Nilan666's Training Journey...

[Nilan666]

@Bluegrehound

Generally, limit strength increases plus RFD training will help your start/drive out of the blocks.

What is RFD Training mate?

Anyway, you should try to analyse what are your weaknesses and strengths in the 100m

Regarding strenghts and weaknesses in 100m, you know a very funny thing happened. When i was 13 years old, i had done a PB in 100m of 14 seconds i think. Dont remember the decimals! And also my Long jump then was 4.5m. You would agree that they were pretty good for my age then. However, somehthing happened and through my teen years my speed really didnt increase much, of course i had no real training like you used to do. In fact i had no training at all! It was only when i turned 16 that i decided to satrt taking things in my own hand and do something to improve the then misearble speed. I didnt even know anyhting about going to the gym and stuff then! Long jump through a lot of effort i was able to hit 6m+ twice. Average was 5.8 metres.

So what i'm trying to say is, is it possible that well my body really didnt develop as much as it should have? I know i really don't quite look like i'm about to turn 19 yrs old! I still pretty much look like a 16 yr old to be a very honest! I know i lack the aggression generally associated with sportspersons. Maybe, i'm still growing then?

I'v heard from my peers and my parents too, that guys don't quite start attaining the typical 'manliness' untill about 21 years of age. Nowadays, they do achieve it earlier as puberty starts early, but maybe my body is taking its own sweet little time?

[Bluegreyhound]

RFD = Rate of Force Development. Speed-strength / strength-speed training improves this.

Everyone develops at different times/rates. For me, I stopped growing at 14.

[Nilan666]

@Bluegreyhound

For me, I stopped growing at 14

Lol. Good for you mate, at least you weren't in a perpetual doubt like i'm in!

So by RFD training, you are essentially referring to power developement alongwith strength developement right?

[Bluegreyhound]

Learn to develop peak power asap. You'll respond better to this kind of training if your general strength levels are already high.

[Nilan666]

Yesterday's workout...
26/8/08

Ok yeah..i finally went to to gym yesterday. Pain and swelling have reduced to a great extent in the finger. I won't be able to do pull exercises though. So barbell rows,pull ups and chin ups all ar going to take a BIG hit

BS 17kg 1x8
37kg 1x5
37kg 1x5
57kg 4x5



Dips 0
OHP 32kg 4x5
Romanian Deadlift 32kg 2x5
Deadlift 32kg 2x5


Comments

BS- Ok so i'v deloaded too. I think it's a good idea as it will allow me to focus on my form again. But tell me, have i deloaded a bit too much? I had read somewhere on the blog only about ligh deloads and then hard deloads...
Also i'v deloaded this much basically because the finger isnt fully ready to grip the bar tightly....

OHP Was hard,but not impossibly hard either! Body had lost its strength in 1week of inactivity..

RD Took a light weight here too so as not to stress the finger while gripping.

Deadlift Finally have started with it. Need to focus a bit more on the form, i think while lowering the bar, i'm simply squatting down...

Dips Wow this really really surprised me! Couldnt do even 1 rep! What the hell! Just hung in there like a monkey!

Looking forward to tomorrow's workout

[Nilan666]

@Bluegreyhound

Learn to develop peak power asap. You'll respond better to this kind of training if your general strength levels are already high

Are you referring to plyometrics? Cleans? Tell me a bit more about it....i only know about these for developing explosive power....

[Bluegreyhound]

I don't explain RFD very well, but here is some food for thought. It does not cover RFD training as such but rather talks about dynamic training methods:
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/speed_training_for_size.htm

Yes, plyos can train a variety of factors including RFD, movement efficiency (general/specific), tendon stiffness / eccentric muscular strength, improved use of stretch reflex..etc. I guess that's why plyos are a popular method. However, it strikes me that people don't do them properly, do too much.. etc.

RFD focused training in the gym would include box squats with bands/chains using say 50% 1RM, olympics lifts, jump squats with very light weights... there are loads of ways to crack this nut. Olympic lifts are great but until you learn the proper technique you won't get as much bang for you buck from them. i.e. better off with something simple like jump squats. The only problem with jump squats though is measuring and ensuring you strive for progress. You use light weights and you don't really increase the load but you do try to increase the height of your jump (squat). Obviously tricky to do on your own since you will be holding onto DB or BB and can't do a highest touch test.

[Nilan666]

yesterday's workout
28/08/08


The blah blah warm up of side bends etc
BS 17kg 1x9
37kg 1x6
42kg 1x5
57kg 1x5
59.5kg 4x5
Bench Press 34.5kg 4x5
Deadlift 37kg 4x5
Dips 1x4,1x2,1x3

Comments

BS Hmm focussing on hip drive as shown on Mark Rippetoe's squat videos on youtube. And also i'v just realised that i was only hitting parallel and NOT going beyond parallel. Oh well, now 's the time to correct this error.
I'v made a visual mark on the power rack(basically the 2nd last hole) to make sure i'm going beyond parallel.

BP Ok i guess...actually my form is really not very good on this...the arms keep going all over the palce..sideways..laterally....in front..everywhere!
I don't know is it becuase the weight is too light or maybe i need to see a couple of more bench press videos...

Deadlifts yea! First time ever i'v attempted these many sets and reps on it. This one really will start becoming a challenge soon. I hope my finger fully recovers by then!

Dips Hmm..was swinging a bit..i guess missing 2 workouts really 'dipped' my 'dip strength' LOL

But yea..managed to reach my old reps almost..

Overall a kewl workout..

[Nilan666]

Yesterday's workout
30/8/08


usual warmup,from here on,i'm going to skip writing this...it's the same everyday everytime!
BS 17kg 1x8
37kg 1x5
57kg 1x5
62kg 4x5
OHP 34.5kg 1x5,1x5,1x3,1x5
Deadlifts 42kg 4x4
Dips 1x3,1x2,1x2

Comments
Hmm a guy with his personal trainer was using the rack. So had to start with dips instead(went in the evening ,it's crowded). After this i did a couple of practise reps of hang clean using empty barbell.

BS Focussing on hip drive and goin beyonf parallel. Two things which werent happening properly earlier. I coud tell this from the way i could feel the glutes and upper hamstrings getting hit

Also i decided to increase speed in the 3rd and 4th sets. this felt both harder and easier at the same time. Harder because i had to accelerate the weight up using more force and had to grunt as well. Easier because the weights would go up and down quickly ,so less tiring holding onto the bar!

OHP I love OHP, no matter how ridiculously difficult they are. Was having difficulty locking the bar on top,and in fact they were going way behinf my back. I almost toppled on back on 1 of the reps. Also I got scrwed on the 3rd set, 3rd rep. Went halfway up and then just couldnt go futher so simply put the bar back. REsted 4 mins bfor the next set and man...what a difference it made! It felt good and challenging. None of the grinding and grunting of the previous sets were there. Bar went up smoothly, back didnt arch either. Perfect OHP i would say

Deadlifts Ermm misread the size of the plate and put on 5kg on each side instead of 2.5 kg as i had actually planned. So weight went up by a total of 10kg. And of course i neednt say it was real hard. Was really exhausted by 4th set, 4th rep. I really never thought deadlifts would leave me that exhausted. Heart was really pounding.

Dips Ok i had to start my workout with this as i mentioned earlier. Decided today that today i WILL go parallel on dips and woohoo...so i did! 3 reps completely parallel on the 1st set! Then on the other two sets too i went parallel. Nice to know that i'm getting stronger..very slowly no doubt...but hey i 'v got a lot of growth still left in me!

[Nilan666]

@Bluegreyhound

Read the article. Man really some food for thought. I still don't know what my current 1 RM on squat is and i'm not willing to try it now either.
I think i would have to take it real slow and do one thing at a time. Mehinks i should initially focus on getting my squat upto 2xBW. Then increase my deadlift to >2xBW. After that i'll incorporate Olympic Lifts...

Really just a rough idea. But then, i serioulsy believe i just have to get stronger before getting powerful. Or is it a better idea to do both simultaneously...?

Cuz i know i'm lacking sufficient strength....guys my age are so damn strong. But i was reading on the net that those who are born late, have everything extended...extended childhood, extended adulthood, extended brain developement and a longer life as well...
So maybe because i was born 10 days after the due date( i had wrapped the placenta around ma neck 3 times! Can you believe that!!!!), my body and mind is really taking a rather long long time to grow...sigh

Man if i really clear my graduation and post graduation in biotechnology, i'm going to be willing to do research on this thing. And also variation of the athletic gene ACTN3 among Caucasians, Africans and Asian populations....
Hmm...nice idea for my PhD ! hehehe!

[Nilan666]

oK DAMN! The research has already been done! Baah! Well i just would have to come up with something else

[Bluegreyhound]

One idea. Work general strength and power in that order. You can train strength in a block 8-10 wks, then switch to power for 4. If you want to do olys throughout both blocks, that is fine, but aim for perfecting technique in your strength phase and for higher intensities in your power phase. Do 3x3 (or something similar) to maintain some strength during your power block. Cycle through strength > power> strength > power etc.. If you have any weaknesses, address then before the next strength block as part of GPP.

[Nilan666]

@Bluegreyhound

Thats a very good idea. So maybe i should do stronglifts for 8-10 weeks, then the next 4 weeks swithc to a workout comprising Cleans and Snatch. During that time, i do sqauts 3x3 and deadlifts 3x3 to maintain strength. that sound like a good idea?

If you have any weaknesses, address then before the next strength block as part of GPP.

GPP means general physical programme?

[Nilan666]

Okay so this whole week i havent been active on the forum...owing to illness(pharyngitis) + tiring college+ practise for the upcoming meet

So in brief i'm psoting the entire last week's log as follows..

2nd Sept

BS 17kg 1x7
37kg 1x6
57kg 1x5
64.5kg 4x5
BP 37kg 4x4
Deadlift 44.5kg 4x4
Dips 1x3,1x3,1x2

_______________________________________________________________________________________

4th sept

BS 17kg 1x8
37kg 1x6
57kg 1x5
67kg 4x5
OHP 37kg 4x5
Deadlift 47kg 4x4
Dips 1x3,1x3,1x2
_______________________________________________________________________________________


6th Spet

BS 17kg 1x10
37kg 1x6
57kg 1x5
69.5kg 4x5
BP 39.5kg 4x5
Deadlift 49.5kg 4x4
Dips 1x4,1x3,1x2
Power Clean 32kg 4x4

Comments

4th Sept-OHP Was hard..form not good...left arm going up bfor right arm. Will do this weight again.

6th Sept-Bench Press Had for th first time. FOrm not good....not able to keep arms still...not goin up in straight line. Have to do this weight again.

BAck Squat FOrm has improved thanks to deloading. Going beyond parallel in almost evry rep except towards the end set reps. Also focussing on lifting up fast. Hip drive has become much better now and i can always feel the strain in the glutes now while squatting.

Deadlift God these are feeling real heavy! Although they are not quite near the squat weights. 1st rep of the 1st set is ESPECIALLY the most difficult. F***ing thing takes my breath away!
I'v to exert the maximum effort on the very 1st rep. Other reps on other sets seem fine. WOnder if everyone feels the very 1st rep as the hardest?

Power Clean Had time on hand. Decided to make use of it and practise it with weights only instead of empty bar. Noticed that elbows are coming out in front much later and not simultaneously as it should be. I think i'll probably be able to correct this with more practice. Also can anyone tell me does the power in power clean come from punching the elbows out while catching the bar or the hip extension which takes place during the short jump or both?


Also i've bruised both my shins while deadlifting and/or during power cleans. It has become red,swollen and painful to touch .

[Nilan666]

Oh and some correction in my weight...apparently the weighing machine at the doctor's clinic was flawed. I went to another doc's clinic where my weight came up as 67kg and not 62kg . I went to the weighing machine at the gym and there too i found myself to be at 67kg.

So i'v actually gone up from 66 kg in June to 67kg now . ( i had earlier checked my weight in june in the gym, that time it showed 66kg)