But I tried didnt I? d**nit at least I did that

[Boris]

Squats and DLs are just different beasts - doesn't mean there isn't transfer, but they're different. I look forward to seeing a vid of your DLs, and the KB swings if you can.

[rpmcmurphy]

Week 6
Friday

Squats
1x5 @ 120kg(265lbs)

Pushups on Fists
4x15

Wide Grip DL's
3x5 @ 100kg(220lbs)

Bent Row
3x10 @ 50kg(110lbs)

Rope Pullups/B]
2x4

KB Swings
A few reps messing around for a Video to put online. Should be up soon

- Happy with the squats, I was apparently getting good depth of two blokes watching me.

- Pushups on my fists are the only pressing movement I can think of right now that doesn't strain my wrist so these are going to be the norm for the next week or so.

- Deadlifts felt better today, unfortunately didn't get a video. May have been because of a reduction in weight or taking a wider grip on the bar?

- Bent Rows were good, really feeling it in my lats and lower traps.

- Rope pullups were just done messing around.

- KB Swings were done for a video and not really important.

[rpmcmurphy]

A video of my deadlift form that Im not happy with at the moment. I feel like I'm rounding too much at my lumbar spine and as a result it almost becomes a lumbar spine extension as opposed to a hip extension near the top. This was 120kg(242lbs).

[peterako]

Em.

Looks (very) good to me.
(Later reps, as to be expected, became less perfect than the earlier ones)

Boris will be able to comment better though.

And....you are a brave man...in All Blacks kit in Sydney

[Johnny Mnemonic]

Yeah, those reps look pretty solid. I would say that your hips come up a little quick more so than the rounding. I know for me, contracting the lats right before the pull help as well as good mornings in preventing back rounding.

[rpmcmurphy]

Week 7
Monday

Squats
5x5 @ 112.5kg(250lbs)

Press
3x5 @ 50kg

Deadlifts
3x3 @ 105kg(230lbs)

1 Arm DB Row
1x20 @ 22.5kg(50lbs)
1x15 @ 22.5kg(50lbs)

Planks
3x30 seconds with a 15kg Plate

Chinups
3x6

- Squats felt very hard today, I noticed that I favour my right hand side when I squat as I was squatting in front of a mirror. I will get a video up soon but right now I hit depth on my right side and not on my left... This is an issue .

- I know I said no pushing movements for two weeks but I used Boris' handy-dandy wrist wraps that meant I couldn't even move my hands back to a position where it hurt. These may be a valuable investment. Press was hard. Everything was hard today.

- I cut deadlifts short because I was bleeding on the bar. I forgot to take socks and my shins were bleeding in about 3 spots. Dang. I got some good coaching on the lift from a French Olympic lifter who competed at the World Masters Games over the weekend. Both he and his girlfriend are very, very strong people.

- Rows were meh, nothing special.

- Planks felt alright, a slight pain at the top of my glutes? I worked a pretty long day today doing a lot of digging and bending over so I think my lower back may have been a bit worn out.

- I think I'm going to try do chins every day, not a massive amount just 5-6 reps here and there to try and "grease the groove".

- Trained at North Sydney PCYC. I saw a 48kg(105lb) French lady squat 150kg(330lbs) for a double. Dang.

[rpmcmurphy]

Week 7
Wednesday

Press
1 x 62.5kg(137.5lbs)

Dimas Front Squat
3x3 @ 70kg(155lbs)

Chinups
9, 8, 6

Snatch Grip RDL's
3x8 @ 70kg(155lbs)

2-Hand KB Swings
3x12 @ 24kg(53lbs)

- Press was done because I haven't gone for a 1RM in a while. Pretty dismal result, would have liked 65kg which I attempted and missed. Alas, alas.

- Squats are done with arms extended and bars simply resting on the delts/clavicle. My wrist is still busted up so I can't hold it in a normal position.

- Chinups were chinups, I need to start doing these more often (e.g. 1-2 sets as part of a warmup as well as work sets in a workout).

- Snatch Grip RDL's were VERY hard on my grip, had to revert to using a hook grip which I still had to reset once or twice. Not sure my form was the best with these so I will keep it at this weight next week.

- Swings were alright, trying to pull the bell down as I've been told this can help with abdominal strength as well.

- Really need to sort my wrist out, I'm going to see an acupuncturist on recommendation of a friend and after that will maybe try a physio or something. ATM it's limiting my training a fair bit, can't do any pressing movements really without pain or any olympic lifts which is annoying. After Matti Tikka I'm going to take a week off and then change my training up for a bit. Work on a bit of rehab stuff, fixing up my body composition a bit and get fresh for a new heavy strength cycle in the New Year.

[rpmcmurphy]

A video of some of my kettlebell technique for Boris. 16 & 24kg Kettlebell used. I don't do snatches with my left hand due to a bad wrist.

[rpmcmurphy]

Week 7
Friday

Squats
1x5 @ 125kg(275lbs)

Pushups
20, 16, 10, 13

Deadlifts
2x3 @ 120kg(265lbs)
1x3 @ 130kg(285lbs)

Barbell Front Raises
3x8 @ 20kg

Bent Row
3x10 @ 50kg

Planks
3x30 seconds with 16kg KB
-supersetted with-
Chinups
6, 7, 6

- Squats were difficult, I made a 5kg jump from last Friday. I'm not sure I'll be able to sustain this every week, I may try and alternate between 2.5kg and 5kg jumps. I'll have a video up later for form, depth, ladida.

- My wrist is still stuffed, thus pushups are one of the only pushing movements I can do that give me no pain. I went to see an acupuncturist today on recommendation from a mate but I'm not sure it's helped much. Having a full deload week after Matti Tikka so hopefully that will help.

- I think I've managed to sort my Deadlift form out, I'll have videos up soon for critique.

- Front Raises are another exercise I thought of that will work my shoulders somewhat without stressing my wrist at all. Something's better than nothing I guess.

- Bent Row will go up in weight next week, all these reps felt good and controlled.

- Planks and Chins were good, might be ready to move up weight in Planks. I may also try some other ab exercises as I feel it's a major weakness of mine at the moment. I want to be better at Chinups so I'm trying to do them at the end of every session, as well as a few sets of 4-5 in the warmup and throughout the day. See what happens eh?

[peterako]

Good work!!

I have found 1/2 and 1kg (weight) plates a great investment.
(even smaller if you can get them!)

With them you can up your weight by 1 - 2 kg per week which is much more sustainable week on week than bigger jumps!

Your wrist.....may just need rest (Even 1 - 2 weeks off may make a BIG difference)

The only equipment aids I use in the gym on a regular basis:

Chalk
Wrist wraps.
(I'm using a belt for two sets of Squats at the mo' but that's unusual
in my 'armoury')

I don't wrap the wrists tightly, just enough to give a little support.

Have not had a wrist injury in over 10 years now (touch wood).

[Boris]

Murph,
Looks pretty good. I can't write a lot right now - this month is CRAZY! ...anywho, you have pretty good hip snap w. your snatches.
Your swings are a little lazy as far as hip snap - could be partly because you're doing a CrossFit swing. I've noticed a lot of people who, knowing they can use the shoulders more on the last 30 degrees or so, don't drive as much as they could from the hips.
The drop on your snatches needs some work. Control the arc ("Tame the arc"). You are dropping the bell 'over the barrel' (this is MY cue btw - picked it up from competitive swimming. If anyone else says they thought of it, they're probably lying) - and as the bell comes down, it's jerking your arm downward and that's also affecting your hike. Doing this, your grip will give out prematurely and eventually, you're going to have some unnecessary shoulder and elbow discomfort. Try to pull the elbow to you a little on the descent and see if that helps. You could also try a modified corkscrew drop, which is what I do w. mine - some RKCs see it as somehow inferior, but I don't agree... You can see my drop here: www.youtube.com/user/johnnymnemonic2#p/u/3/XHpPX3_w69c

[rpmcmurphy]

Week 8
Monday

Squats
5x5 @ 115kg(255lbs)

Press
5 @ 45kg(100lbs)
5 @ 50kg(110lbs)
3 @ 55kg(120lbs)

Deadlift
3 @ 120kg(265lbs)
3 @ 130kg(285lbs)
3 @ 140kg(310lbs)

Pushups
20, 17, 12, 11

1 Arm KB Row
20, 12, 10 @ 24kg

- Squats were hard today, last reps on most sets were grinders. I'll have a video up soon of my sets.

- Press was good, no wrist pain as I was very concious to keep it in a good position. I'll start trying to Press again regularly and maybe do a little Bench Press on Friday at PCYC.

- Deadlifts felt good, feel my form is getting better. Videos up of my sets soon.

- I was happy with my pushups, 3 minutes rest between all sets and managed to push out more reps then ever before.

- 1 arm KB Row numbers are for each arm. I realised that I may have been using a bit of body swing in the movement so for the next two sets I tried to really lock everything in and only use my arms and back.

- I'll post up a few entries regaring diet soon as well. I worry I may not be eating enough to recover at times but I still find myself putting on a little weight here and there. See what you all reckon.

[rpmcmurphy]

Squats from Mondays session.

[rpmcmurphy]

Deadlifts from Mondays session.

[rpmcmurphy]

Week 8
Wednesday

Front Squats
3x3 @ 70kg(155lbs)

Bent Row
3x10 @ 52.5kg(115lbs)

Ring Dips
4, 5, 6, 5, 4

Pullups
3, 4, 5, 4, 3

Deadlifts
2x3 @ 100kg(220lbs)

- I need to fix up my programming, Wednesdays are becoming really wishy washy and I'm changing exercises around too much on other days as well. I will post up a program that I will strive to stick to in the next post, would appreciate any comments or criticism on it.

- Front squats were alright, trying to reduce the amount of tail tuck at the bottom.

- I was happy with the Bent Row though I was told I do more of a "Pendlay Row" where the torso is almost perpendicular to the ground. Meh.

- Ring Dips were alright, not terribly hard. I still feel a strange pain/sensation in my right shoulder near the top of the movement. I won't be doing these regularly.

- Just buggerising around with the pullups really, they did feel hard today. I'm going to start trying to do 3 sets at the end of every workout as I stretch.

- Deadlifts were just to try and nail form down. The bar was already loaded and on the ground so I thought "Why not?".