Iggy's Journal - The Road to All State

[iggy]

Hi. A few of you on the forums already know my situation. I'm a senior in high school. My stats are
Age: 17
Sport: D4 Football
05 Record: 8-3 (Lost to State champs first round of playoffs)
Position: Noseguard
BFP: 18%
Height: 5'7
Weight: 203lbs
Bench Press: 205x5
Squat: 255x5
Power Clean: 195x5
Deadlift: 275x5
40 yd: 5.20
Vertical: 20"
I've decided that i'm working on strength ahead of speed and i'm trying to get up to 225lbs for the season.
Our first game is August 25th.
Last year i played junior varsity, and this is my last chance to prove myself.
Anyways, my diet consists of mostly carbs, protein, and skim milk as of today.
I will post links to before and after pictures of myself
It begins now..........

 

[iggy]

Monday, June 19th - Day 1

Iggy’s 5x5 Journal
Monday Day 1 – 06/19/06
Workout Rating - 6/10

Bench Squat Cleans Rows
-135x5 -135x5 -115x5 -95x5
-155x5 -165x5 -135x5 -115x5
-170x5 -195x5 -155x5 -115x5
-185x5 -225x5 -175x5 -115x5
-205x5 -255x5 -195x5 -115x5

Decline Crunches
30x3

Today started off bad. I woke up late at 5:30am (my workout was at 6am and i usually wake up at 4am to cook some breakfast and take a shower) and only had enough time to eat a banana pre-workout. I came in, stretched myself, did 3 sets of 30 declined crunches and warmed up to power clean. My big toe was bruised badly last weak and it didn't make it any easier to clean. The weight got heavier as i went on and i felt weaker than usual. I stopped before my last set because it was too overwhelming and i literally couldn't hit it. Next i went to go squat. I hit every set explosive and quickly. 225x5 felt very heavy though, so i didn't do my final set. You will find out the reason why later. Finally i went to go bench. 135x5 felt very heavy. Oddly enough the weight got lighter as i went on in the sets and 205x5 was very easy. Next i did BB rows. They came easily and i think i should of went up to 135lbs from 115lbs. Afterwards our coach made us do some plate exercises. Then we had to run a whopping 2 miles. My big toe was hurting during the run, but then my shin splints took over like crazy. After the run i couldn't stand, sit, walk, do anything without horrible pain in my shins. The pain was a 8/10 (horrible) Does anyone have any advice on what to do when shin splints occur? So afterwards i went home and tried some glutamine mixed with water and strawberry flavored whey protein. I literally almost vomited when i tried it. It might just be that i'm not a strawberry kind of guy, but i tried mixing it again with skim milk. It tasted better, but still horrible. I'm thinking of selling it and buying a different kind of whey protein. Does anyone reccommend a better tasting whey protein? And to top it all off i did something very stupid on saturday. I drank 7 1/2 cans of natural light. I wasn't drunk, but just a little tipsy and didn't realize how much drinking effects your lifting. I'm staying away from drinking for good now. Sadly i had to learn the hard way. A wise man once said, "you learn from your mistakes", and this proof of that right here. Anyways i think that i started squat's and clean's a little too heavy for my first week, so i might bring the last sets down a bit.

 

[xblitz44x]

I'm assuming that you're talking about football, correct? Which position are you playing? Do you do any speed or agility work?

As far as the shin splints go, I use to get them all the time and they seemed to have just went away. You could search google and I'm sure you'll find thousands of links about shin splints and how you might be able to fix them.

As for protein, try ON (Optiumum Nutrition) Chocolate Mint flavor. I think it's delicious, especially mixed with some milk and dextrose. I buy it online from bodybuilding.com and it's something like 28 bucks for a 5 lb container which should last at least a month depending on how often you use it.

Drinking takes its toll on me too. I still do it once every other weekend or so but if you can avoid it altogether then it will help you that much more. If you do have a few beers on Saturday, eat your ass off on Sunday (as well as drink pleanty of water) to try to bounce back and quick as possible.

 

[BiggT]

Don't ya love some high school coaches?? I don't see how running 2 miles makes one a better,faster, more explosive football player, lol, if anything it will slow down your explosiveness, but I guess it is left over from the old days when nobody lifted weights or did conditioning year-round and coaches had to "whip these kids into shape".

Drinking will ruin my training too, and the deeper I am into a training cycle, the more damaging it is. I am not even sure you mis-guaged with the weights, it sounds like the 7 or 8 beers, plus the lack of breakfast had more to do with it.

Like blitz said, ON Whey tastes really good, and you can usually find it in big sizes at cheap prices. What I notice with most proteins is if you mix them with milk, and add a banana or peanut butter, it can do wonders for the taste. Worst tasting shit I have ever had was Nitro-Tech, but with milk, a banana, peanut butter, and some vanilla extract, it as bearable. If you want a gainer/MRP, I have never tasted anything as good as Muscle Milk from Cytosport.

Good job on the workout though, and just remember that next time you need to prepare a good day in advance with sleep and food before a heavy session.

 

[iggy]

Well i arrived home at about 12:30am the night before. But the only reason why i came home so late was because i ended up winning $103 in a cash game playing cards at a friends house. Anyways i have Twinlab whey protein strawberry flavored(the disgusting one) and the worker at vitamin world told me he uses it also and it tastes great. Big Mistake.....
My post workout meal was amazing. 4 Waffles, 16 oz Skim milk, and 2 egg whites, 2 eggs.

Anyways i'm ordering Starting Strength online soon.

 

[xblitz44x]

I've heard it's good material. Enjoy it. Which position do you play?

I say just deal with the shitty tasting protein for now. Just mix it and throw it down. Then when you're finished the jug look into ONs.

 

[xblitz44x]

Don't ya love some high school coaches?? I don't see how running 2 miles makes one a better,faster, more explosive football player, lol, if anything it will slow down your explosiveness, but I guess it is left over from the old days when nobody lifted weights or did conditioning year-round and coaches had to "whip these kids into shape".

I love this mentality. "Run two miles to get into shape." Because football players often run two miles straight during a game situation. Along the same lines is the terrible 225 bench press strength test. As if you're going to be pushing a 225 lb football player 16 times in a row; while on your back. A much better indication of football strength would be the power clean, if you ask me.

 

[iggy]

I play noseguard. Sorry blitz, i'll put that in the first part of this thread.

 

[iggy]

Forgot to list my goals.
As of August 25, 2006
Before After
245x1, 205x5 Bench Press - 275x1, 225x5
315x1, 255x5 Box Squat - 350x1, 295x5
225x1 195x5 Power Clean - 250x1, 225x5
315x1 275x5 Deadlift - 315x5, 365x1

 

[Extra_Strong]

Anyways i'm ordering Starting Strength online soon.

smart idea. I would focus more on cleans than dead.

you should also have a goal for your vertical jump and 40 time.

weekest area looks like jumping speed.
jump squats would not be a bad addin.

 

[iggy]

Monday, June 19th - Day 2

Iggy’s 5x5 Journal
Monday Day 2 – 06/21/06
Workout Rating - 8/10

Inc Bench Squat Deads
-95x5 -135x5 -135x5
-115x5 -165x5 -155x5
-135x5 -195x5 -185x5
-155x5 -195x5 -225x5
-275x5

Roman chairs
300x1

I worked out later at 6pm today. First off i helped some freshman squat right, because i can't even explain what the hell they were doing. Then i went to incline bench and it was very explosive. doing down slow and exploding up. Afterwards i went to Box Squat, and it was indeed explosive with my good form. Breezed through it all. The Deadlift's hurt my back a bit. I think it was because i was doing straight deadlifts, looking down when i was picking it up, and it was straining my back. Afterwards coach had us run two laps around the track, then do about 10 50yd dashes back and forth. The running destroyed my shins. Shin Splints are killing me. I bought an Xbox 360 today and i plan on buying Madden 07 when it comes out August 5th, and creating myself as a massive dtackle/fback who destroys everything in site. I'm sure everyone does the same thing. I bought the chocolate kind of whey protein from the same brand. It was a huge mistake. The protein still tastes horrible whether strawberry or chocolate swirl. I have to live through it though. Overall i had a good day.

 

[iggy]

Another 5x5 attempt gone bad. Looks like i'll have to restart this from the beginning in a week. Our weight room was closed on friday, so i couldn't get my triples. It opened up back on monday, and our coaches had us do the worst workout i've ever heard of.
We had to bench heavy sets of 2. (which i don't understand how it helps me.)
185x2, 195x2, 215x2, 225x2, 235x2. On tuesday which is today, i attended John Carroll football camp in Ohio. I'm exhausted now and since our coach is making us do "his workout" that he found out of an arnold schwartzineager bodybuilding book, i'm afraid i'm going to have to postpone my 5x5 program.
I'll have to start it up again in the beginning of July.

 

[BiggT]

IS there any way around doing the Arnold workout, lol??? Seriously, that will derail all you're working towards. Can you lift elsewhere...or just do your thing quietly? lol

Unless you're strictly monitored (and most high school weight rooms aren't, anyway) you can probably work around it....as long as your big lifts (mainly squats and cleans) are going up, you'll be okay.

 

[Tweakle]

I wonder how many HS athletes never maximise their potential due to coaches like that.. man that is sad, an Arhnold workout for football players. Does the guy even lift himself?

if you can cut treat it as active recovery and lift really, really light on that day it shouldn't do too much damage

 

[iggy]

Were not allowed to lift unless there's an adult over 21 in our weight room. Coaches tell us, "You might hurt yourself unsupervised." Anyways i should be able to start the 5x5 back up soon. But if coaches catch me they'll get pissed. They always tell me, "Do it our way. Your way sucks!"

 

[anotherbutters]

They always tell me, "Do it our way. Your way sucks!"

If they're not strictly forbiding you from doing it your way, then just do it.

 

[iggy]

It's thursday today but i'm going to amp in last weeks triples since this friday my school weightroom is closed.
Bench Squat Cleans Bi's/Tri's
-135x5 -135x5 -115x5 3x65
-155x5 -165x5 -135x5
-170x5 -195x5 -155x5
-185x5 -225x5 -175x5
-215x5 -265x5 -205x5

They will probably make me run some cardio today after my workout. Perhaps two miles again. But next monday it's on!

 

[al420]

I love this mentality. "Run two miles to get into shape." Because football players often run two miles straight during a game situation. Along the same lines is the terrible 225 bench press strength test. As if you're going to be pushing a 225 lb football player 16 times in a row; while on your back. A much better indication of football strength would be the power clean, if you ask me.

For whatever reason, the past decade or so the draftee's that benched the most (225 the most times) had the best overall numbers years intot he league. The NFL Combine is a real science so they say.

 

[BiggT]

For whatever reason, the past decade or so the draftee's that benched the most (225 the most times) had the best overall numbers years intot he league. The NFL Combine is a real science so they say.

Not to clutter up the journal, but the 225 rep test is an absolute joke, and it is done because 1.) It is all NFL owners really know in terms of strength, and 2.) It is all the average fan really knows in terms of strength. ALL college S and C coaches and NFL scouts are concerned with explosion, ability, and room for improvement. College scouts, as well as pro scouts and s and c coaches at all levels are more likely to ask a player if he cleans or if he can dunk a basketball before they ask what he can bench.....the reason being static strength can be built, explosion and athleticism are more gifts. Upper body strength is important, but it is meaningless if a guy benches 405, but can only squat 300 for a couple reps, can't clean bodyweight, and has a vertical jump of 18 inches....However, if a guy can squat double bodyweight, clean 300lbs, and dunk a basketball, it is safe bet that he can get a shitty bench up through training with those kind of physical attributes. Most players take a training cycle just to prep for the 225 test because it is at the combine, repping with 225 in training will not make you a better, more explosive football player, and is a poor indicator of upper body strength, as it is an endurance test and once you pass about a 350 bench, it really makes no difference if you bench 350 or 550, you will just have to train reps in an endurance range to get better at it, as most respectably strong guys will get planted between 20-30 reps without practice.

 

[iggy]

Iggy had a 5x5 workout yesterday around 6pm and had huge trouble breathing throughout it. Was about to pass out. I'm NEVER like this. It's NEVER EVER happebed to me in my life. Everyone thinks its a collapsed lung and its on the right side of my chest. If i drink, eat, or workout and even walk too fast it hurts like hell. I've never had this feeling before and i don't smoke and hardly ever drink. I'm going to the hospital today to check it out.
Anyways i've been running twice as much and lifting twice as hard as everyone else. So coach put a huge poster of me in the weightroom. I just want to make sure i don't lose any strength now and i'm good to go when the season starts. I had bronchitis last week, but i still lifted and ran. Tuesday i felt the best i've ever felt in my life though. I out-ran this guy i'm competing with in a 12 minute run by two laps. And i cleaned 205x5 while he couldn't even clean 185x1. Hell i even snatched 185. Then when i came to thursday i had trouble breathing, and Sunday it was twice as bad. I sure hope nothing is wrong with me. I've been working my ass off and i don't need to lose any gains now. My father told me that it's better to take a week off than to get a major injury though.
This is what i've been up to.
- iggy

*Edit - Thursday i squatted 265x5 with ease. Sunday night i struggled through it and had to breathe really hard and get a drink every set, which i've never done before.

 

[BiggT]

Hopefully its nothing....keep me posted on everything though.

 

[VSUdude]

My training partner is training for an NFL combine first quarter next year in Jacksonville. I've been doing some sprint/jump work with him and NOWHERE in his combine training manual does it say run 2 miles. Although he does play a different position (inside LB), I played center and so I know a bit about noseguards and how you wanna train for it. And running 2 miles doesn't fit the bill.

Like everyone before has said, explosiveness is key. If you come up off that line slow you will be pancaked. You should train for strength and explosiveness to the exclusion of all else in my opinion. I would personally recommend 40-60 yd. sprints (use strength shoes/parachute if able) and some agility drills (like L or W drills maybe) for your cardio work.

In the weight room, your cleans and squats are of paramount importance. Bench takes a back seat to these two for football, especially for OL or DL. If you were training for a combine, I would say focus more on bench just for numbers, but it seems to me like you need to be crushing bitches in order to make varsity, not posting a big 225 rep max.

Other things that are designed for explosiveness like plyometrics are awesome, but I've been told by the C.S.C.S. here at my college that plyos should only be done if you can back squat 1.5 times your body weight. I've had a limited amount of experience with plyos, but you might wanna look into those for optimal explosive power.

Diet guidelines should be simple: EAT EVERYTHING! You are young and training hard for football, not a bodybuilding competition. You need to eat whatever you can. I don't mean eat every meal at Burger King or Mcdonald's, but eat as much as you possibly can all the time and don't worry about non-processed whole foods and stuff like that - do that later when you're getting older and not training for several hours a day. Just make sure that you are getting plently of protein and carbs. Oh, and LOTS OF WATER!

Just a couple of sidenotes from my own experiences: Don't eat big before any cardio training; if you are working like you should be, YOU WILL PUKE. Sleep lots every night and forget the beer/cigs/pot until December.

Work hard and get your intensity level ready to dominate your OL opponents. Decide now that YOU WILL make varsity if it kills you or you won't make it. You have Jan - May to enjoy your Senior year and have fun - WORK HARD UNTIL FOOTBALL SEASON IS OVER! MAKE IT #1!! And Don't let ANYONE fill you with fear, dread, or hesitation - CRUSH THOSE BITCHES!!

 

[al420]

1. Sleep lots every night and forget the beer/cigs/pot until December.

2. Work hard and get your intensity level ready to dominate your OL opponents.

3. Decide now that YOU WILL make varsity if it kills you or you won't make it.

You have Jan - May to enjoy your Senior year and have fun - WORK HARD UNTIL FOOTBALL SEASON IS OVER! MAKE IT #1!! And Don't let ANYONE fill you with fear, dread, or hesitation - CRUSH THOSE BITCHES!!

b/c when it is over...IT IS OVER. You can look back when your grown and regret the wasted time if you don't. There are probably hundreds of guys on EF that can speak to how great they "could have been" if they would have found their dedication in High School.

Best of luck bro - if I had it to do over again I would never get out of the gym....except to eat and sleep.

 

[iggy]

Tuesday, July 11, 2006 Workout #2
Workout Rating - 8
Everything went soft and smooth aside from a few distractions. I box squatted well below parralel and my deads felt easy.
I never ever use a spotter give me a lift-off unless i'm doing a 1 rep max of something (which hasn't been in 6 months). Do you think this helps me or hurts me? I've been doing worse this week but my sleep hours have been irregular and i haven't been eating much. I've been sleeping from 6am-4pm and eating at 8pm every night, Only once a night the past week. It was because i had bronchitis and i couldn't sleep very well. Hopefully my eating and sleeping will get back on track along with my lifting. And what do you all think about energy drinks?
Inc BP BSquat Deadlift Tris/Bis
-95x5 -145x5 -135x5 3x10
-115x5 -175x5 -165x5
-135x5 -205x5 -195x5
-155x5 -205x5 -225x5
-205x5 -275x5

roman chairs calves
50x1, 25x1 25x3

The cardio was unbelieveably hard and horrible today. It seems after every day we do long cardio it gets harder and harder for me to run and i get slower and slower. Today we had to run 7 laps (1 lap short of 2 miles) and around each bend (bends are 100 yards) we had to back peddle one bend per lap. So i back peddled 700yds of bends after i deadlifted, squatted, and did form running and agility drills with our defense coaches. Needless to say, i can barely walk now. Coach's running is going to kill me. :[

 

[VSUdude]

Energy drinks like Full Throttle or Rock Star are basically sodas (lots of sugar) with additional caffeine (which comes from the decaffenation of coffee) and guarana extract, which comes from the fruit of a plant native to South America, mainly Brazil. This extracted juice acts as a diuretic and stimulant to the central nervous system.

I used to love Full Throttle energy drinks. But the downside is, if you drink them regularly your body will become accustomed to them and they won't have the same effect. (they may still have the diuretic effect, but you won't feel "hyped" up) If you like the way they make you feel, then I would advise only drinking them on your heavy day, the third day for 5x5. Other than that, coffee = king!

One question for you Iggy:
I noticed that your last sets are jumping up a lot of weight. (70lbs on last set of squats, 50lbs. on last set on incline) Is there a reason for the huge jump in weight??

 

[BiggT]

VSUdude gave you some first-class advice on this thread. I agree with energy drinks and saving them for your heavy days......personally, I thought they were lways just emtpy sugar calories, and coffee really is King of all stimulants, it is safe to drink and if you dont add sugar won't make you fat.

Iggy, I may have missed something with a part-time job or something, but why are you sleeping from 6 am to 4 pm.....if you don't have to, then don't....get to bed before midnight and wake up early, it is more natural for the body's clock and you'll feel better overall.

 

[iggy]

It was because i had bronchitis for awhile and couldn't sleep. i just fell asleep real late while i was sick and got used to it. And vsudude, it was a typo. My last set of incline bench should be where 275x5 is. and 275x5 is my last deadlift set.

 

[BiggT]

It was because i had bronchitis for awhile and couldn't sleep. i just fell asleep real late while i was sick and got used to it. And vsudude, it was a typo. My last set of incline bench should be where 275x5 is. and 275x5 is my last deadlift set.

Try and get back on schedule, man. I find any sleep when I get to bed after midnight to be just about worthless. Back in college, on weekends and over the Summers, I bounced at a nightclub, and I'd get home at 2:30 or 3 AM and be all pumped up and it'd be 4 or 4:30 before I could fall asleep, and even if I slept until 1 PM or 2 and got 9-10 hours in, I still felt like crap. I just think the body's natural clock wants to be up in the day and asleep at night......humans aren't nocturnal, unless it is work and you have no choice, try to get to bed no later than midnight, 11PM or so preferably.

 

[iggy]

Sorry guys. You probably all think i'm a big pussy who's not consistent.
I've been able to do 5x5 while still getting a bit of ridicule from my coaches. I haven't miss one workout in the past couple weeks. The usual thing is happening. Stretch out together, work on drills, run two miles [), and lift. The only reason i haven't been updating my journal is because i am bailing straw for my uncle now. I have to wake up and do it all day until football (at 6) and i usually dont even get some dinner till after football (8) but i've been eating everything in site. I don't know if you guys have ever been up 30 hours straight, but the other day i had to stay up because something was going on and then i had to bail straw and lift (didn't eat from 1pm-9pm, wasn't home till then). I've been eating lots of eggs, london broil, chicken, vegetables, and a lot of skim milk. Bailing Straw is hard but i have to help out my uncle.
We start team camp next monday.
Thanks

 

[The Shadow]

good job Little dude