Training Week Ending 23 Sep 2012

[Steve Freides]

How'd you do this week just past? Let us know!

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com

[Steve Freides]

Monday - off

Tuesday - off

Wednesday - beginning the new plan of 2 lifting days per week, one
kettlebell clean and press followed by deadlift, and a second of squat
followed by bench press. Normally 2-3 days rest between but schedule
didn't allow today.

1. Kettlebell C&P: 20 kg x 5+5, 24 kg x 1+1, 28 kg x 2+2
2. Deadlift: 225 x 3, 275 x 1, 295 x 3
3. 2-hand swing: 40 kg, breathing ladder of 5, 10, 15 - done

Thursday - off

Friday:

1. Squat 135 x 5, 155 x 1, 175 x 3
2. Bench Press: 135 x 1, 155 x 1, 175 x 2 - needed 3, will try 170 next
time, all paused
3. 2-hand swing: 40 kg, breathing ladder of 1-2-3-4-5 x 2

Saturday - off

Sunday - a little bw work: stretching, handstand and headstand

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com

[Jason Earl]

I had planned a third bench press workout, but life intruded a bit.
Still, I did 7x5 bench press last week, so I think I am just going to
move to week 2, assuming I don't get too sick.

My whole family was sick most of last week, and I seem to finally be
coming down with it as well. We'll see how things go.

* DONE OLAD Front Squat Week 1 <2012-09-18 Tue>
CLOCK: [2012-09-18 Tue 20:44]--[2012-09-18 Tue 21:09] => 0:25
|-------+--------+------+-------|
| Set | Weight | Reps | Total |
|-------+--------+------+-------|
| 1 | 135 | 5 | 675 |
| 2 | 145 | 5 | 725 |
| 3 | 165 | 5 | 825 |
| 4 | 185 | 5 | 925 |
| 5 | 135 | 5 | 675 |
| 6 | 155 | 5 | 775 |
| 7 | 175 | 5 | 875 |
|-------+--------+------+-------|
| Total | | | 5475 |
|-------+--------+------+-------|
** Notes
That workout was just right. I feel like I picked the weights
well. I made progress. I think that I am going to start with
front squats every week.

* DONE OLAD Dead Lift Week 1 <2012-09-21 Fri>
CLOCK: [2012-09-21 Fri 20:53]--[2012-09-21 Fri 21:16] => 0:23
|-------+--------+------+-------|
| Set | Weight | Reps | Total |
|-------+--------+------+-------|
| 1 | 225 | 5 | 1125 |
| 2 | 235 | 5 | 1175 |
| 3 | 245 | 5 | 1225 |
| 4 | 255 | 5 | 1275 |
| 5 | 225 | 5 | 1125 |
| 6 | 235 | 5 | 1175 |
| 7 | 255 | 5 | 1275 |
|-------+--------+------+-------|
| Total | | | 8375 |
|-------+--------+------+-------|
** Notes
That was considerably better than the last cycle. I am going to
have to think about how I add weight. One thing is certain 7x5 is
a lot of dead lifts, even at the low weight.

[Jason Earl]

On Mon, Sep 24 2012, Steve Freides wrote:

> Monday - off
>
> Tuesday - off
>
> Wednesday - beginning the new plan of 2 lifting days per week, one
> kettlebell clean and press followed by deadlift, and a second of squat
> followed by bench press. Normally 2-3 days rest between but schedule
> didn't allow today.
>
> 1. Kettlebell C&P: 20 kg x 5+5, 24 kg x 1+1, 28 kg x 2+2
> 2. Deadlift: 225 x 3, 275 x 1, 295 x 3
> 3. 2-hand swing: 40 kg, breathing ladder of 5, 10, 15 - done

Nice day! Do you actually have a 40kg kettlebell, or do you have
something else that you swing?

> Thursday - off
>
> Friday:
>
> 1. Squat 135 x 5, 155 x 1, 175 x 3
> 2. Bench Press: 135 x 1, 155 x 1, 175 x 2 - needed 3, will try 170 next
> time, all paused
> 3. 2-hand swing: 40 kg, breathing ladder of 1-2-3-4-5 x 2
>
> Saturday - off
>
> Sunday - a little bw work: stretching, handstand and headstand

I accidentally only got in two lifting days this last week, and I sort
of liked it.

Jason

[Steve Freides]

Jason Earl wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 24 2012, Steve Freides wrote:
>
>> Monday - off
>>
>> Tuesday - off
>>
>> Wednesday - beginning the new plan of 2 lifting days per week, one
>> kettlebell clean and press followed by deadlift, and a second of
>> squat followed by bench press. Normally 2-3 days rest between but
>> schedule didn't allow today.
>>
>> 1. Kettlebell C&P: 20 kg x 5+5, 24 kg x 1+1, 28 kg x 2+2
>> 2. Deadlift: 225 x 3, 275 x 1, 295 x 3
>> 3. 2-hand swing: 40 kg, breathing ladder of 5, 10, 15 - done
>
> Nice day! Do you actually have a 40kg kettlebell, or do you have
> something else that you swing?

DragonDoor makes them up to 48 kg. I've got pairs in 36 and 40 kg, and
a single each in 44 and 48 kg. There are a lot of articles around
lately with people swinging plate-loaded handles with 200+ lbs. - even
48 kg isn't that much if you're half-decently strong and your technique
is solid.

>> Thursday - off
>>
>> Friday:
>>
>> 1. Squat 135 x 5, 155 x 1, 175 x 3
>> 2. Bench Press: 135 x 1, 155 x 1, 175 x 2 - needed 3, will try 170
>> next time, all paused
>> 3. 2-hand swing: 40 kg, breathing ladder of 1-2-3-4-5 x 2
>>
>> Saturday - off
>>
>> Sunday - a little bw work: stretching, handstand and headstand
>
> I accidentally only got in two lifting days this last week, and I sort
> of liked it.

It's been good for me so far.

-S-

> Jason

[Steve Freides]

Jason Earl wrote:

> ** Notes
> That was considerably better than the last cycle. I am going to
> have to think about how I add weight. One thing is certain 7x5 is
> a lot of dead lifts, even at the low weight.

One of the nice things about the Marty Gallagher approach is that the
volume is low all the time and gets even lower as a meet approaches.
I'm not sure I even understand _why_ I'm getting stronger but I am - I
pulled 315 as my third attempt in July and yesterday I pulled 305 for a
triple. I'm eyeing getting back to my lifetime best and surpassing it,
if not at this meet in November then next year sometime.

The methodology couldn't be simpler - it's straight linear
periodization, once a week lifting on each of the powerlifts plus an
overhead press. Twice a year, 13 weeks to a meet (or a 1RM test in your
gym), twice a year, other stuff, e.g., you work your back squat leading
up to the meet but you work your front squat in the off cycles, or you
work dumbbell presses in the off cycles and barbell bench in the meet
peaking cycles, stuff like that.

There are a lot of technical details to know about how Marty coaches
form (actually, lots and lots and lots here) but in terms of schedule,
that's it - add assistance exercise if you like but I still consider
myself enough of a beginning that I don't do much in that regard.
Marty's book talks about all this sort of stuff and puts it in
historical context, giving the workout schedules of lots of
record-setting lifters from the 20th century.

All that as a way of saying you might like it, Jason, because it's lower
volume and can also mean less gym time. You could even consider doing
it for 13 weeks twice a year and then doing a more traditional, higher
volume program the other two 13-week cycles.

-S-

[Jason Earl]

On Mon, Sep 24 2012, Steve Freides wrote:

> Jason Earl wrote:

[...]

>> Nice day! Do you actually have a 40kg kettlebell, or do you have
>> something else that you swing?
>
> DragonDoor makes them up to 48 kg. I've got pairs in 36 and 40 kg,
> and a single each in 44 and 48 kg. There are a lot of articles around
> lately with people swinging plate-loaded handles with 200+ lbs. - even
> 48 kg isn't that much if you're half-decently strong and your
> technique is solid.

I wasn't surprised that you could swing 40kg. Heck, I wouldn't be that
surprised to hear that you could press that (I would be impressed, of
course). I am mostly just jealous that you own one. And now to hear
that you have a pair of them, plus singles in 44 and 48kg, well, now I
am even more jealous.

Jason

[Jason Earl]

On Tue, Sep 25 2012, Steve Freides wrote:

> Jason Earl wrote:
>
>> ** Notes
>> That was considerably better than the last cycle. I am going to
>> have to think about how I add weight. One thing is certain 7x5 is
>> a lot of dead lifts, even at the low weight.
>
> One of the nice things about the Marty Gallagher approach is that the
> volume is low all the time and gets even lower as a meet approaches.
> I'm not sure I even understand _why_ I'm getting stronger but I am - I
> pulled 315 as my third attempt in July and yesterday I pulled 305 for
> a triple. I'm eyeing getting back to my lifetime best and surpassing
> it, if not at this meet in November then next year sometime.

Very cool.

> The methodology couldn't be simpler - it's straight linear
> periodization, once a week lifting on each of the powerlifts plus an
> overhead press. Twice a year, 13 weeks to a meet (or a 1RM test in
> your gym), twice a year, other stuff, e.g., you work your back squat
> leading up to the meet but you work your front squat in the off
> cycles, or you work dumbbell presses in the off cycles and barbell
> bench in the meet peaking cycles, stuff like that.

I like simple.

> There are a lot of technical details to know about how Marty coaches
> form (actually, lots and lots and lots here) but in terms of schedule,
> that's it - add assistance exercise if you like but I still consider
> myself enough of a beginning that I don't do much in that regard.
> Marty's book talks about all this sort of stuff and puts it in
> historical context, giving the workout schedules of lots of
> record-setting lifters from the 20th century.
>
> All that as a way of saying you might like it, Jason, because it's
> lower volume and can also mean less gym time. You could even consider
> doing it for 13 weeks twice a year and then doing a more traditional,
> higher volume program the other two 13-week cycles.

I am definitely interested in getting the book, as this sounds precisely
like how I prefer to work out.

Jason