Author Topic: Goals for before New Years Day  (Read 1415 times)

Offline Joe Brock

  • #1 Coach
  • Moderator
  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 1313
  • Karma: +68/-7
  • THIS IS SPARTA!
    • View Profile
    • Strongmanning Blog
Goals for before New Years Day
« on: July 06, 2012, 06:07:28 AM »
Ok Body-weight guys...I want to get into some of what you're doing.

I have been beat all to hell over the past few years, and recently made most of my powerlifting goals.  Now, I want to learn some bodyweight skills so that I can improve my overall health and give my joints a little rest (as I spent yesterday battling a sciatica flare-up, which is terrible...and I'm getting too old to feel like that.)

Goals by Jan. 1st
10-One Armed Push-ups per side (single set.)
5 One Armed Chins per side (single set)
Run a mile in 6:45 or less...don't really care, I just want to run some.  I've been slacking on the endurance.
10-Pistols Full-ROM, stop at bottom.  (both sides)
5 HSPUs. 
<8% BF
#185 give or take. (and still be able to smash a 3-plate bench at this weight.)

So I've been dialing in the diet.  I'm going to be eating mostly paleo with some added milk, but way less than my normal caloric intake.  I don't know if I can't already knock out most of these goals, as I've not tried any of them.  I just thought they'd be a good place to start. 

How I plan to get there.

Mon: 1-armed Push-Ups, weighted rows, Olympic Squats. (tricep, bicep, delt assistance)
Tues: Running & Mobility Work
Wed: HSPU Progression, OAC Progression (trap, rear delt assistance)
Thurs: Running & Mobility Work
Friday: Bench, Weighted Dips, DB Inc Bench, DB Rows, BW Rows, Pistols
Sat: off
Sun: off

Anything wrong with this?  I really don't know that I can't do most of them, and will know next week if I need to push the goals to harder skills.  I know I can't currently do 5 OACs, but the weight drop might make those possible too.
Posts are not to be mistaken for medical or training advice, or anything other than the rantings of an amateur strongman, coach, and powerlifter. http://strongmanning.blogspot.com/

Offline MedvisP

  • Mangabey
  • ****
  • Posts: 334
  • Karma: +4/-1
  • Cloudless every day you fall upon my waking eyes.
    • View Profile
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2012, 04:08:11 PM »
I'm sure you'll get the pushing/pistol goals, but I dont think you'll be able to reach the OAC goal by just training it once a week. I guess that depends on how many you can already do.
Power, balance, freedom.
My videos - http://www.youtube.com/user/MedvisP


Offline Joe Brock

  • #1 Coach
  • Moderator
  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 1313
  • Karma: +68/-7
  • THIS IS SPARTA!
    • View Profile
    • Strongmanning Blog
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2012, 04:16:08 PM »
So far, just one OAC.  Plus, I spin around to where my opposite shoulder faces away from the bar.  I figure that it's because I don't know what I'm doing and am just powering through it.  Feel free to point out what I should change to fix that.

I agree to a certain degree MedvisP, the chins are going to be the hard part.  I'll be weighting pistols before my goal date, I'm sure of it. 
Posts are not to be mistaken for medical or training advice, or anything other than the rantings of an amateur strongman, coach, and powerlifter. http://strongmanning.blogspot.com/

Offline Scott Eustice

  • Patas
  • ***
  • Posts: 154
  • Karma: +5/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2012, 06:02:36 PM »
Well, you know much better than I do how to target the strength goals, but I think I can give you some help about the endurance running.

You will need to run more often, at least 3-4 days a week, preferably 5-7, for serious improvement.

You would want to build a base of about 30-35 minutes of running a day at a comfortable pace, not an easy jog, but not a hard tempo. You should be tired at the end of a run, but not dead. The distance is not terribly important. The by-the-numbers-pace isn't either.

A good judge of pace is the conversation test. If you can easily carry out a conversation, that is "easy" or "recovery" pace. If you can get out about a sentence at a time, that is "comfortable" or "steady" pace. If you can get a few words out in between gasps, that is "tempo" pace. And during a time trial or race, you shouldn't be able to talk at all.

You should build this base very slowly. Most running overuse injuries that I have seen build up from progressing too fast, especially in the first two months.

I recommend that for the first 2-3 weeks, you stick to only "steady" or "recovery" runs. If you feel good on a certain day, go for a steady run. if you feel crumby, take it a bit easier. I know its hard to not just push like a maniac, but for the first 3 weeks this is very important.

After that, you can start incorporating 1 "hard" run a week. That can be a hilly run, a "tempo" run, any kind of more intense run. Don't do sprints/ prowler stuff yet. These runs should be shorter time-wise than a normal run, but you should feel pretty gassed afterwards.

Do that for about two months, and your body will be ready for a more intense running plan. At this point you would start adding track work with low rest times once a week along with 1 regular "hard" day and 2-4 "steady" or "easy" days. These should become your nut-busting, ass-kicking workouts. A few examples are in order:

14 400 meter repeats with :45 seconds of rest. we got a break and got 1:30 of rest after the tenth one.
400/800/1200/1600/1200/800/400 with rest intervals :30/:45/1:00/2:00/1:00/:45
"Get out" (like one is starting a race) on the straightaways, easy pace on the curve for 2 miles. Or race pace the straights, steady pace the curves.

If you do that for a few months, I think that you would be under a 7:00 mile. If you tapered for two weeks you could probably get under 6:30.

Now to fit this in you schedule, you would need to give up one rest day and add in a run to one of your lifting days. At least.

I would suggest, at least for the first two months doing the following:

Mon: 1-armed Push-Ups, weighted rows, Olympic Squats. (tricep, bicep, delt assistance)
Tues: Running & Mobility Work "steady" or "easy" pace
Wed: HSPU Progression, OAC Progression (trap, rear delt assistance) & short, "easy" run after lifting (20-25 min)
Thurs: Running & Mobility Work "steady" or "easy" pace
Friday: Bench, Weighted Dips, DB Inc Bench, DB Rows, BW Rows, Pistols
Sat: "Steady" or "hard" run
Sun: off

After 2 months, you'll have a god idea of how well your recovery will work. You could then add in Sunday if you wanted to or replace one of the other runs with a track day.

One last piece of advice, from one runner to another, you will have crappy weeks. Most likely the first 3 will be absolutely terrible. Quite possibly the first 5 or 6 weeks will suck. But there is nothing like stepping outside and running. Nothing can quite capture that freedom and relaxation that running can bring. Lifting can get you fired up and intense, but running provides a completely different kind of experience. If you can push through the rough patches, you will come out a better, stronger man.

Good luck with your goals. And sorry for the uber-long post. I just like running alot.  ;D

Offline Joe Brock

  • #1 Coach
  • Moderator
  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 1313
  • Karma: +68/-7
  • THIS IS SPARTA!
    • View Profile
    • Strongmanning Blog
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2012, 03:18:34 AM »
Wow Scott, you actually make me want to get out and just run.  That's a big accomplishment. ;)  I appreciate the advice.
Posts are not to be mistaken for medical or training advice, or anything other than the rantings of an amateur strongman, coach, and powerlifter. http://strongmanning.blogspot.com/

Offline Steve Low

  • Moderator
  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 5588
  • Karma: +287/-55
    • View Profile
    • Eat, Move, Improve
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #5 on: July 07, 2012, 04:17:14 PM »
I'd flip Thurs work to Sat instead

Everything else looks OK, but you need to be training some of these skills (namely OACs, possibly HSPU, etc.) to make your goals by the end of the year.

Like with barbells the more you do something the better you get at it which is why there's are multiple programs that have you squatting at least 2-3x a week if not more even for advanced like smolov. Though that is pretty taxing on the body.... I'd say at least 2x a week with the skills you really want to achieve.
Posts NOT medical, training or nutrition advice
Site // Overcoming Gravity Book

Offline Joe Brock

  • #1 Coach
  • Moderator
  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 1313
  • Karma: +68/-7
  • THIS IS SPARTA!
    • View Profile
    • Strongmanning Blog
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2012, 06:05:35 AM »
Honestly, the OAC goal is one that I REALLY want the most.  That being said, I doubt that I'll forget how to bench, and with HSPU being so very tri-dominant, I could chill on training bench (and subsequently, rows...because that's all for balance) which would allow me more time to work on the OAC and HSPU.

So we reorganize like this:

Mon: HSPU & OAC Progression, Oly Squats (some assistance to maintain current levels...but light and easy)
Tues: Running & Mobility Work "steady" or "easy" pace
Wed: 1-Arm Pushups, Some high volume bench work with an equal level of rows (DB Inc, tri & Bi work, with sweat pants and a tank top.)
Thurs: Hard Running
Friday: HSPU Progression, OAC Progression, Pistols (trap, rear delt assistance) & short, "easy" run after lifting (20-25 min)
Sat: Running & Mobility Work "steady" or "easy" pace
Sun: off

That looks better to me.  The Saturday work will allow me to restore a bit by just getting the blood flowing.  Also, this puts 2 days a week to work the push/pull combo...which should help me get my OACs.  Wednesday should just help me keep some of my groove for pressing a bar, but I'm not going to be really pushing myself here.  I doubt that I'll be breaking PRs if I'm dropping BF% anyhow.  This also keeps my "kill it during the work week, chill a bit on weekends system," which seems to work pretty well for me.

Better plan?
Posts are not to be mistaken for medical or training advice, or anything other than the rantings of an amateur strongman, coach, and powerlifter. http://strongmanning.blogspot.com/

Offline Steve Low

  • Moderator
  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 5588
  • Karma: +287/-55
    • View Profile
    • Eat, Move, Improve
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #7 on: July 09, 2012, 06:02:32 PM »
That looks pretty good to me.

Also, did you see this?

If another guy knowledgable in S&C could chime in that would probably be a good idea:

https://www.facebook.com/jereme.sanders/posts/4158692256174?ref=notif&notif_t=feed_comment_reply
Posts NOT medical, training or nutrition advice
Site // Overcoming Gravity Book

Offline Joe Brock

  • #1 Coach
  • Moderator
  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 1313
  • Karma: +68/-7
  • THIS IS SPARTA!
    • View Profile
    • Strongmanning Blog
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #8 on: July 09, 2012, 10:28:45 PM »
Will do. ;)

EDIT: Also, this morning, I went ahead and knocked out 10 OHPUs on each side.  I also went for a light run (.25 mile) and made pretty decent time (1:07.)  I'm pretty certain that I can knock out my running goal already.  We'll see about the pistols Friday, but if I can balance them, it shouldn't be much of an issue. 

It would appear that my style of training (heavy strength with high-rep dynamic lifting and strongman event training) has a huge carry-over to other styles of training.  Strong is strong, friends.  I was a little surprised with how easy the 1/4 mile was, but I've been training weighted sled-drags like a sprint in my own system.

I still hate running.  It's stupid and I don't like it.  I will probably try to knock out the mile this weekend so that I don't have to keep on training a bunch of road-work...sorry Scott.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2012, 05:50:51 AM by Joe Brock »
Posts are not to be mistaken for medical or training advice, or anything other than the rantings of an amateur strongman, coach, and powerlifter. http://strongmanning.blogspot.com/

Offline Steve Low

  • Moderator
  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 5588
  • Karma: +287/-55
    • View Profile
    • Eat, Move, Improve
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #9 on: July 10, 2012, 02:26:51 PM »
Yeah man I agree... I hate running anymore than 400m. And even 400m is super painful. :p
Posts NOT medical, training or nutrition advice
Site // Overcoming Gravity Book

Offline Scott Eustice

  • Patas
  • ***
  • Posts: 154
  • Karma: +5/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #10 on: July 10, 2012, 05:25:43 PM »
Yeah , if you can just go out and run a 1:07 400, you can probably break 6:30. If you have someone time you every lap, you can probably pace yourself pretty well.

Go into with a game plan and you might just surprise yourself. I would recomend "getting out" at a fast clip for the first 400, allowing your pace to level you for the next 400, trying to start picking it back up for the third 400, and finishing with whatever you have left. It'll hurt, but just remember, its not that long! Less than 7 minutes of hard work and you will feel great about yourself.

And Steven, that pain is why the 400 is awesome.  ;D

Running is not for everyone. I'm a bit crazy. I can remember by quad cramping up in the middle of the second to last hill pickup of the day, yelling at the top of my lungs "LET'S GOOOOOOOOO!" and charging up the hill as fast as I could, partially to get it over with, partially because working hard is awesome.
...
Why are you looking at me like that?
« Last Edit: July 10, 2012, 05:59:54 PM by Scott Eustice »

Offline Daniel

  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 507
  • Karma: +12/-58
    • View Profile
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #11 on: July 22, 2012, 01:04:52 PM »

Wed: HSPU Progression, OAC Progression (trap, rear delt assistance)

HSPU? OAC?
6 challenges completed
No retreat, no surrender. If the obstacle is too big or hard push yourself to overcome it - Me

Offline Joe Brock

  • #1 Coach
  • Moderator
  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 1313
  • Karma: +68/-7
  • THIS IS SPARTA!
    • View Profile
    • Strongmanning Blog
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #12 on: July 22, 2012, 08:59:02 PM »
HSPU? OAC?

...and after I made a sticky with all of the commonly used acronyms for training.....
HSPU= Handstand Push-up
OAC=One armed chin.

Also, so far I've knocked out everything on my list except the OACs.  I underestimated the difficulty of 5 OACs in a set.  Those are taking some serious work on my part.  I'm still hoping to get them by New-Year's, and I'm not giving up until they happen.  It actually helped my OHP, ironically, to train heavier weighted chins often. 

If I miss the goal date, at least I learned something useful.  :)  ...but I'm still going to hit that goal soon.
« Last Edit: July 22, 2012, 09:02:37 PM by Joe Brock »
Posts are not to be mistaken for medical or training advice, or anything other than the rantings of an amateur strongman, coach, and powerlifter. http://strongmanning.blogspot.com/

Offline Daniel

  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 507
  • Karma: +12/-58
    • View Profile
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #13 on: July 23, 2012, 09:11:16 AM »
I can do two OAC and then it's like yeah nope then again I've been more focused on HIIT and lifting recently on another note great news I get my stitches out tomorrow so I can do weighted stuff again for lower body!
6 challenges completed
No retreat, no surrender. If the obstacle is too big or hard push yourself to overcome it - Me

Offline Steve Low

  • Moderator
  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 5588
  • Karma: +287/-55
    • View Profile
    • Eat, Move, Improve
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #14 on: July 24, 2012, 06:07:25 PM »
You know one arm chins are without the other arm grabbing your other arm, right?

Most people who casually throw out they can do one arm chins actually can't
Posts NOT medical, training or nutrition advice
Site // Overcoming Gravity Book

Offline Daniel

  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 507
  • Karma: +12/-58
    • View Profile
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #15 on: July 24, 2012, 07:11:21 PM »
I can do two without grabbing my arm to go past 2 without the arm grab is a no no though
6 challenges completed
No retreat, no surrender. If the obstacle is too big or hard push yourself to overcome it - Me

Offline Joe Brock

  • #1 Coach
  • Moderator
  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 1313
  • Karma: +68/-7
  • THIS IS SPARTA!
    • View Profile
    • Strongmanning Blog
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #16 on: July 25, 2012, 05:03:50 AM »
You know one arm chins are without the other arm grabbing your other arm, right?

Most people who casually throw out they can do one arm chins actually can't

I've grown to take this one like the infamous #350 bench that everyone who doesn't lift has.  OACs are hard, really, really hard.
Posts are not to be mistaken for medical or training advice, or anything other than the rantings of an amateur strongman, coach, and powerlifter. http://strongmanning.blogspot.com/

Offline Daniel

  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 507
  • Karma: +12/-58
    • View Profile
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #17 on: July 25, 2012, 07:15:40 AM »
Yes they very much are I can do them slowly but not fast
6 challenges completed
No retreat, no surrender. If the obstacle is too big or hard push yourself to overcome it - Me

Offline MedvisP

  • Mangabey
  • ****
  • Posts: 334
  • Karma: +4/-1
  • Cloudless every day you fall upon my waking eyes.
    • View Profile
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #18 on: July 25, 2012, 12:52:23 PM »
Video or it didnt happen
Power, balance, freedom.
My videos - http://www.youtube.com/user/MedvisP


Offline Daniel

  • Hirundo Rustica
  • *****
  • Posts: 507
  • Karma: +12/-58
    • View Profile
Re: Goals for before New Years Day
« Reply #19 on: July 25, 2012, 12:56:16 PM »
Want a video I'll post a video tomorrow morning film it when it isn't so damn hot out
6 challenges completed
No retreat, no surrender. If the obstacle is too big or hard push yourself to overcome it - Me