in this log. Forget the weights, it goes to show that the body is a manifestation of the mind and if you will it, it can be so if you believe strongly enough in yourself.

Truly inspirational, good luck in everything you do.

1038

that adventure race looks awesome! I would totally hit it if one was organized near my place.

which one will you be running? or is that too much info for the secret Ninja?

:wink:

1039

Ben: Thanks so much brother, you words mean more than you know man! And thanks for taking the time to read this whole thing! Welcome to the log brother!

Mainey: It is in Allentown, PA in April. I am stoked. And since I am pretty jacked up right now it gives me something to train for that does not involve lifting heavy things…I am also checking out some fight school stuff tomorrow night to see how I feel about it all…Thanks so much for checking in girlie!

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“It is not about whether you can or you can’t…There is only what has been done and hasn’t been done, yet.”

-KL

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15November2010: GPP/Training

25 minutes Incline walking with a 40lb weight vest on at 0’Dark thirty this morning.

Then at 0900

7 Rounds as fast as possible:

Run 400 Meters with weight vest on
10 dead hang pull-ups with weight vest on
10 Step ups with 2 40lb Dumbbells (left leg) with weight vest on
10 Step ups with 2 40lb Dumbbells (right leg)with weight vest on
10 Lat pull-dowsn with weight vest on
20 Dips with weight vest on
15 Burpees with weight vest on
15 Barbell Bent Rows with weight vest on
15 (95lb Barbell Cleaded from the floor, Military press to the back of the head, then a behind the neck press, and back to the floor with weight vest on) That is 1 rep…15 of those each round was not much fun.
Run 400 Meters with weight vest on

Repeat all of this 6 more times…then fall into a coma of stupid oxygen deprevation.

Then i threw in some strength stuff for chest…I know it is light, but I’m hurt darn it!

1a. Flat Barbell bench: 225x10, 225x10, 225x10, 225x15
1b. Ab wheel roll outs: 4 sets of 8

2a. Incline Barbell Bench: 225x8, 225x8, 225x6
2b. Ab wheel roll-outs

3a. DB Flyes: Some x Some.
3b. Bodyweight dips: bunches.

Notes:

I am actually enjoying doing so much conditioning work, and it is definitely helping me to burn away some of this extra insulation! i guess if you are going to be hurt than doing this stuff is acceptable. please no one revoke my man card yet!

i hope all of you are doing great out there! thanks for reading!

1040

[quote]Alpha wrote:
I am actually enjoying doing so much conditioning work, and it is definitely helping me to burn away some of this extra insulation! i guess if you are going to be hurt than doing this stuff is acceptable. please no one revoke my man card yet![/quote]

I was going to say something witty about needing to have a man card first before it gets revoked, but considering that I haven’t touched a real weight in the past 6 months, I’ll have to let it slide. Get healed up man…Nothing worse than having a bunch of gimps posting on this site. :wink: