Lol's New HST Log

Sun 15/03/09

I've had a bit of a break over the last few days purely to give my shoulder a rest. It doesn't seem to have made much of a difference at all. I probably need to leave it much longer so I'll just stick to movements which don't put much strain on the AC joints.

I thought I'd do some front squats and power cleans to get back into the swing of things.

Front Squats: 10 x 70kg, 5 x 90kg, 3 x 5 x 110kg (242lb)

Back Squats: 10, 15 x 110kg (242lb)

Power Cleans: 30 x 60kg, 20 x 80kg (176lb)

Although the power cleans weren't particularly heavy, they were pretty tiring. I haven't done cleans in a while so I expect my traps will be very sore tomorrow. I skipped doing any jerks to avoid unnecessary shoulder strain.
 
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(Lol @ Mar. 15 2009,3:00)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Power Cleans: 30 x 60kg, 20 x 80kg (176lb)</div>
50 Power Cleans.... I'm jealous!!
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Nice Job!!
 
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(BAX67 @ Mar. 15 2009,11:45)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">50 Power Cleans....  I'm jealous!!
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Nice Job!!</div>
Thanks Bax but you're welcome to my DOMs today! Probably overdid the cleans a bit. My traps, quads, adductors and hams are sore as heck. Front squats fried my legs and cleans fried everything else!
 
Mon 16/03/09

After watching the benching section in the Ripp SS DVD I decided to have a go myself to see if I could change a few things and to see how the old shoulder fared.

Bench: 10 x 60kg, 3 x 10 x 80kg (176lb)

I positioned myself on the bench so that I had to look slightly back at the bar like Ripp says, rather than straight up at it when it was racked, which I haven't been doing up to now because it's slightly more awkward without someone to give a hand-off. I figured it was worth a try just to see if shoulder stabilisation was helped in any way. I also flared my elbows a little more than I have been doing and tried to maintain more of a vertical bar path (I've been keeping my elbows quite close to my sides which requires that the bar arc towards the base of the sternum, Westside style).

Much too soon to tell whether any of these changes will actually help my situation or whether they will just make the lift a different movement. I was certainly aware of my left AC joint once I was lifting 80kg so I don't think it's going to make much difference.
 
Thu 19/03/09

Benching on Monday turned out to have been a bad idea for my shoulder. Traps are STILL sore from the cleans I did last Sunday! So, just a few squats tonight to keep things ticking over. I dropped the load back a bit and really focussed on form.

10 mins warmup on bike.

Squats: 2 x 10 x 60kg, 5 x 110kg, 3 x 5 x 140kg (308lb)

Whilst the work-sets did feel heavy and left me feeling tired, I don’t feel like I’m really having to push for the final rep in any of the sets. No GMing that I was aware of and pretty good control throughout all reps. Hips felt good; a good warm-up on the bike really seems to help my joints tolerate squats better.

I decided against a fourth work-set so that I recover well enough for a few heavier sets over the weekend. I hope that turns out to be the case.

I messed around with some bw dips and some chins but I’m trying to lay off my shoulder for a bit so no weighted stuff.

I love squats. I wish it was true that they developed your entire body. Oh well…
 
<div>
(colby2152 @ Mar. 20 2009,2:44)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">http://gymnasticbodies.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=52

LOL, do you recommend this book if I have interest in attaining this body type?</div>
Mike Novak (aka Mikeynov) has Sommer's 'Building the Gymnastic Body' book so you could ask him. I don't have a copy yet but I'd like to get hold of one.

I'm pretty sure that you can get the gymnasts look if you have the right genetics, your training isn't retarded, and you diet down to low bf levels. However, if you want to be able to DO even half of what a half-decent gymnast does you'll definitely need to start working on some of the strength, flexibility, agility exercises presented in the book, as well as having the right genetics.
 
21/03/09

I couldn't wait until tomorrow to try a few heavier squats and it's the final day of the six-nations rugby today so I wanted to get something done beforehand.

Squats: warmups then 5 x 140kg*, 3 x 160kg (352lb) PR, 2 x 160kg, 2 x 1 min x 160kg (20 half-squats each minute).

*Paused in the hole on the first rep. Felt strong coming back up.

The two minutes of partials were totally holistic.

I might have managed 4 x 160kg at a push but decided to stop at 3 because there was no chance I would get 5 today. So I still have a bit of work to do to get 5 x 160kg which is what I will probably need in order to crack a solid 400lb squat.

I didn't realise at the time but 160kg for a triple is a new PR. Can't complain about that.

More fun later or tomorrow.
 
Ireland have just won their match against Wales to give them the grand slam - the first time in 61 years! Absolutely magic stuff! Final score 17-15 to Ireland. Totally superb game.
 
<div>
(Lol @ Mar. 20 2009,10:11)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(colby2152 @ Mar. 20 2009,2:44)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">http://gymnasticbodies.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=52

LOL, do you recommend this book if I have interest in attaining this body type?</div>
Mike Novak (aka Mikeynov) has Sommer's 'Building the Gymnastic Body' book so you could ask him. I don't have a copy yet but I'd like to get hold of one.

I'm pretty sure that you can get the gymnasts look if you have the right genetics, your training isn't retarded, and you diet down to low bf levels. However, if you want to be able to DO even half of what a half-decent gymnast does you'll definitely need to start working on some of the strength, flexibility, agility exercises presented in the book, as well as having the right genetics.</div>
Fully agreed.

Being able to do gymnastic-y stuff is really f-ing fun, though
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So I'd definitely recommend it to people looking for something different in their training, particularly if you have a pretty good strength/weight ratio.
 
<div>
(Lol @ Mar. 21 2009,2:59)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Squats: warmups then 5 x 140kg*, 3 x 160kg (352lb) PR</div>
Good stuff, Lol, the UD.2 didn't manage to sap all your strength after all...!
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&quot;Ireland have just won their match against Wales to give them the grand slam&quot;

Sure, an tis a proud Irish lad I be this day. Erin go bragh!
 
After watching the section of Ripp's vid on pressing and as my left shoulder felt slightly better today, I decided to try a few presses along with some chins to see how it fared.

Warmed up with dislocates and a bunch of broom handle OHSs, snatches and cleans. Then used the bar for some snatch and clean practice before moving on to…

Oly bar Press: 10 x 40kg, 5 x 50kg, 2 x 5 x 60kg, 1 x 10 x 60kg (132lb), 3 x 65kg (143lb)

I had about a 5 min rest following my second set of 5 with 60kg because my lad wanted to show me something. When I got back under the bar I managed to just squeeze out 10 reps, all strict, no knee-bend presses. What a difference a few minutes make! (That actually matches my old PR from a year ago so I'll take this as a good sign.) Left shoulder was complaining a bit but not too much. That changed when I added another 5kg! After 3 reps it was bothering me enough to get me to stop.

Pull-ups: 12 x bw

Chins: 5 x bw+20kg followed by 5 MS reps. Curtailed these.

Kipping pull-ups: 10 x bw - curtailed these too.

Decided to stop there because shoulder was obviously complaining plus I was getting a few twinges in my right forearm (bicep tendon insertion) where my old injury was.

My impatience is getting the better of me. I need to just focus on some core lifts like squats (front and back), deads and cleans for the rest of this cycle.

Reading Dan John's 'From The Ground Up' has been a lot of fun and is inspirational. Take this little snippet for example:
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">On the last day of August, I looked back over the month and realized that I had set several personal records, broke an American Record, returned to competition in the Olympic Lifts and passed my 46th birthday.</div>
I may be several stories below Dan's level but I hope I'm still breaking PRs in a few years time.
 
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(TunnelRat @ Mar. 22 2009,3:03)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(Lol @ Mar. 21 2009,2:59)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Squats: warmups then 5 x 140kg*, 3 x 160kg (352lb) PR</div>
Good stuff, Lol, the UD.2 didn't manage to sap all your strength after all...!  
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&quot;Ireland have just won their match against Wales to give them the grand slam&quot;

Sure, an tis a proud Irish lad I be this day. Erin go bragh!</div>
Thanks TR. The day I finally get 405 for a triple will be the day I finally feel like I've made some real progress. I can actually see it in my sights now.

Hey, you deserve to be proud. Hope you had a pint on the lads. The England v Scotland match was a cracker too which left England second overall. A great way to end the season.
 
I'm currently trying some eccentrics for my right arm bi tendon insertions. They got a bit sore again after my last bout of chins and I don't want that problem coming back again. I'm going to be doing two sets of 15 everyday with a 51lb db.

=========================

After a heads-up from Mikey Novak, I got the e-book of Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 training system. It's a download from Elite's web site (efs). Billed as “The Simplest and Most Effective Training System to Increase Raw Strength,” it sounded worth the $20 asking price. For a bir more info, here's a link:

http://www.flexcart.com/members....id=2976

And here's a link to a bb.com post for a bit more about Wendler's 5/3/1 system:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=112382761

Reasonable overview, but you really need to get the manual to get all the details.

I like Jim's style: simple to understand and to the point.

A lot of what Jim says sits nicely with Bryan Haycock's HST principles, with progressive loading being key. Hypertrophy training and strength training aren't really all that different when it comes down to it. (ie. rather simplistically, if you are not adding weight to the bar over time, then you aren't growing and you aren't getting stronger – although you might be improving your metcon!
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). The cycles in the 5/3/1 system are shorter (4-5 weeks depending on number of days a week trained). The actual programming is pretty simple, with monthly cycles using set percentages of 1RM in bench, squat, deadlift, and press - one training day for each primary compound along with some assistance exercises. As I'm a big fan of keeping things simple (well, as simple as they need to be to get the job done), and as I want to get stronger, it fits right in with where I want my training to go.

The basic structure for a month's training is as follows:

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The program requires that you push yourself on the last set to get as many reps as possible. I like the sound of this. Jim suggests not to go to all out failure but that it should be a big effort and should “take some life out of you!”

Sounds like a lot of fun and I look forward to giving this a good try after my present HST cycle is finished.

My only worry is benching and my left AC issue. I may have to substitute dips or cleans or just train three days a week instead.
 
I have planned out a preliminary idea for the Wendler 5/3/1 program with assistance work. I'll probably change things around a bit but it's a start. Instead of four days a week, I might well do three. Bench will probably be out of the question too until my left AC joint isn't a problem anymore. I'm messing with ideas for assistance work too.

Day 1 – Military Press (5/3/1 System) + assistance:
Shoulders or Chest – 50 reps (Dips)
Lats or Upper Back – 50 reps (DB rows, BO Rows)
Triceps – 30 reps (Lying Triceps Extensions, EZ-bar Pull-overs)

Day 2 – Deadlift (5/3/1 System) + assistance:
Quads – 50 reps (Squat Cleans)
Hamstrings – 50 reps (RDLs or SLDLs)
Abs – 50 reps (Hanging Leg Raises)

Day 3 – Bench Press (5/3/1 System) + assistance:
Shoulders or Chest – 50 reps (SA DB Press)
Lats or Upper Back – 50 reps (Chins, Pull-ups, Kipping Pull-ups)
Biceps – 30 reps (EZ-bar Curls, Incline DB Curls)

Day 4 – Squat (5/3/1 System) + assistance:
Low Back – 50 reps (Good Mornings)
Quads – 50 reps (Front Squats, Lunges)
Abs – 50 reps (DB Side Bend)

To get ~50 reps for assistance work do:
20,15,10,5 for 50 total reps – keep rest shorter ~ 1 min
15,13,11,9 for 48 total reps – keep rest shorter ~ 1-2 mins
5 x 10 for 50 total reps – longer rest ~ 2-3 mins
6 x 8 for 48 total reps – longer rest ~ 3-4 mins

Loads for assistance work will be pretty light in order to get the reps (Jim mentions starting with ~30-40% 1RM and working from there). I might increment the loads over the course of a cycle. No ball busting for assistance work. Always keep ~1 rep in tank.

50 reps might be too much for each assistance exercise. I might drop that to 40 (or even 30).

I might occasionally go heavier on squat cleans and do fewer reps.

If I'm having a bad day, I might skip assistance work altogether but aim to get my main lift in.
 
Looks very interesting, Lol. What will your diet look like on this plan? Any big caloric goals to speak of?

Good luck!
 
Hey Tim,

I'll be eating to get strong, so I'll be keeping my cals over maintenance on training days at least. I probably need to keep an eye on my protein intake more than anything else; I get a bit lazy and tend to stuff in too many simple/processed carbs. I can easily eat a loaf of wholemeal bread every couple of days, just by adding a slice here and a slice there to meals and snacks - I tend to cut thick slices! Thankfully, I'm not a fan of pasta but I do like rice, baked spuds and some cereals (mainly muesli type rabbit food). I also have a daily big bowl of porridge, made with semi-skim milk, with nuts, seeds and dried fruit sprinkled liberally on top (oh, and some honey!). Sheesh! What with all the fruits, veggies and dairy too, it's no wonder Lyle's UD2 hammered me the first few weeks. Call me Mr. Anti-Keto!
 
You're gonna blow us all away again, aren't you? Man, as soon as I feel like I may have found a way to start to catch up to Sir Lol, he lays out a strength program that will stimulate new strength gains like no tomorrow.

I cannot wait to watch your progress!
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Wed 25/03/09

5/3/1 Week 1 - Deads 5s

Decided to make a start on the Wendler 5/3/1 program tonight. Went into it with a rotten headache. I seem to have a wretched tooth problem. Anyway...

For my deads, I based the calcs for the sets on an estimated current 1RM of 450lb. 90% of that is 405lb or 184kg. Then I worked out 65%, 75% and 85% and rounded to the nearest 2.5kg.

5 mins on bike.

Deads: warmups then 5 x 120kg (264lb), 5 x 140kg (308lb), 12 x 157.5kg (347lb)

Hook grip for all reps. Oly shoes. Last set was pretty hard. I stopped short of an all out effort but it was still unpleasant enough. Form didn't really suffer much though, even on the 12th rep.

RDLs: 3 x 10 x 110kg (242lb) - plates to floor on all reps.

Power Cleans: 3 x 10 x 60kg (132lb) - all reps lowered under control to floor, not dropped. Couldn't face squat cleans after deads and RDLs. Wimp.

Hanging Leg Raises: 10, 5, 5, 5, 5 - shins to bar for all reps. Wearing Oly shoes.

These were harder than I thought they were going to be hence the sets of 5. I will have sore abs tomorrow.

Good workout. I dropped the total reps per assistance exercise down to 30. I think that was enough tonight. Hands are hammered. Think my headache is slightly better – either that or everything else is hurting more!
 
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