Velvet's Lifting and Other Fun Stuff Log

Training Training Logs
2461

No problem! I hope you can find something that works for you. Of all the nagging little injuries I’ve dealt with, this was by far the most troublesome. It’s easy enough to figure out what’s bothering a knee or elbow, and easy to ignore or work around. Much different story when it’s affecting your ability to walk or there’s legitimate concern about the neural aspect. Lmk how it goes!

@FlatsFarmer @T3hPwnisher Hey fellas, I want to pick your brains a little about some home-gym conjugate training while I drink some coffee and thaw out from sitting outside in the cold for a couple hours. Flats you seem to have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all things training, and Pwn you’re the overhead guy and a delightful maniac.

I’ve read through a bunch, maybe too many, articles on how to approach conjugate. I have a pretty good handle on the basic layout. 4 days/week, 2 ME/RE and 2 DE/RE.

My goals aren’t powerlifting related at all, so I won’t be following the “traditional” conjugate method that mimcs Westside. I’m going to be starting these lifting sessions with a 5-10 minute conditioning blast as buy in for the lifting portion. That’s a little tidbit I picked up from Brian Alsruhe and need to use so I don’t half ass the conditioning at the end of the workout like I’m won’t to do.

For the max-effort work I’m thinking of staying with the same movement for three weeks before I rotate, working up to a 5RM, 3RM, 1RM or 3RM, 2RM, 1RM over the course of the three weeks. Alternatively I could cut that back to two, and do a 3RM and 1RM. Any thoughts in that regard? Also, what do you guys think about back-off sets after the top ME set?

I’m leaning towards a 2:1 squat to deadlift variation ratio for the max effort lower days. Upper days will be various forms of strict overhead pressing.

For the dynamic days, I don’t have anything to do accommodating resistance work so that’s out for now. I’ll stick with squats and deads on the lower day for low reps and high speed, coupled with some jumps Alsruhe style because that just makes sense to me. For the upper day, I’m thinking clean and push press or clean and power jerk as the main lift. Keeps me doing overhead and keeps the idea of dynamic work being fast and explosive.

I’m not too concerned about the RE work tbh. I’ll probably do some pumpy-bodybuilding stuff some days, and some circuit style stuff or long form KB stuff other days, just to keep it all from getting too stale.

Appreciate any insight you guys may have!

3 Likes
2462

That looks pretty OK.

5-10 minutes conditioning first is 100% OK. Nobody does “warm ups,” but Everybody does some stuff to get ready before the serious lifts. Also, Alsruhe is a conjugate guy, so anything he does is probably OK.

If using the same Max Effort lift for 3 weeks makes sense to you, do it that way. The “rules” are to have something heavy in there at least a couple times a month, and aim for about 3 successful attempts at or above 90%.

Personally, I don’t think back off sets on ME day are a great idea. Many times dudes seem to throw them in because they can’t get enough “Umph” into the ME work. Like they need to do extra because they heavy stuff didn’t feel like enough. Then they end up throwing off the DE day because they’re tired from the extra shit on ME day.

But many dudes SIMPLY MUST DO the back off sets. If you’re one of these guys, at least try not to do the back offs for 3 weeks. At least make it through one 3 week wave before you start adding extra stuff. Or use an extra close of extra wide grip on the back offs so you need to use less weight and you change the exercise a little.

2:1 squats to deads should be OK. If you’re into the Olympic stuff you can also do cleans (or whatever pulls) on lower body for ME or DE.

Low rep sets of quality, smooth reps with very shorts rest will work fine for DE. Push press and jerks are cool for DE because it’s natural to push them fast, even with accommodating resistance.

For RE stuff I think you’re right not to stress it. Just don’t neglect your tris, lats and rear delts plus your hamstrings and abs. As you start working the program you’ll probably naturally come across a good way to organize your assistance stuff.

1 Like
2463

One potential “Issue” is the abuse your shoulders might take. Lots of pressing and squatting means beating on them 4 days a week. Maybe you could work up some plan where you’re not doing your heaviest, most brutal overhead presses right after you just did your heaviest, most brutal squat.

1 Like
2464

I wanna come back to this, but wanted you to know its on my radar

1 Like
2465

10/31/22

Zercher Squats - 1s Week

GIANT SETS (jump - squat - core)

Box jumps:
x3

Zercher squats:
50x10
150x5
170x5
190x5

Hollow holds:
x15s

SUPER SETS (squat - core)

Zercher squats:
150x5x5

Flutter kicks:
x20s

SUPER SETS (squat - curl)

Belt squats:
120x3x20

Band assisted Nordic hamstring curls: (black)
3x5

Shin raises:
x25

Seated calf raises:
90x18

Band hip stuff

Walking lunges:
x100

CONDITIONING

Tabata burpees w/squat rest - x4/round

Best this workout has felt yet. Back is feeling better today than it has since prior to the injury and it showed in my ROM. Coolest part of the workout though was the Nordic curls. I went down on some band tension and it was noticeable but still a solid movement. No slop to get back up, that’s pretty sweet.

@FlatsFarmer Dude, thank you so much. I bookmarked that post so it doesn’t get lost. I’m pretty good at finding a 4RM when I shoot for a 5RM, so I’ll stick with the recommendation of no back-offs at first while I get in the groove here.

I’m not planning on any Olympic stuff other than the power clean for presses. I’ve never found much success training those lifts, and as cool as they are, the juice just isn’t worth the squeeze for me.

Good point about the shoulders! I’ll keep an eye on them. So far in life, that’s been my luckiest joint. Never had any real issues there so I’m hoping they’re up to the task. I’ll try to pair up the SSB when my press variations are especially taxing.

@T3hPwnisher No rush man, appreciate you popping in. BTW, twice today I started typing out your blog handle when I tried to tag you. Brain is really firing on all cylinders today.

3 Likes
2466

As always, @FlatsFarmer speaks and I listen. My only big contribution here is this

Keep in mind that max effort days aren’t “lift heavy days”: they’re maximal STRAIN days.

When it comes to deadlifting, straining is easy. The weight is dead (hence the name), and you pull against it as hard as you can, and move it centimeter by centimeter. With the squat, we accomplish this by doing a box squat, so there’s no stretch reflex/rebound. For the good morning, we do this by suspending the bar with chains. For the bench, we can do this with pause benching, rack lockouts, etc.

But when it comes to the press, think about straining in that movement. It’s REALLY hard to do. Typically, when a trainee starts straining in the press overhead, the back starts bending to compensate, strength gets leaked all over the place, and we don’t really get a chance to strain in a productive manner, if at all.

Here I am trying to do exactly that

It’s hot garbage, and that’s my BEST straining effort on a press overhead.

If I were REALLY set out to want to do it, I’d do seated back supported presses overhead with various lockouts, but those will quickly turn into VERY high incline benching instead.

It’s where I find the conjugate approach lacking when it comes to pressing overhead specifically. That said, I think pressing is pressing, so I’d be totally fine with horizontal style pressing as the max effort work and then using your dynamic effort work to drill the overhead. RE would work there too. But with a bench press/variant, you have something solid to drive your back into to make a base to press from and can focus on total maximal strain.

3 Likes
Titan Tim Tackling his Twenties
2467

Thanks man, I appreciate that insight. You’re totally right, I hadn’t considered the fact that straining on the overhead press is a challenge in and of itself. I could definitely do a horizontal press for the ME work then hit various forms of overhead pressing for the RE work.

I suspect I’ll go through some forms of denial, bargaining, and anger before I accept that reality, haha. I’m stubborn enough to try overhead variations just to see.

As always, appreciate your advice dude. I’ll be getting started on this next week and I’ll buy into this advice from the get go. Bookmarked this post too.

1 Like
2468

Dude, no lie. I’ve had off and on back problems since I was about 30. I blame years of WAY too much ultra-distance running + powerlifting. Terrible combo… As I get older it just gets worse - go figure. But life without squats isn’t an option - so I’m kind of not helping my situation I’m sure… It’s one of those I’m my own worst enemy situations. The plague that is my life. Again thank you!! I’m going to add your routine to my book of tricks!

1 Like
2469

Don’t forget about the Z Press, the Seated Press with back support and the Steep Incline Press as overhead moves. You could do any of those, or standing press from pins in the rack at chin, eyebrow of top of the head level.

Westside also uses the secret Standing Incline for overhead strength.

image
image680×680 73.4 KB

2 Likes
2470

Also, the idea of Ball Blastin’ Maximal Straining is just one “interpretation” or “style” of the using the Max Effort method. Plenty of conjugate dudes only take it to a 9 in the gym. Or use ME moves specifically because you Can’t grind through them. Even Louie moved away from all out grinds to just hitting low pressure, 5 pound PRs, with a little left over for next time.

I don’t want to dis Punisher or Dave Tate, but not everyone gets down the same way.

2 Likes
2471

Not taken that way at all: I haven’t dug far into the method at all.

2 Likes
2472

11/1/22

Press 1 - 1s Week

GIANT SETS (press - chin - core)

Football bar press:
45x10
75x5
95x1
115x1
125x1
130x1
135x0

Over hand pullups:
6x8

Palloff press:
x5/side

SUPER SETS (press - band)

Football bar press:
105x3x5

Band pull aparts:
3x30

GIANT SETS (row - bench - pushup)

Inverted row:
3x40s

DB bench:
50x3x40s

Bench pushups:
3x40s

Lateral raise:
5x25 - 10x15 - 15x10 - 15x10 - 10x15 - 5x25

Poundstone curls:
x134

CONDITIONING

Tabata pushups

Good workout. The football bar kind of sucks to bench with, but it’s pretty killer for overhead pressing. Especially if you forget where your chin is.

@QuadQueen I hope it works for you! From the sounds of it, you’re dealing with much more than I am. I too am my own worst enemy, and if I could get the results I want without doing any squatting, I’d never do them again haha.

@FlatsFarmer Dude I laughed audibly at that photo. I could actually probably rig something like that up in my basement, but I have enough movements I can take a crack at that I’ll probably save that one for desperate times.

Also, duly noted on that expanded take on ME work. Today was actually a glimpse into the thoughts @T3hPwnisher hit on in his post. My rep at 130 was not an easy one, but it went up without the drama I was anticipating. 135 on the other hand got to my nose and promptly came back down. 130 was a solid heavy single and required effort, but the strain lasted maybe 3/4s a second.

Appreciate you guys.

6 Likes
2473

11/3/22

Deads - 1s Week

GIANT SETS (jump - pull - core)

Box jumps:
x3

Trap bar pulls: (deadstop)
60x10
150x5
240x5
300x10

Planks:
x20s

SSB Hatfield/pendulum squats:
235x3x6

Shin raises:
x25

SSB calf raises:
135x7

GIANT SETS (core - core - row)

Band good mornings:
3x15

Reverse hyper:
3x15

Chest supported DB row: (2)
70x3x8

Band hip stuff

CONDITIONING

Tabata burpee suitcase carry w/32kb KB

Back held up solid after spending the day flying and being driven around yesterday. Conditioning is in the gutter these days.

2 Likes
2474

1/4/22

Press 2 - 1s Week

GIANT SETS (chin - press - core)

NG chins: (widest to narrowest)
BWx10 - close
+45x10x2

Axle press:
50x10
115x10x1

Side planks:
5x15s/side

Dips:
x120s

Pushdowns:
x120s

DB hammer curls:
25x120s

Lateral raise:
10x120s

Band pull aparts:
x120s

CONDITIONING

Tabata burpee mountain climbers

Solid, not much to talk about otherwise.

2 Likes
2475

nice work man!!

1 Like
2476

11/7/22

Conjugate - ME Lower - W1/D1

CONIDTIONING

EMOM x 10 minutes:
3 burpees
6 V crunch
9 squats
12 jumping jacks

MAX EFFORT

SSB box squat: (to bench)
45x10
135x5
185x3
205x3
235x3
245x3

REPETITION EFFORT

Belt squats: (drop set)
135x12, reps of 110, 85, 60, 35, bar

Reverse hyper: (drop set)
Double band, single band, bodyweight

Nordic hamstring curl: (purple band)
x14

Shin raises:
x25

Calf raises: (long stretch, long pause, slow eccentric)
x10

Band hip stuff

Ring fallout crunches:
x15

Here we go, day one done. This was the best workout I’ve had in a while, I think mostly because it’s just such a new stimulus.

Starting with conditioning is the right move, this was just about right. Could have been a little tougher on the lungs, but I didn’t half ass it which is the most important part right now.

Hardest part of those SSB squats is the first inch off the bench, if I can clear that I’ve got the rep. Last rep on the top set was a maybe, wasn’t sure my ass was coming off the bench at all and I was wondering if I’d get stuck. Made it up though. Took 90 seconds between attempts.

Feels not giant setting or super setting stuff with the main work, but I got plenty of core work in during the conditioning and tacked on a little more at the end. I’ll load up on the jumps on dynamic effort day.

Rest of the workout I just blasted through as fast as I could. Only rest came during setting up and tearing down different stations, which I tried to do quickly to keep the pace up.

I might have to look into building a reverse hyper out of lumber for my rack this winter. My janky band set up is better than nothing but a real one would be a game changer.

@round2lifting Thanks dude! Looking at that whole training block bugs me, because I never felt like myself during any of those workouts. Think I’m on the upswing there though.

4 Likes
2477

11/8/22

Conjugate - ME Upper - W1/D2

CONDITIONING

Tabata devil press + thruster:
2 each per round w/25lb DBs

Tabata ABCs:
2 per round w/25lb DBs

MAX EFFORT GIANT SETS (press - band - core)

Axle floor press:
50x10
80x5
120x3
140x3
170x3
190x3

Band pull aparts:
6x20

Side planks:
x10s/side

REPETITION EFFORT GIANT SETS (chin - press - dip - raise)

Overhand pullups:
1x8
6x7

Football bar clean and press away:
85x8, 7, 6

Axle clean and press away:
90x8, 6, 6

Dips:
6x failure

Lateral raise:
10x13
10x5x12

Poundstone curls:
x135

Another one in the books. 190 wound up being a true 3rm on that floor press today. Came to a complete stop on the floor each time, no bounced reps. Decided to include the band pull aparts and some core work as a giant set for the upper body day. Neither of those are really going to impact my main lift, and I don’t have to find anywhere else to stick them this way.

Decided to go with a classic @T3hPwnisher misery fest for the RE work. Changed it up a touch by swapping in chins for the band pulls, because I omitted them earlier on for the sake of the ME work. Gas tank is low for this right now compared to the last time I took a crack at it, but I have a feeling I’ll surpass where I was then in short order.

Without fail the Poundstones are the part of the workout I dread the most. I usually get to around 70 before I need to take a break, and now that’s only the halfway point. Luckily I didn’t have to try and get any conditioning in after, front loading that is the move.

2 Likes
2478

11/9/22

CONDITIONING

EMOM x 15:
3 high handle trap bar pull w/240
3 burpee chin ups
3 DB clean and strict press w/25s

This was a good workout, in that it sucked just the right way. Had about 20 minutes to work with so got in 15 rounds with the rest being set up and tear down.

I was never completely gassed out doing this, but I never felt like I was cruising or “ready” for the next round after I got a handful done. This would be a good 30+ minute workout. I probably could have gone that long but I was super glad to shut it down at 15, I was basically moving in a daze after about round 7. Body felt shaky and vision blurred, think it was just blood sugar more than anything. I’ll come back to this at some point.

Super scaleable too, adding more reps for the fast people or more weight for the strong folk.

1 Like
2479

11/10/22

Conjugate - DE Lower - W1/D3

CONDITIONING

EMOM x 7 minutes:
5 burpee mountain climbers + hollow rock/hold/plank to fill minute (6)
10 burpees (7)

DYNAMIC EFFORT SUPER SETS (jump - squat + jump - pull)

Box jumps:
x2

Squat:
45x10
135x5
165x12x2

Broad jump:
x2

Deadlift:
135x5
245x6x2

REPETITION EFFORT

SSB Bulgarian split squat:
95x2x10
95x7
45x15
BWx20

Band laying leg curls:
x50

Shin raises:
x25

Seated calf raises: (long stretch, long pause, slow eccentric)
70x7

Band hip stuff

Incline standing ab wheel:
x11

Dare I say, this workout was kind of fun? That conditioning session lit up my core something fierce. My lungs weren’t hit quite as hard as a result, but the rest of the workout was basically an extended conditioning session anyway.

Took 25 seconds rest between rounds of the dynamic work. Squats felt great, they were super light so they should feel better than usual, but the movement was pretty dialed in. Deads not so much, total opposite of how I normally operate.

I wasn’t feeling particularly motivated to mess with equipment or get creative, so I figured some painful sets of BSS would fit the bill for leg work. My right leg was crying at the end of the last three sets. Rest of the workout was just pump stuff for the little muscles with no rest between. Ab wheel is back on the menu, back is almost there.

3 Likes
2480

11/11/22

Conjugate - DE Upper - W1/D4

CONDITIONING

Tabata DB man makers w/25s
Tabata prisoner squats

DYNAMIC EFFORT SUPER SETS (press - band)

Axle clean and push press away:
50x10
90x12x3

Band pull aparts:
12x10

REPETITION EFFORT

GIANT SETS (chin - dip - core)

NG chins: (widest to narrowest)
BWx10 (wide)
+45x5x4

Dips:
BWx10
+45x5x4

Palloff press: (3 second hold)
x5/side

DB flat bench drop set:
70x5, reps of 60-50-40-30-20-10

DB hammer curl dropset:
30x14, reps of 20-10

Lateral raise:
5x100 rest/pause

First week of lifting days done. So far I think switching to this approach was the right move for me. I noticed today that I don’t have a single rowing movement on any of my workouts. Normally that would bother me because it’s a “must do” but then I thought about it and realized I’ve been training consistently for close to a decade and rowing at least once maybe up to three times per week. I think I’ll get by on chins and pull aparts for a while. Curls seem more important to me right now, haha.

Forgot to mention, 20s rest between sets of the dynamic effort work.

I’ll get some conditioning I’m dreading in tomorrow. Supposed to rain all day which sucks because I was hoping to get a long hunting day in. I’m using what are essentially heirloom rifles to hunt with. Fine on a nice day but I’m not about to subject them to harsh weather. Guess I’ll need a new rifle :man_shrugging:

2 Likes