Month: September 2017

This is one of those things that puts me at odds with gym culture at large:

You should damn near always have the ability to max out and still get near your 1rm.

You should at all times be good for 90%+ of your 1rm.

This should be an ability you have to hit cold, no warmups, even straight off the street, even while needing to take a shit. (I’m not kidding on that, performance should be available at ALL times.)

You should be able to hit a full body volume workout and still hit near your maxes.

Ditto to during a two a day, which often finds me stronger in the later session.

After a shift of labor? Yep, then too.

Whatever circumstance you should be able to tie or come near tieing your maxes.

It’s the principle of being able to perform at all times.

Common knowledge is “lift on a routine schedule, try to go at the same time of day”. I disagree. Get up in the middle of the night and PT. When your buddy calls you up going “deadlift day?” Tell him to swing by, you’re down, even though you’d been up for over 24 hours.

You know in human history someone was able to perform well under far less ideal circumstances, our age is far too pampered getting it’s exercise in air conditioned building and whining about lacks of sleep,food, “overtraining”, and “injuries”.

Plant your feet against human softness, an easy place to start is by regaining your ability to perform physically at any and all times.

Get it,

-J

Lifting for me is more than a hobby. I love doing it, I view it as fun, and generally want to do more of it.

The best way to get good at something is to do it every day.

After saying fuck programming at 17 I’ve felt that way with lifting.

Low frequency is generally less useful and I always found dedicating a specific day to one bodypart particularly arms and shoulders to be stupid.

My mentality and personality naturally drifted towards full body and high frequency.

You can see it in my doing of PT daily.

You can see it in all the streaks I’ve held hitting the same lift daily for months in a row Bulgarian style.

Shit, I’m better at getting to the gym consistently than in taking days off.
If I don’t make it to the gym, I’ve definitely done PT at home, and more often than not also lifted in the back yard.

I have not wanted to be around people at all lately making finding a gym hour difficult, yet low and behold come late night what looked like an off day has me driving to the gym to do something.

When (rare but occasionally) that I don’t lift full body I feel like I’m cheating and generally end up doing something’s quick to make it full body. Last night I did some broad jumps just because the session had been bench and upper assistance only.

Realize however that I thought I was taking yesterday off.

Really I just don’t take off days well.

I’ll get antsy and go get some more volume in some capacity anyway. Be it gym based, yard lifting, or PT.

It’s why I have good work capacity.

Now the question is am I lifting tonight or what?

-J

Often and for no apparent reason certain body parts will seem primed for strength.

When this is the case I like to run with it. Not being able to do so is reason number 1178 that I have against rigid programming.

~315 to 405+ on bench is itching to happen.

Heavy reps have power. Rep PRs are close to being broken, and my close grip has surpassed my wide grip again (just like it has been over the years, I think it’s the jerks this time).

I take the gains I can get. I’m enjoying training upper back and lats (the shelf/base), my pushing muscles are primed for power, and I’ve realized my back squat probably needs a lot of support/build the system work (good mornings, front squats, deadlifts and variations).

So power for upper body, bodybuilding for lower, and some pulling power.

It’s what my body is primed for. I’m going with it.

#trainyourway (an experiment : will hashtags help with views?)

-J

I had listened to an interview with Bill Kazmaier. In it he said that he built his traps by heavy high rep snatch grip shrugs which I’ll refer to as Kaz Shrugs hence the title.

Seeing that Kaz is one of those lifters I want to be like I decided to follow his advice.

I warmed up with sets of 5.

1 px5 (p=# of plates a side)
2px5
Add straps for 3px5
4px5, this set felt  a little heavy.

I think to myself “I’ll add another plate anyway, and just go hog wild”, the result?…

5p x 20-25 reps.

So Kaz’s traps (look back up at the picture) did ~650lb x 50+ reps, while mine did 495 x 20-25.

I have a ways to go. Cool.

To end I did 1×100 on the neck harness with a 35lb fat bell.

The shrugs gave a great post workout soreness. Honestly after all the cleans the different stimuli was fun.

I’m going to keep doing these, and see what happens. High reps can progress fast when you’re already strong and training them hard. Honestly if I was to go on a bodybuilding binge I’d likely do sets of 15,20,30,50,75 and 100. High reps can build up quick, both in your ability in them and your physical size.

The DOMS the next day was great as well. And that next day (today) was the first day of not being required to squat every day. Today’s session was freestyle. I’ll probably be doing another post on freestyle lifting soon.

Keep on going,

-J

Update: 11/21 495×30

Yesterday’s Session

Yesterday I cleaned 275 for the second time in my life, this time however I jerked it for 3 reps.

The first time I’d done it (back in April):

Now I wanted to tie my max cold, purely because  a buddy asked me what my max was. Circumstances really weren’t ideal, but after using the bathroom, kicking off my shoes, and headphoning up I went for it anyway.

Take 1: Deadlift, no speed.
Take 2: Deadlift , a little more speed.
Take 3: High pull, nipple level, couldn’t get under it though.
Take 4: caught low, couldn’t stand.

Take 5: Looked like the video below, but with success. I didn’t film it, and wished I had. It was step,step,step, fall onto toes/into calf raise/triple extension, push hips forward (horizontally) hard, and “Hey look,I stood with it”. I then jerked it for 3 leaving at least 2 reps in the tank. (The difference between takes 4 and 5 may have been solely due to righteous anger at missing and switching to The Game’s One Blood Remix.)

Next I doubled 300 easily on a front squat, with reps left in the tank (I definitely know what angle to use the Bill March isometrics at, mid point), and then tried to stiff leg power clean 225. I came very close, but missed due to a weird downward flexing of my wrist. This caused me to think that I may have injured it. I quickly flexed it/used isometrics in all 4 directions against the rack upright, knew it would be fine tomorrow (it is), and got the stiff leg power clean on the 2nd attempt.

The last thing was 4 easy sets of unweighted 45° back extension (which oddly left a feeling of euphoria) superset with 3 easy sets of dumbbell rows.

It was a good, strong, fast session.

The Lessons

Whether I’m warming up or doing reps cold I should not be going over 90% of estimated 1rm.

It’s far better to add reps and consistency at various weights and then to add weight.

Had i taken 2 weeks to jump from 255 to 275 it would’ve been a lot cleaner a rep than it was taking only 2 days, and probably for 2 or 3, not a single.

In 2 weeks I’ll be able to hit 275 consistently, and not have to miss 4 times in a row to only then hit it in the ugliest manner possible.

The Dezso Ban split is adding reps and consistency, then adding weight slowly. That’s how one gets stronger. (There’s a lesson to myself here.)

Going like that allows just as much progress as a mad dash, but without the dangers and failures.

My 1 rep today will easily be for sets and reps in only a few months time (or less), I may not know what my max is while doing this, but it will obviously be higher.

Never strain, never miss reps, and just get stronger. (I’m constantly relearning this, it’s time to actually apply it.)

-J

When Have You Made It In Lifting/Strength?

My uncle asked me an interesting question the other morning, “When will you feel you’ve made it in lifting”.

I’ve been lightly pondering this since.

When will I feel I’ve made it?

My Thoughts

Deadlift

The first thing that popped into mind the second I gave it any thought was an elite deadlift. Most pro strongman seem to hit 800+ here, and this would be past 3x bodyweight at my current weight of 245, and just shy of a 3x bodyweight pull at my lifetime 275lbs with abs goal(another lesser standard). So first would be a great deadlift, 800+lbs or 3x bodyweight, whichever is higher. Note that I want this fully raw, no straps, and no belt.

Old Time  Pre-1972 Weightlifting Total

I think that pre-1972 weightlifting was better than post-1972 weightlifting, and also superior to powerlifting as a barbell performance metric. So add in the old time 3 lift (jerk,snatch,press) total looking for the impressive but doable 1000lb total. I fully intend to hit this in my lifetime with my terrible clean and snatch form.

Benching

Because I don’t give a shit about powerlifting, and despite the fact that I once wanted to get the 242 drug free squat world record, I’m not including the squat, but am including a bench metric. Two actually.

First for high end strength I want to be able to comfortably hit 405×5+ reps.

Secondly for more bodybuilder like properties I want to hit 315×20+ reps.

I’d say based on my endurance skew both of these would allow me around a 455 bench, and while I’d like a 500lb bench the above two rep metrics matter far more to me.

Note that I want to hit be able to hit the 405×5+ and 315×20+ with easy to moderate effort. I want them both to be something I can do at any given time, and comfortably without spotters.

Grip

495 overhand deadlift on an axle. Simple, not easy though.

Long way to go, bring it on.

Aesthetics

1. 275lbs with abs. It’s a weight and leanness level I fully feel I will eventually hit naturally.
2. 20 inch muscular neck- I think this is ridiculous, I was originally going to write 19 inch, but due to my neck not looking big at roughly 17-17.5, the fact it’s likely been 18 inches in the past, and the fact the one aesthetic I’ve ever cared about is neck size there it is. 20 inch muscular neck.

Bodyweight Performance

I’m only going to list one thing here:

To be able to do a one arm chin up.

I feel being able to do this, especially as a big guy will mean you’re completely covered on bodyweight ability.

I can comfortably do one arm pushups, and to hit the above pressing and bench metrics will have to be far stronger.

A one arm chin will give both rep pullup abilities and likely a strict muscle up as well.

It covers all the bodyweight bases.

Be Athletic

And hard to quantify, but to be athletic while doing all of the above. To be able to jump, run, sprint, walk, and play games comfortably. Basically to not be a gym rat, but an athlete. I’m looking to be able to do all of the above while being somewhere between a strongman, a linebacker, and while retaining some endurance.

The I’ve Made It Standards (Subject To Change)

• 800+lb deadlift raw/ 3x bodyweight, whichever is higher, no belt, no straps, actually raw.
• The Old Time Weightlifting 1000 lb 3 Lift Total (I’d like 405+ c+j,315+ snatch, 315+ press, so actually a 1035+ total)
• 405×5+and 315×20+ bench comfortably, ie safe with no spotter, low to medium effort
• 495 overhand axle/fat bar deadlift
• 275lbs with abs
• 20 inch muscular neck (seemingly ridiculous, but what I want)
• 1 arm chin
• Stay Athletic

And there it is, how I’d know I’ve made it in strength.

-J

Heat and isometrics can throw you into ketosis.

It’s the only reason I can think of that I smell like ammonia.

2015 out west I smelt it in my sweat a lot, and the cause of it was heat and isometrics.

Isometrics being the bigger part of the equation, but the heat speeds it up.

It was muggy, and early that morning as part of my workout I did some isometrics for the upper body.

Mostly pulling at a few angles, but a killer move where I pushed with one hand and pulled simultaneously with the other using a rack upright.

The 2 or 4 sets of that I think are what pushed me into the ketosis territory.

Internet forums view Steve Justa as a lunatic, but his thoughts on isometrics ring true in my eyes.

They can strengthen you, and burn your fat quite quickly. You may feel odd doing them in front of others, but who cares, they work. Plus you could do them anywhere.

The move I liked just needs an upright, this could be a squat rack, thin tree, part of a swing set, just about anything.

That’s the beauty of this, the amount of versatility.

Unlike most who are pro-isometrics I’m not saying just do isometrics however. I’m for you using everything. Do some calisthenics, lift some weights, do a bit of lifting specific and nonlifting specific isometrics, flex, do cardio, jump.

Mix it all, get decent at it all, and physically you’ll be a beast. Every method is another tool, and besides it’s damn cool to sweat ammonia.

-J

The squat every day end point is the 22nd.

I was toying with 531 for weightlifting, squatting every other day, pulling every other and doing upper by feel (military press probably daily).

This is almost the Deszo Ban program/split. (Also read this.)

The Deszo Ban program just makes more sense to me than running the modified 531. I don’t have to check a calculator ever, and with the current small amount of mental burnout plus actually going with general gym advice I’m going to start stupid light think ~60% 1rm for first 7×3 work sets, it’ll only take 10-12 weeks to be hitting big PRs.

I also want to get my press up. My favorite gym metric right now is the old school pre-1972 3 lift Olympic total.

Doing a shit ton of low rep sets makes sense to me.

Lots of front and back squats. Lots of power cleans, power snatches, deadlifts, various rows, and chins.

Lots of jerks, presses, benches, and some shoulder, tricep, and chest assistance work.

I fully intend to do roughly the 50 sets of squat or pull, and 30 sets of pressing daily sticking mostly to sets of 3-5 and only resting a minute between sets.

Sans the main lifts I will go higher reps in the assistance work, but still to the keeping it easy mantra.

Sets of 10 with what I could hit for easily 20. Lots of sets.

Tumble, jump rope, or row to end.

If I thought I was recomping now this is going to be scary.

I’m simply going to let my body weigh as it pleases which means a nice recomp. I’ll get leaner and visibly more muscular.

This split will make some fast strength gains.

Fuck it, may as well log this in a 99¢ notebook as well.

This is something of a higher volume Easy Strength (it’s a Pavel/ Dan John program, look it up).

The PRs that come from this are impressive.

I used to naturally train like this, back to 19, back to training like a barbarian.

I doubt I’ll be taking the 7th day off though.

What it’ll look like:

Legs (Ever Other Day)
10-15 sets back squat
10-15 sets front squat
Up to 30 sets assistance, likely partials,isometrics, low back, jumps and kb swings, very little hamstring work.

Pull (Ever Other Day)
10 sets power snatch
10 sets power clean, some jerks
10 sets deadlift variation
Up to 30 sets various pulls and chins, some jumps,some isometrics.

Press (Daily)
10+ sets military press
10+ sets btn press
Grab bag: bench/dips/dumbbell press/jm presses/lateral raise/ cable fly/isometrics.

I’m quite amped up to do this, and I’d say that this is how I’ll be training for the rest of the year unless MMA comes up (a possibility, but who knows). Actually fuck it, I could do this and train MMA daily (check how Bill March say he was playing loads of pickup basketball and semi-pro football while at York Barbell). There’s no such thing as overtraining. I simply need to get money in order to train full time.

-J