Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

[coolcolj]

Thursday 21st April - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 4 - Day 2 - Lower - Microcycle 1

Definitely felt a bit tired from the tempo stuff in the morning, wasn't feeling zippy. I need to fix up my trap imbalance and tightness so no more olys for a while, and I didn't particularly feel like doing any.
Kentucky fried hammies is the keyword today - and abs took bit of beating as well.

Bodyweight at the gym - 220lbs
Workout Rating - 7/10
Workout time - ?

farmers walk with 55lb dumbells to rack
warmup complex with 30lb bar


Athletic Full Back Squats + Light Bands - in Oly Shoes - RAW

Using Light bands, cinched around a 55lb dumbell, just in the top half adding about 40-50lbs resistance to slingshot down the bar and stop bar coming off at the top

alternating sets with wide squats and frontsquats
Warmups - explosive - with bands
wide stance - 95x3, 135x3, 185x3
frontsquats - Barx5, 95x2, 135x2, 185x2, 225x2
regular - BWx5, Bar x5, 95x2, 135x2, 185x2, 225x2

79% of (1RM 385lbs + 85% Bodyweight) - Down fast, Explode up
Rotation 1) 265lbs x 2 - 0.867, 0.934 sec concentrics
Rotation 2) 265lbs x 2 - 0.8, 0.867 sec concentrics
Rotation 3) 265lbs x 2 - 0.867, 0.867 concentrics
Rotation 4) 265lbs x 2 --> getting tired, didn't get times

These are done more athletic style - feet more straight ahead, medium stance, all the way down, but sitting back more to get the hammies. More forward lean too.
I wasn't sure if i'd get 265lb moving fast enough, going up in the warmups, without the olys to fire up my neural system, the pop wasn't there, and the combined loads felt pretty heavy. But it didn't feel too bad when I reached 265lbs, but I still had to focus hard. Heaviest load moved in 0.8sec with bands so far, once I can do 275lbs at this speed then I should be a bit stronger I guess - 71% of 1RM. But it's funny that my 1RM hasn't moved much in over a year, yet a while back, I could only move 205-225lbs at this speed...
Power increasing while max strength is constant - who would have thought

Single Leg split Romanian Deadlift

warmups - clean deadlift - 89lbs x 5, then 111x3, 155x2, 175x1

2mins rest between each side - started from floor, lowered to 2-3 inches off the floor, explode up
Rotation 1) 175lbs x 5
Rotation 2) 175lbs x 5
Rotation 3) 175lbs x 5

boy do these activate the core - spinal stabilisation! I kept trying to shrug the bar when I exploded up, oly habit
Smacked my hammies real good.

Lat Machine Situps

warmups - BWx 8, 25lbs x3

Explosive - toes pressed into floor
Rotation 1) 50lbs x 3
Rotation 2) 50lbs x 3


Cooldown

Oly Fullsquats + Bands 135lbs x 12 - Oly style, feet angled out, spreading knees, sitting straight down between legs, upright. I've been doing athletic style fullsquats in the last year or so. And there sure is a big difference with Oly style fullsquats. These have much less hammie recruitment, but way more quad and VMO action in a good way. The feet angled out really helps recruit the VMO. I need to start doing these more as well to keep my VMO nice and strong for knee stability. Splitsquats and stepups don't really compare.
Funny how my frontsquats feel totally different to these...

farmers walk with 55lb dumbells back to dumbell area

External Hip rotor stretched ISO hold - 25lb dumbell x 1min each side
mine are really tight, time to fix it.

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clip from today

Right click on clip and save to avoid errors

squats, first 3 sets and first set of split RDL

http://www.members.optushome.com.au...uat+TopHalfBands265_SplitRDL175_21April05.mpg

 

[coolcolj]

Could have used more sleep. Don't feel too bad. I have that mild neural shocked/drained feeling, slightly hyper. Achey all over, especially hammies and abs, but no major DOMs.
Bodyweight was 98.5kg straight out of bed this morning and waist down another 1/4 of an inch to just above 38.25 inches

About that broken machine again at my part time job, well my boss tried to put a brick udner it for support, and he couldn't do it. he had to get someone else to help him, and they both took a while to do it.
This morning, the machine was about to fall off the brick, so I bent over stiff legged style, grabbed it with one hand,and expected to strain to lift, but it was easy and I moved the brick and let it back down. Makes you realise how weak the average person really is...
That's why I never lift with a belt, I like to be able to use my strength in the real world where you can't always use "perfect technique"

 

[coolcolj]

crap sleep, had a lot on my mind. Seems like I'm a bit weaker today judging by how hard it was to turn the damn non-power steering wheel in the van today. Need to recharge myself...
216lbs on the dot this morning, 217 after that. 215lbs will be a milestone for me

Well I took 2 servings of the Glucosamine + Chondroitin + MSM stuff again, and this time I was fine. Guess my body just needed to get used to the extra influx or something - cool!

 

[coolcolj]

Sunday 24th April - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 5 - Day 1 - BBALL - Microcycle 1

Went to the court I have been using the last 3 weeks, and it was busy, so I went to another one, which was pretty much empty, but didn't like the vibe and so went back to the first one. Less people by then, but still taken up. Wasted an hour driving because of that...

Bodyweight at home - 217.5lbs
Workout time - 40 mins
Workout rating - 7/10

Shot around with the others for 5-10mins, then played a 3 on 3 game.
First time playing an actual game in a while. My post up ability and rebounding is still all there, but my timing was way off, a bit anxious. On 4 occassions I'd get a nice post up shot, then miss and rebound/tip my own miss like 3-4 times a row, missing all of em... oh well at least I can still grab boards Rodman stylee
Considering the fact I am some 20+lbs over my past playing bodyweights, I moved pretty well. Still feel too bulky though.

Man did that game gas me out, 30 mins non-stop, lucky the level of competition wasn't that good. Afterwards my whole body was pumped a bit like I had been lifting weights..especially my pecs, arms and VMO!
That should get the metabolism up a bit.

So I didn't get a chance to do any jump testing, but I felt a bit down today anyway. Will have to unload this week - drop the overall volume to allow me to freshen up. Also sprained the middle finger on my left hand, on the backboard going for a rebound!

 

[coolcolj]

Tuesday 26th April - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 5 DELOAD - Day 2 Morning - Tempo and Energy Work - Microcycle 1

Lower overall volume, shorter runs, but less rest. Felt pretty energetic today, from all the nice sleep.

Workout Rating - 8.5/10
Workout time - 25 mins all up

Warmup

warmup - dynamic swings
RFI hops - 2 legged alternating forward/back and side to side
SplitLeg front to back and side to side

Run complex 50m forward and back x 5 - increasing in speed each run

straight run, into lateral run leftside, then rightside, back into forward run, rotate into backwards run, rotate back to front. Turn around, repeat back to start

then 50m accleration runs to 60% speed 2x2


Tempo Runs + Energy Work

105+ metres @ 60% speed with proper standing start
Walk back to start = rest 1.5 mins
1) 22 secs
2) 21 secs
3) 20 secs

Felt good, loose and relaxed. No foot or shin issues. 105+ feels like a breeze after the 200+metre ones the last few weeks. Started to breath heavy on the 3rd run, but no burn.

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

dude, you train like i have never seen. where do you get all the energy? i guess you just gotta want it!

 

[coolcolj]

dude, you train like i have never seen. where do you get all the energy? i guess you just gotta want it!

energy? I wish
yeah I am motivated, and it's taken me a while to build up to this level of work capacity as well!

 

[coolcolj]

Tuesday 26th April - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 5 DELOAD - Day 2 Evening - Upper - Microcycle 1

Went heavy today, but volume is way down. Good workout. Next week will still be low volume, but with an explosive/speed emphasis. Need to regain my upper body strength, but not sure if training once a week will be enough to do that, guess I will find out soon.
Some guy said I was looking bigger, well I'm lighter, leaner and more tanned, which maybe gives the illusion of more size I suppose

Bodyweight at gym - 219lbs
Workout time - 1.25+ hour
Workout rating - 8/10

General warmup - scapular pushups 3x10 different angles, from easy to the floor

Lower body prehab circuit - done inbetween warmup sets of upper body
1) Single leg toe curls on lying leg curl machine - 1 plate 2x10 --> up one rep each set
3) Seated Calf raise stretched ISO hold - 40lbs 2x1min


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 30secs to 1min on warmup sets and then 2 to 3 mins between each exercise

14 inch Grip bench - shoulder blades pulled together, no arch or leg drive

Warmups - explosive - Bar x10,x5, 95lbs 2x5, 135x3, x5, 165x3, 195x3, 225x2

controlled down, explode up
Rotation 1) 255lbs x 1
Rotation 2) 275lbs x 1 --> felt hard
Rotation 3) 260lbs x 1
Rotation 4) 285lbs x 1 --> right on the limit - 4.267 sec total time, 2.6 concentric
Rotation 5) 135lbs x 12 - cooldown

Not as strong as before, I have doubled 285lbs before. 275 and 285 were good hard strains. Strain ability is good, so next week I go to explosive triples to get my power up, and maybe combine with some ISO, while keeping volume low to keep the deload going.
Did a bit of waveloading today, love it, good way to get the body ready for heavy singles.

45 degree Chest Supported T-Bar Row - palms down grip

warmups - Bar 2x10, 25lbs 2x5, 45lbs 2x3, 70lbs 2x3, 90x3, 115x1

Rotation 1) Bar+135lbs x 2
Rotation 2) Bar+160lbs x 1
Rotation 3) Bar+145lbs x 3
Rotation 4) Bar+45lbs x 12 - cooldown


Standing Dumbell Curls

warmups - explosive 4kg x10, 15lbsx5, 25x5, 35x1+3sec ISO, 45x1+5sec ISO

One rep then lower to ISO hold at 90 degrees
Rotation 1) 50lbs x 1 + 10sec ISO
Rotation 2) 50lbs x 1 + 10sec ISO


SCM/Upper Trap and Suboccipital/Levator Scapulae Stretches

All 5 Rotations - 15secs each side and stretch


CoolDown, Cuff Stuff and ISO Stretches - EQI

Cuff circuit

1.5 min rest between each - only one set of each this week

Lying single crossbody lateral - warmup 2kg x 10
3 sec ISO hold at parallel each rep
A1) 6kg x 5 - up 1 rep


One Arm low pulley L-Flyes - warmup 10lb x 5
3 sec ISO hold at midpoint each rep
A2) 25lbs x 5 - up 1 rep

Scapular Dips - chest high, shoulders tucked, close grip
A3) BW+10lbs x 20 - up 10lbs + 5reps

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Dip - leg supported stretched ISO hold - 1min
Close grip pulldown leg supported stretch ISO hold - 1min
Shoulder Dislocates pec stretch with wooden staff

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clip from today

Right click on clip and save to avoid errors

Bench single with 285lbs - good hard strain

http://www.members.optushome.com.au/coolcolj2/Movies/CCJ_14inchGripBench_285x1_26April05.mpg

 

[coolcolj]

Woke up early, feeling slightly drained, then went back to sleep, and the 2nd stint fixed that. Sprained finger still swollen, not much DOMs, mostly in the hammies and erectors

Check out this little Chinese kid, dunking and hooping, he's got skills!

right click and save
http://www.members.optushome.com.au/coolcolj3/Movies/ChineseKid_BBall.wmv

he's been watching too much Michael Jordan I guess

 

[coolcolj]

Body starting to bounce back, van steering wheel much easier to turn today
I've always noticed a direct correlation between the perceived effort in turning that darn non-powered thing and the state of long term CNS recovery. Yet my waking pulse doesn't seem to tell me much other than metabolic rates?

Upper traps are very tight and sore for some reason?! Over active they are.