Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

[coolcolj]

Sleepy... Still a little achey

weighed 87.5kg 192.5lbs straight out of bed in underwear
waist is down to 34 inches so I have hit the halfway mark, will take some progress pics at the end of the week. Still got a bit of a gut though....

some mobility work and light stretching.
Scapular wall slides 2x15, glute bridge with hold 1x15

 

[coolcolj]

Wednesday 4th July - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 7 - Day 1 - Power and Light Lower/Upper Prehab-Rehab - Micro cycle 4

Damn hot today for winter, so I trained in shorts etc, and it looks like all the winter clothing adds 2lbs onto my gym bodyweight. 197lbs is the lightest so far, down about 20lbs since I started leaning up. Just need to regain my strength...

jumps getting better, upper body stuff getting stronger but squats felt hard as hell

Body weight at gym - 197lbs
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) standing Side leg raise x 8 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
4) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
5) Lying on back Scorpion under - x8 each leg alternating
6) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
7) single leg kneeling deadlift x3 each side
8) Cossack side to side lunging x8 each side
9) scapular pushups against a bench - BW x 10
10) Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 10 + band dislocates x 10.
with green jumpstretch band held full length, then 3/4 length for 2 sets


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 3mins


Jumps and Hops

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, rest 30secs, a set of 5 side to side speed hops, rest 30 secs, then a set of 3 altitude drops off 6 inches

repeated but with depth jumps in place of the altitude drops, off the same 6 inch height

then 3 sets but with 2-3 vertical jumps in place of the depth jumps, going higher and harder each successive set

----

1) a set of 5 speed hops on a 9 inch step,

rest 1 min

10 sec rest between each jump
a) standing VJ
b) one step VJ x 2
c) 3 step VJ x 2

for 2 sets total - I did try a third set of jumps, just a standing and one step jump, but they were lower and felt flat, so a dropoff, should have not done that extra set.

Form and timing pretty good, decent explosiveness. Overall jump height up an inch from last week, and within 1.5 inches of gym best now. I can touch the fire exit ceiling again, only just and on just one jump


Power Cleans - in Nike Free 5.0 shoes


Powerclean + 2x(High Hang powerclean + power jerk) - bar
Powerclean + High Hang powerclean + push press - 89lbs
Powerclean + 2x(High Hang powerclean + power jerk) - 89lbs x 2 sets
Powerclean + 2 High Hang powerclean - 129lbs

Powerclean - with 15 secs reset between each rep
153lbs 2x3

added one extra rep per set this week on the 153lb powercleans, feeling better, form and power felt good and I didn't feel gassed out, but still heavy as hell on my shoulders!

-----

Rotating Sets between each exercise - one upper and then one lower

Resting 2-3mins

Wide stance hip back Full squats - high bar - in Nike Free 5.0 Trainer shoes - no belt

warm ups - BW x 8, Bar x 10, 95lbs x10, 135lbs x 10, 185lbs x8

semi-explosive
225lbs x 11 -->(+1rep) moderately hard strain on last rep

Felt harder than last week, even if I got an extra rep. Bar felt very heavy on my back!

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep with hold at bottom) - hold at middle and bottom on each rep - BW x 4, +25lbs x 10

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - BWx20, 1plate x4, x11 (+1rep)

--------

Seated pulley rows to stomach with a hold against the body
20kg x 4, 25kg x4, 30kg x11 (+1 rep)

Pushup plus on elevated pushup handles - neutral grip position - shoulder width on bench x 10, on floor x3

on floor with hold at top fully pushed up into max extension, paused at bottom 1x19 (+1 rep)

pullup stretched holds - angled grip - slighter wider than shoulder width, feet slightly on floor - BW x 15 secs + 5 scap shrugs
Feet off the floor - BW x 15 scapular shrugs + 15 sec stretched hold

Dip shrugs BW x 10sec hold + 5, BW x 18 (+1rep)

Dumbbell curls - hold at parallel position on the way down - 4kg x 6, 15lbs x8, 22lbs x10 (+2 reps)


-----

Cooldown and stretches

Glute bridge with a 2 sec hold x 15

lower body stretches and some upper body ones. Didn't stretch as much as usual, was in a rush

 

[coolcolj]

Saturday 7th July - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 7 - Day 2 - Lower body Strength - Micro cycle 4

Kinda average session, felt a bit queezy, but was strong and powerful though!
Sleep average has been better this week, still not great though, I need an extra hour each day. Also eating a little more calories, and ate a lot last night. So all these help, even if I go for long periods of each day where I hardly eat anything, it doesn't seem to hurt

2 total workouts a week is working well, finally making some progress. Once I get more sleep, things will be even better...

Body weight at gym - 199lbs in winter clothing
Workout time - 1.25 hours
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) standing Side leg raise x 8 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
4) Prone Scorpion - x10 each leg alternating
5) Lying on back Scorpion under - x10 each leg alternating
6) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
7) glute bridge x 15
8) single leg kneeling deadlift 3x3 each side
9) Cossack side to side lunging x8 each side
10) Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 10 + band dislocates x 10.
with green jumpstretch band held full length, then 3/4 length for 2 sets
11) various hop patterns

Full oly Squats - Nike Free 5.0 Trainer shoes - no Belt

warm ups - controlled down, powered up - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 165x3, 195x3
backsquat - bar x4, 95lbs x4, 135x4, 165x4, 195x3, 225x3, 255x1

controlled - 4.5 mins rest
1) 275lbs x 6 (+20lbs -1 rep) - moderate strain on last rep
2) 275lbs x 6 ---> in oly shoes - hard strain on last rep

Was just gonna use the same weight from last week, 255lbs, and try and get 8 reps on the 2 sets. Then decided at the last minute to up the weight to 275lbs, since things felt decent enough. Good decision, felt strong and form was good, controlled and upright. Finally things didn't feel too heavy on my back, walked everything out ok. Strength is coming back up, 1RM is probably around 335lbs now, so 1.7x BW. Hopefully this will translate to vertical jump increases next session

---------

Narrow stance Good Mornings onto toes - high bar - oly shoes
3 sec pause at bottom and hold at top on toes
BW x3+3, Bar x 3+3 more each side split leg style, 95lbs x 3, 135lbs x1

145lbs x5 (+5lbs )

changed to just one work set


Strict Oly style Snatch Grip Deadlifts - oly shoes - no belt

warmups -
2 reps normal grip, reset 2reps with hookgrip - 135lbs, 165lbs

powered up, controlled down pause on floor
1)170lbs x 5
2)170lbs x 5 with hookgrip

---

Cooldown and stretches

lower body stretches and some upper body ones

pullup stretched holds - some warmups and then BW 2x15 sec holds

 

[coolcolj]

Much better sleep. Very mild sapped feeling so far, nice, Saturday part time job+heavy lower body workout is not "killing" me as much as when I started this new setup. Body is definitely adapting for the first time in a long time now that I'm not overdoing it and training better with a smarter setup....
So far so good.
A bit sore in my lower body and upper back, but nowhere near as much as previous weeks - may change latter today though, due to the nature of DOMS

weighed 88.5kg 194.7lbs straight out of bed in underwear
waist= 34.25 inches
Upper thigh= 26.75inches

bodyweight is up 1kg from last week, waist more or less the same. Been eating more. Still around the 14% bodyfat area.
Upper thigh is up 1/4 of an inch, so that's why I'm heavier
I thought my legs felt bigger this week after the Wednesday workout, and this backs it up.

That's also why my strength is up. I'm definitely one of those people that has direct correlation between strength and size. I can't stay small and get stronger. So I figure when I add another half an inch onto my legs at the same bodyfat level my squat will be back to where it was in the 385lb area. Probbaly need to get my legs up to 28 inches to hit my 455lb fullsquat goal, which will mean my legs will be around 26 inches when I lean down to 180lbs. A reasonable number with a 30 inch waist.

 

[coolcolj]

Wednesday 12th July - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 8 - Day 1 - Power and Light Lower/Upper Prehab-Rehab - Micro cycle 4

I didn't get much sleep last night and the night before, but the workout went ok, just started to get sleepy towards the end...
Jumps/cleans good, but squats again very heavy on my back...I think it's a sleep deficit issue..

Felt a bit sapped/drained today after this workout, moderately sore all over as well - dryish lips, cortisol on the rise again....

Body weight at gym - 198.5lbs
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) standing Side leg raise x 8 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
4) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
5) Lying on back Scorpion under - x8 each leg alternating
6) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
7) single leg kneeling deadlift x3 each side
8) Cossack side to side lunging x8 each side
9) scapular pushups against a bench - BW x 10
10) Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 10 + band dislocates x 10.
with green jumpstretch band held full length, then 3/4 length for 2 sets


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 3mins


Jumps and Hops

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, rest 30secs, a set of 5 side to side speed hops, rest 30 secs, then a set of 3 altitude drops off 6 inches

repeated but with depth jumps in place of the altitude drops, off the same 6 inch height

then 3 sets but with 2-3 vertical jumps in place of the depth jumps, going higher and harder each successive set

----

1) a set of 5 speed hops on a 9 inch step,

rest 1 min

10 sec rest between each jump
a) standing VJ
b) one step VJ x 2
c) 3 step VJ x 2

for 2 sets total - except I didn't do any speed hops the 2nd time around
Peak jump was up half an inch higher than last week, and finally up 3 step jump is up, but all the jumps were half an inch lower until the last few jumps.
Probably a CNS arousal issue due to lack of sleep. Anyway I'm only about an inch off my bests at the gym on my 1 and 3 step jumps. Standing VJ is still 2 inches off my best...which means there is a bigger difference between em compared to before. Plus I was decked out in winter clothing vs the shorts/t-shirt last week which adds extra weight and bulk

Power Cleans - in Nike Free 5.0 shoes

Powerclean + 2x(High Hang powerclean + power jerk) - bar
Powerclean + High Hang powerclean + push press - 89lbs
Powerclean + 2x(High Hang powerclean + power jerk) - 89lbs x 2 sets
Powerclean + 2 High Hang powerclean - 119lbs, 139lbs
Powerclean - 153lbs

Powerclean - with 15 secs reset between each rep
163lbs 2x2

Overall volume is up a bit, and I increased the load on the 2 main sets. Felt better, not so heavy on my shoulder now when I rack.

-----

Rotating Sets between each exercise - one upper and then one lower

Resting 2-3mins

Wide stance hip back Full squats - high bar - in Nike Free 5.0 Trainer shoes - no belt

warm ups - BW x 8, Bar x 10, 135lbs x 10, 185lbs x8, 225x2

semi-explosive
225lbs x 12 -->(+1rep) moderately hard strain on last rep

Hard and bar felt really heavy on my back, but I still made progress. very strange

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep with hold at bottom) - hold at middle and bottom on each rep - BW x 4, +25lbs x 11 (+1 rep)

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - BWx20, 1plate x4, 2plates x8
up 1 plate

--------

Seated pulley rows to stomach with a hold against the body
20kg x 4, 25kg x4, 35kg x8 (+5kg)

Closegrip Pushup plus on small medball on bench x 10, on floor x4,
on medball x 15


pullup stretched holds - angled grip - slighter wider than shoulder width, feet slightly on floor - BW x 15 secs + 5 scap shrugs
Feet off the floor - BW x 17 scapular shrugs + 20 sec stretched hold

added 2 reps and 5 secs

Dip shrugs BW x 10sec hold + 5, BW x 19 (+1rep)

Dumbbell curls - hold at parallel position on the way down - 4kg x 6, 15lbs x8, 25lbs x8 (+3lbs)


-----

Cooldown and stretches

Glute bridge with a 2 sec hold x 15

lower body stretches and some upper body ones. Didn't stretch as much as usual, was in a rush

 

[coolcolj]

Saturday 14th July - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 8 - Day 2 - Lower body Strength - Micro cycle 4

Good workout, but I did feel a bit queezy and light headed, probably due to the lack of sleep and whole box of chocolate biscuits earlier in the day...
Sleep has been around the 5.5 hour mark all week and lots of junk food at night and yet I felt pretty strong today and making progress, makes you wonder

Some highjump dude saw me training and seemed impressed with my front and back squats, so we got talking about jump training and such
That guy was doing some strange GPP stuff with medballs...thought he was a swimmer at one stage.

Freaking right outer quad started to cramp a little a few hours after this workout!

Body weight at gym - 199.5lbs in winter clothing
Workout time - 1.5 hours
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) standing Side leg raise x 8 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
4) Prone Scorpion - x10 each leg alternating
5) Lying on back Scorpion under - x10 each leg alternating
6) back extension x 4 + 4 twisting to each side
7) sit up complex on swiss ball
8) glute bridge x 15
9) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
10) single leg kneeling deadlift 3x3 each side
11) Cossack side to side lunging x8 each side
12) Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 10 + band dislocates x 10.
with green jumpstretch band held full length, then 3/4 length for 2 sets
13) various hop patterns

Full oly Squats - Nike Free 5.0 Trainer shoes - no Belt

warm ups - controlled down, powered up - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 165x3, 195x3
backsquat - bar x4, 95lbs x4, 135x4, 165x4, 195x3, 225x3, 255x2, 275x1

controlled - 4.5 mins rest
1) 295lbs x 4
2) 295lbs x 4 --> in Oly shoes
3) 295lbs x 4 --> in Oly shoes

Decided to intensify the squat today and up the loads into the 90% area.
All squats felt heavy and hard, but in a good way, and I had to strain pretty hard on all sets. GM'ed the weights a little on the first set, but sets in oly shoes were solid and upright. Didn't even feel my lower back working at all, glutes firing very nicely, but my upper hip flexors/rectus femoris in the hip area were tensing up a lot.
Probbaly a rep in the tank each set if went balls to the wall.

Here is the vid of the first set, wanted to take a video of all sets, but battery want flat
You can see my lower back tucking under at the bottom again...maybe tight hammies, because as I said my glutes are firing well and I don't feel it in my lower back at all. I don't tighten up my torso and roll my butt back as much as I used to, so it's probbaly a form issue.

I need a haircut..
Right click on video and save first to avoid errors
http://www.members.optushome.com.au..._FullOlySquat_Free5.0_295x4_set1_14July07.mpg

---------

Narrow stance Good Mornings onto toes - high bar - oly shoes
3 sec pause at bottom and hold at top on toes
BW x3+3, Bar x 3+3 more each side split leg style, 95lbs x 3, 135lbs x2

155lbs x6 (+10lbs + 1 rep )

hard but good, will stay here for a bit to stablise.


Strict Oly style Snatch Grip Deadlifts - oly shoes - no belt

warmups -
2 reps normal grip, reset 2reps with hookgrip - 135lbs, 175lbs

powered up, controlled down pause on floor
1)175lbs x 5 (+5lbs)
2)175lbs x 5 with hookgrip

quite hard, lower back was feeling it, will stay here for a bit to stablise.

---

Cooldown and stretches

lower body stretches and some upper body ones

didn't have much time as gym was shutting, so didn't stretch as much as usual.

 

[coolcolj]

Got 10 hours total sleep, but not all of it deep sleep. Still I feel a lot better after all these 5+ hour sleep days this week!
That certainly helps as I don't feel as sapped and sore as the last few workouts. Just a mild drained feeling, and moderate overall achey DOMs.

weighed 88.2kg 194lbs straight out of bed in underwear
waist= 33.75 inches
Upper thigh= 27inches

bodyweight only down 0.7lb from last week, but waist is down half an inch and legs up 1/4 of an inch! WOW I didn't expect that with all the junk food I piled on everyday at night, and all day yesterday!
See it is posible to gain muscle, strength and loss fat all at the same time with crap sleep too - at least when your over 10% bodyfat

Bodyfat % is down to around 13.5% now.

I'm not even taking any protein powder anymore, and the bare minium of supplements, just 4 caps of fishoil a day, a mulit vitamin and ZMA. Protein levels are way down from before, but carbs are higher, and more junk food. Still eating small amounts of meat/eggs and 1-2 apples/bananas 2-3 times during the day, with a handful of raw almonds here and there, and then pig out at night, anything goes pretty much.

 

[coolcolj]

I skipped the Wednesday speed/power/upper workout. Decided to chill for the rest of week and be fully recovered to restart a new training block. More of the same, just that I have learned from experience, that when things have been going well for a 3 weeks, it's time to back off to stablise before things go backwards

It's actually good that I'm not as motivated as I used to be. I would do too much, too often and kill myself...Less is more as they say

 

[coolcolj]

Saturday 21st July - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 1 - Day 1 - Lower body Strength - Micro cycle 5

Good workout, but I had to rush it a little due to the gym shutting, need to get in earlier, but at least the gym was near empty.

Starting a new training block today, the short time off certainly helps, feel fresher and a little stronger. Bodyweight is up though, I feel fatter...
When you pick up a 45lb oly bar first thing before even warming up and it feels light/easy to hold then you know things are going to go well.

Body weight at gym - 201lbs in winter clothing
Workout time - 1.5 hours
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) standing Side leg raise x 8 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 10 + band dislocates x 10.
with green jumpstretch band held full length, then 3/4 length for 2 sets
4) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
5) back extension x 4 + 4 twisting to each side
6) sit up complex on swiss ball
7) Prone Scorpion - x10 each leg alternating
8) Lying on back Scorpion under - x10 each leg alternating
9) glute bridge x 15
10) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
11) knees as far forward as possible lunges - BW x 5
12) single leg kneeling deadlift 3x3 each side
13) military press - bar 2x5, snatch grip behind the neck 1x5
14) Cossack side to side lunging 2x8 each side
15) various hop patterns
16) 45lb oly bar complex - slow clean pull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 4 reps each, 2 on presses and 3 on the jerks



Full oly Squats - Nike Free 5.0 Trainer shoes - no Belt

warm ups - controlled down, powered up - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 165x3, 195x3, 225x1
backsquat - bar x4, 95lbs x4, 135x4, 165x4, 195x3, 225x3, 255x2, 275x1

controlled - 4.5 mins rest
1) 275lbs x 7 (+1 rep) --> medium/hard strain on last rep
2) 275lbs x 7 --> in Oly shoes - hard strain on last rep

Always nice to see progress and it all felt good too. 275lbs still feels heavy on my back though, but its easier to rep out, a little... well considering 275lbs for 3x4 a few weeks back was an all out gut buster. One more rep one each set and it's time to go up.

225lb front squat single in warmups felt heavy on my shoulder, made me want to blackout/dizzy. Upper body not strong enough to support it right now, even the 195lb set felt a little like that as well.

Ankle mobility and overall flexibility is rocking nicely - I was able to do some squat sets with a pretty close stance, especially the front squat ones. And even the bodyweight only warmup sets were with feet 12 inches apart, and I could go down smoothly without losing balance or feeling awkard.
Glutes firing really well, I feel em work much harder than I have ever had before, and I can stay really upright and tight. Upper hip flexor area no longer aching.

---------

Narrow stance Good Mornings onto toes - high bar - oly shoes
3 sec pause at bottom and hold at top on toes
BW x3+3, Bar x 3+3 more each side split leg style, 95lbs x 3, 135lbs x2

135lbs x6

slight reduction in load


Strict Oly style Snatch Grip Deadlifts - oly shoes - no belt

warmups -
2 reps normal grip, reset 2reps with hookgrip - 135lbs

powered up, controlled down pause on floor
1)155lbs x 5

slight reduction in load - felt real solid


---

Cooldown and stretches

lower body stretches and some upper body ones

didn't have much time as gym was shutting, so didn't stretch as much as usual

 

[coolcolj]

Not feeling too bad, 9 hours of sleep helps. Not too sore as well, and definitely no drained feeling, just a mild sapped sensation
Mild overall achey feeling, moderate soreness in my VMO, glutes, and upper hammiers, plus some spinal erector and calves. Biceps and upper back a little sore as well.

weighed 89.2kg 196.24lbs straight out of bed in underwear
waist= 34.25 inches

Bodyweight is up 1kg and waist is up half an inch from last week. Yup I've gotten fatter...
2kg of fat for each inch of waist, so the numbers fall inline. Back up to 14% bodyfat..