Topic: Beretta's (Brett Robert) Log

[Brett Robert]

Alright, I've kept a log on SFPK for about a year now, but as different people are on here and I feel like I might get more specific feedback here, I think I'll start mirroring it here.  Just a warning though, it's like half blog/half training log.  As I'm spoiled by a relatively decent metabolism (and hindered by unwillingness to learn more about nutrition right now) I mostly post about exercise/parkour, etc., not so much about food.  Except when I cook something spectacular.

Anyway, on with it.

Tonight I began the weightlifting program Chris Salvato recommended for me.  (Thanks again Chris!)  I've been anxious to start, but hampered by a couple minor injuries (slight back strain, weird painful bruised/swollen vein thingy on my abs).  Yesterday I was able to do some parkour and today I felt way better and completed tonight's Modern Dance class (30 minutes of pilates & stretching, followed by two hours of learning and performing a complex and new routine in a room that was about 95-100 degrees F) with minimal discomfort.

Super stoked, so it was off to the gym, after a bit of rest and a stop at the comic shop.

At the gym I started with a warmup, jog/pk around the building, followed by joint rotations, some broad jumps, and handstands.

Routine A:
Squats: 3 sets of 5 reps.  I'm trying to figure out what weight to do.  I'm beginning to realize I'm stronger than I give myself credit for.  Each of these sets was a personal record.
1st Set: 225 X 5, easy
2nd Set: 235 X 5, easy
3rd Set: 240 X 8, easy

I kept going on the last set beyond 5 reps so that I could assess my strength.  I will probably start at 245 or 250 next time.

Chris: you recommended adding weight every trip to the gym, squats are the beginning of both workouts, does this mean I go up every time on squats (increase weight 2x a week)?

Deadlift: 1 set of 5 reps. After such success on squats, I decided to go for it on DL.  I asked a group of dudes to spot me, as they are some of the only ones who looked strong enough/comfortable enough around weights to do it right.  I forget not everyone's as nice as PK people, so these over-bulky bros made their weak new guy spot me alone.  Fortunately I did not need a spot at all.

225 X 5

I was glowing and floating after this.  My previous PR, 2 weeks ago, was 185.  I have not been pushing myself to lift big enough apparently.

Pull-ups:
I didn't know exactly what to do for these as the recommendation was "explosive/weighted."  I figured this as an either/or recommendation, but I did both.

3 X 5 Explosive pull-ups.  I pulled hard and brought my hands off the bar on the first set.  It felt great so I decided to try clapping pull ups.  Got 'em!!!!  Four consecutive clapping p/u on the last set, with a kip!  Stoked.

3 X 5 Weighted pull-ups.  Deadhangs, with a dumbell between my feet.  Did a 25# DB on the first set, 30# for the next two.

I know it's border-line silly, but the Yamakasi always talk about doing one more rep for those who can't train with us today.  Just before my last set I started thinking about my friend Silas.  About two weeks ago Silas, aged 20, died of a heroin overdose.  Last Friday we memorialized Silas.  He was an incredible kid, a gifted pianist, an intellectual and a kind soul who had touched many lives during the time he was clean.  I'm not sure Silas would have appreciated strength training in the way I do, or how exactly my training will help me help others.  What I know is that I thought of Silas, and realized that it's for him and all the people I love, not just myself, that I bother training.

Maybe the reason I survived my own battle with addiction and have stayed clean (and sober) for more than 5 years is because I found a spiritual path to walk, and a way to supplement it with this art and life we live and call parkour.

Life is beautiful.

[Josh Wright]

I got so excited when I saw you're training log Beretta, woot!

Glad you are on a great path to recovery, my friend! Keep it up! I will be watching your training log from time to time

[Spencer B]

Deadlift: 1 set of 5 reps. After such success on squats, I decided to go for it on DL.  I asked a group of dudes to spot me, as they are some of the only ones who looked strong enough/comfortable enough around weights to do it right.  I forget not everyone's as nice as PK people, so these over-bulky bros made their weak new guy spot me alone.  Fortunately I did not need a spot at all.

If you're doing deadlifts right you won't need a spot... Period. Unless you're worried about form, which in that case you'd be better off with someone who you know has really good form and can teach you the right way if you make a mistake. And honestly, IMO, I doubt anyone of those bulky guys really knows or even cares about form.

Chris: you recommended adding weight every trip to the gym, squats are the beginning of both workouts, does this mean I go up every time on squats (increase weight 2x a week)?

Linear progression... Add 10 pounds to your heaviest set every day you an exercise. If you can't add 10, add 5 pounds, if you can't add five then you step back and re-evaluate your goals. But from what I've heard you're a long ways away from that. 

Whoops... I just realized you were asking specifically about squats... Umm... I would think he means to increase weight every time... But I don't know, good question... Sorry.

[Brett Robert]

I got so excited when I saw you're training log Beretta, woot!

Glad you are on a great path to recovery, my friend! Keep it up! I will be watching your training log from time to time

Thanks Josh!

If you're doing deadlifts right you won't need a spot... Period. Unless you're worried about form, which in that case you'd be better off with someone who you know has really good form and can teach you the right way if you make a mistake. And honestly, IMO, I doubt anyone of those bulky guys really knows or even cares about form.

Yeah, I realized afterward I didn't need a spot at all.  It was more for my own confidence than anything else.  I was going 40 pounds heavier than I've ever gone with that lift, and after having had a few back injuries over the years I get a little freaked out about DL & squat.  I've worked form on DL quite a bit in the best, with instruction from a co-worker with a B.S. Kinesiology & experience in the weight room lifting heavy.  I'm fairly sure my form is very good.

[Brett Robert]

As I've mentioned occasionally, I work at a school, and today was the last day of summer school.  So I have nothing to do, and can afford to do nothing else (unpaid time off), but train for a month.  Radness.

To get it started, went to the gym after work.  Started with a warmup lap of jogging & PK around the gym.  QM, broad jumps & joint rotations inside.  I also begin each exercise with 1 or 2 low intensity warm up sets, because that's how I'm comfortable..

Workout B
Squats: New PR's, each set.  Either I am way underestimating my strength, or I'm cheating on form.
1st: 5 X 245#
2nd: 5 X 255
3rd: 10 X 265

Again I destroyed my PR, from earlier this week this time.  Previous was 8 X 240.  So my question on form is, do I need to go all the way to 90 degrees?  If so, I need to really back off on weight, as I wouldn't feel safe/comfortable going to 90 at these weights.  As it is, I'm coming close to 90, but I can tell that with this weight it would be hard to balance and get back up if went down further.  Unfortunately I have no camera, so I can't post video.

Bench Press
1st: 5 X 185
2nd: 5 X 195
3rd: 10 X 200

I had a spotter on the third and I think he was helping on the last 2 reps, maybe more.  I would far rather a spotter just not help at all, unless it's necessary and then help as little as possible.  I'll move up probably to 200 for the first set next time.

Power Clean
1st: 3 X 133 (Est. because I'm converting KG to LB @2.2 lb/kg)
2nd: 3 X 138
3rd: 3 X 143

I felt great with these.  My form was solid, and it was great to lift a challenging weight.

Dips
3 sets of 5 of explosive dips, pushing hard enough to bring hands off the grips at the top of each rep.

3 sets of 5 weighted dips:
1st: 30 lb DB
2nd: 35 lb
3rd: 40#
Using dumbbells that I pin between my feet on these.  My legs are bent as I do this and I feel like I'll soon exceed the amount of weight my legs can carry that way, but I'm being creative with what I have to use.

Great workout.  Fun day.  Went to a great punk rock show after the gym.  Rode down in a car full of smokers and was grateful that I don't have to do that (smoke) to myself anymore.

It's late & I'm tired!!!!!!!!!!  Sleep.

[Spencer B]

Workout B
Squats: New PR's, each set.  Either I am way underestimating my strength, or I'm cheating on form.
1st: 5 X 245#
2nd: 5 X 255
3rd: 10 X 265

Again I destroyed my PR, from earlier this week this time.  Previous was 8 X 240.  So my question on form is, do I need to go all the way to 90 degrees?  If so, I need to really back off on weight, as I wouldn't feel safe/comfortable going to 90 at these weights.  As it is, I'm coming close to 90, but I can tell that with this weight it would be hard to balance and get back up if went down further.  Unfortunately I have no camera, so I can't post video.

Gonna' stop you right there and no that there is no of offense meant, but these following sentences may seem harsh.

Simple answer, back off the weights and get your form right. If you are having trouble balancing, you either have a terrible stance or are going up on your toes, either one is bad. Also you need to be going way past 90 degrees my friend... Your hamstrings need to be very close to touching your calves. Really, we need more info on your form.

Bench Press
1st: 5 X 185
2nd: 5 X 195
3rd: 10 X 200

I had a spotter on the third and I think he was helping on the last 2 reps, maybe more.  I would far rather a spotter just not help at all, unless it's necessary and then help as little as possible.  I'll move up probably to 200 for the first set next time.

If you think he's helping, then he probably is, and he's a terrible spot. Get a new one. 

[Max G]

hey brett, just saying your spotter should only jump in (on training sets) if the bar stops going up and goes back down. until that point he shouldn't even touch the bar-just have his hands very close to it.

[Brett Robert]

Gonna' stop you right there and no that there is no of offense meant, but these following sentences may seem harsh.

Simple answer, back off the weights and get your form right. If you are having trouble balancing, you either have a terrible stance or are going up on your toes, either one is bad. Also you need to be going way past 90 degrees my friend... Your hamstrings need to be very close to touching your calves. Really, we need more info on your form.

This video with Mark Rippetoe answered my question: go lower.

The thing with me & squats is, I've had those back injuries and thus always feared them.  I should get over it though.  My DLs are fine, I worked form on those to death at low, low, weight after rehabbing my knee a couple years ago.  I'll drop my squats way down on weight and work form, @ higher reps for a couple weeks, then build. 

Bench Press
1st: 5 X 185
2nd: 5 X 195
3rd: 10 X 200

I had a spotter on the third and I think he was helping on the last 2 reps, maybe more.  I would far rather a spotter just not help at all, unless it's necessary and then help as little as possible.  I'll move up probably to 200 for the first set next time.

If you think he's helping, then he probably is, and he's a terrible spot. Get a new one. 

The other traceurs close to me don't lift.  My friends that do lift are unreliable and IMO, follow gimmicky bullshit routines out of Musclemag and the ilk.  I don't like working out with a partner, because you have to wait around for people and sit around talking a lot.  Also, I'm very busy when both work and school are in session, so it's hard to find someone who can and will train at the same time.  This means either I find a compatible training partner despite my hangups and limitations, or deal with whatever random spotter I can get when I feel like I need one.

You're both right about the spotter, and I know this.  In fact I'd, correctly spotted this guy on his bench right before he spotted me so poorly.  It was rather frustrating.  I know I got my five no problem, but he still had his hands on the bar the whole set which annoyed me.

[Brett Robert]

Hehehehe...

Just ordered Starting Strength and Feiyues from Amazon.

Chris and Steve should get royalties on that book, or a discount for APK members who order it!

[Spencer B]

The other traceurs close to me don't lift.

That makes me sad.              

That sad in fact.

Hehehehe...

Just ordered Starting Strength and Feiyues from Amazon.

Chris and Steve should get royalties on that book, or a discount for APK members who order it!

Good, goood... *Evil laugh*

*clears throat* Sorry...

By the by... Have you looked into five fingers?

[Brett Robert]

@Spencer:  5 Fingers are cool, but expensive and everyone I know who's used 'em for PK rips 'em at some point or otherwise damages them.  These same people then go to great, and unsuccessful, lengths to repair them.  If I got a pair they wouldn't be everyday PK footwear for me.

Yesterday was the SFPK Monthly Jam.  About 6 Hours of parkour.  Hooray.  Also, found some wild blackberries.... YUMM!  I felt really good, hit all kinds of big stuff, nice long runs, both in small spaces dense with obstacles and also large spaces with lots of running between obstacles.  If NoSole ever posts the video (he's known for taking awhile), you'll all get to see my EPIC hybrid run, wherein I combined PK & Modern Dance.

Also, there was a giant wall that a couple people were trying to get and were about 4 inches away.  I told NoSole I'd read somewhere recently (I think in an article Sat Santokh posted) that screaming 10 seconds before exertion increases performance.  He laughed... but then he tried it and got a couple more inches on every attempt that he screamed before. 

Been doing manual labor all morning.  Dance class tonight, then the gym: Squats, DL, explosive & weighted pullups.  Radness.  My roommate might go with me, so then I'd have a decent spotter, and someone to give me feedback on squat form.  I intend to drop weight as low as I must in order to get perfect form.  Ego be damned!

[Brett Robert]

Oh jeez, oh man, oh jeez.  Oh wow.  I am tired.  Woke up at 6AM Monday, it's now 1AM Tuesday and I need to go cook dinner and pass the F out.

Great day, hard day. 

Dance class kicked my ass.  Our final is Wednesday, and we've been working on a routine that's pretty fun.  At the end of it we each have to choreograph about 30 seconds of our own thing, then improv for a bit.  I couldn't help but include a shoulder roll and a few other acrobatic moves.  Nothing super fancy, but fun nonetheless.  Oi, it was a rough day though, doing that routine over and over and over, and doing improv (I just had to throw in a bunch of tornado kicks) and stretching and pilates and all of it in a room that's about 100 degrees.

I rested for a couple hours, then went to the gym.

Squats:
3 X 5 @ 185.  Like I promised, I went waaaay down in weight and worked on correct form.  I was pretty beat anyway, so going past parallel at this weight was a good challenge for me today.  Glad I found the video I linked to earlier, and +1 to Spencer for the suggestions.  I'd rather do it right at a low weight, than half-squat 400 and think I'm a bad ass.

Deadlifts:
1 X 3 @ 225  Much to my dismay, my grip gave out.  By the time I made it to the gym tonight, I was incredibly beat.  What's the public's opinion on wrist wraps?

Pull-ups:
3 X 5 Clapping - Got 5 claps on the first and third sets, 4 on the middle set.  Pretty stoked.  I'll have 'em down soon and then I'll need to look at the progression and see what's next.

3 X 5 Weighted - 40# DB between my feet.  Barely got all three sets.


____________________________________________________________________________

Glad today is over.  Must go make a nice steak quesadilla... then collapse.

[Spencer B]

Deadlifts:
1 X 3 @ 225  Much to my dismay, my grip gave out.  By the time I made it to the gym tonight, I was incredibly beat.  What's the public's opinion on wrist wraps?

Umm... We generally try to avoid using anything like that, although wrist wraps aren't that bad... Definitely avoid weight belts though. (Not the stuff you ad weight to for pullups, the belts people use as crutches on squats and deadlifts.)

You would do better to work with more grip specific work, farmers walks, dead hangs from a pullup bar, eccetera. If it was just fatigue, don't worry too much about it though... Deadlifts take a LOT out of you.

[Brandan Mendenhall]

Deadlifts:
1 X 3 @ 225  Much to my dismay, my grip gave out.  By the time I made it to the gym tonight, I was incredibly beat.  What's the public's opinion on wrist wraps?

Umm... We generally try to avoid using anything like that, although wrist wraps aren't that bad... Definitely avoid weight belts though. (Not the stuff you ad weight to for pullups, the belts people use as crutches on squats and deadlifts.)

You would do better to work with more grip specific work, farmers walks, dead hangs from a pullup bar, eccetera. If it was just fatigue, don't worry too much about it though... Deadlifts take a LOT out of you.

*et cetera? 

From the sound of your post, I'd agree that it was most likely fatigue; unless 225 is normally too heavy for you to finish a set? If that's the case you just need to decrease the weight, like you did with squats, because DLs (and cleans I think) are sufficient by themselves to increase grip strength.

As far as wrist wraps, aren't they mentioned in Starting Strength? I don't have the book in front of me, but I could have sworn Rip talks about them, and I don't think they're all that bad.

[Max G]

you can switch to mixed grip but really you don't want to be using straps yet. if for whatever reason mixed grip doesn't help (which it certainly should) then you could consider straps.

[Brett Robert]

Thanks for the feedback guys.  I'm going to chalk up last nights fail to exhaustion. 

you can switch to mixed grip but really you don't want to be using straps yet. if for whatever reason mixed grip doesn't help (which it certainly should) then you could consider straps.

By mixed grip I'm assuming you mean one hand pronated, the other supinated, right? 

Honestly if this becomes an ongoing problem, I'll just have to work grip strength.

Today I slept a lot.  Because I could, I'm on vacation damnit!

When I finally woke up, at an hour I don't care to divulge, I rolled outta bed and went downstairs to cook breakfast.  I went for the quickest and easiest thing to make: steak quesadillas.  I had two.  About 4-6 oz. meat & a lotta cheese & onions & red bell peppers... mmm.

Then I sat around for awhile enjoying my sloth and browsing the interwebs.

Then it time to meet the fellas for some PK.  Being beat I didn't do any long runs today, but worked on technique quite a bit. 

Got inside turning lazy turns for the first time, sloppily, but I got 'em bilaterally.  Now I can do both kinds of lazy turn vaults, though it's way easier to just continue the spin.  (I'm not explaining the difference well at all, maybe I'll look for a video later.)  I also worked on handstands.  Today I was trying to stay still long enough to spread my legs, so that I can eventually get to one arm handstands.  Wish I'd had a stopwatch so I'd know how long my stands are.  Did some kong and precision work.  There was one pretty big precision that was essentially exactly my current maximum ability.  I landed it, but only my toes were on it on my left foot.  My training partners, long-jumping freaks, agreed my broad leap's improved quite a bit.  It will improve more!  Fun day, we stayed out for 3.5 hours. 

Not bad.  I did the math, it's my first week of vacation and so far, since Sunday, I've trained 13 hours between dance, parkour and weights.  Muahahahahaha!

I guess I'll take Thursday as a rest day this week, because tomorrow's dance & strength, and Friday I'm teaching PK for a bit, and this weekend a bunch of SFPK traceurs from all over (Sacramento, Lathrop, East Bay, etc.) are coming up to train in the forest and at the beach with me.  What a great life!  So many awesome friends, and I'm so lucky to live in an area full of beautiful urban and natural training spots.

Feel free to come visit!

[Max G]

By mixed grip I'm assuming you mean one hand pronated, the other supinated, right? 

Honestly if this becomes an ongoing problem, I'll just have to work grip strength.

yessir. and i'll just add that using mixed grip (just make sure to switch it up each session) will improve your grip strength-it enables you to hold heavier weights, and if/when you do go back to a double overhand you'll find that the weights that were giving you trouble should be fine.

[Brett Robert]

Yesterday Wednesday 7/22/09
Dance class, finals day.  I started dancing last semester, it's not something I've been doing very long.  Parkour made me curious about movement.  Martial arts and pk are about efficient movements, I wanted to learn a system based on pure aesthetics, in order to balance it out.  Spring semester I took ballet, with a crazy old-school Russian Vaganova graduate who happens to teach at my school.  This summer I took Modern Dance.  Such a contrast, but I learned a lot from each.

I worked out a deal so that I'm dancing in "The Nutcracker," probably as the lead-----yikes!, in exchange for ballet classes at a local private studio.  Plus I'll be doing ballet and modern through school.  It turns out I discovered, at 29 years old, that I love concert dance.  Fortunately, life is long and there is always something to learn if you're open to it.

Last night's final was cool.  I'm still new to dance and my ballet class focused almost solely on learning techniques, and not much choreography.  So learning, remembering and performing a routine are still new to me.  Even though it's "just a class," with a super nice & supportive teacher, I still get nervous dancing the final routine.  Anyway, I nailed the routine yesterday and was closer to dancing it, rather than just performing it, than I ever have been.

Afterward I intended to go straight to the gym, but got dragged out by some friends instead.  Sometimes you need to enjoy a (not quite as healthy as I would've made) meal out and just go with the flow.  I stick pretty hard to my training regimen and forget to balance it with social life sometimes, especially mid-semester.  I just had to let go of my routine and go laugh with some people I hadn't seen in awhile.

Today 7/23
Went and saw a matinee of Transformers 2, 'cause I'm on vacation and can sleep past noon, only to roll out of bed and see a (mostly) crappy movie!  Pretty much just watched it for some epic giant robot battles on the big screen.  It did leave me wondering though, about whether robotic physiology (?) would actually allow one of those things to really do a back flip and land on a higher thing than the thing they took off from.  If so, those are some seriously powerful robo-posterior chains.

As I left the theater I discovered construction scaffolding in the downtown bus depot!!!!!  I nearly shit myself.  Santa Rosa's not a big city, we don't get many opportunities here to play on this stuff.  I was working on a lache, that was sadly a bit beyond me, when some kids asked if the bag bulging out of my pocket was weed.  I laughed and said "No, I don't smoke.  It's candy, I was at the movies."  I don't believe those kids had seen a grown up behaving like that before, I guess they assumed I had to be on something!

I made up yesterday's skipped workout tonight, I'll push tomorrow's to Saturday, post-jam.  This works well, because it's free guest day and a friend of mine from out of town is coming to stay & PK and wants to learn how to lift.  I'll do my best!

Tonight:
Warm up: Jogging/PK lap around the gym.  Joint rotations.
Squats
1: 5 X 185
2: 5 X 195
3: 5 X 200

Not sure if I should be adding weight every set, or every workout.  (SS won't be here til next week, advice appreciated.)

Bench
1: 4 X 185 FAIL  I brought my grip a lot closer and went a bit deeper today.  This explains why I wasn't able to do what I did last time. 
2: 5 X 175
3: 5 X 175

Power Clean
1: 3 X 138 (I hate converting kg to lbs in my head 1 kg = 2.2 lbs)
2: 3 X 143
3: 3 X 148

Dips
3 sets of 5 reps explosive.  I feel like clapping dips will be hard to achieve, I'm barely getting my hands off the bar.

3s X 5r, weighted with DB between the legs:  40, 45, 50.  Actually went for and got 6 reps on the last set.

After my squats, I decided to test myself on muscle ups.  4 was my previous personal best and 6 by 9/1/09 was the goal.  I got 8 tonight.  God, I love that feeling!

NEW GOAL: 10 by 8/15.

Once my heavy lifts were done, I gave it my best shot at a metcon circuit.  I think next time I'll just try APK or Crossfit's WOD.

50 Box jumps
50 Deadlifts @ 95#
Max pullups: 8, I was DEAD!
800M run on treadmill: 3:30

Tried my best to move from one to the next right way.


**** My roommate just informed me, he'll be requiring my help on the jobsite tomorrow.  So, um 8_ hours of manual labor in the morning.  I might have taken it a little easier had I expected that!  Hahaha.  Good times.

[Spencer B]

Tonight:
Warm up: Jogging/PK lap around the gym.  Joint rotations.
Squats
1: 5 X 185
2: 5 X 195
3: 5 X 200

Not sure if I should be adding weight every set, or every workout.  (SS won't be here til next week, advice appreciated.)

Every workout. Definitely, you want to keep the weight the same between sets.

[Brett Robert]

Thanks Spencer!