New year, new log time. I let the old one lapse ages ago, though I followed the same programming for a fair while after I think. Since then a lot's happened and my goals are very different. At the moment I'm coming back from a back injury that left me unable to back squat and deadlift. I rehabbed it, including working with a sports therapist and doing a lot of mobilisation myself (being a PT who does a fair bit of rehab work). Currently running Dan John's Big 21, starting with the empty bar and using it to get me back into training. I realise that's not its intended purpose but I think my logic is solid in using it ie get some volume in, mostly with very light weights and retrain my body to move effectively. Once I finish that, I plan to test my big 3 maxes and run 5/3/1 for the rest of the year with various assistance templates, the twist being by then I'll be working on a cruise ship somewhere with access to all the food I can get my grubby little hands on! SO, let's see how it goes...
Dan John's big 21 Session 6: Clean and Press: 5x35 5x37.5 5x40 Singles at 42.5-55 at 2.5 kilo increments. Power snatch (singles +overhead squat): 5x30 5x32.5 5x35 5x37.5 (should have been a single but I got carried away) Singles at 40-50 at 2.5kilo increments. Power Clean and Split Jerk: 5x35 5x37.5 5x40 Singles at 42.5-55 at 2.5 kilo increments. 7 sets of ring press-ups supersetted with neutral grip pullups. Reps from 8-10 and 5-8 respectively. 2 mile walk home. Session felt good overall, with some tenderness in my back on the snatches. Doing each rep from the floor rather than from mid-shin has definitely helped with form. All reps were solid apart from my last snatch which felt iffy. Think it was just a case of not focusing enough, given it didn't feel heavy, just awkward. I'll get someone to film next session if possible so I can have a look at it.
11/01/13 Recovery day: Short mobility session of kettlebell swings, agile eight, some goblet squats etc 2x2 mile walk
12/01/13 Dan John's big 21 Session 7: Clean and Press: 5x37.5 5x40 5x42.5 Singles at 2.5kg increments up to 57.5 (last single had to push press) Power Snatch (+overhead squat on singles): 5x32.5 5x35 5x37.5 Singles at 2.5kg increments up to 52.5 Power clean and Split Jerk: 5x37.5 5x40 5x42.5 Singles at 2.5kg increments up to 57.5 2 mile walk home Felt good today. Strangely my back was hurting when I started (slept funny) and got better as the session went on. Didn't get a chance to video but snatches felt much better. I think some of that was focusing more on setting up correctly. Either way, all felt good. Little gap before my next session sadly so I'll probably repeat this weight before progressing.
Was planning on a session today but I'm pretty snowed in. Going for a walk in the snow so I don't murder anyone. Lifting to follow tomorrow! EDIT: Had a nice snowy walk then shoveled a bunch of snow. Feeling much better now! Bring on the lifting tomorrow!
19/01/13 Dan John's big 21 Session 8: Clean and Press: 5x40 5x42.5 5x45 Singles at 2.5kg increments up to 62.5 (last 2 singles had to push press) Power Snatch (+overhead squat on singles): 5x35 5x37.5 5x40 Singles at 2.5kg increments up to 52.5, missed at 55 Power clean and Split Jerk: 5x40 5x42.5 5x45 Singles at 2.5kg increments up to 60 Overall the session felt really good. Some tightness in the lower back as usual but it's definitely improving. Felt good the following day also. The week off probably helped. Upped the weights despite what I said before. I could only get plates to do 40 for my first set and the clean and press felt so good I thought I'd up the snatch. Only lost the last one when my grip slipped so I fully expect to nail it next time when I should have my chalk. Power cleans are feeling especially good lately.
21/01/13 Dan John's big 21 Session 9: Clean and Press: 5x42.5 5x45 5x47.5 Singles at 2.5kg increments up to 62.5 (last 2 singles had to push press) Power Snatch+overhead squat (5+5/1+1): 5x35 5x37.5 5x40 Singles at 2.5kg increments up to 55 Power clean and Split Jerk: 5x42.5 5x45 5x47.5 Singles at 2.5kg increments up to 62.5 Felt good again today, back about the same as last time. Did an extra set of snatches accidentally at one point, which was fun. Nailed the last power snatch with the chalk, as expected. Power clean and Jerk feels like I'm leaving a -lot- in the tank but it's only for two more sessions so I'll keep progressing conservatively. Also did some lockouts after my last sets of jerk and press, just to get used to handling the weight really. Hopefully I'll strict press 60 on wednesday which would match my pre-injury PR! Later on: 2 hours Pilates (Beginner/Intermediate) This felt interesting in terms of my back. Pretty neutral though, don't think it helped particularly but I don't think it'll do any harm. I have to do it for work so I'm not expecting too much from it. NB: Ate like a horse today!
23/01/13 Dan John's big 21 Session 10: Clean and Press: 5x45 5x47.5 5x50 Singles at 2.5kg increments up to 65 (last 2 singles had to push press, final strict single matches my PR) Power Snatch+overhead squat (5+5/1+1): 5x37.5 5x40 5x42.5 Singles at 2.5kg increments up to 55, missed 57.5 Power clean and Split Jerk: 5x45 5x47.5 5x50 Singles at 2.5kg increments up to 65 1 hour pilates Felt good again. Back definitely feels on the mend. Kind of glad I'm only doing one more of these sessions, my shoulders are starting to feel slightly beaten up. Last snatch I'll get comfortably Friday, just didn't accelerate properly. I'll drill a bit more before I start and it'll all be gravy. Think I'll jump my clean sets to 70, just to give me a nice round number to finish on.
