EMS Max Strength Journal

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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?

25

Agreed, last summer I used EMS only on hamstrings and it worked very well still.

So far I’ve only done 1 week and it wasn’t that bad. I imagine that this week and next week will be very tough. After the base cycle, I’ll do a 1RM test and let you know how it goes.

26

Did the bobsled workouts go well with your athletes you were training - you were concerned with the times after the block of 10’s.

27

So far they actually have. I did do another 10’s block with the athlete, but just did intensive tempo runs (80%) during this block. I modified the set-up to where they are doing HI training elements 6 days per week. The athlete isn’t anywhere near a high level and it may be the reason why he’s handling the workload and making good gains. He never has complained with body issues with this setup. For the past 3 or 4 months, I’ve been alternating between 5’s blocks and 3’s blocks. Here are some example set-ups that I will copy and paste from the documents that I’ve typed up.

5’s block:

Monday

(Weightroom Warmup)
Back Squat – 305lbs 5RM, -5%, -10%
Bench – 245 5RM, -5%, -10%
Reverse Lunge from box – 3 x 10, 35lb DB’s
Skull Crushers – 3 x 12, 70lbs
Landmines – 3 x 10 (25lbs of plates on top of bar)

Cooldown – 5-10min on bike or elliptical
Static stretch – hold stretches in warmup for 30sec each

Tuesday

(Track Warmup)
8 x 60yds, 5-6min rest
Power Skips for Height (only) – 3 x 5

Cooldown – 200yd jog (either on field or track)
Static Stretch – hold stretches in warmup for 30sec each

Wednesday

(Weightroom Warmup)

Clean Pull – 3 x 3, 275lbs
Clean Grip DL – 5RM w/ 345, -5%, -10%
Strict Deadhang chin - ups (underhand grip) – 12 x 2 (45sec-60sec rest)
45 degree back hypers – 3 x 5, 60lb DB
Swiss Ball Front Plank – 3 x 60sec
Side-ups – 2 x 20

Cooldown – 5-10min on bike or elliptical
Static Stretch – hold stretches in warmup for 30sec each

Thursday

(Track Warmup)

7 x 80m EFEF, 7-8min rest
Power Skips for Distance (only) – 3 x 5

Cooldown – 200yd jog (either on field or track)
Static Stretch – hold stretches in warmup for 30sec each

Friday

(Weight Room Warmup)
Back Squat – 3 x 5 w/ 90% of 5RM, AND -5%, -10%
Military Press – 145lb 5RM, -5%, -10%
RDL - 235lb 5RM, -5%, -10%
DB Row – 3 x 5 w/ 75lb DB’s
Decline Russian Twists – 3 x 30 total reps, 25lb plate

Cooldown - 10min bike ride
Static stretches – hold stretches in warmup for 30sec each

Saturday

(track warmup)
12 x 30m Hill sprints, 2-3min rest in between

Cooldown – 200yd jog (either on field or track)
Foam Roll – each muscle group 10-20x each
Static Stretch – hold stretches in warmup for 30sec each

3’s Block:

Monday

(Weightroom Warmup)
Back Squat – 330lbs 3RM, -5%, -10%
DB Jump Squat – 7 x 3, 25lb DB’s
Bench – 255lbs 3RM, -5%, -10%
DB Bulgarian Split Squat – 3 x 6, 45’s
Skull Crushers – 3 x 8, 80lb BB
Landmines – 3 x 8 (35lbs of plates on top of bar)

Cooldown – 5-10min on bike or elliptical
Static stretch – hold stretches in warmup for 30sec each

Tuesday

(Track Warmup)
Pushup Start – 5 x 20yds
Mt. Climber Start – 5 x 20yds
3pt Start – 5 x 20yds

Cooldown – 200yd jog (either on field or track)
Static Stretch – hold stretches in warmup for 30sec each

Wednesday

(Weightroom Warmup)

Clean Pull – 3 x 2, 310lbs
Clean Grip DL – 3RM w/ 380, -5%, -10%
BLF – 10x, 10lb Ball
Strict Deadhang chin - ups (underhand grip) – 5 x 3
45 degree back hypers – 4 x 6, 65lb DB
Decline Sit-ups – 2 x 30
Side-ups – 2 x 30

Cooldown – 5-10min on bike or elliptical
Static Stretch – hold stretches in warmup for 30sec each

Thursday

(Track Warmup)

3pt – 4 x 20yds
3pt – 3 x 40yds
3pt – 1 x 60yds

Cooldown – 200yd jog (either on field or track)
Static Stretch – hold stretches in warmup for 30sec each

Friday

(Weight Room Warmup)
Back Squat – 3 x 3 w/ 90% of 5RM, AND -5%, -10%
Tuck Jumps – 7 x 4
Military Press – 175lbs 3RM, -5%, -10%
RDL - 275lb 3RM, -5%, -10%
OHB – 10x, 10lb ball
DB Row – 3 x 5 w/ 85lb DB’s
Decline Russian Twists – 3 x 30 total reps, 25lb plate

Cooldown - 10min bike ride
Static stretches – hold stretches in warmup for 30sec each

Saturday

(track warmup)
30yd buildup into 20yd sprint – 4x

Cooldown – 200yd jog (either on field or track)
Foam Roll – each muscle group 10-20x each
Static Stretch – hold stretches in warmup for 30sec each

28

Looks good - what type of increases are we talking about?

Explain - squat 5rm - 5% 10% (Work up to 5rm then decrease by 5 and 10)?

What’s your reason to only pulls on Wed?

How did the deadlifts go for 10’s in block 1?

29

Why the switch to 6 hi days?

30

So far, his 40yd time was 5.2x and now its 4.8x even though he still weighs 225 at 5’11. Squat has also gone up 30-40lbs, deadlift has gone up 20lbs, bench 5-10. He was very weak and we had put tons and tons of focus on speed work for months to maybe a year and we didn’t really get anywhere.

Here’s an example. 305lb 5RM, then 5 x 95% (-5%) of 305lbs is 290lbs, then 5 x 90% of 305lbs is 275lbs. I used this during the 10’s block as well.

Regarding the pulls only: I just wanted to make sure we had a pull only day just like how the Bobsled document had done it. This was the only reason why. We do clean grip deadlift with straps btw.

Deadlifts went well for 10’s block 1. I can’t recall him failing on any reps during the entire block. Also keep in mind that we didn’t do any HI speed work during the most recent 10’s block.

31

This was all experimental. It was something that I wanted to try, I really wanted to put a lot of focus on getting strength levels up since he’s pretty weak but didn’t want to leave speed work out so I placed them on the days after weights (weights before speed in this case). The athlete never complains about feeling tired the day after workouts, etc. He also has no job and only takes 12 hours each semester.

32

Those are solid results…

So, are you only doing 2 sets - one at 5% and 10%. I know Gayle Hatch lifters would up to 3 and 5rm then the second day they will do a percent off the previous session. With this system do you need to test for rep maxes OR using 85-86% of the 1rm for a 5rm etc?

I asked about the pulls because I wasn’t sure if the athlete wasn’t able to do cleans/snatches or you had a reason for only doing pulls only.

I’m curious why he did deadlifts in block 1 - maybe because it’s easier on the legs when squatting for 10’s etc?

Any tempo work?

33

Thanks, I’ve been working with him for 2 years now and the gains have finally came around.

The drop sets are only done for 3 sets. First being 5RM, second being 95% of 5RM, then third being 90% of 5RM. You would need to test for a specific 5RM but since I’ve been working with the athlete for quite a while, I already had a good idea on what his 5RM and 3RM should be. His 5RM was only 285lbs when we started btw. Now he’s doing 325 ATG.

With the clean pulls, we only did them because he sucked so badly with the catch at the time. My original plans were to have him do a 3RM on cleans first on Wednesdays, but there were days where he’d get 225lbs for a 3RM and days where he’d literally fail with 185lbs. So I just decided to focus on clean pulls so I could still keep a strength-speed component for him. I usually used 1.1 to 1.2x his max clean for clean pulls.

I also don’t really have a clue why he did DLs in the 10s block. I could ask him, but he’s so busy that I doubt he respond to me.

And no recent tempo or LI work. We have done plenty of tempo/GS work in the past but have hardly ever seen any benefits from it. I wanted to keep some in to help control body comp, but his times got much slower when we added it with his bodycomp staying the same. In the first year that I trained him, he was doing at least 1600m-2000m of tempo with GS circuits 2x per week.

34

Sorry - I’m still confused. The 5 and 10% are additional sets after the main work sets - how many sets are you doing before the 2 drop sets? When I have done RM type of workouts I have always used 85% for 5rm and 92.5 for 3rm - probably not perfect but close enough.

I wouldn’t be surprise if it wasn’t the reason I listed above - your legs can take a beaten fast in a strength endurance block esp with the running etc.

I’m surprise about the tempo - I guess tempo is for old folks. As I get older I’m starting to value tempo much more - I try not to look at the performance view but overall health benefits. I probably wouldn’t have done that much - 1800-2000m per week is enough to get the job done.

35

I would be curious to what kind of 60/100m time a track guy could run off that bobsled program.

36

No problem, I’ll explain it better. There are three sets total, one set at 5RM, one set at 95% of 5RM, then one set at 90% of 5RM. Before the 5RM set, you do as many warm-up sets as needed. Any clearer? I suppose 85% and 92.5% would be safe enough numbers to use. It would probably be best start maybe even more submax in week 1 and then be really pushing it maximally by week 3. I myself have had good success in getting my numbers stronger in every lift with this scheme.

As far as training in the 10’s block goes. I think you’re right on point, let me give you an example of my own experience regarding my back squat… After my second meet, I did a 10’s block and worked up to doing 362lbs x 10 in week 4. I then unloaded and went into the 5’s block and put 377lbs and failed to get 4 reps. Later that block I was able to get 377lbs x 5, but then didn’t get any stronger after that. I then unloaded and went into the 3’s block and couldn’t even do 387lbs x 3. It was a total disaster that I really think was caused by going so hard in the 10’s block lol. Keep in mind that I did have added stress that came into my life after the 10’s block (school, work etc), not sure how big of a role it played. So far I’m doing everything I can for this not to happen with the athlete. This is how I’ve organized things with this setup so far.

March: 10’s block
April: 5’s block
May: 3’s block
June: 5’s block
July: 3’s block

After this block I will test him again.

I really don’t think that the athlete has ever suffered from CNS fatigue, and he never gets stiff or sore from any of the work that we do. When we did Hi/Low days we were barely able to add any strength from what I remember. This played the biggest role in the deciscions that I made in modifying his training program. I’d also be curious to see how a track guy or higher level athlete would respond to this program. Back when I was still sprinting, speed work was so hard on my body and I always had issues with my mobility, etc. I’m not sure if I could’ve help up with this program if I did it back then lol.