9-14-06-Thurs.
Squats-1x10x135-1x10x225-1x5x315-1x5x405-1x5x455
Leg Press-1x8x500-1x8x600-1x8x700
Leg Ext.-2x8x160
Leg Curls-2x8x70
Toe Raise -Leg Press-2x20x400
The training is feeling awesome.I’m taking down the reps and volume.TRAIN HARD! Jimmy T
Jimmy - Nice Squat/Leg workout!
09/16/06 - Saturday
Bench Press with mini band doubled around back - competition width grip - EVERY REP PAUSED!!!
45x8x2; 135x8; 185x5; 225x4; 275x1x3 with 1 min rest between each single; 185x8
Blue/Pink Band Tricep Pressdown - 5 reps x 3 sets
BW Dips - 20reps x 3sets
Thank you QuarterTonner
9-16-06 Saturday
Bench-1x10x95-1x10x135- 1x5x185-1x5x205-2x5x225- Last rep paused on these sets-1x8x205-1x10x185-all reps paused
Incline-1x5x135-1x5x155-1x5x185
DB Flys-3x8x55
Dips-2x8xBW+25lbs.-1x10xBW
Military Press-1x8x155-1x5x175-1x3x185
Plate Raise-3x8x45lb.
Cable side lateral-3x12x30
Close Grip-3x8x135
There is another NASA regional meet in the pan handle of Texas next to Amarillo in early december and I’m thinking about it!TRAIN HARD!Jimmy T
09/17/06 - Sunday
Squat
45x8x2; 135x8; 185x5; 225x3; 275x2; 315x1; 365x1; 405x1
Keiser Leg Curl
Keiser Leg Ext
Keiser Leg Press
20 minute jog/walk
09/18/06 - Monday
Bench Press with small pink band doubled around back
45x8x2; 95x8; 135x8; 155x3x9 with various grips with 45-60secs rest in bet each set
Incline DB Press with mini pink band doubled around back
55x8; 75x8; 95x6
Keiser Seated Row
Keiser Lat Pulldown
DB Pullover - 40x8x3
09/20/06 - Tuesday
Heavythrower is feeling better…he did a front squat PR and is starting to feel like he can DL again. His Front squat workout was awesome and inspired me…
Front Squat(Olympic Style)
45x8x2; 95x10; 135x8; 185x5; 225x3; 275x2; 315x1; 185x10
Chain Drag - 20 minutes backwards & 15 minutes forwards
hey Art! how did the front squats feel? i do them when i feel i need some heavy “real” leg training but my back and groin tell me i should be doing leg-extensions.
any knee problems?
side note/question:
Art, my injuries chronic pain issues you are well aware of. my last few squat and pull workouts, i have been adding in some gear, light briefs, knee sleeves, belt, etc, and i have been able to use respectable poundage’s(for an old fatty like me at least) without any pain.
-
when battling issues like mine, is it better to use gear to train through injuries and still go “heavy”?
-
or would it be better to stay 100% RAW and use poundage’s i can handle with no gear until my body heals?
if jimmy t or biggjames would chime in too it would be appreciated!
also, i have posted some of my training videow in my profile section, please check them out and offer any critique, if you see anything that stands out as a form issue, i would like to know.
thanks again Art!
HT - Good questions…NO, make that GREAT questions!!! I can not give you a definative answer; I will however take an educated guess based on my own experiences.
I think training gear Can allow you to handle the poundages of days past. What a feeling of euphoria it allows!!! I think the mental and the physical in all of us are linked. One feeds off the other. We are overlaoding those muscle groups with the added poundage the gear allows us to train with. When we take the gear away, there is still some residual strength gain, so our raw lifts go up as well. HT, any time we are lifting raw, the potential for improvement is in very small percentages. When we add the gear, improvements, percent-wise are better. More than enough to overcome strength gained from just the gear; our muscles still get stronger too - with a slightly higher percent improvement. Add that up over a week, a month, a training cycle, and the improvement can be significant! Let’s face it, the gear also allows us to train through our injuries. It does offer some external support and mentally/psychologically, it feels good and feels supportive. This allows us to train harder w/o thinking negative thoughts, only positive as we are lifting heavy again AND it FEELS GOOD! At my age, my raw gains are few and far in between…when i add the cumulative effect of belt, wraps, suit etc, percentage wise, the skies the limit for weeks to come. Take the gear away and my raw lifts automatically go up. How does all this BS sound to you???
saw the videos…squats look great!!! I am extremely impressed with the DL’s. They look effortless; like you’re good for 40+ pounds more!!! No strain, face stays the same, bar speed nice - IMPRESSIVE!!!
09/21/06 - Thursday
Deadlift
135x8; 225x5; 315x3; 405x2; 455x1; 510x1(SLOW/HARD); 460x3(EASY)
Press Behind the Neck
45x10x2; 70x8; 95x5; 120x3; 135x2; 160x1; 185x3push presses; 135x12 paused reps
Friday-9-22-06
I have been feeling sick all week.It started Sunday and I’m still out of sorts.My B/P was 154 over 91 on monday. I have an appt. to see the Doc. on monday morning at 8:30 am.
Work is very busy,so I have not trained this week.On saturday if I feel ok I’ll bench with the guys.QT your training looks awesome.
HT ,I looked at the videos and read the thread.When I get in from work tonight, I have some feedback for you.All your lifts look strong and controled.Talk with you guys later! TRAIN HARD! Jimmy T
[quote]QuarterTonner wrote:
saw the videos…squats look great!!! I am extremely impressed with the DL’s. They look effortless; like you’re good for 40+ pounds more!!! No strain, face stays the same, bar speed nice - IMPRESSIVE!!![/quote]
thanks Art. it does make a lot of sense to me, i guess i am trying to strike a balance within myself mentally and physically as to how and to what extent i should use gear. to a competitive pl these days (unless IPF maybe) briefs and a belt IS considered RAW.
is it enough to take my high rep warmups RAW, to prevent overdependence on gear and muscle imbalances, or is a belt and briefs for my top 2-3 heavy sets not enough gear to even bother with mentally wrestling with that sort of thing? these are the questions that run through my mind.
Jimmy,
Hope u r feeling better; I had a “24 hour” bug yesterday so no training for me Fri and probably today. No fever but just achy after having sweats/chills all night.
HT - I think you are OK going raw in your warm-ups, they are just warm-ups. I go as far into my warm-ups raw as I can, but think nothing of adding more and more gear as I need it to complete my projected work sets. Some workouts are done w/o gear on purpose just to push my raw lifts. I notice I can make gains this way from week-to-week but only small in terms of actually pounds improved.
For example,
If all the money was on the line, I might squat 405 no belt, wraps etc. If I tried it the following week, I might do it or maybe 2.5 pounds more or maybe even 5-10 less, depends. Take that same raw strength add wraps and a belt and I can squat 475-500.
Next week, keep the belt and wraps and adjust the warm-ups and I might squat 500-525. Following week make warm-up adjustments and I might squat 525-540. Following week, go raw again completely and only squat maybe 410 or so. So in three weeks time my geared squat went up maybe 50 pounds but after that may raw squat only went up 5 pounds.
The gear helps the raw but only to a small extent, after u add all the strength from the gear helping, the strength gains can be unreal. Un real in that we can squat in 2 contests lets say 6 weeks apart 550 and 575, a gain of 25 pounds, but test your raw squat strength and only see a 2.5-10 gain during that same time frame.
HT, we don’t have a lot of time on this earth, I guess, so for me the gear is worthwhile if strength gains are my goal. If I decide to stop competing against myself then I will train mostly raw. Right now I still like knowing I can push the limits, so my gear never collects dust in my training bag.
I do not use briefs per se, but i have a old favorite suit of mine that I tore the straps on, so I use that w/o straps as my briefs. I use that suit as well when I training for a contest with “straps down”. Only when i go to straps up do i use my contest suit. I train in a smelly old worn out pair of marathon double goldline wraps.
They give me nothing but psychological help. When i put on a good pair of wraps, they help even more. My training BP shirt of late, I can put on myself, gives me maybe 10 pounds on my BP. If I wear one in a contest a little tighter, i will expect more than 10 pounds.
You are a bull, built perfectly for lifting heavy weights.
Your body structure is perfect. Injuries are what hold you back now, nothing more nothing less. Your strength will always be there but injuries don’t let us train to our strength’s potential. Having been injured, I like the feeling of feeling good. My ego to lift heavy again all the time is under control. I fantasize about it constantly, but act upon it only once in a while.
HT, you have to find what makes you happy. All the advice in the world is meaningless unless you yourself are happy with you.
Guys that are PLers, OLers, strongman, etc are a different breed. It takes a special kind of personality to be one. A lot of it is our own ego and high goals we set for ourselfs. Add in the competitive factor with others who have similar goals and we have to push harder, longer to stay on top.
I have only competed in 2 Nationals my whole life. One NASA one where I had to qualify at a Regional contest, and one ADFPA where I had to have a specific total. The regional I had to come from behind and pull a big PR DL to win. The total was so hard for me to get. I could never seem to put together a contest where all my lifts went well. I always DL’ed OK but would screw up my squats and/or BP’s.
If I went 9 for 9, it always seemed like I had more in me. If I went 5 for 9 it seemed like my gym lifts were so much easier/stronger and the weights in the contest were heavier or I just didn’t FEEL like i usually do.
I was always pushing to do better. I still have the push, but now injuries have been added into the equation…
Do I push and risk getting hurt again, or, do I just do what i can & be happy with it??? 15 years ago, i could never be happy with it, now i can. Hope this helps you to your path of balance; that which makes you happy.
Art
Thank you QuarterTonner.I feel better today.My 13yr. old started fall baseball today, Ten weeks of saturday baseball, so I’ll have to change my lifting schedule around that.Heavythrower,looking at the videos I agree with QT.The squats look strong and your form and execution are great.
The DL’s are strong and steady.It also looks like you have much more in you in both lifts.As far as gear is concerned,I lift and train in gear year round.I started the sport at 33 years of age,I,ll be 53 in feb of '07.I learned in gear and trained in it and cycled my weight and switched my gear to fit my training.I will lift in just briefs and in briefs and a loose suit with a certain amount of weeks and weight to be used.I also have competition tight gear for a competition ready feel.
My squat is my strong lift and I can squat approximately 75% of that weight raw.I bench both in a shirt and raw.I use a old style Inzer blast shirt.It has helped me rehab my shoulder and I can bench 75 to 80% raw of my shirted bench.I deadlift in a wresling singlet and have been experimenting with sumo style with my loose suit and even knee wraps.I had a bicep tendon class 3 tear in 1986 and I can almost pull as much now as then. I have made a full recovery and I turned my torn tendon arm over and my other arm is the underhand grip.
I really can’t give much feedback on gear in the DL.I used chalk, med tight belt and picked it up old school style. I feel though I can push this lift with gear and in a sumo style but I haven’t trained it long enough yet.QT you make a good point on pushing the training to xtreme and the risk of injury.I always keep it real in respect to my buisness and family responsibilties.
As for competing that all depends on time and money.Six kids later and it’s all about them. I would not have it any other way.HT, I also agree with QT your built for the strength sports.There is nothing more satisfying than a PR after weeks of hard work other than what my kids accomplish.We are blessed men to be able to lift heavy weight and set goals for new heights.
It is always a pleasure talking with you guys.TRAIN HARD! Jimmy T
thnks for taking the time to look at my log and check out my videos jimmy.
yes it seems i have more in my when somewone watches me lift. the squats were speed sets, i was doing 5 sets of 2 reps on those days. the pulls were maxes though.
while training at diablo, ted (and everybody) was always surprised at how easy i could make a lift look, and then get crushed, or injured, by 20-40lbs more. i remember when i hit a 550lb squat plus green bands for a easy LOOKING single, then got crushed by 600.
ted thought about this and finaly came up with the conclusion that i was a naturally explosive lifter, but lacked a lot of top end strength, or the ability to grind out a slow super max attempt. i aggree. my body cant take those slow grinders without busting something. i either make the lift look easy, or i get crushed, lol.
you bring up an interesting thing about the bench shirt, as it has been suggested to me to train with a shirt for shoulder protection before. what kind of shirt would you suggest? does one style lend itself more toward guys who are not looking to set pr’s in meets, but rather train through shoulder problems?
[quote]QuarterTonner wrote:
Jimmy,
Hope u r feeling better; I had a “24 hour” bug yesterday so no training for me Fri and probably today. No fever but just achy after having sweats/chills all night.
HT - I think you are OK going raw in your warm-ups, they are just warm-ups. I go as far into my warm-ups raw as I can, but think nothing of adding more and more gear as I need it to complete my projected work sets. Some workouts are done w/o gear on purpose just to push my raw lifts. I notice I can make gains this way from week-to-week but only small in terms of actually pounds improved.
For example,
If all the money was on the line, I might squat 405 no belt, wraps etc. If I tried it the following week, I might do it or maybe 2.5 pounds more or maybe even 5-10 less, depends. Take that same raw strength add wraps and a belt and I can squat 475-500.
Next week, keep the belt and wraps and adjust the warm-ups and I might squat 500-525. Following week make warm-up adjustments and I might squat 525-540. Following week, go raw again completely and only squat maybe 410 or so. So in three weeks time my geared squat went up maybe 50 pounds but after that may raw squat only went up 5 pounds.
The gear helps the raw but only to a small extent, after u add all the strength from the gear helping, the strength gains can be unreal. Un real in that we can squat in 2 contests lets say 6 weeks apart 550 and 575, a gain of 25 pounds, but test your raw squat strength and only see a 2.5-10 gain during that same time frame.
HT, we don’t have a lot of time on this earth, I guess, so for me the gear is worthwhile if strength gains are my goal. If I decide to stop competing against myself then I will train mostly raw. Right now I still like knowing I can push the limits, so my gear never collects dust in my training bag.
I do not use briefs per se, but i have a old favorite suit of mine that I tore the straps on, so I use that w/o straps as my briefs. I use that suit as well when I training for a contest with “straps down”. Only when i go to straps up do i use my contest suit. I train in a smelly old worn out pair of marathon double goldline wraps.
They give me nothing but psychological help. When i put on a good pair of wraps, they help even more. My training BP shirt of late, I can put on myself, gives me maybe 10 pounds on my BP. If I wear one in a contest a little tighter, i will expect more than 10 pounds.
You are a bull, built perfectly for lifting heavy weights.
Your body structure is perfect. Injuries are what hold you back now, nothing more nothing less. Your strength will always be there but injuries don’t let us train to our strength’s potential. Having been injured, I like the feeling of feeling good. My ego to lift heavy again all the time is under control. I fantasize about it constantly, but act upon it only once in a while.
HT, you have to find what makes you happy. All the advice in the world is meaningless unless you yourself are happy with you.
Guys that are PLers, OLers, strongman, etc are a different breed. It takes a special kind of personality to be one. A lot of it is our own ego and high goals we set for ourselfs. Add in the competitive factor with others who have similar goals and we have to push harder, longer to stay on top.
I have only competed in 2 Nationals my whole life. One NASA one where I had to qualify at a Regional contest, and one ADFPA where I had to have a specific total. The regional I had to come from behind and pull a big PR DL to win. The total was so hard for me to get. I could never seem to put together a contest where all my lifts went well. I always DL’ed OK but would screw up my squats and/or BP’s.
If I went 9 for 9, it always seemed like I had more in me. If I went 5 for 9 it seemed like my gym lifts were so much easier/stronger and the weights in the contest were heavier or I just didn’t FEEL like i usually do.
I was always pushing to do better. I still have the push, but now injuries have been added into the equation…
Do I push and risk getting hurt again, or, do I just do what i can & be happy with it??? 15 years ago, i could never be happy with it, now i can. Hope this helps you to your path of balance; that which makes you happy.
Art[/quote]
wow. great post art, i think i am going to save this one and put it up on my fridge, seriously. you have a way of expressing the mind body connection that often escapes me. you seem like a truely happy man, well balanced, and centered. i hope that i can reach that point at some time, as i am struggling at this time to be at peace with myself, and try to be a better man. this goes FAR beyond lifting, but in my personal life.
so little in my life now brings me happiness. the few weeks a year i see my little girls, and having success in the gym is about all i have right now. so i think you have answered my question. when i hit 500 for six reps the other day, it felt GOOD. i like that a crowd of young guys were watching, that a few came up to me and asked some questions about lifting, it felt good. i was in a good mood the rest of the day, i did not get emotional after i talked to my daughters on the phone( i call them 1-2 times a day every day), and i was a pleasant person for my girlfriend to be around for the remainder of the day. sadly, that is often not the case.
i am going to make it a point to check n on your log and james and you too jimmy, for continued inspiration and accountability.
thanks.
Heavythrower,
The point you make about added weight seems to crush you is interesting.We use touch spotting to overcome sticking points.This along with your training partners feedback helps.
Grunting out lifts is part of it. I trained at Frantz Gym in Auroa Ill.in the early 90’s.All those APF guys and girls train in gear and grunt out lifts.That will always stick in my mind when training.That kind of focus,determination and drive along with an awesome coach helped me win my first National title.In 1993 I won the NASA 181 sub masters in Nashville TN.I hade broken blood vessels in my eyes and a smile on my face.
You do have an explosive execution,but if you are missing that top end. I would suggest partial periodization in the given lift and sticking point.
Bench shirts are great and in my case I get alot of carry over to my raw bench.I feel it will help prevent shoulder problems as well as help break a sticking point.With a bench shirt my triceps need to catch up to the rebound off the bottom.Benching in it on a regular basis allows you to master the gear so to speak.Inzer has a inexspensive single ply training shirt which I would start in.I don’t train singles that much,and my good training sessions allow me to go after a PR.I would train in a shirt that was not too tight and get the feel for it and train raw too!I hope the feedback helps you bro!Looking forward to your training posts.TRAIN HARD! Jimmy T
HT and Jimmy,
You guys are the real deal as far as I am concerned!!!
Jimmy, I liked what you had to say from day 1 and I like that your life’s priorities are evident. HT, I am divorced with 2 kids living in another state with my ex. At one point in my life, my priorities got screwed up and I fucked up! I pay for that fuck-up every day; not a day goes by where I’m not reminded that when you screw up, others get hurt.
My lifting was a priority at one time in my life. I’m no elite lifter; just maybe better than avg. I have always aspired to be a good lifter, but never met those expectations. These posts are so very stimulating to me on so many diff levels. We have never met, but I feel you will achieve in life what you are looking for HT. My life is an open book for those that know me well, only maybe 5-6 true friends I still have. To those that don’t know me I appear to be well-rounded and focused. I wish that were true, HT!!! I make the same mistakes in life others do. I am not perfect nor do i want to be - just want to be happy for a start. When i am happy with myself, then others around me or close to me will be happy too. In the big scheme of things, do things that make you proud of you, learn from your mistakes, be happy with what you’ve accomplished; strive to attain that which presently escapes you. If you have to throw some spirituality in there, do that too - whatever it takes to find inner peace and happiness. Again, we have never met, but I am your brother in iron - always here to build you back up when others have torn you down. Best of luck Jimmy and HT!
Respectfully,
Art
QuarterTonner,
If we could all train together it would be awesome!Strength athletes are a different breed as you say.We are competative by nature and demand a great deal of ourselves.Heavy training is not like a softball league or racquet ball at the club.Athletes who train the lifts have a good focus and lots of discipline and determination.It is not for the casual gym guy.
QT, your honesty about your life says much about your character.My two oldest boys are living out of state with my ex and the relationship is strained too!I do the next right thing every day and carry on.The four that live with me are a blessing and I never take that for granted like I did as a young man with my big boys.
I grew up in Brooklyn N.Y.and my dads side of the family came from Jersey.All my relatives still reside there and up north.Life and the good Lord have been good to me.The glass is always half full brother.
My weight training is a part of my life that helps me,emotionaly,mentaly.and spiritualy.My wife and kids know how focused and determined I am with it.As I have posted my 13 teen year old son will follow in my footsteps.I have a wonderful relationship with him and we like,weightlifting,baseball and NASCAR.We pal around all the time!
Life is good and there are PR’s to set!
As always,I look forward to this time talking with you guys.TRAIN HARD! Jimmy T
wise words from both of you two. now lets train!
09/25/06 - Monday
Squat
45x12x2; 135x8; 185x5; 225x10x10 with 60secs rest in bet all 10 sets
Bench Press
45x8x2; 135x8; 185x5; 205x8x10 - rested bet sets approx. 60-120secs as needed
I did this workout especially to see if I would get an exertional headache/migraine. When I have done higher reps in the squat, I sometimes get these massive headaches. I got none this time, BUT I don’t think the weight was heavy enough. I know i get them when I try between 315 and 405 for higher rep sets and I got one when i tried to max out for my informal meet in the garage and I was only doing singles!
All I got from this workout, is again, more soreness!!! When the soreness wears off, off will start training for the Dec contest in PA and cycle down from sets of 4-8 reps in Oct to 2-3’s in Nov.
Hope all is well with the regular readers of this thread.
Art