Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

[coolcolj]

Tuesday 1st May - Cycle 1 Get Stronger - Week 17 - Day 2 - Lower 2 Strength - Microcycle 5 - workout 2

After everything that happened today I still had a good workout.

Bodyweight - 224lbs in winter clothes at the gym
Workout Rating - 8/10
Workout time - 1.5 hours

Warmup

Did my usual general warmup with a 25lb bar as before

1)Incline situps with Russian twists to each side at the top - arms held outstretched x8
2)Twisting Back Extensions - BWx2 normal, and 8 twisted to each alternating sides.
3)Low Ankle Jumps 3x15


Olys

rest - 1.5 to 2mins

Bar x 3 sets of warmup stuff - hang powercleans, frontsquats, squatcleans and powerjerks.

Powerclean + 2 x (HighHang squatclean + PowerJerk) - 89lbs x 2 sets
Powerclean + HighHang squatclean + PowerJerk - 155lbs x 2 sets

Form wasn't great


Rotating between each exercise

rest - 30secs to 1.5 mins for warmups. 3-3.5mins between each exercise after warmups.

CleanGrip Full FrontSquat - in Oly Shoes - RAW
Warmup sets - Bar x8, 135lbs x5, 185x5, 225x3, 255x1

Rotation 1) 285lbs x 1 Heaviest weight ever frontsquatted
Rotation 2) 285lbs x 1
Rotation 3) 285lbs x 1
Rotation 4) 285lbs x 1
Cooldown - 135x10

Form was a bit iffy on frontsquats, I was hopping to do 285s for a triple - 10lbs PR, but I was sitting too far back and it made my upperback round over, hard to breath, blacking out and bar wanting to roll out.
So I just did singles, form was getting back towards the end, sat straight down, back vertical etc. See if I can get 295x3 in a few weeks


Single arm Clean DeadLift + Shrug - bar in front
Warmup sets - 155lbs x2, 155x2, 155x2

Hooks grip, Right first, alternating sides, 4 sec pause, lowered under control
Rotation 1) 175lbs x 14 ---> too light...
Rotation 2) 205lbs x 8
Rotation 3) 205lbs x 3.5

These are hard on the grip, and kinda unstable, but somehow feels good on the lower back
Normal deads trash the lower back, but not these, and also hit the rear obliques.

SideWays Situp ISO
Warmup sets - BWx5secs, BW x5secs

Plate on chest, holding at parallel, ISO each side
Rotation 1) +10lbs x 40secs
Rotation 2) +10lbs x 40secs

These are hard, felt it in my obliques, core and hips


CooldDown and ISO stretches

Hip machine - bit like a standing single reverse hyper
15kg x 12 reps each leg

Bulgarian SplitSquat Stretched ISO hold
BW x 1min each leg

 

[coolcolj]

Wednesday 9th June - Cycle 1 Get Stronger - Week 18 - Day 1 - Upper 2 - Microcycle 4 - workout 6

Back to the gym I go!
I haven't been training because I was all stressed out, had an eye infection which made my right eye sweell up and water profusely, nasty. And I also went to pickup some synths, and so have been playing one of em a lot
One of the guys, I went to check out his synth asked me if I weightlifted, and I asked "How did you guess?" He said my chest was bulging out etc
LOL - never thought I had big pecs, and its winter as well so I'm covered head to toe
He said his father was a powerlifter.

Strange session, on one hand I felt rusty from the long break, and sore all over from the stooped over position when playing the synths for long hours and all the walking/driving I did to get to the synths. But yet I felt nice and loose, something I don't get when training more frequently. But no matter I am no weaker...

Bodyweight at gym - in oly shoes 224lbs
Workout time - ?
Workout rating - 7/10

Warmup

Did my usual general warmup as described before

Incline Situp, arms outstretched infront, Russian twists to each side at top - BW x8
Back Extensions - 3 normal + 8 twisting to alternate sides

6HangPowercleans + 8 Pushpresses - 45lbs


Rotating Sets between Press, Chin, Dip

Resting 30secs to 1min on warmup sets and then 3 mins between each exercise

Speed Standing Military Press in Oly Shoes

Warmups - Pushups against lge press seat, Barx8, 75lbs x5, 95x5, 115x3, 135x2

Rotation 1) 135lbs x 11.5 New PR!!
Rotation 2) 135lbs x 6

surprised myself here - and it was still hard for a +10 rep weight! Presses never really get easier. Dips really sapped me on the 2nd rotation.


Chins - 12 inches between hands

Warmups - chin pulldowns - 40kg x10, 50x5, 60x5, 70x5, 80x3, then BWx1

Rotation 1) BW(224lbs) +25lbs x7 New PR!!
Rotation 2) +25lbs x5

Last time I did +10lbs for 8 reps, wacked on 25lbs and surprised myself!


Tricep Dips - all the way down

Warmups - Lockout hold - 10secs x2, BWx5, BWx3(faster), +25lbs x3, +55lbs x3

Rotation 1) BW(224lbs) + 65lbs x 8 New PR!!
Rotation 2) +65lbs x 5.5


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

Cuff circuit

Rotating sets - 3mins between each

Single Arm Standing Low Pulley L-Flyes on Free Motion Machine
10lbs x8

Single arm, Lying on side bent over Lateral
warmup - ISO 5kgx10secs
1) ISO 30lbs x 27secs New PR!!
2) 25lbs x 17secs

damn hard


ISO Stretches - EQI

Low Pulley ROW Stretched ISO hold - V Parallel Grip
40kg x 1min

Tricep Dip Forward leaning Leg supported Stretched ISO hold
BW x 1min

Shoulder Dislocates pec stretch with wooden staff

 

[coolcolj]

here is what I've been playing

http://www.members.optushome.com.au/coolco...CJ_Minimoog.JPG

 

[mekannik]

224 in winter clothes??? I keep forgetting your on the other end of the planet.


More importantly than your weight - where's your bf% at? Your clean, snatch, and jerk maxes vs. bodyweight?

 

[coolcolj]

224 in winter clothes??? I keep forgetting your on the other end of the planet.


More importantly than your weight - where's your bf% at? Your clean, snatch, and jerk maxes vs. bodyweight?

Yeah and in Oly shoes which weigh quite a bit
I'm about 218-220 usually. BF% is pretty high, around 15-17% at a guess. Could drop 20lbs and still not be lean

I haven't done proper maxes in awhile - and only do power versions at that - but highest so far is a powerclean and powerjerk of 217lbs, powersnatch of 153lbs x 2.

 

[coolcolj]

Sunday 13th June - Cycle 1 Get Stronger - Week 16 - Day 2 - Lower General - Microcycle 5 - workout 1

Well I can't figure this out - it's been 17 days since I have done any backsquats, and 12 days since I have done any lower body work at all, and I have been hardly eating anything, but yet I am stronger - go figure
It seems the more frequent you train the faster the gains drop off, whereas now, it seems to be the opposite for me.

Bodyweight - 223lbs at the gym in winter clothes
Workout Rating - 8/10
Workout time - ?

Warmup

Did my usual general warmup with a 25lb bar as before

1)Incline situps with Russian twists to each side at the top - arms held outstretched x8
2)Twisting Back Extensions - BWx4 normal, and 6 twisted to each alternating sides.
3)Low Ankle Jumps 3x15

Shoulder dislocates with wooden staff and some overheadsquats


Full Oly Squat - in Oly Shoes - RAW
Warmup sets - Bar x8, Fronsquat with bar x5, Some hang powersnatches + overheadsquats with the bar, 95lbs x5, 135x8, 185x5, 225x5, 275x3

rest - 6mins
1) 315lbs x 7 New PR!! +2reps
2) 315lbs x 5
3) 315lbs x 4.5

Now that's what I'm talking about! finally getting the old fullsquat moving up nicely, must be getting awfully close to 405lbs 1RM now! I didn't go to failure on em, but pretty close, same for the 2nd set, but last set was to failure
I didn't rotate the squats like I normally do since someone was waiting so I just rested 6mins between the sets.
Wish I had video'ed the first set, becuase the last 2 reps felt somewhat easier than reps 2 to 5, form changed and it just bounced up a lot easier.

Rotating between each exercise

rest - 30secs to 1.5 mins for warmups. 3mins between each exercise after warmups.

Hyper Extension ISO Hold
Warmup sets - BW x10secs, +25lbs x10secs, +70lbs x 10secs

Rotation 1) +130lbs x 40 secs New PR!!

Didn't go all out but still a PR for this move by default


Lat Machine Situp
Warmup sets - BWx8, +25lbs x6, 45x6, 75x5,

Dumbell on chest - I lean back to parallel, touch a bench, and go back up.
Rotation 1) 100lbs x 15 --> didn't go all out


CooldDown and ISO stretches

Bulgarian SplitSquat
BW x 12 each side

Good Morning ISO hold
45lbs x 1min

Bulgarian SplitSquat Stretched ISO hold
BW x 1min each leg

 

[Tagio]

CONGRATULATIONS on the squat PR. You're obviously making really good progress with your strength and explosiveness goals. I'm betting you're good for significantly more on both the powerclean and the powersnatch. I understand you're not pursuing oympic lifting right now (though why is beyond me, since you could probably reach national level without changing your training much - a Grade A 94K lifter by AWF standards needs a 277.5 total - maybe a 350lbs clean and jerk, 260.5lb snatch - those are attainable numbers for you) but I think learning the full lifts, maybe from a coach, would help you get rock solid form and flexibility on the power versions (and if you're not gonna have *really* solid form, you might as well be doing pulls!).

cool synth! do you make electronic music? I'm getting into making my own music on the computer but I'm leaning more towards the sampling side of things. All those piano lessons biased me towards 'real' instruments

 

[coolcolj]

CONGRATULATIONS on the squat PR. You're obviously making really good progress with your strength and explosiveness goals. I'm betting you're good for significantly more on both the powerclean and the powersnatch. I understand you're not pursuing oympic lifting right now (though why is beyond me, since you could probably reach national level without changing your training much - a Grade A 94K lifter by AWF standards needs a 277.5 total - maybe a 350lbs clean and jerk, 260.5lb snatch - those are attainable numbers for you) but I think learning the full lifts, maybe from a coach, would help you get rock solid form and flexibility on the power versions (and if you're not gonna have *really* solid form, you might as well be doing pulls!).

cool synth! do you make electronic music? I'm getting into making my own music on the computer but I'm leaning more towards the sampling side of things. All those piano lessons biased me towards 'real' instruments

There are lighter guys who squat similar numbers, cleaning and snatching much more weight than I am, so I really wouldn't be that competitive. But we will see as I get stronger, since my bodyweight has remained fairly consistant now - but I did have problems fitting into a suit that used to be loose...
I don't really have the middset to be a good olylifter, you need to be reckless, and throw yourself under limit weights - which I don't particularly like or enjoy. Plus I can't fullsnatch properly, I am flexible enought, I just don't have it.
If I was training of the olys, I would be training totally differently, and right now I am not keen on doing so.

Pulls aren't the same as power cleans and snatches - similar but not the same, they don't have the same training effect.

I have many more synths
I do write some music, but haven't really written full songs in a while. I have some synth demos here

http://www.members.optushome.com.au/coolcolj/SoundBites/

and some mp3s of that synth above - Minimoog -
5min jam
http://www.members.optushome.com.au/coolcolj3/Minimoog/CCJ_MiniMoog_Jam.mp3

some bass tones
http://www.members.optushome.com.au/coolcolj2/Temp/CCJ_Minimoog_Bass.mp3

reso square type of sound
there is one key that freaks out the Mini - you can hear it in this clip
- dirty contact - goes away when you press harder - I have fixed it now BTW
http://www.members.optushome.com.au/coolcolj3/Minimoog/CCJ_Minimoog_ResoSquare.mp3

Plinky Bass chord sound - nice to have 3 VCOs
http://www.members.optushome.com.au/coolcolj3/Minimoog/CCJ_Minimoog_PlinkyBassChord.mp3

 

[Tagio]

Well of course there are stronger people CCJ, and it's rare to find a guy who can fullsnatch without some serious flexibility work first. Regardless, if you don't LIKE the sport then that's probably a good enough reason not to do it

what's the difference in training effect between, say, a set of clean pulls and a set of powercleans with the same weight? the powerclean obviously has a dropunder-braking-recovery phase that the pull doesn't, and you can follow it with jerks or presses, but other than that, what's the difference (other than minor form issues which would only matter to someone trying to maximize their clean)


that minimoog makes some amazing sounds! Honestly I didn't know those things could make so many neat and useable sounds. Wish I had webspace to upload some of the junk I've made. I'll get some eventually.

 

[coolcolj]

Well with pulls you don't go as high, and the form tends be slightly different, it's very hard to do it exactly the same as a powerclean, for one you don't jump - I jump when I powerclean a little bit

Powercleans and snatches are true ballistic lifts, since you release the load at the top at the final explosion. Much different than pulling the bar up fast in a pull. The power output levels would be different I'd imagine.

It's like saying throwing a medball upwards is the same as doing the same movement with the medball staying in your hands


Minimoog can only play one note though, but its a good note
I do have other synths though.