A few of my friends were asking what kind of training system I am following currently. I thought it would be nice to have a written record.
First of all, the background of my current training is very very important. I am just coming off the smolov and have had one hell of a time with it. Not only was I doing the hardest routine I have ever done, but I was also setting up my own business, and training 4-5 groups of 5-6 athletes every day, and travelling in order to promote my business. In retrospect I did way too much, specially considering that the training for about 3 months prior to that was brutal as well. Not as bad as the smolov, but lets just say that 15 months ago, when I first started exercising with weights again, after my long stay at the hospital (18 weeks), I had lost weight to 165 pounds (75kgs), and the first time I hit a single in the squat after that was a pathetic 185pounds (84kgs) and in the deadlift an awful 242 pounds (110kgs).
This monday I hit my heavy workout, and squatted 345lbs for 3 X 5 reps with a pause at the bottom, ass to calves, no belt no wraps barefoot. I tested a conservative single in the power squat, which is my competition variation, 2 weeks back and got 468lbs with belt, knee wraps, squat briefs, converse shoes, and hitting only parallel. On monday I deadlifted 450lbs for 2 sets of 3 reps no belt no shoes no chalk no equipment whatsoever. I was shirtless in my shorts. I cleaned and pressed 225 for a single, which was really hard. I bench pressed 270lbs for a songle, no equipment. I weighed in at a 190lbs yesterday evening. While none of these numbers are out of this world, I cant help but feel a little smug that this is some dramatic improvement in just 15 months, specially considering that I spent 8 for these months training once a week, was making my career, setting up my business and was recovering from the most terrible injury I have ever faced, or honestly seen anyone else suffer either. I am very happy with my progress.
But in order to do all these things I have trained on and over the edge for a long time now, about 6 months I would say. 3 months ago I started the smolov and I have not looked back. I am actually now losing some of the weight I gained during the smolov. I am going to cut down to 180lbs or so in a couple of months, as I feel I have gotten a little fat on the smolov and you really cant control your eating while on it.
The product of all these things is that I really really want to just take some time off hard training and focus on the stuff I really enjoy- namely athletics. I love shot putting, sprinting, discus throwing, kettlebell work, calisthenic stuff, strongman training, loading and farmer's walks, basketball, rugby, wrestling, boxing, fancy ass jump rope, rock lifting, playing with the 25 stray dogs living under my staircase, reading Star Wars comics and cartoons, playing the guitar, discussing plotholes in Drangonball Z, Star Trek, Conan, lord of The Rings and Pacman, embarrassing my girlfriend by going to comicon as He-Man and doing other things to further the (probably true) notion that I am a nerd and geek.
And now there have been developments- I am now a competitor in the strongman contest INDIA'S STRONGEST MAN. The funny thing is that I a competing in the open category, meaning I will be competing against guys who weight 300lbs and stuff. Of course, I dont think I have a chance to win, atleast not this year, but the contest will be happening in just 2 weeks, so I want to keep my strength training pretty minimal and focus more on training for events.
A month after this contest will be the STRONGEST MAN IN INDIA contest which I am also competing in, India's first national kettlebell contest, and a month after that a deadlift only powerlifting meet. I am probably being a complete idiot by competing in all these events but there are business reasons as to why I cannot refuse to compete in any of these events, which I will not elaborate on here.
This all effects my overall strategy and exercise selection.
1. I need to do minimal strength training and devote maximum time to strongman event training.
2. I need to focus on only one powerlift- the deadlift, as both strongman events will not be featuring the squat.
3. I have no convincing reason to do barbell work for the upper body as I am never going to compete in a Bench press meet, as I am no longer a full meet powerlifter, and I am getting way too much upper body work in with calisthenics, kettlebell lifting and rock and log lifting. I also hate bench pressing. I am going to dump it for good.
4. I need to minimize spinal loading during strength training as there are too many loadd events in strongman and I have my spine to worry about.
5. I am already explosive and in great shape. I need to be more explosive and have even more conditioning, cause that is all I can realistically improve 2 weeks from contest.
6. I am tired of having everything planned out and then going exactly according to plan. With minimal strength training I am going to keep everything else open. This way I can do whatever I want when I want. My only condition is that I need to train atleast 5 strongman events in a week.
With all this in mind, here is the strength training routine I have developed. Remember point 6- I have not programmed event training. this depends on how I feel. Overall this new system is designed to give me a lot of freedom. What I have given here is all the stuff I have to do.
Exercises-
Primary Strength-
1. Conventional Deadlift
2. High Bar, ass to calves, bottom paused back squat.
No belt or anything on both.
Power-
Barbell Split Snatch
Assistance-
1. Snatch grip deadlift from the blocks, such that the bar is 1 inch below the knee.
2. Pistol Squats- weighted, unweighted and assisted.
3. Bridges- Full, Wall walking, weighted short bridges
4. Pull Ups- Weighted, Unweighted, Assisted.
5. Handstand Pushups- Full ROM, Weighted, Headstand pushups.
6. Push Ups- Typewriter, diamond, lever.
Core-
1. L- Sits
2. Renegade Rows
3. Ab rollers
Training Cycle- 4 weeks
3 weeks training, 1 week rest/ competition.
Monday- Max Strength
Wednesday- Dynamic Strength
Friday- Repetition Strength
W1-
Monday-
Work Up to 1 hard set of 5 conventional deadlifts.
Work Up to 2 hard sets of 5 squats
Work Up to 1 hard set of 5 weighted Pull Ups
Ab rollers
Wednesday-
10 sets of 3 Snatches with a comfortable weight.
10 sets of 3 Clapping pushups.
1 hard set of bridges
1 hard set of handstand pushups, weighted with 10bs full ROM.
1 Hard set of lever push ups
Renegade Rows
Friday-
Ladder of 2's- 2,4, 6, 8, 10, 12, Max Set with 30 seconds between sets for the following exercises-
Snatch Grip Dead from 1 inch below knee with 68% of conventional deadlift max.
Pistol Squats
Handstand Pushups, 10, 12, and max set, headstand pushups.
Typewriter Pushups, final max set with diamond pushups
Pull Ups unweighted, Max Set assisted
L- Sits
W2-
Monday- work up to heavy set/s of 3
Wednesday- Stays same except calisthenics progress in reps
Friday- Instead of ladders, Pyramids to 12- 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2.
10, 12, 10 is with headstand push ups. Assisted pull ups and diamond pull ups are removed. All sets are done with typewriter push ups and normal pull ups.
W3-
Monday- Work up to a heavy single
Wednesday- Stays same excepet calisthenics progress in reps
Friday- 2 hard max effort sets of each exercise.
W4- cut everything down to 50%.
For the next cycle add 4kgs to the deadlift and squat numbers. Increase the snatch weight by 2 kgs. The calisthenic and assistane exercises can be made harder by using harder variations for more reps, or increasing reps or extending the pyramid.ladders or moving to a harder variation.
The system requires you to start with a Conservative max.
Finally once a week I do a joint recovery session, where I do 2 sets of 40-100 short bridges, incline pushups, easy bodyweight rows, assisted squats, hammer revolutions, band pull aparts and external rotations, e-z bar curls and leg curls.
That's the system!
To conclude this rather long post, I want to talk about the differance between barbell and calisthenic exercises. After you start hitting heavy weight in the squat and deadlift, sooner or later the effort shifts more to the torso. For example, when you are deadlifting 225 for a 5 R.M you will feel it in your hamstrings. But when you are lifting 400 for a 5 R.M you will feel it in your lats, your abs and your glutes. The opposite happens in calisthenics, as you get more advanced, more and more effort is shifted to the extremities. For example, when you can do 2 sets of 10 full pushups you will feel it in your chest. When you are doing lever pushups, you will feel it in your triceps. Because of this, I feel for balanced and full body power, both barbell exercises and calisthenics are essential. And my programming reflects that.
Good luck in your training!
First of all, the background of my current training is very very important. I am just coming off the smolov and have had one hell of a time with it. Not only was I doing the hardest routine I have ever done, but I was also setting up my own business, and training 4-5 groups of 5-6 athletes every day, and travelling in order to promote my business. In retrospect I did way too much, specially considering that the training for about 3 months prior to that was brutal as well. Not as bad as the smolov, but lets just say that 15 months ago, when I first started exercising with weights again, after my long stay at the hospital (18 weeks), I had lost weight to 165 pounds (75kgs), and the first time I hit a single in the squat after that was a pathetic 185pounds (84kgs) and in the deadlift an awful 242 pounds (110kgs).
This monday I hit my heavy workout, and squatted 345lbs for 3 X 5 reps with a pause at the bottom, ass to calves, no belt no wraps barefoot. I tested a conservative single in the power squat, which is my competition variation, 2 weeks back and got 468lbs with belt, knee wraps, squat briefs, converse shoes, and hitting only parallel. On monday I deadlifted 450lbs for 2 sets of 3 reps no belt no shoes no chalk no equipment whatsoever. I was shirtless in my shorts. I cleaned and pressed 225 for a single, which was really hard. I bench pressed 270lbs for a songle, no equipment. I weighed in at a 190lbs yesterday evening. While none of these numbers are out of this world, I cant help but feel a little smug that this is some dramatic improvement in just 15 months, specially considering that I spent 8 for these months training once a week, was making my career, setting up my business and was recovering from the most terrible injury I have ever faced, or honestly seen anyone else suffer either. I am very happy with my progress.
But in order to do all these things I have trained on and over the edge for a long time now, about 6 months I would say. 3 months ago I started the smolov and I have not looked back. I am actually now losing some of the weight I gained during the smolov. I am going to cut down to 180lbs or so in a couple of months, as I feel I have gotten a little fat on the smolov and you really cant control your eating while on it.
The product of all these things is that I really really want to just take some time off hard training and focus on the stuff I really enjoy- namely athletics. I love shot putting, sprinting, discus throwing, kettlebell work, calisthenic stuff, strongman training, loading and farmer's walks, basketball, rugby, wrestling, boxing, fancy ass jump rope, rock lifting, playing with the 25 stray dogs living under my staircase, reading Star Wars comics and cartoons, playing the guitar, discussing plotholes in Drangonball Z, Star Trek, Conan, lord of The Rings and Pacman, embarrassing my girlfriend by going to comicon as He-Man and doing other things to further the (probably true) notion that I am a nerd and geek.
And now there have been developments- I am now a competitor in the strongman contest INDIA'S STRONGEST MAN. The funny thing is that I a competing in the open category, meaning I will be competing against guys who weight 300lbs and stuff. Of course, I dont think I have a chance to win, atleast not this year, but the contest will be happening in just 2 weeks, so I want to keep my strength training pretty minimal and focus more on training for events.
A month after this contest will be the STRONGEST MAN IN INDIA contest which I am also competing in, India's first national kettlebell contest, and a month after that a deadlift only powerlifting meet. I am probably being a complete idiot by competing in all these events but there are business reasons as to why I cannot refuse to compete in any of these events, which I will not elaborate on here.
This all effects my overall strategy and exercise selection.
1. I need to do minimal strength training and devote maximum time to strongman event training.
2. I need to focus on only one powerlift- the deadlift, as both strongman events will not be featuring the squat.
3. I have no convincing reason to do barbell work for the upper body as I am never going to compete in a Bench press meet, as I am no longer a full meet powerlifter, and I am getting way too much upper body work in with calisthenics, kettlebell lifting and rock and log lifting. I also hate bench pressing. I am going to dump it for good.
4. I need to minimize spinal loading during strength training as there are too many loadd events in strongman and I have my spine to worry about.
5. I am already explosive and in great shape. I need to be more explosive and have even more conditioning, cause that is all I can realistically improve 2 weeks from contest.
6. I am tired of having everything planned out and then going exactly according to plan. With minimal strength training I am going to keep everything else open. This way I can do whatever I want when I want. My only condition is that I need to train atleast 5 strongman events in a week.
With all this in mind, here is the strength training routine I have developed. Remember point 6- I have not programmed event training. this depends on how I feel. Overall this new system is designed to give me a lot of freedom. What I have given here is all the stuff I have to do.
Exercises-
Primary Strength-
1. Conventional Deadlift
2. High Bar, ass to calves, bottom paused back squat.
No belt or anything on both.
Power-
Barbell Split Snatch
Assistance-
1. Snatch grip deadlift from the blocks, such that the bar is 1 inch below the knee.
2. Pistol Squats- weighted, unweighted and assisted.
3. Bridges- Full, Wall walking, weighted short bridges
4. Pull Ups- Weighted, Unweighted, Assisted.
5. Handstand Pushups- Full ROM, Weighted, Headstand pushups.
6. Push Ups- Typewriter, diamond, lever.
Core-
1. L- Sits
2. Renegade Rows
3. Ab rollers
Training Cycle- 4 weeks
3 weeks training, 1 week rest/ competition.
Monday- Max Strength
Wednesday- Dynamic Strength
Friday- Repetition Strength
W1-
Monday-
Work Up to 1 hard set of 5 conventional deadlifts.
Work Up to 2 hard sets of 5 squats
Work Up to 1 hard set of 5 weighted Pull Ups
Ab rollers
Wednesday-
10 sets of 3 Snatches with a comfortable weight.
10 sets of 3 Clapping pushups.
1 hard set of bridges
1 hard set of handstand pushups, weighted with 10bs full ROM.
1 Hard set of lever push ups
Renegade Rows
Friday-
Ladder of 2's- 2,4, 6, 8, 10, 12, Max Set with 30 seconds between sets for the following exercises-
Snatch Grip Dead from 1 inch below knee with 68% of conventional deadlift max.
Pistol Squats
Handstand Pushups, 10, 12, and max set, headstand pushups.
Typewriter Pushups, final max set with diamond pushups
Pull Ups unweighted, Max Set assisted
L- Sits
W2-
Monday- work up to heavy set/s of 3
Wednesday- Stays same except calisthenics progress in reps
Friday- Instead of ladders, Pyramids to 12- 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2.
10, 12, 10 is with headstand push ups. Assisted pull ups and diamond pull ups are removed. All sets are done with typewriter push ups and normal pull ups.
W3-
Monday- Work up to a heavy single
Wednesday- Stays same excepet calisthenics progress in reps
Friday- 2 hard max effort sets of each exercise.
W4- cut everything down to 50%.
For the next cycle add 4kgs to the deadlift and squat numbers. Increase the snatch weight by 2 kgs. The calisthenic and assistane exercises can be made harder by using harder variations for more reps, or increasing reps or extending the pyramid.ladders or moving to a harder variation.
The system requires you to start with a Conservative max.
Finally once a week I do a joint recovery session, where I do 2 sets of 40-100 short bridges, incline pushups, easy bodyweight rows, assisted squats, hammer revolutions, band pull aparts and external rotations, e-z bar curls and leg curls.
That's the system!
To conclude this rather long post, I want to talk about the differance between barbell and calisthenic exercises. After you start hitting heavy weight in the squat and deadlift, sooner or later the effort shifts more to the torso. For example, when you are deadlifting 225 for a 5 R.M you will feel it in your hamstrings. But when you are lifting 400 for a 5 R.M you will feel it in your lats, your abs and your glutes. The opposite happens in calisthenics, as you get more advanced, more and more effort is shifted to the extremities. For example, when you can do 2 sets of 10 full pushups you will feel it in your chest. When you are doing lever pushups, you will feel it in your triceps. Because of this, I feel for balanced and full body power, both barbell exercises and calisthenics are essential. And my programming reflects that.
Good luck in your training!
Hey Tejas,
ReplyDeleteI just posted a question on your core training post from April 2013. It's in regard to some rotational training pain, so if you could check it out that'd be great!
Thanks,
Matt