Week 2, Day 3 - DL 275 x 10 singles

20 kg windmill x 3L/R

DEADLIFT

225 x 6 singles for speed

275 x 10 singles starting r/u

Video of both

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZA6YhT5aSQ

That's it - short on time today.

Week 2, Day 2 - DL 255 x 12 singles

Busy morning - walk 2 miles, stretch a little, play a concert

warmup - 24 kg swings as S&S suggests, 10's for maximum explosiveness: 10T, 10R, 10L on about equal work:rest.

Hip Lift - 270 x 3 singles, just working on sufficient ROM and having enough time off the ground.

20: c&p ladder to 3 x 1 - had thought about 2 ladders today but need to keep the goal the goal, and that's deadlifting, so we'll go by feel and stop w/ 1 ladder.

Zercher DL: 1 good rep @ 135 - nicer than most of my first reps at this movement of late.

A little Inman practice - empty bar, big chest and bar low on back, walk the length of the basement gym 2x - not much, but more than nothing, helps to find that position, even though it will be different w/ weight on the bar.

DEADLIFT:

255 x 12 singles starting l/u - per Rif, trying to lift faster.

Onward and Upward

Week 2 of 7, DL Singles Cycle - 235 x 15 singles in 3:45

Sunday, yesterday, a busy day - drove an hour each way to pick up a used power rack, bar, and weights, then had my double bass lesson, then walked about 3 miles w/ my wife, then carried in a bunch of weights.

Today, Monday - weighted 154.8 this morning, about as low as I've been lately but not nearly low enough.

warmup - cut the lawn quickly, cossack sequence, and arm circles and Egyptians, some bar hangs

20 k: c&p ladders 1-2-3 x 1, right first, working on pressing straight up, makes shoulders sound like popcorn but otherwise feels OK, good, even.

DEADLIFT:  235 x 15 r/u, tried for more speed per Rif's advice

http://youtu.be/llr7FnhBSMY

20 kg: - 30 one-hand swings, starting right, alternating every 5, no breaks

Onward and Upward

Saturday - Hip Lift 850 lbs and 5 mile walk

Walked about 5 miles w/ my wife.

Hip Lift:

Bar weighs 89 lbs, I found out, so we'll call it 90 lbs to make the math easier

Used the Iron Mind Dip Belt today without chain, just looped its strap through the handle.

180, 270, 360, 450, (now adding 70) 520, 590, 650, (now adding 100) 750, 850 = PR

That'll be it for today.

Onward and Upward

DL Single Program, Week 1, Day 5

Short walk, not much stretching today

24: c&p, lf, 1, 2, 3 - noticing that on right side, I cannot really force as straight up a groove as on the left - it's there and it doesn't hurt but it's very weak.  I also feel like I unweight the opposite (left() foot and those two things may be connect.  I plan to work on this

ZERCHER DL: 135 x 1, 1 - not bad, decided to do these instead of windmills today.

DEADLIFT - starting l/u, 6 singles at 295 in 3:30

http://youtu.be/Z-ikdNTwtqA

24: swing, 5L+5R+5L+5R no breaks - definitely lose explosiveness around 10 total reps

Onward and Upward

DL, Day 4

Week 1, Day 4 - Feeling tired but basically OK.

Stretch a little, cut the front lawn, stretch some more.

bw pistol - one each side

24 kg: c&p, lf, 2 - want to keep increasing this volume gradually.

Weighed my Heavy Lift Bar - got 89.4 lbs on the scale by itself, 88.6 when I weighed myself and then myself and the bar.  So we'll call it 89 lbs., +/- 0.4 .lbs.

24 kg, windmill, lf, 2

DEADLIFT:

Starting r/u, 8 singles in 4:55

32 kg swing, 10 2-handed

Week 1, Day 3: DL 265 x 10 singles

Big day - rehearsal mid-morning, teach two music lessons early afternoon, lift mid-afternoon, and will teach until 9 PM tonight.  A purposefully easy day while still sticking to the DL cycle.

Warmup - bw windmill, 16 kg x 3L/R

24 kg swing x 10, 10

32 kg swing x 10 - all 2-handed

DEADLIFT

265 x 10 singles starting l/u in 4:20.  Hands were sore so gripped a notch further to finger hooks - better because it spares the sore spots, better because I don't have to bend down as far, might not be better with a limit weight because the grip isn't as strong.

Onward and Upward

More Hip Lift, Zercher DL, and Week 1, Day 2 DL's - 245 x 12 singles

Week 1, Day 2

Stretch and roll a little

Trying to save protein bar and walk for after lifting, will see how we like that.

Hip Lift:

265 (bar + 4 x 45) for a few, 355 (add 90) for a few, 425 (add 70). 495 (add 70), 565 (add 70), 665 (add 100), 805 (add 140)

Zercher DL Axle: 135 x 1, 1 - ab cramp on second rep, so no more of these today.


DEADLIFT:

245 x 12 singles starting r/u in 5:05 - all nose-breathing, excellent!!  Spreadsheet called for 240 but can't be bothered with little plates.

Walk

Onward and Upward

Hip Lift 705 lb., DL Week 1, Day 1 of 7 Week Pavel Singles Cycle

Saturday, not much lifting but lots of driving and sitting.

Sunday, a nice 4 mile walk w/ my wife, then more sitting and driving and a short walk when we got home.

Today, Monday

Stretch a little

Walk 2 mi

Hip Lift: 505 (last time's final weight), 565, 595, 635, 705

http://youtu.be/Ugvqbxrx6e0

Zercher DL: 135 x 1, 185 x fail, fail, 1 successful rep.  Kept losing the bar rolling down my arms, just wasn't under it enough with my elbows, finally got down and drove the elbows forward and then got it.

Week 1 of 7 on Pavel's Deadlift Singles Cycle:

Week 1 = 4/21
Week 2 = 4/28
Week 3 = 5/5
Week 4 = 5/12 (deload)
Week 5 = 5/19
Week 6 = 5/26
Week 7 = 6/2 - meet on 6/8

Day 1:  Starting l/u

225 x 15 singles in 4:20 - reset after each but not much more rest than that.  Tried all nose breathing, got it some of the time, need to work on this.

No more time for today.

Onward and Upward!

Heavy Lift Bar - Hip Lift 505 lbs.

Right shoulder tight and sore, decided to kettlebell press and barbell deadlift

24: mil press, lf, 1, 2

bw windmils, a few

Heavy Lift bar arrived.  Worked up to 365 in hand and thigh lift, then up to 505 in the hip lift.

DEADLIFT

Already warmed up, so 295 x 6 singles in about a minute total, started r/u and alternated grips.

Onward and Upward!

-S-

SQ and BP Light, DL 275 x 8 singles, swings

Yesterday, Wednesday - tired and sore, walked 3 miles, no lifting

Today, Thursday:

Stretch

24 kg: swing 10R + 10L - second 10 were definitely slower, should have rested between

24 kg: swing 10L + 10R - second 10 were again slower, keep trying to make them as fast, though.

Still need a light day, so:

SQUAT: 135 x 8

BP: 115 x 6, 5

DEADLIFT:

245 Hack x 1

275 x 8 singles, start l/u, took about 5:00 - tried going looking up a bit for earlier reps, was more w/ legs, ended up going more with hips for the last 2 reps.

That's it for today

Onward and Upward!

SQ-BP-DL w/ 24 kg kettlebell presses, windmills, and pullups (for health and happiness!)

I just plain forgot to bench press yesterday - duh!  Probably doing myself some good, however, as my right shoulder is still tight after Sunday's walk-a-thon with a barbell.

Today, decided to warmup with the usual - rolling, stretching, bent arm bars w/ 12 kg and then some work with the 24 kg bell and some pullups

24: mil press, lf, 1

24: mil press, lf, 1, then 1 bw pullup w/ ~2-sec hold at top and ~3 second lowering

24: mil press + 2 windmill, lf

PU: bw + 24 kg on left foot, same w/ bell on right foot - solid height, good ~1 sec pause at top.  Video of second pullup here:

http://youtu.be/sR0HqIwNJ_8


SQUAT:

FSQ: 135 x 2, paused and exhaled

LBBS: 135 x 5, 175 x 5, 5


DEADLIFT

245 x 8 singles, starting r/u and alternating.

No swings today - still feeling a bit tired overall from Sunday.

Onward and Upward

Week 3, Day 1 - more SQ, DL, and 55 swings

stretch

12 kg - bent arm bars

24 kg - press and windmill 1L/1R - shoulders felt tired on the press.

24: swings: 4T+4L+4T+4R+4T = 20

Zercher DL: on axle, 135 x 1, 1

24: swings: 5L+5R = 10

SQ: 135 x 3, 175 x 5, 5 - tried more turnout for second set, didn't work for me, straightened midset, ah, better

24: swing, 5R+5L=10

DEADLIFT:

225 overhand x 10 touch 'n' go - felt it in hamstrings about rep 7 or 8, same as last high-rep set, was able to keep going, felt fine afterwards.

32: swings: 15T - nice float both ways.

Right arm still feels odd after yesterday.  Nothing broken, just tight.

That's it for today.

Onward and Upward

First Inman Mile Training

For those of you unfamiliar with the Inman Mile, it’s a 1-mile walk with 150% bodyweight on your back. The person who created the event, Jerry Inman, thought he could do it but he could not and, in fact, no one has ever completed the event.   It is, however, an official Allround Weightlifting Association event.

Current records show a variety of combinations of bodyweight, weight on the bar, and distance covered because that’s all there is to record in the books to date.

Consensus seems to be that less-big guys like me have the best chance of being the first to do it.   My plan is to keep shifting the variables in training – first goal will be to walk 1-mile in a single training session with 135 lbs, then to shorten the number of times I put the bar down while covering the distance, then up the weight as the last thing.   I am using the Steinborn lift technique to shoulder the bar each time – the Steinborn Squat is another AWA sanctioned lift.

This video was shot after I’d already walked a half-mile with the bar in several segments, putting it down and resting for a few minutes between, and including up and down a small hill.  More details in the description of the video but briefly: 6/10 mile over 7 segments w/ 6/10 bodyweight, Steinborn to start each segment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG9sBuIIqzI

Whee!

Unplanned Off Day

Day 3 of antibiotics for an infected toe, not feeling great.  No antibiotic agrees with me - they all make me feel like I have the flu.

Walked 3 miles, did some chores around the house, and will now take a nap before teaching this afternoon.

Week 2, Day 4, SQ-BP-DL, 60 swings

Stretch including bent arm bars

Walk

Zercher DL on axle, 135 x 1, 1

24: swing, 10R, short pause, 10L

SQUAT:

175 x 5,  4 - lost the bar behind me on the final rep as I was playing around w/ the position of the bar on my back during this set.  I guess we can conclude that this was a little too low - yeah ....


24: swing, 10L, short pause, 10R


BENCH PRESS

145 x 4, 2, 3 - all stayed on bench so short rests.  2nd set, focused too much on technique and not enough on just moving the damned weight.


DEADLIFT

I am going to start the 7 week DL singles cycle when it's that far to the meet.  For this week, continuing to do sort of, almost what it does for some of the days, generally fewer reps by 1 or 2 and less weight by 5-10 lbs.  Today, e.g., in week 1, it would be 275 x 8 singles, which I could have done if I'd actually made them singles on the minute or two.

Hack Lift: 245 x 2

265, start l/u, 6 singles in 2:15

24: swing, 20T

Onward and Upward

Week 2 of 10, Day 3: More SQ-BP-DL, plus windmills and swings

Not enough time to do all the "warmup" type exercises I would like to do, so:

Yesterday, Zercher DL:

Today:

28 kg: swing 2-handed x 10

Windmill (today's warmup exercise): 28 kg x 2L, 2R (jerk to overhead)

36 kg - cleaned once each side, didn't feel good about the jerk before a windmill so that's it for 36 kg today

32 kg - windmill, 2L, 2R, jerk overhead.  Clean of 36 kg sits too low, rack is weak and that is the problem.

Break to go to computer store


Bent Arm Bars - 10 kg, 5L, 5R - aaahhh!

28 kg: swing  10 as 2T+2R+2T+2L+2T

SQUAT

LBBS 175 x 5, 5


BENCH PRESS:

145 x 3, 3, 3 - stayed on bench, about ~1:00 between sets - good

28 kg: swing: 15 as 3T+3R+3T+3L+3T


DEADLIFT

Hack Lift: 235 x 2

255, r/u to start, 7 singles in 2:20 - reset after each one, still not hard at all, flexing lats really helps make the start feel tighter.

Onward and Upward

More Easy Strength SQ BP DL

Tuesday:

Only a little stretching.

bw - windmills.

Bent Arm Bars - 10 kg

Half-Kneeling Windmills - 10 kg, first time for these, feel very good, a nice stretch

Zercher DL - used axle, which is different: 135 x 1, 1 - bar tends to roll forward on my arms only at mid-lift - OK at the bottom, OK at the top because it rolls back down again.  Have to figure this one out...

24: swing: 10R, rest :30, 10L

SQUAT:

LBBS: 175 x 5, 5 - very interesting - first set was my high-bar stance, knees came forward too much - second set was perhaps an inch wider on each side, felt much better, knees stayed back more, weight more on heels on the way up.

- oops, forgot swings, will make up later

BENCH PRESS

135 x 5 - solid, long pauses, starting to figure out what to do and when in this movement, finally, 5, 5

Excellent - these got easier today, did 3 sets of 5, will try a little more weight on the bar tomorrow

24 kg: swings, 5R + 5L + 5R + 5L, no breaks


DEADLIFT

235, l/u to start, alternating hands, singles on reset at the bottom, 8 reps again.  Might have done more but back felt odd after 7th rep, and it was because the weight was too damned light.  Tightened up for 8th and final rep, which felt 100%.  About 1:10, start to finish, as it was yesterday

Will definitely put more weight on the bar - damn, that was stupid of me.

No more lifting for today, will take a walk now.

24: 10 x 2-hand swing

Onward and Upward

More SQ-BP-DL w/ a set of swings between

Saturday - walk 4 miles

Sunday - walk 3 miles

Today, Monday, mix a set of 10 swings between the powerlifts


warmup - bent arms w/ 10 kg.  Exhale at bottom, repressurize - really help t-spine and neck

24 kg, 10 2-handed swings

SQUAT:  no warmups or FSQ, just LBBS: 165 x 5 - felt way easy so 175 x 5 for second set

24 kt: 10 swings as 5R + 5L

BENCH PRESS

135 x 5, 5

24 kg: 10 swings as 5L + 5R

DEADLIFT

Hack: 225 x 3, slow touch-n-go, actually pause w/ weight touching the ground for about 1-sec but not letting full weight rest on the ground.

235 x 8 singles, started r/u, alternated grip each set, took about 1:10 from start to finish.  Had thought about doing 15 of these but would need to go slower.  Perhaps 2 sets of 5 like this tomorrow.  Singles here means reset at the bottom but don't stand up between.  Focus was on pushing hips forward early to prevent needing to finish the lift with my back - got it most, but not all, of the time.

Didn't do any ZDL or windmills to start or any ZSQ to finish - will try to make time for those tomorrow.

Onward and Upward

Day 5 of Week 1 of 10 - SQ-BP-DL

Warmup - rocking, rolling, 2 mi walk

FSQ: bar x 5, 95 x 5

LBBS: 95 x 5, 135 x 5 - taking slightly wider than narrow stance, feels right - 165 x 5, 5


BENCH PRESS:

115 x 2

135 x 5, 5


DEADLIFT:

225 overhand - decided to do it as a hack lift (behind the back).

Had planned to do 6 singles per the program I found, but decided to stop after 4 and do some swings today

295 x 4 singles starting r/u

The program is 7 weeks long and therefore I don't have to start it right away, anyway.  I think I'm going to use it for the last 7 weeks up to the meet.

I notice that I've dropped the Zercher DL and generally just done lower volume as the week has gone on - that's OK, just getting used to being in a meet cycle, will enjoy two days off/easy and see how things feel next week.

24 kg: swings, 1-handed, same as yesterday, 5+5+5+5 but started w/ right today - that works better for me.

Onward and Upward.

Day 4 of Week 1 of 10 - feeling tired but strong: Easy SQ, Easy BP, Harder DL

Day 4 of Week 1 of 10

Tired today, haven't lifted 4 days in a row in a while and yesterday's bench took it out of my CNS

Warnup:

Rolling

Bent Press work - bent arm bar, then press from seated getup, both w/ 10 kg

Windmill: bw x 2L/R, 20 kg x 2L/R,

Press: 28 kg - was going to press and windmill, but got so excited about the press that I just did 1 each side and put it down - heaviest I've pressed for a while, and since this is the heaviest of my 2 possible Level-II press weights, I'm please.

Windmill: 28 kg, jerk overhead, 2L/R - excellent


SQUAT:

LBBS: 135 x 7 - and that's it


BENCH PRESS:

135 x 5 - very solid, controlled pause on chest, definitely improved form and no fear of the weight today.  Also - this could be important - made an effort not to center myself on the bench and under the weight by "feel" but really tried to look objectively, which moved me to the right, which is where I belong, I think.


DEADLIFT:

225 x 2 overhand

275 x 8 singles, starting l/u today, aimed for approximately on the :60, finished in 6:10, did nose breathing throughout.


SWING:

Hands a little beat up from the DLs so 20 as 5L, 5R, 5L, 5R on no breaks

Onward and Upward

Day 3 of Week 1 of 10: SQ-BP-DL

Short on time today, and it's the third day in a row which I haven't done in a long time, so keeping it short

ZDL: 95, 165

SQUAT

Bar - FSQ x 1, LBBS x 1

115 - FSQ x 1, LBBS x 2

165 - LBBS x 5 - interesting - first few reps were a little shaky because I let my knees come forward and got loose at the bottom.  Fixed it for last few - will have to video tape but the change felt good.


BENCH PRESS

115 x 4 w/ ~2-sec pause

150 x 3. 1, 1 on short rests - was too much weight for today, thought I'd done 145 yesterday but I had only done 135.


DEADLIFT:

all very light touch-n-go reps, as I've been doing all week

225 x 3 overhand

260 x 5 r/u - very strong, 5 l/u - also strong

No more for today, errands to run before I teach so out of time.

Onward and Upward

Day 2 of Week 1 of 10 - SQ, BP, DL, ZSQ, Swing

Day 2 of Week 1 of 10, working out my Easy Strength approach.

Warmup - rolling, bent arm bars w/ 10 kg, cossack sequence

Windmill: 24 kg x 2L, 2R

SQUAT - all paused briefly

Bar: FSQ x 5, LBBS x 5

115: FSQ x 5, LBBS x 5

155: LBBS x 5


BENCH PRESS:

Bar x 10

115 x 5

135 x 5


DEADLIFT:

225 x 2 double overhand

255 x 4 l/u - felt strong, 4 r/u - if anything, stronger this way


ZERCHER SQUAT:  95, 165, 215


SWING

24 kg:  30 as 5's alternating right then left, no stops


Onward and Upward