A New Year

Things are starting off tough in 2010. Fully committed to OPT programming now, although my schedule isn't permitting me to keep up (2 days behind) or finish all the workouts (can't workout on Sundays, and fairly difficult to get in on Saturdays. I'm trying to supplement and shuffle workouts as best I can in order to get the sufficient stimulus, but it's still a bit of a jumble for now. Appetite and weight have gone down, although I'm already comfortably in my weight class. I may contemplate holding onto a higher bodyweight to stay anabolic, but we'll have to see about that.

Monday Double:

AMSAP 1-5 BS ladder @ 225lb in 10 minutes: 3 ladders completed

BB Jump squat @ 95lb, 6x6 with 60 sec rest in between, minimal amortization time

GHD sit up 3x20, 45 sec rest

rest 6 hours

AMRAP Double unders in 45 sec, rest 75 sec, 5 rounds: 35-45 reps all rounds

Tuesday:

A. Clean grip power snatch 3x5 @ 95lb, 105, 115-

B1. Snatch DL 30x0, 4x3 @ 195lb, rest 10 sec

B2. KBS 10x3 @ 2pd, rest 10 sec

B3. GHD raise 2010, 12x3, rest 180 sec

C. Tabata push-ups

The BS ladder dug me into a deep, deep hole; one that I'm still feeling now. 45 reps in 10 minutes at a load of 225lb is far more than I thought I'd be able to do - the volume came out to over 10,000 pounds over the course of the workout, and as a result I felt more or less useless doing the jump squats afterwards, as my legs had turned to jelly by then. Since the previous week I've found a slight variation on the GHD sit-up that's eliminated the pain I would get from spinal compression, and the exercise itself has become much more effective since.

The clean grip power snatch turned out to be a very pleasant movement; it stressed good o-lifting mechanics throughout in order to complete each rep. Small mistakes or distractions made themselves readily apparent with very little weight - There had to be powerful extension to propel the weight about 6 inches higher than for a power snatch, a quick and tight 3rd pull (and punch) were required to move the bar through its extremely long path of travel, and a strong, firm "stick" of the feet in the power squat position ensured that the weight didn't land in front or behind.

I still don't like push-ups.

An increasing issue for me with the opt workouts is how to do the doubles; on my days off this isn't much of a problem, but figuring something out during the workweek will be challenging; most workouts are difficult enough that I won't be able to simply do them together, although I may end up just trying.f

Ending 2009

Finished out the week with a fairly strong showing - currently doing a mix of my own workouts (strength & strength endurance focus) with OPT. Diet is Paleo, although bodyweight is holding steady (about 175). Not a problem, as IBJJF uses a weight class from 165-182, which I should be sitting comfortably in the middle of. The week of workouts were as follows:

Monday:

Squat 5x5 (225lb) superset with:

Pull-up 5x7

then:

Weight drags (100lb), 9 trips of 15' rope, superset with:

30 sec dead hang

Tuesday:

Press 5x5 (105lb)

Ring dip/box jump ladder (x-2x)

Wednesday:

3 rounds:

12 SDHP (125lb)

90 sec row (2:00 500m pace)

2min rest

3 rounds:

12 DB thruster (35lb)

AMRAP 60 sec double unders (47, 39, 44)

2 min rest

3 rounds:

20 box jump (20" unbroken)

25 sit ups

no rest

Thursday:

Quick (less than 7 minutes used) 1RM power clean - 205lb

rest 60 sec

1-10 CTB pull-ups (~4 min)

rest 60 sec

AMRAP 2 min DB burpees (chest to deck, jump with DB in hand, 25lb - 29)

2010 will be a busy and hopefully eventful year.

Getting adjusted

Introducing my body to volume and repetition is feeling pretty much how I would expect it to. I've been trying to help the transition by choosing between high volume with light weight and low intensity and shorter, higher intensity metcons. Adding in grip volume is definitely getting noticed, and I'm getting more consistent and aggressive with SMR. The diet switch (from full ad-lib to strict Paleo) is in full swing and energy levels are feeling fine. Focus is still on strength maintenance while building strength endurance and metcon capacity.

Friday:

Deadlifts 3-3-3 (295, 315, 335)

Metcon (3 rounds, AMRAP, 45 seconds on, 15 seconds off to transition)

Ring dips

Power Jerks (115)

200m sprint

Monday:

3 rounds:

20 box jumps (36" + jump over 20" for distance)

9 weight drags (100lb, 20m)

1 minute hang in hollow position

then:

2k row

Tuesday:

Single arm, fat bar deadlift (100lb)

Escalating ladder (both arms), stopped at round 4

7 rounds:

10 Deadlifts (185lb)

30 DU

~12 min

Wednesday:

3x3 back squat, focus on speed up (225lb)

5x5 standing press, focus on speed up (95lb)

then:

3 rounds max rep fat bar pull-ups

Changing gears

Following some unforeseen developments, I won't be competing in an O-lifting meet in January, so for the rest of December I'll be working on transitioning over to BJJ strength and conditioning and writing out my programming for the Pan-American games in early April. Because of the nature of my work I'll be considering entering the CF games sectionals for my area, as its timing and style should be a fairly good test for the success of my workouts.

My goals for the first couple months will be strength maintenance/endurance after which point I'll introduce more high-pace metcons. In reading through Gambetta and other authors I've come to realize that typical BJJ matches are more about using strength through a wide range of motion and for an extended period of time - not so much about moving at the blistering pace of standard couplet or triplet metcons a la CF. While having the ability to burst from time to time is absolutely crucial, I'm starting to believe that its more beneficial to be able to maintain a good pace for longer periods of time (>30 min). Although individual matches are never longer than 10 minutes, in the tournament setting having that "big tank" separates golds from silvers from bronzes from runner-ups. Explosive power and strength in the lower body is useful in the stand-up (which usually only lasts a minute or so) and from certain positions, but I want to focus on developing upper-body strength this time around - specifically pulling and grip strength.

Unfortunately it seems that my mass gain program has finally started working, and I'll have to start taking that off again. Near-strict Paleo will be the strategy, hopefully without costing me my post-workout refueling.

Final stretch

About to start the final week of the Bulgarian cycle; last three workouts were:

Tuesday

Snatch Balance - Worked up to 165, drop sets at 155, 145

Power Clean and Jerk - 165 - 1x10, 1 min rest

Front Squat - 185 x 1

Metcon (4 rounds)

200m row

15 hanging leg raises

Thursday

Snatch - Worked up to 175, 145 - 1x3

Clean and Jerk - Worked up to 215, 175 - 1x3

3 sec Pause Back Squat Triple- Worked up to 235

Friday

Power Snatch - 135 - 1x10, 1 min rest

Power Clean and Jerk - 165 - 1x10, 1 min rest

Front Squat - 185 x 1

Metcon (3 rounds)

250m row

5 KB swing, 2 pood

10 Pull-ups

Comfort with the heavy weight is developing - 165lb is a confident weight for me and one that I'll likely use as an opener. I feel that I'm stronger, and this next week should allow me to find out - I've decided to go off of PMenu programming for the final week. As far as my schedule goes, I'm only really able to lift 5 days a week, where PMenu is usually needs 6 (to include their rest day). This means that I've been missing one of their lifting days every week, and I think this is limiting my growth. Muscle development requires a stimulus sufficient enough to promote adaptation in the body - by skipping the 6th day, a saturday, I'm skipping out on one of the three heavy lifting days. This means that lifters following the full programming are getting an extra opportunity to go heavy, and an extra bit of stimulus for adaptation. For this last week of the three week cycle I'm going to try and gain that extra day and go heavy three days, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I'll have to see how I feel for Tuesday and Thursday.

I've gone back to near-strict Paleo, and the weight is coming off. From last week, down from 185 to 177 so far.

Rolling Bulgarians

Entering the second week of the strength cycle, and still injury/wear free. Workouts:

Thursday

Snatch Balance: worked up to 165lb, drop reps at 135, 145, 150

Power Clean and Jerk: 135lb, 1x10, 1 min rest

Front Squat: 185lb x 1

Friday

Snatch: worked up to 165, drop reps at 125, 1x5, 1 min rest

Clean and Jerk: worked up to 215, drop reps at 155, 1x5, 1 min rest

3-sec pause back squat: worked up to triple at 225

Monday

Snatch: worked up to 175, drop reps at 140, 1x3, 1 min rest

Clean: worked up to 215, drop reps at 175, 1x3, 1 min rest

Back squat: worked up to 315, drop reps at 255, 2x2

The Bulgarian cycle seems to be a good proposition so far; I'm enjoying the loads (essentially maxing out 3 times a week) and feeling more and more comfortable with the heavy weights. Judging from how the rep/set schemes are moving, I'm assuming that by next week I'll be doing 3 reps at 90-95% of 1RM across the board. It seems to be a too quick way to get to progressive overload, but I'll wait and see what progress is made. The back squat single at 315 is promising, as this is as heavy as I've squatted in a while (I believe my last 1RM was 295) in addition to being placed at the end of a fairly intensive workout. Going to BJJ doesn't seem to be causing me too much trouble either, so I'm willing to say that I'm humming along.

Diet is back to near-strict Paleo, though bodyweight is holding somewhat. In another week or two I should start to see weight loss, but hopefully the strength will stick around. Currently supplementing with Vit D and approx 1 T of fish oil per day.

Two O-lifting meets are coming in January (16th), Copa Nova and Mid-atlantic open (both BJJ) in January as well, CF sectionals at the end of February (possibly the same weekend as the Starrett seminar), and Pan-Ams are in March. 2010 will be busy.

but is it worth it?