The Need for GPP

Once again, I am struck by the need to push my conditioning up. I hate feeling like I'm sucking wind when I'm finished squatting. I didn't get a second session in on Friday. Plus, I'm having some major issues with the left elbow too. Saturday my weightlifting partner had to work so we postponed our session until this afternoon.

Here's Friday's training session (1.5.07):

A. RDL: 70%/4 x 6 sets
130kg/4 x 6; 2 mins. rest

B. Back Squat: 65%/5 x 5 sets
120kg/5 x 5; 90 secs rest

C. Press: 60%/6 x 4 sets
60kg/6 x 4; 60 secs rest.

This was particularly easy. However the hole felt a little weird and I could feel some "clunking" in the lumbar region on my 4th set of squats. Before my fifth set, I performed some pelvic mobility in a lateral lunge position, one set for each lunge position (from I-Phase). Once back under the bar--I don't know exactly what happened--but I had crazy speed! My bar speed was incredible and the bar was jumping probably close to a foot off my shoulders! Weird! However, still not satisfied with the amount of heavy breathing.

Saturday (1.6.07) was a day for GPP. I wanted to change the reps up--use higher reps and just get some blood flowing plus the get the HR up. I was concerned about the left elbow and the supination/extension issues being exacerbated. But, I really can't think of anything better to push up GPP than KBs and I was "jonesin'" for them anyway.

Here's what I did. (I used 60s between just about every set.)

A. Double Snatch: 2x16kg/20 x 3 sets
B. D0uble C+Pr supersetted with Alt. Press: 2x16kg/10+10 + 10+10
C. Double Press: 2x16kg/20, 15
D. 2 Hand Swings: 32kg/20 x 4 sets

Some pretty heavy breathing and my shoulders got a lil' "pumpy" from the higher reps, but it felt like just what I needed. I tried not to overdue it because I knew I would be on the platform the following day.

My wife hadn't worked out all week so I encouraged her to do a session of Z-Health I-Phase (I is for Integrated and it's the next level after "R".) So I joined her. Almost every mobility drill is performed in a variety of lunge positions and is very challenging. This is very difficult for me. I need to spend some more time during the week performing these mobility drills because I definitely feel the difference in my body--easier to move--more fluid.

Sunday 1.7.07

Felt lethargic all day. Not really in the mood to train so it was a good thing I was meeting my partner. Didn't know how I was going to structure this cycle. I'd done 8 weeks of "speed" work so I wanted to venture into the strength realm. Decided to stay around 70% or so today. Both lifts were performed today with a 5 minute break between the two.

Snatch, power, from multiple positions:
50kg/2, 70/2, 80/2;
(above knee/2, below knee/2, floor/2) x3 only with 90kg.

Felt very good, very fast. Bar started to slow a little on the last set from the floor. These felt particularly good since I haven't performed them in a very long time--just training around the knee. That time spent training below the knee really transferred to pulling from the floor. I can't wait to see what the heavier weight brings.

5 minute break

Clean and Jerk, (power clean + power jerk)

90kg/2+2, 100/(2+2)2, 110/(2+2)2, 120/(2+2)5

Now this whole training session was pretty interesting: My right knee didn't feel great going into it and neither did my left elbow. My weightlifting partner noticed that I was bending my left elbow just above the knee on my 2nd clean of each set, right around my 1st or 2nd set at 120kg. (No wonder I smashed myself in the groin with my first set at 110!) I corrected and finished pretty strong.

My positioning and set up for the clean are much different than they have been--almost back to the original way I learned them. Feels comfortable, yet because of the left elbow, it felt kind of awkward--I know, two contradictory statements, but set-up is comfortable, pull is awkward. The jerk was easy, too easy.

I performed some I-Phase between just about every set today of both snatch and clean, possibly due to 4 training sessions in 3 days. I dunno. Overall, today's session felt very good. Wind/fatigue was not a problem--barely even sweat. So, I think yesterday's GPP session was just right. It didn't interfere with my speed at all today which was my biggest worry. We'll have to see how those types of sessions play out over the next 3 weeks.

Overall, this was a good and easy week of training. Just the way I designed it. Next week, starting with tomorrow, has 25% more lifts per day. Uh-oh. Could be in trouble. So by the end of the week, with an increase in tonnage and number of lifts per session, I could see close to a 30% increase in total workload by next Sunday. Should be interesting.

Soft Tissue Work and Z-Health.

I had mentioned previously that I saw virtually no need for soft tissue work in accompaniment with Z-Health. Allow me to expand on the word, "virtually."

In the case of scar tissue, there is need for some release work to be performed. According to Dr. Cobb, this should be light and slow, so not to introduce nocioceptive input (pain) into the body, which of course is how the scar tissue got there. So I have a massage scheduled for this Tuesday in which the therapist, another R-Phase certified trainer (There must at least 10 of us in NC alone!) will perform scar tissue release on my left elbow. I broke my radius wrestling when I was 16. Eight or nine weeks in a cast with no therapy after really did wonders for my elbow. Anyway, this appears to be the last compensation I have to deal with. When I get this taken care of, the right knee should calm itself down and I should be able to get back to overhead squats without locking down my right fibular head and cuboid.

Wednesday should be interesting. Of course, I'll post more then about my thoughts on soft tissue work.