My Crossfit Experience

Training Bodybuilding
121

[quote]AlphaDragon wrote:
Heavy,

After reading this thread and seeing how long you’ve been doing this, I have one basic question:

Compared to when you started, how would you assess your current levels of:

Strength- limit strength about the same or a little less, but my raw strength has come up quite a bit. remember i am comparing what i can do now, raw conventional deadlifts, raw atg olympic style squats, and OL to geared power lifting squats and geared sumo deadlifts. sort of an apples to oranges thing.

Leaness- i have leaned out quite a bit. i started at about 250, now about 235, and i have went down nearly 2 pant sizes, from snug 40’s, down to baggy 38’s but not quite comfortable in 36’s though. i have went UP a shirt size though to xxl, i am getting a little more “cut” and i am showing vascularity in my shoulers, arms and legs.

Endurance-improved but not where i think it should be. sets of 20 rep compound lifts have helped, but i dont think i have been consistent enough with the metobolic conditiong to greatly improve this area. i often will go 2-3 workouts with mostly just heavy lifting before forceing myself to do a “real” crossfit workout.

Hypertrophy-greatly improved. the Ol and front and ol sttlye squats have put LOTS of mass on my thighs, an area very lacking in me. also my arms and traps have gotten bigger. the cleans and pulls and chins and dips put lots of size on my arms, and the overhead stuff has built up my shoulders quite a bit.

Overall Health/wellness- a little better, but this imho has more to do with what you put in your mouth. i eat good for stretches then have stretches where i eat pretty bad. i feel i am working hard enough in the gym to really get “healthy” but i need to be more consistent with eating the right things.

Status of your injuries-left pec injured 6-8 weeks ago doing dips, about 75%. right shoulder: gone, needs surgery, the only reason i can do the “heavy” overhead stuff is that about 75-80% of the lift is generated form my low body. left shoulder: nearly gone, impinged and a partial rotaqtor cuff tear. may get better, but i doubt it, as it is always trying to take the slack of the right shoulder. left elbow- needs surgery to remove bone spurs, also arhtritis is setting in. probably do to taking up slack of the right shoulder too. really limits my pressing ability. hurts on a daily basis doing simple things like holding on to the sterring wheel, positioning patients on the job, etc. low body is pretty good right now!

…and anything else you would care to share. obnly trhat this stuff is fun. i have enjoyed the last few months of training more thatn any in recent history. i am not locked into a particular routine, if i feel like i have a big deadlift in me one day, i will go in and do a max pull and go home, if i feel beat up and “fat” , i will do a crossfit style circuit with light weights, if i feel like i need muscle, and in the mood for a high intensity high volume workout, i can do that too. also, training like this makes total body workouts feel “guilt free” as it is really the only way to do this stuff, so you get the idea out of your head that you have to devote entire days to a particular muscle goroup or lift, ect. every day i go in and do what i feel like i need to, and with 24-25 years of doing this, that is exactly what i need.

once again, i want to express genuine thanks and appreciation to all the interest in my training and this log. very humbleing, especially when you consider all the real strong and real talented athletes on this board.

michael

Thanks for keeping this journal.

AlphaDragon[/quote]

122

today was another heavy total body workout day.

  1. drom

  2. conventional deadlifts, worked up to a 35lb pr of 620lbs. the progression was like this: RAW- 155x3, 264x3, 330x3, 372x3, 440x1, 530x1 added belt 600x1, 620x1, 620x1. did it twice as i was trying to get a picture, and missed the first time. i have video of the second one, maybe i will post it if anyone gives a darn. was pretty smooth and “easy” might have had 10-20lbs more in me. my best sumo is 665, my previous best in the conventional is 585.

  3. push press 40kgx10, 50x3, 60x3, 70x3, 80x3, 90x3, 100x3, 110x2, 120x1, 130x1. these were off. i have done better, but it was ok. did not hurt anything.

  4. chins bw(235)x 8, 5, 4, 4

  5. heavy abds 3 sets

123

http://s6.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=18D85A6VJFZ3L0BJ2N5MAX3O3A

124

[quote]heavythrower wrote:
2. conventional deadlifts, worked up to a 35lb pr of 620lbs. the progression was like this: RAW- 155x3, 264x3, 330x3, 372x3, 440x1, 530x1 added belt 600x1, 620x1, 620x1. did it twice as i was trying to get a picture, and missed the first time. i have video of the second one, maybe i will post it if anyone gives a darn. was pretty smooth and “easy” might have had 10-20lbs more in me. my best sumo is 665, my previous best in the conventional is 585

http://s6.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=18D85A6VJFZ3L0BJ2N5MAX3O3A[/quote]

nice … so let’s see how long you take off of heavy DLs before you come back and SMASH this PR … what are you thinking?

good job heavy!

Dan

125

Dan Fouts,
Maybe I’m a bit behind, but why the new avatar?
Worker

126

[quote]worker wrote:
Dan Fouts,
Maybe I’m a bit behind, but why the new avatar?
Worker[/quote]

i would like an answer to this too, lol

127

[quote]Dan Fouts wrote:
heavythrower wrote:
2. conventional deadlifts, worked up to a 35lb pr of 620lbs. the progression was like this: RAW- 155x3, 264x3, 330x3, 372x3, 440x1, 530x1 added belt 600x1, 620x1, 620x1. did it twice as i was trying to get a picture, and missed the first time. i have video of the second one, maybe i will post it if anyone gives a darn. was pretty smooth and “easy” might have had 10-20lbs more in me. my best sumo is 665, my previous best in the conventional is 585

http://s6.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=18D85A6VJFZ3L0BJ2N5MAX3O3A

nice … so let’s see how long you take off of heavy DLs before you come back and SMASH this PR … what are you thinking?

good job heavy!

Dan[/quote]

thanks dan, not sure i took any time off from “heavy” deadlifts, as 500-530 RAW after cleans, high pulls or snatches has been pretty “heavy” lol.

when i finally decided to start with deadlifts, and wear a belt, seemed i had a lot mor in me than 500lbs.

128

[quote]worker wrote:
Maybe I’m a bit behind, but why the new avatar?

heavythrower wrote:
i would like an answer to this too, lol
[/quote]

this is a good thread i wish to not totally hijack, so know this … the change is temporary … somebody ganked my avatar and pulled this blasphemy of a job in the photoshop thread … so i had to share with everyone

129

[quote]heavythrower wrote:
thanks dan, not sure i took any time off from “heavy” deadlifts, as 500-530 RAW after cleans, high pulls or snatches has been pretty “heavy” lol.

when i finally decided to start with deadlifts, and wear a belt, seemed i had a lot mor in me than 500lbs. [/quote]

ok, i suck at writing … what i meant was … how long until you attempt to beat this again … reasonably … i would not expect you to pull heavy again soon …

my issue with asking is that while i love deadlifting, i have not asked it to marry me … that’s not what i meant … i love deadlifting, yet deadlifting is how i keep aggravating my back injury … i must learn how frequntly or infrequenly that i can or can not do it to be in the realm of injry free effectiveness

ultimately your answer shouldn’t matter to me … it’s a curiosity thing in line with that “how often to DL” thread … me, i need to focus on speed and form with much less frequent high intensity work … and even more importantly than that, i need to address my back and hip issues

clear as mud?

Dan

130

good point dan, at our age, and especially if you have the training age i have, 24 years witout any breaks much of that while being competitive in a variety of strength sports, and you start racking up serious injuries and developing chronic problems, you have to face the fact that there are certain movemnts i have to be careful with, and others i have to avoid all together. i have to be carefull with max effort squats, and direct arm work, and i have had to eliminate most horizontal plane pressing, and goodmornings as well.

thje deadlift for me is one exercise i seem to still be able to go for broke on relativiely frequently, without fear of hurtiing myself, but if tht is not the case for you, then i would be careful too.

131

  1. drom circuit

  2. power snatch worked up to 3x2x80kg

  3. powerclean and jerk worked up to 3x2x100kg

  4. back squats, worked up to 200kgx2 back is tweaked today so i had to wear a belt on this one.

  5. supersetted various blast stap upper body pushing and pulling, 5 sets 10-15 reps each

  6. heavy low abds.

132

Interesting thread… I myself have been doing something a little similar recently - I’ve been basically doing Pavel’s PTP with Deads and OH presses followed by a workout of the day or something based on it. I’m currently thinking however of changing this and using Dan John’s ‘workout randomizer’ - have you seen this?? It maintains the seeming randomness of the crossfit workouts, as well as their combination of metabolic conditioning mixed with some strength moves, but it allows you to bias your workouts towards your specific goals…

Only difference I’ll make to his article though is the finishers - I don’t have a sled and so will use a crossfit ‘girl’ or else do some sandbag or farmers walk stuff instead.

133

on the road working again, found a little commmercial gym to get a workout in at

  1. drom ciruit

  2. behind neck push press 3x5x225, then worked up to275x2 these felt good.

  3. snatch hgh pulls from the hang 3x5x205

  4. front squat, after lots of sets of 5 for warm up, did 5x2x275. i really do not like more than 2 reps on the front squat, as i have trouble keeping the bar racked when i get “heavy” weights.

5.superseted dips and chins 5 rounds as fast as possibe for max reps. dips went like 14, 12, 8, 8, 6, chins went 10, 6, 5, 4, 4. before you laugh, i weigh over 240lbs so there!

  1. superset one leg back extensions and standing abd pulldowns 2x15 each.

good workout overall, but my bicept insertions are killing me, i need some ART bad.

134

I was curious…at this point in time, what are your all-time favotite exercises that you will never stop including in your present-day and future workouts? Go back in time now, say 10-15 years, and, what were your favorites back then? If markedly different, to what do you attribute the difference(s)?
I know some exercises provide more “wear & tear” than others, does this affect your choice presently? Do you ‘plan’ on lifting/working out for the rest of your life? If life-long lifting is your goal, project into the future and tell me what your workout program might look like 10-15 years from now, when you are near 50? The reason for the questions, is that I have noticed a trend in my workouts over time, and I really mean over the last 10-15 years, that I am doing less and less in terms of exercise selection, and, that I seem to be sticking more and more with those exercises that I consider my “favorites!” What do you think about this in general? I welcome your, and anybody else’s comments about this. Best of luck in your training of late, on the road, as you put it.
Respectfully,
Art Margulies

135

[quote]QuarterTonner wrote:
I was curious…at this point in time, what are your all-time favotite exercises that you will never stop including in your present-day and future workouts? Go back in time now, say 10-15 years, and, what were your favorites back then? If markedly different, to what do you attribute the difference(s)?
I know some exercises provide more “wear & tear” than others, does this affect your choice presently? Do you ‘plan’ on lifting/working out for the rest of your life? If life-long lifting is your goal, project into the future and tell me what your workout program might look like 10-15 years from now, when you are near 50? The reason for the questions, is that I have noticed a trend in my workouts over time, and I really mean over the last 10-15 years, that I am doing less and less in terms of exercise selection, and, that I seem to be sticking more and more with those exercises that I consider my “favorites!” What do you think about this in general? I welcome your, and anybody else’s comments about this. Best of luck in your training of late, on the road, as you put it.
Respectfully,
Art Margulies[/quote]

hey art! first off, let me say thiks for posting on my log!

gradually dropping certain exercises form my training has been a result of serious injuries which get agrrevated by said exercises. 10 15 years ago, my favorite exercises were squats, deadlifts, high pulls, jerks, and bench press and HEAVY dipping with weight added.

nowdays that list is pretty much the same, but i have had to drop heavy dipping and benchpressing due to multiple shoulder injuries and subsequent chronic shoulder joint problems.
i have dropped goodmornings and heavy pulls from a deficit due to multiple back injuries, the most recent was rupturing 3 lumbar discs in march of 2002.

15 20 years form now? i hope i can still be plugging along, but i imagine heavy squats and pulls will eventually give away to heavy sled dragging or pushing.

good questions! i feel that as i have aged, i find less of a need to experiment with new movements and such. there are 5-6 “money” exercises that work just about everything, and with loading volume variation of those movememts, there is little time to waste with other foo foo stuff. one trhing i have noticed latley, is i do NOTHING for my low body except squat and pull. and my legs are as about as big and “developed” as they have ever been. i attribute my consistency with front squats as a main reason. but it you are loading you body with squats and pulls, no need for additional leg work IMHO.

squat, pulls, chins, dips, presses. thats about it.

136

KooL!!! It’s funny you mentioned some of my favorites as well. In the last 5 years, after never being seriously injured, I have sustained a completely torn rotator cuff and a torn distal biceps tendon, both of which I opted for surgery to repair.

My choice of exercises became those which didn’t hurt or had the potential to re-injure those parts of me. Over time, I have re-incorporated BP’s and dips with weight. To be safe, I do my BP’s in a power rack and I set the pins so they are just when the bar “kisses” my chest; if anything goes, at least I won’t be beheaded!

I can still pull-up/chin-up with weights, but my dips with weight have not come back very fast. I rotate my grip in the DL every so often, and even use an overhand grip with straps from time-to-time. I have dropped Front and Zercher squats, Overhead squats, and Good mornings, but I still Low bar Back squat, or, do it with the Manta Ray.

I cycle my DL using a Finnish DL routine I read in PLUSA many, many years ago. I can Incline DB press, but not BB press. I can strict standing press with DB’s, but not with BB. I can do Presses behind the neck though. I suck at any form of curl, but can Hammer or Sweep curl ok. I can Clean but have trouble with the racking of BB’s or DB’s.

Snatches are ok until the weight gets maximal; then my shoulder girdle inflexibility does not allow me to catch the bar well in the overhead position.

On a side note, I really like reading, and then, trying to, analyze your posts. I gusess I’m just trying to see what others are doing with some success to see if I might incorporate it or a variation of it, in my routine(s). I have reached a point now, where I need to train for a contest to keep my intensity up.

I need a goal to shoot for, so I pick contests or trying to set a PR in the gym in a non-contested lift or movement. I find if I don’t have anything pushing me to do better, I just end up maintaining.

I may be wrong, but I think I can still make strength improvements, even though they are in small %'s at my age. If I can think it, then I can achieve it. I tell myself when I have doubts, “If the mind don’t believe it, the body won’t heave it!” I get long-winded at times when I talk training…what do you make of all this?

Keep up the good work!
Art

137

I thought I would add that one thing I’m doing different now than in the past, is the I drag a long segment of anchor chain for 100 yds backwards, than 100 yds forwards, in intervals.

I used to run 2- 5 miles several times per week for heart health, but stopped from sheer boredom! I drag the chain now, usually for a total of 20-30 minutes, 3-4 times per week. My HR gets up and stays there, my breathing is labored, and my legs are burning and jello. I feel this has made me stronger physically and mentally.

The running didn’t do that for me. I can really blast my workouts with less time between sets because I’m not fatigued. In fact, sometimes I purposely work up to a max single, then wait exactly one minute, and try to repeat it.

Ken Leistner told me about it years ago, I just never seemed to recover fast enough in one minute to repeat the lift successfully in the past(like 10 yrs ago vs. last 3 years)

138

hey art, funny how many of the problems you have with certain exercises are the same ones i have, lol.

i have never done cardio(it shows too) but when i have access to a sled i like to do lots of dragging for conditioning, and like you, if i go heavy enough or fast enough, it feels like a muscle building and cardio workout. i think the dragging is better for us old guys too as running is too hard on the knees and shins.

anyhoo, i enjoy reading your posts, as you have an interesting way of analyzing your training self, much the same way i do. keep it up!

139

this thread rocks! i can learn what to do AND what NOT to do from you dinosaurs!

:wink:

good stuff guys,
Dan

140

thats mister dinosaur to you buddy…lol