Posterior Chain
Felt like doing some posterior chain work, just for the hell of it.
DB Russian Swings
70×10
75×10
80×10
85×10
90×10
Deadlifts (all sets resetting)
225×5
275×3
315×3
345×1
365×1
385×1
405×1
I have never gone for a heavier ish set of swings before, using a dumbbell is a little uncomfortable on the hands but I actually didn’t mind going a bit heavy. The last set with the 90 was pretty tough but I probably could have gone heavier, if I choose to do this again and I max out at the 100 then I’ll switch to crossfit style swings and not russian. The deadlift was the first time I have gone for a heavy single in a while, I wanted to test it 2 ways. I have never gone heavier with conventional that 405 when not using straps, so I wanted to see if I could match it despite not focussing on max strength lately, and I wanted to see if I could do it while not fresh. 405 started to slip, but I clearly locked it out using a mixed grip, so that was good I could walk back up to my old strength number and still complete it. Secondly, the swings are also a posterior chain movement, but I still got to that 4 plates a side number. Good workout!
Posterior Chain ish
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| Miranda Oldroyd |
4 days in a row again, why not.
Power Cleans (touch and go)
135×5
155×5
165×5
175×5
185×5
Single Leg Deadlift
135×3
155×3
175×3
185×3
Alternate Set
Leg Extension – 10, 10, 10…….170, 185, 200
Hamstring Curl – 10, 10, 10…….70, 80, 90(7)
I am pleased I got up to 185 with the power cleans, last time I was doing sets of 3 and got up to 195, so that number would probably be higher. I felt I was generating very good power from my hips and while 185 was heavy, I maybe could have gone a bit heavier….I think. Single leg deadlifts are pretty much how they sound, lift the bar like you would on conventional, but with one leg, I allowed the other leg to touch but only at the bottom, no other time, also…..this one really hits those hamstrings. I changed my form on the leg extensions, placing the machine so my legs were forced through a much greater range of motion, which is why I could only handle 200 pounds, and that style really burned. Great lower body and posterior chain workout.
Posterior Chain
Most things on my body are sore, especially my legs, but I can still try some hamstrings and posterior chain stuff.
Deadlifts (tough and go)
225×8
255×8
275×8
295×8
315×8
Superset
Natural Glute Ham Raises – 8, 8, 6
Hamstring Curl – 60×6, 50×10, 50×8
High rep deadlifts suck, they hurt for a while and need there recovery, and 8 reps at 315 is good i am happy with that, but it hurts a lot too. The second part burned like crazy, like insanely burned the hamstrings. Prior to the last set I didn’t know if they had the strength for one, luckily I got 6, 4 workouts in a row, maybe take tomorrow off, overall good workout.
Legs and core
Time between clients, why not workout, who cares I worked out yesterday. Back squats? Sure why not, still sticking with HBBS olympic style.
Back Squats
135×10
155×5
175×5
195×5
215×5
225×5
235×5
Overhead Situps
25×10
30×10
35×10
40×10
45×7
Awesome, still loving going heavy on these hamstring to calf back squats, 235 was feeling pretty good by the end, for now will still keep it at sets of 5 reps. I was slightly worried about my back due to the posterior chain work done yesterday, but my back was not sore and I really took my time warming up, doing slow and controlled reps for 10 at 95 pounds, holding the bottom for a second or 2 that really helps open up my hips. Also this is the first time I have started with back squats, usually doing some other leg exercise first as that way I am more warmed up, good sign. I was going to do weighted situps, but overheard situps hit the shoulders a bit too, I was surprised I got up to 45 pounds, even if I couldn’t do 10 reps, good simple workout.
Note
Random post, I was looking more into weightlifting programs today (the original term for olympic lifting) and I noticed that there are some holes in my program, being I have more or less adopted that style of training. One, I am actually working out too frequently, a lot of programs I found have the athletes training 3 times a week, of course some of my workouts are short but I shoot for 5 workouts a week so it may be getting in the way of my recovery. Secondly I need to do ab work, with all the posterior chain work this involves it needs to be balanced out with some ab work, so I make a better effort to throw more of that in there too.
The exercises recommended the most; cleans, push jerks, snatches, back and front squats, deadlifts, core work, and I was surprised to see the bench press in a lot of programs. I shall use this to my advantage, it basically combines weightlifting (fast lifts) with powerlifting (slow lifts) and those athletes are some of the most impressive in the world of strength sports (minus strongman, but I don’t have access to that). Here is a cool article explaining why each are good.
Posterior Chain
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| Rob Orlando |
The other day when I was doing bench press I think my one elbow didn’t like the last set, yesterday on the squat clean and thrusters I felt it a lot. While it went away, and I don’t feel it at all on my in between days, I decided to leave out pushing and just hit my posterior chain, some nice numbers today too.
Deadlifts (starting from top)
135×10
135×10
225×7
255×5
275×5
295×5
315×5
335×5
355×5
5 Rounds for time
5 Hang Power Cleans – 95
5 Hang Power Snatches – 95
Time: 5:21
50 Back Extensions
2 things that please me about today, one that is the most I have ever done for conventional deadlifts of that style, it ties what I have done for a pr on any deadlifts (sumo is also 355), but is also more reps than before too. For conventional I have gotten 335 for 3, and remember that being close, for sumo I have gotten 355 but only for 2, and that was even closer. Today I got 355 for FIVE, despite my shins taking a scraping, and my form probably faltering a bit I am very pleased I got 355 for 5 reps. The second part I stole from my client but scaled up a bit, certainly hammered my grip pretty well. I now know to never….EVER do back extensions again. The cyst of my pelvis didn’t like it and I was in considerable pain for over an hour till the pressure released, didn’t take away from the great workout.
Stretching
This was actually done yesterday, I know I wouldn’t have time to workout today so I did my stretching routine yesterday night, same day as another workout but with a day like this big deal. Slightly different today too.
Back
Hanging Bar Lat stretch – 1×30 seconds
Cable Row Loaded Stretch – 1×30 seconds
Chest/Shoulders
Bar Bent Arm Chest stretch – 1×30 seconds
Shoulder Dislocates – 1×10
IT Band
Pigeon – 1×30 seconds
Groin
Seated Feet together – 1×30 seconds
Standing Splits – 1×30 seconds
Hip Flexor/Quad
Modified Lunge with back knee flexed – 1×30 seconds
Runners Stretch – 1×30 seconds
Hamstring
BO soft knees – 1×30 seconds
Seated Straight Leg – 1×30 seconds
Calves
Standing Loaded Stretch – 1×30 seconds
15 to 20 minutes of foam rolling, mainly for inner thigh, outer quads, inner quads, glutes, upper hamstrings, lats and posterior chain. For anyone who does foam rolling knows how much it can hurt.
