"SHARPIE ACCIDENT"

Objective: Power/Power Endurance

Warm up: 5 Rounds
10x Wall Ball @ 10#
10x GHD situp

Training:

(1) 5 Rounds
15 sec. Front Squat @ 95# with mini bands
1 min rest

(2) 5 Rounds
5x Jump Squat @ 115#
1 min rest

(3) 3x8 Glute Ham Raise

(4) Run 60 min @ 80% MHR

Then..... change modes to Rock Gym

(1) 5x2 "Frenchie" (1-Frenchie = 1 pullup, hold at top for 5-count, drop down, pull up, drop down to 90-degree elbow angle, hold for 5 count, drop down, pull up, drop down to 120-degrees, hold for 5 count.

(2) 3 Rounds
5x Boulder problems on the minute for 5 minutes
3 minutes rest
- 15 bouldering problems total

(3) 15 laps on the climbing wall, 20 hand movements each lap, 1:1 work/rest ratio, bodyweight only. 300 total hand movements.

"SPARING TRISH"

Trish rowed crew in college, and suffered back pain/spasms during Monday's workout. Wednesday we designed this workout to rest her back.

Warm up: Row 500m (easy)

Training:

(1) Work up to 1RM Bench Press

(2) 5 Rounds
5x Bench Press @ 75% 1RM
Squat mobility drill

(1) 3 Rounds
21 Airdyne Calories
2-min step up on on 20-in. box
Rest 1 minute

(2) 5 Rounds
10x Dips
1-min fast step up on 8-inch box

(3) 5 Rounds
10x Pull ups
1-minute jump rope

Comments:

Athletes' Performance uses Keiser Training power racks and cable machines. I had the opportunity to mess around with these units a little during my mentorship with Athletes' Performance a couple years ago in LA.

Keiser uses pneumatic air columns which can be attached to the barbells using cables. The barbells can still be loaded with plates.

Keiser's pneumatic system creates the ultimate accomodating resistance on the barbell. We all know that when doing a squat, the barbell is harder to move at the bottom of the movement and easier near the top. Keiser's system keeps the barbell's resistance the same throughout the lift.

Further, Keiser has attached power meters to its power racks - and we know that wattage is the best way to measure work. Power meters are used extensively by bicyclists.

The young coach who was the main instructor for my mentorship explained how Athlete's Performance was beginning to use the Keiser equipment and especially their wattage meters. He had conducted preseason training for several National Hockey League players, and instead of using overloading to build their front squat strength, kept the weight consistent during the training period at just 95# - and had his athletes do as many reps possible for 10 or 15 seconds. Even then he didn't count reps. Instead, he read the power meter on the Keiser and wrote down the total wattage produced during the period.

Over the course of the training period, his athlete's wattage increased, and at the end, he did a 1 rep max test, and sure enough, got positive results. - His hockey players got stronger not by lifting more weight, but by becoming more powerful.

At the Air Force Academy, former strength coach Alan Hedrick also used this "power" idea to train his athletes. He didn't have Keiser machines, but instead would give his athletes a certain time period and rep count and ask that they chose a load in which they could get the rep count in the time alotted. For example, 10 seconds to do 8 reps. If at first the athlete, for example, was able to get 3 sets of 8 power cleans in 10 seconds at 135#, then after a few weeks of training, was able to get the same work done at 155#, Coach Hedrick knew the athlete had become more "powerful."

Westside Barbell uses bands and chains for its "dynamic" or speed lifting days - but they have no way to measure power. Louie Simmons does see positive results correlated between this "speed" work and overall strength. I'm hardly an expert on the Westside system, but I don't recall Coach Simmons referring to "power" as a measurement.

We can't afford a handful of those spiffy Keiser machines, but will soon be moving to some type of accomodating resistance for sure - bands or chains and will begin to experiment a little with measuring "power" under the barbell.

Today I was able to get 10 reps of front squats with 95# and the small, pink Iron Woody bands in 15 seconds for each of the 5 rounds. Afterward I took off the bands, added 20 more pounds for a total of 115# and did a 5x5 of jump squats. Let me tell you - my stuff was "activated" because I felt like I could fly with that barbell on my back! That 115# felt like a light piece of pvc!

You can read above the back-saving workout I wrote up for Trish Wednesday. Lower back issues dominate pain for all my athletes, regardless of age and recently I've been studying Dr. Stuart McGill's landmark book on the issue "Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance."

Some interesting things I've learned so far:

- Stretching has not been proven to ease lower back pain, and could actually be bad.

- Back problems actually don't increase with age.

- There is no correlation between back pain and tight hamstrings.

- The long term keys to easing back pain include increasing hip mobility, teaching the athlete how to "set" his or her back in a neutral position, improving lower back strength endurance, and teaching "core" awareness.

- Finally, our session at the rock gym today was uncommonly "easy." We just used bodyweight on the 15 climbing wall laps and it wasn't enough. I should have added weighted backpacks. Still learning ....

- Rob Shaul

The only thing worse than the Airdyne? - a Versa Climber!

2-min of steps ups on a 20" box - an idea stolen shamelessly from Gym Jones!