Clockin' A Grip

Training Training Logs
1621

More from Thib’s forum;

"In your case the anxiety is likely due to an excessive sympathetic (fight or flight)/parasympathetic (rest and recover) ratio. Probably brought up by an adrenergic (adrenaline)activity that is too high for your inhibitory neurotransmitters to control.

If you understand the connection between cortisol and adrenaline, you now that any cortisol release will also lead to a release of adrenaline (cortisol increases the conversion of noradrenaline into adrenaline).

So any stressor (which increases cortisol) will increase adrenergic activity, making it harder for your inhibitory neurotransmitters to calm the brain down at night.

When you are in a high stress period you produce tons of cortisol, when you train you also produce cortisol… and depending on how you train you can produce a lot of it.

If you know that you are sensitive to anxiety under stress, it is likely that training too hard can tip the scales in the wrong direction.

5 elements can trigger a cortisol release in training.

Volume: cortisol is needed for energy mobilization. More volume means more energy requirement which leads to a higher cortisol release to mobilize the required fuel.

Intensiveness: this is how hard you are pushing each set. The closer you get to failure, the more cortisol you will produce. That’s because at that level the brain thinks that it’s about to fail and is in danger.

Psychological stress: any load or exercise that causes some “fear” or uncertainty, or required any psyching up, will release a good amount of cortisol.

Neurological demands: the harder the brain needs to work, the more adrenaline you need (to increase neurological activation, awareness, focus, motivation). More complex movements can thus increase cortisol more than simpler ones. Exercise combinations (A1/A2) will also increase it more than normal sets. Adding new exercises also increase neurological demands. Heavier and more explosive work does the same.

Density: the shorter the rest intervals, the more cortisol/adrenaline increase, keeping your heart rate up. Great to stay in the zone, but comes at a cost.

If you only have a high stress day, I would probably skip training (for example, I never train when I give seminars). If you have a high stress period of several days I would simply decrease the variables that increase cortisol:

  1. Low volume
  2. Don’t go to failure, leave 2 reps in the tank
  3. Stay in the moderate load zone (6-10 reps/set)
  4. Use more machines and pulleys
  5. Use longer rest intervals."

. . .

Some neurotype mumbo jumbo then a description of what happens as you train hard for awhile, building intensity over the training cycle. And then how to deload or reduce intensity to recover and get back to normal.

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1622

It’s stuff that makes complete sense yet no one is willing to incorporate. Bah!

Mental hack: rest is recovery. Train the brain to take that as a step forward, not back.

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1623

I feel like I see more and more guys talking about trying to cycle the intensity and volume vs just saying “I hate deloads” like everybody did a couple years ago. Maybe the idea is making some headway.

Anyway, what Thibadeau wrote reminded me of the Mike Isreatel advices; start the training cycle going a few reps shy of failure for minimal sets. Then add a set here and there as you work closer and close to failure as the weeks go by.

Or the Dorian Yates style of training shy of failure, then to failure and finally beyond while your homeboy yells at you, week by week.

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1624

12-1 Upper

Get loose

Single Arm Pulldown x 12+, 12, 10
Dumbbell Press x 15+, 15, 12
3 pairs

Seated Row, lever machine x 15, 12, 12
Plate Loaded Dip Machine x 13,13, 13
3 pairs

McGill 3 x 6 reps

Barbell Curl + Fat Gripz x 10
Over Triceps on band x 30
Band tricep pushdowns, till failure around 20
Three times

McGill 3 x 6 reps

Dumbbell Spider Curl x 12
Dumbbell Incline Curl x 12
Band pullapart x 40ish
3 times

Arm strategy
Dip machine to push away and lock out arms, “big” move for moderate reps. Then overhead extensions for lengthened tricep and regular pushdowns for shortened triceps, high reps.

Barbell curls for mid range biceps and “strength”. DB Spider curls for top end and shortened biceps, DB decline curls for lengthened bottom end biceps. I forgot to do high reps on DB curls.

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1625

12-2 Lower

Get loose

Standing hamstring curl, top half of move mostly
3 x 13

Laying Hamstring curl, mostly bottom of move
3 x 13

Inverse Curl
3 x 10

Seated calf raise, single leg, against band resistance
3 x 20, Stretch ankle between sets

Standing Calf Raise, slow lowering, heels on ground at bottom
3 x 15, roll ankle between sets

Barely looks like a workout. You must excuse me. I’ve grown quite weary.

I think I’ve got some BS tendonitis in my left ankle, probably related to doing a month of box jumps after spraining my ankle. To fix it I’ll do some work against bands, some slow eccentric stuff to focus on correct foot/toe pressure. Then stretch it and rub on it for blood flows.

3 Likes
1626

12-4

Get loose

Incline Barbell Bench x some warm ups, 2 x 10
T Bar Row x warm up, x 10, 8
5 pairs

Rogue Shrug x 12+
Decline Pushups x 12+
3 pairs

Alternating DB Curls x 10 x 3 sets

Tricep Pushdowns x 15+
DB PJR Pullover x 12+
3 pairs

Preacher Curl Machine, stick to top half x 15ish
1 arm Cable Curl, face away from stack, stick to bottom half x 12+
2 pairs

Rear Delts on reverse pec deck x 12 x 3 sets

Chris Cornell playlist going at the gym today. It was cool to hear lots of my favorite songs but kinda sad.

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1627

12 -6 Quads

Get loose

McGill moves

Peterson Step Ups x 15 x 3 sets

Regular Step Ups x 12 x 3 sets

Leg Extension vs Band x 20 x 3 sets

McGill moves

Band Thru Belt Walk x 50 steps x 3 sets

Neck Harness Extensions x 25 x 3 sets

Seated Calfs vs band, 2 legs x 15 x 3 sets

Standing Calfs, one leg x 12+ x 3 sets

Straight sets, no sweat.

2 Likes
1628

Was there an IASIP quote in here? Haha. I’m enjoying your log. Lots of good info in here. I’m struggling with similar issues related to proper scapular motion. Keep up the good work.

1 Like
1629

Hey- Oh!

Thanks man, good luck with the shoulders.

1630

12- 8 Upper

Get loose

Single Arm Pulldown Machine x 10
Seated DB Press, single arm x 10
4 pairs

Dicks Press x 10
Seated Row Machine, single arm x 10
3 pairs

DeFranco Shoulder Shocker x 12 reps each move
3 rounds

Fat Gripz Barbell Curl x 10
Overhead Band Extension x 35
Band Pushdowns x failures
3 rounds

Dumbbell Spider Curl x 12
DB Incline Curl x 12
Hub Lifts
3 rounds

For guys who can’t get sore shoulders, try this DeFranco Shoulder Shocker; dumbbell later raises then front Plate raises then Cuban press with DBs.

**

1631

Thanks for reminding me of that shoulder shocker! Used to do that often, it’s going back into rotation.

1 Like
1632

Sure thing man, enjoy. I’m glad to see you back around here!

1 Like
1633

I’ve still been lurking in your log buddy. I tend to follow along in the logs without commenting often.

1 Like
1634

12-9 Hamstrings

Get loose

Laying Leg Curls, bottom of motion x 11ish x 3 sets
Seated psoas raise + hold between sets

Standing Leg Curls, too half of motion x 10 x 3 sets
High knee suitcase marching around between sets

Inverse Curl Machine x 10/10/8
Pallof press between sets

Reverse Hypers x 15 not comfortable
Band GMs x 15 not comfortable
Band pull through x 15 not too bad

One more in the books.

2 Likes
1635

Thread the needle. I absorbed this one from yoga enthusiast Mark’s log. If you’re into getting on the floor give it a try. A little spine twist with lat and upper back stretch. I’ve been doing the pretzel stretch for that back rotation action since I was like 10 years old. It’s pretty played out now. This is exciting and new and the lat stretching going on with the twisting feels like something I’ve been missing out on. Maybe jump on this right before you play Night Crawlers next time.

2 Likes
1636

I’ll do it later before my active rest body weight circuits.

1637

I shall add yoga enthusiast to my resume immediately. It’s a good stretch, huh? One of our guys put us onto it.

1 Like
1638

For sure a good one. Definitely not a position I’ve been getting into lately. Maybe I can get CNS flexibility gains from the newness.

It’s pretty cool that you guys have that kind of team dynamic going. Everybody working separately getting better and working together to make the program better.

1 Like
1639

About two weeks ago Greg asked us to post what warmups we do. When he saw the one he figured could be best he told us all to start trying it.

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1640

12-11 Upper Chest

Get loose, some cable rear Delts and Tris.

Incline Barbell Bench x 12 x 2 sets
T Bar Row x 10 x 2 sets
Like 3 warm-ups and two work sets. Needed belt for 2nd set of rows

Shrug Machine, High Elbows x 15
High To Low Cable Pecs x 12ish
3 pairs. Too tired for dips or decline pushups. Hellacious contraction with cables.

Alternating DB Curls x 11 x 3 sets

Cable Tricep Pushdowns, elbows out, push hands out x 15ish
PJR Pullover x 12ish
3 pairs

Dumbbell Bicep Action x 12
Incline Hammer Curl x 12
3 pairs

New bicep move. Hold your hands out in front of you, like Oliver Twist getting some gruel, hold the dumbbell like your little slop-bowl. Keep the top of the DB level/flat and elbows to side as you raise dumbbell towards your chins. No wrists or forearms, all biceps. Real strong contraction at the top, like a spider curl.

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