WSB for me :)

[SteelWeaver]

Yo spatts and other WSB folks. It's time

Mind if I clarify a couple of things?

My gym doesn't have a power rack - this, in my view, is a serious shortcoming, but apparently, down here, they don't know what a power rack is. They have squat racks. Of course, no glute-ham raise. No reverse hyper. Board presses could be a problem, because, although I could probably stroll in there with boards, I have no one to help with them. Naturally, no chains or bands.

Have to use step class risers for a box - that's OK, huh?

I'm going to see what can be done with my mom's tenant's engine block lifter thing, but nothing is likely to happen soon, and I think I'm ready for this starting, like, next week - gonna follow basically the sticky on the training board.

So, can the programme be done without the board presses or power rack?

What sort of intervals do you guys use?

Is pushing/pulling a little Golf around the neighbourhood sufficient for the sled dragging stuff? Will get a sled together after my tests end in a few weeks, but whaddaya think? Mmm, maybe I won't even need it

Any tips, off the tops of your heads?

 

[TheProject]

Well, let's see...

No power rack is kind of a problem, but if you've got a squat rack, and someone to spot you for your ME bench days, you should be okay.

Step class risers...hey, as long as you can get 'em close to the right height, go for it.

As far as the board presses...I think you could do other ME moves instead, but I'm not totally sure what the plan would look like without them. I know some people that work out alone do tricks with the boards like putting them in between two shirts. I know I've seen some tricks for doing this on the PL board.

When you say pushing a Golf, do you mean a little Volkswagen car? That'd be some serious GPP! I've seen different suggestions on this one, from using a wheelbarrow with weight in it to putting weight in a crate, attaching a strap, and dragging it that way.

For your speed days, I believe you can do the work with a percentage of your 1RM instead of bands or chains, but I would think if you could get some bands, they'd be a real benefit, particularly for AR.

Another suggestion...copy your thread over to the PL board. I know there are several guys over there who've done WSB alone and have several tricks for working around it.

 

[2Shy]

SW, Hannibal suggested I use an aerobics step for the bench "boards" for now, and I do use the step and risers for my "box." Since I'm usually alone, I'll probably do the double tee shirt thing once I make my boards.

My Y is fairly primitive. I want to go through 9 weeks of WSB before I spend time making things and purchasing bands, etc. You get a really weird look when you ask someone to lay a step over your torso!

I love the flexibility of WSB and will probably stick with it. Oh, I did have to lower my percentage to 50% on my DE bench days because I wasn't getting the speed I wanted. Since you're in far better shape than I am, you probably won't have that problem.

I do pull-throughs and regular back extensions since my Y doesn't have either a glute-ham or reverse hyper machine. I think someone (it might have been B-fold) uses a board lying across the pins for his reverse hypers.

I also haven't fashioned a sled. I did remember that one of my friends was trying to get into the machinists' union at one time and I believe he has access to a welder, so I don't think I'll have to settle for the wheelbarrow when the time comes. Just yet more weird looks!

Listen to Spatts et al. She's da woman!

 

[2Shy]

Have bands, will travel?

 

[SteelWeaver]

Can't I just hop a plane to SA for a week? That would be so much better...

Bad girl! Don't tease - you'll make me cry (Although I might tempt you with mention of the weather here right now - absolutely unbelievable - hot and dry with a cool refreshing breeze, green green lush vegetation everywhere, swimming pool glinting blue as the sky in the sun ....) ( And if you're using dollars - cheap, honey, cheap.)

I scanned the classifieds last night for a power rack - nothing, although people were selling a lot of treadmills, ha ha. Anyway, once you start adding in bars and plates, costs skyrocket. So that's not an option right now - although I'd love to build my own gym someday.

In the meantime, can I use bicycle tubing for the bands? Or will those "pump" type bands people never use in gyms do the job? Are the bands specially calibrated to a certain amount of extension?

My modem only works at about 36.6 kbs, so I haven't been able to see all the videos properly, thus can't figure out exactly how the chains work. I'll work on this though - as I get more into the programme.

Mm, planks between t-shirts - hell - I can do that. But don't your breasts get in the way?

Yeah, Project - I mean a Volkswagen Golf - I was helping my mom's tenant get it started the other day - he repairs and sells cars as a hobby, and has this one as a spare - and I thought it would do well for sprints. It's really not that heavy. He even said he could help me fashion a yoke so's I could pull it, too And when the Golf gets too easy, I can graduate onto my mom's old 2-ton Merc, LMAO

 

[TheProject]

Bad girl! Don't tease - you'll make me cry (Although I might tempt you with mention of the weather here right now - absolutely unbelievable - hot and dry with a cool refreshing breeze, green green lush vegetation everywhere, swimming pool glinting blue as the sky in the sun ....) ( And if you're using dollars - cheap, honey, cheap.)

I scanned the classifieds last night for a power rack - nothing, although people were selling a lot of treadmills, ha ha. Anyway, once you start adding in bars and plates, costs skyrocket. So that's not an option right now - although I'd love to build my own gym someday.

In the meantime, can I use bicycle tubing for the bands? Or will those "pump" type bands people never use in gyms do the job? Are the bands specially calibrated to a certain amount of extension?

My modem only works at about 36.6 kbs, so I haven't been able to see all the videos properly, thus can't figure out exactly how the chains work. I'll work on this though - as I get more into the programme.

Mm, planks between t-shirts - hell - I can do that. But don't your breasts get in the way?

Yeah, Project - I mean a Volkswagen Golf - I was helping my mom's tenant get it started the other day - he repairs and sells cars as a hobby, and has this one as a spare - and I thought it would do well for sprints. It's really not that heavy. He even said he could help me fashion a yoke so's I could pull it, too And when the Golf gets too easy, I can graduate onto my mom's old 2-ton Merc, LMAO

I wonder if newyorkbarbells.com would ship overseas, and if the shipping costs would just be outrageous. Seems like our power rack was a couple hundred bucks, which isn't bad. However, I don't think it's absolutely critical to have one either.

The bands we use are jumpstretch bands. I don't think the gym bands would work, based on what I've seen of them. I'd be surprised if they're long enough to actually go over the bar for squats or benching. I've seen a lot of discussion as to exactly how much tension is there at the bottom and the top, and people have tried to measure it, but I've never seen anything definitive. More than anything, it's the level of uniformity you get...when someone says do 135+pinks, you know what that means.

As far as putting boards between shirts...I never really thought about the breasts thing, but I suppose I should have. Hm.

Ugh, 33.6? How do you surf at all?!?

Can your mom's tenant weld?

 

[SteelWeaver]

Unfortunately, a couple or few hundred bucks is a third to half a month's salary here - or more than a month's salary in some cases. But I soppose it's all relative.

Actually, the tenant doesn't weld, but I know a guy who's known as being really really good - he works with my dad - He could probably make me the best power rack ever for about $50. I've already drawn up some simple diagrams to approach him with - any suggestions on what to include on a custom made power rack? Pull up bar, yes. Anything else? Cool - I could invite people over and show them how to train Or invite people over and have THEM show ME how to train ...

"Jumpstretch bands"? These are from EFS, right? Are they specifically made for PL or do they have some other purpose? How long do they need to be?

As for surfing, he he - I study while I'm waiting for pages to download.

 

[TheProject]

Whoo....yeah, if you can get someone to make a power rack for you, definitely go that route. I would say you want to make it wide enough for you to squat inside the rack. I know both Hannibal and Spatts squat wide enough that most racks are too narrow. I don't have that problem yet. I would suggest looking at the power racks on www.newyorkbarbells.com or http://www.elitefts.com, and get an idea of what you want.

Jumpstretch is the name of the company that makes the bands, and elitefts resells them. You can also order them direct from jumpstretch, but I believe the price is the same. I'll admit...I don't know what their original purpose was.

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?cid=138

 

[SteelWeaver]

Cool, thanks for the websites. Mmm, my own power rack is starting to seem like a fabulous idea. Just think of everything I could DO with it

I'm gonna go look around for some bands like that. Failing that, I'll cut up some old bicycle tubing, or join a few of the gym type ones together.

In the meantime, I'll just do Dave Tate's 9-week programme as it is posted on the tr. board, and try the board presses with a T-shirt.

2 by 4's are in INCHES, right? So a 2-board press would bring the bar 4 inches off your chest?

Tonight was ME squat day. Let me tell you, the weirdest thing in the world is doing a squat day and NOT squatting. I worked up to a GM 1RM of 67.5 kg (148.5 lb). Yah yah - THIS is why I'm doing WSB - I'm not nearly strong enough for my liking.

I figured a way to do reverse hypers - on the biceps cable curl machine - the padded part where the elbow is meant to go is the perfect height - I've had probs figuring something out because of my long legs. Now I just have to figure out how to add weight - db between feet seems very awkward. Maybe once I figure out the bands I can use them.

How long is the rest interval between max lifts meant to be?

Do I need a belt? I've held off buying one forever ... wondering if I need one now. Y'know, the whole max lifts thing.

 

[spatts]

Steel, I don't know if it has already been said above, but don't get too wrapped up in doing one rep maxes with a full range of motion. We never do that..one of many reasons this sport is safer than people think. I only squat, bench and deadlift a full ROM max in competition. I just want you to stay safe.

Is this tenant a welder? Or knows how to weld? A "welder friend" is about your best friend, where PLing is concerned. Materials are cheap (well they are here, at least) and you can almost always make a deal on labor cost. A good welder can build a sled, power rack, etc...all that stuff for you. It's not complicated equipment.

If you can not find the things you need to build a box right away, you can use a hassock. Also, check local stores for pallets they no longer need/use. These are great for suspending bands for deadlifts, adding height to boxes, whatever your imagination can come up with. This is a very salt of the earth sport...if you can imagine it, you can find a way to make it work.

You're creative, I'm sure you'll come up with ways to use raw material and nature to get what you're after.