Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

[coolcolj]

damn dog barking again! Sleep would have been great if not for that.
I feel ok though, much better than yesterday. Upper body less sore, hips and posterior chain a bit achey.

I think I will go to the gym again today and squat just to see. I feel much more energetic today. I sometimes ask myself if I feel up to sprinting and bballing/jumping flat out that day, if I answer yes then my CNS is doing ok, I would have answered no yesterday. I ignored that, and I paid the price...

weighed 95.8 kg 210.76lbs straight out of bed in underwear
I was depressed and pigged out yesterday after the bum workout and my weight went back down, how does that work?

 

[coolcolj]

Tuesday 12th December - Cycle 4 Get Strong+Maintain Weight - Week 2 - Day 3 - Lower Strength/Hypertrophy/Work Capacity - Micro cycle 1

Back into the gym to squat after yesterday's disappointment, and what a difference a day makes! Much better. It's all in the CNS...last time I do 2 high intensity workouts back to back. And I have to pay more attention to my indicators.

Did not do any cleans today as I already did some yesterday. Next "lower" workout will be in 5 days time - BBall, lots of jumping and maybe some sprints. Then back to squats, but intensifying with sets of 2 ISO paused squats. I was supposed to do that stuff today, but didn't feel like it's the right time for that.

Body weight at gym - 214lbs
Workout time - 1.75 hours
Workout rating - 8/10

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
standing on one leg, balancing, and with eyes shut

1) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
2) back extension x 5 + 6 twisting to each side
3) reverse hypers - BW x 10
4) sit up complex on swiss ball
5) various hops
6) Keiser hip adduction/abduction gas machine - 2/1 setting x 10

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3mins


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

warm ups - controlled down, explosive up in sneakers - Bar x 8, 95x5, 135x5, 185x5, 225x4
in oly shoes - 255x3, 285x2, 315x1

controlled down, semi-explosive up
1) 335lbs x 1 - rest 3 mins
2) 295 x 5 - rest 5 mins
3) 265 x 10 - rest 6 mins
4) 315 x 5 - rest 6 mins

yesterday the warmup squats between 225 and 285 were really hard, form was awful and there was a lot of lactic acid buildup. Big difference today, felt much lighter, good form and less burn.
Increased the overall waveloaded sets weight up 10lbs. 335lbs felt kinda hard. Then I misloaded the bar on the first wave's set of 10. Supposed to use 245lbs, instead of 265lbs! I was wondering why it felt so much harder....made 315lbs x 5 a lot more difficult than it should have been. Pretty close to failure on those sets.
Decided not to do another set of 10 on the 2nd wave. The waveload effect had already been shot. Plus I did some squats yesterday and I wanted to leave some gas for more GM volume and a set of split squats.

Form a bit ragged today as well. Abs were working real hard too, I didn't notice this in the previous workouts.
Used a narrower stance in the warmup sets in sneakers. Better ankle flexibility makes it much easier to do this now in sneakers.

Looks like my squats is back in the 385lb range. First goal is to get these waveloaded squats up to 365x5, 315x10 on the top wave. Should put my 1RM around 435lbs

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Rotating Sets between each exercise

minimal rest between each exercise

Narrow stance OLY style Good Mornings onto toes - pause at bottom and hold at top - oly shoes - controlled - 45lbs x 8, 95lbs x 8, 115lbs 2x8

Upped the weight 10lbs, and a bit extra volume.

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep with hold at bottom)
hold at middle and bottom on each rep - 25lbs x 7 (+1 rep)

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - 10sec stretched hold + 6 reps with with a hold at top, mid and bottom + 5 sec stretched hold - 1 Plate, 2 plates x 2 sets

Sideways situp on hyper bench - BW x 7 each side (+1 rep)

Barbell Split Squat - Vertical Shins - Wide stance - Oly Shoes
45lbs x 10 each side, left side first. Lots of hammie action, 20 total reps gassed me out!

Single Leg Standing leg Curl - hold at top, mid and bottom - 3 plates x 3, 5 plates x 5 (+1 plate)


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lower body, and lower back stretches.

 

[wakefib]

405 is just around the corner bro

 

[coolcolj]

405 is just around the corner bro

been a long time coming as well!



Found it hard to sleep and annoying dogs as well. Tired and a drained feeling.
Should be cool though, next 2 upper body workouts will be light and low volume deloads, and I won't be using my lower body again till Sunday.
Then after that a light deload squat workout before hitting it hard again 5 days after that. I'm gonna be more conervative with my recovery this microcycle. Can't afford to overtrain and wate time again!

Moderately sore in my calves, legs, posterior chain and upper back.

weighed 96.3 kg 211.86lbs straight out of bed in underwear

12min walk, easy stretching

 

[coolcolj]

Took ages to fall asleep, and I kept dozing in and out of light sleep.
Pretty sure that's a sign I'm overreached now...
Didn't feel too bad in the early going, but got lethargic later on. Inflamed feeling all over lower back is tight and sore.

weighed 96.6 kg 212.5lbs straight out of bed in underwear

 

[coolcolj]

Thursday 14th December - Cycle 4 Get Strong+Maintain Weight - Week 2 - Day 3 - Upper 1 DELOAD - Micro cycle 1

Deloading today, just as well as everything felt heavy today!
Confirms my overreached state, and it only took 5 total workouts to achieve...

Body weight at gym - 215lbs
Workout time - 40+ mins
Workout rating - 6/10

General warm up -

1) whole body dynamic stretches and swings
2) scapular push ups - on bench 2x10
3) bench scapular dip shrugs x 12


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 - last 3 reps on each set paused at middle, and bottom on the way down - Bar x 10, 95lbs x 7, 135x6, 165x5

controlled
Rotation 1) 195lbs x 3
Rotation 2) 195lbs x 3


Chest Supported T-Bar Rows - medium overhand grip

warm ups - semi-Explosive + 2 sec hold at top on last rep - BAR x10, +25lbs x 8, +45x6, +70x5, +90x5

controlled
Rotation 1) Bar + 115lbs x 3
Rotation 2) Bar + 115lbs x 3


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Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 1 min on warm ups and 2 mins between each exercise on work sets


Elbow on Knee single arm External Rotation - started from bottom

4kg x 3,

controlled - 1.5 min between sides
Rotation 1) 4kg x 15


Dip Shrugs

warm ups - regular 10sec Hold + 5 reps

controlled with hold at top
Rotation 1) BW x 6


Single arm Face Pulls

warm ups - 25lbs x 3

controlled
Rotation 1) 25lbs x 15

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Cool down - Restorative - stretches

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

 

[coolcolj]

fell asleep ok, but dog kept waking me up several times! Argghhhh
Feel a bit crappy, upper body a little sore. Legs and hips feeling better.
Lower back feeling way better!

I've been having this tightness issue with my lower back, it over tenses and just won't relax. Lower back just can't recover because of this. Squats and sprints have been a nightmare the last few weeks because of this. Every so often it goes away, but I haven't been able to figure it out till yesterday.
If your back is tight you stretch it and your glutes right? Yeah, but it doesn't help much. I sit down a lot, but I hardly ever stretch my abs, not the most comfortable feeling when stretching em, hard to breath. Figured they must be tight. And yep tried stretching em with arms overhead in a pullup positon and they were screaming. Did that a few times. And more after my workout yesterday, added that kneeling hip flexor/hip stretch as well. My hip flexors aren't that tight, they pass all the usual tests, but I haven't done that kneeling stretch in a while, so it can't hurt.

Today, no more back tightness! I can feel my glutes fire more as well when standing and walking, and especially when I bend over to pick something up.
Seems like my tight abs have inhibted my glutes from firing, which causes my lower back to take all the stress and tense up.
Hmmm, tight lower back, inhibted glutes = the hamstring issues I've been having when sprinting...not being able to full extend my hips in the cleans and sprints....
Probably gonna help my jump reach and hip extension as well.

gonna have to do these stretches daily as I do sit down a lot and hunch over.
Just about all of my issues can be traced back to a tight and shortened muscle group!

weighed 96.5 kg 212.3lbs straight out of bed in underwear

 

[coolcolj]

LOL my glutes got pumped up today walking around for shopping!

also there is a click in my left knee when I bend it, it's gone, and both my knees no longer ache when getting off a chair, even with my knees well past my toes. That used to be scary, sometimes it would hurt and sometimes not, especially the left clicky knee. Stretching the abs (and hip flexors) leading to better glute activation seems to have fixed that.

it's like magic! A new me

 

[coolcolj]

Feck, some bangs, maybe fireworks went off 3 times throughout the night.
Tried to sleep in, but only managed to lie in bed half asleep...arghh worst sleep ever this week!
Legs and hips feel good. Upper back/traps a bit sore from yesterday.
Been stretching heaps everyday this week.

weighed 96.6 kg 212.5lbs straight out of bed in underwear
pigged out yesterday - lots of carbs

 

[coolcolj]

Sunday 17th December - Cycle 4 Get Strong+Maintain Weight - Week 3 - Day 1 - Lower Strength/Hypertrophy/Work Capacity - Micro cycle 1

Was supposed to BBall and sprint today, but I didn't feel like it. So I went to the gym to jump and squat. Will do some low intensity sprints on Tuesday though, before my upper 2 workout. Which will be a light low volume deload workout, perfect time to do em then.

Went to the gym earlier than usual for Sunday, nice and quiet, good vibe. Will have to make this my new usual time from now on.
Nice workout, felt strong and powerful! Been a while since I felt like this.
Pretty long workout, lower back mega pumped at the end.

Body weight at gym - 215.5lbs
Workout time - 2 hours
Workout rating - 9/10

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
standing on one leg, balancing, and with eyes shut

1) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
2) back extension x 5 + 6 twisting to each side
3) reverse hypers - BW x 10
4) sit up complex on swiss ball
5) Keiser hip adduction/abduction gas machine - 3/2 setting x 10
6) various hops, prime times, running in the spot drills

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3mins

Jumps and Hops

Warm up - sets of 2-3 jumps going higher/harder each time

did these in between the warm up sets on squats from 95lbs to 185lbs

a) Speed hops on a 5inch step x 5

rest 1min
a) standing Vertical jump,
b) one step VJ
c) running one legged jump
d) three step VJ

sequence for 4 sets total. VJ about the same as before, but I'm slightly heavier, so power is up. Plus the high rep squats don't help.
one step VJ felt very powerful! Can feel some extra boost.

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

warm ups - controlled down, explosive up in sneakers - Bar x 8, 95x5, 135x5, 185x5, 225x4
in oly shoes - 255x3, 285x2, 315x1

controlled down, semi-explosive up
1) 345lbs x 1 - rest 3 mins
2) 305 x 5 - rest 5 mins
3) 255 x 10 - rest 6 mins
4) 325 x 5 - rest 6 mins
5) 275 x 10

Decided not to do the ISO paused squats, but see if I was stronger on the waveloaded high rep sequence. Squats felt awesome today. They haven't felt this smooth, upright and strong in a long, long time! My speed is back even though I wasn't moving the main sets explosively. The hitch on the way up is gone, the sticking point is there, but I just get so much thrust out of the bottom. Must be the better glute firing and hip mobility

Up the load 10lbs across the board. 345lb single was powered up nicely. 275x10 was hard, especially the last rep, but on the video doesn't look that hard, speed was maintained pretty well on all reps, must be the lactic acid buildup making it feel harder than it was.

video of the 305, 325 and 275 sets. Pretty good form overall, just some slight GM'ing here and there. Used a slightly narrower stance today than I have recently

Right click on video and save first to avoid errors!
http://www.members.optushome.com.au...uat_Waveloaded_305x5_325x5_275x10_17Dec06.mpg

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Rotating Sets between each exercise

minimal rest between each exercise

Narrow stance OLY style Good Mornings onto toes - pause at bottom and hold at top - oly shoes - controlled - 45lbs x 8, 95lbs x 7, 125lbs x 8 (+10lbs) quite hard

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep with hold at bottom)
hold at middle and bottom on each rep - 25lbs x 8 (+1 rep)

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - 10sec stretched hold + 6 reps with with a hold at top, mid and bottom + 5 sec stretched hold - 1 Plate, 2 plates

Sideways situp on hyper bench - BW x 8 each side (+1 rep)


Single Leg Standing leg Curl - hold at top, mid and bottom - 3 plates x 3, 5 plates x 6 (+1 rep)


--

lower body, and lower back stretches