The Training Week That Was - 1/13 - 1/19

1/13
A shit ton of rehab/prehab, neck, ab and low back work. No idea on sets/reps; hell I barely remember the exercises. This was the epitome of easy like Sunday morning. I went in, drank some coffee, did whatever the hell I felt like doing, BS'd with gym peeps.

One thing I do remember and I want to recommend is posture work with a band, with set-up demonstrated by Jim Smith of Diesel. Desk monkeys (like me) typically have atrocious posture (guilty) and this transfers to everything else that you do. Falling forward in the squat and losing cleans/snatches/jerks in front can be caused or exacerbated by being unable to maintain an upright torso OR not having the strength to resist forces pushing you forward. Either way, throw that move from Smitty into your warm-up or just as a morning workout. I like wall-slides when I'm in the office just to open up and pray to the sun god a bit.
Full Disclosure: I have ducked into a bathroom stall to do wall slides.

1/14 - Squat sitting and an Epsom Salt bath

1/15
SSB Squat barx5x2 70x5x2 100x3 110x3 122x5 125x5 127x5 130x5 135x5
-finally might be figuring out the SSB a bit
GH Raise 10kgx6 15kgx5x2 10kgx8x5
Standing Abs 5x12
Neck/Halo/GH Situp 100 reps each
Traction

1/16 - Buncha nuthin

1/17
Carb Nite Wk Three - Measurements

Neck: 17"

Chest: (at the nipple line): 40 1/4"

Waist: (around the belly button): 35"

Hips: (at the widest part): 42 3/4"

Thigh: (at the largest part): 25 3/4"

Bicep: (unflexed, at the widest part): 15"
Weight: 209.8

Training:
Some clean and snatch bar work to warm up (getting better)
Standing Absx30 Posture x40
Front Squat up to 122x5x5 (no gas and caught a bleeder on my first set. Wah wah waaaahh)
Two Pause Snatch Pull 3x3 w/ 10 count negative on the last rep of each set
Two Pause Clean Pull 3x3 w/ 10 count negative on the last rep of each set
Standing Abs + GH Raise 5x10
Cal Back + Hanging Leg Raise
Traction

I'm pulling pain free....so there's that.

1/19
SSB Squat (in lbs) barx5x2 155x5x2 205x3 245x3 295x2 335x1 365x1 385x1 400x0
-Never tried a max with the SSB, so I'll take 385 (approx 175kg). A better way to run up to max single would've been a few weeks of singles/doubles/triples, but I wanted to get this and my front squat maxed out before I go to Iceland. Starting back squatting soon, so (hopefully) this will be my last SSB squatting for a little while. No idea on a goal for 2013, just taking the squatting a few kilos at a time.
Standing Abs 4x10
Traction

Moving UP a Weight Class by Dieting DOWN

First order of business in moving up a weight class: diet down.

Say WHAT?

I'm moving out of the 94s and into the 105s. I competed in strongman as a 105, but my body composition sucked. With the application of Carb Backloading and Carb Nite (information on both diets via Dangerously Hardcore), I've been able to recomp and maintain weight in the 210-215 range with my lifts steadily rising. The fact that my squats have been moving up consistently leads me to be believe that some weight gain might be just what the doctor ordered.

So why diet down first? Why not just keep going with backloads full of pho, cherry turnovers, doughnuts and gummy worms? Two reasons:

1. Diet Rebound. Shelby Starnes and John Meadows discuss the idea of a post-contest diet "rebound effect" where the body makes huge gains in strength and muscle mass. I don't think it's any coincidence that these squat gains have come after twelve weeks of Carb Nite. Gaining weight just for the sake of gaining weight is pointless and is an excuse to eat like a fat kid. Don't forget: Excuses = You Suck.

2. Injury. My hand isn't in good shape. In fact, I'm seeing a surgeon later this week for another opinion and an MRI. It's been five weeks since the injury and it hasn't meaningfully improved. I still can't do any Oly lifts or overhead pressing and pulling from the floor causes soreness, swelling and general uselessness. As far as any athletic endeavor, my left hand is about as useful as a poopy flavored lollypop. The amount of volume I can do isn't enough to warrant Carb-Backloading. This also means limited upper body work, although I'm still working the good arm. My right arm still has some nerve damage left over from rugby so this is my chance to get it caught up to the left arm. Training really revolves around the Safety Squat Bar and the Front Squat.

My plan is Carb Nite until I'm back to full training, with my Carb Nite planned for Thursdays so I can reload for Saturday's max day. I've been known to have a carb hangover or get leg cramps in my sleep, so I don't like training the morning after Carb Nite. I'll record measurements, bodyweight and snap photos...PG-rated of course. Standard issue, incredibly embarrassing bathroom mirror shots of course.

Barring further hand setbacks, the other 7-8 months of 2013 will be an illustration in how to effectively gain GOOD weight and add kilos to my total using Carb-Backloading and Olympic weightlifting. Filling out as a useful, non-sloppy 105kg lifter will be a multi-year process, but Rome wasn't built in a day.

Starting Measurements (from 12/28)

Neck: 16.5"

Chest (at the nipple line): 41"

Waist (around the belly button): 36 1/4"

Hips (at the widest part): 43"

Thigh (at the largest part): 26 1/4"

Bicep (unflexed, at the widest part): 15"

Embarrassing Bathroom Mirror Pic #1