Back In the Saddle

Been sick the past two or so days...some kind of stomach bug. It's running around here like crazy. Everyone's getting it. Here's the interesting thing: I drink at least one bottle of Kefir a day. It's chock full of probiotics: 10 different kinds of healthy bacteria. It must be working because some of my issues, especially digestive ones, have disappeared.

Anyway, finishing R-Phase was interesting. (That's such a third grade book report word--gotta find a better one than that.) I'll probably get to "Stirring the Pot, Part 2" this weekend. Here are some things I'd like to discuss:

• Flexion v. extension
  
• Lifting in long spine--always?
  
• The role of a tight lumbar arch and neck extension while lifting
  
• And anything else that stuck out to me

Back to business...

I just have to publicly confess: I'm lazy. I hate volume-based training programs. I like intensity-based programs. Bottom line is that it's less work. Right now, I'm ramping up the volume for two reasons:

1. Increase Special Physical Preparedness (SPP)
2. Stimulate hypertrophy

1. SPP: Although I have a good GPP base, it seems like I have no SPP. Sure, I can do tons of KB C+P, Snatches, and/or Swings all day, and it's helped my overall endurance to be sure, but I was sucking wind on my squats last week. Sets of 6 with only 120kg. S-U-C-K-I-N-G W-I-N-D. Same thing with the high pulls. So, up goes the volume of squats and pulls. The good thing is though, between all the Z and the KB work, I can hold my positions better than ever before, especially pulling from below the knee.

2. Stimulate hypertrophy: My old weightlifting coach, Alfonso Duran, told me I wouldn't lift up to my potential unless I weighed 110kg+. Right now I'm approximately 96kg. I've got a lot of eating and lifting to do.

I like some of Chad Waterbury's stuff, so I'm using a mixture of that and good ol' strength/hypertrophy zone: 3-6x4-6 reps. The exception is Waterbury's 10x3 protocol for strength and mass: 10x3 reps with 80%+, 70s rest. However, I'm predominantly type 2B fiber, so I have to start at 70% or so. I'm amazed when I see people/programs calling for 6-8 reps at 80%. I can never do that. Even 5 reps is a stretch sometimes.

Here's today's training session:

A. Front Squat: 110kg/3 x10 sets; 70s rest
B. RDLs: 110kg/5; 130kg/5; 140kg/5 x4; 90s rest
C. Press: 60kg/6 x6; 60s rest

Front Squats felt great today. Lots of room left here. I may be able to take this cycle up to 140kg. I need to get to 180kg/3 x10. That'll give me plenty of leg strength for the big clean. Anyway, opened this cycle with the right weight. I was tempted to hit the ol' 8-5x5, but I'm terrible for anything over 3 in this lift. To be honest, 3 is actually endurance work in the Front Squat. However, I may have gone too heavy on the 140kg RDLs. 130kg just felt too easy though. I strove to make every rep feel the same, which they did not. The last set was probably the best set.

I'll hit some light GPP tomorrow, focusing on exercises that promote hand/wrist supination and extension, maybe some lunging to loosen up the legs, and lift again on Friday and Saturday.