Saturday, July 3, 2010

Busy gym today so had to settle for an abbreviated workout. Hit a 90 C&J though which is the heaviest I've done in a while, and it was solid

Power Clean & Jerk

30kg (3x2)
40kg (3x2)
50kg (2x2)
60kg x2
70kg (2x1)
75kg x1
80kg (3x1)
85kg x1
90kg x1

Back Squat Low Bar

135Lbs (2x5)
225Lbs x5

Monday, June 28, 2010

Switching a few things up today:

1) Power clean, not full clean. My full clean will never be easier than power, and also it allows for a wider grip, which helps in the jerk

2) Placed C&J before snatches, since jerk is my weakest lift. Also might warm up the shoulders better for snatches.

Power Clean & Jerk

20kg (2x3)
30kg(2x2)
40kg (2x2)
50kg (2x2)
60kg x1
70kg x1
80kg x1
85kg (3x1)

Snatch Mid-Thigh

20kg (2x3)

Snatch Above Knees

30kg (2x3)

Snatch Below Knees

40kg (2x2)

Snatch

40kg (2x2)
50kg (2x1)
55kg x1

Power Snatch

55kg (2x1)
60kg x1

Tried a few powers to see if they hurt less but they didn't. I need to just do old school impingement rehab 3 days a week I think. Maybe Tues/Fri/Sat.

Low Bar Squat

20kg (2x5)
70kg x5
90kg x5
110kg (3x5)

Squats felt super today, finally getting comfortable with low bar position.

What I Learned From Dorian Yates

Some years ago I remember speaking at a conference in Toronto, Canada, and as it happened, one of my co-speakers we Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates.

As Yates prepared begin his talk, you could hear a pin drop in the auditorium- everyone was anxious with anticipation at what they might learn over the next hour, including me.

To say that Yate's talk was surprising would be an understatement:

(Paraphrasing) "Well, usually, on my first exercise, for example, on squats, I'll warm up with the bar first, then I'll go to 135 pounds for a set, then 225 pounds, and I'll keep adding weight like this until I get to my work sets. Then, depending on how I feel, I might do for example, 3 sets of 10, or 5 sets of 8, or something like that. I'll work as hard as I can on those sets, and then I'll go on to my next exercise..."

I remember seeing several attendees looking at each other, wide-eyed with boredom and disbelief. Clearly, Dorian had secrets to share- juicy tibdits that would accelerate everyone's training results?

The rest of Dorian's talk was equally mundane, consisting of stuff that everyone else in the audience was already familiar with. I never heard him offer a single pearl that couldn't be placed into the "obvious" category.

In the hallway after Yate's talk was finished, I heard numerous expressions of mumbled disappointment from those who had attended. They were all looking for novelty, and all they got was effective. The owner of (arguably) the World's best physique shared his methods and philosophy- all of it- with his audience that day.

Had Dorian known that his fans didn't want truth, he might have delivered a very different talk that day.

But I learned something that day. What really works is often stuff that I'm already familiar with. Which puts the responsibility right back on me.

There are no secrets. There is no "best" way. If you want secrets, you're lost before you begin. Most of the best athletes I've met are doing stuff that would strike you as conventional, obvious, simple. Nothing special at all. But what these great athletes all know is one "secret" if I may call it that: hard, consistent work can take you a long way.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Trained with John & crew at Crossfit Arizona (Casa Grande). Fairly solid C&J session and good a good 5-rep pull.

Power Clean & Jerk:

95Lb (4x2)
115Lb (2x2)
135Lb (2x1)
155Lb x1
185Lb x1

Deadlifts

225Lb x3
275Lb x2
315Lb x1
365Lb x1
395Lb x5

Chins

Bw (5x3)

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Right shoulder hurting pretty significantly on snatches even though I hit 70

Overhead Squat

15kg (3x5)
20kg (3x5)

Snatch Mid-Thigh

20kg (2x3)

Snatch Above Knees

30kg (2x3)

Snatch

40kg (2x3)
50kg (2x2)
60kg x1
65kg x 1
60kg x1

Clean & Jerk

20kg (2x3)
40kg (2x2)
50kg x2
60kg x2
70kg x1
80kg (2x1)

Low Bar Squat

20kg (3x5)
70kg x5
100kg x5
120kg x5

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Prowler with Phil, John, Bill Nelson and Christian!

Empty Sled: 2x100 Ft
Sled +20kg: 6x100 Ft (PR: 6.49 secs!)

Monday, June 21, 2010

Working on a theoretical model of getting done in 120 minutes or less from start to finish (40 minutes each on snatch, C&J, and squat). Today's session completed in about 195 minutes, start to finish.

Less pain on snatches today

Technique still a bit inconsistent on Rippetoe-style squats, but they feel good overall

Power Snatch/Overhead Squat

15kg (3x5)

Snatch Mid-Thigh

20kg (2x3)

Snatch Above Knees

30kg (2x3)

Snatch

40kg (2x3)
50kg (2x2)
60kg x1
65kg x B
65kg (2x1)

Clean & Jerk

20kg (2x3)
40kg (2x2)
50kg x2
60kg x2
70kg x1
80kg x1

Low Bar Squat

20kg (2x5)
70kg (2x5)
100kg (3x5)