_tim's Log

_tim said:
Sorry TTL - It's a squat that is paused in the hole, but the eccentric part of the motion is not completed. So - unrack bar, go to hole. Pause. Rise 60% of the way up - just enough to really feel your quads contract, and return to the hole. Repeat 10 times, or until you vomit from the pain. :D
Click to expand...

I am always pleased to see the legacy of the term "leg rapers" live on 8)
 
10/20/2013

Park Jog: ~1.5 miles

Concurrent Hill Run/Sprints: 4 + Bench Pushups: 2 x 15
No rest between runs or pushups - active rest. I walked a little bit between runs, and varied the locations on the hill with each successive run. I was tired and out of breath for a couple hours afterward.

10/21/2013 (lunch)

OHP: 135 x 3, 3; 115 x 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
The second 135 set was clustered 2-1; hence the drop in weight. Not terribly happy with where my strength is, but that's precisely the reason for the work. I had amazing results based on Russ's triples template - so I'm injecting some aspects into my approach.

Kroc Rows: 85 x 25
Left arm lagged again - clustered 19-6. Will repeat until all 25 reps are done without clustering.

Dips: BW + 25 x 10, 10
|
Hang K2C: 10, 10
The K2C's were done with an extended range - hips rotated up more. I had zero energy left in my upper body for a third round.
 
Lunch

Squats: 175, 205, 225, 245, 265 x 8
Raw. Stopped the load progression at 265 due to a slight compromise in form toward the end of the set that I felt could have lead to injury had I pushed forward. I had more in the tank, but likely for a highly GM-y set. We can't have that now, can we.

Chins: BW + 20 x 3; + 10 x 3 + static hold
|
BB Rollout: 135 x 8, 4 (paused)
|
SLDL: 135 x 6, 4

I was not at all happy with my arm strength, even though the Rollouts tax the upper body/triceps pretty good. Good cardio complex regardless.

Cable Curl: 70 x 40 clustered
Yep - wanted to get the lactic acid flowing to what historically has been as much a problem as any for me: my biceps. In the past, I've used iso's here and there to stopgap the issue, and I feel that I need to do so again.
 
Later lunch

Bench: 175, 195, 205, 215 x 8
Last rep of the 215 set was spotter assisted. I almost got the rep on my own, but got just past the break in my elbows and couldn't press it out. Happy with the other 7 reps though.

"Kroc" Rows: 85 x 25
Closer - started with the left arm today... 23-2 and 21-4 clusters respectively. Sets were not separated by much rest - so endurance at least is improving.

F/B Press: Bar x 20
|
Hang Straight-Leg Raise: 10
I was crazy short on time due to helping out a guy on Bench, and had intended on ending the workout after the DB work. But - my conscious got the best of me and I did the super set. Haven't done front/back presses in a while, and have not been able to do the straight leg raises beyond 1-2 reps. Happy about that! Legs solely were raised to 90 degrees (hanging pike) and returned to the starting position slowly. Great way to end the workout!
 
Last WO for the week.

Deads: 315 x 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
Raw, with mixed grip starting on the second set. I alternated grip in terms of facing versus overhand grip by set and it worked out well. I ran out of time for any further sets, and that was probably good; I was insanely tired after 5 sets, but at the same time was happy that sets across could be done over the 300 threshold.

Rapers: 175 x 10, 6

Pullups: BW x 8, 5 + 2 partials

Medicine Ball Exchangers: 10 x 10, 5

Seated DB Curls: 40 x 10; 45 x 3

My core took a hell of a beating during the deadlift sets, and I fully realized that during the Exchangers. I was flat out tired for the Rapers, but I at least made it through one full set.

Quite happy with the week!
 
OHP: 95, 115, 115, 115; 135 x 2
Last set @ 115 was RP'd 7-1, and the 135 was RP'd 1-1. RP/cluster - realizing that if rest time is more limited, a "cluster" becomes a version of RP land.

Kroc Rows: 85 x 25; DB Rows: 95 x 5, 5, 5
Close - left arm was a 22-3 RP cluster. (like the combo of RP & cluster....?)

Incline Bench: 135 x 12; 155 x 5

Cable Row: 145 x 10; 165 x 5

Ab Roller x 10; 3 (paused extensions)

Dips: BW x 12, "8"
Remember the old game of 21 played with a curling bar? 7 partial reps from top to 50%; 7 partial reps from bottom to 50%; 7 full reps. I tried this in the dip bar to sorta challenge the triceps with limited success. I did 5 from top to 50% and 3 from bottom to 50%. This older guy came over after that set and suggested that I use the assisted dip bar, saying "these are hard for me too..." Me thinks he missed my first set, which was planged. Still - I played along and was nice.

Hang TTB: 10

Overall - fairly happy with the work. First time I did sets across for OHP with at least limited success, and added additional loading to biceps/back with the additional row work. Hoping to continue to up the work.
 
10/29/2013

Squats: 225, 255, 275 x 5; 295 x 2; 245 x 5
Gotta get me some knee sleeves. I'm fine not using a belt, but the older I get, the more I feel I need some knee reassurance.

Pullups: BW x 7, 4
|
Hang K2C: 10, 10
Forearms were good 'n warm after this.

BB Curls: bar x 12; 65 x 10; 85 x 6
Mad at my biceps - very limiting. The baby-blue weights used in this little exercise proved that the weakling living in my biceps is winning.
 
Outdoor Lunchtime Frivolity

Job/Walk: ~1 mile

Hill Sprint, 10 Burpees, Hill Sprint, {break - walking} Hill Sprint, Hill Sprint

Walk ~.75 mile (CD)

Knees were surprisingly ok today - but the ground was very soft on the hill. Not the easiest sprinting today.
 
Crazy Schedule Workout...

Bench: 185, 205, 225, 235 x 6; CG: 135 x 10
The 235 set was spotted - and it was that kind of spot where help was given unnecessarily at the top of the press. So - the 235 set cannot really be counted as a 6-rep set.

Cable Row: 145 x 20
Had time for one set - so picked a medium load and tried for at least 20 reps. Success.

That was all I had time for today.
 
Outdoor (Lunch) Playtime

.75 mile walk

Hill Sprint
Hill was way too soft to continue running on it.

"Negative Pushups": Parallel Grip x 15; Diamond Grip x 8
No rest between sets except to change hand positions. No rest to step 2 either...

Plank: ~120 seconds

Sprint: ~200m
I haven't done a non-hill sprint in a long time, and could not believe the speed I had - took me at least 25 meters to slow down.

1 mile walk
 
Lunchtime - finally...

Deadlifts: 185, 225, 275 x 10; 315 x 5
Raw. 315 set was MG; all others OHG. I likely could have pushed to a 6th or 7th rep, but my core was crazy fatigued and form started to break down.

Rapers: 155 x 10; 175 x 9
|
Hang K2C: 7, 4
|
Chins: BW x 7, 4

So... this is how this insanity played out: I did the Raper set, and then alternated reps between the K2C and the Chins without a break. Grip was a major issue on the second go round and limited the rep merry go round to 4 K2C/Chins.

I'm glad to finally get one in - schedule has been nightmarish of late.
 
OHP: 85, 95, 105, 115 x 10
No clustering - but the 115 set was an RPE of 9.5. OHP remains a lift that is an enigma for me.

Krocs: 80 x 25
Again - no clustering. Wanted to get a success in the Kroc realm, so dropped from 85 for today.

Cable Row: 170 x 3
Just wanted to see where I stood with a heavier load, and a triple was it.

Dips: BW x 15, 14
Pushing...

Good volume today throughout.
 
Squats: 275 x 3,3,3; 295 x 3,3, 3
Raw. Got a nice compliment as to how deep my reps were. Apparently I made a few guys nervous today doing ATG's with more than a plate on the bar. I use a low bar position, but nevertheless try to remain as vertically aligned as I can. Like the overall progress.

Pull-ups: BW x 10, 4

BB Rollout: 95 x 5, 3
I alternated these lifts to give my biceps a break. I was quite happy with the pull-ups and my core was destroyed from the squats. Hence the crazy low reps on the roll outs.

Supinated Grip Pulldowns: 125, 145 x 10
Tiny bit more work to end it.

I'm traveling over the next 6 days - workouts are a tad unlikely.
 
Bench: 225, 245, 225, 235, 225, 225, 225 x 3; RP 255 x 2-1-x; CG 135 x 12
The RP set was spotter assisted - but the double and first single were unassisted. The pause was 10 breaths. The second single was encouraged, but a complete fail. Regardless - very happy with the work, especially because after laddered triples, I hit a double 20 pounds off a previous 1-rep max.

DB Rows: 70 x 15
Kroc Rows: 80 x 25

That was all I had time for - and energy.
 
Deadlifts: 185, 225, 265, 295 x 10
DOH grip throughout. Completely raw - not even chalk used.

Chins: BW x 8, 3

K2C: 15, 15
 
OHP: 115, 125, 135 x 6; 145 x RP 3-1-1; 115 x 3
The RP set was done with 5 breaths between sets. I'm truly not sure what was in the cards today, but this was not the only surprise. I haven't lifted over 125 for 6 in a very long time.

Kroc Rows: 85 x 25
The enigma is no more. Both arms hit 25 reps at the 85 boundary that has eluded me for months.

Hang TTB: 10, 7
|
Dips: BW+25 x 10, 8
Fun little cluster to end what was a nice return to the gym.
 
Thanks Alex!

Been a while since I've been able to post - not sure what has been happening on my end. Odd. In any event, I've really thought quite a lot about my training approach that will be in place from now through essentially early summer. I'm doing at minimum a Tough Mudder run in the Spring, and I may extend that into one more endurance race later on in the year. In addition, there are at least a couple road races or runs that I will be doing and that is influencing the approach a bit.

The one thing that drives me nuts when people train for stuff like this is the complete abandonment of strength training. One methodology that has worked well for me in the past is "strength endurance" - heavier work done with less rest. The one cycle that allows a great implementation of this is triples. I did a couple workouts that played with different rep ranges and ultimately I came to the triples conclusion. Thus, today's workout:

Bench: 205 x 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Yates Row: 135 x 6, 6, 6, 6

Squats: 185 x 12, 12
|
TTB: 10, 5

Rest times were restricted across the board; I can do better on that as time goes and the work evolves. In addition, I will be doing a bunch more cardio with "assistance" work - complexes, high-rep work (Krocs), etc. Loads will progress linearly, and breaks will be taken when the CNS dictates.
 
1/8/2014

Treadmill Run: 2.35 miles, 25:00

Pullups: BW x 5, 5, 3

K2C: 15, 15

Dips: BW x 12, 10

I had eye surgery about a week ago; yesterday was the first day that I functioned enough to be able to work out and not kill myself or puke from my equilibrium being off. My doc told me no matter what, not to strain in the first week after surgery - so I literally stopped everything as soon as I felt like I was straining. That's an enormous change for me - and one I did not enjoy. The treadmill work is listed as total distance in total time - so that included warmup and cool down. My average running speed was 6.5 MPH or about a 9:30ish mile pace. I have another surgery later on this month, so the same pattern will repeat - hopefully I can get in a few good workouts before the next procedure.
 
Chins: BW + 20 x 3, 3, 3, 3; BW x 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Deadlifts: 225 x 6, 6, 6, 6

Paused OHP: 95 x 12, 7-3-2 RP

The chins suffered from both massive bicep fatigue and grip issues. So - the goal is to get through all 10 triples sets without decreasing the load; I'll keep the BW+20 as the target starting load for now. The deadlift sets were done with a quick-ish cadence, and that too hit my grip like crazy. I used a mixed grip halfway through set 3 and all of set 4. The OHP sets were good; I made the decision to pause the 12 sets going forward as a way to mix up the lifting approach. In the end, the mix of pausing and RP work was very taxing on my deltoids - proving out the approach may take a few weeks to sort out, though. Regardless, happy with the lifting; still not sure how this is going to work week by week, but I'll try a few things and see what happens.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top