Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

I feel ok, surprising since yesterday about an hour after my workout, my lips started to dry out and my throat was getting sore. After 2 hours, I became really thristy with dry swollen lips and my throat got really sore!
Definite overtraining signs when happens that quickly after a workout. Made sleeping uncomfortable that's for sure, I woke up at 1:30am from the sore throat and had to get a drink then. Managed to go back to sleep though.

Lips are still dry and swollen, but my throat isn't as bad, but still pretty sore. Yet I don't feel all that bad, slightly sore all over, mostly in my upper body. I did a small jump and throw this morning and it was snappy, and the non-powered steering wheel in the van is ok to turn too.
I don't feel drained like when I over-reach from high intensity or explosive work, but I'm definitely overtrained. Goes to show fatigue from high volume work is separate from high intensity/explosive/CNS intensive work

But I've been doing that same workout for weeks before with no problems, along with running earlier in the day.
I think the lack of sleep last week, and poor diet, even though I did take a break may have put me on the edge, and the last 3 workouts put me over it.
I have the next few days off anyway.

Feeling better, my throat is not as sore now, but lips still pretty dry and swollen. Upper body still a bit sore, but my posterior chain, especially my lower back is feeling better than it has in a while. Guess the long nap gave it the rest it needed, since I normally sit on my ass for long periods which tenses my erectors. Lower back has been feeling a bit overtrained the last few weeks.

Throat is pretty much back to normal, but my lips are still a bit dry and swollen. Not feeling too crash hot today.

I mowed the lawn yesterday, and it was harder than I expected pushing the lawn mower around. Pecs, arms and posterior chain was getting pumped! Felt like like sled dragging and bench pressing together in one

Sunday 18th Septermber - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 3 - Day 1 - BBALL - Microcycle 4

Went to the other outdoor BBall courts - Willoughby Leisure Centre

Bodyweight at home - 207lbs in shorts and t-shirt
Workout time - 1 hour
Workout rating - 7/10

Did my usual stuff at the BBall courts.

I felt a bit flat today, I didn't feel like jumping all out till 40mins into the session. Then the floodgates opened up - I went all out!
Pretty nimble and zippy, very agile. I went all out on one legged layups a few times and no pain in my shins or ankles, and getting up higher too.
BBall is getting much easier on my body as I get lighter and leaner.

Felt like I could have jumped an inch higher had I been fresh, but I can't complain, because I'm only 2lbs down from the last time I came here, and yet I'm 2 inches up. Which means I've gained an inch from power gains.
My 2 handed one step 2legged jump is up even more, felt like I'm getting more power from my arm swing.
Did not feel explosive, but I felt strong if that makes sense
I've been eating more the last 2 days so that's probbaly why.
I was able to maintain my jump right to the end as well.

Not a bad ratio of bodyweight drop to jump gain - so far from 219lbs to 207lbs I've gained 6 inches at the BBall courts. 1inch to every 2lbs! Got at least another 18lbs of fat to drop, wanna get down to at least 190lbs, do the sums

Not feeling too bad at all. Not all that sore - mild aches all over, but mostly in my feet, lower legs, erectors, traps, and biceps.
Quads and hammies aren't all that sore which surprises me a bit.

Looking forward to training tommorrow, feel like I'm gonna have a good session, always a good sign!

Tuesday 20th September - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 3 - Day 2 AM - Energy Work - Microcycle 4

Good session, once I warmed up. Feet were aching a bit before then.

Workout Rating - 8/10
Workout time - 35mins

Warmup

warmup - dynamic stretches and swings, foot massage, various hops in place in bare feet at home.

Slow Jog - faster each run - 50m x 4 - 1min rest

Run complex increasing in speed each run to 50% speed - 1.5 mins rest

3 sets - trying to stay as smooth, relaxed and fluid as possible
50m straight run, then into lateral run, right side 5m, left side 5m, into backwards run 5m

then 25m accleration runs to 70% speed x 2 runs - walk back to start = rest


Tempo Runs + Energy Work

200 metres - 180 degree turn at halfway @ 70% speed

rest = 3 mins

1) 45+ secs
2) 42+ secs
3) 44+ secs ---> very hard

I figured that while I can pump my legs fast, the problem is my strides aren't very long, so it makes me look like I'm doing stiff legged sprints when I run flat out.
So today I focused on opening up my stride a bit, pulled my leg up higher and kicking my stride out further in front, then paw back on the ground on the way back.

This certainly caned my hip flexors, calves and hammies like never before.
Which also made it difficult to run "slow" like this and the times says it all. For the same subjective effort as last week, I'm much faster! Last week I did 46+, 48+, and 48+ secs and I just about died on the last run. Ok I'm still running too fast, but the times were certainly an eye opener, since I did slow down at the end of each run!

If I can get this new form down, while maintaining my old stride frequency, I should be much faster across the board. Just covering more ground each step
It feels just like a running one legged jump. So It should help me there too, which is probably why I haven't noticed as much of a transfer from sprints to it until maybe now
Gonna have to video myself next time to see if I'm doing it right.

One thing though - I found it very hard to maintain my stride length after 60% in each run, hip flexors just got too tired. So I'm gonna have to do some strength endurance work on it - Hanging leg raises etc. Finally I have a use for these sled dragging ankle straps I bought to add weights
Squats are gonna suffer later today for sure, hip flexors, hammies and calves are throbbing....

Tuesday 20th September - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 3 - Day 2 - Upper + Lower - Microcycle 4

Not a bad workout at all, stronger across the board, squats and bench approaching PR territory at a much lighter bodyweight...even 2 hours after a pretty hard sprint session!
Like I said before, looks like I've found my "magic" split, as long as I get plenty of sleep that is...

Bodyweight at gym - 212lbs in winter clothing
Workout time - 1.5 hours
Workout rating - 8.5/10

General warmup -
1) dynamic swings etc
2) back extension BWx6 + 6 twisting to each alternate side
3) situp complex on swissball
4) warmup complex with 30lb bar - RDL onto toes with shrug, military press, explosive good morning onto toes, snatch grip behind the neck partial press, hang powercleans, and powerjerks - 10 reps each, except cleans 5 reps, jerks 3 reps
5) Siting in the bottom of a narrow stance fullsquat until heels get within a cm of the floor


Full Oly Back Squats - in Oly Shoes - RAW

Warmups - controlled down, semi- explosive up - BWx5, Bar x8,
95x5, 135x5, 185x4, 225x4, 275x2, 315x1
frontsquats - Bar x 5, 95x4, 135x4
wide stance squats - Bar x 5, 95x4

controlled - resting 3 mins
325lbs 2x3 (+10lbs) --> strong and stable

325lbs felt strong and stable, upright with no GM'ing today, even 2 hours after
a hard sprint session! 315lbs was all out last week on the 2nd set, this week I had enough gas for a 3rd set. Not that far from PR territory either, guess my work capacity is not too shabby
I think the guy doing 1/4 squats with 315lbs in the rack next door probably motivated me


Cleans - in Oly Shoes - RAW

Did these inbetween the later warmup sets of squats

Hang powercleans - Bar x 5
Powerclean + High Hang Squatclean - Bar x 3, 89lbs, 119lbs, 155lbs 175lbs

Powerclean + High Hang Squatclean - 175lbs - after the last set of squats, felt OK

Well I was just gonna done a few hang powercleans to get me juiced up for the squats, but I thought I'd try some squatcleans, as I haven't done any in over 6months. Well I was rather surprised to find my timing was still there, and my form was probbaly better than the last time I did em 6 months!!!
pretty smooth, good flow and snap. Felt faster too , thanks to the lighter bodyweight, sprints and BBall....

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Rotating Sets between each upper body exercise

Resting 1-2 min on warmup sets and then 3 mins between each exercise

14 inch Grip bench - shoulder blades tucked - no arch or leg drive

Warmups - Fast down, explosive up - Bar x10, 95lbs x 8, 135x5, 165x3, 195x3, 225x2

controlled down, explode up
Rotation 1) 255lbs x 3 (+10lbs)
Rotation 2) 255lbs x 3

up 10lbs from last week and nailed it, felt easier too! All time PR at close to 220lbs is 265x4, if I can nail 265lbs 2x3 next week, then I'm right there and lighter to boot

Dumbell Bent over Barbell Rows - palms facing, narrow to wide elbows out - Strict

warmups - explosive - total weight for dumbells - 60lbs x 8, 100x8, 130x4, 160x1

explode up, controlled down
Rotation 1) 180lbs in dumbells x 4 (+10lbs)
Rotation 2) 180lbs x 4 --> just made the last rep

probbaly some fatigue from cleans, smacked my glutes and hammies pretty hard too

feel ok, have that kinda warm feeling to your head/neck/breath when I get that slight drained feeling, but not too bad.

Moderately sore all over as you'd expect! Mostly in my calves, hammies, inner thigh, upperback and biceps.
Had a nice hot shower and then a stretching session - feel pretty good now

Thursday 22nd September - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 4 - Day 3 AM - Energy Work - Microcycle 4

Good session, went better than I expected, nice warm day.

Workout Rating - 8/10
Workout time - ?

Warmup

warmup - dynamic stretches and swings, foot massage, various hops in place in bare feet at home.

Slow Jog - faster each run - 50m x 4 - 1min rest

Run complex increasing in speed each run to 50% speed - 1.5 mins rest

3 sets - trying to stay as smooth, relaxed and fluid as possible
25m straight run with side step to each side every 2nd step, then into lateral run, right side 5m, left side 5m, into backwards run 5m

then 25m accleration runs to 70% speed x 2 runs - walk back to start = rest


Energy Work

Agility complex @ 50-60% speed

rest = 2 mins

50m run with side step to alternate side every 2 strides. Turn around
50m zig-zag runs with a 360 degree pivot at the end of each direction back to start

3 complex around 40secs each - 2mins rest
change of directions at pretty high intensity

rest 3mins then
Tempo Runs 100 metres @ 70% speed

2 mins rest
1) 17+ secs
2) 16.85 secs

The agility runs went better than I expected, there was none of that jarring the last time I did em back when I weighed 218lbs or so. Felt snappy and explosive. Inner shins did ache a little after the session, but not in a bad way. Should pass when I my body gets used to the forces just like a few weeks back when I started sprinting all out again.
These always stripped the fat off me, lets hope they do the same again...

And that was one hell of a core workout to boot! obliques, forntal wall and erectors well all working hard to keep my upper body locked into place!!! Military press might suffer a bit too later today

Focused on my new form on the tempo runs, felt the downward pawing action and the arm pump up to my face. So I must be getting there form wise - hopefully. They went faster than I expected.

Thursday 22nd September - Cycle 3 Get Lean+Maintain Strength - Week 3 - Day 3- Upper + Lower 2 - Microcycle 4

Would have prefered to do this workout at least 2 hours after my running, but it was already late so I had to sequeez it in an hour after, and my body and CNS hadn't quite rebounded back yet.

Trimmed the overall volume down a bit

Bodyweight at gym - 209lbs
Workout time - 1 hour 30 mins
Workout rating - 7/10

General warmup -
1) dynamic swings etc
2) back extension BWx6 + 6 twisting to each alternate side
3) Situp complex on swiss ball
4) Scapular pushups - on bench BWx12, on floor BWx12

Rotating Sets between each upper body exercise - all stopped before I started to strain too much

Resting 1 min on warmup sets and then 2mins between each exercise

Military Press - in Oly Shoes

Warmups - 30x10, 45x10, 70x10

rhythmic
Rotation 1) 105lbs x 15 (hard)

Quite abit harder than last week, guess my shoudlers are tired from the running. My core was weaker, but didn't notice it too much, just wasn't able to go as fast as I normally do from the slightly less stable feeling.

Pullups and Rows

warmups - Pulldowns 30kgx10, 60kg x 8

rhythmic
Rotation 1) Assisted pullups - 5plates x 9
rhythmic
Rotation 2) High Angle Standing DumbellRows to ribcage - thumbs facing, elbows out - 40lbs x 17 (+2reps)

pullups harder than I expected....

Low angle Dumbell decline Tricep Extensions - palms facing

warmups - 3kg x 12, 15lbs x 8,

rhythmic
Rotation 1) 20lbs x 20 (+2reps)


Standing Dumbell Curls

warmups - 3kg x 12, 15lbs x 8

rhythmic
Rotation 1) 20lbs x 20 (+2reps)


Prehab - rotated sets between each exercise in no particular order - 30secs to 1min rests

Wide mulit-direction lunge - 5 ways each leg, 3 reps each direction x 40lbs in dumbells - up 10lbs, quite hard after the running, will stay here for a while

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - 1plate x 10, 2Px20

Hip abduction/adduction on Keiser air machine - Level 3/3 x12, level 5/7 x 20

Standing Single Leg curl - 3plates x 6, 5P x 17 (+2reps)

Hanging Leg raises - BW x 15 - burn!

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Dip Shrugs - bench dip style BWx15. On dip bars - lockout hold BWx12secs, BWx5, BW+10lbs x22 (+2reps) - used a chain dip belt which adds a bit of extra weight as well

Face Pulls - 30lbs x6, 60lbs x 20 (+10lbs)

Single Arm low pulley L-Flyes - 10lb x 6, 15lbs x20 (+2reps)


ISO Stretches - EQI

subscap stretched ISO hold - 7kg dumbell x 1min