Gym regimen - May 2011

Wednesday, 11 May 2011

Grip training

30-40 mins, 97.5kg

WARMUP

Midi red: 12, 10

Heavy red: 7, 6

CoC #1.5:

6 [4 closes on right hand, 3 closes on left hand]

6 [3 closes on r.h., 2 closes on l.h.]

1 hard-neg ~20 secs

1 hard-neg ~10 secs

Midi red strap hold (1kg?):

l.h. ~30 secs

r.h. ~30 secs

l.h. ~20 secs

Leaning towel grab: 1+ min, 40 secs

[I wrapped the towel around an emergency crane post by the window and leaned by while grabbing the towel. Hard to go to failure on these, but they're quite unpleasant.]

Stool leveraging (brachioradialis, extensor, rotation)

r.h. 15, 15, 25 x 2

l.h. 20, 20, 30 x 2

+ + +

I did this workout at my cram school in a classroom not being used from 5-6PM, which was a boon, since I could blast the A/C and not be a sweaty beast for my next class.

My right hand is taking the lead over my left hand, so I need to do some supplemental training for my left hand. I had trouble keeping the gripper set right in my hand today. I have found my left pinky doesn't wrap far enough around my midi- and heavy-red grippers, so I am having to compensate for a posture weakness in that.

It should be another month before I invest in a #2 CoC. I think if I did a light warmup and tried for max closes on the #1.5 now, I could do 6 and 5 r.h./l.h. Stay tuned.

Gym regimen - May 2011

Even Keel Workout 2

50 mins, 97kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

SQ: 8, 6, 4 @ 100kg, 112.5kg, 122.5kg

[When I asked the owner for a spot, he declined, saying, "That's… too dangerous. Do you really… need to do that heavy? We have a rack, etc." Weak sauce!]

Incline BP: 8, 6, 5* @ 70kg, 77.5kg, 85kg; Reverse-grip BP: 25 @ 40kg [LINK]

[Spotter on set 3. He and another guy commented on "how heavy" it was, "too heavy," might better I get a more suitable spotter next time. Weak sauce again! Reverse BP was a little awkward, as expected, but I think it will help my upper pecs.]

DL: 8, 6, 6* @ 110kg, 130kg, 160kg

[Straps on set 3. Quite a pump.]

Bar pushdown: 10, 8, 6 @ 35kg, 40kg, 45kg

Seated lever row: 10, 8, 8 @ 100kg, 115kg, 130kg

Seated db curl: 8, 6, 6 @ 18kg, 22kg, 22kg

+ + +

I think I should try db DLs this week or next week. Maybe it will simulate the feeling of a trap bar. I won't train grip again until Wednesday and will train Even Keel 1 Thursday. Saturday I'll train grip and do some floor presses (incl. reverse grips), core work, overhead squats, all lightish stuff, at home. I'm hoping to complete ten more chapters of SCG by next Monday. Stay tuned. It's nice not being distracted by Facebook anymore.

Grip training…

Saturday, 7 May 2011

30 mins

Warmup

Midi Red gripper: 12, 10

Heavy Red gripper: 10, 8

CoC #1.5: 8, 6, 1 hard-neg (~20 secs), 1 hard-neg (~10 secs)

Forearm bar: 12/12, 12/12 @ 14kg

Forearm curl (two-handed grab): 15, 12 @ 10kg

Extensor levering (table leg+): 12, 12 @ 1kg

Plate pinch: to-failure x 2 @ 12kg

[I inserted a 2kg palte between two 5kg plates, which was unwieldy to set up, but added a nice fail-detector: as my grip weakens, the 2kg-plate scrapes downward.]

2" dumbbell throttle: to-failure x 2 @ 12kg

2" wrist roller: 12kg x 3

+ + +

This was a scorching workout! I hurried home after class and had to train fast so we could get to a movie (Thor, which was better than I expected, not that I had low expectations, though I would have opted out of a 3D viewing) on time.

I closed the #1.5 twice with both hands, though my right hand had greater authority. Maybe it will only be a couple more months until I invest in #2!

I did a nice little ab/core workout tonight (gut wrencher, mace bell, ab wheel, etc.).

I'd like to do Even Keel #2 tomorrow, maybe in the early afternoon. I want a good night of sleep.

I had a disturbing dream last night about not being able to find my scooter/motorcycle in what was an existential blend of my college campus and my life as a teacher in Taiwan, as well as about covert cartel operations going on in my mom's house, unbeknownst to us for years. Well, God bless and Happy Mother's Day!

Gym regimen - May 2011

Even-Keel Workout 1
50 mins, 97kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

Pullup: 15, 14, 13
[I kept my form tighter, with less quasi-kipping. I think I should try weighted pullups next time.]

Bench press: 10, 8, 6* @ 75kg, 85kg, 92.5kg
[Spotter on last couple reps of set 3. Gains, baby, gains! Next week I'd like to try 8, 6, 4 @ 75kg, 80kg, 95kg.]

Snatch deadlift: 10, 6, 6* @ 100kg, 115kg, 130kg
[Straps on set 3. Such an awesome pump, I was tingling! I would like to use straps on set 3 of my DL next week and do 160kg. Next week: 8, 6, 4 @ 110kg, 120kg, 130kg.]

Military press: 9, 8, 6 @ 50kg, 55kg, 65kg
[A good bit of body English on set 3, but solid eccentric control. Next week stick to 8, 6, 4 with tight form.]

Spider curl: 10, 8, 8 @ 37.5kg, 42.5kg, 47.5kg

[Am I using a cheat on these? Cf. VIDEO. I see that I need to set the bench closer to horizontal and have the bar farther away from the frame. I should go lighter and keep tighter form. Next week 10, 8, 6 @ 35kg, 40kg, 45kg 好嗎？]

Front squat: 10, 6, 3 @ 75kg, 80kg, 85kg
[Sets 2 and 3 felt very good. Set 3 took all I had and my wrists were sore from the bending. Must keep elbows up! Next week do 8, 6, 4 @ same weights.]

* * *
I got a good night of early sleep last night, and felt good this morning. I brought my "grip pack" to the gym today: my bag of crushers and assorted gear. No one could close the CoC #1.5 and they had nearly as much trouble with my Heavy Red. I left my heavy-negative device there and I might train with it Saturday.

After the gym, I had lunch with a friend and then he visited my place to check out my homemade "toys". While showing him the #1.5, I closed it with my right hand, and with some authority. Gains! My left hand is still lagging by a hair.

The night before last I used half (yes, half) of my thick barbell to do floor presses––quite an experience! I loaded 30–35kg on one end, attached a handle outside the plates with a coupling, and held the other, thick end in my other hand. I did 4 sets of high reps (approx. 15/15, 10/10, 15/15, 15/15). Good stuff.

Next week I need to stick to a strict 8, 6, 4 rep-pattern but set the weight a little higher on all fronts.

Stay tuned.

Gym regimen - May 2011

WARMUP:

2" wrist roller: 10kg x 3; gyro ball; ab roller: 20 reps, 20 reps

TRAINING:

Sub-maximum effort:
10 reps, 8 reps

Maximum effort:
8 reps, 6 reps, 1 double-hand-set negative (20 seconds), 1 double-hand-set negative (10 seconds)
[I think I invented a great new way to set the gripper for a closed negative: pliers adjusted wide. Set the gripper in your palm and clamp it shut with the pliers at the top of the handles, near the springs. I wrapped the plier teeth in duct tape to minimize scuffing/grinding the CoC knurling.]

2" wrist roller:
10kg x 3

Forearm bar (angled and straight grip):
11kg x 2, 11kg x 2

Plate pinch:
11kg x 2
[I stuck a 1kg plate between the 5kg plates to add width to the plates.]

2" throttle:
9kg x 2

A lot of chalk was used tonight, my friends! I was going to train grip tomorrow, but I was antsy and realized the day would be too busy, so I just went for it tonight.

Gym regimen - May 2011

Even Keel Workout 2
80+ mins, 96.5kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

Squat: 8, 6, 4 @ 105kg, 110kg, 120kg
[Wore a belt and put the safety rack in place for set 3.]

Incline bench BP: 9, 7, 3/3 @ 70kg, 80kg, 85kg/82.5kg
[Had the safety rack in place for set 3.]

Seated lever row: 10, 8, 6 @ 100kg, 110kg, 130kg

Rope-handle pushdown: 9, 7, 5 @ 35kg, 40kg, 45kg

Seated DB curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 17kg, 19.5kg, 22kg

Deadlift: 8, 6, 6 @ 110kg, 130kg, 140kg

CIRCUIT:

Leg extension: 10, 8, 6 @ 45kg, 50kg, 55kg

DB pullover-press: 10, 8, 6 @ 32kg

Overhand EZ-bar curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 35kg, 37.5kg, 40kg

It has begun!

I got my first official Captains of Crush (CoC) gripper yesterday, a #1.5! (And there was much rejoicing in the land. Or… in the hand?) My very first attempt for each hand left a few millimeters between the handles. Sometime later, though, just before taking a nap, I did manage to close it with my right hand and I'm certain I got within a millimeter for my left hand, if I didn't close it outright. When I got up, I did a training session, as per the instruction booklet that came with the gripper, followed by some exercises I like:

Warmup effort:

10–12 reps x 2

Sub-maximum effort:

8–10 reps x 2

Maximum effort:

8 reps

1 double-hand-set negative (~20 seconds)

1 double-hand-set negative (~6 seconds)

Wrist roller:

6kg x 3

Forearm bar

5 kg x 3

Thick bar "throttle"

11kg x 2

[For these I kneel, rest my forearm on a stool, and clutch my 2" dumbbell until my grip gives out. This time I tried one set with the weights above my hand, which was an interesting adjustment, since the weight wobbled and thus activated my rotational strength. I discovered a similar drill last week on my standing press: try the press with an H-bar! Your hand wobble like mad. Reduce your normal weight by at least 15%.]

Gut wrench core drills

The upshot is that, before I ordered the CoC, I said that, if the #1.5 were not too difficult for me, I would commit to closing the #3. So––I'm on the road to closing a #3! I will not invest in a #2 until I can close the #1.5 at least 5–7 times and do some strap holds with the #1.5. It was nice to discover that my homemade "heavy red gripper" was very close to a #1.5, and may even count as more difficult since the handles are noticeably broader and angular than the CoC's round handles. Now I have a nice range of resistance levels to train: medium red gripper (with some rubber bands removed to make a real warmup level), heavy red gripper (also with some bands removed), and the CoC #1.5.