Back now after mostly holidays since the beginning of July. Here is what I did as training for the first three weeks away back in the States:
Mon/Thurs
Squat: 2 WU, then 5 work sets x 5 reps
Lunge: 3 sets
Pull-through: 4 sets x 12-20 reps
Push-up: various widths and heights x ca. 120 reps total
Bench press: 2 work sets, wide grip x 8 reps
Cable crunch: 4 sets x 10-25 reps
Bicycle crunch: 60 L/R reps
Tues/Fri
Power clean: 11 sets 3-1 reps
Press: 1 WU, then 5 x 5 reps (first rep from floor)
Box jumps: 18�??, 24�??, 30�?? x 12-8 reps
Chin-up: 5 sets BW x 37 reps total
Face-pull: 4 sets x 16-20 reps
Grip work: 5 sets
Saturday:
Push-up: various widths and heights x ca. 120 reps total
Ab wheel: 4 sets
I trained in a great facility, with about 16 olympic platforms available, more Eleiko bars than you can shake a stick at, and not a mirror anywhere outside of the bathroom: frequented by all age groups, from under-10 to seniors, all walks of life, including would-be Olympians and national or regional calibre talent (with Team Savannah), college and high-school students and athletes, and individuals with physical or mental handicaps and/or disabilities (with Abilities Unlimited). With its dynamic and enthusiastic atmosphere, the (Paul) Anderson-(Howard) Cohen Weightlifting Center makes my (in real lifting terms) less well-equipped gym in Paris seem rather lifeless by comparison. Can’t wait to get back around Christmas.
My goals were to get a lot of good reps under the bar, work on some form issues and a few new (for me) exercises, and build up glute/ham strength �?? also with some stuff inspired directly or indirectly by items I picked up on this forum.
I substituted tossing a medicine ball and bodyweight squats for my usual pre-workout light stretching and found this a more complete warm-up (thanks Ecogenx and Hel320).
Squats I did free-standing and full (thanks Skidmark). I found that this was a more comfortable movement, despite being more demanding. Not having to worry about hitting �??correct�?? depth was liberating, and the stretch reflex more immediate. Lunges seemed to be contributing to my squat stability (thanks Soldog, Eco and Skid).
I found pull-throughs more effective when I did not lock out at the top of the movement, but maintained the tension (thanks DaddyZ). The push-up handles I used (for the first time) made enjoyable an exercise that I had never liked due to associated wrist pain. Overall bench strength decreased with the BW push-up focus as I took up for only a few test sets a much wider grip that in the long run should, however, be beneficial to increasing poundage.
From a videotaped powerclean session I realized that I had compartmentalized the first and second pulls, so I tried to integrate them better into a single movement; by the end I was also racking more sharply �?? being able to drop the weight was an aid in that regard.
While I didn�??t make any progress in poundage on the press work sets, apart from not aiming for such anyway, I think that was a function of hitting it �??heavy�?? twice a week (enjoyably different change for a short time, but more than my joints can handle for any longer period) along with the other triceps-related work. Box jumps were great glute-demanding fun (thanks Mday) and I worked up to the 30�?? the last week.
I got an Iron Mind pinch block and have taken a real liking to it (thanks Skid); but found that with too much chalk on my hands it was like trying to hold a little vaseline-covered watermelon.
I got the ab wheel work up from knee- to standing-level (but still rolling towards a wall to restrict extension), where it is really hitting the right spot deep down.
After a few days back here, we were off again for more than a week in Tuscany. It was great country for heavy stone-carrying, but here is what I did instead as a further change-up light routine every other of those days:
Push-up: various widths and heights x ca.160 reps total
Band row: 5 sets x 20 reps
Band pull: 4 sets x 20 reps
Squat: BW / various bands alone and in combination, 7 sets x 20 reps
Lunge: BW, 5 sets x 20 reps
I got the bands in the States (nos. 2,3,4 from APT); could have used a no. 1 or something lighter; only figured out later I could have done band pull-throughs �?? well, I am learning. I look forward to incorporating some band work into �??regular�?? training later.
Nutrition: I can recommend highly the Biotest Grow! Whey and their chocolate protein bars (if you are traveling or just have a sweet tooth). I also went through a bottle of Biotest BCAAs in the States and figure they helped me keep up with the increased training volume.
Up next: Back to the gym here, where the squat rack will allegedly be kept at least through April. I will be working on a revised version of the Lunch-hour log routine, keeping what worked, changing other stuff around.
No target numbers for the next eight weeks as I will be putting the new squat and bench form into practice and working on building up deadlifts again; but I plan to test new maxes sometime in October to chart then the next go-round. I also see there is a lot going on in the forum now, especially with fellows heading to meets, so I think I will not keep a log here for now but rather only contribute to others�?? fro a while.