Two days ago getting ready for work I bent down to pick up my shoes. When I got up my back was absolutely fucked. I am walking around like a cripple and can barely move without shooting pain in the lumbar area. So for the next couple of weeks it's only upper body stuff.
Chin-ups:
13, 7 (both sets to failure)
It is interesting that you start realizing the importance of some body part when it is injured. It turns out lower back moves during chin-ups! I had to do them slowly and smoothly, otherwise it hurt.
Dips on bars:
15 - to failure
Stretching a la Pavel: front splits with isometric contractions.
23 October 2010
Reverse partial muscle-ups on rings:
5 singles
You assume the position on rings as if you're going to do dips. From that - descend until you just pass the transition point, reverse and finish where you started. I haven't done muscle-ups on rings for almost three decades and need some assistance work to get back to them. Muscle-ups are a great exercise, as well as time saving, combining the pullup and the dip in one movement.
Weighed pullups on rings.
5 kg x 5 x 4 sets
Shoulders are a bit sensitive, hence only 4 sets. I wonder why it is so much more difficult with false grip.
BB squats:
65 kg x 20 reps
5 singles
You assume the position on rings as if you're going to do dips. From that - descend until you just pass the transition point, reverse and finish where you started. I haven't done muscle-ups on rings for almost three decades and need some assistance work to get back to them. Muscle-ups are a great exercise, as well as time saving, combining the pullup and the dip in one movement.
Weighed pullups on rings.
5 kg x 5 x 4 sets
Shoulders are a bit sensitive, hence only 4 sets. I wonder why it is so much more difficult with false grip.
BB squats:
65 kg x 20 reps
20 October 2010
Ring pullups:
5 x 5
used false grip in couple of sets, it gives forearms tremendous pump
BB squats:
62.5 kg x 20
Surprisingly, today this was easy. May be something to do with the fact that I had unusually long sleep last night.
Few more elements on rings: hanging leg raises (high), L-holds etc.
5 x 5
used false grip in couple of sets, it gives forearms tremendous pump
BB squats:
62.5 kg x 20
Surprisingly, today this was easy. May be something to do with the fact that I had unusually long sleep last night.
Few more elements on rings: hanging leg raises (high), L-holds etc.
16 October 2010
I am starting back with GS. I have been in correspondence with Sergey Rudnev who kindly advised me on the training program on jerks, suitable for my life style, age and physical condition. I am not at liberty to publish the program here: Rudnev is associated with a certain GS organization, and by training others makes his living. You are welcome to follow it here.
I am planning to do GS training (jerks only) twice a week and supplement it with bodyweight exercises (pullups, rings etc.), squats once a week and light running. Hope one will not interfere with another.
2 x 18 kg jerks: 9 reps, 1 minute
2 x 20 kg jerks: 9 reps, 1 min
2 x 16 kg jerks: 21 reps, 3 min
BB squat:
50 kg x 3
75 kg x 5
60 kg x 20
I am planning to do GS training (jerks only) twice a week and supplement it with bodyweight exercises (pullups, rings etc.), squats once a week and light running. Hope one will not interfere with another.
2 x 18 kg jerks: 9 reps, 1 minute
2 x 20 kg jerks: 9 reps, 1 min
2 x 16 kg jerks: 21 reps, 3 min
BB squat:
50 kg x 3
75 kg x 5
60 kg x 20
Static holds revisited
As I mentioned, I am currently doing exercises other than GS, one of them - pullups, on rings or bar. With my innate urge to research anything I do I was searching the Net for the info and came across a very interesting exerpt from Sommers' "Building the Gymnastic Body" The quote in question relates to inproving pullup reps:
"Many people believe that an easy way to increase your repetitions in the pullup is the focus on performing a bottom static hold (the "hang" portion of the pull-up). I agree. In addition, I would submit that it is equally important to train the top position as a static hold as well."
"Many people believe that an easy way to increase your repetitions in the pullup is the focus on performing a bottom static hold (the "hang" portion of the pull-up). I agree. In addition, I would submit that it is equally important to train the top position as a static hold as well."
Counter-intuitive and unexpected, especially bottom static hold. Which brings us - again - to the question of the value of static holds in GS, rack and overhead. Static holds are very popular among Russian GS coaches, but are snubbed by US gurus. One line of reasoning is that according to OTW, the most popular (as far as I am aware) training method in that country, jerks are performed at very low cadence striving to get to the 10 minute set. As such, this method includes long periods of rack holds, therefore no additional static work is required.
One critique that comes to mind immediately is that the method does not emphasize overhead holds. At the same time, overhead holds are very useful: they help find the correct top position, the one of most efficiency that leads to the least fatigue.
Sommers' remarks on static holds pullup holds are interesting to me for one reason: static exercise helps improve the results of a dynamic movement. I suspect the situation in GS should be similar.
13 October 2010
I am enjoying my GS off time. Yesterday my friend finally fixed up the rings to their permanent place and today I did some long forgotten stuff: pushups, flys, straight body raises, pullups in L and some other elements. My wife joined me in this venture and it seems she got a good workout.
Rings are unstable and that's why anything you do on them has double effect. Flys, for example, load the whole anterior chain, and after 10 reps abdominals are simply burning. Hence the time saving effect: the chest and the gut are loaded at the same time. The same is true for pullups in L: hang on the rings, lift your legs to 90 degrees and do pullups. If normally I can do 10 - 12 reps on the bar, in this position I can barely squeeze 5.
Rings are unstable and that's why anything you do on them has double effect. Flys, for example, load the whole anterior chain, and after 10 reps abdominals are simply burning. Hence the time saving effect: the chest and the gut are loaded at the same time. The same is true for pullups in L: hang on the rings, lift your legs to 90 degrees and do pullups. If normally I can do 10 - 12 reps on the bar, in this position I can barely squeeze 5.
2 October 2010
BB Squat:
50 kg x 3
70 kg x 5 x 2 sets
Dips on rings:
BW: 12, 13
Hanging leg raises:
10, 11
For me squat has one very practical side: it is faster to set it up. The bar is sitting in my power rack, and all I have to do is to put some plates on (with my strength it's not much either!) As opposed to deadlift: unload the bar in the rack, take it out, load some plates (awkward), then do everything in reverse when finished. Well, deadlifts are important and I will do them. Just wanted to complain a little.
One thing puzzles me: how come my biceps gets pumped up from ring dips, whereas it doesn't from dips on fixed bars?
50 kg x 3
70 kg x 5 x 2 sets
Dips on rings:
BW: 12, 13
Hanging leg raises:
10, 11
For me squat has one very practical side: it is faster to set it up. The bar is sitting in my power rack, and all I have to do is to put some plates on (with my strength it's not much either!) As opposed to deadlift: unload the bar in the rack, take it out, load some plates (awkward), then do everything in reverse when finished. Well, deadlifts are important and I will do them. Just wanted to complain a little.
One thing puzzles me: how come my biceps gets pumped up from ring dips, whereas it doesn't from dips on fixed bars?
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