BEYOND STRONG: Shaf's Corner

SQ2: The Open Road Beckons

SQ2

I'm figuring out a strategy for squatting after this initial break-in period.  My big issue is being comfortable under the bar.  So I am going to keep the weights relatively light and do more sets and reps.  I might move towards just frequent squatting with light weights to redevelop the shoulder positions...but I'm debating the pros and cons with myself.

Warm up:  I tried some shoulder and scapula mobilization stuff today to prepare my shoulders.  Felt pretty good.  I'll have to tape this at some point if it keeps working.  Then I went into some ankle and hip mobility warm up stuff.

Squat:
WU:  135x10, 135x15, 135x20
Wave 1:  225x8, 275x5, 335x3
Wave 2:  245x8, 295x5, 355x3
Wave 3:  I was really going to do 3, but decided that doubling my volume from last session was good enough.

-heavy sets felt much better than last time leading me to think about multiple sessions weekly.  Still felt weak though.

Knee Prehab:  I'm determined to keep my knees healthy.  This is what I did today in a circuit:

Band GM:  30, 30, 30
Band TKE:  30, 30, 30
Band 1 Leg Curl:  20/20, 12/12

My hamstrings are super deconditioned for leg curl movements and I almost cramped.

Overall, I'm happy to be squatting, but the road ahead for this lift is going to be a long and rocky towards a return to PR territory.  The big issue is going to be throttling this back to let the connective tissue come up and to let the joints adapt.

BP1

28-July-09

BP1:  Ladders Week 1-Rangefinding

Bench: Medium Grip.
WU:  45x10, 135x10
Ladders:
185x1/2/3 RPE = EZ
225x1/2/3 RPE = EZ
275x1/2/3 RPE = 9
-the last rep in this ladder was a bit of a grind.
255x1/2/3/1/2/3 RPE =7
-this ladder was crisp on every rep, yet had some weight to it.  Nothing to write home about.  This is a restart of the bench sessions.  I will call this BP1

Uniball Rows:
115x30 reps each arm:  (This was basically 6 sets of 5 with only brief rest in between hands and sets).  The point is going to be to work up to ~60 reps with each arm and then add weight.

Inverted Rows on Rings:  11, 7, 3 (this last set had a 5 second hold at the top)

-back was pumped after this work.

KB Conditioning:

1-16kg
Snatch 50 reps r/l
C&J 50 reps r/l
Swings 50 reps r/l

19:53/HR = 140 at finish

Note that the workload was identical to yesterday's session, yet the finish time was longer.  I used to be able to do this in around 17 minutes and never put the kb down.  This wasn't the case in this session.  I've lost some work capacity and some skill with the handleball.

DL 11

DL11 Cycle 3, Workout 2. 

1 week late due to vacation

DL: 
365x3
405x3
455x6 - RPE9, 1 rep left

Bulgarian Split squats with front leg elevated:
10/10, 10/10, 10/10 RPE was around 6-7 for this

-I was almost crying after that last set.

KB Conditioning:

Doubles:  Snatchs, Cleans and Jerks, Swings 
50 reps each.

Took me 18:05 to finish.  Many, many sets.

HR after snatches was 140
HR after C&Js was 162
HR after Swings was 170 something

Some gentle stretching to cool down

Squat 1: Finally

I've been working on shoulder flexiblity because I have been unable to squat comfortably, or even uncomfortably for some time.  Mike Robertson, of I-FAST and Robertson Training Systems offered me several very nice tips and ideas to help.  Thanks Mike, I appreciate it immensely.

So, I've been stretching them off and on for, really, the last 6 months.  But every time I tried to squat it felt the same...I just didn't have the flexibility to do it.  So I slacked for a while, but then I finally got serious about it and have been doing them on a daily basis for two weeks.

Today I was sick of it.  I decided that I was going to do the back squat, and allow my body to become re-accustomed to the positions required by the back squat.  And that was that.  I'm done with screwing around.

This was the warm up:

135x5 - felt like shit.  shoulders felt stretched to a painful point, so uncomfortable that I couldnt' focus on the movement.
135x10 - felts a little better.  didn't hurt as much.
135x15 - felt better yet.  Not good, but not like set 1.
135x20 - about the same.  I figured that it was time to add some weight.

225x8 - good
275x5 - good
325x3 - felt heavy, a bit awkward. 

Humble beginnings for a guy who's done 555 raw almost 1o years ago.  It's been so long I'm just happy to have done the movement.

Rest of it:

Dan John's press sequence (2, 3, 5, 10 reps then repeat 3x)  I used the 16kgs.  Easy.  KB pressing is something I want to start doing better.

2" PVC wrist roller.  Plate pinch wrist extensions ('sup NICK!), supergripper

DL 10 (Cycle 4, Week 1)

July 12, 2009 Sunday night

Assrape Conditioning

50/50 Snatches
50/50 Cleans
50/50 Front Squats
50/50 Swings
50/50 Push Presses
50/50 Jerks

37:52 with the 16kg

That sets the pace for this week.

A whole lot of breathing and sweating.

July 13

DL10 (531 C4/W1)

DL: 330x5, 380x5, 430x10 (RPE10)
-progress. I made sure the bar wasn't misloaded this time. That beat the fuck out of me. Still beltless. I did wear the TK waistband for warmth though, and it feels good and hot.

Chins: Ladder
Over: 1/2/3/3+1 cheat
Under: 1/2/3
Over: 3, 3 (alt. straight sets)
Under: 3, 3

GMs (bb)
135x10, x10, x10
-these sucked very badly, but not putting weight on my back is not going to fix the flexibility issue, either.

Calf and tib work. Don't ask. Don't tell.
*ahem* Grip and wrist work

Overall this was a good workout. These late night bastards often leave me jacked up and make it hard to get to sleep.


Synopsis of the last 12-13 weeks of training:

-10 DL workouts.
-Went from 475x1 to 475x5.
-Went from 405x7 to 430x10 (did 430x7 second week of cycle 1)

Slow and steady. I'm starting to chomp at the bit, but will keep to the plan.   I'm old enough to appreciate these slow, steady gains and realize that they are better than a kick in the balls.

Wave CGBP + Conditioning

1-July

CGBP:
45x20
135x5
185x3
225x1
155x5
205x3
245x1
175x5
225x3
265x1 (rpe7)
275x1 (rpe8)
295x1 (rpe9)

called it good.

KB conditioning.  Complexes and Combos

(Complex = do all reps, then move onto next exercise)
(Combo = do 1 rep of each movement, then start over for specified number of rounds)

Double clean + FS Ladder:  16kg 1>5, 1>5, 1>5
Press+Snatch+OH Split Squat:  16kg:  5 R+L, 10 R+L (complex)
OHS + Windmill:  5 each side (combo)
OHS + Windmill:  5+5 (complex)
-a bit of a difference in fatigue

GHRs - this was some messed up stuff and I don't want to talk about it.  Obviously this is an exercise I haven't done in years.

Damn.  This sort of conditioning is not there for me now.

Review of Dan John's "Never Let Go"

Never Let Go

Click to link to go the Draper's IronOnline store.

Everything I know about lifting, I learned from Dan John. 

There's been a lot written about Dan John lately.  It's reassuring to see him getting his due, because here's a man who's walked the walk of life, and is still smiling and enthusiastic about his passions.  He's genuine.

I've known Dan for a while now. We met online in 1999 or 2000, and corresponded frequently, in email and on assorted message boards and in the occasional phone call.  In 2007 I finally got to meet him, twice, both out in Utah and at Denison University in Ohio.  I consider him a friend, and knowing him has much enriched my life. 

I held off writing this bit until I'd gone through his book a few times.  It's hard not saying what other folks have said:  Dan's down-to-earth voice and advice cuts through noise and is pure signal, Dan's a humble genius.  Dan's a coach's coach.  Dan's gently scathing humor draws our attention to the realities of life and lifting and competition.

I can't match the eloquent and descriptive phrases such luminaries like Pavel Tsatsouline and Dave Draper and others have used to describe Dan's contribution to the written word of the Iron Game.  I can only say that it's good.  It's excellent.  It's humbling to me personally.  Explaining why is difficult, if not impossible. 

If you buy one book about training, hell, if you buy one book about life, this year, or this decade, make it Dan's book.  You might not 'get it' yet.  That's OK.  You will.