Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

[coolcolj]

Keep waking up early again due to a shafted bodyclock! Feel ok though, and body feel surprisngly good, given how sore it was yesterday. Dry/hot lips doens't seem to be as noticable now, just about gone.
Legs, feet and hips felt "lighter" straight after waking. There is some low level ache there but it's nothing that will bother me. Left low back is gimpy though, I will have to see how it feels after I warmup today.

about the dry/hot lips thing...straight from the man Kelly Baggett

That is a sign of increased cortisol. Interestingly enough, for those that get cold sores the virus that causes cortisol normally lies dormant.....but it actually has receptors for cortisol....thus explaining why most people who get cold sores get them after a stressful period. I used to always get them when sleep deprived or after competition of any sort...now I know why

I used to get it real bad after an intense draining high volume workout - definite sign of overreaching, when cortisol goes up... Testosterone/Cortisol ratio, look it up in Practical programming in the advanced section


weighed 93.3kg 205.26lbs straight out of bed in underwear
I feasted like a king last night - 4 normal meals compressed into 2
Just food weight I figure, I am still leaner than this time last week.

 

[coolcolj]

Thursday 29th March - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Strong + Lean up - Week 6 DELOAD - Day 3 - Lower Strength - Micro cycle 2

Ok workout, jumps felt good, squats not so good. Kinda cold, so by the time I was done with the jumps, squats didn't feel so good.
It's funny how my lower back was feeling gimpy before the workout, but after the warmup, it was like nothing happened, and still feels like this after the workout! The mobility work must have shaken something loose!

Last Deload session. Start a new training cycle next week. Will be making some major changes

Body weight at gym - 205.5lbs
Workout time - 1 hour
Workout rating - 8/10

General warm up -

15sec 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 full squat at bottom on toes

1) dynamic stretches and swings
2) back extension x 4 + 6 twisting to each side
3) sit up complex on swiss ball
4) standing side leg raise x 5 each side
5) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
6) Braced Scorpion under - x8 each leg alternating
7) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and type
8) glute bridge x 10
10) Single leg SLDL mobility walks
11) various hops and prime times, running on the spot drill etc

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 3 mins

Vertical Jumps

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, rest 30secs, short run of prime times, running one leg jump, rest 30 secs, then a set of 2 standing jumps going higher/harder each time.

did these in between the warm up sets on squats from bar to 185lbs

a) Speed hops on a 3 inch step x 5
b) short run of prime times
c) running on leg jump

rest 30 secs - and 20 sec rest between each jump
a) one step VJ
b) standing Vertical jump
c) 3 step vertical jump

2 hard sets total, then a few more 2 legged jumps
Prime times feeling great. My standing VJ really surprised me, I didn't think it has changed all that much recently, it's been hard to get a good gauge in the gym, but when I jumped in the fire exit well today, I was only 2 inches away from touching the top of it. I remember being like at least 6 inches under once upon a time! Overall jumping was pretty explosive.

Full Oly Squats - Sneakers - no Belt

Warm ups - controlled down, power up - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - Bar x 3, 95lbs x3, 135x2, 185x2
backsquat - bar x 3, 95lbs x 3, 135x2, 185x2, 225x3, 255x2, 285x1


just did the above stuff, 225 and 255 felt good, 285 did not.
Plan was to do a top set of 255x4, but I decided to go a little heavier.
Just did not have any arousal, stopped it there.

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

split leg Good Mornings - narrow split - high bar - oly shoes - no belt

warmups - BW x 5 each side, Bar x 3 each side

controlled, 3 sec pause at bottom, left side first, alternating legs
75lbs x 4 each side (+5lbs)

-----

lower body stretches and some upper body ones

 

[coolcolj]

about that BBaller's training - the guy above doing the 60 inch Box jump

Initially with Gray, we were doing rehab after he broke his fibula in a game. Then when he was actually able to perform some weight room work we did a one month block of basic strength. From there, we pretty much followed Kelly B's VJ bible. I did add EMS during several blocks and we performed a whole lot of visualization usually post-workout or on its own.

I believe the critical aspects of his training came through monitoring his CNS intensive sessions and resting him when I felt he needed it. Many may be familiar with the notion that 48 hrs is considered the "minimum" rest break between high intensity workouts. Like many aspects in training, this is highly individual and you must keep in mind everything that is on an athletes plate. In Gray's case, we took as much time as I felt he needed to come back and perform at the appropriate level. There is no exact answer here. This is something that has taken me 15 + years to become proficient at and is the art of good coaching.

Basketball players are notorious for playing ball day after day and for hours upon hours. Gray was no different! During intensive training blocks, I limited the number of actual games he could play per week and allowed for a some skills sessions depending on time, recovery etc.

I can think of one statement I've heard by a few great coaches who influenced me in the past: "Do as much as necessary, not as much as possible"! Words to live by in this game my friends!

 

[coolcolj]

Fecked up sleep, still waiting on my body clock to adjust...if ever..
Big drop in squat volume = no drained feeling, and even no sapped feeling!
Even the 2 work sets of squats before, taken close to limit seemed to sap me more than I expected, plus GMs etc. I don't know how I even survived the 4+ sets I have been doing before along with jumps in the same sessions for as long as I did, and I did make some gains before crashing...

Feeling ok right now, but overall achey feeling and sore VMO and posterior chain, especially hammies, and upper back/delts.

Training should be good next week with the deload, plus I will be training with a buffer on squats. See how that goes for a change of pace. Planning on a 5lb increase on squat 5RM every 3 weeks...

weighed 92.8kg 204.16lbs straight out of bed in underwear

mega feast meal again, but only one of em instead of 2, I basically squashed both meals into one monstrous post workout meal. Every time I do that I lean up very quickly.

 

[coolcolj]

Sleep was decent, pretty deep, except I got woken up a midnight by a bunch of drunken louts chanting war crys as they walked down the road....
Made the bedroom darker, that helped my sleep.
Legs feel much better, upper back sore from part time job, yesterday and this morning filling in for someone. That also means my lower back is a bit fatigued too. Lower back has been feeling overtrained the last few weeks. Not hard to see why, squats and GMs at the start and end of the week, powersquats in the middle with lifting in my part time job 4 times aweek ontop of that.
Will probably drop the powersquats on the Tuesday workout.

Starting a new training cycle today, I don't know how it will go with the extra fatigue already in me. But I'll be squatting with a buffer based on my 5RM, estimated at 315lbs. 85% of 5RM and total reps will be at 15 on this day. Much the same as the 2 sets of 7-8 I did the last couple of weeks volume wise, but with a pretty big buffer so I shouldn't have any problems coming anywhere near failure. % of 1RM looks to be around the lower 70% area, but 81% with bodyweight factor added (85% of bodyweight) > how uncanny!

weighed 92.3kg 203lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Will try and hit 200lbs in the next couple of weeks, getting tired of seeing the same weight on the scale
I actually weighed 202lbs fully clothed just then, see what I weigh at the gym (with shoes), should be under the 205.5lbs I was at last workout. Maybe I will finally touch the high ceiling off a one step vertical Jump this week
Looks like I have lost about 15lbs so far, it doesn't feel like it, but I'm a lot thinner

 

[coolcolj]

Sunday 1st April - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 1 - Day 1 - Lower 1 Power/Strength/Assistance - Micro cycle 2

Upper body felt pretty weak, fatigued from part time job.
Jumps were good, but squats were pretty darn hard.

Bodyweight inching down

Body weight at gym - 204.5lbs
Workout time - 1+ hour
Workout rating - 7/10

General warm up -

15sec 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 full squat at bottom on toes

1) standing Side leg raise x 8 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
4) Braced Scorpion under - x8 each leg alternating
5) "hurdle" over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
6) glute bridge x 10
7) back extension x 4 + 4 twisting to each side
8) sit up complex on swiss ball
9) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
10) 40lb bar complex - slow cleanpull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 5 reps each, 3 on the jerks
11) various hops, prime times, running in the spot drills, low 6 inch altitude drops and depth jumps


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3mins

Jumps and Hops

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, then a set of 2 standing 2 handed jumps going higher/harder each time

did these in between the warm up sets on squats from bar to 185lbs

a) Speed hops on a 9 inch step x 5
b) short run of Primetimes
c) running one leg jump

rest 30secs
a) standing Vertical jump
b) one step VJ
c) 3 step vertical jump

2 hard sets total. Jumps about the same. Man I am so close to touching that high ceiling with a one step jump, I can also feel it, but still no touch...
Too much fatigue I guess.
Standing VJ has improved a lot though, damn it is so much easier to touch the ceiling above the oly platform when I warmup, compared to before. I just jump casually and I can touch it with my fingertips with 2 hands, but when I jump hard, I can put both hands flat against and still pop it up 1-2 inches! Back at 218lbs I couldn't even touch it with both hands made into a fist....
It's gonna be fun when I hit 180lbs


Full Back Squats - sneakers - no Belt

warm ups - controlled - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 185x3
backsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 185x3, 225x4, 245x1

85% of 5RM 315lbs - controlled - 4 mins rest
1) 265lbs x 5
2) 265lbs x 5
3) 265lbs x 5 --> in oly shoes

Squats were pretty hard today, had to strain a bit harder on the last rep of each set...I think the jumps have tired me out a lot more. Gonna have to cut back on em a bit, move things around.
Plus probbaly some fatigue in general from the last few weeks, and my part time job this morning. Lucky there is a buffer with 265lbs, but sure doesn't feel like I could do 295lbs for 7 like I did a week ago...


Power Cleans - in sneakers

Powerclean + 2 High Hang powercleans - warmup with bar
135lbs, 140lbs

used metal plates. did em between 185 and 225lb squat warmup sets

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Good Mornings onto toes - high bar - oly shoes

warmups - BW x5, Bar x 5, 95lbs x 3, 145lbs x 1

3 sec pause at bottom and hold at top on toes
155lbs x 5 (+10lbs)

just one set.

--

lower body, and some upper body stretches

 

[coolcolj]

4.5 hours deep sleep, 4 hours light sleep, meh. Feel worked, but not drained or even sapped - nice!!!
achey all over as usual, but not mega sore - mostly in my VMO, hammies, glutes and spinal erectors.

weighed 92.2kg 202.8lbs straight out of bed in underwear
Looking trimmer
Haven't taken any fishoil in a week, debating on wether I need it or not...

12 min walk, mobility work and easy stretching today

 

[coolcolj]

Kelly Baggett Vertical Jump FAQ
http://www.higher-faster-sports.com/verticaljumpfaq.html

and ultimate training split - I see he has taken some ideas from me - yes he does read my log, I do talk to him sometimes
http://www.higher-faster-sports.com/theultimatesplit.html

 

[coolcolj]

Better sleep, but I still keep waking up at 2am
Legs and hips still achey/swollen

weighed 93kg 204.6lbs straight out of bed in underwear
Everytime I eat spaghetti at night my bodyweight shoots up! Look bloated as hell, legs especially swollen. No other carb does that to me!
Probbaly good for strength though, leverage wise.
I'm actually lighter now, later in the day, strange.

I'm out of multivitaminsnow, along with fishoil. Too lazy to go buy some more, so see what happens without em for a while... might save some bucks

 

[al420]

You ever give Foam Rollers a try? I roll my hips and glutes nightly...helps a ton. Really painful at first, but decently less painful over time...kinda...lol