Gym regimen update - 30 May 2014 ("Booyah!")

Friday, 30 May 2014 
Quasi Even Keel 
65 min., 226 lb. 
MOOD: Felt expectant, confident, but had to overcome some grip slippage and mental uncertainty in my first sets of DL. Had coffee, L-carnitine, fish oil, and a Cytomax before the workout.

warm-up: movements, stretching, etc.

DL: 6, 5, 3, 3, 2 @ 235, 305, 385, 425, 455 lb.

db press: 12, 12, 10, 8*, 10 @ 60, 70, 80, 90, 70 lb.

EZ bar spider curl: 12, 12, 10, 10 @ 70, 80, 90, 100 lb.

+ + +

425 x 3 and 455 x 2--that's technically two DL PR's in a row, which makes for three PR's (DL, SQ, FSQ) in as many days. The final DL rep felt a little "tweaky" and I can feel some warm stiffness in my lower back now. I wore sweatpants and a hooded sweatshirt, which I really enjoyed. I can't stand feeling cold when I lift.

Today was the last full day of school, and the weekend is here, so I'm ready to recover. It'll be interesting how all this free time over the summer helps my gains.

Stay tuned, and I'll stay...

Humble, Consistent, Confident, Patient.... 

Gym regimen - May 2014

Wednesday, 28 May 2014 

Quasi Even Keel 

60 min., 225 lb. 

MOOD: eager, focused, relaxed, had a Cytomax

warm-up: movements, scorpions, etc. 

FSQ: 10, 6, 3, 3, 2, 7 @ 145, 215, 235, 265, 285, 235 lb. 

[285 x 2. A new PR. Tried for a third rep, failed.]  

Pendlay row: 10, 8, 6, 6, 12 @ 145, 165, 185, 205, 165 lb. 

[These felt pretty groovy.]

db pullover-press: 12, 12, 10, 10, 10 @ 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 lb. 

[The key is to raise the shoulders when the db reaches the top of the pull, like a little bench shrug.] 

Gym update - "That's more like it"

Tuesday, 27 May 2014 

Quasi Even Keel 

50 min, 225 lb. 

MOOD: eager, confident, back to "normal" after a stretch of demoralizing discombobulation 

warm-up 

SQ: 12, 6, 6, 4, 3, 3, 3 @ 145, 235, 2, 285, 305, 325, 345 lb. 

db press: 12, 12, 10, 8* @ 60, 70, 80, 90 lb. 

[spotter on last set, ended with a negative that gave out and dropped on me, heheh!]

EZ bar spider curl: 12, 12, 10, 10, 12 @ 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 lb.

+ + +

That's another PR: SQ 345 x 3. Felt pretty good. Didn't really use a belt (though I had a belt around me, just to get the glaring, beefy loudmouth off my case). I'm happy about this PR, but let's just hope my neck doesn't get strained like last time. 

I've been out of the loop for at least a week, so I'm feeling my way back into a regular routine. I think tomorrow I will do FSQ, rows, and pullover-press. The day after that I will train grip and neck. Then I think I shall go for DL, press, curls, and ZSQ. I will put off a Shurg Rush until next week. 

Stay tuned. 

Even Keel (sort of) update - 16 May 2014

Friday, 14 May 2014 
Even Keel A (sort of) 
70 min., 225 lb. 
MOOD: Felt stoked about working out, but also felt a bit insecure on the squat. It's a while since I did back squats on a regular basis, so I was tweaking a lot of little variables (foot width, toe angle, bar height, hinge vs. legs, etc.), trying for an Olympic squat but wanting a little more posterior chain support. 

SQ: 15, 12, 8, 6, 4, 3, 3, 2 @ 105, 145, 235, 255, 275, 305, 325, 345 lb.

db press: 10, 9, 7*, 11 @ 80, 85, 90, 70 lb.
[A little spotter help and a final negative on the third set.]

spider curl: 12, 12, 12, 9 @ 70, 80, 90, 100 lb.

pullover: 15, 15, 12 @ 70, 75, 80 lb.
[These left my triceps and forearms SWOLE and FRIED. I love old school lifting.]

+ + +

I'm pretty sure that 345 lb. is a squat PR, but, honestly, I didn't get very jazzed about it. Reading Perryman's Squat Every Day has, probably forever, changed my entire perspective on squatting. It's not a special challenge; it's a given. In so far as squatting heavy on a regular basis is a given for me now, it stands to reason that I will have that many more "good squat days". But still, a PR is a PR! I feel like I might have squatted around that weight back when I was in Taiwan, but a perusal of my records indicates I might never have gotten to 300 lb. So that's real progress, and not just on SQ but on all my major lifts.

However, whilst perusing, I see that my original FSQ goal was to get 285 lb. x 4 (how quickly we forget), so I'm not out of the woods yet. Summer break is almost here, so let's hope I can make some more real progress by being able to get some proper, full nights of sleep for a change!

Shurg Rush (and, "I've really gone and done it this time!") - 14 May 2014

Wednesday, 14 May 2014 
Shurg Rush 
70 min., 224 lb. 
MOOD: A bit skittish at first, not knowing what I was going to go for on the squat. This workout took longer than usual due to a small amount of chatting with a gym buddy, and then a few minutes giving a trainer some tips on front squatting when she asked me for them!

FSQ: warmup, 8, 6, 4, 3, 3, 1, 1 @ 95, 145, 195, 215, 235, 255, 275, 285 lb.
[Yes, lady and gentleman, I have done it this time: I achieved my goal to front-squat 90% of my back squat. Granted, on a lark last week I did some back squats which edged my SQ up to at least 325 lb, which means I should go for 290 on the FSQ. Nonetheless, the original goal was based on an estimate of 15 lb. While I won't say it was easy, I will say that it wasn't nearly a gutbuster, especially considering how many reps I'd already done. My reward? Back squats tomorrow!] 

hypers: 12, 12, 12 @ + 25, 35, 45 lb.
[Should I do more reps next time, I hold more weight? I'll go for a 12/9/6 rep scheme next time with more weight and see what happens.] 

EZ-bar Kelso shrug: 15, 15, 15 @ 110 lb.
[Annoyed. Using a barbell worked better than dumbbells, but using a 110-lb bar was too light, and using a heavier bar in the dumbbell/bench-seat area is too cumbersome. So, next time, I shall simply take a slightly bent-row posture and shrug a properly loaded barbell. I need at least 135 lb.]

bench shrug: 12, 12, 12 @ 285, 305, 325 lb.
[These were gratifying because I got the bar off the break without a spotter.] 

standing "shrug" shrug*: 12, 9, 9 @ 315, 365, 395 lb.
[A loudmouth at the gym looked at me incredulously when he saw me approaching the machine for a second set, with close to 400 lb. in my sights. That's right, meathead, we don't all have to be beefy to be strong, or loud to be competent.] 

snatch shrug: 9, 8, 8 @ 195, 235, 255 lb.

+ + + 

I replaced dip shrugs for "shrug" shrugs this time, partially because using the gear for dip shrugs is time-consuming, and partially because I want to give my palms a little break. My cleans from the other day gave me a weird periostium bruise/strain on my right hand. I am thinking of doing SQ, chest, biceps, and neck tomorrow, and giving my wrist one more day to rest before I do a  grip workout on Friday. Stay tuned.

* 

Even Keel update - 3 May 2014

Even Keel 1B
75 min (?), 222 lb
MOOD: I felt run down last week and took Friday off from the gym to get some sleep. I also irritated my neck a bit with too much neck bridging a few days ago, so I was trepidatious about this workout. Yet again, however, "how you feel is a lie."

warm-up: movements, scorpions, toe touches, etc.

DL: 6, 4, 2, 1, 1*/1 @ 285, 305, 355, 375, 400, 400
[I used an overhand grip for all reps, and only used chalk once I hit 375. I didn't manage to lock out the penultimate rep, so I set it back down, shook myself out for a few seconds, and then used a hook grip to pull 400 lb.* A new PR. I think I could have gone heavier. But all good things in time....]

twisting db DBP: 8, 7*, 6* @ 80, 85, 90 lb.
[Spotter on 7th rep of 2nd set. Did a negative on 6th rep of last set.]

HSQ: 9, 6, 6 @ 195, 45, 265 lb.
[Blast them quads!]

unilateral bp MP: 9, 7, 5 @ 55, 60, 65 lb.

Kroc row: 8, 6, 8 @ 85, 90, 95 lb.

lying cable curl: 12, 9, 7 @ 100, 110, 120 lb.
[Killer exertion! Wonderful for targeting the biceps long head.]

* {The opening video is a joke about how, for once, I could actually feel the discomfort some people complain about using the hook grip: "That really hurt!" Well, sort of. It was indeed "unpleasant" for a few moments, but you gotta do what you gotta do.}

Even Keel - 25 April 2014

Even Keel 1B
70 min, 224 lbs 

DL: 6, 4, 3, 1/4 @ 235, 285, 325, 355 lbs 
[Used chalk on what was supposed to be the only rep in the last set, but then I did four more reps with a hook grip. LIGHTWEIGHT! Perhaps a PR. One nice little detail is that I used the thicker, powerlifting bar. Grip Strong Or Die.] 

pullover-press: 10, 10, 10 @ 50, 60, 70 lbs. 
[in line with the bench] 

FSQ: 5x5 @ 205 lbs. 
[Nut'n but a peanut.] 

Pendlay row: 5x5 @ 165 lbs 

bb guillotine: 12, 9, 8* @ 145, 165, 185 lbs. 
[spotter on last rep of last set] 

db spider curl: 12, 12, 12 @ 50, 60, 70 lbs 

+ + +

The DOMS in my hammies from the Shurg Rush (viz. hypers) gave me second thoughts about working out heavy today, but, as always, "how you feel is a lie." If I do feel wrecked tomorrow--which I doubt--I've got the weekend to recover. 

I hope to post a photo of my 60+ lb dino-dumbbell tomorrow. I will probably train grip tomorrow or Sunday. 

Grip training + AYCE = WINNING!

Grip training
30 min., 225 lbs.
MOOD: felt groggy and a bit cranky when I got home; spent some time puttering in the garage and eventually felt ready

warm-up: space mace, ghetto gripper, stretching, Chin Na movements (10 min.)

CoC #1.5 - 6 closes

CoC #2 - LH 1 near-close, RH 1 close
[I squeezed so hard on my first LH attempt that at the release I got dizzy enough to have to brace myself on my heavy bag. Fun times!]

CoC #2 - LH 1 near-close, RH 1 close

CoC #2 - LH 1 body-English close, RH 1 close

CoC #1.5 iso-squeeze - LH/RH 15 sec./15 sec.
[used a piece of a thin metal rule to detect when the ends separated]

1.5" pinch block @ 24 lbs. - LH 47 sec., RH 55 sec.
1.5" pinch block @ 24 lbs. - LH 50 sec., RH 50 sec.
[This last set reminded me how grip training is intensely, perhaps uniquely, "mental" in its intensity. I could almost feel myself willing my fingers to clamp harder near the end of my first RH pinch. Then I did the same for my second LH pinch, yet, significantly, let my mind wander during my last RH pinch.]

+ + +

And then, boys and girls, I did a Bad Thing: I gave into the urge to SQUAT MOAR and drove up to the gym for a set of FSQ.

FSQ: 8, 6, 3, 3, 3, 2 @ 145, 195, 215, 235, 255, 275 lbs.

+ + + 

Hooray: I believe those two reps at 275 are a new PR for me.

I'm pretty certain that I could front squat 285, which was the figure I estimated was 90% of my back squat. Once I achieve that FSQ, I will reintegrate SQ into my regimen.

All such certainties aside, however, I am willing to wait until I actually FSQ a couple reps at 285 before bringing back the SQ, and even when I do so, I'll be opting for a high-bar, narrowish-stance, Olympicky SQ instead of the low bar powerlifting SQ. FSQ helps your liftoff on the DL, and my Kelso Shurg Rush program is intended to augment the back-extension phase.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

This FSQ set was a perfect example of the benefit I got from Perryman's Squat Every Day. Just as some fellows tell their wives that they're headed to the store for some milk, I rather spontaneously told my wife, "I'm going to go squat, be back soon." I went in my Birkenstocks, shorts, a T-shirt and a sweatshirt, bee-lined for the squat rack, and got the whole set done in about 20 minutes. Before my very last rep, I took a long moment to collect my thoughts, assess my abilities, and then drove down for what turned out to be a second PR. ("How you feel is a lie.") Admittedly, I thought I was about to tip forward halfway up, but I pulled through, let out a small bark at the top, racked the bar, and stepped away, saying, "Well, wasn't that something?"

Felt. Totally. Awesome!

Speaking of "feeleens," I had some DOMS today in my thighs, and was of a mind to take it easy, but I keep coming back to the mysterious and too little known truth that it's extremely difficult to (really) "overtrain" squats.

Tomorrow is a Shurg Rush, and I will be throwing in a set of HSQ or ZSQ. Stay tuned.

---------------------

P.S. 

Almost forgot. I made my workout cards today, so I'm just as curious as you are what my Even Keel 1A workout is for next week. I've already got this week's 1B programmed. 

P.P.S. 

My first dino-db is complete! Turns out, lubricating the container actually makes it harder to extract the dried cement, since it forms a moisture lock with the plastic. It's about 34 lbs. and the handle ended up being a little longer than I wanted. The measurement I had taken of the first side of cement, and used for the second portion, was too high: once the water evaporated, the concrete itself finished "shorter away" from my intended handle width. Oh well. I laid the first half of my next, 60+ lbs dino-db today, which was a nifty wrist warm-up for my grip session, to boot. 

The new half is darker until residual moisture and silicone lubricant are gone. If you want to make one of these for yourself, here's a little heads-up: when setting the second half, you need to drill a small hole in the handle so that air in the pipe can escape and allow the fresh cement to fill the pipe. Oh, also, you should tap all around the bucket to get as many air bubbles out of the cement to the surface. Happily enough, this procedure splashed some of the cement onto the handle, which gives an otherwise smooth pipe some nice grit.

AYCE notes... HI-TECH EDITION!

Friday, 4 April 2014 
44 min., 225 lbs. 

Warm-up (9 min.) - shaking, stretching, OHS

FSQ: 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2 @ 225, 235, 245, 255, 265, 275 lbs.

CL: 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 @ 135, 145, 155, 165, 175, 185 lbs.

Abs (3 min.) - V-sits, Lateral crunches, hip crunches, bird dog

+ + + 

"How you feel is a lie."

I experienced this maxim today.

Today was the end of the third school quarter, so my stress levels were mildly higher than normal (I hate entering and verifying grades). Plus, it's tax season. I got home and felt pretty winded. Thought about taking a nap, but my wife's enthusiasm about some kb and core exercises I showed her, plus a little coffee, plus, really, the unblinking awareness that "I'm going to the gym," all gave me a second wind.

Or did it?

Even as I arrived at the gym, I felt a bit run down.

Meh.

"Gotta get it done."

Despite some aches and pains and the usual inertia, I ended up PR'ing on my FSQ, and felt satisfied for the first time that I'm doing the CL with basically correct form.

In other words, how I felt was a lie.





I'll be taking the weekend fairly easy; it's supposed to rain all weekend, so I might even get some reading done. Honestly, though, I feel a kb session in me, for Saturday, just to blow off some steam and grease the groove. "Healthy addiction," anyone?

Despite all this, I admit I felt a bit lost last night, pondering if I'm really grasping and following Perryman's ideas. I kept (and keep) wondering how to program AYCE better. I really like my... how should I say? Progress? No, it's more like putting on a nicely "broken in" pairs of shoes. I feel comfortable keeping up these daily sessions, don't feel dangerously run down, not at all--in fact, I feel very springy and vibrant. Yet, I still feel like I'm doing it wrong. My instincts have always been to do circuits of 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps, but I know that if I don't keep a tight rein on my accessory exercises after DLing and (F)Sqing, I'll run myself into the ground. At the very least, as Perryman does warn, I need some time to get accustomed to such an increase in frequency; I need time to get, to recall my favorite expression in Perryman's book, "fatigue-hardened".

So, as I was trying to get the big picture of my goals, and not simply turn "Squat Every Day" into a random fetish (which Perryman would completely reject, of course), I tried seeing my year cut up into three phases:

power (low volume, high frequency - "AYCE" from, say, January to April);

bodybuilding (high volume, lower frequency - "Even Keel" from April to August);

and calisthenic/bodyweight/boxing/kettlebell conditioning (high intensity, high frequency - "Met-Con" from August to December)

Obviously, I'm off-track with this idea, as I have been doing bulking, Even Keel, and now AYCE, since January--and summer is looming. "They say that" summer is the time to cut and winter is the time to bulk, so.... Either way, for now, my primary goal is to hit a FSQ of 285 x 4, at which point I'll bring back back SQ (heheh).

Last night I also realized that the DL is too important a lift to marginalize. Be bold! Don't hide behind "overtraining" in order to gild your cravings for the cool shade of mediocrity. Thus, as I continue to explore AYCE, here's the forecast: squatty with a burst of deadlift.

Monday: DL, DBP, abs
Tuesday: HSQ, Guillotine
Wednesday: FSQ, PU, abs
Thursday: FSQ, Dips/MP
Friday: FSQ, CL, abs
weekend: rest, foam roll, stretch, kb, etc.

When I step back and look at my progress over the past 4 years, I realize I'm more interested in strength and power than in "getting ripped" or "looking huge." My goals are more like a powerlifter's than a bodybuilder's, so I need to filter the noise through those standards:

SQ of 405 lbs
DL of 485 lbs
BP of 315 lbs

Wish me luck! Meanwhile, I love being the antithesis of a weekend warrior!

Gym regimen - November 2012

Tuesday, 27 November 2012 
Even Keel "B"
50-60 min., 223 lbs.

Warm-up 
motions, stretching, imaging

Circuit 1 
FSQ : 9, 6, 3 @ 175, 200, 230 lbs.
Dips : 12, 11, 11
DL : 9, 6, 3 @ 275, 300, 330 lbs.

Circuit 2
Cable flye-away : 9, 9, 8 @ 120 lbs.
T-bar row : 9, 6, 4 @ 145, 155, 165 lbs.
Spider curl : 9, 9, 12 @ 70 lbs.

Finish 
N/A

Gym regimen - June 2012

Sunday, 24 June 2012
Even Keel (A)
50 min., 99kg

Thumbs up, kiddies, my neck and abs were nice and tender today from yesterday's ab-core-calf-neck-grip melee. I keep losing weight, albeit incrementally (it's fat, I reckon), but my numbers keep going up (gradually), so I think I'm on the right track. I've been on the Even Keel regimen since a little after mid-May (I'm including some training I did at home before actually hitting the gym, as a necessary preparation after having been out of the gym too long). However, I do want to try a new regimen for July, which I shall explain below. My wife and I were up late last night (baby boss!), so this afternoon I took a much needed nap. I woke up at 1900 and got to the gym near 2000. It closes at 2100. So while there were very few people in the gym (hooray!), I was still a little groggy from the nap. It was, in short, a mental workout; but not without happy efforts. 

Circuit 1

SQ: 10, 6, 5 @ 90, 105, 120

[I added an extra rep to set 1, and dug deep for 5 reps on set 3.]

BP: 10, 8, 6* @ 75, 85, 95

[Added a rep to set 1, 2 reps to set 2, and 3 reps to set 3, though I slight spotting on the tail-end of set 3. Definitely a new PR plateau. Felt very good.]

SDL: 10, 6, 5* @ 90, 110, 127.5

[Used straps on set 3. I meant to do 125kg, but accidentally put a 5kg plate on the right side instead of a 2.5kg plate, as on the left side. Split the difference.]

Circuit 2

Press: 9, 6, 3* @ 50, 55, 60

[Brutal effort. I guess my BP efforts had taken a lot out of my press, so I had to use a modified split jerk motion on set 3.]

db flye: 12, 10, 8 @ 36, 40.5, 45

[Giving my chest that extra attention, as always. I didn't feel I was overly activating my biceps on these, but, seeing as I did them on the fly (!), I ought to brush up on proper form and see how they feel next time I have a go.]

PU: 8/3, 8/3, Ø

[I did wide-grip pullups, then switched to neutral-grip pullups. By the third set, the gym was closing and I was pretty much "done". Not a tremendous showing, I know, but I think I adequately blasted my back and arms with the SDL. As I like to say and hope, with weight training, there's always next time (otherwise you're wasting your time)! Apropos, here's a good article that mentions the neutral-grip pullup in connection with arm development.]

+ + +

Now, about the new regimen I want to try in July.

New program I want to try for July: The 3-day split "Quick Mass" workout from Bodybuilding.com. The webpage also includes a handy printable format for log-keeping. It's designed to take 45-47 minutes, Mon/Wed/Fri, and all exercises are 1 set of 8-10 reps TO FAILURE. I will alternate form each Wed workout for * selected exercises. Off-days are for hula hoop, jump rope, walking, swimming, headstands, bridging, neck, AND GRIP CRUSHING! I want to go back to a 3-day split not only to increase my metabolic demands, but also to try something different that fits nicely into a month+.

Here's the goods:

*Barbell squat / FSQ -

Leg extension -

Leg curl -

db pullover -

Press -

*Seated cable row / Bent row -

BP -

*Standing bb curl / Close-grip spider curl -

Seated tricep press -

PU -

Dips -

(Standing) Calf raises -

Crunches / Leg lifts -

I'll do my Even Keel (B) workout this week, then start this Quick Mass workout next week (July 2).

Stay tuned.

Gym regimen - June 2012

Friday, 8 June 2012
Even Keel (B)
100kg, 50+ min.

Warmup: stretching, motions, etc.

FSQ (EZ bar): 9, 6, 4 @ 70kg, 80kg, 90kg
[If you thought the FSQ was awkward, try it with an EZ bar without a squat rack! Yikes! But I did get a few cool small abrasions on my shoulders and collarbones.]

IBP: 9, 6, 6, 4 @ 70kg, 75kg, 80kg, 85kg
[Let's call this another PR! I threw in the 4th set on a whim, and surprised myself. I guess the headstand practice is helping.]

DL (EZ bar): 9, 6, 10 @ 90kg, 110kg, 120kg
[Actually felt good on the EZ bar, since the slight curvature seemed to provide a better grip. Alas, though, it can only load so much weight.]

db IBP: 5/5, 10, 10 @ 41kg/50kg, 50kg, 50kg
[Maybe I need to switch to dips and pushups, since I'm already doing every set with the heaviest db's in my gym.]

Seated cable curl: 12, 12, 10 @ 41kg, 45.5kg, 55kg
[Working the long (outer) head felt great! A super pump. I'll be training the next two weeks with a long-head emphasis.]

Machine FSQ: 9, 9, 9 @ 146-172, 158-185, 169-199lbs [66-90kg]
[The machine said there was a weight gradient over the course of extension: from starting to finishing weight. It felt good to work my quads, reminded me a bit of my rowing days.]

Gym regimen - June 2012

Tuesday, 5 June 2012

60 min., 100kg

Even Keel (A)

Warmup: motions, stretching, etc. 

Circuit 1

SQ: 9, 6, 3 @ 90kg, 105kg, 120kg 

BP: 9, 6, 5** @ 75kg, 85kg, 95kg 

[My buddy spotted me on 4th rep of 3rd set and saved me on 5th rep of 3rd set heheh!] 

SDL: 9, 6, 3* @ 100kg, 115kg, 130kg 

[Used straps for 3rd set.]

Circuit 2 

Press (EZ bar): 9, 6, 6 @ 45kg, 50kg, 55kg 

[Felt alright, could have gone heavier, I'll give it a whirl next week.] 

PU: 12, 11*, 11* @ bdw 

[Felt pretty good, but, understandably, a lot of me is fried after my SQ-BP-SDL circuit.] 

Spider curl (EZ bar): 9, 6, 3 @ 35kg, 40kg, 45kg 

[These are awesome(ly evil) right after pullups.]  

++++++++

I felt pretty charged up for this workout, and it was nice to get some "real weight" on the bar for my squat, after a long hiatus. 

Also, new PR for bench press. I figure doing 3 solid reps 95kg on my last set of a circuit puts me in the 110kg 1RM range. 

Stay tuned. 

Fitness notes…

Saturday, 25.6.11
Pullups: 14, 14, 14
2" bar bench: 15/15 [neutral/wide], 16, 12 @ 50kg, 55kg, 60kg
2" db standing curl: 15, 12, 10 @ 14kg, 18kg, 22kg
db tricep press: 15, 12, 10 @ 12kg, 16kg, 18kg
2" bar front squat: 15, 12, 10 @ 50kg, 55kg, 60kg

Sunday, 26.6.11
swim: 2200m
[200m breast & back, 1500m crawl, 500m breast]

Monday, 27.6.11
Jump rope & striding: 800 skips, 10 min. striding, 750 skips, 5 min. striding
[Striding is power-walking slowed by the presence of one's gf.]

Tuesday, 28.6.11
Jumping jacks / jump rope: 50/100, 100/50
Gut wrench: 32 x 3 @ 12kg
Drawing water: 16/16 x 3 @ 12kg
Grapple up: 16/16 x 3 @ 12kg
Ab wheel: 20 x 3
Neck iso's: 30 x 3 [all 4 angles]

Wednesday, 29.6.11
Swim: [40 minutes of… aquatic motion… I was teaching my gf how to swim]
Gut wrench: 30 x 3 @ 14kg
Drawing water: 15/15 x 3 @ 14kg
Grapple up: 15/15 x 3 @ 14kg
Ab wheel: 12 x 3
Neck iso's: 30 x 3 [all 4 angles]
Crushing grip:
Heavy 150: 10 closes, 5 closes
CoC #1.5: 10 closes
CoC #2: 4 reps [1 close r.h.]
CoC #1.5: 20 sec. overcrush r.h., 20 sec. overcrush l.h. [l.h. came open last few seconds]
Heavy 150 (without using pinky): 2 closes
CoC #1.5 (without using pinky): 1 close

+ + +

The crush training on Wednesday was interwoven with sets of core drills. Frankly, I was stunned by my grip performance tonight. I was diffident about training grip tonight and was therefore shocked, indeed, confused, by how well I did. 10 closes for both hands on the CoC #1.5! Yes, I also closed the CoC #2 with my right hand, but I want to do so with more authority before saying I've really done so. After some persuading (against buying, mind you!), my gf agreed that she will wait until I can close the #2 with both hands before she buys the #2.5 for me. I can only surmise two factors for my success: 1) I have been using my flail at random times and the motion ("greasing the groove"?) may be the right kind of therapy for my forearms; 2) I did some solid overcrush training (also spontaneously) last week with my "naked" red crushers (i.e. with the rubber bands removed) and that seems to have boosted my grip. I think the wider grip of the handles helps my pinky, which is the weak spot especially on my left hand. Despite having done a good deal with the crushers tonight, I feel no pain or stiffness. Just confidence! If only other crush maniacs knew how beneficial swimming and jump rope is for crushing, haha!

Grip training…

Sunday, 15 May 2011
20 mins, 97kg

WARMUP:
Gyro ball
Pipe-chain flail
[I made this up last night. Loop a chain around a capped pipe and spin. Numerous variations based on weight and girth of pipe, length and weight of chain, hand position and rotation speed, etc.]
Eagle catcher

CIRCUIT:

Midi red: 10, 8

Heavy red: 8, 6

CoC #1.5: 6, 6
[4 closes r.h., 3 closes l.h.; 3 closes r.h., 2 closes l.h.]

1" wrist roller: 10kg x 3

2" wrist roller: 10kg x 3

2" finger roll: 1kg x 1
[I made this up. Hold both ends of the pipe and roll with fingers. Gotta go light!]

Extensor-flexor levering: 15-15, 15-15 @ 1kg

Plate hold: 1kg x 1 min
[I also improvised this. Hold the plate on the head of the leverage bar. You can rotate, twist, tilt, etc. the bar, but I just held the bar level, which was an awesome pump.]

+++

Had a reality check recently: I've only been working on my #1.5 for two weeks and have only been "seriously training" my grip for a couple months. Ergo, I need to slow down a tad, keep my wits, and forestall injury. I was reading various grip training sites earlier and was struck by how frequently the phrase "after a couple/few months" was used. A couple months, not weeks! I trained my grip quite heavily last Wednesday and my forearms, especially my left hand, were tender for a few days afterward. Life didn't make things better. In one class the following day, for example, two little girls asked me to lift them up, which I did (sucker!), and my forearms were aching for a little afterwards. An hour or two later a coworker asked to see the #1.5. He couldn't close it and wanted to see me do it. So I did (sucker!), once for each hand. Cue forearm aching for a couple hours.

The next night I hung out with some guys at a pool hall and gave a gyroscope "power ball" to one friend as a gift, whereupon a few other guys wanted to play with it. I got into the fun too (sucker!) and after we left one guy swung by to check out my home-gym equipment. Naturally I showed him the grippers and he tried to close the #1.5. He got very close with his right hand but had no chance with his left hand. The upshot is that he asked to see me close it, so I did (sucker!), a couple times for each hand. Cue forearm aching once more! I think it was the hard negatives I have been doing the last few workouts which have overtaxed my tendons. When I get back to crushing, I will "settle" for maximum efforts, even if they're "partials".

Last week my gf surprised me with a CoC #2 as a "Mother's Day gift" she asked me to pick up upon delivery (sucker!). She joked that I would tear it open and try it, but I explained that I'm actually afraid of it. My tendons have been complaining since late last week so last night I soaked my wrists in hot water and then iced them for at least half an hour. I decided to train today so I could take Monday off before training at the gym Tuesday. I lacked a certain confidence today and kept things short. I will ice my wrists again tonight but will not do any crushing at all, apart from what's involved in my normal workout, for a week. Meanwhile I will do plenty of icing and stretching. The week after I will see about a crushing workout, but won't do any hard negatives or extreme stabilizing work. This is good, actually, since I haven't been put in check by an injury for several weeks, even months. Very humbling, which is a path to virtue, too! So it's time to slow my roll and keep focused on prayer and study as I actively recover.

On top of that, the next two weeks I am doing a recovery cycle at higher volume (a 12, 10, 8 rep scheme at 90% of last week's intensity next week and at 95% the week after). I made some solid gains in the past month on my pilot run of the Even Keel regimen, so now it's time to get my endurance back up. Maybe that can be a real cycle: 4 weeks of Even Keel followed by 2 weeks of active recovery and higher volume. I have also taken to jogging again and need to keep at training my core.

Stay tuned.

Gym regimen - May 2011

Friday, 13 May 2011
Even Keel 1 Workout
60 mins, 97kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

Pullup: 15, 11 + 5kg, 10 + 7kg

BP: 8, 6, 4 @ 75kg, 85kg, 95kg
[Spotter on rep 4 of set 3.]

Snatch DL: 8, 6, 6 @ 105kg, 120kg, 130kg
[Straps on sets 2 and 3.]

Standing press (EZ bar): 8, 6, 4 @ 45kg, 55kg, 65kg

Spider curl (EZ bar): 8 + 2, 6 + 4, 6 + 6 @ 35kg, 45kg, 50kg
[Wide + narrow grip.]

Front squat: 8, 6, 6 @ 70kg, 80kg, 85kg

“COOLDOWN”:

Reverse grip BP: 10 @ 60kg

Wide grip BP: 14 @ 70kg

Narrow grip BP: 13 @ 50kg

2” bar curl (narrow/wide): 5/5 @ 40kg