London's Log (2)

Training Training Logs
61

11th September 2015

Alpha - Thanks man, I was worried about missing reps today, but again, had a small PR. I’ve made it to the end of the first phase, and I’m excited for the next two.

Conditioning -

15 minutes fast skipping

Strength -

8 reps 3/4 squats - 298, 363, 408, 450
8 reps BB rows - 150, 180, 203, 225
8 reps BB low incline bench - 111, 133, 144, 155

Events -

130lbs SB floor press - 10, 10, 10
65ft farmer walk (each side) - 105, 126, 148

Notes -

Needed the skipping for the conditioning. It wasn’t too hard, but I was feeling pretty beaten up, and it loosened up everything nicely.

Pleased with the squats. Pleased with the bench

The farmers were hard.

62

12th September 2015

Spent 6 hours out on the hills walking.

13th September 2015

Busy day in the garden barrowing manure about for hours on end.

Then got in a late-evening deck of cards workout:

Pushups, BW squats, leg raises, Marvin Haglers.

63

14th September 2015

Conditioning -

4 rounds in 10 minutes:

5 x 33lbs DB snatches
5 x Burpees
5 x 33lbs DB snatches
5 x 8-count bodybuilders
70ft 33lbs DB waiter carry
25 jumping jacks
70ft 33lbs DB waiter carry
25 jumping jacks

Strength -

5 reps Blockpulls - 258, 302, 325, 350, 370
5 reps rope climb pullups - +10, +15, +20, +25, +30
5 reps push press - 115, 125, 135, 140, 148

Events -

130lb SB push press - 7,6,6,5
30ft farmers walk 150lbs each hand - 1,1,1,1

Notes -

This was hard. I’m having to do the blockpulls and 3/4 squats outside the giant sets, as I don’t have enough weights/bars to load up all the various movements properly, so it’s taking me about 1 1/2 hours to get through these workouts, with all the set up time included.

64

What is a Marvin Hagler?

65

They’re marvelous, surely.

66

FlatsFarmer - it’s where you lie flat on the ground on your back, with your arms extended behind you over your head. From that position you come up and hug your knees, with everything off the ground except your arse. basically you’re going from as stretched out a position as possible, with everything in conact with the ground, to the tightest ball you can balanced around one point. There may be other names for these, but I learned them from a boxing coach, and that’s what they’ve always been called to me! As sit ups go, they are pretty effective, and good when you’re looking to squeeze in something with a conditioning effect in a limited space. Doing a lot of them, quickly, can get the heart rate right up.

Vrednic - I won’t dignify that with a response :p. Hope you’re doing well brother.

67

15th September 2015

Conditioning -

3.2 mile run

6x107m hill sprints

Handstand work

Notes -

Decent session. Learned to bail out of a handstand without landing on my back, and managed to hold a couple for a few seconds.

68

Thanks for the details. It’s cool how that motion is used in different ways to train for different sports. Everyone from cheerleaders to karate dudes and yoga masters do some form of it.

Speaking of cheerleaders; every young girl in the United States learns to do a handstand by practicing in the pool. Start in the deep end, go shallower and shallower.

69

I am totally stealing those Marvin Haglers!

70

[quote]Alpha wrote:
I am totally stealing those Marvin Haglers![/quote]

x2

Good work man, and plenty of respect for sharing in Alpha’s log.

71

16th September 2015

Really cool to log on and see you guys have stopped by!

FlatsFarmer - Definitely, it’s coordination, balance, strength and conditioning all in one. Thanks for the handstand tip - sadly I only have an old fish pond, covered in algy - I’m afraid if I poke my head under there I might come up as an X-Man, and not one of the good ones.

Alpha - I think Marvin Hagler would be honoured! Haha, seriously though, they are great in a pinch when you’re on the road or in a confined space, or if you need some variety in your active rest. They give you a little bit of everything.

DaGill - Appreciate you saying that, it feels like a safe space haha! Heading over to your log now to see how you’re getting on mate.

Conditioning -

4x:

8 reps 77lbs BB Deadlift, Clean, Row, Thrusters
150ft Farmers run 55lbs/side, tractor weights so pretty awkward.

Strength -

5 reps Front squat - 148, 170, 192, 215, 226
5 reps (each side) DB snatch - 46, 56, 66, 78, 84

Events -

20 reps 130lb SB shoulder
2100ft SB anyhow carry

Notes -

Decent session in the end, although I felt pretty weak going through the conditioning. Enjoyed mixing up the events a bit.

72

18th September 2015

Conditioning -

5x in just over 10 mins:

45lbs DB RH swings
10 pushups
45lbs DB LH swings
10 pushups
50ft bearcrawl
20 jumping jacks
10 jumping lunges

Strength -

5 reps 3/4 squats - 298, 363, 408, 450, 472
5 reps BB row - 148, 170, 192, 215, 236
5 reps BB bench - 120, 130, 140, 150, 160

Assistance -

8 sets x 5 reps BB bench 105lbs

Notes -

Conditioning coming along quite well.

Strength was good, but bench was damn hard. I am sure it is a technique issue - my push press is almost exactly the same as my bench, and my BB rows are light years ahead. I did the assistance work just trying to focus on getting leg drive going, since my technique on bench currently consists of :

Lower weight slowly until it touches chest, panic for what feels like a lifetime about how heavy it feels, writhe like a worm under a magnifying glass and try to push the weight off using just my arms, count 1 rep.

Rows are starting to use a fair bit of body English.

I will make up for the missed events tomorrow - I have a ‘combat conditioning’ session planned, which should be fun and exhausting.

73

I hear you on the bench. I think learning to keep the whole body tight on every lift is almost a lifelong process. I’m much better at it than I used to be, but there’s still a lot of room for improvement.

In particular I think it’s hard with the bench press because the fact that you are lying down means that you get into a mindset that only your arms are meant to be involved.

I remember one session very clearly - way back not long after I started lifting - where I set myself up on the bench press and did a set in my usual fashion, which is to say I grabbed the bar with very tight fists and very floppy torso and legs and then moved it up and down a few times. Between then and the next set, I recalled something I’d read on Tnation about using leg drive, so on the next set I did my best approximation to using my whole body to generate force. Even though I really had no clue how to do anything other than drive my feet into the floor and tense my abs, the difference it made was incredible. I literally added 15kg to my bench in one session (much less impressive than it sounds, since I was benching not much more than the bar at the time).

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that I sympathise. It’s an irritating lift haha. I think you’ll work it out if you keep at it though. You look as though you’re on the right track.

74

19th September 2015

Wolfman - Ye mate, I think that’s the way of it. I actually started out differently to most people, in that I thought the bench press was one of those lifts that only douchebags did, and that overhead work was way more important, so I don’t have that basis that a lot of guys did when they started training seriously of having already done a lot of benching. I think psychologically as well, I’m short changing myself, because I don’t expect to be good at the bench, and then surprise surprise, I’m not good at it. I’m trying to change that by being positive about hitting small PRs each week.

Rather than being pissed off it’s weak, I congratulate myself on hitting my set and reps, and doing what I need to do. We’ll see if that makes a difference. I’ve been reading a book called ‘The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying’, and the Buddhists believe that what you put into your subconscious can often manifest as reality, so you have to be sure to put the right things in there. I’m not sure how much is in it - I’m not exactly the Buddhist type - but it’s worth a try.

Conditioning -

400m 100lbs HB carry
2 x 100m sprint

8 rounds HB

5x:

75m sprint
20 feet elevated pushups
25m commando crawl
50m sprint
30s punchout drill on HB with water in mouth

2 rounds HB - just jabs, and pivot hook, practising moving well, controlling range effectively, and avoiding being bum-rushed while tired.

400m 100lbs HB carry
100m sprint

Decent session, got a good sweat going.

75

21st September 2015

Couldn’t get back in time to lift tonight, so did the Deck of Cards in my living room instead.

8-count bodybuilders, pushups, Marvin Haglers, BW squats

105 reps of each

2 jokers were 1 minute planks

Completed the whole thing in under 20 minutes

76

LB,
Following along, great work in here.

" I’ve been reading a book called ‘The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying’, and the Buddhists believe that what you put into your subconscious can often manifest as reality, so you have to be sure to put the right things in there. I’m not sure how much is in it - I’m not exactly the Buddhist type - but it’s worth a try"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^excellent book, and if you mentally practice surviving different self defense and combat situations, I really believe it becomes reality, well, at least you wont have a brain fart when the shit goes bad:))

Another suggestion for your mental workouts: 36 chinese stragems | Barnes & Noble®

Out of respect for Tnation, I am not going to list the website, but, when you get time, google up “tactical Barbell”. Since we are both in the same line of work, I think you may be interested. Stay Sharp.

77

22nd September 2015

Idaho, great to hear from you mate. I’m a hundred percent with you there. I am a big believe that visualising things in your mind, and daydreaming of yourself as a hero can make a big difference. It sounds ridiculous, but I read Bravo Two Zero when I was about 13, and for years afterward I daydreamed about being an SAS type. I’d imagine myself covering long distances while injured and hungry, or staying calm as tracer rounds were flying around me, or whatever. I’d spend hours daydreaming this sort of stuff, without any real purpose, but always imagining being very composed in the middle of chaos, and being able to do good work under pain and duress. I think it changed who I was as a person, because I went from being quit timid and reticent, to being confident in my own ability, and I really believe it had a huge impact on my ability to be extremely calm in the boxing ring, which was always my greatest asset.

Thank you for the book recommendation, I’ll try and get my hands on a copy. I don’t have a kindle, so I can’t seem to get a paperback copy of Tactical Barbell. I’ve tried to find their stuff before, but it’s quite hard to get a hold of here. I’ve heard really good things. Hope you’re doing well my friend. Keep safe.

Conditioning -

15 mins skipping and fast shadowboxing focusing on footwork.

Strength -

Blockpulls - 300, 325, 350, 375, 400
Rope climb chinups - +15, +20, +25, +30, +35
Push press - 115, 126, 140, 140, 152

Notes -

Didn’t get a chance to do my event work tonight, as I got messed around by an appointment I had. Will get it in tomorrow.

Didn’t think the progress would be there on the push press, but it felt surprisingly stable. Pretty shameful that I am hitting the same weight for push press as I am for bench press, and am finding the push press easier even. Really need to get a hold of my bench and sort it out.

78

24th September 2015

Conditioning -

3x, no rest:

30 x stepups
10 x 50lb DB swing RH
30 x stepups
10 x 50lb DB swing LH
50m sprint
6 x rope climb chins
50m sprint
15 x pushups
30 x stepups
15 x pushups
30 x stepups

Strength -

5 reps Front squats - 148, 170, 192, 215, 236
5 reps (each side) DB snatches - 41, 51, 61, 73, 86
5 reps ab rollout - 1,1,1,1,1

Events -

130lb shoulders - 8,8,8
SB carry for distance - 2100 ft.

Notes -

Tweaked something in my knee standing up from loading the dumbell. Totally random and not due to any load. Was uncomfortable doing the first couple of sets, and nearly stopped a couple of times in case I did damage. Idiot that I am, in the end I just squatted through it and all the discomfort was gone by the end of the last set (and replaced by me seeing stars).

This training is hard. Whenever I’m not in the gym, I think it is awesome, and I’m really glad to be following it. Whenever I am in the gym I wonder how many puppies and kittens I must have killed in a previous life to have ended up in that moment.

79

You have a strong back.

And you obviously know how to use and line up your body to transfer “ground based power” through your hands.

You just need to figure out how to bring these skills to the bench press. Is it possible for you to do “dead” benches, or bench press from the bottom, static position, a couple inches off your chest? This way you can really figure out how to dig in, and get the strongest set up possible before each rep. You can position the bar in the best spot over your chest, and move your hands and elbows to the most advantageous alignment before each press. You can almost do like a mini-chinup to squeeze yourself into a tigher, higher arch.

Like you, I’m 6’1" and sometimes presses feel like long, rickety lifts, on my long, spindly arms. Pressing from the rack, and benching with a pause just off the chest really help me get a feel for what I’m trying to do.

80

What? find your true love and get married? cut off one of your toes hoeing your garden? attacked by a sheep? How about a safety check, LB? not like you to miss this many days without a warning.