Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

[coolcolj]

Thursday 23rd March - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 4 - Day 3 - Energy Work - Microcycle 7

Not a good workout as it could have been. Hammies were really stiff and sore, especially the left side. Had to warmup a bit more before getting into it. Even in the warmup stuff I did at home, they were pretty tender.

On the other hand, my bodyweight before the workout was almost the same as my weight in underwear straight out of bed this morning! 2+lbs lighter than this time last week, even though I felt pretty puffed up and bloated. Hmm strange...not that I'm complaining though

Bodyweight in shorts and t-shirt - 201.5lbs
Workout Rating - 6/10
Workout time - 45 mins all up for the stuff at the park

Warmup

warmup at home - 20sec ISO holds each - quarter squat, standing on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow fullsquat at bottom on toes.

dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle, standing on one leg with eyes shut, various hops and run in place in bare feet at home.


Warmup at park -
Slow Jog - 50m x 5 - 1 mins rest, getting faster on each run

Run complex increasing in speed each run to 50% speed - 1.5 mins rest

2 sets - trying to stay as smooth, relaxed and fluid as possible
25m prime times (stiffed legged runs), 10m straight run, then into lateral run, right side 5m, left side 5m, into backwards run 5m, then three 360 pivots runs

4 dropsquats (hammie to parallel) sitting back, focusing on activating the hammies on ball of feet + 3 point start into 40m acceleration runs to 70% speed - 1min rest

another set as above, but with 2 dropsquats + 2 easy vertical jumps


then rest 2 mins

Tempo Runs + Energy Work

56 metres @ 70-80% speed - from 3 point start
rest = walk back to start - 1min
3 runs - 9.27, 8.91, 8.91 secs

310m run - ran one lap around the football field - 54secs
2.5 min rest

100 metres @ 70-80% speed - from 3 point start
rest = walk back to start - 1.5 min
3 runs ---> high 17 to low 18secs

Backwards run - 56 metres @ 90% speed
rest = walk back to start - 1 min
3 runs - 15+, 13+, high 12 secs

bunch of static stretches for whole body

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No PR on the run around the football this week. Slightly slower than last week's PR. Might have gotten a PR if I ran tomorrow. Hammies were too sore and tight. They twinged a bit on the 2 first 56 metre runs. In hindsight I should have taken it easy today.

But I Felt nice and light today, feet and ankles felt loose. Ground felt soft too. No shin pain at all.

Did the backwards run for a change of pace. They felt great. Much harder the regular running so probably more calories burnt
Once I got the timing of arms right I went faster. Pretty smooth and rapid. Hit the VMO and hammies in a different way. Probably helps strengthen the knee and ACL too. Easier on the body impact wise as well.

 

[coolcolj]

Got woken up by the dog. He was barking all night for some reason, turns out
he was very thirsty. Bowl of water was left ontop the table...was wondering why he was sitting on the very spot the water bowl usually goes on in the morning..... Damn he was lapping that bowl for a few minutes after I put it back

Sides of my lower legs a bit achey and upper back/traps

weighed 91.5kg 201.3lbs straight out of bed in underwear

 

[coolcolj]

While I don't feel all that fresh, the total amount of sleep is prety darn good, CNS feels more topped up than I usually feel on a Sunday and so I'm in a decent mood too.

Upper back/traps sore from my part-time job. Legs/hips sore from my stretching too, motto of the story is - never stretch when your cold...

weighed 91.5kg 201.3lbs straight out of bed in underwear
Looking and feeling much leaner. I can really see it in my face, cheekbones coming more forward and skinfolds are tighter.

 

[coolcolj]

Sunday 26th March - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 5 - Day 1 - BBall Energy Work - Microcycle 7

Almost 1.75 pounds lighter than this time last week. Felt a bit crappy today, I wasn't in the mood for my Circuit interval stuff so I decided to go BBall at the other outdoor court. Probably burns a good amount of calories too.

Bodyweight in shorts and t-shirt - 201.75lbs
Workout time - 1 hour
Session rating - 7/10

Warmed for the first 15-20mins, felt kinda dead. But then got into and was going pretty hard and doing some good stuff. Both shins were achey at the end, but I didn't feel as beat up as I usually am after a BBall session.

Wasn't exactly feeling "Fast Twitch" not with all the heavy strength work and energy work, but I was still strong and explosive. Upper body felt a bit tight on the shots, so shooting not too good but man my dribbling and overall movement was pretty damn good for not having played in a while. I just seem to be able maintain and even improve my skills!

Since I was about 5lbs lighter than the last time I played here, I expected my jump to be up a bit. And it was, even though I didn't exactly feel that much lighter. Although I wasn't able to do a good test before I was tired, I jumped up against the low netball rings on the back of the backboard and was able to look down on it, so about middle of nose level. The last time I jumped against it here, I got it to just above eyebrow level. So a gain of 2 inches or so. Not bad, another 5 more pounds of fat off and then a power and reactive training block and I should start to creep up to the 40 inch approach jump area....I'll do my proper jump tests then and see what my gains overall vs when I was 207-208lbs

My one legged running jump is getting and feeling better as I get lighter and leaner. Lower leg no longer hurts like it used to even at fast speeds and I spring up more.

One thing that blew me away was my agility and control while dribbling and overall movement. I was able to get down really low, while feeling strong, solid and stable, and had great control of the ball, while still being able to blast out in any direction. All smooth and fluid. Felt like I was Barry Sanders while tap dancing at the same time!
Damn I was pulling off some ridiculous combos of spins jukes and dance like moves and still be able to put a skying double clutch shot under the hoop that felt like my head was within 12 inches of the rim and still get it in.
2 exercises that help a lot I suspect - modified burpees and those mid paused Fullsquats. Just feel so strong in the low squat agility position.
Also felt my hammies used much more today

 

[coolcolj]

Sleep wasn't great but I feel pretty good for a day after BBall, only very slight drained feeling, not too sore, just overall achey feeling. Feet/ankles are bit battered and my groin area a bit trashed up, probbaly from getting down low on the dribbles.

weighed 91.5kg 201.3lbs straight out of bed in underwear

same waking bodyweight for a few days now, that has to be some record
Carbed up and ate a lot yesterday so I'm surprised as well. Today I'll be ditching the cereal+oak meal totally and see what happens. Last week I cut down on it a bit and this helped me lean up faster. So far I already feel much more energetic without it and blood sugar is very stable. I usually have a blood sugar crash 3 hours after the cereal. But I will keep it in there on my training days, the extra quick carbs will help then.

12min walk, plus some light stretching after today

 

[coolcolj]

Still a slightly achey feeling all over.

weighed 90.7kg 199.54lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Yay finally under 200lbs
And holding some water too from the carbs last night.
88kg 193+lbs is where I'll start to look and feel a bit better, kinda in no man's land right now.
Waist down 1/4 inch from last week 35.25 inches now, so almost 15% bodyfat.

 

[coolcolj]

Tuesday 28th March - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 5 - Day 2 - Strength/Hypertrophy - Microcycle 7

Good workout. I felt a lot fresher without my usual circuit interval workout on Sunday. BBall didn't seem to fatigue me too much, so I guess my work capacity has improved from the circuit intervals

Pretty good workout though.

Bodyweight at gym - 202.5lbs
Workout time - 1.75 hours
Workout rating - 9/10

General warmup -

20sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow fullsquat at bottom on toes

1) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
2) back extension BWx5 + 4 twisting to each alternate side
3) reverse hypers - BWx8
4) situp complex on swissball
5) adductor/hammie stretch into back tumbells x8
6) usual bar complex with 30lbs
7) various hops

8) worked up to a few sets max effort vertical jumps - half an inch higher than last week, a good sign my CNS is banging


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 1-2mins on warmups and 3.5 mins between each exercise on work sets

Full Squats - high bar, medium stance, sitting back a bit more - Oly Shoes - no Belt

warmups - Full rep then 2nd on with at midpoint on the way up - 95lbs x2, 135x2, 185x2, 225x2, 275x2

Rotation 1) 325lbs x 2 (+5lbs) --> hard and slow on 2nd rep

Lower down, come up 3 inches, slight pause, back up
Rotation 2) 285lbs x 3 (+5lbs)
Rotation 3) 285lbs x 3

First rep of each set is pretty, but it gets hard fast after that! Feeling pretty good though.


Clean Deadlift RDL - Oly Shoes - HookGrip - no Belt

Warmups - Hang powerclean bar x 5, Powerclean + hang Powerclean + highhang squatclean - 89lbs, 119lbs, 155lbs. Powerclean - 205lbs x 1
Clean Deadlift + RDL - 243, 293
Clean Deadlift 343

All controlled

Clean Deadlift, RDL down to just off the floor, back up
Rotation 1) 363lbs x 3 New PR! +20lbs
Rotation 2) 363lbs x 3

Up 20lbs and less one set from last week. 293 in the warmups felt like nothing. And 363lbs wasn't as hard as I thought. I'm working out hard, but wasn't breathing heavy at all after each set. I was pretty calm, so not straining too much. Gym instructor saw me lift the 343 in the warmup and said that was easy

I never thought I would RDL this much weight, and on a calorie deficit too!
Running is probbaly helping. I guess I'll eventually end up at 400lbs, and probbaly weigh 180lbs or less around then. So well over double bodyweight, and I'll should blast off the line like scalded cat. Hamstrings are sure getting big.

If your paying attention then you can probbaly see what I'm doing - add worksets to increase work capacity base, then convert that into a new peak and drop volume and repeat. I'll keep riding it till I stall....

---
clip of squat and RDL worksets

right click on link and save first to avoid errors
http://www.members.optushome.com.au..._FullSquat_midISO285x3_RDL363x3_28March06.mpg

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Cooldown - Upper Body - Prehab

rotating sets between each - 30secs rest

ToeCurls on lying leg curl machine - 1plate x 8, x18 - pause at bottom
Pullups on powerack (thumbless grip) - BW x 2, x10
Scapular Dip shrugs - 10sec hold + 5, BWx20
Chest Supported 45 degree T-Bar rows - 45x8, 90x8
Military Press - Bar x10, 65lbs x 15 with hold at top
Elbow On Knee External Rotation - 4kg x 10, 15lbs x 10
Dumbell Curls - 20x8, 30x9

Bulgarian Splitsquat stretch ISO hold - BW x 30secs
Knee supported Dip/Pushups Stretched ISO hold - BW x 1min

bunch of static stretches

 

[coolcolj]

Mild drained feeling, a little achey all over. Moderate soreness in my upperback/traps, quads, hammies and spinal erectors. Muscles in my heel a bit sore too.

weighed 90.7kg 199.54lbs straight out of bed in underwear
Holding steady after quite a bit of carbs yesterday

2x5 Reach, Roll and Lift
12min walk today plus some easy stretching after
And maybe some "Foam Rolling"

 

[coolcolj]

That was one crap night of sleep...
Upper back and posterior chain/calves a bit achey. Right ankle and feet in geenral feels a bit gimpy.
Shoulder/arm flexibility is getting much better. I can just about point both arms upwards vertically, used to be slightly forward.
Seems tight lats and to a lesser extent the upper traps are the worse of the lot. Having to wrestle the non-powered steering in the van is probbaly one of the causes - lots of lat tensing. Need to keep stretching it overhead everyday.

weighed 90.6kg 199.32lbs straight out of bed in underwear

progress is definitely better now with the change in diet. I know I got fatter when I started eating lots of cereal and milk. Hopefully the last time I ever see 200lbs or more on this scale

 

[Anthrax Invasion]

CCJ, not sure if it's just me, but in that clip of your clean deads + RDL, you seem to round your back on the way up. It's more pronounced during the second set. That's dangerous, I would think.