A Journey To Strengthville

Stafford - Dub Machine
Stafford – Dub Machine

We will be using this week for testing our 1rms in the back squat, deadlift and press. The official 6 weeks of strength training will start next week, followed by a de-load week and then a retest week.

Getting strong isn’t only about lifting heavy shit.

I realize that it is summer and many of you have fallen off of your “eating for fitness routine”, or maybe you never have been methodical about what you put in your mouth, but now is a great time to try to eat with a purpose. There is no right way or wrong way. Many power-lifters eat 8 small meals/day, others practice intermittent fasting and only 1-2 times/day. For some lifters it’s all about size and calories…pop-tarts, 500 calorie protein bars, and a sack of potatoes to the face.

For most of you I am assuming that you don’t want your neck and head to become one. Strength doesn’t always mean size, and getting stronger at the expense of your arteries and body-weight movements is not what we are aiming for. We want to gain strength while remaining lean and functional. Protein at every meal is a must, and preferably lean protein. Eating 4-6 times/day is what will be appropriate for the majority of you. Incorporate fruits and green vegetables throughout the day with your meals- try to get in as many nutrient dense foods as possible. If you need extra calories try to focus on increasing your fat intake through monounsaturated fats such as avocado, olive oil, and nuts.

One piece of advice that you will find consistently across all weight-lifting and sports nutrition forums is that post workout replenishment is important. If you want to get stronger and recover faster you need to either take down a protein shake, or a dense source of protein with some carbohydrate within 1-30 minutes post exercise. This will help to restore muscle glycogen and repair muscle fibers. Protein shakes come in all different forms, many mixed in with a bunch of crap, so be picky about which one you choose. Unless you are looking to develop some sexy man boobs stay away from the soy protein. Ladies, soy protein isn’t good for you either; various studies have underlined adverse affects. Whey protein is the way to go. As long as it is whey protein and doesn’t have 100 ingredients on the label (half of them being artificial), then it will do the job without poisoning you. Remeber you want REAL sugars for muscle recovery, stay away from the chemicals.

Your mission over the next few days is to start thinking about your post workout nutrition. Either start looking into ordering some if you are not well stocked, or start planning some accessible post wod meals if you do not like protein shakes.

I will be posting more on nutrition later this week. Please post to comments if you have a protein powder that you recommend.

Warm-up
30 Medball squats (same as stone squats)
30 MB knee tucks (in plank position)
30 MB Burpee to Overhead
-spend 5 minutes stretching quads and hammys

Strength
Spend 25 minutes working up to a 1 RM Back Squat

WOD
30s work: 30s rest
-Stone Squats
-Strict Pull-ups
-GHD MedBall Sit-ups (20/14)
-Pistols (30s right leg, 30s left x2)

4x through at each station then rotate to the next station in this order

Games – weighted pull-ups (only add weight if you can do >10 strict pull-ups in 30s, weighted pistols (1.5/1)

22 Comments

  • Bish

    08/06/2013 @ 11:29 am

    Squat 385 (way off PR)
    wod:
    137# stone: 34
    20lb pull-ups: 37
    20lb GHDs:45
    1pd pistols: 22

    Bad day today, new day tomorrow

  • Bish

    08/06/2013 @ 11:29 am

    Squat 385 (way off PR)
    wod:
    137# stone: 34
    20lb pull-ups: 37
    20lb GHDs:45
    1pd pistols: 22

    Bad day today, new day tomorrow

  • Mattw

    08/06/2013 @ 2:16 am

    HBBS: 335. Not even close to a PR
    Failed 350 badly…

    WOD: didn’t count the reps. No focus or drive in the box today and it showed. Have to turn it around tomorrow. Attitude is everything….

  • Mattw

    08/06/2013 @ 2:16 am

    HBBS: 335. Not even close to a PR
    Failed 350 badly…

    WOD: didn’t count the reps. No focus or drive in the box today and it showed. Have to turn it around tomorrow. Attitude is everything….

  • Petra

    08/06/2013 @ 12:36 am

    Squats were sad and awful. Looking at the positive: lots of room to improve!

    WOD: 28 stone squats, 27 pull-ups, 42 GHD, 33 pistols = 130 total

    I’m a huge proponent of REAL FOOD for post wod fuel (or any time, really), but I’m going to give the SFH recovery protein a try this month.

  • Petra

    08/06/2013 @ 12:36 am

    Squats were sad and awful. Looking at the positive: lots of room to improve!

    WOD: 28 stone squats, 27 pull-ups, 42 GHD, 33 pistols = 130 total

    I’m a huge proponent of REAL FOOD for post wod fuel (or any time, really), but I’m going to give the SFH recovery protein a try this month.

  • McGuire

    08/05/2013 @ 10:01 pm

    Warm up: check
    Back Squat: 355# 20#pr
    WOD: 106 total reps
    Used a 110# stone and a 20# vest for pull ups.

  • McGuire

    08/05/2013 @ 10:01 pm

    Warm up: check
    Back Squat: 355# 20#pr
    WOD: 106 total reps
    Used a 110# stone and a 20# vest for pull ups.

  • Kara

    08/05/2013 @ 5:46 pm

    185# BS I am a nervous nelly back squatter and always fear getting stuck even though I never do ๐Ÿ™ so I know I can handle more weight because once I’m up I think ” oh that wasn’t bad”

    The rest of the wod was bad for me. It practically took me 30 seconds to get the stone situated, then I would do a few squats then time would be up. The weighted GHD caused me to curse with every rep, then I realized I was doing them wrong, holding the ball too far away from me. I guess I need to practice them.

    • Shamwow

      08/05/2013 @ 8:20 pm

      This just means you’ll be ready to attack the squats and medball GHDs next time!

  • Kara

    08/05/2013 @ 5:46 pm

    185# BS I am a nervous nelly back squatter and always fear getting stuck even though I never do ๐Ÿ™ so I know I can handle more weight because once I’m up I think ” oh that wasn’t bad”

    The rest of the wod was bad for me. It practically took me 30 seconds to get the stone situated, then I would do a few squats then time would be up. The weighted GHD caused me to curse with every rep, then I realized I was doing them wrong, holding the ball too far away from me. I guess I need to practice them.

    • Shamwow

      08/05/2013 @ 8:20 pm

      This just means you’ll be ready to attack the squats and medball GHDs next time!

  • Bish

    08/05/2013 @ 2:50 pm

    Another cheap option to consider as your post workout fuel is Chocolate Milk.

    If you’re not strict paleo that is…

    http://www.acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/acsm-in-the-news/2011/08/01/chocolate-milk-may-help-repair-muscles-restore-glycogen-after-exercise

    • Shamwow

      08/05/2013 @ 8:19 pm

      Chocolate milk…heaven!

  • Bish

    08/05/2013 @ 2:50 pm

    Another cheap option to consider as your post workout fuel is Chocolate Milk.

    If you’re not strict paleo that is…

    http://www.acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/acsm-in-the-news/2011/08/01/chocolate-milk-may-help-repair-muscles-restore-glycogen-after-exercise

    • Shamwow

      08/05/2013 @ 8:19 pm

      Chocolate milk…heaven!

  • Arik

    08/05/2013 @ 1:56 pm

    1 RM BS: 315 x 1; 320 x 0 Freaked out at the bottom and lost my core.
    WOD:42,25,30,14

  • Arik

    08/05/2013 @ 1:56 pm

    1 RM BS: 315 x 1; 320 x 0 Freaked out at the bottom and lost my core.
    WOD:42,25,30,14

  • Shamwow

    08/05/2013 @ 1:51 pm

    If anyone is looking to stick to “real” food for their post-recovery meal, that’s a great option. Stick with lean protein and starchy veggies (sweet potatoes, bananas).

    In other news: the FDA recently defined ‘gluten free.’

    http://supermarketnews.com/latest-news/fda-defines-gluten-free?NL=SN-02&Issue=SN-02_20130805_SN-02_847&[email protected]&YM_MID=1414191&sfvc4enews=42

  • Shamwow

    08/05/2013 @ 1:51 pm

    If anyone is looking to stick to “real” food for their post-recovery meal, that’s a great option. Stick with lean protein and starchy veggies (sweet potatoes, bananas).

    In other news: the FDA recently defined ‘gluten free.’

    http://supermarketnews.com/latest-news/fda-defines-gluten-free?NL=SN-02&Issue=SN-02_20130805_SN-02_847&[email protected]&YM_MID=1414191&sfvc4enews=42

  • Nicole Ramirez

    08/05/2013 @ 12:25 am

    Favorite Post WO Protein Shakes:
    (All made with water, ice, 1/2 frozen banana, and powdered Glutamine mixed in)
    Stronger, Faster, Healthier Pure Whey Vanilla
    About Time Whey
    Gaspari Myofusion Chocolate (does have sucralose which, I know, is bad, but the taste is amazing)
    Protizyme by Metabolic Nutrition (does have sucralose which, I know, is bad)

  • Nicole Ramirez

    08/05/2013 @ 12:25 am

    Favorite Post WO Protein Shakes:
    (All made with water, ice, 1/2 frozen banana, and powdered Glutamine mixed in)
    Stronger, Faster, Healthier Pure Whey Vanilla
    About Time Whey
    Gaspari Myofusion Chocolate (does have sucralose which, I know, is bad, but the taste is amazing)
    Protizyme by Metabolic Nutrition (does have sucralose which, I know, is bad)

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