Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

[coolcolj]

Feel groggy. A bit tight and achey, felt much better the last 2 days. That left elbow pain I had a few days back went as quickly as it appeared. I didn't even feel it when I last benched - strange.

weighed 96kg 211.2lbs straight out of bed in underwear

I haven't updated in a while. After tha last lower body session on Thursday my glutes were pretty sore, more so than my hammies. That's a first.
Hammies have been feeling much stronger since I started these split leg RDL deadlifts

I skipped the last upper workout yesterday as I wasn't feeling up to it. I will procede with my lower speed/power workout today, but it's raining and has been for the last week!
Won't be fine till Wednesday, so I'll have to do my session in the gym - jumps, altitude drops and depth jumps in the stair well, jumping boxsquats and speed hops etc

 

[coolcolj]

Wednesday 13th September - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 12 - Day 1 - Speed/Power - Microcycle 9

Well I haven't been particularly motivated to train, skipped a few workouts, diet and sleep has been bad too, so I was gonna take a week off that's why I haven't updated in a while.
But on a whim I decided to train today, but I really should take a break. I haven't taken a week off in months. Or I just might dial things down for a couple of weeks, we'll see.

Workout at local rugby field down the road.
Not a bad session, I didn't feel all that good but speed is up, while my hops are slightly down. Not much work capacity today

Body weight at gym - 214bs in sweat pants and t-shirt
Workout time - ?
Workout rating - 7/10

Warm up

warm up - 15 sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes.

dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle, standing on one leg with eyes shut, various hops in place in bare feet at home. Running in the spot type drills.

- 15mins worth up to this point

Slow Jog - 70m x 4 - 1 mins rest, getting faster each run

Run complex increasing in speed each run to 50% speed - 1 mins rest
2 sets - trying to stay as smooth, relaxed and fluid as possible
25m prime times (stiffed legged runs), 10m straight run, then into lateral run, right side 5m, left side 5m, into backwards run 5m, then two 360 pivots to each side.


Rotating Sets between each exercise
Resting 1-2 mins on warm ups and 3 mins between each exercise on work sets

Vertical Jumps and Altitude drops on Concrete/Tarmac floor, off steps

warm ups - did a set of 2 altitude drops and 1 depth jump going higher time

Rotation 1) 2 x standing Vertical Jump + 2 Altitude drops off 5 steps (about 32 inches) - sticking the landing + Depth jump off 4 steps (about 26 inches ) trying to break the fall as quickly as I can

Rotation 2) same
Rotation 3) same

All jumps were at the mark on the wall, an inch down from my best last session. Just didn't feel effortless like last time.


Speed Hops - 12 inch step - hand timed

warm ups - did a few on a 6inch step and a few on 12 inches

10 reps as fast as possible
Rotation 1) 7.19 secs NEW PR! -0.21 secs
Rotation 2) 7.19 secs

Getting better, and that's probably why my speed is up too. Funny i got the same time on the 2nd set, but I was more ragged, so there is room for improvement. I should be able to crack 7 secs eventually.


Sprints - 3 point start - in spikes - Grass field - hand timed

Warm ups - 1 min rest between each rep
3 x 40m runs up to 80% speed
3 point start into short 90% effort acceleration 2x2

Multiple runs per rotation - 3 mins rest between runs

Vertical jump before running, on most runs
Rotation 1) 30m sprint - 3.94 sec, 4.22 sec
Rotation 2) 30m sprint - 4.5 sec

Form is feeling much better, smooth and effortless, lots of hammies now. That showed in my fastest time today, almost back to my fastest at 198lbs - down from 4.15sec from last session! I'm so much heavier now though, but my vertical jump is actually slightly higher now. So I figured it was just a matter of time before the speed came back as the power to weight ratio is there. Speed dropped off quickly after that though

 

[wakefib]

good work man. keep it up.

 

[coolcolj]

good work man. keep it up.

thanks


No drained feeling, but not feeling the best. Sore calves and hammies. Lower hammies feel strained.

weighed 96.9kg 213.18lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Might go for a 12min walk and some active recovery/stretching

 

[coolcolj]

Tuesday 19th September - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 1 - Day 3 - Lower Strength - Micro cycle 10

After a bit of a break I started a new micro cycle today.
I still feel crappy due to poor sleep and diet, and my strength is down a bit, but my body feels so much better. I will definitely have to to take a week off more regularly, at least once every 2 months!

Hammies got a pasting today

Body weight at gym - 214lbs
Workout time - 1.5 hours
Workout rating - 7/10

General warm up -

20sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
2) back extension BWx5 + 4 twisting to each alternate side
3) sit up complex on swiss ball
4) bar complex with 30lbs - 5 reps each - slow hang clean pull onto toes, military press, explosive GM onto toes, snatch grip press, hang power clean, power jerks

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 1-2mins on warm ups and 3 min on work sets


Full Squats - high bar, medium stance - Oly Shoes - no Belt

warm ups - Controlled in sneakers - BWx8, Bar x 8, 95x8, 135x6, 185x5, 225x5
in oly shoes - 265x3, 295x2, 315x1

Controlled down, driven up hard
Rotation 1) 335lbs x 3 --> last rep hard
Rotation 2) 345lbs x 3 --> hard strain on last 2 reps, slow through sticking point
Explosive
Rotation 3) 245lbs x3, 4x2 - 1mins rest between each

Squats felt really different, very smooth, kinda easier despite being weaker, but because it felt so different I did them cautiously, stayed really tight. Although sh*tty bar made things feel awkward. Been a couple of weeks since I squatted, yet the weight didn't feel that heavy on my back and form was good. Went heavy to see where my strength levels are, felt good even after a long break.

Tweaked my form a bit, and it sure made a big difference. I kept my feet more forward, still angled but not as much as before, which made my hammies feel it more, while I didn't feel it in my quads at all unlike before my break. Kinda forces you to sit back more, so that's probably why and feet straighter ahead reduces glute firing. I am weaker in this position though I think, can't use my glutes and quads as much

I'll be experimenting a bit here so expect some weird schemes
I feel I need to get back into explosive squatting again so that's what I did in the 3rd rotation. Kinda Westside style to get my heart rate up, burn more cals, the shorter rests keep me amped up, some hypertrophy effect, but without the lactic acid buildup and bar speed slowdown of high reps/long sets etc. First 2 sets were harder than the last 2 sets!

Split Leg RDL style Deadlift - HookGrip - in Oly Shoes - no belt

did these in between the warm up sets on squats

High Hang powerclean - bar x 5
Powerclean + 2 High Hang Power cleans + 2 SL RDL Deadlifts each side - 89lbs, 119lbs, 155lbs

Semi Explosive up, controlled down, slight pause at floor.
Left side first, no rest
Rotation 1) 155lbs x 3 each side
Rotation 2) 155lbs x 3 each side
Rotation 3) 155lbs x 3 each side

---------

Rotating Sets between each exercise

minimal rest between each exercise

Single Leg Seated Calf raise - one set for with just the machine's own weight, 10sec stretched hold then 10 reps

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - 1 Plate x 12

Standing Calf raise - Body weight - 10 sec stretched hold then 20 reps

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep)

--

some lower body, and lower back stretches

 

[coolcolj]

Yeah bad sleep, no major drained feeling though. Overall achey feeling, sore calves and posterior chain, especially my upper hammies.
Good thing is I don't have that tight, bloated sore quad feeling I had in the last cycle, I'm trying to get away from that. Thats' why I did those explosive squats the way I did yesterday etc

weighed 96.5kg 212.3lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Might go for a 12min walk and some active recovery/stretching. Not sure, I'll see

 

[coolcolj]

Better sleep, but need more. Holy crap my upper hammies and legs are even more sore than yesterday! Upper back as well.

weighed 96.1kg 211.42lbs straight out of bed in underwear
Calories going down a bit, mostly carbs.

Didn't end up doing any walking yesterday, too damn hot!

 

[coolcolj]

THursday 21st September - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 1 - Day 2 - Upper Strength - Microcycle 10

Kinda crappy workout in that I felt sleepy and not that fired up. But mys trnegth levels have held out ok despite the long break and sh*tty diet/sleep.


Body weight at gym - 215.5lbs
Workout time - 1.5 hours
Workout rating - 7/10

General warm up -

1) whole body dynamic stretches and swings
2) scapular push ups - on bench x 12, x12


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 1 to 2mins on warm ups and 3+ mins between each exercise on work sets

stretched the side of neck and upper trap, 15secs each, at the start of each warm up and work set rotation

16inch grip Bench - shoulders slightly tucked, no arch or leg drive

Warm ups - Semi Explosive - Bar x 12, 95lbs x 8, 135x6, 165x5, 195x4, 225x2

controlled, no bounce, driven up hard
Rotation 1) 255lbs x 3 --> hard strain on last rep
Rotation 2) 240lbs x 3
Rotation 3) 240lbs x 3
Rotation 4) 240lbs x 3
Rotation 5) 240lbs x 3
Rotation 6) 240lbs x 3 --> moderate strain on last rep

I misloaded the bar, was planning to use 245lbs...quite pleased I got 3 reps with 255, since I was expecting a big drop in strength levels. And it didn't feel too heavy either, go figure. Lots of ticeps and barely any pec in it.
The rest of the sets were like that too, kinda hard, yet I was surprised to get so many sets. The 6th set felt kinda funny, lots of pec strain and not a nice feeling. I stopped after that, less I pop my pec....


Chest Supported T-Bar Rows - medium overhand grip

warm ups - semi explosive - BAR x12, +25lbs x 8, +45x5, +70x4, +90x3, +115x3, +135x2, 160x1,

controlled
Rotation 1) Bar + 170lbs x 2.75 --> last rep not quite as high as the others
Rotation 2) Bar + 150lbs x 3
Rotation 3) Bar + 150lbs x 3
Rotation 4) Bar + 150lbs x 3
Rotation 5) Bar + 150lbs x 3
Rotation 6) Bar + 150lbs x 3

surprised again at the volume I was able to do. Hard but feeling better than these did last microcycle


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

Cool down - Restorative - stretches

Static stretches - lats, shoulders, rear delt, bicep, tricep, cuffs and lower body

Shoulder dislocates with wooden staff - lots + a few overhead squats

 

[coolcolj]

Craptastic sleep, beyond my control! Upper body still achey.
Legs are starting to feel good, still some soreness in my groin, adductor area. I wonder this part is always so sore.

thought about doing my lower body speed/power workout today, but I'll move it tommorrow. Since my part time job this morning worked my posterior chain and upper body a bit, but it's feeling easier on the body these days. And some extra sleep under the belt will help my mood too...

weighed 96.8kg 212.96lbs straight out of bed in underwear

 

[coolcolj]

Feel groggy, always get that when I get more sleep.
Groin area still achey, and upper body is a little sore. But overall not bad

Really warm and windy today. Not in the mood to go all out and sprint, so I will BBall today. I plan to BBall anytime a speed/power lower body day falls on a Sat or Sunday. Which is every 4th workout, so on the other days I'll sprint as per normal. And the other 2 days will be my usual strength workout in the gym with squats and such. To keep my form up and burn some extra cals I'll do some low volume sub-max running before my 2nd upper bodyworkout that week I decide to BBall. Hope my body can handle it, as far as my shins and feet go...


weighed 96.8kg 212.96lbs straight out of bed in underwear