Author Topic: chasing athleticism  (Read 923817 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

entropy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1684
  • b00m!
  • Respect: +276
    • View Profile
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #240 on: August 28, 2012, 06:12:42 am »
0
I scoffed at the plank as something crossfitters do, but then read Dan John's Easy Strength and one of the first things he does with his athletes before starting any weight training is checking to see if they can hold a plank for 60 seconds. I actually tried to do one and i couldn't last 10 seconds. It might be cos im fatigued from yesterdays marathon session but dunno, maybe I have a weak c0re? On one hand that sucks to find out i'm so weak somewhere, and on other hand it's grea because I like finding out about a weakness  I can now address.

Just had an idea to try them with a belt on, see if that helps. Because i was failing from my hamstrings not so much my abs now that i think about it

Speaking of abs - I have observed that my abs no longer feel sore after doing a lot of chinups or leg raises. Whenever I did over 20 reps on these, i would always make my abs sore the next day - this doesn't happen anymore. The only other thing ive changed in training is doing front squats a lot. Is it possible my abs have gotten stronger FROM front squats? That might explain it perhaps.

I tried doing overhead squats today and was surprised to find I could kinda do them. I can go pretty deep too! So seems my flexibility and mobility has improved this last few months. Man i've come a long way from the inflexible, broken guy who first came here!

Now that my ankle is better, I can start using the ab wheel too.

I'm kicking myself for not getting a DEXA when I started my cut at around 86kg. If I had known i might only be 15% bf  at 80kg and not 10%, i would have done RFL to get down to 80kg quicker instead of spending months losing those 5kg. But I don't regret anything - i wouldn't have made all the training improvements i've made if I was doing RFL.

Anyway now that I know i'm still quite overweight, im gonna make the most of it. Everything I do using my bodyweight has a strength training effect. So running, jumping, pushups, chinups, ab roll outs, planks etc all make me stronger and better, so im gonna be doing them as part of my normal training. Hell even jogging will grow my calves while burning bodyfat so im gonna do that too.

Training
850m, 10mins,  treadmill fasted (AM)
850m, 10mins treadmill (PM)
1.5km walk and shooting hoops  
« Last Edit: August 29, 2012, 06:13:31 am by entropy »
Goals: Cutting to 6-8% bodyfat

Raptor

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 14552
  • Respect: +2469
    • Yahoo Instant Messenger - raptorescu
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #241 on: August 28, 2012, 06:50:45 am »
0
How is not being able to hold a 10s plank even possible? Never met anybody that can't do it.

entropy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1684
  • b00m!
  • Respect: +276
    • View Profile
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #242 on: August 28, 2012, 07:02:04 am »
0
How is not being able to hold a 10s plank even possible? Never met anybody that can't do it.

Are you calling me fat? I challenge you to a plank off.
Goals: Cutting to 6-8% bodyfat

AGC

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1622
  • Respect: +1194
    • View Profile
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #243 on: August 28, 2012, 07:24:21 am »
0
Yeah I find that hard to believe especially if you can rep 70kgs for bench and back squat 110kgs+.

entropy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1684
  • b00m!
  • Respect: +276
    • View Profile
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #244 on: August 28, 2012, 10:09:40 am »
0
Ok i reviewed my time and it was 17s -slightly more than 10 but not significantly. This was a wobbly, struggling effort. It wasn't an effortless this-is-a-waste-of-my-time-i-could-do-this-all-day type of thing. I don't think I had good form either. Is it easy for the rest of you guys to do > 1 minute?
Goals: Cutting to 6-8% bodyfat

LBSS

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12841
  • plugging away...
  • Respect: +7949
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #245 on: August 28, 2012, 10:44:08 am »
+1
17s plank is pretty bad. my friend jimmy, when he gets new clients, one of the tests he uses is plank for max time. if you can hold for 30s or more, okay, if not, core work becomes an focus of the training. a one minute hold would not be challenging for me, it's more interesting to add variations (plank using rings, plank with one arm and one leg raised, etc.).

core stuff is easy to do, too, you don't even need to do it with the rest of your workout.
Muscles are nonsensical they have nothing to do with this bullshit.

- Avishek

https://www.savannahstate.edu/cost/nrotc/documents/Inform2010-thearmstrongworkout_Enclosure15_5-2-10.pdf

black lives matter

vag

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5993
  • Respect: +3779
    • View Profile
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #246 on: August 28, 2012, 10:52:57 am »
0
A lot depends on the plank type.

This plank should be easy:




The plank that kellyb does at the end of this video is near impossible:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOvkwrzJTNA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOvkwrzJTNA</a>



Kellyb has some interesting things to say about abs in this article:

http://www.higher-faster-sports.com/noglutes.html

Quote
Core Stability

You'll also want to test your basic core stability.

TEST #1

PERFORM A PLANK: Get into a pushup position, then rest your forearms on the floor. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your feet (don't let your hips sag). Hold the position as long as you can. You pass if you can hold it for two minutes or longer.



You fail if you collapse before the two-minute mark, or if your hips dip at any point within that time frame.

TEST #2

PERFORM A SIDE PLANK: Turn onto your side and, keeping your body in a straight line (just as in the plank described above), rest your weight on your forearm. Hold the position as long as you can, then repeat on the other side.



You pass if you can hold the position for 90 seconds or longer.

You fail if you collapse before the time is up, or if your hips dip at any point within that time frame.

Fortunately, if you fail at either of those tests you can remedy the problem with the same exercises you used in the tests.

For the next 3-4 weeks, perform both tests 3 times per week, doing 2-3 sets of 30-second holds for each, and working up from there.

« Last Edit: August 28, 2012, 12:48:53 pm by vag »
Target training paces (min/km), calculated from 5K PR 22:49 :
Easy run : 5:48
Tempo run : 4:50
VO2-max run :4:21
Speed form run : 4:02

---

it's the biggest trick in the run game.. go slow to go fast. it doesn't make sense until it smacks you in the face and you're like ....... wtf?

LBSS

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12841
  • plugging away...
  • Respect: +7949
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #247 on: August 28, 2012, 10:55:42 am »
+1
i can do those ones with my arms all the way out, too.  ;D

i can also do standing ab wheel rollouts, so maybe i'm actually kind of strong in the core.
Muscles are nonsensical they have nothing to do with this bullshit.

- Avishek

https://www.savannahstate.edu/cost/nrotc/documents/Inform2010-thearmstrongworkout_Enclosure15_5-2-10.pdf

black lives matter

entropy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1684
  • b00m!
  • Respect: +276
    • View Profile
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #248 on: August 28, 2012, 10:58:43 am »
+1
Yeah you definitely are some strong cored bastard!
Goals: Cutting to 6-8% bodyfat

Mikey

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3303
  • Respect: +2787
    • View Profile
    • http://www.youtube.com/user/Mutumbo000?feature=mhee
    • Email
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #249 on: August 28, 2012, 11:16:06 am »
0
Ok i reviewed my time and it was 17s -slightly more than 10 but not significantly. This was a wobbly, struggling effort. It wasn't an effortless this-is-a-waste-of-my-time-i-could-do-this-all-day type of thing. I don't think I had good form either. Is it easy for the rest of you guys to do > 1 minute?

I tried it and got over 2 minutes easy.
"IMO, It didn't happen if it's not on vid/official"- adarqui

It's easier to keep up than it is to catch up...

Raptor

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 14552
  • Respect: +2469
    • Yahoo Instant Messenger - raptorescu
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #250 on: August 28, 2012, 12:43:22 pm »
0
Yeah it depends. You could also do a russian plank... both Bret Contreras and Pavel demonstrated that one.

entropy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1684
  • b00m!
  • Respect: +276
    • View Profile
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #251 on: August 29, 2012, 01:11:15 am »
0
Yeah it depends. You could also do a russian plank... both Bret Contreras and Pavel demonstrated that one.

Uh yea I don't have a kettle bell bro.

I tried it and got over 2 minutes easy.

Ok thanks, if you've never done one before and managed 2 mins easy, then i've got some work to do. Will work up to 2 minutes over the next few wks.
Goals: Cutting to 6-8% bodyfat

Mikey

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3303
  • Respect: +2787
    • View Profile
    • http://www.youtube.com/user/Mutumbo000?feature=mhee
    • Email
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #252 on: August 29, 2012, 01:21:22 am »
0
Yeah it depends. You could also do a russian plank... both Bret Contreras and Pavel demonstrated that one.

Uh yea I don't have a kettle bell bro.

I tried it and got over 2 minutes easy.

Ok thanks, if you've never done one before and managed 2 mins easy, then i've got some work to do. Will work up to 2 minutes over the next few wks.

I've done planks before but I havn't done them for a while. At rugby training in pre-season we'll always be doing stuff like planks and having competitions on who can hold them the longest and shit like that.
"IMO, It didn't happen if it's not on vid/official"- adarqui

It's easier to keep up than it is to catch up...

creativelyric

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 311
  • Respect: +22
    • AOL Instant Messenger - creativelyric
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #253 on: August 29, 2012, 01:39:51 am »
+1
Ok i reviewed my time and it was 17s -slightly more than 10 but not significantly. This was a wobbly, struggling effort. It wasn't an effortless this-is-a-waste-of-my-time-i-could-do-this-all-day type of thing. I don't think I had good form either. Is it easy for the rest of you guys to do > 1 minute?

Yeah, you need to work on your core strength. I think this is something that can be progressed easily, though.

Myself, I honestly get bored just doing minute after minute of planks so I weight mine, lol. I go for around 20+ seconds that way.

entropy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1684
  • b00m!
  • Respect: +276
    • View Profile
Re: chasing athleticism
« Reply #254 on: August 29, 2012, 01:41:44 am »
0
Ok i reviewed my time and it was 17s -slightly more than 10 but not significantly. This was a wobbly, struggling effort. It wasn't an effortless this-is-a-waste-of-my-time-i-could-do-this-all-day type of thing. I don't think I had good form either. Is it easy for the rest of you guys to do > 1 minute?

Yeah, you need to work on your core strength. I think this is something that can be progressed easily, though.

Myself, I honestly get bored just doing minute after minute of planks so I weight mine, lol. I go for around 20+ seconds that way.

Haha, mine are weighted too brah. I'm on that GOMAD, all natural loading  :D This is actually awesome news for me cos i wanna improve my weaknesses so I can squat better.

Many thanks all.
Goals: Cutting to 6-8% bodyfat