PRs Two Days in a Row

Well I have been really busy trying to move back into Gainesville, so the blog has gone on the back burner for a while. Work has been kicking me in the teeth too. I have people wanting to come back and train with me, but I'm not sure if I have room. I've been trying to find the correct balance of training clients and taking care of both my Personal Training Team and my duties as Education Team Leader. To make it even better, I have a new intern coming in and I need to find time to make sure that I can devote enough time to her so that she can get the most out of the experience. I've got to suck it up, be a big boy and just get it done.

I've still been training and still been working my butt off trying to get everything ready for the upcoming Highland Games "season". I've been forgoing almost all accessory work to fit in time for throwing drills. I have been working mostly on footwork for the 28 and 56lb Weight For Distance throws and the Stone of Strength(like a shot-put). Here is how my past few days have broken down:

Monday: Deadlift
135x a few
225x5
315x5
405x3
455x3(Rep PR in itself)
495x1
525x1(PR)
I almost called it quits after pulling 495 as every other pull felt slow and way too heavy. Hell, 405 felt like it didn't want to budge, but I sucked it up and lifted anyway.

Footwork and Throwing Drills to finish the day


3 Board Press:
Bar x 5 or so
135x5
185x3
225x3
275x1(PR)
295x0 bombed
275 flew up faster than I expected, so I decided to go straight for 295. I flared my elbows too soon and stalled. Oh well, a PR is a PR.

Footwork and Throwing Drills to finish

I am feeling ready for the Central Florida Highland Games and I look forward to throwing a ton of PRs. My double spin is coming along well for the weights for distance and I have been throwing close to 60 feet in practice. I hit over 75 feet in the Hammer which would be a huge PR if I could make it translate to the Games.

Well, wish me luck

My Gains since August

Last time I did measurements was in the summer and here is my progress.

Then(Aug 4th):
weight: 285
Calves at 19.25"
Biceps: R-19.5/L-18.5
Chest 51"
Butt 51"
Forearm: 15"
Thigh: R-30" L-29"
Neck: 18.5"


Now:
Weight: 310 (bodyfat only up .5%)
Calves: 19.5"
Biceps: R-19.75"/L-19"
Chest 54" (3" gain holy shit)
Butt: 52.5"
Neck: 18.75"
Thigh: 32.5"
Forearm: 15.5"

Not bad. I like good, solid, steady gains. I'm really impressed with my chest measurement, but I guess that is what hapens when you actually train your upper body.


Yesterday was an accessory day, so I just did:

Power Jerks
up to 225x3

Single Arm Power Snatch
worked up to 130x3

Finished with tris and hypers

Dehydration, sorta PRs and Grinding Through Training

I woke up this morning with a huge headache and a wicked case of cottonmouth. So I downed a bunch of Gatorade and water and went on my way. Trained about 83 people today and finally got around to my own training. To sum it up, I didn't feel like doing a damn thing. I did as any other meathead would and sucked it up and just did it.

Incline Press
190x5 for 3 sets Rippetoe Style

3 Board press
worked up to 255 for 2
I would have called this a PR, but everything I'm doing for upper body is a PR. Now that the shoulder is healthy enough I'm trying to build strength, but take it real slow.

Bent-Over Rows
155x10 for 4 sets

Triceps Overhead Rope Extension
5x10

Lat Pulldown w/ towel for grip
5x8

3RM Personal Record and Speed Tugs

Did some speed tugging today to start off my training. No not that kind of "tugging", get your mind out of the gutter...sinner. For those of you who did not get that it is a Tommy Boy reference.

Speed Deadlifts against strong bands
225x3 for 8 sets, 60s rest
Lockout was tough here, but I felt really fast

Good Mornings in Squat stance for 3 Rep Max
Bar x a few
135x10 or so
225x5
285x3
315x3
365x3 (added belt)
405x3 (PR)

I felt really good during training, but as I began to cool down my Iliolumbar Ligament flared up again. Nothing some Equi-Block and Flexeril can't help. That's all I could fit in because I met with an acquaintance of mine and his girlfriend about exercise and pregnancy. We had a very productive conversation. Tomorrow is boring upper body, but I'll be starting Overhead Presses again, one of my personal favorites

Links:

Equi-Block
http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=176&pid=495

Upper Training and GYM NOTES

Hit up an early workout so I can shoot some more video later. I'm sticking with the Rippetoe style progression with the main lift and using repetition method for my Accessory work.

Incline Bench
Bar x a few
95x a few
135x5
185x5x3
Actually felt good today. I'm actually getting my triceps to fully engage the way I want them to. From here the progression will be much lighter from session to session, instead of the 5 lb progression I've been making between training.

3 board press to a "heavy" triple
worked up to 245
Should have gone a heavier here, but you can only do so much training alone.

Bent over rows
3x10 @145

OH Triceps Extension Cable
150x8
170x8
180x8
Went nice and slow on the eccentric here to get some more Time Under Tension.

Finished with biceps and "light" abs work

I absolutely HATE upper body work, but I know that I need to do it. So, I'm being a big boy and sucking it up. I'm just starting back to it, so my numbers are absolutely pathetic, but they have nowhere to go but up. I'm just going to take it slow to make sure it doesn't tear to shreds.

GYM NOTES:
The Preacher Curl: Last time I checked the goal of using the preacher bench is to eliminate any movement that will help with the lift. So when your ass lifts 2"-3" off of the seat and plops back down at the top of the rep, your doing it wrong. Its even more tragic when you weigh close to 200lbs and those 25s on the side of the EZ Curl bar are too much for isolation work.

Cable Crossovers: Ah, the cable crossover. The Douchebag's exercise-in-front-of-the-mirror top choice, followed closely by the power curl in the squat rack. When did this exercise become a hunched over punching motion? Nobody cares what weight you cable crossover, so lower the weight and do it right. Who knows, your chest might actually grow some as a result.

Off Day and Things That Piss Me Off

I took the day off to do some filming for some exercise demonstration stuff we are trying to put together for the new trainers. I've gone over the Squat, Deadlift, Turkish Get-Up and many of their variations. Yesterday I was filming on how to utilize chains in training. Most CPTs here at the gym just drape a chain over the barbell and call it a day, without worrying about lockout height and ROM. So I was showing how to double and quadruple the chains and use a smaller gauge chain to adjust for the height.
I get through the Squat and Deadlift and move on to the Bench Press. As I'm in the middle of placing the chain on the collar some asshat walks in front of the camera and proceeds to stand there and watch. He says to me, "I want to watch what you are doing". That is all fine and dandy, but you just wasted film time. So, I had to throw on my professional face and say, "I'm sorry sir, but we are trying to film here."
Its just like the idiots that walk in front of cameras as someone is trying to take a family photo. Take others into consideration from time to time. I don't know about you, but I try to keep pretty aware of my surroundings as I'm walking around. It was pretty obvious that we were filming. There were probably 10 people in the room at the time and one of those people was standing behind a tripod. Call me bat-shit crazy, but I would assume someone is trying to shoot a video in this situation.

Later I'll post training for today. Going to work up to a 1RM on Power Press to see how my upper body is progressing.

PR Day

I know that you are not supposed to work two ME days into a week, but I went ahead and did some Trap Bar Deadlifts for Max Effort. I was full of piss and vinegar today and just said "F" it and went for it. Damn it felt GOOD!!!!

Trap Bar Deadlift
135x10 or so
225x5
315x5
405x3
455x3
495x3 last one with a 10s hold at the top for the hell of it
545x1 with 10s hold at top
565x1 with 5s hold at top
585x1 (20 lb PR!!!)
It was an ugly lift, but a pull to lockout is a pull to lockout. I think I strained a mucle in my calf though. I can't pinpoint which one just yet, but I'll stretch out the Gastrocnemius and the Soleus later tonight when work is done.

Deep Good Mornings (Squat stance)
Bar x a few
135x10
225x8
275x8
315x8
I felt like working up to an 8RM for the hell of it

Natural Glute-Ham Raises
2 sets 20

Hyperextensions
BW x 15
55x8
60x8
60x8

DB Windmills
35x5 each side
45x5 each side
55x5 each side
My Obliques are pretty much locked in place, so I used these to loosen up.

Now that I've been using a belt I've been hitting PRs left and right. My form feels better when I use it and I feel like there is a "groove" to my lifting.

GYM NOTES:
When did the Leg Press machine become a triceps extension tool? Just because you move the sled 6 inches and use your arms doesn;t mean you are gaining anything, except a flase sense of strength

Back to the leg press machine...If you can max out the sleeves on a Leg Press do you think you are really getting any stronger? I fell into that trap when I was younger, pressing 1250 for 12 reps thinking I was king of the gym. In reality I was weak as hell because my core was so weak I couldn't Squat 225 cleanly.

Calves: You have this wonderful elastic component in your lower leg called your Achilles Tendon. Now, when you load up 5 plates on the calf press machine and "bounce" out 12 reps are you working your Gastrocnemius like you're trying to? NO YOU JACKWAGON! A peice of advice from someone with 19" calves. Put a two second pause at peak contraction and a two second pause at the stretch and watch those calves blow up. Sure, you can't add as much weight, but if your goal is to grow, ditch the ego ans welcome the gains.

3x5 Upper

Had to sneak in training in 45 minutes today, but made it pretty productive.

Incline Bench:
Bar x 15 or so
95x5 with speed
135x5 with speed
175x5 pause and go for 3 sets
Felt good but my shoulder is already tweaking, so I'm going to only bump up 5lbs each week from here on out to ensure I stay healthy

Close Grip 3 board bench press:
Bar x a few
135x5
185x5
205x5
225x5 for three sets

Felt really good, but I could not go as heavy as I wanted because I had no spotter. I tied the board to my chest using Therabands. I got the idea courtesy of Clint Darden.

I had to end it there, but I at least got my Main Lift and Supplementary Lift in. I'll finish some of the Accessory stuff at home tonight.

GYM NOTES:

1. If you are spotting someone on the bench press don't Biceps Curl it up and tell your boyfriend that, "Its all you, Bro". Let go of the bar and let the guy actually lift it...He may actually get stronger as a result (GASP!)

2. Don't ask me what Bench Press Boards are for when I'm in the middle of the lift. I don't ask you what your half squat/goodmorning is for. I'll just wait for the L4 vertabrae to shoot out and draw my own conclusions.