To be fair, given Jim’s writing (well, editing) skills that is something you do need to fall back on fairly frequently.
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This is one of those times I’m thankful I grew up trying to decipher Louie Simmons based on 1-off articles in Powerlifting USA. Growing up with that seemed to give me an innate ability to fill in the cracks with Jim’s writing.
I do imagine it’s what Rippetoe so popular. As much as I take issue with him as a coach, I’ve read his books, and he leaves NO detail unmentioned. Zero ambiguity. But then you run into the issue of providing so much information that no one reads it.
I’ll do my usual plug and say, for the life of me, “Powerlifting Basics Texas Style” remains my favorite book on training, and I may even revise my previous statement and say that I’d give THAT book to a trainee and tell them good luck. The beginner training program in that book is definitely the best I’ve seen, with a solid set of principles and variety in it to guarantee some success. About the only thing I’d do is change the order that the trainee reads the book in, and have them start with the beginner trainee program first (naturally) and THEN read the rest, but it’s a minor gripe, and I get that Paul set it up the way he did for the sake of storytelling.
Which really SHOULD be the way training books are written: as stories. We like stories: they captivate us, draw us in, and have us remember. But people are in such a rush to have “science” and are so opposed to anecdotal evidence that no one wants to do that any more.
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I remember getting my first weight set in 9th grade and not having a fucking clue about working out. My dad told me to “pick em up and do shit with em.” Never read anything for two years. Just picked them up and did shit with them.
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John Maccallum really had it right.
Would you recommend the Kelso book purely to aspiring powerlifters or to everyone looking to get bigger and stronger?
@oldbeancam same situation. Got a standard weight bench and spinlock dumbbells and just did lots of benching, curls, push ups and sit ups. Somehow got bigger and stronger. Damndest thing, haha.
@dagill2 Just general weight training. Despite the name, Paul gives a great overview of general lifting, amd only spends a chapter or 2 on actual comp prep. Even includes a basic nutrition section with some recipes that are better than anything most young trainees eat.
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Sold.
I feel like a Mythical Strength reading list is being compiled here already.
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You are in for a treat dude. Would love to be able to read it for the first time again.
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So your latest blog post is (again), about exactly what I’d decided to do anyway. I’m not sure if I’m pleased for the validation, or irritated it’s no longer my idea.
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@dagill2 If it makes you feel any better, I’m not being original either. These are all things I’m “discovering” that lots of other people already figured out, haha.
AM WORKOUT
MAX EFFORT
Snatch grip axle deadlifts
5x136
5x226
1x316
1x406
1x456
1x476
1x501
1x516
GIANT SETS (dead-hyper-squat)
(2) Deficit axle deadlifts 346
3x10
Reverse hyper 360
3x10
SSB front squats 205
3x10
Notes: 3:00 between heavy pulls, 2:00 between first 2 giant sets, then 6:00 between the final. Definitely an interesting stimulus with the snatch grip axle deads. Even more intense than a deficit dead, but I also seem less able to really put in the effort due to the weird positioning. Some practice may help. Low back is stiff afterwards, but I’m gonna blame that on the 3 night shifts and 15 hours of sleep over 3 days that went with it. Today may end up being a 2 a day to get back on schedule.
Conditioning was shot today. Needed a long rest on the final giant set. Going to once again attribute it to a lack of rest.
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Nice pull, more in the tank knowing you. But hang up a light bulb mate, will ya?
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I already got 2, haha.
Either your garage is bigger than I realized or you have some really bad light bulbs!
It’s a 3 car garage. I’m lifting in a 1 car portion of it that I ringed off with equipment.
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Freaking sweet. I like those wheels to move stuff around
They were a total gamechanger. Rogue will charge like $120 for them and then I realize it was just a moving dolly, haha.
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PM WORKOUT (workout 2 of 2)
Superset (press-pulldown)
Axle strict press
5xAxle
5x66
3x161
3x186
9x211
Keg clean and strict press 185
1x12
Lat pulldown 120
6x12
Notes: 3:45 between heavy presses. Call this a “1.5 a day”. Will try for something similar tomorrow, and that should get me caught back up. Presses were feeling awful through the warm-ups and even halfway through the topset, but things eventually clicked. Not a PR as far as I know, but it’s a strong showing at that weight, and the keg is feeling stupid easy at this point.
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AM WORKOUT
GIANT SETS (press-dip-raise-pull apart. Sets 1 and 4: axle. Sets 2 and 5: trap bar. Sets 3 and 6: log)
Axle strict press 176
2x10
Trap bar press 120
2x10
Log clean and press away 160
2x10
Dips
6xFailure
DB lateral raise 25s
6x14
Band pull apart
6x12
Poundstone curls
105xAxle
Notes: 2:00 between giant sets. Finishing up the supplemental and assistance work from yesterday. Came in feeling much better than yesterday, and things moved well. Good to be back on the log instead of the keg: think it’s going to have much better effects all around.
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Hey, Pwn. Big fan of your log. I was hoping you could answer two questions for me. You’ve mentioned dealing with a shoulder impingement in the past, and I was hoping you could elaborate on that. What all have you done to correct the issue? Also, I believe you’ve said that you do a higher fat/lower carb diet and was wondering what a typical breakdown of a day’s eating would be. I’d appreciate any info you could give.
Hey dude, good to hear from you. It’s been a while.
For the impingment, you’ll have to keep in mind that’s a self-diagnosis. I just know that, I’d lift my arm and my shoulder would hurt. To resolve it, I used partial overhead presses with a dumbbell. I’d basically press to JUST where the pain would start, and then go back to the eccentric. I’d do these for 100 reps in a single set (start with 50, then over the course of some workouts get it to 100), it meant using lightweight dumbbells. It’d pump the shoulder up pretty good with restorative bloodflow, and I’d find that the pain spot would start migrating, allowing for longer ROM, before eventually I’d be able to move through the ROM painfree. I’ve used that trick for a lot of little nagging injuries.
My schedule is pretty crazy these days, but this would be an example of a good day. Keeping in mind I don’t measure my food.
0600: Wake up, eat a Quest protein bar and drink a 0 carb Rockstar
0745: Eat leftovers from dinner (some sort of meat and veggie)
1130: Similar meal to 0745
1430: Another quest bar
1730: Similar meal to 0745
1925: 1 poptart
1930-2045: Training
2100: 1 cup rice chex, 2 scoops whey protein, 1 serving PBfit powder, 1 cup fairlife skim milk, 1/4 cup (dry) steel cut oats, 1 tablespoon of honey, all mixed together (post training meal)
Pretty much only eating carbs around training, and that’s because I’m trying to gain weight. If I’m maintaining or losing, they’ll be significantly reduced.
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I’ve discovered the secret in your log to getting really strong.
Haha kidding. I just miss these. The strawberry frosted ones are my favorite!