"Why You Do Like That?" Weights, Martials and 'The Healthy'

Went To a Curry Buffett and Ate 5 Plates on Sunday

Great. Getting at least 9 hours kip a night for 3 nights in a row after training. And my lactics etc are gone. In super quick time.

Although I did go a bit berserk on my Mam's Vibration Platform thingey (mon 28th Oct). And now my legs feel like crazy spaghetti. That and walking up many a steep hill.

Last Thursday's Sesh (Thurs 24th Oct 2013)

So just to remind you. I'm NOT training to failure. I keep the reps fairly low (apart from the back squat progression I'm doing at the mo). Nor am I training to gain any size as such.

True my warmup sets start in the 8-6 mass range. But most of my work sets are 5 and under. I'm not doing heavy singles at present as they're boring.

I'm lifting weights on average once every 6 to 7 days.

Barbell Shrugs From Rack

Warming up my traps with 2 sets of light shrugs

120 kgs x 10
120 kgs x 8

Deadlifts - Rack Pulls

Still at 5 pins down (just below knee) Up through the Gears:

120 kgs x 7 (mixed grip)
160 kgs x 6 (ditto)
200 kgs x 6 (double overhand straps)
220 kgs x 5 (ditto)
240 kgs x 4
260 kgs x 3
280 kgs x 3
285 kgs x 2

Grip still going at around 200 kgs. Although it wouldn't IF I did lower reps sets.

Starting to get smoother here. Good Hip drive. There's a rush to get up to the top sets before my hamstrings cry uncle.

I know I can go way beyond 285 kgs. I'm just stopping there in this current cycle. As I'll be dropping to mid-shin and down from December onwards.

Zercher Squats

Ah the mighty Zercher. What's not to like about the 'Deadlift of Squats'?

Put your legs about 1 and 1/2 times shoulder width. Keep upright. Though at the bottom you can employ natural pelvic tilt backwards. Just not too much. Else you end up head first into the deck.

Note = Make a compulsory 'Gurn of Oblivion' on all sets.

70 kgs x 8
90 kgs x 7
120 kgs x 6
140 kgs x 5

Kinda see 'em as a back-off from the Deads. Truly challenging. First major goal is 160kgs for 4 reps. Possible to do this by the new year?

I squeal like a pig when I do Zerchers.

Leg Press

300 kgs x 8
360 kgs x 8
420 kgs x 7
460 kgs x 6
520 kgs x 5
560 kgs x 5
600 kgs x 4 (+ 10 sec rest and then x 8 partials from the safeties)

But the Leg Press is for wimps...Just remember that ;p

Barbell Row (aka Pendlays)

I'm sure Glenn Pendlay would have much prefered a consumer best-selling item to be named after him. So he could get a few pennies every time someone said 'Pendlays'.

Alas they renamed the long-running gym staple "The Barbell Row" after him. Great fun though it is:

70 kgs x 8
80 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 6
110 kgs x 6
120 kgs x 6
140 kgs x 5

I must remember to put the bloody barbell down in between reps. The whole point being that your upper back supposedly 'fires' better when you plonk it down and then re-rep. As opposed to having it hang like a reluctant kebab from your grip.

Pullups

x 10
x 8 (plus 5 second ststic at the top and a resisted neg)

Bagwork, Floor2Ceiling Ball etc

Fast raw-handed (no wraps, mitts etc). A hefty 100 lb plus bag.

Stepping up the roundhouse kicks. Getting more sets of 5 in at a time. Working on getting full hip and shin drive.

Intertwined with sets on the Floor to Ceiling Ball (double-ended).

Plus lots of Axe Knee, Jumping Knee and Kuching Roundhouses plus stretching and a nice walk home.

I may start doing an Lower Body/ Upper Body Split from mid-November onwards. As I'll need to go to the gym a bit more to film clips for my YouTube Channel.

I worked out some 'Muscle Voodoo' and I'll post that as and when.

Cheers Ears

 

I think Glenn is on record as saying he wants the Pendlay bar to become the standard for serious Oly competition, that many years ago the US made decent weightlifting equipment but that changed a long time ago, presumably during the dark days of the multigym in the 80s. Not an Eleiko plate in site in an MDUSA vid

Welcome back btw

 

Well Ta Muchly like Princess. Thought I'd start listing workouts again for mutual amusement and comedy.

Notes about my last post>

You (Yes you) must remember to pull your guts in on the Barbell Row. And keep tension there.

That stuff about pushing your guts out only works if you're belted up. With a belt on you create intra-abdominal pressure by pushing against it.

As I don't wear a belt and you may not either...Then you and me suck our stomach in (enough to keep it tense whilst breathing) - Farmer Burns style breathing comes in handy as practice, if you're not that great at the tension belly yet.

Same process as when you Deadlift etc.

Also with the BB Row/ Pendlay it's best to start the motion from your lats first.

You can do this by doing the same Deadlift-style tweak - Where you roll your shoulders blades back, down and together therefore actioning your lats etc.

A sort of pulling from your elbows (motion is started by forcing your elbows back and not 'pulling from your hands') you can use on any rowing, pulldown etc motion that works the back.

I know I know...You forgot to do all this sometime during each set right? Yeah me too.

Anyway I weighed myself:

Bodyweight a mere slip of a lad at 100 kgs (220 lbs or 15 stone 12 pounds approx). So 3 1/2 kilos gone in the last 4 weeks or so. Mostly because I cut carbs. Upped fat and protein. Result 'Slim Jim'.

Strewth that's the lightest I been since 2007. I did feel a tad slinky.

Just in time to go into a Mass Phase later next month (about 3 weeks or so). I mean why not most animals podge up for winter. Why not me?

Must sort out regular supplies of Gluten-Free-Bread for my 'Eggs on Cheese on Toast' (Fried Eggs on Cheese on Toast - Guaranteed to put a stone on you in 4 weeks IF you nosh this - 3 slices, 3 eggs and generous cheese - as an extra meal per day).

Hmmm whilst I'm at it I'll need to get some Goat's Cheese. As I don't fancy the possibility of puking on the editing suite.

I usually train more in the Mass Range 8 to 6 (maybe a little hypertrophy too!) for work sets come winter. There's a reason for it. Because I tend to consume more calories I figure I mayswell tap it and use it to add some muskles.

Already doing it for the Back Squat (see post 23rd Oct 2013 about 4 back).

Raise the middle-range and latter sets. Until I can crank out 6 reasonably easy reps at the top weight in that particular cycle (with my back's blessing of course - still not liking the axial load too much).

Also usually around nowish I start to do a body split (and I need to shoot clips regularly for my upcoming Uchube Channel etc so I'll need to goto the gym more often and whilst I'm there I mayswell lift something) that looks something like this:

Weight Training Every 4th or 5th Day

Lower

Back Squats
High Pulls
Standing or Donkey Calf Raise

Upper

Bench Press
Low Cable Fly
Dips
Pull Ups

Lower

Deadlifts
Zercher Squats
Leg Press

Upper

Barbell Row
DB Row
Standing Ohead Press

Okay so I don't normally Bench. But I'll make an exception here just for you.

The great thing about this I can speed up the frequency IF I want. It can become more like a bodybuilding split in that respect. Except I'll need some baggy paisley workout pants, maybe a cutaway vest and some kind of branded bandana

Also I can play around with different variations of the lifts. Sumos here we come!

Gym owner has to dig out the rubber matting for me before I get off the rack and near the deck with Deads though.

Hmmm a Hazelnut Ritter.

Good Eating y'all :Angel:

 

Is that Ritter as in Ritter Sport?

Damn thing costs an arm and a leg but it's worth every penny. :love:

 

Ritter Sports (Hazelnut) are 80 pence each in waitrose at the mo.

Call the United Nations!:Angel:

 

Ha! Comes with living in the bottom end of EU, I guess.

In fairness though, if they were any cheaper I'd probably be spherical by now.

 

Spinning In and Out at Crazy Town

Thursday 31st October 2013

Bodyweight a slight 100 kgs (220 lbs or 15 stone 11 lbs). My lightest since 2007?

A week or so (post 23rd October 2013) I mentioned I was doing a 'progression'. Technical gubbins. Basically I'm using the Hepburn system (I'm not big on systems but it made a bit o sense to me) - And trying it out with one lift.

It's closer to older-style bodybuilding in terms of reps and set patterns. Each winter I start to do more Mass-Orientated lifting (more in the 8 to 6 range). Call it 'tradition' if you like (or stupidity, your call).

I chose the Back Squat for my first try-out - Fool.

The gist is this. It's much higher reppage and settage than I'm currently used to. I'm still optimistically using 265 kgs as my 1 RM for the Back Squat (I wouldn't do that now due to my back not being 100%).

Anyway it goes like this:

Warm-Up Phase 4 sets of 8 reps (25 to 55% of your 1 RM)

Power Phase 8 sets of 3,2,2,2,2,2,2,2 (with 65% of your 1 RM)

Mass Phase 6 sets of 6,5,5,4,4,3 with 55% of your 1 RM

Pump Set 1 set of 10 reps with approx 45% of your 1 RM

A total of 19 sets, 91 Reps - Ridiculous I know. Knackering.

First time I did it I completed it. But I took me ages. And my legs were sore for a week as I'm not used to the sheer reps.

So this time round I didn't do it all. Ease into it a bit slower.

Did the first 4 sets of 8. My legs were (again) ceasing to function optimally.

As soon as I got to The Power Phase it took me struggling through the first 4 sets of 2 before I could bang out a 3 er on the 5th set.

Stupidly I did my usual current cut off set (not part of the system and done just to 'keep in touch' with the higher weights). Where I almost spun out.

I cut the Power Phase there. As I had little juice left. I had to wait at least 5 minutes before knocking out a couple of the Mass sets at 4 and 4 (55%).

And then the final pump set of 10 (45%) -

The result? My legs are bang full of lactic acid and metabolites. Lots of sleep, water, foam rollering, and food needed.

Back Squat

8 reps x 65 kgs
8 reps x 90 kgs
8 reps x 120 kgs
8 reps x 140 kgs (the % are not quite correct - done on the fly)

2 reps x 160 kgs
2 reps x 160 kgs
2 reps x 160 kgs
2 reps x 160 kgs
3 reps x 160 kgs

205 kg x 2 (I start making it up as I go along - almost spun out here)

Needed more than 5 minutes to recoup.

4 reps x 140kgs
4 reps x 140 kgs

10 reps x 90 kgs

I'm not big on doing 'back offs' etc. But this system makes a bit of sense. It's all about making 1 rep gains in the Power Phase until you do 8 sets of 3. Then you up the weight by 5 lbs. And start again at 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2. And rinse and repeat.

Standing Calf Raises

130 kgs x 30 (with 5 sec static holds at the top of the last 3 reps)
160 kgs x 25 (1 static hold 5 secs last rep)
180 kgs x 20 (pigeon-toe and charlie chaplin style after 7 straight)

25 minutes Continuous Bagwork, Floor to Ceiling Ball, Speedball etc

Faster Sets of continuous roundhouses. Getting pretty good hip again. Cutting that 110 lb bag into segments each time. Fast raw hands.

Coupla sets of Kuching Roundhouses to finish.

Here's hoping I can function well-enough in the next few days. As plan is to be back at the gym on Monday

Good Luck

 

Yeah that system seems to have pretty high total volume, but if it works for you (especially time-in-gym wise!) then great...

Although, the '1 2 3' thing I'm trying results in about 75 total reps if you do 5 strength waves and the backoff reps at the end and, so far, it's not sent me under. Maybe I'm just not working hard enough

On that note, my traps DEFINITELY feel worked after yesterday's dead lifts and static contraction shrugs...

 

Well my hams and inner thighs particularly are still plagued by lactic acid etc.

Stretched each day. Copious extra calories, water and sleep. Foam rollered twice (which is high reps for me :Angel. Still leg sore.

Better get with the programme. Deads, Zerchers, Leg Press etc tomorrow.

The Squat Progression is just an experiment. Since 2010 not done higher rep sets. Just not used to it. Really it'll take me an age to adapt. And I'll probably end up doing my own 'made up as go along' formula.

Can't see me bothering to do 91 reps, 19 sets at those percentages. Just takes too long.

That's the thing with really hefty weights. Lowest reppage and settage as poss. But you'll still feel it due to sheer weight.

 

Battlestar GalacticAcid

Monday 4th No 2013

Well the lactics etc didn't go away fully. But no matter I was at the gym. And it was good.

So just to remind you. I'm NOT training to failure. I keep the reps fairly low (apart from the back squat at the mo).

Nor am I training to gain any size as such (well maybe a bit later this winter). True my warmup sets start in 8-6 mass range. But most work sets are 5 and under. I'm not doing heavy singles at present as they're bore me senseless (subject to change).

I am though boosting my middle-range reps as and when I remembers to do that.

I'm lifting weights on average once every 6 to 7 days. But will shift to an Lower Body/ Upper Body Split (4 to 5 days) from Middle of this month onwards. Thrilling eh?

Barbell Shrugs From Rack

Warming up my traps with 2 sets of light shrugs

120 kgs x 10 (front)
120 kgs x 8 (rear)

Don't want to do too much - As I want my grip to retain crispy freshness.

Deadlifts - Rack Pulls

Works your entire posterior chain and all else besides. Still at 5 pins down (just below knee) Up through the Gears:

120 kgs x 6 (mixed grip)
160 kgs x 6 (ditto)
200 kgs x 6 (double overhand straps)
220 kgs x 5 (ditto)
245 kgs x 4 More weight and reps in the middle
265 kgs x 3 " "
280 kgs x 3 " "
285 kgs x 3 " "

Grip still going at around 200 kgs (boo!). Although it doesn't WHEN I do much lower reps sets.

Good Hip drive. Pounded it. There's a rush to get up to the top sets before my hamstrings cry uncle. Today my hamstrings bought the t-shirt. Those dead sets were done in 33 minutes :love:

Needing to do slowly-slowly here. I'm a bit para about tearing a trap. No joke. Slow increments.

I could yes slap a load more on the bar and 'really go for it' - But those fools always end up in snap city. No desire to be one of them.

The point is to make sure you do yourself no injury...(note to self - Remember that).

I'll be dropping to mid-shin from late this month. And down to near-floor from December onwards (once we sort out the plate and mat combination to plonk the barbell on). Or boxes - Work with what you got.

Zercher Squats

All Hail the Mighty Kong!

The Carry Lift/ Zercher. The best Squat you're currently not doing.

Put your legs about 1 and 1/2 times shoulder width. Keep upright. Though at the bottom you can employ natural pelvic tilt backwards. Just not too much. Else you end up face plant.

When your legs are that wide Parallel becomes Deep.

Note = Make a 'Gurn of Oblivion' on all sets - Or rather today I used the 'Alien Trapped in the Expulsion Dock Face'.

75 kgs x 8 (a bigger, bolder start)
90 kgs x 8 (1 rep extra)
120 kgs x 6
140 kgs x 5

First major goal is 160kgs for 4 reps. Possible to do this by the new year (maybe more like March bearing in mind my progress here?).

Like being strained through a plugged-in toaster. With Zerchers there's no room to pause (you can catch a quickey at the bottom but be careful).

It's not like a back squat where you can pause/ lock out at the top and take a breather.

Try that with a Zercher and your structure will collapse. You must maintain constant pressure from the moment you unrack - To the time you rack it. That's why they're such hard work. And that's why they're manbreakers

Leg Press

320 kgs x 8
380 kgs x 8
420 kgs x 7
470 kgs x 6
530 kgs x 5
560 kgs x 5
605 kgs x 4

All full reps and felt easy. No partials at the end though today. Wider near-gynecological stance. 'Hips, Bums and Tums' - Increase in the middle weights. Put on a biscuit to take it beyond 600 kgs.

Back to doing 700 kgs plus for full reps by middle of next year? Gosh who knows.

Barbell Row (aka Pendlays)

Yes get your Glenn Pendlay Bar-B-Q Grill right here folks. And remember to get your Glenn Pendlay weightlifting t'ights. They're like real t'ights but t'ighter.

Been an age since I did "The Barbell Row". Great fun if you like that sort of thing.

Naturally from a more 'Bodybuilding' aspect you want different lifts to emphasise different qualities - thickness, width, striations and grainyness (the last two not biggies for me these days) etc.

Hence why you tend to mix it more. Also doing one thing all the time can be a tad boring for some.

And Fooey! To those nutriders who say this is the jizzwizard.

I like the T-Bar Row as well (for sheer animal magnetism, ladies ). And who can forget the Bent O-Row for that 'walk like a duck' action? Although I really would stay away from the Bicep-Grip Yates Row (you're just asking for trouble).

70 kgs x 8
80 kgs x 8
100 kgs x 8 (moar)
110 kgs x 6 (smoar)
120 kgs x 6 (soar)
140 kgs x 5 (floor!)

I remembered to put barbell down in between reps this time. Your upper back supposedly 'fires' better when you plonk it down and then re-rep. As opposed to having it hang like Indiana Jones from your Temple of Doom.

'Pull' from your Lats first - Action Elbows - This makes the motion harder. BUT! You get more benefit and less bicep pumping ('With da Phwoman').

Pullups

x 8 (plus 5 second ststic at the top and a resisted neg)

Speedball, Bagwork, Floor2Ceiling Ball etc

20 mins or so of continuous and happy-as-larry bag etc work. Fast raw-handed (no wraps, no mitts, no muffs). A hefty 110 lb bag.

Stepping up the roundhouse kicks. Getting more sets of 5 in at a time. Working on getting full hip and shin drive. Boom boom shake the room (I wonder IF I can still break breeze blocks with my shins?).

Intertwined with sets on the Floor to Ceiling Ball (double-ended).

Plus Jumping Knee and Kuching Roundhouses plus stretching and a nice walk home.

I may not be able to post anything for a few weeks (miss you already). As too many of my projects lie in part-finished states. Being an entrepreneur you're the only one pushing you.

At present:

Front End Audio Product (8 hours) needs dubbing and rendering as one
Front End Audio Needs uploading to it's own site
Promo clip for site needs doing (me presenting)

Back End Product needs to be recorded this month (8 hours plus audio)
Back End Product needs cutting into 1 product
Then dubs, then oh god forgot I'll need to write the sales copy and set up a separate site for that

Loads of others. Plus finish my latest feature film script (my 11th). Plus finish a few more ebook and special reports.

Oh and my strength and doodads channel and site. Shot clips for it now. But need a terrabyte storage box to back up my backups. Else I'm playing juggle the memory.

N-E-Way. That's enough of my whinging.

Damn somebody et my Ritter/ I could really do with some cake :Angel:

Oh and multiple choice:

Continue with the Silat (great system but little resistance)
Combat JuJitsu (seems pretty good, loads of drills - I can still do breakfalls and I do like a bit of Jits apart from the blade work)
Mixed Multi-Faceted System (Combi KraMag, MuayT, BeeJ etc would be fun but probably 'all o'er t't shop').

Cheers Dears xoxox

 

everything you said about the rows is bang on the money IMO.

I need to get the Tbar rows back in man, slipped away from them recently and you can see that in my back and deadlift lockout, thanks for the reminder!

 

Cheers Steve. Sometimes (law of averages) I must make some sense :Angel:

Odd how a lot of the more 'powerlifter and weightlifter' types I talk to consider T-Bar Rows more of a 'Bodybuilding' thing.

As if A) That's not good enough
And B) That's not appropriate

True you can build big mass and density if you want to. Just that I find it weird just to ignore something because it's not deemed 'appropriate'.

The T-Bar row is an excellent tool for back strength, mass (should u want it), breadth (ditto). And a really useful lift for daily life.

I go through phases (don't we all?) of likeylikey a lift more than others. I too have neglected T-Bars for an age.

Note to self - Do T-Bars again, mixed in with BB Rows

Cheers

 

Occasional Chair

So still Weight-training once a week at the mo. Bodyweight about 100 kilos - 220 pounds (15 stone 10?) - I'm leaned down a lot since I cut carbs and ramped up the protein etc.

At present I'm doing:

Session A) Back Squats (8 to 10 sets), Jump Squats (3 Sets), Reverse Hack Machine Calf Raise Bagwork, Floor-2-Ceiling Ball etc

6 or 7 days later -

Session B) Deadlift (8 sets), Zercher Squats (4 sets) Leg Press (5 Sets), Bagwork etc

My Martials are suffering though. For lack of time spent martialing. Need a rethink on that front. My immediate needs (self-defence versus martial art) are changed. And I got to step it up a bit (more on this later hot news fans).

I'm busy, your busy (we's all busy). Completing a bunch of Info Products before chrimbo. And getting a coupla new info services launched. Goals huh?

Also am gonna need to look at where I reside and how in the new year. Progress too slow for my liking.

Anyway the plan for me weights is to train once per 4 or 5 days Lower Body-Upper Body Split. So I can grant a bit more time to other lifts. And so I can shoot some footage for my long-due Online Channel. And also so I'm not so lactic after each sesh.

That Could Be:

Session A) Back Squats (8 to 10 sets), Jump Squats (3 Sets), Bagwork, Floor-2-Ceiling Ball etc

Session B) Zercher Squats, Standing Ohead Press, Shoulder Raises, Barbell Row, T-Bar Row, Pullups etc Bagwork etc

Session C) Deadlift (8 sets), Leg Press (5 Sets), Reverse Hack Machine Calf Raise (3 sets) Bagwork etc

Session D) Bench Press, Dips, Low Cable Row plus arm stuff eek bagwork etc

I don't normally do 'Arm stuff' and I don't usually bother benching. But most winters I go back to more of a 'bodybuilding split' - Why? Because I'm stupid that's why.

Attached is an art installation by me called:

"Occasional Chair-Leg Press Middle Sets" - Could go for millions.

Good Luck and Good Eating

 

Bah Fooey!

Bah Fooey!

In This Episode:

- More of a Old-Style Bodybuilding Split now

The left side of my body has been mucking me about summat chronic last coupla weeks. But I seem to be through that now. Making an effort to stretch each day. And to make sure I do a lot of recouping stretches before each training sesh.

If you read any of my blathering you'll know that across the years much mischief has been done by myself to myself - Mostly through Martial Arts...Oh and getting stabbed. And coming off the back of motorbikes. Hohum

Anyways last Monday 9th December 2013

Saw the first of my split session. I'm gonna need to get to the gym more. Because I'm frantically trying to finish a load of projects for clients (copywriting), me (info products), me (another book). And so I need to destress with distress.

Please remember I'm NOT training to failure in any sets etc. Mostly I'm staying below 10 reps per set in the warmups (except where duly noted).

I'm now trying to keep my weight sessions to 1 hour max ideally 50 mins (followed by 25 mins of bagwork floor2ceiling ball etc)

I'm also doing a bit more in the Mass Range 8 to 6. As I'm looking to get my body to want to suck in calories like a drain right now. As I'm only a skinny bean at 100 kgs (220 lbs). And tis the season to be jolly...

Barbell Row (okay I'll call it a Pendlay so you don't get confuzzled)

40 kgs x 10
50 kg x 10
60 kg x 8
80 kg x 7
100 kg x 6
120 kg x 3

When you grip the bar make sure you 'engage your lats etc first' (pull from your centre back and shoulder girdle - don't pull from your hands). I must remember to shoot a clip about this as I keep chopsing about it.

I usually do Barbell Row first as a warmup for the T-Bar. The Barbell Row is a bit more technical. And I'm a stickler for form. So the lift is harder but the effect is lesser (wow huge mass maximum bangbang!) than the T-Bar Row.

T-Bar Row

80 kg x 10 (motorbike grip)
95 kg x 8 (fists up grip)
110 kg x 6 (motorbike grip)
120 kg x 5 (fists up)
130 kg x 5 (ditto)

Takes it out of you almost as much as a Deadlift. And under half the weight of my work deads. Amazeballs!

Pullups

x 10
x 8 (again 'Lats engaged' first both sets)

Standing Ohead Barbell Press

I actually did these in the rack after the BBell Row.

Lately my shoulders are not great. Damage across the years means they go snap crackle pop thunk. Been experimenting with different grips and different types of upwards shoulder press etc. I'll let you know my results.

40 kg x 16 (yeah I know...)
60 kg x 12 (palms face in grip)
80 kg x 8 (standard gubbins)
100 kg x 5 (ditto)
120 kg x 3 (ditto)

I left it there as I DID NOT like the feeling in my shoulders. And thought 'best not push it'.

Really I may need to do only cable (expander) work for the shoulders now. It's kinder to them. I can get the same and more resistance but the motion is kinder, perhaps.

Bent O'er Shoulder Cross Cable Row

I was there for the T-Bar Row anyway so did cables. Supersetted! With Side Cable Raise.

20 kgs x 20 (!)
30 kgs x 12
40 kgs x 10
50 kgs x 8
60 kgs x 5
70 kgs x 4

Side Shoulder Cable Raise

20 kgs x 20 (!)
30 kgs x 12
40 kgs x 10
50 kgs x 8 (max here as k nackered)

Bagwork including fast raw-handed hot action including choppers, uppercuts, diaginal hooks and fast blamblams (7 punch straight combis)...

Elbows - particuarly sok sab - diagonal upward, sok tad - hook elbow sok ti - front crawl elbow)

Roundhouses (in sets of 7 about 5 or 6 sets lost count), Kuching Roundhouse from the floor and jumping and flying knee at the end for the grins - Surprisingly graceful...

Got current competing Thai Fighter to correct my roundhouse form (easy to slip into badness when nobody's watching).

Took my kicking apart a bit there. All power but absolutely no finesse!

Hmmm Roast Lamb and all the trimmings...Hmmm

 

Grip O Doom

Grip O Doom - Thursday 12th December 2013

Well now been getting a bit of tendonitis in my left elbow.

When you think about it you're gripping stuff hard, a lot....

Rows, Deads, Squeeze for Squats and Presses etc.

Anyway I took some of my own medicine and backed off a bit on the gripwork. Didn't do any for a few weeks.

Rotator Cuff Work

With a Pilates Band 40 lb resistance. Pumpen Der Shoulders.

L-Arm Pull

Same motion as if done with a dumbell. Hold your arm out to the side bent 90 and 90 degrees. Pull band tight across your bod and pull your arm from palm down to fist up - Keeping tension on the up and down.

3 sets of 10 per

Goalie Stretch

Pull band across body. One hand at your hip. The other on the other side of your body extended up and out. So your thumb points down. Pull arm up so it rises and turn hand so thumb points up - Score.

3 Sets of 8 per

Must increase the amount of hefty expander work again - As these help my shoulders a lot.

Santa please bring the heftiest Elastikon Expander you can find, ta.

250 lb gripper

Easy to close completely for all sets now. Right from the start.

6 sets

x 4 (per arm)
x 5
x 6
x 5
x 4
x 4

Doing lower reps. And doing them more palm up now. As opposed to elbow out. That seems to tamp down any elbow flareups.

Got another 350 lb gripper. That's more like it (the other was wrongly calibrated more like 288). Tickled it a bit and closed it 3/4 of the way for a couple of singles right at the end.

Sussing out Martial classes as we speak. For the new year.

Something that has some realistic feedback and random drills. Silat's great but not enough for my purpose at the moment.

Been asked if I'm getting the Muay Group back together? Hmmm a possibility.

Mmmm Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and a mug of Rosehip Tea.

Splurp splurp

 

"They Took The 'Pull' Too Far"

"They Took The 'Pull' Too Far"


Okay so I was at the gym (I was). And there were a bunch of young guys hogging said rack. Doing rack pulls. Shouting and screaming 'go large!' And 'yes MAX IT! ... No joke

Plus points for enthusiasm. Minuses for the worst form since snappy-doo. And they were lifting in running shoes! Crazy Fools

Anyway I manly struggled with a warmer mug of black coffee. Waiting for them to take their sorry **** for out of the way. And that was my stims.

Goal train weights for 1 hour max. No more.

My warm up was all wall stretches and dynamic swinging. But I just had to do a few squat stretches before starting.

Please remember I'm not training to failure in the set or period. So I could do more but don't. Also I'm only going up to approx 75 to 85% percent of my 1 rm. All I do is gradually increase my lifts up to 85%. Rep by rep.

And now I'm doing more work in the Mass Range (8 to 6). Okay nuff chopsing.

Back Squat

8 reps x 65 kgs
7 reps x 90 kgs
6 reps x 130 kgs
5 reps x 160 kgs
4 reps x 180 kgs
3 reps x 190 kgs
2 reps x 200 kgs
2 x 205 kgs

My plan here is A) Increase my reps in the middle range again. Although I did find the hepburn program too many reps sets for me. I was sore for a week each time I did it. So I'm back doing a simple one-side of a pyramid. But a few more reps and sets than I'd normally do.

The Squats were a joy. Although the last coupla sets I had to dig deep as I could of quit halfway (felt like packing it in after set 5).

Jump Squats

10 reps x 40kgs
8 reps x 50 kgs
6 reps x 60 kgs

Doing lighter Jump Squats here to get my form right. Lately my landings are not great. And I noticed knee twinges. So get shot of them by landing on the centre foot and heel. As opposed to landing on the ball of the foot (too much shearing for me).

Reverse Hack Machine Standing Calf Raises

These are surprisingly tough. And the weight is a third of what I'd slap on the upright calf raise.

145 lbs x 30 (with 5 sec static holds at the top of the last 3 reps)
165 lbs x 25 (1 static hold 5 secs last rep)
180 lbs x 20 (pigeon-toe and charlie chaplin style after 7 straight)

Got the weight s done in 1 hour. Great. Big pat on back for me as my seshs were getting too long.

25 minutes Continuous Bagwork, Floor to Ceiling Ball, Speedball etc

Faster Sets of continuous roundhouses. Getting pretty good hip again. Cutting that 110 lb bag into segments each time. Fast raw hands.

Coupla sets of Kuching Roundhouses to finish. Bridging and stretching.

Hmmm Steak for tea gnomgnomgnom

 

Stop and Pop

Tuesday 17th December 2013

I was near the gym anyway as I had to pick up a new 'editing' laptop.
And so I popped in and blagged a quick freebie.

Lately my shoulders are griefing me something chronic. I feel the standing BB press is agging them. And am looking alternate shoulder exercises.

So just wanted to try out:

Modified DB Arnold Press with Side Lower and Cross

I'm working on causing less stress to my flaky shoulder joints. With this Modified Arnold you hold the DBs palms facing your chin.

Now with a Normal Arnold Press you either:

A) Press Out and Up until your palms face other in the top press position. Or B) Press Out and Up until your palms twist through to 180 degrees from the beginning (so your palms face out at the top)

I went with B) Press Up and Out until your palms face outwards at the top. But then I lower the dumbbells to the side (a neg as a side db lower). And then bring back across in an almost 'pec deck' type motion. Reset and Press again.

No shoulder Ag for now.

40 kg x 10
50 kg x 10
60 kg x 8
80 kg x 6
100 kg x 5
110 kg x 4

Deadlifting etc tomorrow or Friday.

 

random question. im on the tail end of a cold (should be over by tomorrow)
should i strength train today?

i havent trained since friday

(i know i shouldnt but i need someone else to say it)

 

Okay Zaad listen to yr uncle Sokklab.

Refrain from training. Until you're fully rested. Recoup.

Then come back stronger and smelling of win :Angel:

 

Steak is good.
So did you not get on with that 'system' you were using for squats? No dramas if so (obvs), as you know what's right for you, I'm just interested, see? Was it the time it took to do the millions of reps?
Cheers mate