Nilan666's Training Journey...

[Rugger]

From reading your training log, I have a few hopefully constructive comments:

1.) It's nice to see a sprinter that understands what muscles are used in sprinting, and how to train them.

2.) If you aren't eating for it, then the weight you gain from lifting will be far outweighed by your drastically increased force production. For the sports I play, I was peripherally concerned with my 40m time, along with strength and size. I gained 20lbs and also became much faster and more explosive.

The added "bulk" to your chest from bench pressing is pretty insignificant in the scheme of things, and the OHP and bench press compliment each other well. You should include both of them in your program.

3.) You need to do more than one set of warm up squats (and all exercises), and you should also probably do 5 minutes or so of light cardio at the beginning of your workout to warm up as well.

4.) Ditch the gloves, and learn how to grip the bar correctly. http://stronglifts.com/how-to-grip-bars ... exercises/

5.) Front squats are useful to learn the rack position for power cleans, but you are correct in your assessment that back squats are a more athletically useful exercise. Once you have power cleans down, stick with back squats.

[Nilan666]

2/8

Ok first things first. Since my college has started , i no longer have the luxury of working out in the evening. Only time i can do the workout is in the morning,early in the morning to be precise. But even then,there is very little time to think about anything else. That's because i take a cab to reach college and it generally comes by 8am. Reach college by 9am. SO i ideally should be back home by 730 MAX.

So i decided to give the morning time a trial run today itself as college is off on sat. Got up at 530, got
ready by 615 (i knw i knw i take awfully long in the morning ). I did 5 mins of general dynamic warm up at home which included 1)shoulder rotations
2)good mornings
3)russian twist
4)around the world
5)diagonal wood chops.
6)Side Bends

Got out of the house by 625am. Reached gym by 630. Ya its close by, dunno the distance exactly but i do walk at a brisk pace to reach by 5 mins. Otherwise it wud take 10-15 mins if i walk normally.

Anyways i got there and did the twists and bends with the stick. Then 3 sets of shoulder dislocations. Then light-moderate jog on the treadmill for abt 3-4 mins. Pulse rate 120. Time 637am.
Then the rest of the things followed:

Dips 1x3,1x4,1x4
Bench Press 27kg 4x5
Back Squat 27kg 1x7 HR=120
47kg 1x5
59.5kg 1x5
62kg 4x4
Romanian Deadlift 42kg 4x5

Comments:
Dips- Hmm...got up easily, but first set was again hard, in fact i almost toppled forward on the 1st rep! Ugh. Paid more ffocus next time onwards,checked witht he mirror how deep i was going. Not much say abt 45 degrees only.

The 2nd n 3rd sets i really liked. I also got down further!Yay!!! Shoulders were about 2 inches from hitting parallel. So i was happy.

Back Squat- Decided to do this first as this is the mother of all exercises and also i really wanted to do it in a situation where i imagined i actually had to go to college,and since squats take most of the time, i decided to do this only. After 1st warm up set pulse was back to 120-130. Then put onmore weight,did only 5 reps though.
Next thing i know BAM! The electrity goes kaput! And everything is in darkness(the weightroom is in the basement...)
Lost 10 mins for the lights to come back. But i still did 1 more warm up set in the dark ..that too with the big plates! Ha wanted to test my kinesthetics

Then yay bodyweight squats at last!!! YIPPIE!
But i dont know if i hit below parallel in the last set....

Total time to do all warm up sets +real workout= ~36 mins!!! Damn..i have to reduce this...
Bench Press Time was 715am, still had deadlifts to be done. If this had been a regular college day, i would'v been screwed.
NO time for warm up. Just put it on, but form was HORRENDOUS. I dont knw why....arms were not going up evenly...also i wasnt pressing in a straight line. DAmn damn damn. Need more time to correct form. I don't like bench press....

Romanian Deadlifts Time 730. Normal day, would have had to have stopped and rushed home immediately. Didn't do it and decided to go ahead with the workout. BAD DECISION.

I was wearing my socks and in my hurry to carry the weights to the other barbell, didnt notice the sharp edge of the lower leg supporting the bench....and sliced the underlying skin of my feet. OUCH...

But HELL i say i had to do those deadlifts and so i did through all that pain and stinging. The burning increased after 1st set so i decided it wud b wise to wear the shoes lest i tear more skin.

Finished with it by 745, rushed back home to see the damage. It is a nice gash about a half a centimeter wide with skin torn for another centimeter. Damn. It hurts. Have put on a band aid for the time being.

[Nilan666]

@Young Athlete

What routine are you following?

Hey Young Athlete nice to finally hear from you! though you had already gone or somthing! How's ur vertical training going on?

I'm following stronglifts in principle,but as you may have seen i'm not doing it exactly. Have added little modifications. For one, squat im doing 4x4 instead of 5x5. But i havent done this randomly. It was there in the manual of complete speed training. it has given it's own set of barbell exercises which include power cleans,step ups,squat and push press one day and other day hang cleans,deadlift,split squat and dumbell snatch. All for 4x4.
For upper body it recommends military press,bench, pull ups and Dumbell Row.

I decided to start with stronglifts becuase well like evryone else i got hooked onto the constant weight increases and the fact i'll be stronger after 3-4 months minimum. But of course i need to train for sprints so i thought i should at least start learning the cleans. The DVD's provided with the complete speed training kit showed the progression from power shrugs>high pull>hang clean>power clean

Try adding in more power cleans if you know how to do them?

Man i wish i knew how to do them. Best i can do is watch the videos in the DVD's repeatedly/look on youtube. But no one in my gym knows it. In fcat they dont even know what i do generally. They only knw one STOOOOPID exercise and thats barbell curl and more barbell curls and add a few more dumbell curls.

You think you can give me some advice,pointers,technique anything? You said you are being trained by a professional high jumper,so i think you might know exactly how to go about it?

[Young Athlete]

I taught myself all of my lifts, with a little help from the people at the gym.

Technique:
Squat down, keep you back straight, take a shoulder width stance
Grab the bar with about the same grip for bench press find what is comfortable for you
Explode up with the bar, Use your shrug to blast the bar up with out wasting much energy
Squat down to like a 1/2 squat to catch the bar as you jump into the air

[Nilan666]

@Rugger

1.) It's nice to see a sprinter that understands what muscles are used in sprinting, and how to train them.

Hey man thanks for the compliment!

2.) If you aren't eating for it, then the weight you gain from lifting will be far outweighed by your drastically increased force production. For the sports I play, I was peripherally concerned with my 40m time, along with strength and size. I gained 20lbs and also became much faster and more explosive.

Can you give me the details like the time you earlier used to take for 40m and you improvement now? I too have improved,although i have taken time for 30m not 40m. I'v gone from 4.9 to 4.5s for 30m. But it's yet to become consistent.
Also do you know how much your vertical is?

And yea i'v added the OHP and bench! cheers!

3.) You need to do more than one set of warm up squats (and all exercises), and you should also probably do 5 minutes or so of light cardio at the beginning of your workout to warm up as well.

Man if i had like about 2 hrs i could probably do it, but i'm serioulsy time constrained..i know once the weight get serious in the bench and OHP,i would have to do them. But i don't know,time is too little as i've mentioned today in today's workout

4.) Ditch the gloves, and learn how to grip the bar correctly. http://stronglifts.com/how-to-grip-bars ... exercises/

DID just THAT today bro! No gloves at all! YO! Getting a nice callus now lol!

5.) Front squats are useful to learn the rack position for power cleans, but you are correct in your assessment that back squats are a more athletically useful exercise. Once you have power cleans down, stick with back squats.

Help me with power cleans. Incidentally i was going through your log a few days back, and well of course i couldnt finish reading all the logs,but i did see that you were teaching power cleans to your juniors. So i think you know the exact sequence of actions to be executed?
I can do with all the help i can get....

Hmm and i'm probaly out of running practice for as long as the skin doesnt heel.

[Nilan666]

@Young Athlete

MAN that chick is more muscular than I AM! Wat the Hell!
Ha just kidding
but seriously she has muscular arms alright!

Hmm well it looks simple enough now. the thing is well,i'm a bit hesitant of doing the clean directly like her. I think i would have to overcome this fear myself.

When do you think i should do the power cleans? Beginning or at the end of the workout?

[Young Athlete]

I do them at the end, you could do them when ever though.

If they are your main lift go with them at the start after a good warm up. They are damn taxing though .

[Nilan666]

5/8

Fast walk to gym
Side bends3x10
Twist3x10
Shoulder Dislocations3x10

Dips 1x4,1x2,1x2
Back Squat 27kg 1x8
47kg 1x5
57kg 1x5
64.5kg 4x4
Overhead Press 29.5kg 4x4
Barbell Row 39.5kg 4x4
Spinal decompression-30seconds


Comments

Dips Hmm tough but ok. I will improve, Learning to apply force slowly. I mean its taking time to learn to apply force

Squat Well the whole warm up +actual workout of squats takes 30-35 mins. Thats just too much time. I don't have so much time in the morning.(reached gym today by 620,just finsihed by 720) And i JUST JUST managed to finsih my workout today! But as you can see, i had to reduce the reps and sets of OHP, and barbell row both.
Also i'm really not sure about my form in squats.
I feel some strain in my lower back, and yes it's defintly very hard now to push up, i'm almost getting stuck. Maybe the time for deloading is coming? I'm going to continue with today's weight on my next workout today focussing to improve form.

OHP Hmm had to hurry through it. Could afford only 1 min rest betwen sets as barbell row was still left. It was ok i think, i was in a rush.

Barbell Row MAn this was TOUGh. I had to grind my teeth and GRUNT. Luckily the weightroom was still empty save me. I think i have reached my limit on barbell row. LAst rep.last set i cheated by arching my back up a little.

Spinal decompression 30 seconds before grip gave away

[Nilan666]

7/8

Today i managed to go ealier by 5 min and what a differnce it made. I could finish all sets with better from as compared to last time.


Fast walk to gym
Side bends3x10
Twist3x10
Shoulder Dislocations3x10

Chin Ups 1x3,1x2,1x3
Bench Press 29.5kg 4x4
Back Squat 27kg 1x7
47kg 1x7
57kg 1x5
64.5kg 4x4

Romanian Deadlift 44.5kg 4x4
Spinal decompression 40 seconds before grip gave away

Comments

Since i go to gym in morning nowadays and have to rush to college next, i write my logs at night(it's 1025pm now). So i'm really very tired because i don't get to sleep and i'm bleary eyed and i'm not able to finsh my college assignments either. I keep sleeping in college! argh!

Anyways today in Chin Ups I dont know maybe i was just too tired or maybe i didnt feel the blood pumping in my arms. So arms really refused to go up in chin ups and i really didnt feel like pushing myself. Bah!

Squats Agin the whole warm up+ actual workout took 30 mins. 15 mins warm up sets+15 mins workout set. Today i kept the weight same as i wanted to focus on form. And amazingly i'v got sore legs today. I didnt get it on my last workout although weight was same.

And umm midway throught he 3rd set i think, i messed up on my breathing and ended up coughing!
I take a breath at the top,keep taking it as i go down then exhale while i rise up. This is ok?

Bench Press Well i think form was better today. I'll improve.

Romanian Deadlifts Amazingly it's the forearms and grip which seem to be starined most whne i'm doing it! The lower back and hamstrings do get a workout, but my maximum time is spent on holding the bar and not letting it slip!

Do small hands act as an impediment in having a good grip?

I'm really sorry i'm just having to rush through describing my workouts as i'm really tired and well i also don't know if people are reading my log cuz forgive me, but i was expecting a bit more in replies...

[Nilan666]

Today's workout
9/8/08


Moderate jog on the treadmill 3mins
Side bends3x10
Twist3x10
Shoulder Dislocations3x10


Dips 1x4,1x4,1x2
Overhead Press 32kg 4x3
Back Squat 27kg 1x7
47kg 1x7
57kg 1x5
59.5kg 1x4
67kg 4x4
Barbell Row 47.5kg 4x4
Power Clean 20kg 3x3
Hang Clean 20kg 3x3
Spinal decompression 40seconds


Comments

Dips Well these felt nice today. Glad to be able to perfomr 4 reps on 1st and 2nd set both. Still havent reached parallel yet though.

Squat Well i'm beginning to accept that i really dont seem to be able to finsihs the warm up and actual sets in less than 30 mins. Oh well!

And well today everyone stopped whatever they were doing when i was about to squat cuz they havent seen anyone doing these weights on the squat
And hell it felt nice...form and evryting felt good! Perhaps i got motivated when they were watching?

Overhead Press CRAP. It was absolute CRAP. Man such horrible form and so so damn TOUGH! Ugh! Coudnt finish 5 reps in any single set! Damn. I really seem to have terrible strength imbalances. I mean my squat is going through the roof( after all i'v gone beyond my bodyweight without stalling or deloading) but i'm totally screwed in the press. Both OHP and bench. Havent pushed myself on the deadlift yet.

Barbell row I AM SO SMART. I put on more weight than i was supposed to! Miscalculated the whole thing! Had to do 42kg...instead i'm up at 47!
No wonder i was grinding my teeth so hard. lol

Cleans Well i had time today as i could go in the evening. College is thankfully off on saturdays.

But i really sucked at it. Just couldnt push my elbows out and upper arms parallel. Need lots and lots of PRACTICE!!!

[Nilan666]

12/8/08


Well i couldnt update this day's workout cuz was very tired from college.
Ok so this day i had to skip back squats cuz i sprained my ankle in college. So didnt want to take a risk and did just one set of a light weight

General warm up which im doing always...

Chin Ups 1x1,1x2,1x2,1x4
Bench Press 32kg 4x4
BS 37kg 1x10


RD 47kg 4x4


Comments

I would only like to comment on chin ups. I was shocked to be hardly able to do one rep. Does getting up after a night's sleep and doing chin ups first thing in the morning sound like a bad idea?
Arms just refused to work.
So did one set after finsihing the wrokout and was able to do 4 reps. MAybe i'll do my chin ups etc at the end of the workout only from now on.

[Nilan666]

Yesterday's workout...
14/8/08

Well it was raining heavily whole day through. So couldn't go in the morning. When i did manage to go to gym in the evening amidst the rains, found it to be closed for the day!

So anyways i did the following yesterday at home itself...

Push Ups-30
Squat Jumps- 3x5 3 mins rest between each set

Swedish Planck Stabilization exercise(for abs)- 1 minute each side(prone postion, then on sides)
Repeat for a total of 2 times each side

[Nilan666]

Oh and i also practised my cleans using a light rod(<1kg) yesterday...

Power Cleans-3x6
Hang Cleans-3x6
Power Snatch-3x6

Was just focussing on technique and trying to understand the feeling of exlosiveness.....

It was nevertheless exhausting!

[Rugger]

@Rugger

Can you give me the details like the time you earlier used to take for 40m and you improvement now? I too have improved,although i have taken time for 30m not 40m. I'v gone from 4.9 to 4.5s for 30m. But it's yet to become consistent.
Also do you know how much your vertical is?

3.) You need to do more than one set of warm up squats (and all exercises), and you should also probably do 5 minutes or so of light cardio at the beginning of your workout to warm up as well.

Man if i had like about 2 hrs i could probably do it, but i'm serioulsy time constrained..i know once the weight get serious in the bench and OHP,i would have to do them. But i don't know,time is too little as i've mentioned today in today's workout

Sorry, but I never actually measured my 40m, I just know that I got faster. Same thing with my vert, I just know that it increased enough for me to notice a substantial difference.

It's very impressive that you're working out in the mornings before college, but you should still try to warm up as much as possible, especially before squats.

The important thing for you now as the weight you're lifting increases it to optimize your recovery. Make sure that you're getting enough food and rest, and you'll be able to avoid a stall for as long as possible.

[Bluegreyhound]

My basic goal is very simple-

To increase my strength to weight ratio
ie increase my strength levels without increasing my weight. This is because extra weight would again be detrimental to speed.

Flawed. Look at elite sprinters - they are built. Work towards increasing your limit strength and your ability to squat and deadlift. As long as your gains outstrip your increase in mass (which it will for a long time), you will be fine with your general conditioning.

Speed is produced by greater ground forces which comes from the hips,glutes and hamstrings. These are the primary sprinting muscles.

Don't forget sprinting is a whole body exercise. Also, technique is more important than pure strength gains made in the gym for 100m-200m. Technique first, muscles second.

Hence my aim is to increase my squat to 1.5XBW AT LEAST and 2xBW and beyond ideally....
I know it sounds ambitious given the weights i'm lifting at the moment but i'm thinking long term....1yr at least.

Took me about 2 years to get about 2.3xBW when I was in school. You can do it - not easy though.

Also increase in deadlift max has been shown to relate directly with faster top speeds. So this is also a lift i really need to work upon.

What's the study? Don't think this is necessarily true. For top speeds, plyometric ability and body structural advantage etc is probably more important than all out brute strength. If you are thinking about acceleration out of the blocks, sure then it will help.

Regarding squats i would like to ask one question to all and sundry. Should i alternate between front squats and back squats every other workout? Because back squats work more of the posterior chain(which IS what i need for sprinting) while as i read on stronglifts.com, the front squats work quadriceps more.

Back squat is more important. Yes, more PC emphasis, but I think of it in terms of greater weight, greater loading.