Becoming an Athlete

I am a tinkerer by nature.  I've built a career of consistently improving things, optimizing results for minimal effort. I have many shortcomings and weaknesses, but one of my strengths is to filter out all the distractions from a situation and zero in on the critical few that matter. I've realized the following limitations in myself: I'm too old to keep chasing weekly increases in poundages, so 5-3-1 isn't optimal for me I need LOTS of volume to elicit the metabolic stress necessary for my goals, so 5-3-1 isn't optimal for me When I follow typical periodization blocks, I lose the other qualities far too fast I've solved this by: Following a Push / Pull split that ensure I'm hitting everything twice a week. Always starting with a variety of barbell complexes, focused on Snatch or Clean.  The variety means I have to master movement before I can increase load. The nature of complexes adds significant metabolic stress with minimal time, and leav...

I've been using barbell complexes regularly and systematically for the last month to make steady and consistent progress in my performance with Clean & Jerk, and Snatch. I've read a lot of articles that simply give you a menu of complexes and combos to choose from to make a killer finisher. It doesn't take a genius to figure string together random combinations of barbell movements performed for 5-8 reps each.  Any combination will leave you sucking wind and sweating buckets.  This random approach to exercise selection, rep ranges, and load progression won't make you any better and will likely lead to plateaus or possibly injury. So what's the difference between a combo and a complex? Coach Dan John summarizes a Complex best: A complex is a series of lifts back to back where you finish the reps of one lift before moving on to the next lift. The barbell only leaves your hand or touches the floor after all of the lifts are completed. Although you can do them...

Man, this current phase is just incredible.  We had to build up our work capacity to reach this level, but is yielding fantastic and balanced results.  Functional mass, increases in strength, work capacity, and endurance across several energy systems. The basic framework is: Train Mon, Wed, Fri Whole Body Circuit: Same circuit every session - legs, upper push, upper pull Power Development: using a variety of combination lifts and complexes build on Clean variants or Snatch variants. Alternate every session between Snatch-focus and Clean-focus Hypertrophy: Focus on one or two body parts and smash with volume and high time under tension Whole Body Circuit: weeks 1 - 4 Mon, Wed, Fri: 3 circuits of a. Squat: wk1,2 - 20 reps; wk3,4 - 15 reps b. T-bar row: wk1,2 - 15 reps; wk3,4 - 12 reps c. Pushup:  wk1,2 - 15 reps; wk3,4 - 20 reps Power Development: weeks 1 - 4 Monday: medium load complexes; e.g. 3 x 3-3-3-3 (4-movement complex) Wednesday: light l...

Crossfit is an amazing marketing engine. I love and hate it.  When I saw a barbell advertised as a "WOD bar", I had enough.  I can't justify spending $175 per month to work hard when most gyms either: have poor programming that won't lead to consistent improvement outsource their programming to places you could go directly (Invictus, MisFit, Mayhem, etc.) Have highly enthusiastic coaches with no understanding of long-term planning at all. So here I am training with my buddy making consistent, injury free progress, looking better at 41 than I did at 31. What we're doing now could arguably called CrossBuilding.  Like that?  Yet another CrossFit mashup to differentiate for no real reason. I REALLY like the Cross Lifting stuff coming out of Russia. Dimitri Klokov and Mikhail Koklyaev are just mind boggling.  They know more than I'll ever know about strength training, programming, and fitness.  Its astounding. So what I'm doing is nothing as sop...

I'm as lean as I've ever been, and on track to get to a new peak leanness.  I'm running so freaking much, and my calves and shins are responding wonderfully.  Normally I get shin splints and knee pains, but my gradual mileage buildup has paid off. I'm 204lbs and at a lean 32" waist.  My abs are awesome, by my mediocre standards.  The only problem is I've had to cut back the lifting volume and my shoulders are looking a little small. Here's what is working: Monday AM: Chest & Back Monday PM: Distance run Tuesday AM: High Intensity Intervals Tuesday PM: Speed work (AKA Sprint buildups) Wednesday AM: Legs Wednesday PM: Recovery run Thursday AM: High Intensity Intervals Thursday PM: Speed work Friday AM: Shoulders & Arms Friday PM: Recovery run Saturday: Challenge day Sunday: Off

Now that I'm ramping up my run mileage for race season, I have to lift about half as often as I was lifting in previous blocks. All previous training blocks have been: Mon: Chest & Back (power/strength) Tues: Shoulders & Arms (strength) Wed: Legs: (power/strength) Thu: Chest & back (hypertrophy) Fri: Shoulders & Arms For Phase 2, which is Race prep, I've moved to a lower frequency lifting schedule so I can keep up the increased running / conditioning in the evenings. Phase 2 Morning Lifting Schedule: Monday: Chest & Back (strength/hypertrophy) Tuesday: Cardio Wednesday: Legs (strength/hypertrophy) Thursday: Cardio Friday: Arms (strength/hypertrophy) Saturday: Race Day or Challenge Day Phase 2 Evening Conditioning Schedule: Monday: Speed warmup, distance running Tuesday: Speed warmup, sprints, boxing Wednesday: Speed warmup, sprints, boxing Thursday: Speed warmup, distance running Friday: Speed warmup, recovery run Challeng...

I've hit a plateau in my cleans.  Stuck at 205.  Switching to snatch grip high pull for this 3 week block.  All other lifts are making steady progress according to plan.  I'm turning up the intensity and ratcheting down the volume just a bit as I ramp up my running to prepare for a pretty aggressive race schedule: Warrior Dash: 3miler on 3/4/17 Bone Frog: 8miler on 4/29/17 Tough Mudder half: 5 miler 5/6/17 Spartan Super: 10-12 miler on 5/20/17