Music
Back to Basics Training Update
You don't get more basic than this!
This cycle is all about getting back to basics.
I love just using simple, heavy, basic, barbell movements couple with good ole bodyweight training!
Here’s a quick training update for days 3 and 4 of this cycle as well a good training tune!
Back to Basics Wk 1 – Day 3
1 – Sandbag Clean 3×5
2a – Bent Over Row 3×6
2b – Flat DB Press 3×10,9,7
3a – Pullups 3xsubmax
3b – Dips 3xsubmax
Conditioning (4rds)
Eight 20/10 intervals alternating burpees and sledge hammer swings.
Back to Basics Wk 1 – Day 4
1 – Deadlift 6×10,8,6,4,4,4
2a – Zercher Squat 3×8
2b – Leg Raises 3×20
3 – DB Split Squat 3x5ea.
Time to head over the new spot and start tearing down a wall to it ready to build beasts in Richmond, VA!
I’ll get some good before video and post it later.
Upper Body Training and Deadlift Madness!
I have two quick training updates for you today.
My lifts are getting stronger albeit, little by little. Hey progress is progress right?
I’ve identified two weaknesses as my strength increases. First, I need more drive off the chest on the bench. I tend to get a little stuck at the beginning and it costs me during the course of a set.
Second, as my deadlift increases, I’ve noticed my grip fails before anything else. Now this can be cause by one of two factors. Deadlifts are my last big lift of the weak and I’ve already attacked my grip with tons or pullups and other movements or my grip just sucks!
I tend to think it’s not one over the other but rather a little bit of both. I’m sure as hell not going to go easy on the pullups and such so I’ll be adding in some extra grip work.
Being able to identify your weaknesses during the course of a training cycle is paramount to continued progress. You must constantly assess yourself!
Get Stronger Wk 6 – Day 3
1 – Hang Snatch + Squat + Back Thruster 5×5
2 – Bench Press 5×8,8,6,6,5
3a – Mixed Grip Pullups w/ Towel 5xsubmax
3b – Pushups 5xsubmax
Get Stronger Wk 6 – Day 4
1 – Deadlift 7×10,8,6,6,4,3,3
2 – DB Reverse Lunges 5×20
Five Rds for Time
3a – Burpees x10
3b – SB Shoulder x3(L/R)
3c – Sledge Hammer Swings x10 (L/R)
This was a great finisher to the week!
I’ve started keeping my lower body days short, sweet, and intense since on the other training days I’m getting some kind of squat or hill sprint during a session.
That’s right I’m hitting my lower body roughly 5 days per week. A little unconventional I know but my recovery is theret and my strength continues to go up.
Sometimes you have to forget the conventional rules and take a different path.
Primal Eating, How I Start My Day, and Heavy Pressing
This is NOT the breakfast of champions!
Mom always said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Not only is she right but it is my favorite meal of the day. Usually I wake up every morning and my body is screaming for food. After being in a fasted state for 8-10 hours, I wake up ready to chew my arm off!
Some folks are really breakfast people and can’t handle a ton right when they get up in the morning. NOT ME!
Before making the move to a more primal eating pattern I used to have some egg whites and oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins. I probably had this breakfast consistently for the last 6-7 years so it was time for a change!
What DOES my primal breakfast look like you ask? Here is what I had this morning.
3 whole eggs + 3 whites
5 oz of deer sausage
1 banana
5-6 strawberries
3 fish oil caps
Adding in the whole eggs have been awesome. It’s providing me with tons of good fat which is keeping me full and full of energy.
In the winter I hunt! Before I get hate mail about how it’s cruelty to animals and immoral, I eat everything I kill. I don’t just go shoot animals for the hell of it! Deer is a great source of protein, about 23g to a 3oz serving. It doesn’t have a ton of fat but they way it is made into sausage includes adding in some good fats to hold everything together.
I love fruit in the morning and the extra fish oil makes up for some of the lack of fat in the deer sausage.
This tasty breakfast had me fueled and ready to go for this morning’s training session.
Get some!
Get Strong(er) Wk 2 – Day 1
1 – Hang Clean + Press 4×4,4,3,3
2a – BB Row 3×6
2b – Flat DB Press 3×10,9,8
3a – Mixed Grip Chins 3xsubmax
3b – Pushups 3xsubmax
Conditioning – 5rds for time
1 – Sandbag Thruster 5
2 – Sprawls 10
3 – Thick Rope Slams 20
4 – Box Jump 10
5 – Sledge Swings 10 L/R
Real World Strength vs. Muscle Mag Bodybuilding
I admit, for a long time I was in to the pretty boy bodybuilding thing. I used to hit one body part per day, doing at least 20 sets, and keeping my reps between 8-12. After that I would spend another 45 minutes on the treadmill or ellipticall. I did this all with the hope of getting huge and lean.
You know what? All those workouts I followed religiously from Flex and Muscle and Fitness never got me anywhere! Growing up I trained like beast. My training was heavy pushing, pulling, and pressing and that was about it. It wasn’t until I got back to that type of training that I started making real gains again. That is why I think real world strength training beats the hell out of pretty boy bodybuilding any day of the week.
Don’t get me wrong bodybuilding has it’s place and still influences some of my training today. But, when you spend more time on isolation exercises and bicep curls than you do squatting, deadlifting, or overhead pressing, that’s a problem. Unfortunately I just described about 95% of the people in gyms today.
So, if you’re looking to bust through a training rut and get some serious results, start training for real world strength. Make sure you train heavy and hard with compounds movements like the squat and deadlift. Use different tools like sandbags and kettlebell. Under any circumstance don’t forget bodyweight training.
If you’re looking to find out more about real world strength go here now.
Zach Even Esh has a special sale going on for his Underground Strength Manual. Take action now as the sale only lasts for another 48 hours.
Music and Motivation
Music is an integral part of training. It can jack you up beyond belief or it can bring you down.
In the previous post I talked about motivation and what keeps you coming back for more. But, what happens when you get to the gym? You have to get in there and go into your own little world for an hour and kick some ass!
Killer music helps me flip that switch. When I put in my head phones or crank the stereo, IT’S ON!
Here is a list of my 10 favorite artists. Most every play list has a song or two from these guys!
10. P.O.D.
9. Notorious B.I.G.
8. Linkin Park
7. ACDC
6. Korn
5. Disturbed
4. DMX
3. Godsmack
2. 2Pac
1. Rage Against the Machine
What’s on your Ipod? I’m always looking for new bands and artists to add to my list!
What do YOU think about this list? How does it compare to yours?
Let me know what I should add!
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