Strength/transition period

Currently starting a Bulgarian strength cycle right now, although BJJ "season" is coming in a few months and I have to start gearing up for that...

Still trying to work out a 5 day schedule - for a Bulgarian cycle I may be looking at a 2-on, 1-off, 2-0n cycle. However, once Balance Crossfit opens up I might be able to go in on Sundays and push the first series to a 3-on schedule. Right now I'm looking at light/heavy couplets (mon/tues and thurs/fri, respectively), although I know I'll be skipping in the max day normally scheduled for a 5-day workweek. I'll have to make a decision soon whether to make that up or not.

As far as BJJ goes, attending academy classes are pretty much a given whenever they're available, and at the same time I'll start adding in metcons on light lifting days. Workouts so far this week:

Monday:

Power Snatch - 140 - 1x10, 1 min rest

High-hang C&J - 135 - 1x10, 1 min rest

Front Squat - 185 - 1, working on speed up.

20-15-10

Box Jumps (above knee)

Pull-ups

BJJ - 1.5 hrs

Tuesday:

Snatch - Heavy single (165), 125 - 1x5

Clean - Heavy single (205), 155 - 1x5

Front Squat - Heavy single (265), 225, 2x2

BJJ - 1.5 hrs

Wednesday:

BJJ - 1.5 hrs

The first day gave me fairly strong DOMS, which I'm still feeling now. Just a needed adaptation to the new volume. Thursday and Friday will be lifting only days, and Saturday will be BJJ only. I've also gone off the main diet and am transitioning to a Paleo diet; just one big jug of eggnog to finish off and I'll be clear. Still hoping that there will be an Olympic meet in January, although if all else fails there are a couple BJJ tournaments in January and then of course Pan Ams in March. By late December/January I'll be moving from Olympic Lifting workouts to a mix of strength endurance/powerlifting/metcon to have me tuned up by February. Only 20 pounds to lose by then...

Re-re-testing

Gambetta compares to strength development to that of a path worn in grass - as you work it more and more, you'll gradually wear down the earth and the path you tread on. If you step away the grass will grow back, but when revisiting the path will clear quickly because the precedent has been laid down. I'm beginning to believe him - maxing out today yielded these results:

Snatch - 185lb

C&J - 215lb

A 20lb jump in the snatch is quite large; enough in fact that it raises some issues. This puts my strength split at 85% - Everett estimates that in elite lifters snatches are usually at about 80% of their clean and jerks.

First off, these numbers mean that my previous hypertrophy cycle can be considered successful. My snatches have felt much crisper and faster - I'm comfortable now saying that my snatch form is solid as a result of getting high volume, quality reps in the hypertrophy cycle. A strength cycle, in which I might get 5 reps a day of each lift, would not have provided enough reps for me to properly analyze and remedy lift faults. The fact that my snatch is now ahead of my previous 1RM (175) begs the question of whether I've gotten stronger, technically better, or both. I can say with conviction that my technique has improved dramatically - my form now is quite different from before and the feel has changed likewise. However, I know that hitting 175 in the past felt like a strength limit, and pulling 185 was not something I was ready to do.

But then my clean and jerk is still below my previous 1RM. I'm willing to concede that my core strength has likely dropped; I can feel sudden, increased kyphosis in my upper back during the heavier lifts. I believe that it's possible that my snatch emphasis in my hypertrophy cycle resulted in letting my cleans fall by the wayside.

My next cycle will be strength focused with a slight mix: I will continue heavy, low-rep (5 max a day) snatches with heavy back squats and front squats, plus lighter, higher rep (70%/10-15 reps) cleans to diagnose and remedy form, and max once a week.

Bodyweight has fallen back down to 170lb. I'm having a difficult time eating enough to get to 175 and to maintain it. I'm starting to wonder if perhaps building a slight insulin insensitivity might lead to weight gain and a better maintained anabolic state - what impact does overall insulin health have on anabolic/catabolic states? Not necessarily sugar binging, but simply an increased presence of starch in the diet. Potatoes and rice seem like a good way to go.

Re-testing

November 9, 2009.

Heavy single on both snatch and clean and jerk, to be used as new 1RM for next cycle.

Snatch: 165lb

C&J: 205lb

There was definitely potential for more weight to be moved; coming off a hypertrophy cycle lower 1RM's are to be expected, and I'm planning on moving into a strength-oriented cycle. With any luck, I'll be able to top my old 1RM (175 and 225, respectively). Bodyweight is holding at 175, and hopefully I'll be able to move it up a little bit in the coming months.

Upcoming competitions:

Baltimore open (tentatively January 2010)

BJJ Pan-Ams (March 2010)

Catching up

Weight: Finally broken above 170lb, although the hold there is tentative

Nutrition: Fairly paleo, but still ad-lib

Injuries: Broke hand on 10/20 during botched snatch dump. Pulling is fine, but pressing is problematic

Workouts:

Following PM for the last several weeks. Most recent workout (week 8 of hypertrophy cycle):

Hang clean: 170 2x4

Standing press: 135 3x4

Max reps squat w/ BW: 21

Metcon: (3 rounds)

max rep pull-ups

shuttle run

30 sec rest

Week ending September 18, 2009.

Work hours: 80

Diet: Declining somewhat - fat and protein are eaten whenever possible, but carb (including refined ones) consumption is going up as well. Weight is going up, which is a goal, but it's likely not the sort of mass I want.

Past workouts:

Thursday:

Power clean + clean - 175lb x 4

Snatch balance - 125 x 3 x 2. 135 x 3 x 2, 145 x 3

Push Press - 135 x 5 x 5

Friday:

2-position snatch - 135lb x 2 sets, 145 x 2 sets

Snatch pull - 165 x 5 x 5

Snatch push press - 115 x 5 x 5

Receiving the snatch on Friday was very weak; missed about half of the full snatches. Consciously doing an aggressive punch during the third pull helped, but it seems to be mainly caused by being "soft" in the squat. This will be worked on at a later time.

September 15, 2009

Coming off a productive weekend attending the USAW Club Coach Cert:

Physical state: Rested, 3-day weekend spent in NC

Diet: Binge eating means that I have been able to put on some weight, but it is fast coming off

Workout:

Power Snatch & Snatch - 135lb x 4

Jerk - 175lb x 3 x 5

Clean Pull - 205lb x 5 x 5

Back Squat - 225 x 3, 225 x 5 x 3

Metcon - Pull-up ladder, progress per minute

Notes:

Workout overall felt good. Will likely continue to follow p-menu for a while, but having attended the cert and now working with fellow coaches in DC means that I will likely try to begin my own programming, looking towards the Baltimore Open in January 2010. Goals: 100kg snatch, 120kg clean and jerk.