[quote]furo wrote:
I think it would be cool to start at 3x10 on all exercises and add a set per week until I’m doing 10x10. [/quote]
Ironically enough, I plan on a somewhat similar “volume accumulation” approach in preparation for the challenge, lol, but rather than starting with 3x10 I am moving in the other direction - 10 sets of fairly low reps at first, trying to add reps each workout.
I will set my timer for a 20-minute-workout-with-sets-every-2-minutes and do clean-and-presses with the 40 kg, striving to gradually add reps. I’ve done 10 x 4 x 88 (two reps per hand, that is, four total) a few times now and hope to work myself up gradually (i.e. 6, 6, 6, 5, 4, 4, etc…and see if I can creep up towards a full 10x10, although I expect that will take a very long time).
[quote]furo wrote:
I think it would be cool to start at 3x10 on all exercises and add a set per week until I’m doing 10x10. [/quote]
Ironically enough, I plan on a somewhat similar “volume accumulation” approach in preparation for the challenge, lol, but rather than starting with 3x10 I am moving in the other direction - 10 sets of fairly low reps at first, trying to add reps each workout.
I will set my timer for a 20-minute-workout-with-sets-every-2-minutes and do clean-and-presses with the 40 kg, striving to gradually add reps. I’ve done 10 x 4 x 88 (two reps per hand, that is, four total) a few times now and hope to work myself up gradually (i.e. 6, 6, 6, 5, 4, 4, etc…and see if I can creep up towards a full 10x10, although I expect that will take a very long time).[/quote]
That sounds like a really good plan mate. You are progressing really quickly with the clean and presses!
Cutting Week 16: Squats
Warm-Up
Hip circles and goblet squats
Front Squats
2x28kg: 5x5 These were challenging but they are definitely getting easier.
Kettlebell Swing
28kg: 1x20
Bodyweight: 92.8kg
I was really pushed for time today so just did the minimum. Tomorrow I will have a lot of time and plan on hitting the clean and jerks hard.
I went out last night and so was not up for training today. I just did a light whole body session to keep everything ticking over. Some push-ups, double 28kg rows, 28kg goblet squats (with voodoo floss bands) and 28kg swings. I weighed in at 92.1kg but I’m not counting it in my weekly average as I think it had a lot to do with dehydration. I’m not going to be able to train for the next 3 days, so here is my fortnight 8 summary:
[b] Fortnight 8 Summary
Baseline: [/b] 97kg
Fortnight 1: 95.8kg
Fortnight 2: 94.9kg
Fortnight 3: 94.6kg
Fortnight 4: No data
Fortnight 5: 93.8kg
Fortnight 6: 93.3kg
Fortnight 7: 93.1kg
Fortnight 8: 92.8kg
The weight loss is still going steadily - this is my first summary out of the 93s. Training has been going well apart from the neck issue, which is a big problem. I’ve had a particularly good time with the front squats though.
Sorry I couldn’t comment back for a few days. Like you, I was out of town visiting my parents.
Glad to see those squats are feeling better for you. Hopefully it was just a matter of settling into the weight and technique. I look forward to seeing how the volume piles up for you. I think 10 x 10 on the dkfs will be a monster workout. I’m guessing you’ll get piston like leg strength and a super hard torso.
Thanks for the detailed response. Sorry I haven’t got back to you earlier, but my intense lower back pain was sapping my motivation to do anything! Luckily things are slowly getting better and I am looking to get back into some training.
I remember you used to pistol squats. I have been reading “Convict Conditioning” and I am thinking about giving that a go. Have you read CC before?
Looks like things are working out for you. Keep grinding buddy.
Hey Bird, yeah I’ve read convict conditioning and I’d actually recommend against it in your situation. The lower body stuff is really not great if your lower back isn’t completely healthy. The pistol squats are ok, but they do force you to round your lumbar spine to get right to the bottom. This isn’t an issue for most people as they are unweighted but I find they aggravate my lower back. The back bridge however is completely off the cards, it feels absolutely terrible on my lower back. So I definitely wouldn’t do convict conditioning for back rehab.
Kettlebell Front Squats
2x28kg: 3x5 These felt quite strong, I’m very happy with how these are going. Knees are slightly dodgy.
Kettlebell Swing
28kg: 20-20-20-15-10 (EMOM) These felt great, both in terms of focusing on my neck and my conditioning. My grip was what prevented me from doing 5x20.
Kettlebell Jerks
2x28kg: 5x5 (EMOM) Technique and explosiveness on these wasn’t great, but I think it’s a good way to train them.
Kettlebell Row
40kg: 3-5-8
Bodyweight: 92.2kg
My neck feels quite a lot better having taken so much time off. My plan for this challenge with ActivitiesGuy (although I fully expect to be humilliated lol), is to focus on jerks, swings and conditioning and minimise cleans to keep my neck feeling ok. After the challenge I’m going to do a block of training where I deliberately don’t improve in any way lol. I feel that the human body is great at healing itself, but by constantly trying to improve I’m not giving it a chance to catch up. It might not seem like I’ve made much progress in this log, but the addition of the 40kg for rows and swings and now the double 28kgs for front squats and jerks has been quite a dramatic change. So I’m going to do a planned full 4 weeks of pure maintenance (low volume, low intensity, high frequency) after this challenge.
Kettlebell Swings
28kg: 5x20 (EMOM) The grip was the weakest link, but held up this time.
Kettlebell Jerks
2x28kg: 5x5 (EMOM) These felt much the same as yesterday.
Kettlebell Row
20kg: 1x20 Just wanted to get some blood flowing.
Bodyweight: 93.0kg
This was a good session, although my bodyweight was a little high. Tomorrow I’m going to play some 5-a-side football. This log is getting filled up now, not long until it’s finished.
Kettlebell Jerks
2x28kg: 5x5 (EMOM) These were extremely tough, I’m screwed in this challenge.
Kettlebell Row
40kg: 3-5-8
28kg: 10
Kettlebell Swings
28kg: 20-20-20-20-15 (EMOM)
Bodyweight: 92.7kg
This session was super slow for some reason, I just wasn’t feeling particularly energetic. Got enough work done though, and I’m heading to the gym later with a friend. I won’t log what I do there, because I probably won’t do much. Mostly pull-ups and cardio I imagine.
Lol ActivitiesGuy, when I say football I mean that sport where you kick a ball with your foot. I’m really not a fan of the game myself, I just do it as a work social thing.
[quote]furo wrote:
Hey Bird, yeah I’ve read convict conditioning and I’d actually recommend against it in your situation. The lower body stuff is really not great if your lower back isn’t completely healthy. The pistol squats are ok, but they do force you to round your lumbar spine to get right to the bottom. This isn’t an issue for most people as they are unweighted but I find they aggravate my lower back. The back bridge however is completely off the cards, it feels absolutely terrible on my lower back. So I definitely wouldn’t do convict conditioning for back rehab.[/quote]
Thanks for the suggestions Furo.
You are right about the pistol squats, although I am a long way from even considering trying that. Interesting to hear about your thoughts on back bridges. I have heard people say that working on back bridges actually make their lower back feel better. But once again I am a long way from even considering trying that at the moment.
What are your thoughts on things like handstands, levers etc?
This was just a quick session focusing on the challenge movements. Yesterday at the gym I did 20min of cardio, 8x5 neutral grip pull-ups and worked up to 100kg x3 on back squats, then did a bunch of high rep stuff (upper body, abs and calves).
Hi birdy. Personally back bridges didn’t work for me, but I can see how they might help improve lower back resilience. I think the key would be to start working on them when your back is healthy again, and not to try them when you’re less than 100%. There are definitely far less risky ways to strengthen your lower back: back extensions being the safest and kettlebell swings coming second. In my experience the two worst things to do with a lower back injury are 1) continuing to do whatever screwed it up and 2) not training your lower back at all. I think it’s extremely important to train your lower back and core, using easy and safe exercises, to both get blood flowing and help recover as well as to build resistance against future injury. Jogging is actually really good for getting blood flowing into the erectors because their function is to stabilise your spine, which is more difficult in motion. As I said before I’d recommend starting with the safest stuff: jogging/back extensions - done frequently and never to failure, then progress to kettlebell stuff until your back feels 100%. Then you can try back bridges or going back to barbell work or whatever.
My lower back hurt today - probably due to the back squats on Saturday. That exercise really doesn’t suit me, as with all barbell lower body exercises it seems. I decided to take my own advice and go for a run to loosen up my lower back and get blood flowing and now I feel a lot better. I’ve been meaning to get into running for a long time, and it felt a lot less horrible than I expected. 1.4 miles is certainly pathetic lol, but it feels like a really good distance for me at this stage - I was able to maintain an acceptable pace and forefoot gait, but I was struggling by the end.
I was initially planning on taking a rest day but I wanted to do something when I saw my bodyweight! 10x5 done every second minute is a nice volume PR, and while it was challenging I feel that my form didn’t break down. My calves have very bad DOMS from the running yesterday, but I plan on another run tomorrow. I’m on backshift so I’ll have time to hit the sauna and plunge pool after so hopefully that will do some good.
Starting running presents a logistical problem in terms of rest days and knee recovery. My knees are the best they’ve been in a very long time - they can comfortably handle squatting and running so long as I maintain strict form. However, I really don’t want to risk hitting them every single day as I alternate between whole-body kettlebell sessions and runs (which is what I would otherwise do). I’m also not keen to squat and run on the same day as I think it would have a pretty dramatic effect on both exercises. So I’ll have to have a think about that.
My calf DOMS is a lot worse today, just walking feels awkward. I originally planned to do rows, swings, jerks and a run today but jerks, swings and running all hit the calves hard so I just did a lot of rowing. I did it every second minute on the minute, so it was 30min straight, and then I finished off with a couple of super high rep sets of bodyweight calf raises just to get the blood flowing.
My bodyweight is definitely heading in the wrong direction and I’m determined to turn that round today. Overall I’m quite happy with my current level of leanness, and I wouldn’t mind ending up looking like this, but right now I want to push this cut as far as I can and see where it takes me.
I finally built up the courage to do some working sets of clean and jerk with the 40kg and it went much better than I expected. I’m not sure I’d ever managed a rep with my left hand before, so this is a huge PR. I feel like all the lower body work I’ve been doing, as well as the lighter jerks, has prepared me well. I’m going away for the next few days, but when I get back I think the above session will be my mainstay until this challenge. I’m coming for you ActivitiesGuy!
This has been one of my worst couple of weeks in terms of both training and bodyweight. For the first time my bodyweight has crept back up, and I’ve been working round back pain and calf DOMS. Having said that I’ve had a couple of good PRs (front squats and clean and jerks) and I feel well set to make good progress over the next few weeks.
CONGRATS on getting that 40 kg overhead a few times!!
I still remember the first time I did it…for a few weeks it felt like every rep was still “Will I actually get this overhead?” - but now I have been seeing enormous progress. I expect that you’ll see the same. You’re over the mental hurdle of getting it with the left hand, which is also huge (I am admittedly still a bit more confident in my right hand than the left). Now go to work and let’s do this thing!
Double Kettlebell Front Squats
2x28kg: 3x5 (E2MOM)
Kettlebell Clean and Jerk
40kg: 10x1 (EMOM)
Kettlebell Swing
28kg: 5x20 (EMOM)
Bodyweight: ?
This was a pretty good session. The clean and jerks didn’t feel as crisp as last time, but that’s ok. My plan until the challenge is to pretty much just repeat the above session, with the clean and jerks focused on technique and the swings focused on conditioning. As of today I’m also restarting my strict diet, so that I weigh in at under 200lbs for the challenge. I’m going to use the challenge as my end goal both in terms of clean and jerk performance and in terms of this cut.
