Fun with Iron

Gone but still training.

2011-05-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

Though I am still not blogging much, I am still training as a madman.

Lots of shit has happened to me in the last 11 months of my life, and most of it was working a LOOOOOONG way from home.

At this point, I am heavily into hormone balancing, intermittent fasting, power rack work to eliminate my week spots in the overhead press and deadlift. Diet. Rest. Stretching. Weak point work. These are where your increases will happen. Biofeedback testing will keep you humble and consistently progressing. Work on making a few things at a time better. Make them a few critical big moves, and you are golden, depending on your goals. It's that simple.

I am planning on getting a 160 lb. One arm MP and a 405 lb. One arm deadlift. Am closing in on both. As well as working on getting certified with the CoC 3.0, which I closed a while back with little training for it. All while leaning out. Leangains.com. Check it out.

As for power rack work, check out Brooks Kubik's work. I will say this: doing partial push presses with 360 lbs in your hands, and holding 600+ without straps in the top of the lockout makes everything else light, and shrinks your waist. No joke. It is the ultimate ab work. I dare you to try it. No belts allowed.

Working Too Much

2010-10-08T16:55:00.000-07:00

Sorry yall. Have been on the road almost non-stop for months now, and my training plans with the exception of BW work, grippers, and anything I can substitute with the TNT bands (from LifelineUSA.com), has gone to the wayside.

So joint mobility work, respiratory musculature training have been receiving more emphasis, as well as a complete dietary outline upheaval.

My Overhead Press numbers with the TNT bands are going nuts, with me working up to doubles with 2 black bands and 1 green band at 2.8 times the resting length. According to LifeLineUSA, the three bands I work up to total 280 lbs resistance at twice their resting length. So I have no clue as to the actual resistance level, but it is not easy. And they REALLY try to get away from you, so you have to really keep the shoulder capsule locked down and your pressing line dialed in.

Have been experimenting with utilizing multiple sets with lower reps in a rest-pause style on one meta-set utilizing more than one pressing angle, before I switch to the other arm. It has vastly improved overall stability and power transferal through the joint, with no real effect on increases in resistance. Coupled with BW rows to keep the antagonists up to par, my pressing power is improving greatly, evident when I actually get to use my KBs when I am home.

Seriously kicks your as when it cones to making everything full body, as you have to resist the off-angle pull when you are working one arm at a time. Which brings me to windmills with these things:

THEY ARE BRUTAL.

The way to go about them is a little tricky and would take a long while to explain, but suffice it to say that it takes serious control, and because the resistance increases as you return to a standing position, it gets worse as you push through the hardest point. I preceed these with what looks like side presses to force my shoulders to work from a state of pre-exhaustion to challenge my stabilizers. Seems to do the trick.

The rest is usually whatever I feel like doing or tests well. Usually it is Teeth Lifts, gripper work, bridging, bw squats, and ab work. Whatever tests well.

Combined with cleaner eating and intermittent fasting (Eat-Stop-Eat is the real deal), I am going to be implementing Mike T. Nelson's Met Flex knowledge and the wealth of hormone optimization literature Mike Mahler has produced, things should get interesting.

I will try to post as often as Internet connectivity allows, as being a remote site Medic does not allow for great comm access of any sort.

Gone but training HARD

2010-07-11T00:48:00.000-07:00

A busy time for me, but the training continues nonetheless. Am spending 3 weeks at a shot 1700 km north of my home town. So the TNT bands were my tool, and I had insane results from it. Try high & low windmills with a couple of green TNT bands wrapped around you, and you will know hard. Takes a LOT of body control. But your spine will thank you.

Have gone old school with my training, even pulling the "chest expander" movement out of retirement. My upper back and rear delta have blown up, so they are worth using. But try them for yourself. The rest is MPs of all sorts, DLs of all sorts, Grippers, and Teeth Lifts. Will be going for the CoC 3.0 this year, as well as working up to attempting to beat an braced teeth lift rep WR set earlier this year (220 lbs. for 25 reps - Google it) but without bracing my hands on my knees.

Have been heavily focused on training using Biofeedback to guide my training. Look into this style of training. It will give you another tool that will unlock more of your potential than with pure trial and error. Has let me destroy records in weeks that usually takes months otherwise. Adam T. Glass. Walk the Road Less Travelled. Check them out. Will change things for you.

All I know is that it has led me to a OaDL of 321 with either hand (no straps or belt) after a brutal session of high volume training. Destroyed my filed down CoC 1.0 for over 40 reps in one set. After the aforementioned DL PR.

Will be posting regularly again, for the few of you that read this thing. If you ever want to contact me, the info is on the right -----------> and I can be found on Twitter as FunWithIron.

Gear Changing

2010-06-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Recent heavy training has reminded me of an L5/S1 injury that is starting to nag, I have decided implementation of lighter training styles and more volume will be used. The only heavy work will be with pressesand grip lifts and teeth lifting.

Today's carnage was:

Gripper - CoC 2.0 for a LOT of sets of 2-4 reps.

LCCJ - 5 ladders of 2/4/6 with a 32 & 16 kg. Was a light day for this movement.

1" V-Bar - My first time with this movement. Got upto a double with my L hand and single with my R using 80 kg. Dropped it to 64 kg for 9 L and 6 R. I am a Rightie, so this was a suprise.

Had the urge to play with presses, finding double MP with 32 kg KBs easy. Played with the Stacked Press, and got 2x24 kg with L & R. Have never hit those numbers AFTER LCCJ and lots of grip work.

Have been continuing to dial in my nutrition needs. Not enough data to share yet. Will have some soon.

Also, nailed 171 lbs in the unsupported teeth lift I do. Thinking I will hit BW with that by years end. That and the CoC 3.0 are within reach. 56 kg in the Stacked Press is one of my Pressing goals. We shall see how it goes.

Heavy and enlightening....

2010-05-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

Was tonight's training.

Strength in my teeth lifts is going nuts. 72kg is nothing to sneeze at, and felt easier than I thought. Posterior chain is going to be watched carefully while I continue with this lift, as I do it without hand support.

TGUs are also going nuts. Topped out at 195 lbs to the kneeling lunge position for both sides. Will be changing gears with these as my joints are starting to feel it. Will play with volume as over the last few sessions my form has really dialed in for this movement.

Presses have fallen to the wayside, but have not weakened, but as they are my focus, they will return to the forefront. Deadlifts, swings and LCCJ will return as well.

Dialing in my nutrition as well. A lot of focus on fatty acids and pre-post training supplements. Superfood blends were the most recent addition, and have had a HUGE effect. The rest still has a few days of tinkering before I am willing to say anything. Would rather share real results than share speculations.

Midnight KB Mayhem

2010-05-21T23:49:00.000-07:00

Stress and insomnia can result in some strange things on occasion. Tonight was one of them.

Understand this: Biofeedback training is for real. It will unlock the magnificent potential of muscular power that only the Strongmen of yesteryear knew and enjoyed. And it is SO SIMPLE you will have to shake your head at the wasted time following all of the past routines and protocols. And the best part of all is that if you follow it honestly and correctly, it can ONLY provide results.

Tonights carnage:

Grippers - CoC 2.0 7x3 reps L/R straight sets, no ladders.

Cleans - 40 kg for a set of 10 per side as a warm-up.

TGU - 170 lbs full single with L & R, L side having an Armbar thrown in at the end for good measure. Heavy Armbars are one of my keys to upper back stability for heavy pressing and TGUs. Got a full TGU with 180 lbs to top it off. It was HEAVY. At that weight, you HAVE to have your lats activated, your shoulder screwed down and secure, and a grip on the bell like it is trying to kill you. Because it is. Was suprisingly stable to maneuver under.

Teeth lifts - after warm ups to save my neck from potential injury, I nailed 5 singles of a min of 5 seconds each with 60 kg plus an additional 10 lbs. These, as always, were supersetted with rows.

One-arm Bent Rows - started off with HEAVY partials with 270, from arms length to just below having my upper arm parallel to my torso, for a set of 6 each side. Teeth lifts seperated each set. Then backed off to 240 for a set of 6 then set of 4 for each side.

Double MP - did these with 2 different KBs, a 40 and 24 kg. Instead of following RTK protocol, I just let my body lead the way. Resulted in 6 total sets, alternating the KBs each set, for a set of 6 and 2 sets of 5 each side. Just to be clear: I would have the 40 kg on my L and the 24 kg on my right for a set, then switch on the next. I terminated each set as soon as the rep speed slowed any. The same for everything else.

That was it. Once again Biofeedback training has left me with my jaw on the floor. Oh, one thing I forgot to mention: for my TGUs, I do not proceed with any weight I cannot Floor Press into the start position. So I guess I can add a 180 lb Floor Press to the mix. Damn....

Crazy things occur with Biofeedback Training

2010-05-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

Have been applying what little I think I know about Biofeedback Training, and the results from it are INSANE.

New PRs:

- LCCJ a la RTK with 40 kg and 24 kg.
- Easy triples with 120 lbs in the one-arm MP.
- One-arm bent rows with BW (230 lbs).
- TGU+Arrmbar single with 170 lbs (roughly 45 sec time-under-tension).
- One-arm Swings with 170 for 2x8 L/R.
- Blue nail cut to 4.5 inches DU total bend with crushdown.
- Teeth lift of 60 kg for 4 singles of 5 second holds (I face the ground when I do these, so it is pure biting power holding the rope).

Biofeedback training is for real, and is beserk in its simplicity and effectiveness. In less than 8 weeks I have regained or smashed records that took years to accomplish initially, following an absence of these lifts for over 6 months prior.

Have taken the last few days off as the TGU and Swing PRs left me suprisingly sore.

Will post full sessions again tomorrow.

Tonight's Fun

2010-05-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

Tonight was short and sweet, once again tempered by the Gym Movement ideology.

Was 2 full ladders with the grippers, same resistance as yesterday, but for sets of 2-4. Stopped when I suddenly hit a block with the CoC 2.0 on the third ladder. The grippers beat out BU Curls.

Next up was ballistic work, either with Swings or LCCJ. Long cycle won out, two arms over one, with heavier resistance beating out light. Not sure if this is how you choose resistance, but seemed to work. 5 ladders of 2/4/6, with a 32 kg and 16 kg, switching KBs between arms each ladder. Stopped after 5th ladder when the rep started to feel a little off.

Followed it all up with a single set of standing rollouts with two home-made ab wheels (thanks Rosstraining.com).

Everything was well before failure. 32 kg flew up, and I noticed it barely felt like more resistance than the 16 kg. What does that mean? Guess I am getting stronger. Felt great after, almost like I had done nothing. Now for tons of food and bed.

Yesterday's mayhem

2010-05-05T19:02:00.000-07:00

Have not been posting as much as I should, but I am endeavouring to spend less time attached to electronics. But my training has been going on regardless of my absence from my blog. I am also quite active in the forums, so I am still connected to the scene.

After giving it a lot of thought and toying with it during several training sessions, I gave The Movement protocols a try.

INSANE!!!! I have never put that much volume at that intensity in any training session and walk away that fresh. Just applying the little I know about the methods had a massive impact: no exercise affected the one following it, regardless that I was moving some serious poundage. Given they are not my personal bests, but due to the absence of these exercises from my training for a long period, and the poundages I am able to handle after just a short time of reimplementing them, I consider the entire workout one huge PR as the poundages and intensity I applied came FAR, FAR sooner than expected.

I have returned to my roots in regards to training, following a similar layout that got me to my massive one-arm press PR. One I WILL break.

The workout:

Bottoms-Up Curls - 20 lbs. KB - What are these? Curls holding the KB by the handle and crush-gripping it as you curl. At the top of the curl, it should look similar to the start of a BUP. I put in 5 sets of 4-5 reps, each one as fresh as the one before, ending the movement altogether when I noticed a bit more effort required on the last set.

Gripper Work - my usual ladders going up through the CoC 1, 1.5, 2, and chocked 2.5 at the top for 4 ladders, a single with a 3-5 second pause at the fully squeezed positions. Ended when the top end singles got harder.

Clean & FSQ - 110 lb. KB - 2 sets of 2, one clean to one FSQ, just to get things going. Were easy. LOVE the bracing effect it triggers in the abdominal wall.

TGUs - 110 with 2 free-swinging 10 lb weights - 4 singles, left and right, of full TGUs. Kept them going until the last one got tougher, then done.

One-arm Rows s/s with Teeth lifts - 130 with 24 kg KB for rows w/ 2x16 kg KBs for teeth lifts - What are teeth lifts? I bend at the waist, bite down on a piece of rope attached to the two 16kg KBs, then with my face towards the floor holding the weight with only bite power, I perform neck work to the posterior. I have an extremely strong anterior neck musculature as a carryover from football as a teen, so I have to constantly work on my posterior musculature to balance it out our it messes with my thoracic and cervical spine alignment. Anyways, the set/rep scheme was 2 sets of 4-6 for each arm on the rows, and 5 sets of 5 for the teeth lifts. Ended when they got a little tough on the teeth lift.

One-arm MP - 110 lbs. alternated with 32 kg KB - I would perform a heavy set of 3 reps with 32kg with each arm, then perform a set of 1-3 reps with 110. I have experimented extensively with this before, and find that it makes my heavy reps that much more explosive, the form tighter, and the musculature suprisingly fresh and reset. I believe that these are also known as complex sets, but I crush down the rests to when I feel fresh, but not fully recovered. 4 complex sets per side.

One-arm Deadlifts - 205 lbs, made up of the 110 lbs., 32 kg, and 20 lbs. KBs - 2 sets of 10-15 per side. These suprised the hell out of me. After all of the above, and still raring to go. Was gassed after these, but every rep was quick and controlled, with a perfect hip snap at the top.

Seems like a lot, but my body thrives on this type of assault. Was my regular training style when I logged my monsterous press poundages. Works for me, might not for you. But you are not me.

This morning, except for some tightness, I had no other leftovers from that kind of punishment. The Movement methodology is the real deal people. Each of my exercises, with the exception of the TGUs, was tested, and the best choice used. The result was a suprising training session that left me hungry for more. My fridge paid the price afterwards.

Today might be LCCJ, or some other lighter volume work. Dunno. Will see what the testing results in.

Too long away from this blog....

2010-04-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

Has been a vicious year, with a lot happening in all facets of modern living for me, culminating in the correction of a severely deviated septum one week ago today.

Trained when my health or circumstances have allowed, with PRs coming regularly enough to keep me as hopelessly addicted to the iron as I have always been. Since the surgery, easier breathing has increased my training levels energy-wise, and it showed up yesterday:

Gripper work: ladders in my usual fashion upto CoC 2.0, for singles L/R for a few ladders. Followed up with choked 2.5 closes. I am losing top-end strength since bottoming out my volume per set, so going back to what has worked for me. Some of us thrive on volume, and for me, singles outside of MP, TGUs, and DLs are useless.

Warm-up: Swing-clean-bent press combos for 10/7/4 rep setups before switching hands. Gets the blood moving. With a 24 kg.

Presses a la RTK: seven ladders of 1,2 with a 16 kg and what I found to be 113 lbs in the other. Curiosity in my difficulties in what was feeling like a very heavy 93 lbs KB turned out to be more than I thought it was. Checked it a few times to be sure. I attach ankle weights to my KBs to make them MORE unstable (keeps my rotators challenged) and must have grabbed the 10s instead of 5 lb weights. Ah well. Not complaining here. Weighing in at 230 lbs, that is a good training weight percentage with KBs.

Deadlifts: weights used from pressing, as per RTK, but going with one-arm lifts with both held in the same hand. Needed a change, and resurrected this gem from my past. 2x20 L/R. Moved a decent amount of iron, and loved it.

Going to resurrect my old training style when I set my pressing PR last year. Google mbunting9999 on YouTube, and you will see what I mean.

That was all. Will be getting back in touch with Josef on the DD forums. Dig up his articles. The man is a mad genius.

Gone but still Training

2010-03-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

Has been a very complicated and busy few months, and have not been posting as of late. But enough excuses.

Lately, I have been playing with combining RTK with Convict Conditioning. Suprisingly, they fit very well. Whether I use one before the other in the same session, or alternate them throughout the week, they seem to fit in a suprising comfortable manner. Due to the two different angles they work on, they seem to compliment each other. And the fact that I can train, warm-up to cool down, in as little as 30 min. 45 if I do both in one session. And the progressions keep coming.

As Adam Glass states, I am posting new PRs every workout. ARE YOU?

Grippers are coming along. Expect the CoC 2.5 to fall by summer of this year, and if I can stay focused on it through the chaos, the 3 by years end. I WANT THESE.
I have been training hard with filled down grippers, and they really help with the standard final close.

As for pressing, I am not sure how to approach it. From the perspective of bringing up the bottom level to provide a stronger base for new 1RM PRs, I will have to experiment. All I know is that 36 kg feels like a babyweight, and have been taking my time with progressions in weight as I wanted to give my shoulder joints some rest (was coming close to an injury at the end of the last year).

Picked up steel bending again. 60Ds fall easily, have not retested myself on the Blue nail. I choose very tough 60D nails, and find them easier than the Blue nails, until I cut the blue nails to 5 inches. 4.5 inches sucks (big hands, so nowhere to grip when I bend DU). Also use less wrap than most, and am going to transfer over to the blue ironmind wraps (forget what they are called).

Only problem I have is stopping my thighs from chaffing. CC is partly to blame, genetics another, and the Metabolic Diet I have adopted. Years of retraining my body to be more efficient via the Warrior Diet have made it easier, and because of my new training style and the anabolic response from the increased protein levels I am eating, I am leaner at my current size than I ever have been, and have the strength levels of myself at 250 lbs. I am around 230. CC plus RTK plus the Metabolic Diet equals muscle without bodyfat. Just have to keep an eye on your acidity levels.

Will start logging my training sessions again.

Haven't posted, but have been training....

2009-12-22T21:26:00.000-08:00

To quote National Lampoon's "Christmas Vacation": "it's the holidays, and we're all in misery". The sad part is we make this time of year unnecessarily complicated. My resolution is to not do that in the new year.

Anywho, training was short and sweet:

Warm-up: Swing/Clean/Bent Press combo, one set of 5 per arm, with 24 kg. Not too little, but just enough to get the blood going.

Presses a la RTK - 32 kg and 24 kg kbs with 2.5 lb plate taped to each. Scaled back from last set of training, where 5 ladders to 5 with another 5 lbs attached to each. Double MP are new to me with KBs, and decided to scale back before I aggrivated the muscle I pissed off a few months ago. Nailed 7 ladders of 5 with the slightly lighter weight for the second time. Volume is my mistress, it seems. Will go back to really heavy iron again, as a one-arm press with 75% of my bodyweight is my goal for the end of next year, or maybe the year after that. A handful of months building a new foundation will make my 145 just a stepping stone ;)

Weighted Pullups - From 8 kg to 30 kg, then 24 kg, all for singles, followed immediately with a double with BW, following my strict and explosive setup. Each "complex set" preceeded each ladder. My new goal with this is half BW from my waist for a single by the end of next year (right now, that is 120 lbs).

Deadlifts a la RTK - 2 x 24 and 16 kg, for 2 sets of 20. Second set may have been for 25, but I am not sure. Sometimes I hit a zone where I almost black out and do not remember how many reps I did. This happened a year ago when I took on a guy about 45 lbs of muscle bigger than me, and smashed him in a DL competition for 405 for 3, then 315 for 23, 5 reps of which I do not remember. And in case you are wondering, I had only deadlifted twice before this after a 2 year layoff, handling nothing more than 205 in the Zercher DL (from ground). This is what KB style training will do for you.

No grippers, no grip work at all. Gave them a day off. Have also started up on the Anabolic/Metabolic Diet, having had enough with the Warrior Diet for the last 6 years. This will go for a while, then I will most likely try to blend the two into a hybrid, something expressly forbidden by both. To bad for them.

Tomorrow is Ataturks, and snatches, plus grip work, if I do not get to post. Ciao for now.

Hard training and exams

2009-12-13T00:35:00.000-08:00

Being in a Paramedic program, and surrounded by final exams and evaluations for this semester, getting online is tough. Regardless, training is going on, and progressing quickly.

Toda's fun:

Gripper ladders - Trainer to 2.0. Sets of 4 each. Almost got the 2.5 in the bag. Still a few weeks of training left in the year. will have it by then ;)

Warm-up - 24 kg - Swing and Bent Press combo, one set per side, 5 reps per exercise.

Presses a la RTK - 5 ladders,5 rungs, with 24 kg plus 5 lb plate and 32 kg plus additional 7.5 lbs. 2.5 lbs per side makes for enough of an increase to feel. Made the last rep of the last rung of the last ladder, 5 ladders 5 rungs, switching weights each ladder. Will stick with these weights for a few more workouts before making it more difficult.

Pullups - 16 kg and BW - Weighted singles followed by BW triples, same strict and fast setup as previously written. These preceeded each press ladder. I have used the same type of contrast sets for other lifts, and all have had great results, as both muscle fibre types are utilized.

Snatches - 2 ladders per side, 24 kg + 5 lb plate, 2/4/6/8. Wanted to get 3, but recent alterations in my diet let me a little empty in the tank. will adjust that for next time. Weights flew easily, very strong hip snap, and solid punch through. Slow and steady dialed in my forn nicely, and is keeping the numbers coming steadily. Will leave this alone.

That was it. Short and sweet. Also have been preceeding my training with 2-arm and 1-arm handstand training for a few sets each, to shake the dust off of that. One-arm hanstand holds will take your pressing into the stratosphere. Combined with TGUs and regular stretching, and you will have no reason but to reach elite pressing levels.

Training, but not writing

2009-12-08T01:28:00.000-08:00

After having accepted Adam Glass' challenge of training harder this month than any other in recent memory, to combat the December body-swelling epidemic, I have been busting a nut or three, but have been too lasy to write them in.

To save time and space, this is today's fun only:

Gripper training - 2 ladders, 4 rungs, from CoC T to 2.0, 4 reps apiece. Followed by Choked ladders, same sets and reps and resistance.

Warm-up - 24 kg kb + 5 lb plate taped on - one set of 5 of Swings+Cleans+Bent presses, done subsequently, 15 reps total, per side. Does the job.

Presses - 32 kg + 5 lb ankle weight & 24 kg kb + 5 lb plate taped on - a la RTK. 5 ladders, 5 rungs, switching weights after each ladder. Not including squats, as knees are not feeling 100% due to drastic temperature drop as of late (lots of damage from rough sports). But TGUs are allowing me to get some leg training in. Also, my genetics predispose me to being built like a pack horse, so leg strength and size is all to easy to develop. If anything, my legs have been growing from teh lack of work :P

Weighted Pullups - 20 kg and BW - same setup as last time I posted. Before, in between, and after ladders of presses. Single with weight followed by double with BW, first very strict, latter for speed and acceleration under control. Getting good results from these, and they nicely reset the shoulders for the next ladder.

Snatches - 24 kg + 5 lb plate taped on - 5 ladders left and right of 2/4/6. Still plodding along. Time to move up the ladders a bit. No hurry on these. Performing these every other day, so watching the volume. Really want to dial these in, and it is working well.

That was it. A protein shske, some eggs, and bed. Ciao for now.

Also, I have joined the snatch race officially at the following link: http://www.personaltrainingmanager.com/sc.asp?f=cp

Jump in, and watch your waist shrink.

Two days in one

2009-12-01T22:58:00.000-08:00

Being as it is the end of the semester, and exams are abound, getting on here to post my training is a little difficult. Here are yesterday's and today's sessions:

Nov 30:

Gripper training - Same as day before, for 3 ladders from CoC Trainer to 1.5, 4 reps per set.

Warm-up: 24 kg KB - Same as day before. Really like this setup.

Ataturks: 24 kg KB - 5 per side, 2 presses per position. Have been playing around with reps and weights. Whatever is happening, my strained shoulder muscle is gone, and my pressing is going up. That simple.

Rows - 32 kg & 24 kg KBs (in one hand). 2 sets of 6 reps per side, explosive reps. These are getting very light. Were supersetted with, as always:

Teeth Lifts - 2 x 16 kg KBs - Sets of 6 before, around, and after rows. 5 sets total.

That was it.

TODAY'S Training:

Gripper Training - Resistance ladders, 4 reps per set left and right, from CoC Trainer to 1.5. Threw in some singles with CoC 2 at the end of the first 2 ladders. Followed up third ladder with a chocked gripper ladder, from Trainer to CoC 2, 4 reps apiece.

Presses a la RTK - 32 kg & 24 kg KBs, both with 5 lbs. ankle weight hanging off of handle for awkward balance - 3 ladders, 5 rungs, switching arms after each ladder. Was easier than I thought it would be. Think new split is working to my benefit. These were supersetted with:

Pullups - 20 kg & BW - Spread before, during, and after pressing ladders. Performed a single with 20 kg, then immediately followed with a double with only BW. Same as before, heavier weight for strict single, and lighter weight for explosive power, going as far past the bar as possible. Pulling power is going up as well, so this new mix is also working.

Snatches a la RTK setup - 24 kg KB - 4 ladders, 3 rungs, of 2/4/6. Very easy, once again, with the focus on dialing in my lifting form as much as possible.

Power Breathing - 1 set of 5. I press my upper thighs and heels together as hard as I can as I do these, trying to pull my entire abdomen into my groin as I breath out. Get the same effect as doing Janda situps. I love this exercise.

That was it. A protein shake, a shower, a steak, and bed. Keep tossing the iron, Comrades.

Easy Training today

2009-11-29T22:39:00.000-08:00

Switching gears a little, and trimming my sessions to bare bones. Yesterday's session was Ataturks and my Rows/Teeth lifts superset. All I know is, my shoulders and upper back are literally exploding, and I am finding my XL shirts to be a little tight. My steel bending is also making steady progress, so I think I might be onto something productive for my body.

Today's fun:

Gripper Training - Resistance ladders, CoC Trainer to CoC 1.5 for 3 ladders, 4 reps per hand per rung. Easy, and all reps were easy. I have also filed down the grips on one side of my grippers, so I am over-crushing on each rep. Really finding it helps.

Warm-up - 24 kg - 2 rounds left and right of Swings+FSQ+Bent Presses, for 5/3/3 back to back before switching sides. Really enjoyed these. Will keep these as the warm up for a while.

Double MP - 2x24 kg - 20 sets of 5 reps, focusing on perfect form. Very easy weight, basically for volume, and was a test, to see just how light double 24s have become when not having Ataturks beforehand. Will be moving up some to make it more challenging. I am working towards beating Kenneth Jay's old pressing challenge, which was 400 reps (200 left/200 right) of MPs for sets of 5 with a 32 kg in 51 minutes. My presses were supersetted with:

Weighted Pullups - alternating 10kg and 16 kg - these were for singles, alternating back and forth each set. These were done with a 2" grip, basically pieces of 2" diameter PVC over my pullup bar. Did these for the first 11 sets, then when the grip was starting to weaken, I ditched the PVC and continued on. The 10 kg singles were for maximum velocity, trying to get as much of myself above the bar as possible, and the 16 kg singles for control and perfect form.

Snatches - 24 kg - 4 ladders of 2/4/6. Easy, and the 24 kg was very light. In no hurry with these, so I am slowly plodding along, using the RTK format. Want to use that for building some snatching proficiency before moving onto the V02 format.

Power Breathing - one set of 5. I do these with my heels and thighs pressed together slightly, and contracting my abs as hard as possible. Feel it all the way around the entire abdominal structure, from the symphysis pubis to the xiphoid process, and everything in between. Worked for Farmer Burns, works for Pavel, and works for me. If you have not mastered these, start. They will help with heavy grind reps, allowing for greater control as you utilize the Valsava maneuver.

That was it. Short and sweet. The new setup I am using is leaving me absolutely WIRED after a training session, so I am on the right track.

Am also GTG with BW pullups throughout the day, with varying grip widths. Somewhere in the future I will be adding one arm handstand holds. We shall see.

Another day, and more iron lifted

2009-11-21T21:07:00.000-08:00

Had a quick training session yesterday, but did not complete it, so I didn't bother to post about it.

Here is today's carnage:

Gripper work - Same old same old, 2 resistance ladders working up to the CoC2, 4 reps a set, for both left and right. Followed these with chocked closes, same ladder set up, working from CoC trainer to 2.5, for a few singles each hand. 2 ladders that way.

Kneeling Ab Wheel rollouts - BW for 2 sets of 5. These were supersetted with...

Behind the neck pullups - BW for 2 sets of 3-5 reps. Felt not too bad on the shoulder. My flexibility allows me to do these without complications.

Ataturk Getups - 5 getups left and right, alternating arms, for 2 presses per position, moving back and forth between 16 kg and 24 kg+5 lb plate (taped on).

Swings + Cleans + FSQs - double 24 kg kbs with 5 lb. plates duct taped on - 2 sets of 9, 6, 3 respectively. Try to keep FSQ volume low, as my legs are the type that grow just being near a weight.

Presses a la RTK - 32 kg + 2.5 lb plate, and 24 kg + 5 lb plate - 5 ladders, 4 rungs, switching weights back and forth. Were easy. Felt the drain from the Ataturks in the last ladder, but not much.

Deadlifts a la RTK - same weights as Presses, switching weights around on second set. Super easy 2 sets of 25.

That was it. Seems like a lot to some, maybe, but my tolerance for work volume is quite high, thanks to genetics (thank you Grandpa), and a lifetime of lifting weights and hard labor. Anything less, and my body just doesn't bother to respond.

I think I'm turning Turkish

2009-11-17T23:51:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Josef, I am again a hopeless addict of the Turkish Get-up. And at the rate I am going, my nationality might just change :)

Fun for today:

Gripper Work - same as last training day, with an added resistance ladder of the choked closes.

Warm-up - 2 sets of BU FSQ and MP, with a single 16 kg.

Pull-ups - BW for an easy set of 5 reps. Shoulder is feeling fantastic. Thanks Josef.

Ataturk Getups - Same as last training day, with an added ATGU per side with 2 presses per position.

Clean & MPs - 32 kg (+2.5 lb plate) and 24 kg (+5 lb plate) - as per RTK, for 5 ladders of (1,2,3), rotating weights back and forth after each ladder. Will move up to ladders of (1,2,3,4) on the next day.

Pullups - 16 kg - for easy singles, to see if shoulder would like them or not. Supersetted these with each press ladder, for a total of 6 singles.

Teeth lifts - 24 kg (+5 lb plate) and 10 kg - sets of 5 supersetted with rows.

Rows - same KBs as Presses, but rowing with one arm only. 2 sets of five per side. Maximum range of motion possible. Felt GOOOOOD.

That was it. Will move snatches to rest days, to keep blood moving through posterior chain and shoulders on days off.

I like Snatches

2009-11-15T23:26:00.001-08:00

Ha ha ha. Pull your minds out of the gutter. Anyways, here is today's fun:

Gripper work - 2 resistance ladders upto CoC#2, 4 reps per set until the last, which is just for a nice long single. 2 more resistance ladders, only to CoC 1.5, with it chocked to just past parallel grips to work on the crush, which is the only thing stopping me from closing the 2.5 (a few mm to go).

Warm-up: A couple of sets of BU C&P + FSQ. Did it with just 2 16 kg KBs. First time doing double BU anything. Will play with this some more.

Ataturk Getups - 2 L & R, 5 presses per position. Done with only 16 kg. Got lots of blood moving though the shoulders, and I love how the ultra slow get-ups challenge the whole body. My obliques and trunk stabilizers are loving it, and it is correcting my posture along with the double KB presses.

C & P - 32 and 24 kg KBs - 5 x (1,2,3) ladders, switching KBs after each complete ladder. Even after the getups - the presses were easy. The ladders are done as per RTK, and the other sets of C & P are done long-cycle, one clean per press. FSQs followed the last set of each ladder, 5 reps apiece.

Rows - 24 + 32 kg - 2 sets of 5 per side. Maximum range, with a quick strong pull. Easy sets, and I love rows. Along with DLs, these are my strong-point.

Teeth Lifts - 24 kg + 10 kg - I use a rope attached to the KBs, and hold it between my teeth. I clamp down on the rope, keep it off the ground, and from a bent-waist position, perform neck-work. 5 sets of 5 interspersed between sets of rows. The combination seems to work.

Snatches - After all of that, was not smart enough to call it quits, so using the RTK setup for the C & J, I did some easy snatches with the 24 kg, for 3 ladders of just (2,4,6) per side. Focused on hip snap and punching through at the top. With my shoulder, I always play it a little too safe with snatches, but will move to the 32 kg for a bit of a challenge.

That was it.

I like new things

2009-11-14T14:59:00.000-08:00

Working in conjunction with Josef from the DD forums, I am playing around with some unfamiliar training styles that I am really starting to enjoy. His and Adam Glass' materials are what keep me a hopeless addict of the iron sports, and is one addiction I am more than happy to have.

Today's playtime:

Gripper work - same as Nov 12, with one less ladder.

Warm-up

Ataturk Getups - 2 ladders, alternating L & R each get-up, with one press per position, up and down. Laddered weights, instead of reps, moving from 16 to 24 to 32 kg in the ladder progression. Was not able to press in all positions on the second set with the 32 kg, so I decided to end it there. This is new territory, and I am loving it.

Double Swings + Cleans + FSQs - 2 x 24 kg, for 9 swings, 6 cleans, and 3 FSQs (with a pause at the bottom position), as one giant set, twice. These demand almost too much oxygen, and will leave you puffing. I love them.

C & P - 2 x 24 kg - Easy 10 sets of 5. My pressing only thrives from high volume, no matter the weight, so I am returning to my roots in that, and am alternating these easier volume sessions with heavier pressing from RTK. Not sure what will come from this, but will keep posting about it.

Double KB Deadlifts - 16 + 24 kg per hand - 2 sets of 20, straight from RTK. I love deadlifting, and find, as always, I thrive on higher volume. Am aiming to shatter my still longstanding record of 23 reps with 315, no belt, and only chalk, set in a competition with a guy carrying 50 more pounds than me at the time. I had only deadlifted once 2 months before that, and had not touched a barbell for DL for 2 years before that. These sets were easy, and will have to find some more weight to attach to my kbs.

That's it, that's all. Now going to have a large meal, and go party it up at a friend's birthday party.

New day, New Cycle

2009-11-14T14:56:00.000-08:00

(This is from Nov 12, 2009)

Just recently finished Adam Glass's Radian Dawn 4-Week pressing protocol. I like it. Ended up with a minor irritation to an external rotator, so I have not tested as of yet to see any new results, but will soon.

On a different tack, having been notified by Josef about his latest incarnation of Turkish Get-up training, he has created the Turkish Warrior Conditioning system for Get-ups. Having a lot of training under my belt, I jumped in at the Ataturk cycle. Very humbling, and very nice. Pressing from lots of different angles. Moves lots of blood into the shoulders.

So today's fun looked like this:

Gripper Work - CoC resistance ladders, sets of 4 moving up from Trainer to #2 (sets with #2 are for max reps, aiming for 4), for 4 ladders.

Warm-up

Ataturk Get-ups - 24 kg - sets of 1,2,1,2,1 L & R supersetted with BW doubles in the pull-up (still nursing the external rotator). A very humbling weight, but the pressing volume adds up FAST!

Swings + Cleans + FSQ - 2 x 24 kg - 8 swings, 5 cleans, and 2a triple with 5 second pauses at bottom for the squats, done as a giant set, three sets. Gets a nice bracing effect from the abs, and your FSQs sharpen up instantly. Also gets you breathing hard and having to "breathe behind the shield" at the bottom of the squats, giving your diaphragm a little workout as well.

C & P - 32 + 24 kg - 5 ladders of (1,2,3), rotating weights with each ladder. Was easy. Took last ladder to 5, and still had lots left in the tank. Think I will have to start saving pennies for another 32 kg.

High Windmills - 24 kg - 2 easy sets of 5 per side to loosen up the lumbars.

And that is it. Fun and easy. Running on 2 hours sleep out of the last 36 at the time of writing this, I am happy with how it turned out today.

I like the iron. The iron keeps you honest.

Been a little while since the last post...

2009-10-18T23:51:00.001-07:00

but have been training my ass off just the same.

Training has shifted gears as of late. My previous training style has been replaced with Adam T. Glass' "Radian Dawn" pressing protocol.

To put it bluntly, it is a powerfully stimulating training style, and the assault on your nervous system will garner quick results. So slow and intelligent choices need to be made to prevent enthusiastically large jumps and an increased chance of injury.

Today was the beginning of a second full cycle of the pressing protocol, having started with the heavy day, and performing the protocol four days consecutively, with a day off between the second "medium" day and the heavy day.

The session today consisted of Stacked Presses, 3 sets of doubles, with a 16 kg stacked onto a 24 kg. These were easily performed, compared to the last session. Each set was started with an easy double in the pullup with 18 kg hanging from my waste.

Then, following the protocol, was the Push Press Walk outs, for 4 ladders of 2 rungs, with 48 kg. These were supersetted with single pullups with 24 kg, which were suprising ly easy.

This was then followed with two sets of rows for 12 (each arm) with 48 kg, trying to keep the reps explosive. These were supersetted with my "teeth lifts" with 24 kgs for sets of 10.

It was then on to 2 sets of doubles with the half TGU's, as recommended by Adam Glass' protocol, each half getup combined with an arm-bar, all performed slowly, and with 48 kg. The more I combine TGU's with arm-bars in a 1:1 ratio, the better my shoulders become, most especially my right shoulder, which took the brunt of a 5 year football career through junior and senior high school.

A quick jump through 2 ladders of (3, 6, 9) with 24 kg in the Snatch, and that was all she wrote.

I am going to follow the Titan Challenge protocol for swings with the Snatch, to prepare myself for the VWC 15:15 protocol. Or I might combine the two, with the VWC 15:15 protocol being performed on the lighter days. We shall see.

Anyways, this post is long enough, and I will endevour to post more regularly.

A VERY heavy training session....

2009-09-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

Lots of singles with the CoC 1.5 (almost closed the CoC 2 with both hands - not bad for only a few weeks worth of gripper training), then 2 sets of 3 each side with 15 lbs on front levering to face.

Grip work was followed by 1x5 L/R with 130 lb kb in Cleans + FSQs (five cleans then 5 FSQs). Max Shank stated on his blog that he noticed a strong abdominal bracing effect doing these, and Adam Glass also is a proponent of them. They do the trick. Do them. Period.

Next was TGU training with roll-to-press with 175 for a cycle of 3 singles L/R, then a cycle of 2 singles L/R. I have returned to Josef's Titan Challenge, using v.2. Gave getting a full rep with the 175, and made it to standing with the iron overhead, but it was too much to get it back down. That was the first time I have held that much weight OH with one arm, and it is HEAVY.

I always follow TGU training with heavy rows supersetted with teeth lifting, the rows for an arm wrenching 205 lbs for 2 sets of 4 left and right partial reps (upper arm only to parallel to ground), then 175 for a single set of 4 each side. The teeth lifts are done with a rope wrapped around a kb handle, and I perform neck curls in that fashion. Sets of 5 reps with 75 lbs in a 1:1 ratio with the sets of rows. Last 3 sets of these were static holds with a 32 kg and 16 kg KBs for 10 seconds per set. That definitely wakes you up.

For the last few months I have been doing OH presses following all of the above, finding it fascilitates a better output. Have been putting together cycles of quick doubles or triples before and after heavier singles or doubles, a technique I experimented with last year. Tonight had a double with 32 kg L/R preceeding and following singles or doubles with 130 lbs. Did this for 3 cycles. Lighter weight flew up, and the heavier work had a lot more speed to it. Will keep posting about this technique as time goes on.

Throughout the entire workout I threw in sets of 4 fast and strict pull-ups, usually between groups of exercises or cycles of exercises. I always throw them in at a 1:1 ratio when doing overhead presses, this time being before each cycle of pressing.

Power breathing for a set of 5, and that was that.