Thanks, fellows, we’ll see how it works: The best-laid plans …
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Stair jump
3 steps x 18 (+ various 1 and 2 steps), 2 x 4 steps x 10 reps (+ various 1, 2 and 3 steps), 5 steps x 7 (+ various 1, 2, 3 and 4 steps)
Press
50 x 8, 3 x 57.5 x 5 reps (first rep cleaned)
Face-pull
4 sets x various x 8-20 reps
Ab wheel
2 x 10 (standing, various extensions), 1 x 5 reps (standing, full eccentric, kneeling concentric)
i noticed a shiny ab wheel in the corner of my gym yesterday. they must have just picked it up, because theres never been one. may have to give it a whirl to ease my masochistic tendencies. do u suggest starting with the kneeling? i am guessing, u try to keep the legs at 90 deg when kneeling?
[quote]wasBr0k3n wrote:
i noticed a shiny ab wheel in the corner of my gym yesterday. they must have just picked it up, because theres never been one. may have to give it a whirl to ease my masochistic tendencies. do u suggest starting with the kneeling? i am guessing, u try to keep the legs at 90 deg when kneeling?[/quote]
The key to ab wheels is realizing that it is very, very easy to overwork yourself and be sore as heck the next morning (the flaming wheel of doom part). Stop well before you start feeling it and work up carefully.
Kind of like isolated back fly machines. You can really hurt yourself with one of those as well.
I’ve only done them starting from standing with straight legs, but they are a good exercise once you get them rolling.
[quote]wasBr0k3n wrote:
… ab wheel … do u suggest starting with the kneeling? i am guessing, u try to keep the legs at 90 deg when kneeling?[/quote]
I think one advantage in starting with kneeling is that you can train sooner to full extension (at least of the upper body) and get used to the demands that the movement places on the rest of your body (shoulders, arms and lower back) – unless you can do a controlled full extension from the start anyway. At least I needed to do that.
When kneeling, you can regard the knees as the pivot point of the movement, and pick your feet up off of the floor when extending. You start from a position in which your upper legs are perpendicular to the floor; at extension they are approaching parallel to the floor:
Front squat
50 x 5, 72.5 x 5, 82.5 x 5, 3 x 92.5 x 3 reps
Pistol (to 16-inch box)
BW x 10, 2 x BW x 12 reps
Weighted chin-up
5 x BW + 15 x 4 reps
Good session. Squats were sure, need to keep thinking about driving the chest/elbows up. Moved the box for pistols down 2 inches. Switched to weighted chins to try to get my strength there moving up again.
[quote]1Geech wrote:
Squats were sure, need to keep thinking about driving the chest/elbows up. [/quote]
Along with"sitting back", the idea of starting the upward movement with your chest is so important in your squat technique. When I miss an attempt it is because my chest and head go down and I can’t lead with my chest.
Weighted incline crunch
3 x BW + 10 x 8, 6, 6 reps
Hanging leg raise
1 x 8 reps
Ironmind pinch block
12.25 x 10, 17.25 x 8, 2 x 18.5 x very few, 17.25 x 8 reps
Wrist roller
3 x 17.25 pronated, 12.25 supinated
Weighted neck flexion
22.25 x 20, 2 x 27.25 x 12 reps
Weighted neck extension
2 x 20 x 20 reps
[quote]mday wrote:
1Geech wrote:
Squats were sure, need to keep thinking about driving the chest/elbows up.
Along with"sitting back", the idea of starting the upward movement with your chest is so important in your squat technique. When I miss an attempt it is because my chest and head go down and I can’t lead with my chest.
thanks for the “heads up” Geech!! [/quote]
I recently started flexing my abs while squating, pushing out from the oblique area. It seems to keep me more stable.
Bench press
70 x 14, 100 x 7, 107.5 x 4, 2 x 117.5 x 1, 107.5 x 2 reps
Weighted pull-up
5 x BW + 10 x 5 reps
Bad day. Everything on the bench a struggle. Had evidently not recovered from Friday’s dynamic workout, pecs sore and spent. Will reduce the number of dynamic sets next time.
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Stair jump
3 steps x 18 (+ various 1 and 2 steps), 2 x 4 steps x 10 reps (+ various 1, 2 and 3 steps), 5 steps x 7 (+ various 1, 2, 3 and 4 steps)
Press
50 x 8, 3 x 60 x 5 reps (first rep cleaned)
Face-pull
3 sets x various x 14-20 reps
Ab wheel
2 x 10 (standing, various extensions), 1 x 5 reps (standing, full eccentric, kneeling concentric)
Weighted incline crunch
3 x BW + 10 x 9, 6, 5 reps
Hanging leg raise
1 x 8 reps
Standing cable crunch
1 x 20 reps
Ironmind pinch block
12.25 x 12, 17.25 x 8, 19.75 x very few, 18.5 x 8R, 6L, 17.25 x 10 reps
Wrist roller
6 x 18.5 pronated, 4 x 12.25 supinated
Weighted neck flexion
22.25 x 20, 2 x 27.25 x 16 reps
Weighted neck extension
3 x 20 x 20 reps
I am indeed honored. Looking forward myself, however, to doing box jumps over the holidays.
Monday, 1 December 2008
Squat
70 x 12, 100 x 8, 120 x 5, 3 x 135 x 2 reps
Good morning
40 x 16, 50 x 14, 55 x 12 reps
Leg curl
75 x 6, 5 reps
Realized afterwards I should have loaded for (a second sequential week of) squat work sets of 3 reps at 132.5. I guess no harm done. Didn’t feel up for the third rep at 135 so did three sets instead.