Sunday, May 26, 2019

Template 1, Week 5: Shaping Up

Legendary Lifting has some great wall art.
THE RUNWAY got another thorough workout this weekend with high volume yoke and farmers walk. The farmers walks I am taking slowly and starting at low weight, as it's primarily a tendon strengthening activity at this stage. I'm keeping all my deadlifts double-overhand for the moment, and using row variations and other movements like this to manipulate and strengthen the tendon.

The exact length of the runway is not actually 15 meters, but it's less than 20 meters. If I move the other equipment out the way and use it's full length, the walk is somewhere around 17-18 meters. And that suits me fine. If I'm doing an extra 2-3 meters but calling it 15 total, I'll be faster across the distance on game day.

On the whole, it's been a solid week of training which has made me very sore, in a good way. I had DOMS in new places that lasted a week, thanks to the combination of squats,  prowler drag and hammy curls I did last weekend. And the high volume yoke will be reaping dividends very soon. It's never been a strong event for me... this year I intend to pick up where I left off in January and continue making progress with this, and my other weaknesses, which are several.

I mis-loaded the meadows rows by some five kilograms (47.5 instead of 42.5) on Thursday night, and was two sets in before I realised why doing a third was going to be more challenging that it should be, at this stage of programming. So I left it at two and moved on with the routine.

Oh, and I didn't do a single minute of cargo this week either. But since my resting heart rate has gone down to the low 60 beats-per-minute range these last couple of weeks, and I had so much fucking yoke work scheduled for the weekend, I figured it a fair trade-off.

EVENTS week 5 Template 1 - May 25th
Yoke walk:
130 kg x 2 x 15 meters
210 kg x 2 x 15 meters
270 kg x 8 x 15 meters PR
Deadlifts:
60 kg x 8
90 kg x 4 x 8
Farmers walk:
35 kg x 8 x 15 meters

PULL week 5 Template 1 - May 23rd
Good mornings w/cambered bar:
20 kg x 10
60 kg x 5
100 kg x 5
130 kg x 3 x 8 TPR
Leg extensions (p/l):
10 kg x 15
17.5 kg x 3 x 15
Meadows rows (l&r):
47.5 kg x 2 x 10 - misloaded, too heavy
Seated rows (neutral):
left 75 kg x 2 x 10
right 30 kg x 2 x 20
Face-pulls:
49.5 kg x 3 x 20
DB side raises (p/h):
10 kg x 3 x 10

PRESS week 5 Template 1 - May 21st
Axle press (strict):
20 kg x 10
50 kg x 5
75 kg x 4 x 7
Bench press (paused):
20 kg x 10
50 kg x 5
75 kg x 3 x 10
Triceps pushdowns:
right 22.5 kg x 3 x 20
left 45 kg x 3 x 10
DB curls:
right 7 kg x 3 15, 15, 12
left 15 kg x 4 x 10
DB front raises:
right 7 kg x 3 x 10
left 10 kg x 3 x 10

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Template 2, Week 4: Value Adding

IT FELT like I just wasn't being challenged enough with axle press earlier in the week, so I have decided to add a fourth set as from next fortnight. I already added a fourth set to incline barbell press on the night. I got a similar feeling about squats on Saturday, but it's been a long time since I completed a squat program, or got close to completing one without experiencing some injury or issue in the process. So I'm going to keep this one as written and see how it goes.

I broke one of my own rules Saturday too: normally I clean every log press but my right biceps tendon made that not workable, so I wound up doing high volume sets of strict overhead log press. I realise this is not the most effective thing to do, especially since I do a decent amount of strict axle overhead press through the rest of the fortnight. As soon as my right side can handle it, the cleans will return.

I also need to relax on the curls a little bit. This was the first week where I've actually felt it being taxed a little.

SQUAT+ EVENTS Week 4 Template 2 - May 18th
Squats w/cambered bar:
20 kg x 10
70 kg x 5
120 kg x 3
160 kg x 5 x 5
Log press:
50 kg x 3 x 10
Prowler drag w/harness:
+100 kg x 2 x 15 meters
+160 kg x 2 x 15 meters
+200 kg x 2 x 15 meters
Hamstring curls (p/l):
17.5 kg x 3 x 15 TPR

PRESS Week 4 Template 2 - May 15th
Axle press (strict):
20 kg x 10
50 kg x 5
70 kg x 3 x 8 - add a 4th set next session
Incline barbell press:
20 kg x 10
50 kg x 5
65 kg x 4* x 8
Skull-crushers w/mini swiss bar:
29 kg x 3 x 10
Preacher curls:
15 kg x 20, 12 - keep at this weight and add reps slowly
DB front raises (p/h):
left 10 kg x 4 x 10
right 7 kg x 4 x 10
Cardio- Assault bike:
4 mins @ +60 rpm
1 mins @ +50 rpm


Sunday, May 12, 2019

Template 1, Week 3: High Volume Yoke

EVEN though I missed my dedicated press + accessories session Tuesday, this week of training has been a good one. I lumped the axle overheads in with Saturday's events to make sure they, at least, got done.

As I posted on Fashbook earlier, there is at least one good thing about detaching a bicep tendon for a second time, pretty much exactly two years after detaching the first one. I makes tracking and improving on the progress I made on the first go-around that much easier.

After the first one in 2017 I was back to form in eight months and pulled a national sub-masters record deadlift in ten. This time I'm already two weeks ahead of the game on deadlift and hit a new personal record for volume on yoke walk just this week. The intensity isn't there yet: I rested between each walk, whereas I typically walk a loading this light twice before taking a break. But it's a good place to be at three weeks in.

I also did a better job of maintaining my lower body strength during the first few months post-surgery, with a lot more squats and good mornings in addition to the machine and accessory work.

I might even be back competing in Strongman this year.

PRESS+ EVENTS Week 3 Template 1 - May 11th
Yoke walk:
130 kg x 2 x 20 meters
210 kg x 2 x 20 meters
260 kg x 10 x 20 meters - all time PR for volume
Axle press (strict):
20 kg x 10
40 kg x 5
55 kg x 5
65 kg x 3 x 9
Deadlifts:
80 kg x 5 x 8

PULL Week 3 Template 1 - May 9th
Cambered bar good mornings:
20 kg x 10
60 kg x 5
100 kg x 5
120 kg x 3 x 10 TPR
Leg extensions (p/l):
10 kg x 15
15 kg x 3 x 15
Meadows rows (l&r):
40 kg x 4 x 10
Seated rows (neutral grip):
left 75 kg x 10, 90 kg x 10
right 22.5 kg x 20, 30 kg x 20
Face-pulls:
49.5 kg x 4 x 20
DB side raises (p/h):
12.5 kg x 10
10 kg x 3 x 10
Cardio:
assault bike 2 mins @ +60 rpm, 3 mins @ +50 rpm

Sunday, May 5, 2019

Template 2, Week 2: Squat Spotting

AS I have said many times before, at this stage of a new program: so far, so good. It feels great to be enjoying what I'm doing again, now that the structure in place and I can feel the training making me sore, and strong.

This program is a degree more complicated than any I've used before, in that I now follow a 'week 1' and 'week 2' template for pulling, pressing and events. Squats - for now, using a cambered bar, but axle when I can manage it again - are performed fortnightly, alternating with good mornings (also cambered bar). And deadlifts - my favourite kind of pull - are (for now, at least) done every two weeks too.

Fortnightly squat training has proven to not tax my knees too much in the past, and is the most frequently I will perform them nowadays. My weakest movements right now are - predictably - my presses, and for that reason I'm axle overhead pressing every week. But I've added a different supplementary movement and a newish mixture of accessories to 'Press week 2'; nothing that will tax my right bicep tendon too much. A bunch of exercises still have different loadings and rep ranges from left to right hand. That will be par for the course for the next two months or so.

On Saturday I walked in the gym and was digging around in my gear bag for knee sleeves when a familiar face wandered through from the kitchen. While I was mentally trying to place him, he asked:
"Weren't you at Genesis?" Yeah, I replied. And then I remembered I'd given him a business card after watching him deadlifting one night, last last year. I don't hand them out much at all, but I recall he'd shown some real potential and so I'd offered my help, if he'd wanted it.

A little while later his friend came through from the other training area, who I did not recognise. But he also knew me.
"You were at Genesis, yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Weren't you at the Muscle Pit too?"
"Yeah. I started there, well sort of. Back in 2011, I think."
"Man, you've been doing this a while."
"Yeah. I went from the Pit to PTC Perth, then to Genesis, back to PTC, back to Genesis again... and now here."

The first fella was wrapped and belted, squatting 200 plus kilos in the farthest rack right of me. I saw him do strong work up till about 230 (I think), where his depth was not ideal and he seemed to struggle coming out of the hole. He told me later that he wasn't game to try for another single until I offered my assistance. But with his mate and I both spotting he gave it another crack... in fact I think he might have even gone heavier. From my limited vantage point, it still looked better than the last.

He's currently doing a massive amount of volume and frequency on squats and bench each week (three and two times respectively) while deadlifting only once, and has a competition coming up in three months. I told him that if I tried that program I'd be in a wheelchair before the end of it.

PULL Week 2 Template 2 - May 4th
Cambered bar squats:
20 kg x 10
70 kg x 5
120 kg x 3
150 kg x 5 x 5
Hamstring curls (p/l):
10 kg x 15
15 kg x 2 x 15
Meadows rows (l&r):
30 kg x 10
40 kg x 3 x 10
Seated rows (underhand):
left 60 kg x 3 x 10
right 37.5 kg x 18, 15, 15
Lateral pulldowns:
60 kg x 3 x 10
DB side raises (p/h):
10 kg x 4 x 10

PRESS Week 2 Template 2 - April 30th
Axle press (strict):
20 kg x 10
40 kg x 10
60 kg 3 x 10
Incline barbell press:
20 kg x 10
40 kg x 10
50 kg x 10
60 kg x 10, 9
Skull-crushers w/mini swiss bar:
10 kg x 10
20 kg x 3 x 10
Preacher curls:
10 kg x 3 x 20
DB front raises (p/h):
left 10 kg x 10, 12.5 kg x 2 x 10
right 6 kg x 2 x 20
Cardio:
assault bike 3 mins @ +60 rpm, 2 mins @ +50 rpm

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Template 1, Week 1: On Point

TRAINING intensity is steadily increasing. I'm now beginning a new program, and kicked it off by starting a day early. I had intended to do some farmers walk as part of Saturday's events training but the strain on my right bicep from the deadlifts put paid to that. Everything else went according to plan. Well, almost.

That is to say: I knew I would be underpowered on my right side, so didn't start loading on week one with anything too challenging. But I did want to at least complete three sets of ten overhead presses of a sixty kilogram axle. Since I could manage only five on the last set, I will try again next week at the same weight, for the same volume (UPDATE: I did, and I did).

During the down time, while I have continued training more effectively than I initially did the first time around (rehabbing bicep reattachment #1), I've still bulked up to 140 kilograms according to the gym scales. Last time I weighed this much was 2015, when I competed as a super-heavyweight in the CAPO and GPC state powerlifting championships. I haven't wanted to return to that weight class since, as the extra few kilograms (I walk around at somewhere between 130 and 135 normally) have a marked impact on my overall health and fitness. My resting heart rate increases and breathing and sleeping difficulties are a little more amplified.

So I'll be dropping some body fat over the next several months.

EVENTS Week 1 Template 1 - April 27th
Deadlifts:
70 kg x 6 x 8
Yoke walk:
130 kg x 3 x 20 meters
210 kg x 20 meters - no belt, unwise this soon but no damage done
210 kg x 2 x 20 meters
250 kg x 2 x 20 meters

PULL Week 1 Template 1 - April 25th
Cambered bar GMs:
20 kg x 10
60 kg x 10
90 kg x 10
115 kg x 3 x 10 TPR
Leg extensions (p/l):
10 kg x 15
15 kg x 3 x 15
Meadows rows (l&r):
30 kg x 10
35 kg x 10
40 kg x 2 x 10
Seated rows:
left 60 kg x 10, 75 kg x 10, 90 kg x 10
right 15 kg x 20, 22.5 kg x 20, 30 kg x 20
Face-pulls:
45 kg x 20
49.5 kg x 3 x 20
DB side raises (p/h):
10 kg x 4 x 10
Cardio:
assault bike 5 mins @ +55 rpm

PRESS Week 1 Template 1 - April 22nd
Axle strict press:
20 kg x 10
40 kg x 10
60 kg x 2 x 10
60 kg x 5
Log clean-press:
45 kg x 3 x 3
Bench press:
20 kg x 10
40 kg x 10
60 kg x 3 x 10
Triceps pushdowns:
left 45 kg x 3 x 10
right 13.5 x 3 x 20
DB curls:
left 15 kg x 4 x 10
right 4 kg x 3 x 20
DB front raises:
left 10 kg x 3 x 10
right 4 kg x 3 x 20
Cardio:
assault bike 5 mins @ 60 rpm