Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

[coolcolj]

bodyweight this morning in underwear was 92.7kg 203.9lbs.
Waist has ballooned back up to 36inches....WTF?!
I haven't gotten any fatter, but man strange

Might try dropping the almonds today

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

Sprinting sounds like it's a lot more complicated than most people make it out to be.

 

[coolcolj]

Sprinting sounds like it's a lot more complicated than most people make it out to be.

It sure is
Anyone can sprint, but to sprint properly and as fast as your potential will allow is hard. It's not that easy to sprint with your hams/calves with high hip height vs your quads and glutes
Also going fast is the opposite to what your used to - the smoother and more relaxed you are the faster you go, more spring and power. Whereas unlike lifting wieghts if you try too hard you get all tight and stiff. That pretty much applies to most sproting movements I guess, that why you have to be careful with weight training, the relaxation part of it is pretty important - while weights teach you to keep tension on at all times

here related article

http://www.higher-faster-sports.com/reactiveability.html

Don't Screw Up Your Natural Reactive Function

One way we screw up reactive function is by inactivity. This is illustrated by comparing the technical running ability of the typical 16 yr old Playstation freak to that of a kid on the playground. As we get older we become less and less active and "play less". Playgrounds and furniture are used in pursuit of the opposite sex instead of playtime. This process isn't helped any by the huge growth spurt that occurs during adolescence - a time when most start to become less active and when they really need to become more active.

Another way we can detract from our reactive functions is by engaging in too much of a good thing regarding strength training without regard to function. I know I've preached about the importance of strength but now I need to qualify a couple of things here. Strength training is capable of doing some very magnificent things when it comes to improving the level of force we can take in and put out in our movements, but, used haphazardly and without attention to function, it is also capable of changing our movements from what naturally should be a reflexive dominant movement into a muscular dominant movement with the result of this being inefficient movement and injuries.

Go back to the example I used having you mimick the throwing motion with complete relaxation. Chances are if you're a bench press fanatic you actually had a hard time relaxing and may have also felt a twinge of pain in your shoulder when performing that movement even at an intensity way less than what you would use to throw a ball at maximal velocity. If this is the case for you it's because you've done enough bench presses and related work and fewer throws so that you've changed your natural programming and instead of relaxing and reflexively moving you muscled what should've been a reflexive movement.

This is also why you won't see a lot of injuries like strained or torn hamstrings, quads, rotator cuffs, etc. until an athlete has been exposed to lots of strength training. Strength training enhances the ability of our muscles to exert force which can be a huge advantage,- but it doesn't teach your muscles and tendons to work together both contracting and relaxing in harmony at high speeds - processes that occur during just about all sporting movements. The ability to relax completely is just as important as the ability to contract. Now I'm all for getting as strong as can be but if you train your muscles, both in the weight room and with regards to your outside activities, so that your muscles, tendons and connective tissues aren't used to working in harmony - contracting and relaxing at high speeds with efficiency - you will either get an inferior result or an injury.


Bodybuilding? - Uh Oh!


Another way people inhibit their natural reactive function is by an over-reliance on bodybuilding style training. This style of training will basically teach your body to do the reverse of what it's naturally programmed to do. To get an idea of what comes natural take a raw beginner in the weight room and watch how he or she lifts. Beginners will naturally bounce the weight at the switch from eccentric to concentric and they will accelerate the weight through the sticking point. This is a natural attempt to conserve energy and optimize reactive and reflexive contributions into the movement. It's something we're programmed to do and as you now know that natural programming can often be a good thing.

However, whenever we intentionally inhibit these natural tendencies by an over-reliance on slow speed training and slow eccentric training (making the muscle lengthen and work as slow and hard as possible) we can inhibit our natural reflexive capacities and hinder our speed and movement precision. These methods cause more muscle fiber damage and are excellent for building muscle size, but, if over-relied on, they will damage your reactive function and this can be evidenced by watching a typical bodybuilder perform high speed athletic skills. Even though he may very well be strong his movement efficiency will tend to be compromised and he'll function ---------- in a muscle bound manner!

One explanation for this might be that slow speed eccentric training typical in bodybuilding protocols causes a decrease in the amount of the high velocity contractual fast twitch muscle fiber (IIx) and causes a conversion towards a slower contracting subtype (IIA). Fortunately, the reverse phenomenon occurs with training that speeds up the velocity of the eccentric like plyometric training or performing weight training with an emphasis on "explosion" - Using these methods the high velocity fast twitch content of a muscle will actually increase. So, use strict bodybuilding protocols sparingly if at all. That is unless you want to turn yourself into a slow, ground-bound lug with reactive ability like a worn out set of shocks!

----------------

Feeling and looking tired, sleep just not the same as before. On the other hand my legs/feet feel really loose and supple, plus I feel light. A good sign for training today hopefully. Upper body still pretty sore, front delts and pecs especially

bodyweight this morning in underwear was 92.3kg 203lbs.
Not gonna measure my waist for another 4 weeks, hopefully it wil be under 35inches by then...

Good to see the bodyweight down almost a pound, and I do look leaner, noticing new things.
Dropped the almonds yesterday, well I had 7 vs 60 I used to eat, and doubled up my fishoil back to 10 caps. Carbs were pretty low yesterday, but for some reason my muscles started to fill up in the late afternoon like I had been eating some starchy carbs...guessing my body is converting some of the protein to glycogen, because insulin levels are still pretty low now, but the muscles don't seem that flat...

I reminded myself how good computer games are suppressing your appetite
Kinda tempted to go low carb the rest of the week PMSF style fast to keep the momentum going...

 

[coolcolj]

Thursday 27th October - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 8 DELOAD - Day 3 - Speed - Microcycle 4

Not a bad session, felt a bit queezy to start, but fine after warmups. Warm day so I was feeling pretty loose straight up. Definitely feeling stronger all round.
Wish I had bought my camera as I tried a some new stuff today and it would have been nice to see what effect they had on my sprint form, but there were people around...although I would be in good shape to run em down!

It doesn't even feel like I'm on a low carb diet, muscles were pretty pumped up. Also changed my warmup routine a bit, by adding prime times - stiff legged runs, they helped my form for sure.

Last time sprinting, looking forward to BBalling again!

Bodyweight at home - 205.5lbs
Workout Rating - 8/10
Workout time - 1 hour 15mins

Warmup

warmup - dynamic stretches and swings, foot massage, various hops in place in bare feet at home.

Slow Jog - 50m x 4 - walks back to start doing Dorsiflexion drills - 1mins rest

Jog 15m - 15m Prime times (stiff legged runs) - sideways run 5m each side - backwards run 5m - x 3 complexes - 1mins rest

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2 min on warmup sets and then 3 to 3.5 mins between each exercise


Depth Jumps

warmups - a few bodyweight drop squats, 2 step x 2, 3 step x 1, 4 step x 1

on concrete - 4 steps = 26-27inches
Rotation 1) 4 steps x 3
Rotation 2) 4 steps x 3
Rotation 3) 4 steps x 2

Went deeper into the drop and absorbed longer, then landed and stuck the landing in a deep jump position. Last week was much shallower. Work capacity up a bit on these, felt stronger.

RFI Hops on/off a 12inch step - max reps in 10secs

warmups - 6inch x 5, 12inch x 5

Rotation 1) 10 secs x 14 reps --> felt clumsy!
Rotation 2) 10 secs x 15 reps NEW PR! +1rep

groove wasn't quite there today, muscling too much. Stumbled a bit on the 2nd set so may have gotten 16 reps. See if I can match my 6 inch step number of 18.

56 metre sprint on grass field - from proper standing start - sprint spikes

warmups - did quite a few short runs of a proper start of all types.
While I was doing some medium speed sprint bounds, I decided to tuck my recovery leg hard against my butt and found the swing was much easier, and I automaticly snapped the feet out straight ahead and had a nice spring/bounce off each stride. Felt much easier than my normal running style.
Then did this new form in few 50m sprints going faster up to 80%

Rotation 1) no time - forgot to start stopwatch...
Rotation 2) no time - stopwatch did not start....! rested 4 mins then ran another one - 6.81 secs
Rotation 3) 30m sprint x 2 - 3.97secs, rested 3mins, 4.01 secs --> ankle buckled on the 4-5th step at the start

as stated above I tried out a change to my sprint form, this worked really well in the top speed phase, but not that easy to do during the start and acceleration bit. It made me kick the leg out straight ahead, and pulled through with nearly straight legs. As a result the calves had to work a lot harder, and my shins started to ache a bit, guess the muscles in the lower leg are not used to the forces of this new position. Looks like I figured out how to run with "high hips"

Now I have to link up the start, acceleration phase and this new top speed form in the proper ratio...too much to think about! I just can't see football players running like this though, would not feel too good when you get hit in this position....

As you can see I stuffed up my stopwatching again! I felt I definitely had a 6.5sec PR in the first 2 runs. Oh well, not that it matters, I still get a training effect anyway. Damn wish I had an electronic timer.

I tried some 30m runs at the end, just to get any idea of where I stood. Good to see that even with a crappy start and fatigue I can crack 4 secs, I think high 3.8secs can be had when fresh which isn't too bad at all. Will have to try a flying 30m to see how how much my start is holding me back
According to this article, that would put me in line for a high 10 to 11 sec 100m sprint and high 6 to 7 sec flat 60m if everything was up to par - not too shabby for a someone at 15-16% bodyfat!

http://www.elitetrack.com/articles/maximumspeed.pdf
Although those times listed are from blocks, the extra time from a standing startcan account for my timing errors etc.

The sprint spikes I ran in are really flimsy and they keep wobbling all over the place when I accelerate. They may work better on a proper track than on uneven grass. I may start running in my touch football shoes from now on. They are heavier and have less grip, but much more solid.

 

[coolcolj]

Have a mild warm/drained feeling. Feet/ankles/lower leg and spinal erectors are moderately sore, not too bad every else.
Body is certainly starting to build up upon each workout, unlike before where I felt like I was spinning wheels. Amazing what cranking up your protein intake will do.

Sprints yesterday acted like a bit of depletion - I started carbing up last night with a big bowl of spaghetti. Lots of carbs today - pig out!
Might grab some pizza today when I head to the shops to get some whey

 

[coolcolj]

Had to get up early today, so didn't get as much sleep as I wanted, but I will catch up with a nap later on. Fell asleep real fast and very deep sleep though, lots of carbs usually does that, but I also took some Valerian complex thingie, has other stuff like zinc. The real test will be if this stuff helps me to sleep as well on my low calories/low carb days. I just get too hyper and tensed up, so that stuff should help relax my muscles.
Also added a calcium and vitamin C complex

Outter hammies have a deep ache.

weighed 93.7kg 206.5lbs straight out of bed in underwear.
Carbed up bodyweight finally going down, but not a whole lot either...
I must be regaining quite a bit of musclemass because I have leaned up a bit. Even after the big pigout yesterday, I've gotten a little leaner...

Tweaking the Diet a bit -
today - maintenance, 2500-2700 calories, 250-300g carbs
Sunday - slightly lower calories, 150-200g carbs
Monday - 1400 calories, 70g carbs
Tuesday - 1900 calories, 100-120g carbs
Wednesday - 1400 calories, 70g carbs
Thursday - as per Tuesday and then I start carb loading after training
Friday - Carb load - 500g carbs
repeat etc

the slightly higher carbs on the low carb block are on the days I train, extra carbs in the morning and after training

 

[coolcolj]

Hammies are pretty sore in a deep tendon way.

weighed 93.3kg 205.25lbs straight out of bed in underwear.

Down a pound of water from yesterday even though I ate a lot.
This time last week I was 206lbs. Looking leaner, and looking bigger.
Definitely haven't lost any musclemass - noticing new curves and angles on my muscles everyday

 

[coolcolj]

Had a headache and felt really tired yesterday so i skipped my upper body workout. Just stayed at home, slept a lot, ate a lot and chiled with my girlfriend.

weighed 92.6kg 203.75lbs straight out of bed in underwear.

Woah down almost 2lbs from yesterday and I ate a lot, quite a bit of carbs too...
Back into low carbs today and starting a new training microcycle.

Went for a 28min walk this morning,

 

[coolcolj]

tried this bodyfat % calculator

http://www.healthcentral.com/cooltools/nutrition/HomeBodyFatTest.aspx#healthyamount

gave me a figure of around 17.6% body fat. 35.904 pounds of fat and 168.096 pounds pounds of lean (muscle, bone, body water).

I have big glutes and small joints/bones, so that may put the number out a bit

quoting that page -

*The bones of African-Americans tend to be dense and so they sink easily in water. On the other hand, the bones of Asians are light and porous so they tend to float. To allow for these differences, healthy African-Americans should have a lower percent body fat than Asians and Caucasians, while Asians should have a higher percent body fat than African-Americans and Caucasians.

that has got to help running and jumping, having light porous bones...

 

[coolcolj]

Deep sleep, just not enough of it in a continous chunk

weighed 92.3kg 203lbs straight out of bed in underwear.
I should be down to 200lbs by now!

Don't think my body likes this 4 day low carb to 3 day high/medium approach.
Seems that on the 4th day my body shuts down or something. And then having to wait 2 days before I low carb again feels like a long time.
I've had much better success in the past with a 3 day low carb to one day high at way lower bodyfat levels, but I was younger then which changes things a lot!

I like a 7 day fit though, maybe a 3 on 1 off, then a 2 on 1 off, and repeat
hmmmm