NaterMania

Another good workout. Today is concentrating more on the small muscles that make strength possible. Steady progress, I have a pretty solid galimore on parallel bars at this point and my muscle up transition is getting very strong. Sets on weighted pull ups and dips went from 2-3 reps to 4-5 reps this week. I am weighing 206.6 as of this morning and I am leaner than when I started at 202. Shirts are getting noticeably tighter.

I haven't done any leg stuff this week, so after I take my test I will do some leg work. I did very heavy shrugs for the first time in a long time, 5 plates on the hammer strength machine shrug because the squat rack was full. I really like using this for isometric holds involving the traps. I was surprised to see that 5 plates was still fairly easy.

Freestanding HeSPU: 4 sets of 2 reps @ 2-2.5" elevation. Getting stronger.

I have decided that I love never being sore.

slizzardman said:

Another good workout. Today is concentrating more on the small muscles that make strength possible. Steady progress, I have a pretty solid galimore on parallel bars at this point and my muscle up transition is getting very strong. Sets on weighted pull ups and dips went from 2-3 reps to 4-5 reps this week. I am weighing 206.6 as of this morning and I am leaner than when I started at 202. Shirts are getting noticeably tighter.

I haven't done any leg stuff this week, so after I take my test I will do some leg work. I did very heavy shrugs for the first time in a long time, 5 plates on the hammer strength machine shrug because the squat rack was full. I really like using this for isometric holds involving the traps. I was surprised to see that 5 plates was still fairly easy.

Freestanding HeSPU: 4 sets of 2 reps @ 2-2.5" elevation. Getting stronger.

I have decided that I love never being sore.

************ Do you believe that you will ever do a ring planche ?

Brandon Green

cccp22 said:

************ Do you believe that you will ever do a ring planche ?

Brandon Green

That would be awesome

I suppose that depends on whether my right shoulder ever really heals. I can certainly develop the strength for it, that I am certain of, but whether the shoulder allows the training or not is something else.

I can't really do any FSP training because it's too much pressure on the shoulder. Well, too much extra time, more like. My workouts are very brief now, around 20-30 minutes including basic warm up. Obviously that doesn't include FSP work since I'm not doing any currently. I do FL pre-requisite work to keep building my strength but at this point short FL holds are easy. It is actually laughable how easy it is to pull up into that at this point, and today I did a really easy galimore from full FL to flat tuck PL. I am not used to getting strong so quickly.

Things are going well. My eating has been erratic to say the least, so I am still in the 207-208 range. Still good gains for not using anything but protein, but I would have accomplished more if I wasn't so inconsistent. I am doing a bit better on that. Of course, it will be nice to know that this is happening despite an imperfect implementation, because that's what a lot of people will experience.

I'm doing no low leverage work for the shoulder at all, just letting things heal, so I'm not trying any PPP or the top half of Galimores right now. I'm getting stronger on a per workout basis still, so the temptation is there. OAC work is getting VERY strong. I'm not even using a full strength pinkie spot anymore, the required spot is not what it was two weeks ago. No problems anywhere.

One thing I have started today is Box SLS. Totally awesome and very different from the full ROM version. I am starting from top of thigh slightly below parallel with the ground. I'm good for 12 consecutive reps per leg, and man it feels like it's 90% glutes. Totally awesome. I highly recommend this one as well.

Staying in the 207-208 range. I will have to eat more this week. I had a day where I didn't get to eat and that definitely was not good, but I made great progress this week!

8 reps with 100 lbs dips with perfect form, so it's time to use 105 this next week. 100 is just not a challenge and I can stabilize my scaps in depression just fine. I'll probably go up to 105 for weighted chins as well. One arm chins are stronger, I'm not even using full force with my pinkie.

Everyone is telling me I'm getting bigger, I had one guy who hadn't seen me in two weeks and he was like WHOA, wtf are you doing? That was pretty funny to me since he's a "personal trainer."

I haven't been doing much leg stuff at all, like literally nothing for the past two weeks besides one set of box SLS a few days ago, so all the weight gain has been upper body. I'd probably be closer to 212 if I had been hitting my legs as consistently as my upper body. I will be adjusting this soon, I hope hahaha!

Haha, personal trainers crack me up!

Still 208. That's good, gains are sticking well. My legs have gotten smaller due to not working them for several weeks so my upper body is where all the growth has been. I was looking at myself in the mirror after Friday's workout and it was a little scary, because I almost looked inhuman in a way. Kind of how Ashita does, but I'm not there yet.

I'm not as big as quite a few of the guys at GSU but there is some kind of different quality that I can't explain. There are some big bodybuilders at GSU but none of them have the same look, I don't know how to describe it. Maybe I'll ask a friend of mine to do a side by side, he's bigger than me and in great shape but you can see the difference. It's really strange, I don't think it's a bodyfat difference.

Still 208. I can now do 7" hand elevated HSPU. I'm only a few inches away from a true full ROM HSPU freestanding. I am holding the correct hollow position during the entire motion. Just 2 reps, but that's a big improvement.

I've been dehydrated, a bit sleep deprived at an average of 5 hours per night, and underfed so I'm not as strong as I should be right now. Argh.

you skinny little girl... :twisted:

slizzardman said:

Still 208. I can now do 7" hand elevated HSPU. I'm only a few inches away from a true full ROM HSPU freestanding. I am holding the correct hollow position during the entire motion. Just 2 reps, but that's a big improvement.

I've been dehydrated, a bit sleep deprived at an average of 5 hours per night, and underfed so I'm not as strong as I should be right now. Argh.

************** Good for you! Very good for someone on hardly any supp's. More power to ya.

Brandon

Thanks! I appreciate that! I'm working hard and getting great results.

slizzardman said:

Eddie said:

Damn Slizz! Great job man! Question, are you still doing a FSP SSC? or Are you only working on specific dynamic elements and then plan on retesting after a period of time? I am on my 3rd SSC with my FSPs and man it gets old fast. I get so tired of doing the same thing, but I do realize that this systematic hard work has to be put in at the beginning. Should we always be in a SSC with FSPs? I hope I make sense.

Oh I also have been doing 5-6 concentric only HeSPUs (starting with head on the ground) per day and also am seeing strength gains from this. Got that advice from you on one of your posts. Sometimes I do more but usually it's around 5-6. But thanks for the advice!!

No problem. It works!

Yes, you really should always be in a SSC with the FSP. If it makes you feel any better, the Alabama Crimson Tide football team uses a similar protocol for their weightlifting. I was talking to a guy who has been training with them today, and it is refreshing to hear something so intelligent.

I have not been doing any SSC for the simple reason that every single static relies on the shoulders, and it has been interfering with my shoulder recovery. I am training my lower traps for the first time and between that, self ART, and the chinese plasters things are healing very well and my shoulder is starting to work better again. It's actually pretty funny, at least to me, that my lower traps are almost invisible and my middle traps are pretty big. That has clearly been a huge weak point for a long time.

Brandon Green

slizzardman said:

I also had a great workout today, higher reps with less demanding variations. Most of what I do is BTGB, except for SLSL deadlifts and some weighted dips/pull ups on strength days.

************* Did you mean Sl deadlifts ? Is there a video or tutorial for them ?

Brandon

Deadlifts: I don't know of any tutorials or videos available at the moment, but that's because I haven't looked for any. I learned from Mike Boyle's newest book.

Alabama football: They do this for bench, military press, rows, and I believe squats as well. I don't know what else. They believe very strongly in building a good base with high reps and perfect form, it would seem. This is very similar to the GB SSC in concept. Perfect form, relatively low load, and regular work.

cccp22 said:

slizzardman said:

I also had a great workout today, higher reps with less demanding variations. Most of what I do is BTGB, except for SLSL deadlifts and some weighted dips/pull ups on strength days.

************* Did you mean Sl deadlifts ? Is there a video or tutorial for them ?

Brandon

Brandon, there are some videos (I think) of them on Mike Boyle's website. That's where I learned them.

Nice, that would be a great place to look!

Did you like Mike Boyle's book? (Are you talking about Advances in Functional Training?)

Here's a demonstration of the SLSLDL (from his youtube channels, apparently he has three)

Donar said:

Did you like Mike Boyle's book? (Are you talking about Advances in Functional Training?)

Here's a demonstration of the SLSLDL (from his youtube channels, apparently he has three)

As a whole, yes I liked it. I think he's dead wrong in his thinking as far as bilateral lifts go, he is leaning towards getting rid of them altogether. I think that's insane. I agree 100% with what he says about unilateral lifts, but bilateral has its place (especially in strong range work). Look at the performances produced by heavy bilateral work. Now, imagine how much better they could be if you simply added the injury resistance and increased power output that proper single leg progressions develop.

Next, look at the performances produced by heavy single leg work. Now imagine how much better they would be if they had the extra strong range power that is developed with heavy partials.

You will be imagining the same thing in both scenarios. Exceptional athletes, above and beyond what we have today. Athletes who have long careers and low injury rates.

Well, today was interesting. I pretty much took the week off because I wasn't eating or sleeping properly. I am still 208, unsurprisingly. I lost some of what I gained, I was at 212 briefly. Stupid fasting.

Weighted dips for 3 sets of 4 at +135 lbs. Weighted chin ups for sets of 2 reps at +135 lbs. That's a 15 lb jump from last week.

Shoulder is feeling better than ever.

Something to note: I was explaining how to properly progress with PPP to a friend and I ended up demonstrating how to set up for feet elevated PPP on the floor. I could do a few reps with my wrists at my belly button and perfect form with my body nearly in planche position at the top! I was very surprised, as raising your feet even a few inches really makes things harder. I had my hands elevated 7 inches and my feet elevated 18 inches. This way I was able to get an even fuller ROM than on the floor! We were both blown away. I thought for sure I would face plant but the strength is there. GO weighted dips! Of course, they only help when you try to keep a hollow body.

I did heavy partials for the first time in forever as well: 5 plates and a 35 on each side for squats x 20 reps, 4 plates and a 5 for 18 reps on bench, and 2 plates and a 10 on military press for 18 reps. I went easy on military press as I am still babying my shoulder a bit. I will have to take this intentionally slowly, because if this is where I am starting I will be hitting enormous numbers in no time flat. I also did strong range weighted dips and weighted PB supports with +180 lbs. I almost did one full rep starting from the bottom but I couldn't get past halfway up. Heavy dip supports are quite difficult. I have also been practicing a fairly strong backwards lean in my ring supports. It looks pretty neat and feels great.

Even after the weighted chin ups I could still do strong pinky assisted one arm chins.

I have been doing regular (daily or multiple times a day) light dumbbell trap raises for lower traps and middle traps and these have been steadily helping my scapular motion and stability. I cannot recommend these enough. I also have some fun with the cable machines for this, freemotion in particular makes great machines for this type of thing.

The clavicle-sternum joint is a little sore on my right side, but that's it. I really need to get in to a professional ART guy to work on my muscles around the right shoulder, that should be really helpful.

slizzardman said:

Weighted dips for 3 sets of 4 at +135 lbs. Weighted chin ups for sets of 2 reps at +135 lbs.

WTF?! What happened with you dude?! Car accident? :shock: :|

Slizz, do you still do the WODs?

LOL! No car wrecks, but I am getting stronger all the time. Much faster than I ever have before, even though I'm injured. I believe I have unlocked the secret to extreme relative strength.

I haven't been doing the WODs, I have been exploring some protocols I am developing. Outstanding results.

I DO keep up with front lever prerequisite work, which is why my front lever is getting better all the time, but I still have issues with my right shoulder. They are much, much better, I can do PPP without problems, but I will still wait another month or two.

I have also been doing steady muscle up work, which has been going quite well. At this point they are a joke and I am working on getting a perfectly straight body, but that requires extreme scapular retraction and repression strength. I don't have that yet lol! My lower traps are still very small and weak for my body size, so I'm working on correcting that. It's a work in progress. I also need to go in and get a series of ART treatments, fortunately there is a master practitioner nearby with all their qualifications. He's also an instructor, so I admit I have high expectations.

Wich exercises are you doing for lower traps? I to have very small and week compared to rest...

Gregor said:

Wich exercises are you doing for lower traps? I to have very small and week compared to rest...

You can do with pulley standing, kneeling, facing to and away from the pulley varying grips etc. Then you can do with weights bend over also varying grips.