Project: Anything Is Possible

[rev210]

I'll field this one. That's a good question rev. We do it for three reasons, that some may not agree with, but we believe in:

1. Walking the talk at any time on any day. If we can lift our max at the end of our volume training, we can do it on any given time of any given day after a quick warm up, if you want the bragging rights. Leesh proved this by doing 45kg the other day after her warm up, because she wanted to know if she could still lift at that weight - she did it with ease because her volume training, despite lower weights, supports it. You can train to comfortably lift a given weight without ever having lifted it before - 1RM calculators are based on this. It's not always the most efficient way to get there, but it can't be said that it doesn't work.

You have said before your training isn't strength focused but, asthetic (subjective). So the 1rm in both your cases are unremarkable ( this is not a focus for your training so it's understandable, not knocking the strength improvements) . I was just responding to what I thought was a dissapointment regarding a lift for Leesh. Might have missunderstood.

2. Mental reward and preparedness for the lift. We "earn" our 1RMs by slogging through our volume first. To us, a 1RM is merely a few kg more on the bar for only a single repetition, rather than a huge step up from a warm up. Mentally, this makes the 1RM seem inconsequential and easy. If you haven't trained this way before, it can be difficult to grasp what this does for your fighting spirit at the end of your sets. We finish on the 1RM, because we don't step back in weight unless we miss a rep, and the next time we hit the weights for volume, they suddenly feel a hell of a lot lighter in comparison.

If it's enjoyable then why not.

3. Our training is focused on volume and similar to GVT principles with regard to creating hypertrophy. Outright strength and 1RM are not our priority; we are there to damage muscle and burn a shitload of calories with our volume. Our 1RM serves as a benchmark and a plateau breaker when/if we need it to increase our volume weights.

Might not be the best way to do that or even effective but, again why not if it keeps the major goal fun.

I also disagree that you can do the exact same volume after attempting a 1RM straight up as you could if you left the 1RM til the end. If you can, then it likely wasn't your true 1RM, or your volume weights aren't anywhere near your 1RM weight. Muscles get tired!

Why not give it a try and see? Be interesting for you to find out. Remember I don't train volume and I topped all the challenges for volume ( i have reason to believe you may be suprised). Unless we are talking running 10km, in which case I will fall over and die 500m down the road.

To me, it's a logical fallacy to suggest that a 1RM at the end of volume training isn't your true 1RM, if you're going to maintain that volume training after a 1RM is your true potential for volume too.

Don't quite understand that one. Maybe you mean your 1rm is under different conditions to what people normally call a max lift. ie: after you do x reps /sets then how much can you lift , thats your version of 1rm?

Case in point: Leesh has made some great strength and physical gains training this way, as have I...and we continue to do so. People can knock it, but can they really say that it doesn't work for our goals if we are achieving them?

Physical gains (subjective) sure. Strength gains ...yes. Great ...well thats relative , maybe not in my books but, you have other goals and picking some strength up is a bonus even if it's traded for doing it a little slower. Having said that gaining strength and looking better is what you have there and you have a routine you like to boot. I am not going to knock that at all. I think your program is evolving and you have added some different ideas along the way. Keep it up you could be onto something.

[L33SH]

04/10/13

Squats

35kg x 10

40kg x 10

45kg x 10

50kg x 8

55kg x 5

60kg x 1

Pause Squat

40kg x 6

30kg x 10

Bench Press

25kg x 10

30kg x 10

35kg x 10

40kg x 6

45kg x 1

45 Leg Press

80kg x 10

100kg x 10

120kg x 10

140kg x 10

hamstring hurting too much

Chin-ups

10

6

6

6

6

6

Shoulder Press

10kg x 10

10kg x 10

15kg x 10

15kg x 10

20kg x 10

25kg x 1

Struggling with how to do the 25kg safely. (I do these sitting down now) I tried the 25kg on the squat rack but couldn't even get it above my head. Any suggestions?

Seated Row

20kg x 10

30kg x 10

35kg x 10

40kg x 10

45kg x 10

50kg x 7

Hamstring Curl

20kg x 10

20kg x 10

27.5kg x 10

30kg x 8

32.5kg x 3

35kg x 2

Bicep Curl

15kg x 10

15kg x 10

15kg x 10

20kg x 10

20kg x 6

20kg x 6

25kg x 1

Captains Chair Leg Raises

20

20

20

20

20

Knee Raises

20

Ab Crunches

80

[-FIGJAM-]

Can try using a bit of momentum from ur legs to help drive/push the bar above your head

[L33SH]

Can try using a bit of momentum from ur legs to help drive/push the bar above your head

From the squat rack? I did try doing that I had one leg forward, one back but I still couldn't get it above my head

[L33SH]

Deadlift day with my trainer

40kg x 10

50kg x 10

60kg x 10

70kg x 5

85kg x 1

No aggravation of injury as of yet so will be adding deadlifts back into my program

Bench Press

30kg x 10

40kg x 10

Change in technique so will take a bit to get used to

Edited October 8, 2013 by L33SH

[L33SH]

Fail workout was fail, nothing is helping my knee bending in during squats and I'm not doing chin ups right. I can do lat Pulldown without my shoulder really hurting so ill just go back to that

[-FIGJAM-]

What's the go with knee?

[Birds]

Leesh trained with me today and there's some sort of weird hip bias that she can't control, that resonates to the knee, bringing it in. I've got her doing lighter weights for more reps and focusing on keeping the knee out to train her mobility in the exercise before stepping up the weight. Seems to be that under heavy weight the right knee comes in to support hips moving about during squatting motion.

[-FIGJAM-]

ahhk, I have a similar issue, my knees buckle inwards so to speak.

Is Leesh flat footedd? (that was hard to ask without it sounding like talking about her as if she isnt around) or even walk like a duck? (feet facing out instead of straight).

Trent (PTC Sydney) noticed this on me, which I have known about and never gave it a second thought, need to work on walking properly and also recommended I buy some squatting shoes. As well as a lot of mobility exercises.

Shoes made and instant difference with my squat, so maybe look at what she/you are squatting in as well as mobility and technique.

In regards to pull ups, is it just that you don't feel it in the back or can't do them? Maybe try some assisted chins at a difficult level and really focus in on your back?

[Birds]

With chins she wasn't getting full range of motion - elbows were about 90 degrees with top of head just below the bar at bottom of the negative. I explained that arms really need to be just before straight to get the most out of them. We're gonna put her back on pulldown in the meantime maybe assisted chins.

[L33SH]

12/10/13

Deadlift

50kg x 10

60kg x 10

70kg x 8

85kg x 1

90kg x 1

Bench Press

30kg x 10

30kg x 10

40kg x 3

45kg x 1 (just, received help with moving the bar forward a touch)

Still getting used to new bench press technique, I feel like I'm not getting as much power with the new technique so hopefully my bench will improve once I'm used to it.

[Birds]

Was thoroughly impressed with 90kg pb on deadlift, considering you did this exercise for the first time in months on Tuesday. Old pb was 75kg.

95kg next session

[L33SH]

ya!

[-FIGJAM-]

Nice lift leesh

[L33SH]

thanks Mitch

[UNR33L]

nice lift! What you guys doing tonight? Might head to one of the local spots ! (probably irish lol)

Edited October 12, 2013 by UNR33L

[jangles]

only suggestion I can make on squat is looking up Kelly starretts squat mobility videos. I used to do the same thing under heavy loads.

My knee/knees will want to bow in if I don't activate properly out of the hole. I don't even think about what's on my back, have to concentrate on doing the motions every time.

[L33SH]

14/10/13

Squat

20kg x 10

30kg x 10

40kg x 10

40kg x 10

40kg x 10

40kg x 10

Knee started bending in after the last set so I guess it's more the leg being tired than under a heavy load, still have nfi how to fix it.

Did boxing for the first time tonight since shoulder injury; so far, so good.

[L33SH]

only suggestion I can make on squat is looking up Kelly starretts squat mobility videos. I used to do the same thing under heavy loads.

My knee/knees will want to bow in if I don't activate properly out of the hole. I don't even think about what's on my back, have to concentrate on doing the motions every time.

Ya, I looked at them a while ago. I've spent hours looking at squat videos and trying to fix the issue

[rev210]

14/10/13

Squat

20kg x 10

30kg x 10

40kg x 10

40kg x 10

40kg x 10

40kg x 10

Knee started bending in after the last set so I guess it's more the leg being tired than under a heavy load, still have nfi how to fix it.

If you didn't have the knee bend in for the 60 reps beforehand , I wouldn't even stress about it.