Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

[super_rice]

I tell ya those snatch grip deads I did last week done slowly are potent!


My forearms measured 12.75 inches or so last week, this morning 13 1/8 inches.....!
Those 3inch square bar chins probbaly help too

Ha, arms are a smidgen over 16.5 inches too, up from 16 3/8

obviously hypertrophy week was a success

all cold BTW

holy shits i just read this. having a forearm that size must be surreal!

the crap workout happens to everyone, you know that! for me, sleeping nicely the night before, then coffee + music before workout helps.

 

[coolcolj]

You need more sleep bro, Don't worry about a bad day, they happen. Just find out why and try to fix it

Sleep is getting better, I need to unload next week, I'm starting to overreach. No speed yesterday.
I'll put up some clips later, damn jerk looks like I'm in slo mo

Need to get back to my tempo runs, I can feel my conditioning dropping away

holy shits i just read this. having a forearm that size must be surreal!

the crap workout happens to everyone, you know that! for me, sleeping nicely the night before, then coffee + music before workout helps.

I have never done any direct forearm work, it just gets bigger from all the gripping of the bar in olys and rows etc
Also the stuff I do at my part time job hammers my forearms, the grabbing, lifting and carrying things etc
Not that big a deal, it's in proportion to the rest of my body, but it is just about double the size of my wrist. If you watch some of my bench press clips you will see the size differential between my forearms and wrist

Sleep is something I have problems getting enough of, I know I should, but sometimes it's hard to do it - too many distractions....
But I am going make an extra effort from now on.

 

[crew9]

You need more sleep bro, Don't worry about a bad day, they happen. Just find out why and try to fix it

The answer is probably in your first sentence

 

[coolcolj]

Sunday 1st February 2004

Well I was supposed to start my 16th training week today, but not really in the mood for it, a bit sleepy.

So I'm gonna spend the rest of it chilling and sleeping lots

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

I practised some overheadsquats with a broom. Really focused on pulling the bar apart, rotating elbows back and pushing up hard locking the back and elbows tight. That really made it much easier. I could go a bit narrower and still go all the way down.
Really fries the traps and back though, huge pump

But I guess it's the only way to create a rock solid "platform" for the load and it's similar to the way a powerlifter benches
The trick now is to make it second nature, lock into it at the moment you catch the bar, especially when the loads are heavy in powersnatches and later full snatches.
Hopefully if I keep overhead squatting like that eventually it will be automatic.

Then I went for a nice easy 20min "bushwalk" with the girlfriend.
I enjoyed it
Nice weather today, cool and sunny.
Plus it gets a bit of blood into my legs and posterior chain. Uneven surfaces should help strengthen my foot and ankle muscles which I need.

 

[coolcolj]

Monday 2nd February - Maximal Strength - Week 16 - Day 1 - Squat - Afternoon

When I woke up this morning I felt tired, sore in my traps and posterior chain. And CNS felt smashed - WTF! I guess those overhead squats with the broom and the 20min walk was a lot more intense than it would seem...

I didn't feel all the strong today as a result, so I wasn't sure if I could do heavy squats, but I went ahead anyway. It was struggle but I did it.
Definitely time to unload next week

Workout Rating - 7.5/10
Workout time - 1 hour 40 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 fullsquat press

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

Back Extensions x8, with a twist to each side +10lbs x10
Incline situps with Russian twists to each side at the top - arms held outstretched x8, +10lbs x8
Low ankle jumps - 3 x10secs

Romanian Deadlift ISO Hold - 40lbs x 30secs

Full Olympic Back Squats - RAW

Warmup sets - resting 1 min
Bar x5, 135lbs x5, 185lbs x3, 225lbs 2x3

Tempo 10X0 rest - 2-3 mins

255x1, 295x1, 315x1, 365x1 New 1RM PR!! + 20lbs
rest 2mins, 325x3, rest 3mins, 325x3

Rest 3mins, 340lbs 1x2 New 2RM PR!!
2nd set failed 3 inches off the bottom on first rep -> dumped

Squats did not feel all the light today, body is down and posterior chain sore, but I went ahead and try to do a Bulgarian wave loading scheme. 365lbs was tough and a real struggle, kinda suprised I made it, no pysche up used, just a training max etc. Last 1RM was 345lbs, so up 20lbs. Not a true reflection of my squat strength I feel. I think I can hit 385lbs when my CNS is fully recovered.
Was supposed to do 3x2 with 340lbs, but I failed on the 2nd set, could only rise 3 inches before i dumped it. Not a biggy I was surprised I even made it that far. For me, I would need to drop the weights further down for the worksets after the max out.


Full Front Squats - CleanGrip - RAW
Warmups - 135x5, 185x3
rest - 2mins tempo 10X0

225lbs 3x3
225lbs 2x3 - Slight pause on first rep, then partial rep and then full rep

225lbs didn't feel that heavy across the chest and no problems powering it, but upper body started to fatigue a bit on the last set at the paused first rep, slight blackout, but rest of the set was ok. Next time i go heavier will up the weight to 235lbs.


Bits and Pieces

High Hang Powersnatch into 6 Overheadsquats
Tempo 1010 rest - 1min
45lbs, 55lbs, 65lbs x 3sets

Alternating a full rep and a partial rep. No problems today overall. Working on pulling the bar apart and pushing on the bar hard and pulling back together tight.

Standing Low Pulley L-Flyes on Free Motion machine
No rest - alternating sides
10lbs 2x12

Reverse Back Extensions
Tempo 1010 1x10

6inch Stance Fullsquat ISO Hold
BW x 2mins

Then layed over a swiss ball face down to stetch out the erectors and open up the spine for a minute

 

[coolcolj]

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

Full Oly Squats from today - 365x1RM PR, 325 2x3, and 340 x2RM PR

http://www.members.optushome.com.au...llOlySquats365x1PR_325-2x3_340x2PR_2Feb04.mpg

Frontsquats from today, - 225lbs 5x3, first set and 4th complex set

http://www.members.optushome.com.au/blitzforce/Movies/CCJ_FrontSquats_225_5x3_2Feb04.mpg

 

[kiloamp]

Good job on the PRs! The 365 looked easy

 

[coolcolj]

easy my ass, 365 was very heavy!
I saw stars after doing it

But it will be easier when my CNS is fully firing, 385 soon

 

[Lord_Suston]

Nice weight man!!! I think the 365 was actually one of the btter squats based on form, no real wobble and some good speed. You should be able to hit 385 no prob with some rest. Good Shit

 

[coolcolj]

Thanks man, yeah if I get the feeling I had many weeks ago where everything felt smooth and strong, I will have 385 no probs