Farmer's Log 2

Training Over 35 Lifter
881

[quote]minimaltechno wrote:
Got an oly flash back from one of your posts I saw floating around. Anyway my old coach (literally & figuratively), along with some hot shot lifter, always swore by doing multiple sets of doubles of 80% max on oly lifts, can’t remember was it 3 or 6 sets. Good for speed and technique & just plain ol’ upping the max lift, would do it for a few weeks.[/quote]

I think I’m going to give doubles and triples a go for a few weeks to see if they’ll help me. I don’t think I’m progressing much just on the singles.

882

Friday 19th July 2013

Hang snatch
1 x 3 x 88 lbs
1 x 3 x 110 lbs
2 x singles x 132 lbs
1 x 1 x 143 lbs
2 x miss x 154 lbs

Power snatch
3 x miss x 154 lbs

Front squat
2 x 5 x 220 lbs

Military press
1 x 3 x 159.5 lbs
1 x 2.5 x 159.5 lbs

RDLs
3 x 6 x 220 lbs

Explosive chins
3 x 3 x bw +11 lbs

Face pulls
3 x 12 x 60.5 lbs

Well as my Dad used to say “after the Lord Mayor’s show comes the shit cart”. After two workouts that I was very happy with, tonight was terrible. I had no zip whatsoever.

It wasn’t helped by the fact that I pulled my shoulder immediately before my workout trying to lift my cement mixer out of the back of my truck by myself. It still had the legs extended (to save time) which makes it top heavy and as I lifted it off the tailgate it rolled forward in my arms and somehow by tensing and leaning back I managed to keep it in the air and stop it smashing on to the ground. So my mixer is OK, but at the expense of my shoulder. It’s only what I call a tweak, so hopefully should be 100% by Monday.

The only good bit about today’s session was my front squats which finally seem to be going in the right direction.

The RDLs could well have been stiff legged deadlifts because despite pushing by hips back the plates were hitting the ground at extension. Maybe I’m getting more flexible or my arms are getting longer? I’ll have to look up the difference.

883

No videos?

884

Looking good Brett.

I’m in Utah, which is far inland and pretty desert-y. I usually lift (briefly) around 5pm, when its 120 Farenheit in my garage. I figure if i can’t go heavy, at least I can suffer.

885

yes, i wanna see video of farmerbrett doing stiff legged deadlifts, too.

886

[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:

[quote]minimaltechno wrote:
Guess I’ll just do a trial & error thing, although if memory serves me band pull aparts & face pulls helped me last time. The band pull aparts from behind isn’t one I’ve done before. No access to rear delt machinces, might give the YTWL’s another shot, but maybe dropping the weight, since you use 2.5kg yourself, FarmerBrett. [/quote]

This is the video I got the exercise from and they suggested using 2.5kilos and if that’s heavy enough for those guys, who probably snatch more than I deadlift, it should be heavy enough for me. In fact I should probably be using even less.

Oops! sorry.[/quote]

Thanks, that was very useful. I actually do KB presses, but with the bell behind, but I added a set with holding the bell upwards, and was also a great way to work my little weakingly wrist.

887

kp and alexus - It’s really hot here at the moment and I’m wearing little more than a grimace when I lift, so I don’t think it’s a good idea. I wouldn’t want to put you off your dinner :slight_smile:

Hey MJ - Yeah we did the European tour thing and now I’m living on our quinta in Portugal full time. You lift in 120 degree heat? that’s insane, I’m struggling to cope with 100 degrees. Suffering is right, my workout diary looks like it’s been dropped in the bath it’s so wrinkled from all the sweat I’ve dripped on to it. I always lift at 5 pm too and always have.

For some reason lots of my posts lately don’t appear until 8 or 9 hours after I posted them which is really annoying. That is why I’ve been double posting on a lot of logs. After 7 or 8 hours you’d assume that the post had gotten lost in the webosphere so I’d post again and then both posts would appear at the same time making me look like a retard. Don’t know why, although it now says my messages must be approved by a moderator, does it say that for everybody or could it be something to do with he comment I made about supplements the other day and I’m now in their bad books?

Posted at 15:54 pm

888

Monday 22nd July

Hang snatch
1 x 3 x 88 lbs
1 x 3 x 110 lbs
6 x 3 x 132 lbs

Power snatch
4 x 3 x 132 lbs
1 x 1 x 143 lbs
3 x miss x 154 lbs

Some front squats

Natural GHR
2 x 10 x bw

Wednesday 24th July 2013

Power snatch
w/u
5 x 2 x 132 lbs

Back squat
5 x 5 x 220 lbs

Military press
3 x 5 x 132 lbs

Dimel deadlifts
1 x 20 x 176 lbs
1 x 15 x 176 lbs

Explosive chins
3 x 4 x bw

YTWs
2 x 10 x each of three exercises

Decided it’s time to stop faffing about with a random number of snatch attempts (probably way too many) and a random amount of squats (probably not enough volume) and try to implement a bit of a plan. It’s loosely, very loosely, based on a Dan John beginners Olympic lifting routine. Basically I’ve taken the weekly frequency, volume of squats and rough number of O lift attempts, reduced the overhead pressing volume a bit and added some extra back work, some posterior chain stuff and some shoulder prehab/rehab stuff which I need to do to keep me healthy now I’m an old git. I’ve bastardised it so much that if it fails it’s all my fault, not the awesome Dan John’s.

5 x 5 on squats has always gotten me my biggest gains in the past, so it’s like an old friend to me. Started light because I haven’t back squatted much recently and definitely not with any volume. Actually had a rib in my back cramp up like crazy from having to hold a tight back for so long. It’s left me with a slight pull that I’ve been foam rolling the fudge out of for the last couple of days. I don’t know if I’ll be able to lift tonight until I start my warm ups.

My technique on snatches is and always has been utter shite and I don’t think battering away with the same weight day after day is going to get me where I want to be. The only way I think I’m going to make discernible progress is to get my back squat back up in the low 400’s where it used to be.

Posted at 16:13pm

889

Hmm, well I’m so far removed from oly lifting at this stage, been out longer than I actually did it. But I do remember technique being very very fickle, the slightest thing affects the lift. Like my coach had me move just one little inch closer to the bar at set up, all of a sudden I added an extra 5kg to my snatch. At least the little things helped me, I think there are some people where strength can compensate for technique, I wasn’t one of them.

Ooo, back rib cramps, I know all too well. Have you been working on thoracic mobility?

890

Interesting that you find 5x5 serves you well, too. I think it is good for me, too. With about 4 or 5 sets of 5 to warm up to get to my work weights.

891

[quote]alexus wrote:
Interesting that you find 5x5 serves you well, too. [/quote]
I’m enjoying 5 x 5 too. We can form a 5 x 5 cult.

892

[quote]kpsnap wrote:

[quote]alexus wrote:
Interesting that you find 5x5 serves you well, too. [/quote]
I’m enjoying 5 x 5 too. We can form a 5 x 5 cult.[/quote]

excellent :slight_smile:

893

I’m in for the 5x5 cult. What’s the secret initiation?

Purge the 10x10 GVT heretics…

Where do we send money?

894

Checking in and trying to catch up on your goings on. You’re in Portugal now? Never got onto the mainland but use to fly in and out of Lajes Field, Azores, a lot. Long way from the mainland. Give me a few to catch up on your lifting and I’ll be posting away with insightful advise.

895

[quote]kpsnap wrote:

[quote]alexus wrote:
Interesting that you find 5x5 serves you well, too. [/quote]
I’m enjoying 5 x 5 too. We can form a 5 x 5 cult.[/quote]

It’s 5x5 for me!

896

[quote]minimaltechno wrote:
Hmm, well I’m so far removed from oly lifting at this stage, been out longer than I actually did it.
[/quote]

Well you had a coach, that’s one up on me. I’m sure you have way more knowledge on this stuff than I do.

[quote]minimaltechno wrote:
But I do remember technique being very very fickle, the slightest thing affects the lift. Like my coach had me move just one little inch closer to the bar at set up, all of a sudden I added an extra 5kg to my snatch. [/quote]

I don’t doubt it. I’m currently experimenting with my set up. I’m taking my grip and foot position first (while keeping my legs straight) and pulling myself down to the bar in an effort to load up the glutes and hamstrings. It’s a work in progress, but I think it’s helping me start from a tight position rather than just trying to rip the bar from the floor.

[quote]minimaltechno wrote:
Ooo, back rib cramps, I know all too well. Have you been working on thoracic mobility?[/quote]

No, but I am now.

897

Alexus, kp, corrmhona and null - The t-shirts are being printed as we speak.

Hey Harry, I know it’s a long shot, but do you happen to know an Allen Newton? He’s an American, a baptist pastor from Alabama who was stationed in the Azores for twenty years working with the Armed Forces. He’s my Portuguese language teacher here. I know it’s a bit like “you’re from London? Do you know John?” LOL, but you never know.

898

Friday 26th July

Cleans
5 x 2 x 154 lbs

Deadlifts (T&G)…that’s touch and go, not tongue and groove btw.
5 x 5 x 308 lbs

Natural GHRs
3 x 8 x bw

Pulldowns
3 x 12 x 121 lbs

Weighted push ups
1 x 20 x bw +44 lbs
1 x 17 x bw +44 lbs

EZ curls
2 x 10 x 81.4 lbs

Band pullaparts
4 x 20

Well I’ve finally found an advantage of the heat. The bar slides really easily up and down your legs on deadlifts because of the sweat!

The cleans were a bit too light.

Monday

Hang snatch
5 x 2 x 132 lbs

Front squat
5 x 5 x 187 lbs

Military press
3 x 4 x 143 lbs

RDLs
3 x 6 x 220 lbs

Pendlay rows
4 x 7 x 176 lbs

Face pulls
4 x 10 x 66 lbs

This is quite a tough day on the lower back, what with the hang snatches, front squats, RDLs and Pendlays, but faint heart ne’r won fayre maiden.

Wednesday 31st July

Power snatch
5 x 2 x 137.5 lbs

Back squat
5 x 5 x 231 lbs

Military press
3 x 3 x 154 lbs

Dimel deadlifts
1 x 20 x 176 lbs
1 x 17 x 176 lbs

Explosive chins
4 x 4 x bw

YTWs
3 x 10 x each exercise x 2.5 kg

I’m really getting back in the swing of things and loving my lifting, especially now my numbers are starting to go up a bit, which makes it doubly annoying that I have to go back to the UK next week for what could be two weeks or much longer.

ARSE!!!

899

[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:
Hey Harry, I know it’s a long shot, but do you happen to know an Allen Newton? He’s an American, a baptist pastor from Alabama who was stationed in the Azores for twenty years working with the Armed Forces. He’s my Portuguese language teacher here. I know it’s a bit like “you’re from London? Do you know John?” LOL, but you never know.[/quote]

Don’t think I know him but I’ve got a load of Baptist jokes if you need some.

900

You do the tongue and groove deadlifts work? Do you alternate between those and touch & go? :slight_smile: