Monday PT with DJ

As I prepare for my Dallas trip, I am wondering what is on everybody’s plates today.

My plates have the number 45…

That was a joke…

Sorry, I didn’t entirely get it, but just in case…LOL, ROFL, ROFLMAO, and all those other neato computer sense-of-humor comments.

Say Coach, how important would you say bumper plates are, for a non-competitive fella training with the Oly lifts (such as myself)? After I jerk, clean, snatch and whatnot, I tend to do a very quick, controlled negative (or, reversal of movement).

The other day, I experimented with simply dropping the bar onto the dirt/grass I was standing on. I did notice a nice difference, in not having to waste energy dealing with the negative, but my gal gave me a look. She’d rather have the dog destroy the lawn, instead of me. Thanks.

Coach

I started doing DB snatches for the first time the other day great exercise.

Stupid question though what are they targeting, and whats a solid rep range to shoot for? thanks for the great articles

How’s it going Dan?

  1. Do you always recommend a mixed grip for deadlifts or only for max lifts?

  2. I experimented w/the heels only technique on my power clean and my traps were more sore the next day than normal compared to when I was really jumping w/the weight. Will power cleaning w/heels only a. allow me to lift more weight in the long run b. still help w/vertical leap since I’m not “jumping?”

  3. I know one of the benefits of keeping your heels planted instead of jumping is to involve your hammies more but does it also involve your traps and upper body more too? I saw a guy who was power cleaning way more than me a few days ago but I thought he was using “incorrect” form because he wasn’t “jumping”.

I’m sorry to keep bring this up but I just want to make sure that I fully understand this. I did read your Get Up articles and the most important things I extracted from that was: stick your butt back more, stick chin out to the front and then explode chin up to the ceiling essentially shrugging the weight up explosively correct?

I know that you can use a variety of rep ranges but how would you set up something if I’m trying to increase my power clean/overhead press? 10 sets of 1-2 reps?

[quote]Danny John wrote:
As I prepare for my Dallas trip, I am wondering what is on everybody’s plates today.

My plates have the number 45…

That was a joke…[/quote]

Coach,

I just spent a while plowing through the discussion thread on “Evolutionary Fitness.” Why does so much of the discussion surrounding strength sports (training, nutrition, etc.) focus on the identification of optimal parameters?

I’ve read your statement “Everything works . . . for a while.” Does OPTIMAL even exist?

If it does, great. What is it? [insert"One Lift a Day" here].

If it doesn’t, then why not? Would any of the following contribute to disproving this myth of “best-ness?”

  1. Individual differences in people
  2. lack of real-world experience
  3. absence of profit motive

Thanks for answering, in advance.

Richard

PS. In my field (art teacher, among other things), when I?m asked how to draw something, I say “well . . . here’s ONE way. It’s no better than any other way. It’s an AND, not an OR.?” They stare at me blankly and continue to make tiny little unintelligible marks.

[quote]WORKING wrote:
Stupid question though what are they targeting, and whats a solid rep range to shoot for? thanks for the great articles[/quote]

well, i’m not the coach, but my first name IS Dan, so here goes …

if you have to ask that question, you didn’t use enough weight or do enough volume. once you do, you’ll know.

a good range of reps for the DB snatch is somewhere between singles and 20. well, really anything could work, but they are an olympic type variant, so most guys advocate sets of 5 or less. i like 5 sets of 3.

Bastard

hey coach, i did this crazy thing in the gym the other day where i put one db over my head and another heavier one at my side. then i walked around a bunch. my shoulders were sore for 4 days. you should try it.

still Bastard

Thanks Bfg

I didnt use much wt I didnt want to brain myself the first time out. I dug the motion though I will push it next time. Thanks

I like to lift on this “road” behind my house for the same reason…I like to drop 'em.

I like bumpers, just because they give you that small extra edge of “not breaking stuff.” Really, that’s about all…

[quote]Minotaur wrote:
Sorry, I didn’t entirely get it, but just in case…LOL, ROFL, ROFLMAO, and all those other neato computer sense-of-humor comments.

Say Coach, how important would you say bumper plates are, for a non-competitive fella training with the Oly lifts (such as myself)? After I jerk, clean, snatch and whatnot, I tend to do a very quick, controlled negative (or, reversal of movement).

The other day, I experimented with simply dropping the bar onto the dirt/grass I was standing on. I did notice a nice difference, in not having to waste energy dealing with the negative, but my gal gave me a look. She’d rather have the dog destroy the lawn, instead of me. Thanks.[/quote]

I would suggest from 5’s to 100’s. They work everything!

[quote]WORKING wrote:
Coach

I started doing DB snatches for the first time the other day great exercise.

Stupid question though what are they targeting, and whats a solid rep range to shoot for? thanks for the great articles[/quote]

Turn this post into an article. That is exactly it. I think of this ‘stuff’ as art…rarely as science. A coach asked me about the “hammer jammer” machine today and he got all fired up about the ad he read. My thought: “if we buy it, it will be great for a week, then you will come in and talk about creatine.”

Here’s the thing…there are a lot of roads to success, but most people refuse to start the journey. I tell you: you will learn far far more from failures than perfect programs.

So, flail away and hope to hit something.

[quote]richieY2K wrote:
Danny John wrote:
As I prepare for my Dallas trip, I am wondering what is on everybody’s plates today.

My plates have the number 45…

That was a joke…

Coach,

I just spent a while plowing through the discussion thread on “Evolutionary Fitness.” Why does so much of the discussion surrounding strength sports (training, nutrition, etc.) focus on the identification of optimal parameters?

I’ve read your statement “Everything works . . . for a while.” Does OPTIMAL even exist?

If it does, great. What is it? [insert"One Lift a Day" here].

If it doesn’t, then why not? Would any of the following contribute to disproving this myth of “best-ness?”

  1. Individual differences in people
  2. lack of real-world experience
  3. absence of profit motive

Thanks for answering, in advance.

Richard

PS. In my field (art teacher, among other things), when I?m asked how to draw something, I say “well . . . here’s ONE way. It’s no better than any other way. It’s an AND, not an OR.?” They stare at me blankly and continue to make tiny little unintelligible marks.

[/quote]

In my DVD, we call those “crosswalks” a bad pun…or an excellent play on words.

[quote]BFG wrote:
WORKING wrote:
Stupid question though what are they targeting, and whats a solid rep range to shoot for? thanks for the great articles

well, i’m not the coach, but my first name IS Dan, so here goes …

if you have to ask that question, you didn’t use enough weight or do enough volume. once you do, you’ll know.

a good range of reps for the DB snatch is somewhere between singles and 20. well, really anything could work, but they are an olympic type variant, so most guys advocate sets of 5 or less. i like 5 sets of 3.

Bastard

hey coach, i did this crazy thing in the gym the other day where i put one db over my head and another heavier one at my side. then i walked around a bunch. my shoulders were sore for 4 days. you should try it.

still Bastard[/quote]

[quote]BPC wrote:
How’s it going Dan?

  1. Do you always recommend a mixed grip for deadlifts or only for max lifts?[/quote]

DJ: Max…over 5 plates on each side any way…

[quote]
2. I experimented w/the heels only technique on my power clean and my traps were more sore the next day than normal compared to when I was really jumping w/the weight. Will power cleaning w/heels only a. allow me to lift more weight in the long run b. still help w/vertical leap since I’m not “jumping?” [/quote]
DJ: I think so…

[quote]
3. I know one of the benefits of keeping your heels planted instead of jumping is to involve your hammies more but does it also involve your traps and upper body more too? I saw a guy who was power cleaning way more than me a few days ago but I thought he was using “incorrect” form because he wasn’t “jumping”.

I’m sorry to keep bring this up but I just want to make sure that I fully understand this. I did read your Get Up articles and the most important things I extracted from that was: stick your butt back more, stick chin out to the front and then explode chin up to the ceiling essentially shrugging the weight up explosively correct?

I know that you can use a variety of rep ranges but how would you set up something if I’m trying to increase my power clean/overhead press? 10 sets of 1-2 reps? [/quote]

DJ: that is a great workout…

Dan, I just started your OLAD programme last week. SHIT. What a fucking “relief” I feel. Ive been going through some rough times lately and havent at all been able to focus on any sort of workout plan and this is like some divine inspiration.
The mix of hard ass work and simplicity is just too good. You truly do rock!

Amir

Coach,
If you have time, I was wondering if you could take a look at my thread about preparing for football at:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=710988

Please let me know what you think, and let me know of any suggestions. Also, do you think as it gets closer to the season, I should incorporate olympic lifts and their variants? Thanks!

In faith,
WS

P.S. - completely off topic, but I’m an aspiring catechist/teacher. I am currently studying Philosophy at the undergrad level and hope to obtain either an MA in Theology or a Masters of Religious Studies degree in the near future. My goal is to teach religious ed. or pursue a PhD and teach at the university level. Ecclesiastically, I would like to be a catechist and I’m entertaining the notion of the diaconate. Any advice on this subject would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to PM or email me on this topic if you are interested. Thanks!

Thanks Dan.

  1. What was your workout like yesterday or today?

  2. On Friday, before I went to Air National Guard duty, I did a few 40 yard sprints and then did a set of pullups and then ran 400 yards, set of pullups, ran 400 yards, set of pullups, ran 400 yards (3 sets each) all w/out rest and I was dying!!! I was kind of copying your overhead squat/front squat & 400 yard run idea and it was a killer.

How many times per week should I do that? 2-3 times?

  1. Just out of curiousity, what convinced you to convert to the heels planted on the ground technique since you were “jumping” for so long?

It’s funny how the program ‘evolved’ from being a “busy guy’s training” to an “elite approach to sports performance” and now…the answer to a lot of people’s real world needs. It is pretty simple…that is obvious. The other thing that is nice is that you simply can have a single daily focus and feel good about walking out the door at the end of the day.

[quote]AMIRisSQUAT wrote:
Dan, I just started your OLAD programme last week. SHIT. What a fucking “relief” I feel. Ive been going through some rough times lately and havent at all been able to focus on any sort of workout plan and this is like some divine inspiration.
The mix of hard ass work and simplicity is just too good. You truly do rock!

Amir[/quote]

Thanks coach. Your the man.

That is a great thread. I guess all I could add is giving a high school coach some money to work out with you on the techniques of the game and maybe sit down and ask what the keys (both literally and the way we use it on defense) are to success.

As for your training, the mantra “everything works” is fairly true in football. (I will reserve some comments I was about to make about several famous college football programs that are in the toliet while still training with a training system that is a religion)

On the O lifts, that is really all you need to prep for football, but it has to be too late by now for you to utilize them…

[quote]Warrior Spirit wrote:
Coach,
If you have time, I was wondering if you could take a look at my thread about preparing for football at:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=710988

Please let me know what you think, and let me know of any suggestions. Also, do you think as it gets closer to the season, I should incorporate olympic lifts and their variants? Thanks!

In faith,
WS

P.S. - completely off topic, but I’m an aspiring catechist/teacher. I am currently studying Philosophy at the undergrad level and hope to obtain either an MA in Theology or a Masters of Religious Studies degree in the near future. My goal is to teach religious ed. or pursue a PhD and teach at the university level. Ecclesiastically, I would like to be a catechist and I’m entertaining the notion of the diaconate. Any advice on this subject would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to PM or email me on this topic if you are interested. Thanks![/quote]

DJ: It’s what I do, so I guess I would tell you what I always tell people who consider any form of teaching or coaching: it is a gift. Nothing…literally nothing…makes me happier than teaching. That’s why I know it is what I must do.

Saturday, I had my own “mini” weight pent and threw the hammer, shot, discus, javelin and weight. I set certain goal distances and tried to see how quickly I could achieve them. Two throws in the hammer, two in shot, two in discus, one in javelin and one…then a bomb…in the weight. I would toss a few more after to check my tech.

Sunday, I threw discus and worked on what I considered errors, weight (same) and went for a long walk throwing my practice javelin…an Art deVany workout. I will do some more squat snatches today just to stretch stuff out, but I am taking three easy days…

[quote]BPC wrote:
Thanks Dan.

  1. What was your workout like yesterday or today?

  2. On Friday, before I went to Air National Guard duty, I did a few 40 yard sprints and then did a set of pullups and then ran 400 yards, set of pullups, ran 400 yards, set of pullups, ran 400 yards (3 sets each) all w/out rest and I was dying!!! I was kind of copying your overhead squat/front squat & 400 yard run idea and it was a killer.

How many times per week should I do that? 2-3 times?

  1. Just out of curiousity, what convinced you to convert to the heels planted on the ground technique since you were “jumping” for so long?[/quote]

Absolutely. Youve mentioned it before. There NEEDS to be mix of something very simple and brutal with the more complex training and boy, being the introverted over-analyzer that I am, my routines became too complex and my life situation couldnt handle it so it drained me.

The single-focus, like you mention is co critically important here. One movement, bust your nut, get out. Awsome. Ill use this for the 4 week plan and then get back to the more complex Waterbury and CT routines (Im secretly in love with CT and only T-Mag Mod knows this so hush hush) when I can get a grip on the chaos in my life.

Dan you da’ man.

Amir

[quote]Danny John wrote:
It’s funny how the program ‘evolved’ from being a “busy guy’s training” to an “elite approach to sports performance” and now…the answer to a lot of people’s real world needs. It is pretty simple…that is obvious. The other thing that is nice is that you simply can have a single daily focus and feel good about walking out the door at the end of the day.

AMIRisSQUAT wrote:
Dan, I just started your OLAD programme last week. SHIT. What a fucking “relief” I feel. Ive been going through some rough times lately and havent at all been able to focus on any sort of workout plan and this is like some divine inspiration.
The mix of hard ass work and simplicity is just too good. You truly do rock!

Amir

[/quote]