Tag Archives: Weight Training

The 14 Week Challenge: Week 3 Progress Report and My Own Observations

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Here I am 3 weeks into my weight training challenge and I have begun to notice major

14 week challenge week 3 final 225x300 The 14 Week Challenge: Week 3 Progress Report and My Own Observations

Week 3 Progress

progress.  Now, I haven’t noticed much in the appearance department but I definitely feel a lot stronger in my everyday life.  For the last decade I have been bothered with a “bad back” and thought it was something I had to live with.

Boy was I wrong.

A major portion of my training has been in developing my core strength (abs, lower back, and hips) which I always believed I was pretty solid there!

Nope, not even close.

Over the years I developed the habit that whenever I bent over to pick something up I would need to support my upper body by leaning one elbow on my knee to eleviate the pressure on my lower back.  That has begun to cease as I have been developing confidence in my back.  Proof of a solid core being important, in Week 1, one exercise was to do decline sit ups.  This exercise has you lie on a bench where your feet are higher than you head and perform a sit-up.  I tried it for the first time and the pressure on my lower back was immense.  If I would have pushed through it, injury would have resulted.  I let my trainer Dickie know about it and we substituted an exercise that gave the same results with less back pressure.  2 weeks later and I did 2 sets of 12 repetitions of decline sit-ups with zero pain or pressure on my lower back.

I now believe a good indicator of a weak core is the old “support your weight by resting your elbow on your knee when you bend over” maneuver.  If you catch yourself doing this, then maybe it’s time to investigate strengthening your core.

I want to share some numbers with you on my progress in gaining strength.  I wanted to give percentages of increase (or decrease) in strength progress but there was one problem I had to overcome.  Sometimes the weight would increase, but the number of repetitions I completed would be different.  How would you compare the two numbers if they had two variables that are different?  The answer was to find a common denominator, a formula that would make the numbers apples to apples.

I found a site that when you input the weight and repetitions would give you a general “maximum” weight for 1 repetition.  You can find the site HERE.

Since I am competing in the “Dead Lift” and “Bench Press” exercises, it only makes sense to make those the core routines and base the rest of the exercises around supporting them.

The Dead Lift requires strong legs, hips, and lower back (now you can see the importance on a solid core).  Here are the progressive numbers so far:

Dead Lift

Week 1:  190lbs. for 8 reps = 236lbs. for 1 rep.

Week 2:  230lbs. for 8 reps = 286lbs. for 1 rep.

Week 3:  300lbs. for 3 reps = 318lbs. for 1 rep.

Week 1 – Week 2 = 286lbs. – 236lbs. = 50lbs./286lbs. = 17.5% increase

Week 2 – Week 3 = 318lbs. – 286lbs. = 32lbs./318lbs. = 10% increase.

Overall to date – 318lbs. – 236lbs. = 82lbs./318lbs. = 25.8% increase

 

Bench Press

Week 1:  160lbs. for 8 reps = 199lbs. for 1 rep.

Week 2:  170lbs. for 4 reps = 186lbs. for 1 rep.

Week 3:  195lbs: for 2 reps* = 201lbs. for 1 rep.

*This weight is actually a Personal Record, as I have never lifted more than 185lbs. in my entire life!  Did I mention the bench press was my weakness?

Week 1 – Week 2 = 186 -199 = -13lbs./186lbs. = -7% decrease (What happened here?)

Week 2 – Week 3 = 201lbs. – 186lbs. = 15lbs./201lbs = 7.4% increase (That’s better!)

Overall to date – 201lbs. – 199lbs. = 2lbs./201lbs. = .009% increase (It may be a small one, but it’s still an increase!)

I believe the progress issues I have with the bench are the combination of 2 problems.  One is out of my control, but really insignificant compared to the one I can indeed control.

#1 Issue:  I have long arms!  This physical attribute will create a bump in the road of progress for anyone.  I have to move the weight further to go through the complete motion, thus using more energy (short arms are an advantage).  I believe this to be highly insignificant compared to the next anomoly.

#2 Issue:  My own mind!  I have shied away from bench pressing since high school.  I am not sure why, other than results never seemed to come no matter how hard I trained at it.  I know one problem I had before that was brought to my attention was my hands were not spread wide enough. (narrow grip puts more emphasis on triceps rather than pectoral (chest) muscles.  Now that I have finally moved more weight than ever before I believe I will begin to make quicker progress over the next couple of weeks.

So by overcoming issue #2 I believe will ultimately make #1 totally irrelevant in my opinion.  (The mind will always trump the body!)

As you can see this challenge is indeed a mental conditioning experiment for me just as much as a physical one.

Thanks,

Gerry

Lifting Challenge Week 1 150x150 The 14 Week Challenge: Week 3 Progress Report and My Own Observations

The Beginning!

14 week challenge week 2 1 150x150 The 14 Week Challenge: Week 3 Progress Report and My Own Observations

Making Progress!

14 week challenge week 3 final 150x150 The 14 Week Challenge: Week 3 Progress Report and My Own Observations

Week 3 Progress

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 14 Week Challenge: Week 3 Progress Report and My Own Observations

14 Week Challenge: Week 2 Developments

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Back again, Week 2 of the 14 Week Challenge toward completing my power lifting

14 week challenge week 2 1 225x300 14 Week Challenge: Week 2 Developments

Making Progress!

competition goal on November 12, 2012.  The first week’s lift went very well and was basically a “warm-up” to get a feel where the weights should be.  In typical Gerry fashion I pushed myself harder than I probably should have, but it’s a habit I obtained from wrestling many years ago.  I experienced a little soreness on the next day, but still went for a 3 mile run.  The second workout of Week 1 saw lower energy and tiredness, but the workout is designed for that.  It was a lower intensity lighter workout who’s sole intention was to get some reps in, not for setting records.  After the second workout of Week 1 I had 4 days off to recover.  I ran at least 3 miles each day except for Saturday.  Saturday I was extremely tired and sluggish and had to even take a nap in the early afternoon. The rest of the weekend went by and I recovered fairly quickly.

Heading into Week 2, Day 1 I felt very strong and very motivated.  I lifted some pretty heavy weights and I felt I made a ton of progress in one week.  My weight hasn’t changed as I am hovering around 202-203 lbs., but I feel I am getting leaner as well.  I was seriously amazed at what one week can do.

I have dedicated to 2 days a week for this program, which is about all one needs to do in lifting.  Common wisdom used to push for 4-5 days hitting the weights, but not with “strong man” style weight training.

As I figured up front, the routine only takes me an hour to get through it (including a 5 minute warm up).  So I am only training in the gym for 2 hours a week, but they are a VERY productive 2 hours.

So far my routines have consisted of actually doing the lifts I am competing in (Dead Lift and Bench Press) as the core, with the remaining exercises being mainly support exercises.  Plus, tack on a few exercises to work on the opposite muscle groups so I do not get disproportional.  All in all each session only consists of 7 different exercises that take care of a full body work out.

Week 1 and Week 2 have consisted of mainly getting a feel for the weights and to get reps in and focus on solid techniques.  Week 3 will see a decline in reps and an increase in weight.  Remember I talked about heavy weights with lower reps build more muscle mass faster than lighter weights and higher reps.  This tactic works even better with me, because I will probably shed more time off my weight training.

6a00d8341d0fcc53ef01116859df80970c pi 14 Week Challenge: Week 2 Developments

Mark Sisson

I also want to discuss my diet that I have currently been on for roughly 5 weeks now.  On July 10th I made the choice to adopt a total primal diet and primal lifestyle.  I spent a lot of time researching what the lifestyle consists of and how to incorporate it.  I visited many websites that were very informative, but I just couldn’t find that exact place to trust.  Most of the other one’s felt sort of gimmicky and felt like they had something to hide.  Then I stumbled on a site that helped me make my mind up and switch right then and there.  The site was www.marksdailyapple.com and the man behind the site is Mark Sisson who not only preaches the diet, he preaches a lifestyle as well. The other beauty thing is he practices exactly what he preaches and everything about his site is transparent.

So, check out his site, and I will keep you posted again next week with a follow up picture and I’ll put some numbers up to show you my progress.  As always thank you to Dickie White at Iron Works Gym for all your help.

Thanks,

Gerry

Lifting Challenge Week 1 175x300 14 Week Challenge: Week 2 Developments

Week 1: The Beginning!

14 week challenge week 2 1 225x300 14 Week Challenge: Week 2 Developments

Week 2: Making Progress!

 

14 Week Challenge: Week 2 Developments

14 Week Challenge: A Giant Step Outside the Comfort Zone!

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Now that I have finished my 28 Day Challenge, I have decided to undertake another fitness goal that is way outside my comfort zone.

All throughout my adolescent athletic career, lifting was one of the weakest of my many undertakings.  I was never excited about lifting and only did it under pressure from my various coaches.  Even when I did enter the weight room, it was never consistent and sporadic at best.

The main reason it never stuck was because at that point in time (1991-1994) lifting was done with the “muscle isolation” technique.  A majority of exercises that were utilized focused on a single joint movement to isolate a specific muscle (think arm curls and leg curls).  I think the theory behind it was that the more attention given to a specific muscle made it grow stronger, faster.  Now, I am not a lifting expert, so it could have been partially true because some of my peers had great success with it.

The problem I had with it, was that it consumed a lot of time to work in this focus.  It would require me to lift 4-5 times a week for nearly 2 hours each day (8-10 hours a week in the gym?).  I really did not want to spend that much time in the gym so I opted not to. Well that led to me being uncomfortable in the gym even to this day.

A little over a year ago I ran into a great friend and a highly motivating person.  His 14 Week Challenge: A Giant Step Outside the Comfort Zone! name is Dickie White and he owns Ironworks Gym in Binghamton, NY. I met him when I began training Mixed Martial Arts at CNYMMA since they share the same facility.

Dickie is a highly educated individual in developing huge amounts of strength. Plus the beauty thing is he practices what he preaches, as he has dominated his first 3 amateur fights in MMA by ending the bouts all within the first round.  He knows what he is talking about, not just because he read a book, but because he trains his own body, as well as the bodies of many very successful wrestlers from the junior high school level all the way up to the collegiate and U.S. Olympic and World team levels.  He has also developed a few programs that can be purchased and used on your own if you cannot get a chance to train with him personally. One program in particular was developed with Tamden “The Barn Cat” McCrory who fought and dominated in UFC 96 and is currently staging a comeback.  As a matter of fact I promote one of his products on the greatnessinsideout Resources Page.  (Check it out!)

Now that we have Dickie’s background out of the way (which is quite extensive), I want to talk about the program he has developed for me.  I am a pretty busy person who has limited time (I am a husband and the father of 3 children), and limited patience as well.  I like things to move along quickly and really need to move along efficiently or I get impatient. The program Dickie developed consists of lifting 2 days a week, and each day has between 6-7 exercises that work out the ENTIRE body, and get this, it only takes an hour to complete!  Talk about quick and effective, right up my ally!  So how is this possible? How can you get a total body workout with only 2 hours of weekly gym time and be ready for a POWER LIFTING COMPETITION in only 14 weeks?

The answer is extremely simple.  It’s called multi-joint exercises that utilize very heavy lifting.  The old paradigm of muscle isolation and a lot of reps are over.  Dickie explained to me that lifting something very heavy even just one time is the equivalent of lifting lighter stuff 3-5 times (even more efficient, awesome!).  Weight is the key, more so than the quantity of repetitions.  Of course the technique has to be correct as well so I don’t risk injury.

Some of the tools of the trade consist of sandbags, medicine balls, atlas stones, and even chains and giant rubber bands!  Add to that the flipping of giant tractor tires and it is quickly apparent that this style is totally outside the realm of what most deem “normal” weight training.  Some of the old fashioned exercises are still highly effective like bench presses, squats, and dead lifts and really are still the staple of this type of training.

I would like everyone to follow me over the next 14 weeks as I will be posting myLifting Challenge Week 1 175x300 14 Week Challenge: A Giant Step Outside the Comfort Zone! progress on here weekly (including pics).  Also check out Dickie’s programs and buy them, or if you live near Binghamton, NY, schedule some time to talk with him (you can reach him here).  Most of all, create a goal that is WAY outside your comfort zone, something that scares the hell out of you and then do it.  Also read my article on the power of Habit Forming and you will thank me later.

Please comment on your comfort zone goal below or “Like” my Facebook page and tell the community what your going to accomplish this year and then DO IT!

Thanks,

Gerry