EMS Max Strength Journal

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5

Thursday, 5.24.12

Block Cleans - 277lbs x 3, 262lbs x 3, 252lbs x 3
Clean Grip DL - 347lbs x 5, 332lbs x 3, 315lbs x 3
Clean Grip RDL - 277lbs x 5, 262lbs x 5, 252lbs x 5
Clean Grip Shrug - 347 x 5, 332 x 5, 315 x 5
Bent Over Row - 3 x 5 w/ 182lbs

277 x 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPPfG-z2wjA
347 x 5: http://youtu.be/xr9X1cEyzfQ

Overall a good day hitting 2 PR’s in this workout. It’s been a while since I’ve done block cleans and they felt foreign to me. I actually failed some of my warmup sets and realized that I wasn’t starting with my hips hinged back enough (instead I was standing too upright), this could be the very reason why I failed my snatches on Tuesday.

EMS Session 2/19

Same warmup used like last time.

Quads - 45
Hamstrings - 47
Glutes - 75
Erector Spinae - 48
-No calves because they are still sore.

Another brutal session, but not near as bad as the first one. I think the battery on my unit is already dying from this stuff, it was flashing while I was stimming hte glutes. Could be the reason why the milli-Amps were much higher on the glutes and erector spinae this session. I might have to use a new battery for each session.

6

Saturday, 5.26.12

Snatch - 177 x 1, 187 x 1, 197 x 1, missed 202 3x
Clean and Jerk - 225 x 1, 242 x 1, 252 x 1, stopped because I ripped 3 calluses
Front Squat - 357lbs x 2

PR on the front squat today! I have video of the front squat, but shot it at a horrible angle. Other than that everything really sucked today. Lifts are down because I’m primarily more focused on becoming stronger in the less specific stuff. It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make. Also with the snatch I also have to keep in mind that I did change my technique by not curling my wrists inward at the start. For the time being, I’m going to start incorporating some pause snatches below the knee on Tuesdays instead of block snatches. I also need to step it up a notch on taking care of my hands. These bars here are a lot less friendlier to the hands than the bar I use back at school.

I’m not too surpised that I didn’t get any extreme soreness from the EMS this week. My biggest worry now is that the unit I’m using won’t be powerful enough to use on my glutes in the upcoming sessions. If this happens, I’m going to have to discontinue using the unit because it wouldn’t make much sense to use it on other muscle groups that are going to benefit more to this training.

7

Week 2, Monday, 5.28.12

Power Jerk - Cluster - 227, 237, 247, 237, 227, 227 x 5
Back Squat - 377 x 5, 357 x 5, 342 x 5
BTN Push Press - 207 x 4 (fail)
Bench - 257 x 5, 247 x 5, 232 x 5

377lbs x 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d7vd9SLNp8

Wish I was able to get more sets in today, but I got to the gym kind of late. I hit some solid numbers today, but they were hard as hell to achieve. Next week should be interesting.

EMS Session 3/19

Quads - 52
Hamstrings - 51
Glutes - 83
Erector Spinae - 51

Another tough EMS session…

8

Tuesday, 5.29.12

Pause Snatch - 177 x 3, 187 x 2 (fail), 192 x failed all 3)
Snatch Grip DL - 332 x 5, 317 x 5, 302 x 5
Snatch Grip RDL - 272 x 5, 257 x 5, 247 x 5
Snatch Grip Shrug - 332 x 5, 317 x 5, 302 x 5
Ab Wheel - 2 x 20

332 x 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2qyDZSrmVY&feature=youtu.be

Rough day today. Snatches look good on camera, but still just plain weak compared to where they were a month ago.

I did have some soreness fatigue everywhere from last night’s EMS session. I really felt it today.

9

Hey Ku2u,

As we discussed earlier this week, the cheap “heavy duty” 9 volt batteries that come with this unit are total garbage. My Energizer 9 volt has lasted months, so with a quality 9 volt you should be set for a while. It will be interesting to see how the sessions progress and if you run out of power.

10

I will keep that in mind Tyrone. Stay posted with this log!

Wednesday, 5.30.12

Power Jerk - 2 x 5 w/ 222lbs
BTN Push Press - 3 x 5 w/ 192lbs
Back Squat - 5 x 5 w/ 347lbs
Bench - 5 x 5 w/ 232lbs

Tough day accumulating all of that volume. Moved back to school today, starting class tomorrow.

11

Thursday, 5.31.12

Block Clean - 282lbs x 2 (fail), 272lbs x 3, 257lbs x 3
Clean Grip DL - 357lbs x 5, 342 x 5, 327 x 5
CG RDL - 287lbs x 5, 272lbs x 5, 255lbs x 5
CG Shrug - 357 x 5, 342 x 5, 327 x 5
Bent Over Row - 207 x 5, 197 x 5, 187 x 5
Front/Side Plank - 1 x 60sec

282 x 2 clean fail: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGboZdM6B4I&feature=youtu.be
357 x 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZFB89iZv_Q&feature=channel&list=UL

EMS Session 4/19

Quads - 60
Hamstrings - 52
Glutes - 90
Erector Spinae - 52
Should’ve had that third rep on block cleans today. I got underneath it but just wasn’t aggressive enough with getting my elbows up. Other than this, my stress levels are about to really hit the ceiling. It’s my senior year in college and I have a lot of expectations to live up to at my job, in my classes, attaining my CSCS cert, and hitting PRs in these workouts. I also have to note that I won’t be training this Saturday because I’m going to the NSCA conference thats being held in my hometown of Waco, TX.

I made a mistake on the quad stim today by putting the negative electrodes on the bottom and the positive electrodes at the top. Not sure if this would effect the stimulation, however I was still able to handle more mAmps today. The session was definitely painful like usual.

12

Bol with your training. I have been writing workouts for a weightlifter you can see the exercises for the first couple blocks:

Block 1: 3 times per week
M-W-F
Hang power snatch
Hang power clean
Clean deadlift and shrug
Push press
Front squat
OH squat
Bench press
***Jumps

Block 2: Training 3x per week alt workouts
Session A:
Power snatch
Power clean
CDL
Push jerk
Front squat
Oh squat
Incline press
*Jumps

Session B:
Hang squat snatch
Hang squat clean
Snatch deadlift shrug
Jerk
FS
Oh squat
Bench
*Jumps

Block 3: Current Block
Mon:
Power squat snatch
Snatch h pull
Snatch deadlift shrug
PC
Push jerk
FS
Bp

Wed:
Jerk
Oh squat
Hang squat snatch
Hang squat clean
Good morning
Bp
Ip
*Jumps

Fri:
Power squat clean
Clean high pull
Clean dead shrug
Power snatch
Push press
Bs
Incline

Block 1: Was all prep work…

13

Thanks man. Thats quite a bit of comp lift exercises you’re having him do. Is there any particular reason why you aren’t doing back squats in the program?

14

Yes, its a higher volume program based around veteran weightlifter and 3-time Olympic coach Schmitz. Remember I only listed exercises no setsxrepsx%'s…

For example current block:
mon:
pss 2x5/x3/x2/3x2
shp 3x3
sdl 3x2
pc 2x5x/3x3
pjerk 2x5 3x3
fsq 5432/3x2
bp 10/8/6/4/3x2

Also we are still in the prep phase… We don’t get into %'s until the later phases…

15

I’m not very familiar with Jim Schimtz stuff. Its similar to my program in nature but has lots more OL specific exercises which is probably better from a beginner’s standpoint. After I’m done with the next two training blocks I’m going to get a lot more specific with the lifts and not focus so much on strength. My comp lifts need a ton of work.

16

Coach Schmitz is great - always willing to help.

Sample program he wrote for me during college - fr year…

Week #1

(A) - Monday
BS – 135x10, 225x5, 315x4, 385x3, 405x3x2
PS – 135x3x3, 175x2, 185x3x2
PC – 135x3x3, 205x2, 255x3x2
BP – 135x10, 225x5, 295x4, 315x3, 335x3x2
(B) – Wednesday
PS – 135x3x3, 175x2, 195x2, 205x3x2
PC – 135x3x3, 205x2, 255x2, 275x3x2
CHP – 295x3x3
BP – 135x0, 225x5, 275x3x4
© – Friday
PS – 135x3x3, 175x2, 195x2, 205x2, 215x3x1
PC – 135x3x3, 205x2, 255x2, 275x2, 295x3x1
FS – 135x5, 225x4, 295x3x3
BP – 135x10, 225x5, 295x4, 315x3x3

17

5’s Block week 3, Monday, 6.4.12

Back Squat - 382lbs x 3 (fail), 362lbs x 3 (fail)
Bench - 260lbs x 3 (fail), 235 x 5

Just not a good day today. I even cut out two lifts today and everything was still bad. I’m pretty sure my poor performance today probably happened because I’m stressing myself out a lot more than normal. I believe I will become acclimated to this “new” lifestyle soon.

Tuesday, 6.5.12

Pause Snatch Below Knee - 187lbs x 3, 192 x 3, 172 x 3
Snatch Grip DL - 342 x 3 (fail), 327 x 2 (fail), 307 x 5
Snatch Grip RDL - 275 x 5, 260 x 5, 245 x 5
Snatch Grip Shrug - 345 x 5, 325 x 5, 315 x 5
Bent Over BB Row - 210 x 5

192 x 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyDwi8H2rsY

Tied my 3RM pr on the snatches today and I’m very happy with that after how bad they were last week. I can’t explain the snatch grip DL today, just a horrible performance like yesterday probably because of the many lifestyle changes happening this week.

Wednesday, 6.6.12

Back Squat - 5 x 5 w/ 352lbs
Bench - 5 x 5 w 237lbs

Good day of getting volume. Felt stronger than Monday.

Thursday, 6.7.12

Block Clean - 287lbs x 3, 302lbs x 1
Clean Grip DL - 367lbs x 5, 347 x 5, 332 x 5
CG RDL - 302 x 5, 287 x 5, 277 x 5
CG Shrug - 367 x 5, 347 x 5, 332 x 5

287 x 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE2_L_P_iDw&feature=channel&list=UL
My first 302lb clean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj-bw9P_TlA
CGDL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjzguWF4_V4&feature=channel&list=UL

It’s about time that I racked 300+lbs to my shoulders. I know its from blocks but it was an awesome feeling and I almost had the second rep. Also I think its finally safe to say that my deadlift is higher than my front squat! My deadlift has come a long way since the start of round two of this LSUS program. Overall lot’s of struggles this week, but finished strong. I’m unloading next week to prepare for the 3’s block. I won’t be training this Saturday either because I’m supposed to see my older cousin who plays TE/FB for theTexans if he shows up to my family reunion.

EMS info: Ok, I did not do any EMS this week because I really just can’t handle it in my life right now. I literally almost fell asleep at 7pm everyday this week! For the time being, my new plan is to do 2weeks on/2 weeks off with EMS. So this means this week and next week will not include EMS, but at the start of the new 3’s block I will go back to incorporating it again. Perhaps I might start incorporating it 3 days per week instead of two days per week when I start it back again. I cannot say if I am noticing any strength gains from the four sessions that I’ve done thus far. If anything, the gains I have made have just come from training alone.

18

How’s the ems treatments going?

19

Just realized it was a bad time to do all of this. Lot of unexpected things happened to me all at once and now I don’t even have access to OLs in that garage anymore. When I get my undergrad classes done in mid December, I may be able to get back to doing EMS again depending on how stressful my internship is.

If this helps any, the four sessions that I did with EMS didn’t show any strength gains really. But four sessions isn’t near the recommended range that Charlie advocated (10-15 sessions). I will update this journal whenever I start incorporating EMS in my training again, it will happen someday.

20

Sorry to hear that- I don’t think max strength ems treatments are worth the stress for part time athletes/full time students/healthy athletes. BOL with everything else…

21

Thanks man. Do you think that working as an assistant strength coach that its possible to have the time to do EMS treatments? I only ask because the 2011 and 2012 crossfit games winner says he works as an assistant strength coach and has time to do three workouts per day. I guess it depends on a lot of different things, but I’m curious if you have an opinion to this.

22

If he’s a div1 strength coach and have time to train 3x per day then he’s not training his athletes or he’s doing 3 30min sessions. I tried many different setups the one below worked well along with several others:

Mon/Thur: Speed 90mins
Tue/Fri: Weights 60mins
Wed/Sat: Tempo 60mins

23

Damn, the EMS session alone will take at least 90min… EMS is definitely for full time athletes only unless you can get a job to where you only work 30hrs per week.

Btw, right now I’m doing the smolov squat program and training less than an hour each day. It’s all I can do right now.

24

If it’s a must use the ems on the weaker body parts for example hamstrings etc. No time for the lsu program - how’s the smolov squat program?