NaterMania

Yea It's tough.

17JAN2010

3" Thick Bar Bench: My first thick bar workout on my new setup!

5x5 187,227, 262, 262, 262. Last two sets were rest paused for the last rep. Tough weight!

1 muscle up on long rings!

3 false grip straight bar pull ups. I did these as if doing a muscle up, trying to go through the transition. I can see what Coach means by the straight press up on bar muscle ups, this is definitely where Andreas Aguilar built his perfect muscle up. Unbelievably hard. It can definitely be done, you just have to tricep press your bodyweight. No big deal I guess my arms are going to be getting bigger!

3" thick bar curls

4 reps 117lbs

3 sets 15 seconds spotted flat tuck planche

hands back and hands sideways. Tough stuff, but this is helping me so much with elbow rehab!

2 sets wide ring supports, one was swinging.

I'm getting ready to cast my first concrete weight and let me tell you something, I think it's going to be ugly

18JAN2010

Either today or yesterday I did my kettlebells again. This time I managed 2 sets of 15 KB swings @ 72lbs with no breaks! 2 sets of 10 cleans was easy, and I did 9 snatches per arm. Easy peasy! Another month of this and I'll go up 10 lbs or so.

2 sets 13 close grip push ups

2 sets 13 uneven push ups, one hand on kettlebell one on floor. I'm starting the progression to the true one arm push up. Straight body, feet together, one arm behind the back. It'll be a while, but talk about some monster strength!!! RAWR!

2 sets OAPullup work. This one will take a long time, but it sure is fun! One arm assisted, here we come! I am going to get 4 more carabeeners so I can do these properly with assistance. Should be interesting, I'll update once I've had a chance to work on this.

19JAN2010

2 sets 5 reps per leg SLS+20 lbs. I have decided to work this weight until I have at least 10 reps, but I might go higher. At my weight I think it's smarter to develop my tendons and ligaments before moving further, and at this point SLS jumps will do more for my athleticism than more weight. So I am now changing focus on this exercise.

1 set slow assisted BW SLS, 5 reps per leg.

3 sets 20s advanced flat tuck FL

3 sets 15 seconds flat tuck assisted planche

Well, I've changed up my program for a more conservative approach. I already like how I am feeling, I am limiting myself by not progressing with any weights or hand positions until I can do the following:

10 FX PPP at 2120 tempo

2x10 close grip pull ups at 2120 tempo. I'm currently at 9 and 8. The tempo makes this much, much harder.

20 SLS bw+20 lbs per leg 2120 tempo, currently at 6!

2x20 full pushups, 2120 tempo. Currently at 20 and 18. I won't move past 2x20 until my shoulder feels absolutely perfect through both sets. Could be a while.

2x10+HeSPU, currently at 4 and 3 without shoulder issues.

Russian dips: 2x10 perfect form. Currently 2x4.

False grip pull ups: 2x6 with perfect form, lower chest to bar, and full ROM down. I don't even have full ROM down yet.

Statics:

Flat tuck PL: 3x20, perfect form. Not even close to there yet. I'm still using lots of assistance, 77lbs I believe. Well, it might be less than that since I raise up. Still, it's a good bit.

Advanced Flat Tuck FL: 2x30s with perfect form, no strain. Still a bit shaky, I am just getting back to doing these. The time is there, but I am not solid. Once I get this I will have a pretty easy straddle.

L-sit: 3x20. Not even close right now, I haven't been working this one bit. Just started with 5 second holds tonight. I think this will progress fairly quickly.

HS: 30s freestanding. Currently around 10s consistently, though I am not straight-bodied due to stiff shoulders. I'm working on it! Starting to work freestanding HeSPU, I can do the positive and negative, but not together yet! It will come. Very exciting!

Why the changes? I decided my intensity was increasing too much, and that I was running the risk of unnecessary injury. So, I'm taking some time to condition my tendons and ligaments, and let my joints get stronger. My maximal strength is plenty good right now anyways!

Good luck on the new schedule

Seems like a solid plan slizzard! I noticed that the gymnastics stuff is very hard on the tenons and ligaments. I'm just a few weeks in so I still need to adapt to the work. I'm going conservative as well its always better to avoid an injury. Keep up the good work.

Just read through a few pages of your log. Inspiring good luck with the new approach.

Thanks guys!

My current thoughts are that the weighted squats were great for building strength, along with the BW progressions, to the point where I can do sets of 5 SLS. At this point, I'm getting more out of just doing SLS work for now, especially since I can do RLL work on my new setup as of yesterday! Very important, that is. It makes deadlifting something I'll do maybe once every 2- 4 weeks, just to maintain the exercise and bone integrity. I've gotten very strong bones from exerting so much force on them, I don't want that to start going away! I'll still do thick bar bench at least twice a month, but I'd say 80-90% of my effort is going into BW stuff. Plus I'm starting to work on my jumping again, and soon I'll start doing tire sprints on leg days. Not many, I'm not trying to overtrain.

I am just about 1000% certain that if I work up to 20 reps of SLS + 20 lbs, my weighted squat will benefit substantially. WHen I achieve that I will start using whatever weight I can do 8-10 reps with, and continue building up in that fashion, since absolute strength is nowhere near as important, athletically speaking, than the joint integrity that comes from the higher reps once you reach a high level of strength. It will be interesting to see what I can do.

Ok, I have a training log backdate to record.

I am missing a few days here, but it can't be helped. I'm going backwards, it'll be easier for me.

25JAN2010

5 sets of HLL work, 4-7 reps per set. Very tough, but I can see a noticeable improvement since the last time! I have never trained these diligently, so my body never learned to be very good at them.

2 sets 6 reps per leg SLS, +20 lbs, 2120 tempo. Knees feel great! Some knee funkiness is why I decided to stop lifting weights for a bit with the lower body.

3 sets 8 reps band assisted Natural Leg Curls! So, I totally set this up awesome style with my power rack. The band I am using gives 120 lbs of assistance at full stretch, and I still can't go all the way down. Talk about a hard exercise!!! I like how the longer ROM feels.

3 sets reverse leg lifts, +20 lbs. I made a "reverse hyperextention" bench!!! For FREE! It would only cost about 20 bucks for materials from Home Depot though. These are weird, they will be a wonderful addition. I'll be making a "real" stall bar rack so I can do the inverted RLL eventually. I'll be moving to a new house in a different part of the city, so I figure I should just wait until the move and make do for now. Besides, these will be fun for a while before I am ready to move on to harder stuff.

24JAN2010

2 sets close pull ups, 9 reps, 8 reps 2120 tempo.

2 sets 1 rep uneven pull ups.

2 sets 3 reps false grip pull ups.

2 sets full push ups, 20 reps and 18 reps. 2120 tempo.

1 set 8 reps close push ups. 2120 tempo

1 set 7 reps Body Levers 4121 tempo

2 sets elevated FX PPP, 6 reps. 2121 tempo, feet against wall so I couldn't rock backwards. WOW, so much harder this way!!!

Some freebalancing HS work! Getting SO much better! Almost every day I do at least one freebalancing HeSPU, broken into the positive and negative. I can press up into and then hold a handstand, and I can lower down to a headstand, but I can't do a continuous rep yet. It will come!

A few sets of rings dips, I can't remember how many. I think I was doing sets of bulgarian dips for 5 pretty easily with the rings around 26" apart. It's not an ideal set up for the ring dips right now, but it works. I really need to do those outside.

23JAN2010

1 set of HeSPU, back to wall. This is MUCH EASIER than stomach to wall, but it's also easier to start working the freebalancing HeSPU from this position.

22JAN2010

1x20, 1x16 Full Push ups 2120 tempo

1x8, 1x7 close pull ups 2120 tempo

some russian dip work

some false grip pull up work

I don't remember what else. Whew! Finally caught up, as much as I can be.

I don't understand 2121 tempo or 2120? what does does marks stands for?

Push ups: 2 seconds down, 1 second at the bottom(but not laying on the ground, still supported by muscles), 2 seconds up, 0 second pause at the top before beginning the next rep.

Pull ups: Same idea, but I start from the dead hang, so 2 seconds up, 1 second pause at the top, 2 seconds down, no pause before starting the next rep.

And with SLS, I do 2-3 seconds down, 1 second pause at the bottom, 2 seconds up, and ideally no pause. On the second set I often have to take a 1-2 second pause before that last rep.

26JAN2010

3x3 HeSPU 2121 tempo. The pause at the bottom is with my scalp just barely off the ground, it is not a rest.

2 sets 6 reps floor bridge, 2 seconds rising up into bridge, 2-4 seconds stretching the bridge, 2-3 seconds lowering down to the floor.

Hamstring and Quads stretching. Short, but good stuff.

I found out that I can support myself in the L-sit with my fingers facing backwards, and in a bent leg MSH I can actually push my hips a little bit away from my arms with my fingers backwards!!! I don't know why that strength has increased, but it has. I remember straining in vain months ago on that and wondering how the hell anyone could possibly be enough of a mutant to do that. Very heartening! Maybe one day I will do a Manna after all!

you doing the manna would, to me, be way more amazing than you doing a cross even though the cross/planche/whatever would be insane aswell! Just can't imagine a big guy like you doing a manna

Ok thanks.

How goes the walking workout, btw?

I'm still making 1 day a week, so it's slow but steady progress. Not good enough to report on, honestly, because at 1 time a week walking it's not possible for me to say that the walking is changing me versus the rest of my life, like diet and exercise routine.

02FEB2010

2 sets 6 reps per leg SLS +20 lbs. Only had to rest pause 1 rep! Good stuff

2 sets HLL, 6 reps

1 set body levers, 7 reps. Better form than last time, didn't push it.

04FEB2010

3 sets HeSPU 2121 tempo, 4 reps, 4 reps, 3 reps.

09FEB2010

2 sets 6 HLL

2 sets body levers, 7 reps, 8 reps

2 sets NLC, 4 full reps. Second set I did GHR extentions at the end.

2 sets RLL, 20.5 lbs

3 sets SLS per leg, bw + 20.5 lbs, 6, 6, 5(3 perleg, then 2 per leg with no break) Getting easier all the time! I did these barefoot on a squishy bench so this was more challenging.

08FEB2010

45 minutes handstand work

Wall holds, controlled walking. While front to wall is great for building strength and form, I have found that back to wall holds are the best for transitioning to free-standing. Additionally, I am working on holding the freestanding handstand while moving my head around, to develop better proprioception. Eventually I'll dabble in some capoeira and this will give me a head start with the inverted work.

Jumping work. Jumping up onto the back of a bench from 5-6 feet away with a step, 4 feet away from a standstill. Lots of good steady landings.

07FEB2010

2 sets 8 close grip pull ups, 2120 tempo. Doing great work here, the reps are getting cleaner and cleaner!

2 sets push ups, 20 reps and 13 reps + 7 close grip/diamond. Elbows feeling better each week, I'll be slowly transitioning to the close grip. The only issue with these is continued right shoulder issues. I have stalled in my recovery because, I believe, I have stopped working with my chest expanders due to busy schedule. I'm getting better about all this.

I don't know if I did any other work recently, I can't remember. I'm sure I have though.

11FEB2010

Well, from 4-11pm I did 8 or 9 sets of 3-4 HeSPU.

I stretched a little, and I shot the chest expander video and then did a little more chest expander work.

3 sets of 30 seconds flat tuck back lever, getting stronger and more stable!

1 set regular grip on bar

1 set wide grip on bar

1 set on rings

1 set front lever rows, flat tuck and tuck, rings set wide.

4 sets rings dips, BW only.

2 sets rings regular, 1 regular dips and 1 set bulgarian. 7 easy reps per set

2 sets rings wide, 1 set regular dips and 1 set bulgarian. 4-5 very difficult reps per set.

Ok, finally the update for my last two workouts. Today's workout will be posted tonight or tomorrow.

14FEB2010

Structure: I am going to list these one exercise at a time. This is not how I did the workout. I did one set of each, down the list, every hour or two. EVERYTHING dynamic is with 2120 tempo except HLL, which was a bit slower.

Push ups: Regular -17, 13, 14 close(diamond) - 9, 10

Close grip pull ups: 8, 5, 5, 5, 5

Full HLL to V - 6, 6, 6, 6

False Grip Pull ups: Rings - 4 no chalk, 3 chalk. Bar - 3, 3, 3.

Front Lever static, Advanced flat tuck: bar - 30s regular, 25s wide grip. Rings - 28s regular, 22s wide, 22s regular.

PPP, most forward point of wrists at belly button, fingers out to sides- 8, 8.

16Feb2010

All dynamic work is 2120!

SLS + 20.5 lbs: 6, 6, 6, 6, last two sets were on the floor!

Body lever: 9, 8, 8, 8

Tuck planche: 15s, 15s, 16s

Back lever, flat tuck: 15s, 8s. THis is hard on my elbows, I'll be changing the day for this.

Natural Leg Curls (rull ROM x bottom GHR extentions) 5x5, 5x5, 5x5

Reverse leg Lifts: 6

HS Wall runs(touches per shoulder): 10, 10, 10.

I'm already getting 4 reps on every set so far in today's workout for my HSPU, good improvement! Today's full workout will be up tonight or tomorrow.

18Feb2010

I'm putting all the sets of each exercise together. I did one set of each exercise about once every hour. All dynamic work is 2120 tempo.

Bulgarian Dips, long rings: 7, 6, 6, 7, 5, 2.

FL Row, long rings: 6, 6, 5, 7, 6, 2.

HeSPU: 4, 4, 5, 4, 4, 2

Thick Bar Reverse Curls: 9(27lbs), 9(27lbs), 9(27lbs), 9(47lbs)

Thick Bar Curls: 9(27lbs), 9(27lbs), 8(47lbs), 7(67lbs), 5(97lbs), 5(117lbs).

L-sit: 12s paralletes, 6s flat hands on floor followed immediately by 6s first knuckle, 10s paralletes. Yea, I never do this lol!

23FEB2010

Push ups:

Regular - 20

Close - 11, 11, 11! Why am I excited? NONE of these reps made me feel anything in my elbows. They are adapting. Fast.

PPP - 6, 5! VERY SOLID! my hands were between my belly button and my iliac crests the whole time, with my heels against the wall so that I couldn't rock back to make things easier.

Pull ups:

Regular - 5

Close - 8, 8, 6! PERFECT FORM! Getting better! My previous workout did not have perfect form for every rep.

Wide - 2(immediately after set 3 of close), 2, 4(2 with bar behind head touching upper back, head behind bar)

False Grip - 2 bar, 2 rings. Slow and strong!

Front Lever, Flat Tuck: 30s rings, 32s bar, 25s bar wide grip.

Wall HS: 30s back to wall(B), 20s face to wall(F), 30s B, 20s F. wrists 3-4" from wall on F, fingertips at wall for B.

Weighted Pike Stretch: 60s, 30s, 60s. Ended up with palms flat on the floor! Sweet!

KB swings, per arm: 15, 15. It's been a while, I can tell the difference. Out of practice.

25FEB2010

Tuck Planche: 20s, 15s, 15s. I was cut short because I had liquid in my stomach and the abdominal pressure was too much.

Front Lever, Flat Tuck: 20s, 28s, 20s

SLS, BW+20lbs,per leg on the floor: 5+1, 4+2, 4+2. Much harder on the floor.

NLC, spotted with 120lb band: 5+3, 5.

GHR: 7, 4.

HLL-V: 5, 7, 6. Much better form.

Reverse curl:

27lbs - 10, 8

Bicep Curl:

27lbs - 10

Yo hows the training going? And thanks for that flavor tip, ordered today can't wait to drink good tasting bcaa

MAAAAAAN, it's been crap, honestly. I ate 1 medium meal a day every day for spring break, which was two weeks ago. In addition, the new house is really cold, because pretty much everything is not insulated. So warm up is very difficult, and I'm terrible about that to begin with.

I didn't train at all over spring break, other than occasional sets of SLS and HeSPU, PPP, and a few russian leg lifts. I am still set back by that lol! Of course, I've only really gotten some decent eating going over the past two days, so I guess that goes without saying. However! My new lair is full of potential, broken drywall, and new goodness. I have put up two pulley systems over the past two days, and my power rack is on cinder blocks! I know, it sounds crazy, and I suppose it is. The cinder blocks raise my rack high enough to do fully stretched out HLL! Very important for me. I was too tall before. I can now do some OAC training, slowly but surely. My rings are set 36 inches apart, hanging from joists. I'm going to install a bar so that I can adjust the width of the rings for various work. I haven't worked consistently on rings for probably 3 months, at least, so just having them back in my everyday reach will be a game changer.

Hey Slizz,

I'm still doing your resistance band work, and I am making some serious progress! Thank again for the info. Also about your warm-up troubles, do you ever work-out in synthetic (eg polyester) or wool jackets/hoodies? I had to do it for 4 months when I was working out outside. It wasn't fun because it's easy to over heat and you have the added weight, but it works. Much better than cotton for the sweat wicking effect.

Schlaf, I'm totally going to have to get some, because sweatpants and cotton clothes just don't cut it. I'm glad you're getting good results with the bands! I've slacked off until a few days ago since I've been doing repairs at home all frikkin' day for the past few weeks, but I've started back up again and I'm weaker overall with them, but I'm already feeling better.

I'm going to look for some synthetic hoodies.

Well, I am going to try and quantify the last few weeks.

In a nutshell, there was one week of good GTG work with SLS, PPP, HeSPU, and russian leg lifts.My nutrition was almost nonexistent, I only ate 1 meal a day for about 9 days straight while I was doing repairs on the house. Natural gas line, moving some of the plumbing for the sink in the crawl space, completely rewiring the house, which I am not done with, and drywall repairs. I'd get up, have a glass of water or milk, and work for 9-13 hours, depending on the day. I just lose track of time when I work, I didn't take my phone with me into the attic or crawl space.

Now that things are a bit more settled, I am getting back into the swing of things. I'm weak, and my right tricep/rear deltoid is giving me problems. Between stretching, not going full blast, and some heat therapy along with light work for the area I should be able to fix it up in a few weeks, or so I am hoping.

My right shoulder is working better than it has in a long time, but it's a long way from perfect. The band work I have started back up will help a lot, it just takes a long time to undo 5 years of damage.

I haven't used rings consistently in months, so between that and the 5 months off for the elbow, I'm almost completely detrained on the rings. So, working up from scratch there more or less, besides the ability to muscle up!

My pulley set up is complete and somewhat uncomfortable at times, but it works well. I can do assisted OAC for 2 reps with 90 lbs of assistance. Good stuff. I have started doing calisthenic bicep curls, which are brutally hard. I start from a foot supported row position and curl my palms to the top of my head instead of doing a row. With my feet slightly above horizontal, supported at the heel, I can barely do 2 reps right now. Damn.