A Shitload of Sets?

I am not one to fear the squat, nor am I a fearer of high frequency training.
I do however have a distinct hatred for the pain that comes with high rep high intensity training low rest that is accustom to 'bodybuilding' routines.  And anyway all i want to do is get stronger, not bigger. being bigger just makes running/jogging more difficult.

Previously I have done a squat challenge where I challenged myself to Squat EVERYDAY for 24 days, and although on the first 15 days my performance dropped and I was very close to giving up thinking this is a waste of time, by day 19 I was making some new Personal Bests and by the results day 4 days after finishing, I managed to squat a full 10kg more than I had at the start of the month!

Since then in the last 2 months my squats have stayed pretty much the same but I have managed to get a tiny bit of an increase bringing my current max up to 134kg.

My thoughts just now are that I could go and re-do that challenge, but there was a major issue with that training programme.
My appetite went through the roof, and I lost almost all control over my diet.  There is something about High intensity but  low volume (and low exersion relatively) that spikes my appetite and makes me crave food like nothing else!  so for the last 2 months I have not only been trying to keep the strength and increase it but also get my weight, eating pattern and diet back on track.


So new idea,  sprung to my head after seeing a thing for the Russian squat programme found here
This looked like fun and had an emphasis on strength rather than size.
On day 1 I tested out what 6 sets of 2 reps on 80% max feels like.  I ended up doing 82%max as I just rounded the weight to 110kg and got to 6 sets.
That was easy.
so I did a couple more
then i did a couple where i was really doing pause squats,
then i did one without a belt
then i did another 2
and then i though... cant leave on 13 so did another one and the left.

So a total of 14 sets of 2 reps @ 82%max
To be honest, it wasnt all that difficult, and that was after attempting a max lift on deadlift beforehand.
I then went and did some killer Glute Ham Raises.
and the next day my legs are not really that bothered.

So here is the plan for the next Month

Squat 3 days a week
1) 15 sets x 2 reps x 80%max (110)
2) 10 sets x 3 reps x 86% max (115)
3) 15 sets x 1 rep x 90% max (120) (that should be a killer!)

Then the next week all the same again but with an extra 2.5kg

A total of 40 sets and only 75 reps (not including warm up sets) 
This should be interesting.

Strength Level 1 and 2

Strength Level 1 is not about what total weight you can lift nor how many years you have been working out for.  Its a combination of Strength to bodyweight and also fitness.

Level 1 is being able to do all of these within 1 month

Deadlift         2 x bodyweight
Squat             1.5x bodyweight
Bench            1.25xbodyweight
Push Press     1.25x bodyweight
Pull up           Bodyweight x10

and RUN/JOG 5k in under 30mins



Level 2 could take a year or 2 to get up to after reaching level 1

Deadlift      2.5 x bodyweight
Squat          2 x bodyweight
Bench         1.5x bodyweight
Pushpress   1.5 x bodyweight
Pullup         bodyweight x 20

Run /jog 5k in under 25mins

Gym Plan February 2013

Currently My bodyweight is 85kg (13.4stone or 187lbs)
My Height is 181cm (Just under 6foot)
My age is 29
My current maxes are
48kg dumbbells incline bench
80kg military press
100kg push press
130kg squat
176kg deadlift

Over the last month I have been doing a challenge where I do squats everyday in an attempt to improve my squat performance, and for me it very much worked, however there were some negative sides to it.
1) total amount of calories burnt during a workout went down
2) appatite went through the roof
3) failed to keep strict on my 18-6 fasting-fed
4) failed to stay away from chocolate and crisps
5) neglect of other exercises such as deadlift, bench, and shoulder press,
6) massive neglect of Cardio - even though I covered around 100k in the month from walking and jogging, in general cardio was right down.

The result of which was an awesome gain of 10kg in Squat performance BUT also the disappearance of my abs, the emergence of Back-acne and a bit of a weight gain up to 86kg (starting weight was 84 and that was post xmas and newyear food and booze)

My lowest I'v ever got down to was  78.9kg but that only lasted a day as cravings for pizza and chocolate were almost/actually unbearable. So I want to loose some weight but at least keep the strength gains that I have at the moment.

Aim is to get to 'a stable' 81kg (12.7stone /178lbs)  and still have same PBs on the main lifts (DL, Squat, PushPress, Military Press, Benchpress,)
The important part of that statement above is the term STABLE, ie Not just 81kg for a day, or even 2 days but 81kg for a fortnight/month without suffering from huge cravings and dreaming of chocolate covered pizzas on a crisp base.

The Programme

I am a big fan of the Wendler 531 programme and its numbers it uses, it also just promotes the 4 main lifts and gives basic advise for auxiliary exercises, but generally leaves that up to you to factor in. Some times it could be another 5 sets of10 reps  60% of the max you just lifted, other it can be a drop everything and go home and sleep.

For me I can get to the gym every day of the week (providing life doesnt get in the way) So I am going to factor the 4 main lifts into having their own seperate day. Thus giving me another 3 days a week to either relax or do some Cardio.

As my aim is to loose some flab I will definitely be using those extra days to really bump up the cardio and fitness levels to really get burning some calories and promoting cardiovascular adaptations.

Basic Programme is this

Following the guidelines of Wendler 531 for reps and sets

Saturday (Lunch time)

Squats 

Sunday (Afternoon - after eating)

Deadlift

Monday (Morning)

Low intensity cardio

Cross trainer/AMT machine 60mins level 20 burn around 800kcal then sauna

Tuesday (Morning)

Incline Dumbell Bench press 

Wednesday (Morning)

HIIT Cardio

tredmill hill sprints 100m runat  5degrees up to 15 degrees (speed 10 to speed 15) (gradient increasing by 2 degrees each time, speed increasing by 1kph (interspersed with 100m walk at 3k and 3 degrees) 1k =9minutes 20seconds plus 260elevation)

Thursday (Morning)

Push-press - Military press

work up to a max on push press and then wendler 531 on seated barbell military press.

Friday (Morning)

Cardio + Plyometrics

Corebag throws, medicine ball throws, UFB-2s, muscle ups, clap press-ups/muscle overs, Rowing 1 minute challenge. 

Repeat

If for some reason I revist the gym in the evening during the week, which might happen if my girlfriend wants to go and do a workout, I shall do cardio on the cross trainer and sub90% squat training.

Video examples of workouts are below

Things to Buy To Help You With Weightlifting

I do like lists. top tens, charts, analytics all that kind of stuff.
and I like finding things that have easy links if I am advised to go buy stuff.

So this page is really for myself for the future for when I need to remember to buy things for my Gym training.  The store is below, but below that is my reasoning for each item.








Weightlifting shoes

Just about to start using these, definitly squats will drop at the start, maybe the first couple of weeks but hope to have my squats increasing very fast after I get used to the new heel position.


http://amzn.to/TQXf4s


Click more  for ... more.

24 Day Squat Challenge

I can't ever claim to be someone that is afraid of too much volume nor that I fear the dreaded "OVER TRAINING"  I have managed to go to the gym up to 10 times a week for weeks on end without ever reaching this so called limit of over training.
I especially like this quote

Overtraining is real, but it is very misunderstood and grossly overstated by most people. 99% of people will never experience overtraining, and maybe only 5-10% of athletes.   http://www.doctorhartmanblog.com/2011/07/overtraining-vs-under-recovery.html

However I have, over the past year, separated my workouts day to day, by following the Wendler 531 programme which focuses on 4 main exercises (deadlift, squat, shoulder press and bench press) I have rarely ever done the same exercise back to back.  Well maybe a couple of times doing benchpress but that is easy.

Just before Christmas I managed an Ass-to-Grass 120kg (265lbs) Squat and a 105kg Front Squat, which I was most happy about - see here


And although I am very happy with that, and with my bodyweight at the time being around 84kg (185lbs) it is a happy 143%bodyweight squat.

But

I kinda think that that still sucks, and sucks real bad especially after i saw this video of this lady doing front squats with 120kg for 4!

Video Recording Your Workouts: Benefits

Why would you record your workout with a video camera? What purpose apart from wasting time and ogling at yourself afterwards does it serve?

Well there are many reasons to record yourself. Safety, motivation, form analysis and performance analysis.

Firstly, My background in exercise is that after a car crash a couple of years ago I injured my back. A herniated disk in my spine meant that putting load on top of me compressed my spinal disks more, resulting in agonizing pain when stretching my legs and back due to the nerve that comes of the the disks being crushed.  What this meant was that for a while I was not able to bend over and put on a sock, I was not even able to extend my leg to put down the clutch of my car without agonizing pain. I was partially bed ridden, and ended up on a diet of asprin and ibuprofen to get me through a day. I was advised and prescribed a dose of stretching and flexibility which only served to increase my pain and restrict my movement even more so afterwards. I ended up just giving up on trying to stretch the nerves and felt that i would happily be inflexible/stiff but in no pain, than able to touch my toes but in agony.  So straight off the bat, I fully admit I have poor posture, even poorer flexibility and a massive amount of inhibition when it comes to loading anything onto my spine.

Safety:
Recording your workout means that you get a better understanding of your position, speed and form. If it was not for recording I would never have found out that I have a massive imbalance in my back and shoulders that results in me skipping with a very odd form.


Also it has totally sorted out my running form
Which was like this:


and is now like this


Safety is largely dictated by your form while performing an exercise,  However sometimes you are so concentrated on doing and counting the reps,  or focusing on minor elements of the exercise such as keeping head elevated during a squat that you forget to focus on the larger elements of the exercise such as depth, foot placement, hip and knee angles etc.  By having my workouts recorded I am able to focus on the movement and the form while ignoring the need to count the reps, or even the sets if i am that focused.

For me the biggest thing about video recording my workouts is the PEFA) Post Exercise Form Analysis
So with a camera on me I know I can analyze my form after the workout and make conscious adjustments to my future workouts, Whether that be to keep my ass down lower, my hips to drive through sooner, my head to look straighter etc, all things which are maybe best to start off the workout with rather than trying to change/adjust mid workout especially if you are in your flow.


Motivation:
A lot of strength is gained not through hypertrophy of your muscles but through the neural adaptions that occur from heavy strength training.




Form
Never thought benchpress required much form control, then from the videos i found out i lift my head when i am lifting heavy weights. no idea that I did this nor that it was an issue.

Chasing Optimum....Doing the Best?

A regular thing to hear is "what is the optimum workout for .........(fill in blank with: muscle building, weight loss, fat stripping, fitness enhancing, strength gaining).

And by all means you will find hundreds of scientists and 'Bros' who have researched this question and will give you 100 different answers.

Some of them may be absolutly correct, some may be a little mis guided, some may just not be for you and your body type. But the question is why are you wanting Optimum?

Stupid question right? Why wouldn't you want optimum. Optimum means you are not wasting any time, that what you are doing will be giving you great results as fast as physically possible. It will be the quickest way to being the fittest, fastest, strongest, leanest, healthiest super human you could ever become.

But there is a problem.

There is no such thing as optimum.