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Ryan's "Hope to compete again in 2014" log


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Just thinking about prowler sprints make me wanna be sick, nice job!

 

Do you have any carb-free BCAA at your store? Im gonna order glutamine from you very soon, and the vegan BCAA i got from trueprotein.com is out of stock so im hoping to order BCAA currently cutting, carbs restricted, can you help? I think when i was looking the other day i only saw bcaa that had added flavor so it had some carbs...gracias..

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Yeah, Prowler sprints are rough, I think they're made worse by the fact I only have 50 feet of runway to work with indoors, and having to race to turn 180 degrees multiple times really puts it to the test!

 

For BCAA supplements, we've got one by NutraSumma, which has only 2g carbs per serving and can be found here on our site:

 

http://store.veganessentials.com/amino-clear-vegan-bcaa-supplement-by-nutrasumma-p3386.aspx

 

Unfortunately, not completely carb-free, but close. Not sure how many doses per day you plan to take, but if it's a handful throughout, then that might still be too much for you. I'm checking on some alternate brands for spring, and of course, if you come across anything that you think is worth us bringing in, just say the word and I'll work on it!

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probably too many carbs, i only get 130 a day and its gonna be less. i noticed that my OL pea protein has the three BCAAs, would that be adequate or does protein powder have them at much lower levels than the straight up BCAAs from ajipure?? it doesnt really say the amount of the jar as far as i could tell... thank u...you are awesome...

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Hey!

 

Sorry that the NutraSumma BCAA won't work, but glad to hear that the Pea Protein has adequate BCAAs for your needs (unless you need to take in a ton extra, I'd think that a few servings of pea protein per day will get you what you need).

 

The NOW L-Glutamine is just a pure powder, pretty bitter if I recall correctly with no added sweeteners or anything else. Label only lists free-form L-Glutamine in the contents, so it should be good for whatever you need for being carb restricted!

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Knee bothering me a bit this week, so I kept it upper body last night with chest/upper back work -

 

Flat bench press w/ 2" diameter axle -

1x10 @ empty axle (55 lbs.)

1x5 @ 145 lbs.

1x3 @ 195

1x2 @ 235

1x1 @ 265

1x1 @ 275

1x1 @ 285

1x1 @ 290, lost it a bit back, struggled to finish

1x1 @ 295, wasn't too bad, but worn out from the last bad rep, figured 300 will happen again next time.

5x3 @ 250

Capped off benching with close grip 3x20 @ 145 + orange bands (felt like about 150 lbs. at bottom with almost no tension, close to 200 at lockout, triceps dead after this one.

 

Weighted pull-ups -

1x3 @ bodyweight (250 lbs. clothed)

1x1 @ 25 lbs. strapped on

1x1 @ 45 " "

1x1 @ 65 " "

1x1 @ 75 " "

1x1 @ 85 " "

1x1 @ 90 " ", sloppy rep, dropped the weight back down

3x3 @ 65 lbs. strapped on

 

Hammer Strength plate-loaded pulldowns -

3x8 @ 230 lbs. + green bands (felt like about 250 at start of rep, around 300 at finish of pull)

3x20 @ 200 lbs., plates only, no bands

 

Wide-grip 45 degree pulldowns to collar, hard scapular retraction to hit middle back -

3x30 @ 140 lbs.

 

Alternated the pulldowns with banded horizontal bench machine -

2x50 w/ light duty bands (felt like about 30 lbs. at start, around 60-70 at finish)

 

Finished by experimenting with some front squat shrugs I'd seen featured on the T-Mag site a while back, looking for something different and less compressing on the spine that can still get some decent trapezius work in. We've got a front squat harness (which, unfortunately, for squatting it is at the perfect height to stab me in the crotch every time I go deep, making it useless for squats), but it worked well for the shrugs -

3x20 @ 175 lbs. (155 plus 20 lb. harness)

Felt about as tough as it does to be shrugging almost double that weight regularly, so I might have to work these in from time to time.

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Legs and shoulders last night!

 

Found some more additions to the facility, a new 45 degree leg press and a new pulldown station (one of our members finds great deals on used equipment and keeps buying it up to donate to the facility!), so I decided to try some light leg pressing to see how it would impact the lower back. Didn't feel any compression stress, so that was a good thing (but definitely kept it light!)

 

Standing overhead strict press w/ 2" diameter axle -

1x8 w/ empty 55 lb. axle

1x5 @ 145 lbs.

1x3 @ 175

1x1 @ 195

3x1 @ 220, just a few singles to get used to some decent weight

3x5 @ 200

3x10 @ 150

 

Leg press -

1x20 @ 270, 300, 340, 360

 

Single-leg leg press -

3x25 @ 150 lbs. each leg

 

Glute/ham raises -

3x25 @ bodyweight

 

Kept it simple so I could be out in about an hour flat, decent little session with minimal rest periods to keep to flowing at a good pace.

 

About an hour after getting home, I was relaxing on the couch, and had a massive ab cramp come out of nowhere, which was REALLY painful. Haven't had that happen in ages, but I realized that there's still a lot of ab support needed even with light leg pressing, so going deep on them must have worked my midsection more than I expected. It hurt like hell but was funny in the end, I had to practically throw my iPad into my wife's lap as I fell off the couch, nearly scared her to death with her thinking that I was having a heart attack until I could croak out that I was fine, just that my abs were locked up. Hopefully that won't happen again any time too soon!

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I'm super jealous of your overhead press. It's one of the lifts I respect the most, yet I just can't get it to catch up.

 

Well, I'm jealous of your great deadlifting, so I guess we'll have to envy each other!

 

Honestly, I HATED overhead pressing for a long, long time. I think I probably did overhead pressing about once a month for my first 7-8 years of training, it was the absolute last lift I ever wanted to do. Spent my time doing machine work and lateral raises instead, which did ZERO to increase my overhead strength. Only once my interest in strongman got sparked did I realize that I'd need to really get over how much I hated it, and once that happened and I started hitting heavy power cleans to push presses every week (a nice way to make sure that those power cleans stay strong, too!) did things get any better. Went from a max of about 165 for a single to over 200 in just a few months, then for the next year the weight just kept going up more and more easily until I was an inch away from hitting 300, then my mind kept getting the best of me. Got stuck there, then the injuries piled on, and it's back to working my way up. Thankfully, it's one of the only lifts I don't seem to lose strength on even when I have to take a longer hiatus from training.

 

If you ever seem to get stuck in a rut with overheads, the magic keys for me were:

 

- Clean and push press for singles or doubles (clean once only regardless of rep count)

 

- Push presses in the power rack for sets of 5-8 max reps, always going 15-25% over my strict press max weight

 

- 1-arm heavy dumbbell clean and presses, allowing some side bend when necessary

 

- Standing partial presses in the rack, anywhere form bar starting just grazing the top of the head up through REALLY short ROM overhead lockouts that were just 1.5"-3" of movement (it feels pretty impressive just to have 400+ lbs. locked out, even if you barely moved it, and there's a unique strength carryover just from supporting that much weight!)

 

I credit those four things with being how I nealy doubled my overhead strength in just about 2 years, as light to moderate work of repping out with 10+ per set just didn't give me any bang for my buck.

 

Good stuff, give it a shot in your program some time and see how it works for you!

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220lb press, Boom this is awesome. Can't

Believe it took me so long to see the importance of these! Log press in mind obviously!!!

 

Farmers walks wkend passed, hands still aching

 

Gotta love overhead work! I'm hoping to eventually meet my old strict press PR of 250, and then whenever my back and knee get around to cooperating with me, I'll be returning to push pressing and working to eventually crack the 300 lb. barrier that I never quite reached at my prime!

 

I miss doing farmer's walks Been too long since I've been able to carry any weight like that, fingers crossed I'll know that joy again sometime down the line!

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Got in for a quick upper back session tonight (didn't want to slack!)

 

Only had 55 minutes total to warm up and lift, so I got right on it the moment I walked in the door -

 

Hammer Strength plate-loaded pulldown machine -

1x5 @ 180 lbs.

1x5 @ 230

1x12 @ 290

1x12 @ 310

1x10 @ 330

1x8 @ 360

No idea how this clicked so well tonight (thought I'd have to stay under 300 originally, but the first set was so damned easy!), usually I'm pretty tapped out early on these, but I felt like I was born to use this setup tonight. Some days, things just work out right!

 

In between, did some front squat harness shrugs. Someone amputated the bottom half of the harness that's notorious for stabbing people in the crotch, so it was definitely easier to wear and much more comfortable -

1x20 @ 185 lbs (170 plus 15 lb. harness)

1x20 @ 235

1x20 @ 275

 

Hammer Strength plate-loaded high row -

1x12 @ 390 lbs.

1x12 @ 420

1x12 @ 460

Again, usually once I get to the mid 400s, I start to crash fast and can't get more than 8-10 reps. No idea why things were feelig this easy, but I'll take it! Maybe it was the new custom orthotics I started wearing for my flat feet, sending some extra strength from the soles on up!

 

V-handle pulldowns to top of chest, slight lean back -

2x20 @ 180 lbs.

 

Did some dip shrugs between the V-handles, just 2x25 @ bodyweight and I was good.

 

Should be back in on Saturday for a light leg session and some chest work!

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Ha! Thanks man. For some reason deadlifting always came pretty naturally to me. I just love the idea of it; it's such a primal exercise.

 

I really do need to start including more Olympic work in my lifting. I lift in an Olympic gym. We have 10 platforms packed with bumper plates, which is where I do all of my squatting, deadlifting, military press, etc. I used to do it a bit in my late teens until I tore my rotator cuff doing heavy behind the neck snatch grip push presses. I need to get back to it though. Thanks for the advice.

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Deadlifts were definitely my first love when it came to finally enjoying training heavy. It makes me sad to not currently be able to do them at this time, but fingers crossed I can get back after them next month again!

 

Cool that you lift somewhere with good platforms and bumpers where you don't have to worry about people being upset if you actually drop an overhead lift. That was always my issue at my old gyms, I'm just glad that I don't have to worry about that any longer!

 

Got in for some light leg work and chest stuff last night, had a good time with it -

 

Flat bench press w/ axle -

1x5 @ 145 lbs.

1x3 @ 195

1x2 @ 235

1x1 @ 265

1x1 @ 285,, felt easy, but not going to go 300+ for another week or two

Put on Slingshot

5x3 @ 300

2x15 @ 235, first set straight through, 2nd set got 13, had to rack and take a few breaths, then finished last 2 reps, but triceps were fried as I did both sets close-grip on these. Finding that, even though I've widened my grip on a lot of my benching, my torso width close grip position is stil my strongest.

 

IronMind hip belt squats, using EZ bar, standing on two boxes for adequate ROM. Started REALLY light to learn the balance on these, it was tricky at first for sure -

1x5 @ 65 lbs.

1x5 @ 85

1x5 @ 125

1x5 @ 145

1x5 @ 165

1x5 @ 185

1x5 @ 205

3x10 @ 225, this was more of a learning experience than anything else in getting used to the EZ bar for these, but it wasn't bad after a while. Hardest part is getting the bar off my bench setup once I was strapped in and getting it straddled back over the bench after the sets were done. Only problem I really have with these that makes it more challenging is, I realized that all the lack of lower body work has caused my ass to vanish (it was the one thing that, no matter how large I got, my butt never seemed to get any bigger), now that I've had so much time of lower body injury/neglect/rehab/etc. I find that I barely have the glutes left to keep the belt from slipping down the back during the squats. So, I have to double-belt it on with a Valeo velcro belt over it to keep it from slipping, seems to work, but as things get closer to 300+ in time, I think it's going to be tough unless my glutes start growing!

 

Leg press to get a bit more leg work in -

3x20 @ 410 lbs., still keeping it light

 

Got one set in for the horizontal bench setup with bands, just 1x25 with a bunch of small bands looped around it, then I felt like I was about to pass out and decided to cut it short in just about an hour. Was planning on two more sets of banded bench and some glute/ham raises, but that'll have to wait a few days. Plan now is, leg work twice weekly, not going all-out but working to re-acclimate the lower body to doing SOMETHING again, hopefully I can start focusing on lower back work in a few weeks and start my recovery phase back into normal training again.

 

Hitting upper back tonight, will post afterward!

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Upper back and shoulder training last night, a few days later than expected.

 

Wide-grip pulldowns -

1x8 @ 120 lbs.

1x8 @ 200 lbs.

3x12 @ 260 lbs.

 

Standing strict overhead press w/ axle -

1x10 @ empty 55 lb. axle

1x5 @ 145 lbs.

1x3 @ 175

1x1 @ 195

1x1 @ 215

1x1 @ 225, went up REALLY easily got too confident

1xfail @ 235, moved from start position to top of head easily, then stuck for some reason and a no-go. Was expecting it to be easy, but didn't work out that way.

3x7 @ 195 lbs.

 

Plate-loaded seated row w/bands (which add about zero tension at start, about 30 lbs. at finish) -

1x15 @ 200 lbs. + band tension

1x15 @ 230 " "

1x15 @ 260 " "

 

Standing axle strict press speed doubles (making sure to press with enough force that I have to hold on to the bar at the finish to keep it from popping out of my grip) -

10x2 @ 145 lbs.

Just testing to see how some speed pressing works for overhead since I was a bit worn out tonight on my overheads after the previous sets.

 

Hammer Strength plate-loaded pulldown machine w/ bands -

3x20 @ 150 + purple bands (about 40-50 lbs. initial resistance, about 100-120 lbs. end resistance)

 

Just wanted to get some high rep stuff in for upper back work, felt good, should be hitting up legs again tomorrow. Good news today was that I got the go-ahead to resume light squatting and deadlifting any time, I will probably begin next week, still plan to take it slow and probably won't squat or deadlift above 225 for a month or two just to be safe.

 

Looking forward to starting back with my favorite lifts again before too long!

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Good news today was that I got the go-ahead to resume light squatting and deadlifting any time, I will probably begin next week, still plan to take it slow and probably won't squat or deadlift above 225 for a month or two just to be safe.

 

Looking forward to starting back with my favorite lifts again before too long!

 

Awesome news

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Yes, definitely good news! Of course, coupled with irritating news.....

 

Turns out, the Public Storage company that owns our building for our training facility gave my business partner notice last Friday that we've got until July to find a new home. Apparently, they just can't afford to have so many open commercial/light industrial units in the front building, so they're coverting the whole thing to indoor storage and booting all the tenants. Sucks, but I understand, they have to adapt to make money or they go out of business (which would end up with us losing our spot in the end in such a scenario anyway). So, next week the three of us who are partners need to get together and start making the rounds to scout for a new location - plenty of time and even with probably 20,000+ lbs. of plates and equipment, we could relocate and re-settle over a single weekend with the crew we can round up. Only pain is that the astroturf was cut just for the room it's glued to, so no idea how salvageable that's going to be, might be a $1500 waste, might be able to move it, we shall see.

 

Got in to train a bit last night, was decent but didn't go completely as planned -

 

Flat barbell bench w/ axle -

1x10 @ empty axle (55 lb.)

1x5 @ 145 lbs.

1x3 @ 195

1x2 @ 235

3x3 @ 265

1xfail @ 290, injured finger (see below) made it too tough to bench heavy as I couldn't wrap my hands well enough around the axle, dropped weight for speed doubles work instead -

10x2 @ 195 lbs., about 45-60 seconds rest between each set, all lowered quickly and pressed at max speed

 

Had originally planned to wait one more week before squatting, but the bug had already bitten me as soon as I knew I was cleared to do them again. So, put on the knee sleeves, set up shop in the rack, and had some fun with a return to squatting again -

1x10 @ 135 lbs.

1x10 @ 185

4x10 @ 225

After first set @ 225, I managed to snag an overly-long fingernail on my belt, which popped about half of it up from the skin. I thought I just bent the nail at first (was sore, but not bad), but the blood that started dripping out from under the nail told a different story. So, that made it fun, had to create an impromptu bandage out of duct tape and tissue to keep my finger bandaged, which messed with my benching as noted above. Squats were fine, but had to drop weight on the axle benching.

 

As mentioned, I'm keeping things light for some time, hoping I can restrain myself enough to where I just add 5-10 lbs. each week for a few months or add more sets, anything to keep from going all-out and ending up hurt is a good plan Just those sets have left my legs sore as hell today, goes to show that after a long time off, even light squats are a killer! Good news is that there's ZERO knee pain with my orthotics, who would have guessed that it was just my stupid feet that were killing my knees so much? I was prepared to get my knee checked out as of a few weeks ago when it was still sore after 5 months straight, looks like things are on the mend!

 

Just played around a bit with some light single-leg pressing -

3x20 each leg @ 150 lbs.

 

And one set of glute/ham raises for 30 reps at bodyweight to call it a day. Got queasy near the end of the workout (probably from keeping rest periods short, I was winded through the 2nd half of my workout) so cut short the extra bench work and stopped the glute/ham raises early as well. No point in puking, it would just mean that I'd have to eat more to make up for it

 

Getting some upper back/bicep work in tonight, then it's two days off to get out of town for some much-needed R&R as it has been extremely stressful lately, and a 10th wedding anniversary is a good reason to unwind for a few days. Planning on a nice deep tissue massage Wednesday to treat ourselves, then it's back to business and training as usual come Thursday!

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Upper back work tonight. Weird day, full of seething rage at just about everything for no particular reason, so training was mandatory to prevent me from freaking out at some point during the evening.

 

Pull-ups -

1x3 @ bodyweight (248 lbs. clothed)

1x3 @ 30 lbs. added

3x5 @ 55 lbs. added

1x12 @ bodyweight, damn it feels light and easy after doing them with weight!

 

In between, did front squat harness shrugs -

1x20 @ 150 lbs. (135 + harness)

1x20 @ 200

1x20 @ 250

3x20 @ 300

 

Hammer Strength plate-loaded high row -

1x10 @ 450 lbs.

1x10 @ 480

1x10 @ 500, tough today, a fair amount of leaning back to finish last few reps

1x25 @ 300

 

In between, tried a new shrug setup - took two thick blue Jump Stretch bands, wrapped one over each shoulder and put other end under each foot (done while seated), stand up to full tension and shrug -

3x20, felt like 180-200 lbs. at bottom, 250-270 at top of shrug

 

Wide-grip pulldowns w/ Fat Gripz handles for added grip work -

2x20 @ 180 lbs., easy pulling but grip was fried by 20th rep each time

 

Green Jump Stretch band seated row, band wrapped around base of plate rack, attached handle to other end, row to navel height for fast reps -

2x20, felt about 60ish lbs. at start, around 100ish at finish

 

That was it, just a good 70 minute upper back session with short rest periods, still just doing general strengt stuff with more volume and some higher rep "fun" work for increasing workload capacity.

 

Two days off to get away, should get back in the gym Friday after I'm home and settled in!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Lost a week due to being slightly injured (lat strain from shovelling too frantically during last week's snow day), and being far too busy, but got back in to train last night for upper back and shoulders -

 

Icarian plate-loaded seated row -

1x10 @ 180 lbs.

1x10 @ 230

1x10 @ 280

3x10 @ 320

 

Standing strict overhead press w/ axle -

1x10 @ empty axle (55 lbs.)

1x5 @ 145 lbs.

1x3 @ 175

1x1 @ 195

1x1 @ 215

1x1 @ 225, was really easy, should have done another rep!

3x5 @ 205

 

Wide grip pulldowns -

1x12 @ 250 lbs.

1x12 @ 260

1x12 @ 270

 

Seated overhead axle half presses in the power rack (bar about 1/2" over top of head to start) -

1x8 @ 235 lbs.

1x8 @ 255

1x4 @ 275, died out at that point, dropped the weight, did 8 more @ 235 to wrap up shoulder work

 

1-arm sled rows, done on astroturf, which has a LOT less "slide" than asphalt, so the weight had to be lower than when I did them outside -

1x20 @ 270 lbs. each arm

1x20 @ 320

1x20 @ 360

 

Wrapped up with some lat shrug-ups from a hanging position in the power rack -

1x20 w/ 50 lb. DB strapped on (300 lbs. total weight)

1x30 @ bodyweight (250 clothed and bundled up)

 

Good session, going back in to hit legs tomorrow!

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Quick leg day, was supposed to be a good chest day as well, but cut pretty short.

 

Squats, still going uber-light to take it easy on the lower back -

1x3 @ 135 lbs.

1x3 @ 185

1x2 @ 225

1x1 @ 275

1x1 @ 315 (couldn't resist, but won't push it much more for a bit)

5x10 @ 235, really easy, just that I'd suck wind for a minute afterward but legs handle it well

 

Flat bench w/ axle -

1x10 @ empty 55 lb. axle

1x5 @ 145 lbs.

1x3 @ 195

1x2 @ 235

1x1 @ 265

1x1 @ 285, wanted to hit 300 again but knew it was not my day from how the 285 felt

Dropped weight to close grip a few sets to wrap it up -

3x12 @ 205 lbs.

 

Was going to do some glute/ham raises and some bench assistance, but had WAY too much caffeine tonight, which plays hell with my stomach. Felt queasy and dizzy after the benching, just knew it would be bad if I kept going, so I called it a day after that.

 

Planning on doing an upper/lower back day on Tuesday to test light deadlifts again and hit some pull-ups and rows, one more workout before leaving for California!

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Anything goes kind of session tonight, trying to cover all my bases since I leave for Calfornia on business in less than 2 days and probably won't get to train while there (walking and talking for 8+ hours/day leaves me with little left for lifting at the end of the day).

 

Started with light deadlifts to test the waters again, using IronMind back support (just to keep warm) but no belt for the time being, just going REALLY light for a few months until I know how things will be after the back therapy -

1x10 @ 135 lbs.

5x10 @ 225 lbs.

 

Didn't get to shoulders lately, threw in some light maintenance work via standing strict overhead axle presses -

1x10 @ 55 lb. empty axle

5x10 @ 150 lbs.

 

Then it was on to upper back work, starting with weighted pull-ups, narrow grip with hands about 8" apart -

1x5 @ bodyweight (250 lbs. clothed and layered, facility was colder than it was outside!)

1x5 @ 55 lbs. added (305 lbs. total)

1x5 @ 60 lbs. added

1x5 @ 65 lbs. added, bit of toe push at start of reps, but all were smooth, feet on floor between each rep

 

Hammer Strength plate-loaded pulldown machine -

3x8 @ 300 lbs.

 

Dumbbell rows (first time in months!) -

2x10 @ 160 lbs. each arm

1x20 @ 125 lbs. each arm

 

Rear delt band pull-aparts -

3x20

 

Kept the pace fast with short rest periods, in and out in 90 minutes total including warm-up and set-up time, endurance and strength both picking up again as the lower back is getting better. Still, need to be safe, I'm a sucker for jumping back in too quickly. Planning on keeping the squats and deadlifts fairly light until May or June before really starting to work on gaining significant strength back in them, we shall see how things go. Probably won't update for a week, but I plan to get back to training as soon as I'm home again!

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Your ohp is fucking awesome man...I hope I can get somewhere near that one day.

 

Congrats on the all clear, I bet it felt good to get down to some deads even if, for you they are light. 

 

Could you be tempted to use 5/3/1 once you're ready to

Properly train lower body again to help with a steady increase/gain? 

 

I know you're experienced, just interests in the process you may/may not have planned...

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Thanks, veggiesasquatch! I figured, if I couldn't do much for the lower body and my chest strength has been mediocre at best, may as well keep the shoulders and upper back stuff strong if nothing else!

 

Felt good on those deads, but my QL on the left side was tight as hell today, body is not used to really pushing those hips through and having the lower back do much work. I'm going to have to stretch out a lot more to avoid it being tender in the future, that's for sure.

 

I'd certainly be open to trying 5/3/1 when I get back to reasonable levels in the coming months. Basically, I'm planning on 2 months of slow "10 lbs. added per week" 5x10 stuff just to re-learn proper squat and DL form (which takes a few sessions to get back properly again), hoping that I can get both into the 400s again by fall, at which time I'd like to move to something with more structure. For a while, I just have to keep shit light as I'm starting off with a strong torso but wussified lower body, but it always comes back fairly quickly as long as I stay healthy.

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