I'm Back! TUOSTL Take 2

[Kevin T.]

Unless something drastic happens (as in one school offers me a full ride and Villanova offers me next to nothing) I am 99.9% sure I'm headed to Villanova. Still waiting to hear about financial aid to appease the parents, though. Notre Dame deferred me until Regular Decision, so I'll know sometime in March. I'm pretty strongly sure about going to Villanova, though.

[Kevin T.]

Went away for the weekend, so I missed Saturday's workout. Moved on and went ahead with today's.

January 7, 2008

Lower Body - Max Strength

A) Front Squat: test 3RM + 2 x 3 back off:
5@ 95, 3 @ 135, 3 @ 155, 3 @ 165(3RM), 2x3 @ 155

B) Barbell Reverse Lunge 4 x 6/side @ 95, 115 (form = ew), 105, 105

C) Deadlifts off blocks (bar just above mid shin) 3 x 6 @ 225

I really want to work on front squats. These felt really good, the only thing that is holding me back is holding the bar. I was doing fine with the clean grip up to 165. After that, my left wrist was screaming at me. I tried going to straps but I just can't get comfortable with them enough to push the weight higher. Same with the BB style hold. I'm sure it's just a matter of adjusting to find what works, but I just can't get comfortable with those two alternatives and a barbell crushing my throat is not on my to-do list. However, I plan on doing warm-up sets of front squats every lifting day to work on form and stretch out the wrists and arms for the set up. Also, daily stretching of the wrists should lead to improvements after a few weeks. Because I won't be able to hold heavier weights for a while, it will keep me from being an idiot and pushing the weights when my form isn't solid. So, it'll work out.

2nd set of reverse lunges were gross. I was very off balance and everything was just off. Finished that set off and went back down to 105. Last 2 sets were solid, especially the last one.

I used two boxes to hold the bar up about 4.5" off the floor. The bar ended up just above mid shin. I could really feel these in the glutes. Nice. I need to work on my PC strength. My rack pulls are worse than my normal pulls. Need to really hammer the PC. More band pull-thrus, band GMs, RDLs, rack pulls, etc. I haven't looked at the other lower body day of this phase to see if theres any unilateral work, but if there isn't, I will get single leg work in there. I really want to work on single leg squats, Boyle style, as well.

[Kevin T.]

Still very sore today. It's a good sore though.

Got word today that my baseball team has got a spot at a local sports training place to practice 2 hours a week on Sundays leading up until the season. The 20 of us (assuming it fills up, which it should) will have the place to ourselves for that time with 2 batting cages, a field and instructors. Plus, because it's a group thing and we have connections, it's dirt cheap. So, if all goes as planned, I'll get my 4 days of lifting in and a day of baseball training in for the next couple of months. Very nice.

Upper Body Max Strength tomorrow. I'll be picking up some PVC pipe to FINALLY make my fat bar tomorrow. Won't be able to use it for tomorrow workout b/c the concrete will need to set, but I have ways of making the bar thicker. Looking forward to starting and finishing that project. If I can make it work, I might be able to pick up some 4" PVC and some endcaps and PVC bonder to make my sloshing pillar of pain. Just gotta see if I can get 9' of PVC pipe in my car or if I'll need to steal my mom's van for half an hour. Either way, should pick those supplies up. I'll start the fat bar tomorrow and will have to let the concrete set for a while. I'll have the supplies to make the sloshing pipe (although I might need anti-freeze).

[Kevin T.]

January 9, 2008

Upper Body - Max Strength

A) Fat Bar Bench Press 3RM test + 2x3 backoff: 175 (3RM), 2x3 @ 165

B) Alternating Incline DB Bench 3 x 6 @ 55

C) Bent-over Rows 3 x 6 @ 135

[RedLefty]

Good work, grasshoppa.

[Matthew]

Add some weight to those rows, son.

[Kevin T.]

Thanks RL.

Matt: I know grrrrrr I definitely need to work on these.

[Alcoholiday]

throw some more weight on and cheat for a set or two. then do some strict form.

[Kevin T.]

I think a big part of it was form. I haven't done bent over rows in I don't know how long. They felt really awkward.

[Matthew]

I was stuck at the same weight for a long time. It helped to do one arm rows, on a bench. I got really good at those. Then I realized hey, I should be rowing more. So next time I did bentover rows I decided fuck it, I'm adding like 30 pounds.

And magically, I got the weight up for the reps I wanted.
It was totally a mental thing. I thought I shouldn't be able to lift more weight than I was lifting, so I didn't. Once I realized I was capable of more, I lifted more.

[Kevin T.]

I've been doing 1arm rows on a bench for a while. These were actually supposed to be 1 arm rows, but I'm sick of those. haha. They'll be going up.

Stayed after school today with a buddy of mine. Threw a little bit and fielded some ground balls. Used a weighted ball, which felt really good. Nice little workout in there. I'm planning on this being the last phase of lifting. Starting early February, I will switch things up to more agility work, sprints, and non-weight room training.

[Matthew]

You're going to stop lifting?

[Kevin T.]

Not permanently . Baseball starts in March. For the month leading up to it, I want to do different types of training. I'm getting bored of being in the basement 4x a week. I want to get outside and do some stuff. Will I be totally stopping lifting? No, just lifting in the sense of being in the weight room all the time, every time.

So, what will I be doing? I have no clue I'm looking forward to some strongman type training and sprint and agility work. Farmers walks, car pushing, slosh pipe, med ball stuff, zercher walks, some stuff form Kelly Baggett's Vertical Jump Bible, and a lot of work to work on speed, quickness, and agility.

Just changing stuff up for a bit, with more emphasis on conditioning. I'll throw some complexes in there too. So no I'm not stopping training, just the traditional in the gym every time kinda lifting.

[Matthew]

Oh, ok. That sounds like a really good plan actually.

Make sure you still do some baseball-specific prehab stuff. Whatever that is

Get a big tire and do some tire flips.

[Alcoholiday]

if you get a tire, make sure you're driving into it. It should be kind of mimic a power clean. You should drive the chest into the tire, and pop the hips to flip it. A lot of people use their arms to flip, and end up tearing their bis. Kevin Nee actually just tore his on a tire a week ago.

[Kevin T.]

I wish I could find a big tire. Then, after I found it, I wish I had a way to get it into my backyard.

Actually, I could get Doug M. to help me with his truck. And I could have him drive into my neighbors' driveway, which is next to my backyard and about 3 feet higher and then just dump it into my backyard.

So, I just need to find a really big tire

I'll probably get an old normal tire and make a tire sled cause I can get one free and it's easy to make. Plus, I have the plywood already and some short lengths of chains which are the perfect size to wrap around and attach to a rope. Some rope, two-half hitches, and a double bowline and I'll be set.

Update on the fat bar: concrete is setting. I have to finish part 2 tomorrow and then let it set completely. It's worked out nicely, thus far.

I'm going to pick up the 4" x 10' PVC, end caps, and pvc bonding tomorrow. I would have picked them up the other day, but I ran outta $ I'll probably pick up a carabiner and rope too for the sled. This is gonna be fun

[Matthew]

Back up a second. You're making a fat bar? Please, tell me how. Please?


Also, do a search in the whitepages or whatever for farms in your area. Then call them up, and ask if they have any tractor tires that they were going to get rid of. Tell them you'll take the tire off their hands, and in the process, save them money (they have to pay to get them taken away). Now watch in amazement how they jump at your offer to save them money
Oh, but first ask how much the tire weighs. That's important information.

Or you could just go right to the source (it's definitely not the source, but I can't think of the right word) and call the company that recycles big ass tractor tires. Tell them you want one. Include the fact that someone already paid them to take it away, and you'll probably have to pay them again when you're done with it, so really, you're making them money.


I am so smart, s-m-r-t.