I've been thinking about my training for the past couple of months and the fact that I've dropped about 10# really kinda stands out--especially considering I wasn't trying to drop weight. I'm pretty sure it was mostly fat, maybe a little muscle...but that's a function of nutrition. I have a feeling it was due to biking to/from work. I intended it to be primarily a form of transportation (which it accomplishes nicely), but it also got me very lean (maybe too lean?). The cool thing is that the ride is about 9 minutes (to work from home or to work from the gym...I pretty much live next to the gym). So, it's no extended riding, more or less a 9 minute sprint with some hills. Monday, Thursday, and Friday I would end up doing 4 sprints; Tuesday and Wednesday I would do 2 sprints; and weekends I wouldn't do any. Chris Shugart was going to do a bike sprint program with the intent to develop leg size...I don't think anything materialised. But, from the last few months, it definitely works to drop weight.
Here's another thing I've been pondering lately as I think about how to structure my strength and training program for the fall. I had been using benching as a supplemental exercise (at the very end of my workout) on my main ring strength workout days (2x/wk), and I feel like that helped some. But, I had the thought of making it a primary exercise and then doing ring strength after. It's nowhere near sport-specific, but I wonder if it could be beneficial in gaining strength. Any thoughts?
HB:
- Warmup
- Quasts, quasts to stalder
- Double quast timer
- Jams, half-taks
- Pirouette work
SR:
- Lockarms
- Front lockarms
- Open dbl pikes
Strength:
- Maltese (spotted) (5sec x 3)
- HS hold (120sec)
- Shoulder prehab
Workout time: 2.5hrs
Pretty good workout today. High bar felt good. I had laid off the double quasts for a while, working on refining the quast and trying to get that to land more on top of the bar. I think it’s paying off—the double quast timers felt pretty promising. Thanks to the holiday, it was nice being able to not rush through workout and head back up to work.
Strength:
- SR: maltese (ring belt) (5sec x 6, -15#; 5sec x 4, -20#)
- SR: cross pull (attempt) (1 x 3, bw)
- SR: cross hold (5sec x 3, bw)
- PB: straight-straights (2 x 4)
- Maltese DB press (3 w/ 3sec pause, x 4 35# each)
- BB bench (4, 3, 3, 3, 185#; 5, 4, 4, 4, 175#; 15 x 1, 145# drop set to 9 x 1, 135#)
- Horizontal pullups (12 x 2)
- HS hold (90sec)
- Shoulder prehab
Workout time: 2hrs
Good workout this morning. I increased the intensity on most things, trying to focus on pure strength development for the next couple weeks. I guess I’ve been timid of testing out the low-rep methods, mostly because it isn’t as metabolic. However, I realized I don’t really need metabolic training right now. So, I’ll try this for a while, and hopefully my strength will shoot through the roof.
- 2 DB lunges (20 x 3, 35# DBs)
- Single-leg deadlifts (12 x 3, 50# DB)
- [Leg lifts (8), tuck lifts (8)] (x 3)
- HSPU (10 x 2, 10# weight vest)
- Pullups (6 x 4, 10# weight vest)
- 1 arm BO rows (10 x 2 each, 50# DB; 10 x 2 each, 35# DB)
- HS hold (120sec)
- Shoulder prehab
Workout time: 2hrs
Tough workout today…I was definitely sore from yesterday. However, I am kinda taking that as a good thing—yesterday’s workout is something my body needs, something it’s not used to.
- [PB plank hollow hold (1min), extension hold (1min)] (x 2)
- Front raises (10 x 2, 12#)
- Wrist rehab (15 x 2, 5# DB, 12#DB)
- HS hold (120sec)
- Shoulder prehab
Workout time: 1.75hrs
Good quick workout today. I was a little dead from yesterday so I tried to keep things light today and not kill myself. I’m switching up workout times now so I have to adjust a little—I got to like the mid-day workouts during the summer.
HB:
- Warmup
- Kovacs – caught 2/4…all were good though, trying to get the distance just right to connect something
- Kovacs to triple back over the bar – made 1, haven’t done this in a couple years, the kovacs wasn’t great, but I worked it around; maybe I’ll post a video when they’re good again
- Stalder fulls
Strength:
- SR: kip maltese (spotted) (5sec x 4)
- SR: maltese (spotted) (5sec x 4)
- SR: cross hold (5sec x 5, bw)
- PB: straight-straights (2 x 4)
- Maltese DB press (3 x 4 w/ 3sec pause, 35# DBs)
- BB bench (4, 4, 3, 3, 185#; 6, 5, 5, 175#; 15 x 1, 145# drop set to 10 x 1, 135#)
- SR hollow support hold (30sec x 2)
- HS hold (120sec)
- Shoulder prehab
Workout time: 2.5hrs
I was kinda dead heading in to workout from working all day (sitting in front of a computer for 9 hours doesn’t really float my boat), but somehow I got some energy and cranked out some good high bar and strength. Although the kovacs-triple combo wasn’t great, it was good that I at least got one done, just to get the jitters out. Next time they’ll be good. Strength felt good despite being a little tired.
Back to the question about ring strength and bench. I am thinking that maybe I am at the point were pushing myself on bench is just detracting from gaining ring strength. But, all the volume I’ve accumulated with bench over the past few weeks could still help, in that if I stop benching and only stick to ring strength, maybe it’ll essentially slingshot my strength a little. Just a thought…
Strength:
- SR: [HS hold (20sec), hollow support hold (20sec)] (x 2)
- [PB plank hollow hold (1min), extension hold (1min)] (x 2)
- [BO rear flies (15), abduction (15)] (x 2, 5#, 10#)
- Side planks (1min each x 2)
- Front raises (15 x 2, 10#)
- Wrist rehab (15 x 2, 5# DB, 12#DB)
- HS hold (120sec)
- Shoulder prehab
Workout time: 1.3hrs
Got in just for a light/rehab day—do all the stuff that I neglect during the week while I’m rushing in and out of the gym. It was nice to get in a nice leisurely stretch.
Strength:
- SR: [kip L, planche (4sec), L, straddle planche (4sec), hollow support hold (15sec)] (x 4)
- SR: [kip L, pike press (x 2), straddle press, hollow support hold (15sec)] (x 2)
- SR: [cross (3sec), pull to maltese (6sec)] (ring belt) (x 4, -25#)
- 2 DB planche press (4 x 4, 50# DBs; 4 x 2, 35# DBs)
- ATG front squats (10 x 2 (pause at bottom), 115#)
- Deadlifts (3 x 4, 225#)
- BO rows (10 x 2, 100#)
- OH press (10 x 2, 100#)
- HSPU (10 x 2, ~10# weight vest)
- Pullups (6 x 4, ~10# weight vest)
- 1 arm DB snatch (26, 50# DB)
- SR: dips (20)
- HS hold (120sec)
- Shoulder prehab
Workout time: 2.25hrs
Really good workout today. I was nicely rested from the light day yesterday and definitely felt stronger in the planches than when I do back-to-back ring strength days (brilliant revelation…I know). It also felt good to get some barbell stuff in as I’ve been sticking to lower weight, single-leg dumbbell stuff for a few months. The 1 arm dumbbell snatches were a good finisher…had to do something 26 times today, right? I think it’s time to cut some volume for two reasons: one, because I always get really, really sick the first week in October; and two, my workouts are getting long.
Strength:
- SR: cross hold (4sec x 6, bw)
- SR: [cross pull (1), cross hold (3sec)] (ring belt) (x 5, -17.5#)
- SR: [invert (1sec) lower to maltese (5sec)] (ring belt) (x 6, -17.5#)
- PB: pike press (7 x 2, 6 x 2)
- Maltese DB press (4 w/ 3sec pause x 4, 35# each)
- BB bench (3 x5, 185#)
- DB floor press (37 x 1, 50# DBs)
- Horizontal pullups (15 x 2)
- HS hold (90sec)
- Shoulder prehab
Workout time: 2hrs
Had a good workout this morning. I needed to change things up a bit, so I put all the cross work before the maltese stuff, and I’ll probably stick with this for a couple weeks. I had more energy and was much more motivated to be in the gym as compared to yesterday.
HB:
- Warmup
- Quasts
- Double quast timers
- Jams, half tak
- Pirouette work
Tramp:
- Ballouts, ballout rudi
- Front 1+3/4, double ballout, ballout barani
- Double front barani out
- HS hold (120sec)
- Shoulder prehab
Workout time: 1.5hrs
I was kinda tired today—not physically tired, but mentally fatigued which I think is from long days at work (working with new software—i.e., banging my head against a wall over, and over, and over again) or too much time in the gym. So, my body was up for the workout, but my mind wasn’t…something that doesn’t work so well. Maybe I’ll lighten up for a few days in the gym, cut the volume in half or something…maybe.
HB:
- Warmup
- Kovacs – real good day, I had this 6th sense of where the bar was the whole time; caught 3/3, did triple timers out of 2 of them
- Yamawaki – haven’t done these in a while, but they were good; caught 2/3
- Stalder fulls
Strength:
- SR: kip maltese (spotted) (5sec x 5)
- SR: maltese (spotted) (5sec x 5)
- SR: cross hold (5sec x 5, bw)
- SR: cross hold (ring belt) (6sec x 5, -10#)
- PB: straight-straights (2 x 2)
- PB: pike press (6 x 2)
- Maltese DB press (4 x 6 w/ 3sec pause, 35# DBs)
- DB bench press (12 x 1, 15 x 1, 50# DBs)
- HS hold (90sec)
- Shoulder prehab
Workout time: 2.75hrs
Really good day in the gym today…redemption for yesterday. I was feeling dead toward the end of work, so I threw on some good old rock (well, not that old), and that got me going. High bar was awesome; everything was cake, and it was like I wasn’t even trying—I haven’t had one of these days in a while. Strength was good too. I dropped the BB benching and increased the ring-specific volume a bit. I think I’m a little burnt out from ring stuff though and I’m slowly conceding to a very light week next week. But, the workout was hardly worthless and I got in a good strength workout.
Strength:
- SR: [kip L, planche (5sec), L, straddle planche (5sec), L, straddle press, hollow support hold (10sec)] (x 2)
- SR: [back k kip L, pike press, slow lower through straddle planche, hollow support hold (15sec)] (x 1)
- SR: [cross (3sec), pull to maltese (6sec)] (ring belt) (x 4, -20#)
- ATG front squats (10 x 1 (pause at bottom), 125#)
- Deadlifts (2 x 5, 245#)
- BO rows (5 x 2, 115#)
- OH press (5 x 2, 115#)
- Leg lifts (15 x 1)
- HSPU (really deep ROM) (10 x 2)
- Pullups (pause at top) (10 x 2)
- SR: dips (15)
- [PB plank hollow hold (1min), extension hold (1min)] (x 1)
- Side planks (1min each x 1)
- HS hold (120sec)
- Shoulder prehab
Workout time: 1.75hrs
I’m pretty spent from the last few weeks, so I did a half-volume day. I was jittery even before I went to the gym, which I take as a sign of CNS fatigue, so I guess I welcomed the reduced volume. Still though, I increased the intensity on a few things or just did things better with more focus—those are the good things about the half-volume days, in that there are no junk exercises.
I realized I have a volume addiction, and it just keeps growing until I get really fatigued. For the next week, I will try to cut the volume to let my body recover a bit. After that, I’ll increase the intensity from where I am not, but keep the volume low, then build the volume again. It’s times like these when I wonder if the volume accumulation is really working; but then when I realize that I do in fact keep increasing the intensity with each wave, and that’s where I want to go. I guess I also wonder if not going until I burn out and then resting would be better. Hmm, something to try.
Tramp:
- Ballouts, ballout rudi, ballout double full
- Front 1+3/4, double ballout, ballout barani
- HS hold (120sec)
- Shoulder prehab
Workout time: 1.75hrs
Light workout just to get moving, swing around, and do some basics. I was still a little tired from the past few days, but it still felt good to get in and swing.
Good workout this morning. I (kind of) stuck to the plan of lower volume; I dropped the volume and intensity on the main ring strength stuff and the supplemental stuff…then I threw in some other basic light intensity stuff just for filler. I was actually looking forward to a lighter workout.
Good workout today despite being a little bit dead. I was pleased that the kovacs was ‘on’ and I could do them pretty easily even when lacking a little energy. I’ve been sitting a lot at work, so the foam rolling was greatly welcomed and worked very well.
I did another modified half-volume day today. Again, I was looking forward to it and it was very productive and focused (i.e., doing things better). And, like Monday, I threw in some filler bodyweight stuff which felt good.
Yeah, but that includes a 20 minute warmup and ~10 cooldown/stretch at the end. The warmupis comprised of a general warmup, stretch (just enough to be functional for the workout), some shoulder prehab stuff with a theraband, and one light strength sequence each on parallel bars and rings. The cooldown/stretch has more shoulder prehab stuff, stretching (for flexibility this time, or stretch out whatever was worked), and foam rolling if needed.
These workouts are quick compared to the old days. Back in high school and during college, 3 and 4 hour workouts would fly by. Fridays in college were the best--I had nothing to do after workout, so I'd sometimes stay in the gym for 5 hours.
I wasn’t going to go in today, but wanted to do something for some activity (honestly, I just wasn’t sure what I was going to do with the last 5 hours of my day…so I went to the gym). I stuck to ‘no’ workout though…no structured workout that is I guess. The random sequences were, well, fun—a nice break from a schedule. Foam rolling felt good again and is becoming more and more important as I sit more and more at work…boo.
HB:
- Warmup
- Kovacs – amazing day on these, everything was ‘on’, didn’t have to think about anything; caught 2/3 (first one was catchable, just testing the waters though)
- Kovacs, kovacs – the first kovacs were good and I threw a second one over…didn’t catch but the connection-jitters are gone
- 1 arm geinger – haven’t done these in a while; caught 2/2
- Stalder fulls
- Pirouette work
Strength:
- SR: maltese (spotted) (5sec x 5)
- SR: cross hold (5sec x 5, bw)
- PB: [straight-straights (2), pike press (4)] (x 2) – kinda like a drop-set
- Maltese DB press (4 x 3 w/ 4sec pause, 35# DBs)
- DB bench press (15 x 1, 25 x 1, 50# DBs)
Wow. Amazing workout today, which was probably due to taking a really light/non-existent workout yesterday. I really needed that mental break I think, but body thanked me too as well. The kovacs were really good, so I decided to try to connect two of them. I didn’t catch consecutive kovacs, but at least threw the second one. Strength also felt good; I stuck to a lower volume workout again…and again, increased the intensity and focus a bit.
I thought I was going to do a lower volume workout, but things kinda snowballed. I’m starting to wonder if I am compelled to do long workouts because I sit at a computer all day during the week—that I should be doing something more with my life, something more physical. Yes, I think a lot about what I really should be doing. Really, I’m looking for input from anyone and everyone.
Workout was good though, everything felt pretty strong. I hadn’t deadlifted anything over 225 in that past year or so, as I was trying to keep the barbell stuff to more maintenance-type strength rather than truly develop that strength. The 265s felt pretty good and easy though. The foam rolling felt real good again. It’s kind of funny how I need to use the foam roller due to being sedentary, and not because of training.
Strength:
- SR: cross hold (3sec x 5, 5#)
- SR: cross hold (5sec x 3, bw)
- SR: [cross pull (1), cross hold (2sec)] (ring belt) (x 5, -20#)
- SR: maltese (ring belt) (6sec x 4, -20#)
- SR: planche (ring belt) (6sec x 4, -20#)
- PB: [straight-straight (2), pike press (3)] (x 4)
- Prone maltese hold on vault boards (5sec x 10)
- BB bench (4 x5, 175#; 5 x 2, 155#; 15 x 1, 145# drop set to 11 x 1, 135#)
- Horizontal pullups (12 x 2)
- HS hold (90sec)
- Shoulder prehab
- Theraband – tricep pushdowns, adduction, extension
Workout time: 2hrs
I can’t say I was looking forward to this workout too much, not because I wasn’t motivated to workout, but because I’m weaker cross stuff and the maltese holds on the vault boards and haven’t benched in a couple weeks…which probably means I should stick with this for a couple weeks. Still, things went well and workout was good. I wasn’t responding to exercises of my other workouts for the same types of strength, so I knew I needed to change it up a bit.
HB:
- Warmup
- Quasts
- Kovacs – just a warmup for the Kohlman, real good though, caught 1/1 connected to a high triple timer
- Kohlman – 2/4 were good, still opening a little early
- Jams, half-tak work (low bar)
- Pirouette work
SR:
- Lockarms
- Front lockarms
- Swing to invert
- HS hold (120sec)
- Shoulder prehab
Workout time: 2hrs
I was a little dead today, but managed to get in some good stuff and make some progress here and there. The kovacs was easy (again glad that it’s easy when I’m tired) and the jam and half-tak work is getting better/more consistent. I hadn’t done any inverts on rings in so long, but they turned out to be really good and strong…kinda surprising. A fly was bugging me during the HS hold—work it’s way down from my feet to my head landing all over my body—luckily my 2 minutes was up by the time it got to my face.
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