TRAINING LOG: Justin Blatnik

JustinBlatnik wrote: . I ran it before and saw great success and actually enjoyed it...to a point...cuz I'm a bit ambitious, and tried to follow it for front squat each day immediately after back squats. Low and behold, with my previous low back issues, it fell apart in week 4. Staying smarter this time!

It's a great program, although I would NEVER run it as written for an athlete in a sport other than weightlifting.  But if you saw success and a transition to throwing, then the proof is in the pudding.  

11/20/14 Throws and Quick Upper

16lb Shot
3 stand no reverse
3 stand w/ reverse
5 glide, best around 37'6" I think

LWFD
Essentially 3 sets of 5 2-turns. Did them pretty rapid then sat for a minute after the 5th throw.
Very easy on these today, just trying to drill footwork with a little release. Not enough effort into the throws to even mark them.

Axle Push Press
115x5, 135x5, 155x5, 175x5, 195x5, 215x5 (current PR)

Slingshot Volume Bench
135x10, 185x10, 225x10, 275x10, 315x8

This was all done in just under an hour. Still fighting being sick and came home and napped fro a while. Feeling pretty dead. Had just over an hour to get this in once I woke up, and glad I did. Told myself something would be better than nothing and I needed to "not suck" if I want to do big things in the coming years I needed to make today count. Press strength is coming back nicely, with the push press being a current rep PR. I'll have to scrounge back and see what my best numbers with my overheads are.

How do you like the slingshot?

11/24/14
Morning Cardio: easy 30 mins on elliptical

Squats (Day 4/18)
60kgx3, 80x3, 100x3, 120x3, 140x3, 154x1
164x4 for 6 sets with a belt

Deadlifts (straps and spud belt)
in pounds: 242, 332, 398, 442, 490, 534 current PR
*odd numbers due to mix of kg and lb bumpers

Squats were rough today. Right knee tendonitis pretty bothersome today. Getting into the meat of the volume in the program. Gotta tough through it. Finished up the 4th week in my little deadlift programming experiment. Didn't hit a pull with anything over 160kg (352lbs) at 70% of a predicted max of 500 and just increased volume of triples each week (8 sets, 10 sets, 12 sets) and pulled a new max of 534lbs tonight pretty smoothly. Pretty nice not pulling anything all that heavy and then seeing a PR come from it. More experimentation to come!

C. Smith wrote: I'm shocked you're squatting 27 times a week and you have knee tendinitis.   And sub-max weights are where it's at.  We've preached it on here.  Congrats on the new PR!

I am pretty shocked too. It just doesn't seem to add up!

And absolutely with the sub max. Actually going through some trial runs with data e found in my research project. Good things so far!

C. Smith wrote: Oh that's right, I forgot your research project on all the data that has already been compiled and proven by the Russians and Eastern Europeans, lol.  I suspect you're coming to the exact same conclusions?

We'll yes it's been around for years, but at what submaximal percentage is power output maximized? And then at what is the difference in bar power versus body power versus system power? That was the true question, when breaking down an exercise to fit to the components of a sport. For example, a high jump athlete may want to focus on training for maximal body power due to having to "move their body" where a thrower may want to focus their training on bar power due to their sporting success being related to force applied to an external object. Bar, body, and system (bar+body) peak power output varies at different percentages of 1RM for different lifts.

Ya, the people across the pond have figured out submax = best first, but then breaking up training variations (different lifts) for more specific results is the goal. My project only broke down "testing" and figuring out where those peak powers exist for the deadlift (with research already being done on the squat, jump squat, and power clean. Now just taking that information and setting up a few different trial training cycles for myself to see if I can suggest ideas for future research for my former graduate school.

Actual quote from my paper: "A throwing athlete or a weightlifter might be more interested in bar power and would thus at times perform the deadlift with a 50% 1RM load. As mentioned  previously, training at a load that elicits PP produced the greatest increase in PP after 12
weeks in an elbow flexion model (Kaneko et al., 1983). Weightlifters or throwing athletes who are primarily interested in the power they can impart to an external object (e.g. bar, discus, javelin, etc.) would train at times with loads that elicit peak bar power in order to produce the maximum possible increase in sport-specific performance."

Is your paper published yet and when is will you have a link available to read it?

11/26/14

Squats (Day 5/18)
164kg for 6 sets of 2 beltless
Lat Pulldown 3x15
Row Machine 2x8
Different Row Machine 2x8
Lat Pulldown Machine 4x12

Lifted at a new gym with my gf tonight. Decided not to hit legs much after squats with what is impending for tomorrow. SO hit a lot of back work on some various machines that are different from my norm. Some fun with different.

11/18/14 Turkey Trot

Well... got myself tied up on this one. Ran a 10K. Yes, all 10K of the Ks. Suggested to do a turkey trot run with my gf but wanted to do a legit race for my first ever, and all that was around Birmingham was a 10K. Finished in 1:10, so right at 11:20/mile pace. Not bad for not being a big runner. Proud of my gf and myself for jogging the entire thing and not walking at all. Beat up after. Lots of food to come.

11/29/14 Quick Upper
Incline
135x8, 185x8, 205x5, 225x5, 245x3
185x8x2 close grip incline
DB Overhead 3x10
DB Laterals and Rear Flys 3x15 each
BB Curls 3x15
Preacher Curl Machine 3x15

Was going to take the day completely off but got in and did a little something. Hit Incline which I never do and it shows haha

11/29/14

Squats (Day 6/18)
Up to 160kg for 6 sets of 5 with belt

Lunges 3x10/leg with 115lbs
Upright Hamstring Curl 3 sets of a bazillion reps
Donkey Calf Raise 3x15

Writing this 2 days later and I'm still sore as all get out.

11/30/14
2 Hours of Indoor Rock Climbing

Wow...it's been 5 days since my last post. Busy? hah

12/3/14
Not much in regards to training, just some simple prehab/rehab type exercises.

12/4/14
Squats (Day 8/18) Hooray top volume day!
6x6 @ 164kg belt
Reverse Hyper
5 total sets, 2 before squats, 2 after.

12/5/14
Snatch - Random light position work.
Bench - up to 315x3, 345x1 5lb current PR

12/6/14 - off

12/7/14
Squat (Day 9/18) yay halfway!
6x2 @164kg belt

Deadlifts - sets of 4, first 2 conventional, second 2 sumo
308x4, 352x4, 405x4, 440x4

Pullups - 4x5 w/ 25lbs
Ab Wheel - 20kgx10, 30kgx10, 40kgx6
Reverse Hyper 3x10
Fat Bar Shrugs 3x10

12/9/14
Squat (Day 10/18)
160kgx1 beltless
5x5 @ 174kg belt. smoked em!

Dips bwx8, +25lbx8, +50x8, +75x8
Reverse Hyper 3x12

Awesome day today now that things are starting to get heavier. Crushed the workout. Body felt pretty good, other than abs a little sore from the ab wheel Sunday.

Mon 12/15/14 Upper

Strict Axle Overhead
165, 185, 205 (first time strict back over 200lbs in forevvvvverrrr) hello weakness.
Push Press
205x3, 225x3, 235x3

DB Seated Overhead - slow to grow!
30sx15, 40sx15, 50sx15,12

Weighted Pullups
+25lbs for 3 or 4 (can't remember) sets of 6

Slingshot Dips 4 sets of 25 bw - hello chest pump

I think that was it on the day. Still feeling a bit banged up, but overall a pretty good session. Always feels good to battle weaknesses.

Tues 12/16/14

Squats (Day 12/18)
up to 170kgx1 beltless
184kgx4 spud belt and sleeves
184kgx4 add ace bandages over sleeves
184kgx4x2 changed to power belt

1-Leg RDLs
4x8 per leg 20s, 25s, 20s, 35s
1-Arm DB Row
4x10 per arm 110lbs
Reverse Hyper
100# for 3x10
Band Pallof Press 3x10
1-Leg Box Jumps 3x5/leg @ 15"

Solid day today. Squats were stupid hard. Solid accessory work in today though. Felt good. Stupid rain today hindered some planned throwing practice, but got in a little glide footwork in the garage.

12/19 Throws Practice

Braemar (w/ 16lb shot) x bunch
- pretty sure I hit a HUGE 3ft. PR on this today. I'll have to go back and look.

Open Glides (w/16lb shot) x bunch
-Possibly another practice PR!

HWFD x about 8 2-spin throws
nothing to write home about, but consistent

LWFD x about 8 2-spin throws
better than HWFD respectively, need to get my thumb back in condition.

Sheaf x bunch, some around 30' or so.

12/22/14
Squats (Day 15/18)
164kg for 6 sets of 2 belted.
In and out. That was it due to doing heavy day the very next day.

12/23/14
Squats (Day 16/18)
Up to 365 beltless
405x1
Add knee wraps
425x1
455x2x2 smoked them!!!
That was it due to getting on the road for the holidays. Felt great on the squats and actually pretty good speed with them too.]

12/24/14 Upper
Incline 225 for 3 sets of 5
Late Pulldown
Seated Rows
Pileups
Lateral Raises
DB Curls
Tri V-bar Pushdown
Peck Fly Machine
Rear Delta Machine
Hang Leg Raises
Marathon accessory day today. Nothing terribly heavy but tons of volume.

12/26/14 Lower
Speed Deadlifts 405 for 6 sets of 3
Snatch Grip Stiff Legs on Deficit 225x8 3 sets
Leg Curl 3x10
GHR Situps 4x12
KB Swings 3x15
Box Jumps
Completely forgot to get in my last easy day of squats and won't have a chance to get it in before my Day 18. Oh well...had a good session overall though.

That's awesome, great job on the PR!

Also I don't give a shit what context you put it in, or who you are comparing yourself to: 500 lb. is an impressive amount of weight for a man to squat. The fact that people around here can squat over 700 lb. doesn't mean that your accomplishment means less.