Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

[coolcolj]

I only started to get that nice light and loose feeling yesterday - Friday - amazing how long it takes me to recover from last Saturday's workout! Although there is some residual fatigue from previous workouts too.

Looking forward to jumping well at the bball courts today - but things not looking good as far as rain goes

And when bad things happen they come in bunches - had trouble sleeping as early as I wanted to because of fireworks and some Chinese New years Lion dancing drumming going on at the nearby primary school. Then at my part time job this morning, I had to take on extra work because someone didn't do their share! And my usual workload just had to increase for today....

Now I don't feel so crash hot and m,y lower back is pretty tired and strained feeling.. argghhhh

 

[coolcolj]

Saturday 16th February - Micro Cycle 6 - Week 3 - Day 3

Bodyweight = 89.5kg 197lbs in shorts and t-shirt


Outdoor BBall Complex - one with 8 foot rims at the back

1 hour total

started with shooting and easy 2 handed dunks on the 8 foot rims .
Then lots of jumping - some standing, more one step and plenty of running jumps.


Didn't feel that great today, low arousal levels. Felt lead footed. A bit rusty too, thanks to the 2 weeks of rain
No major change on my standing and one step jumps. I didn't feel comfortable doing em, I need to be hyped up with good energy to get good results on em. Body preferred to run up or take a few steps into jump today

9.5 feet Backboard tap with ball off a dribble improved an inch, 2 handed backboard tap running jump improved by an inch as well. Was able to semi-grab the rim better on my highest running jump, but I could only do it once and then I started dropping inches fast...
On the few jumps that I was able to relax and not think about it, I jumped well, the rest I tried to muscle it and jump too hard and ended up lower.

It's funny that I can jump well with a right-left plant when approaching with a dribble of a step with the ball in my hands, but when doing a running jump like that I'm lower and the timing feels off. I much prefer to jump with left-right plant without the ball.

Overall disappointing, better luck next week when I start a new block.
Hope to get my weight down to 195lbs by then.
Some tendonitis I had is gone thanks to the break, that tells me I need to dial back the jumping frequency and slowly build back up again.

 

[coolcolj]

Good sleep last night. Feel ok, no sapped or drained feeling, but I do feel fatigued

sore feet/ankles, hamstrings and upper back.

 

[Sculelos]

I noticed your putting up pretty decent numbers, what are your goals out of the program your on?

 

[coolcolj]

I noticed your putting up pretty decent numbers, what are your goals out of the program your on?

current goal - get huge hops and dunk a basketball
and be agile, quick and explosive

 

[coolcolj]

I don't think I'm measuring my waist right - I suck mine in too much and pull the tape too hard

When done properly I get a 35.5 inch waist, instead of 34.5, and I weighed 196lbs this morning straight out of bed. So that means at 16.8% bodyfat according to this http://home.fuse.net/clymer/bmi/

Gotta get it to 30 at least, but 29 would be nice

 

[coolcolj]

Tuesday 19th February - Micro Cycle 7 - Week 1 - Day 1

Starting a new microcycle/block - this one will be longer than previous ones

Felt spaced out and moody today - so pretty average workout, no power or intensity.

Bodyweight back up over 200lbs, I'm fully loaded with carbs.

Body weight at gym - 200.5lbs
Workout time - 1.5 hours
Workout rating - 7/10

General warm up -

1 set each of my usual dynamic mobility exercises

Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 8
with green jumpstretch band held 3/4 x 1 set, then 1/2 length x 1 set

lateral deep lunge 2x8

back extension x 4, + 4 twisting to each side

situp complex on swiss ball

single leg kneeling deadlift BWx3


Medium stance Full Squats - Nike Free 5.0 Trainer shoes - no Belt

bodyweight x 8, 95lbs x4, 135lbs x 4, 165x4, 195x3, 225x2

This might be the last time I do any squatting with a reasonable amount of weight for a while.
Did some jumps inbetween the squat sets. Couldn't jump for crap, way, way lower!



Sumo Deadlift - Nike Free 5.0 Trainer shoes - doubled overhand hooked grip

explosive up, semi dropped down -89lbs x 4, 139lbs x 4, 176x3, 226x3, 243x3

explosive up, semi dropped down - 4mins rest
1) 273lbs x 3
2) 273lbs x 3

243lbs felt good, 273lbs was not bad, but had to work a bit.


Cool down, upper body and stretches


bench dip shrug x 10

scapular dip shrug - 10sec hold + 3 reps, 2x12 reps with hold at top

1.5 mins rest between each side
single leg kneeling deadlift - 2 sec pause at bottom - BW x 5, 2x2kg dumbell x 8
single leg RDL - dumbell in opposite hand - 2 sec pause at bottom - bwx5, 2x4kg dumbell x 8
Right side much more stable today, maybe the dumbbells help

getting easier now, will go up in weight next week.

 

[coolcolj]

pretty drained from yesterday - feel like crap

really sore mid upper back and upper hamstrings, glutes, abs and calves to a lesser extent

 

[coolcolj]

Feeling much better today, still a little sore though.

I've haven't feeling too good the last couple of months. I suspected it might be the diet.
Started eating more fatty foods and carbs in my 2 evening "pig-out" meals of my current modified Warrior style diet since last week, and the last couple of days, cut back on the fruit and upped the meats a little in the earlier part of the day, and even more calories in the evening meals - starchy carbs mostly.

And I feel much better today - I can tell my hormones and testosterone is higher. I haven't had much sex drive and response the last couple of months. But today I definitely feel a lot hornier

Only downside is that my bodyweight is up from all the carbs and water, and my muscles feel tight and bloated/full.

But maybe I'll jump better this Saturday despite all this. With the higher hormone levels, I should be "stronger", so power should go up....

 

[coolcolj]

Lower back release - glute activation tip


Here's something I've done recently that works really well for release lower back tension/strain and activating the glutes.


do a quad/hip flexor stretch like this at medium intensity

after about 20secs, you should feel your hip flexors start to relax, then you start to contract your glutes and extend the hip/thigh back at moderate intensity for a brief moment, and repeat 15-20 times. By then you'll feel your hip flexors relax even more and your hips/glutes warm up.

then do the other leg.

Works much better than glute bridges!
For one you can do them anywhere, anytime and the problem with glute bridges, and other variants like bird dogs, is that your lower back is still active when you do them, so it kinda defeats the purpose. Plus the effort in those moves is quite a bit higher.

When I've been sitting a while and I do this move, straight after, my lower back feels all relaxed and nice and my glutes take over an do all the work when I stand or bend over. Where I normally might have my lower back feel all tensed and strained. Everyone can benefit from this move as we all sit quite a bit...
This morning I did it before my part time job, where I lift quite a few moderately heavy things off the floor, very early in the morning, where your lower back is at it's weakest and it felt great. Glutes do all the work, instead of my lower back

Works great before a squat and deadlift session to get the glutes firing. I haven't tried it before jumping or BBall, but I'd imagine it would be awesome, as you relax the main antagonist of the jumping muscles, the hip flexor, and activate the prime jumping muscle, the glutes. It's probably why my spinal erectors have been feeling trashed after jumping/landing because of my over active lower back and tight hip flexors, and somewhat inactive glutes.

Will try it out this Saturday at BBall, I just might jump better and reach my max jump height earlier