Training Log - Inspired by Evo

[goergen1]

8/21/07 workout. Got home late, so in the books this morning.

I am going to start off with a story that came up during the workout yesterday.

I had a training partner a few years ago when I was doing a lot of strongman. He was #2 in the country in the lightweights. (200lb class) We were at a contest once and his wife was asking other wives and competitors how often they trained. (She thought my training partner spent too much of his time training)

So she goes up to him and says, "nobody else seems to think it is necessary to do 2 workouts every day."

He says, "They don't win much either, do they?"

This was brought up during the workout, we were discussing training frequency, I think it illustrates the practical application of frequent training sessions.

Yesterday was a throwing day.

Dynamic Flex

KB Swing Warm-Up

1. Light weight for distance - Still need work on this one. Getting 40 feet for best, need to focus on moving faster.

2. Light Hammer - a bunch of winders. I throw this about 60 feet. My training partner says, "that is, like, all upper-body. You will do better once you learn to use your hips and legs."

I am inclined to agree

3. Weight for height - lots of reps for 10 and 11 feet.

I was starting to feel the lack of workouts over my vacation about now. I do not do well with time off.

Then we went to the gym.

1. Reverse Hype - 3 sets 10 reps
2. Fat Bar Reverse Curls - 3 sets 10 reps
3. Fat Bar Triceps Off the Floor - 3 sets 10 reps

4. Shrugs - 3 sets 15 reps
5. Band Cross GHR Abs - 3 sets 15 reps
6. BW Ring Rows - 3 sets 10 reps. I worked on letting everything relax and stretch at the bottom of every rep.
7. Reverse Fly - 2 sets 12 reps

I did the gym stuff light, focusing on getting work done. The more I do this the more I know it needs to be done.

PWO - The Usual

Gym Conversation -

1. Lots of shop talk. I think I will do my first games Sept 15th. That should be fun.

2. More talk about the mental aspects of training. How paying attention to motivation will allow for better prediction for waving the intensity of training as well as getting quality work done regardless of mental state.

3. My gym bag today was a bag with pink flowers and bows. I felt it really showed my feminine side to the ladies. Unfortunately there are not really many ladies at the gym.

The guys made fun of me. I said, "You are all just jealous that you do not have the security in your manhood like I do." "Yea."

And then more banter ensued.

 

[LeiYunFat]

3. My gym bag today was a bag with pink flowers and bows. I felt it really showed my feminine side to the ladies. Unfortunately there are not really many ladies at the gym.

The guys made fun of me. I said, "You are all just jealous that you do not have the security in your manhood like I do." "Yea."

And then more banter ensued.

Hahahahha

yer pretty

 

[flyinfree]

dude!!! yer tough and all that... and well i am too. BUT-- what's up with the flowers and bows? Why? were you giving them out, or just being a goof.... or are we falling for the goof!!

what a goof!!

lots of shrugs... are those "trap" type of shrugs your doing?

 

[goergen1]

what's up with the flowers and bows? Why?

I needed a bag. So I took the first one I saw. It was my wife's. So..... there it is. Besides, pink flowers and bows are cool

lots of shrugs... are those "trap" type of shrugs your doing?

Yea. Just, shrug shrugs. I like to do them almost every workout. I use different bars and stuff.

On to the workout. Today was a lower body pull / upper body push day.

I have been using a 50kg hang snatch for the test on this day. I got 93%. So it is a Max / Strength day.

1. Deadlift - I just started lifting. I did sets of 1. I just started adding weight, pounds, kilos, whatever. I Just kept doing 1 until the weight felt kind of heavy.

Then I did 15 sets of 1 rep with that weight. At the end we added it up. I did 15 sets of 1 with 475lbs. So, Not a bad day. I feel like my deadlift is coming along and soon I will use a respectable weight.

2. Shrugs - I was too lazy to change the weight so I did 4 sets of 5 reps with the 475lbs that I deadlifted.

3. OK Not 3. But this happened. We started talking about some business and I got distracted for about 30 min.

3. This is the real 3. Fat Bar Strap Bench Press. I set the bar height so that it was touching my chest. I worked up to a quick couple of singles with 365.

I felt good about this workout even though I did not do everything I wanted. The weights were good even though I did not get the amount of work I usually get. I got to the gym ay 5:30pm. Usually I get there at about 10:00am on lifting days, But, I was unavoidably detained by business and that is how the day turned out.

At this point the guys decided it was time to eat, so we went to eat.

PWO - A burger, and fries, and Mojitos. Mojitos are pretty good, a refreshing summer drink. I see that they are becoming more popular since Crocket was ordering the Mojito all the time in the Miami Vice movie. I am not sure if the two are related, but it seems like they are.

Gym Conversation -

1. We were talking about mental over training and how it is possible to get a great workout without being "Mr. Focus guy" the whole time. Clowning can happen between sets, it makes the workouts mentally easier. And really, you only need to be focused right before and during a set.

2. How cool is casual restaurant banter with the waitress? It is fun, everybody is happier, and the waitress is usually prettier when she is smiling. :azzangel:

 

[LeiYunFat]

I wish I was in your Entorage...that would be sick

 

[goergen1]

I wish I was in your Entorage...that would be sick

Ha. That would be cool.

Actually it is really more like a clan. I am not sure if there is even a leader. We are like a mass ov individuals feeding off of one another.

Today was a throwing day. I was by myself. One of my training partners just came back from some country. (barang or something) The other has worlds this weekend and wen home early to pack since he is leaving tomorrow.

It is not the same without training partners.

So,

1. Shot Put Overhead Throw - buncha sets. I am getting well into the mid 40 feet range. That is fun.

2. Practiced spins with the 56 and 28 lb weights. Lots X Lots.

3. Hammer Winders - Again Lots X lots.

I went back to the gym. A bunch of the guys are training to get certified closing the #3 COC Gripper. They are all excited about training. That is fun.

1. Reverse Hyp - 3 sets 10 reps

2. KB Curls - 44lbs 3 sets 10 reps
3. KB Triceps - 44lbs 3 sets 10 reps

4. Lat Pulldowns - 3 sets 10 reps

5. External Rotations - Black Mini-band. 3 sets 10 reps each side.

This was a pretty good workout despite the lack of training partners. There were people in the gym so that was good.

PWO - The Usual

Gym Conversation -

1. Some crazy video where a baby water buffalo gets attacked by lions, they get too close to the water and the calf gets attacked by a crocodile as well. Then the herd of water buffalo come back through and chase the lions away. Here is the link.

 

[goergen1]

Today was an athletic training day.

I decided to do a lot of KB work

1. Weight Swings w/ KB - 3 sets 4 reps each side 30lbs. 3 sets 4 reps each side 60lbs.

2. KB Rope Spinners - Basically swinging a KB on a rope around my head. 2 sets 5 each side standing. 2 sets 5 each side in partial squat. 3 sets 5 on each side in squat position. I used a 20lb KB.

3. GHR - 3 sets 10 reps

4. Reverse Hyp - 3 sets 10 reps

5. Ball Curl - 60lb ball 3 sets 10 reps

6. Ball OH Triceps Ext. - 60lb ball 3 sets 10 reps

7. Fat Handle Shrugs - 3 sets 20 reps

8. External Rotations - 20lbs 3 sets 10 reps

This was a pretty good workout. The KB stuff is always pretty hard. They make for a lot of work on the abs.

PWO - The Usual

Gym Conversation -

1. I forget.

 

[goergen1]

Ok. I went in this morning at 8:00am to do some strongman training.

Dynamic Flex.

1. Stones - some bunch of sets of 2.

2. Sled Drag - All were done 2 laps. with 150lbs.

1. Backward Pull
2. Overhead Pull
3. Cornholios
4. Rows

3. Band Triceps Pushdowns - 2 sets 50 reps. Purple band.
4. Band Curls - 2 sets 50 reps. Purple band.
5. Band Good Mornings - 2 sets 50 reps. Green Band

I polished things off by tractioning my shoulders with the bands.

This was a pretty good workout. Aside from the stones it was all recovery stuff. Which is good.

PWO - Lunch w/ Wife

Gym Conversation -

1. There is an intern at the gym. She is angry because she is in college and they are not teaching her anything that can be used in real life. She said she even addressed her concerns with her professors. And I quote - "I feel like an idiot coming here because I have never seen any of this stuff, we should be learning stuff that is actually used in the field."

From there we all responded with our disheartening stories about college. I have yet to meet someone who got even a speckle of practical knowledge from a formal education.

2. Why go to college???? We decided that the real purpose of college is not to prepare people for the real world, since in most cases that does not happen. The purpose must be to get people thinking in a more institutional frame of mind and hinder individualization so that people will fit in better with the corporate mindset.

Well..... That is the best reason we could come up with.

3. Using bands for shoulder traction exercises. This is great for shoulder recovery as well as for dealing with injuries.

 

[LeiYunFat]

It depends on what you study. My experience is with most science classes. I find that the greater understanding I have of the idea, the more I can do with it -- in a sense, the more useful it becomes. Sure, you might not become a chemist or mathematician, but when you learn and understand ideas, there's no way to limit its application.

I'm not a big "reality" guy. I used to be into realistic things, but I've found that being realistic is being self-defeating. What constitutes as being "realistic"? The probability? Because if so -- if you really want to be realistic about ****, then you're probably going to work some dead end job, have marital problems with the spouse you "settled" for, with ****ty kids, and when you die, no one is really going to care. The problem with college is that if you go in to be realistic, you're probably still going to end up the same way. College is one of the last places you are in life where you still get to dream big and try your hand at something-- whatever it is you want to be, without having too much of a negative outcome (bankruptcy, divorce, other **** that could happen in the "real world").

Still, some people are better off doing something else. It's subjective...it really depends on the type of person you are and what you want to do.

 

[flyinfree]

the highlite of you log for me was wondering what the heck a cornholio was then being relieved to see you had lunch with your wife. hhahhhaaa

you are a solid dude, this is a great log.

So, how about some pictures of some of these workouts. I am so curious. This damn Ironman training takes up everything.

Soon man soon. Let me get "ironman" then I'm all over this stuff.

 

[goergen1]

So, how about some pictures of some of these workouts.

We are actually building videos right now. I will be posting them on the site of the equipment company I train at.

And Lei - I have a rebuttal, bit no time at the moment.

 

[goergen1]

Ok Lei - I know this is long. I hope I have expressed my point of view a little better than before. I am just trying to illustrate the different uses of information in college and outside the university world. As I see it.

I find that the greater understanding I have of the idea, the more I can do with it -- in a sense, the more useful it becomes. Sure, you might not become a chemist or mathematician, but when you learn and understand ideas, there's no way to limit its application.

What you have stated is very true. Of course it has nothing whatsoever to do with formal education or college. It happens more in the real world than it does in college, that is for sure.

What constitutes as being "realistic"? The probability? Because if so -- if you really want to be realistic about ****, then you're probably going to work some dead end job, have marital problems with the spouse you "settled" for, with ****ty kids, and when you die, no one is really going to care.

That might be realistic for you. In my life it is quite the opposite of that that is realistic. What you are speaking about above, again, has nothing to do with formal education, and everything to do with the mindset of an individual.

The problem with college is that if you go in to be realistic, you're probably still going to end up the same way. College is one of the last places you are in life where you still get to dream big and try your hand at something-- whatever it is you want to be, without having too much of a negative outcome (bankruptcy, divorce, other **** that could happen in the "real world").

Again, I find the opposite to be true. (at least with me and the circle of people I am around) College puts your mind in a box, creates restrictions that are not there in real life, and limits the ability to start on a different line of thinking.

On a second note, trying your hand at something where there is no risk or repercussions severely cuts down on the potential for a "real" education.

You talk about not having the negative outcome. You also cut out the positive outcome. Bill Gates and Michael Dell are college dropouts. What do you think would have happened if they applied their ideas in the college world? A university would have a great addition to their program, and they would have graduated and been looking for a job like everyone else.

I mention these to people. I have had many clients (both dropouts and graduates) who understand the difference between college and the real world.

Still, some people are better off doing something else. It's subjective...it really depends on the type of person you are and what you want to do.

This is true, some people need college in order to figure out what they are going to do. (this was true in my case).

Also, I am not talking about "realistic," but things that seem to be accurate within the confines of a university campus, yet do not hold true once out beyond that box. Meaning, "real" methods of creating success in any aspect of life.

I will use some examples from the fitness world. (since that is what I know the most about)

A. Over training -

Most people think they know what over training is. They have read the signs and think that they have reached that point in training at least one or two times. "Research tells us" that 48 hours of rest between intense training bouts are the route to go.

Yet in real life the two most common types of over training (probably 99% of all "over training" cases) are -

1. Not eating enough food. Period. This will cause all of the "signs" of over training.

2. Not being in good enough shape. This will also show all the "signs" of over training. Yet getting in better shape will yield the ability to do much larger workloads.

In both the above cases the trainee is not over trained.

After applying the above two solutions to the "over training" problem, the average person will find that they are capable of doing 2 - 4 times as much work as they would have thought. (or 2 - 4 X as much work as the conventional "research" tells us is possible for the average person) They will also find that they can handle intense training sessions much more often than what the "science" tells us.

Even then. The definition of intense changes as training age increases. Which people do not take into account.

B. Noob Gains

I am picking on this because everyone seems to think that "noob gains" are the biggest and fastest gains possible. This is because it is constantly repeated in textbooks, and by teachers and professors.

Yet, in real life the noob gains are not the largest of fastest possible gains. Most people will never learn this because they never get past the "over training" problem.

After many years of training and practical research a trainee can have their largest gains well into their career. My largest gains (so far) have come about 13 years after I started training. (I now believe that with my newest training system I am yet to see my fastest and largest gains)

One last example. Almost all of the greatest training advances for athletes have come from "research" in the real world. And not a lab in a university. The ever so popular "westside training method" was developed by people training, and being successful, in the competitive powerlifting world.

The westside method ideas originally came from research that had been done in the former soviet union in the 60's and 70's. This was not research done at the university level, but research done in the field, with the goal of making athletes successful in the olympic games.

All of that research was spawned by a visit from an american guy (a world and olympic weightlifting champion) who figured out his training from talking to people and coming up with his own ideas.

Now I am not saying that people should not go to college. I am glad I went.

Not from the "content" of the education offered, but from the contacts that I made while I was there. Knowing the people you went to college with and keeping in contact is valuable well beyond the point where you forget what you learned in college to begin with. That is where the real opportunity is. (this was something I did not realize at the time, I just kept in contact with people because I liked them.)

I am sure the "value" of college will be different for different people. We were just discussing what the "value" of our own experiences, compared to what needs to be done (and known) to be successful in real life.

I am also sure that there are other fields out there where what you learn in college is used in life. I just do not know what those things are. (since I have heard the above arguments from, financial advisors, computer programmers, people in management, and may other professions)

Maybe there are just huge holes in the current educational system and it will grow to meet the needs of people when they are released into the world.

I will also qualify all of the above statementss with the fact that my own college experience fell so far below my expectations that I consider my high school learning experience monumentally better by comparison.

It made me very unhappy that I had tought myself, or learned in high school, information that was again "retaught" in college. (and "retaught" again in grad school)

This, of course , is what caused my views on the subject.

 

[LeiYunFat]

I see that equating "useful" to "realistic" was wrong.

I agree-- you have to give value to your own college experience...but college can't offer everything. Some people are already equipped with the means and methods to go about their lives. Some would probably have been better off skipping college and doing a trade school or internship. However, I think it's safe to say that most professions that require extended post-graduate studying are more suited for retaining the things you learn in school.

But for others, probably like the ones you mentioned, college education isn't really about the books. And it's true that contacts are really important. Just like that old saying, it's not really about what you do...it's who you know.

I don't know though-- my college experience really just started. Once I transfer to a larger university where I become just a number, things could be very different

 

[evolution]

I was thinking about what you said Goerg about college, and I was like "no, he was wrong...blah blah blah." But then I realized that I had complained over and over again that they were not teaching us what we needed to know in the education program. Sure, we learned a lot about English, and we learned a lot about what educators had learned from teaching. But I learned the most about teaching when I did my student teaching. So it was the hands-on approach when I was standing in front of the classroom that I realized so much of what I learned in classroom management from a text book was so wrong and just stupid.

Another thing that irked me was that I was over-taught what I wasn't going to teach in the classroom (albeit I'm teaching a completely different subject than my degree anyway). I knew that I'd never teach my kids the 9 classifications of adverbs...so why was I in this grammar class learning things that did not correlate to what I was going to do? And despite me being a secondary education major (6th-12th) I learned soooooo much more about how an eight year old thinks and not much about a fourteen year old. I had wondered why can't they just combine the grammar and usage, the educational psychology, and the methods of teaching English into one class and make it cohesive and related to the age groups and method appropriateness of how they really learn.

Don't get me wrong-I learned a lot of valuable stuff that has helped me as a successful teacher, but I think the whole program could be revamped so that it's a lot better. More time in the classroom with students rather than sitting in the classroom letting a professor lecture to us. To this day I think one fo the best classes I had was Instructional Education class where we pretty much watched videos of teachers in the classroom dealing with students in certain tough situations and then we had group discussions on what and how would we have done the same or different.

...okay, that was long winded for no reason.

 

[goergen1]

More time in the classroom with students rather than sitting in the classroom letting a professor lecture to us.

That is exactly what I thought about my Exercise Phys curriculum.

Needs more time dealing with people in real situations.

I have always believed that college should be at least 50% internships. Forcing students to start learning what life will be like after graduation, while teaching the "science and theory" in the classroom.

Seems more well rounded that way.

Of course universities are slaves to tradition.

On a lighter note.

As everyone may or may not know. I have really been focusing on bringing up my BBQ game.

Yesterday I smoked a whole turkey breast. It was awesome. I had a good marinade and rub. I used hickory wood for the smoke.

It turned out perfect. The sauce I used was an Alabama White BBQ sauce. It was really good. (I serve sauces on the side, so people can taste the meat with and with out it)

 

[goergen1]

OK. Monday is lower body push day and upper body pull day.

50kg squat jump. 95%. Max day it is.

Dynamic Flex

1. Low Box Squat - Worked up to a single at 501lbs

2. Pull-Ups - 3 sets 6 reps

3. Reverse Hype - 3 sets 10 reps
4. Fat Bar Triceps Ext - 3 sets 10 reps
5. Fat Bar Reverse Curls - 3 sets 10 reps
6. DB Shrugs - 3 sets 10 reps

Foam Roller

This was a pretty good workout. I hit 500 off of the lowest box I can squat to. I also think it is the first time I have hit 500 since I started training again. (Though I am not sure)

PWO - The Usual

Gym Conversation -

1. Clowning around in the gym is a good thing. About a video along those lines. We are starting to post our workout vids. Here are my deadlifts and shrugs from the other day.



2. Spotting. Spotters have to pay close attention and be ready. A split second and the weight is down and the spotter is rendered useless.

3. Dragon. The other white meat. If there were dragons, they would be very popular to hunt and eat. Aside from being very tasty, you can make armor out of their skin and spears and swords out of their teeth.

Besides, if you get a dragon, you can use its fire breathing organs to cook it for dinner. No need to cut and carry heavy firewood when you are tired from the slaying.

 

[LeiYunFat]

No, I think you hit 500 sometime in June or July. I was lookin at your previous sessions and I remember reading your 500.

That's a nice video...especially since it was streamed perfectly. I didn't once have to stop and wait for it to load, which is pretty damn amazing. You've also got some sweet moves, hahaha

 

[Karky]

damn, I was just thinking about going here saying "nice active recovery technique" but the guys in the vid beat me to it

I see you don't round your upper back much. Diden't you talk about that in a post once? That you needed to round the upper back more? My deadlift is pretty simular to yours, starting with the hips pretty high. After I started rounding my upper back more I could instantly get more weight because I could start the pull "higher" if you know what I mean? I diden't have to get so close to the floor.

I like the attitute in the gym, joking around between sets. Wish I had some real gym partners like that.

Keep the vids comming! How much weight is that BTW? Looks like alot if you ask me

 

[goergen1]

I think you hit 500 sometime in June or July.

After looking you are right. This one was done off of a much lower box. Either way I am happy about it.

I didn't once have to stop and wait for it to load, which is pretty damn amazing.

Well. I am the moderator of the forum there. Web design is my current profession, I must say, I am pretty good at it.

Diden't you talk about that in a post once? That you needed to round the upper back more?

Yea I have talked about that. That is my traditional deadlift form. I have been experimenting with pulling my shoulders down as hard as I can to make my arms as long as possible.

Doing this my upper back does not round as much. There a hundred different things to do with the deadlift. I make fairly consistent small adjustments. (some work, some do not)

I like the attitute in the gym, joking around between sets. Wish I had some real gym partners like that.

Keep the vids comming! How much weight is that BTW? Looks like alot if you ask me

I have one of the coolest places to train at, and some of the coolest training partners. It makes training a lot of fun.

It is only 475lbs. It looks like more because all the plates are the same size. I did do 15 singles at that weight though. It was the last 2 reps in the video.

I say this like I did not just do 450 for one single in June and get all angry about it. Now 475 for 15 singles. They were very strong as well. So progress is being made.

Thanks for the great feedback guys.

 

[goergen1]

Throwing day.

Dynamic Flex.

OH Shot Put Throw - bunch

Sheaf - Used the 22lb one today. That is the one they will have for my first contest on sept 15th. I consistently got it over 20 feet and got close to 22 feet a couple times.

Then we went to the gym.

1. Power Shrugs - 4 - 8 sets. I was not really keeping track. Don't know the weight either. Reps were between 5 and 10. Depending on the set. Where I did whatever number of reps I felt like doing.

2. Reverse Hypers - 3 sets 10 reps

3. Barbell Curls - 3 sets 10 reps

4. OH BB Triceps Ext - 3 sets 10 reps

PWO - The Usual

I am excited to compete in my first games. I should do ok. It will be good to finally set a baseline and get training more focused.

I have commandeered a new belt and some knee sleeves. I am going to start attempting some heavier weights and the supportive gear is "es muy importontay."

Gym Conversation -

1. We are on the mental aspect of training a lot lately. I find it very important to train most of the time in a state of low arousal. It helps prevent mental and physical over training.

2. Some people are gamers. They are not really that good in practice, but they bring it on contest day and do well. They also have more injuries and shorter careers.

3. Don't be lazy. The most important things are not the main workouts, but everything in between. PWO meals, recovery work, GPP. Everything that most people think is not is important, is more important.