***WARNING! LONG-WINDEDNESS AHEAD!***
It's been said countless times here and elsewhere that there is no magic pill for anything (well, unless you count roofies, but we won't go there... yet...). That being said, in looking back over my previous training logs the past couple days (
here,
here,
here, and
here, plus a few that I still have only on paper, like
Core Performance), I've noticed that each "phase" was geared toward a specific goal, perhaps not necessarily in a concrete timeframe, but certainly with the impression that there was a finish line of some sort, even if sometimes the finish line was forced upon me for one reason or another.
I timed that final phase to allow me a two-week break around the recent
summit, which worked out great since I was somewhat recovered and able to partake in
Steve Cotter's seminar as well as a separate just-because workout. Now, the two weeks is almost over, and I'm still not exactly sure what my next phase will be. Before the break, I'd debated a return to Core Performance, an attempt at a slightly less-than-traditional
Westside strength routine, or some vague higher-rep/lower-intensity setup for a couple months. Again, each of these has a sort of finish line: CP = completing the program, WS = hitting certain loads without the benefit of better conditioning, HRLI = boring to me.
Cotter's presentation touched on a question I've had for a long time, namely how do you train for strength and conditioning without being completely fried for the next day or two, or how can you progress yet still be prepared to take on any challenge at any time? My view of training has been skewed toward
linear periodization simply because that's all I've really known. Researching Westside introduced me to something completely at odds with that system: continuous, rotational training that only requires back-off periods rather than complete breaks (aka
conjugated periodization). Awesome. The problem for me with Westside is a lack of conditioning. Sure, there's some GPP and varied-effort routines, but the ultimate goal is to be able to lift a maximum load one time, which is cool and all, but secondary to looking good naked with the strength foundation to back it up, I want to be better-than-average at day-to-day stuff as well as any surprises that might pop up (pushing a dead car out of the road, helping someone move, satisfying my Tarzan/Spiderman swinging fetish, etc).
During the summit, I discussed some of these issues with Roland (Lost Dog), who suggested that I pick up a copy of
Ross Enamait's
Infinite Intensity (Roland seems he was
itching to get back to that style of training himself--no word yet on the
condition of his huge lump caused by a bad snatch). I burned through the book in less than a day and was mildly pleased to see Ross mention Westside's training philosophy in the context of more focused conditioning. Additionally, one lynchpin of this book is simplicity, an extension of his earlier book
Never Gymless, which I have yet to read for myself but which I understand to keep it simple [stupid] as well (anyone remember the
MacGyver workout article?).
After finishing, I fired off an email to Roland that has quickly become almost a book-length back-and-forth of me asking and him answering questions. One of my first concerns was similar to an issue that arose while reading up on Westside: too many options when first starting out. My program design skills are shaky at best, which is probably why I've continued to gravitate toward pre-made routines, but hopefully that'll change both with this setup and as I plow through the corresponding section of
Essentials (yes, I'm still working on that, too--even though the text has a third edition coming out next month *hint to any would-be gifters*, the second edition will be used for testing until next summer). Another was scheduling and equipment conflicts, which he pointed out aren't the point of the system; the philosophy is what matters, and you just have to use the tools you have available. Fair enough. I think I can find enough toys to kick my own ass (when the girl isn't doing it herself
).
Back to the point about finish lines, I've noticed several logs on here that don't have a solid endgame, just a continual progression toward, well, a better life. Any changes in programming transition smoothly rather than having a cut-and-dry break. I like that. It points more to trying to live a better life rather than just "doing a program," so that's what I hope to do here. I chose the title "No Magic Pill" (also the title of a new
blog *shameless plug*) since the magic pill is the antithesis of this type of training log. Knowledge + effort + time = success. No more one-month mini-logs for me. At the start of this post, I mentioned that I'm not sure what my next phase will be. I guess that's because there isn't a true "phase" coming up, just a continuous push toward a better livelihood.
So, there's the "why." Now for the "how." This is going to change and morph and tweak over time, but being new to setting up this kind of training on my own, I'll be sticking closely to the overall periodization, daily workout setups, and individual exercises proffered in Infinite Intensity. It won't be an exact adherence since (a) I don't have all the recommended equipment at my disposal, (b) I don't have the schedule availability to match his sample setup (although he does specifically say that it's only a sample with countless possible modifications), and (c) I'm not training for competitive combatives (although I do have six months of boxing training under my belt, I value my brain enough to not get it repeatedly slammed against my skull, and wrestling is out of the question at my age unless I want to coach again, which isn't likely anytime soon).
The first five weeks will consist of a four-week progressive overload with a one-week back-off. Note this is not a "rest" or "break" week--I will continue conditioning, just at lower intensity. This whole deconditioning/detraining thing is really sticking in my craw, and I just don't want to get into that situation anymore. Each week will look like this:
Monday: Strength (max effort) + finisher
Tuesday*: GPP + core
Wednesday*: "Warrior Workout"
Thursday*: Intervals + core
Friday: Strength (dynamic effort) + finisher
Sat/Sun: SMR, stretching, active recovery (if not a full-on extra workout), rest, beer
* denotes random order based on scheduling and weather since a significant portion of this training will be outdoors; each of these days will get done one way or another
I know some of the labels may not make a lot of sense right now, but they will once I start posting the workouts, and right off the bat, you can see a Westside-esque tint on the strength training. This weekly setup reflects what work and life generally allow me to do. You may note that I drop my former midweek SMR/stretching session for an additional workout, but I'm hopeful that this type of training won't require the amount of regenerative work that I felt was needed with NROL Strength. If I end up needing it down the road, I'll just add it to one of the non-strength workouts.
Given that I workout at a commercial franchise gym, I will most definitely need to make some exercise modifications there (at least they have a free-standing "bag" to hit). At home, I have the following equipment available:
--6lb medicine ball (will bounce, unfortunately)
--Concept2 rower (model C)
--cheap jump rope (may need to splurge on a Buddy Guy version)
--Elite rings (bought before the TRX craze, so kinda stuck with these for now; hopefully I can manage some kind of rope climing on these as well)
--10-foot slosh pipe
--canvas military duffel back with a few 25lb sandbags to adjust
weight (may need to make more since I've used the sand inside for
various purposes over the past couple years)
--a couple palettes of bricks, cinder blocks, and concrete mix
--an unassembled "sled" (wheelbarrow shell, no telling when/if that'll get put together)
--(future) tractor tire and sledgehammer
A quick mention of the tweaks and injuries I'm dealing with going into this program:
--right foot (blunt trauma, bone bruising)
--left knee (tendonitis)
--left IT band (stiffness, pain after prolonged stretch like crossing left foot over right knee)
--left hip (im)mobility
--right hamstring (occasional tweak stemming from an April 2007 tear)
--ribs (broken while wrestling many years ago; improper healing occasionally an issue)
--left index finger (blunt trauma, base knuckle fracture)
--right elbow (mild medial strain)
--right shoulder (im)mobility
As if Roland hasn't already been a huge help with this, he's offered up a "friendly" competition where we coordinate one workout per week to compare results. Of course, I accepted; after all, what better motivation could I want? West Coast versus East Coast, hippie versus hick, big ears versus big ego
I should point out that Roland is jacked. I have a lot of catching up to do. I'd originally planned to formally start this up next week, but I may instead use that time to test some of the lifts and loads, figure out any necessary modifications, help the girl get into Phase 2 of NROL4W, and basically just get my legs back under me.
One final note (yeah, yeah, I know, this has more endings than Lord of the Rings): getting back to Cotter for a second, he's a strong proponent of bodyweight conditioning (I'm still waiting on Chris Sommer's
Building the Olympic Body to come out some day as well). His seminar spent substantial time on single-leg squat
progressions (
here, too), capped off by his alien DNA demonstrating single-leg squat
jumps from the floor up to a three-foot table and back. Repeatedly. Seriously. He put out the "don't try this at home" disclaimer, but that has "hey, y'all, watch this!" written all over it. I'm not saying I'll get there anytime soon, if ever, but it does speak to something I mentioned earlier about lifting a big weight one time in a specialized manner versus kicking ass at the game of life. Steve Cotter could kick ass at the game of life if he so chose (I'm sure his qigong keeps that in check). I won't pretend to think I could be (like) Steve Cotter; instead, I'll just get as good as I can get with knowledge and effort and time. No magic pill for me.
P.S. Nah, just kidding, that really was the end.
No magic pill
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