THE FINAL BATTLE

JUNE 26

JUIJITSU 45 MIN. (short class due to the heat. 33 degree weather )

JUNE 27
Last official work out of this 4 month training cycle.

TRAP BAR 230, 320 X `1, 420 *MISS* , Then 320, 230 max reps each drop sets.

Speed Zercher Squat 6 x 2 57% 1RM or 215 lbs. from the bottom position start. (pararellel) (20 sec. between 2's)
Rack High Pull (clean grip, shoulder width double overhand.)
245 lbs or 75% x 5
265 lbs. or 80% x 5
275 lbs. or 84% x 5
1 Arm Farmers Walk 1x each hand 100 lbs.
Chin up bar hang (for grip and back stretching)

Stability Ball Crunch 1 min. and stretching the back and abs on the ball.

(Back was really hammered! Still feeling it from Wednesday thick bar deadlift new personal record probably.)

Grippers (Squeeze as hard as I could doing a partial with a level I can't close then til failure 2 more times with 2 lighter grippers.)

Trap Bars didn't go as well as I'd've liked. But I hit new personal bests on Thick Bar Deadlifts(340 lbs. up 10 lbs.)
385 lbs. on a regular olympic bar Deadlift with no wrist straps. This was my best ever WITH wrist straps before and managing it without liftiing straps is signifigant.
, Bench Press(325 lbs. up 20 lbs.),
Bottom Position Squat (375 lbs. up 30 lbs.),
Zercher Squat(365 lbs. up 20 lbs.)
, Military Press (225 lbs. up 20 lbs.)
and Log Cleans (back up to my all time heaviest 210 lbs.), Farmers Walk (200's lbs. up 10 lbs.), Tire Flip (700 lbs. x 5 up 100 lbs. and 2 more reps!! )as a result of the last 4 month training macro cycle so that's awesome!

I'd recommend a version of this training routine to anyone wanting to get stronger and bigger. My heaviest bodyweight got to 217 from about 208 starting weight.
Fun too with using all the different training styles, exercises changing throughout but still being progressive. 2 MAIN IMPORTANT KEYS TO PRORESS as John Macallum wrote in the book of that same title.
Keeping the body off guard and not allowing it or the mind to go stale doing only one thing for too long. (A deadly mistake in any type of exercise and training.)

Also tested successfully for my green belt in Juijitsu during this cycle and one step closer to a double black belt (in 2 styles that is.) and discovered boxing training which has helped in that as well with my striking, hand work.

This strength training, unconventional to most as it may be, has paid off in spades on the mat, in the sparring ring and just in my general conditioning as well.

The results are here.
It worked for me and I'm not a genetic marvel if you know me.
Just good, hard, FOCUSED work.

There's a good story in DINOSAUR TRAINING by Brooks Kubik (I have this very special book ranked in a highest place among all my collection or those I have read. READ IT! too).

A young student takes a seasonal job in a lumber camp up north in the middle of nowhere and after the first day on the job he thought he was going to die. But as the season went on he got BIGGER and STRONGER and better due to the hard work, lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying and dragging. This is the mentality I took in my training here.
It works/worked for me,
it works PERIOD!

FINALLY!!!!!

JUNE 25

BACK & CHEST

APOLLON AXLE 2" thick bar Deadlifts 1x 200, 250, 320, **340 **
**NEW PR**

Hit a new PR on APOLLON Deadlifts today. Went from 250 and loaded on to 340 and just missed it at the sticking point just under my knees. AGAIN!!
Tried a couple times again, rechalked my hands with that tite grip stuff and just budged it.... But I went down to 320 lbs. and hammered that up pretty smoothly and then decided to go 1 more time at the 340. Didn't think about how or the best way to... just got down, grabbed it and ripped at it and started to go up again to the knee this time I really sat back with it and it was the slowest lift I've ever done and was starting to feel light headed but there's no way I'm losing this one. Locked out for a few seconds after like YEAAAAH!! FINALLY!
That's been a plateau for a long time.

I was still sore in my back from Saturday's work out with the sandbag. But I just did what I had to enough.
If I was 100% I had to wonder how much better it would've gone today. (??)

Bottom Position Bench Press in the power rack : 195 lbs., 215 lbs x 15
275 lbs. x 3 x 5

Cables incline Press 3 x 8 80 lbs. each.
(Did these standing in the cable crossover with the cables set on the bottom and step out, pressing them forward and upward together on an incline instead of using dumbbells.)

Seated Cable Row 3 x 20 220 lbs.
Smith machine Floor Press 2 x 6 275 lbs.
(Basically bench pressing while laying on the ground instead.)

Bent Rows 265 x 15, 305 x 3 x 10 (switching grips between sets)
Flyes 3 x 15 55's
Chins 3 x 20 (bodyweight) (switching grips between sets)
1 Arm High Rows 3 x 10 each 220 lbs. (switching grips between sets)

Back Extensions 3 x 20 (bodyweight)

I tried the alternate a back exercise with a chest exercise then back. Pulling then pushing. Classic effective way to train the whole upper body.

JEFF'S 20 MINUTE WORK OUT X 2

Got this work out idea from a couple John Brookfield articles in MILO www.ironmind.com http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/ironmind/GripTips/GripTip.html
www.samsonscroll.com

JUNE 23RD
Armwrestling practice in the a.m. (see CHAMPION post)

P.M.
1) 20 minutes time limit for as many repetitions as possible. Rest as needed.

Sandbag Cleans 130 lbs. Sandbag.
(Loosely packed, shifty weight. No belt to work more stabilizers and abs as well as back, legs, grip grabbing the loose bag. Cardio too. Haven't done this in a while so lifting a sandbag again was a good shock to the system as well as a mental game finding the best way to lift it as it changed shape pretty much every time I put it down for a break. WOW!)

A Sandbag is great because it's very different to lift because it's unbalanced and harder to get a hold on. So it works small muscles in ways that bars or machines don't. Also works flexability because of the positions you need to lift from at different parts of a given lift.
Also VERY GOOD for any wrestling, martials arts, boxing, rugby, hockey or football and contact sports.

2) 20 minutes time limit for as many repetitions as possible. Rest as needed.

Sledgehammer Swings:
(Side to side, across the body down, across the body up, straight up & down. Switching as I fatigue on one to the other. Grip/forearms, shoulders, back, abs/low back, cardio)

STRONGEST ARMS

JUNE 21ST
JUIJITSU

JUNE 22ND
2" APOLLON AXLE thick bar Deadlifts 95% for maximum repetitions
(310 lbs. x 5)
(More challenging lift with the 2" thick bar than the 1 5/8 inch common Olympic bar. Lots of carry over to standard barbell lifting. Especially supporting and controlling the weight in your hands. After working out with thick bars, an Olympic bar feels like NOTHING! EASY!)

Based on a work out in WORLD'S STRONGEST ARMS Magnus Sammuelsson dvd.
http://www6.mailordercentral.com/iro...sp?number=1404

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4GzrW2-ovM (DVD Trailer)

2" APOLLON AXLE thick bar Curls
110 lbs. x 15
130 lbs. x 10
140 lbs. x 10
110 lbs. x 15

Wrist Roll ( with a barbell rolling and reverse rolling up my body to the chest from straight arms as if doing an upright row.)
2x each direction with 80 lbs.

1 Arm Rope Handle Cable Curl (like Hammer Curls) 2 x 12 110 lbs. each.

1 Arm Cable ROLLING THUNDER 2" revolving handle Curl 5 x 6 120 lbs.

Wrist Curl 2 x 10 275 lbs. (Standing with a curl grip on the bar holding it at mid thighs as if doing shrugs but curling the wrists. Smith Machine.)

IRONMIND CAPTAINS OF CRUSH Grippers www.ironmind.com
#1 2 x 5
#2 2 x 1
#3 partial 1x
#1 til failure.

Good day. Biceps fealt strong with weights feeling light and easy!
The 2" around thicker handle/bars work the grip, hands and forearms as well very heavily! Building more practical and useful muscle strength in the biceps.

No Triceps work as they were worked hard on Wednesday assisting in the Bench Press and Shoulder Press as secondary support muscles.
Triceps are the pushing muscles in the arms.

CHAMPION!

On June 9th Rick Heidebrecht, who I've been coaching in armwrestling won the Ontario championships held in Woodstock. BOTH left AND right hand titles. This is exceptional!
This is the same guy who won the 220+ weight class at the Ancaster strength contest as well.
http://www.inthehook.com/profiles/rick_heidebrecht.html

I got a phone call yesterday from the newspaper in St. Catherines as well. They are doing a story on him and interviewed me about armwrestling, coaching and training for armwrestling and Rick's win and armwrestling career.

This is the second championship athlete I've trained.
The video from the 2007 Provincials has just been posted. You can check out all the action at:www.ArmsportVideos.com

HOT!!

JUNE 19
Juijitsu 90 min.


JUNE 20
Log Bar Clean: 5 x 135 ,
3 x 155,
1 x 175
(Expected more here. Went for 185 and didn't quite get it. Forgot my belt DOH!! So had to do these raw. Some people think no belt is good. But when you are working up to a near maximum lift that's not a good idea and won't allow you to go as heavy safely. )

Bottom Position Bench Press: 225 x 5 245, 275 x 3 295, **325** x 1
(Don't need a belt for bench pressing.)

Push Press: 5 x 135 ,
3 x 155, 185,
1 x 205, 225
(Went for 235 but no. Back was fine stabilizing the weight but my shoulders didn't have enough left. Push Press is a shoulder press with a bit of hip and legs drive as you press the weight explosively.)

Fealt tired today after not sleeping well and a long day and had a stomach cramp from the heat outside. Not my best day. Just lifted at CROSSFIT so I could just go at my own pace.

JUNE 18

OVerhead Barbell Squat 2 x 7 with 115 lbs.
(Fealt good in the power rack. Behind the neck press the bar and squat down holding the bar at the top.)

1 Arm BARBELL Curl 2 x 7 60 lbs.
2 DB's OVerhead Squat 2 x 7 reps with 1 - 3 Presses at the bottom with 55 lbs. DB's
1 Arm Barbell Side Deadlifts 2 x 7 each with 135 lbs.
(Going to try more next time)
Saxon Side Bends 2x 7 each side with 30 lbs. dumbbells overhead.
Stability Ball Roll outs as many as I could in 1 set. http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do;jsessionid=3AA7F3FADA31ADD98A1067CAAA513304.ba08?article=218exer

Boxing class afterward. http://www.steelcitycrossfit.com/ http://www.regencyboxing.com/
(Lots of running and sprints, wheelbarrow hand walking in 100 degree sun! Was killing me but no complaining.)
(Technical work on heavy bag and partner drills.)
I found that running fast wasn't my thing. But I was ok on the conditioning end with the sprints, etc.
May not be the fastest runner and no future 5, 10K marathons planned. But I could've kept going afterward for a while.
Steady wins the race??

Deadlift

JUNE 16
At CROSSFIT www.steelcitycrossfit.com
(I like going there for a change of pace and the different atmosphere a couple times a week.)

Deadlift (olympic bar, belt only, NO Straps): 135, 225, 315, 385 lbs. x 1 **385 was my best ever with straps even. But did it today without straps. Only TITE GRIP on my hands.

So my grip has gone up a lot!
Missed 405 and 395 but if I would've tried it right after the 315 it might've gone better. Good one though. Deadlifting is one of the best full body lifts low or high reps, heavy or light weight you can do. Back, legs, glutes, abs, traps, hips all involved and it is a movement you'd do in one way or another every day, 100x a day in real life outside the gym.

Good confidence builder for TACTICAL STRENGTH CHALLENGE because that 385 lbs. would've given me a 2nd place in the Deadlift event there.

At Home:
Stone Lifting max reps with the 175 lbs. and 125 lbs. stone.
(Another full body work out as well as balancing and stabilizing the stone which doesn't have nice, pre set grips and handles like a bar or machine. So it brings out more of the smaller "Core" muscles and stabilizers in the body that don't get worked in normal training or don't get it in the same way.

JUNE 15
ARMS
Cable bar curl 80% of heaviest 30 sec. up, 30 sec. down each rep, til failure. Then....Cable bar curls with same weight, normal speed reps til failure.

Dips (Bodyweight) 30 sec. up, 30 sec. down each rep, til failure. Then....Dips (Bodyweight) normal speed reps til failure.

Seated French Press on smith machine: 80% of heaviest 30 sec. up, 30 sec. down each rep, til failure. (These killed!!)
Then....Seated French Press with same weight, normal speed reps til failure.

Reverse Curls 80% of heaviest 30 sec. up, 30 sec. down each rep, til failure.
(I barely got 2 reps here! Shocked!)
Then....Reverse Curls with same weight, normal speed reps til failure.

(The slow motion style kicks your @$$. Can't do nearly as many reps as normal. Not surprising to get 2 or 3 reps only with a weight that normally is for 8 - 10 this way. Blows you right up! )

Only took 20 min. for the whole work out, arms cramped. In, out and done!

Old school work out from the vault from my armwrestling days. The slow motion reps built a lot of my stopping power and holding strength during matches. If/when a match went past the READY - GO! 2 second slam pin you had to be able to outlast the other guy for sometimes over 2 minutes! pulling back n forth. A huge lactic acid build up and burn there. This is what the 30 seconds up and down trained for.
Cables also gave more constant resistance through the range of motion each rep.

3 Plates a Side!

Passed the Juijitsu grading for green belt on Tues. One more step toward the second black belt. Aikido then Juijitsu next.

JUNE 13
Bottom Position Bench Press in the power rack: 135 x 15
225 x 7
245 x 5
275 x 3
*315 x 1* *NEW PERSONAL BEST* !3 plates a side!

My strength levels have started and continue to peak with 1 more month to go!

1 Arm High Row
45 x 15
90 x 7
135 x 5
180 x 3
250, 300 x 1

Pull ups (Rope Handle, Close Grip, Wide Grip and Palms Facing Triangle handle)
supersetted each with Stability Ball Push ups (feet on ball)
4 supersets max reps each (bodyweight only).

A superset I really like. A good finisher today. Abs and low back kicking in too with the
(in)stability ball.
Actually a lot more core/stabilizer training right now as you see.

I liked this work out. Quick, heavy and different again. Keeping things still fresh and I can see the training working with the more weight on the bar.

GET A SHOVEL

JUNE 12

Shovel Lift with a 45 lbs. plate on the 1 side of an olympic bar. 6 x 40 each side.
(An exercise from Steve Justa's ROCK, IRON, STEEL book. Lift the uneven bar as if you were shovelling or a pitch fork. A core exercise to build the side obliques, low back, hands/forearms, hamstrings, calves, hips and balance as if you don't control the weight, you'll topple over with the unbalanced bar. Stand with your feet in a wide stance "L" with the foot foot pointed out.)

Juijitsu 1 hr.

HARD - CORE TRAINING PART 2

June 11

OVerhead Barbell Squat 2 x 6 with 115 lbs.

1 Arm BARBELL Curl 2 x 7 55 lbs.

2 DB's OVerhead Squat 6 - 7 reps with 1 - 3 Presses at the bottom with 60 lbs. each.

DB's Dumbbell Pass from hand to hand maximum reps with 75 lbs., 55 lbs., 35 lbs. dumbbell

1 Arm Barbell Side Deadlifts 2 x 6 each with 135 lbs.

Did Stability Ball Roll outs as many as I could in 1 set. Boxing class afterward.

Boxing FIGHTFIT class afterward 1 hour at www.steelcitycrossfit.com
Got to do some focus pad work with head coach Dave Finch at www.regencyboxing.com
which was a special addition to tonight's class and a pretty neat thing.

JUNE 8 CHEST/BACK

Bench Press (bottom Position in power rack) 245 lbs. alternated with Wide Grip Chins 4 x 8 - 10 80% of max
Close Grip Bench Press (bottom Position in power rack) 225 lbs. alternated with Close Grip Chins 5 x 8 - 10 80% of max

(Chest and Back day yes but this was a better arm work out than Wednesday too!)

T - Bar 1 x 8, 3 x 10 180 lbs. 80% of max
Wide and Close Grip Lat Pull 3 x 8, 1 x 6 (2 sets each grip) 230 lbs. or 85%
Dumbbell Pullovers 1 x 8, 3 x 10 80 lbs. or 80% of max
Stiff Legged smith machine Deadlifts 1 all out set of 30 at 85%
1 Arm Seated Rows 4 x 8 each with 200 lbs. (6 - 8 at 85%)

JUNE 9 JUIJITSU grading for green belt 2 hours. INTENSE! (Back, shoulder, ribs really feeling it after that tonight. Fealt really good during the test and in good cardio shape. Haven't worked it that hard in a LONG TIME. Went for it! www.hsma1.com We'll see the result on Tuesday but I fealt confident.)

www.phoenixfitness.ca

http://www.phoenixfitness.ca/team.php?id=11

New updated gym web site with video interviews!
Click on JEFF KING to see mine. :-))
Feedback welcome.
-JEFF

MORE NEW BESTS!!

JUNE 5 JUIJITSU 90 min.

JUNE 6 Arms
All 4 x 10 - 12 from a training article by Lou Ferrigno. One of my favourite bodybuilders.

EZ Bar Curl 175 lbs.
1 Arm DB Tricep Extensions 60 lbs.
ROLLING THUNDER Cable Curl 100 lbs.
Tricep Pushdowns 130 (Triceps were fried after these)
1 Arm Preacher Curl machine 90 lbs.
1 Arm Reverse Pressdown 40 lbs.
1 Arm Cable Kickbacks 40 lbs.

Waaaaay too much isolation work in my opinion. I tweaked a couple exercises for my style but I'm not a fan of the pump and squeeze.
Isolation is good if you are working out around or rehabing injury. But that's about all.Not a primp and poser in front of the mirror here!
I want and need my arms to be as strong as possible. That's all.

JUNE 7
Farmers Walks Deadlift and Hold for time with **200 lbs. a side.**
**NEW PERSONAL BEST**
(works your core, legs and especially the grip very hard here keeping the weights up.)

Tire Flip 450 , 600, **650 lbs. x 1****700 lbs. x 5** (I did this by loading weight plates in the far rim of the tire and lifting it upright and lowering it back down.) **NEW PERSONAL BEST**
(Lots of back, hips, legs, glutes, biceps, lower body and posterior chain as well as the pushing muscles at the end finishing the lift. Chest, shoulders, triceps)
Finished with a high reps set with just the empty 450 lbs. tire.
Great cardio as well doing the tire flips

Atlas Stones 175 lbs. unloads , 125lbs. stone lifts reps.
(Didn't have it today on stones but the tire and Deadlift Hold made up for it. Lots of back, biceps, legs here and chest to "crush" grip the stone.)
AWESOME DAY!

Juijitsu 90 min. class at 7:30 pm.

HARD - CORE TRAINING

MON. JUNE 4

Today's work out based on this TESTOSTERONE NATION article:
http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do;jsessionid=3AA7F3FADA31ADD98A1067CAAA513304.ba08?article=218exer

OVerhead Barbell Squat 2 x 6 with 110 lbs. (roughly 1/2 bodyweight. Started with a set with the bar only as this is a new tricky exercise.)

1 Arm BARBELL Curl 2 x 7 45 lbs.
(Balancing act here as the bar want to twist and twirl out of your grip. Lots of wrist power.)

2 DB's OVerhead Squat 6 - 7 reps with 1 - 3 Presses at the bottom
3 of these combos with 55 lbs. DB's

Didn't do the Turkish Get ups. I can't very well atall.

Kettlebell Pass from hand to hand maximum reps with the 72 lbs., 53 lbs. and 36 lbs. kettlebell

1 Arm Barbell Side Deadlifts 2 x 6 each with 135 lbs.

Saxon Side Bends 2 x 7 each side with 30 lbs. in each hand.

Did Stability Ball Roll outs instead of Glute hamstring raises as many as I could in 1 set.

Lots of core (low back/hips/abs) work and stabilizer small muscles in the trunk and sides which had gotten lots of secondary stimulus up to this point in the training I've done so far. But not as isolated into a specialized day as they were and will be as well in the next month.

The plan is to reinforce the missing link possibly in the body chain here to improve my performance.
(Was pretty staggered and UN - Stable after hitting them this way. :-P)

Boxing class afterward. (Missed a couple weeks worth of these due to work schedule and really fealt it! )

NEW SQUAT PERSONAL BEST!

JUNE 2ND
JUIJITSU 90 min. class

Bottom Position Squats in the power rack: 135, 225, 315, **365**, **375 lbs.** x 1
**NEW PERSONAL BESTS** (Belt only) (Parallel dead start.)
(Previous 1 rep maximum was 345 lbs. )
Went for 385 lbs. but couldn't even budge it off the pins. But still beat my record twice and by 30 lbs. so whatever.

Smith Machine Good Mornings 3 x 3 235, 255, 275 lbs. (or 70, 75, 80% of max) (No belt)

1 Arm Farmers Walk 3 x each hand with 100 lbs. dumbbell. (No belt) as long as I could carry.

At home:
Gripper Squeeze and Hold as long as possible til it opens. 3x each hand

Log Cleans 135, 155, 175, 195, 215 lbs. x 1
(Really hard last rep got it to my chest but couldn't hold it. Will go for it again when I'm more fresh and better.)
Then 135 lbs. x 12 (light final set maximum reps.)
(Can also use the Log Bar at CROSSFIT www.steelcitycrossfit.com or a barbell, kettlebells or dumbbells as well. The log is different to lift than a bar since it is further away and thicker with a hammer grip.)

Stone Lifts maximum lifts anyhow with 175, 160, 125 lbs. stones.

HOT OUTSIDE in my backyard!! And HUMID!! which added to the toughness of the work out and burnt (literally :-D ) more calories. Made sure to keep hydrated between lifts and exercises.

FUN DAY! I really liked this work out. Lifting at the gym and Juijitsu training at the dojo www.hsma1.com It doesn't get much better working out wise!

MYTHICAL BACK AND CHEST

MAY 31ST
JUIJITSU 1 hr. (Belt grading coming up so getting very technical. Did a lot of throws and set ups, footwork for throwing. I like that and found it helpful.)

JUNE 1ST
Light high rep Chest/Back day.
I figured since doing so much heavy back work and pressing for a while, I should lighten up and almost do some active recovery and endurance to give my joints a rest. No belt or straps.

ABS Crunch 100 reps
Lying Knee Raise 100 reps

CHEST - BACK
(Based on a routine of former Mr. Olympia bodybuilding legend, Sergio Oliva who represented Cuba as a weightlifter in the Olympics before becoming a champion bodybuilder known as "THE MYTH". )
Bench Press 1 x 100 with the empty bar
Bench Press at 60% of 1RM (185)
alternated with
Wide Grip Pinch grip Chins (grabbing the top of the power rack cage with a pinch grip bodyweight only. Very tough on fingers/grip!)
Aimed for 10 x 20 each

Incline Barbell Press (bottom position in the power rack like the bench press earlier) 5 x 20 at 60% of 1RM (165)

T - Bar 5 x 20 at 60% of 1RM (135 lbs.)
(We have 1 of those where you're laying against the chest pad more like a prone row and you have to take the weight over off the hook pulling it from the side. I don't like this version really. Awkward with the sideways pull off the weight. I like the old straight up version. Someone must sell these telling you "THEY'RE BETTER FOR YOUR CORE! DOH! Yeah, until you rip your rotator cuff out pulling the weight off the pin in that side saddle way. I usually use straps here so I can think about only doing the weight.)

Flyes 5 x 20 at 60% of 1RM (50's)

Front close Grip Lat Pull 5 x 20 at 60% of 1RM (160)
(Did the Chin ups wide so doing the Lat Pulls close to work another part of my upper back with the different grip.)

Dips 1 x 100 (bodyweight only)
(Head down for more chest involvement.)

Gave my back a rest from heavy deadlifting this week.