New equipment.

Today I got a free barbell, 160#'s of weights and bench. I couldn't pass up the cost of it. I have not benched in a long time. It felt pretty good to get under the bar last week. Now surprise I have an actual bench instead of stacking plyo boxes next to each other!

Powerlifter techniques really help get a full body contraction. I did a few lockouts once I got the bar. Good old isometrics!

Dominik has challenged me to duel :

For time:

5 Muscle-ups
95 pound Back squat, 15 reps
10 Muscle-ups
95 pound Back squat, 30 reps
15 Muscle-ups
95 pound Back squat, 45 reps
10 Muscle-ups
95 pound Back squat, 30 reps
5 Muscle-ups
95 pound Back squat, 15 reps

Post time to comments.

I am a bit concerned with my conditioning. I haven't really done any of it the whole month of March. My strength is up and hopefully my strength carries me through. It has been a while since I have last practiced muscle-ups.

18:15

The Mighty Barbell

The Mighty Barbell

Front Squat and Widow Maker

Front Squats:
12 @ 95#
5 @ 175#
3 @ 195#
2 @ 215#
Fail @ 235#
1 Power Clean @ 175#
5 @ 175#

Back Squat Widow Maker:
20 @ 175# (2:20)

Rest Day

I was all pumped to rest today. Of course I didn't rest. I jumped in on a round of a circuit consisting of 1 min stations, 30s rest (35# KB goblet squat, jumping pull-ups, 95# hex DL, 65# shoulder press-10 and push presses for the remainder) total of 145 reps.

A bunch of pull-ups too. No idea how many. My hands are wrecked.

I am looking forward to reaching some new PR's. I feel it has been a while. I have to check my records to see what I want to get beast at again. Any suggestions?

Damn. I had a bunch of my PR's in a Facebook Note..now it is missing! That sucks.

Heavy Things

Hex Bar Deadlift singles (high bar position)
1) 275
2) 305
3) 325
4) 345
5) 365
6) 385 with belt (fail)
7) 365
8) 375 (fail)

Beef Cake

Warm up
Bench Press
155 x 10
Hex bent row (thick)
115 x 10

Superset-2 sets
BP 175 x 6
Row 135 x 6
--------------
200 x 1
185 x 1
--------------
185 x 6 (broken set)
165 x 6
--------------
205 x 1 (near death failure)
195 x 1
--------------
165 x 10 (broken set)
125 x 10
-------------
weight vest work:
ab wheel 22 reps
GHD situps 20 reps
20 pull-ups (broken)
---------------
wrestlers bridge
-----------------
I am tired.
I am forcing food.
I weigh a whopping 155lbs.
I need some 'weight gain 4000'.

Leg work.

Back squat (olympic stance)
135# x 10
sled drag and push @80#
185# x 10
sled drag and push @80#
185# x 10
sled drag and push @80#
255# x 1
205# x 10
sled drag and push @80#
205# x 10
sled drag and push @115#
135# x 20

sled work builds determination and makes you cry and bitch.

Jack of all trades - master of all

World Champion Valery Fedorenko, performs 60 reps Jerk with the 60kg/132lb Kettlebell setting a new World Record.





This is really amazing in many different ways (strength, power, stamina, mental toughness, cardio respiratory endurance, balance, accuracy, coordination, and speed) not so much agility or flexibility. However, even with all these elements of fitness, it is very specific to kettlebell lifting. The more time and hard work you put into something, over time you will get better.

I battle with trying to figure out a way to get someone into great shape by limiting the movements that they do. For example, it requires strength and flexibility to overhead squat a load. However I know people who have poor flexibility but can still perform a decent load overhead squat. Instead of just improving on this one movement that requires strength and flexibility, other movements should be implemented. Limiting movements is not the answer. It is continuous progression, or even maintenance of high strength/flexibility movements such as back bends, and windmills that will keep people mobile and healthy.

Barbell Deadlifts
10 @ 135#
6 @ 275#
2 @ 315#
1 @ 315#
5 @285#
1 @ 285#
1 @ 295#
1 @ 305#

Pretty random numbers. I am still finding that having a narrow, or even heels together stance activates my glutes more effectively than having a wider stance. I have not been doing as many sled pulls and pushes as I'd like. Time to do more.

I gotta say, when I was working for the Navy, I had the opportunity to be moving a lot! I took advantage of it much of the time. Even now I have the opportunity to still be doing a lot, but I don't do as much. One thing that I noticed is that volume makes a huge difference! I lifted, I ran, swam occasionally, lead pull-ups workouts, warm-ups, leg and plate PT's. The volume was huge. It wasn't always what I wanted to do, but my body could handle it. The training environment makes a huge difference. I do like to train alone, but I really know the benefits of training as a group or leading a group. I have got to lead from the front!

Week Three of Strength with the SSST

Yesterday I had some fun with some lockout standing presses with assistance from 2 purple ironwoody bands. I was working standing press, push press, and push jerks inside the rack with 155-225# lockouts.

Today:
superset
185# barbell bent row
40# weight vest suspension push-ups
40# parallet push-ups
(4-10-5) x 3

135# barbell bent row
15# weight vest parallet push-ups
15# weight vest suspension push-ups
(12-12-5)

Secret Service Snatch Test

16kg kettlebell - 179 reps

I went into it cautiously, but before I knew it I had three minutes to go. I do know that I got a whole lot more in my final three minutes compared to my initial three. I did the test using the full hang snatch for the upward and downward movements compared to the lowering to the shoulder. My back is fatigued so will opt to use the lowering method next time. Maybe a 24kg when I get one.

Squat

Back Squat
10 @ 135#
6 @ 185#
6@ 215 #
1 @ 215#
6 @ 235#
1 @ 255#
12 @ 185#
30 @ 155#

After looking at the video I feel that I could be using a lower box. I used a 12" box, and had a towel folded up also. I also could have paused on the box a bit longer before moving back up. Overall I felt pretty strong on the lifts. This workout is similar to 'Strength I' on Alwyn Cosgrove's, "New Rules of Lifting."

My legs are feeling good after deadlifts on Wednesday.

Ripping trees right out of the ground!

Brooks Kubik's-Top Ten Things that
Happen When You Train Heavy.

No. 10 -- Your thumbs get sore. (Big deal – that’s what tape
is for.)

No. 9 – You get really hungry, and after your workout you go
inside and more or less inhale a huge meal. Extra on the
protein. Sort of like food was going out of style.

No. 8 -- You wake up the next morning, and you roll out of
bed and feel like you could rip trees right out of the ground.

No. 7 -- You go out to the garage to check on your weights –
and they’re still sleeping! (You tired them out.)

No. 6 – Your squat stands are half an inch shorter than they
used to be.

No. 5 -- Your lifting shoes groan when you walk by.

No. 4 -- Your dog digs a large hole in the backyard – just in
case he needs to bury you after your next workout.

No. 3 -- The dumbbells load themselves – and they’re ten pounds
heavier than you remember.

No. 2 – That big sandbag you carry starts doing pushups every
morning – just to keep up with you.

No. 1 – Your power rack starts using ice-packs after each workout.

Thanks for reading, and remember – a chuckle a day is worth an
extra ten pounds on your squat bar!
__________________________________________________________
Double under practice ~6 min

Thick handle hex bar DL's
2 x 5 @ 155#
1 x 255#
4 x 315#
4 x 315#
5 x 315#
8 x 315# (belt)

Prowler push @ 65#
~75 yards
2 sprints
2 slow drives

4 x 10 RDL @ 135#

indian club swings
wrestlers bridge
lunge matrix
x-band walk
back extension
ab wheel
chest expander
grippers

Big squeeze!

Today I received my 'Bone Crusher 150, 200, and 250#' grips. I went with Bone Crusher brand from ironwoodyfitness.com because I saw a link on rosstraining.com. In addition, they were cheaper than the Captain's of Crush which now debating whether it was the better choice. Once I can close the 250# with authority 10 times with each hand I will invest in some CoC grippers. I am somewhat disappointed in the strength of the grippers. I was hoping that I couldn't even move the 250# gripper, but unfortunately I can nearly close it with my right hand. Stupid left hand is a bit weaker. The 200# seems almost easier to close than the 150#. The handles are a bit more narrow than the 250# and 150#.

Of course I could not resist working my grip immediately after getting the grips in the mail. I am already feeling the fatigue and I have not even worked out yet.

My legs feel a little beat up from the sled sprints yesterday. DL's tomorrow!

.5 mile warm-up run

175# thick handle hex bent row
40# weight vest ring push-ups
superset with 2 min rest (4, 10; 4, 10; 3, 6; 3,6; 3, 6; 3, 6; 3, 6; 3,6)

thick handle 70# DB row
thick handle 70# floor press
superset (10, 5; 10, 5; 10, 5)

Back extensions
indian club swings
chest expander
wrestlers bridge
ab wheel
x-band walk
lunge matrix
gripper

Here's to heavy!

Starting my second week of strength training has left me feeling...strong. Today I performed presses with various equipment including:
95# and 135# Barbell presses (3 x 5 @ 135# I surprised myself!)
35# and 70# TGUs
65# Thick handle DB presses
95# thick handle hex bar presses

As a finisher I ran some sprints with my new speed sled I constructed. 0 weight, 40# and 90# sprints and drags from waist harness.

My new pieces of equipment! Some semi truck tires for heavy drags and a sled for sprint work.

My squat sucks!

I am bad at squats, so I don't like doing them even though I know how important they are. I am afraid. I hate disappointment. I need to overcome the weak mind and start training my weakness.

5 x 5 box back squat 185# OMFG weak.
1 x 50 squats 95#
1 x 25 split squats each leg 95#
2 x 10 jump squats 95#

I will find out tomorrow if this day was a bit too much...

Feeding the Furnace

I feel that it is such a chore to be eating all of the time! Now that my training has changed towards developing more strength, I have found that my body is burning fuel beyond belief! Waking up at 3:30 starving sucks. I was too lazy to stuff something in my mouth at that time. I didn't get good sleep after that. I was thinking of food and about the catabolic state I was in. Are protein shakes in the middle of the night really the answer to getting the strength gains want? How would it affect my digestive system and sleep? The first few days of my strength program have been wonderfully exhausting. Being surrounded by all of my equipment and clients, I am eager to use equipment and participate in various workouts.

Strength, conditioning, or strength and conditioning. Linear periodization, non-linear periodization, bi-lateral, or unilateral. Intensity and recovery. So many things to think about. I know that there is no perfect system. My training in the past has just been a mosh of various training styles which follows the non-linear periodization or conjugate training method. This month is strength based, I am looking forward to seeing some strength gains!

Today's recovery day workout consisted of:
.5 mile run
wrestler's bridge
indian club swings
chest expander
ab wheel
back extension
x-band walk
grip work

Run-~1.25 miles (non-continuous)

Hex Bar DL

3 singles at 315# (1 3/4" dia. thick bar)

5 @ 225# (1 3/4" dia. thick bar)
8 @ 245# with belt(1 3/4" dia. thick bar)
6 @ 275# with belt(1 3/4" dia. thick bar)
10 @ 275# high handles no belt
13 @ 275# high handles no belt

Some back extension, ab wheel, lunge matrix, wrestlers bridge, indian club swinging, chest expander, x-band walks, and grip work

6 round supersets of:
6-155# Hex Bent row
10-15#weight vest ring push ups

Some back extension, ab wheel, lunge matrix, wrestlers bridge, indian club swinging, chest expander, x-band walks, and grip work

10-35# TGU’s each arm
5 70# TGU’s each arm