Training 12/18

Training max on bench (or close grip, I suppose). Worked up to 295. I feel like if I had a spotter I may have attempted (and probably hit) 315. However, that's not what a training max is - if you aren't sure if you can hit it, don't even bother. After that, I took a shot at repping out with the 100s on DB bench. It actually started extremely well, as I didn't need to pause until I got about 14 in. Unfortunately, it all went downhill after that and I only managed 18. Goal was 20, so I'm not too far off. That said, I think it means the next 3-6 weeks will be geared toward (among other things) getting to 20 before moving onto a transmutation block. While disappointing, it's probably for the better, as it will allow me to continue to raise work capacity. The last few weeks I had really let it slip, so it is definitely time to bring it back up. I did take video, but it's really nothing spectacular. I may post them anyway in the next few days.

Training 12/16

Used yesterday to test out some training maxes. That means no psych up, and ideally, no grinding (which I violated terribly on my last lift of the day). I worked up and hit 355 on squat - a 10 pound PR, although I don't even remember how long it's been since I hit 345. Military I worked up and hit 200 for a single, a 25 pound PR. While neither of these are particularly big numbers, it was nice to hit some PRs. Additionally, it really drives home the importance of submaximal training. Unfortunately, the big push is that you must train near-maximal in order to make progress. However, I didn't squat anything over 245 or military press over 135 for the last few months. That isn't an excuse to train like a total pussy - but it does mean to be smart. Strength, fortunately, can be trained at submaximal intensities. Speed and power, however, must be done with maximal intent (not maximal weight, however).
Now back to the "ideally, no grinding" part. Though I wasn't doing any psyching up prior to the lifts, I did get a bit more aggressive with the poundages than I probably should have. The squat I was fully confident in, and I probably could have hit 365. However, again, this wasn't an all-out test. On the military press, as I was working my way up, the weight was feeling fairly light, so after 175, I decided to make the jump to 200. Even though 185 would have been a PR, it felt like that would have been a bit too easy, and I therefore wanted to go a bit higher. And if I'm going to do 195, why not just make it an even 200, right? Of course, halfway through the rep, my levator scapulae got peeved and locked up on me, causing hellacious neck pain. While I was able to finish the rep, that was pretty much it for the evening due to being unable to move my neck much. Moral of the story - especially when performing training maxes GO LIGHTER THAN YOU THINK!
I feel a bit under the weather tonight, though depending on how I feel tomorrow, I'd like to attempt a bench press training max, followed by repping out with the 100s in an attempt to get 20. If all goes well and I hit that, I will be moving into a max strength phase (for bench), while likely focusing on power in the lower body. Though I haven't decided for sure. There's a possibility I may do a 5x5 variation, though there is the real possibility that I don't have the work capacity for it yet. Again, I will figure it all out in the next few days.
Here are the videos from yesterday:

Training Update

This week is just a deload, so I won't go into detail with anything, as it's essentially the same as the deload I did 3 weeks ago. Just wanted to drop a line and note that I am really looking forward to testing out next week. If I feel as good coming out of this deload as I did the last, I think I will match some of the numbers I am looking to hit.

Training 12/6

Finished this short 2-week block on a somewhat high note, as this session went far better than the same one last Saturday. Next week will be a deload, then I will test a few things the following week before nailing down exactly what I'll be doing after that. My intent is to possibly record a few of my test lifts, if they are up to par.

Warmup
Low incline DB bench - 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s x5 each, 90s x3, 80s x22, 18
Face pulls - 4x25 superset with
Band pushdowns - 4x25
DB shrugs - 60s - 4x25 superset with
Band curls - 4x25

Training 12/5

Ended up being a pretty abbreviated day of training.

Squat - 245 - 4x5
Military - 135 - 3x5
Ab wheel - 1x10

Training 12/2 & 3

Monday's training certainly didn't go as well as last Monday, though I was going on a pretty severe lack of sleep. That said, I got it in.

Warmup
Sprints - 8x10 yards
Snatch - worked up to a training max - 195 - probably could have gotten 205, but no biggie. Not chasing numbers here
Squat - 245 - 2x5
Military - 135 - 2x5
Ab wheel - 1x10

Tuesday went pretty well.

Warmup
DB Bench - 50s, 65s, 80s all x5, 95s x3, 90s x20, 16
assistance work I've spelled out before
Cool down/mobility circuit

I have a bit clearer picture with what I'm doing now in terms of the next few weeks. I think after this week, I will deload next week, then "max" out squats and (maybe) military on the following Monday, then try for the 100s x20 on DB bench that Wednesday (or maybe Tuesday). I may also try a semi-training max on close grip just to see where that's at, and to use it as my over warmup for the DB bench.

Training 11/30

Morning workouts and no caffeine make Brock a weak boy. Saturday was a pretty clear example of why I have my training set up for Saturday to be a lighter day. However, due to a combination of laziness and the holidays, I hadn't trained from Wednesday-Friday, so I needed to get a good session in.

Thorough warmup
DB Low Incline Bench - 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s all x5, 90s x3; 75s x20, 16 (same as 2 weeks ago)
*Everything just felt really heavy. Even the warmups once I got to about 70 just sucked. And 20 on the first set was hard as hell, as was the 16. Oh well.

Face pulls - 4x25 superset with
Band pushdowns - 4x25
DB Shrugs - 60s - 4x25 superset with
Band Curls - 4x25
Ab circuit

This coming week will be the last with the current setup, then I will be moving to 3 "high" days per week. I think I'm going to drop sprinting, and replace with jumps or med ball throws, at least through the winter. Around March when the weather starts semi-warming up, I'll probably program them back in. As it stands, this will also enable me to place more focus on the lifts and leave me fresher for that aspect. Olympic lifts will now be the main stressor (in regards to intensity). That said, I've got to get through this week (hopefully hitting the numbers I want) before I start worrying too much about it.

Training 11/26

As good as Monday was, Tuesday felt almost as much in the opposite direction. Not a total shit session, but everything felt pretty heavy, and I felt like I didn't recover very well between sets. At first I thought it was a lack of carbs throughout the day, but as I thought about it that couldn't have been it. My guess is it was residual from my lack of sleep Sunday night. In any event, got through it, and as crappy as it felt, I wouldn't consider it a "-10%" as Paul Carter would call it, rather a lower-end 80%.

Thorough warm-up
DB Bench - 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s x5 each, 90sx3, 85s x22, 15 (5 minutes between)
1-arm DB row - 60 - 2x20 superset with
Band pushdowns - 2x20
DB shrugs - 65s - 2x20 superset with
DB curls - 15s - 2x20
Ab circuit
Bike cool down - 5 minutes

I had more dropoff between sets than I would've liked on the DB bench, but it is what it is.

Training 11/25

Training went really well - I think the deload was exactly what was needed. Sprints felt good, the snatches felt really snappy, and the squats and presses felt relatively easy.

Thorough warm-up
Sprints - 8x10 yards
Snatch - 165 - 4x2
Squat - 235 - 2x5
Military - 135 - 2x5
Ab wheel - 1x10
Roll & stretch

Training Update

Finished up a deload this week, so I'll be back at it a little harder this week. Need to make sure I get my shit in order so I can get to bed earlier and get more sleep, as well as make sure I'm eating enough good food. Also need to sit down and plan out the next 4 weeks or so of training (I have this week and maybe the next set up).

Training

Friday was repetition effort on the low incline DB bench. 

Warmup - bike, joint circles, mobility circuit
DB low incline bench - 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, x5 each, 90s x 3, 70s x 25x20 (5 mins b/w)
Face pulls - 4x25 superset with
Band pushdowns - 4x25
DB Shrugs - 50s - 4x25 superset with
DB curls - 15s - 4x25
Ab circuit
Roll & stretch

Saturday was feeling lazy so I got 20 minutes on the bike in and that was about it.

I've been feeling a little worn down lately. Combined with my lack of sleep made me decide to make this a deload week.

Monday - usual extensive warmup, followed by 5 10-yard sprints.
Power snatch - 3x3 @ 135
Squat - 135x20
Military press - 3x5 @95
Roll & stretch

Training Log

I didn't post Wednesday's training (shocker!), but it was a "low" day, with the goal of elevating the heart rate and focusing on mobility. It also ended up being a bit abbreviated, but I still got most everything I needed to in.

Bike - 10 minutes
Joint rolls/mobility warmup
Tumbling - forward rolls, backward rolls, cartwheels, roundoffs, and handstands
Inverted Rows - 15, 12

Thursday was a "high" day. Extensive movement and sprint warmup followed by:

Sprints - 15 yards x10
Snatch - 165 - 3x3
Squat - 225 - 4x6
Military - 125 - 4x6

I've been doing a horseshit job of stretching at the end, which I need to get back to.

Training

I noticed that (of course), I haven't posted for damn near a week. I still intend to update this near-daily (or daily if possible), if nothing else with my training log. I'm not going to try to fill all of my recent training into this post, but I will put my training from yesterday at the end. I realized yesterday that, while I gave a bit of background on my training last week, I had also intended to put some of my strength goals on here, but never did. As such, here they are:

Snatch - 275 (probably a ways off)
High bar Olympic squat - 405 (definitely a ways off)
Military press - 225 (or body weight if I'm heavier)
Bench press - 315 for a single, 225x20 (I'm shooting for by my birthday on this one)
Inverted row, feet on bench - bar set at top of hip height - 20 reps
Neutral-grip chinups - 20

Those are the basic numbers I am working toward. Certainly not all at once, but I'm weak enough that they can likely all be brought up at some speed. I do think my current setup is pretty conducive to it. As for yesterdays training:

Bike
Joint rolls/mobility warmup
Shoulder "prehab"

DB Bench Press - I utilize an "over-warmup," an idea I got from Paul Carter - work to a weight that's heavier than your rep-out weight, then drop down and hit your reps. I'm not sure why I didn't really think to do it before reading his work, considering it's basically PAP, but I digress. It worked well for me when I was working on reps on the close-grip bench, and I worked up to 185x20 on that. In this instance, I did 50's/60's/70's/80's each x5, resting as needed, then 90's x3. I dropped back down to the 80's for sets of 25 and 20, with 5 minutes rest between sets. I shoot for no more than a 20% dropoff in reps between sets. If it happens, it happens, but it gives me something to shoot for

All assistance work is performed with a moderate tempo (I don't count the lifting speed, but the weight is smooth and controlled and isn't just bouncing around)
1-arm DB row - 60 - 2x20 superset with
Band tricep pushdown - 2x20
DB shrugs - 65 - 2x20 superset with
DB curls - 15 (don't judge me) - 2x20

Finished with an ab circuit and some stretching.

An update

So, once again, I'm going to try to make this a regular thing. Between a new house, new baby, and work, this was pushed on the backburner. That said, I'll do my best to post regularly (hell, maybe daily!). My training these days is, as James Smith best described it, "a cross between a sprinter and a meathead." My goal is to get bigger and stronger, which requires bigger weights. But I also want to run fast and move well, as I play sports and want to feel "athletic," for lack of a better term. Therefore, I'm doing my best to combine the 2. Today (well, yesterday technically) was an extensive day, with the goal of getting the heart rate up for an extended period, to work on mobility, and to get some upper back work in. Thus, I started with the bike, moved to some joint rolls and a mobility circuit, worked on some tumbling (forward rolls, backward rolls, cartwheels, roundoffs, and handstands), did some isometric work (plank, "reverse" plank, side plank, neck flexion and extension isos), did some inverted rows on the blast straps - 2 sets (15, 12), then finished with some abs and stretching.
One major thing I have noticed lately - extensive warmups fucking RULE. They suck to do, as I'm usually not in the mood to do them, but in regards to how I feel both during the workout and in general, they are an absolute must. Obviously, if you're time crunched, you will have to modify, but I recommend it highly. Get the heart rate up, get the blood flowing, get your body mobile. Thank me later.

Training

Realized I didn't post training from yesterday.

Bench - worked up to 230x8
1-arm DB Row - worked up to 100x22

Training

Squat - 115x5, 145x5, 175x3, 205x3, 235x3, 265x8
RDL - 195x15
Ab Wheel - 2x10

Training

Still getting over being sick, combined with minimal sleep with work on the new house, meant training was going to be pretty mediocre.

Military Press - 60x5, 75x5, 90x3, 100x5, 120x5, 135x12
Neutral-grip Chinups - 5, 5, 10

And that's all she wrote for today

"Faith Moves Mountains, But You Better Bring A Shovel"

Belief is very powerful. Any great accomplishment must first start with it. The very belief that something can be accomplished is the first act. However, belief alone will not accomplish anything. It is akin to knowledge – it is important, and necessary, but by itself, it will get nothing done.

I was struck by this when listening to Opie and Anthony the other day. It’s a radio show that I love listening to, for a variety of reasons. It covers the whole gamut of stupid comedy that I enjoy, with varying political and social opinions that allow and force you to think. Jim Norton, the 3^rd host of the show, is very open about his past and present demons. Jim is a hilarious comedian, and he also very much is of the mind that, if one is to criticize others, you must be very open about your own faults.

And of course, to bring it all back around, the crux of this writing is this – Jim has his own show, following O&A, on Wednesday mornings. He takes calls from listeners who have legitimate issues, and Jim helps attempts to help them through it. Addicts, marriage counseling, sex advice, it’s all covered in some way, shape, or form. And Jim is also very up front that he is not an expert, but as with many things, principles can cover many of the topics, and while it may behoove you to see an expert to seek specifics, the principles can often guide you through.

One day, a man who was a recovering alcoholic called in. He had been sober for about 10 years, hit a rough patch, and had fallen off the wagon about a year earlier. He called in to Jim, in the midst of drinking, and explained his problem. As Jim told him, “you know what to do.” The man admitted that he knew what to do, but didn’t want to do it. And that’s exactly the point. Frequently in our lives, we know what the best course of action is. However, to avoid the pain that comes with it, we simply avoid it. Whether it’s a difficult conversation with a spouse, significant other, friend, or family member, or getting motivated to train or workout, or face addiction (to drugs, sex, food, or whatever it may be), or whatever the issue is, we would rather simply avoid that pain, AND the inevitable positives that await, simply because we don’t want to do the work. Perhaps it’s not even as serious as those things – your honey-do list, a list of projects at work or home, whatever it may be. But seeing the work in front of you can be a scary thing, because sometimes you also don’t know the depth. You simply must start digging. Because no matter how long it takes, one thing is for certain – if you don’t start digging, it won’t get done.

I also think that addiction is far more common than we think, but probably not just substance addiction. Again, I’m sure there are many people who are addicted to things that you simply aren’t aware of, but I think today’s addiction is to entertainment. With the internet at our fingertips, literally, on phones, laptops, whatever, it’s easier than ever to distract yourself. No one can have a quiet moment. And yet, it is in these quiet moments that some of your best clarity may emerge. I’m certainly as guilty of it as anyone – rather than sit down and take the time to do good work, if I can’t get things done quickly I’m looking for the next source of entertainment. Embrace the quiet. Embrace the stillness. Realize that the time will pass by whether you are playing a game or doing work. So you might as well get something productive done.

There was another lesson to be learned from the same show. In an earlier call, Jim spoke to a recovering addict who had, in a way, relapsed, but basically didn’t want to admit it (to himself or others). And really, what it was about was trying to keep his sobriety date intact. And while I’ve never been a substance addict, I can see how that would be important to someone – the ability to say “X number of years sober.” But, as Jim also went on to say, that date really means nothing. While it’s symbolic, the only thing that truly matters is that you’re sober now. That each day, you are working to stay sober. Because, as Jim has also noted, you’re always an addict. You never actually “win.” Sure, some people may get to the point where they can sit and have a casual drink here and there. But they are few and far between. And, as with most things, I saw a great parallel between that and life in general. We are always willing to work hard at something, always looking for the payoff. Looking for the end. Looking for the time when we can just give in, and relax. But in reality, that time will never come. Or at least not for a long while.

I remember when reading Success is a Choice by Rick Pitino, he outlines a sort of framework for achieving your goals. At the end, he talks about what to do when you achieve them. And the answer is, “set new goals.” Now, this doesn’t seem very appealing to most. Because it seems the whole point of goal-setting is to get shit done so you can relax, right? But, if you want to be successful, it’s simply about setting one goal after another, and putting one foot in front of the other. Learning to crawl before you walk. Then learning to walk before you run. And so forth. As the saying goes, “the journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step.”

Training

Of course, haven't updated the training lately, but here's what it's been. Got sick as hell Tuesday (sore throat/congestion) and have been fighting it since. I'm on the back end of it now, so any excuses (not that they were worth a shit before) will shortly fly out the window.

Thursday:
Bench - worked up to 220x10
1-arm DB Row - 100x20

Today:
Deadlift - 135x5, 175x5, 205x3, 225x5, 260x5, 295x12
Front Squat - 2x10 @ 135
Ab Wheel - 2x10

Back In The Saddle

Going to try to post my training again. Yea, haven't said that before or anything...in any event, I thought I would try to post. I won't post my low-intensity days, which are M/W/F, but will try to post my high-intensity days (T/Th/Sat). My main goals are strength & hypertrophy, but also explosiveness and athleticism. As the saying goes, you can't ride 2 horses with one ass, but essentially I am using strength training to improve athletic ability (as it is used for athletes). Basically, I will be performing sprints, med ball throws, and locomotion training prior to the heavier work. On Tuesdays, I have softball, so that will serve as my sprint and locomotion training. I had been doing higher-intensity work to get to a 225 snatch, which I did:



I'm now doing 5/3/1 on a 3-day split, so it will take 4 weeks to get through a full cycle (not counting deload), with minimal assistance work. So, today's training:
Squat - 115x5, 145x5, 175x3 (warmups), 190x5, 220x5, 250x10
RDL - 185x15
Ab Wheel - 2x10

I realized this morning I'm starting to get sick, so I didn't feel the greatest, but felt pretty good about the training.

Training Update

As I expected, I've fallen well behind on the updates. However, training has been consistent, which is a good thing. I'm every bit as weak as I had feared, but again, with consistency will come results. This will be week 3 of the accumulation block. Tonight's training:

DB Bench (Submax Effort) - 3x8 with 80's
1-arm DB Row (Submax Effort) - 3x8 with 80

Upper body assistance work - get it in

Very simple, very basic. You're not going to cure all your ills in one session. Plan the work, work the plan.

Unfortunately, my diet has been absolute shit, and my body reflects it, both in how it feels and how it looks. I'm making a concerted effort to get back on it though, and from here on out will be quite strict. I'm sure I'll still be in caloric excess, just cutting out all the garbage.

Let's Try This Again

Got off to a good start with the block training last week. Unfortunately, I also got sick on Wednesday, rendering training the rest of the week utterly useless. I tried to give it a go Thursday, but it went pretty awful.  As such, I decided to shut it down for the week and start back up over again this week. I've also decided I'll probably only be updating weekly. But I figured I would at least update following the first day.

Week 1 Day 1 accumulation - upper
1A. DB Bench - 5x8x70's
1B. 1-arm DB Row - 5x8x70
1 minute between sets
2A. Lateral Raises - 2x10
2B. Thick Bar Curls - 2x10
3A. Band Tricep Pushdown - 2x10
3B. Wrist Curls - 2x10

I give myself leeway on assistance work, and while I'm over my illness, symptoms are not completely gone and I still haven't slept for shit for roughly the last 5 nights. As such, I'm still not 100%. I could tell even during the DB bench and rows this was the case, but I got the work in. On to the next day.

Update

Well, as I've done a horseshit job of updating this blog, I'll give it another shot. I'm going to play around with some block programming principles to see what happens. I'm well aware that I'm not advanced enough, nor in need of specific block programming, but I do want to try it out. Plus, I'm programming for someone who is actually set on powerlifting as a sport, so it will be fun to play around with and see what happens with him.
The diet is by no means over, but it has relaxed quite a bit. The general setup for my workouts upcoming will be - 3 weeks of accumulation, 1 week deload, 3 week transmutation, 1 week deload, and 2 weeks of realization, 1 week deload, with a "mini-meet" that Saturday. Mainly, I just want to see how well this works out, though I have no pre-set ideas as to what I will hit. If I get near PR's on anything, I will be thoroughly satisfied honestly.
The goal is to hit daily LISS, though at a lower volume than before, until I hit my body comp goals. At that point, I will do it on off days only. I've got my meals mapped out, I simply have to follow the roadmap at this point. So here we go again...