Strong Guys (and Gals) Don't Get Hurt (as Much)

BEST EXERCISE INTERVENTIONS TO PREVENT SPORTS INJURIES?

O Minotinho

With the 2017-2018 season just ended a little while ago, I'll have to post some updates on what training has been like this year.

My workout log is now at the T-Nation forums, for folks who like to follow that sort of thing. I'm big into weightlifting these days, both in and of itself as well as a supplement to my jiu-jitsu training. I'm learning a lot - in addition to trying to get a little bit bigger, and a lot stronger.

Burien Top Team Training Log: Making the Minotaur

I'm following a seasonal approach to weight training right now. From now until late December, I am in Autumn or Hypertrophy phase. Emphasis here is on getting bigger and stronger (in that order, more or less). At a maximum, I don't want to get above the IBJJF lightweight no-gi max of 162 (about 12-15 pounds more than my current weight). But I'm not trying to be a "walk around featherweight" any more.

The program I'm following is one I've done before: Boring But Big #2 by Jim Wendler. I'm weight training 4x/week for three weeks, then taking the fourth week off as a deload (and also because I've got to travel for work).

Here's the short version on my thinking. There's no point in getting significantly smaller - and staying that way - if I'm not competing (and maybe not even if I were). The guys I train with at the gym who are my toughest partners are (almost) all above 150 - most above 160. And every now and then, especially when I'm teaching, I end up matched with a 185+ pound white or blue belt.

I've got no problem dialing it down on the strength side when training with smaller folks. But for longevity's sake, being as big and strong as I can be while staying within "cutting range" of 148 (the IBJJF featherweight no-gi limit) should be a much a better plan going forward.

I'm estimating that means a top side weight max of 162. That's no target. But if I like the strength and body composition changes, I'll allow myself to gain up to that point.

See you on the mat and in the gym!

Image By Marsyas - Own work, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1524909

Personal Record Week in the Weight Room

I've been lifting weights seriously again since the beginning of the year, following the 5/3/1 program. I've finally made it through a few cycles and, with another business trip and break from heavy lifting coming up, thought this would be a good time to chase a few personal records.

Here's where I stand with a bodyweight average of about 148. BF approx 12-14%.

Squat
275

Bench Press
190

OHP
130

Deadlift
280*

My goal is still to get to a combined total of 1080 pounds.  Ideally, that means another 40 pounds in my squat, another 35 pounds to my bench, just a handful of pounds to my OHP, and a relatively daunting additional 125 pounds to my deadlift. For this year, I'd like to cut those in half with a goal of getting to 1080 by Christmas 2019.

*Technically speaking, this wasn't a 1RM test. Rather it was the final Joker set during the third week of Cycle 4. So my deadlift PR is probably at least a few pounds heavier. Unfortunately, I won't do another PR test until the fall at the earliest.

30 Days Down, 150 to Go

I'm one month into the T-Nation Transformation Challenge. Starting on January 1st, the goal of the Challenge is simply to spend the subsequent six months building the body you've always wanted. I'm still on this big fat #50isthenew30 bandwagon, and figured that this would be a "fun" way to finish off my Year of Living Agelessly.

So feel free to visit my Transformation Challenge page if you're into that sort of thing (i.e., workout logs, resistance training grousing, semi-nude "progress report" selfies, etc.). I'll be sharing the final results on May 31st, on the eve of my 51st birthday.