This Week In Training 5/13 - 5/19

Sunday
Speed press 10 x3
Low pulley row 4x10-20
Incline Dumbbell 4x10-20
Pull ups (pronated grip) 4x10
Skull crushers against mini bands 4x10
Hammer curl 1x20
Tall kneeling static Palloff press

Tuesday
Safety Bar Box Squat 170 lb. band tension + bar weight 5x5
Power cleans from the hang 5x5 (technique work)
Clean Pulls from blocks 3x5
Leg curl 8x3
Hack Squats 2x15-20
Leg Raises 3x10

Thursday
Floor Press 5x5 (new PR)
Standing Shoulder press from pins (drop set)
185x10
165x8
145x8
Pull ups wide 4x10
Land mines 4x10

Saturday
Speed pulls (still working the modified sumo stance) against medium bands 10x1
Circuit GHR--> Neutral Grip Pull down --> Leg raise 4x10
Widow Maker Back Squat 1x20 (new PR)

I'm planning on doing a three week band wave on the SSB box squat by increasing the band tension each week and trying to keep the bar weight the same, then deloading a week and trying a heavy triple PR.  I feel good with the pressing.  I think the addition of more over head pressing feels great, so far!  Those that know me know that I love over head pressing.

Lessons Learned in the Gym Part 1

Lessons Learned in the Gym Part 1

If you are reading this no doubt you've been in a gym, belong to one, or at least workout to some degree whether that is exercise tapes (wow I think I just dated myself) or you are a runner.  I get bombarded all the time while I'm training myself or clients with all types of questions.  Usually those questions start out as "what's that work...well I do this for that!" or "what supplements do you think I should take?".  The list goes on  and on part of me is glad that I'm considered a trusted resource.  I've decided to sit down and write / rant about a few topics that I've come across.  

This first post is for the women out there that want to  burn fat, "tone" (not sure what exactly that means), but don't want to get big and bulky.  Let me start by saying it's not easy being big and bulky, if it were every guy in the gym would look like a beast.  It takes years of proper training, eating, and discipline to get there also it takes a special little hormone called testosterone that female lack.  

Ladies if you want to burn fat cardio is not the answer, lifting weights is.  Lifting a load causes a greater energy expenditure than mindlessly keeping up with a tredmill.  Move weight to lose weight, it's that simple.  I have a female client that has lost 2 dress sizes, lowered her cholesterol 40 points in a year and was able to stop taking her cholesterol lowering medicine and it has all been through proper exercise (ie moving/lifting weights) she has made no changes to her diet.  Can you imagine yourself having to buy new clothes that fit because your old ones are too big?  Can you imagine stopping the use of cholesterol lowering drugs and feeling better both physically and mentally?  

Ladies drop the 3 lb. dumbbells and walk away from the cardio equipment.  I know they feel safe and are familiar but I urge you to seek out a good trainer/teacher to show you how to properly move weights.  Look for one that understands how the body moves and not just sees an exercise and thinks it would get you "toned".  

This Week in Training 5/6-5/12
Sunday
Speed bench against light band doubled over 8x3
blast strap dips 4x15
seated row wide handle 4x10-20
Standing shoulder press 4x10
Pull ups 3x8
Ab

Tuesday
Cambered bar squats 4x10
Good mornings 4x8
calf raise 5x15
Ab rotation 5x10
Imbalance Kettlebell step ups 4x10
Ab

Thursday
Bench with 25lb kettlebell hanging from a mini band 5x5
Dips 4x25
Pull ups weighted 35lb 5x5
Seated single arm overhead press 4x10
Incline shrug 2x12
Rear delt raise 3x10
Ab

Saturday
Modified sumo stance deadlift with 160lb of chains 3x1
Reverse lunge with 2 chains around shoulders 2x20
Standing Leg curl 4x10-20
Standing calf raise 4x15
Hanging leg raises

I think I'm over with this high volume.  Pulling for some heavy singles Saturday felt great but I probably need the volume for now.  I'm going to start using 5x5 on my main movement and keep the volume of my accessories high.  My body weight is down to 237 from 252 but I still feel strong.

This week in training 4/29 - 5/6

Well this is the first real training week since competing in the GSB Powerlifting meet on April 21st.  To say that I needed a deload week was an understatement.  After taking a 1000lb squat for one heck of a ride and then benching a new personal record of 600 my back was trashed.  So after 14 weeks of competition prep cycle I need to change things up.  I decided that I need to add some volume in and start getting my cardiovascular endurance up a bit just to throw my CNS for a loop.
So this past week looked like:
Sunday:
Back squat 4x10
Barbell lunge 3x10
Glute bridges 4x8
Calf raises 5x15
Abs
Tuesday:
Floor Press w Swiss bar 4x5 then rep max on 5th set
Incline Dumbbell 4x15-20
Chest supported row 4x10
Pull Down 3x15
Tri pushdown 3x15
Abs
Thursday:
Deadlift (trying a new stance a hybrid sumo/conventional) 3x3
Speed pulls 8x1
Low box squat (2" below parallel) 1x20
Band Pull throughs 4x15
Abs
Saturday:
Off had a play date with my daughter

For the first week back it felt good to lightly load the spine and get a pump.  I'm thinking of going back to a 4 day split.  I believe that I need more dynamic work on my bench days so adding a speed day and then switching gears to more shoulder work on that day may get that bench up a little more.  This is all a part of a plan to hopefully by next year squat 1060, bench 650, and pull 700-750.  We will see. It's also time to start dropping some weight I got up to 250+ for this meet and now by making minor changes to the diet I've dropped down to 240.  In the next couple of weeks I'm going to start adding in some sprint work.

Hey guys I wanted to ask a question, what is some of the craziest stuff you see in your gym?  Recently while conducting a boot camp class I happened to spy this wonderful "exercise".   I know someone out there will argue that he's working his back, but really?!? When you are looking to change your training program, which we all know we should do regularly consult a professional.  With that being said any one can be a trainer.  Look at the trainer, see how they train themselves, their clients.  Ask yourself is this guy a clown or does he/she know what they are doing.  As a good friend of mine said any trainer can beat you up and make you sore but only a great trainer can make you better.

Check back in later for this week in training where we will take an overview of this weeks training log and spotlight a few good videos.