Some Revisions

I’m thinking of adding some dynamic work. You like the speed squats?
Maybe it was kegs not kgs, thanks.

[quote]1Geech wrote:
soldog wrote:
ecogenx wrote:
Burnesy, all my weights have been in kgs.

Too funny eco. Yeah - Yeah that’s right all of our wieghts have been in kgs… uhoh I weight 180 kg?

Is that k[e]gs?[/quote]

What a great thought! Just lighten your training load by drinking it…

[quote]ecogenx wrote:
I’m thinking of adding some dynamic work. You like the speed squats?
Maybe it was kegs not kgs, thanks.[/quote]

I got the original idea for these from Rippetoe’s programming book. It’s also a ‘light’ day to go with the ‘heavy’ day earlier in the week, it seems to work for me right now to have the two squat days a week. Doesn’t feel like much when you are doing it but later you can tell.

[quote]daddyzombie wrote:
Nice work Geech, glad to see your log again.[/quote]

Thanks, DZ.

[quote]1Geech wrote:
Thursday, 4 September 2008

Squat
12 x 80 x 2 reps (speed, 1 min. pause)
Lunge
BW x 20, BW + 12 x 15, BW + 20 x 12 reps
Hanging straight leg raise
1 set x 7 reps
Standing cable crunch
2 sets (12-20 reps)

I like this fellow�??s actual demonstration of the hanging straight leg raise (once you get past the long intro), and am trying to control the eccentric movement better:

[/quote]

Those look freaking evil.

Stayed home on Friday with an ill child and for physician’s visit, everything ok.

Saturday, 6 September 2008

Deadlift
70 x 12, 100 x 10, 120 x 8, 145 x 5 reps
Close-grip bench press
1 x 70 x 14, 2 x 90 x 7 reps
Face-pull
3 sets x various x 15-20 reps
Iron Mind pinch block pick-up
12.5 x 10 L / R, 17.5 x 10 L / R, 21.25 x 8 R / 6 L, 21.25 x 9 R / 4 then 6 L reps
Wrist roller
2 x 17.5 pronated / 12.5 supinated

This video of Mark Rippetoe has helped me simplify my DL set-up and get back on track:

4 points: split the foot with the bar, grip it, bend the knees till shins touch bar, lift chest - then pull.

The pinch block pick-up rep is whatever completely clears the floor (block clipped to loading pin). Maybe I should be alternating which hand goes first, or pausing between hands, since on the final set, following failure on the right hand, my left hand gave out after only 4 reps, but then after 30 seconds rest gave 6 more reps – don’t know, may be some CNS issue.

Excellent videos. Going to try some of the techniques out next time I deadlift. I’m definitely standing farther back than he recommends.
I’m not getting a clear picture in my mind of what you’re discribibg for the pinch block pick up.
Oh yeah, you sure ain’t in the US, waiting for the physicians visit. House calls no less.

I was using the pinch block attached by a carabiner to a small loading pin that takes the weights, as in the photo.

nearly 50 lbs pinch-lifted with one hand. No mean feat that.

[quote]skidmark wrote:
nearly 50 lbs pinch-lifted with one hand. No mean feat that.[/quote]

No kidding.

Cool contraption and looks like I can throw one together in my workshop. And I’ve got to agree, 21.25k is pretty darn good.

Thanks for the encouragement, fellows.

Monday, 8 September 2008

Squat
70 x 12, 100 x 8, 3 x 117.5 x 5 reps
Pull-through
2 x different x 20 reps
Ab wheel
2 sets (standing) x 7 reps
Weighted incline crunch
2 x BW + 10 x 7, 6 reps

In a bit of a funk today so satisfied just to knock the squat reps out. Need to increase the weight on pull-throughs next time around as I unexpectedly got the second-set 20 reps. These offer a natural sequencing to the ab wheel, where I am still using the wall as outer boundary, but hope to let go of that crutch soon; focused on squeezing out (or pulling in ?) a faster concentric movement.

[quote]1Geech wrote:
Don’t know if I can satisfy that curiousity, E: I am still learning to work the wheel best myself. But my feeling when using it concurs with what I have read about its contribution to core stability, and that means anchoring the internal platform that pretty much all the lifts are based on. No squatting, deadlifting or pressing heavy if your trunk is not rock solid in place.[/quote]

Guess that is the next step.

Is an ab wheel something you can knock off five or ten before bed every night, or something you should stick with one series a week, on an ab split?

Probably like any other movement it depends on your current capacity as well as how you want to train the muscles in question: for endurance or strength. For the latter, you need to balance intensity and stress generated over what are generally lower rep ranges, on one hand, with recovery, on the other.

On the whole, for my part, I think I get best ab strength results working them twice a week; I am just using the wheel once a week because I am enjoying mixing things up a bit.

We’ll be calling you ‘Mr Abs of Steel’ in no time. I need some of that ab work.

Tuesday, 9 September 2008

Bench press
70 x 15, 100 x 7, 3 x 105 x 5,4,3 reps
Wide dip
2 x BW x 8,10 reps
Pull-up
4 x BW x 8,7,7,6 reps

The switch from ‘arm pressing’ (what I think I was doing) to ‘chest pressing’ (what I am trying to do through a wider grip) is not happening so easily; chesticles do not seem to be thriving. While not excluding the possibility that I have no idea what I am really doing, I will keep at it for a while; but right now even the 127.5 benched at the end of June seems far away. Patience and perseverance for four more weeks, then something different.

Wide grip dips were another first, and decidedly not so comfortable on the first set with this looming right-shoulder impingement, but a bit better on the second; so I will keep at them.

Think that title is already taken here, Eco, but thanks. I would settle for abs of iron.

[quote]1Geech wrote:
Tuesday, 9 September 2008

Bench press
70 x 15, 100 x 7, 3 x 105 x 5,4,3 reps
Wide dip
2 x BW x 8,10 reps
Pull-up
4 x BW x 8,7,7,6 reps

The switch from ‘arm pressing’ (what I think I was doing) to ‘chest pressing’ (what I am trying to do through a wider grip) is not happening so easily; chesticles do not seem to be thriving. While not excluding the possibility that I have no idea what I am really doing, I will keep at it for a while; but right now even the 127.5 benched at the end of June seems far away. Patience and perseverance for four more weeks, then something different.

Wide grip dips were another first, and decidedly not so comfortable on the first set with this looming right-shoulder impingement, but a bit better on the second; so I will keep at them.
[/quote]

How wide is “wide”? I’m just starting to try and find my way on bench pressing and am putting my index finger on the bare ring right now. Dips were one the first things to go with my shoulder probs. I did have some success with weighted bench dips for a while.

Soldog, I have my middle fingers on rings that are 33.5 inches apart (measured them today). This is not wide for many people, but it is for me, as I was bench pressing until now with hands well (several finger widths) completely inside the rings. I should review my arm and elbow position, too. Not feeling that I am getting the right combination of chest, shoulder and arm contribution to the lift. Want to hear how it works out for you.

[quote]1Geech wrote:
Soldog, I have my middle fingers on rings that are 33.5 inches apart (measured them today). This is not wide for many people, but it is for me, as I was bench pressing until now with hands well (several finger widths) completely inside the rings. I should review my arm and elbow position, too. Not feeling that I am getting the right combination of chest, shoulder and arm contribution to the lift. Want to hear how it works out for you.[/quote]

Due to my equipment constraints, I either have to grasp the bar inside the supports or outside the supports. Which puts my hands inside the rings or with my index fingers on the rings. The narrower grip seemed to put more pressure on my shoulder(s) so I’m trying the wider grip now. I’ll post a video next time I bench. Try to do the same and we’ll both get some good feedback.