Alpha's Work IV

Training Training Logs
661

LoRez: Well man, I actually like it a lot, but since you can’t really rack a log traditionally, all of my presses have to be off the pins. Pin presses are good in themselves, but i know for a fact that I could do more weight if I had the ability to unrack the log and lower it first. I have never actually used a swiss bar before, but I believe you are able to rack it in a traditional manner. If this is the case, i think it is great tool and i actually prefer pressing from a neutral position. My shoulders feel much healthier as well as my elbows. i definitely do not get the chest soreness or development like I do with a normal pronated grip, but maybe that is just me. I think it will be a good addition to the great set-up you have been building for yourself. Also, the new hand positioning while hitting overhead presses may help you gain some strength in your press as well. i hope that helps brother!

WolfMan: That is a great Idea brother! There is a horrendous hill near a pond on the property where my gym is located. I think my athletes may hate you for thinking up this combination! I will be giving this a run early next week. Thanks for the idea man!

Pano: i think you are right about doing Oly lifts. If that is your thing, then you will definitely need a quality enough bar that you can get some decent rotation.

Interesting read by Ben Bruno there on the trap bar. I am not sure that I agree with all of it, but there are some good ideas. My only concern for what you are planning is that you cannot set up pins on a yoke. You can attach some spotting arms, but since a yoke’s uprights are typically set closer together than a traditional rack’s uprights, you may run into trouble implementing some of those exercises with something as bulky as a trap bar. With a traditional barbell, you are totally fine, but I am not sure if it will logistically work out.

For instance, the overhead presses he showed. If you are using a yoke instead of a traditional rack then you will probably not be able to rack a trap bar in the J hooks and there are no pins to press from. Also, I am not sure about the width of the handles, but in the video he showed, they looked pretty far apart for an overhead press, might be a little rough on shoulder health - but then again you are a bigger guy, so you might be okay with a grip that wide.

Also, since you are a pretty tall, when you buy a yoke, make sure you get one with the highest uprights possible. It may be a little bit more expensive, but if the Yoke’s crossmember is too low, then you wont be able to walk a bar out without having to do some acrobatics with your head. Just something to consider. It’s a mistake I have made…

If you can get some used TRX bands for cheap then I think that is a good call, but you can get blast straps (elitfts) or a cheap pair of rings for far less money.

And building jerk blocks or deadlift blocks (whichever you were referring to, is very easy. You will not have any problems with it at all. I think you will have the ability to build up a lot of strength and size with just the few things you have mentioned.

As far as Zercher Squats/Deads, I have done them in the past and they honestly didn’t seem to do much for me. I DO preform Zercher Carries with the yoke (I did them this morning in fact) in an attempt to simulate a Conan’s Wheel. They definitely light up my upper back but i think i get more from deadlift variations and front squats.

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“When you get into a tight place, and everything goes against you till it seems as if you couldn’t hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that’s just the place and time that the tide’ll turn.” --Harriet Beecher Stowe

THURSDAY, 09JULY2015 - Work For Today
Wave 2/Week 8/Day 4

EVENTS & CONDITIONING - 6 Rounds
150 Foot Zercher Yoke Carry @ 450lbs
6 Kettlebell Turkish Get-Ups @70lbs
10 Burpee Pull-Ups

NOTES

  • Had to get a quick one in before work today. More conditioning based than heavy, but in my head I know that every single workout counts, so I do my best to get it in even if it is a short one.
662

Thank you very much.
It’s so nice to hear your considering so many factors: my height, the built of the trap bar.
Makes me feel I’m not just a random poster.

The lack of pins crossed my mind also. I hoped the blocks would help out there.
The trap bar isn’t the first thing I need, it’s just something that would help out alot.

I looked up some DIY farmer walks on youtube. They would help out with farmer walks, farmer deads ( which seem like trap deads), and maybe some neutral rows (??).

Very hard balancing efficiency and effectiveness!

Too bad zerchers didn’t quite work out; everybody is built different. But those carries are no joke either!

663

Ps. What about elongating the EMOM by taking steps back, so you can put in more work? Like this:
minute 1; 1 rep
min 2; 2 reps
min 3; 3 reps
min 4 ; 4 reps
min 5; 3 reps
min 6; 4 reps
min 8; 5 reps
min 9; 6 reps
min 10;5 reps

Maybe a bit too brutal, maybe a bit too long, maybe it can help to do more quality work.

664

Man I haven’t been here in a while! Seems like your leg is a lot better, I’m really glad.

I tried WolfMan’s suggestion a while back and made my friends do it as well, they cursed me and hated me but I loved it haha. Actually I got this idea from Stew Smith which I believe you told me is from MD too(?).

It’s great to see that everyone here are doing great.

665

[quote]Alpha wrote:
WolfMan: That is a great Idea brother! There is a horrendous hill near a pond on the property where my gym is located. I think my athletes may hate you for thinking up this combination! I will be giving this a run early next week. Thanks for the idea man!
[/quote]

I reckon that’s the best test for any conditioning protocol; ‘Will the people to whom I recommend this hate me after they try it?’
If the answer is no you’re not being sadistic enough haha. And no worries brother. The best thing about this type of site is sharing ideas about training.

I forgot to mention that for some people downhill bear crawling will be the missing ingredient in shoulder hypertrophy. It’s not the reason I do it, but it’s a nice bonus :slight_smile:

666

Great discussion from all in your log Alpha.

Following on from previous discussion here on bar choices and needs, pic here of my new hex bar, easy as to weld up. If you know someone who can weld I reckon a few of these would be a great addition to your facilities.

[photo]41094[/photo]

Still following from the other side of the globe, keep up the great work here. You are a continued inspiration to many on this forum.

667

Raven, that’s a pretty thing. It looks kinda fragile tho, but that’s maybe just optical. How does it feel?

Alpha, can you maybe make a vid of a whole work out someday? Conditioning included?
I know you work out with clients; if it gets an issue with privacy, I completely understand.

I just hope to see the conditioning in action!

Btw I saw Jurrasic world in the cinema today. I’ve seen part 1 when it was over 10 years old, so that felt really slow. This part really spoke to me in pace.
The kids played great, and their personalities spoke far more to me than the original kids.
Chris Pratt being Owen was an awesome burley badass. I’m beginning to love this giy more and more
And Bryce playing Claire…phiieeewww… my kinda girl! Don’t tell 'em, but I got a huge weak spot for gals with a tip - tilted nose, sprinkled with some freckles and topped with a feisty temperament.
I never really noticed her in other movies like spiderman 3, but I will be having an eye out for her now.

668

Pano: I think a layout like that might work really well, great idea! I will play around with it and see what i can come up with! Thanks man!

Regev: Hey brother! Great to hear from you, I hope all is well! Yea, i am actually planning on doing the hill sprint/bear walk conditioning on Wednesday, I will definitely let everyone know how it went!

TheWolfMan: Yea man i cannot wait to try it out! Thanks again for the idea!

raven: Thanks so much man, and great job on the bar! I could use someone with your skills! Thanks for checking in brother!

Pano: That is great man i am glad you liked the movie! I honestly probably won’t be uploading any vids of entire workouts anytime soon though. I am all over the gym and am usually alone, so the camera would just be sitting there on a tripod while I come in and out of frame. Wouldn’t make for a very good video. Plus, every video I post barely gets 100 views each. Honestly, the upload time and trouble wouldn’t be worth it. Thanks for the suggestion though!

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“Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.” --Ernest Hemingway

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self.” --Ernest Hemingway

MONDAY, 13JULY2015 - Work For Today
Wave 2/Week 9/Day 1

CONDITIONING
10 Pull-Ups
1 Keg Clean & Press (225b keg for all sets)
9 Pull-Ups
2 Keg Clean & Presses
8 Pull-Ups
3 Keg Clean & Presses
7 Pull-Ups
4 Keg Clean & Presses
6 Pull-Ups
5 Keg Clean & Presses
?Continued this pattern until I completed the Ladder.

STRENGTH GIANT SET
Double Paused Deadlifts: 225x3, 315x3, 405x3, 455x1, 500x1, 525x1, 550x1
Keg Tosses over a 16 Foot Bar: 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
200 Yard Kettlebell Waiter’s Walk @ 53lbs: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
:30 Second Static “L” Sit Holds: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1

ACCESSORY SUPER SET
Glute Ham Sit-Ups: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
Pull-Ups: 15, 15, 15, 15, 15

NOTES:

  • First time I have pulled conventional since hurting my back. 550 for a double paused single is not bad considering.
  • Keg Clean and presses were brutal
  • Keg toss is really improving, I meant to get a vid, but totally forgot.
  • Hit the ocean yesterday. Did a ton of swimming and body surfing
669

[quote]Panopticum wrote:
Raven, that’s a pretty thing. It looks kinda fragile tho, but that’s maybe just optical. How does it feel?
[/quote]

It’s solid! 40mm square hollow section.
25mm solid bars at the ends, 25 hollow handles.

Feels really good, and suprisingly roomy in the middle despite being surrounded by steel.

670

Raven: I think it looks like an awesome build!

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“People say you have to have a lot of passion for what you’re doing and it’s totally true. And the reason is because it’s so hard that if you don’t, any rational person would give up. It’s really hard. And you have to do it over a sustained period of time. So if you don’t love it, if you’re not having fun doing it, you don’t really love it, you’re going to give up. And that’s what happens to most people, actually. If you really look at the ones that ended up being “successful” in the eyes of the society and the ones that didn’t, oftentimes it’s the ones [who] were successful loved what they did, so they could persevere when it got really tough. And the ones that didn’t love it quit because they’re sane, right? Who would want to put up with this stuff if you don’t love it? So it’s a lot of hard work and it’s a lot of worrying constantly and if you don’t love it, you?re going to fail.” --Steve Jobs

TUESDAY, 14JULY2015 - Work For Today
Wave 2/Week 9/Day 2

CONDITIONING - Deck of Card Workout
Hearts: Bodyweight Man Makers
Clubs: Pull-Ups
Diamonds: Handstand Push-Ups
Spades: Hollow Rocks x2
Jokers: 4 Minute Plank

STRENGTH
6 Second Paused Beltless Front Squats
135
225
275
315
335
365
385 Fail

NOTES:

  • Should have had the 385. I have gotten 405 for a 6 Second Paused beltless front squat. I’ll beat that soon hopefully. Posterior was a little tired from deadlifts yesterday.
671

Nice to hear raven! I find it hard to say from the pic. I’m hoping to meet a welder soon haha.

672

“My job is not to be easy on people. My job is to make them better.” --Steve Jobs

WEDNESDAY, 15JULY2015 - Work For Today
Wave 2/Week 9/Day 3

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING - Load a Bar with 365 Then Completed:
As Many Squats as Possible in 3:00 Minutes (No Racks Allowed)
3:00 Minutes Rest
As Many Squats as Possible in 2:00 Minutes (No Racks Allowed)
2:00 Minutes Rest
As Many Squats as Possible in 1:00 Minute (No Racks Allowed)
1:00 Minute Rest

STRENGTH GIANT SET
Seal Barbell Rows: 185x5, 225x5, 245x5, 275x5, 295x5, 315x5
Strict Log Press: 155x3, 205x3, 225x3, 245x3, 255x2, 245x3
Gute Ham Raises: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
Plate around Head (Each Side): 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10

Then did a 3 Round dropset with the Bamboo log setup with the kettlebells suspended from bands
205x6, 155x6, 105x6, Empty log x25
Seal Barbell Rows: 225x20
Log with 90lbs of kettlebells suspended x10
Seal Barbell Rows: 225x15
Log with 90lbs of kettlebells suspended x10
Seal Barbell Rows: 225x10

NOTES:

  • Brutal conditioning, followed by a Brutal shoulder day. I have never tried seal rows before. I got the idea from pete rubish and like them a lot. I was surprised at how heavy i could row without any body english at all. Hopefully these will help my upper back get stronger.
  • Just worked up to a top heavy triple on the log before working the “bamboo style” that has seemed to be adding pressing power thus far.
673

Funny you should mention that squat conditioning work. It’s mentioned in this article of Dan Blewett’s, which I was reading a few days ago and thinking about how awesome (in a pretty screwed up sense of the word haha) that sounded.

Is that where you got the idea?

674

Damn it’s workouts like these that inspire the hell out of me and puts a fire under my ass! Will definitely be trying out that squat conditioning workout!

675

From some quick googling, it looks like the seal rows are a chest supported row, but where you arch into a hollow body hold. What’s the goal of these?

–

Thanks for the suggestion a long while back about working weekly to a heavy overhead squat to help with my press.

At the time, I was never really able to get the hang of it. I could do it with a bar and a small amount of weight, but not anything above that. In fact, the first dent in my support bars is from a lost overhead squat. I just didn’t have the ability to maintain the bar position overhead and move with it.

So there was that. And then there were all the comments regarding my core being the problem; hip position, ab strength. And then a comment or two about my upper back not extending well. Some of that I knew, some of that I didn’t, but it all explains why my overhead squats sucked.

Front Squats are one of those things a lot of people have worked hard on, but it’s not something I’ve ever done. I was reading some stuff by a few people (strongman Dimitar Savatinov, and some Chinese weightlifting stuff), and it sounds like they’re using the front squat primarily for exactly the problems I’m having: maintaining upper back position and maintaining core position. They also both intentionally hold the bar in a way so you can’t cheat by rounding the upper back.

Given that, I could probably benefit from some front squats.

I was told that my positioning is at least halfway decent when I’m at the top of the lift, but everywhere in between kind of sucks. So, I started doing some heavy overhead lockouts and overhead squat lockouts with a somewhat unstable bar. I read about them being used frequently in the early-mid 20th century weightlifting programs, back when the Olympic press was still a pretty strict press.

These seem to be working great. They have the same benefits as other partial stuff in that you have to be perfectly aligned before the bar will even move, and it’s just a lot of work to keep yourself stable since the weight is unstable. That part is similar to your bamboo-bar-ish log presses.

I’ve only done them a few times so far, but I’ve already seen some significant improvements in my posture, despite the fact that I’m at a desk all day. Hopefully they actually work as I think they will.

I’ll probably increase the ROM over time, so that I work into full overhead squats, while also using these lockout squats + holds to just get used to being under heavy weight.

Have you considered using your bamboo-bar setup and doing something similar? Set it up high, squat under with straight arms, and just hold it overhead for a few sets for time?

676

WolfMan: That must have been where I got it from. I definitely got it from a T-Nation Article from a while back, but I couldn’t have told you where. If that was from a little while ago then it must have been it!

Gvaldes: Thanks man, that means a lot! Go for it, it is a whole lot of hell in a short amount of time!

LoRez: I am going to try to use the seal rows to build more upper back strength. When i do Barbell Rows, they get heavy enough that i cannot help but move my body around some since they are almost double bodyweight. With the seal rows i cannot use anything else to help my back row the bar. I cannot even brace well since I am laying on it. Like I said, stole the idea from Pete Rubish who stated (i’m paraphrasing) they are the number one accessory movement that helped my deadlift. Also since my lower back is momentarily jacked up, this is a way that i can row heavy without putting any real stress on it.

I have never used overhead lockouts in and of themselves, but thinking about it, that is exactly what i use the overhead squats for. I could care less if I have a big overhead squat, but having the shoulder and core stability built while trying to achieve one has definitely carried over to other lifts very well. It is one of those things that has worked in the past, but I forget to throw it in very often. I shall remedy this. And thanks for the informative write up about what you have been up to. I think a person can never go wrong with front squats and weighted carries, and I think the FS will help your out tremendously. Thanks again brother!

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“Luck is the last dying wish of those who want to believe that winning can happen by accident…sweat on the other hand is for those who know its a choice.”

THURSDAY, 16JULY2015 - Work For Today
Wave 2/Week 9/Day 4

CONDITIONING - 10 Rounds
20 Bodyweight Squats
20 Bodyweight Lunges
20 Jumping Squats
20 Jumping Lunges
Sprint 60 Meters

NOTES:

  • If you have never tried the above cluster of exercises, go for it. But I am warning you, the burning in your legs is HORRIBLE!
677

[quote]Alpha wrote:
Like I said, stole the idea from Pete Rubish who stated (i’m paraphrasing) they are the number one accessory movement that helped my deadlift.[/quote]
David Shaw, who broke the world deadlift record twice in one year and made it into the Guinness book of world records, said the same thing about his strict bent over barbell rows. He was very much against the idea of body English. From what he wrote up about his training, it’s pretty much the only deadlift assistance he ever did.

Obviously not exactly the same thing, but still interesting how much credit is given to strict rows in both cases.

678

Maybe your just too much of a sadist;)

I hope that back will not bother you too much, it sucks dankey nutz, I know.

About assistance work, I really like this method I read in Thibaudeau’s power look and 915:
first fase: 1) hammering weak point, 2) working in main lift used muscle(s)
second fase: 1) getting used to handing heavier loads (supramaximal partials), 2) hammering weak point
third fase: 1) getting used to handling heavier loads (supramaximal partials), 2) emphasising strong point (using variation that can be loaded heavier then main lift, back squat for front squat, push press for OHP)
fourth fase: just main lifts, relax for PR week.

I liked it alot. Maybe it could help for a future cycle.

679

Hey Alpha! I’m sorry I haven’t posted in while, my life has gotten pretty crazy. I am hoping to make it down to train in mid August but I don’t have my work schedule that far out yet. I’m glad the injuries are healing and am still following along. Finally, the overhead article you wrote a few weeks was a big help. I don’t know if I’ve gotten stronger yet but my press feels much more solid and explosive.

Keep up the work, and thanks for taking the time to do this log!

680

[quote]Alpha wrote:

I am going to try to use the seal rows to build more upper back strength. When i do Barbell Rows, they get heavy enough that i cannot help but move my body around some since they are almost double bodyweight. With the seal rows i cannot use anything else to help my back row the bar. I cannot even brace well since I am laying on it. Like I said, stole the idea from Pete Rubish who stated (i’m paraphrasing) they are the number one accessory movement that helped my deadlift. Also since my lower back is momentarily jacked up, this is a way that i can row heavy without putting any real stress on it.

[/quote]

Just out of interest any reason you never really do dumbell rows?