New routine

Great workouts mate. If you still want to do leg raises, just do them as you do pullups, kind of like a v-up. After a while, you can change this to a sort of window wiper movement. This can help develop that twisting strength thats so important for MA. It can be difficult to get it right, but its a cracker if you get the hang of it.

Pretty good workout!

overhead sandbag Lunges 4x10 alternating (5 each set/set) 50lb sandbag
Hanging leg raises 4x10
Push ups 4x10 medicine ball triangle pushups
Farmers Walk 2 sets walk to neighbor's mailbox and back (about 50 steps each direction)


Feeling good, I'll do it at least 2 more times before I tweak it any. On to the intervals on Friday....

Oi!!! Gotta love those second day DOMS! It's funny that when you're doing the hanging leg raises you don't really hurt or feel a huge burn when you get to your max, at least for me. I just couldn't do any more once I got there. Now today my entire front section from my ribs to my groin was on fire when I had to do certain things at work. And while grilling some burgers for dinner I tried to see if I could do a couple of reps on the power tower.... nothing doing.

Wow, I guess that means they're working.

So I've been thinking of adding a little more to my schedule. Having the Intervals work on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and adding another lifting session on Friday or Saturday.

That would make it:
mon evening- shouldering squats,pullups, dips
tue morning- bike intervals
wed evening- lunge, pushups, leg raise, farmer's walk
thu morning- bag intervals
fri evening or sat- new lifting session

Are the mornings too soon after the evenings? I bike m-f mornings anyways, but much more low-key, just to get the blood flowing. I would also have to figure out what to do for Fri/Sat as well. I could restart the squats/pullups/dips and just alternate the two workouts, or a new set.

The current schedule is going fine, I just want to amp it up a little more. But without overtraining!

I see no problem with what you propose Joel, and as for the 'extra' workout, what about a plyometric session - low volume, and an important aspect of sports performance.

Just a thought.

I like, I like! But, uh, I have no idea how to formulate the session. Do you have any suggestions of sessions or places I could look to formulate one? I downloaded the P90X plyometrics workout but I haven't even looked through it, I think it's an hour long.

A lot of people misunderstand the nature of plyometric work.
1 hour of plyo is way too much to actually see performance benefit from it. The value comes in much the same way as you derive from 5x5 work - its the explosive positive reps that do you the good. Too many grind plyo work into exhaustion - thats fine if you are using it as a form of high intensity cardio, but if you are trying to increase speed and power, it is not going to happen.

Have to go to bed now, but will post a plyo workout for you this evening

good night cord!

Doh! sorry about the delay, kind of got caught up elsewhere.

Right, plyometric routine, here goes:

Combination of spotty dogs, star jumps and alternate lunges to warm up- dont knacker yourself, just get the joints oiled.

1. Plyo partial push ups.

You will need two platforms about a couple of inches thick - a couple of phone books would do. PLace them down where your hands would be for a set of push ups.
Now get in push up position, with your hands on the floor inside the gap between the phone books.
From here, you 'hop' your hands up and out onto the books, then 'hop' them out to the floor on the outside of them, then return the same way until you are back inside the books. Thats 4 'hops' per complete movement. These are not full push ups, these are just enough to get you through the 3 positions. Doesnt sound like much, but its hard work

2. Bent over row-bounce.

Same principle as the push ups above. Lock into position for bent over barbell row, pull the bar up to full contraction. Hold it there (or close to there), and start 'jumping' your grip out wide, then back to normal. You will end up holding the bar less evenly, so prepare for that and control it through your core. You will, of course, use some momentum, and body movement, just maintain the relationship between locked hips and a flat back, with shoulder blades pulled tight. When you cant hold the bar at more than a 20 degree bend in the elbow, you are done.

3. Forward jump, reverse lunge.

Stand feet together. Drop in good poosture (like squatting), then jump as far forward as you can under control. Now reverse lunge back to your start position- should take two lunges, like large alternate backward steps, to get you back to the start.

4. Sandbag throw and catch.

Stand with the sandbag held in the crook of your elbows, palms up, resting on your forearms, like you are a forklift truck.
Now, bend at the legs, and explode upward (like a hang clean), throwing the bag up in the air. As you catch it, descend so as to dissipate the impact on catching. This turns the reps into one contnuos motion.

Thats it for now.

4 sets of each. Be aware of how much 'oomph' you are getting in your reps, and your lveel of fatigue. When you start to feel 'leaden' or your posture goes to cr4p in the effort of getting the reps, the set is over.

Rest 2 mins between sets. Some say longer, I say dont cool down when doing plyo work.

Let me know what you think.

EUREKA!!!

I figured out why my shoulder was hurting during my dips sometimes. My elbows were pulling away from my sides. As soon as I made a mental effort to keep them at my side, it felt so much better. Plus seemed to work my chest more.


YAY EPIPHANY!!

Cord, thanks a bunch for this help, I have a few questions before I get them down.

1. Plyo partial push ups.
Am I trying to keep my body at the same level, or doing small pushups to bounce?

2. Bent over row-bounce.
Similar question, am I keeping the bar at as level of a position as possible during the jumps? I'm not 100% on the last part about when to stop.

3. Forward jump, reverse lunge.
Cool, I think I got it.

4. Sandbag throw and catch.
I like it. I assume I will keep my feet on the ground as much as possible.

One last thing....What's a spotty dog?

I think that's it for now. When I try it out I might video it to get some pointers. Once again, all is much appreciated.

Ban this guy please.

Ban, why? He's advertising which is allowed.

This person was nice enough to provide an e-mail; I think that is swell. I am going to use this to sign up on ever possible site that I know he will get spammed from. He can thank me later.

Much appreciated, Cord. I will let you know how everything goes this weekend. I am looking forward to the plyo work.

Maybe an issue here. When grasping my barbell for the bent over row, I can only move my hands out about 3 inches before hitting the collars and weight plates. Doesn't give much room for sliding out and back. I must have a short bar...

Thoughts?

Start with a narrower grip, so at th top of the movement, your thumb knuckles touch your top 2 ab sections (should give you a space between hands of about 7 inches). Use that as your 'in grip' and near the collars as your 'out'.
Remember that you are keeping the top position, and just 'bouncing' the grip wide/narrow.

If you cant get the hang of it, you can do the same with overhand pull-ups, but that is a real tough progression

Thanks, dude. I'll let you know how it goes.

Wooo! I did the plyo pull-ups instead of the row. That is something else. I was only able to do three sets of 4, and that last set was a struggle. Really gets the hands as well. I think I like those better, I just felt a little weird with the row when I tried it out. I'll give the plyo pull-ups a few more weeks and see how they do for me. I just have to make sure and keep good form and stop when my muscles tell me my set is over.

Cool. Remember that you are holding yourself at the top of the pull-up and just 'hopping' the hands in and out

Just to let everybody know, I'm still plugging away at my routine and enjoying it quite a bit. I don't think I'll ever be able to keep a full journal online, but my workout notebook is getting fuller and fuller. Hopefully there won't be too many empty dates on it.

Feel the burn!