Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

[coolcolj]

Sunday 22nd February - Week 3 - Cycle1 Get Stronger - Day 1 - Olys/Lower Strength/ISO Emphasis - afternoon

Well sleep hasn't been great at night, but I have been taking as many naps as I can all week to make up. No matter I am hella stronger than last week!
Workout was long, but mostly from long rest periods, but I still felt good at the end and maintained intensity and focus all the way through. Carb+hwey drink kept cortisols at bay

What more can you ask for, improved form and technique on olys and increased in strength all round?!

Workout Rating - 9.5/10
Workout time - 2 Hours - long rest periods
Bodyweight at gym - 223lbs

Warmup+ CoreWork+Plyos

Did my general warmup - dynamic swings etc, and 10 reps with 25lb in various exercises - Hang slow cleanpull, military press, oly goodmorning, snatch grip BN press, hang powerclean and powerjerks for a few, Fullsquat press for a few. Some cleangrip powersnatches.
Shoulder Dislocates and Overheadsquats with wooden staff

Rest - 30secs alternating between each exercise. 1min between pairs.

1)Twisting Back Extensions - BWx8
2)Incline situps with Russian twists to each side at the top - arms held outstretched x6

Ankle Jumps - Low 2x10secs, high x10secs, Medium side to side x10

RDL ISO hold - 45lbs x 30 secs


Olys

Warmups -
Bar for a couple sets of warmup stuff - frontsquats, hang powercleans and powersnatches, cleangrip powersnatches, and overheadsquats

Rest - 2 mins Hookgrip where possible

SnatchPull+ Hang SnatchPull + HangPowersnatch + 5 Overheadsquats - 89lbs, 99lbs.
SnatchPull+ Hang PowerSnatch + 2 Overheadsquats - 109lbs

SnatchPull+ Hang PowerSnatch + Overheadsquat --> dropped, then Powersnatch + Overheadsquat x 119lbs


119lbs felt heavy, but overheadsquat form is much better, I finally figured what I was doing wrong. I sat back more this session and moved the bar back more behind the ehad and it felt much more stable. I will stay at 119lbs until it gets easy.
Powersnatch not too hard, but balance up top is a bit wobbly. Shoulders felt solid and strong


ISO Complex max load for time - rotating between each exercise

Trying a 5% fatigue dropff to account for the olys and extra stuff I do

rest - 3-5mins between each exercise after warmups. 1 to 1.5 mins until workoutsets

Oly Squat ISO Hold at Sticking point- in Oly Shoes
Warmup sets - Fullrange sets with 5 sec hold at sticking point after reps - Bar x5, 135lbs x 5, 185lbs x 3, 225lbs x 3

Rotation 1) 275lbs x 9secs New PR!! + 20lbs

5% of (85%BW+Load) Fatigue Dropoff
Rotation 2) 275lbs x9sec + squat up!
Rotation 3) 260lbs x9sec
Rotation 4) 260lbs x9sec
Rotation 5) 260lbs x8sec

Well I underestimated my strnegth here! I guess I wasn't warmed up full on the first set, becuase I forgot to drop the weight down and did 275lbs again and still managed to squat it back up to the rack! So fudged the dropoff weights and assumed I could do 285lbs, maybe closer to 295lbs!
Next session I will try for 315lbs! Amazing I can feel a huge squat PR coming!


Clean Deadlift ISO Hold an inch above floor - in Oly Shoes - HookGrip
Warmup sets - 175lbs x3+5sec ISO, 225lbs x3+5sec ISO, 263lbs x1+5sec ISO

283lbs x 30secs New PR!! + 20lbs

5% of (50%BW+Load) Fatigue Dropoff
Rotation 2) 275lbs x 30sec --> loaded wrong weight!
Rotation 3) 263lbs x 30sec
Rotation 4) 263lbs x 20sec

Again I may have been good for 10-15lbs more but it was close. 300-320lbs next session!!!! Grip was pretty good.

Lat Machine Situp ISO Hold, Torso Parallel, Dumbell on Chest
Warmup sets - BW x 5+5sec ISO, 10lbs x 5 ISO, 20lbs x 5 sec ISO

35lbs x 30secs New PR!! + 10lbs

5% of (47%BW+Load) Fatigue Dropoff
Rotation 2) 30lbs x 30sec
Rotation 3) 30lbs x 30sec
Rotation 4) 30lbs x 13sec

Much easier this week, I think I could have done another 5-10lbs more, oh well. Abs are damn way up in strength! Shoot for 50lbs next session.


Bits and Pieces

Reverse Back Extensions
BW x12

Bulgarian SplitSquat ISO hold
BW x 1min each leg

 

[coolcolj]

Strange thing is that my workouts are longer than before up to around 2 hours now and I'm straining some heavy loads plus volume of work is as much if not more than what I normally do.
But yet my CNS does not feel as fried like it normally does the day after and strength is going up.
I have no idea why

 

[Lord_Suston]

Nice hold and squat on the 275, someone is getting much stronger, have you ever though about squating off pins after yo do the iso holds??? USe lighter weight an go for speed. Man you got a solid grip on the deadlift holds. Good job now go eat and sleep

 

[coolcolj]

Yeap I definitely feel stronger

I'm not doing any speed squat work just yet. Later in the cycle I will. Trying to bring up my frictional strength to match my elastic/reactive strength for now


Monday 23rd Feb 2004

20min walk with the girlfriend

 

[Lord_Suston]

you and these walks , lol

 

[coolcolj]

Tuesday 24th February - Week 3 - Cycle 1 Get Stronger - Day 2 - Upper 2 STRENGTH - Afternoon

Well since now my gym has only one power rack, I had to hurry through my workout, So I had to cut my rest periods down a bit, which kind hurt things a bit, since I rotate exercises every set. Oh well, but I bagged me some PRs, so it ain't all bad!

Workout time - 1 hour 40mins
Workout rating - 8/10

Warmup

Did my general warmup - dynamic swings etc, and 10 reps with 25lb in various exercises - pull, press, oly goodmorning, snatch grip BN press, hang powerclean + powerjerk for a few, plus 3-4 cleangrip hang powersnatches

Incline Situp, arms outstretched infront, Russian twists to each side at top - BW x8

Back Extensions - 5 normal + 6 twisting to alternate sides

8xHangPowercleans + 8 Pushpresses - 45lbs


Rotating Sets between Press, Chin, Tricep, Pulldown, Flye


Military Press in Oly Shoes - AN1 9sec Set Duration

Warmups - 75lbs 2x3, 95lbs 2x3, 115lbs 2x3, 135x1, 155x1

Rotation 1) 170lbs x3 New 3RM PR!!

5% of (15%BW+Weight) Dropoff -
Rotation 2) 160x3,
Rotation 3) 160x2,

Well I can't remeber what my last 3RM on presses were, but it was a while back. All time best is 175lbs x2, I think I could have done 175x3, but I'm not as fast as I used to be in these. Anyway I have one huge sticking point in the middle, if it wasn't for the stretch reflex I would never have gotten the 2nd and 3rd rep - 2nd rep was easier than the first!
Some ISO work at the sticking point is in order next time around.
I'm so used to putting jerks behind my head that I press the bar back up there as well


Shoulder Width Chins - 3 inch Square Bar - FullGrip thumbs around bar - AN1 9sec set duration

Warmups - used pulldowns for warmup initially, then BW x1, +15lbs x 1, +25lbs x1

Rotation 1) BW(222lbs)+25lbs x3 New 3RM PR!!

5% of (85%BW+Weight) Dropoff -
Rotation 2) +15lbs x3,
Rotation 3) +15lbs x2 ---> didn't quite get chin over the bar

PR for this bodyweight, weight and grip combo


Parallel Grip Tricep Extension ISO - Arms at 90 degrees - AN2 45sec Set Duration

Warmups - 5kg x8+5sec ISO, 25lbs x5 +5sec ISO, 30lbs x3 + 5 sec ISO

Rotation 1) 30lbs x 45secs,
Rotation 2) 30lbs x 45secs,
Rotation 3) 35lbs x 45secs,

Weight was too light, so I fudged it, will try for 45lbs next time


Chin Grip Pulldowns - Shoulder width - AN2 30sec Set Duration

Warmups - 30kg x5, 40x3, 50x3, 60x3, 70x3

controlled
Rotation 1) 70kg x11

5% of (15%BW+Weight) Dropoff -
Rotation 2) 65kg x11,
Rotation 3) 65kg x10,


Pec Fyles ISO - Stretched Position - AN2 45sec Set Duration

Bent Arms, elbow slightly toward feet, shoulders tucked
Warmups - 5kg x8+5sec ISO, 25lbs x5 +5sec ISO, 30lbs x3 + 5 sec ISO

Rotation 1) 30lbs x 45secs,
Rotation 2) 30lbs x 45secs,
Rotation 3) 35lbs x 50secs,

Hmm too light as well....fried my biceps too!


Standing Low Pulley L-Flyes on Free Motion Machine
Warmups - 10lbs x5 rest - 3mins
20lbs 2x30sec ISO hold

ISO Stretches - EQI

Low Pulley ROW Stretched ISO hold - Close Overhand Grip on Staright Bar
40kg x 2mins --> forearm killer!

Tricep Dip Forward leaning Leg supported Stretched ISO hold
BW x 2mins ---> pin and needles

Shoulder Dislocates with wooden staff - using snatch grip to stretch out pecs and shoulders

 

[coolcolj]

Right click on clip and save before watching to avoid errors!

MilitaryPress PR from today 170x3

http://www.members.optushome.com.au/coolcolj2/Movies/CCJ_MilitaryPressPR_170x3_24Feb04.mpg

 

[Lord_Suston]

Not bad at all, form looks much better on rep 2 and three since the bar traveled slightly behind your head.

 

[coolcolj]

Sometimes you just have to get the weight up no matter what

Well for the last 2 weeks I have been averaging close to 2 hour workouts, 3 times a week, straining some heavy loads for me, cranking PRs all over the place and what do you know I measure my walking pulse this morning and it read 54 beats per minute! 6 below average, definitely no overreaching or CNS drain here!!! And sleep hasn't been all that great either.

This leads me to believe that workout time is overrated, granted that I do drink a carb/whey mixture to keep me fueled during myworkouts. Rather the fatigue generated in the workout vs recovery days is the important thing.
Long live autoregulartory training!

Strangely enough those long ISO have been generating some hypertrophy, who would have thunk?

The more I think about it a lot of common beliefs back by so called research are not absolutes.

 

[coolcolj]

Thursday 26th February - Cycle1 Get Stronger - Week 3 - Day 3 - Olys/Lower Strength Speed Reactive - Afternoon

only 4-5 hours sleep, poor pre workout meal, lots of walking (shopping) and started working out on a semi-fyull stomach = crappy workout!!!!!

Workout Rating - 6/10
Workout time - 1 Hour 55 mins

Warmup+ CoreWork+Plyos

Did my general warmup - dynamic swings etc, and 10 reps with 25lb in various exercises - Hang slow cleanpull, military press, oly goodmorning, snatch grip BN press, hang powerclean and powerjerks for a few, Fullsquat press for a few.

Rest - 30secs alternating between each exercise. 1min between pairs.

1)Twisting Back Extensions - BWx8,
2)Incline situps with Russian twists to each side at the top - arms held outstretched x6

Olys

Warmups - rest - 1min or so
Bar for a couple sets of clean, frontsquats, power jerks warmup stuff

Rest - 2-3min Hookgrip where possible

CleanPull + HighHang SquatClean + 2 PowerJerks - 89lbs x 2 sets
CleanPull + HighHang SquatClean + PowerJerk - 109lbs, 131lbs
CleanPull+ PowerClean - 155lbs x 2sets, 175lbs, 195lbs
Powerclean - 219lbs, 229lbs x 2 misses ---> highpulled

First miss with 228lbs was damn high enough to rack, but I chickened out or something..
Oh well, the earlier light stuff and powerjerks felt good though considering how today went. My powerclean form stinks though.

Oscillatory ISO Circuit - rotating between each exercise

rest - 2 to 3mins between each exercise rotating sets

Bulgarian SplitSquat Oscillatory ISO - bottom
Warmup set - BWx5, 30x5
+70lbs x 40secs, +70lbs x 30secs, +70lbs x 25secs

Reverse Back Extension Oscillatory ISO - top
Warmup set - BW x5, BWx5
BW x 30secs, BW x 25secs

Puesdo Hyper Bench GHR Oscillatory ISO - Bottom
Warmup set - BW x 5, BW x5
BW x 30secs, +10lbs x 25secs

Lat Machine Situp Oscillatory ISO - bottom
Warmup set - BW x 5, 20x5
+45lbs x 30secs, +45lbs x25secs

Kinda stuffed these up today..blah