Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Two Days of...Well...Not Much
So yesterday was supposed to be my day off...instead I ended up acting like a monkey most of the day, which can be good at times...except when I should be resting. So I took today off as an impromptu rest day. Tomorrow's sprints! I'm already seeing results in my body composition though. I just need to keep in mind that rest is very important! I don't want to burn out, and I don't want to lose any of the progress I've already made. In the next couple days I'll be revealing the actual template I'll be following for the next few months (or longer, depending on the amount of success). So stay tuned!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
...Explosive What?
Explosive conditioning. Exactly how it sounds.
The basic idea is that, as a fighter, you need to be able to maintain power even during an exhausted state. This form of training will help to attain that. Here's the EC workout I did today:
5 Rounds, no more than 60 seconds rest between:
10xBurpee
5xExplosive Push-up (don't worry about clapping, just focus on exploding off the ground)
5xExplosive Pull-up
30 second Wall Squat
5xJump Squat
5xPush Press (I used two 30# dumbbells)
This workout, and this training method is thanks to the strength think tank at Diesel Crew.
The basic idea is that, as a fighter, you need to be able to maintain power even during an exhausted state. This form of training will help to attain that. Here's the EC workout I did today:
5 Rounds, no more than 60 seconds rest between:
10xBurpee
5xExplosive Push-up (don't worry about clapping, just focus on exploding off the ground)
5xExplosive Pull-up
30 second Wall Squat
5xJump Squat
5xPush Press (I used two 30# dumbbells)
This workout, and this training method is thanks to the strength think tank at Diesel Crew.
Coach Rip's Treatise Against Exercise Machines...Enjoy!
"The reason that isolated body-part training on machines doesn't work is the same reason that barbells work so well, better than any other tools we can use to gain strength. The human body functions as a complete system - it works that way, and it likes to be trained that way. It doesn't like to be separated into its constituent components exercised separately, since the strength obtained from training will not be utilized in this way. The general pattern of strength acquisition must be the same as that in which the strength will be used. The nervous system controls the muscles, and the relationship between them is referred to as 'neuromuscular.' When strength is acquired in ways that do not correspond to the patterns in which it is intended to be actually used, the neuromuscular aspects of training have not been considered. Neuromuscular specificity is an unfortunate reality, and exercise programs must respect this principle the same way they respect the Law of Gravity.
"Barbells, and the primary exercises we use them to do, are far superior to any other training tools that have ever been devised. Properly performed, full range-of-motion barbell exercises are essentially the functional expression of human skeletal and muscular anatomy under a load. The exercise is controlled by and the result of each trainee's particular movement patterns, minutely fine-tuned by each individual limb length, muscular attachment position, strength level, flexibility, and neuromuscular efficiency. Balance between all the muscles involved in a movement is inherent in the exercise, since all the muscles involved contribute their anatomically-determined share of the work. Muscles move the joints between the bones which transfer force to the load, and the way this is done is a function of the design of the system - when that system is used in the manner of its design, it functions optimally, and training should follow this design. Barbells allow weight to be moved in exactly the way the body is designed to move it, since every aspect of the movement is determined by the body.
"Machines, on the other hand, force the body to move the weight according to the design of the machine. This places some rather serious limitations on the ability of the exercise to meet the specific needs of the athlete. For instance, there is no way for a human being to utilize the quadriceps muscles in isolation from the hamstrings in any movement pattern that exists independent of a machine DESIGNED for this purpose. No natural movement can be performed that does this. Quadriceps and hamstrings ALWAYS function together, at the same time, to balance the forces on either side of the knee. Since they ALWAYS work together, why should they be EXERCISED separately? Because somebody invented a machine that lets us?
"Even machines that allow multiple joints to be worked at the same time are less than optimal, since the pattern of the movement through space is determined by the machine, not the individual biomechanics of the human using it. Barbells permit the minute adjustments during the movement that allow individual anthropometry to be expressed.
"Furthermore, barbells REQUIRE the individual to make these adjustments, and any other ones that might be necessary to retain control over the movements of the weight. This aspect of exercise cannot be overstated - the control of the bar, and the balance and coordination demanded of the trainee, are unique to barbell exercise and completely absent in machine-based training. Since every aspect of the movement of the load is controlled by the trainee, every aspect of that movement is being trained."
- from Starting Strength, by Strength Coach Mark Rippetoe
"Barbells, and the primary exercises we use them to do, are far superior to any other training tools that have ever been devised. Properly performed, full range-of-motion barbell exercises are essentially the functional expression of human skeletal and muscular anatomy under a load. The exercise is controlled by and the result of each trainee's particular movement patterns, minutely fine-tuned by each individual limb length, muscular attachment position, strength level, flexibility, and neuromuscular efficiency. Balance between all the muscles involved in a movement is inherent in the exercise, since all the muscles involved contribute their anatomically-determined share of the work. Muscles move the joints between the bones which transfer force to the load, and the way this is done is a function of the design of the system - when that system is used in the manner of its design, it functions optimally, and training should follow this design. Barbells allow weight to be moved in exactly the way the body is designed to move it, since every aspect of the movement is determined by the body.
"Machines, on the other hand, force the body to move the weight according to the design of the machine. This places some rather serious limitations on the ability of the exercise to meet the specific needs of the athlete. For instance, there is no way for a human being to utilize the quadriceps muscles in isolation from the hamstrings in any movement pattern that exists independent of a machine DESIGNED for this purpose. No natural movement can be performed that does this. Quadriceps and hamstrings ALWAYS function together, at the same time, to balance the forces on either side of the knee. Since they ALWAYS work together, why should they be EXERCISED separately? Because somebody invented a machine that lets us?
"Even machines that allow multiple joints to be worked at the same time are less than optimal, since the pattern of the movement through space is determined by the machine, not the individual biomechanics of the human using it. Barbells permit the minute adjustments during the movement that allow individual anthropometry to be expressed.
"Furthermore, barbells REQUIRE the individual to make these adjustments, and any other ones that might be necessary to retain control over the movements of the weight. This aspect of exercise cannot be overstated - the control of the bar, and the balance and coordination demanded of the trainee, are unique to barbell exercise and completely absent in machine-based training. Since every aspect of the movement of the load is controlled by the trainee, every aspect of that movement is being trained."
- from Starting Strength, by Strength Coach Mark Rippetoe
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Pain is weakness blah blah blah...
Okay, so today I woke up a little later than usual to make up for staying up just a little too late last night. I woke up sore as hell from yesterday's session, but ready and rarin' to go today! I got my big cup o' coffee in, then went straight to work! Here's what I did:
Warm-up:
Grok Squat*
Grok Hang*
10xAir Squat
10xPush-up
10xKettlebell Swing
Samson Stretch, 10 breaths each side*
Workout, Part 1:
"1/4 Angie" For time:
25 Pull-ups
25 Push-ups
25 Sit-ups
25 Squats
Part 2:
Kettlebell Complex
3 Rounds (5 reps per arm), do not let go of the kettlebell except to switch hands
10xSwing
10xSnatch
10xClean & Press
Finisher:
Kettlebell Floor Press
Med Ball Floor Chest Pass
Turkish Get-up
*Grok Squat: Basically a squatting position with heels on the floor. It lightly stretches the muscles in the hips and legs.
*Grok Hang: Easier than it sounds. Grab a pull-up bar or tree branch or anything else and hang from it. It helps to loosen up the spine and stretches the muscles in the back and core.
*Samson Stretch: Exaggerated lunge with arms overhead and a slight backbend. Literally stretches everything!
Nutritional info soon to come! As many of you know, I follow a diet (read: lifestyle) called the Primal Blueprint. I hope to be able to reach out to more people about this semi-revolutionary idea because it really does work! I'm working on preparing a comprehensive introduction, then I will start writing articles focusing on specific topics and points of interest, along with copious amounts of research. Stay tuned!
Warm-up:
Grok Squat*
Grok Hang*
10xAir Squat
10xPush-up
10xKettlebell Swing
Samson Stretch, 10 breaths each side*
Workout, Part 1:
"1/4 Angie" For time:
25 Pull-ups
25 Push-ups
25 Sit-ups
25 Squats
Part 2:
Kettlebell Complex
3 Rounds (5 reps per arm), do not let go of the kettlebell except to switch hands
10xSwing
10xSnatch
10xClean & Press
Finisher:
Kettlebell Floor Press
Med Ball Floor Chest Pass
Turkish Get-up
*Grok Squat: Basically a squatting position with heels on the floor. It lightly stretches the muscles in the hips and legs.
*Grok Hang: Easier than it sounds. Grab a pull-up bar or tree branch or anything else and hang from it. It helps to loosen up the spine and stretches the muscles in the back and core.
*Samson Stretch: Exaggerated lunge with arms overhead and a slight backbend. Literally stretches everything!
Nutritional info soon to come! As many of you know, I follow a diet (read: lifestyle) called the Primal Blueprint. I hope to be able to reach out to more people about this semi-revolutionary idea because it really does work! I'm working on preparing a comprehensive introduction, then I will start writing articles focusing on specific topics and points of interest, along with copious amounts of research. Stay tuned!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Let's start this off right!
I'm going to jump right into this whole thing with today's workout.
Today was my first time touching a barbell in at least three months. Life and other things kept getting in the way. Other things, of course, being my own laziness. I did a pretty good job keeping a decent strength base up, but nothing beats the strength you get from proper use of the Iron.
Squat:
45#x5x3
65x5x2
95x5
115x5
135x5
140x5
145x5
Press:
45#x5x2
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x5
Deadlift:
135#x5x3
155x5
185x5
205x5
210x5
225x5
Pull-ups:
Bodyweightx10
10#x5x5
And that's it! Use as much weight as possible while still being able to complete the last of the 5 work sets. I went slightly too heavy on the deadlifts at the end. I could feel my form slipping and I wasn't staying tight enough. But that was the only problem I had.
Now, this type of training is quite important, but in my experiment I only have room for one weekly. I will have a more functional strongman-style workout later in the week though, so this isn't the only raw strength workout. We'll see if two strength workouts are sufficient for proper athletic fitness, especially as a fighter, but my hopes are that this modality will actually be applicable to people of all backgrounds and athletic/fitness goals.
Today was my first time touching a barbell in at least three months. Life and other things kept getting in the way. Other things, of course, being my own laziness. I did a pretty good job keeping a decent strength base up, but nothing beats the strength you get from proper use of the Iron.
Squat:
45#x5x3
65x5x2
95x5
115x5
135x5
140x5
145x5
Press:
45#x5x2
55x5
65x5
75x5
85x5
95x5
Deadlift:
135#x5x3
155x5
185x5
205x5
210x5
225x5
Pull-ups:
Bodyweightx10
10#x5x5
And that's it! Use as much weight as possible while still being able to complete the last of the 5 work sets. I went slightly too heavy on the deadlifts at the end. I could feel my form slipping and I wasn't staying tight enough. But that was the only problem I had.
Now, this type of training is quite important, but in my experiment I only have room for one weekly. I will have a more functional strongman-style workout later in the week though, so this isn't the only raw strength workout. We'll see if two strength workouts are sufficient for proper athletic fitness, especially as a fighter, but my hopes are that this modality will actually be applicable to people of all backgrounds and athletic/fitness goals.
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