Becoming an Athlete

I freaking love Density Training. Charles Staley was ahead of his time. I came across him and his writings in the late 90s. Much of what he wrote then has been gobbled up by CrossFit and Meatheads alike. Density Training is just one example. As he wrote, it's proper name is Escalating Density Training. Here is the basic premise: During a specific time period, you alternate two movements and count up the total reps at the end. The next time you perform the workout, you simply shoot to increase reps in that same timeframe. It doesn't matter how you break it up; just do more every time. Well, I got my numbers to beat, and it absolutely gassed me. It was an awesome experience to feel acute muscular fatigue and systemic fatigue at the same time. I was breathing hard, light headed, and building lactic acid in specific muscle groups all at the same time. I finished the workout with some rehab strength training. The weights were light, but it worked my lower back at just th...

Nothing big here. Just 45 minutes of walking / jogging. My back is still hurting, so I am just happy that I got out of bed early enough to do this.

Man, my back is improving fast, but I'm not going to chance it by lifting again before my 4week rehab phase is over. Today was a great Sunday workout at a local HOA park. 1. Warm-up: 1/2 mile 2. Dynamic stretching for about 10 minutes: emphasis on glute, hip, hams 3. Build-ups: (50 yard / 100 yard) high knee / sprint x 2 butt kicker / sprint x 2 plyo skip / print x 2 4. 100 yard sprints x ???? I guess I did about 6 or 8. I'm not really sure because my back started hurting, so I'd sit a couple out and watch my wife's form as my back recovered. 5. stretching x 10-15 minutes

Man, what a gorgeous weekend. It was so nice in fact, that I started tilling my garden using only a pitch fork. I got an area about 10' x 6' done, along with moving all the rocks and pulling all the sod. Myu back was tired but felt loosened by the effort.

I went for a walk at Lake Pflugerville. It's an exact 5K loop. About a mile in, my lower back started hurting, so I stopped to stretch. I had to stop twice more before finishing the loop. About 4-5 hours later, I went back out there wioth my wife and walked it again. It felt better than the first pass.

Well, I'm pissed at myself for letting my greed for iron get the best of me. I hurt my back before doing the same thing, and it took me 2 years to gain new ground. I got so pissed and depressed that I did nothing for weeks or months on end. I'm stronger than when I hurt myself last time, but I THOUGHT I was wiser as well. Truth be told, I am wiser, but I just got greedy. I saw the weights going up, and went beyond what I should have on one simple workout. So now I've taken 1 week off and I'm ready to chance my approach BACK to what I know is best. Stability Mobility Endurance Strength Strength is a siren's call for me. "Add another 10lbs. Another 20. You can lift it. You can recover in a couple extra days." Well, I'm going to focus on priorities 1, 2 and 3 for the next four weeks, and slowly integrate 4 back into the mix. My Hybrid Strength plan will still be the base for the weeks 5 though 16, but weeks 1-4 are very focused rehab. Stability, Mobility,...

I hurt my back on Friday, during my 5 x 5 on squats with 295. I finished up the workout, but I did a number on myself. I may have slipped a disc, but maybe just strained my lower back. Either way, its Monday and I have a hard time getting up from a seated position, and walking is difficult. I'll take 1 week off, and start up again with stability / mobility work before getting back to lifting. It's going to be a frustrating 2-3 weeks. :(

Holy crap! I am light headed and shaky. Since my back is still recovering from the deadlift 1RM attempt, I made an impromptu MetCon, and it is just what I needed. 100% running. 4 x 400 meters, rest period of 1min. It's more like 470 meters. I was running around my block. 5 x 40 meters uphill. I used a hill in my neighborhood that is only about a 7-10 degree incline. I only rested long enough to walk back to the starting mark. My feet didn't hurt nearly as bad as I anticipated, given that i was forefoot-running the whole time. As goofy as it may sound, I actually have "pump" in my calves right now. I should be good for MetCon1 as prescribed on Saturday. My back just couldn't have support 15 minutes of cleans today.

Today was the 1st day of my new plan, so I eased into it. Also, my lower back is still tight from the 1RM attempts on Saturday. Squat: 225 x 5, 5; 275 x 5, 5, 5 (going to start with 295 on Friday) Bench press: 205 x 5, 5, 5 Chin up: BW x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 Overhead press: 145 x 5, 3; 135 x 5 dumbbell shrug: 110s x 5, 5, 5, 3; 80s x 11 (grip gave out) deadlift: 0 x 0. (back still too sore)

Not too shabby! I have been training for size with no thought to strength, but I caved to positive peer pressure. My wife and I were running a table at the MetroFlex 911 Power Meet on Saturday 1/15. But the guys I train with (more accurately -guys who train when I train) talked me into entering. I didn't participate in the bench press; just the deadlift. I weighed in at 220 and deadlifted 395 then 415 EASY!!! For my 3rd attempt, I went for 450. I figured why not just go for it. Well, I COULD have done it but my for gave way just a bit too much. As I pulled up, I didn't put enough emphasison pulling back, so the bar drifted about 3-4 inches forward, and that was all she wrote. I didn't make it above my knees. I know I can pull 450 but just not that day. Starting a week early I have decided to start my Hybrid Strength Training a week early. The weather is gorgeous, so I am ready to get my stamina on! That, and the 450 miss has me chomping at the bit to start work...

Every Thursday is something different. Either work is busy, or the home is busy. Either way, the workout gets pushed to late at night when it's cold in the garage and the sofa seems so much more inviting. I lifted, but not as intensely as planned. Deadlift: 245 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5; 345 x 1, 1, 1, 1, 1; 395 x 1, 1, 1, 1, 1

As I mentioned in my post about my next 12 weeks of training, I will be scheduling in Metabolic Conditioning days as part of my plan. During Phase I, I'll do these twice a week. Because this type of training is so taxing to the various energy pathways, I prefer a lot of variety. That way I'm not dreading it in my head; "Not THIS again!!!" I've created 12 MetCon WODs for myself, and I'll work through them in sequence. I feel that movements with a large range of motion are best for a few reasons. One, it is the best way to ensure you develop or maintain Mobility. Two, it is more calorically expensive per 'rep'. Additionally, it is a nice counter balance to the joint stress that heavy weights place on a trainee. Another benefit it that these sorts of movements disrupt your breathing pattern, so you end up working harder. If you've ever competed in any form of fighting, you'll understand the benefit of being able to work when your breathing rh...

I really feel this one today (12 JAN). I'm becoming much more proficient with cleans, so I am now using loads that cause significant overload in my traps. Pulling complex: a. Snatch grip high pull: 115 x 6, 6, 6 b. Clean grip high pull: 115 x 6, 6, 6 c. Bent row with scap squeeze: 115 x 6, 6, 6 Power clean from pins: 155 x 5, 5; 165 x 5 Dumbbell shrug: 60s x 25; 70s x 17 Medium grip pulldown: 140 x 10, 10, 10, 10 Upper chest superset a. Incline bench press: 185 x 5, 5, 4, 3, 3 b. Incline dumbbell fly: 25s x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 I skipped the flat bench dumbbell press because I was just too spent.

The last 8 weeks have been great. I can tell that my legs are responding to the increase in volume, and my upper back is much more filled out and functional because of the cleans, snatches, and high pulls. All in all, I am right where I expected to be. But with race / competition season right around the corner, it's time to dust off the running shoes and round timers for some serious Stamina work. Here's a quick recap on the last few months of learning for me; maybe even years. In 2007-2008, I did a lot of fight training and my endurance was great, but I was very small/light for my height. Also, I wasn't as strong as I should have been 2009, I focused mostly on strength training with some small degree of running, and got stronger, but not much bigger Some where between late 2009 and mid 2010, I fell into the bodybuilding trap. It was great to see increases in body weight, training weights, 1RMs, but my conditioning / stamina reached a low I worked in some CrossFit style...

Thank God I only have one more week of this. 100 total reps really takes a toll, but it is also very rewarding. I love the total exhaustion after each training session. I love the acute soreness 2 and 3 days after. I love how quickly I'm gaining weight. Monday's training results: leg press calves: 410 x 15; 430 x 15, 15 standing calves: 135 x 20, 20 Squat: 215 x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 That's a total tonnage of 21,500 pounds in about 20-25 minutes. Next Monday is 225 x 10 x 10. And then I'm DONE with this 10-sets method for a long time. :) :) :)

I forgot what I did. It was late, but I made it to MetroFlex about 45 minutes before they closed. I did gobs and gobs of unilateral and bilateral stuff for biceps and triceps.

Man. I hate when it gets busy and then I try working out in the evening. Invariably, something comes up and I can't even get to the garage till just befor 10:00PM. And by that time, I'm just hoping I can muster up the determination to go through the motions. Thursday was supposed to be 10 x 10 on deadlifts. Here is all I could convince myself to do. 245 x 10, 10, 10, 10, 4

The pulling complex is suprisingly fatiguing! I LOVE it! Pulling complex (trap tri -set) a. snatch grip high pull: 95 x 6; 105 x 6, 6 b. clean grip high pull: 95 x 6; 105 x 6, 6 c. bent row w/ scap contract: 95 x 6; 105 x 6, 6 Power clean from blocks: 135 x 5, 5; 145 x 5, 5 dumbbell shrug: 50s x 25 medium grip pulldown (to sternum): 140 x 10, 10, 10, 10 Upper chest super-set a. Incline bench press: 185 x 5, 5, 3; 135 x 7, 4 b. Incline dumbbell fly: 25s x 5, 5, 5, 5, 4 Dumbbell bench press: 45s x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 Dragon fly: 5, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1

100 reps just doesn't get any easier! I was breathing like a steam engine by set seven. When I got home, I had to just sit and relax for 20 minutes before I could think straight. Here's the workout: leg press calves raise: 360 x 15; 410 x 15, 15 standing calves raise: 175 x 16; 155 x 16 Squat: 205 x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 100 reps at 205 = 20,500 total pounds squatted in about 18 minutes.

The plan was to ride the 10 mile loop around Town Lake, then run the Barton Creek Greenbelt trail as far as we could, but a flat at mile 4.5 short changed us. I had to walk my bike back, but we still managed to put on about 6-7 miles on Town Lake. After that we ran and walked 4 miles through the Barton Creek Greenbelt.

We did the 2.7 mile trail at Turkey Creek near Emma Long Park in Austin. This was REALLY small.