MattJ's workout routine(s)

Posted by: MattJ

MattJ's workout routine(s) - 03/21/06 08:55 AM

Ok. I thought I had posted this before here, but I can't find it. Here is my current workout regimen for you all to pick apart:

MONDAY - (all weights medium)

6 minute jumprope warmup, with a 1 minute break, then:

1 set cable pulldowns
1 set squats
1 set machine flies
1 set standing barbell curls (I know, I know, it's for the ladies! )
1 set miltary press/squat on the downstroke
1 set power cleans
1 set barbell rows
1 set deadlift

1 minute jump rope in between each set with no rest, and 2 minute jump rope at the end. Cooldown with 8-10 minute Pilates routine for core strength and flexability.

TUESDAY -

Groundfighting class. I usually do some warmup before class which may be either 2 or 3x3 minute rounds of jump rope or 1 set (25) Hindu pushups followed by 1 set (50) Hindu squats or 3x3 minute rounds on the bag. Light vomiting after class.

WEDNESDAY -

same as Monday

THURSDAY -

5x3 minute (or 3x5 minute) rounds heavybag or bicycle (approx. 35 minutes of hilly-hell Pennsylvania) weather depending, followed by Pilates cooldown. Gross over eating at a restaurant before or after workout likely.

FRIDAY -

Not a damn thing.

SATURDAY/SUNDAY -

Whatever I feel like. Usually something, but not too much. Often bag work/jump rope/Pilates/bicycle (not all). Over eating in there somewhere as well.
Posted by: boxing_kid

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 03/21/06 03:54 PM

why all your exercises on monday are only 1 set?
Posted by: Cord

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 03/21/06 05:59 PM

Because 1 set training can be very effective if done with the right intensity.

I like it MJ. lots of intensity, lots of recovery. If I were gonna be uber picky I would say lose the cable pulldown and chin up instead, and lose the cable flye and do some dips/plyo push ups instead, but that is just me.
You should leave your bicep curls till after all your back work is complete though, doing bent over row with tired bi's limits your potential.

Good stuff
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 03/21/06 06:07 PM

I got this one out of an old issue of Ironman magazine years ago. I used it for several cycles with very good results, about 10 years ago before I mangled my shoulders.

Can be done for any excercise, although I only used it for deadlift and benchpress. Very time consuming in the middle weeks, but worth it. You need to know roughly what your 1 rep max in the excercise you wish to do, so you can figure what 80% of that is, to start the program with. They call for 2 workouts a week.

The program looks like this:

WEEK 1 -

2 sets of 6 reps at 80% of your max for the excercise

WEEK 2 -

3 sets of 6 reps at 80% of your max for the excercise

WEEK 3 -

4 sets of 6 reps at 80% of your max for the excercise

WEEK 4 -

5 sets of 6 reps at 80% of your max for the excercise

WEEK 5 -

6 sets of 6 reps at 80% of your max for the excercise

WEEK 6 -

5 sets of 5 reps at 85% of your max for the excercise

WEEK 7 -

4 sets of 4 reps at 90% of your max for the excercise

WEEK 8 -

3 sets of 3 reps at 95% of your max for the excercise

WEEK 9 -

2 sets of 2 reps at 100% of your max for the excercise

WEEK 10 -

1 set of 1 rep at 105% of your max for the excercise

They recommend taking off for a while to recover (1-3 weeks), then starting the next cycle, taking 80% of your (hopefully) new maximum.

Thanks Cord. I agree with you on the pulldowns/chinups, but my nearly 37 year old delts can no longer stand chinups without excruciating sharp pain. Tricep dips have also nearly gone the way of the dodo, for the same reason.

Pardon my ignorance, but I am unclear on plyo-pushups. Do you mean like hand-clap pushups? Can you give me an example of plyo-squats?
Posted by: Cord

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 03/21/06 06:13 PM

Hand clap push ups is exactly right.

plyo squats- Brian was asking the same thing earlier today via PM- talk about great minds think alike

Seeing as how you are incorporating everything into a super circuit, try these little beauties.

Crouch down, a$$ to heels, do four stationary 'frog hops' then on the 5th spring all the way up into a high jump knee tuck: Thats one rep. Land and descend into your hops in one smooth movement and keep going for 10 full 'reps'.

you may want to put these in at the end
Posted by: Dereck

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 03/22/06 12:19 AM

Quote:

why all your exercises on monday are only 1 set?




1 rep work outs can be extremely effective. This buys into the philosophy of the HIT (Hight Intensity Training) workout that Robert E. Spector wrote on. This is one of the biggest things on the Cyperpump website. I have tried it twice in my 8+ years with the first time being so successful you would not believe how much size and strength was gained.

Matt, from looking at your workout and then our PM yesterday, it got me thinking. Today after work I pulled out my log book for the 8+ years and went to the days I was at my best and looked over the workouts and remember the little things I was doing. I came to the realization that I was working like a mad man with a mission ... a mission to get bigger and stronger ... and was also eating more. Just looking it over got me fired up and this night I "HIT" the weights with a full body workout ... though I did 2 reps per body part and I did the little things I remembered. Of course I have some physical hinderances but I was surprised at how well I performed. Then I just finished a protein shake and fired up the computer and thought I'd come and tell you this. Thanks Matt ... you inspired me.

As a note, I looked at your workout and was going to suggest doing the back exercise prior to the arms as well but I felt odd telling you this as you have been doing this far longer then I have. Thankfully Cord stepped up the the plate and mentioned it and I'm just here to concur with him ... not that he needs it as he's the man.

Thanks again Matt, your are the bomb. Tim Black ... look out baby ... I'm on my way.
Posted by: BrianS

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 03/22/06 04:06 AM

Matt,
Keep up the good work. Follow Cord's advice!!

Let me fix some quotes for ya bra!


Quote:

Ok. I thought I had posted this before here, but I can't find it. Here is my current workout regimen for you all to pick apart:




Quote:

I am old,scenile, and have CRS syndrome. Where is my cheesecake?




Ha,oh and um....

Quote:

I agree with you on the pulldowns/chinups, but my nearly 37 year old delts can no longer stand chinups without excruciating sharp pain. Tricep dips have also nearly gone the way of the dodo, for the same reason.




Quote:

I have compiled a list of whiny sissy excuses,here are two of them.1)bla bla bla..something about my age yada yada yada..2)haw haw bleh some kind of exotic bird species fer fer fer hu hu..I'm in pain....Where is my cheesecake?




Good job!!
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 03/22/06 11:02 AM

Woof.....did it get cold in here? My dentures keep chattering. Thanks for the "help" with my quotes there, Brian.

Any ideas on how to make my "1 set" workouts more intense? I am currently lifting at about 65-75%(guessing) of my max for 6-10 reps, depending on how I feel. Less reps, more weight? Keep it the same? More cheesecake?

Thanks.
Posted by: TimBlack

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 03/22/06 11:46 AM

Less reps more weight might work, or you could just try and increase the weight. Your workout reminds me of the Psycho HIT program I saw floating around a few months ago. It looks like good stuff.

Cord, about the plyo squats... Shouldn't plyo stuff be done when not fatigued, so that the nueromuscular system gets used to full extension etc.?
Posted by: Cord

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 03/22/06 01:04 PM

I think their is too much segregation of exercise these days. If you want to put in plyo work as part of your strength/power routine why not?

With squats you are driving up against increased resistance being held across you shoulders- this requires stronger muscular contraction to complete, engaging more muscle fibres.
In jumping squats, you are engaging maximum muscular drive with which to fight gravity by converting that force into airtime. Both are anaerobic forms of exercise designed to increase power output.

Plyometrics are hard on the joints,they also trigger strong stretch reflex, it makes sense to put them in a routine at a point when you are thoroughly warmed up.

So often we get questions on here like 'plyo or HIIT?' or 'bodyweight or free weights?' or whatever. i say 'why one or the other?' the body is capable of all these things, do them all in a balanced workout plan that addresses static strength, dynamic power, cardio endurance, flexibility and speed.

Why obssess over just one? We are martial artists and as such, need a good balanced level in all physical attributes to succeed.

If you want to be all about speed and power, take up track sprinting.

If you want to be the biggets guy on the block, take up bodybuilding.

If you want to have max aerobic capacity, take up triathlon training.

If you want to have a good all round ratio of all attributes, and to utilise that in an endeavour geared towards unarmed combat, then take up MA and train accordingly.
Posted by: Dereck

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 03/22/06 02:40 PM

Quote:

Quoted by Tim:
Less reps more weight might work, or you could just try and increase the weight. Your workout reminds me of the Psycho HIT program I saw floating around a few months ago. It looks like good stuff.




Hey Tim, I did this program and have it on-line for anybody that wants it. Yes it is intense and for me it worked beyond all my beliefs for my first try at it back in 2002. It increased my lifts substantially as well developed my body bigger. In months my 1 rep max on bench went up over 32 lbs. My arms increased from 17.25" to 18" at rest. I went from 195 lbs to 207 lbs and I am only 5' 8.25" tall. The HIT program does develop strength, obviously, but because it goes to fatigue and recommends for advanced lifters to work out only once every 4 to 6 days with reps from 6-8 reps … I see this more as a Body Building program. Though I see it as a Body Building program, the list of people and NHL, NFL, plus other sport teams that use this program, it obviously can be adapted for strength.

I did try it a second time as well but with not as much success. I don't think I worked hard enough at it and there were too many things going on in my life that I think added to the less success. Nice having a log book where you can look back and see these things and can make educated guesses to why things worked and why they didn't.


Quote:

Quoted by Matt:
Any ideas on how to make my "1 set" workouts more intense? I am currently lifting at about 65-75%(guessing) of my max for 6-10 reps, depending on how I feel. Less reps, more weight? Keep it the same? More cheesecake?




It really depends what you are looking for. The 1 rep works for some people but others needs a little bit more. Possible you may want to do 2 or 3 reps. If not then you may want to make it more intense like the HIT program and work towards fatigue. They suggest the following:

Quote:

Information provided by HIT:

The GENERAL recommendations for number of sets/workout are as follows:

Beginning level: 12-15 sets
Intermediate level: 8-12 sets
Advanced level: 6-8 sets

Of course you may require more or most likely can benefit from LESS, but this is a good general outline.
As for frequency of training general recommendations are as follows:

Beginning level = 3 times per week (full body)
Intermediate level = 2 times per week in a 5-7 day period (full body)
Advanced level = 1 time per week in a 4-6 day period (full body)




I know for myself when doing this type of program that after I finished my set to fatigue … with good technique … then after putting down the bar I would immediately pick it up and see how many or how much more I could do until I couldn't budge the bar at all. Then I would record it as 6 reps +1,+2…

Also diminish the amount of time between sets. This type of program suggest 1 to 3 minutes. When I was working like mad man sometimes I would go to the next exercise immediately or go in 1 to 1.5 minutes. I tell you, your heart rate is up and it almost feels like you are doing a heavy cardio workout.

Just some ideas.
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 04/04/06 01:40 PM

UPDATE -

I varied my Monday/Wednesday workout a bit today (yes, I know it's Tuesday, but I'm on vacation this week, so I can do whatever I want )

Same basic routine, but I dropped all the 1 minute jump-rope interludes, and did all the weight excercises to failure. (normally I do 6-10 depending on how I feel)

While I don't know if I could stand to do that 2x a week, I think that doing that type of workout could be a great variation once or twice a month. I followed it with 3x3 minutes on the bag, but I was pretty much done after the the 1st minute of the last round.

I was pretty light headed going upstairs to finish the Pilates cool-down, and my arms are a bit shaky as I type this. It was a good workout, and my arms are so pumped right now, I'm tempted to propose to myself.
Posted by: Cord

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 04/04/06 03:00 PM

Good work MJ. Lifting or fighting, there is always a healthy level of masochism that comes out in the best of us. Nausea is your friend
Posted by: Dereck

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 04/04/06 03:06 PM

Matt you are the man ... or bomb as you put it. Good work.
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 04/09/06 01:09 AM

Tried a totally different variation today. Kind of sore today, so I did not want to overdo it on the shoulders. So, I walked up the stairs from my basement to the top floor of my house and back down, twice (being one set), carrying 75lbs (barbell) for 5 sets, then 50lbs (one 25lb plate in each hand) for 5 sets as my forearms wussed out.

It was a good workout, I was sweating tremendously by the end. I may try adding jump rope intervals between the sets next time for more of a challenge, although this was a good one by itself.
Posted by: Dereck

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 04/09/06 05:05 AM

Okay Matt, are you trying to take a page from Cord's books? Building up the grip and the legs plus keeping your heart rate up for a type of cardio workout. Just don't over do things Matt ... good job. I will leave this type of stuff for you and Cord to do.
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 08/14/06 09:14 PM

Following Cord's "DIY" workouts, I have been doing a little workout at my workplace, usually during the last few hours when it has slowed down.

On the hour, I alternate pull-ups done on a metal shelving frame, and dips done on a pair of closely spaced metal cabinets. Usually 10-15 reps each, but may be less if my shoulders are acting up. On the half hour, I run 5 sets of steps, using the 10-step staircase to the upper level of my department (up and down for 20 steps being 1 set).

The goal is 2 sets each of pullups and dips, and 500 steps total before I sit on my ass for the 45 minute ride home. I do have to be careful with the pullups and dips, as I have had massive problems with my shoulders and elbows from overdoing it, but so far, so good. I try to do this 3 times a week.
Posted by: JoelM

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 08/14/06 09:27 PM

Good job, Matt!

Any reason for the arm problems, or are you just ?
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 08/14/06 09:43 PM

He-man complex in my twenties.

Nearly every set of weightlifting I was trying to break a personal best or equal it. I first hurt myself doing power cleans using nearly my body weight for reps. Just couldn't stop myself. The old "one more set.....I can do one more set." WRONG. SNAP went my elbow and POP went my shoulder. Sharp pain that kept me from weight lifting for months - almost a year - from the pain.

About 2 years later, I did it again - same injury, although I was doing military press at the time.

The concept of "rest" was merely a fuzzy idea for me then. The only thing I ended up breaking was my tendons. VERY careful now.

Now I lift little girlie-weights, happily. And I let my self recover when I should. Wish I had known that before.

Don't overtrain, kids!
Posted by: JoelM

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 08/14/06 11:14 PM

A valuable lesson, Matt. A shame you had to learn it the hard way.
Posted by: Dereck

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 08/15/06 01:00 AM

Ah yes ... I've been there myself. Hard to get people to learn from our mistakes but I know how you feel with the shoulders Matt. Nice to see that you are still active though.

If you look in at the Creaky Mod Thread, you will notice I have a goal to get to 350 lbs by December with my Deadlifts so that I can equal your previous best. Was that 350 lbs a single Deadlift or multiple Deadlifts?
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 08/15/06 05:37 AM

It was a single, and *ahem* it was 380lbs. I wanted to get 400 lbs so bad, but couldn't quite make it.
Posted by: crablord

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 08/15/06 05:44 AM

holy damn 400 ibs!!! ZOMGWTFBBQ thats like 3 of me
i can only bench like 50 kilos!! *runs off crying*
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 08/15/06 07:32 AM

LMAO. That was about 8 years ago. I probably couldn't bench 200lbs now (where before I had a 265lb one time max), and I would be lucky to do 300 on deadlift. I am currently using 235lbs for 6-8 reps on deadlift.

But don't worry, Crablord. When I started lifting weights at age 14, I couldn't even bench 100lbs. Keep at it, and you can make huge improvements! Just don't over do it!
Posted by: Dereck

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 08/15/06 11:04 AM

Quote:

It was a single, and *ahem* it was 380lbs. I wanted to get 400 lbs so bad, but couldn't quite make it.




Hmmm .... 380 lbs by December. It was a single eh? I will keep you posted but that is now my new goal.
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 01/02/07 05:27 PM

Tried my first Tabata workout today. Started with a 6 minute jump-rope warm-up. Followed by 5 intervals on the heavy bag of 20 seconds maximum speed/power punching and 10 seconds rest. I could have gone a bit more, but didn't want to over-do it on my first try. Ended with my normal 8 minute Pilates cooldown routine.

Surprisingly, I wasn't quite needing a puke bucket after the workout. Although I was very sweaty and out of breath. I did spend the next half hour coughing up phlegm with lungs burning.

I will try to add more intervals next time.
Posted by: bo-ken

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 01/03/07 01:32 AM

Yes Tabata heavy bag is sweet. Try this one
Tabata:
Heavy bag - 4 intervals
Push ups - 4 intervals
Crunches - 4 intervals
Heavy bag again - 4 intervals

This isn't a long workout but its fun. See how good your hitting power is after the push ups and crunches.
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 01/25/07 06:02 PM

Tabata-fied my workout from the first post.

Started with the normal jump-rope warm-up. Then went into 1 twenty-second set of weights fast'n'hard as I could do them safely, with a 10 second break in between each excercise. 8 different excercises (but no jump-rope in between, as in the original post). Repeated the entire set, then 2 minute jump-rope cooldown, followed by 8 minute Pilates cooldown.

Nice, hard, short routine. So out of breath/amped up that I could only eat half my normal breakfast afterwards.
Posted by: Dereck

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 01/25/07 06:03 PM

I'm envious Matt ... and good job.
Posted by: Stormdragon

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 02/06/07 02:33 PM

Sorry to hijack the thread but how do you make one set intense enough for great gains? Or how many reps and percentage of 1RM should you use? Also, does that count for your warmup to?
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 02/06/07 06:14 PM

My routines are geared for maintenance, not gains. I am too fragged to worry about doing heavy weights anymore. The idea is maintain functional strength and cardio - without injuring myself. When you're in your late 30's, you'll probably know what I mean.
Posted by: Stormdragon

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 02/06/07 08:20 PM

In general though, when going for gians, how does 1 set work so well?
Posted by: Dereck

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 02/07/07 10:13 AM

Quote:

When you're in your late 30's, you'll probably know what I mean.




No, I don't know what you mean. Unfortunatelyat 38 I've just not smart enough to listen. I was actually thinking about this last night and I realized that I actually feel great overall; beside the knee and neck injuries. Getting older just means playing smarter; though there is still a dumb kid in all of us that refuses to believe we can't do it all.
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 06/14/07 03:15 PM

Changing it up a bit. Weight training twice a week now. Routine as follows -

MONDAY -

6 minute jump rope warm up

dumbell curls
standing military press
machine flies
deadlift

3 sets of each, descending reps each time (8,6,5)

Pilates cooldown - 12 exercises, 15 reps each

TUESDAY -

BJJ

THURSDAY -

6 minute jump rope warmup

power cleans
upright rows
squats

3 sets of each, descending reps each time (8,6,5)

Pilates cooldown - 12 exercises, 15 reps each

All weights medium

WEEKEND -

Biking/bagwork/rollerblading
Posted by: Dereck

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 06/14/07 04:29 PM

Quote:

dumbell curls
standing military press
machine flies
deadlift




Quote:

power cleans
upright rows
squats




For these exercises Matt, are these the order you are doing them in? I would almost reverse them myself to work the larger muscles first. Just some thought.
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 06/14/07 04:38 PM

That is the order that I do them in. I fly in the face of the "big muscle first" workout convention, now that I am using medium (wussy) weights. I have always preferred to do deadlifts last, anyways.
Posted by: Dereck

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 06/14/07 05:17 PM

Matt, you are a rebel. You go girl ....
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 11/11/07 02:02 PM

Plyo-jumps (leap? bound?) across my back yard (150ft/50m). 10 seconds rest, then the other direction. Light jog both directions (no rest in between), followed by walking both directions. All this considered 1 cycle.

Aiming to get 8-10 cycles each time (approx 20 minutes), followed by short Pilates cooldown (approx 8-10 minutes).
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 03/06/09 10:19 AM

Current workout, focusing on static contractions to minimize joint pain:

Workout 1:

dips/military squats (squats holding weight over head)/deadlift superset - 5 sets, with one minute jump rope in between

Workout 2 -

1.5 mile jog (with the dog) + 5 sets plyo leaps, followed by 10 minutes pilates cooldown

Workout 3 -

5 minutes jump rope, followed by alternating sets of military walk (walking with weight over head) and curl-walk (walking with mid-position static contraction bicep-curl), with 1 minute jump-rope in between sets. 2 sets each. Pilates cooldown.

Workouts 2 and three depend on weather. Joints happier now.
Posted by: Dereck

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 03/06/09 12:57 PM

My wife does the exact same workout; probably with the same amount of resistance; you big girly man.

Just kidding of course. Glad you are still active Matt so a big pat on the back.
Posted by: JoelM

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 03/07/09 12:02 AM

Souns like fun, Matt. I hope you enjoy it as much as I'm enjoying my new workout.
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 05/19/10 12:00 PM

Looking to change up the workout to avoid aggravating overuse injuries. Trying this now:

All 3 sets of 5 reps, medium weights

Monday - Squats and Deadlift

Tuesday - single arm snatch

Wednesday - Dips and Rows

Thursday - Jog or Volleyball or Heavy bag or Bike, etc

Friday - Pullups and Military Press

Weekend - Jump rope, heavy bag, etc
Posted by: Dereck

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 05/20/10 09:07 AM

Nice to see you still working out Matt. Take care buddy.
Posted by: JoelM

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 05/20/10 09:03 PM

Going for some quickie workouts? I like the set.
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 05/21/10 10:23 AM

Yes, trying to do something everyday, without over-doing it. All the supersets were starting to grind me down.
Posted by: JoelM

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 06/03/10 10:04 PM

How is it working so far, Matt? I'm looking at doing something like that to get it done in the mornings and not kill myself for my long days of physical labor at work.
Posted by: MattJ

Re: MattJ's workout routine(s) - 06/04/10 10:43 AM

So far, so good. A little early to tell, methinks, but at least things seem to be in good order and not hurting. Not doing the same exercises too close together is helping. Now I just have get my diet back in order, LOL.