Commanding My Body

[superbilt]

The almighty foam roller. I use it after every workout on my quads, hamstrings, hips, and back. It helps break up all the garbage and reduces soreness. It also loosened up my hips a bit when combing it with all the dynamic warmup I do so they are not very tight anymore.

[Commander]

Originally Posted by superbilt

The almighty foam roller. I use it after every workout on my quads, hamstrings, hips, and back. It helps break up all the garbage and reduces soreness. It also loosened up my hips a bit when combing it with all the dynamic warmup I do so they are not very tight anymore.

I am a believer now! Recently converted with my 4 inch PVC pipe.

In case anyone is interested, here is what I currently do to ward away pain/tightness and honestly, my legs have NEVER felt younger. When I am done with a workout, my legs feel like they did when I was a teenager, no kidding:

WARM-UP:

30+ reps Leg Extension 35lbs

10 leg curls

15 bridges with legs on bench

15 reverse hypers BW

20 front to back leg swings

20 side to side leg swings

Roll IT Band, Vastus Lateralis

1 minute jump rope on mats

5 shoulder dislocations, 5 military press to 5 regular squats with just a light bar

5 shoulder dislocations, 5 military press to 5 split squats each leg with just a light bar

5 BW lateral squats each leg

5 BW reverse crossover lunges each leg

1 minute jump rope on mats

WORKOUT

COOL DOWN:
20-30 reps light DB Swings

Roll IT Band and other muscles if I have the time

Stretches: (mixing in 1 minute ab planks for 2-4 reps)
Quad stretch with knee on pad and foot on bench

Standing quad

Kneeling Groin (or seated if done without knee pain)

Calf/Hamstring/Lower back runners stretch

Floor Hamstring

Lying Glute

Lying IT Stretching

Standing IT Streching (touch toes with legs crossed)

Lower Back (pulling on doorknob)

Good Morning Hamstring stretch

Hip Flexor

[Commander]

Bodyweight: 197

March 6, 2009

Russian Volume (for Flat Bench and Pull-ups)
warm-up
Flat Bench 255x4 PR for 4 reps
Pull-up BW +15 x2
Flat Bench 255x4
Pull-up BW +15 x2
Pull-up BW +15 x2
Flat Bench 255x4
Pull-up BW +15 x2
Pull-up BW +15 x2
Pull-up BW +15 x2
Flat Bench 255x4

Rested 1 minute between all sets. The last bench set was a grinder, but I managed a slight pause on the last rep. Probably not good enough for competition, but considering this was my 4th set of a personal record...I'll take what I can get.

Smolov Switching Mesocycle

Powercleans
120x3
145x3
155x3
160x3
165x3
165x3
165x3
165x3

The last few sets were challenging not to the point of being exhausting, just to the point of feeling really good.

plyometrics, ab planks, stretching

Switching cycle is done, next up....Intense Mesocycle. Here is a glimpse at the pain to come;

As if some of the rep work with 90-95% isn't tough enough, this is all with my new max!

Week # 1

Monday 65%x3 75%x4 85%x4x3 85%x5
Wednesday 60%x3 70%x3 80%x4 90%x3, 85%x5x2
Saturday 65%x4 70%x4 80%x4x5

Week # 2


Monday 60%x4 70%x4 80%x4 90%x3, 90%x4x2
Wednesday 65%x3 75%x3 85%x3 90%x3x3, 95%x3
Saturday 65%x3 75%x3 85%x4 90%x5x4

Week # 3

Monday 60%x3 70%x3 80%x3 90%x5x5
Wednesday 60%x3 70%x3 80%x3 95%x3x2
Saturday 65%x3 75%x3 85%x3 95%x3x4

Week # 4

Monday 70%x3 80%x4 90%x5x5
Wednesday 70%x3 80%x3 95%x3x4
Saturday 75%x3 90%x4 80%x4x3

Taken from:
http://www.ontariostrongman.ca/Resou...squatcycle.htm

Musical Motivation, Fear Factory;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m38Ga...eature=related

[Ben2285]

NICE man!!! Volume FTW!!! hah

[Commander]

Originally Posted by Ben2285

NICE man!!! Volume FTW!!! hah

Thanks for checking in Ben.....believe it or not, I am so new to this, I had to look up FTW, go head and laugh, lol!

This is what I got:

In 2008, the most common meaning of "FTW" is "for the win", an Internet expression of enthusiasiam.
Taken from: http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/.../whatisFTW.htm

So I am guessing you like the Russian Volume I am doing for bench/pull-ups (as you are doing the same) or/and you like the amount of squat volume that Smolov calls for? Is that right....gosh, I am a dork.

For those of you who don't visit the picture forum, here is my new toy;



In western PA, we had a 70 degree weekend, so I was motivated to get this sled built, I didn't use it yet (not sure if I will during Smolov), but I have it ready now for when the nice weather is here to stay.

Speaking of nice weather, I had planned to watch Pitt crush UConn, but it was just TOO nice, I played outside with my kids instead and went bike riding. It was definitely worth it.

Go Pitt!

[Commander]

Bodyweight today: 196

Average last week: 193.8
Average this week: 195.7

Calories changed February 25th:
Calories - 3914, fat - 121, carb - 477, protein - 238 = Nonworkout day.

1.9 lb gain too much for me in 1 week. If it happens again, I will cut back calories slightly.

March 8, 2009
Smolov Intense Mesocyle

120x4
170x3
220x3 (resting 3-4 minutes between sets)
250x4
285x4 PR for 4 reps
285x4
285x4
285x5 PR for 5 reps

ab planks, stretching

musical motivation...fear factory (again!);
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH7JX...eature=related

[Commander]

Bodyweight: 196

Russian Volume

Flat Bench 225x2
Pull-ups BW+41 x4
Flat Bench 225x2
Pull-ups BW+41 x4
Flat Bench 225x2
Flat Bench 225x2
Pull-ups BW+41 x4
Flat Bench 225x2
Flat Bench 225x2
Pull-ups BW+41 x4 PR for 4 reps

Pull-ups felt great, I am loving the Russian Volume program.

March 9, 2009
Smolov Intense Mesocyle

120x4
170x3
200x3
235x3
270x4
300x3 PR for 3 reps
285x5 PR tie for 5 reps
285x5

OK, I made a big mistake today. Smolov calls for a day off between workouts. I was an idiot and when I had some unexpected free time I decided to do Smolov last night instead of doing a conditioning workout or just taking the day off as I has originally planned. As a result, this was the first time I had trouble hitting my reps. A couple were not to depth and a couple more I leaned foward as my back lost tightness.

I will not let this happen again. I will take a least a day off between heavy leg workouts.

After Smolov, I took my sled out for a test run. I have an alley by my house which is 200ft long and slightly gravelling thus creating more friction. I don't know how much the tire weighs, but I put a 25lb plate in with my 14 lb medicine ball and plywood which is probably 1 lb, thus 40 lbs for the test. It was a good weight for light conditioning work.

Quick walk
200ft up - forward (hams)
200ft back - forward
Medicine Ball throws
200ft up - backward (quads)
200ft back - backward
Medicine Ball throws
200ft up - forward
200ft back - forward

Nice, I am going to enjoy the sled!

Musical motivation: GBH (old British Punk)

[Commander]

Bodyweight: 196

Last night's workout

Light squats focusing on form
mixed in with push-ups and pull-ups

Sled Dragging: (each trip is 200ft)
foward 65 lb
foward 65 lb
medicine ball throws
backward 65 lb
foward 65 lb
medicine ball throws
backward 50 lb
foward 50 lb
medicine ball throws
foward 65 lb
backward 65 lb
medicine ball throws
foward 40 lb
backward 40 lb

stretches

[Commander]

Day off last night. Watched my 8 year old whittle soap at Boy Scouts.

After having trouble with some reps last Smolov workout, I am looking foward to squatting tonight to build up my confidence.

Here is an article that really influenced my lifting speeds:
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...recruitment&cr=

I have progressed a lot since applying it.

[Ben2285]

Originally Posted by Commander

Thanks for checking in Ben.....believe it or not, I am so new to this, I had to look up FTW, go head and laugh, lol!

This is what I got:

In 2008, the most common meaning of "FTW" is "for the win", an Internet expression of enthusiasiam.
Taken from: http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/.../whatisFTW.htm

So I am guessing you like the Russian Volume I am doing for bench/pull-ups (as you are doing the same) or/and you like the amount of squat volume that Smolov calls for? Is that right....gosh, I am a dork.

For those of you who don't visit the picture forum, here is my new toy;



In western PA, we had a 70 degree weekend, so I was motivated to get this sled built, I didn't use it yet (not sure if I will during Smolov), but I have it ready now for when the nice weather is here to stay.

Speaking of nice weather, I had planned to watch Pitt crush UConn, but it was just TOO nice, I played outside with my kids instead and went bike riding. It was definitely worth it.

Go Pitt!

Hhah that's funny stuff! It actually took me a while to catch on to that too.. when people would write it I was like WHAT!? hah