Strength in Interesting Places

[RedKryptonite]

That pic just made my day.

 

[JauntyAngle]

Also, in case you unfamiliar with hip thrusters, jump to 1:25 for an excellent demonstration of proper form:

You know, most of the time the video I use to improve my form is the Starting Strength DVD, but for some reason I can't quite put my finger on, I find myself enjoying this one more.

 

[JauntyAngle]

Kabul, Week 4, Workout 1 ("Awesomeness Day")

Warmup

Yoga- Sun Salutation Ax3, some standing postures


Squats

Warmup- 20kgx5,x5; 40kgx3,x3; 60kgx2,x2; 80kgx1,x1
Work sets- 104kgx5,x5,x5
Backoff- 60kgx10

These were fine. Did the bicycle exercise (abs) between sets.


Press

Warmup (cleans then presses)- 20kgx5, 30kgx3, 35kgx2, 42kgx1
Work sets (clean to rack for each set)- 52kgx5,x5,x5

Fine. Will be interesting to see how this progresses now as 52.5 is my max for 3 sets across, although I've done 52.5-55-52.5.


Power clean

Warmup- 55kgx2, 60kgx2, 65kgx1
Work sets- 69kgx3, x3, x3

Just flew up. No idea why. This is a 3RM. My previous 1RM is 70, so I'll be doing that for reps on Friday, which is nice.


Random Stuff

Weighted dips- +11kgx5,x5,x5

The dips were fine. Did some random ab exercises between sets.


* * * * *

Good session today. All the weights went up easy, especially the cleans.

 

[JauntyAngle]

I'm coming up to my previous 5RM maxes for squat, bench, deadlift and press, but I feel much better doing them, especially bench. Doing the lifts easier, needing shorter rests, and I think my technique is better. My power clean has never been higher. So that's all good.

I've been doing conditioning and a few extra exercises on off-days (not terribly consistently) for about three and half months now and I love it. I could never go back to the SS 'do only the three SS workouts exactly as written and nothing else during the week' approach. I feel 1,000 times better now.

I've also been on a slow-but-steady weight-loss programme. I peaked at 91kg at the New Year, was down to 88kg when I got back from Juba in mid-Feb and I should now be one or two kilos lower, juding from the mirror and what I know about my diet, conditioning, drinking, etc.

People say you can't get stronger while losing weight, but I feel like I am doing it.

 

[Justice 4 All]

People say you can't get stronger while losing weight, but I feel like I am doing it.

They're just trying to justify their lard asses =D.

Nah, I think it has to do with the potential to improve form and CNS adaption. Or something.

 

[JauntyAngle]

They're just trying to justify their lard asses =D.

Nah, I think it has to do with the potential to improve form and CNS adaption. Or something.

Yes, I don't know the science behind it, but somehow- Januty thinner, heavy thing still go up more good.

 

[VoodooPlata]

You can lose weight and get stronger, you just won't get stronger very quickly or effectively.

Also, regarding cutting off bodyparts that you're fond of - aren't you fond of all of your body parts?

 

[JauntyAngle]

Also, regarding cutting off bodyparts that you're fond of - aren't you fond of all of your body parts?

Actually, yes, I must admit a certain fondness for all of them. Which is why I would be distressed if any of them were removed.

But this is the particular phenomenon I was referring to:

Penis hacking all the rage: News24: Entertainment: Off Beat

 

[VoodooPlata]

It's good that there is reattachment surgery then. Man... no thai wives for me. Yesterday in statistics class we went over risks of being unjustly punished for crimes you were innocent of. That shit could happen, man!

 

[SlaveToTheDark]

Actually, yes, I must admit a certain fondness for all of them. Which is why I would be distressed if any of them were removed.

But this is the particular phenomenon I was referring to:

Penis hacking all the rage: News24: Entertainment: Off Beat

oh man

you should definitely invest in one of these!

 

[JauntyAngle]

Traditional Indian Technique-Influenced Flexbility & Mobility Work Day

Yeah, it's yoga. I'm trying to work this back in to my training for a few reasons. First, it has awesome techniques for flexibility/mobility in the hips, shoulders, knees and hamstrings. Second, because you drill positional awareness of your body and especially your spine. Third, because in Ashtanga you engage the core in something like the Valsava maneuver at all times, and it's useful to make it nearly automatic. Fourth, because it makes me feel good. I am trying to avoid, though, much extension and flexion of the lumbar spine, avoiding the agressive back bends and emphasing back straightness when forward bending.


Preparatory Stuff

Started today with the Jaunty Angle lower body stretching protocol, which is done lying on a bed, watching TV. :icon_chee Basically, you lie there, and move through this sequence

1) Grab your foot and raise the leg up as high/towards head as you can
2) Still holding on, drop your leg out to the side as far as you can (ideally rests flat on the bed)
3) Bring it back in front, stretch a bit more
4) Try to hug your shin into your solar plexus
5) Put your foot on your thigh, sole facing up, point your knee down, try to get it to touch the bed, and be as close to the bed as possible (first few times still lying down, once easy, sit up for this bit)
6) Point the sole of your foot at the ceiling, grab your foot and try to drive your knee down into the bench

About 10 breaths in each position. Either change legs after one cycle, or cycle through for 10 minutes and then change legs. Wrap a belt around foot and grab that (instead of your foot) for 1-3 if not flexible enough.

So I did this while watching an episode of 'Supernatural'- 42 minutes.

I mention this because this routine (which I personally stole from my second yoga teacher) works extremely well, and I think the flexibility you develop applies to martial arts, so it might be useful to people. I've been very, very flexible in the past, and the times when I was very very flexible it was because in addition to my yoga I was doing this a few times a week.

It's also an awesome way to work on leg and hip flexibility, while also being able to watch TV. How good is that.

Actual yoga

Three sun salutations.
Ahtanga standing sequence.
Marichyasana A and C (mainly for shoulder and hip flexibility).

This part only took about 15 minutes, but it was my best yoga by far for ages. I'll need to do it once more this week to build on this.

This is what the Ashtanga standing sequence looks like:



This guy actually does it very well. His back straightness while forward bending is outstanding, most of his postures are pretty spot-on. I don't bend anywhere near as far as he does at the moment.

After this, you're supposed to go into one of the sitting sequences, which takes another hour. That's actually when things get fun, lots of interesting jumps and transitions which are hard to describe, but are great. But I am not doing that at the moment. I'm doing a couple more positions, and then either weights, or cardio.

I know that people say that you shouldn't stretch like that before weights, but I don't care. I feel exceptionally warmed up and unlikely to be injured after having gone through this. I'll sacrifice a bit of explosiveness and max strength for that.

* * *

Yeah, that's a lot of log for 42 minutes of stretching on a bed and 15 minutes of actual yoga. This is all part of the process of me getting my head together, and deciding how I want to do strength and how I want to combine it with other things I like.

 

[JauntyAngle]

Kabul: Week 4, Workout 2 "Manliness Day"

Yesterday I didn't eat much- no snacks, tiny dinner, didn't have my whey. Also went out and drank, and got an awful night's sleep. I think Wednesday I wasn't eating enough too. Today I felt terrible- tired and leathargic all day. But I went to the gym anyway. Because that is what Baby Jesus would do.

Warmup

Yoga- Sun Salutation Ax5, Warrrior 1, Reverse Warrior 1, Marichyasana A and C
C2 Rower- 2 minutes

Squats

Warmup- 20kgx5,x5; 40kgx3x3; 60kgx2x2; 82kgx2;
Work sets-106kg x5, x5, x5
Backoff- 60kgx10

God I love the backoff sets... the bar feels like a feather. Noticed that my forward lean is getting quite pronounced, but it doesn't seem to be going too far because I am not GMing to get up- it just lets me use lots of hip drive. So I going with it.


Bench

Warmup- 20kgx5,x5; 40kgx3x3; 50kgx2x2, 70kgx1,x1
Work sets- 82kgx5,x5,x4

Here is where my bad habits over the last few days caught up with me. 70kg felt a little heavier than normal, and with the work sets I got tired much quicker than normal, so the 4th and 5th were not quite tough. Probably could have made the 5th rep of the last set, but I decided not to push it. Definitely, definitely repeat this weight on Monday.


Deathlifts

Warmup- 60kgx3, 90kgx2, 110kgx1
Workset- 134kgx5
Backoff- 100kgx5

I was by by the mirror so I could check my back, it was fine. Concentrated on pushing my heels into the ground and humping the bar. These went up just fine, not too tiring or anything. Since I won't be doing deathlifts again until Wednesday, I figured I would throw in a few more.

* * *

Because I was tired, I abbreviated the yoga, didn't do abs, didn't do chinups. I'm pissed off about the benching, but the deathlifts were good and the squats were okay.

I guess I should expect a harder time on the bench because I am around about weights that were giving me a hard time a few months ago when I also had a bit more bodyweight, whereas the DL and squat weights that I was doing fairly easily back then.

 

[JauntyAngle]

I was wondering if this is is a good preparatory stretch for deadlifts:

 

[calvus]

Thanks for posting the stretching & yoga stuff with descriptions. I might give some of that a shot - I'm not very flexible, never have been, so its something I need to work on. It would really help my BJJ.

#4, #5 & #6 on your preparatory stretching are still a bit hard to picture. Can you find a similar pic or vid online maybe?

thanks!

 

[JauntyAngle]

Thanks for posting the stretching & yoga stuff with descriptions. I might give some of that a shot - I'm not very flexible, never have been, so its something I need to work on. It would really help my BJJ.

#4, #5 & #6 on your preparatory stretching are still a bit hard to picture. Can you find a similar pic or vid online maybe?

thanks!

I am trying to find some, if I can't I'll get someone to take pictures of me demonstrating. In the meantime, I can give a bit a slightly better description

4- Basically, try to cradle your shin you arms the way you would cradle a baby, so it is being supported by both forearms. If you can do that, you slowly bring your arms in, so that your shin is moving towards your upper abdomen.

5- this is just a half lotus- the leg you aren't working is straight, the leg you are working, you bend the knee, then place the foot on the thigh of the inactive leg, and try to get your knee down. You will have done this a load of times I am sure. But the correct 'yoga' way to do this is (1) make sure it is the top of the foot, not the side of the foot, that is in contact with the thigh, as this rotates the leg and makes it easier to get the knee down without stretching it a way it wasn't meant to stretch, and (2) don't just try to send the knee out to the side- it should be forward and quite close to the other knee.

6- For this one, you can set it up like this- stick your leg up in the air, grab the foot, like in 1. Then relax the leg a bit, bend the knee until it is touching your chest/shoulder. Now move the leg out to the side so the knee is past your chest/shoulder. Then, using the grip you still have, try to push the kee down into the bed.

As I said, since you are interested I will find some photos one way or another, but I hope this is clearer.

 

[MIDMOBOX]

There are starving people all over the world not just Asia

like eastern europe

 

[VoodooPlata]

I was wondering if this is is a good preparatory stretch for deadlifts:

[/QUOTE]

I'd definitely stretch her before my deathlifts.

 

[EddieLovesYou]

I've been neglecting the yoga for a few weeks myself. I'm going to do some today!

And thanks again for your advice in my log.

 

[JauntyAngle]

I've been neglecting the yoga for a few weeks myself. I'm going to do some today!

And thanks again for your advice in my log.

That's what we like to see. And no problems with the advice. Really it was just sharing research I had already done on Madcow.

 

[JauntyAngle]

Kabul- Week 4, Workout 3 ("Awesomeness Day")

So, today was an opportunity to see what plenty of rest and plenty of food would do for me. No work today so I had the opportunity to take a little bit longer.

Warmup

JauntyAngle's 'lying on the bed watching half an episode of Supernatural' stretching protocol- 20 mins
C2 Rower-3 mins


Squats

Warmup- 20kgx5,x5; 40kgx3x3; 60kgx2x2; 80kgx1x1
Worksets- 106kgx5,x5,x5
Backoff- 65kgx10

These felt good. Should hit 110kg next week.


Press

Warmup- 20kgx5, 25kgx3, 35kgx2, 45kgx1
Worksets- 53kgx5,x5,x5

With each warmup, I do the number of reps as a hang clean or clean (technically, hang power clean or power clean, thanks, Flak) and then on the last one, do my press reps. Also did some of the Burgener warmup execises (thanks, Toonie), as this combines my warmup for the power clean and for the press.

Once I get to the presses, I am doing a single power clean and then my five reps. These felt really good. I guess this is a personal record for 3 sets across.


Power Clean

Warmup- 55kgx2, 60kgx2, 65kgx1
Work sets- 70kgx3,x3,x3,x3,x3

These are feeling good. Easier, in fact, then three or so weeks ago when I was struggling a little with 63kg and 64kg. I feel like there is plenty left in the tank, like I will progress through to 75kg or higher without needing to reset.

70kg was my 1RM when I tested it back in late January/early Feb. It's nice doing your 1RM for sets across!


Random Stuff

Weighted dip and weighted chin supersets: +11kg- x5,x5,x5

These were okay. Didn't do any ab or cardio. That can be over the weekend.

* * * *

I keep wanting to change my random stuff- either to do BORs instead of chins (I think it might help my deadlift more) or to volume/unweighted in both exercises instead of weighted. But I will stick with what I am doing until at least the end of the month when I go home to Thailand. You've got to give this stuff a chance to work.