Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

[coolcolj]

another day of 7+ hour sleep under my belt, plus a 2 hour nap, and things feel even better, but still tired/sleepy feeling. Getting woken up by alarm probbaly does that to you, won't be till Sunday that I can sleep as long as I want

Twinges in my knee when walking downstairs in the morning are gone, lower spinal erector achey pain and lower back pain is gone - wow. The last few weeks I've had to do a whole warmup to just bend over the sink and wash my face first thing in the morning at 3:30am so I don't blow out my lower back, didn't have to bother this morning.
Glutes are firing like crazy when standing and just moving around. Big contrast

probably all symptoms of accumlated incomplete recovery, not just muscular/joint wise but CNS as well. Sleep is important me thinks...

 

[coolcolj]

Saturday 8th November - Block 11 - Week 2 - Day 2

Did some foam rolling at home before heading to the court

Bodyweight = 90kg 198lbs in shorts and t-shirt

Gore Hill Outdoor BBall court - 9'7" - Nike Free 7.0 Trainer


45 mins total

1) 1) did some dribbling, shooting, moves and low/medium intensity jumps and for 25 mins

2) did max effort jumps of all types for another 20 mins, resting about a 30secs to 2 mins between jumps. Plus a few dunk attempts with a small ball.

Cool overcast day

While I didn't feel fresh, because of my part time job, I felt decent enough. Fairly light on my feet, and explosive. No sluggish feeling etc.

Jumps felt good, a little higher on the standing and one step jumps compared to last week, but running jumps more or less about the same. Touching top of rim with 2 hands, middle of the hand with one hand with my funky hoping leg plant. Can even grab the rim with an awkward right/left plant with a small hop
Dunks attempt with small ball still going over the rim.

Tried a dunk attempt with a full size ball, planting right left off a dribble (my usual technique), and I can tap the top of the rim, with the ball shooting off
So I loose about 4 inches when dunking like that compared to max running jump height. Will need to touch the middle of my forearm on the rim to be able to dunk off a dribble, when the time comes.
Practised a few lob alley opps as well, timing is getting a little better

I think this is about as high as I'm gonna jump for now.
So I'm not gonna waste another week deloading. It's still under where I think I should be, but my bodyweight has gone up. So think this is it!
I'm still jumping higher than I have here before in a while

Back to driving up the squat. I just need more strength me thinks!

 

[coolcolj]

Tuesday 11th November - Block 12 - Week 1 - Day 1 - Workout A

Starting a new block today, more strength work. Enough of the deload, and time to drive my squat over 405lbs!
After the disaster that was last week's workout, where 285lbs for a hard for 2 reps on squats, with a week's worth of 7+ hours sleep and naps under my belt, I killed it today. Damn what a turn around today!
Lack of sleep has been my major problem all this time...

I dropped a lot of my usual upper body crap and core work I do after my squats and stuff. I decided to split them off into another workout for now. Shorten workout and save my energy

Body weight at gym - 200lbs
Workout time - 1+ hour
Workout rating - 4/5

General warm up -

4 min moderate speed walk on treadmill

1 set each of my usual dynamic mobility exercises
behind the neck band pull aparts - green mini-band help 3/4 length 2x8
lateral deep lunge x8
situp complex on swiss ball
single leg RDL mobility + psoas activation walk
4 short runs of low effort prime times (stiff legged runs)

A few sets of hops in place - 2 legged and then single legged
3x10 seconds rope skipping - 2 legged then 5 reps single leg, each leg, then alternating legs - 30secs rest

45lb oly bar complex - slow clean pull, GM onto toes, high hang powerclean, military press - 5 reps each


Low bar Full Back Squats - shoulder width stance - Oly Shoes - no Belt

in Nike Free 5.0 trainer - Bar x 8, 95lbs x3, 135lbs 2x2, 185lbs 2x2
switched to oly shoes 205lbs x2, 225x2, 255lbs 2x1, 285lbs 2x1, 315lbs x 2 support

1) 315lbs x 8 --> hard strain on last rep
rest 5.5 mins
2) 315lbs x 8 --> hard strain on last rep

video of 2 main sets
YouTube - 11th November 2008 - Full Squat 315lbs 2x8

WOOT! did 2x8 with 315lbs, up 10lbs from the 305lbs 2x8 I did a few weeks back and much easier too.

The warmups felt pretty crappy, but when I walked out with 315lbs it felt "light" and the first few reps shot up like nothing, like speed weight. I had to resist the temptation to bounce up and down with it, kept the reps and eccentrics nice and controlled. Form on 2nd set was sloppier, the first rep felt so light the bar shot off my back, and started to move everywhere each rep, not just left and right, but from higher bar to lower bar position! Made it a bitch, and hard to stay tight!

Used a narrower stance on the 2nd set, and I felt stronger for it. Rectus femoris, middle quad, was pumped as hell afterwards, as was my spinal erectors.

Damn I owned 315lbs today! First time 315lbs felt like that. Should be able to do 9 reps with it all out. But it was "boring" banging out the reps and waiting for the 8th one to come out!!!!
Another 5-6 more reps and I'll be strong enough to powerclean it with a high catch
Hope my bodyweight stays at 200lbs when that happens, 1.5+ bodyweight powerclean....


rested 7 mins before moving on


Single leg kneeling Deadlift

1.5 mins rest between each side
- 2 sec pause at bottom - BW x 5, 2x33lb dumbbells x 8

getting back into these, much lighter in weight than the last time I did these, with 2x50lb dumbells

 

[coolcolj]

sore as expected, but not as much as I thought. My upper hammies are really sore, followed by my glutes and upper back, and milder aches in the rest of the body. I never seem to feel my glutes get pumped, but they sure get sore the day after.

Most interesting thing - I don't even feel drained at all! That's a big depature from the previous weeks. Considering I'm doing 315lbs for more reps than I have ever done in my life.
I think that tells me that I've been in a slight state of fatigue in all the previous months (years?) becuase of the low level of average weekly sleep....

And I've had long of periods of time in the last few days where I don't eat. Didn't seem to effect my strength. Sleep is more important than food...

 

[coolcolj]

still really really sore!!!! Hamstrings, glutes and spinal erectors all the way up the back

man the way things are going, when I finally reach my jumping goals, I am gonna fly sprint wise as well, due to the way low bar full squats murder my posterior chain better than any other exercise I've ever done! Even though I don't use a wide stance, and my knees go well forward. It really does feel like a better snatch grip deadlift with the bar on your back, despite the fact I'm still pretty upright

 

[coolcolj]

Sunday 16th November 2008

Soreness is finally going away....
I skipped BBall/jumping yesterday, and will do so today, and not bother with it this week. Too sore for it, and not in the mood. I need a break, mentally. Change is good.

I had planned to do a workout for upper body crap and core work, but too sore, and just can't be bothered right now. I am not motivated to train my upper body. Especially in a separate workout


weighed 89kg 196lbs this morning
waist is 34.5 inches around belly button

With this Body-Mass Index, Waist-to-Height Ratio and More...
it puts me at 14.6% bodyfat
Tanita scale = 23.7%(+0.4%)

measurements straight out of bed
Wrist - 6 5/8 inches
Ankle - 8.75
Neck - 15.5

Arms - flexed 15.25
Forearms - flexed 12
Chest - lats flexed 43.5
Hips/Glutes - 41
Thighs - 27 1/8 (+1/8)
Calves - flexed 16.25


Skipped dinner last night, just didn't get around to it
So holding a lot less water. Everything the same, except my legs got bigger!
That's backed up my the Tanita scale reading. It just shoots a signal through your body and measure the resistance to the current. So more body mass = higher BF%. More body mass, Tanita BF%, at same bodyweight and waist size = more muscle

We all know a bigger muscle is a stronger muscle, so it won't be long till I own 405lbs on squats. Just matter of teaching my body how to use it now.
Which my current workout B setup will do the trick. 90% of 1RM x 2, 85% 5 sets of 2 etc. Which I will most likely do this coming workout.

 

[coolcolj]

Tuesday 18th November - Block 12 - Week 1 - Day 1 - Workout B

Slept in an hour too much, so I had hurry to the gym. Didn't get to foam roll before heading there
I sure missed it, some tight muscles. I think it messed form. Didn't feel too strong today, energy level wasn't there.

Didn't have much time to do anything else but squat.

Body weight at gym - 199lbs
Workout time - 1+ hour
Workout rating - 3/5

General warm up -

4 min moderate speed walk on treadmill

1 set each of my usual dynamic mobility exercises
behind the neck band pull aparts - green mini-band help 3/4 length 2x8
lateral deep lunge x8
situp complex on swiss ball
single leg RDL mobility + psoas activation walk
4 short runs of low effort prime times (stiff legged runs)

A few sets of hops in place - 2 legged and then single legged
3x10 seconds rope skipping - 2 legged then 5 reps single leg, each leg, then alternating legs - 30secs rest

45lb oly bar complex - slow clean pull, GM onto toes, high hang powerclean, military press - 5 reps each


Low bar Full Back Squats - shoulder width stance - Oly Shoes - no Belt

in Nike Free 5.0 trainer - 45 secs rest between sets of within each weight - Bar x 8, 95lbs x4, x2, 135lbs 2x2, 185lbs 2x2,
switched to oly shoes 205lbs x2, 225x2, 255lbs 2x1, 285x1, 315x1, 345lbs x 2 support, 345x1, 365lbs x 2 support

1) 365lbs x 2 (90% of estimated 1RM - 405lbs)
3 mins rest

2) 5 sets of 2 - 85% of 1RM - 3 mins rest
345lbs

video of main sets
YouTube - 18th Nov 2008 - Full Squat 365lbs x2, 345lbs 5x2

Didn't feel all that strong today and form wasn't great. Hip drive seemed to be broken, which made me use my quads a lot more causing a pretty pronounced sticking point on every set and rep.

 

[coolcolj]

Saturday 22nd November - Block 12 - Week 2 - Day 2

Skipped the pre-session foam rolling today, had a heavy duty session yesterday. Hamstrings still pretty sore from the squatting 4 days ago...

Bodyweight = 91kg 200lbs in shorts and t-shirt

Willoughby Leisure centre outdoor BBall court complex - Nike Free 7.0 Trainer


50 mins total

1) 1) did some dribbling, shooting, moves and low/medium intensity jumps and for 20 mins

2) did max effort jumps of all types for another 15 mins, resting about a 30secs to 2 mins between jumps

3) 15 mins of dunks on the 8 foot netball rims - off a dribble, off lobs etc
pretty much one after the other

Cool, windy day

Pretty tired today, as usual. I'm glad I skipped BBall/Jumping last week, giving me a good 2 week rest from it, and my whole lower body and feet felt better as a result. Even with the break I was dribbling, shooting and moving much better! Dunks were better too, smoother and more flowing. Will cut back on the BBalling and jumps in light of this, especially right now, where strength gains are more important.

Jumps were pretty crappy overall, lethargic feeling, and lower back was getting tight. But when I moved to the dunks on the 8 foot netball rims, my back loosened up when I took my mind off it....maybe it's a neural thing...

When I do my max effort running jumps, I have some mental and form issues which I feel is robbing me a ton of jump height. I only hit a 31-32 inch running jump with one arm reach today, felt awkward. But later on I did a casual 2 handed running jump, and I got up a lot higher, almost matched my current best here, 34-35 inches.
All the dunks and jumps I did with the ball in my hands and off lobs, felt much smoother and more natural. So the smart thing to do, is to stop doing any running max effort jumps for a few months to unlearn the bad stuff
And only allow jumps with the ball in my hands and within the context of BBalling and dunking etc

Did a few vertical jumps and got about 29.5, crappy!
I could get both my wrists just about to the bottom of the 9 feet backboard, off a standing 2 handed jump, without really trying all that hard and standing a bit forward off the backboard, so my arms at an angle. That surprised me, that's the height I used to get off a run....just need another 12 inches then, and I'll hit my goal of dunking with 2 hands standing under the rim

But really I should be jumping much higher for where my strength levels are right now, at least a 33-34 inch vertical jump and 37-38 off a run!!!!
Bodyweight is up a fair bit, 200lbs, getting fat me thinks
My lowest weight of 188lbs a few months back seems like a distant memory...

 

[coolcolj]

Sunday 23rd November 2008

Feet are pretty sore today, but lower back not too bad.
Overall achey feeling. CNS feels ok


weighed 90.5kg 199lbs this morning
waist is 35 inches around belly button

With this Body-Mass Index, Waist-to-Height Ratio and More...
it puts me at 15.3% bodyfat
Tanita scale = 23.9%(+0.2%)

measurements straight out of bed
Wrist - 6.75 inches
Ankle - 8.75
Neck - 15.75 (+0.25)

Arms - flexed 15 3/8 (+1/8)
Forearms - flexed 12
Chest - lats flexed 44 (+0.5)
Hips/Glutes - 41 1/8 (+1/8)
Thighs - 27.25 (+1/8)
Calves - flexed 16 3/8 (+1/8)

Well it looks like I got fatter, bodyweight up 3lbs from last week, waist up 0.5 inches and 1/8 on everywhere just about.
Skipping BBall last week + more food = fat gain.

Need to start walking more to get it back down!

 

[coolcolj]

Tuesday 25th November - Block 12 - Week 3 - Day 1 - Workout A

Not the best of my workouts, didn't feel that good or strong

I've noticed since I stop doing all my ab work - side planks, pushup (front plank), lat machine sit ups and leg lowering ab move - my lower back has be come over active and tight when I squat and BBall as I mentioned on Sunday.
So I put them back in today. Not just for strength but for proper activation as well. My abs are still fairly strong, but the motor control is not there.

The side planks seem to help the most. My lower back was really tight and pumped from the squats, but the side planks, everything felt good again.

Body weight at gym - 200lbs
Workout time - 1+ hour
Workout rating - 3/5

General warm up -

4 min moderate speed walk on treadmill

1 set each of my usual dynamic mobility exercises
behind the neck band pull aparts - green mini-band help 3/4 length 2x8
lateral deep lunge x8
situp complex on swiss ball
single leg RDL mobility + psoas activation walk
4 short runs of low effort prime times (stiff legged runs)

A few sets of hops in place - 2 legged and then single legged
3x10 seconds rope skipping - 2 legged then 5 reps single leg, each leg, then alternating legs - 30secs rest

45lb oly bar complex - slow clean pull, GM onto toes, high hang powerclean, military press - 5 reps each


Low bar Full Back Squats - shoulder width stance - Oly Shoes - no Belt

in Nike Free 5.0 trainer - most reps paused at the bottom - Bar x 8, 95lbs x5, x2 135lbs 2x2, 185lbs 2x2
switched to oly shoes 205lbs x2, 225x2, 255lbs 2x1, 285lbs 2x1, 315lbs x 2 support, 315x1

1) 325lbs x 8 --> gut busting strain on last rep
rest 5.5 mins
2) 325lbs x 2 --> felt wobbly and unstable, hard reps, stopped it there

All the warmup sets felt terrible, but somehow when I walked out 325, it felt ok and banged out 8 reps. 8th rep was quite hard, so I don't think a 9th rep is possible today.
2nd set felt strange and unstable, and way too hard, so I played it safe and racked it after the 2nd rep. Better safe than sorry, plus I doubt I'd be able to get another 8 reps with it, even 6....

At least I got 325x8, that's what I wanted today. Only 30lbs to go to hit my short term goal 355x8 - 1.75x bodyweight for 8 reps

I'll probably take a crack at 365lbs in 2 weeks time and see if I can get at least 5 reps with it. Will be a nice improvement from the mega gut busting and slow 365x4 I did a few weeks back.

I've been pausing most of my warm up sets, and it doesn't feel too bad, even 315lbs.


Single leg kneeling Deadlift

1.5 mins rest between each side
- 2 sec pause at bottom - BW x 5, 2x33lb dumbbells x 8


Side plank
BW x 5 secs, BW x 40 secs each side - quite tough, worked my cuffs pretty hard too

dip shrug - 5sec hold + 2 reps, BW x 12 reps - not near failure

Single leg standing calf raise machine

warmup - BWx5, 3 plates x 3

1.5 mins rest between each side
1 rep + 20 sec ISO hold at top x 4 plates

Lat machine situp
warmup - each rep progressively lower - 3 secs rest between each BWx12

Leg lowering ab move BW x 9 - slow tempo
kept lower back touching the floor in all reps