Read it again...and again

It never fails, I always manage to get something new out of Pavel's books. The next time I read the same book, I learn more and so on. This week I found a copy of Power to the People sitting in an envelope by the door that I borrowed long ago. It has been sitting waiting for me to send back under a pile of mail. When I started purging the advertisements, and clearing the bills, it was there.

OOPS, sorry Dan, I can assure you it will arrive soon, I decided to purchase my own copy.

I thought I may as well read it one time more before I take it to the post office since it was in my hands; calling me like Tolkien's Ring of Power. 'Read ME.' So I did and I learned some new stuff. In fact I am amazed. This time when I read the book I noticed it talked about low volume. How low? 2 sets. That is very low. I could have swore it said 5 sets, my mistake. Perhaps I just didn't read the chapter on cycling and volume the last 5 times I read the book.

So LESS IS MORE! Keep reading, it doesn't say do 2 sets of light weight. What PTTP says is do a set that you can do 5RM. RM means that you do 5 reps barely but leave some in the tank. This is some real weight. I tend to think that if I struggle to get the 6th rep, I have a 5RM. PTTP also states that the second set should be 90% of the first set.

Today I applied my new lessons from PTTP. The second sets probably aren't right at 90% but I will adjust. I'm sure the weights are fairly close. I will actually do accurate math before I do the workout again next week.

Training:
Z
RifGA
DL: 135 x 5, - 275 x 5, 225 x 5
BP: 135 x 5, 185 x 5, 165 x 5 (185 was difficult)
Pull Up: #25 x 5, #25 x 5, BW x 5, BW x 5
Hang Leg Raise: 5x5

Couldn't resist some added sets of BW pull ups as I believe volume here is a good thing.

______________________________

.....Remedial PT update.....

Here is the update on the remedial guy that couldn't do any pull ups. In 3 weeks he has gone from 0 - 2 easy pullups. It will be another few weeks before he hits 3 but it will happen soon enough. The planks have helped. Here is how we've broken down his training for this event.

Planks 5 sets x 30 sec - 2 days per week

Pullup GTG with 1 pull up. When he couldn't do any, he jumped and held himself up as long as he could. When we do this at remedial, I let him take a 3-5 min break between sets. Going to all out failure is not allowed. He is doing pullups 6 days per week.

Today we started some pushups between sets. This will not be done the day before the PFT which the students take every Wednesday (by order of the CO). The frequency of this event has worked wonders.

On Friday AM we do Tabata sprints at the track. This is 20 sec run, 10 sec rest x 8 sets.

Instruction

During chow today I gave a fellow Marine a class on kettlebell basics. This was a pleasure for several reasons:

• Open mind
• Positive attitude
• Willingness to learn
• No complaining

Let me say that he is going to continue to work on his skills as he decided to add this to his toolbox. This is what I am looking for in a student. I will no longer accept anything less.

Training
Z
wall squat
swings
cleans
military press
snatch
get ups

Not sure how many sets or reps.

FInding the Groove

Instruction

This morning, I finally started feeling the correct groove in the bench press; it's about time. I was concentrating on keeping my shoulders packed which is by far the most stable position for any pressing. Not sure why it took me this long to remember this fact. The stability certainly makes the lift feel better.

What do I mean by packing the shoulder?

Put your arm out in front of you, palm down. Extend your shoulder out - forward. This is not packed. Now roll your shoulder back into its socket. Think of pulling back with your scapula. With your shoulder packed, you can emulate a bench press or push up by bending the elbow and moving your hand towards your chest. Keep your shoulder packed in the socket. It is the same when you press or move your hand back out. Keeping the shoulder packed, move or press out. As I said earlier, this is a strong and stable position.

____________

Training:

Z 10 min
RIFGA
Dead Lift - 135 x 10, 225 x 10, 310x1, 225 x 5, 225 x 5
BP - 135 x 10, 155 x 10, 175 x 5, 175 x 5
Pull up -- BW 5 set x 6 reps
Hanging leg raises - 5set x 5 rep

Z drills, through day
Afternoon
Coc Grippers No.T - 1 x 10/10
No. 1 - 2 x 5/5
No. 1.5 - 1l, 1r (actually closed them)

Monday -
ride - 20 miles

Saturday -
Ride 50 miles

"Do you want one of these plates?"

I walked into the Gator Gym this morning and headed for the platform. I noticed HM1 from the physical therapy clinic sitting on a bench under the rack. Heck, I couldn't miss him, he is huge -- thick. I thought to my self, this is going to be a good day.

The amount of weight Doc had loaded on the bar for his bench work was impressive. He layed on the bench and lowered the sagging bar and pressed 5 times. I just calculated and it was #495.

I did a warm up set of dead lifts and was looking for some weight to add to my bar. Doc asks, "Do you want some of these plates?" As he strips off 90lbs for the next set. He has a plan and will execute it which is more than I can say for others pushing 'metro' weights this morning.

Unfortunately, I didn't even use the plates DOC set aside for me. I turned around to help a Marine with his pullups. In that minute, someone took the plates and mounted them on another bar. I simply improvised, adapted and overcame with some other size weights.

Z 10 min
RIFGA
Z drills
Dead lift 135x5, 185x5, 185x5, 5(245 x 5)
Bench 135x5, 135x5, 5(155x5)
Pull up BW 5x5 + hanging leg raises 5x5

185 feels really light and 254 feels like 225 did earlier in the week. Too fun.
The bench still doesn't feel comfortable. I will continue to ease into the groove day by day.

Smokers pay attention

Gym Story

Tuesday is a remedial PT morning for the month of July. So up before the birds. While I didn't even hear a bird this morning, I did see 5 fox along the road on my morning ride.

Z Drills
RIFGA
Ride 30 miles 15 am/15 pm
-----
Z 10 min warm up
Front Plank 5x30 sec. -- (with the remedial)
-----
DL - 2 sets 135 x 5, 2 sets 185x5, 5 sets 225 x 5
BP - 135 - 5 sets x 5 rep
Pull up 5x5
Hanging leg raise - 5x5

Lunch time: Z drills/RIFGA

The Deadlifts are coming along quickly. The weight feels good with each pull. My grip was the first to go. I'm easing into the bench press and the DL. Notice the past few entries. I haven't gone above 135 in bench and I will probably hang with 225 for a while. It is not because I can't push my body beyond these numbers. The fact is these lifts are very form specific. I need to find a groove, spend considerable time in the groove and then move up the weight.

It does NO good to toss some weight around with improper form. More gains in strength are made using correct form.

This reminds me, I HATE the gym on base. There are a few people that know what they are doing and do it properly. These guys are usually from 'the teams.' Then there is everyone else; the other 90% of the gym patrons. They read some propaganda from latest metrosexual fitness magazine and hit the gym. If I was counting reps for any of these people, I would still be on 1.

My friend and former training partner Dan (MGySgt Ret.) used to laugh at my disgust every time we went into the gym. He was wise and he usually helped me avoid the gym with the exception of inclement weather. Here is story from one rainy afternoon in Feb 2007:

Dude and two buddies hit the gym one afternoon because the Chief said. They obviously had never taken to the iron and Dude volunteered his "expertise." Dude lifted some in his sophomore year of football and now 5 or 6 years later, he is the duty expert. His knowledge of weight training surpasses everyone else in the gym. The testosterone is thick in the atmosphere as Dude loads the barbell at the squatrack with 225. He gets under the bar and lowers himself and the weight about 5 inches, grunts, repeats 3 times and rams the weight back to the rack. Next dude pops on 310 and tells his buddies he needs a spot.

Dan and I look at each other but say nothing. Nothing needs to be said. I am thinking that the emergency number on base is x4444. We diligently keep working on our Deadlifts.

Now dude gets under this weight with his buddies on either side of the barbell. Like a powerlifting world record attempt. Mind you, niether of the spotters has ever spotted before. He takes a step back and grunts his way down about 4 inches and back up. Dude chants,"YEA, that's how you do it."

I received more exercise (abdominal) from laughing at this dude. Dan and I finished our workout in silence. Other than a few snicker here and there. As we walked out of the gym, Dan was still laughing.

The Plank

Someone said the early bird gets the worm. I guess it's only true when you don't get up before the birds. This month I am monitoring the remedial PT program. It is a program designed for those that are fat, weak or both. The political correctness and niceness with this program went out the window at 0330. This is the time I have to wake so I can ride my bike to the base and have a training program of my own.

The good news is I get to test my RKC teaching skills on these people. It is nice to have a few guinea pigs to hone my skills. We have been working on pull ups this week. One person can't do 1 pull up. OOPS the minimum standard is 3! Another couldn't do any but is now up to 4 he will be off the program soon.

One of the assistance exercises in the RKC II manual for the pull up is a front plank. While working the front plank this morning, a light bulb went off in my head. Check it out:

• All 4 subjects I worked with this morning are very weak with the pull up.
• All 4 subjects struggle to hold a proper front plank for more than 20 seconds. Their bellies begin sagging and back arching down.
• I conclude that the inability to do pull ups is directly related to core strength.

I have to ask, why in the world would someone do lat pull downs and arm curls to get better at pull ups?
Wouldn't time spent improving core strength (back, belly, hips, shoulders etc.) be more useful?

Here's how to do a plank.

• Get in the push up position on your elbows.
• Tighten your entire body, thighs, butt, back, abs.
• Your pelvis should point towards your belly button (kinda).
• Look at the ground.
• Take shallow breaths.
• Hold the position for time.
• Start with 30 seconds and do it 3-5 times. Increase the time as required.

Practice today:
Z NWU
RIFGA

Ride 30 miles - 15 am/15 pm
Deadlift 135 x 5 - 5 sets: 185 x 5 - 5 sets
Bench Press 135 x 5
Pull up / hanging leg raise 5x5 each

See, I work my core and have no problems with pull ups.

Yesterday:
Z drills/NWU
RIFGA
Rest day

Wed:
Z
RIFGA
Ride 30