Heavy Ass Sled Drags
Probably found a new best friend in the weight room. Ive heard of this drill for a few weeks now but havnt implemented it until about 2 weeks ago and I love it.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Brunswick Elite - Home opener
Cold as hell.
The best description of Saturday March 26th is that of an oxymoron. Wind gusts up to 20mph and temperatures that never broke 28 was only made bearable by the fact that there was barely a cloud in the sky. Even better was the annoying drama that led up to the meet.
First I get a text not from another coach but from an athlete telling me the meets canceled. So I called to confirm and it was in fact canceled. I wasnt happy but hey its not up to me. So I decided to schedule a throws only meet. As Im slowly getting in touch with everyone saying to come out at noon Saturday the girls coach comes up to me-
"You think we canceled too soon? Im kinda thinking that..."
"Yea I think we did. Im having my own meet anyways so no real big deal for me."
Then maybe an hour later after Im well on my way to setting everything up I get a call-
"Ok were going to have the girls meet and guys are not running. Starts at 11."
Great now I had to call everyone and get things rescheduled. Full girls meet but just a boys open throwing event afterwards. No problem, right?
-2 hours later, roughly 930pm I get a text-
"Meet is still a go. 10am boys and girls."
AWWW SUNUVA$^#^(&@*&^*&$%#()%&*#%#()!!!
So now Im back on the phone for the 3rd time in as many hours telling everyone the meet is back to normal and its all good...I guess.
Oh yea- boys sprinters were not to compete. Wow.No offense but suck it up. Kids in Canada, Russia, and Alaska still train and compete in this crap. Were too damn spoiled sometimes I swear.
Anyways the meet itself went well. A few schools didnt bother showing up but that just sped things along. Girls events went first and well thanks to Kristens fall back half-turn throw in shot to save a little face in that event. 32' was the best from my team that day and frankly thats just .... yea moving on. Shots never been my forte but we're way better than what we've been showing lately.
DISCUS
My favorite and I guess its showing. First off we had a throwoff Monday and Karly came out strong and kept it going. Popped a 105' Monday and my first thought - lets not have a repeat of last year. Rewind time she smacked a 99' foot throw during trials and then 5 days later choked HAAARD at the relay and threw 77'. Luckily she got over that and a little experience went a long way as she went 103'8" to take her first 1st place finish. Not the greatest performance from Brunswick in recent history but for an undersized sophomore Ill take it.
Boys discus took the show with 3 top ranked throwers in the first flight. Im glad I was running this otherise the seeding would have been alphabetically and Jesse would have been in a flight by himself and not to dog the other throwers but having him compete against 110' throwers just isnt effective for training.
Anyways Jess opens up big with a 167'3 and sets a new PR by just under 2 feet. AJ (Solon) and Aaron (St.Eds) had some catching up to do but both struggle the first 2 rounds. AJ and Jesse both fould 2 throws well over the 170 line but couldnt keep inside the ring. Jess was up first in the 4th and final round but shanked the disc. So now it was up to AJ and Aaron to come up. AJ uncorks his final throw but falls short around 163 and Aaron did the same with a high wobbly 163' throw as well. I forgot the inches and cant find the results at the moment but in the end Jess won the disc with Aj in 2nd and Aaron in a close 3rd. Helluva achievement for Jess since hes got a rough history competing against big throwers.
Shot was less entertaining but still a decent day to watch. Aj took the title with a 54' (I think) while Jess finished second in the 52 range. I think at this point the cold was starting to wear on the throwers a bit except some of the bigger framed guys who still managed some good throws. First thought is the second Solon throwers (Orton?) who was in the upper 40's and the manchild from Medina going 45'10"...seriously Kruger, what you feeding these kids? One of the biggest freshman Ive ever seen.
The best description of Saturday March 26th is that of an oxymoron. Wind gusts up to 20mph and temperatures that never broke 28 was only made bearable by the fact that there was barely a cloud in the sky. Even better was the annoying drama that led up to the meet.
First I get a text not from another coach but from an athlete telling me the meets canceled. So I called to confirm and it was in fact canceled. I wasnt happy but hey its not up to me. So I decided to schedule a throws only meet. As Im slowly getting in touch with everyone saying to come out at noon Saturday the girls coach comes up to me-
"You think we canceled too soon? Im kinda thinking that..."
"Yea I think we did. Im having my own meet anyways so no real big deal for me."
Then maybe an hour later after Im well on my way to setting everything up I get a call-
"Ok were going to have the girls meet and guys are not running. Starts at 11."
Great now I had to call everyone and get things rescheduled. Full girls meet but just a boys open throwing event afterwards. No problem, right?
-2 hours later, roughly 930pm I get a text-
"Meet is still a go. 10am boys and girls."
AWWW SUNUVA$^#^(&@*&^*&$%#()%&*#%#()!!!
So now Im back on the phone for the 3rd time in as many hours telling everyone the meet is back to normal and its all good...I guess.
Oh yea- boys sprinters were not to compete. Wow.No offense but suck it up. Kids in Canada, Russia, and Alaska still train and compete in this crap. Were too damn spoiled sometimes I swear.
Anyways the meet itself went well. A few schools didnt bother showing up but that just sped things along. Girls events went first and well thanks to Kristens fall back half-turn throw in shot to save a little face in that event. 32' was the best from my team that day and frankly thats just .... yea moving on. Shots never been my forte but we're way better than what we've been showing lately.
DISCUS
My favorite and I guess its showing. First off we had a throwoff Monday and Karly came out strong and kept it going. Popped a 105' Monday and my first thought - lets not have a repeat of last year. Rewind time she smacked a 99' foot throw during trials and then 5 days later choked HAAARD at the relay and threw 77'. Luckily she got over that and a little experience went a long way as she went 103'8" to take her first 1st place finish. Not the greatest performance from Brunswick in recent history but for an undersized sophomore Ill take it.
Boys discus took the show with 3 top ranked throwers in the first flight. Im glad I was running this otherise the seeding would have been alphabetically and Jesse would have been in a flight by himself and not to dog the other throwers but having him compete against 110' throwers just isnt effective for training.
Anyways Jess opens up big with a 167'3 and sets a new PR by just under 2 feet. AJ (Solon) and Aaron (St.Eds) had some catching up to do but both struggle the first 2 rounds. AJ and Jesse both fould 2 throws well over the 170 line but couldnt keep inside the ring. Jess was up first in the 4th and final round but shanked the disc. So now it was up to AJ and Aaron to come up. AJ uncorks his final throw but falls short around 163 and Aaron did the same with a high wobbly 163' throw as well. I forgot the inches and cant find the results at the moment but in the end Jess won the disc with Aj in 2nd and Aaron in a close 3rd. Helluva achievement for Jess since hes got a rough history competing against big throwers.
Shot was less entertaining but still a decent day to watch. Aj took the title with a 54' (I think) while Jess finished second in the 52 range. I think at this point the cold was starting to wear on the throwers a bit except some of the bigger framed guys who still managed some good throws. First thought is the second Solon throwers (Orton?) who was in the upper 40's and the manchild from Medina going 45'10"...seriously Kruger, what you feeding these kids? One of the biggest freshman Ive ever seen.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
EFS Swiss Bar - Review
UPDATE 3/13/2012: After beating the hell out of this thing for almost a year now I REALLY like having this bar around. Its a decent substitute for a Log Press. Great bar to get some tricep or curl work in. Also allows for decent shoulder rehab if standard bar presses are beginning to hurt. Also, for specific exercises that relate to sports such as football this bar is very useful. I've also put the bar on the rack and used it to perform Inverted Rows from. Lot a different exercises for a bar that costs about the price of a good quality heavy bar.
Well I got my new Swiss Bar about a week ago and wanted to give it a go before I gave a review on it. I'll first off say that I like it. Definitely cost me some coin, about 330 total, but considering it allows me to get some bench work in without destroying my shoulder I would say its worth it for now.
I was originally told it would take 1-2 weeks to arrive. It arrived 2 days later. This was after a phone call about 24hrs after purchase telling me that "the orders placed and you should receive it within the next week." Well damn, I thought, thats cool. Then sure enough I get home from practice the next day and theres this big long box hanging out at my front door step. Despite the hole the bar apparently dug out of the side everything was going great so far.
I took the bar up to the gym the next morning to give it a go. Took a look at it and on initial inspection it seemed solid, sturdy, and with a nice even coat of rhino skin. Threw it on the rack and got some press work in. Definitely was a shock compared to normal bench. My shoulders feel much better than typical benching but its a humbling experience. I managed a meager 195x7 as a final rep set. This is counting the fact the bar weighs 35lbs instead of 45lbs.
So far Ive tried a few variations and the Swiss Bar puts a nice spin on old exercises. Tri-extensions, curls, rows, whatever. Floor presses are a solid option with the wide grip as well. I plan on using chains in combination with the SB when I get the cash for those.
I really like the multi-grip bars through the middle. Inside definitely hits the tri's harder while the outside grip I can feel on the chest more resulting in a few more pounds being moved around. The 'regular' grip or the 2nd bar is the one I typically use now on bench days. I have heard some complaints about the bar being unstable due to the wide grips. I can see this being true although I have big hands and that has not been a problem. I did, however, have one of my girls press this bar this morning and she commented on it was tough at first finding the center of the bar.
As for my shoulder I can still feel some pain at full contraction but no where near as I would with a regular bench. It is only as the bar approaches my chest and immediately after I press. I found using a pair of light bands really help get the weight up without putting my shoulders at risk of just using heavy weight period.
Really the two negatives I can see with this bar are the collars are awkward and annoying but since the bar itself is slightly smaller than a typical Oly-bar my spring collars wont fit. Come on, EFS, at least bend the screws at the top a little more, would ya? The tightening screw angles at MAYBE 20degrees making it very tough to tighten. Lastly, the truck bed covering that is sprayed on is already peeling off the bar near the ends. This really isnt an issue but figured it needed to be included in my review.
Overall I like this piece of equipment and would recommend it for those who need a new addition to their arsenal and have the cash. It is pricey for just a bar but you get a lot of options out of it. I have tried the Football Bar in the past and honestly prefer the Swiss Bar.
Well I got my new Swiss Bar about a week ago and wanted to give it a go before I gave a review on it. I'll first off say that I like it. Definitely cost me some coin, about 330 total, but considering it allows me to get some bench work in without destroying my shoulder I would say its worth it for now.
I was originally told it would take 1-2 weeks to arrive. It arrived 2 days later. This was after a phone call about 24hrs after purchase telling me that "the orders placed and you should receive it within the next week." Well damn, I thought, thats cool. Then sure enough I get home from practice the next day and theres this big long box hanging out at my front door step. Despite the hole the bar apparently dug out of the side everything was going great so far.
I took the bar up to the gym the next morning to give it a go. Took a look at it and on initial inspection it seemed solid, sturdy, and with a nice even coat of rhino skin. Threw it on the rack and got some press work in. Definitely was a shock compared to normal bench. My shoulders feel much better than typical benching but its a humbling experience. I managed a meager 195x7 as a final rep set. This is counting the fact the bar weighs 35lbs instead of 45lbs.
So far Ive tried a few variations and the Swiss Bar puts a nice spin on old exercises. Tri-extensions, curls, rows, whatever. Floor presses are a solid option with the wide grip as well. I plan on using chains in combination with the SB when I get the cash for those.
I really like the multi-grip bars through the middle. Inside definitely hits the tri's harder while the outside grip I can feel on the chest more resulting in a few more pounds being moved around. The 'regular' grip or the 2nd bar is the one I typically use now on bench days. I have heard some complaints about the bar being unstable due to the wide grips. I can see this being true although I have big hands and that has not been a problem. I did, however, have one of my girls press this bar this morning and she commented on it was tough at first finding the center of the bar.
As for my shoulder I can still feel some pain at full contraction but no where near as I would with a regular bench. It is only as the bar approaches my chest and immediately after I press. I found using a pair of light bands really help get the weight up without putting my shoulders at risk of just using heavy weight period.
Really the two negatives I can see with this bar are the collars are awkward and annoying but since the bar itself is slightly smaller than a typical Oly-bar my spring collars wont fit. Come on, EFS, at least bend the screws at the top a little more, would ya? The tightening screw angles at MAYBE 20degrees making it very tough to tighten. Lastly, the truck bed covering that is sprayed on is already peeling off the bar near the ends. This really isnt an issue but figured it needed to be included in my review.
Overall I like this piece of equipment and would recommend it for those who need a new addition to their arsenal and have the cash. It is pricey for just a bar but you get a lot of options out of it. I have tried the Football Bar in the past and honestly prefer the Swiss Bar.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Hell week
This is always the absolute WORST time to train. That week following a long break. By long break honestly its really anything over 2 weeks of doing absolutely nothing. EVERYTHING hurts right now. I miss when a few weeks back I was just fatigued but still functional. Right now my hips are sore as hell and upper body is just tight. Box squats on Tuesday messed me up. I didnt even train today. I woke up late and just felt so damn sore that my drive to move anything heavy was practically non-existent. Im definitly hitting it hard tommorow. Lot of band work to catch up on.
Also, this 6am lifting is getting hard to get adjusted to. I still have a tendency to go to sleep at 11 or 12midnight and waking up 5hrs later is really taking its toll. Its 7:26pm right now and all I can think of is hitting the sack and catching up on some shut eye. Need to stay awake....must. Watch. Archer.
Alright thats enough whining. I got other news but figure thats worthy of a separate blog since its a pretty positive note to my week despite the ups and downs I had to go through.
Also, this 6am lifting is getting hard to get adjusted to. I still have a tendency to go to sleep at 11 or 12midnight and waking up 5hrs later is really taking its toll. Its 7:26pm right now and all I can think of is hitting the sack and catching up on some shut eye. Need to stay awake....must. Watch. Archer.
Alright thats enough whining. I got other news but figure thats worthy of a separate blog since its a pretty positive note to my week despite the ups and downs I had to go through.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Back at it - part 2
Well today was eventful. Went at it hard for lower body. Pretty disappointed with my numbers but thats expected now. I figure for now on any lift I used to be able to do Im knocking 10% off and going with that as my assumed max. This may or may not be accurate but it gives me a starting point. Case in point my last squat max was 505 but now after being sick I figure its about 450. Bench same deal- used to be 340 now down to 310...fml.
Anyways here was today-
Knee prehab
Weighted box jumps -3x5, 30" box, 2x20lb DBs
Hang clean- 6x6@70% 195 (need to add volume and get my ass back into some kind of shape)
Box squat- 5x6@70% 335x5 then 315x5 4 sets. I got a lil cocky and went too heavy. Then go figure my hamstrings starting acting up by the 5th set so I cut out the band set rep out. Gotta listen to my body. Good news is back is feeling great same with my knees.
Clean pull- 3x5 @ 275
Bulgarian Squat - 8x45,8x65,8x85,8x95 (cuz of my hamstring wasnt sure how these would go. felt alright with a bar on my back. definitly will need to go heavier next week)
glute ham raise- 3x8 body weight. (went easy and felt easy. so thats good news. will hit the bands next week)
School started around that point so I can to cut it short and get my stretching in. Ill finish up with some weighted situps, russian twists, and reverse hypers after practice.
In other news Im scheduled for a cortisone shot in my left heel (finally) since the bone spur is still giving me problems. Orthotics aint helping and doc suggested just shooting the whole thing up once or twice with some steroids. Yea buddy....
Anyways here was today-
Knee prehab
Weighted box jumps -3x5, 30" box, 2x20lb DBs
Hang clean- 6x6@70% 195 (need to add volume and get my ass back into some kind of shape)
Box squat- 5x6@70% 335x5 then 315x5 4 sets. I got a lil cocky and went too heavy. Then go figure my hamstrings starting acting up by the 5th set so I cut out the band set rep out. Gotta listen to my body. Good news is back is feeling great same with my knees.
Clean pull- 3x5 @ 275
Bulgarian Squat - 8x45,8x65,8x85,8x95 (cuz of my hamstring wasnt sure how these would go. felt alright with a bar on my back. definitly will need to go heavier next week)
glute ham raise- 3x8 body weight. (went easy and felt easy. so thats good news. will hit the bands next week)
School started around that point so I can to cut it short and get my stretching in. Ill finish up with some weighted situps, russian twists, and reverse hypers after practice.
In other news Im scheduled for a cortisone shot in my left heel (finally) since the bone spur is still giving me problems. Orthotics aint helping and doc suggested just shooting the whole thing up once or twice with some steroids. Yea buddy....
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