Incredible achievement considering all you’ve been through bro (hell would be impressive even if you had a perfect year of training). Just imagine how much you’ll progress with a full healthy year!
Killed it at the meet Holmes. 4 plate bench is around the corner. 'Bout time you got back updating.
Hey I watched you squat and deadlift vids on the race to 600 thread. Deadlift looked great. It seems like on your squat that you are having some hip issues, but it could have been some core tightness problems too. It looks kind of like your external rotators (glutes) are weak or inhibited some. Stretch and roll out those adductors and strengthen the glutes and I bet you get easily 20 more pounds.
My rationale for this is as you come out of the hole (after looking good all the way down) you almost immediately sit back and you knees come in. This translates to more load on the hamstrings, which isn’t all bad, but it also means a bigger forward lean angle, which means more load on the low back (almost always the squat limiting factor). So, the more you can make your ascent look like your descent (nice upright torso with knees out) the better.
Gear whore up (get some wraps) and you’ll hit 600 tomorrow!
jakerz: Thanks man!
the breathing thing was basically I am exhaling on the way down which makes me have to take a breathe in at the bottom and losing my tightness…I have no idea why I do this but it probably has to do with my weak back making the descent much harder than it should be…I’m definitely losing a lot of tightness at the bottom and making my pause much longer too while I get in an extra breathe…
Thanks for the tips on the squat, but I really don’t analyze my form on max singles–I think that weight was perfect for a max, so if my form breaks a bit I’m not going to sweat it…I know what I’m weak in and will hammer that over these next few months…
The 600 with knee wraps is definitely enticing…if I get close to 6 bills on DL’s then I will probably wrap it up and hit 6 on the squats too just to close out that 600 DL/Squat race…but not until then!
SCJ/Flash: Thanks guys…I’m happy with the way training has gone despite my setbacks and am looking forward to an injury free year coming up!
Got the meet vids edited and uploaded tonight. Ended up going 8/8 @ 551/375/562 for a 1488 total. Very happy with this and looking forward to building on it for the next go-round.
[quote]VTBalla34 wrote:
jakerz: Thanks man!
Thanks for the tips on the squat, but I really don’t analyze my form on max singles–I think that weight was perfect for a max, so if my form breaks a bit I’m not going to sweat it…I know what I’m weak in and will hammer that over these next few months…
[/quote]
I get what you are saying I think. I don’t use max singles to analyze my form either, but I do use them to tell me what is weak or what causes my form to break down. Is that what you mean as well?
Are you starting the conjugate method now?
How is that a raw meet? I clearly see a beard and we all know the beard provides at least a 25% boost to each lift. LOLOL.
Nice work and that is one hell of a distance your lifts have to travel.
Jake: No, I’m going to ride 5-3-1 for at least the next 3 months (and truthfully probably longer) as I work on my conditioning. I am severely out of shape and need to get a good baseline going that I won’t fuck up this time around. With my travel schedule, I honestly think the conjugate program I want to run is not possible. Since it calls for certain exercises every week, some of which would involve bands and chains, I dont think I could be consistent training at gyms all over the country multiple weeks out of the month…
NOVA: LOL thanks man…yeah it is tough to get them all the way up there…think I knocked out a few ceiling tiles on my squats! Where do you train at up here?
“When you lay in a heap at the top of a hill, you want two things: water and oxygen. When these two things are the most important things in your life, things start becoming very, very easy. A total transformation will occur, lifelong.”
–Jim Wendler
15.1 - 11/4/11 - Squat
Squat: 185x5, 225x5, 265x3, 310x3, 355x3, 400x3
Single Leg Press: 2 pps x 8-8, 8-8, 8-8
Ab Wheel: 3x12
Tabata Front Squat: 95 (75%)
First actual workout in about a month and I am fucking feeling it. Entire body is sore right now.
Just got minimum reps in squats. These were tough but not overbearing. Didn’t use a belt. Definitely had more but not pushing the main lifts hard as next 3 cycles will be devoted to conditioning.
I am significantly weaker on my left leg than my right with single leg leg presses. I already knew this, but tonight reaffirmed it and makes me realize I really need to get that straightened out.
Tabatas were absolutely miserable and inspired the quote to open this post. I only got through 6 rounds of the 8 total before collapsing in the rack and wondering if I would be able to walk out of the gym on my own power or have to be carted out. My conditioning levels right now are an absolute joke, so its a good thing the next 3 months are focused on conditioning!
Good news is that the tabatas are already working–lost 5 pounds after my workout tonight. Hey bulimia is a great way to drop the pounds, right?
I train in my garage. Pretty good setup, as far as what you can squeeze in a 1-car garage. Used to be a member at a couple of commercial gyms, but just wanted to have something of my own.
You’re doing tabatas? Don’t you see where this leads? Lactic acid training, functional fitness… CROSSFIT!!
Get out now.
cough
tabatas mentioned on page on of dis hurr log
cough
AND… System work like that seems like what CT has going with all the prowler stuff lately?
I dunno LOL! I just look at pics and vids.
[quote]novaeer wrote:
I train in my garage. Pretty good setup, as far as what you can squeeze in a 1-car garage. Used to be a member at a couple of commercial gyms, but just wanted to have something of my own.[/quote]
Sweet dude…I hear your gym owner is a real asshole tho…haaha j/k…I’d love to get my own garage shit together…one day (probably not while I live in DC area though!)
[quote]scj119 wrote:
You’re doing tabatas? Don’t you see where this leads? Lactic acid training, functional fitness… CROSSFIT!!
Get out now.[/quote]
It is a fucking conditioning cycle so I am getting my conditioning on! This is not any of those fucking words that you just said of which I am slightly familiar in name only but not in details…its really fucking hard!
[quote]Hallowed wrote:
cough
tabatas mentioned on page on of dis hurr log
cough[/quote]
Thank you!! And that was nearly 2 years ago…the number of tabatas I’ve done in the past 2 years? Probably about 5 lol
BTW I haven’t looked at the front page of this in a long fucking time LOL…I was so anal with everything and really didn’t stick to it anyway…now that I’ve minimialized the shit out of everything I do, I am way more happy and making tons more progress…
I have no idea what CT is hawking as the newest super duper double secret black ops mega program anymore…but Tabatas are pretty much universally recognized as awesome conditioning builders and fat burners…that is the only reason I’m using it…and it will serve its purporse nicely
[quote]
I dunno LOL! I just look at pics and vids.[/quote]
That’s all I have to do to get you into this log? Damn I’ve been going about it all wrong! Thanks for droppin in! I may have to do some comparison shots of those first page pics before I move out next month!
15.1 - 11/15/11
Warmups: Stretching & Foam Rolling upper body
Bench: 140x5, 175x5, 205x3, 240x3, 275x3, 310x5
Pullups: 6x5
Pushups: 2x15
Inverted Rows: 10, 8
Conditioning: Prowler Push (90x40x6 w/ 60 sec rest)
Bench and Pullups were suppersetted, as were pushups and inverted rows.
Bench called for 3 reps, hit 5 for good measure with plenty in the tank.
Prowler was moderately tough, but I managed to keep my dinner and peri-workout supps down this time, so I consider it a success–probably a good setup to start with. No sense in jumping into the deep end with my pecker hanging out.
I’m going to hit this again on Saturday with same reps, then add 2 more reps next week, and 2 after that until I’m at 10. The layout is Weight x Distance(yards )x Reps. All 60 seconds rest.
Most of my assistance work for these next 3 cycles will be bodyweight, and the ones that aren’t will be single limb stuff to work on imbalances (like the single leg press)…The overall goal is to improve athleticism, conditioning, and flexibility while maintaining strength. If there’s anything I’ve learned over these past 6 months struggling with the cancer and post-surgery complications, is that even if strength drops off slightly it will eventually come back. Focus on what you need to get done and then return to it when you are ready and able. I ain’t even gonna sweat it.
For lower body lifts, I’m using 90% of 90% of my 1RM for my training max (this is 81% for all you math nerds). I’m using the standard 90% of my 1RM for upper body lifts. Deadlift probably would be ok with just 90% as well, but as I said before, ain’t no need to sweat shit.
Photos and vids bring all the Vixs to the yard! S’true story.
CT is hawking PROWLER and SLED work full system cardio.
All the Indigo Boocamp attendees got free Biotest prowlers.
I fully admit I haven’t delved into it too deep (the mostly looking at pictures thing)
But what I’ve heard makes sense re fat loss no muscle wasting and actually building up muscle capacity for greater achievement of LBM. There. You have now had it explained to you by a Pirate. That should make it all HELLA CLEAR!
I just do it because Wendler and other strong people that I respect have said it is awesome for being in shape…that’s what I’m after right now so lets rock! That and tabatas!
Ok here is a picture…this is from 100% Raw Worlds a few weeks ago. This is my powerlifting team, based outta Northern Virginia (Team Force). Great group of guys and gals. That’s me in the shades (it was like the 4th picture and i was just goofing off by that point–dont know why more people dont just trade pics with email)…over on the right is our fearless leader Tim Henrqiues, who writes for T-Nation…I won’t list the other members–not sure if they want their names pasted all up on this heathen log of mine
15.1 - 11/21/11
Warmups: Foam Rolling Back, IT Band Omniball rolls, golf ball under feet
Deadlift: 185x5, 230x5, 275x3, 320x3, 370x3, 415x5
OHP: 95x5, 115x5, 135x3, 155x3, 175x3, 200x5
GHR: 3x8
Dips: 3x8
Conditioning: Prowler @ 90x40x8 (60 second rest)
I was on travel for a quick two day trip to Cali last week…those quick jaunts always end up fucking up my training schedule. I was planning to still get a workout in on Thursday, and got out of work around 2 pm and was ready to hit it thinking I had plenty of time until the VT/UNC game at 8. Then after dicking off for an hour realized I was 3 hours behind and football starts at 5 pm there…so instead i went and got trashed at the VT Hokie Bar in San Diego called Bubs Dive…it was fantastic…we barely squeaked out the win, and with all the Top 10 upsets this week, we snuck up to #5 in the BCS with an outside shot of playing for the MNC (Mythical National Championship)…just need Arkansas to lose to LSU (Sorry Dixie!), Alabama loss at Auburn, and Oklahoma STate to shit the bed in their conference championship…hey, it could happen!
Had a lot going on this weekend too including fixing my car that I fucked up whilst making bad decisions a while back, so pushed my workouts off until Monday. Will be doing Squat/Bench on Wednesday and DL/OHP again on Friday to get back on track…
Tonight’s workout was pretty tough. All the weights felt heavy and slow, but I hadn’t performed OHP in a month and had only DL’ed at my comp in the past month so that is to be expected.
Conditioning was substantially easier this week than last–good to see some improvement there. Going to work up to 10 trips with the Prowler before I start adding on more weight and getting fancy with drop sets and shit.
I’ll post a funny video of some weird couple that commandeered my GHR while I was resting in order to perform some movement similar to what you can do on a 45 degree hyper. They put sand bags and weights on themselves to hold into position so they wouldn’t slide around on it…it was…odd…
That’s all folks
Admit it… you stole their move after they left.
Edit: fucked up video
[quote]scj119 wrote:
Admit it… you stole their move after they left.[/quote]
They had some pretty sweet moves…you can see I am obviously not at all frustrated with the shenanigans as I wait on my GHR…
I wonder if they think [i]I[/i] was using it incorrectly?
Edit
15.2 - 11/23/11
Squat: 185x5, 225x5, 265x3, 290x5, 335x5, 380x5
Bench: 140x5, 175x5, 205x3, 225x5, 260x5, 295x5
Pullups: 6, 6, 6, 5, 5, 5
Got this session in on the road on my way to visit my parents for T-Giving…we were in a rush so just stopped in at an Anytime Fitness and paid the $7 to use it for the day…it was a fairly shitty gym in Southwest Virginia…there was more than one individual there working out in blue jeans…they had two squat racks which was straight, but no bench stations, which I found odd…
Squat weights felt fine, bench weights were way more heavy than they should have been.
No conditioning.
15.2 - 11/27/11
Warmups: Foam rolling back/hammies/quads/glutes, IT band rollerballs, golfball under foot rolls
Deadlift: 185x5, 230x5, 275x3, 300x5, 345x5, 390x5
OHP: 95x5, 115x5, 135x3, 145x5, 165x5, 185x5
Conditioning: Prowler Push (90x40x10 w/ 60 second rest)
Weights felt heavy for both tonight…had a lot to drink this weekend so not exactly in the best physical condition going into it…not worrying about strength right now, just maintaining so not going to get concerned until I start missing reps, and had plenty left in the tank here for both…
Conditioning is going well…made it up to 10 40-yard sprints with the Prowler now, which was the goal…will be doing this a couple times a week now, with Tabata front squats, and hill sprints or V-Burn depending on the weather and how I’m feeling…