Tights on Ice

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72

November 14th, 2009
Lower Body Focus

Condition:
Still kind of sick, I’ve been managing to get some sleep though. I didn’t really feel like training today, but I needed to get back into it.

Warm Up:
Some RW Drills

Some activation drills (mostly non-tripods)

Lots of plyos (altitude landings and CMJs)

Workout:
Back Squats (close stance, start a new set every 3 minutes, full ROM)
8 sets x (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2) reps @ 315 lbs (24 total reps), <180 sec. rest

Plank Progression
7 sets @ BW

Cool Down:
Some more activation drills

Mild plyos

Notes:
Well, I went to the doctor yesterday and was diagnosed with hypertension, which at 21 isn’t exactly a good thing. For anyone who knows me, this isn’t exactly a surprise. I’m extremely high strung. I’m going to blame this largely on my diet though. As I see it, the diagnosis is actually a good thing. Now I’ve finally got a legitimate excuse to clean up my diet.

Besides that, the session went well today. Four training sessions ago I did a ladder session like today and topped out at a very hard 5 reps. I managed 6 today, and that’s after being sick and out of commission for a solid week. Things are looking up.

Ugh, no more double bacon cheeseburgers dipped in country gravy… :frowning:

73

November 19th, 2009
Lower Body Focus

Condition:
Since last session I’ve been sleeping regularly, eating a healthier diet, and have adjusted to the emotional stressors in my life. As such, I feel like a million bucks.

Warm Up:
Some RW Drills

Some activation drills (mostly non-tripods)

Lots of plyos (altitude landings mostly)

Workout:
Back Squats (close stance, start a new set every 3 minutes, full ROM)
5 sets x (5, 5, 5, 5, 8) reps @ 315 lbs (28 total reps), ~140-150 sec. rest

Plank Progression
7 sets @ BW

Cool Down:
Some more activation drills

Mild plyos

Notes:
Fantastic! I guess sleep is good for me after all. :cool:

Not only did I hit a total volume PR with 315 lbs by 4 reps, but I also averaged 5.6 reps per set (old PR was 3.8 per set) and could have tied my single set rep PR if I had been willing to sacrifice form on the last work set of the day. Today was great.

I thought I was doing well when I was running myself ragged, but now that I’m taking care of my mind and body things are so much better. Let’s see if I can keep this up.

74

lets hope it was a 1 off set back and a learning experience.

That isn’t meant to be anywhere near as patronising as it may appear, it was a genuine statement.

75

Haha, it’s not patronizing at all. I appreciate the concern.

Having said that, it most certainly was a learning experience, but I’m not sure that a repeat is entirely avoidable. Sometimes life demands a lot of us and trivial things like sports training have to take a back seat. I will keep in mind how much better feeling rested is though.

Also, I like your “homunculus man” avatar.

76

I know exactly what you mean, it is a fine line and as much as I can give that advice I also realise it needs to be applied to me too. :rolleyes:

77

November 22nd, 2009
Upper Body Focus

Condition:
I feel great. Nothing else to note.

Warm Up:
Some push ups and chin ups

Workout:
Chin Up and Pull Up Variations
1 x 7 @ 90 lbs + 213 lbs BW (303 lbs total), 180 sec. rest
2 x Failure @ 45 lbs + BW, 180 sec. rest
1 x Failure @ BW

Military Press (to clavicles, start a new set every 2 minutes)
5 x (6, 6, 5, 3, 5) @ 135 lbs, ~95-100 sec. rest

Cool Down:
Shoulder prehab

Notes:
First upper body session in 11 days. I felt surprisingly strong. Everything went smoothly and I can see big strength increases coming soon.

78

November 24th, 2009
Lower Body Focus

Condition:
My back is fatigued from my neck all the way down to my glutes. Otherwise though, I feel fantastic. I just can’t get over how great I feel now that I’m actually sleeping.

Warm Up:
Some RW Drills

Some activation drills (mostly non-tripods)

Lots of plyos (altitude landings mostly)

Workout:
Back Squats (close stance, start a new set every 3 minutes, full ROM)
4 sets x 6 reps @ 315 lbs (24 total reps), ~140-150 sec. rest

Plank Progression
7 sets @ BW

Cool Down:
Some more activation drills

Mild plyos

Notes:
Woohoo…again! Not a volume PR, but I did more reps per set with 315 than ever before. I wanted 5 x 6, but with my back as tired as it was, it wasn’t going to happen.

Oh, and the limited rests are finally starting to make a difference now that the reps are getting higher. After the fourth set my heart rate was 170 beats per minute. The squats are really kicking my ass, but I’m getting strong pretty quickly.

79

November 28th, 2009
Lower Body Focus

Condition:
It’s been four days since my last leg day and I’ve gone hiking on almost every one of them so far. I’ve also been hunched over a computer typing for 7-8 hours today, so my back is a little tight. I’m feeling great though.

Warm Up:
Some RW Drills

Some activation drills (mostly non-tripods)

A dozen or so altitude landings

Workout:
Back Squats (close stance, full ROM)
1 set x 13 reps @ 315 lbs (+4 rep PR)

Ab Rollouts, Levers, Etc.
Whatever, my abs are sore now

Cool Down:
Some more activation drills

Mild plyos

Notes:
Awesome! Even though I was a little tired after slogging through the snow and writing all day, I still managed a 4 rep PR on squats. I could’ve had 14 too, but my glutes were already on fire and I didn’t want to push it. I tried to do a backoff set with 225, but I couldn’t do it. I had no enthusiasm left.

All in all, I’m really happy with how things are going. I’ve never thought about training less and I’ve never made better progress. Seems counterintuitive, but oh well. If it works, it works.

Almost at my goal of 315 x 15. When I can manage that, my projected squat will be about 2.25x bodyweight.

Here’s a link to today’s set:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq8y9CCW0-k

80

November 29th, 2009
Upper Body Focus

Condition:
My legs and back are a little fatigued from yesterday, but a nice long hike helped to loosen them up. I feel fine otherwise.

Warm Up:
Push Ups and Chin Ups

Some shoulder stretches

Workout:
Handstand Push Ups
4 sets x 5 reps @ BW, rest varied

Chin Ups
Lots of sets x lots of reps @ various weights, rest varied

Clapping Push Ups
2 x (20, 15) @ BW, ? sec. rest

Cool Down:
Should stretching

Notes:
I had a good workout today. It may not look like I did much, but I worked hard every set and got plenty of volume in. As long as I keep lifting, my upper body will take care of itself.

81

December 2nd, 2009
Lower Body Focus

Condition:
Finals are afoot and I’m a little worn out. My legs and mid back are also still fatigued. I was sleepy, but I caught a nap after dinner. I feel good, just like always.

Warm Up:
Some RW Drills

Some activation drills (mostly non-tripods)

Some light plyos

Workout:
Power Cleans
Worked up to 300 lbs x 1 (PR by default), rest varied

Back Squats (close stance, full ROM)
1 set x 14 reps @ 315 lbs (+1 rep PR)

Ab Rollouts, Levers, Etc.
Whatever

Cool Down:
Some more activation drills

Mild plyos

Notes:
At the risk of sounding repetitive, Woohoo!!!

Even though I was tired today, I got a wild hair and tried power cleans for pretty much the first time in my life (other than an odd single here or there to get a bar into a rack). As you can see. 300 lbs baby! And I did it on a crappy bent bar too. With a bar that I can actually whip my elbows though with, I could do much more.

Oh, and to my buddy fogelson: Haha, wrong! :smiley:
You thought 285 would give me a hard time, but without even practicing the lift I just got 300 lbs. Seriously though, no hard feelings, but I did beat 285 lbs on my first attempt. 300!

After that, I was feeling pretty confident so I went for a rep PR on squats. I only made it to 14 reps, but that’s one more than I did 4 days ago, so I can’t complain. Things are going so well right now. Winter break is soon, and then I should really be able to kick things into gear.

Here’s a link to both PRs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lz9YQKpfOVE

82

Good work, :cool: gotta ask though whats up with the no shirt vids? :confused:

83

Damn man you are stronger then me, wish I could power clean 300.

84

Thanks.
As for an explanation, I rarely work out with a shirt on. I guess I find some sort of psychological edge in being shirtless. Stupid, I know, but it helps with my confidence.

And RB34, you can PC more than 300 lbs, can’t you?

85

No, probably like 255. I haven’t gone over 230 this year, I have decided to drop ol’s for now and stick with jump squats and pause jump squats.

86

Nice work man!

87

Nice work, RJ!

88

Impressive stuff, man. What would you estimate your Squat Max to be?

89

On 28 November he put Almost at my goal of 315 x 15. When I can manage that, my projected squat will be about 2.25x bodyweight. personally I struggle to correlate a 15rm to a 1rm.

90

Thanks fogelson, thanks John, and thanks Python.

And Python, and other John (kind of), it is hard to put a 15RM to a 1RM, as a 1RM involves much more skill, but my projected max is somewhere around 460-465 lbs. I sure as Hell couldn’t do 460 right now, but I could after a little practice with heavier weights. Also, as demonstrated by the PC, the strength seems to be there, so high rep work apparently isn’t all bad.

91

I don’t know if more skill is necessarily how I would describe it. They are different and I wasn’t meaning to downplay 315 x 14 as that is a great achievement that I wish I could do. I guess what I was meaning is that to me it is like using an 800m to project a 60m time.