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Trick #3 Use Squats For Delayed Potentiation

maybe my squat before speed workout is not a bad idea after all. been doing it that way all this time. my self-reason for doing it is the effective "warmup" i get when i feel all the big muscles in my legs have fired already.

i don't do piston type continuous tension - bodybuilding reps where the whole set feels like a one big long rep. i'm more like 3sec on, 2sec off, repeat.. thats one set. could be the reason i dont tire much even with heavy weights.

^ no special genes here.. just a lot of consistency.

Mon
Feb 20, 2012

Daily Squats High Rep - Paused Rep Warmups / Non-Paused Back Up
[200,250x4][300,350x2][400,425x1]
- 375 4x2

* felt stronger than yesterday. the 425x1 starting to get up convincingly again. back up sets stopped at 375x4 to give recovery more time.
* trained at the combine prep facility and did sprint drills. will do these skill work as often as i can.

Volume Backup Sets Cycle
Paused Warmups
[200,250x4][300,350x2][400,425x1]

                      Fri    Sat    Sun   Mon   Tue    Wed   Thur
Week 1   350  8x2   8x2     8x1    4x2    8x1    8x2     8X2
Week 2   370  6x2   6x1     4x2    6x2    6x1    4x2     6|7
Week 3   375  6x2   4x2     6x1    6x2    4x2    4x2     4x2
Week 4   375  4x2   4x2     4x2    4x2

Sprint Drills
- sprint starts
- 2.5lb weighted/non-weighted armswings, seated / standing
- high knees
- high knees with front kick
- high knees straight leg
- forward / backward / side ankle hops

Sun
Feb 19, 2012

Daily Squats High Rep - Paused Rep Warmups / Non-Paused Back Up
[200,250x4][300,350x2][400,425x1]
- 375 4x2

* lowerback strain gone. judging from the explosiveness of the paused 400x1, the 425 would be impossible if i dont wake up some more. black expresso shots, and a strong war cry - 425 got up. the weight felt 20lbs heavier. good that the work week is done. time to get some serious rest and sleep and come back stronger next time.
* 375x4 was also heavy. no chance of a 375x6.  the 425x1 paused followed by -50lb for 375x milti reps is working well. i want to get the backup x6-8reps to 390 eventually so a paused 440x1 will be repeatable daily. give myself 8-12weeks for that. im at week 4.
* lifts are now taking me less than 90 mins. consistent on 4-6mins between warmup paused reps. 6min on first back up set, 12-14 on 2nd if im tired.

Volume Backup Sets Cycle
Paused Warmups
[200,250x4][300,350x2][400,425x1]

                      Fri    Sat    Sun   Mon   Tue    Wed   Thur
Week 1   350  8x2   8x2     8x1    4x2    8x1    8x2     8X2
Week 2   370  6x2   6x1     4x2    6x2    6x1    4x2     6|7
Week 3   375  6x2   4x2     6x1    6x2    4x2    4x2     4x2
Week 4   375  4x2   4x2     4x2

Fri
Feb 17, 2012

Daily Squats High Rep - Paused Rep Warmups / Non-Paused Back Up
[200,250x4][300x2][350,375,400,425x1]
- 375 4x2

* lowerback strain at ~85% healed. walk out on the squats were not micro steps anymore. i can still feel something is not right in there so i did not really go all out explosive with the lifts - it made the 425x1 heavier than it needs to be today. also stopped at 375x4. hopefully this workout shoots up my recovery.
* will have a strong dinner of steak, eggs, brown rice, butternut squash soup and lots of whey protein shakes through out the night. 
* changed warmup set to see if it made the 400 lighter. didn't really helped that much. will do the usual ramping next time.

Volume Backup Sets Cycle
Paused Warmups
[200,250x4][300,350x2][400,425x1]

                      Fri    Sat    Sun   Mon   Tue    Wed   Thur
Week 1   350  8x2   8x2     8x1    4x2    8x1    8x2     8X2
Week 2   370  6x2   6x1     4x2    6x2    6x1    4x2     6|7
Week 3   375  6x2   4x2     6x1    6x2    4x2    4x2     4x2
Week 4   375  4x2

Wed
Feb 15, 2012

Daily Squats High Rep - Paused Rep Warmups / Non-Paused Back Up
[200,250x4][300,350x2][400,425x1]
- 375 4x2

* a piece of muscle in the lower left spinal erector area is strained - could be from the sleds/sprint, definitely not from the jumps.
* legs were feeling very strong so i did something i don't usually do - took NSAID. still hurting after 4 hours. it was painful to twist to get out of bed. painful to get into/out of my car. thing is, the pain is only there when the lower back is moving/twisting. no pain when im standing or squatting to pick up something from the floor as long as i dont bend the back. took a dose of fukitol. when to gym.
* spent time trying to figure out how to get 200lb to the starting spot.  micro steps worked. very uncomfortable but it got me there. had to ask 2 trainers to lift the 425 for me as i step back to the starting spot. i got 350/375 there by myself but spent too much effort doing it.
* stopped at 375x4. i don't think il get 6 anyway because i tire myself too much walking back putting most of the weight on the right side of my body. good thing i did not hurt anything doing it that way.
* il come back stronger tmrw when my lowerback gets better. the 425x1 was easy today. did not blast the concentric as hard as i normally do. im in somewhat on a protect mode. the 425 did get up smoothly. legs are boss. nice.

Volume Backup Sets Cycle
Paused Warmups
[200,250x4][300,350x2][400,425x1]

                      Fri    Sat    Sun   Mon   Tue    Wed   Thur
Week 1   350  8x2   8x2     8x1    4x2    8x1    8x2     8X2
Week 2   370  6x2   6x1     4x2    6x2    6x1    4x2     6|7
Week 3   375  6x2   4x2     6x1    6x2    4x2    4x2

* lower back strain/injury update - lead trainer explained that doing sleds with the hand harness puts more strain on the lowerback/glutes. i was only using light weights for the short sled drags but the repetition probably got me. a shoulder or belt harness should be used to minimize straining the lowerback/glutes, or i just have to adapt better to the hand harness setup i have now - more recovery / less intensity

^ my work hours are wed-sat nights alternating sat. 13hour shifts. typical day - finish work, go home and sleep daytime up to 6-7hrs. lift 1-2hr. go back home and eat, 1hr nap. go back to work. i live 10mins away.

i would do 2x a day training on my off days. during work days, there is really nothing much i can do besides sleep, lift, eat, nap and back to work.

Mon
Feb 13, 2012

Daily Squats High Rep - Paused Rep Warmups / Non-Paused Back Up
[200,250x4][300,350x2][400,425x1]
- 375 6x2

* 425x1 better than yesterday but still not the strongest. 375x6 getting easier. could have had 7x2 but decided to give legs more time to re-charge
* doing daily speed - jumps/sleds/sprints, and skill - front squats/power clean in the afternoon. i train 2x a day sometimes but need to be consistent on that from now. will get 1.5-2hr mid day nap after the squat and go at it again.
* a few more 375x6s and when i get to 375x8, il probably just go for 400x2-4. can't maintain this high rep back up sets. kills other speed/explosiveness. fatigue is stronger compared to heavy near-max singles.

Volume Backup Sets Cycle
[200,250x4][300,350x2][400,425x1] - paused warmups

                      Fri    Sat    Sun   Mon   Tue    Wed   Thur
Week 1   350  8x2   8x2     8x1    4x2    8x1    8x2     8X2
Week 2   370  6x2   6x1     4x2    6x2    6x1    4x2     6|7
Week 3   375  6x2   4x2     6x1    6x2

Sun
Feb 12, 2012

Daily Squats High Rep - Paused Rep Warmups / Non-Paused Back Up
[200,250x4][300,350x2][400,425x1]
- 375 6x1

* good rest, sleep and food. strength coming back nicely. 425x1 a lot more explosive than yesterday. not the smoothest concentric but still good enough to have something left.
* stopped at 1 set of 375x6. concentric speed slowed down at rep6. called it a day.

Volume Backup Sets Cycle
[200,250x4][300,350x2][400,425x1] - paused warmups

                      Fri    Sat    Sun   Mon   Tue    Wed   Thur
Week 1   350  8x2   8x2     8x1    4x2    8x1    8x2     8X2
Week 2   370  6x2   6x1     4x2    6x2    6x1    4x2     6+7
Week 3   375  6x2   4x2     6x1