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Creation of an Explosive Mofo - My Training Journal :)

Tuesday 3rd April - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 1 - Day 2 - Upper 2 prehab/rehab, Light Lower - Microcycle 1

Not a bad workout.
Did frontsquat first after the warmup stuff, and the did a circuit of the rest of the exercises. Band pull aparts and dislocates getting much easier now, will eventually move up to the purple/light jumpstretch band

Dropped the supported pistol squats. On the single leg kneeling deadlift, the left side is pretty stable, but the right side is wobbly as hell. That's also the side where I had a major ankle sprain, and I get a sprain type inflammation every now and then on it...I can see why now! This exercise should improve stability eventually. Activates my hips too.

Body weight at gym - 205lbs
Workout time - 1 hour
Workout rating - 8/10

General warm up

ankle mobility lunge x 12 each side. I just push my knee as far forward as it can go and lunge and forward etc.

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) standing side leg raise x 8 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings
3) Prone Scorpion - x 8 each leg alternating
4) Lying on back Scorpion under - x 10 each leg alternating
5) high glute mobility drill x 10 each side
6) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and leg
7) Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 10 + band dislocates x 10.
with green jumpstretch band held full length, then 3/4 length For 2 sets
8) SLDL mobility walks
9) scapular pushup against high bench
10) single arm scapular pushup against high bench - BW x 10
11) Reach, Roll and Lift - stretches in the same position and 1 rep, 3 sec hold x 3 each side, alternating x 2 sets
12) single leg kneeling deadlift 2x5 each side



Front Squats - clean grip - no belt

warmups - in sneakers - Bar x5, 95lbs x 3, 135lbs x 3, 165lbs x 2, 195lbs x 2
in oly shoes - 225lbs x 2

90% of 1RM - in oly shoes
1) 255lbs x 3

I'm guessing my 1RM is at 285lbs. Feeling a bit easier now on my upper body, still hard as you'd expect at this %, but my upper body no longer feels like collasping and rounding over at 255lbs. Upper back was aching though, but not a problem for my legs, nice and controlled, tight and upright today. Oly shoes do help...
I focused on arching my back and pushing my ass back without actually sitting back, sorta creating an anterior tilt. That really activated, made the hamstrings ache in the warmup sets in sneakers. See frontsquats can hit the hammies :)

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 1-2 mins between each exercise - one upper body move, then a lower body move


Pushup with extension at top and hold

Warm ups - x5 on floor

1) On medball x 10

woo hard, core wise too

High angle Dumbbell Rows to ribcage - palms facing - pulling with lower traps and delts

warmups - 30lbs x 3

1) 40lbs x 10 (+5lbs)

Low Incline face down dumbell Raise/External Rotation combo

Thumbs up Y raise + neutral grip side raise + Cuban rotation - all with hold at top
warmups - 1kg x 3

1) 2kg x 6


Dumbbell Curls - hold at the middle on the way down

warm ups - 15lbsx5,

1) 22lbs x 10


Reverse Lunge - vertical shins, medium wide stance, rear leg kept on the straighter side - 2 sec pause at bottom - oly shoes - alternating legs

wamups - BW x 3 each side, Bar x 3 each side

1) 105lbs x 4 each side (+5lbs)


Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - 1 Plate x 5, 2 plates paused top and bottom x 8

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep with hold at bottom)
hold at middle and bottom on each rep - 15lbs x 3, 25lbs x 8


-----------------------

Cooldown - stretches

knee supported dip/pushup stretched hold - BW x 30secs
reverse hypers - BW x 20
lying on back paused dumbell subscap rotations x 10 + stretched hold x 30secs

upper and lower body stretches
 
Last edited:
al420 said:
You ever give Foam Rollers a try? I roll my hips and glutes nightly...helps a ton. Really painful at first, but decently less painful over time...kinda...lol
Click to expand...


yeah I sometimes use my ghetto cardboard roll to do that :p
But my hips are just achey from from just general DOMS from the jump landings and squats

My IT band/pini has been pretty achey though in a strain way, not sure is up with it, but when it's warm I don't even feel it.
 
hmm found some related stuff

http://www.dynamic-eleiko.com/sportivny/library/farticles007.html

The significantly greater correlation between results in the snatch and the back squat than between the snatch pull and the snatch shows that the back squat is the fundamental training exercise for the snatch. This is indicative of its high significance for weightlifters to achieve high results" (1).

The authors' conclusions would seem to indicate that lifters should turn their attention to improving the back squat in order to achieve higher results in the snatch. Frolov et al (2) found a similar correlation between the squat and snatch results. However, they determined that improvement of the snatch is to a great extent determined by the speed with which the knees shift under the barbell during the "explosion" and the speed of the "explosion" phase as a whole (2).

The faster the "explosion" occurs and the faster the quadriceps muscles are stretched the more powerful the subsequent contraction (2,22). The tests of absolute strength, the back squat and the static pull, were found to have almost no correlation to snatch results. However, the tests of explosive strength such as the vertical jump and the standing long jump revealed a high correlation to results in the snatch. Furthermore, the stronger the hamstrings, the higher the test results in the aforementioned jumps.

Consequently, improvement of snatch results is not conditioned by improvement in the back squat but improvement in explosive strength and the relative strength of the muscles that flex the knees.

Frolov 's (2) findings are what one would anticipate considering the physiology involved. According to Lukashev (18), "One's results in the snatch depend to great extent on the speed of muscular contraction, the reactive abilities of the neuromuscular apparatus and the way these forces are applied".

A weightlifter simply does not have the time to realize his maximum strength for the snatch because the actual time the lifter has to produce muscular force is less than one second. It requires more time for a lifter to generate maximum muscular force than is available in an exercise like the snatch

According to Deniskin (21), "One of the fundamental methods of developing the muscular strength of weightlifters is to employ weights in excess of the weights one can lift in the competition exercises in pulls (clean and snatch) and squats. However, these exercises contribute to the effective development of absolute strength, but they have little effect on the ability to generate explosive force" (A.N. Vorobeyev, 1977; A.S. Medvedyev, 1968; V.S. Avenesov, 1970).

So, even if a lifter continues to increase the absolute strength of the legs by lifting more weight in the back squat, he will never be able to fully utilize this increase in strength in the brief time available to execute the snatch. Over time, a lifter will reach a point of diminishing returns from this exercise, relative to its value as an assistance exercise for the snatch.

Furthermore, one has to be careful not to develop the strength of the quadriceps significantly out of proportion to that of the hamstrings, especially at the critical knee angles of the "explosion" phase. Conceivably this could have the opposite of the desired effect from training which would result in making the lifter slower in the "explosion" phase.

The back squat does not involve a rapid switching of tension from the muscles of the front of the thighs to those in the rear. So, this motor habit is not reinforced with squatting nor is there a concomitant development of the antagonist muscles in the front and rear of the thighs

----------------------------------------

BTW I have noticed that when I jump, just before I reach the bottom of the dip, my knees are actually behind my toes, but when I reach the bottom and a bit after I rebound back upwards I rebend my kness and scoop my hips forward and push my knees well over my toes ---> just like doing an oly lift or oly Good Morning!! I don't know if I have always done this or if this is a by product of me doing powercleans and such. So I essentially get 2 stretch reflex actions kicking in! The main dip and the hip scoop fowards which re-stretches the quads, and it's speed is determined by hamstring strength as stated above...

I can actually see the weight transfer in my shoes - onto heels on the way down and and then shifting foward, by the rocking seen in my shoe's soles

No wonder the paused Good mornings onto toes have helped my vertical jump so much and powerclean the last time I did it heavy - specifically beefing up my weaker hammies. And I sit back until my toes come off the ground and then scoop forward onto toes - exactly like how I jump
 
***** sleep, dog's antic woke me up several times, and It was hard to fall back to sleep with the sore throat I got, which started during my training session yesterday! I don't feel drained, but a bit sapped...gah I hope I don't get sick again. Am I really overtrained again?! Waking pulse is either 55 or 65, lost count... Sore everywhere

I have tommorrow off, so gonna take some naps today and get a good night's sleep. It's the calm before the storm, as I have to fill in again on the 2 hardest days for the ass hat who decides to go away for Easter!

weighed 92.6kg 203.7lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Out of protein powder now as well, which is the most expensive thing. Too lazy to go buy some more so will probbaly go without for a while. Or maybe I might mail order in bulk..... wouldn't saving some cash so lets see how I fair with for a while...
 
JohnRobHolmes said:
you eat many eggs right now?
Click to expand...


I always eat some before I train.



----------

Feeling better, sleep is still broken. Sore throat is gone, posterior chain still a bit sore.

weighed 92.5kg 203.5lbs straight out of bed in underwear
waist still the same size around 35.25inches. Leg has shrunk back to 27.5 inches...

protein is done a lot, might not be a bad thing, reduce leg size etc..
 
Thursday 5th April - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Strong + Lean up - Week 1 - Day 3 - Lower Power/Strength - Microcycle 2

Didn't feel that greatest and posterior chain was achey, but I finally nailed me a new one step VJ PR!! Was pumped as hell from that!
Nice short and sweet session - productive as hell


Body weight at gym - 204.5lbs
Workout time - 1 hour
Workout rating - 9/10

General warm up -

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) dynamic stretches and swings
2) back extension x 4 + 6 twisting to each side
3) sit up complex on swiss ball
4) standing side leg raise x 8 each side
5) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
6) Lying on back Scorpion under - x8 each leg alternating
7) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and type
8) glute bridge x 10
9) Single leg SLDL mobility walks
10) various hops and prime times, running on the spot drill etc

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 3 mins

Vertical Jumps

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, rest 30secs, short run of prime times, running one leg jump, rest 30 secs, then a set of 2 standing jumps going higher/harder each time.

did these in between the warm up sets on squats from bar to 185lbs

a) Speed hops on a 3 inch step x 5
b) short run of prime times
c) running on leg jump

rest 30 secs - and 20 sec rest between each jump
a) one step VJ
b) standing Vertical jump
c) 3 step vertical jump

2 hard sets total, jumps were about the same. Disappointed...
Then I did one more rotation, but without the prime times and running one leg jump, starting to feel some fatigue, so I decided to leave em out.

Did a one step jump in the fire exit and grazed the ceiling! +0.5 inch PR got all excited and told a friend there about it!

came back and did 3 more one step vertical jumps and each one got even higher! At least one knuckle past the ceiling +1 inch PR
Then I did another set of 3 more jumps to video, but they not as high, 0.5 to an inch lower, fatigued. So stopped there. Feeling all hyped up I attacked the squats!
If I can drop my gym bodyweight to 198lbs and bring squat back up to 345x6 and I just might put all my fingers flat against the ceiling :)


Full Oly Squats - Oly Shoes - no Belt

Warm ups - controlled down, power up - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - Bar x 3, 95lbs x3
backsquat - bar x 5, 95lbs x 5, 135x5, 185x5, 225x4, 255x2, 285x2

controlled
1) 315lbs x 6 --> hard strain on last rep

I was supposed to just do 90% of my 5RM, ie 285x5 today, well my estimated 5RM of 315lbs based on the 295x7 I did last week. But I decided to go find out what my real 5RM was. Got 6 reps with 315lbs, last rep was a bit of a gut buster, back was aching but I didn't GM it, all reps nice and upright.

So 5RM should be 325lbs. So I'll shot for 330lbs when I am supposed to go for a new 5RM on this day in 2 weeks time, back down to 285lbs for 5 next week.
I did 345x6 before I got sick, so only 30lbs away from my all time best now.
Good for another 1-2 inches on Vertical Jump maybe :)


video of the vertical Jumps and main full squat set
Right click on video and save first to avoid errors
http://www.members.optushome.com.au...PR_204.5BW_FullSquat 315x6_5April07_Music.mpg

--------------------

split leg Good Mornings - narrow split - high bar - oly shoes - no belt

warmups - BW x 5 , Bar x 3, 65lbs x 1 each side

controlled, 3 sec pause at bottom, left side first, alternating legs
80lbs x 4 each side (+5lbs)

-----

lower body stretches and some upper body ones
 
It reads like you are approaching overtraining, but then your workouts look solid....

You be the judge, but small steps back or away can mean bir PR's down the road, and less chance for some BS injury...

Got some new Addidas yesterday...sweet!
 
al420 said:
It reads like you are approaching overtraining, but then your workouts look solid....

You be the judge, but small steps back or away can mean bir PR's down the road, and less chance for some BS injury...

Got some new Addidas yesterday...sweet!
Click to expand...


I am pretty sure I'm not overeached right now even though I did get a sore throat a few days ago. Must be due to allergy as I have been hit by hay fever
The feelings I had leading up to me last getting sick were different - I started to dread the workouts, but I am so motivated that I can force myself onwards. My knees started to complain. The squat sets were gut busting to the max etc. and the warmup sets were just plain hard. I was just training way too hard and the volume just too high.

My intensity levels and volumes are pretty low compared to before :)
But higher frequency

My Addidas are worn out as hell at the back, I think that's why I wobble a bit when I squat sometimes....




I think I have finally figured "it" out, but has it taken a while

this post by Charlie Francis - trainer for Ben Johnson - made me think a bit, and it makes a lot of sense to me now, I finally understand what he is getting at. He is refering to sprinting, but I have a hunch it also applies to jumping as well....

While being strong will NOT necessarily make you fast, being fast WILL make you strong.
This is the point I've been trying to get across to all of you with limited success for several years now.
This is why strength work IS general, functions as a stimulus, and why strength moves relentlessly upwards with performance even though the corresponding weight work may, at times, appear spotty.
The concept that weights can be made specific and thus be the leading element in the pursuit of higher sprint performance is dangerous. Despite my best efforts, I am constantly lectured on here that I am wrong.
I will, once again, try to make my point through a cautionary tale. The 1980 Olympic women's sprint champ left her husb/coach and married Yuri Seydich, the Oly Hammer Champ. After having a baby, she started coming back under Yuri's guidance. He told me: "I went through her weight program and it was a mess! The weights were all over the place, here today, absent tomorrow! The first thing I did was straighten out the weight program!"
I recognized why, as a secondary element, her weights varied, but cringed and said nothing. Predictably, perhaps, he wanted to use his unsurpassed knowledge of weights to help his wife. Equally predictably, she never ran well again.
The operation was a success but the patient died!
Click to expand...


-------------


Man my CNS was so hyped, and me thinking so much that I found it hard to sleep, and so sleep was pretty light all night. That's downside of setting PR :)
Plus my feet, lower leg/calves were aching something fierce.
Oh well, I'm in pretty good moods, even then, I don't feel as tired as I should, and there is no drained or sapped feeling!

Moderately achey all over upper back and hammies the most sore. IT band or some muscle on the side of my hips an each side has been bothering me a bit, especially when I walk downstairs, right on the hip bone. I get it too when I land from my first few jumps or from squats before I am fully warmed up...

weighed 92.7kg 203.94lbs straight out of bed in underwear
 
Sunday 8th April - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 2 - Day 1 - Lower 1 Power/Strength/Assistance - Micro cycle 2

Even though I was fatigued from filling in at my part time job, I felt pretty good warming up, jumps and cleans were good. Squats were hard as hell though. Last Sunday was like that too, again I filled in for someone. I hope thats the reason why, next week things return back to normal and maybe things will change for the better.

Bodyweight down a pound from this time last week.

Body weight at gym - 203.5lbs
Workout time - 1+ hour
Workout rating - 7/10

General warm up -

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) standing Side leg raise x 8 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) "hurdle" over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
4) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
5) Lying on back Scorpion under - x8 each leg alternating
6) glute bridge x 10
7) back extension x 4 + 4 twisting to each side
8) sit up complex on swiss ball
9) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
10) 40lb bar complex - slow cleanpull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 5 reps each, 3 on the jerks
11) various hops, prime times, running in the spot drills, low 6 inch altitude drops and depth jumps


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3mins

Jumps and Hops

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, then a set of 2 standing 2 handed jumps going higher/harder each time

did these in between the warm up sets on squats from bar to 225lbs

a) Speed hops on a 3 inch step x 5

rest 30secs
a) one step VJ
b) standing Vertical jump
c) 3 step vertical jump --> NEW PR! +0.5 inch

2 hard sets total and a few more one step VJ.
PR'ed onthe 3 step VJ today, eyes level with the lower ceiling above the oly platform.
On every one step VJ, I was able to touch the high ceiling in the fire exit with room to spare. Been stuck an inch under for so long! Finally broken the mental barrier :)
I expect and know I will get it everytime now, even when my timing is off. Plus my standing VJ is only 1.5 inches away from the same ceiling! Next goal it to touch the ceiling with both hands on the one step VJ, and standing vert. Just 2 more inches for both.


Full Back Squats - sneakers - no Belt

warm ups - controlled - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3
backsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 185x4, 225x4, 255x2

85% of 5RM - controlled - 2.5 mins rest
1) 265lbs x 3
2) 270lbs x 3
3) 270lbs x 3

in oly shoes
4) 265lbs x 3
5) 265lbs x 3

Pretty hard like last week. WTF, granted I went down pretty slowly, but man lots of straining here and the 265 didn't feel that light on my back. Same total reps as last week 3x5 with 265lbs, but sets and reps flipped around.


Power Cleans - in sneakers

Powerclean + 2 High Hang powercleans - warmup with bar
89lbs, 119lbs, 139lbs


---------


Good Mornings onto toes - high bar - oly shoes

warmups - BW x5, Bar x 5, 95lbs x 2, 135lbs x 1

3 sec pause at bottom and hold at top on toes
155lbs 2 x 3 - 3 mins rest

same deal as squats, did 2x3 instead of one set of 5 last week

--

lower body, and some upper body stretches
 
Slightly sapped earlier in the day, but it went away. Body is achey as usual, but I'm not as sore as before, especially my hamstrings from the Good Mornings. I wonder if it's just my body adapting, along with the higher training frequency or because of the low reps per set....
The fact I'm not increasing the weights that much, but still varying the loading style might have something to do with that as well. In the past I always tried to up the loads as quickly as I could, which I think is a large reason why I got so sore and burnt out so quickly all the time....Rome wasn't built in one day as they say :)

weighed 92.5kg 203.5lbs straight out of bed in underwear
slight change in my diet, since I'm not taking in any protein powder and fishoil now, I've added a handful of raw almonds along with my usual fruits, plus some small amount of meats and eggs here and there. Still protein level is way down, and I haven't noticed any musle loss. Plus I feel better!
 
Tuesday 10th April - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 2 - Day 2 - Upper 2 prehab/rehab, Light Lower - Microcycle 2

Pretty good workout. Front squats first by itself, then a circuit with the rest of the other stuff.

Body weight at gym - 204.5lbs
Workout time - 1.25 hours
Workout rating - 8/10

General warm up

ankle mobility lunge x 12 each side. I just push my knee as far forward as it can go and lunge and forward etc.

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) standing side leg raise x 8 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings
3) Prone Scorpion - x 10 each leg alternating
4) Lying on back Scorpion under - x 10 each leg alternating
5) high glute mobility drill x 10 each side
6) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and leg
7) Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 10 + band dislocates x 10.
with green jumpstretch band held full length, then 3/4 length For 2 sets
8) SLDL mobility walks
9) scapular pushup against high bench
10) single arm scapular pushup against high bench - BW x 10
11) Reach, Roll and Lift - stretches in the same position and 1 rep, 3 sec hold x 3 each side, alternating x 2 sets
12) single leg kneeling deadlift 2x5 each side



Front Squats - clean grip - no belt

warmups - in sneakers - Bar x5, 95lbs x 3, 135lbs x 3, 165lbs x 3, 195lbs x 2
in oly shoes - 225lbs x 2, 245x1

90% of 1RM - in oly shoes
1) 265lbs x 3

Upped the weight 10lbs as I figure my 1RM is closer to 295lbs now. The same weight as I use for squats on Sunday, so I guess this will be the case from now on.
Feels quite a bit harder than 255lbs. Core wobbled a bit walking out, and had to strain fairly hard on the 3rd rep. Big lactic acid buildup on the 3rd rep, quite a big difference to the 2nd one! Upper body just holding on. Really upright though. Smooth and controlled as well. Slowly but surely my thoracic support strength is improving

video of the 265lb set, can't get anymore upright than that :)
right click on video and save first to avoid errors
http://www.members.optushome.com.au/coolcolj3/Movies/CCJ_FrontSquat_265x3_90percent1RM_10April07.mpg


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 1-2 mins between each exercise - one upper body move, then a lower body move


Chest Supported T-Bar Rows - medium overhand grip

warm ups - Paused + hold at top - Bar x 5, +25lbs x 5, +45x5, +70x5, +90 x 2

elbows out, chin tucked, paused + hold at top
1) Bar + 100lbs x 6 (+5lbs )


Dip Shrugs

warm ups - 10sec Hold + 5 reps, BW x5

controlled with hold at top
1) BW x 12
2) BW x 12


Reverse Lunge - vertical shins, medium wide stance, rear leg kept on the straighter side - 2 sec pause at bottom - sneakers - alternating legs - BW x 4, Bar x 3, 75lbs x 2 each side

1) 105lbs x 4 each side


Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - 1 Plate x 5, x 5, 2 plates x2, 2 Plates - paused top and bottom x 8

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep with hold at bottom)
hold at middle and bottom on each rep - 15lbs x 3, , 25lbs x 3, 35lbs x 8 (+7.5lbs)

Elbow on Knee single arm External Rotation

4kgx8, 15lbs x 8, 22lbs x 9 (+4.4lbs +1 rep)

-----------------------

Cooldown - stretches

reverse hypers - BW x 20

upper and lower body stretches
 
Feeling sapped, but not drained - Sore all over - glutes, side of hips, abs, soleus and VMO are killing me.
No leg work this time next week, so extra recovery for the heavy squats next Thursday - go for a new 5RM. Plus the car is getting serviced then, so no trip to gym. Will just do some upper body at home.

weighed 92.2kg 202.84lbs straight out of bed in underwear
feasted on lots of junk food last night - if I didn't I probbaly would have leaned up a ton :)
 
Feeling groggy from all the extra sleep I guess, 9 hours total. Hips are achey as hell, but rest of body not too bad. I do seem to be recovering much faster from DOMS now.

weighed 91.8kg 201.96lbs straight out of bed in underwear
Lowest bodyweight in a while. Waist still around the low 35 inches, but man I am definitely leaner than last month. Less stomach flab to grab and everything looks and feels tighter.

Still debating on wether I should get back on the fish oil or not. Without it and protein powder I save a ton of bucks and calories!
 
Poliquin and dropoffs

see under "The Shock Effect"
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1525300

another way to use dropoffs - similar to how Brad Nutall described his factorised waveloading dropoff method here
I agree with what has been said, already, to a large extent but let me add a little bit of what I've learned over the years. First, wave loading is a necessity. You need to take advantage of wave loading within a workout, between successive workouts, and between sequential training blocks.

In other words, you could factorize your workload with the use of high(er) intensity days alternated with low(er) intensity days or, as a method that I have found superior, you could wave your intensity from day to day. If you want to Auto-Regulate then you can use trend-line periodization.

But let's keep it simple with this example. If you are training four days per week (i.e. 3-on, 1-off, 1-on, 2-off) then you could use 85%, 90%, 95% and back down to 80% in a week...or climb with 80%, 85%, 90%, take a day off and then hit 95% before taking a few days off. The 95% day will allow you to determine your cumulative fatigue (i.e. if you can't hit 1 rep on that day then you are 5% in the hole).

You could also wave betwen higher and lower intensity days - i.e. 80% x 6 reps and 95% x 1 rep per set.

The options are endless but the key is to wave your intensity and coincident volume from day to day. I know it sounds a bit odd at first but if you give a few of these "ramped" programs a shot you will realize that there must be something to the synaptic facilitation (i.e. "grease the groove") concept because each day you get stronger and stronger even though the intensity keep increasing....then when the intensity drops and you take a few days off your strength literally jumps through the roof. I've had athletes use these principles and gain 15-lb of muscle and add over 50-lb to their bench press in 4 weeks! And I'm not talking total newbies here either.

There are two final considerations I'm going to throw your way: (1) when you drop the intensity to the lowest point also drop the volume to the lowest point (give it a shot and you'll see why) and (2) shake things up every so often. The best kept secret - if I even dare call it that - in the iron game (and sports training scene) is to do what you haven't been doing.

All I'm saying is that high frequency training is no exception to the fact that you must shake things up if you want to rattle loose continued improvement. For instance, if you've been training on high frequency for a while then switch over to high fatigue (read: lower frequency) for a while, and visa versa. Shake, rattle and roll!
Click to expand...

The way I have been training with buffers on the squat based off my 5RM works pretty similar too I guess. If I am scheduled to do a 5 rep set with 90% of my 5RM and can't hit it, then I am fatigued and 10% in the hole ;)
 
Thursday 12th April - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Strong + Lean up - Week 2 - Day 3 - Lower Power/Strength - Microcycle 2

Not that fresh, starting to feel fatigued, but that's ok, next week I start to deload and hopefully get a new 5RM.
Probbaly no jumping on Sunday, just 3x5 with 265lbs on squats, plus GM, no lower body work on Tuesday, then go for a new 5RM next Thursday, plus no jumping then as well.


Body weight at gym - 204lbs
Workout time - 1.25 hours
Workout rating - 7/10

General warm up -

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) dynamic stretches and swings
2) back extension x 4 + 6 twisting to each side
3) sit up complex on swiss ball
4) standing side leg raise x 8 each side
5) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
6) Lying on back Scorpion under - x8 each leg alternating
7) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and type
8) glute bridge x 10
9) Single leg SLDL mobility walks
10) various hops, prime times, running in the spot drills, low 6 inch altitude drops and depth jumps

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 3 mins

Vertical Jumps

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, rest 30secs, short run of prime times, running one leg jump, rest 30 secs, then a set of 2 standing jumps going higher/harder each time.

did these in between the warm up sets on squats from bar to 225lbs

a) Speed hops on a 3 inch step x 5
b) short run of prime times
c) running on leg jump

rest 30 secs - and 20 sec rest between each jump
a) one step VJ
b) one step 2 handed VJ
d) standing Vertical jump
d) 3 step vertical jump

2 hard sets total, plus a few more 2 legged jumps. About the same as my current bests. One step 2 handed jump 2.5 inches from fire exit ceiling, standing VJ is 1.5 inches away. Again no problems touching the ceiling on the one step VJ, half an inch or so to spare.



Full Oly Squats - in Sneakers - no Belt

Warm ups - controlled down, power up - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - Bar x 3, 95lbs x3
backsquat - bar x 5, 95lbs x 4, 135x3, 185x3, 225x3, 255x2, 285x1

90% of 5RM - controlled
1) 290lbs x 5

290lbs was not that easy, had to strain a bit more on the 5th rep. So I'm probbaly about 5-7% in the hole fatigue wise.


--------------------

split leg Good Mornings - narrow split - high bar - oly shoes - no belt

warmups - BW x 5 , Bar x 3, 65lbs x 2 each side

controlled, 3 sec pause at bottom, left side first, alternating legs
85lbs x 4 each side (+5lbs)

-----

lower body stretches and some upper body ones
 
Feel worked, but not sapped or drained. Light to moderate achey feeling all over. Recovery should be good for next week.

weighed 92.5kg 203.5lbs straight out of bed in underwear
mega feast last night, only one meal after training, but I had the same amount as 3 dinners :)
 
Lay in bed for an hour before I fell asleep, but it was quality sleep after that.
Feeling ok, I should more nicely recovered this coming Thursday for a new 5Rm attempt.

Still some mild aches

weighed 92.5kg 203.5lbs straight out of bed in underwear
started focusing on leaning up more now. But after I did my sums with bodyweight with respect to my vertical jump, dropping down to 180lbs doesn't help as much as I thought....see below...

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Vertical Jump road map

here is my road map to a 39 inch or higher vertical jump - hopefully this year

I figure my standing VJ is around 32 inches. Estimated strict/controlled full Oly Squat 1RM is 365lbs. My high catch powersnatch from the floor is usually around my high hang powerclean with minimal dip, I guess about 165lbs right now. About 45% of my full squat 1RM

High catch powersnatch = 165lbs
165lbs divided by 204lbs recent gym bodyweight (with shoes etc) = 0.8088
Distance from hip crease (where the bar is in a powersnatch before it shoots up at full extension) to where I catch the bar = 39.5 inches

0.8088 x 39.5 inches = 31.95 inch VJ pretty close :)

--

Now if I lean down to 190lb gym bodyweight and maintain my current strength levels, using the above for formula I made -

standing VJ = 34 inches

down to my target goal of a lean 180lbs
standing VJ = 36 inches

works out to be about an 1 inch for every 5lb drop in bodyweight, far less than I expected! :(
Or 1 inch on the VJ for every inch of waist size dropped...waist is 35+ inches now, and I want to get it down to 30 inches eventually, so again around 36-37 inches VJ

--

if I bring up my full squat to 405lbs, high catch powersnatch or high hang powerclean with minimal dip goes up to 180lbs.

current gym weight of 204lbs, standing VJ = 35 inches
at 190lbs, standing VJ = 37 inches
at 180lbs, standing VJ = 39 inches

---

if I bring up my full squat to 455lbs, which is one of my goals this year
high catch powersnatch or high hang powerclean with minimal dip goes up to 200lbs.

current gym weight of 204lbs, standing VJ = 38.5 inches
at 190lbs, standing VJ = 41 inches
at 180lbs, standing VJ = 44 inches


---

Looks it's possible for me to hit my VJ goal of 44 inches eventually - either by getting leaner and lighter at 180lbs, plus getting a bit stronger. Maybe harder this way though. Or getting much stronger at 190lbs with a 475lb full squat :)
Easier as I don't have to get so lean, 190lbs would put me around 10-12% body fat area

off course I've always jumped 2 inches higher with a step, and more with a run up. At a 44 inch VJ, I'd be getting my head pretty darn close to the basketball rim off a run up... ;)
 
Not the best of sleep, woke up early and was thinking about stuff which made it hard to go back to sleep. Upper body a bit sore from part time job, lower body not too bad.

weighed 92.1kg 202.6lbs straight out of bed in underwear
I'm a bit worried about the lack of protein, relatively speaking. Gonna have to go buy another tub of protein powder just in case, plus fish oil...
 
Sunday 15th April - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 3 - Day 1 - Lower 1 Power/Strength/Assistance - Micro cycle 2

No jumps today, tapering off to unload to test squat soon.
Workout was pretty crap. Cleans were ok, but squats sucked... funny that, usually when you overreach it's the other way around...
Squats have felt bad with this setup on every Sunday!

Body weight at gym - 203lbs
Workout time - 1+ hour
Workout rating - 6/10

General warm up -

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) standing Side leg raise x 8 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) "hurdle" over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
4) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
5) Lying on back Scorpion under - x8 each leg alternating
6) glute bridge x 10
7) back extension x 4 + 4 twisting to each side
8) sit up complex on swiss ball
9) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
10) 40lb bar complex - slow cleanpull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 5 reps each, 3 on the jerks
11) various hops

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3mins

Power Cleans - in sneakers

just did these in between the warmup sets on squats

hang powerclean with bar 2x5

Powerclean + 2 Hang powercleans - 133lbs
Powerclean + 2 High Hang powercleans - 133lbs
Powerclean - 155lbs x 2
Powerclean + High Hang powerclean - 155lbs

not bad, high hang powerclean with 155lbs was popped up pretty good with no dip to rack.

Full Back Squats - sneakers - no Belt

warm ups - controlled - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3
backsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 185x5, 225x4, 245x2

85% of 5RM - controlled - 4 to 5 mins rest
1) 265lbs x 5
2) 265lbs x 5
3) 265lbs x 5 --> in oly shoes

Worksets felt kinda heavy on my back, form was awful and they felt hard!
Either I have lost musclemass from the protein drop or I am overreached. Bad form would suggest overreaching, maybe even both...
Man I just do not feel like I can hit 330lbs x 5 on Thursday..see how I feel then, but if the warmups do not feel good, then I'll keep deloading on Thursday.

---------

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3mins


Good Mornings onto toes - high bar - oly shoes

warmups - BW x5, Bar x 5, 95lbs x 3 135lbs x 2

3 sec pause at bottom and hold at top on toes
155lbs 2 x 5 - 3 mins rest

very hard!

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - 1 Plate x 5, x 5, 2 Plates - paused top and bottom x8, x5

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep with hold at bottom)
hold at middle and bottom on each rep - 15lbs x 3, , 25lbs x 5

--

lower body, and some upper body stretches
 
Kinda crappy sleep. Feel sapped. Moderately sore all over, at least hamstrings don't feel so trashed by the Good mornings.

weighed 91.9kg 202.18lbs straight out of bed in underwear
waist down to 35 inches now, look leaner.

Went shopping today, lots of walking, so I'll count that as active recovery
I looked a lot trimmer in the shop window reflections compared to a month ago! :)

Did some stretching at home.
 
Better sleep but not great. Waking pulse lowest this training cycle at 53.
Legs and hips still a little sore.
No lower body training planned today, I might even not train my upper body.
Just not in the mood for it.

weighed 92.2kg 202.8lbs straight out of bed in underwear
Legs and hips look freaking big. On size alone I should be able to squat big, but just a matter of when the CNS catches up...
Hamstrings look downright freaky, from top to bottom. I have never gotten my hammies closer to matching my quad size since I started doing these paused good mornings! 28 inches just under the glute, 27 inches at the middle

Pigged out on some pizza and chips last night, plus another meal after, but waist is still at 35 inches. Man I love this diet setup :)
 
JohnRobHolmes said:
Good lord! Your legs are as big as my waist!

How big were you before you started training?
Click to expand...

depends on how far back you go! :)

I was 150lbs at one stage of my life straight after highschool, pretty lean though with a 29-30inch waist. Around 9-10% bodyfat at a guess
Although I've always had kinda biggish legs and butt - good for jumping :)
My natural Vertical Jump was 28 inches at 155lbs when I was in highschool. Measured in PE, 2nd highest in the class :chomp:

when I started training I had 23-24 inch legs at around 180lbs, but not as lean as I was before.
 
I think Jumping is an awesome skill to develop. My athletic goal is jumping as high as possible, with a bike under me. I should probably start some jump training to keep my fast twitch fibers going.
 
JohnRobHolmes said:
I think Jumping is an awesome skill to develop. My athletic goal is jumping as high as possible, with a bike under me. I should probably start some jump training to keep my fast twitch fibers going.
Click to expand...

from my own experience, make sure your ankle and hip mobility is really good and your posture is sound. Not only will you jump higher, but you will reduce wear and tear on your joints

---


Feeling better. Non- powered steering wheel in the van was fairly hard to turn yesterday, much easier today.
Feet and ankles are bit achey tight for some reason, but legs rest of body feels much better. My IT band and hips have been killing me the last couple of weeks, but the ache is all gone today! Amazing what a few extra days of rest can do, and dialing back the intensity and volume. 4 days of rest seems like the usual sweet spot. An extra day would be even better as I'm not that fresh yet, but training on Friday is a no go, so it will have to be today. I'll see how the warmups feel before I decide if I will go for 330x5 on squats or not, otherwise I'll keep unloading and try again next Tuesday. If I make 330x5, I'll try and beat it next Tuesday. Then repeat the cycle with my new 5RM, but I might space the days out a bit...

weighed 92.7kg 203.94lbs straight out of bed in underwear

carbs last night again. I also started pumping in some fishoil 2 days ago, and an extra 60g worth of protein drinks. Probbaly why my body feels better and recovery has jumped up
 
Thursday 19th April - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Strong + Lean up - Week 3 - Day 3 - Strength Peaking - Microcycle 2

Feeling better, but still not that fresh. Just as well I didn't have to do any jumping today! Although the warmup stuff was pretty good and snappy.

Body weight at gym - 204.5lbs
Workout time - 1+ hours
Workout rating - 7/10

General warm up -

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) dynamic stretches and swings
2) back extension x 4 + 6 twisting to each side
3) sit up complex on swiss ball
4) standing side leg raise x 8 each side
5) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
6) Lying on back Scorpion under - x8 each leg alternating
7) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and type
8) glute bridge x 10
9) Single leg SLDL mobility walks
10) various hops
11) 40lb bar complex - slow cleanpull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 5 reps each, 3 on the jerks


Full Oly Squats - oly shoes - no Belt

Warm ups - controlled down, power up - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat

in sneakers
frontsquat - Bar x 3, 95lbs x3, 135lbs x 3
backsquat - bar x 5, 95lbs x 4, 135x4...then in oly shoes 185x4, 225x4, 255x2, 285x2, 315x1

controlled
1) 330lbs x 5

By the way the heavier warmups felt I wasn't sure going above 300lbs was such a good idea. I thought about stopping at 285x2 and calling it day, as things just didn't feel as light as I wanted. Decided to push ahead and go for it. Got what I wanted with 330lbs x 5, but it sure wasn't easy, form not so good either. Almost GM'ed the last rep, but corrected it, which cuase my knees to scoop forward.
So I'm still overreached with the crap form, but a little stronger. Should be able to put up more next week maybe as I freshen up. Next lower body workout on Tuesday, plenty of time to recover. Still this is the strongest I've been at this bodyweight, only 20+lbs away from my best when I weighed 218lbs

video of the 330x5 set
right click on link and save to avoid errors
http://www.members.optushome.com.au/blitzforce/Movies/CCJ_FullSquat_330x5_19April07.mpg

--------------------

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 3 mins

split leg Good Mornings - narrow split - high bar - oly shoes - no belt

warmups - BW x 5 , Bar x 3, 75lbs x 3 each side

controlled
95lbs x 4 each side

no pause


Snatch Grip Deadlift - RDL style - hook grip - oly shoes - no belt

warmups - 89lbs x 3

155lbs x 4 x 2 sets

well these definitely caned my glutes and hamstrings, even with a pretty light load! Done RDL style, so with vertical shins, as opposed to oly snatch style.

-----

reverse hypers - BWx20

lower body stretches and some upper body ones
 
Last edited:
Took a while to fall asleep, and then I woke up early, but don't feel too bad despite that. Jacked up CNS I guess....
Mildy sapped. Achey all over as per usual, but glutes, hammies, calves are pretty sore in a good way. Plus quads (VMO) and spinal erectors

weighed 92.4kg 203.28lbs straight out of bed in underwear
 
wakefib said:
how do you hit your VMO so well coolcolj?
Click to expand...

if you squat like I do, your VMO will get hit real good :)
especially in oly shoes

also single leg work like Bulgarian splisquats, reverse lunges and step ups hit the VMO pretty good too, due to the instability.

----

MMm much better sleep. I sure feel better as a result, starting to freshen up. Body is feeling much better. Haven't felt like this in ages. Make me realise that I've probbaly been overreached to some degree most of the time the last couple of years! If I play my cards right, gains could be pretty nice this year if I take advantage of this and just train smart and learn from my mistakes :)
Plus reading my body's reaction to training better...

weighed 92.2kg 202.8lbs straight out of bed in underwear

legs continue to feel like they are getting bigger and bigger since I deloaded!
 
i did step up the other day and i havn't felt my VMO like this in a long time. i feel oly squat more in my glutes and hammys
 
wakefib said:
i did step up the other day and i havn't felt my VMO like this in a long time. i feel oly squat more in my glutes and hammys
Click to expand...


wear oly shoes, moderate stance, angle feet out and sit between your legs and then you'll get plenty of VMO action. I don't feel it during teh workout, but they are sore the next day
 
Tuesday 24th April - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Strong + Lean up - Week 4 - Day 1 - Strength Peaking - Microcycle 2

Better workout, jumps were good, but squats did not feel so good
Restart the mini-cycle next workout on Sunday in 5 days time. Plenty of time to rest

Body weight at gym - 205lbs
Workout time - 1.5 hours
Workout rating - 7/10

General warm up -

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) dynamic stretches and swings
2) back extension x 4 + 6 twisting to each side
3) sit up complex on swiss ball
4) standing side leg raise x 5 each side
5) Prone Scorpion - x10 each leg alternating
6) Lying on back Scorpion under - x10 each leg alternating
7) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and type
8) glute bridge x 10
9) Single leg SLDL mobility walks
10) various hops
11) 40lb bar complex - slow hang clean pull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 5 reps each, 3 on the jerks
12) various hops, prime times, running in the spot drills, low 6 inch altitude drops and depth jumps


Powercleans + Vertical Jumps

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, rest 30secs, short run of prime times, running one leg jump, rest 30 secs, then a set of 2 standing jumps going higher/harder each time.

did these in between the warm up sets on squats from bar to 225lbs - 2 mins after each squat set

1) hang powercleans from various positions - Bar x 4

rest 2mins

a) Speed hops on a 3 inch step x 5
b) short run of prime times
c) running on leg jump

rest 30 secs - and 20 sec rest between each jump
a) one step VJ
b) standing Vertical jump NEW PR!! + 0.75 inches
c) 3 step vertical jump

2 hard sets total, plus a few more 2 legged jumps. Very explosive today.
At first my standing VJ was 2 inches under the fire exit ceiling, and I wasn't able to touch the ceiling on the one step VJ. Got annoyed, tried it again, and touched the ceiling easy on the 1 step VJ. Then dipped down super fast on the standing jump and woah, jumped higher than I have ever, got within half an inch of the ceiling. That means my standing VJ is about 32.5 inches now :)

I seem to convert over any strength gains I have into vertical jump power without having to do any high intensity plyos or much explosive work at all. Just jumping itself and speed hops is enough to do the trick.


Full Oly Squats - oly shoes - no Belt

Warm ups - controlled down, power up - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat

in sneakers
frontsquat - Bar x 3, 95lbs x2, 135x2, 185x2
backsquat - bar x 5, 95lbs x 3, 135x3, 185x3, 225x3, then in oly shoes 255x2, 285x2, 315x1

controlled
1) 335lbs x 5 (+5lbs) --> gut busting strain on last rep

Squats didn't feel very good today, not very comfortable at all, but at least the bar felt lighter on my back when the weights got heavier, and walking out 335lbs is not a problem anymore.
I barely just made the 5th rep with 335lbs! Definitely an all out effort. Last rep took 3.5+ secs from start to finish, pretty quick considering the amount of strain! That would suggest I am rate/speed dominant. 335x5 all out puts my 1RM at 375lbs. Ratio of 1.83 x bodyweight. The highest ratio I've had in a while and that's why I'm jumping better :)

--------

Putting that 1RM into my powersnatch/high hang powerclean to VJ formula -

high catch powersnatch/high hang powerclean with minimal dip = 45% of my full squat 1RM
High catch powersnatch/high hang powerclean with minimal dip = 168.75lbs

168lbs divided by 205lbs recent gym bodyweight (with shoes etc) = 0.823
Distance from hip crease (where the bar is in a powersnatch before it shoots up at full extension) to where I catch the bar = 39.5 inches

0.823 x 39.5 inches = 32.5 inch VJ

damn accurate :D

Short term goal - Get gym bodyweight down to 200lbs, full squat to 405lbs = 35-36 inch VJ ;)

video of the 335x5 set
right click on link and save to avoid errors
http://www.members.optushome.com.au/blitzforce/Movies/CCJ_FullSquat_335x5_24April07.mpg

--------------------

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2 mins

split leg Good Mornings - narrow split - high bar - oly shoes - no belt

warmups - BW x 5 , Bar x 3, 75lbs x 3 each side

just the warmups

Reverse Lunge - vertical shins, medium wide stance, rear leg kept on the straighter side - 3 sec pause at bottom - sneakers - alternating legs

warmups - BW x 3, 75lbs x 2 each side

1) 95lbs x 4 each side
2) 95lbs x 4 each side


Snatch Grip Deadlift - RDL style - oly shoes - no belt

warmups - normal grip - 89lbs x 3, 155x3

power up, controlled down
1) 205lbs x 3 - normal grip
2) 205lbs x 3 - hook grip


-----
Cooldown and stretches

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep with hold at bottom)
full squats - BW x20
reverse hypers - BWx20

lower body stretches and some upper body ones
 
Bad sleep, CNS just too jacked up! Always seems to be the case when I go maximal on squats. Don't feel that bad even then, but will probably get hit tomorrow... A bit sapped, but surprisingly not drained.
Quads, posterior chain, upper back and arms sore. Upper hammies and glutes are really inflamed.


weighed 92.1kg 202.6lbs straight out of bed in underwear
 
Sleep deeper last night. Feeling ok, just a bit tired. Glutes and hamstrings feel shredded up - ouch

weighed 91.7kg 201.74lbs straight out of bed in underwear
starting dialing things down here. We will see if it's possible to get my squat to 340-345x5 by the end of the coming microcycle while leaning down to 198lbs

did a bunch of upper and lower body mobility work, then some stretches
 
ChinkNasty said:
what exactly are your goals? I know 'speed and explosiveness,' but can you quantify your goals? ie 40 yd. dash, vert jump etc...
Click to expand...

touch middle of my forearm on the BBall rim from a standing jump and dunk it with 2 hand standing as well - I need a 44 inch VJ to do those

44 inch standing VJ for a 190lb person needs some serious horsepower :)

If I can bring my fullsquat up to 500lbs I will be able to do it at quite a heavy bodyweight of 200lbs, otherwise I will need to lean down to 180lbs with a 455lb fullsquat . At 190lbs 475lbs might do it.
 
like this and at the same bodyfat% would be nice too, I would need to get down to 180lbs to be that lean though :basket:

44 inch standing vertical jump at 5'9" 200lbs - he has 30inch legs too!
5feet9_44inch_StandingJump.JPG
 
I don't know him personally, just some guy who posted on Charlie Francis's forum, was competing in sprinting until recently
 
]Saturday 28th April


Late night, not much sleep, had to get up early - arghhh worse feeling in the world when you have to exert yoruself as well!
Lower body feels pretty good, but upper body is getting hammered at my part time job, especially my biceps, they feel strained from carrying stuff around etc. I need to get back to my dumbells curls and such...who would have thunk? :)

weighed 91.4kg 201.08lbs straight out of bed in underwear
lightest bodyweight this year, hope my strength doesn't decide to nosedive though....
 
Nice sleep. Not sure why my waking pulse is climbing though, I'll put it down to becoming unfit...
Body feels good, apart from the fact my lower back feels gimpy, after trying to bend over to move something 30 secs after I got up...arghh, that always f*cks up my lower back!! I need to wait a few minutes and warmup a bit before I bend over next time... Great just what I needed on a day when I want to squat. Doesn't cripple me, so training will procede

weighed 91.3kg 200.86lbs straight out of bed in underwear
didn't expect it drop, with the junk food I ate last night, but it did. Not complaining :)
 
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1546556

good article, I have already implemented most of this stuff for msyelf, as I am definitely a "computer" guy, which is probbaly why my shoulder mobility is not great....
Got a few more things to try now

I bet 90% of the population would be a "computer" guy too, we all had to go to school, sit on a desk or infront of computer for long periods....
 
Sunday 29th April - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 1 - Day 1 - Lower 1 Volume Power/Strength/Assistance - Micro cycle 3

Started a new microcycle today
Body felt pretty good overall, loose and light feeling, but CNS was a bit flat. Seems to be a common theme so far on Sundays....

Lower back didn't bother me too much. Workout was a bit too long as well

Bodyweight down a pound from my lightest this year at the gym.
Didn't seem to help my hops though.

Body weight at gym - 202.5lbs
Workout time - 1.5+ hours
Workout rating - 7/10

General warm up -

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) standing Side leg raise x 8 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
4) Prone Scorpion - x10 each leg alternating
5) Lying on back Scorpion under - x10 each leg alternating
6) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
7) Scorpion under in pushup position x 4 each side
8) glute bridge x 10
9) back extension x 4 + 4 twisting to each side
10) sit up complex on swiss ball
11) 40lb bar complex - slow cleanpull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 5 reps each, 3 on the jerks
12) various hops, prime times, running in the spot drills, low 6 inch altitude drops and depth jumps


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3mins

Jumps and Hops

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3 inch step, then a set of 2 standing 2 handed jumps going higher/harder each time

did these in between the warm up sets on squats from bar to 225lbs

a) Speed hops on a 3 inch step x 5
b) short run of prime times
c) running on leg jump

rest 30 secs - and 20 sec rest between each jump
a) one step VJ
b) one step 2 handed VJ
d) standing Vertical jump
d) 3 step vertical jump

2 hard sets. No change from my current best oevrall, but standing VJ is down half an inch or something. Didn't feel snappy.


Full Back Squats - sneakers - no Belt

warm ups - controlled - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 185x2
backsquat - bar x5, 95lbs x4, 135x4, 185x4, 225x4, 255x2

82% of 5RM - controlled - 4-5 mins rest
1) 275lbs x 5
2) 275lbs x 5
3) 275lbs x 5 ---> in oly shoes

Added 10lbs onto last cycle's loads. Damn hard! Straining a bit on the 5th rep of each set. WTF, this is 60lbs lighter than my 5RM!


Power Cleans - in sneakers

Powerclean + 2 High Hang powercleans - 2 warmup sets with bar
89lbs, 119lbs, 139lbs


---------

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 3 mins on worksets

Good Mornings onto toes - high bar - oly shoes

warmups - BW x5, Bar x 5, 95lbs x 2

3 sec pause at bottom and hold at top on toes

just did the warmups


Reverse Lunge - vertical shins, medium wide stance, rear leg kept on the straighter side - 3 sec pause at bottom - oly shoes - alternating legs

warmups - BW x 3, 95lbs x 2 each side

1) 115lbs x 4 each side
2) 115lbs x 4 each side

upped the load a bit, pretty tough


Snatch Grip Deadlift - RDL style - oly shoes - no belt

warmups - normal grip - 95lbs x 3, 155x3

power up, controlled down
1) 215lbs x 4 - normal grip
2) 215lbs x 4 - hook grip

Upper the load 10lbs from last workout, pretty tough, grip giving out on 4th rep, so will stick with triples. Extra fatigue from squats made these harder

-----
Cooldown and stretches

stretched good morning ISO hold - BAR x 35secs - ended up at parallel by the end

lower body stretches and some upper body ones

toe elevated ankle mobility drill - x 2 sets for each leg
 
Good 9 hour sleep, but it was interuppted. Feeling pretty nice, I don't even feel that sapped from yesterday's workout!
Mild achey feeling all over, damn glutes, upper hammies and lower spinal erectors are torched! Calves, biceps, VMO and mid upper back to a lesser extent

weighed 91kg 200.2lbs straight out of bed in underwear
Waist = 35.5 inches

Woot, 200lbs is in sight, and I had some chips and chocolate after training :0
Junk food in moderation after training never seems to hurt me. That's the only time I eat em anyway. Still doing my modified Warrior/Animabolics style diet approach. Working great for leaning or maintaining. I don't really feel like I'm dieting at all compared to regular diets and I can still train hard with good energy levels. Plus I can eat a lot more without getting fatter when maintaining.

LOL legs looks massive compared to my upper body, even more so the leaner I get!
198lbs isn't that far off, maybe I'll keep going all the way down to 190lbs
I gain about an inch on my vertical jump for every 5lbs I drop, so an extra 2+ inches would be sweet :)

I've been measuring my waist wrong, which made it smaller than it was. So my new measurement is 35.5 inches.
According to this http://home.fuse.net/clymer/bmi/
I'm at 16% BF with 167.8lbs of lean body mass


12min walk and mobility work plus some easy stretching after planned
 
Crappy interrupted sleep, and I sure look tired. Must have been the food I ate last night.
Posterior chain still pretty sore, but my CNS feels pretty good.

weighed 91.2kg 200.64lbs straight out of bed in underwear

I didn't end up doing any walking yesterday, just the mobility work and some stretching
 
Tuesday 1st May - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 1 - Day 2 - Upper 2 prehab/rehab, Light Lower - Microcycle 3

Pretty good workout. Front squats first by itself, then a circuit with the rest of the other stuff.

Hamstrings sore as hell!!!
Getting pretty good at the single leg kneeling deadlifts - good balance, means CNS in good shape too. Plus better ankle mobility and ROM

Body weight at gym - 203.5lbs
Workout time - 1.25 hours
Workout rating - 8/10

General warm up

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

ankle mobility lunge x 8 each side. I just push my knee as far forward as it can go and lunge and forward etc.

1) standing side leg raise x 8 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings
3) Prone Scorpion - x 10 each leg alternating
4) Lying on back Scorpion under - x 10 each leg alternating
5) high glute mobility drill x 10 each side
6) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and leg
7) Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 10 + band dislocates x 10.
with green jumpstretch band held full length, then 3/4 length For 2 sets
8) SLDL mobility walks
9) scapular pushup against high bench x10
10) single arm scapular pushup against high bench - BW x 10
11) Reach, Roll and Lift - stretches in the same position and 1 rep, 3 sec hold x 3 each side, alternating x 2 sets
12) single leg kneeling deadlift 2x5 each side



Front Squats - clean grip - no belt

warmups - in sneakers - Bar x5, 95lbs x 3, 135lbs x 3, 165lbs x 3, 195lbs x 2
in oly shoes - 225lbs x 2, 255x1

90% of 1RM - in oly shoes
1) 275lbs x 3

Curved bar today dug in painfully into my left collar bone! I could do with more front delt size as well...
Warmup single wth 255lbs made me feel faint for some reason. Upped the weight 10lbs for the main event, hard on the upper body and I felt queezy, but I was able to stay upright and upper body did not round over. No problems for legs, just a slight strain on the 3rd rep.
Will have to go up to 225lbs on the Sunday workout to keep the upper body strong for these, plus doing some heavier powercleans will help too. Scapular and thoracic muscles were burning something fierce!


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 1-2 mins between each exercise - one upper body move, then a lower body move


Pushup with extension at top and hold

Warm ups - x5 on floor

controlled
1) BW x 10
2) BW x 10


Low Incline face down dumbell Raise/External Rotation combo

Thumbs up Y raise + neutral grip side raise + Cuban rotation - all with hold at top
warmups - 1kg x 3, 2kg x 3

1) 2kg x 6


Dumbbell Curls - hold at the middle on the way down

warm ups - 15lbs x5,

1) 22lbs x 8


Good Mornings onto toes - high bar - oly shoes

warmups - BW x5, Bar x 5, 95lbs x 3, 135lbs x 3

3 sec pause at bottom and hold at top on toes
1) 155lbs x 3
2) high boxsquat - 135lbs x 12
3) 135lbs x 3

These were a bitch, my ultra sore hammies didn't like these, and they didn't feel good, due to me being cold. Did the boxsquats to get me warmed up again and sweaty, then the 2nd set felt better. I will move these back to the Sunday workout, it just feels better after squats. Plus it's good to get the bar off the back on this workout for a change of pace and it's meant to be a light day.

Will replace these with another light posterior chain move. Maybe single leg dumbell SLDL like the in this article
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1543621

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep with hold at bottom)
hold at middle and bottom on each rep - 15lbs x 3, 25lbs x 3

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - 1 Plate x 10, 2 plates x 5, 3 plates x 5 - used a different machine today, much easier on this one

-----------------------

Cooldown - stretches

lying on back paused dumbell subscap rotations x 10 + stretched hold x 45secs
reverse hypers - BW x 20

upper and lower body stretches
 
solarclimax said:
coolcol you are fitness machine
Click to expand...


nah I'm not doing as much as you think, most of it just simple mobility drills :)
easy stuff


-----------------

Horrible sleep! I woke up early and then couldn't get back to sleep.
Feel crappy and tired, and CNS feels somewhere between sapped and drained.
Got that warm buzzy feeling in my head/throat area. Cortisol is up.
Guess I overdid it...for a light day....
Whole body is sore, especially my upper body, but hammies are much less sore than yesterday.

weighed 90.9kg 199.98lbs straight out of bed in underwear
Yay under 200lbs by the smallest of margins :)
definitely look leaner, chin and face is getting tighter.
When I'm pushing it I can drop 0.2kg each day, well for at least 3 days before I have to spike up the calories and carbs again.
 
Better sleep, but woke up early again. Waking pulse has been consistantly high in the 57-61 area...
Body feels ok, but not fresh, feet and ankles feel stiff and achey. It's funny that even as sore as I was yesterday, I somehow felt better body/movement wise then than I do today. Maybe because my CNS was charged up from the last workout.
Plus the non-powered steering wheel in the van was bitch ass hard to turn today - not a good sign as far as the CNS goes!

weighed 91.6kg 201.5lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Pigged out last night, but that isn't the only reason for the weight jump. I found out that the Tanita scale measured 0.7kg 1.5lbs lighter when placed on carpet like I have been using it! On a hard tiled surface it reads heavier. Which is the figure I'll be using from now on...doh I'm not as light as I thought!!! :\
So just deduct 1.5lbs from the current weight to compare to my morning old bodyweights....so still at "200lbs" :)

Doesn't change much as far as my BF% goes, still around 16%
 
Thursday 3rd May - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Strong + Lean up - Week 1 - Day 3 - Lower Power/Strength heavy day - Microcycle 2

Pretty crap workout as far as the squat goes. Didn't feel that fresh, and some aches and pains cropping up.
Jumps were ok, but squats were horrible! I am definitely not recovering too well on this setup

Training is not fun anymore, has been a chore the last few sessions!
Will need to make some major changes, but first I have to recover from the fatigue....and I think I might have extra fatigue as well from the last 6 months still hanging around...
Need to take it easy the next couple of weeks and go from there, or even take next week off, but since I'm leaning up I'm not so keen on that. I'll see

Still I'm jumping higher than before, which makes me wonder if I can jump even higher and squat stronger when I'm 100% fresh?!

Body weight at gym - 203lbs
Workout time - 1.25 hours
Workout rating - 6/10

General warm up -

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) dynamic stretches and swings
2) back extension x 4 + 6 twisting to each side
3) sit up complex on swiss ball
4) standing side leg raise x 8 each side
5) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
6) Lying on back Scorpion under - x8 each leg alternating
7) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and type
8) glute bridge x 10
9) Single leg SLDL mobility walks
10) various hops, prime times, running in the spot drills, low 6 inch altitude drops and depth jumps

Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 3 mins

Vertical Jumps

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, rest 30secs, short run of prime times, running one leg jump, rest 30 secs, then a set of 2 standing jumps going higher/harder each time.

did these in between the warm up sets on squats from bar to 225lbs

a) Speed hops on a 3 inch step x 5
b) short run of prime times
c) running on leg jump

rest 30 secs - and 20 sec rest between each jump
a) one step VJ
b) standing Vertical jump
c) one step 2 handed VJ
d) 2 step vertical jump

3 hard sets total on the prime times and running one legged jump, and then 4-5 hard sets total of the other stuff. Standing VJ about 0.5 inch less than my current best. One step VJ about the same but feels harder, 2 step VJ an inch lower


Full Oly Squats - in Oly Shoes - no Belt

Warm ups - controlled down, power up - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat

in sneakers
frontsquat - Bar x 3, 95lbs x3, 135x3
backsquat - bar x 5, 95lbs x 4, 135x4, 185x4, rest in oly shoes -> 225x4, 255x2, 285x2

90% of 5RM - controlled
1) 300lbs x 5

Felt really heavy and hard! Crap form too

--------------------

lower body stretches and some upper body ones
 
Feel better than I did yesterday, but a bit sapped. Even my feet/lower legs feel better, but posterior chain is a little sore.
Right hip/IT band area inflamed from yesterday, and a little beat up overall.
Mildly swollen, dry and hot lips -> so some cortisol increase. Definite sign to back off to restore the testosterone/cortisol ratio... I finally have learned something all this time ;)

weighed 90.8kg 199.76lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Decided to go back to putting the Tanita scale on the carpet for consistency with my older bodyweights, and psychologically it's better for me progress wise for leaning up :D
Just have to remeber my real bodyweight is 0.7kg 1.5 lbs heavier
 
Woke up early again and just lay around a bit.
Lips almost back to normal, and feel better overall. Lower back sore.
Tweaked something in my right heel at my part time job, one of these freak accidents, just by steping down a shallow step! Very painful for a while and could barely walk properly, but after work, I didn't notice it much...
I think that's the problem with pushing your body hard into that overreached zone, makes you injury prone..

weighed 91.6kg 201.5lbs straight out of bed in underwear
Spaghetti always jacks up my bodyweight!
 
Finally get a chance to sleep in, but sleep still not great quality wise.
Hips are sore and tight. Not in the mood to train so I won't.

I don't have a concrete plan for the next couple of weeks, I'll play it by ear.
Most probbaly train upper body lightly within the next couple of days, and rest lower body the rest of the week. Then maybe hit the BBall courts next Sunday to check on progress since the last time I was there. Then some light workouts next week to continue the recovery but keep the exercises and muscles greased.
Nothing set in stone, I'll take it as it comes, I just know that the next 2 weeks are for recovery and rebound. Will do some mobility work plus stretching and maybe some walking through out the week


weighed 91.4kg 201.08lbs straight out of bed in underwear

My bodyweight yesterday was up higher in the morning at 91.6kg, but back down to 90.8kg in the afternoon. So I guess the same will happen today, but even lower
 
sleep getting better, but just 7 hours of deep sleep and another couple hours of lying half asleep. Still look tired as hell, but I feel better.
Right IT band ache is just about gone, feeling way better overall, but still some aches here and there that need to heal up. Stiff hips

weighed 91.8kg 201.96lbs straight out of bed in underwear
Ate too much crap yesterday

did some mobility work a bit after I got up, felt clunky as hell, but it helped. Need to get looser. Will do some more later today and some stretching

---

after taken this week off and maybe some BBall on Sunday, I'll get back into the light workouts as outlined below to lead into my new training cycle setup


---

New setup for the coming training cycle based on my experience in the last one

exercises not set in stone yet, may move things around

1) Volume - jumping and squats - 3x5 82% of 5RM squats, paused GM, paused reverse lunge, snatch grip deadlift
2) rest
3) light + upper body - frontsquat 90% of 1RM, light assistance and ab work
4) rest
5) heavy - jumping/speed emphasis - 90% of 5RM squat. split leg GM or RDL

then rest 5 days
test VJ and squat 5RM+5lbs training day

rest 5 days
and plug in in new 5RM into the first sequence
and repeat twice , maybe 3 times

after the last 5 rep max VJ test day
take another full week off, which makes it 11 days off

then restart the cycle with 1-2 weeks of light training
ramping up the loads linearly each workout before doing the same thing with the last tested 5RM
but with some assistant moves changed around and different training emphasis etc

Which makes the cycle 5 or 7 weeks long. Plus an extra 1-2 weeks of light training at the start.
On paper it should work well. There is enough rest and recovery built in and combo of high frequency and low frequency training plus constant changes to keep things on the boil. Plus regular checks built in to monitor fatigue and progress. Maybe I can finally make some decent gains while leaning down :)

I might move day 1 from Sunday to Saturday. This gives me more recovery by moving one of the workouts onto the hardest day at my part time job, to allow more real rest days. Although by doing that, my workout on day 1 might suffer a bit, and make the volume of "work" on that day shoot up with work and training stacked together. But having 2 days in a row of CNS intensive effort isn't much better either the way I have it now....
 
Late night, so not the best of sleep, but not bad. Still not that fresh yet.
A bit sore from all the stretching I did yesterday afternoon for my whole body!

weighed 91.2kg 200.64lbs straight out of bed in underwear

---

A comment someone left on one of my squat vids on youtube, the 275lbs 2x7 one I did after coming back from been overtrained and sick. Guess they never seen/heard of full oly squats :D
this guy is a torn acl waiting to happen. do yourself a favor and get NASM certification
Click to expand...

anyway I have a better idea of what I'll be doing this week and the next leading up to my all new training cycle I outlined above.
Assuming I play BBall this coming Sunday....

Sunday 13th - 1) BBall
Mon - rest
Tues - squat - top set of 185lbs 2x8
Wed - rest
Thurs - squat - 205lbs 2x8
Fri - rest
Sat - squat - 225lbs 2x8
Sun - rest
Mon - squat - 245lbs 2x8
Tues to Fri - 4 days rest
Sat - start new training cycle 275lbs 3x5 etc

plus also ramping up the assistant lifts progressively like the squat. Just to minimise excessive soreness etc and take advantage of the deconditioning ala HST :)
Won't do much high intensity jumping until the main cycle

But I may not play BBall on Sunday, but Saturday instead...so I'll see how I feel then and adjust things as necessary
 
Kinda crappy sleep, feel a bit tired. Body is feeling much better! All the little aches and pains have just about disappeared! Especially my right IT band area. Feet and lower legs feel way better, walking feels smooth and easy.
Haven't had that feeling in ages.

And I've only taken 6 days off, but a big difference bewteen how I feel from the 5th day to 6th day. 4th day I feel ok, 5th day better but still achey, but 6th day everything seemed to clear up overnight. 6 days is the sweet spot for recovery, but I am still overreached CNS wise and probbaly testosterone/cortisol ratio wise. Over the last 3 years I haven't taken more than 7 days off, and even then that was rare. I've probably been hovering between a medium overreached and overtrained state all this time, based on how I feel now compared to usual feelings all this time.

Will have taken 11 days off by the time I hit BBall on Sunday if I go ahead with it. I should be feeling better than ever, and the higher testosterone levels plus whatever ZMA is doing should finally see me improving my strength and hops better - hopefully!!!
That's probably why people on roids can train harder for longer, because tesosterone/cortisol ratio has less chance of changing for the worse... I think :D

weighed 91.8kg 201.96lbs straight out of bed in underwear

noticable increase in muscle fullness and size - probbaly because my testosterone levels are starting to rise and cortisol is backing off :)
That may help me lean up as well

might do some mobility work today and some stretching plus some upper body prehab work at home with bands and stuff like scapular pushups
 
Thank's for the computer guy links. I follow your journal a bit but i rarley comment coz i don't think i can think of much to say that may be of some use to you.
 
solarclimax said:
Thank's for the computer guy links. I follow your journal a bit but i rarley comment coz i don't think i can think of much to say that may be of some use to you.
Click to expand...


no problem :)


--


took a while to fall asleep and then I had to get up early. But sleep was deep and ZMA dreams are back.
Still feel tired and not that fresh, but the usual vertical throw I do at my part time job, to get a roll up to the 2nd floor was pretty explosive and effortless relatively speaking. Van steering wheel is kinda getting easier to turn as well

weighed 92kg 202.4lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Getting heavy, just carb/water and food weight I think.
 
I haven't updated the last 3 days but not much has happened

body feels ok today, not that fresh though, upper back is mildly sore from my part time job yesterday. But at least my aches and pains from the last couple of months of training are gone. Plan to head to the BBall courts today to see how much progress I have made. Then start my new training cycle in a couple of days time

Pretty crap sleep last night and the day before - late nights, which won't help my cause....
Nice deep sleep on Friday though, LOL some strange ZMA dreams about trying out for my Highschool BBall team!

bodyweight trend the last few mornings straight out of bed in underwear
Friday - 91.6kg 201.5lbs
Saturday - 91.4kg 201lbs
Sunday - 90.4kg 198.88lbs --> this morning

only had one huge evening meal at night the last couple of days and bodyweight is dropping like a rock even though it is filled with junk food and plenty of real food and carbs :)
Woot finally well under 200lbs, can't wait to get under 90kg.
I'm don't feel like I'm, eating much, but I don't feel like I'm starving and yet my muscle isn't exactly melting off me....who knows....

86kg 189lbs is my current short term goal, while hopefully pushing my full oly squat up to at least 395lbs to finally get my double bodyweight squat!
Good for a 36+ inch standing vertical jump on paper.... ;)
 
BTW I got me some shiny black Nike Free 7.0.....

honestly I've been looking for so long for a pair of Free in my size, I don't have much choice but to get the shiny black ones :(

But the shiny black colour is so loud I may return them....

the free 5.0 really feel different, but they won't last long, good for walking in though

the sole is pretty thick and squishy though, dunno about barefoot emulation....
 
BBall yesterday

Went to the court with the low rim. 50+ min session wasn't that great. A bit cool, so body felt creaky. Mostly just shot around and jumped a bit.

My lats felt really tight, a lot of resistance when I try to shoot or reach overhead - gonna have to stretch em everyday like I do with my hip flexors. That's probably the main reason why my shoulder mobility is crap
Also a twinge on my right shoulder when I grabbed onto and hung on the rim, I pulled something in there - not sure what, I'm guessing it's my subscap, as it's what would resist the downward pull

Jump wise, a bit disappointing, there doesn't seem to be any gains at all.. :(
I seem to have trouble translating the gains on my jump from the gym to the court for some reason..unless I lost all my hops in the time off...
Need to hit the courts more often I guess, as the wide open space on the courts feels different to the enclosed gym where I can't move as much.
Running one leg jump much better though form wise, more confident when taking off at faster speeds, and my heel never touches the ground, and that's in Nike Frees too.

Both shins were hurting on the jump landings! Could be because of the Nike Free 7.0 shoes. They tend to force you on the balls of your feet, and the lower padding levels really worked the foot and lower leg muscles much harder. Probably wasn't a smart idea breaking in the Frees on a concrete BBall court.
Good thing is that these shoes didn't cause my right ankle injury to flare up like all the other shoes I used to wear.

I still feel too heavy, fat and clunky....much get shredded!


Monday 14th May

Kinda crappy sleep, too much thinking. Didn't get a good read on my waking pulse, but it seems to be quite high at the moment, in the 60 range....
Good thing is I don't feel drained and beaten to a pulp after BBall like I did last year, and my feet, ankles, legs, hips and spinal erectors aren't that sore like they normally would be.
Upper and mid back sore though, my cuffs and all the other muscles in that got a good workout from handling and shooting the Ball. Right Subscap not hurting despite the strain yesterday.

weighed 90kg 198lbs straight out of bed in underwear

198lbs on the dot! :) Look leaner. Waist size wise, depending on how I measure it, ie how much tension I use, it can range from 36 to 35 inches... if I use the 35 inch measurement, this page has me at 15.5% bodyfat - http://home.fuse.net/clymer/bmi/
My Tanita scale has me at 25.3%, or 15.3% when I take off 10 :)
So that's probably the right waist measurement I guess....?

anyway onwards and downwards to 86kg 189lbs.
I might even be able to hit 78kg 172lbs eventually, since I want to get my waist down to 30 inches.
 
Feeling groggy, you can't win! Sleep to much and you feel crap, too little and feel crap as well :) Plenty of strange dreams though, so it was deep enough.

Legs are feeling light. Upper back/traps sore though.

weighed 90.3kg 198.66lbs straight out of bed in underwear

ate more last night, 2 evening meals. Looks like I'm finally under 200lbs for good. I found out that Jasmin rice is a carb that is actually low GI, has very little starch unlike regulkar white rice. Doesn't give me the blood sugar crashes. Who would have thunk?

I've been thinking about things and I'm probbaly fatter than I realise. I was 150lbs after highschool for a period of time with a 29-30inch waist, at about 9-10% bodyfat. Now a natural trainee with average genetics can't really put on more than 30-40lbs of muscle over his life time and that's with focused hypertrophy work. Since I work on mostly strength and power, and don't even train my upper body much these days (it has shrunk a lot), plus don't eat much. I should not be much more than 180lbs at the same BF%, and since I want to hit the 8% area, I should be around 160-170lbs. I got a long way to go!!
 
Monday 15th May - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 1 - Day 1 - Whole body base conditioning - Micro cycle 4

Back into the gym, taking it easy and light, and fairly low volume as I will training every 2nd day. Lots of exercise though, everything but the kitchen sink :) Hamstrings feel tired now.

Warmed up fast and felt much more energetic - so I'm obviously not overreached anymore, but pretty rusty form and neural efficiency wise. Strength way down. Vertical Jump was lower across the board as well, well at least my one step jump. Bodyweight was quite a bit lighter though, at 201lbs.

Used my Nike Free 7.0 shoes today - holy crap best shoes ever for comfort and reactive work - I'm a believer now! They feel like their molded onto your feet, and very light and quiet. A bit unstable though compared to my other sneakers on the one legged stuff

Body weight at gym - 201lbs
Workout time - 1.5+ hours
Workout rating - 8/10

General warm up -

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) standing Side leg raise x 9 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
4) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
5) Lying on back Scorpion under - x10 each leg alternating
6) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
7) Lying on back Scorpion under x 11 each side
8) glute bridge x 10
9) back extension x 4 + 4 twisting to each side
10) sit up complex on swiss ball
11) 40lb bar complex - slow cleanpull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 5 reps each, 3 on the jerks
12) various hops, prime times, running in the spot drills, low 6 inch altitude drops and depth jumps


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3mins

Jumps and Hops

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, rest 30secs, short run of prime times, running one leg jump, rest 30 secs, then a set of 2 standing jumps going higher/harder each time.

did these in between the warm up sets on squats

a) Speed hops on a 3 inch step x 5
b) short run of prime times
c) running on leg jump

rest 30 secs - and 20 sec rest between each jump
a) one step VJ
b) standing Vertical jump
c) one step VJ

3 hard sets total. One step jump was 1.5 to 2 inches lower, no wonder my jumping was crap on Sunday. Probably because strength is down and I'm much lighter as well!!
The Nike free 7.0 felt funny on the one step VJ though, a bit squishy, not sure how much that effects things. But for everything else they felt awesome! They made my landings so much quieter and the hops and prime times felt so good in em, there is no slop like in regular sneakers.


Power Cleans - in Nike Free 7.0 shoes

did these inbetween the jumps and warmup sets of squats

Powerclean + 2 High Hang powercleans - 2 warmup sets with bar
89lbs


Full Back Squats - Nike Free 7.0 shoes - no Belt

warm ups - controlled - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3
backsquat - bar x5, 95lbs x5, 135x5, 185x2

controlled - 4 mins rest
1) 185lbs x 8
2) 185lbs x 8 ---> in oly shoes

Squats felt pretty darn hard, and that's like 50% of my recent estimated 1RM....12 days off on a calorie deficit sure made things go down hill fast.
Form was very strict and controlled though, but felt uncomfortable. Nike Free 7.0 feel strange to squat in

---------

Lower body circuit - Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3 mins on worksets

Good Mornings onto toes - high bar - oly shoes
2 sec pause at bottom and hold at top on toes
BW x3, Bar x 3+3 more each side split leg style, 95lbs x 4

Reverse Lunge - vertical shins, medium wide stance, rear leg kept on the straighter side - 2 sec pause at bottom - oly shoes - alternating legs
BW x 3, Bar x 3 each side

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - BWx15, 1plate 2x5

Snatch Grip Deadlift - RDL style - oly shoes - no belt
hook grip, pause on floor - 89lbs x 3, 139lbs x3, normal grip 139lbs x 3

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep with hold at bottom) - hold at middle and bottom on each rep - BW x 6

-----

Upper body circuit - Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2 mins on worksets

Seated pulley rows to stomach with a hold against the body
20lbs x 5, 25lbs x 8

Pushup plus - scapular pushup on bench BW x 8, normal pushup on floor with hold at top fully pushed up into max extension 1x5, 1x10, 10 scapular pushups + 10 more regular pushups

Lying on bench face down - dumbell Combo Cuban and Subscap rotation
1kg X 5, 2kg x 5

Dip shrugs BW x 10sec hold + 5, BW x 10

Dumbell curls - hold at parallel position on the way down - 4kg x 8


-----

Cooldown and stretches

pullup stretched holds - slighter wider than shoulder width angled grip
feet slightly on floor - BW x 20 secs.
Feet off the floor - BW x 15 scapular shrugs + 15 sec stretched hold x 2 sets
regular bar grip - BW x 30sec hold

> man something in my arm pit area is really tight and really ached, apart from my tight lats. Maybe it's the pec minor or something. Hope these loosen up my lats and shoulder mobility

lower body stretches and some upper body ones
 
Had problems falling asleep and I kept dozing in and out of sleep :(
Feel sapped and sore as bitch as you'd expect - especially my hamstrings!
Training whole body in a session seems to kill me much more, and makes the workouts too long. And I wasn't exactly going heavy and all out either....will I have to change things.

weighed 90.4kg 198.88lbs straight out of bed in underwear

may go for a 12min walk today, plus some mobility work and easy stretching
 
I noticed you changed shoes for lower body. Were the nikes that weird to squat in? Im looking for a shoe I can run/jump and squat in, cause I have to put on my chucks to squat and I cant run in those boats.

You need to take it a little easier sometimes man! After time off you could pull something jumping back in too hard. Where did your shoulder tightness follow to? Kinda sounded like a rotator tiring to me.
 
Just a slight strain in the subscap muscle I think, not an issue I don't notice it
anyway I have tight lats and upper traps which all contribute to reducing shoulder ROM - ie computer guy issues

certainly feels like cortisol is up, but that's to be expected after a layoff, as you pretty much become a newbie again :)
And I guess the whole idea of deconditioning in HST

just feels different to my oly shoes and my other sneaker, but just a matter of getting used to em. They feel more comfy by far over my regular sneakers. For walking, sprinting, jumping etc Nike Free 7.0 rule. The 5.0 version is better for straight walking and straight line running, ok for jumping too, and is lighter and airy, but the 7.0 is more sturdy and better for cutting and has more traction

less padding so they really work your foot muscles and lower legs, so you may or may not get shin splints - so work into em. They emulate bare feet action as far as comfort and pliability.

but unlike every shoe I have owned, I never had to wear them in, and never got any blisters or chaffing the first time I wore them! Definitely innovative tech

I got the black shiny ones with a bit of yellow, but with a white swoosh. No choice really on colour here - a bit too loud for me :(
Wouyld love to get that black and grey one.
http://www.nike.com/index.jhtml?l=n...0+49086+4294967187/st-false&re=US&co=US&la=EN

gonna get another pair but the 5.0 version for general walking around
 
Same sleep issues as yesterday - I think it's because of the guarana (caffeine) in the Musashi supplement the guy at the health shop gave to me free to help my fat buring Guarana, Choline, Carnitine combo. Your supposed to take it in the Monring and midday, but it's probbaly still lingering in my system at bedtime at night. Will try it just in the morning and see.

Still sore, just less so. Mostly in my cuffs and hammies.

weighed 90.1kg 198.22lbs straight out of bed in underwear
 
Thursday 17th May - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 1 - Day 2 - Lower body base conditioning - Micro cycle 4

Decent workout, but not as good as the Tuesday one, a few more aches and soreness in my posterior chain and ankles, but the groove and feeling for the loads is coming back. Vertical jump is up as well and bodyweight is down

Foot muscles got worked hard today in all moves I did with the Nike Free 7.0, they are feeling tired now. Good stuff. the Shoe is doing what it's designed for :)

Right IT band was aching again after the workout, I think the reverse lunges are responsible...it never did this until after I started doing em....

Body weight at gym - 200lbs
Workout time - 1.5 hours
Workout rating - 7/10

General warm up -

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) standing Side leg raise x 9 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
4) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
5) Lying on back Scorpion under - x10 each leg alternating
6) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
7) Lying on back Scorpion under x 11 each side
8) glute bridge x 10
9) back extension x 4 + 4 twisting to each side
10) sit up complex on swiss ball
11) single leg kneeling deadlift x4, x3 each side
12) hop complex
13) 40lb bar complex - slow cleanpull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 5 reps each, 3 on the jerks
14) various hops, prime times, running in the spot drills, low 6 inch altitude drops and depth jumps
15) Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 10 + band dislocates x 10.
with green jumpstretch band held full length, then 3/4 length for another set


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3mins

Jumps and Hops

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, rest 30secs, short run of prime times, running one leg jump, rest 30 secs, then a set of 2 standing jumps going higher/harder each time.

did these in between the warm up sets on squats

a) Speed hops on a 3 inch step x 5
b) short run of short step high knee bounds into prime times
c) running on leg jump

rest 30 secs - and 20 sec rest between each jump
a) standing 2 handed Vertical jump
b) one step VJ
c) standing Vertical jump

2 sets for the first part and 4 total sets of the 2nd part
Vertical jump was up an inch and back within half an inch or so of my best at the gym, which is pretty cool considering I'm jumping in new shoes, posterior chain is sore, and the crappy sleep 2 nights in a row.
half an inch dropoff on the 4th set of vertical jumps, at least for my one step VJ.

Getting used to jumping and landing in these Nike Frees, guess it doesn't effect my jump for the worse like I thought. Landings definitely feel better in these, and no shin splint issues so far.

Now my bodyweight is also down to 200lbs at the gym, which is 5lbs lighter than when I set my PB, so I should be up another inch over that. Which means just on power to weight ratio alone I am not far off from touching the fire exit ceiling with my standing vertical jump, and that's not factoring in any strength/power increases I may gain over and above what I had before I overreached and took my layoff. That would be a nice milestone!


Power Cleans - in Nike Free 7.0 shoes

did these inbetween the jumps and warmup sets of squats

Powerclean + 3 High Hang powercleans - warmup set with bar
89lbs
Powerclean + 2 High Hang powercleans - 109lbs


Full Back Squats - Nike Free 7.0 shoes - no Belt

warm ups - controlled - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 155x3
backsquat - bar x5, 95lbs x5, 135x3, 155x3

controlled - 4 mins rest
1) 205lbs x 8 (+20lbs)
2) 205lbs x 8 ---> in oly shoes

Up the main loads 20lbs, and that felt way too aggressive, had to work harder on the last couple of reps than I would have liked. Gonna have to use a smaller increment.
Getting used to squatting in the Nike Frees now, and my foot muscles were working hard on that 205lb set, first time I have had them get pumped up like that when squatting!

Will drop the load down next workout to allow some recovery, maybe to 155lbs and cut the volume down, drop the jumps and cleans, and the 2nd lower body circuit. That will allow me to do my upper stuff then.

Things never work as you would hope for, so big change of plans, instead of this linear progression over 1.5 weeks I had planned, which I don't think is gonna work too well, I'm gonna use a step load wave pattern for a longer period of time and using a smaller progression increment like 5-10lbs and keep riding it till I regain all my strength or even beyond.
So for example down to 155lbs for a few reps for recovery next workout, back up to 230lbs for 2x4 and bring back the other lower body moves, then back down to 190lbs for 2x8, and repeat, but add 5-10lbs onto the bar each time around etc. Although I have not decided whether the heavier part of the sequence will come first or 2nd...
So basicly I'm just splitting that waveloading scheme I last did a few months ago over a few days, which should help me avoid overtraining like I did back then...

---------

Lower body circuit - Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3 mins on worksets

Good Mornings onto toes - high bar - oly shoes
2 sec pause at bottom and hold at top on toes
BW x3, Bar x 3+3 more each side split leg style, 105lbs x 4 (+10lbs)

Reverse Lunge - vertical shins, medium wide stance, rear leg kept on the straighter side - 2 sec pause at bottom - oly shoes - alternating legs
BW x 3, Bar x 3 each side, 65lbs x 3 each side (+20lbs)

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - BWx15, 1plate 2x5

Snatch Grip Deadlift - RDL style - oly shoes - no belt
hook grip, pause on floor - 89lbs x 3, 139lbs x2, 159lbs x 4 (+10lbs)

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep with hold at bottom) - hold at middle and bottom on each rep - BW x 6, +10lbs x 6


-----

Cooldown and stretches

lower body stretches and some upper body ones
 
Better sleep, looks like it was the Guarana that was the keeping me from falling asleep quickly. Whole body sore, but less than the last 2 days though

weighed 90.2kg 198.44lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Was hoping for a bodyweight drop, because it usually does after a workout day with just one evening meal. Plus the "fat burner" has to help a little....and I look noticeably leaner and thinner
Hit my lowest bodyfat % reading on the Tanita scale this morning though, 24.3% down 4% from the beginning of the year since I started eating modified Warrior diet style

No matter, because I'm lighter now during the day at 89.7kg 197.34lbs :)
So I should be lighter tomorrow morning. Waist size should be down as well, gotta measure it. I have lost almost 20lbs, getting close to the halfway mark.
 
damn man, awesome work on the diet. Good to see your still pluggin away with the journal, one of these days I'll even get caught up! Whats the 'warrior diet' you are using?
 
I just basically eat 3-4 fruit/protein powder meals from dawn to afternoon, and then have one or two large normal meals - I eat till I'm stuffed on these.

it's basically similar to an intermittent fast and it's the best diet plan I have tried, and I have done em all :)
Your metabolism doesn't seem to slow down at all unlike other approaches, and I never really get hungry the same way after your used to it, plus you can train with full energy
 
Haven't updated the last couple days, but not much has changed, got better sleep on Saturday, but poor sleep last night - neighbour had a party that ended at 12am, and then I stayed up till 4am etc...anyway I feel ok , just sleepy...

Skipped the planned light workout and upper body session on Saturday - decided I really didn't need to train that much on the first week back from a 12 day layoff. Didn't feel like it anyway after my part-time job, and my body is thanking me now. Lower body is feeling much better. Maybe training only twice a week might not be a bad thing.

now after the 2 weeks off and this lighter week getting back into it, I get the impression my body is still recovering from the last 6 months of hard workouts, overreaching and overtraining - maybe even further back ...the last few years...just by how I feel.
So starting really light and slowly ramping up over a few weeks may do me more good than I had planned. Just get enough work and volume/reps to maintain musclemass as I rebound back and maybe things will feel better than they have been.
I always thought something was wrong with me when no matter how much stronger I got on squats and bench, even if I could crank out over 8 reps on 185-225lbs on either lift, it never felt any lighter or as easy as it used to feel going back to my 1st and 2nd year of training where I was thowing around weights in that range like nothing.... yep long term CNS recovery issues...

Who knows, it might even take me a few months to recover back to baseline, seeing how long I've been under, and how much I have exert myself at my part time job and how disrupted my average weekly sleep is

pigged out on Friday night, but bodyweight is more or less around 198lbs
 
s8nlilhlpr said:
damn man, awesome work on the diet. Good to see your still pluggin away with the journal, one of these days I'll even get caught up! Whats the 'warrior diet' you are using?
Click to expand...

best diet i ever tried. didnt even feel like napping anymore the whole day because I felt fresh all day long.
 
Yay, first time in a long time I got one solid block of 8+ hours sleep
Overall body, joints and CNS feels good, and I have that "light" energetic feeling. Just some slightly achey muscles in my upper body and hips/lower back. Body and CNS is starting to feel more normal now, rather than a constant background of fatigue. Sure takes ages to fully recover from overtraining.

weighed 90kg 198lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Looking to get under 90kg for good this week. I weigh the same now fully clothed, so about 89.5kg 196.9lbs naked, but a bit dehydrated though.
 
Monday 21st May - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 2 - Day 1 - Lower body base conditioning - Micro cycle 4

I missed a meal and was pretty dehydrated, was thirsty throughout the whole workout. This didn't bother the weights which were good, but the jumps felt flat.
Things getting better, feeling a little stronger, plus form and speed is getting snappier.

I was under 200lbs at the gym, too light for the 200-250lb setting on the counter balance scale and too heavy for the 150-200lb setting - WTF!
So I have no accurate reading... this about where I got to the last time I leaned down, except I can jump a little higher and this time I got there quicker, without the same level of suffering diet wise as well. That makes all the difference
Couple of guys I know at the gym who I haven't seen in a few weeks, certainly noticed me being leaner and made comments.

Body weight at gym - under 200lbs
Workout time - 1.5 hours
Workout rating - 8/10

General warm up -

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) standing Side leg raise x 9 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
4) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
5) Lying on back Scorpion under - x10 each leg alternating
6) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
7) Lying on back Scorpion under x 11 each side
8) glute bridge x 10
9) back extension x 4 + 4 twisting to each side
10) sit up complex on swiss ball
11) single leg kneeling deadlift x4, x3 each side
12) hop complex
13) 40lb bar complex - slow cleanpull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 5 reps each, 3 on the jerks
14) various hops, prime times, running in the spot drills, low 6 inch altitude drops and depth jumps
15) Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 10 + band dislocates x 10.
with green jumpstretch band held full length, then 3/4 length for another set
16) scapular pushups against a bench - BW x 10


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3mins

Jumps and Hops

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, rest 30secs, short run of prime times, running one leg jump, rest 30 secs, then a set of 2 standing jumps going higher/harder each time.

did these in between the warm up sets on squats

a) Speed hops on a 3 inch step x 5
b) short run of prime times
c) running on leg jump

rest 30 secs - and 20 sec rest between each jump
a) standing Vertical jump
b) one step VJ
c) one step VJ
d) 2 step VJ

2 hard sets total for the first part, 3 sets for the 2nd part.
Jumps the same as last workout, half an inch off my best, but I felt pretty flat today, no zip or explosion. Calorie deficit taking it's toll I guess.
Noticed that when I step into the jump casually and relaxed I get up higher.
2 step VJ felt pretty good though, can almost put my elbow against the raised ceiling above the oly platform and that's with my arm at an angle!


Power Cleans - in Nike Free 7.0 shoes

did these inbetween the jumps and warmup sets of squats

Powerclean + 2 High Hang powercleans - warmup set with bar
89lbs, 109lbs


Full Back Squats - Nike Free 7.0 shoes - no Belt

warm ups - controlled down, powered up - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 165x3
backsquat - bar x5, 95lbs x4, 135x4, 165x4, 195x3

controlled down, powered up- 4 mins rest
1) 225lbs x 4
2) 225lbs x 4 ---> in oly shoes

Feeling a little easier now. I sitback a bit more compared to the last few training cycle. Form is carrying over from the snatch grip deadlifts it seems.

---------

Lower body circuit - Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3 mins on worksets

Good Mornings onto toes - high bar - oly shoes
2 sec pause at bottom and hold at top on toes
BW x3, Bar x 3+3 more each side split leg style, 95lbs x 3, 115lbs x 5

Reverse Lunge - vertical shins, medium wide stance, rear leg kept on the straighter side - 2 sec pause at bottom - oly shoes - alternating legs
BW x 3, Bar x 3, 75lbs x 4 each side

felt crappy

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - BWx15, 1plate x3, x7

Strict Oly style Deadlifts - oly shoes - no belt
hook grip, controlled down pause on floor, powered up - 3 reps with clean grip, then 3 rep with snatch grip - 89lbs, 139lbs x3,

snatch grip deadlift only - 159lbs x 4, normal grip 159lbs x 4

strong and snappy

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep with hold at bottom) - hold at middle and bottom on each rep - BW x 6, +15lbs x 6


--------


Cooldown and stretches

pullup stretched holds - BW 3x15 sec holds

lower body stretches and some upper body ones
 
Feel tired, sapped, a little drained and sore all over.
Mostly in my VMO, glutes, lower back, hammies, upper back and biceps
Got moderately dry, hot and swollen lips too... cortisol is up

weighed 89kg 195.8lbs straight out of bed in underwear
Waist = 34.5 inches

Woah big drop in bodyweight! Probbaly just dehydrated. Waist finally into the 34 inch area. Just 4 more inches to go to hit my goal, about 20+lbs or so
14.6 % bodfat according to this http://home.fuse.net/clymer/bmi/
167lbs of lean body mass, I am definitely losing muscle

My leg measured in around 27 inches, that's down from 28.5 inches a few months ago....some fat, and some muscle that's probably where my leg strength and VJ power went too. They look bigger somehow though due to me getting leaner.

might go for a 12 min walk today, mobility work and easy stretching.
 
Got some of those 7.0 shoes, and wow do they work nice for squatting! For a running shoe at least :D

I think Im going to have to stop taking your advice, because you are under 200lbs. At least that is the logic that the juicers have taught me, lol! Bulk back up man, you cant lose all your knowledge! rofl!
 
JohnRobHolmes said:
Got some of those 7.0 shoes, and wow do they work nice for squatting! For a running shoe at least :D

I think Im going to have to stop taking your advice, because you are under 200lbs. At least that is the logic that the juicers have taught me, lol! Bulk back up man, you cant lose all your knowledge! rofl!
Click to expand...


good one :)
well I am never going above 200lbs again ever...my body can't hold that amount of muscle mass lean anyway....


-----

Didn't get much sleep last night, 5.5 hours, late night, all my fault...
Most of the soreness is gone, it felt like trash yesterday, that's some fast recovery! Lips still dry and swollen, plus I'm starting to get some red welts on my upper body - a sure hormonal sign I'm under stress

weighed 89.4kg 196.68lbs straight out of bed in underwear

ate 2 evening meals last night, which I think I really need to. I'm not eating enough at night.
 
Wednesday 21st May - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 2 - Day 2 - Whole body base conditioning - Micro cycle 4

felt pretty good heading to the gym. Weights went well, things are starting to feel nice and good. Body is adapting, but the jumps were pretty crap.
I will drop the high intensity jumps this workout, which will save a good half an hour which I can put to use in working my upper body stuff better.

used a 45lb oly bar for the warmup circuit complex, and that sure felt a ton harder than the 40lb preset barbell! Forearms and upper back/shoulders pumped like hell!

Body weight at gym - just under 200lbs
Workout time - 1.5 hours
Workout rating - 7/10

General warm up -

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) standing Side leg raise x 6 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
4) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
5) Lying on back Scorpion under - x10 each leg alternating
6) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
7) Lying on back Scorpion under x 11 each side
8) glute bridge x 10
9) back extension x 4 + 4 twisting to each side
10) sit up complex on swiss ball
11) single leg kneeling deadlift x4, x3 each side
12) cossack side to side lunging x 8 each side
13) hop complex
14) 45lb oly bar complex - slow cleanpull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 5 reps each, 3 on the jerks
15) various hops, prime times, running in the spot drills, low 6 inch altitude drops and depth jumps
16) scapular pushups against a bench - BW x 10
17) Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 10 + band dislocates x 10.
with green jumpstretch band held full length, then 3/4 length for 2 sets


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3mins

Jumps and Hops

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, rest 30secs, short run of prime times, running one leg jump, rest 30 secs, then a set of 2 standing jumps going higher/harder each time.

did these in between the warm up sets on squats

a) Speed hops on a 3 inch step x 5
b) short run of prime times
c) running on leg jump

rest 30 secs - and 20 sec rest between each jump
a) standing Vertical jump
b) one step VJ
c) one step VJ
d) 2 step VJ

2 hard sets total for the first part, 3 sets for the 2nd part.
Crappy, only one jump was within what I did 2 days ago, the rest were 2inche slower and felt off balanced


Full Back Squats - Nike Free 7.0 shoes - no Belt

warm ups - controlled down, powered up - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 165x3
backsquat - bar x5, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 165x3,

controlled - 4 mins rest
1) 185lbs x 8
2) 185lbs x 8 ---> in oly shoes

Felt pretty good, much easier than the first week and good form. Going up in weight next week

---------

Lower body circuit - Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3 mins on worksets

Good Mornings onto toes - high bar - oly shoes
2 sec pause at bottom and hold at top on toes
BW x3, Bar x 3+3 more each side split leg style, 95lbs x 3, 115lbs x 4

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - BWx15, 1plate x3, x7

Strict Oly style Deadlifts - oly shoes - no belt
hook grip, controlled down pause on floor, powered up - 3 reps with clean grip, then 3 rep with snatch grip - 89lbs, 139lbs

snatch grip deadlift only - 159lbs x 4, normal grip 159lbs x 4

feeling much easier now, even grip is solid.

--------

Upper body circuit - Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 1 min on worksets

Seated pulley rows to stomach with a hold against the body
20lbs x 5, 25lbs x 10

Dip shrugs BW x 10sec hold + 5, BW x 12

pullup stretched holds - slighter wider than shoulder width, feet slightly on floor - BW x 20 secs.
Feet off the floor - BW x 15 scapular shrugs + 15 sec stretched hold x 2 sets
regular bar grip - BW x 30sec hold

Pushup plus - pushup on floor with hold at top fully pushed up into max extension 1x8, 10 scapular pushups + 10 more regular pushups

Dumbell curls - hold at parallel position on the way down - 15lbs x 5, x8


-----

Cooldown and stretches


lower body stretches and some upper body ones
 
Better sleep, but need more. Feel sapped, and sore as a biatch everywhere!

weighed 90.4kg 198.88lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Cranked up the calories at night, will start eating more for a bit in the evening meals and see what happens. Hopefully my VJ will go back up and beyond my current Gym PR by another couple of inches, and strength will no doubt be up as well.
Or maybe I could just crash down all the way to 180lbs and then pick up the pieces....
 
Late night so while I got a decent amount of sleep, the hours I get after midnight don't feel as good.
Overall low level achey feeling.

weighed 89.7kg 197.34lbs straight out of bed in underwear
Waist = 35 inches

Been eating more at night the last few days
Had 2 evening meals last night and weight is the same, so I am under 90kg for good.
About 1 pound lighter than this time last week.
Waist is back up to 35 inches though, maybe I measured it too tightly last time. Anyway that puts me around 15.5% bodyfat with 166lbs of lean body mass. I estimate me at 174lbs when I reach my goal of a 30 inch waist, which would put me at 7% bodyfat. All speculation though
 
Monday 28th May - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 3 - Day 1 - Lower body base conditioning - Micro cycle 4

Feeling much more solid, stronger and more explosive today. The extra 25g of protein and extra calories I added each day is making a difference for sure!
Increased the loads across the board

Body weight at gym - 200lbs
Workout time - 1.5 hours
Workout rating - 8/10

General warm up -

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat

at bottom on toes

1) standing Side leg raise x 9 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
4) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
5) Lying on back Scorpion under - x10 each leg alternating
6) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
7) Lying on back Scorpion under x 11 each side
8) glute bridge x 10
9) back extension x 4 + 4 twisting to each side
10) sit up complex on swiss ball
11) single leg kneeling deadlift x4, x3 each side
12) cossack side to side lunging x 8 each side
13) hop complex
14) 45lb oly bar complex - slow cleanpull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 4 reps each, 3 on the jerks
15) Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 10 + band dislocates x 10.
with green jumpstretch band held full length, then 3/4 length for another set
16) scapular pushups against a bench - BW x 10
17) various hops, prime times, running in the spot drills, low 6 inch altitude drops and depth jumps


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3mins

Jumps and Hops

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, rest 30secs, short run of prime times, running one leg jump, rest 30 secs, then a set of 2 standing jumps

going higher/harder each time.

did these in between the warm up sets on squats

a) Speed hops on a 3 inch step x 5
b) short run of prime times
c) running on leg jump

rest 30 secs - and 20 sec rest between each jump
a) standing Vertical jump
b) one step VJ
c) one step 2 handed VJ
d) 2 step VJ

3 hard sets total for the first part, 4 sets for the 2nd part.
Jumps about the same as last week, but feel a lot snappier. Still just under my gym PR

Power Cleans - in Nike Free 7.0 shoes

did these inbetween the jumps and warmup sets of squats

Powerclean + 2 High Hang powercleans - warmup set with bar
89lbs, 109lbs, 119lbs, 124lbs


Full Back Squats - Nike Free 7.0 shoes - no Belt

warm ups - controlled down, powered up - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 165x1, 170x2
backsquat - bar x5, 95lbs x4, 135x4, 165x1, 170x2, 205x3, 225x3

controlled down, powered up- 4 mins rest
1) 245lbs x 4 (+20lbs)
2) 245lbs x 4 ---> in oly shoes

Felt kinda heavy on my back, but legs powered it up pretty well.

---------

Lower body circuit - Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3 mins on worksets

Good Mornings onto toes - high bar - oly shoes
2 sec pause at bottom and hold at top on toes
BW x3, Bar x 3+3 more each side split leg style, 95lbs x 3, 120lbs x 5 (+5lbs)

Reverse Lunge - vertical shins, medium wide stance, rear leg kept on the straighter side - 2 sec pause at bottom - oly shoes - alternating legs
BW x 3, Bar x 3, 80lbs x 4 each side (+5lbs)

felt way easier

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - BWx15, 1plate x3, 2x7 (+1 set)

Strict Oly style Deadlifts - oly shoes - no belt
hook grip, controlled down pause on floor, powered up - 2 reps with clean grip, then 2 rep with snatch grip - 89lbs, 139lbs

snatch grip deadlift only - explosive up - normal grip 169lbs x 4, hook grip 169lbs x 4 (+10lbs)

powerful

Lat Machine situp - BW x 12 (progressively lower each rep with hold at bottom) - hold at middle and bottom on each rep - BW x 4, +25lbs x 4 (+10lbs -

2 reps)


--------


Cooldown and stretches

pullup stretched holds - BW 3x15 sec holds - taxed my grip
reverse hyperes - BWx12

lower body stretches and some upper body ones
 
good progress on the bodyweight CCJ, how are your strength levels?

improving strength to weight ratio and getting that top end speed back is one of the best feelings ever!
 
super_rice said:
good progress on the bodyweight CCJ, how are your strength levels?

improving strength to weight ratio and getting that top end speed back is one of the best feelings ever!
Click to expand...

if you can't tell, I'm a lot weaker than I used to be, but I did take a 2week break to reocver from overtraining as well :)
There are a couple of inches on my vertical jump there if I can regain my strength levels.


-----

Pretty good sleep. A little sapped, but not drained. Overall achey feeling, but not as bad as the couple of weeks. It seems the amount of protein (calories?) I take in does effect level of DOMS, up to a point anyway.

weighed 89.4kg 196.68lbs straight out of bed in underwear

Waist is back down to 34.5 inches, I look a lot leaner, joints getting nice and small. Face/chin is still chubby, it will probably be the last area to lean up...
I start to look athletic around the 32-33 inch waist area.
 
i wasn't sure if you were just lifting lighter. any way to stop loosing the strength perhaps? i know with me my body comp took a 360 and strength went thorugh the roof; there was only positives to be had from dropping from ~81kg 13-14%BF to now 75kg 8-9% BF
 
I am lifting lighter, but I know I can't squat 385lbs now like I could before anytime I wanted :)

My 1RM squat is probbaly around 345lbs

well up the calories, and protein levels I guess. I just wasn't eating that much a few weeks back especially during my 2 week layoff period which makes it even worse

But yeah when I was stronger at 205lbs gym weight, I was jumping my best. I'm lighter now, but not jumping as high so strength is down.
It might be better to just lean down to my goal and then worry about strength after that. Since I have a slow metabolism, so don't eat much over 2000 calories
 
Holy "Crap", after pooping all morning I hit 88.8kg 195.36lbs :)

might go for a 12min walk today, along with my usual mobility work and some easy stretching after
 
Quite possible a little too much detail on that last journal entry :P

Its good to read you are making some awesome progress in body comp.

Having read your journal for a few years now, would your advice be for reactive sports to avoid the gfh method? I went through a stage like that back a couple of years and while weight room numbers went up i felt way too fat and slow. These days its seems to make more sense to eat plenty of good stuff to grow while focusing on stregth increases.

Thoughts?
 
d-dub said:
Quite possible a little too much detail on that last journal entry :P

Its good to read you are making some awesome progress in body comp.

Having read your journal for a few years now, would your advice be for reactive sports to avoid the gfh method? I went through a stage like that back a couple of years and while weight room numbers went up i felt way too fat and slow. These days its seems to make more sense to eat plenty of good stuff to grow while focusing on stregth increases.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...


If your skinny then adding muscle will be needed to get stronger, and so add more power, but you sure don't want to bulk up and get fat. Power to weight ratio is always key. If you add 10lbs, your squat better go up 50lbs.

see some of these 3 skinny dudes progress to see what I mean - they added muscle weight, but got a lot stronger ratio wise so made some nice gains

Here were his initial numbers:
3/1/2005 Standing Reach:7’8”
3/1/2005 Vertical Jump(Vertec): 27”

3/2/2005 Body Weight: 150
Back Squat: 205 x 2

PR's:
5/20/2006 Body Weight: 155
Back Squat: 340 x 1

5/19/2006 Vertical Jump (Vertec): 34.5”

Final PR's Before Leaving For College:
8/14/2006 Body Weight: 160
8/14/2006 Vertical Jump (Vertec): 38"
8/15/2006 Back Squat: 360 x 1
Click to expand...


My younger brother just finished the vertical jump program on this site...
Before program:

Age: 18 Height: 5ཆ Weight: 150 lbs Squat: 230 lbs Bench: 190 lbs Standing verical leap: 23 inches Running vertical off one foot: 27 inches Running vertical off both : 28 inches

After: Weight: 160 lbs (+10 pounds, of course, LEAN muscle!) Squat: 310 lbs Bench: 220 lbs Standing verical leap: 34 (!) inches Running vertical off one foot: 38 inches Running vertical off both : 38 inches
Click to expand...


Age: 17
Years playing: 2
Gender: male

Height: 5' 11 3/4"
Weight: 146
Standing Reach: 7' 8 1/2"
Touch: 10'10"
Position: OH/MB
Level of Play: high school
Squat: 305
Deadlift: 315



Well, before i ever lifted a weight or began to play volleyball i could touch 10' @ 5' 11". So i had pretty average vertical i guess, so i don't think that i'm exactly a "natural jumper". But my vertical has exploded ever since i started training westside barbell style(power lifting). I used to hate my weight, but then i found out it poses an advantage when i raised my strength to weight ratio. So my suggestions are training westside barbell style, or i have an ascending-descending power training. If anyone wants a copy of the ascending-descending power training routine, or info on the WSB routines, just PM me. Some people argue that you cannot build explosiveness in the weight room, but you cannot argue with results. I've seen a power lifter weigh a little over 300 pounds, about 5'10', with an 800+lb squat that could dunk a b-ball with two hands without taking an approach. The guy had about a 42" vertical, and all the training he did was in the weightroom. Watching that huge guy dunk made me a believer no doubt. I'll start a 7 week long training cycle next monday, and will post a log for it after every workout(it should be 9 weeks long, but i'm going on vacation for two weeks, and probably won't have anywhere to train).


well here's my results from training:

before:..............after:
weight: 146........weight: 157
touch: 10'9.5".....touch: 11'.5"
squat: 305.........squat: 370(broke the school record with that one :bobthebuilder2: , but they wouldn't let me put my name up because i'm not in football...grrrr)
deadlift: 310...... deadlift: don't really know for sure because i haven't maxed out on this on yet, but i hit a set of 5 with 365 a month ago, so it should be in the low 400's
bench: 195.........bench:235

My weight at one point was 162, but i put on a little fat so i had to burn that off to get to my present weight
Click to expand...



-----

Freaking dog, scratching around and stuff, interuppted my sleep all night long!
Tired. My hamstriongs got really sore yesterday afternoon, and my glutes to a lesser extent. Still a bit achey.

weighed 89.6kg 197.1lbs straight out of bed in underwear
 
Wednesday 30th May - Cycle 4 Get Lower Body Stronger + Get Lean - Week 3 - Day 2 - Whole body base conditioning - Micro cycle 4

Dang finally got a sub 200lbs bodyweight reading at the gym! Now to get my strength back to where it was and I'll be jumping much better
I said last time that I might drop the high intensity jumps from this workout as it always lower than the Monday workout due to fatigue, plus to save workout time, but I still did em today, just not all out. Made the workout too long though. I was dragging a bit at the end.

I can tell my body is starting to adapt to this setup though, feeling stronger and not as "wasted" . Shoulder mobility is improving and feeling stronger too - about time!

Also I've been doing semi sumo stanced, hip thrusts in the mornings for 15 reps and sometimes during the day if I have been sitting a lot. Punching the hips forward like your doing an imaginary RDL, stretches the hip flexors and while flexing the glutes. Really loosens up the hip flexors, gets the glutes firing and warms up my lower back. Which I need in the mornings when I get up. The side effect of doing this is that I get the same benefits as glute bridges and even better IMO. Like today on squats I didn't even feel my lower back work at all due to the glutes firing better!

Body weight at gym - 198.5lbs
Workout time - 2 hours
Workout rating - 7/10

General warm up -

15sec ISO holds - quarter squat, on toes, on heels (toes pulled up), hip back wide stance squat at parallel, on side of feet (for ankles), narrow full squat at bottom on toes

1) standing Side leg raise x 6 each side
2) dynamic stretches and swings, rocking on side of ankle etc
3) hurdle over and unders x 5 each direction and each type
4) Prone Scorpion - x8 each leg alternating
5) Lying on back Scorpion under - x10 each leg alternating
6) Single Leg SLDL mobility walk
7) Lying on back Scorpion under x 11 each side
8) glute bridge x 10
9) back extension x 4 + 4 twisting to each side
10) sit up complex on swiss ball
11) single leg kneeling deadlift 2x3 each side
12) Cossack side to side lunging x 8 each side
13) hop complex
14) 45lb oly bar complex - slow cleanpull, press, GM onto toes, partial snatch grip press, hang powerclean, power jerk - 5 reps each, 3 on the jerks
15) various hops, prime times, running in the spot drills, low 6 inch altitude drops and depth jumps
16) scapular pushups against a bench - BW x 10
17) Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts x 10 + band dislocates x 10.
with green jumpstretch band held full length, then 3/4 length for 2 sets


Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3mins

Jumps and Hops

Warm up - a set of 5 speed hops on a 3inch step, rest 30secs, short run of prime times, running one leg jump, rest 30 secs, then a set of 2 standing jumps going higher/harder each time.

did these in between the warm up sets on squats

a) Speed hops on a 3 inch step x 5
b) Speed hops on a 9 inch step x 5
c) running on leg jump

rest 30 secs - and 20 sec rest between each jump
a) standing Vertical jump
b) one step VJ
c) 2 step VJ

4 hard sets total - all jumps at 80-90% intensity so not all out focused on form and staying relaxed. I did do one all out one step VJ, and it was at least 2 inches lower....

Full Back Squats - Nike Free 7.0 shoes - no Belt

warm ups - controlled down, powered up - frontsquat, rerack, rest 30secs, backsquat
frontsquat - bar x3, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 165x2, 170x2
backsquat - bar x5, 95lbs x3, 135x3, 165x2, 170x2

controlled - 4 mins rest
1) 190lbs x 8 (+5lbs)
2) 190lbs x 8 ---> in oly shoes

Good, no back pump or ache at all!

---------

Lower body circuit - Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 2-3 mins on worksets

Good Mornings onto toes - high bar - oly shoes
2 sec pause at bottom and hold at top on toes
BW x3, Bar x 3+3 more each side split leg style, 95lbs x 3, 120lbs x 5 (+5lbs ++1 rep)

Toe curls on lying leg curl machine - BWx15, 1plate x4, 2x7

Strict Oly style Deadlifts - oly shoes - no belt
hook grip, controlled down pause on floor, powered up - 2 reps with clean grip, then 2 rep with snatch grip - 89lbs, 139lbs

snatch grip deadlift only - 169lbs x 4, normal grip 169lbs x 4

felt solid and powerful

--------

Upper body circuit - Rotating Sets between each exercise

Resting 1 min on worksets

Seated pulley rows to stomach with a hold against the body
20lbs x 5, 25lbs 2x8 - extra set by 2 less reps

Dip shrugs BW x 10sec hold + 5, BW x 15 (+3 reps)

pullup stretched holds - angled grip - slighter wider than shoulder width, feet slightly on floor - BW x 15 secs + 5 scap shrugs
Feet off the floor - BW x 15 scapular shrugs + 15 sec stretched hold x 2 sets

Pushup plus on bench x 4 + 8 scapular pushups
pushup on floor with hold at top fully pushed up into max extension 1x12, 10 scapular pushups + 8 more regular pushups

Dumbbell curls - hold at parallel position on the way down - 4kg x 6, 15lbs x8, 20lbs x6


-----

Cooldown and stretches

Reverse hypers - bwx15

lower body stretches and some upper body ones
 
Nice progress! Anyways since I didn't see it in you initial post whats your gender?

Edit: I guess it's female. (correct me if I'm wrong)

Anyways, if it is so you are doing pretty damn well I think!
 
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