fa_jing workout thread

[fa_jing]

OK, this is not going to list warmups, odd exercises etc. Just want something to look at and gauge my progress in the "money" sets. Comments welcome.

Saturday 5/8/04

3 x 3 Barbell hang clean and Jerk, Long-cycle@155lbs
3 x 3 Front Squat@155lbs
1 x 3 L-sit pullups + 2 pullups.
Kettlebells
Comment: fun mix of BB and KB work

Monday 5/10/04
Bench Press 3 x 3 - 205 lbs.
Hang clean and Jerk - 3 singles at 175lbs + OH hold
Deadlift: 10 singles@275lbs, bar 12" from the ground. No belt.
1 x 5 L-sit pullups.
Comment: First real deadlift workout. Alternated grips. Biceps were sore afterwards. I pulled a couple reps sumo style, but standard seems more natural. Low back briefly sore, next day feels pretty good.

[Ford Prefect]

Great numbers, fa_jing. Conventional vs Sumo DL is really a matter of choice. Most PL'ers pull Sumo because they are midgets and they only have to pull the weight 3" that way. ;)

As for your bicep soreness... Definately flex your triceps while pulling. This will ensure your arms are straight. A ripped bicep is a very common injury from overlooking this.

[IronFist]

Ouch, people rip their biceps from deadlifting?

fa_jing, how much do you weigh?

[fa_jing]

180@6'1"

The guy who I asked to spot me on the bench, said I was a beast in sheep's clothing. Guess I've got the skinny-strong thing going on. Everyone else in the gym was doing strip-sets and cheat curls.

Thanks for the advice Ford.

[Toby]

Mm. Nice 1st deadlift numbers. You would have a strong grip - try both hands pronated. Crush the bar so you don't drop it. Pretend it's a COC gripper.

Whaddaya mean by bar 12" from the ground? You mean with 44lb plates on the bar sits that high? You didn't pull from pins did you? The only way you'll get the bar lower is if you stand on a platform like those funky Ironmind ones. At a guess my bar would sit roughly that high too and that's enough to get my thighs horizontal and a good bend in my hips.

As to the sore back thing, I get that sometimes too. Play around with the height of your butt at the start. Too high gives me a sorer back. Too low and my lower leg becomes too angled forward. Concentrate on driving the ground away with your feet and (esp.) quads and hammies, not on lifting the weight. That little conceptual difference really helps me. Also, make sure you squeeze the bar up off the ground, not pull hard and fast, otherwise your butt might drift downwards.

[fa_jing]

Well, it was on the low bars of a wierd contraption at this semi-phony gym I was working out at, out of town. I couldn't do them anywhere else. I think the bottom of the plates were 3-4" from the ground so it was a slightly higher starting point for a deadlift. But they were wierd plates, with octagonal cuts and holes in them and stuff.

I'm using the alternating grip as I think this would be easier on my grip. I get plenty of grip work with my kettlebells.

[Toby]

Work the grip :mad: :p. I prefer the feel of double pronated grip. I use alternating grip when I get over about 320lb. Sometimes I feel I could go more, but sometimes it just doesn't feel right. DL is funny like that. This morning my 1st set was 308lb and it was perfect. Felt like I could do 50lb more no problem. Just hit the groove. Ford has talked about it before. 2nd set was 275lb and not so good. Same with grip. Sometimes I can grip double pronated 320lb no problem but almost drop it with 286lb. That's why I like DL so much - when it all comes together it feels so good, but it's a rare occasion so it gives you something to strive for.

[fa_jing]

BW 177lbs.
6 HSPU
2 x 5 KB MP R/L x 53lbs
2 x 30 KB swings x 53lbs
1 x 10 LC C&J R/L x 53lbs
1 x 20 pushups
1 x 25 KB swings x 53lbs

Comment: This was an "I don't feel like working out, but I'd better so I can sleep tonight and so I don't let my muscles atrophy" workout. Hopefully enough to maintain, probably not enough to gain. Now that I have a job, I will hopefully be able to put back on some of the weight that I lost. No matter what I was eating, it was sublimating with the stress.

[fa_jing]

Saturday 5/16/03
KBs in park
sprints
BW stuff
Jungle Gym stuff
repeat

Comment: no records were broken or neared, but I did alot of volume. I'm pretty sore today. Good workout.

[fa_jing]

Recovery workout: Steve Maxwell's challenge:

10 swings warmup

Challenge: All reps are performed in a single set of LEFT/RIGHT without setting the kettlebell down. 53lb. KB. Any resting is done with the KB overhead.

10/10 Clean and Press
10/10 Windmill
10/10 OH squat
10/10 Snatch

Followed up with 1 x 15 pushups

Comment: First time I completed this, one other time I tried and failed. Good energy is important prior to beginning.

There is another version where you do the same thing with 5 reps each side instead of 10, and a 70lb. KB

[Ka]

How long did the challenage take you?

[fa_jing]

I don't know. I went pretty briskly until I got to the snatches.

Yesterday, I did some Bench Press with the Smith machine at work. It was un-exciting.

Tonight, probably some pistols and single-legged deadlifts.

[Ford Prefect]

Holy crapola! I hit 2 PR's today with KB work. The funny thing is I hadn't really done any KB work for 3+ weeks because my move stopped all my workouts and then I got the power rack and was working out with that and my bumper plates. I couldn't even beleive it because my shoulders were still feeling it from heavy clean and jerk work on wednesday. This is how it went:

It was a speed and technique day, so I started with 6 sets of light full snatches (from ground > catch in full overhead squat - stand). I actually had to completely bail out on set #6. It hurt... Anyway, I followed that up with 3 sets of heavy Snatch high pulls, then onto 8 sets of dynamic box squats. I figured I'd finish off my speed work with KB snatches. I wanted to work it back into my routine...

I pick up the 32kg KB and rip off 10 reps each arm easy as anything. I was very surprised considering i hadn't done KB stuff in a few weeks and I was usually struggling at rep #5. I figure I'll go for broke the next set with 24kg. I rip out 38! PR! I did take a 10 second breather to wipe sweat off my hand when I switched though. I never tried to max out on snatches with 2 KB's before, so I figured I'd go for double snatches with the 16kg. I ripped out 25 of those. PR!

It felt good. I dunno if it was just the day or an increase in strenth somewhere, but I was shocked how easy these were going up.

[fa_jing]

Nice work, Ford. You should think about competing.

Yesterday, 5/20/04:

EDT pistols
Total of 22 reps each leg in 15 minutes w/ 53lbs. KB. New PR.

[Ford Prefect]

I'm actually planning on competing in Oly stuff this winter. I seem to be decent for the amount of time I've spent on them. I found a good oly coach around here, so I figure after a while of focussing on them and having a coach tweak my technique, I should be able to put up some respectable weight.

[fa_jing]

cool. I'm sure your heavy singles w/BB had alot to do with the improvement in KBs.

So watchyu putting up these days in the Oly lifts? Are you back up to your old maxes? Or if you haven't maxed out recently, what's a typical work set? Don't be afraid to brag....;) Are you still weighing in @175?

[Ford Prefect]

That's the thing. I haven't done any real heavy stuff lately. Most of it has been in the 6-10 rep range. Weird.

My lifts are nothing to brag about. Right now, I'm concentrating on getting the full squat variations of the lifts down. I'm power snatching 165, but I can only do about 105-115 when going into a full squat catch. I figure that if I want to make prolonged progress I'll have to get the full squat version down. Once I do I should be able to pull a decent amount more than 165 too. Especially considering my DL is over 450....

I can power clean 205 and jerk 235. A 235 clean and jerk is decent for my experience and weight class, and I think I could manage that if I can get the full squat clean down.

Luckily I did some searching and I found a good coach about 3.5 miles from my appartment. Never knew this guy was here and his gym isn't listed anywhere else but the American Weightlifting website. After a few more months of working on the full squat versions, I'll head there to clean up my technique.

[IronFist]

Ford, what's your height and weight? I forgot.

[Souljah]

sorry I know its been asked before, but I cant find it now - is there a place to go to find out exactly what it is you mean when u mention the types of exercise you do.....:rolleyes:

[Ford Prefect]

Iron,

6' 175 lbs... tall and lanky ;)

Souljah,

Oly clips... Check out SNatch and Clean&Jerk http://www.olympiclifting.citymax.com/page/page/1057631.htm

[IronFist]

Originally posted by Ford Prefect
Iron,

6' 175 lbs... tall and lanky ;)



my DL is over 450

:eek:

[fa_jing]

Great workout today at the KB club. Warmed up by taking the kids to the park and running around. I hit a bunch of PRs, however, to be fair, most of the stuff I had never really attempted before.

Went to the gym, did
9 reps LC C&J with 2 x 32kgs KBs (PR) Rested in the rack only.
2 L/R dead snatches and 3 L/R hang snatches with the 32kg KB (PR)
8 reps Front Squat (full) with 2 x 32 Kgs KB (PR)
1 rep OH full squat with 2 x 32 Kgs KB

Went upstairs to try my first ever deadlifts from the floor:
1 x 315lbs. (strong) (PR - of course)
1 x missed x 365lbs
1 x 315lbs. (tough, but felt good)

Finished up with
1 x 20reps x 135lbs. Bench Press
1 x 5 pullups
1 x 10 reps x 135lbs. Bench Press
1x 3 pullups
did a few leg raises.
All work was done w/out a belt.

Comment: RAwrrr! I love heavy singles of anything. I gave up fast on the 365lb. deadlift, I think it's good to know when to quit. Happily, this enabled be to hit 315 again.
6'1" 180lbs.

[fa_jing]

Ford, question for ya. In the full clean and jerk, after the clean, do you want to stand all the way up, then dip again and do the jerk? Or is it better to do the jerk right off of the clean? I've been doing it mostly the second way, and it seems better for me.

[Ford Prefect]

You're doing it the right way. It's pretty much impossible to do it that first way once the weight starts getting real heavy. Well, it's possible, but you'll miss a lot more than if you came up, paused, then jerked. Good workout, btw. I had a decent one this morning. It was brief, but I beat my power snatch and deadlift PR's by 10 lbs each. The snatch seemed easy but the DL was a struggle.

Iron,

I've always been a good puller for some reason. My bench and squat are way off what you'd think they'd be going by my dl.

[IronFist]

Ford, my DL is a lot higher than my bench and squat, too. If you take my 1RMs in all three (they were never this high at the same time), my squat is about 80% of my DL and my bench is about 77% of my DL 1RM, altho recently I just hit a new 4RM on box squats that would compute my 1RM to be about 84% of my DL 1RM. And yes, I realize my bench is high compared to my squat.

My point was, you have a big DL for your weight! Mine is less than 75% of yours.

[Ford Prefect]

That's what I mean. I've just always been a natural puller. My percentages are even lower than yours with my other power lifts compared to my DL. Even when I was a skinny little puke touching weights for my first time, I was pulling 225. I guess I'm just built better for it than for any other lifts.

[fa_jing]

Originally posted by Ford Prefect
You're doing it the right way. It's pretty much impossible to do it that first way once the weight starts getting real heavy. Well, it's possible, but you'll miss a lot more than if you came up, paused, then jerked.
Wait, are you saying that you should pause before you jerk? I was saying that I do not.

[Ford Prefect]

Oh. Heh. Looks like I need a refresher in reading comprehension. Yup, you should definately pause. Clean, come of the squat, pause to position yourself and gather energy, then dip and jerk. Do whatever feels better for you, but I'd be willing to bet that you'll eventually start pausing. Same thing can be said about push jerks and split jerks. Some people feel "natural" push jerking, but once the weight starts getting heavy, everybody usually heads over to the split.

[IronFist]

Also, my DL doesn't go down nearly as fast as my other lifts when I take time off.

[fa_jing]

Workout 5/25/04 - Steve Maxwell Challenge (untimed) w/53lb
comment: a little easier and quicker than the last time.

[fa_jing]

Great workout tonight. A pal from the Kettlebell club hung around and egged me on.

Warmed up with 1 L\R 1-legged deadlift x 135lbs bar, + a couple HLR

Also did two C&J with 135lbs.

Then, my first ever snatches w/Barbell. As far as myh grip, I found myself comfortable with placing the index fingers on the smooth bands of the bar.
1 x 95 lbs.
3 singles 115 lbs. (power snatch 2 out of 3)
1 single 125 (full snatch, nailed it somehow) Glad I stopped off at this weight
1 single 135lbs power snatch, + 1 rep OH squat w/same
1 missed snatch, dropped weight on my shins.
Phew. OK -

Clean from floor, had tried only from hang in the past -
5 singles at 185 lbs (power)
1 single at 195 lbs (full)

Equalled my old PR from hang for the clean.

Then
5 singles deadlift @ 275lbs. My partner yelling "huh!" forcefully on each of my reps after I reached about an inch from the floor, was the only reason most of them went up.

I felt I wanted some more upper body work, so I decided to play with the barbell side/bent press. Did a couple with the 45lbs bar, then was able to knock off 3 singles L/R with 65 lbs. Excellent feeling in the spine and good work for the abs.

Finished with a few HLR.

I didn't use a belt for anything. However, I am thinking I will start to use one for the ballistic BB lifts.

[fa_jing]

May 30th:

10 sets 5 reps L/R 53lb. KB MP

May 31st:

Mixed bag KB workout.

Comment: may start looking for a gym at the end of this week.

[Ford Prefect]

Wow. Impressive numbers fa_jing. A 135 pound full snatch is no easy feat even for somebody with a modicum of strength.

[fa_jing]

Ford, thanks for your compliment. Put on yer reading glasses. ;)No, I'm sure it's just my style of writing and bouncing back and forth with the terms. To be precise, I did a full squat snatch at 125, but the snatch at 135lbs was a power snatch. I also tacked on an OH squat to the rep, my first barbell OH squat. I then tried to snatch it again, this time dropped into a full squat, and f'd up and ended up dropping the weight on my shins. LOL.

Today 6/2/04:

195 lbs Smith machine bench press: (reps) 4, 4, 4, 8

Drove home from work and tried a Maxwell's challenge, but failed on the 9th windmill rep. Finished up as best I could, did some more KB stuff and BW pistols.

Comment: Smith machine is ghey, but better than nothing :eek: :p :D My last set convinced me that I could do alot more reps than I had thought at a given weight.

Friday: deadlifts, maybe some more Oly work.

[fa_jing]

OK, deadlifted 335. Failed at 345.

Did 8 reps BP @ 185, and then standing Military Pressed 135 two times (strict). Did some other stuff, heavy workout today.

I'm thinking to move this log over to Iron Garm. This spot is not appropriate long term for a personal log. I mostly wanted to discuss the transition between Kettlebell lifting and Barbell lifting. I think with a belt and the ideal warmup I could Deadlift 350. That's with primarily pistols, KB jerk, snatches, swings, and front squats. Carryover was good to the Barbell Clean and Jerk & Snatch. Very good overhead carryover, but not a real significant carry over to the Bench Press. I should test the Barbell Back squat next. I would bet that I could full squat a little over 250, which would be an improvement. Not a whole lot of carryover to pullups, although lat strength of a sort is built though windmills and OH work... but I did nearly equal my old personal best due to the increased grip-- I can rest hanging between reps a bit.

[Toby]

Originally posted by fa_jing
OK, deadlifted 335. Failed at 345.

Did 8 reps BP @ 185 ...Nice DL numbers. That's not bad at all considering you just started. It took me a long while to build up to that, and each time I broke a plateau it felt like a helluva lot more than the previous cycle. But my DL sucks. I mean, I BP 250 at the end of a cycle, but only squat and DL 350. All courtesy of my chicken legs.

[uki]

wouldn't throwing a shot put be a good way to train fa jing??

[Frost]

wouldn't throwing a shot put be a good way to train fa jing??

god knows how you manage to TTT threads so old but yes throwing weighted impliments is a great way to ptacise generating power as thereis no deceleration phase.

This is actually how the soviets used kettlebells for the majority of the training they did with them: throwing them outside on fields to work on explosive power