| Kill With Power; Die!! Die!! | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 5 2005, 07:37 PM (10,147 Views) | |
| Frozenkilt | Jan 27 2006, 08:29 PM Post #401 |
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Online douche. GOLD! I need more Gold
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Hey Matt...you get all that crap I sent you? - Sean |
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| Matt Frost | Jan 28 2006, 03:47 AM Post #402 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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Sure did, Sean. I'll start sifting through it this weekend when I have more time. |
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| Frozenkilt | Jan 28 2006, 02:56 PM Post #403 |
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Online douche. GOLD! I need more Gold
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Like I said...most are pretty linear but not bad. I think the choice of exercises is pretty good on most of them, if a little heavy on the pure olifting on a couple of them. Personally, I like the idea of a basic pattern of: olift or variant, major strength exercise, secondary strength exercise and 1-3 assistance exercises. At this point, you've got a nice jumpstart on what works for you and you already know that your power far exceeds your skill level. Fortunately, you've got some good coaching in the area and a lot of knowledge base to pull from. I think you're sitting pretty. - Sean |
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| Matt Frost | Jan 29 2006, 05:40 AM Post #404 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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Sean, I don't have enough words to descibe how grateful I am for all the knowledge and support I've received from the people around me (including this forum). It's quite humbling when I think about it. I'll keep the workouts you sent me handy. I just got my cycle for the next month from Leo and I am going to start that on Tuesday. Still, if my ADD kicks in, or if the cycle runs out and I don't have another planned, I'll need something to go on. Thanks for sending them! Todays training... Saturday 01.28.06 Laid back was the theme of the day. Not so laid back that nothing got done, but laid back enough so that I wasn't killing myself in there. My left shoulder was giving me some pain from the snatches and snatch balance. It's just really sore, I probably strained it a bit, so I refrained from doing any full snatch motions. Hang Power Snatch: First rep was always a full power snatch from the floor, hence the 1, then the "+" number denotes how many additional snatches from the hang were executed. warmup bar x 5, 5 (from the hang) 40kg x 1+4 50 x 1+4 60 x 1+3 65 x 1+ miss 65 x 1 Shoulder started to bug me so I did one last full power snatch after the miss and moved on. If my shoulder had not been irritated, I would have kept going with the power snatch. I felt pretty strong in them after two sessions of squat snatches. Clean & Power Jerk: warmup 40kg x 4+4 60 x 3+3 70 x 2+2 75 x 1+1 85 x 1+1 95 x 1+1 102.5 x 1+1 110 x 1+1 Mid-workout break. Ate a banana and a protein bar, washed it down with some water, rested a few more minutes and then hit the platform again. Jump Squats: I don't do these from the rack. Instead, I power clean the weight, press it, set it on my shoulders, and go from there. Jerk blocks would make this easier but since I don't go too heavy, I don't mind the extra exercise. 70kg x 5 80 x 5 90 x 3 100 x 3 Ugh. First time I tried to clean the 100, I missed it. Tiredness was setting in. My legs were quaking after these, but I was getting some air, really strong jumps through the middle of my feet and solid landings. Snatch-grip RDL: 100kg x 5 100 x 5 100 x 5 Light, but I was cooked, I couldn't do much more, so I kept it at 100. Hypers BW x 12 x 3. Done. Dead. But no regrets. Solid training today, and I've earned a nice two and a half whole days off. |
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| Matt Frost | Feb 1 2006, 04:35 AM Post #405 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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Tuesday, 01.31.06 I've gone over to the Dark Side. I don't think there is ever any going back for me. There's something about Oly lifting that is more than just fun, it's seductive. It's artistic. It's powerful and yet graceful at the same time. Each lifter lifts with their own personality, especially once they have a firm command of the technique. There is a striking beauty beyond the brute strength, dare I say, almost a higher purpose when compared with any other kind of lifting or strength sport. Of course, I am sure every athlete feels the same way about their sport, but for me, as much as I liked Strongman, as much as I respect powerlifting and Highland Games, none of those have really hooked me like Weightlifting has. Tonight was the first time I trained at the East Coast Gold facility in Moorestown, NJ, and this is where the real epiphany occured. Watching a video or seeing pictures of Lance Frye lift can, in no way whatsoever, do justice to seeing it five feet in front of you. I had to pick my jaw up off of the floor as I watched the fastest 170kg power clean I've ever laid eyes on. The next time, he hit a full clean with the same weight and then jerked it cold- he had done no jerks prior to that and he stuck it like he'd been doing them all day. And it wasn't just Lance- it was the whole facility, the coaches, the other lifters at all different levels of experience, of varying ages. It was the equipment- I thought Eleiko was the cream of the crop, but I used a Werksan bar that spun longer than a set of Sprewells blinging on an Escalade. Everything about that bar and the bumpers felt just right. And it was the way everyone made me feel welcome and comfortable. Within a few minutes any nerves were calm and I was lifting just as I would be if I were at Iron Sport. The drawback is, there's no way I could train there all the time, because of where it's located- an hour and a half's drive from me if there's no traffic. And since the City of Philadelphia and the Delaware River sits between where I live and Moorestown, that means I will rarely get to make that trip without getting stuck in traffic. So, maybe once a week or every other, I'll make the trip- perhaps on weekends when the traffic is lighter. But, I am hooked. Completely hooked. Given over to Weightlifting. I want that grace, that power, that ability to move weight with blinding speed and pinpoint accuracy, and the only way is to give myself completely to it. The training: Warmed up with shrug cleans, light weight. Started with just the bar for two sets- shrug, shrug, and then shrug into a squat clean. 3 reps per set. Did 2 sets of 40kg and one set of 50kg. Power Snatch/Overhead Squat: 45 x 2+3 55 x 2+3 58 x 2+2 63 x 2+2 68 x 1+2 68 x 1+2 Oh yeah. They have the 1-kg increment equipment. First time I used it. Very easy and quick. The first 68kg snatch wasn't good at all, but it went up. All the OH squats were strong and deep. The second 68kg snatch was much better. Squat Cleans from mid-thigh: 63 x 3 75 x 3 83 x 3 88 x 3 93 x 2 93 x 2 93 x 2 This was the most challenging exercise of the night. I'm good off of the floor, and from an upright position, but mid-thigh there's just nothing. No momentum, minimal leverage. Just as muc straight-upward explosiveness as you can muster and BAM! Into the squat. I had some technique issues that were pointed out to me- such as a tencendy to snap my head back instead of keeping it neutral, and thrusting back sometimes instead of up (which made my lower back scream), but I made as much correction as I could. It's just gonna take practice. Clean Pulls: 100 x 5 110 x 4 120 x 3 120 x 3 120 x 3 Again, more technique flaws I didn't even know I had, such as the head snap. Really have to remember to keep my head neutral. Also, it was suggested to me that I keep my arms straight instead of bending them to maximize the shrug, and on the last two sets I noticed a marked improvement in pulling power. Abs- did about 25 reps of varied exercises. I have been neglecting this lately and it shows. Much of the core work I've been doing hasn't really targeted my core. The sit-ups I do also involve my hip flexors. Lifting my feet off of the ground during a med ball exercise where you catch it, go back with the ball overhead, and sit up with it, caused my abs to cramp almost violently, so I had to start with something a little more basic. That's fine by me. One must crawl before one walks, and I know that it won't be long before I am tossing a med ball with the best of them. What else is there to say? I'm going to have dreams about this tonight. Oh yeah- I've also started keeping a food journal. It's time to rein in my diet, not so much for weight loss, but just to make sure that I cut out about 97.5% of the absolute junk I usually eat. I've scaled it down to three decent food meals, three shakes/MRP's. Junk serves me no purpose, so it must go. Two days in, journal is still intact, every item I eat or drink is logged and accounted for. I already feel much better, more focused and disciplined. I purchased a CD player alarm clock and I wake up to DragonForce now. Life is good. See you Thursday night. |
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| Frozenkilt | Feb 1 2006, 04:43 AM Post #406 |
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Online douche. GOLD! I need more Gold
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Awesome, Matt. That's actually exactly how I feel about HG. - Sean |
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| Caber McJock | Feb 1 2006, 05:52 AM Post #407 |
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I agree
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That is awesome man. Very well put. you're an Iron Poet, Matt. O-lifting suits you very well. |
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| Matt Frost | Feb 1 2006, 01:58 PM Post #408 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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Hahahaha, Iron Poet.. Well, don't expect me to be sending verse about Werksan bars to MILO or anything, but I have to keep my journal reading like a journal. Status today- BW 350. Yesterday was 354 same time. It's natural for me to fluctuate 5 lbs. or so depending on water intake, but I've been going through a gallon a day every day. I am very sore. My left shoulder moreso than my right. I definitely think the RC is strained. I'll have to keep the ice/heat on it and make sure I get lots of prehab and rotations post-training. |
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| Matt Frost | Feb 3 2006, 04:18 AM Post #409 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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Week One, Day Two. Thursday, 02.02.06 I couldn't wait to lift. I had some slight trepidation about my left shoulder. Would it hinder me during my snatch workout? Decided to go the ol' Icy Hot stick route. Worked like a charm. Of course, a couple Advil helped too. Did lots of prehab and after I was finished, lots of external rotations. Plus I didn't go very heavy. The result- my shoulder feels better now than it did before I lifted. Also, seeing my lower back has been sore lately, I took a page from Lance Frye and slapped a Tiger Balm patch on there. Worked like a charm. Tonight- Warmups- Shrug Snatches. These were done like the shrug cleans I did on Tuesday- Two Surgs, then a third shrug into a squat snatch using very light weight. Tonight I did 5 sets of these with just the bar, 3 reps each set (two Surgs + shrug into snatch = 1 rep). Squat Snatch from upper thigh: 40kg x 3 47.5 x 3 52.5 x 3 57.5 x 2 60 x 2 60 x 2 60 x 2 Solid sets. Shoulder protested a little but once I found my groove and the Icy Hot & Advil cocktail kicked in, I didn't hear a peep out of it. My training partner, Mark G (who was in the Iron Sport video with me) came back tonight. He was coming off of a muscle tear and a bout of arthritis in the knees. He's an ex-Army Ranger, and a few years of jumping out of planes will fuck your knees up, or so I've been told. I could tell he was bummed after a month off because his strength had suffered, but I gave him as much encouragement as I could and told him to focus on form and re-establishing the nerual pathways, and that his strength would return in time. I think it helped, but I could still sense disappointment during some of his lifts (he followed my plan but had trouble with the squat snatch). Come to think of it, he's always had trouble squat snatching, as he is still very new to it all. I hope he sticks it out. About this time, another fellow, a powerlifter who is starting to train the OL's, came in with a shoe box. Apparently he ordered these shoes from Japan, but they didn't fit him. They do, however, fit me perfectly (size 46 on the international scale), so I bought them from him. They're made by Do-Win, and these are nice and wide-cut, with a strong, thick heel and a textured gum-rubber sole that gets excellent traction. See, I have these very wide feet- size 12-EEEE if you go by New Balance sizing, and the Adidas shoes I had at size 13 were too long and a little too narrow. These are perfect, better fitting, and most of all, comfortable. They look quite durable too, so I'll have to see how they hold up. Jerks from the Rack: held each split position for 3 seconds 62.5 x 3 75 x 3 82.5 x 3 87.5 x 2 92.5 x 2 92.5 x 2 92.5 x 2 I misunderestimated this too. 3 seconds is a lot longer than I usually hold a split position. Didn't give me a heap of trouble but it was tougher than I thought it would be. Snatch Pulls: 65 x 5 75 x 4 85 x 3 85 x 3 85 x 3 These are fairly light for me, so I remembered the coaching from Tuesday, maintained a tight bottom position and first pull, kept a neutral head, made sure my Surgs were straight up and not back and up, and kept my elbows locked to maximize the trap involvement. Front Squat: 85 x 5 105 x 5 120 x 4 130 x 3 145 x 3 145 x 3 145 x 3 Must have gotten a second wind because I blew through these like a hurricane. Only on the last set did I grind out the last two reps, but every set and rep before that was a rapid descent, a bounce and explosion, all with a ramrod-straight back, no belt or support gear other than my Rehband knee sleeves. I think the new shoes helped too, as I felt very stable all throughout the exercise. My old shoes were wearing badly on the outside of my heels. Abs- did a circuit. 10 reverse hypers (no weight), 10 weighted machine crunches @ 30 lbs resistance (no feet under pad). 10 DB side bends with a 55-lb DB on each side, then 10 more unweighted reverse hypers and 10 more machine crunches at 30 lbs for 60 total reps. External rotations and I was done. I'm already looking forward to Saturday. On the diet front, the data is coming together. Over the last three days, here is my average numbers: Calories: 4189 Protein: 315 grams Carbs: 335 grams Fat: 165 grams In examining the foods I eat, I know where I can cut some empty calories, but there really isn't a lot of room. Example- 3 tbsp of mayo to mix with my tuna has more calories than the tuna, so out with that, in with low-cal mayo (sorry, dry tuna just isn't good tuna). I did have two slices of pizza as one of my meals, and the calories there were high too, so I'll consider that one of my cheat meals. But, aside of that, I am eating mostly whole foods- lean meats, omega eggs, multi-grain pasta, and I am taking in 2-4 MRP's a day to boost protein intake without consuming excess calories. Aside of the pizza yesterday, I've had no junk food at all this week. I haven't counted but my fiber is way up too, as anyone who stands around me can tell you (it's not pleasant). I've had to run to the loo on several occasions. And consuming a gallon of water a day doesn't help either, but it's necessary. I haven't felt this good physically or mentally in a long time. Remember, the goal here is not necessarily weight loss- if I maintain my BW but get stronger I can live with that. Until next time... |
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| Caber McJock | Feb 3 2006, 08:54 PM Post #410 |
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I agree
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I have some Dan John stuff for you re: your earlier post. I'll dig it up and get back to you. |
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| Matt Frost | Feb 4 2006, 10:51 PM Post #411 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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Saturday, 02.04.06 Spent the day in Moorestown at ECG again. I love this place. Dedcided to try my hand at a double session. I am used to event training days at Iron Sport where we would do 4 or 5 events, so, how much different could this be? Well... AM Session Started with snatch warmups (shrug, shrug, shrug & squat snatch). bar x 2 30kg x 2 35kg x 1 Squat Snatch from mid-thigh: 40 x 3 48 x 2 53 x 2 58 x 2 60 x 1 60 x 1 60 x miss 60 x miss 60 x 1 60 x 1 60 x 1 Mid-thigh is an awkward position to pull from, but I took a step back, refocused, and finished up. Snatch Balance: 40 x 3 48 x 3 53 x 3 58 x 3 60 x 2 60 x 2 I had a couple misses with the 58, because my lockout wasn't solid enough. RDL: 80 x 5 100 x 5 110 x 5 120 x 5 120 x 5 120 x 5 First session took about an hour and 40. My shoulder was fine but my lower back was in pain. It always is when I snatch for some reason. Breaktime. I grabbed some food and then, with nothing else to do, headed back to the gym and watched some of the others train. After a totoal of an hour and 50 minutes rest, I couldn't wait anymore. I got my suit back on and started the afternoon session. PM Session Warmed up with shrug cleans (shrug, shrug, shrug & squat clean) for 5 sets of 3, and added on some jerks at the end. bar x 3, 2 jerks 40kg x 3, 2 jerks 45kg x 3, 2 jerks 50kg x 3, 2 jerks 55kg x 3, 2 jerks Clean & Jerk: 63 x 2+2 75 x 2+2 85 x 1+1 90 x 1+1 95 x 1+1 95 x 1+1 95 x 1+1 Easy enough. Had to resist the temptation to go heavier- must stick to my program, but these felt easy. A Tiger Balm patch cleared up my back pain pretty quickly, too. Behind-the-Neck Push Presses, Snatch Grip: 40 x 6 50 x 6 60 x 6 70 x 6 Nothing much to see here, started light because I wasn't sure where I was with these. Back Squat: warmup 70kg x 5 120 x 5 140 x 5 170 x 4 190 x 3 190 x 3 190 x 3 Scrape my ass off the floor. The first set of 190 was the hardest, the next two sets weren't very explosive but I gutted them out with solid form. On the last two sets I used my Rehband back support- it's a belt but it's not thick and firm. Just gives me a little extra stability. Abs- Cable crunches on knees followed by floor crunches. The cable crunches was the standard rope attachment version, and then I followed that with a floor crunch where each rep, I extended one leg out while the other was on the ground. Cable Crunch 70 lbs. x 20, Floor crunch x 20 Cable Crunch 120 lbs. x 20, Floor crunch x 20 And that was it. What do you know, I lived. Not only am I still alive but I feel pretty good, although completely exhausted. But, this saves me an extra trip to the gym, so as long as my body can handle this, I'll keep doing it. Since Monday, I've lost around 5 pounds with the new eating regimen. Just going to keep on rollin' with it- I know that I'm not going to drop this much every week- and I hope I don't- that would be way too rapid of a loss. My goal is to weigh a consistent (and more solid) 145kg by June. |
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| Matt Frost | Feb 7 2006, 12:26 AM Post #412 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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End of the Week Summary- January 30, 2006 to February 5, 2006 Well, the Steelers won, but you all knew that. Glad I didn't bet, because I picked Seattle 20-17. Sucks for the guy who asked me what my pick was because he hadn't yet placed a bet, but better him than me. I don't know when I turned into an accountant, but with this new program, I am taking nothing for given. As I've said, not only is every set and rep logged in my training, but everything I eat and drink as well is written down. I did some playing around with a calculator today and this is what I came up with. Bodyweight on Jan. 31, 8:30 AM- 354 lbs. Bodyweight on Feb. 6, 8:30 AM- 349 lbs. *on Feb 5, I actually weighed 346 lbs, but that was the day after two workouts and band practice. All I did Feb. 5th was rest and eat. Still, I'll take the 5 lbs. weight loss. Total/Week: Calories- 29,094 Daily Avg: 4,156 Protein- 2,270g Daily Avg: 324g, 39% Carbs- 2,542g Daily Avg: 363g, 43% Fat- 1,102g Daily Avg: 157g, 18% Maybe some minor tweaking here and there. I allowed myself a couple treats throughout the week, and just made sure I made adjustments during different times of the day. And I've been religious about eating or taking in an MRP every 2-3 hours. Even though I use MRP products 3x a day, I get the bulk of my nutrients through food. The results, besides losing 5 lbs, is more motivation, more energy, more focus and discipline, and in general, a whole lot less stress. Last night my car rolled into a ditch and I didn't freak out. I can't remember the last time I let stress and anger get to me, even while dealing with traffic. It's odd for me but I kinda like not being a snapcase. Back to the math. I also figured out how much weight I lifted (not counting warmups) during my sessions (each rep and the weight in kilograms was counted, and I divided the kilos by the number of reps for the average weight lifted per rep). Tuesday: 80 total reps, 4,784kg moved, 59.8kg average lift Thursday: 78 total reps, 6,800kg moved, 97.3kg average lift Saturday, AM: 59 total reps, 4,817 kg moved, 81.6kg average lift Saturday, PM: 61 total reps, 6,101kg moved, 100kg average lift Whole Week Total: 278 reps, 22,502kg moved, @81kg average lift. I am not sure why I did this, I was bored, but it's kind of like reading the Matrix. You can tell what my squat sessions were, and I can track my progress in overall strength over this cycle by how my average lift charts. Anyway... I can't wait to lift tomorrow night, that's all. |
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| Olly Jackson | Feb 7 2006, 11:12 AM Post #413 |
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Good luck with the weightloss Matt, keeping an accurate log will be a massive help. Nice lifting too. |
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| Matt Frost | Feb 8 2006, 04:21 AM Post #414 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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Thanks Olly! Tuesday, 02.07.06 Quick session tonight. Either that or I spent less time bullshitting, which is good too. Excluding warmups, my training only took an hour and a half. Warmups were the shrug cleans bar x 3 40kg x 3 45 x 3 45 x 3 50 x 3 Power Snatch/Overhead Squat: 45 x 2+3 55 x 2+3 62.5 x 2+2 67.5 x 1+1 72.5 x 1+1 77.5 x 1+1 77.5 x 1+1 Not bad, though I did make a couple minor mistakes here and there. I still have to remember to keep a neutral head and to make the shrug a little more powerful. The last snatch was very crisp- fast, solid lockout. None of the OH squats gave me trouble. Squat Clean from mid-thigh: 62.5 x 3 75 x 3 82.5 x 2 87.5 x 2 92.5 x 2 100 x 2 107.5 x 2 107.5 x 2 After the 75kg set I tried pulling from clean stands and I just didn't like it. Hard to get the bar going when you can't really feel the weight of it in your hands. So, I went back to the regular platform and just re-deadlifted the weight between reps once they got towards the last few sets. I don't want to use sTarps to clean- not after that nightmare I had a few weeks ago. Clean Pulls: 100 x 5 110 x 4 120 x 3 135 x 2 135 x 2 125 x 2 Strong and solid. Remembered the coaching advice from last week- no arm bend, head neutral- the 135 sets felt easy. Abs- floor crunches, alternating legs off the floor each crunch. 4 x 20 for 80 reps. Done. And now I have to wait till Thursday to lift again. :::sigh::: |
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| Matt Frost | Feb 10 2006, 04:13 AM Post #415 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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Thursday, 02.10.06 Woo, boy. Tonight was a gut check time. I was tired, didn't have much snap to me at all, and my knees were taking a beating, but I stuck it out. Wasn't that heavy of a workout either, I just felt... I don't know, a lack of energy. I think it's because with this Nazi-diet I am on, I MUST eat or down an MRP every 2-3 hours or my body lets me know about it. I should have had some fruit handy to snack on, but I just wasn't thinking. Next time will be different. Warmup of choice tonight was the shrug snatch, since that was my first exercise up anyway. A note- I had my shoulders worked on by a massage therapist yesterday morning to address some of the tightness and pain, but I think more needs to be done. Still, I felt much more flexible, though a little weaker than usual. Shrug snatches were light- bar x 3 x 2, 30kg x 3 x 2, and 40kg x 3. Squat Snatch from upper thigh: 40 x 3 47.5 x 3 57.5 x 2 60 x 2 65 x 2 67.5 x 1 67.5 x missed out front, bad timing. 67.5 x 1 The miss really frosted me, but- rather than dwell on it, I just refocused and got the next one easily. I think too much about things sometimes. There's a lot to be said for trusting your body to know what to do. Jerks from the Rack: hold each split 3 seconds 62.5 x 3 75 x 3 82.5 x 2 (misload, should have been 87.5) 92.5 x 2 100 x 2 107.5 x 2 107.5 x 2 Man, a lot of these were U-G-L-Y. I mean, they would have passed- no pressouts- but I had no snap, felt like no leg drive. Everything felt heavy as hell. My knees were protesting, and once the weight got to the heavier sets... my back foot will kick out to the side instead of being directly in line with my hip and on the ball of the foot (so that the calf, quads, and hip flexors are engaged and providing maximal support). This wasn't a problem until I hit 100 kilos. I think two- no, three things- I need to drill my foot positioning with just a bar or a broomstick once per week- maybe on Sundays as active recovery- the floor where I was working at is slightly uneven and- I need to work with jerk boxes because re-racking the weight on my chest every time is an energy drainer. But- drilling my technique is the most important of the three. Snatch Pulls: 65 x 5 75 x 4 85 x 3 95 x 2 95 x 2 95 x 2 Very little rest between sets, just enough to change the weight and during the last three, maybe 30 seconds. Didn't even unstrap from the bar on those last sets. These weren't too bad, as this isn't really heavy work for me. The focus was on the snatch DL form and head neutrality. Front Squat: 80 x 5 100 x 5 120 x 4 130 x 3 130 x 3 Not bad, only slightly lacking in explosiveness. I put some Icy Hot on my knees and that helped to quell some of the irritation. Abs- unweighted reverse hypers 2 x 15, hanging leg raises 5 x 4, weighted machine crunch 70 lbs. x 10 slow reps. I used a quick contraction here and resisted the weight back using a 5-count. Total of 60 reps. So, looking back now, it wasn't so bad and I only missed one snatch (and promptly redeemed it). But, I just felt like I had to grind this session out. Hey, it happens. Not every session is going to be snappy, crisp, and precise. Sometimes it's ugly and that's what you learn from. Tomorrow after work I am going to OD on training hall tapes, get to bed early, and be as recovered as I can for Saturday's double at ECG. I am hoping we don't get hit with a snowstorm like they're saying, or at least, it waits until Sunday. If we do get hit Saturday, I'll have to train Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday (unless the facility in Moorestown is open till 5 or so on Sunday, I have to call and find out). Either way, I hope the weather either fizzles out or holds off, 'cause driving in snow in Pennsylvania sucks. People in this state can't drive in wintry weather. You would think we're in Florida by the way people drive when they see a snowflake. But, I digress... |
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| Matt Frost | Feb 11 2006, 11:52 PM Post #416 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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Saturday, 02.11.06 I just edged out the snowstorm. The snow was just starting to stick to the roads when I pulled into my driveway. Now I can spend the next day and a half relaxing and recovering. Today was all-around much better than Thursday night. I had much of my snap back. I arrived early in hopes of finishing before the storm, so I had some good warm-up time. A good night's sleep last night helped out too. I forgot my training log which had my weights, sets, and reps written in it, but I remembered most of them from studying it over the week. Warmups were with shrug snatches- bar x 3, 30 x 3, 30 x 3, 35 x 3, 35 x 3. Squat Snatch from Upper Thigh: 40 x 3 48 x 3 58 x 2 63 x 2 68 x 1 68 x 1 68 x 1 68 x miss out front 68 x 1 68 x 1 Not too shabby. The miss was due to a shorted pull. Came back, nailed it, then finished out. Snatch Balance: 40 x 3 50 x 3 60 x 3 65 x 2 70 x 2 70 x 2 Too lazy to haul over squat stands, so I power cleaned and pressed each weight to set it on my back. These were much more stable-feeling than last week's efforts. RDL: 80 x 5 (sn grip) 100 x 4 (sn grip) 120 x 3 (clean grip) 130 x 3 (cg) 130 x 3 (cg) Looking at what I should have done- these should have been 10kg heavier, but my back was in pain so I would have lightened the weights anyway. That ended session one, and this time I took a longer break. Two whole hours. I ate lunch, watched some lifting videos, and then had a protein shake before starting the next session. Eased into it with some jerk technique, trying to address my rear foot position. Warmed up with shrug cleans- 40kg x 3, 45 x 3, 50 x 3, 55 x 3, 60 x 3. Clean & Jerk 65 x 3+3 75 x 2+3 85 x 2+2 95 x 1+1 100 x 1+1 110 x 1+1 110 x 1+1 110 x 1+1 This was probably the best set of these I've had as far as technique is concerned in a while. Each clean was spot-on, and each jerk save for the last one was solid and stable. I did well keeping my back foot positioned properly- in line with my hip and on the ball of my foot- and not with my foot kicked out to the side. I figured out why I have pain in my right adductor area now- my back foot position on my split jerk was not right. In addition, I learned to recover a jerk from the split in a much easier fashion. Before, I would just bring my rear foot all the way forward, but Victor told me I should try moving my front foot back a small step and then bringing my back foot up to meet it. First time I tried it, it was awkward, but as the sets went on, it definitely felt much more stable with the heavier weights. I did have to think about it a couple times, though. It won't be second nature for a while. Still, I was very happy with these sets. They were extremely productive. Behind-The-Neck Push Press, Snatch Grip: 50 x 6 60 x 6 65 x 6 I loaded up the bar for 70 kilos but a look outside told me that time was ticking. The snow was coming down and it was starting to stick to the grass. I took the 70 kilos as a warmup for back squats instead. Back Squat: 70 x 5 120 x 5 140 x 4 160 x 3 170 x 3 170 x 3 Now the snow was starting to look a little menacing, and I was facing an hour drive through home AND having to go through Philadelphia on the way. Skipped abs, will do them at home tomorrow. No, really, I promise. I will, I swear. The drive home wasn't that bad either, though it was slow going for a while. Next week I have tests in the front squat and back squat, so until Tuesday it's eat well and sleep well. |
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| Matt Frost | Feb 15 2006, 07:36 PM Post #417 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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Tuesday, 02.14.06 The "Valentine's Day is for Pussies" edition. ...model of efficiency. I wish all my sessions could be like this. Not too many people in the gym tonight. I guess all the resolutioners have given up, leaving only us hopeless iron addicts left. Didn't even have to share the platform tonight, which made for a much faster workout. Warmed up with shrug cleans, bar x 3, 40kg x 3, 45kg x 3. Skipped the last two sets, I was just too eager to begin. Power Snatch/OH Squat: 45 x 2+3 55 x 2+3 60 x 1+3 63 x 1+2 68 x 1+1 73 x 1+1 73 x 1+1 We just got a set of 1-kg increment plates at Iron Sport. The snatches went well, but I think I wasn't quite finishing my pull. I was trying too hard to be fast and snappy, which I was- but I ended up catching the last 2 sets with my feet wider than my squat position. Not as bad as it was way back when, but enough so that I had to adjust before I did the OH squat, so... a mental note for next week- finish your goddamned pull! Squat Cleans from mid-thigh: 70 x 3 75 x 3 85 x 2 90 x 2 95 x 2 98 x 2 100 x 2 100 x 2 100 x 2 Liked these a lot. I changed how I did them, too. Instead of deadlifting the weight to a full standing position, then moving the bar down to mid-thigh and then shrugging into the clean, I simply stopped my pull off the floor at mid-thigh, paused a couple seconds, and then exploded and dropped into the full squat. Yes, this was a little harder than the other way, but I think it better carries over to a full squat clean. I can't cheat and dip before I pull without compromising the power position this way. Plus, the pause will only help make me stronger in that area of the lift. Clean Pulls: 90 x 5 100 x 4 120 x 3 130 x 2 130 x 2 130 x 2 Blazed through these. Easy. Abs- did 20 machine crunches with 60 lbs. resistance, then did 3x20 floor crunches with the alternating leg thrusts. Total of 80 reps. In and out, 90 minutes. Can't complain at all there. Thursday is a test for best front squat double. Looking at 170kg. |
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| Frozenkilt | Feb 15 2006, 07:51 PM Post #418 |
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Online douche. GOLD! I need more Gold
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Ah, the log of an olifter. Looking good, Matt. Good idea about the dead hang cleans, too. I think it really will carry over more because you have to be conscious of your starting position even when you aren't truly "starting" there. - Sean |
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| Matt Frost | Feb 16 2006, 06:41 AM Post #419 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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Indeed. Going to try the technique tomorrow with squat snatches, see if I notice anything different from how I did them before... I just realized now that in April, it'll be my third year anniversary at the S.D.F. If you would have told me I'd be doing O-lifting three years ago I never would have believed it. |
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| Matt Frost | Feb 17 2006, 04:54 AM Post #420 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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Lurking somewhere in the back of my mind was that little "T" with the circle around it. The letter was written in my training log next to my final lift scheduled for tonight. It was a front squat double. The "T" stood for "test". I tried not to think too much about it, to just treat it as any other lift written on the page. So how did it go? Read on... Thursday, 02.16.06 With the exception of a few snowstorms- well, two- we haven't had much of a winter. 65 degrees outside today. The 14" of snow we got on Saturday is almost all melted, except for those huge piles in parking lots covered in dirt that won't be done melting until August. The day was just so nice, and again, I was chomping at the bit to get to Moorestown. The gym was mostly empty, as Thursdays is an off night for most ECG lifters. This was good, as it allowed me to keep a steady pace with no interruptions and no distractions. Nothing to take my focus, nobody to shoot the shit with. Warmups were shrug snatches, bar x 3 (x3) and a set of 40kg x 3. Squat Snatch from upper thigh: 40 x 3 50 x 3 55 x 2 60 x 2 65 x 2 65 x 2 These went well, especially with that off-the-floor/pause technique. A couple I did were floaters, not enough shrug, but I think that's just because the weight wasn't that heavy. Snatch Pulls: 70 x 5 80 x 4 90 x 3 90 x 3 90 x 3 80 x 3 Victor noticed that I sometimes bang the bar out front when I do my snatch pulls, so he told me I should draw my wrists back as the bar crosses my knees. That way, when I shrug, the bar path is much straighter. Hence, the 80kg set where I experimented with this. On the last pull it came together, but it's one more thing I have to remember. Jerks from blocks: 65 x 3 75 x 3 85 x 2 95 x 2 100 x 2 100 x 2 First time using jerk blocks. In fact, this was the reason I went to Moorestown tonight instead of Iron Sport. I wanted to try them out and see how I liked them before my test scheduled for next week. I loved them. Makes me never want to use the rack again. No problems here. Took a rest, ate an orange, and then started the front squats. Front Squat: 85 x 5 110 x 4 135 x 3 155 x 2 170 x 2 for a monstrous 10-kg PR!!! Let's take a trip, shall we? Three red plates sit on each side of the bar. The bar sits mounted on the stands. The music is loud but it sounds distant, like it's coming from a car across the street. The other sounds in the gym echo at the edge of my hearing. Right now, it's just that loaded bar and me staring holes through it. Not in an angry, psyched up kind of way. I respect that weight a great deal. It's one I haven't conquered for a single, and here I am challenged to do it twice. No belts or spotters. In this sport, that's not how it's done. But I didn't come here tonight to leave defeated. My mantra runs through my head. "I respect you, but I own you". Every time I squat up near my max range, that declaration runs through my head. My eyelids snap as I catch myself saying it aloud under my breath. It's time. The resignation and resolve is drawn from places inside of me I seldom go. As I chalk my shirt and hands, I play the lift out in my head. One last doubt tries to enter my mind and it's instantly annihilated by sheer force of will. I approach the bar, take my grip, and get into position. The mantra is uttered one last time before I draw three deep breaths and unload the bar from the squat stands. The bar jumps. At that moment my confidence surges. I am in command. My grip is comfortable. Two steps back and one more deep breath, and the descent begins. My head stays up as I hit rock bottom. DRIVE! With every bit of force I can recruit, the weight moves up- and begins to slow as I hit my sticking point, but I power through and find myself standing again! The hardest part is over. A mortal wound has been inflicted upon my foe, for I know I've already won. The second descent follows. One last time, gravity tries to keep me in that hole, and the fight to stand is twice as furious. It crushes into my collarbone, tries to pull me forward. My nose begins bleeding, I can smell and taste the blood as it drips into the back of my throat, but I will not be stopped. Once again I am standing, gingerly walking towards the stands to rack the bar. My hands remain on the bar as it's laid to rest. The greater challenges still lie ahead. Or to sum up, it's my pretentious way of saying FUCK YEAH!!! Finished off with 3 sets of floor crunches for 60 reps' worth of abs. Saturday is the real deal- testing a back squat double at 225 and if I get past that, a single with 235. Though I haven't hit that weight (225) in a long time (last year) and only then for a single, I am confident I can double it. Again, rest and sleep, lots of food. The war has just begun. |
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| Matt Frost | Feb 19 2006, 03:40 PM Post #421 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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Everything hurts today, but not in a bad way. Double sessions have a way of beating you up, especially when you max out on lifts, and yesterday, one letdown sparked something in me that just made me push myself to max out in every exercise I did. The following takes place between the hours of 10:00 AM and 12:30 PM on Saturday, February 18. (A nod to you 24 fans out there). I kept the morning session as brief as possible, but for some reason, it took forever for me to warm up. Once my back loosened up things moved faster, but for most of my clean & jerk sets, it felt very tight. Warmups were shrug cleans, 40 x 3, 45 x 3, 50 x 3, 55 x 3, 60 x 3 Clean & Jerk: 65 x 2+3 70 x 2+2 80 x 2+2 90 x 1+1 95 x 1+1 100 x 1+1 100 x 1+1 100 x 1+1 Some of the jerks weren't pretty, others were excellent. Next week is my test in this lift. Back Squat: 85 x 5 110 x 5 140 x 4 180 x 3 205 x 2 225 x miss!!! 205 x 1 As Charlie Brown would say.... AAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGHHH!!! Well, I wasn't even close. I hit my sticking point and just couldn't fight past it and had to dump out, which, I had never done like this and was reloieved to know I could bail without hurting myself. We decided to try again and work up to it with singles. Started at 205 but this squat took everything out of me, and Dave (one of the coaches) said that was it. I wasn't too upset but I was a little bit disappointed. I felt so confident and strong on the descent but I just ran out of gas. I channeled that discontent into my next session, though. The following takes place between the hours of 2:30 PM and 5:00PM on Saturday, February 18. After eating and watching the 105kg contest from Sydney, I felt revved up again. Warmed up this time with shrug snatches- bar x 3, bar x 3, 30kg x 3, 35kg x 3. Squat Snatch, from floor: 40 x 3 50 x 3 60 x 2 65 x 1 70 x miss out front 70 x 1 75 x huge miss. 75 x 1, but wasn't a full squat. 75 x 1 80 x miss out front. 80 x 1, nailed, for a PR tie. Victor told me to stop there, and I couldn't have agreed more. The huge miss was me overpulling (pulling back instead of up). I fell right on my ass and the bar came down and thwacked me across the bridge of my right foot. That fucking hurt. I just sat there and laughed. What the hell was THAT? It was me not thinking, rushing the lift, and trying to use goon strength. Squat Cleans from mid-thigh: 70 x 3 75 x 3 90 x 2 95 x 2 100 x 2 100 x 1, just to get the bar on the squat stands. Snatch Balance: 40 x 3 50 x 3 60 x 2 70 x 2 80 x 2 90 x miss 90 x miss I should have went to 85 but Dave said 90. He's the coach. Well, I wasn't even close. Shoulders had nothing left. But the 80 x 2 was very solid. RDL: 90 x 5 115 x 4 130 x 3 150 x 3 160 x 2 That's it, stick a fork in me. I couldn't even walk up the stairs on the way out without pulling myself up the railing, but I am still not satisfied. I want more, and for that I am willing to break myself into pieces like this every session if need be. |
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| Frozenkilt | Feb 19 2006, 09:42 PM Post #422 |
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Online douche. GOLD! I need more Gold
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Lookin really good, Matt. You'll nail the squats on the next ramp up. How's the BW holding? - Sean |
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| Matt Frost | Feb 19 2006, 11:25 PM Post #423 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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Lost about 10 pounds in 2 1/2 weeks, and kinda hit a wall. I haven't been as strict as I should be these last few days, but journaling every ounce of food I eat is tedious as hell. I'm taking the weekend off and not thinking about it, but come tomorrow it's back on track. |
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| Matt Frost | Feb 22 2006, 01:26 AM Post #424 |
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Fuckin' SLAYER!!
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The following takes place between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM on Tuesday, February 21, 2006. Short and sweet tonight. Warmed up with shrug cleans, bar x 3, bar x 3, 40kg x 3, 45 x 3. Power Snatch/Overhead Squat: 45 x 2+3 55 x 2+2 62.5 x 1+1 72.5 x 1+1 77.5 x 1+1 82.5 x 1+1 82.5 x 1+1 Very solid, pulls were strong. Overhead squats felt easy, I think I am ready to move up on these. Squat Clean from floor: 70 x 3 75 x 2 87.5 x 2 100 x 2 107.5 x 2 115 x 2 120 x 2 for a double PR. Sweet. I was supposed to stop at 115 but I felt like going up. The lighter cleans I did well on speed and finishing the pull, but around 100 kilos I had to concentrate more on finishing the pull. It all worked out though. Clean Pulls: 100 x 5 120 x 4 130 x 3 150 x 2 150 x 2 Never did 150 before, they felt pretty strong. Ab work: Floor crunches, alternating legs, 2 x 20. Lying trunk twists, 2 x 10, lying leg raises, 2 x 10. Total of 80 reps. Total time, 1 hour and 30 minutes, not counting warmups. |
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| StrohPA | Feb 22 2006, 07:06 AM Post #425 |
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Fresh out of jail
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Awesome job on the cleans Matt, like buttah. being there to watch how much you have improved is inspiring for my own olympic lifting. Oh yeah, 130 race is still on, beware of me creeping out of the shadows of strongman from time to time just to hit a pr c+j during the week. haha, seriously, good shit tonight, if I don't see you this weekend, Ill catch you next tuesday brotha! -Craig |
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