Archive for August 2010
Training Update…
Squats do a body good!
A quick training update for you today since I missed yesterday.
Get Strong(er) Week 7 – Day 1
1 – Hang Clean + Front Squat + Jerk 3xx6
2a – Weighted Chins 5×12,10,8,8,7
2b – Weight Dips 5×12,12,10, 10, 8
5rds for time…
3a – DB Thrusters x10
3b – Thick Rope Slams x20
3c – Box Jumps x5
3d – Sledge Swings x10(l/r)
Get Strong(er) Week 7 – Day 2
Super Squat day!
1 – Squat 3×10,5,5,2 1×20
2a – RDL 5×4
2b – Hanging Leg Raise 3×15
2c – GHD situps 3×15
High Rep Training
Today was squat day. It was hot inside the strength shed as the thermometer here in Richmond hit about 97 degrees.
As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago I’m on a mission to build up my 20 rep squat weight. I’m up 20lbs since I started two weeks ago.
Honestly, I wasn’t feeling it today but like I’ve said before, NO EXCUSES!
After recovering from my death set, I got to thinking more about my gladiator training post and how important mixing in high reps into your training regimen should be standard.
I’m not talking about high rep training with pink dumbbells here. I’m talking about heavy s***. High reps sets should make you want to puke not just give you a pump.
So, I’ve decided to make a list of 10 my favorite lifts that I like to take high from time to time!
1. Any bodyweight movement. Add some weight to your pullup and pushups and start counting.
2. Barbell Complexes. There’s nothing like destroying 35 reps of your favorite 7 exercises!
3. Squats…
4. Deadlifts…
5. Barbell Combos
6. 1 arm DB Rows
7. KB Swings. Your hamstrings and lower back will thank you!
8. KB or DB Snatches
9. Any variation of the lunge.
10. Overhead pressing. Nothing challenges your shoulders like a set of high rep pressing.
Drop a comment and let me know about your favorite high rep gut wrenching set!
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.
Drive and Passion
What’s your passion?
What keeps you driven?
I believe that if you are ever going to succeed, no matter what the endeavor, you must answer these two questions.
My passion is training and coaching. My drive consists of wanting to be the best father, husband, and coach I can be. I want my own facility where I can teach and coach athletes and others who share my passion for training and being the best.
Speaking of drive and passion, check out this training video from one of my clients. Jordan’s passion and drive consists of wanting to be the best wrestler at the Division 1 level. More athletes today need to have the passion, determination, and work like Jordan.
Check him doing work below. On a side note, some of this footage is from his adventures to the Strength Shop run my colleague in Virginia Beach, VA.
I’m still on my death squat quest. Yesterday was better than last week. I bumped up 10lbs. My plan is to increase 5-10lbs each week and see how high I can climb.
This morning I rocked some hill sprints. This was a huge mental test for me this morning as my quads and hamstrings were screaming at me from the first sprint on.
It would’ve been easy for the to quit and say “screw it, I’m sore, I’ll do them tomorrow” but that’s not me.
NO EXCUSES. Sometime pushing yourself mentally is just as important as pushing yourself physically.
Get Strong(er) Week 6 – Day 3
1 – Squat 3×10,6,4 – 1×20
2a – RDL 5×5
2b – Hanging Leg Raises 3×15
Short, sweet, and deadly.
Gladiator Training
I read this post by my boy Zach Even Esh last week.
I was inspired to take my training old school. Tuesday I crushed some high rep squats taking my last set to a brutal 20 reps.
To finish of my training for last week I went with a real old school 10×10 deadlift session. It was rough to say the least. I got about half way through and my grip, traps, and hamstrings were screaming.
It was awesome. I felt great when I finished. In the old days guys trained with high reps all the time. They needed strength and endurance to stay alive. If you don’t include some high rep training with the big lifts every once and a while, you’re missing out on a different kind of strength.
Give it a shot and your growth and strength will explode!
Get Strong(er) Week 5 – Day 4
1 – Deadlift 10×10
I finished off the session with some sledge hammer and battling rope interval training. What a great way to end the week.
Today I went back to practicing my barbell combos. I stuck with the same combo as last week and worked on speed and explosion. I also crushed some weighted chins and dips, destroying my numbers from last week.
Always strive to improve with each training session.
ATTACK! ATTACK! ATTACK!
Get Strong(er) Week 6 – Day 1
1 – Power Clean + Front Squat + Jerk 4×5
2a – Weight Chins 5xsubmax
2b – Weighted Dips 5x submax
5rds for time
3a – Barbell Thruster x10
3b – Thick Rope Slams x20
3c – Burpee x10
3d – Sledge Swings x10 L/R
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