"Why You Do Like That?" Weights, Martials and 'The Healthy'

Okay so got myself a foam roller - a proper one - at last.

So last night and this morn I jinked my C-band, Hip Flexors etc. And all my other tense or weary bits. Strewth my ITB's are tense!

I squealed like a six year old getting their hair pulled as I propped myself on the roller and skittered forward and back.

This morn (Thursday 30th May 2013):

Gripper 250 lbs:

2 x 8 with a static close 5 secs

2 x 7 (ditto)

2 x 5 (poop grimace)

Squat Stretches, Cobra, Superman (Lying) - Just checking my back for twinges.

Flat-footed Mountain Climbers (Spiderman, Spiderman...)
30 seconds rest between set 1 and 2. 1 minute rest between set 2 and 3

x 36
x 30

x 28 (puff, puff)

Really great bodyweight exercise. Surprisingly hardcore. And really works your hamstrings, traps etc hard.

'Farmer Burns Breathing' = My goto standup breathing exercise of the moment.

Stand up straight.
Breath in deeply - But DO NOT allow your belly to push out when breathing in.

Now keep your stomach tight. And breath out - like a spout - until you got no breath left inside you.

You should feel your deep abdominals contract strongly. Repeat a couple of times. 2 or 3 is usually enough.

Shoulder rolls, Teacups

Padwork (Just me)

Practicising Elbows:

Sok Tad (Hooking elbow - Cut), Sok Sab (Diagonal Upwards Elbow)
Sok Ti (Front Crawl - Hit), Sok Tong (Downward Major Smash), 'Crank Elbow' (shorter range than Sok Tong) etc

2 sets of 15 each

Bridging 2 x 30 seconds

Bridge Presses x 16

And Wrestler's 'Neck Bridge' on forehead for 10 seconds

Buaya (Crocodile), Suwa (Python) etc stretching

Whole sesh took 25 minutes maximum. Then walked about 1.5 miles to my commute. Refreshing.

I'll do some more stretching - Silat specifics tomorrow. And might get a sesh of pad and sparring work in with Systema etc Mark.

Looking forward to the gym of Saturday for some bar-bending...Grrrr :evil:

 

How Do You Pull A Muscle In Your Finger?

Saturday 1st June 2013

In this episode:

- An Idiot in the Squat Rack
- Look Out Below
- Finger Fu and more...

I now really like being part of the Saturday Crew. A coupla years ago you would not got me to the gym on the weekend for a complimentary lamb kebab and free pass to a bordello.

A pleasant 2 mile walk in the sunshine. Got there. Surprisingly busy! So my plan today was disrupted, a tad.

Warmup: Squat Stretches, Leg Flicky-Flacking, Teacups (managed a coupla full ones - so rotator cuff health good - back 'table' stretch etc).

Squats (my back at about 81.73%): The plan was to do more reps today. Boost my mid-range. Experiment with stance placement. Some wider, some more shoulder width. First 3 sets were all 1 minute between sets.

50 kgs x 10
80 kgs x 10
125 kgs x 8 (Legs swolled like Michelin Man - So took 5 minutes til next)
150 kgs x 8
182.5 kgs x 6
182.5 kgs x 4 (Could do more here. But watch that back and stay frosty)

Only meant to do 5 sets. But lost count and did an extra. I then wanted to do Deadlifts. But! I should realise it's now holiday season. So there was suddenly a mad rush for the Squat Rack at 2.45pm...

Of course! Those who neglect their leg work most of the year...Suddenly want buff man legs. And so they cram in a few weeks of bum and thigh pumpers...Just in time for the beach! Ain't they heard of Tom Platz?

Seated Calf Raises:

40 kgs x 40 plus 20 second deep stretch (the bottom position with all the weight stretching your calfs etc)

60 kgs x 25 plus same stretch

90 kgs x 20 plus stretch

Okay so did lots of Rows instead of Deads:

Single Arm Dumbell Row

130 lbs x 8
130 lbs x 6
140 lbs x 6
140 lbs x 5

Knee on bench. Other foot on floor. Look straight forward - Back Arched, no rounding. Keep your shoulders, traps etc down (stop them shrugging). Bring db into your obliques for more stress on your Lats.

Your upper back gets support work in all back-orientated lifts/ exercises. So ideally you want your Lats to work really hard in all reps and sets.

T-Bar Row

100 kgs x 10 (1 minute between sets)
120 kgs x 10
140 kgs x 8 (2 minutes rest)
150 kgs x 5

A great thing the T-Bar row. Much underestimated. Again make sure shoulders down (no hunching and shrugging). Back Arched. Upper Body locked into position. Look up so your spinal muscles kick into action - supporting your spine. Like all rowing.

At last a spare barbell was free. No time to load it for deads. So did:

Power Cleans ('I'm Barry Scott...And You Can't beat a bit of Turbo Power')

Fast - Hang Cleans:

40 kgs x 10 (1 minutes rest)
60 kgs x 8 (So long since I did them almost knocked teeth out too enthusiastic pull)
90 kgs x 4 (Terrible form, Poop Grimace on all reps)

Pullups, Chins

1 set of bodyweight neutral box-bar pull ups x 7 with a static 10 sec hold and resisting the neg on the last 3 reps

1 set of bodyweight chinups x 7 with a static and resisted negs on each rep.

Much to my chagrin my arms began to swell like conan the bleedin barbarian. I aim to keep my upper arm size to a max of 18 inches (that's my normal).

Note to self: Showing people how to do chins does not keep your upper arms smaller than your shoulder. Therefore does not make for good elliptical shoulder roll in your boxing and 'kickboxing'.

Bagwork - A fast, no breaks raw-handed 20 minutes of steamroller punching and elbows. Got Geezer Simon (who was blamming the floor2ceiling ball) to try to tag me on the breaks. Got 'stress' practice.

Then kuching roundhouses from the floor. And a fast continuous coupla minutes of Roundhouses whilst shouting "I Want Tong Po, Bring me Tong Po" in a cod Belgian accent. Then realised my middle finger was 'pulled'. Tried suggesting this wasn't a lifestyle statement. Tigerbalm...

Brief stretch. Chocolate Protein Milk and a Milka Choccy Bar. Pleasant walk home. Radox Thyme Originals bath. Sweet!

Looking forward to 1) Silat

2) Going to see more local Muay Thai classes (there's quite a few now!)

3) Sparring, Padwork, Bare Knuclking etc midweek ish with Mark, Kenny and maybe Nish

 

Monday 3rd June 2013
My calves feel like stones from Saturday. More foamrollering is needed.

Strewth is it just me? Or do all these women look gorgeous in the sunshine and their summerwear?...Clearly Sokklab requires a lot of 'wuv woo'...

Anyhoo. Wanted to see how much strength had returned after Saturday's gurning session...Hmm not much.

Gripper (Crush Grip) 250 lbs

x 8
x 7
x 4 (plus 5 sec static close)
x 3 (ditto)

My upper arms 'popeyed'...When you do heftyish grip work you get to fully understand 'hyperirradiation' - The recruitment of more muscles etc to perform with maximal force...That's why my hamstring and **** felt the work too.

Didn't attempt to Crush Grip close the 350 lb Gripper - Full strength not returned. And probably won't unless I took a coupla weeks off from any lifting

- Strength increases with more rest and less heft...

But then did some Overhead Double-Hand Gripper Closes first with the 250 lb:

Link your palms in front of you at your waist. Put the bars of your gripper between your palms. Raise above head. Keeping a 15 degree bend in your arms. Crush with both palms. Like a Hindu Dancer of similar.

x 5 (plus 5 sec static close - isometrics baby!)
x 4 (ditto)
x 3 (ditto)

My Lats popped out 'vulcan bomber style'.

Same exercise but at waist height. Like crushing a spring-based Bullworker in front of you.

x 5
x 4

Both types are phenomenal for your traps, shoulders, arms, back and core (Try them - is mega).

Squat stretches, Yoga etc type stuff - Cobra and Superman on the floor. NobblyBobbly (much better than Fab's) from the freezer. Lovely.

'Wuv Woo'

 

You need a translation key for the slang you use in the introduction to this thread. I kind of just fill in what I think some things like 'strewth" or 'wuv woo'

 

Good form, stout fellow.

I think I "need" to get a proper gripper and give some of these a go!

Also, what are "kuching roundhouses from the floor"?

 

Cheers Harry

I might get myself an Isokinator soon too. You can do some great Isometric-isotonics with that piece of kit.

Been scouring the Uchubes looking for decent examples of Kuching Roundhouses. Will need to carry on looking. Remind me and I'll show n tell.

 

Knife Party!

So Silat (Tuesday 4th June 2013) was a fruity little number.

Hefty conditioning to begin as usual. Besam lower and lower. Then into Tuklao (kickthru on the ground), open kuching (must get some clips to show this) into a stretchback and spin up and out roundhouse.

Lots of horse stance with hand wafting - Surprising how pretending to part water can take your mind off the fact your legs are burning like crazy because of the strong leg sesh you did a few days before at the gym...

More ground postures. After 20 minutes of sweat city we then went into stabbery. A quick recap on the icepick grip work we did last week and then into straight stabs.

I was working with a guy who's been to about 6 classes. Nice fella. We had a good laugh and enjoying impaling each other with mock weaponry.

So to start we did:

Chest stab - parried with blade turn wrist out palm up and sink back

followed by

Downward stab to stomach - Parried by a step back and downward chop/ cut

Building up a rhythm. We were just concentrating on letting the blade intercept the attack. This was important as he wasn't getting the basic motions right. So I was just concentrating on getting him to intercept with the blade.

At that point one guy - who I think is an Trainee Instructor elsewhere - comes across with his training partner and starts to show us how we should be shifting more. In one of those 'look at us we're doing it great' type scenarios.

I just smiled and said thanks. Not wanting to explain how my partner wasn't yet managing to do the basic technique right first...Concentrate on doing the basics. Forget about the fancy flourishes...

And then we added a garuda (swinging arm to the head) type stab/cut.

Then we did a sort of random attacks in group lines and then in a circle. Which was a really good laugh - If you like people trying to run you through.

A few random press up sets. And one of the heinous postures that's like a static Bear Crawl to finish. 2 minutes of leg-searing horribleness. I was done like a baked potato at the end that's for sure.

There was a fight on the bus on the way home. Between a slim leering John Lydon type. And a wannabe gangsta with a scowlface that looked like he'd pooped his pants (Ice Cube style face).

John Lydon type got on the bus with what I think was his partner and their baby. He seemed angsty. Or on drugs. She kept slagging him off. Which agitated all the passengers with an 'oh no' type feel...He kept laughing randomly. New passengers thought it was at them (might of been at pink faeries for all I know).

Wannabe gangsta took offence and tried to 'front' him. This failed. Then he pushed. Then threw a punch that glanced off leery man's head. Leery man barreled into gangstawang and hit him with 5, 6 good solid fast punches.

Leery Man didn't look like much but gangsta got the shock of his life. And went down across one of the front seats. Managed to get half back up and got walloped a solid shot right in the kisser - got a bit of a clatching for his trouble.

Leery John Lydon 1 - Ice Cube gangsta type 0. Bus passengers glad to get home.

Wednesday 5th June 2013

AM - Random padwork - Elbows. And a few kicks (up ^ down roundhouses) thrown for laughs.

 

Cool, I await with baited breath...

Interesting story about the bus nutcase, it makes me think of that saying "it's not the size of the dog in the crazy that counts, but the size of the crazy in the dog..."

So, do you think that your "helper" in silat class is another example of that thing where Brown belts (trainee instructors) are more dangerous than Black belts (instructors), as the former has the same physical skills as the latter, but without the same level of control (physical or verbal)? Maybe, although maybe they were just well meaning but misdirected!

 

Tis the 4th physical incident seen by me on transport in north-west London in since February this year.

That last punch was a solid face-opener. And took all the 'front' out of gangstadude.

You know Harry a lot of people who fancy themself as a 'teacher' don't know when to concentrate on the really basic stuff first.

Like get people up to speed with the concept or principal of it all (most important) first.

"Intercept with your blade".

Instead of showing a 7 piece flourish...Let's just get the real important stuff right first.

Like get your blade to intercept their blade/ hand/ arm first.

Then get the basic parry and reposte right.

Then get the sequence down pat.

Then make the motion smoother.

I mean hell in a 'real' situation you'll be lucky to jam their blade and stab-cut etc back. And then maybe get a couple of diggings in right?

I'm sure the guy was well-meaning. Just that all his coming across with his training partner accomplished - Was that it deflated and confused my training partner somewhat.

Illustrated by the fact he'd completely forgotten what we were doing after that. And we had to start again, more basic than the basics we were originally doing. Hohum.

 

True dat - no point in tiling the roof while the foundation cement is still wet

 

Thursday June 6th 2013

Training in the garden - 40 minutes.

It was a gorgeous sunny eve. I wanted a break from work computerness. I started practicising the 4 count blade work I did at Tuesday's class. Using a 2.5 ft Bay sapling as my blade.

From Besam - An L-shaped posture. Lead leg points straight forward and rear points 90 degrees. Bend zee knees.

Riposte - Blade intercept with yours by rocking back and turning your hips out 45 degrees. Whilst dropping your lead arm from the high elbow point out guard you turn your hand palm up and out.

Potentially taking their hand off at the wrist with your sharp. Fire back with a straight stab to the face.

Then step back with the lead leg into a diagonal ' / ' whilst chopping down onto a stab to the nads. Then step forward and fire your own...

Did this for about 10 minutes solid. Then thought 'why not the neighbours already think I'm nuts?'.

So did padwork with focus mitts. Mostly Rising 45 degree Knees whilst marching up and down the garden (not difficult as the lawn is the size of a postage stamp).

Then Sok Sab - Diagonal upwards elbows continuous for 40 or so solid strikes.
Suddenly sweating a lot.

Then standing Broad Jumps - Probably 20 or so, I lost count - Plyometrics! And my legs feel it now. Surprising how small a 15 foot patch of grass is when you're flying through the air - Look out carrots! Hello Bench!

(I'm practicising my leaping to prepare for the more Harimau elements we're moving into - I need to be nimble so I don't splat anyone).

Then I did some Silat ground postures (ah that's why I mowed the lawn the other day).

Including Tuklao (kickthru) first on the ground. Then dropping from Besam - by putting your rear hand on the floor and kicking thru in a front style kick with your foot turned out.

Then into open kuching - I did a load of spinupandover roundhouses. At last I seem to get how to do these in sequence. More Capoera style stuff. Some of what we do is really gymnastic. And great exercise. your shoulders, hips etc really feel thankful. My rotator cuffs feel great at the moment.

Some standing 180 degree motion roundhouses. Bit of handwafting. And a bit of yoga-style stretching and a pleasant time was had by all.

Felt great training in the sunshine - Pity no training partner though. Ah well.

 

Saturday 8th June 2013

So today's training re-taught me a useful lesson...Do NOT do any Plyometrics 2 days away from a hefty weights session...Duh If I'm going to practice jumping etc for Silat...Best do it 1 or 2 days after weights. And keep the numbers down.

Walking to the gym in the sunshine I could feel my legs were swolled. I thought "Doubt I'll be able to do Squats, Deads, Leg Press, Standing OHP and Cleans"...

Commonsense - I didn't do Squats. And started with Deadlifts - As a Mid Rack Pull (5 notches down - Knee Height). My first goal here was to get to the same weight as I did the other week (I was a bit knackered). But do more sets and reps.

And start at a lower weight - So I could get some grip endurance work in...

My back felt about 83.79%. Remember I'm not training to failure. My reps are 10 and below. No belts, wraps, adult diapers etc. And no fat powerlifting bellies either!

Deads:

90 kgs x 10
130 kgs x 9
160 kgs x 8 (Better Grip Endurance at last)
180 kgs (straps from here) x 7
225 kgs x 6 (got really good leg/hip action here)
240 kgs x 5 (a Real Grind this set) + 10 second static hold

I didn't want to push it with my back. And I really wanted to get some hefty poundage on the Leg Press...

Leg Press

280 kgs x 10
360 kgs x 9
440 kgs x 8
500 kgs x 7
540 kgs x 6
585 kgs x 6 (10 second rest, then 6 extra short-range reps from the safeties - Legs 'Done').

I left it there. Again for good back's sake. And really I was done like a kipper at this point. I didn't do any Statics on the Leg Press. I'll split those out and do them 2 weeks after the full-range Leg Press from now on.

Each of the big power and oly lifts requires strong legs to get through the 'sticking points' in the motion. When you can Leg Press at least 2 and a half times what you can max squat...You'll get the Leg Strength to get you through bad form and rubbish lifting.

Power Cleans (Done Fast Hang Clean Style). Hang Cleans are where you start the motion from mid-shin. Without putting the bar down.

40 kgs x 9
55 kgs x 8
70 kgs x 7 (Better form from here)
90 kgs x 6 (Hamstrings starting to really feel pounded)
92.5 kgs x 5 (Saw the 'woo-woo' here)

Pullups (Couldn't be bothered to add any weight)

x 10
x 9
x 7

Bagwork - A fast 25 minutes of raw-handed mayhem combined with set of Roundhouses kicks. And some Kuching Roundhouses from the floor (must get some clips to show what I mean of these).

The reason I do bagwork after a hard weights session is that I'm pushing myself to fight when I lack freshness. Seriously I'm panting like a rabid donkey at this point. And it was pretty hot.

Interspersed Floor-to-Ceiling-Ball with the Bagwork. Repeat Squat Stretch, Hockey Goalie etc. A chocolate milk and a nice walk home

 

Can I Kick It?

Tuesday 11th June 2013

Okay my legs were french fried from Saturday. The last coupla sets of Leg Presses particularly finished me. So all I did was some walking, foam rollering and some specific Silat stretches on the sunday and monday.

And of course my legs started their 'odyssey of healing' right about 70 something hours after Saturday's weights sesh...Right where I start to go up the hill to training...Lol.

Tuesday's Silat class then was 'heavy'. We did so much conditioning and kicking combinations (kicking each other) - that this morning my legs were sore.

This is the first time my legs have felt that screw-ed. Usually my hips and shoulders really feel they've worked. But today - everything in maximum.

So after our sweat session of the usual Besam -lower and lower - into that Open Kuching I keep talking about. And then spinning up and back (on the ground) into a back heel kick and then back over into a roundhouse and back up into an upright Besam (squatted 'L' posture)...

All much fun. I was soaked through after 15, 20 minutes.

Kicking each other:

We were working on maintaining arm/ hand contact (up close) whilst kicking and finding targets. Building from a straight punch interception with the lead arm from Besam combined with a thrusting front kick to the ribs/ liver.

Essentially we're getting used to:

1) 'Flow' - Motion without pausation (difficult but not impossible)
2) Taking impact

3) Maintaining sensitivity through contact (building up to not looking at where you're kicking) - Keeping arm to arm contact without 'anchoring' (using their limb as an anchor)

4) Feeling where the opportunities are/ Capitalising on breaks in their structure. Their reactions etc

We did the same thing then with the straight punch intercept combined with a thrusting ball-of-the-foot front kick to the mid-thigh.

Yes B my training partner managed to nail me in the nads not once but twice (wuv woo)

And then worked those two kicks followed by the 'mouse step' out. Which is a skipping/ pivoting steparound - so you can really lamp the third kick - roundhouse into - in this case - their lead leg.

You're looking for a Roundhouse with a fierce 'up over and down' action. Either '^' or better yet '/\' or better yet...Oh never mind. you probably get what I mean, right?

(Ala Ling Lom and some of the older Muay systems). It's difficult to 'pull' it so you don't really clatter them.

Last piece of the puzzle was the skipping back kick. Pivoting back out from the roundhouse. Muay Chiaya!

Finished with a load of Squats (thanks!) with isometrics palms squeezing together - Overhead. Back and over the shoulders etc. It's surprisingly difficult resisting your own body. Shoulders were soon fried.

And then some heinous twisting 'arrow' style posture. That made me feel I was being strained through a sieve.

Good fun if you wannabe a warrior :hat:

 

Wednesday 12th June 2013

25 minutes. Ensconsed in the 'big leggy world of hurt' I decided to do a bit of training to shake out some of the lactics.

Gripper 250lb:

x 14 (Oh no strayed into Bodybuilding reppage!)
x 12
x 8 (plus a 10 second static close)
x 6 (ditto)
x 5 (ditto)

Surprisingly though that was a tad berserk I'm not feeling it today gripwise (maybe tomorow my forearms etc will complain?).

The 250 lb gripper is now easier to close. I'll get a Captains O Crush 3 (288 lbs), 3.5 (322 lbs) and 4 (366 lbs?) in the next month or so.

As I'm sure my 350 gripper is wrongly calibrated. I mean it doesn't feel like 350 lbs should (more like 295?)

Flat-footed Mountain Climbers:

x 40 (30 seconds rest)
x 36 (30 secs rest)
x 30

Why? Because they:

1) 'Take your wind'

2) Are great for opening your hips out (try them as a pre-empt to doing roundhouses)

3) Really work you hard. Particularly your shoulders, traps, **** and upper hamstrings

Some kicking practice. Roundhouses and running through what I did at Silat on Tuesday night.

 

Thursday 13th June 2013

Hot off Da Press...

25 minutes training again. Just for the hell of it.

Using my trusty Powerpushup (2 - bought in 2005). It has about 240 lbs of resistance at maximum expand. I keep meaning to buy a new Powerpushup 3 and a really hefty set of extra cables. Anyhoo...

Bow and Arrow (3 sets per side)

x 14
x 12
x 10

One of the best 'strand-pulling' exercises there is. Works your entire body particularly your upper girdle. 240 lb at the maximum of resistance is hardwork.

Literally like pulling a hefty Longbow - But don't 'loose' - else you destroy the furniture :Angel: ("It Wandent Me!" )

Punch Press ("I'm gonna knock you out. Mamma said knock you out"):

Get your guard up and keep it tight. Punch smoothly no jinking. Seriously this is one of the best ways of ensuring your guard is tight when it needs to be.

Per side:

x 14
x 12 (shredding)

Seated Shoulder Press:

The only way you can use the Powerpushup in a straight upwards motion is to anchor it somehow. My big ****'ll do the trick.

x 14
x 12
x 10

Coupla sets of side shou raise and bent o'er shou raise - Really tough with this much reisistance.

Foam Rollering - Much needed 'uwww and argghhhhs'. Specific Silat stretches including Buaya (Crocodile) , Suwa (Seated sideways - Python)

Bridging - Wrestler's Bridge with 10 second hold (no hands). Just a little bit

Bridge and Press x 16

Gross Fun - I am looking forward to Da Gym on Saturday and some pad and tagwork on Sunday if poss.

 

I'm tempted to buy a CoC but don't know whether I'd need to start on the 0.5 or the 1.0?

 

Hi Princess
Start with one you think is going to be tough for you to close. I seriously underestimated my grip strength when I bought the 250 lb'er. I had no idea I could close it reasonably easy.

I just took a poundage that was Half of 80% of my max deadlift (250 lbs x 2 = 500 lbs or 235 ish kgs) and went with that. It was a reasonable guess.

So now if I want to do some serious grip work I'd use the 250 lb'er as a warmup. And a heftier gripper as my main work sets. Hence why I'll get a set of the top poundage COC's and use them like running the rack of dumbbells.

If you buy a gripper and it's too hefty to close at that point, bear in mind you can always use it like a 'bullworker' type piece of kit - And do some great pressing and squeezing exercises with them (see below):

Good Luck

 

Man Sets Fire To Own Head!

Saturday 15th June 2013

In this Episode:

- Like Silent Hill with More Tumbleweeds

- Calling Mr Stroppypants

Today muggy, o'cast, high chance of precipitation. Found me in the trusty gymasio for about 2pmish. And lo! The Gym was empty! Usually there's 15 or so for saturday afternoon. But today it was like my own place just for me.

Gym owner - who's now a friend of mine - was shifting all the kit out of the front bit of the gym. Stupid landlord's want more rent for less space. Shortsighted. As they think there gonna rent out the front unit as a cornerstore or something. He gets less gym.

I doubt it mateys. Not on that block. In this economy. Clearly they don't understand the fundamental marketing maxim:

'Everything You Do to Get and Keep a Customer'

He's been paying steady rent for 15 years! Gym owner seemed a bit down. I offered my marketingness. For nowt. As I like the place. Enjoy training there. And since August 2009 (when someone tried to burn us to death whilst we were in the gym - no I'm not jokng) some genuine friends made...

Anyway training went like this:

The usual warmup. Flickyflacking legs, squat stretches, teacups etc. I wanted some pausation and resisted Negs...Please remember I'm not training to failure - I could do more but choose not to. I keep my reps 10 and below. No wraps, belts etc. My back about 84.17% no twinges.

Squats:

50 kgs x 10 (paused and resisted negs on all reps)
90 kgs x 10 (ditto)
130 kgs x 9 (some) (first 3 sets fast 1 and half minutes between sets)
165 kgs x 6
185 kgs x 5
200 kgs x 3

Okay so you can see I'm now squatting more weight safely. I'll go back up through 220 kgs. Then back up to 260 kgs plus. When I'm confident my back is sorted.

Good Mornings - Probably the best hamstring/ low back exercise. 90 degrees.

60 kgs x 10
90 kgs x 8

Deadlifts (5 pins down - from about knee height so a mid rack pull if you like)

With the deadlifts is I'm dropping down the rack (a cycle). At present I'm staying at 5 pins down. As I get more confident that my back can handle the strain...To the floor for 315 kgs...But for now I was getting really stroppy. 'In the zone' so to speak.

120 kgs x 10 (o'hand for all)
150 kgs x 9
180 kgs x 7 (straps from here)
210 kgs x 7
240 kgs x 4
265 kgs x 4

Power Hang Cleans (from the shins, no put down -Fast and Stroppy - Really pushed for time here)

60 kgs x 8
90 kgs x 6

Wide Grip High Pulls (not quite snatch grip)

90 kgs x 6

Bagwork - A Fast 15 minutes. Fast steamroller hands, no wraps or mitts, knees, roundhouses, elbows and kuching roundhouses from the floor. Interspersed with floor-to-ceiling ball.

Cool. Enjoyable. Yeehah.

 

You have to watch this kinda thing. This is exactly why I had to move gym, well I didn't so much move as give up for several months, then accept defeat and join a commercial gym. The last one was a weight room as part of an MMA, a no nonsense hard core place with more plates than anywhere in Cambridge, safety bars, chains, deadlift platform, dumbbells in 2kg incs upto 50kg.

The problem here is that the location is just too central so the landlord can keep putting the rent up until the tenants are forced out of business, doesn't give a monkeys about the tenants, then he can sell the location for big profit to property developers to build luxury accomm or offices no one locally wants or needs. I imagine a lot of places in London are in the same boat.

 

You're right Princess. Finding a good gym is a godsend...Keeping one is godawful. I think the gym owner underestimated the effect of the new gym opening (one I went to see a few times - month or so back).

That's only 1 mile from my house. And it's open about 40% more hours per week. So far resisted. But I walk past it each Saturday and think "My walk would end there"...

Also gym owner's marketing is all word of mouth. Based on the entire community knowing of its existence. When someone tried to burn it down in August 2009 (with us in it!)...The local community was seriously outraged.

But now gym owner is starting to realise - No website - No mailing lists etc. I think he's starting to see how that's becoming much more important to him.

This could be a factor. And I think the landlords think it'll be. And really this is in a manky bit of outer north-west London. I feel they're making a mistake. A good tenant who pays up is much more useful than trying to find a new customer/ tenant.

I know a lot of it is 'gouge max profit'...But they'll get a hard time letting a store unit (front of gym). And good luck trying to turn the whole building into flats. As it's on a commercial block. Realistically the council wouldn't want that to happen because the entire parade of stores would lose its character.

I hope it turns around. Been a member there 4 and a half years now. I don't like commercial gyms. Generalising:

a) they tend to be full of posey guys (and some gals) who walk around with 'imaginary lats' syndrome

b) they don't possess hefty enough weights. I can't do much with 90 kg stacks and 50 kg dbs

Hohum. Not exactly an issue for the United Nations but enough to kick me up a few gears...