Training Week - 7/1 - 7/7

Going with no belt on the squats for the next couple weeks to change stimulus up a bit. This will also take down the weights on my squats so this should leave a little more juice in the legs for the main lifts.

7/1 - Happy 33rd birthday to me!
Hanging Leg Raise/OH Squat/YWLT - three sets each
Front Squat - 60-90-110-130-140-150
Supposed to Snatch to a heavy single then 3x2, but my right shoulder is a little banged up so I stuck to Muscle Snatches and then Snatch Balances. On the balances I've always had a problem pressing myself down; I always end up popping the bar up in the air rather than driving myself down.
Pulls - Floor to Knee x2/Knee to Hip x2/Full Pull x1: 110x2 120x3
B Sqt to 150x1 then 140x2x3
GM - 90x5 100x5 100x5

7/2
Cal Back Ext/YWLT - three sets each
B Sqt - 70-100-120-140-150
Sn Pull + Hang Pwr Snatch + OH Sqt - 70x1 70x1 75x1 80x1 85x1 (good for more here)
Pwr Cl + Front Squat + Jerk - 80x1 90x1 100x1x5
Snatch Push Press - 80x5 85x5x3
Front Squat - up to 120x1 then 3x3 @ 100 (back a little rough with no belt)
15 Chins + 15 JM Press - three sets

7/3 @ Centennial
Front Squat - 65-85-105-115-125-135
CJ - 65 - 85 - 105x1x3 - 115x1x2 - 125xFJx2 125x1 - 135x0 (close miss clean, wiped me out)
-(2+1) - 90-90-90 (the try at 135 pretty much wiped me out)
Clean Pull to Knee x2/Knee to Hip x2/Full Pull x1 - 130x1 140x2 150x1 140x2
B Sqt - up to 145x1
Three Count Pause Squat - 100x3x4
GM - 60x5 80x5x3

7/4 - Happy Birthday America
Back Squat - 60-80-100-120-140-150-160
Jerk Series - 100x3 110x2 120x1/105x3 115x2 125x1/110x3 120x2 130x1
Pwr Clean - 80x2 90x2 100x2x3
Push Press - 75x5 80x5 85x5x2
F Squat up to 110x1
-90x3x3
(20KB swings + 15 DB Press) x3

7/5 - First floating experience at Cloud Nine Float Center, which I'll write about later. IT WAS AWESOME.

7/6 @ Centennial Weightlifting
F Sqt to 130x1
Snatch to 85x2 85x1 95x1 105x0x2 95x1 102x1 107x0 (shoulder is OK, not great. But didn't bother me after I popped something on one of my 85s.)
CJ - 60-80-100x1x2 115x1x2 125x1 135xClean only (PR; same weight I missed on Wednesday)
B Sqt - up to 145x1 (CNS smoked)
Pause Squat - 110x3x4
GM - 75x5 95x5x2 105x3 95x3

Training Week - 6/24-6/30

This is a semi-deload kind of week and I am horrible at deloading. I have no burning desire to focus and dial in to do lightened lifts and lower percentages. That's really the whole point of a deload anyways, so I'm not terribly concerned about the weights I hit or how they feel. If you're overly stressed about your deloads, you might need to reassess your training life in general. Much bigger fish to fry. Do less than usual, don't lose sleep over it.

6/24
GH Raise/Pulldown Abs -three sets each
Pendlay Sn Complex x 2 (Snatch + Mid Hang Snatch + OH Squatx2 + Balance)
Snatch to 90x1 100x1 105x1 110x0 107x0x2
Sn Pull - 100x3 110x3 120x3x4
B Sqt - to 170x1 then 140x2 150x2x2
Good Morning - 90x5 100x5x2

6/25
Sots Press 3x10
Pwr Sn + Push Press (1+3): 70x1 80x1x2 75x1x3
Pwr Cl + Push Jerk - 100x1x3 90x1x5
F Sqt to 120x1

6/26
Jerk Complex (Pwr Cl + Press + Press to Splitx2 + Push Press) x3
CJ to 110x1
C Pull - 130x3 150x3x2 160x3x2
B Sqt to 140x1
GM 70x5 90x5x2

6/27
Hang Leg Raise/Rev Hyper/Lateral Raises
Pwr Snatch - 70x2x3 75x2x3
Pwr Cl + Push Press (1+3) - 80x1x2 90x1
12 Chins + 200m row x three sets

6/29
Snatch to 90x2 90x1 100x1 90x1 (r shoulder hurting. Managed to stretch a nerve a bit doing some ab wheels on 6/27. Really cranky)
Clean up to 100x2 110x1, then Pwr Cln 100x1x3
C Pull - 130x3x5 140x3x2

6/30
Climbed the Incline in Colorado Springs. Yes, weightlifters climb too.

Totally thrilling deload week, no?

Training Week - 6/10-6/22 (s)

Two weeks to write up here since I've been swamped with work and the gym while also slacking on updates.

6/10
Cal Back Extensions + Hanging Leg Raises three sets each
Front Squat - 70x3x2 100x2x2 120x2 120x1 135x1 145x1 152x1
Snatch - 50-70-80x2x2 90x1x2 100x1 105x0x3 110x0/ 80x2 90x2 95x2 100x2
Sn Pull - Knee + Full (2+1) - 110x1x7
B Squat to 150x1/ 120x3x4
Good Morning - 70x5 75x5 80x5

6/11
GH Raise + Hanging Leg Raise - Three sets each
Back Squat - 70x3x2 100x2x2 120x2 140x2 155x1
High Hang Snatch - 60-70-80 90x2x5
Pwr Clean + Pwr Jerk - 100x1x4 105x1
F Sqt - 60-80-100-120-130-140-145/ 110x2 120x2 125x2 130x2
(250m row + 12 DB presses) x3  with some side bends

6/12
Pulldown Abs + GH Raise - three sets
F Sqt - 60-80-100-120-140-150-160x
CJ - 70-90-100-110-120xFJx3
Cl Pull - knee + Cl Pull (1+2) - 130x2x1 140x1x3
B Sqt - to 140x1x2
Pause B Sqt - 120x3x4
GM - 80x5x3

6/13
B Sqt to 160x1
Jerk Behind Neck - 100x2x5 (haven't done these FOREVER)
High Hang Clean - 100x2 100x2 105x2 110x2 110x2
Push Press - 75x5x4
Front Sqt to 130x1
(12 KB Swings + 12 Chins) x three sets

Missed training on 6/15 due to having to be out of town for a funeral. Got back Sunday night feeling a little rough.

6/17
F Sqt to 135x1 145x1
Snatch (All of these lifts are done on the minute)
65x1x5
77x1x5
82x1x5
Supposed to go to a heavy single, but didn't have any more gas.
Sn Pull - 110x3x2 120x1x3
B Sqt to 140x1
-110x3x4
GM - 70x5 80x5 90x5 90x5 90x5 100x5

6/18
B Sqt - 70-100-130x2 150x1 160x1 170x1 180x1 (narrowed up my squat stance)
Hang Snatch to Knee - 85x2 90x2 92x2x3
Pwr Cl + Pwr Jerk - 100x1 105x1x4
F Sqt to 130x1/ 100x3x3
(12 DB Row + 12 DB Press) - three sets

6/19
Toes to Bar/GH Raise - three sets of each
Front Squat to 150x1 160x0
CJ (lifts on the minute) - 80x1x5 90x1x5 100x1x5
-110x1 120x1 127x0 130x0
CL Pull - 120x3x2 140x3x3
B Sqt to 150x1
Pause Sqt - 120x3x4
GM 90x5x3

6/20
B Sqt - 60x3x2 90x2 115x2 130x2 145x1 155x1 165x1 175x1
Behind Neck Jerk - 112x2x5 (better)
Hang Clean to Knee - 100x2x5
Push Press - 60x5x2 70x5 80x5 85x5x2
F Sqt to 125x1
(12 chins + 12 ring pushups) x2

6x22
Front Squat up to 135x1 150x0
Snatch to 90x1 100x1 110x0x3 100x1
CJ to 100x2 110x1 120x1 130xFJ 135x0
B Sqt to 135x1 150x1 160x1
Pause Squat 120x3x4
GM 70x5 90x5 100x5x2

I promise I'll be more interesting in the future. Been slammed lately with work and living the good life.

Training Week - 6/3-6/9

                                                            WORST 400m run ever

First "real" week of Catalyst Athletics Double Day Squats cycle (first week is a prep week)
(Just for shits and giggles, and since I'm front and back squatting daily, I'm going to track my daily squat total.)

6/3 (Total 302kg)
GH Raise+Pulldown Abs - three sets of each for warmup
Front Squat - 60x3x2 90x2x2 110x2 130x1 145x1
Snatch - 50xsome 70x2 70x1 80x1 90x1 95x1 100x1 105x0x3
Sn Pull to Knee + Sn Pull (1+2) - 110x1 120x1x4
B Squat (lbs) - 185x3 225x2 275x2 315x1 345x1/ 275x3 295x3x3
GM - 185x5x3

6/4 (Total 230 on account of borked groin from technique change)
GH Raise + Pulldown Abs - three sets of each
B Sqt - to 100x2x2 (groin is all sorts of locked up)
High Hang Snatch - 80x2x6
Pwr CL + Pwr Jerk (2+1) - 90x1 100x1x5
F Sqt - to 130x1/ 100x3x3
10 KB Snatches + 10 KB presses - three sets, no rest with 24kg KB
DB Side Bend + Pulldown Abs - three sets of each

6/5 (Total 288; little different since I used the Safety Squat Bar)
Front Squat - 70x3x2 100x2 100x1 120x1 135x1 145x1 150x1
CJ - 80-90-100x1x2 110x1 120x1 127xFJ
-2+1: 105x1 110x1 115x1
Cl Pull to Knee + Cl Pull (1+2) - 130x3 120x3
SSB Sqt - up to 305x1
Paused SSB Sqt - 255x3x4
GM - 165lbsx5x3

6/6 (Total 300)
Back Squat - to 170x1
Front Jerk - 100x2x6
High Hang Clean - 100x2x5
Back Push Press - 70x5x4
Front Squat to 130x1/ 110x3x3
15 Chins + 12 DB presses - two sets

6/8 (AM) (Total 300)
Front Squat - 70x3x2 100x2x2 120x1 130x1 140x1
Snatch - 70-80x2 90x2 97x1 100x0 100x1 107x0x3 (REAL CLOSE on these)
CJ - 70-90-100-110x1x2-120x1 (clean only)-125x1 (clean only)

6/8 (PM)
B Sqt - 70-110-130x2 150x1 160x1
Paused B Sqt (five count) - 110x3 120x3 125x3x3
GM - 70x5 80x5x3
15 Chins + 12 DB Presses - two sets


Knee Soreness Level: 50 year old man. My back is also giving me some fits right now, but it's only when I'm driving in my truck. It's something about the angle of my seat but it lights my back up like nobody's business.

Regarding nutrition: I'm not doing anything special right now, just typical Carb-Backloading. I'm eating breakfast (three eggs scrambled in coconut oil with some veggies and a couple strips of bacon) every day just to get some extra calories. My legs are really having a tough time with this so really trying to push the calories and not lose too much sleep about things.

Typical training weekday looks like this:
530am - Wakeup, drink some water and a coffee
630am - Finish coffee with MCT oil and a little whey
8am - Aforementioned breakfast
11-12 - Lunch (usually a salad with some fish oil and a bit of meat)
330-6pm - Train: I usually drink a Monster or a coffee at the beginning of training, then switch over to two scoops of Muscle Feast Anabolic Recovery with creatine and leucine. Two more scoops of Anabolic Recovery plus leucine and creatine are my PWO shake.
7-9:30 or so - Backload.

I train M-Th and Saturday, so Friday and Sunday I go ultra low carb. Lots of calories from protein and fat plus a ton of veggies.

Training Week - 5/27-6/2

Tweet of the week:
"I hate it when you sit down and your legs flatten out to approximately the size of Australia"
-Aimee Everett (@Aimees2cents)



I'm playing with my general warm-ups a little bit. Here's the basic outline:
One or two trips of sled dragging or Prowler push or 500m on the rower
Foam Roll/Agile 8/Lax Ball/Fire Hydrant Circuit (includes front and back hip circles)
One set of reverse hypers to open up back
Band Pull Apart Super Series with monster mini band (I usually do one set as a warm-up and sneak another one at the end of training)
An upper body/lower body/abs circuit for 2-4 sets (ie Pulldown Abs/GH Raises/Chins) or some overhead squats or something along those lines.

5/27
GH Raise/Pulldown Abs - three sets of each
Front Squat - worked up to 125x1
Snatch - 60x3 70x2 80x2 87x1 92x1/ 75x1 80x1 85x1
Sn Pull to Knee + Sn Pull (1+2) 90x1x4
B Squat - to 155x1/ 120x3 130x3 130x3
GM 3x5 @ 60
Hypers/Traction

5/28
GH Raise/Pulldown Abs - three sets
Muscle Snatch - 50x3 50x3 60x3 50x3
High Hang Snatch - 75x2x6
Pwr Clean + Pwr Jerk - to 100x1x5
Front Squat - to 140x1/ 120x2x3
DB Press + DB Bent Row (10+10) - 50s for three sets

5/29
GH Raise/Pulldown Abs - three sets
Front Squat - to 130x1
CJ - 60xsome 80x1x3 100x1x2 110x1 120xFJ 120x0 120x1/(Two Clean + One Jerk) 100-100-105
Cl Pull to Knee + Cl Pull (1+2) - 130x1x4
Back Squat - to 160x1
Pause Back Squat (three count) - 120x3 125x3 125x3
GM - 70x5 80x5 80x5

5/30
Back Squat up to 150x1 (getting much better at making bigger jumps fast)
High Hang Clean - up to 90x2x2 100x2x2 110x2x1
Pwr Snatch up to 70x2x4 80x2x1 (awful)
Front Push Press - 3x5 @ 80
Front Squat - up to 142x1 then 110x3x3
Three sets: 300m row + 12 chins
Neck + Pulldown abs - three sets each
No traction, back feels good. Knees are a bit disappointed with the path I've chosen in life.

5/31 - Off, lots of stretch and foam roll

6/1 (Did this as one long session, but in the future it's going to be an AM/PM split
Front Squat up to 125x1 135x1 140x1
Snatch up to 95x1 102x1 105x1 (post-broken hand PR)
CJ up to 125x1 135x0x2 (MUST STOP RELEASING THE BAR WHEN I GO UNDER)
Back Squat up to 145x1x2 150x1x2 (playing with technique, didn't go super heavy here)
Five Count Paused Back Squat - 3x3 @ 110kg
GM 85x5x3

Something I'm totally shocked by is how much time I was wasting sitting. These workouts have been clocking in right around 2-2.5 hrs from the time I open the gym door to the time I walk out (6/1 was around three hours) with substantially more volume than I had been doing previously. In the same time it was taking me to snatch, clean and squat I've been squatting twice, snatching and cleaning while also getting in assistance work and conditioning. Great idea by Greg Everett at Catalyst Athletics for including that stipulation in this program.

Post-meet training week, a new training block and the Eternal Now

Two videos this week everyone, in honor of me not writing last week and eating with great vengeance and furious anger. This first one is an awesome compilation of power/squat jerks in international competition. The Chinese in particular are insanely good at squat and power jerking.

The second video is the 85kg champion from 2013 European championships, Apti Aukhadov. Staying with the theme of the day (and unbeknownst to everyone watching), Apti switched from split jerks to power/squat jerks. High fives for the awesome multi-directional views here as well. Epic consistency and technique; notice the final jerk is faster and caught higher than the first two.

The week right after a meet is such an individual thing. Some people are so banged up physically that they can't do much of anything besides go for some walks. For some people the body feels good but the nervous system is bashed up and a 50% lift feels like a max lift. You just have to see what you're feeling and react accordingly. I did three workouts this week, all of which consisted of sled work, Prowler work and high rep dumbbell circuits for the upper body. I didn't spend more than 45 minutes in the gym at any one time. The first time I picked up a barbell was one week after the meet and I did some power clean/power jerk and power clean/push press singles at 90kg. Nothing special, just moving a bit.

As far as the week post-meet, there are a couple general guidelines that I can suggest. In A System of Multi-Year Training in Weightlifting, Medvedyev stated that recovery methods involved approx 60-85 mins PER DAY. This is difficult to do for those that work full time jobs or don't train full-time, but it's something to keep in mind the week after a meet, when your training is throttled back. This is an ideal time to dial up the accumulation of recovery time.

-Get outside. Go for walks. Get in the sun.
-Nap and foam roll. A LOT.
-Keep the time in the gym to a minimum and emphasize prehab/rehab movements and things you haven't done for awhile. I did some DB bench for the first time in probably a year.
-Get outside. Get in the sun.
-Nap A LOT.

Here's an example of what my Tuesday/Thursday workouts looked like:

Foam Roll/Reverse Hypers/Fire Hydrant Series/Agile 8
Abs x100/TKEs 2x20
Band Shoulder Circuit
25 minute circuit - DB Single Arm Press 15+15/Chins x10/Parking Lot Sled Drag
Abs x100
Reverse Hypers and Traction

I also ate like a total fat ass basically this entire week. I stayed carb-free during the days all week, but Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun nights were carb explosions. Really just let the diet chill out a bit and didn't stress. No idea where my weight is at and I don't care. No meet for the foreseeable future so no worries. If anything this past meet solidified my thoughts that it's better for me to stay in the 94s rather than try and move up to the 105s. Mostly I need to think about getting my body composition squared away a little bit and get a little more Jacked, Tan and Vascular. To that end I'm gonna make a couple changes for this upcoming block:

-I'm going to actually start counting my carbs on my backloads; 200g seems like a nice round number to start and can tweak it up or down.
-I'm also going to start eating breakfast every morning and try to dial the calories up a little bit in the morning.
-Trying two PWO shakes instead of just one. I got the chance to have a chat with Kiefer and he discouraged the idea of just carbs intra-workout and encouraged me to just have an additional PWO shake. My preferred PWO is Muscle Feast's Anabolic Recovery, so I'll probably dial up two scoops of that during my workout and another two scoops for the drive home. This also decreases the amount of food for my backloads, which is probably a good thing.
-Same recovery methods as always: not pushing the recovery means on training days so as to not interfere with adaptation. I would like to push the contrast showers a bit more in the mornings.

I will do a better job of writing out training, recovery means, etc with this block than I did on the previous one. Better to do it here than try and read the chicken scratch from my training book.

With this upcoming block (courtesy of Greg Everett at Catalyst Athletics), a lot of this is going to be going by feel. Last training block I didn't squat more than three days a week; this block I'll be squatting twice a day and around ten times a week. When I hit my all-time back squat PR of 190 I did it when I was experimenting with Bulgarian training, squatting daily and doing all singles. I have a better base to build off  now with my best back squat set of five increasing from 140-170kg and my SSB squat pushing up to 400lbs. I'm excited to get back to singles now and see what happens.

I'm operating with the below max lifts in mind as far as making percentage calculations for this block:

Front Squat - 160
Back Squat - 190
CJ - 130
Snatch - 105

One of Greg's guidelines for this block stood out to me: no sitting down. Isn't this weightlifting? Hell, the Iranians and the French basically take smoke breaks in between reps. I tested it out a bit as I was getting ready for my last meet and I actually really enjoyed it. It's really easy to sit and relax a bit and let five minutes go by without knowing it. Plus pacing around the platform makes me less of a target for people who want to just sit and chat.

Don't get me wrong: I love talking to people. I love talking lifting, teaching lifting and it still makes me giggle and beam with pride whenever someone asks me for suggestions or training ideas. BUT one of the few places that I've found peace and quiet is on the weightlifting platform, both in competition and in training. For my money it is the epitome of being in the present moment, or the Eternal Now, as it is often referenced in Zen. I very much like that feeling. I'm not worried about a trade, my bank account, if a girl likes me, if I'll ever get married and have kids, if my mom is OK, if I'll ever pay off my student loans or if I need to fart. I'm there. I'm here. I'm everywhere. Going to war with gravity while you have a barbell somewhere on your person tends to focus the mind.

The Week That Was - 5/13 - 5/19

"Making plans for the future is of use only to people who are capable of living completely in the present" - Alan Watts

Starting the week around 96kg, so it's 50/50 whether I cut for 94s or just lift in the 105s. I'd had this magic idea of moving into 105s but...well, as a friend of mine delicately put it: "You're too short for 105". This, of course, is a really nice way of saying "Lose some weight fatty". So we stay on the grind and I'll probably cut down to 94.

5/13 - Acupuncture and Chiro

5/14 MORE acupuncture and chiro - I woke up Tuesday morning with my back basically locked up. For whatever reason, getting adjusted and then lying face down on a table getting needled for an hour really wrecked my SI joints.

5/15
Snatch complex up to 80x1 then did three singles at 80, just testing the back out.
Klokov complex up to 105x1
Last carbs tonight until after weigh-ins

5/16
Snatch up to 90x1
CJ up to 110x1
Shit ton of rumble rolling

5/17
AM - Chiro and Acupuncture
Lots of napping and generally lying around on my ass.

5/18 - Meet Day!
Started the day by checking the scale. Weighing in at a robust 93.6 kilos, I could eat and drink a bit without wrecking my weight. I went with decaf coffee with coconut oil and whey in the morning and worked through a pound of bacon throughout the day. I'm used to running on fat anyways, so not a huge stretch for me. I wanted high calories bang with Sipped some water throughout the day, foam rolled a bunch and squeezed in some reverse hypers to get my back opened up a bit. My legs were super stiff from lying around all day on Friday. #firstworldproblems

Flatirons Crossfit ran an awesome meet. This is the most "on time" meet I've ever been a part of, especially considering the size of the sessions. 14-16 lifters in each of five sessions with six attempts each is between 84-96 lifts per session. Squeezing those into a two hour period while simultaneously getting the next session weighed in in not easy. I've been to meets where the last session is cleaning by moonlight. They got each session started in a two hour window, with sessions beginning at 9am-11am-1pm-3pm-5pm. They have a perfect facility for weightlifting; plenty of platforms, very good bars and kilo plates everywhere. I highly recommend if you're in Boulder or the surrounding area that you check them out. Slowly but surely the Front Range is building a very solid weightlifting community. Along with Flatirons Weightlifting, Paul Fleschler has a very good program going on down in Colorado Springs with Front Range Weightlifting. 2010 World team member Rachel Crass is coaching and building a program at Centennial Weightlifting. The I-25 corridor is becoming a very good space to get some excellent coaching in the Olympic lifts.

                                       Thanks MuscleDriver, USAW and Oskar Blues Brewing

Meet Results:
Snatch - 95-100-102x
CJ - 120x-125x-125

225 total, good for 2nd place in the 94s. 6th overall.

Yet another 3/6 showing with yet another poor performance in the jerk. I got a little unlucky in that my 120 opener got turned down 2-1 for a press out. I shouldn't have let it be that close; 120 is a smoke show jerk in training. I'm still thinking through these technique changes instead of being able to really cut it loose. I hit the goals that I had in mind for my second attempts (100/125), but I had ideas on 102 and 130 for my thirds. In a perfect world, I left seven kilos on the platform. But I got past my openers while entirely changing my jerk and my pull techniques last week. Tough to be too pissed about that. The playlist for my videos is here. The jerks are a bit ugly, as is the 102 snatch that wasn't even close. I've embedded my third CJ below (125) that I made to avoid bombing out of the meet. I'm proud of this jerk as I actually dropped my elbows and brought in my feet. Maybe after another 10,000 attempts it'll start sinking into my skull.

So what's next?

A week or two of downtime, a week or so of real live lifting and then back to the grind. A couple of my rules for the week after a meet: no more than 60mins at a time in the gym, no barbells, no squats, lots of unilateral work, sled and Prowler work, nap a lot, drink a beer or two and LIGHTEN UP FRANCIS.

No planned meet on the horizon so I want to get a little banged up and beaten down in this upcoming block. I would imagine this will entail a lot more squatting as my squat seems to go up when I train it constantly. Squatting three day a week (for triples and fives) previously helped move my 5RM up a bunch (from 130-165) in short order, but that didn't really transfer over to my max, which has been stale at around 180-190kg for a year now.

Oh, I also hit the gym on 5/19 and did an hour of sled dragging and a ton of traction and low back rehab work.

The Week That Was - 5/6 - 5/12

Some excellent mobilizations for a better bottom position from California Strength



5/7 (Still working through this new pull, so just did the full lifts)
Snatch up to 96x1x3  (no misses and lots of reps over 90%)
CJ - 100x1x3 110x1x2 120x1 125x1 130xFJ (no missed cleans, all very sharp)
Clean DL/Pull (no real finish to toes, just fast pull to 1st Position) - TON of doubles and triples here at 150-160

5/8 - Long Walk

5/9
Muscle Snatch 70x3x2 75x2 80x0
High Hang Snatch to 80x1x2 (cut this short because a squat rack opened up)
Front Squat - to 140x1 120x3x3
High Hang CJ to 120x1
(My groove from above the knee to the hip needs some work. Doing some extras as warmups this week)

5/11 - Last heavy day with the full lifts
Sots Press - barx10 40kgx5x2
Snatch - up to 92x1 97x1 102x0x2 100x0
CJ - up to 105x1 115x1 122x1 127x1 132x0
Sled Drags - three trips
Reverse Hypers

5/12
Sled Drags and OH Squat - 3x10 w/ bar only
Front Squat 60x3x2 80x3 100x2 125x2 140x1 152x1
Random Stuff + Traction

The Week That Was - 4/22 - 4/28

"A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play, his labour and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself he always seems to be doing both. Enough for him that he does it well."

- from 'Education Through Recreation' by Lawrence Pearsall Jacks, 1932

h/t @ReformedBroker

Aimee Anaya Everett from Catalyst Athletics on PRs

Josh Brown (The Reformed Broker) on Optimism as the Default Setting


4/23
OH Squat 50x5x3
Pause Snatch - 50x3x2 70x2x2 80x2 87x1 92x0 92x1 97x0 97x1 102x0 (missed behind) 100x0 (left in front) / 80x2 85x2x2
Pause CJ - 50xbunch 80x2x2 100x1x2 110x1 117x1/105x(2+1)x3
Front Squat - barx5 70x4 100x3 120x3 135x1 145x0/120x2 120x3
Rev Hypers and Traction

4/25
Hip Snatch - 40x3 60x3x2
Snatch - 60x3x2 70x2 80x1x2 85x0 85x1 85x1x11 (1:15-1:30 btwn reps, took around 15 mins. 1,020kg of work sets)
Hip Clean - 60x3 80x3
CJ - 80x2 90x1 100x1 110x1 110x1x4 112x1x2 115x1x2 117x1 120x1 (1:30-1:45 btwn reps, took about 18 mins. 1,241kg of work sets)
Front Squat - barx5 70x4 100x3 120x2 120x1 130x1x3
Traction and Reverse Hypers

4/26
Hip Band Series - 4x15 of Knee Outs/Band Stomps/TKEs
Sled Dragging - 30mins or so
Traction

4/28
Hip Snatch - 50x3 70x2x2
Snatch 50-60xsome 70x2x2 77x2 85x1 90x1 95x1
Hip CJ - 60x3 80x2x2 90x1
CJ - 70xsome 90x1x2 110x1x2 120x1 125x0x2
Attempted a squat but knees were not happy so I left this one alone
GH Raise - 5x8
Traction

The Week That Was - 4/15 - 4/21

All of the sessions from the 2013 European Weightlifting Championships via All Things Gym here.

Also at All Things Gym: Band Decompression. I show this stuff to everyone who trains. Having had one back surgery, I don't wish it on anyone. Bands can be found at Elitefts.

Alan Watts giving an excellent talk on...well damn near everything.

4/15 - Epsom salt, roller, etc

4/16
Muscle Snatch + OH Squat (1+3) 50x1x3
Floating Snatch (two pulls) 50x2x2 60x2 70x2 80x1 87x1 92x1 97x0 97x1 102x0 100x0 87x1 92x1
Pendlay Snatch Complex 80-80-85
Floating CJ - 60x2x2 85x1x2 100x1 110x1
Reverse Hypers and Neck

(Tiny R knee tweak on the 110 so I shut this down for the day. Nothing special, just keeping it safe. I also took 4/17 and 4/18 off from the blizzard here and some rough days at work.)

4/19
Pendlay Snatch warmup and some Rock n Roll drills
Snatch from Low Box (15kg plate on the floor) 60x2x3 72x2x2 82x2x2 90x1x5/80x2x5
(The reps at 90 were so perfect I wanted to do some work there plus the two days off left me stiff as hell)
Pendlay Clean Warmup
CJ from Low Box - 60xsome 85x2x2 100x1x2 110x1x2 120x1 120xFJ/100x2
Front Squat - 70x5 100x4 110x3x3
Hip Thrust - 70x10x2 110x8x2
Grappler Abs/Cal Back Extensions - Three sets each
Sled Drag - two trips to get the legs opened up a bit

4/20 - Timed Sets (1:15 between reps in the snatch and 1:30-1:45 between reps in the CJ)
Snatch - 80-80-80-80-82-82-85-85-85-85
CJ - 100-100-105-105-105-110-110-110-110-110
Abs and Rev Hypers
(No reason to take max weights when I'm feeling subpar from the two snowdays. Weights are somewhere around 80%, so nothing special; just punching the clock. Going to use these more often on Saturdays going forward.)

4/21 (NOT one of my finer days. Those timed sets really banged up my CNS. BIG FAN.)
Sots Press - 40x5x2 45x5x2
OH Squat - 50x5 70x5
Back Squat - barx5x2 60x5x2 100x4x2 130x3 150x2 160x1/130x5x5
Push Press - 50x5x2 70x5 80x5 (Popped some scar tissue or something in my left index finger so I shut this down. Discretion is the better part of valor.)
Meadows Row - 5x10
JM Press + Chins - five sets each
Four Way Neck + Cal Back Extension + Hanging Leg Raise - three sets of each
Traction

The Week That Was - 4/8 - 4/14

4/9
Sots Press + Russian Balance (3+2) 40x1x2
Muscle Snatch + OH Sqt + Balance (1+2+1) 50x1 60x1x2
Floating Snatch (two pulls) 50x1x2 60x1x2 70x1 77x1 85x1 90x1 95x1 100x0x2 87x1 92x1 97x1 100x0
Sn+Abv Knee Sn+OH Sqt+Balance - 70x1 80x1 85x1
Floating CJ (2 pulls) 60x1x2 90x1x2 105x1 115x1 122x1 125x1 (prob should have hit one more at 120 just to feel it)
Klokov Complex - 95x1 102x1 107x0x2 (missed push press both times)
Back Squat barx5 70x5 100x5 125x5 130x5 135x5
Neck x90
Traction

4/10
Planks x120
Sots Press 3x5 @ 40kg
Pwr Snatch - doubles up to 75x2, then 60x2x3
Pwr Clean - doubles up to 105x2
Front Jerk - 70x3 90x3 90x2 100x2 110x2x2 120x2x2 130x1x3 120x2x3 120x4
Chinese DB Rows - 85x10+10 100x10+10x3
Chins/Standing Abs/GH Raise - four sets of each

4/11 (Back is starting to feel a little dodgy. MUST STAY HEALTHY)
Sots Presses and Muscle Sn + OH Sqt + Balance for warmups
Low Block Snatch - 60xsome 70x2x2 80x2 87x2 92x0 92x1x3/80x2x4
Low Block CJ - 60xsome 90x2x2 110x1 120x0 120x1x3/100x2+1 100x3 (no jerk)
Front Squat 70x5 70x3 100x3 120x3 125x3 127x1 120x3
Hip Thrust - 70x10 110x10x2
Grappler Abs and Heavy Hypers - Three sets each
Traction

4/12 (@Centennial Weightlifting)
Snatch to 70x1x3
CJ to 90x1x2

4/13 (@ Centennial Weightlifting; Back and legs are SHOT. Training on Friday was unwise)
Snatch to 85x1 90x0
CJ to 90x1

4/14
Muscle Snatch + OH Squat (1+3) 60x1x3
Front Squat 60x3x3 70x3 100x3 120x2 135x1 145x1 (I semi-attempted 150 but some jag walked right in front of me as I unracked it, so I took that as a sign and moved on.)
1 1/4 Front Squat 110x2x2 100x3x4 (basically
Low Handle Prowler + RDL - Three trips
Push Press 50x5x2 70x5 80x5 85x5x5
Traction

I've always done better when I train more so I'm trying to add sessions. I'm looking for 6-7 sessions a week, with two sessions on Sunday. The second session on Sunday is purely for GPP purposes to get a head start on recovery for the start of the training week on Tuesday. I usually finish my Sunday AM around noon and don't have another training session until Tuesday afternoon; basically 52hrs to recover.

More than anything I want to string together a solid amount of training without injury or time off. To this end, I'm 99% sure that I will be skipping Highland Games this year. Just too much wear and tear on my back and it basically shuts down my lifting for six months. Over the last year or two I haven't been able to string more than twelve weeks or so together without having to take some time off for injury, competition, etc. The last time I put together a good stretch of injury free training together is when I was doing strongman. Definitely the strongest I've ever been in my life at that time. I am looking forward to an epic summer of training and gains.

The template I'm trying to get to right now looks something like this:

Tuesday - Complexes/doubles/lot of volume Back Squat 3-5x5
Wednesday - Overhead Work, Pwr Sn/Pwr Clean, upper body assistance + aerobic work/sled drags, etc
Thurs - Singles off boxes/hangs/pauses, Front Squat 3-5x3
Sat - Max Snatch and CJ or something similar (timed reps, split sessions, etc)
Sunday AM - Squat (singles/doubles), Push Press (currently either 5RM or 5x5), assistance work
Sunday PM - Big Circuit tempo work

Once I get through the meet, this will refocus to squats and pulls with less emphasis on the competition lifts. I'll detail that a bit more as I get it written up. It'll look something similar to what I was doing while my hands were broken/sprained. I plan to run the Safety Squat bar again and try rotating squats a bit like Brandon Lilly's Cube Method or Joe Kenn's Tier Method. Should be really interesting and cool, or a total shitshow. Either way, we'll all learn something. :)

Training is still based off of Glenn Pendlay's intermediate template that he writes about here. Monday and Friday are logical off-days (work schedules and whatnot) and I'm more comfortable having longer sessions during the week or doing double sessions on Saturday/Sunday than I am in not having a day or two completely out of the gym. I don't LIKE taking off days but I know that I tend to under-recover and my lifts go swimming in the piss-warm waters of mediocrity until I pull my head out of my ass. Just better for my general well-being/body/mind/social life/etc.

The Week That Was - 4/1 - 4/7

"The world is coming to a bunch of pants-shitting mouth breathers that don't want to do any work."

In many, if not most cases, breakfast sucks.

TenSexyLadies: the most sanitarium-worthy tumblr you'll read today.

Henry Rollins vs. Iggy Pop. Spoiler alert: IGGY WINS.

Upcoming shows in Denver, CO: Gaslight Anthem at the Ogden, Lucero at the Bluebird, Face to Face at the Gothic Theater.

4/2
Sots Press + Russian Balance 40x1x2 45x1x2
Snatch + Below Knee Snatch 50xsome 60x1x3 70x1x2 77x1 85x1 90x0 (made first) 80x1x2
Pendlay Sn Complex (snatch+abv knee snatch+OH Sqt+Snatch Balance) 70x1 75x1 80x1x2
Clean Pull + Below Knee CJ 60xsome 80x1x2 90x1 100x1 110x1 115x1 120x1
Klokov Complex 90x1 95x1 100x1 105x0 (missed push press)
Back Squat bar x5 70x5 100x4 130x5 135x5 140x5
Heavy Reverse Hypers - Three sets

4/3
OH Squat - 40x10 40x10 50x10
Sots Press - barx5x2 40x3x3 50x3
Pwr Snatch - 60x2x4 70x2x3 75x2
Pwr Clean + Pwr Jerk - 60xsome 80x2x2 90x1x2 100x1 110x1
Back Jerk 60xsome 80x3x2 90x2x2 100x2x2 110x2 120x1
Chinsx20

4/4
Muscle Snatch + OH Squat (1+3) 40x1x2 50x1x2
Box Snatch 50x3 60x3 70x2 80x2 85x1 90x1 95x1 100x0 80x2x3
Box CJ - 60x3 80x1x2 90x1x2 100x1 110x1 (got chatty and got cold, so I shut this down)
F Sqt - 60x3 90x3 110x2 120x1 130x1x2

4/6 (almost back to pre-injury levels)
Snatch - bar x bunch 50xbunch 65xbunch 75x2x2 85x1x2 92x1 80x1 85x1 90x1 95x1 100x0x2/ 110x2x2 high pull
CJ - bar x bunch 70 x bunch 90x2x2 100x1x2 110x1 117x1 122x1 127x1 132x0 120x1/130x3 140x2 high pull only
Bar work and Sots Press to cool down

4/7
AM
Muscle Snatch + OH Squat + Snatch Balance (1+2+1) 40x1 50x1x2 60x1x2 70x1
Back Squat - barx5x2 70x5 70x3 100x3 130x3 150x2 170x1 180x1 150x2 170x1 175x1
Pause Squat - 140x2x4
Front Push Press - barx5x2 50x5 70x5x2 80x5 90x5 95x5 85x5x3
Pendlay Row 5x8
GH Raise/Chins/JM Press - Three sets each
Traction

PM
600m of tempo (10x60m) with abs between runs

The Week That Was - 3/25 - 3/31

                                             No idea why but this is absolutely hilarious to me.


Mike Tuchscherer on speed work in powerlifting. Also squatting 705x4. Redonk.
Follow-up from Mike
Chad Wesley Smith's response to Mike response to his own article.

I F---ing Love Science Facebook run by a girl, idiots respond with their outside voices. This is why we can't have nice things, you guys.

The best of Ron Swanson...and more bester

3/26
Sots Press + Russian Snatch Balance (2+2) 40x1x3
Snatch + Below Knee Snatch 60x1x3 70x1x2 80x1x2 87x1 92x1 95x0x2 (made first snatch)
Snatch Complex (snatch + abv knee + OH Squat + Snatch Balance) 70-75-80-85x-85
Clean Pull + Below Knee CJ - 60xsome 80x1x3 100x1x2 110x1 115x1 110x1
Klokov Complex (cl pull + clean + pause front squat + push press + pause jerk) 90x1 100x1x3
Back Squat 60x5 95x5 120x4 135x5x2 140x5
Standing Abs + Heavy Reverse Hypers - Five sets
Band Traction

3/27
Muscle Snatch + OH Squat (2+2) 60x1x2 70x1x2
Pwr Snatch up to 87kgx1x2 90x0x2
Pwr Clean to 117x1 120x0
Back Jerk to 100x2x3 110x2x2
Chins and GH Raises - Three sets each

3/28
Sots Press + Russian Snatch Balance (2+2) - 40x1x6 50x1
High Box Snatch (bar just above kneecap) - 40x3x2 50x3 60x3 70x2 80x2 85x1 90x1 92x1 95x1 80x2x3
High Box CJ - 60x2 80x1x2 100x1x2 110x1 115x1 110x1 C+CJ - 100x1 100x1 105x1
Front Squat 60x5x2 90x3 100x3 110x3 120x3

3/29 - Good Friday (day off work, so of course I trained. Just shaking off some soreness.)
Bunch of sled drags
Back Push Press - 50x5 70x5x2 90x5x2 100x3
Chins
Traction

3/30 @ Centennial Weightlifting
Sots Press + Russian Balance 40x1x3 50x1
Snatch up to 185x1 205x0x2 155x2x3 175x1x2 185x0
Clean and Jerk up to 245x1 with two misses
Clean Pulls up to 335x2x5
Light Traction

3/31
Muscle Snatch + OH Squat (2+2) 50x1x2 60x1x2 70x1x2 75x1 (PR)
Back Squat - barx5 70x5x2 100x4 130x4 150x4 160x3 165x4/135x5 140x5 145x5
Front Push Press - bar x5 50x5x2 70x5 80x5 87x5 92x4/80x5x3
Chinese Row 5x8
JM Press 4x15
GH Raise/Hanging Leg Raise/Four-Way Neck/Grappler Abs - Four circuits
Barbell Hip Thrusts
Traction

Second Week Soreness is kicking in big time right now, as evidenced by the shitshow on 3/30. Legs are really hurting units right now. Not banging my head against a wall trying to get lifts when they clearly aren't going, so I did some pulls and called it an early day. Sometimes you'll be able to challenge new PRs, and sometimes you're gonna have to just check the box and keep swinging the hammer.

The basic idea on Sunday is to either make a new PR for a set of five or a PR for 5x5 in both the back squat and the front push press, then get accessory work done. I just go by how I feel as I start working up. If I'm getting up there and things just aren't moving I can go the rep PR route, and if I'm crushing sets then I can challenge a new PR set of five.

The Week That Was - 3/18 - 3/24

Look and Listen:
-Glenn Pendlay and Team Muscledriver has a new podcast series here. The discussion on nutrition in particular is a really good one. Glad to see elite level weightlifters and coaches advocating a high fat diet and getting down on heavy cream and butter in coffee.
-Josh Brown sez we've learned nothing
-Free CFA study materials here. (also some subscription stuff)
-Thick McRunFast: The many nicknames of David Ryder from Mystery Science Theater 3000
-One of my favs from The Gaslight Anthem
-The Book of Awesome by Fake Grimlock (I'm a backer)

Deload Week(ish; I got after it on Saturday and Sunday but five good days of light lifting)
3/19
Sots Press
Snatch + Below Knee Snatch - up to 70 for a couple sets
1+2 for down sets
Clean Pull + Below Knee CJ up to 100x1
Clean-Clean-Jerk - 3 sets @ 90
Back Squat 70x5 100x5 130x5x2

3/20
Sots Press
Pwr Snatch up to 70kg for some doubles (this is awkward as hell)
Pwr Clean up to 100kg for some doubles
Jerks - Two front jerks + two back jerks at 100kg for some sets
Chins + Standing Abs - Three sets

3/21
Snatch from High Blocks to 70kg for some doubles
Pendlay Snatch Complex (Snatch + Hang Snatch + OH Squat + Drop Snatch) two sets @ 60
CJ from High Blocks to 90 for some doubles
Klokov Complex - two sets at 90
Front Squat 60x3 80x3 100x3x2

3/22 - Roller. Got on a scale for first time in months: 216.6lbs (98.4kg). Perfecto. Just clean the backloads up a wee bit and that'll come off real quick.

3/23 @ Centennial Crossfit/Weightlifting
Snatch up to 205lbs for four singles, then missed 215 twice
CJ up to 260lbsx1 275x1x2 no jerk
-The full lifts both feel shitty but they're getting less shitty, so that's a step in the right direction.

3/24
Muscle Snatch + OH Squat (2+2) 50x1x3 60x1x2
Back Squat barx5x2 70x5 100x4 120x4 135x3 150x3 160x5
Pause Squat 140x2x4
Front Push Press 50x5 70x5 80x5 87x5
Chest Supported Machine Row - buncha sets
JM Press and Grappler Abs - buncha sets
Barbell Hip Thrusts and Banded Hip Thrusts- buncha sets
Band Traction

The Training Week That Was - 3/10 - 3/17

Men's 105kg class from 2012 Olympics. Tremendous lifting from the champion Torokhtiy. Bonk is also interesting to watch in that he externally rotates and "winds up" his hips (jump to 26:25, 32:35 and 38:30) during his setup in the snatch and creates a ton of torque before he starts. As Kelly Starrett has noted about a million times, torque is the key to pretty much everything we do in the athletic realm.

Random reads:
-Quesarito!!!
-Blog post on Carb Backloading from Cookie Monster
-Creatine: How Much article from Schwarzenegger
-My next meet at Flatirons Crossfit. More to come.
-Rachel Guy on Dangerously Hardcore talking back training for the ladies.
-Jim Laird from J&M Strength and Conditioning on meditation, relaxing and chilling the f*** out
   -Jim and Molly are hosting the Train Like A Girl seminar in Lexington on May 18-19, 2013. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.


3/11
Muscle Snatch 3x2 70kg
Snatch + Abv Knee Snatch 50xsome 60x1x2 70x1x2 80x0 80x1x2 85x1 90x0x2 (not too far off)
Down Sets (1+2) - 70x1x2 75x1 80x1
Sn Pull w/ Pause - 140x3x3
Back Squat - 140x5 145x5 145x5
Pause Back Squat - 3x4 @ 120 w/ five count pause
Dead Back Squat - 7x1 @ 150

3/13
Sots Press/Pendlay Snatch Drills
Pendlay Clean Drills
High Hang CJ (pwr jerk)- 80x1x3 90x1x2 100x1 110x1x2 115x1x2 122xFJ 127x0x2
Floating CJ (pwr jerk)- 110x1x3
Cl Pull w/ Pause 150x3x3
Front Squat 120x3x3
Pause Front Squat 100x3x2 90x3
(Skipped my dead front squats; my legs were a MESS)

3/16 (No wrist wraps, no wrist issues and no misses except for the 125 jerk; nice step forward)
Snatch - bar work 40x a bunch 60x a lesser bunch 70x2x2 70x1 80x1x2 90x1
CJ (pwr jerk) - bar work 60x a bunch 80x1x3 100x1x2 110x1 117x1 125xFJ

3/17
Muscle Snatch 60kg 3x3
B Sqt - 60x5x2 100x3 120x3 145x3 160x3 185x1 175x3
Pause Squat - 100x3 130x3 150x1 160x1 170x1
Push Press 3x5 80kg (wrists are weak but all good; no wraps, no worries)
Standing Row + Standing Abs - buncha sets
JM Press - buncha sets

I'll be deloading next week so I'm going to take a carb-free week to get some water out and check the scale. I haven't been on a scale in months, no idea where I'm at; I'm guessing 215-220 realm? I'm going to emphasize lots of overhead accessory work to get that brought up after being gone from training for the better part of four months.

Bonus: You gotta appreciate the awesomeness of this dubstep sign flipper.

The Training Week That Was - 3/3 - 3/9

3/3
Muscle Snatches and some OH Squats (the wrist might be ready for snatching again)
Back Squat barx3x2 60x5x2 90x3 110x3 130x3 150x3 160x3 170x3 then
130x3 and 140x3 each with a five count pause
Push Press 60x5x2 80x5 90x2 (wrists a-ok)
Chest Supported Row + Standing Abs 4x12 each
Traction

3/5
Muscle Snatch
Snatch + Abv Knee Snatch to 70x1, then (1+2) @ 60kg x1x2
Sn Pull w/ Pause - 130x3x3
B Squat - 140x5x3
Pause Back Squat - 3x4 @ 120kg w/ five count pause
Dead Back Squat - 7x1 @ 140

3/6 - Trained at Crossfit SoCal in San Diego. This is an excellent Crossfit box with very smart and qualified coaches and a stout group of athletes, both competitors and non-competitors alike.
OH Press 12x1 @ 155
500m Rower Sprints (three minutes rest between reps) 1:29/1:33/1:37

3/7 - Another day at Crossfit SoCal
Muscle Clean - 60x2x4
High Hang CJ - 60xsome 80x1x2 100x1x2 110x1x2 120x1x2 125x0
Floating CJ - 80x1x2 100x1 110x1x3
Clean Pull w/ Pause - 110x3 130x3 150x3x3
Front Squat - 110x3 120x3 125x3 130x3 135x3 140x3
Pause Front Squat - 80x3 100x3 110x3x3 w/ five count pause
Dead Front Squat - 110x1x3 120x1x7

3/8 - Trained at AFP Center in Santa Monica (GREAT gym, will be my home gym if I relocate to Santa Monica. Also National Champ weightlifter Derrick Johnson's home gym)
Snatch up to 80x1x2
Hip Snatches
CJ up to 110x1x2
Power CJ up to 110x1x2

3/9
Just messed around at Gold's. Some KB windmills and overhead pressing

The Training Week That Was - 2/24 - 3/2

"I'm an entertainer. I have nothing to sell...I just want you to enjoy a point of view that I enjoy" - Alan Watts


2/24 Snowing BALLS here so got a quickie in at the Glendale YMCA
500m row @ 1:33
Abs x60/Chins x10
Military Press bar x10x2 95x5x2 115x3 135x3 145x2 155x1x12 w/ minute between reps (this is a Steve Pulcinella idea from his IronSport Method)
Chinese DB Row 85x10x5
JM Press - 7x10
Pulldown 2x20

2/25 - Acupuncture from Chiropractic of North Denver

2/26
Muscle Snatch (one full + two from high hang) 60kg 3x3
Snatch High Pull (1+2) up to 100x1x4
Floating Snatch High Pull (1+2) bunch at 80
Snatch Pull w/ Pause 100x3 120x3 140x3 150x3 140x3x3
Back Squat 135lbsx5x2 205x5 255x5 275x5 285x5x2 295x5
Pause Squat (seven second pause) 3x5 @ 195lbs
Dead Squat 10x1@245lbs, 30s between reps
Heavy Standing Abs - 3x10  Grappler Abs 2x8+8

2/27
Military Press up to 160x1x6 155x1x3 150x1x3
Chins x20
Bunch of snatch grip upright row-type things

2/28
Muscle Clean 50kgx3x3
High Hang Clean up to 115kgx1x2 then Floating Clean 70x1x2 90x1x2 (wrists getting better)
Clean Pull w/ Pause 110x3 140x3 160x3x3
Front Squat 135lbsx5x2 205x3 245x3 265x3 275x3x2
Seven Count Pause Squat 185lbsx3x3
Dead Front Squat 135lbsx1x3 185x1x5
-Had to cut the squats short because I was running late for a company dinner. This should have been 10x1 of dead squats and 5x3 of the pause squats.

3/2
Only had an hour to lift so I worked up to 120x1 in the clean and then bolted for acupuncture. My back tends to not appreciate rushed morning sessions.

The Training Week That Was - 2/17 - 2/23

A few changes for this block. I've consolidated my Sat snatch/clean and Sunday morning squat into one Saturday morning. Sunday (as well as Wednesday) are purely upper body days, since the upper body is really lagging. Any sort of snatch-type work is wrecking my wrist and counterproductive to healing, so any overhead stuff is going to be with a jerk grip and I'll work it wider over time. My eye is towards being back to full lifting (pain-free) by April Fool's Day.

To compensate for the additional load on the pulls, the long pause work and the Saturday morning squat are designed to bring the total accumulated tonnage in those exercises down for this block.

Nutrition wise, I'm still basically backloading every night. With this block, I'll most likely have a smaller backloading Saturday nights and none on Sunday nights. I haven't been on a scale in weeks, but all my clothes fit great and I've been eating massive amounts of everything.

2/17 - Feeling sick so I didn't train.

2/18 - Happy Presidents Day! Hiked St Mary's Glacier with the mutt and froze our huevos rancheros off.

2/19
Abs x150/GH Raise x20/Chin x10/500m row @ 1:42
Snatch High Pull (1 Pull + 2 High Hang Pulls) up to 100x1x3
Snatch Pull w/ Two Count pause at the knee - 100x3 120x3 140x3x3
Back Squat w/ five count 60x5 80x5 100x5 110x5 100x5x4 (holy lord I suck at these)
Sumo DL - up to 150x1x4 170x1x5 190x1 (sweet pull...for a 165)
1100# Abs: 4x15 Neck/Side Bend/Standing Abs/Halos

2/20
GH Raise x20/Pullup x20/Standing Abs 3x10 Heavy/500m Row @ 1:38
Chest Supported Row 5x10
JM Press 5x15
Iso OH Press 5x15
Lat Pulldown 3x10
Bunch of sets of presses on our new jerk blocks

2/21
Absx60/Reverse Hypers/500m Row @ 1:34
High Hang Power Clean 50x a bunch 70x a bunch 90x1x4 100x1 100x0 90x2x4
Floating Clean 70x1x3 90x1x4
Clean Pull w/ Two Count Pause 110x3 130x3 140x3 150x3x3
Front Squat w/ 5 count pause 135x3x2 185x3x2 205x3x2 215x3 225x5
3x15 each Standing Abs/Four Way Neck/Side Bend/Hanging Leg Raise

2/23
Rev Hypers/Bar Work
Pwr Clean 60x3x3 80x3 90x3 100x2 110x1 115x1 120x1 125x0 (5kg off my old PR)
B Sqt 135x5x2 205x3 245x3 295x3 335x3 365x3


Excellent three-part series from Dangerously Hardcore on creatine, its effects on the body and dosing suggestions:
Part 1: Effects at the Cellular Level
Part 2: Effects on the Body
Part 3: Dosing and Timing

The Training Week That Was - 2/10 - 2/16

Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work.- Gustave Flaubert

A little bit of goodness from Cupid's Undie Run:

2/10 
Muscle Snatch 40x3x2 50x3 60x2 70x2 70x1 80x0x2 70x1x2
Squat - bar x5x2 60x5x2 100x4 120x4 
Pause Squats - 100x5 120x3 130x3 140x1 150x1
(calves real tender so didn't get crazy here)
Chest Supp Row - Shit ton of 12s
Std Lateral Raise - Shit ton of 12s
1100# Abs and Neck

2/12
Muscle Snatch 3x3 60kg
Snatch from High Hang - bunch of doubles at 40kg/50kg/60kg (it's slow, but it's coming)
Snatch High Pull w/ Pause up to 130x2
Floating Snatch High Pulls - Bunch at 80 and 100
Snatch DL - Two Pauses from Deficit 100x3 115x3 130x3x3
Back Squat 135x5x2 225x4x2 275x5 295x2 315x5x3
1100# Abs (sprinked in some GH Raise because it was a packed house tonight)
Traction

2/13
Abs x100/Sots Press
Pwr Snatch up to 60x3x3
Pwr Clean up to 90x3x3
Push Press - 135x5x3 155x5x2 165x5 (I'll take it)
Snatch Grip Press 4x6 95lbs (again, I'll take it)
Meadows Rows 5x8
Pulldown/Lateral Raise/Pressdown 4x15 each

2/14 - Happy Valentine's Day
Abs x100/
High Hang CJ - 50x1x5 70x1x3 90x1x3 100x1x3 (no jerk) 110x1x2 (no jerk)
Floating CJ - 70x1x3 80x1x2
Deficit Cl Pull - Two Pauses 60x3 90x3 110x3 130x3 140x3x3
Front Squat bar x5 60x5x2 90x4 110x3 120x2 130x3x3
1100# Abs

2/16 (Feeling sick so I kept this easy)
Random stuff
Cleaned up to 110 for three singles

The Training Week That Was - 2/3 - 2/9

2/3 (I just realized that I trained six days in a row last week. That wasn't smart.)
Back Squat - bar x5x2 60x5x2 90x4 110x4 130x5 150x5 160x5
-Second back squat in about nine weeks and didn't wrap the wrist. Also only 5kg off my previous PR set of five. I'll take it.
Push Press 50x5 60x5 70x5 (caused pain/wrist too weak to keep going) 60x5x2
Lying BB Row bunch of sets
DB Row 105x8 110x8x3
YWLT x3
Pressdown/Curl/Pull Thru - 60 of each
1100lb Abs: 4x15 Standing Abs/Cal Back/Neck/Grappler/Ab Wheel

2/5
Sots Press 25 reps  OH Squat 25 reps (No wraps. Wrist getting more stable!)
Muscle Snatch 3x3 60kg (smoked these)
Snatch High Pull w/ Pause 70x3x3 90x2x2 100x2x2 110x2 120x2x2
-Snatch High Pull + Pause at Knee High Pull  4x2 100kg
Snatch DL from Deficit w/ Two Pauses 100x3 120x3 130x3 130x3 140x3 (140 prob too much right now)
Back Squat 135x5x2 205x5 255x4 300x5 315x5x3 (Last set was my best. Hate when that happens.)
1100# Abs: 4x15 Standing Abs/Cal Back/Wheel

2/6
OH Sqt/Sots Press/Ankle Stretch
Pwr Clean up to 90x3x3 (getting closer)
Front Push Press 3x5 60kg
Behind Neck Press 4x8 40kg
Meadows Row  5x12
Seated Row 5x10
Curls/Band Shoulder Complex/Pressdowns - 60 each

2/7
Sots/OH Squats/Sled Drag/GH Raise
Clean with a Pause: 50x3x2 70x2x3 90x2x2 100x1x3 110x0 110x1 110x0 110x1x2 115x1 120x1 125x0 (jammed the shit out of my RIGHT hand this time. Not bad, just ridiculous)
Down Sets: Clean Pull + Floating Clean - bunch of sets at 70-80. Just could not get the timing right and the hand was bothering me, so I left well enough alone.
Clean Pull - Two Pauses from Deficit: 70x3 100x3 120x3x2 130x3x2 140x3x3
Front Squat 60x5x2 95x4 110x4 125x3 130x3x3
1100# Abs - 4x15 Grappler/Standing/Cal/Ab Wheel

2/9
Sots/OH Squats (getting sick of seeing me write that down yet?)
Snatch up to 50kgx2x2 then pulls up to 130x2x2
Pwr Clean up to 100x2x3 then left well enough alone

Cupid's Undie Run: A friend of mine works for Children's Tumor Foundation and puts on the Cupid's Undie Run. Me, being a sucker for anything that induces shame for a good cause, have partaken the last two years. This year I somehow managed to pull not one, but both of my calves. Running in Chuck Taylors maybe not the best idea after spending most of my days in weightlifting shoes and dress shoes? I'm limping around like an idiot this morning. Will there be pictures? Only time will tell...

...OK so you get one:

This is a bonus video and goes along with my previous post regarding zazen. Andy's website is here. I can't personally vouch for it, but I've read some very good things.