Training for the IPA Buckeye Brawl on December 1st. Programming by Dave Tate in *italics.
DE Lower- 8 weeks out
- *Warm Ups
- 2 sets each of hanging leg raise, glute ham raises and bent knee reverse hypers. Reps will be 4-5 under failure. This is just warming up. Add in band pull aparts and band face pulls.
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My warm ups also include rolling planks, bird dogs, McGill curl ups, and dead bugs (all for my back) and aggressive RPR scratching.
- Straight Bar Box Squats
- Warm up - many sets working technique.
- 65% (off what you think you could max now) 8 sets 2 reps - working very explosive.
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In one of my previous logs, I referred to different maxes we base our training off of: a competition max, training max, or potential max. In this case, speed squats were supposed to be based off what I think my current max is. I still don’t really know where I am at in terms of absolute strength since I am still building up my back strength so I went based on feel. After a few paragraphs about our speed work, I will circle back to picking the speed weight based on feel. So stick around.
Our speed work is done in three week waves. Between each phase (three weeks), the exercises may change or stay the same but the weight will increase from week one to week three (then go back down for the start of the next phase).
Wow so judgmental and I didn't even start squatting yet
For instance, two phases ago (two three week cycles) we used chains and in the last phase we used bands. The percentage started out at 45% plus a light band (the orange one). Week 2 was 50% bar weight plus an average band and week 3 was 55% plus two light bands.
The first week of this current phase of speed squats I went with 235 for my working weight. Given that the prior phase with bands ended on a heavy note and that it specifically said to be “very explosive”, I worked up until it felt good and light but that another few jumps may have slowed it down a bit. Since the weight will go up in the following weeks, I opted to err on the side of speedy caution and give myself room to go up without compromising my already lacking explosiveness. I also try and stop when or right before I have any technical breakdown. Speed work is not just for speed, it’s a time to hammer down technique. If there is a technical breakdown I feel like I can fix easily then the weight is ok. But if it is a breakdown that will just continue to get worse each set, then I don’t feel that is worthwhile especially on a lighter speed week.
This week I went up 10 lbs since it was supposed to be a 5% increase. I can’t do math but that is what my phone came up with.
Also I’m currently not using a box to keep some of the stress off my low back.
Also Also all my squats are kinda high. I am well aware of that. When I was getting back into squatting I squatted high for weeks (months) since it’s what my back could tolerate. And apparently I’m still doing it.
You may be asking: “but Lily you are 8 weeks out shouldn’t you fix it so you don’t bomb out?”
DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO YOU’RE NOT MY REAL DAD
Upon video review, the speed looked fine. I probably played it too conservatively in week one. Given that is was supposed to be 60% I’m pretty sure I did a shit math job and definitely went too light.
Also, fuck trying to tape everything. That is way too much effort and I just want to squat instead. So my videos from here on out will be top sets or accessories or other things that don’t get in the way of training.
There is a lot going on in my squats that I need to fix. From my pick to what my feet are doing. It has been a slow process this meet cycle since my first hurdle was just getting my back healthy and progressively bumping up my weight and pretty much just playing catch up. I have 8 weeks to fix everything and dial it in.
Here is a video compilation of me being pissed off after all my sets because they felt shitty.
- Belt Squats or Power Squat Machine
- Warm up and then hit 3 sets of 5 reps (HEAVY)
- Use more weight than last week.
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Worked up to two plates, a quarter, and a dime I’m pretty sure
- Reverse Hypers (HEAVY)
- 3 sets of 8 reps
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5 plates on each side with lots of swinging. Again, heavy day= lots of swinging. Light day= shorter range of motion, very controlled.
- GHR
- 3 sets of 8-15 reps ( try to go 1-2 reps shy of failure)
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We have these programmed in every week so I switch off between the GHR and the inverse curl. This week I held a 35 lb dumbbell on the GHR. Then I did glute ham raises with them. I didn’t just sit there holding a dumbbell.
Gotta hammer those hammies.
- Light Bench Press with tsunami bar
- 3 sets of 10 using either 95 or 135 pounds
Get the old blood pumpin.
IF I WAS AN OMELETTE IT WOULD BE ALL YOLK. YOKES AND JOKES.
- Pull Down Abs
- 3 sets of 8-10 reps
I use about 100 lbs. There will be a video coming later in the week of how I try and do these the correct way.
- Free Time:
- 15 minutes - do whatever you want. Nothing under 10 reps and nothing over a level 4
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Yoke bar good mornings for sets of 5. I actually throw these in after my main movement or after the first supplemental exercise since I try to do them medium heavy. Now that my back is mostly done hurting, one of my priorities is to try and bring my back strength up as quickly as I can. I also did some adductors, rounded back banded good mornings, and various isolation exercises.
OK SO there is an individual who trains at EliteFTS sometimes who is a real banged up old meathead. Like a classic older powerlifter who trains hard even when he is fucked up (which is always) and is one of the only people who I like to hear yelling generic lifting phrases at me. Usually I find that to be useless but in this case it is like if a jacked muse is tickling my ear with affirmations and a powerlifting beard. He is great.
Anyway I was talking to Dave after my squats and this individual was talking to someone on the other side of the gym. Dave said “watch this. Put on that Disturbed song that everyone likes and I bet he’s going to have to do curls or something like that”. So I did and lo and behold he stopped in the middle of his conversation and instinctively went for the first piece of equipment and started banging out leg extensions with a look of glazed intensity (is that even a thing? Well now it is). I am sure this would work on pretty much any old meathead so I have made this beautifully artistic commemorative meme.
