Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Quick One

Did some good old ME work for the bench today.

Close grip floor presses...worked up to 315, which was solid, but missed 335. 325? Doesn't matter.

Chins/Inverted Rows/Row "Shrugs"/1 arm Kb presses

3 circuits, nothing to brag about here.

And, for the rest of the day, shoulder mobility and traction to head off the usual aches tomorrow. It feels good right now, but we'll sleep on it and see.

Took some vid, but not going to put anything up today.

Friday, December 15, 2006

The Langford Squat Couplet

Sean Langford has been taunting me for weeks with this combo.

Ok, not really. He's just been talking about how much it's smoked his legs.

I give it a shot here. The video pretty much reveals it all.

Barbells + Kettlebells, a Minimalist, Contrarian Approach for the Average Joe

For those who don't know, or didn't care, PTP is Pavel's "Power to the People" a minimalist set up for strength training for the average dude. It consistes of deadlifts and one armed barbell presses (called "side presses").

ETK, or Enter the Kettlebell, is Pavel's latest kb treatise, where he chooses the kb swing and the kb get-up as his two minimalist movements.

The party line is do PTP for two weeks, then ETK for 2 weeks, or something like that where you divide the two protocols.

There's no reason you really couldn't split the two down the middle, though.

Deadlift + Get up: This combo is definitely taking the hammer to the core, with both bilateral and unilateral stability challenged, and with the GU, you still get overhead stimulation.

Side Press + Swing: Overhead strength + core conditioning.

Despite being "different" this is certainly a synergistic way to set up your minimalist barbell + kettlebell program.

And, there, my friends, is my $100 idea of the day.

Monday, December 11, 2006

The Workout Behind VBlog #8

Progressive Pulls:

PC:
135x3, 135x3, 185x3, 185x3, 205x3, 225x3
CHP:
225x3, 275x3, 315x3
DL:
315x3, 365x3, 405x3, 455x1, 475x1, 495x1

Oly GMs
55x20, 145x10, 165x10 - these are a GM+Toe Raise+Shrug

Chins: 3, 3, 3

Grip stuff:

25# plate pinches: 5 holds each hand for max time, which is around 6 sec.

McKinless Partials: i.e. behind the back thick bar partial deads
215, 265, 265...the 265 was barely coming off before I'd lose the grip

3" wrist roller: about 5 trips up and down. Going to have to figure out a way to attach the rope because it doesn't roll smoothly on the pin. This is just a cheap PVC roller

Supergripper: 2 sets of about 15 reps each hand.

VBLOG #8

For those who've missed them, I've started doing a Vblog.

Here's the eighth.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Why is this active again?

I have been drawn back into to blogosphere for several reasons. None of them are good. Or worthwhile.

Daily Reads

These blogs I read every day, or close to every day. Along with the many forums I browse. Internet addict? Could be.

Alwyn Cosgrove's blog. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Alwyn and his insights, both in training and in the business of training.

http://alwyncosgrove.blogspot.com

The mysterious Norrin Radd. The Silver Surfer? Tells the truth about the incestuous little world of grip training.

http://pitofsuffering.blogspot.com

Tom Furman. Outstanding blog. Martial Arts and physical training.

http://physicalstrategies.blogspot.com

Mark Rifkin's blog. He's been there, and done that. Now he's doing kettlebells.

http://rifsblog.blogspot.com

Rebuilding the Pathetic Overhead


No headroom, so the heavy overhead exercise is:

Seated Shoulder Press from the Pins: The bar is about 1" or so above where it'd be racked on my shoulders for a standing press. I do not have my back against the upright seat of the bench, but the seat is up, and will prevent excessive layback.

45x20, 45x20, 95x10, 135x10, 155x5, 165x5, 175x3

This does NOT feel as good as the standing press. Plus, I'm weak as a fucking kitten on this.

60° Inc BP: 135x10, x5

Worked fast, so sadly, this got a bit hard. Once again, this will be part of the scheme for building the overhead back to a respectable level. 135x10, sadly, is not a respectable level.

Chins + Inv. Row: 3 sets, AMRAP (as many reps as possible)

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Shaf's Blog

Not updating this a lot.

Apparently Conner's MRI was fine, since the NS hasn't called us yet.

I'm currently keeping a log over on BodyRecomp (Lyle McDonald's site) of my training and messing around with intermittant fasting.

Monday, April 10, 2006

Inconsistencies and a Lack of "Iron Will"

Motivation: Lacking but coming back.

Diet: Cleaning up decently. Down between 5-8# depending on the time of day.

Training: Back to basics.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

05-Dec-7 Session

Power and Bulk :: View topic - REMEDIAL TRAINING for the DETRAINED - Shaf's Log: "05Dec-7

WU: lotsa ohs's

Squat: 135x3, 225x3, 315x3, 405x3, 455x3, 475x2

VID OF 475x2 is here:

http://s32.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=372K1G8LNC0IX2ZICV7EDJSR3D

Some split squats, some GMs, some band leg curls"

05-Dec-6 session

Power and Bulk :: View topic - REMEDIAL TRAINING for the DETRAINED - Shaf's Log: "12/06

DJSM WU, 2 cycles
Shoulder/Chest moves from Resilient, 2 cycles

Bottom Bench, cg: using the appolon's axle.

135x1, x10; 225x1, x5; 305x1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0

-the singles with 305 were done with a minute between each attempt, and I stopped after the first miss.

TRISET:

pushups with feet on balance ball (to failure)
tri-grip rows (5-6 reps each grip)
bridge pull (8-10 reps depending on fatigue)

3 times through the triset...this was to work my back pretty thoroughly, but with lighter weight

CORE:
GHR max ROM situps: 8, 8, 5 - caught up to me fast
strap fall outs (think barbell rollouts but done with a strap suspended from the ceiling), 4, 3, 3 - I terminated a set when I fell down.

Metcon circuit:
jump rope, 1 minute fast 120-150 jpm, 32kg kb C&Js 5R 5L
x3

The metcon circuit, as usual, kicked my ass."

05-Dec-1 session

Power and Bulk :: View topic - REMEDIAL TRAINING for the DETRAINED - Shaf's Log: "Video Training Session

Warmup:

DJSM warm up. Will have some vids of the movements a bit later.

Squats:

135x10, 225x10, 315x5, 365x5, 405x5, 455x1, 475x1, 495x0

Some other stuff.

Rangefinding and working on conditioning"

Wednesday, November 30, 2005

11/30/2005

Power and Bulk :: View topic - REMEDIAL TRAINING for the DETRAINED - Shaf's Log: "11/30

warm up
CGBP: 135x10, 10, 10, 225x5, 5
BP: 275x1, 295x1, 315x1, 335x0, 335x1, 275x6, 225x7

-I wanted to test a 1RM, but it was ugly and it pissed me off

Back and Bi stuff: Assorted crap...rows, chins, kelso surg stuff, band rear delt work, curls, reverse curls...a fuck around kind of thing

Jumprope/KB ballistics circuit (also known as High Octane Cardio)

1 minute of rope
10 kb swings each arm
1 minute of rope
10 kb snatches each arm
1 minute of rope
10 kb c&js each arm
1 minute of rope
20 DARC swings

Ab work."

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Now Twice as Sexy!

Power and Bulk :: View topic - REMEDIAL TRAINING for the DETRAINED - Shaf's Log: "11/29/05

BW: 265#

Warmup: The Dan John/Steve Maxwell thing listed in the latest Hardstyle

1. Halos - 25# plate
2. Bootstrapper/Squat combos - 12 kg kb
3. Windmills - 12 kg kb

-three runs through. A nice little combo, I have to admit.

Power Clean:

135x1 floor/2 hang: x5
185x3 (floor only): x3

-form is not 'on'. Haven't done these in 10-11 months. Plus a spasm formed right beneath my right scapula. HOICH!

Front Squat 1 kb OHS*

135x5, 135x10, 135x10
12kgx5 5, 12kgx10 10, 12kgx10 10

*Don't ask my why, I don't fucking know. 1H kb OHS work out the kinks in the core for me. First set and everything kind of cracks a bit. This shit makes me sweat.

GHR/HB RDLs (hex bar RDLs) - My GHR sucks.

5/135x10, 5/135x10, 5/135x10 - added a surg to the last HBRDL set.

Just for the hell of it, I tried the B-Circuit....look over on Bryce Lane's board to see what this is. The leg B-Circuit. Not fun. Especially unfun the second time through. Bryce goes through it 7-10 times. Me? 2.

Welcome to hell."

Monday, November 21, 2005

Now for something completely different

The Maxwell/John Minimal warmup:

1. Halos 15 reps each way
2. KB bootstrapper: 15 reps x 16kg kb
3. Windmills: 5 reos L+R 16kg kb

2 run throughs.

Enough to warm me up but not mess up my minimal work capacity.

The hex bar was sitting there on the floor:

Hex bar deadlift:

135x10. 225x10, 315x10, 405x5 (1), 405x7 (2), 455x3 (3)

(1) Grip issues. By the fifth rep it was slipping from my hands
(2) Grip issues. Used chalk. Exercise actually got hard before I lost my grip.
(3) Grip issues again. Slipping by rep 3. To be fair, 4-5 reps is my maximum here.

Hex Bar High Pull Shrug

225x12, 315x8

-moderately tough, but not to failure.

After that, I had a mishap with my loading sling that landed me face first on my mat. Very funny.

chins and bridge pulls...not good numbers here.








Wednesday, November 16, 2005

First I bench, then I squat

Benched yesterday.

Did ladders with 295. Felt pretty easy, so I was pleased with that bit of ground regained. Followed each ladder with plyo push ups. Then some back work.

Today is squatting.

Squat:
135x5, 5, 5; 225x5; 315x5; 365x5; 405x2...

Let's just call this a total pussed out session, lost my focus for heavy shit for some reason, and the 405 felt weird. I am experienced enough to know when to can it. And now was one of those times.

1H KB Thruster: 16kg x 12r, 11L, 9r, 9L, 10R, 10L, 10R, 10L, 10R, 10L

*easy my ass. my muscles could take it but my heart and breathing couldn't. damn. damn. damn

bridge cross/bridge row: 8/6, 7/7, 8/8

*just to get some back work in funky funky

Monday, November 14, 2005

The Windy City

Was in Chicago this weekend visiting friends and relatives. Had a good time.

My wife says I wasn't "too" grumpy.

I always feel fortunate for not living in the Chicago area. I mean, great place, but the traffic kills me. One of our friends commutes 45 minutes in the morning, then spends an hour, 45 minutes in a commute after she picks up their infant son in the evening.

Holy moly.

I count my blessings as I find them

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Fictional Strength for L'il Dub

Time: ~2 PM
Place: Shaf's Gloryhole
Soundtrack: "Training I" Hard and rap mix

Bench press ladders complexed with explosive push ups


warm up.

285x1/2/3 + 5, 285x1/2 + 5 (1), 285x1/2/3 + 9 (2)

(1) Notice I quit before failure. That second rung was surprisingly hard...I don't think I rested enough.

(2) I got the whole ladder. Why? That whole synaptic facilitation thing, probably. Plus, that third rep was a bitch. Repped out on explosive push ups instead of 225. I stopped when my hands wouldn't leave the floor anymore, i.e. at 9 reps.

Bradford presses:

45x10, 95x10, 115x6, 135x3, 95x8

-note that 1 rep is the movement from front to back to front again. I am noticing a pump on these today. The low reps on the 135 represents a bit of uneasiness with putting the weight behind my neck.

hex bar row/shrug:

135x15/15, 185x7/10, 205x4/8

METCON: BWP 1A circuit (see previous blog entries for explanation)

25/10+10/10
20/13+7/8
20/10+5/7

Shit. Sweaty. Lungs bellowing. Hard to type

Core work. kb windmills and rope rollouts

TKES

Good one.