Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

[coolcolj]

how do you hit your VMO so well coolcolj?

if you squat like I do, your VMO will get hit real good
especially in oly shoes

also single leg work like Bulgarian splisquats, reverse lunges and step ups hit the VMO pretty good too, due to the instability.

----

MMm much better sleep. I sure feel better as a result, starting to freshen up. Body is feeling much better. Haven't felt like this in ages. Make me realise that I've probbaly been overreached to some degree most of the time the last couple of years! If I play my cards right, gains could be pretty nice this year if I take advantage of this and just train smart and learn from my mistakes
Plus reading my body's reaction to training better...

weighed 92.2kg 202.8lbs straight out of bed in underwear

legs continue to feel like they are getting bigger and bigger since I deloaded!

 

[wakefib]

i did step up the other day and i havn't felt my VMO like this in a long time. i feel oly squat more in my glutes and hammys

 

[coolcolj]

i did step up the other day and i havn't felt my VMO like this in a long time. i feel oly squat more in my glutes and hammys

wear oly shoes, moderate stance, angle feet out and sit between your legs and then you'll get plenty of VMO action. I don't feel it during teh workout, but they are sore the next day

 

[coolcolj]

Tuesday 24th April - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Strong + Lean up - Week 4 - Day 1 - Strength Peaking - Microcycle 2

Better workout, jumps were good, but squats did not feel so good
Restart the mini-cycle next workout on Sunday in 5 days time. Plenty of time to rest

Body weight at gym - 205lbs
Workout time - 1.5 hours
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) 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 - x10 each leg alternating
6) Lying on back Scorpion under - x10 each leg alternating
7) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and type
8) glute bridge x 10
9) Single leg SLDL mobility walks
10) various hops
11) 40lb bar complex - slow hang clean pull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 5 reps each, 3 on the jerks
12) various hops, prime times, running in the spot drills, low 6 inch altitude drops and depth jumps


Powercleans + 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 225lbs - 2 mins after each squat set

1) hang powercleans from various positions - Bar x 4

rest 2mins

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 NEW PR!! + 0.75 inches
c) 3 step vertical jump

2 hard sets total, plus a few more 2 legged jumps. Very explosive today.
At first my standing VJ was 2 inches under the fire exit ceiling, and I wasn't able to touch the ceiling on the one step VJ. Got annoyed, tried it again, and touched the ceiling easy on the 1 step VJ. Then dipped down super fast on the standing jump and woah, jumped higher than I have ever, got within half an inch of the ceiling. That means my standing VJ is about 32.5 inches now

I seem to convert over any strength gains I have into vertical jump power without having to do any high intensity plyos or much explosive work at all. Just jumping itself and speed hops is enough to do the trick.


Full Oly Squats - oly shoes - no Belt

Warm ups - controlled down, power up - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat

in sneakers
frontsquat - Bar x 3, 95lbs x2, 135x2, 185x2
backsquat - bar x 5, 95lbs x 3, 135x3, 185x3, 225x3, then in oly shoes 255x2, 285x2, 315x1

controlled
1) 335lbs x 5 (+5lbs) --> gut busting strain on last rep

Squats didn't feel very good today, not very comfortable at all, but at least the bar felt lighter on my back when the weights got heavier, and walking out 335lbs is not a problem anymore.
I barely just made the 5th rep with 335lbs! Definitely an all out effort. Last rep took 3.5+ secs from start to finish, pretty quick considering the amount of strain! That would suggest I am rate/speed dominant. 335x5 all out puts my 1RM at 375lbs. Ratio of 1.83 x bodyweight. The highest ratio I've had in a while and that's why I'm jumping better

--------

Putting that 1RM into my powersnatch/high hang powerclean to VJ formula -

high catch powersnatch/high hang powerclean with minimal dip = 45% of my full squat 1RM
High catch powersnatch/high hang powerclean with minimal dip = 168.75lbs

168lbs divided by 205lbs recent gym bodyweight (with shoes etc) = 0.823
Distance from hip crease (where the bar is in a powersnatch before it shoots up at full extension) to where I catch the bar = 39.5 inches

0.823 x 39.5 inches = 32.5 inch VJ

damn accurate

Short term goal - Get gym bodyweight down to 200lbs, full squat to 405lbs = 35-36 inch VJ

video of the 335x5 set
right click on link and save to avoid errors
http://www.members.optushome.com.au/blitzforce/Movies/CCJ_FullSquat_335x5_24April07.mpg

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

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2 mins

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

warmups - BW x 5 , Bar x 3, 75lbs x 3 each side

just the warmups

Reverse Lunge - vertical shins, medium wide stance, rear leg kept on the straighter side - 3 sec pause at bottom - sneakers - alternating legs

warmups - BW x 3, 75lbs x 2 each side

1) 95lbs x 4 each side
2) 95lbs x 4 each side


Snatch Grip Deadlift - RDL style - oly shoes - no belt

warmups - normal grip - 89lbs x 3, 155x3

power up, controlled down
1) 205lbs x 3 - normal grip
2) 205lbs x 3 - hook grip


-----
Cooldown and stretches

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep with hold at bottom)
full squats - BW x20
reverse hypers - BWx20

lower body stretches and some upper body ones

 

[coolcolj]

Bad sleep, CNS just too jacked up! Always seems to be the case when I go maximal on squats. Don't feel that bad even then, but will probably get hit tomorrow... A bit sapped, but surprisingly not drained.
Quads, posterior chain, upper back and arms sore. Upper hammies and glutes are really inflamed.


weighed 92.1kg 202.6lbs straight out of bed in underwear

 

[coolcolj]

Sleep deeper last night. Feeling ok, just a bit tired. Glutes and hamstrings feel shredded up - ouch

weighed 91.7kg 201.74lbs straight out of bed in underwear
starting dialing things down here. We will see if it's possible to get my squat to 340-345x5 by the end of the coming microcycle while leaning down to 198lbs

did a bunch of upper and lower body mobility work, then some stretches

 

[ChinkNasty]

what exactly are your goals? I know 'speed and explosiveness,' but can you quantify your goals? ie 40 yd. dash, vert jump etc...

 

[coolcolj]

what exactly are your goals? I know 'speed and explosiveness,' but can you quantify your goals? ie 40 yd. dash, vert jump etc...

touch middle of my forearm on the BBall rim from a standing jump and dunk it with 2 hand standing as well - I need a 44 inch VJ to do those

44 inch standing VJ for a 190lb person needs some serious horsepower

If I can bring my fullsquat up to 500lbs I will be able to do it at quite a heavy bodyweight of 200lbs, otherwise I will need to lean down to 180lbs with a 455lb fullsquat . At 190lbs 475lbs might do it.

 

[coolcolj]

like this and at the same bodyfat% would be nice too, I would need to get down to 180lbs to be that lean though

44 inch standing vertical jump at 5'9" 200lbs - he has 30inch legs too!

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

Thats one helluva jump!