Monday 101110

This is our last week of 3x5 workouts. Its served us well but we've gotten about all we can out of it. Time to switch it up. That being the case, this week, I want to really push the weights and essentially establish a 5-rep max (5RM) for each of you on all of our lifts. That will give me an idea of where your 1-rep max (1RM) is and I'll use that number multiplied by various percentages to establish your training weights for the following 4 weeks. I'll explain more as we go.

Strength

1)Back squat, 3x5 (if first two sets are easy, increase weight and find 5RM on last set)

2a) Goodmornings, 3x8

2b) Weighted front bridges, 3x30 seconds

Anaerobic Capacity

Stair Sprints

1 sprint every 45 seconds for 13.5 minutes (18 reps)

Obviously, his technique falls apart on his last rep, but this is what a true 5RM squat should look and feel like.

Friday 100810

Strength

1a) Bench Press, 3x5 (5-10lb increase from last week)

1b) Heavy bent over rows, 3x10

Aerobic Capacity

5 rounds of 20 seconds on, 40 seconds off:

Box Jumps/Step ups

Air Squats

Push Press 65/45lb

Double/Single Unders

Thursday 100710

Strength

1) Deadlift, 3x5 (increase from last week)

2a) Overhead Squat, 3x5-10 reps (emphasis will be technique with low-moderate weights)

2b) Tuck Sits, 3xALongAP

Anaerobic Power/Capacity

Plate Pushes:

Push plate (45/25lb) 8 yards using a 1:4 work to rest ratio between reps

Do 5 reps of pushes then rest 2 minutes

Do 3 sets of that (15 total pushes)

I want you to push that plate as hard and fast as you can on every single rep for every set. We are trying to train not only your power output (has fast you can push it) but also your recovery ability between bouts of maximal effort work.

Remember the differences in the geometry of a back squat versus an overhead squat. In the back squat, you're really trying to reach your butt back, keep your shins much closer to vertical, and your back angle will be much closer to horizontal:

In the overhead squat, you want your butt to basically drop straight down between your heels, shins will be significantly inclined forward, and your back angle much closer to vertical:

Try and remember and work on these differences as we OH squat tomorrow.

Wednesday 100610

Strength

1a) Press, 3x5 (5-10lb more than last week)

1b) Pullups

Set 1: AMRepsAP

Set 2: AMRepsAP-20%

Set 3: AMRepsAP-30%

Aerobic Capacity

22 minutes AMRoundsAP:

15 Box Jumps

15 Situps

15 DB Thrusters, 25/15lb

15 Band Goodmornings, blue/red

15 Renegade Rows, 25/15lb

15 Air Squats

The pullups will be paired up with the press like we've been doing. I will tell you what band you'll be using for all three sets. The first set you'll do as many reps as possible. The key here is to get absolutely as many as you can. Don't save any reps in the tank. If you do, the next two sets will be too easy. The second set you'll do 20% fewer reps than the AMRAP, and the third set will be 30% fewer reps than that first set. And if the math says that you have to do fractions of reps, we'll just round up. Ha.

The aerobic capacity training will be done in the same format and with the same goal as what we did last Tuesday but with different exercises.

Renegade Rows

Tuesday 100510

Rest Day

Something for your rest day entertainment. A compilation of the lifters from the 2009 World Weightlifting Championships, 94kg weight class.

Monday 100410

Strength

1) Back Squat, 3x5 (5-10lb more than last week)

2a) Goodmornings, 3x10

2b) Weighted front bridge, 3x30 seconds

Anaerobic Capacity

Partner Band Resisted Sprints

1 rep every minute on the minute

14 reps

Last time we did these band sprints we did 12 reps. Two more this week; gradually increasing your capacity.

Jim Wendler: not politically correct, but practices what he preaches. Check him out at EliteFTS.

CrossFit & USAW

If you're interested, here's the link to the live feed for the CrossFit/USA Weightlifting competition going on this weekend in Colorado Springs that I mentioned earlier. The coverage begins at 10:30 this morning and continues most of the weekend. Check it out, let me know if you see or learn anything interesting. The athletes competing there are sure to have a pretty big capacity for work. Good stuff.