People are talking, and they are talking specifically about YOU. Those of you who are better everyday. They are whispering about a group who lifts 50 thousand pounds a night 4 days a week. A group who breaks PRs every time they exercise. A group who takes in all of the people who have no home. A place of free thinkers, a place of trouble makers. A group who offers no answers, only questions.
Let them TALK, all the while you continue to ACT.
Post your PRs. I want to see over 500 comments on this entry. 500 PRs posted in the next 15 days.
-GLASS OUT-
Absolute best performance with long cycle clean and jerk tonight. Intensity, Volume, Density, and quality form. I am reviewing the film and i am very happy with the progress.
Turn the tension off, and movement becomes beautiful
Nothing like a fine day of LCCJ.
Updates from almost an entire week:
(these are on twitter also)
3-22-10: bent row volume PR, 8140lb in 30min
3-23-10: inchworm distance PR, new movement
3-24-10: reps/set PR in double 20kg LCCJ
3-25-10: 32kg military press reps/set PR, double KB mil press intensity PR (two 24’s for a triple)
3-26-10: barbell front squat intensity/density/volume PRs , barbell C&J reps/set @ 115 PR (fucking awesome day)
3-27-10: only snatches tested well, but they tested really well – reps/set PR (50) in 16kg snatches. Felt meh all day, snatches picked me right up.
Hey, so what’s that whole “gym movement” deal about?
Tore two decks of cards tonight after several months of no tearing. Got two decks without trouble. I’ve never done two decks in one session.
28th March. 3 PRs …
rep increase per intensity of squat.
rep increase per time of inverted row.
rep decrease of turkish get up per time (I hold each ‘segment’ for x seconds … looking to increase x)
28/03/2010 – 3 PRs with the Super Gripper.
Density and reps/set PR on 3 + 6 settings. Movement Quality PR on 4 + 7 (closed much easier, I’d say 3 versus 6 out of ten last time).
Almost got 1RM PR on the right hand with a fraction off closing 4 + 9 (4 + 8 was relatively very easy).
Question for experienced grip tribespeople: In your experience should I be testing/working off separate stats for each hand? Or should I keep them even?
So far I have been doing only the same amount of work for both hands, making my right hand limited to what my left can do. Should I just work both to their own capabilities?
28.3
BUP volume with 22 kg, density with 16 kg
C&P stack baseline 16+12 kg
Front lever straddle crank baseline
C&J volume, form 2×24 kg
Snatch form, volume in a continuous set, density the same as in previous PR, 24 kg
The PRs keep on coming!
Big 16lb deadlift PR today. Pulled 220KG!
3-28-10:
Ok so, I haven’t run in 6 weeks; tested it at random, it tested well. So I ran 7+ miles of trail in 50 min.
Still got it.
Did I mention biofeedback-kettlebell training carryover for the win? Well now I did.
Somehow lots of LCCJ = no fatigue, um, ever.
29th March. 4 PRs …
distance increase per time of shuttle sprints.
rep increase per time of heavy sledge slams.
rep increase at two intensities of squats.
PR for red rafter curls — increased reps & less time
PR in the floor press – more weight, more reps
PR deadlift more reps in less time
Training is fun again!
Terry, a wonderful statement! It should be fun, getting better everyday is your birth right!
3-29-10:
16kg snatch reps/set (again): 60 this time
24kg snatch reps/set: 16
snatch intensity: 32kg first time
Easy.
whatever happened to hard work?
Hard work is still out there. If you are interested in fucking up your knees, shoulders, and back i can send you here to http://www.crossfit.com LOL, if you really want to go full retard on my buy P-90X and then do INSANITY!
I dont work hard anymore, and it gets funny when people say that is bad…Ok. If people really want to impress me with their hard work, i want them to turn off their power and water, and only eat what they hunt and grow. If we are going to play hard, lets play really hard.
TGU BB baseline (hadn’t done them in a while, but possibly a density PR)
Tactical pullups density, and easier than the last time I did around the same density & reps
Standing ab wheel negatives baseline
Eetu, what led you to doing BB TGU today?
Adam, it simply tested well. I’ve done them with kettlebells, too, but there are no kettlebells in my company’s gym. I have to go there if I want to any heavier lifts because I don’t have a barbell, so I go there three days a week (and always find something productive to do).
As far as upper body presses go at the gym, I usually test MP, push press, dips, sometimes bench press, jerks, and often end up doing one of these. When nothing dynamic works, then TGU’s seem to test better.
Outstanding, that is always a great answer.
BUP – density and volume. Thought I’d just done a little more than last time, till I added it all up and I’d gone from 1184kg to 1402kg. Done in 25mins so 56kg/min 🙂
Knee tucks – density and volume
shoulder bridges – density and volume.
The shoulder bridges are making my back feel fantastic, these or another bridge variation are going to get tested every day until my back is bullet-proof! Screw my body becoming crippled and chair shaped from doing a office job!
Also bent a harder nail today, still a fair bit off my target nail, but it’s not bad to say I haven’t bent anything for well over a month. The wrist and grip work have definitely had some good carry over to bending.
I love that last statement Kris!
Deadlift was almost only thing that tested good today, lifted 9470lbs in 10min… +2185lbs from last week….
Also juggled with the 24,32 and 50kg kettlebell inspired by Mr Rob Russell.. got a 1 hand flip on my right second try
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxMMrDSBVVE
Preveryday!!
Damn very nice Fredrik!
Eight hours without tics and counting.
holy shit that is awesome josh. Each day builds upon the next. great work.
WOW! Amazing stuff!
Monday the 29th: 515 deadlift, Intensity PR
Snatching the 40kg kettlebell: reps PR
No tics: 12 hours and counting
fuck yes. Now do 16 Wimp 🙂
Did you film the DL? I would love to see it? Also, have you been getting in pulls Sumo, or is it all still CV?
29 Mar 10
Long cycle density with 32’s, Intensity (reps in one set) with 24kg bells, lots of biopsych PRs, but that shit is way out of your comfort zone.
I am all the way down the rabbit hole and i am not coming out
Damn, man, I am dying to know what this biopsych shit is all about ever since it was first mentioned, along with biochem. Why’d you have to go and post this to rev me up all over again?! LoL
Out of our comfort zones? We’re in the tribe, mate, try us, haha. I dunno about the others, but I don’t need comfort zones based on assumptions anymore.
Adam, I’ve been living in the rabbit hole for a while now.
Comfort zones are the only thing holding us back. Our ideas of what “is impossible” serve only to cripple us. Fuck that.
And fuck everyone’s comfort zone.
30th March. 4 PRs …
rep increase of 2 intensities of bench.
rep increase per time of single KB clean and jerk.
rep increase per time of jump rope.
man just when through all the posts in march on this pr thread, i couldn’t believe it i hit 35 form march 1st to the 25th and i still have a couple to put in for the end of the month. I would have never done this the old way of working out. Feel better all the time and getting stronger how can you go wrong.
deadlift – managed to pull 125kg, previous max was 115kg. 127.5kg got off the ground but grip failed while locking out. Double bodyweight draws ever nearer 🙂 Current bodyweight is 69kg.
plate curls – volume and density, another month or so and I reckon the 10kg plate will get curled!
Awesome pull Kris! 2x bodyweight will be a huge accomplishment bro!
Thanks Mike, double bodyweight deadlift was one of my 2010 targets and I think it will definitely fall before the year is out.
BUP density and volume 640 kg in 10 min with the 16 kg, roughly a 20% increase.
Front lever straddle crank: seven singles in 10 minutes. One rep more than last time, and with better form (slightly longer holds).
Pinch DL: seven singles with 40 lb, 4,5″ wide, in 7:27. Three singles more than last time, and an increase in density.
KB snatch for a density PR
1 arm row for volume and density
I also included bridges for the first time. Stole that from Kris Wragg. Thanks Kriss they did feel great on my old back!
Awesome Terry! I haven’t had a single day that they have tested bad yet since I started testing them.
I think they are definitely something that should be on everyones testing list if you spend many hours sat in a chair or you have a bad back from too much lifting.
Chins + 8kg 10min= 27reps intensity PR
wall fingertip pushups, 6reps PR
also did SLDL w/16kg, baseline….
BW 77kg´s tonight…. (up last couple of months from being around 73+75kg for years PR!!)
51 reps (broken into 3 sets) with 175 on the bench in under 10 minutes. 21, 18, 12. Big volume PR!
Shoulder bridges – volume and density… 140 reps total over 3 sets, movement is getting easier and smoother every day!
Until this month on BF, I had not dead lifted in nearly 2 years. Back then was using PTTP protocol. After many months, made it to a very hard (for me) 285#.
Fast forward to today- been doing easy DL’s for maybe 4-5 workouts total this month. First I did BUPs with 24kg for 20 minutes. Gotta check to see if I made a PR there. But THEN, I did my DL single rep progression as I was testing for optimum load. Hit 285, still good, figured what the heck, let me what I can do. Did 295 x 1 strong, then got my daughter to bring a camera, and bang, nailed 300 x 2 reps, not even all that hard. Not a biggie for most of you, but a huge lifetime PR for me, and got there in less than a month. OO-RAH!! Shut it down after that PR & enjoyed the victory. Time to buy some more plates.
Scott I am so pleased to read this! Congradulations on your PR! I have a request, well its technically a demand. Do not ever start a PR by saying “Not a biggie for most of you” ever again! Your PRs are the most important, because they are yours. Never down play your forward movement my friend, never. Celebrate it and pleased. A life long goal is nothing to sneeze at. We are cooperating with each other while working against our yesterdays
Hopefully that last part makes sense…
Makes perfect sense! Thanks for the encouragement. I just calculated that at my BW 170#, I’m currently at a 2 rep x 1.75 BW deadlift with 300#. New goal for DL is 340# (2X BW) for a couple of solid reps NLT end of 2010.
things have been crazy,wife went away and i have to watch my two boys and we all are sick. so haven’t been able to post. pr’s 3/29/10 double kb squat with the 53’s 50 reps in 20 min. Pr using the 10 pound clubs for volume. Pr in time for holding back bridge 20 seconds.
3/30/10 2 inch v bar for volume. right hand 193, left hand 168, its about 80% of my max. trying to stay away from maxing on my grip training. It causing too much tension in my chest. Lost a couple of pounds to to being sick.
Nice Frank!
30 Mar 2010
Long Cycle PR, +4 reps on the set. Thats now 23 reps in under 2 minutes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a15n2IpELT4
V bar and plate curls density
March 30:
33,000 lbs in 13 minutes.
Prs in slim levers, block weights, swinging the two 40s, snatching the 40, pinch deadlift, kb deadlifts, and reverse weaver stick.
3/30 – OA swing and KB snatch volume and density, and most importantly movement quality. My swing is not excellent.
2 questions-
First, what’s the best way to organize the data I generate so I can sort for PR’s? Example, if I do TGU’s every couple of weeks, I have to sort thru all the other drills I do and then find where I did TGU’s, then evaluate what I improved on. I guess this is more of a “what training log formats are most of you finding useful?”. I currently log by date, then list the movements I did on that date. Another approach might be to log by movement, then list the dates I did those movements and the corresponding results.
Second, since breathing patterns are one of the biomarkers for ending a set, I end my grinds when my breathing changes, excess tension, etc. BUT, with ballistics like snatches, LCCJ, etc, my breathing gets heavy pretty dang quick, so I focus more on clean reps and avoiding excess tension. I don’t let myself get to the point of gasping for air, but I do let my breathing escalate a good bit. Adam, I couldn’t tell from your LCCJ video how you were managing your breathing levels. Thoughts?
Thanks,
ScottA
I’ve been pondering this, too, because sometimes a certain exercise can be difficult to find amidst all the other data. However, I don’t logging by movement would work too well, unless you have a select set of exercises that you do. I figure the problem with that format could be seeing what exercises a particular day consisted of, and in what order. You could use colors to highlight f.ex. upper and lower body and grip exercises separately, or be even more specific.
Monitor intensity, volume, reps, sets, density, time and perceived difficulty. Also, I favor the day logging format because it allows me to log the overall volume and density, as well.
Whether you are doing grinds or ballistics, try to avoid excess effort. Gasping for air is like trying to muscle a rep, or pushing it.
Major agreement on the gasping for air. I avoid it now because it was never fun, even before biofeedback.
On the training log format, I do as you mention, logging by day & listing movements for that day. I tried colors for different movements, but ran out of colors (some colors are too dark to work with the text color). Will keep on working it, if I come up with some genius idea, I’ll let everyone know. Meanwhile, if anyone else has conquered this, I’d love to have a look.
I personally keep a paper log book and I log each days work in that, but I also put stuff into Excel as well.
In Excel I have a page for each major exercise, for each date I keep track of poundage moved or number of reps if its bodyweight movement, and I also keep track of 1 rep max (if I set one that workout), minutes taken, and then a simple formula to calculate reps/min or kg/min
Also if you are dandy with Excel you can set it so that it will highlight the highest value in a particular column… funnily enough its almost always the last workout 😀
First one i defer to someone who maybe more of a bean counter than I. I have a big green ledger tablet and i write things down. It does not bug me to look back to put drills side by side. Someone else will chime in
Second- If your breathings goes fast, try with a lighter resistance. If 10 snatches wear you out than so be it, stop the set, wait for “reset” and start again as soon as you can. Do not make this an ego thing.
Now, that is what is none as the Eustress model. Sometimes you absolutely can and should train for the “smoker” and push the body. But the great majority of training should be Eustress IMO.
On my LCCJ, I inhale, than i exhale. 24’s is not too bad for me at that clip, which is how i am able to easily catch the marker to stop.
TGU BB intensity, volume
DL 5″ platform volume, density
Plate curl volume, density (a plate in each hand)
HLR, no PRs in volume or density, but I got to about 80 % of record density and 2/3 of record volume, and it felt very easy.
Hit 415 for two singles on box squats (15lb PR)
Hit 325 for a double on rack good mornings for a big PR.
head casts with clubs tonight. Used the 10’s for sets, these felt like my 5 pounders use to. Felt good so i went to my 15 pounders for sets of 8. I never would have thought that i could use these for head casts and they wouldn’t have me crying in pain. I think the problem before was i couldn’t get my shoulders to relax, so they would be so tense the entire set then causing pain. Still getting over being sick so i am taking it easy.
Long cycle for 5 straight days now LOL PRS in volume and density
Grippers– lots of reps with my #3s closed all 5 tonight for a few sets
Shield Casts with 25lbs bell- 30 reps Left/30 reps right easy
bending 60D barehanded without cutting my hand…whatever that is worth.
3 PRs today on double kb cleans (reps and volume), pushups (reps and volume), and pinch block curls (reps and volume). The details are on my blog.
I gotta tell you all about the revelation I had Monday. I test my ROM with a lateral arm raise instead of the toe touch. What ends up happening is that I test and if my ROM is back, I start another set of whatever drill I’m on. I train at a gym. So I’m doing my arm raise and people are looking at me funny (not an unusual occurrence since I’m the odd woman at the gym who wears toe shoes and carries a red rafter). Then it dawns on me. It looks like I’m doing the little gymnast move of raising your arm before starting your event.
I laughed out loud. It didn’t stop me, but I giggle a bit to myself now every time I test.
Volume PRs all around tonight, especially on DLs (tested very well)
Very good stuff Chris, I will email you tomorrow.
31st March. 7 PRs …
rep increase per intensity of bench.
rep per time increase of KB press.
rep per time increase of KB clean and jerk.
rep per time increase of heavy sledge slams.
rep increase per time of keg slams.
max volume increase of tactical pullups.
distance increase of farmers walk.
1st April. 6 PRs …
rep increase per intensity of squat.
rep increase per 2 intensities of bench.
rep increase per 3 intensities of deadlift.
3/31 – PRs in volume and density on BUP and density on pull-ups. 127 16kg BUP’s not too shabby.
Did just front lever rows in advanced tuck today, got a form PR. Difficulty 4/10 while matching record density and shying 1/7 away from record volume, which difficulty was 7/10.
Set baseline today with LCCJ 2x24kg and 2x16kg and got PR´s in 12kg platecurls(38reps in 10min) +10reps from last time and CC#4 bridging volym….
Overhead flexibility has improved alot lately making the Longcycle much more doable and fun!! technique needs work of course….
Completely new to this stuff. 1st time using it was today, and wow. I almost felt like I was a top secret agent, and I didn’t want anyone to see me because it felt like I was using some sort of illegal process.
PR’s in two Convict Conditioning Steps! One was even a higher step that I attempted b/c it tested better. Weird stuff, but I ain’t complaining. Will continue to experiment however.
March 31st – PR, new movement pattern finally clicked – the kettle bell front squat ( I managed several sets and my back never complained. I was very happy. It has been a long time coming.)
Apri 1st: Density PR 16085 lbs in 54 min. Not bad for the first day!
Push presses tested well so of course a couple PRs:
200# for 2 singles as well as a volume PR with 135#.
prs in clubs tonight used 10’s and 15’s more reps easier. 2 inch pinch curls 20 pounds eight fingers form the top. 31 reps each hand in 10 min. More reps and density. Body weight at 230, thought i would have been lighter, sick all week and did not eat at all.
2nd April. 20 PRs …
Not sure if these count, ‘cos I didn’t use biofeedback today … My training partner and I did our ‘iron man’ comp (you have to get a PR (any kind) in ALL the main movements we train to complete the comp) …
rep increase in one intensity of squat.
rep increase of two intensities of bench.
rep increase in two intensities of deadlift.
rep increase per time of pullups.
rep increase per time of pushups.
rep increase per time of inverted rows.
rep increase per time of burpees.
distance increase per time of shuttle sprints.
rep increase per time of jump rope.
rep increase per time of KB press.
rep increase per time of KB clean and jerk.
rep increase per time of KB snatch.
rep increase per time of KB swing.
rep increase per time of tyre flip.
rep increase per time of heavy sledge slam.
rep increase per time of keg slam.
rep increase per time of farmer’s walk.
session volume increase: 27,430 tonne.
Pretty tired. Big day.
Do machines GET tired? Goddamn! Crazy.
30/03/2010 – Got frustrated that I wanted to do gripper training and convinced myself that a SLIGHT improvement on ROM was a good enough reason to do the training. BIG mistake. Shot WAY below average results; got an unusual stitch/twinge feeling in my abdomen later in the night and my knees felt bad the next day. One bad movement makes all others worse. Lesson learned.
31/03/2010 – Bad base ROM. Expected this after the day before. Took the day off.
01/04/2010 – Cracked the shits like a child because nothing was testing well. Emotionally slumped. Not proud of it at all, but it’s what happened so I choose to own it and learn from it.
Looked over my life of the days before. Not enough sleep, not enough protein, not enough food in general. Shiftwork is fucking with me right now; why is it so hard to accept that that can happen? Belief systems are a mother.
02/04/2010 – Set a baseline in BB Bent Over Rows. Tested like a dream, recovery was good, 8 sets of 4 (untimed). KB press seemed to test well, will find out this evening.
Learning lots of lessons. Best part is, I’m teaching them to myself.
02/04/2010 cont. – 2 PRs.
Baseline set in Double DB Curls (held flat).
KB BUPs tested better than normal presses. PRs in Volume & Density. Volume increased from 7 sets of five to 17 sets of five!
Piers – it’s great to do something like forcing an exercise once in a while to remind ourselves that THIS IS REAL.
All part of testing.
Dave,
My thoughts exactly mate. If something teaches me a lesson, then it’s never worthless, and this certainly taught me a bit. Not only abot movement itself, but how tied my emotional state can be to something without my even realising.
Plus, I know it helped to remind me to observe what a “real” good ROM increase is when it comes to my toe touch.
Reporting from the rabbit hole:
“IMAGINARY” (vividly imagined) squats give a 5 in. ROM increase. Why use weights when YOU CAN USE YOUR MIND? Keep in mind that I did not physically move AT ALL.
What?
Fuck expectations.
Fuck limitations.
We know nothing.
Test it.
Visualizing movements is almost the same as doing them as far as your mind is concerned. Having recently read a book about how the mind works in this respect I find it amazing.
I try to visualize movements during the day and its pretty cool.
Superb.
Right on, that’s some bad ass stuff right there. Straight into the testing suite.
Next step for me will be testing brainwave entrainment techniques (like binaural beats etc) during movement visualisation, at various frequencies.
Is brainwave entrainment full of shit? I guess I’ll find out for me, seeing as we can all fucking test everything.
I use isochronic tones for meditation, not for training (yet).
Time to get into the lab.
I’ve noticed with the mental squats that I get not only the ROM effect, but also all of the other physiological effects as well:
-Heart rate increase
-Bodily warmth
-Blood flush to thighs
-Hormone rush
It appears at least as difficult to do the vivid visualization as the actual squats. I suspect that if I hadn’t been doing meditative visualization beforehand, I wouldn’t have seen the same results.
That’s for someone else to test though.
Pushups – PR total reps, up to 88 now, 100 reps is creeping closer!
Orbigrip – total reps with 0.5kg