ExRx.net

First workout yesterday (Nov 17/06) since my last workout on Nov 4/06.
I did Javorek Barbell complex 1 for 8 rounds, using 70lbs. Felt okay. Still a little tight in my neck and upper back.


Morning of Nov 5 - i tore my neck and upper back up pretty bad. Ironically enough i did it bending over to pick up a towel after i got out of the shower! This was despite (or in spite of?) the fact that i finished a deadlift workout minutes before where i maxed out at 525lbs for 5 singles - problem free. Since then, up to 2 days before yesterday, i was in brutal pain and very tight/restricted in the upper back and neck area. My wife was great about helping with rub-downs in the area using heat. Aside from that stretches and hot showers seemed to help.

I've done this before - significantly injured myself doing seemingly harmless things. I once ended up in a collar for 3 weeks after swinging my leg right leg over my bike seat, getting off my bike!

X-rays were done and an exam by a specialist. Tests indicate that there is no serious damage and that damage is limited to soft tissue damage. It is possible that i re-aggravated one of my previous injuries.

So warning to all: Don't drop your towel - if you do, don't pick it up - their pure evil! ;)

Dec 30/06:

New circuit will be used as follows for daily metcon workout:

-200m on power rower
-5 x 90lb thruster
-5 x 40 lb muscle snatch hi pull
-5 x hammer grip pull ups
-5 each x 20/30/50lb 1 arm swings (each hand)
-5 x 40lb Sot’s press & overhead squat
-Shoulder 70lb sandbag and carry x 25 paces to stairs, up 11 stairs and down – repeat once per shoulder
-5 x 180lb deadlift/shrug/calf raise

Complete two circuits in total.

I may alternate between a lighter version of this and version described above as my body and recovery rates dictate (keeping in mind my additional daily strength routine consisting of heavy singles).

Light version = 40lb thrusters (instead of 90lbs), swings with 30lbs only (1 set of swings per hand at 30lbs only) and 90lb deadlifts (instead of 180lbs). Lighter version will be 3 circuits total.

**NEW** Metcon workout using thick bar (2”) barbells and dumbbells
(Jan 20/07)

Upright row, Muscle snatch hi pull, Behind the neck thruster, Good morning, Bent over row, (X 6 reps each in sequence x 40lb barbell)

1 arm dumbbell power snatch x 45lb dumbbell x 6 reps each hand

Muscle clean, Overhead press, Back squat, (X 3 reps in sequence x 90lb barbell)

Deadlift 3 x 115, 3 x 165, 3 x 215, 3 x 265

Barbell Power clean and push press, 5 x 115, 5 x 135

Upright row, Muscle snatch hi pull, Behind the neck thruster, Good morning, Bent over row (X 6 reps each in sequence x 40lb barbell)

1 arm dumbbell muscle clean and press x 45lb dumbbell x 6 reps each hand


My goal is to complete the entire session in 10 minutes or less, then adjust weights and start over.

First workout since a long layoff due to surgery and recovery from an old injury that popped up on me.

See journal entry for today, March 19/07. Need to work back into things slowly. Not sure how my body/system will react to the long layoff (month+) and post-surgery status.

Overall, workout went well and feel pretty good. (See how i feel later tonight and tomorrow!).

Thought i would update everyone who is curious on my routine as of late. I have dropped my previous a.m. strength sessions in exchange for the following progressive workout.

I do this each morning, Mon - Fri for two weeks, taking one week off and repeating. I vary the weight progressions as i feel, but usually stick to 10lb and 20lb increments, performing singles and progressing through the lifts basically as shown. When i feel like i am burning out toward the end of the 2 week period, i go to 50lb incremements and drop off lifts as needed.

a.m. strength routine:

Muscle snatch, add wt
Power snatch, add wt
Snatch, add wt
Power clean and push press, add wt
Squat clean and jerk press, add wt
Clean and jerk, add wt
Squat clean, add wt
High pull to chest, add wt
High pull to navel, add wt
Snatch grip dead with shrug and rise to toes, add wt
Snatch grip dead, add wt
Standard grip dead, add wt
Rev grip dead, add wt until maxing out

(I have been starting at a 90lb muscle snatch and working up to a 450-485lb rev grip deadlift for these sessions)

In the evenings, (7d/wk) i am sticking to my METCON sessions, but have decided to up the intensity but shorten the overall workout. I have been following the tabata style sessions and modified versions (described below) using the lifts as described below:

Tabatas- (20 second of work, followed by 10 seconds of rest X 8 sets)

-barbell or dumbell thrusters
-one or two hand swings
-overhead squats
-rows on rower

Modified Tabata's - (8 sets of 3, 10 sec rest between sets)

-complex 1 - sldl, muscle hang clean, overhead squats, sots press (bb or db)
-complex 2 - muscle clean, overhead press, bent over row (bb or db)
-complex 3 - power clean, push press, back squat, good morning, vertical row (bb or db)
-complex 4 - javorek barbell complex - muscle snatch hi pull, vertical row, back squat and press, good morning, bent over row (bb or db)

For the metcon work out i use a barbell or db's set at total 110lb for each movement or cluster. Each tabata session is 4 minutes total and each modified tabata session is less than 6 minutes.

After every 4th strength training period, i take two weeks off from both a.m. and p.m. sessions and do a 600lb wheel barrel walk (2.2km) each morning and each evening on alternating days. And on the off days rest or do some brisk walking. I follow this two weeks with a week layoff from the strength stuff and concentrate on the tabata stuff, with half the regular weight on the bb or db's.

Okay, so i had to abort my barrel lifting program due to dropping and destroying my barrel. So i decided to re-think things and come up with something new. After much stressing and fretting over it all i have decided to back waaaaaay off and switch things up.

I spent a lot of time analysing all of my training logs, my progress over the years and have come to realize that i respond BEST to a single, short but EXTREMELY intense work out with heavy weight and (relatively) high volume - read "little to no rest between movements".

So i am dropping my metcon work out and adjusting my strength workouts to fit into a single 10-15 (torture) session. I will focus on a minmum # of lifts per session, attacking the whole body. With the goal of achieving a good base of GPP. Here is what i am thinking for individual sessions:

1 - clean and press until i puke.
Start light, add 5 lbs per set, perform sets of 3, go for a 3-rep max - keep going until 15 minutes is up. Max 45s-1min rest between heavier sets.

2 - snatch/press-out combo
snatch weight, lower bar to forehead and press out
- same sets/reps as above

3 - squat (any variation) or deadlift (any variation)
- singles up to a max, keep going until 15 minutes is up (max rest 30s between heavier singles)

4 - Evolution workout (alternate directions each session)-
Power snatch, add wt
Snatch, add wt
Power clean and push press, add wt
Squat clean and jerk press, add wt
Clean and jerk, add wt
Squat clean, add wt
High pull to chest, add wt
High pull to navel, add wt
Snatch grip dead with shrug and rise to toes, add wt
Snatch grip dead, add wt
Standard grip dead, add wt
Rev grip dead, add wt until maxing out

5 - abbreviated Evolution (alternate directions each session)-
1 power clean + 3 presses, add wt repeat
1 power clean + 3 push presses, ad wt repeat
1 power clean + 3 jerk presses, add wt repeat
(continue until failing power clean)
3 power pulls from floor to chest, add wt repeat
3 power pulls from floor to navel, add wt repeat
3 power pulls from floor to dead hang position with shrug, add wt repeat
(continue until shrug is not possible)
-3 explosive dead lifts

6 - Some sort of lift and carry - farmers walk, wheelbarrow, sandbags, pails, etc

Each work out will be assigned to one side of a die, roll the die and do that work out that day. Where applicable, a second roll will determine:
1 or 4 = barbell
2 or 5 = two dumbells
3 or 6 = 1 dumbell
Sets and reps will vary, but the time constraint will remain the same - 15 minutes or less.
The only strict rules i will hold myself to are (1) do as much work as i can in 15 minutes and (2)LISTEN to my body when it tells me to NOT work out.