_tim's Log

<div>
(_tim @ May 01 2008,7:50)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">As far as Sir Lol is concerned, he's proven in the past that cancer does little more than slow him for a short while, so it's my expectation that our little party shall continue way before the end of the year.  I hope that as a community, we can help him as much as he's helped us - and ultimately get him way past his goals for the year DESPITE the operation.</div>
very well said tim, and good luck w/ your current project!
 
Feeling a bit like a sloth these days. I've been insanely busy and about the only exercise I've gotten is going up the stairs at work with my laptop on my back. I'm hoping to start the new cycle soon...
rock.gif
 
New Cycle!

The work I did today was nothing more than shaking the cobwebs loose.

Power Cleans:
3 x 5 @ 95
3 x 3 @ 105
3 x 1 @ 135

My form was all over the place. The weird thing is that my form got better as the load got bigger (well, more medium-sized - let's be honest). I'm looking to drastically improve this lift this cycle. I guess I look at it quite a bit like my golf game; in no way will I perfect it this year, but I should get more consistent, and more fluid in the overall movement.

An Array Of Chins....
CG Chins: BW X 10, 6, 3.5 (static hold last rep)
Mixed Grip Chins: BW x 5, 3, 1.5 (static hold last rep)
SA Chins: BW x 1 (fugly)
biggrin.gif


I did these in series - so I did a set of CG, then a set of MG, etc. I love the whole chin movement - the contraction in the lats and bis, the pylometric (sorta) work on the forearms... Good stuff. I don't like how far I fell in two and a half weeks, though...

I ended the effort with 4:00 Tabata on the elliptical machine.

So - the cycle has started. The rest-pause work should begin on Friday with Bench and Squats.
 
<div>
(_tim @ May 21 2008,10:33)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"> The weird thing is that my form got better as the load got bigger</div>
my clean form gets a lot tighter and smoother as things get 'heavier'. perhaps subconciously we're more careful in order not to fail?

deads are tough to do incorrectly as loads get heavier too (in my limited experience). Lol's recent post in his log has me a bit paranoid though...
 
(fearfactory @ May 21 2008,6:15)
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">my clean form gets a lot tighter and smoother as things get 'heavier'. perhaps subconciously we're more careful in order not to fail?</div>

I definitely think that's part of it. The other thing, after thinking about it, is that the extremely light loads are harder to control after applying all that force to the bar.

(soflsun @ May 22 2008,3:12)
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Good luck with the new cycle! How much rest did you get (SD)?</div>

Thanks soflsun! All totaled, I got 20 days of &quot;rest&quot;. I was working so much that I got very little sleep in the last 2 weeks, so honestly I'm not sure what the total effect on my CNS is. Physically, I feel good. Mentally, I'm tired. BUT - I actually feel sooooo much better after just one workout, and truly am looking forward to the challenges that this cycle presents. It was a much longer SD than I had planned, but in the end I'm glad my body got the break from strength training that it did.
 
RP: Squats/Bench

I'll notate the work sets as follows:

total reps, break between sets @ load

All work sets consist of singles only. That said..

Bench:
[WU:
135 x 15;
185 x 8;
205 x 3;
225 x 2]

10, 1:00 @ 235

Well for my first experience with Mahler's RP intro, I LOVED IT. I used a few new techniques learned from Ripp's Starting Strength and that really made a big difference in the lift. I'll be progressing to :45 the next time I do bench.

Squats:
[WU:
135 x 8;
185 x 8;
225 x 5;
255 x 3]

5, 1:00 @ 285

I used new techniques learned in SS here too. Thing is, I got a tightness along my spine that I didn't like so much and made the decision to stop after 5 sets. It's nothing like a pull - I just think my core wasn't ready for 285, and instead of risking injury, I stopped. I'll be staying here at 1:00 breaks between sets next time.

edit: Hit Post button errantly...
 
<div>
(colby2152 @ May 23 2008,11:13)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Is that an MS set with one minute M-times?</div>
I think so. I don't know much about max-stim. From what I've read, this is similar, but I'm not sure just how similar.
 
I'm looking forward to following this cycle tim. Mahler's a pretty intense guy, is he still big into kettleballs?
 
Yeah - every single email I get from the guy is in regard to his kettlebell training seminars. I really like his approach to rest-pause in terms of having the chance to ramp up the intensity - but I should say that I deviated from his layout because I didn't like his exercise selection, and I didn't like the schedule. So - to be fair, I took his idea at the highest level possible and then designed my cycle from there. This is a &quot;Mahler inspired&quot; cycle. I dunno - maybe it'll work, maybe it won't, but guaranteed it will be fun.

Thanks Bax!
 
Enough is enough.

I have been letting stress eat me alive, and allowed work to consume my life. No more.

I'm still insanely busy, but I'm going to add a new wrinkle to my training that should help. If I'm low on time, I'll do Oly training with some Tabata thrown in, and hopefully make up the training the following day. If I have the time, I'll do my regularly scheduled training. Makes sense to me.

Today was one of those low-on-time days.

Snatch:
1 x 4 @ 85, 1 x 5 @ 85; 2 x 5 @ 95

Horrific form, but I'm still honestly learning the fundamentals of the lift.

Clean:
2 x 5 @ 95; 2 x 5 @ 115; 1 x 3 @ 135, 1 x 1 @ 135

For some reason, everything clicked in my second set of 95. The movement was just fluid - both pulls felt good, I got under the bar, and caught it with elbows up. Kinda cool. That last rep at 135 was kinda ugly, but all in all I was happy with the sets.

Tabata, elliptical machine, 4:00, 1:00 cd

No more missed days. I'll get back to RP hopefully tomorrow.
 
I hear you tim, May was crazy for me, barely had time to hang out here or work out. You just got to get in what you can and go from there. Sounds like you have that covered though. Sure makes you appreciate the slower times.
 
No doubt, Bax! I cannot wait for things to slow down again!

RP: Deads/Standing Press

Deads (Sumo):
[WU:
135 x 12;
185 x 8;
225 x 3;
275 x 3;
315 x 2;
335 x 1]

10, 1:00 @ 355

I had to strap up starting with rep 5 of my work sets. I genuinely hope that my grip strength will come back in line; I'd love to get all 10 reps in without straps, especially as the loads rise.

Standing Press:
[WU:
115 x 8;
rock.gif

135 x 2;
wow.gif

115 x 3]

10, 1:00 @ 125

A couple strange things here. Last cycle, I stalled big time at the 120 mark. This morning, I threw up 8 reps of 115 like I'd been training that way for years. The 135 felt like 235 for some reason - that's the second weird thing. But, settling in with 125 seemed like a great starting point for the cycle. I'm hoping this cycle benefits this lift more than any other; I don't have a load target because I was stuck for so long at the same load level. We'll see what happens.

All in all, great workout!
 
Secondary Work: Pendlay Rows/Front Squats

Wednesdays will be a day to develop lifts that I don't have much experience with. While I've done Pendlays in the past, I don't have a very good appreciation for them. Front Squats are something I tried an abandoned immediately.

Pendlay Rows:
[WU:
115 x 10;
135 x 8;
155 x 7]

4 x 4 @ 175

OK - I have 2 big questions about this lift.
1. Is the stance similar to or exactly like a conventional deadlift?
2. Should the bar be raised to the upper or lower belly?

Front Squats:

95 x 6; 135 x 5; 155 x 1

That's about all I could take. My wrists were annihilated.

I finished up the fun with 4:00 of Tabata on the elliptical machine.
 
yeah, pretty much the same as conventional dead stance. upper abs/bottom of rib cage.
 
Oly/Tabata

OK. So I wanted to do some more work on my Oly lifts, even though it should have been an off day.

Snatch:

3 x 5 @ 95

My form is a little bit better, but I need to study the particulars of the movement. I'm pretty sure I'm off on my first pull.

Clean:

95 x 5; 115 x 5; 2 x 3 @ 135

I was bending my arms again. I did a few light rack pulls to get the feeling back, but to no avail.

Mixed Grip Chins:

2 x 10 @ BW (2nd set clustered 6-4. No good.)

..just for fun - I miss doing chins.

Finished off with 4:00 Tabata on the elliptical.
 
RP: Deads/Standing Press

Deads:
[WU:
135 x 15;
185 x 8;
225 x 5;
275 x 3;
315 x 3;
335 x 1]

10, :45 @ 355

I'm starting to see the magic of this RP thing. Looking forward to the :30 attempts.

Standing Press:
[WU:
95 x 10;
115 x 5]

10, :45 @ 125

Strict pressing! I'm glad I got through all the reps.

Tabata - 4:00 elliptical, 2:00 cool down.
 
Nice work _tim. I like supersetting Deads with Press for some extra time between sets....but I'm a fat lazy bastard.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top