Well it's 12/12/12......I'm writing this, so I'm obviously still alive and the world hasn't come to an end. The Mayan's may have predicted today to be the end of the world but I guess they somehow didn't see the fucking Spanish coming, did they? Yes, I know it's the 21st but I wanted so badly to use that joke today.
At first I wanted to write that 2012 was not a great year for me. Anyone who knows me and is close to me, knows the struggles I have had this past year. Not so much with myself, but dealing with the many struggles of those I hold closest to me. It's been a very, very, trying year.
I try to "talk" candid when I write to you guys because, fact is, I know everyone is fighting a great battle in their life. The many times this past year the blog was such a big outlet for me, because I do a lot of internalizing about shit I am going through. So I "vent" through my writing very often, and very often I get an e-mail or message from someone that is also having a great battle, and they tell me that my words helped them somehow. That is a very big blessing to me, to hear that my words were inspiring or gave them strength. Because I've had days this past year, where I felt so low that I can remember sitting at a red light hoping that when it turns green, I will proceed through it, and an 18-wheeler will t-bone me at 100 miles an hour.
One thing all of my friends and loved ones will tell you about me is this. I love and care about those closest to me, with everything I have. So when I see them suffering, I suffer with them. I grieve with them through it all. There have been many I hold dearest to me this year, that have suffered much. Sometimes carrying their burdens or problems, can get heavy. I will never complain, but it doesn't mean it doesn't take it's toll either.
Someone told me earlier this week, "the worst thing about being the strongest, is that no one ever bothers to ask you if you're alright."
That almost put me in tears.
But here I sit writing this, and things are swell. The best they have been all year, really. One of the best things about surviving an emotional onslaught, is that you can really soak up the euphoria when the massacre subsides. You can appreciate the joy for all it is worth, and bathe in the glow of it. In a phase, you can really embrace happiness.
Who can understand what darkness is when all they have had is the light? And who can appreciate that light, without ever having walked in darkness?
One of the things I wrote earlier in the year, as a reminder to myself that I got a lot of feedback from, was about keeping your integrity sound throughout the Tsunami shitwave we sometimes call life. That it will subside, and after it does, how did you handle yourself? Did you hold true to your code? Did you have a lot of apologies to hand out? Did you grow stronger from it, or did it weaken your resolve? Did it make you better, or bitter?
We often try to justify our bitterness and anger because of things that have happened to us. It makes so much sense to feel angry and betrayed when people lie to you, steal from you (theft can mean all sorts of things in this context), and betray you. Surely, you have every right to be bitter and upset. And you should be, right?
Or do you have all the control? Do you get to decide how much energy you decide to invest in that?
Of course you do.
Negative energy will take a tremendous toll on you. Everyone knows this. It will consume your life. You will wake up in the morning, pissed off about what someone said or did, and you will feel justified in feeling that way. You will find one of your "enablers" to complain to, so that you can feel even more justified in being a bitter bastard. They will tell you that you were wronged, and that you should be pissed off.
"Fuck those assholes!!!"
Or, you can really be strong, and decide that you have all of the power. You can let go of it. That girl that cheated on you (or dude), that raise you didn't get, that review that wasn't so "fair", the shit someone said about you, that asshole that stole from you, or the people you know whose lifeblood stems from the wellspring of lies, backstabbing, and deceit.
When I wrote the lifer series, it was about all of that. Embracing the power you have at your disposal right now. It's worth more than any deadlift or bench you will ever hit. Because lifting is not going to shape who you are. I know lots of shitty people in lifting. Lifting does nothing to humble people or make them better people, unless they use it as a tool in their life to do so. But it can only be that. Just a tool in the toolbox. The most powerful force you posses, the strongest ability you have in your body already exists. You just have to learn how to harness it.
In the Matrix (yes, I'm using a god damn Matrix reference here), Neo didn't believe in his abilities, or that he might have something very powerful inside of him. He doubted everything he was told, even though it was all there. He doubted so heavily, that he found himself getting his ass kicked by Ike Turner in a sparring match. It wasn't until he was put into a position where he had to act in regards to the people he cared about, that he summoned what was deep inside of him, and was able to use it.
Until you realize, or learn to apply the things that make you powerful, you will be weak. Ike Turner will kick your ass.
So there I was, sitting at the red light, hoping for that 18-wheeler to come barreling through, then.....I snapped the fuck out of it, and stopped doubting how strong the warrior inside of me was. I thought of all of the friends I've lost, the things I have survived that seldom know about. I was reminded of the people that I love and care about, that were in my life......and they need me. And I need them.
I looked both ways before proceed through the light when it turned green, and the Lion in me kicked my own ass.
"Fuck that attitude, and fuck that shit! I have asses to kick, shit to write about, weights to lift, and necks to hug. I have laughs to make and smiles to cause, and somewhere there is a porch I need to sit on when the hair that isn't on my head is gray, and I can reflect back on all of the battles I have fought and won. I'll need an equally wrinkled hand to hold, and a good dog to pet. I'll still need a friend who gives me shit me, but also takes shit in return. I have a legacy to finish carving out!"
My reflection now, is that 2012 was one of the greatest years of my life. I lost a great friend due to his own arrogance, but he was replaced by many who are even better, and have enriched my life in so many ways. I lost three friends due to suicide, that makes me appreciate life more than ever, and realize that it's ok to reach out to someone when my burdens are heavy and say "can you help me carry this?"
I have made amends with someone that used to be a good friend, that I felt wronged me. He never had to apologize. I simply forgave him. Why? Because I have that power, and I chose to exercise it. It felt awesome to be able to let that go, and not have it eat away at me. I have been able appreciate my parents more, through the eyes of a friend who lost one of his. I have learned what it means to stand by a friend when it meant possibly ridicule and scorn, because of things that had nothing to do with me. That it's always easy to be friends with someone when they are awesome, but so many people have no clue how to stand by them when the mob is lined up against them with stones their hands.
I have grown. I am stronger and better in every way, because of the darkness.
That's winning, right there.
I have grown as a father and a husband so much, and learned just how much further I need to go in order to just be "good" in my own eyes. I want to be the best in both of those regards. I need that god damn #1 DAD shirt! I have gained the best training partner I have ever had, and I get to watch her become more and more arrogant every week because of her "big muscles". This is a blessing I never had before, and am thankful for everyday.
I have grown in the weight room, and in my knowledge of the evolution of my training, and I can't wait to expound on more of that with you guys this year. I want and hope that all of you are kicking more ass at the end of 2013 than you ever thought possible.
Lift-Run-Bang isn't a program, or a "method". It's a philosophy and a lifestyle. The "BANG" is really about arriving and awaking at who you are, but more importantly who you want to be. Your jacked and tan body should be the physical manifestation of your jacked and tan mind, spirit, and soul (can you tan your soul?).
Strong and fierce, but loyal, passionate, endearing, and even tender if need be. You are ever dynamic and strong, but flexible and open. Thus as it should be both in life, and in training.
To all of you who have been by my side this year to help me laugh, cry, and learn how to live......thank you.
Strength Life Legacy
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
LRB/365
For you non-competing types that still care about being jacked, lean, sexy, and as strong as you can be, 365 will be available by Friday.
Since it's the holiday season, and I've never been a salesman, I'm selling it for $10 until January 1st. 10-fuckin-dollars.
50 or so pages that outlines 2 diets (the original LRB diet, and my keto diet), 6 different blocks of training along with a spreadsheet for the whole year.
My only request from you, is if you get it, don't get it to have another piece of reading material. Apply it, so you can tell me how much ass you kicked at the end of 2013. That's the best thing I get out of all of this. So help me out in that regard, and you'll be helping yourself out more in the process.
Many blessings.
Since it's the holiday season, and I've never been a salesman, I'm selling it for $10 until January 1st. 10-fuckin-dollars.
50 or so pages that outlines 2 diets (the original LRB diet, and my keto diet), 6 different blocks of training along with a spreadsheet for the whole year.
My only request from you, is if you get it, don't get it to have another piece of reading material. Apply it, so you can tell me how much ass you kicked at the end of 2013. That's the best thing I get out of all of this. So help me out in that regard, and you'll be helping yourself out more in the process.
Many blessings.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Thoughts about life, crap, training, and stuff - Tuesday early edition
More on "new" method -
So I've been "ranting" about the lighter percentage and reps stuff for a while. I feel like it MIGHT be starting to sink in with some people at this point, seeing as how I outlined the Russian training programs, and the Mike Tuchscherer article pretty much drove it home. I mean, it's hard to argue with that much evidence.
I'm going to be going into a lot of this over the next few months. Not just going into it, but direct application, and I'll be writing about how to apply it.
The thing to know and understand is that, it's not a cookie cutter method. I don't think a noob or an intermediate needs to follow the same theories as the advanced, or very advanced guy because their ability to do work, and the taxation of the workload itself, is far different.
Meet plans and training -
So I found out yesterday that the USPF Nationals will be held in May, instead of July. So that totally throws off my offseason plans. I had intended to run carbnite until February 1st. Now, I'm going to have to cut that back to January 1st I think.
I will just go to CBL at that point (Carb Backloading for those of you that haven't been paying attention). I will start at 2 days a week and go from there. I also won't be going crazy with the carbs as I've found I don't need to.
And speaking of Carbnite and Carb Backloading, I'm an affiliate with Kiefer now, so if you want to know how to run these protocols correctly, I recommend checking the links on the right side of the page, and buying his books.
As far as training goes. I've got everything outlined and have kind of already been massaging it into place.
Saturday - Press
Press Day 1
Close Grips - 5,4,3,2,1,1,1 3x3@85% or 3x8@77% Since I bench every other week, these will get rotated.
Rear Delts - 1x10-15
Curls - 1x100
Ez Curl Triceps - 1x20-30
Press Day 2
Incline - 225xAMAPx2
Rear Delts - 1x10-15
Curls - 1x50
Db Skulls - 2x20
Monday - Deadlifting
Deadlifting Day 1
Elevated Stiffs - 2x5-10
Db Rows - 1x20-30
Abs - 2-3x20
Deadlifting Day 2
Deads @ cycle for doubles (I will outline this later)
Block pulls @ mid-shin - 1x4 @ 90 pounds more than programmed %
Chins - 2x8
Abs - 2-3x20
Thursday - Legs
Leg Ext - 7x20
Front Squats - 2-5x5 @ cycle (outlined later)
1 Legged Work - 2x10
Calves - 100 reps
There is no leg day 2 until I hear more back from my doc about the MRI. Either way, the fronts have been going good, so I'm going to stick with them.
365 and Lifer Release -
365 should be out this week. It may be a day or so later than I anticipated because my graphics designer is such a perfectionist.
The bad news, is that the Lifer Series won't be done in time for the release. It's too "involved". She sent me the first 7 pages and well, it looks fucking awesome. So awesome that I think I'm going to do it in paperback only, because I think that's the only thing that would do it justice.
A couple of snapshots........
Monday, December 10, 2012
Training - Back
Bodyweight 240
Elevated Stiffs -
225x2,2,2,2,2
315x2,2
405x2,2
500x7 ties PR, but I wasn't in it for a tie. Shit.
500x4
Db Rows - 140x25 (no straps)
Ab Wheel - 2x20
Notes - The one thing I hate about this diet, is that after about 4 reps man I really REALLY feel the gas tank dive.
I learned today that the USPF nationals are going to be in May. MAY! That totally fucks up my entire "offseason" plans. So there will be some restructuring of what I am doing. I will cut my carbnite a month short more than likely, and start backloading twice a week staring the first week of January.
I started my plan for lifting tonight until meet prep starts. LOTS going into this program and I am going to lay it all out for you, and what meet prep will look like as well, including what I plan on hitting.
In the meantime....some stiffies.......500x10 is the goal here. I was told that's boss, so that's the plan.
Elevated Stiffs -
225x2,2,2,2,2
315x2,2
405x2,2
500x7 ties PR, but I wasn't in it for a tie. Shit.
500x4
Db Rows - 140x25 (no straps)
Ab Wheel - 2x20
Notes - The one thing I hate about this diet, is that after about 4 reps man I really REALLY feel the gas tank dive.
I learned today that the USPF nationals are going to be in May. MAY! That totally fucks up my entire "offseason" plans. So there will be some restructuring of what I am doing. I will cut my carbnite a month short more than likely, and start backloading twice a week staring the first week of January.
I started my plan for lifting tonight until meet prep starts. LOTS going into this program and I am going to lay it all out for you, and what meet prep will look like as well, including what I plan on hitting.
In the meantime....some stiffies.......500x10 is the goal here. I was told that's boss, so that's the plan.
Thoughts about life, crap, training, and stuff - Monday "light" edition
It's been a while since I have been able to get one of these in, with traveling and doctors appointments and all sorts of shit going on.
I had the MRI on my leg last week. Finally! I haven't heard anything back yet, however let me bitch for just a minute about the miracle of "modern medicine".
First off, we really don't cure shit. Cancer and AIDS are still sticking around, killing the fuck out of people. I know someone will post a link to something we cured that kills 7 people a year but seriously, we don't cure shit.
So I go in to get this "open MRI" done, because a lot of people can't do the closed MRIs because of claustrophobia. Oh yeah, I might be talking about myself when I say "a lot of people". The MR machine looks like the god damn Star Trek Enterprise. I lay under it, face just a couple of inches from the bottom of it, feet taped together and I can't move, while Slayer and Cannibal Corpse battle it out for worst repeated power chord.
"BUHBUHBUHBUHBUHBUHBUHBUHB!!!!!"
"ANCH ANCH ANCH ANCH ANCH ANCH ANCH!!!!!!!!!"
"tick......tick.........tick...........tick......."
"BBBBZZZZZZZAAAARRRRRRRRRRZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I was told 45-minutes. Two hours later, the length of time a LONG MOVIE runs, I was finally finished. All for a leg. A LEG! Not a full body scan with happy ending by the nurse. Just......a.......leg.
I don't understand how it is, we can send a rover to mars to test for water droplets, have aircraft that can fly insert-classified-speed-here that is completely undetectable by highly advanced radar, put railguns on battleships, have a satellite take an image of a mosquito's penis as he jacks it in the African jungle, etc so forth and so on, but we don't have something that can just scan my leg in like, 5 minutes.
We have sonogram machines now, that can show you the 3-D image of a baby inside the mothers womb, but I have to lay under the Enterprise for over two hours to get my leg scanned, while my extremities go numb to the point that I couldn't stand properly after it was done (both feet were completely asleep).
So now that it's done, I hope to hear something in the next week to let me know if they could spot anything wrong with my leg. It's having more good days than bad at the moment, however I would love to eliminate the bad days all together. Though smashing a 405 front squat with ease, I might add, felt pretty good since I haven't been able to squat heavy in forever.
Speaking of heavy, I made that post about my new training ideas and things I've been working on, and sure enough the "singles group" showed up to balk about it.
People have asked me for a while now "why were the guys from the 70's and 80's so much stronger than the guys now?" Because they trained for mass, and rep strength 90+% of the time. It's kinda like how you see all of the top raw guys now. They are jacked. Why? Because you can't bench 500 raw without some muscle mass. You can't squat 700+ raw without some wheels. Yet you see all sorts of big numbers come from guys in gear, that don't even look like they lift. This isn't a "gear vs raw" debate, because I don't care one way or the other. But if you're not getting stronger PERIOD, then your training isn't thought out very well. And too many guys now, spend all of their time trying to hit their maxes in the gym. Why? It serves no purpose. Period. Gym lifts DO NOT COUNT. If you're talking rep PR's, awesome. If you're talking personal PR's, awesome. But they don't go into a book, and training near max singles is for the most part, an ego tool.
Again, all old things become new. It's amazing to me how so many guys are doing soul searching in their training and all finding the same place to progress again. It's the same place guys found that worked 30 years ago. But you still have a large group of guys that want to balk at this, because they are fucking lazy. It's not hard to walk into the gym and pull some singles. I don't care what anyone says. That shit is infinitely easy compared to going in and doing rep work. If it wasn't, they would do the rep work. I mean, when a guy tells me "anything over 2 reps is cardio" I generally know he's fat, and weak.
Using the 1RM percentage system, the Russians would organize their training into intensity zones, such as the following: 60-65 percent of 1RM, 70-75, 80-85, 90-95 and 95-100. The designers of the Russian Squat Program put most of their workouts in the 80-85 percent zone and said that “large and limit weights” should comprise only 16 percent of the total volume in squats.
I had the MRI on my leg last week. Finally! I haven't heard anything back yet, however let me bitch for just a minute about the miracle of "modern medicine".
First off, we really don't cure shit. Cancer and AIDS are still sticking around, killing the fuck out of people. I know someone will post a link to something we cured that kills 7 people a year but seriously, we don't cure shit.
So I go in to get this "open MRI" done, because a lot of people can't do the closed MRIs because of claustrophobia. Oh yeah, I might be talking about myself when I say "a lot of people". The MR machine looks like the god damn Star Trek Enterprise. I lay under it, face just a couple of inches from the bottom of it, feet taped together and I can't move, while Slayer and Cannibal Corpse battle it out for worst repeated power chord.
"BUHBUHBUHBUHBUHBUHBUHBUHB!!!!!"
"ANCH ANCH ANCH ANCH ANCH ANCH ANCH!!!!!!!!!"
"tick......tick.........tick...........tick......."
"BBBBZZZZZZZAAAARRRRRRRRRRZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I was told 45-minutes. Two hours later, the length of time a LONG MOVIE runs, I was finally finished. All for a leg. A LEG! Not a full body scan with happy ending by the nurse. Just......a.......leg.
I don't understand how it is, we can send a rover to mars to test for water droplets, have aircraft that can fly insert-classified-speed-here that is completely undetectable by highly advanced radar, put railguns on battleships, have a satellite take an image of a mosquito's penis as he jacks it in the African jungle, etc so forth and so on, but we don't have something that can just scan my leg in like, 5 minutes.
We have sonogram machines now, that can show you the 3-D image of a baby inside the mothers womb, but I have to lay under the Enterprise for over two hours to get my leg scanned, while my extremities go numb to the point that I couldn't stand properly after it was done (both feet were completely asleep).
So now that it's done, I hope to hear something in the next week to let me know if they could spot anything wrong with my leg. It's having more good days than bad at the moment, however I would love to eliminate the bad days all together. Though smashing a 405 front squat with ease, I might add, felt pretty good since I haven't been able to squat heavy in forever.
Speaking of heavy, I made that post about my new training ideas and things I've been working on, and sure enough the "singles group" showed up to balk about it.
People have asked me for a while now "why were the guys from the 70's and 80's so much stronger than the guys now?" Because they trained for mass, and rep strength 90+% of the time. It's kinda like how you see all of the top raw guys now. They are jacked. Why? Because you can't bench 500 raw without some muscle mass. You can't squat 700+ raw without some wheels. Yet you see all sorts of big numbers come from guys in gear, that don't even look like they lift. This isn't a "gear vs raw" debate, because I don't care one way or the other. But if you're not getting stronger PERIOD, then your training isn't thought out very well. And too many guys now, spend all of their time trying to hit their maxes in the gym. Why? It serves no purpose. Period. Gym lifts DO NOT COUNT. If you're talking rep PR's, awesome. If you're talking personal PR's, awesome. But they don't go into a book, and training near max singles is for the most part, an ego tool.
Again, all old things become new. It's amazing to me how so many guys are doing soul searching in their training and all finding the same place to progress again. It's the same place guys found that worked 30 years ago. But you still have a large group of guys that want to balk at this, because they are fucking lazy. It's not hard to walk into the gym and pull some singles. I don't care what anyone says. That shit is infinitely easy compared to going in and doing rep work. If it wasn't, they would do the rep work. I mean, when a guy tells me "anything over 2 reps is cardio" I generally know he's fat, and weak.
Your training cycles should be made up of 5-20+ reps. Anyone that tells you that getting a higher 20 rep max doesn't equal into a higher 1 rep max, is full of shit, and didn't work hard enough. You just have to take the time to allow that strength to be applied. Tons of strongmen do 20 rep squats, and they are far stronger than powerlifters. One of the reasons that is, is because they live up and down the rep range. Sure, they do heavy singles, however because strongmen have to do reps in a contest, or do an event that involves some conditioning as well, they can't just sit around and do some singles here or there. They actually have to you know, get fucking stronger. An 800 pound deadlift is considered the bees knees in powerlifting. Yet in strongman, it's really the bare minimum for competing at a high level. THE BARE MINIMUM! Lots of strongmen can hit 500 benches, and then follow that up with 350-400 pound overhead presses. In powerlifting, a 500 bench is the fucking balls. And how many of those guys can do heavy overhead presses? Few and far between, aside from T-Rex armed bench specialists who aren't strong to begin with (sorry, being a 1 lift wonder doesn't make you strong).
I find it funny that so many people want to argue this, then tell me I am dogmatic. ME? I've done the "singles shit". I use singles in my training. However, they are not used for the purpose of building strength. They are used to prime the body for the strength building work sets, and for testing strength. It's generally them that don't want to venture outside of "you gotta do max singles to build top strength!"
From an article from Poliquin's site about how the Russians structured their squat training.......
Jesus jumped up on a cross!!!
You mean the guys that have been kicking our ass in strength sports and powerlifting for a while now, didn't do fucking 90+% singles more than 16% of the time?!?! Not possible. I'm told by fat and weak asshats that I MUST do heavy singles in order to get stronger at doing heavy singles. So all of those people, who run my programs, and listen closely, that only end up with a few weeks in the 90% range, and smash all of their previous PR's EASILY, are doing shit wrong?
I guess we'll just keep doing it wrong.
Since the Russians have had this figured out for a while, let's examine a little closer.
Smolov introductory cycle -
The best part is the notes PRECEDING this cycle......
Like every other program that works off percentages you have to plugin your one rep max in order to find the weight you should be using. Use your best raw squat or a projected max using this calculator. Whatever your max is you should subtract 10-15 pounds just to be on the safe side. Below are the first three days of the first week of Smolov.
You mean the guys that have been kicking our ass in strength sports and powerlifting for a while now, didn't do fucking 90+% singles more than 16% of the time?!?! Not possible. I'm told by fat and weak asshats that I MUST do heavy singles in order to get stronger at doing heavy singles. So all of those people, who run my programs, and listen closely, that only end up with a few weeks in the 90% range, and smash all of their previous PR's EASILY, are doing shit wrong?
I guess we'll just keep doing it wrong.
Since the Russians have had this figured out for a while, let's examine a little closer.
Smolov introductory cycle -
| Day | Workout |
|---|---|
| 1 | 65%x8x3, 70%x5, 75%x2x2, 80%x1 |
| 2 | 65%x8x3, 70%x5, 75%x2x2, 80%x1 |
| 3 | 70%x5x4, 75%x3, 80%x2x2, 90%x1 |
The best part is the notes PRECEDING this cycle......
Like every other program that works off percentages you have to plugin your one rep max in order to find the weight you should be using. Use your best raw squat or a projected max using this calculator. Whatever your max is you should subtract 10-15 pounds just to be on the safe side. Below are the first three days of the first week of Smolov.
So you're STILL not even using 90% in day 3, when it calls for 90%.
Here's the cycle.......
So, you spend how many workouts going over 90%?
None. Zero. Guess what you do? You test that in week 4.
How the fuck is it, that people have used this cycle for such a long time, with such awesome results, and did not do heavy singles? Oh guess what, there isn't a single workout of actual singles in the entire cycle!
'Mazin.
Oh hey, since people will say "well yeah, but that's the Russians and they train multiple times a week, so they can use lower percentages."
Lamar Gant's bench routine.
week 1: 135x10, 190x12, 190x12, 190x12, 190x12, 190x12
week 2: 135x10, 200x12, 200x12, 200x12, 200x12, 200x12
week 3: 135x10, 210x12, 210x12, 210x12, 210x12, 210x12
week 4: warm-up then 240x6, 240x6, 240x6, 240x6
week 5: warm-up then 250x6, 250x6, 250x6, 250x6
week 6: warm-up then 260x6, 260x6, 260x6, 260x6
week 7: warm-up then 280x3, 280x3, 280x3
week 8: warm-up then 290x3, 290x3, 290x3
week 9: warm-up then 315x1, 315x1, 315x1, 315x1
Now what?
He did 1 week of singles before the meet, to TEST, where he was. He spent the previous 8 weeks building strength with reps. Once a week. Using low percentages.
Ed Coan - "My cycle for the deadlift is 12 weeks. It consists of 3 weeks of 8 reps, 4 weeks of 5 reps, 4 weeks of 3 reps, and the week before the meet includes just a double at or around your opener. "
Really, Ed? Well what the fuck do you know about training and hitting big lifts, Mr "I never miss a lift in training".
Hey wait, how on Earth would someone program, so that they never missed in a lift in a 12 week cycle? Think about that.
Jim said a quote to me, that I laughed about because I couldn't believe he was serious.
"That's smart. People should train for their opener."
Train for your opener. Wait.......that's around 85% of your "goal" or should be. No my gawd, I just slapped my head and said "I coulda had a V8!"
I'm going to beat this god damn horse for a while. Not because I'm trying to win arguments or battles or because I'm being "dogmatic" (which is just fucking stupid to talk about with me, because I'm willing to try anything). It's because this is where so many of us advanced guys find ourselves later, when guys had this all figured out years and years ago. Shit the Russians have had it figured out for decades now. You don't need to lift your near max weights, in order to get brutally strong.
So eventually YOU have to ask yourself, are you willing to drop your OWN dogmatic approach to training, be willing to leave your ego at the door, and look at the big picture? That is, getting brutally strong but not always being able to "show it", i.e. maxing at the gym. Not only that, are you willing to stop doing all of the stupid shit you've been doing, like fucking reverse banded chained safety squat bar deadlifts while standing on a decapitated midget?
What the fuck happened to strength training so much that people can't do it without just a bar and some plates? I thought that's what strength training was. A bar and some plates. Apparently it's not.
My goal is to get bigger and stronger and jacked as fuck. If that is not your goal, and you are fat, weak, and not jacked then keep doing what you are doing, and keep your mind closed. Or believe the non-sense you've read from todays mondern age of "max singles" land that it's the best way to get strong....all the while we keep getting our asses handed to us by guys who DON'T train that way.
Also for the guys of "I did X lift" ok that's great. There's some Russian that did that weighing 100 pounds less than you as his warm up, that never did a "max effort" day until he TESTED where he was. Even then, it was SUB MAX. Hence the term "near max single".
Singles should be in every cycle. So don't mistake the message I am sending here. It's how they should be used that matters.
Build strength, don't demonstrate it.
I await all of the pissed off people who will show up about this.
Here's the cycle.......
| Week | Monday | Wednesday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70%x9x4 | 75%x7x5 | 80%x5x7 | 85%x3x10 |
| 2 | (70%+20lbs)x9x4 | (75%+20lbs)x7x5 | (80%+20lbs)x5x7 | (85%+20lbs)x3x10 |
| 3 | (70%+30lbs)x9x4 | (75%+30lbs)x7x5 | (80%+30lbs)x5x7 | (85%+30lbs)x3x10 |
| 4 | Rest | Rest | work up to a near max single | work up to a near max single |
So, you spend how many workouts going over 90%?
None. Zero. Guess what you do? You test that in week 4.
How the fuck is it, that people have used this cycle for such a long time, with such awesome results, and did not do heavy singles? Oh guess what, there isn't a single workout of actual singles in the entire cycle!
'Mazin.
Oh hey, since people will say "well yeah, but that's the Russians and they train multiple times a week, so they can use lower percentages."
Lamar Gant's bench routine.
week 1: 135x10, 190x12, 190x12, 190x12, 190x12, 190x12
week 2: 135x10, 200x12, 200x12, 200x12, 200x12, 200x12
week 3: 135x10, 210x12, 210x12, 210x12, 210x12, 210x12
week 4: warm-up then 240x6, 240x6, 240x6, 240x6
week 5: warm-up then 250x6, 250x6, 250x6, 250x6
week 6: warm-up then 260x6, 260x6, 260x6, 260x6
week 7: warm-up then 280x3, 280x3, 280x3
week 8: warm-up then 290x3, 290x3, 290x3
week 9: warm-up then 315x1, 315x1, 315x1, 315x1
Now what?
He did 1 week of singles before the meet, to TEST, where he was. He spent the previous 8 weeks building strength with reps. Once a week. Using low percentages.
Ed Coan - "My cycle for the deadlift is 12 weeks. It consists of 3 weeks of 8 reps, 4 weeks of 5 reps, 4 weeks of 3 reps, and the week before the meet includes just a double at or around your opener. "
Really, Ed? Well what the fuck do you know about training and hitting big lifts, Mr "I never miss a lift in training".
Hey wait, how on Earth would someone program, so that they never missed in a lift in a 12 week cycle? Think about that.
Jim said a quote to me, that I laughed about because I couldn't believe he was serious.
"That's smart. People should train for their opener."
Train for your opener. Wait.......that's around 85% of your "goal" or should be. No my gawd, I just slapped my head and said "I coulda had a V8!"
I'm going to beat this god damn horse for a while. Not because I'm trying to win arguments or battles or because I'm being "dogmatic" (which is just fucking stupid to talk about with me, because I'm willing to try anything). It's because this is where so many of us advanced guys find ourselves later, when guys had this all figured out years and years ago. Shit the Russians have had it figured out for decades now. You don't need to lift your near max weights, in order to get brutally strong.
So eventually YOU have to ask yourself, are you willing to drop your OWN dogmatic approach to training, be willing to leave your ego at the door, and look at the big picture? That is, getting brutally strong but not always being able to "show it", i.e. maxing at the gym. Not only that, are you willing to stop doing all of the stupid shit you've been doing, like fucking reverse banded chained safety squat bar deadlifts while standing on a decapitated midget?
What the fuck happened to strength training so much that people can't do it without just a bar and some plates? I thought that's what strength training was. A bar and some plates. Apparently it's not.
My goal is to get bigger and stronger and jacked as fuck. If that is not your goal, and you are fat, weak, and not jacked then keep doing what you are doing, and keep your mind closed. Or believe the non-sense you've read from todays mondern age of "max singles" land that it's the best way to get strong....all the while we keep getting our asses handed to us by guys who DON'T train that way.
Also for the guys of "I did X lift" ok that's great. There's some Russian that did that weighing 100 pounds less than you as his warm up, that never did a "max effort" day until he TESTED where he was. Even then, it was SUB MAX. Hence the term "near max single".
Singles should be in every cycle. So don't mistake the message I am sending here. It's how they should be used that matters.
Build strength, don't demonstrate it.
I await all of the pissed off people who will show up about this.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Build strength, don't demonstrate it
People have lost this concept in strength training, I believe. Too many people are maxing out, not allowing for the recovery and supercompensation curve to happen, and short circuit results.
Some very real tested and proven theories are that...
1. Maximal strength can be build using lower percentages
2. Leave the gym feeling better than when you wal
ked in. This requires you to calibrate your work output and manage your training intensity. Both calculated, AND real.
3. Don't test maxes in the gym. You know damn well when you've gotten stronger through either rep PR's, or bar speed. If you smoke 500, where it was a total grinder 6 weeks before, you got stronger. Getting as strong as humanly possible, for you, doesn't mean you need to grind and strain against max lifts weekly. This is a sure fire way to NOT make sustainable progress and increase your foundation and baseline strength.
4. Find out how low you can go, rather than how high you can go, in programming your lifts is the answer. People have had this backwards for quite some time. Everyone wants to program high because of their ego, then they grind themselves into the shitter and can't figure out why they aren't tired all the time. They can't figure out why they aren't getting stronger, and why "I hit this in training, and totally bombed at the meet." Why? Because the body is only going to grant you so many "great days" of peak strength. You can't be at maximal/meet/peak strength 24-7/365. I don't care what some other training paradigm tells you. If that were the case, then no one would ever bomb at meets, or miss lifts, and we'd have guys squatting 4 million pounds. Reality check!
The people who have grasped these concepts in regards to my training programs have all gone on to hit PR's easily, set records, and be amazed at how well training cycles went. But it can still be fine tuned. That's what I am working on.
Stay tuned.
Some very real tested and proven theories are that...
1. Maximal strength can be build using lower percentages
2. Leave the gym feeling better than when you wal
ked in. This requires you to calibrate your work output and manage your training intensity. Both calculated, AND real.
3. Don't test maxes in the gym. You know damn well when you've gotten stronger through either rep PR's, or bar speed. If you smoke 500, where it was a total grinder 6 weeks before, you got stronger. Getting as strong as humanly possible, for you, doesn't mean you need to grind and strain against max lifts weekly. This is a sure fire way to NOT make sustainable progress and increase your foundation and baseline strength.
4. Find out how low you can go, rather than how high you can go, in programming your lifts is the answer. People have had this backwards for quite some time. Everyone wants to program high because of their ego, then they grind themselves into the shitter and can't figure out why they aren't tired all the time. They can't figure out why they aren't getting stronger, and why "I hit this in training, and totally bombed at the meet." Why? Because the body is only going to grant you so many "great days" of peak strength. You can't be at maximal/meet/peak strength 24-7/365. I don't care what some other training paradigm tells you. If that were the case, then no one would ever bomb at meets, or miss lifts, and we'd have guys squatting 4 million pounds. Reality check!
The people who have grasped these concepts in regards to my training programs have all gone on to hit PR's easily, set records, and be amazed at how well training cycles went. But it can still be fine tuned. That's what I am working on.
Stay tuned.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Training - Press
Bodyweight - 248 < Did the carb up right again, I see.
Incline Press -
barx40,30
135x12,8
185x5
225x4
275x3
315x2
365x1
225x22,12
Rear Lateral Machine - 170x13
Bar Curls - x120
Ez Bar Tricep - 65x25
Notes - Elbow was really tender today so I'm glad I got the high rep curls in. I really want to get to 225x30+ on incline press. 22 is pretty fucking pathetic. This particular incline is higher than the height I use at home, so I got all sorts of excuses for under performing. heh.
Incline Press -
barx40,30
135x12,8
185x5
225x4
275x3
315x2
365x1
225x22,12
Rear Lateral Machine - 170x13
Bar Curls - x120
Ez Bar Tricep - 65x25
Notes - Elbow was really tender today so I'm glad I got the high rep curls in. I really want to get to 225x30+ on incline press. 22 is pretty fucking pathetic. This particular incline is higher than the height I use at home, so I got all sorts of excuses for under performing. heh.
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