Week 1 (Session 1)

First sesh of new 3 week cycle due to trials on the 4th week. Keeping the structure pretty much the same with some minor variations in reps.
Did a push session with K-dawg in Bath on Sat and we both pushed very well, need to be timed as the clocks system was not on but on feel and looks I was pushing the best I have pushed and a few people commented on how powerful both me and K-dawg looked.
This is positive as it is a confirmation that our training plan and goal of pure power development is working. Watch this space...

1.A Power Clean

50kgx5
70kgx7
80kgx5
90kgx3
100kgx3
105kgx3

Snappy and explosive.

2.A Narrow Stance Back Squat

50kgx8
70kgx5
90kgx5
100kgx3
120kgx3
130kgx3
140kgx3
145kgx3

3.A Push Press

50kgx8
60kgx3
65kgx3
70kgx3

4.A Hammer Grip Chins

5x5BW

Week 1 (Session 2)

Really tired today after Bath on saturday and a late night and early starts both on Sunday and today.

Dynamic Warm Up and Foam Rolling

1.A Power Clean

50kgx7
60kgx7
80kgx7
85kgx7
90kgx7
92.5kgx7

2.A Front Squats

50kgx7
60kgx7
80kgx7
90kgx7
100kgx7

Was going to do 105x7 but was exhausted so decided not to risk a set with bad form considering I have just recently recovered from my back injury.

3.A Strict Military Press

Barx7
40kgx7
50kgx7x2

3.B Calf Raises (Unilateral)

BWx8x4

4.A Glute Bridge

80kgx7
85kgx7
90kgx7

4.B Pull Ups

BWx7x2

Week 1 (Session 3)

Dynamic Warm Up and Foam Rolling

1.A Power Cleans

50kgx5
60kgx5
70kgx5
80kgx5
90kgx5
100kgx5
102.5kgx5 PB

2.A Narrow Stance Squats

Barx8
60kgx5
80kgx5
100kgx5
120kgx5
130kgx5
137.5kgx5

3.A Bench Press

60kgx5
70kgx5
80kgx5
90kgx5
95kgx5
100kgx5

4.A Glute Bridge

90kgx5
100kgx5
110kgx5

5.A Ab Roll Outs

BWx8x4 With slow neg

Nice session feeling good.

Week 2 (Session 1)

Dynamic warm up and Foam rolling

1.A Romanian Rhythm Squats (new exercise to help get fully prepared for trials in 3 weeks time)

Barx50
60kgx50
100kgx50

2.A Power Clean

50kgx5
60kgx5
70kgx3
80kgx3
90kgx3
97.5kgx3
102.5kgx3
107.5kgx3 PB

Pleased with the power of the top set, these flew up nicely.

3.A Narrow Stance Squats

50kgx5
70kgx5
90kgx5
110kgx3
130kgx3
140kgx3
147.5kgx3 PB

Once again pleased with the strength and power

4.A Push Press

Barx6
40kgx5
50kgx3
60kgx3
65kgx3
70kgx3
72.5kgx3

5.A Weighted Glute Bridge

80kgx3
100kgx3
110kgx3
120kgx3

5.B Hammer Grip Chins

BWx5
+10kgx3x3

5.C Jump Push Ups

Bwx5x3

Pleasing session, felt extra good today with it being a high carb day!

Sorry to be a numpty, but what benefits do you get from weighted glute bridges?

Sorry to be a numpty, but what benefits do you get from weighted glute bridges?

The glutes are really hammered in the bobsleigh push so by using the glute bridge on top of exercises like squats me and K-dawg are hoping to see both sport specific increases (sprinting and pushing) and also some extra beef on our BEhinds.

Rilla wrote:Two things:
When did the Dawg get into bob?
When are you gonna post bobsuit vids?
When are you gonna post bobsuit vids of K-dawg.

Ok that was three..

I've been training specifically for this about 6 months now (increased sprint training, sled pushing and more bobsled-specific weights training). Training over the past few months has been awesome though, really geared up about these trials.

I've lost about 10kg of fat and done lots of power work, whilst not neglecting my strength. So although i havn't been posting in my journal alot, i've come a long way.

Bobsuit vids depends on if i get on, and if i go on season/junior worlds

I can vouch for Karlos, he impressed down at pushing in Bath thats for sure!

Week 2 (Session 2)

Dynamic Warm Up+Foam Rolling

1.A Power Clean

50kgx7
60kgx7
70kgx7
80kgx7
85kgx7
90kgx7
95kgx7

Felt good. Tough work on the breathing!

2.A Weighted Glute Bridge

70kgx7
80kgx7
90kgx7
95kgx7
100kgx7

3.A *New* Box Front Squat (Box 1" below parallel)

50kgx7
70kgx7
80kgx7
90kgx7
95kgx7
100kgx7

4.A Strict Military Press

Barx7
30kgx7
40kgx7
45kgx7
50kgx7

4.A Pull Ups

BWx7
x5
x5

4.B Push Ups

BWx10x3

4.C CoC Gripper

No.1x10
No.1.5 x5x2

We need some vids matey. Get them up!

K and Coop in bob suits. white wee wee white wee wee

Haha we will get a vid up soon boys.

Week 2 (session 3)

Dynamic warm up + Foam rolling

1.A Power Clean

50kgx5
60kgx5
70kgx5
80kgx5
90kgx5
100kgx5
105kgx5 PB

Technique was poor on all except for the top set, I was lifting my arse up too early but rectified it for the top set and these flew up!

2.A Narrow Stance Squats

60kgx5
80kgx5
100kgx5
120kgx5
130kgx5
135kgx5
140kgx5

3.A Bench Press

60kgx5
70kgx5
80kgx5
90kgx5
95kgx5

No spotter so didn't fancy risking going higher.

4.A Weighted Glute Bridges

80kgx5
100kgx5
110kgx5
115kgx5

5.A Ab Roll Outs (Kneeling)

BWx8x4

Week 3 (Session 1)

Some nice PBs in this session!

1.A Romanian Rhythm squats (Activation)

bar x 40
60 x 40
120 x 50

2.A Power Cleans

50 x 5
60 x 5
70 x 4
80 x 3
90 x 3
95 x 3
100 x 3
105 x 3
110 x 3 - PB (Failed the 3rd rep due to hitting the bar too low, on my knees actually lol, but knew I had a 4th in me and it came up nicely.


3.A Narrow Stance Squats (with Romanian contrast sets)

50 x 5
70 x 4
90 x 4
100 x 4
120 x 3
130 x 3
140 x 3 -> 100 x 4
145 x 3 -> 100 x 4
150 x 3 -> 100 x 4 PB

Great activation and peaking exercise for trials in 2 weeks. The contrast sets flew up, it felt like I had 2x more muscle in my legs.

4.A Push Press

50 x 5
60 x 3
65 x 3
70 x 3
75 x 3

5.A Explosive Hammer Grip Chins

BWx5x3

6.A CoC Gripper

No.1 x10
No.1.5x5x2

Fat grip hangs

BW+25kg x 18s
BW x 30s

Very pleasing session!

I had a go of the velodrome through my Dads triathlon club tonight, it was really great fun!

Vids for today.

You're a bit of a screamer aren't you?

cleaver wrote:You're a bit of a screamer aren't you?

I can confirm that cleavo. Infact i'm pretty sure my whole street could too!

I bet you like the screaming don't you cleavy? You like it loud? lol

Week 3 (Session 2)

1.A Power Cleans

50kgx7
60kgx7
70kgx7
80kgx7
92.5kgx7
97.5kgx7

Tough work!

2.A Glute Bridges

80kgx7
95kgx7
100kgx7
110kgx7
3.A Front Box Squats

50kgx7
70kgx7
80kgx7
95kgx7
105kgx7
110kgx7

3.B Pull Ups

BWx7x3

Good improvement on these!

4.A Strict Military Press

Barx7
30kgx7
40kgx7
50kgx7
52.5kgx7

Good session, really tough work.

Haha! Very amusing! Love the fella laughing!

lol, sounds like el senor.

Week 3 (Session 3)

Dynamic Warm Up+Foam Rollo

1.A Power Clean

50kgx5
60kgx5
70kgx5
80kgx5
90kgx5
100kgx5
107.5kgx5 PB

Very happy with this PB, this is a huge improvement! They came up really nicely and the catch is getting more solid. I decided to turn my back on the mirror as I have got used to using the feel of the lift rather than using visual ques. It is a lot better this way.

2.A Narrow Stance Back Squats

60kgx5
80kgx5
100kgx5
120kgx5
132.5kgx5
142.5kgx5 PB

Came up nicely too, I decided not to shout as much and found that by keeping my mouth shut I kept more tension in my core and get a better lift.

3.A Bench Press

60kgx5
70kgx5
80kgx5
90kgx5
95kgx5

No spotter again, as in there is nobody in the whole building so decided to focus on getting good clean fast lifts rather than going heavier. They felt a lot easier than last week.

3.B Weighted Glute Bridges

80kgx5
100kgx5
110kgx5
120kgx5
130kgx5

Feeling these nicely.

4.A Ab Rollos (Kneeling)

BWx8x4

Held these at the bottom of the rep for a bit of extra toughness.

Great session, Extremely pleased with the power cleans. Before I went to September trials last year I probably couldn't clean 100kgx1.

Coming along nicely mate - cleans look really good.

Nice voorslaans! You maxing out in bath? I might see what i've got for 1.

Weighed in at 98.1kg this morning. Happy with this as my power to weight ratio must be a lot lot higher than it was last year. I have been carb cycling for the last 3-4 weeks and have seen a big change both in leanness but also I have seen good increases in strength and maybe a bit of size.
My legs have changed shaped since implementing the narrow stance squats. My inner thigh (adductor area) has got a lot less but my quads and hams have become far more dense, with each individual quad muscle increasing in density. Glutes have also seen a similar change.

Nice voorslaans! You maxing out in bath? I might see what i've got for 1.

Ermmm I might see how I feel on the day, if I am feeling good and if you are maxing out then I will find it hard to resist.

End of cycle session

Really amazing session to finish off a very productive cycle. Started with push session on the bob track.

1.A Rhythm squats

60 x 40
100 x 40
120 x 40

2.aPower Cleans

50 x 5
60 x 5
70 x 5
80 x 3
90 x 3
100 x 3
105 x 3
112.5 x 3 - PB
115 x 1
117.5 x 1 F (Lost my grip and cut my finger, because I am hardcore hehehe)
117.5x1
120 x 1 - PB- Really flew up, catch wasn't too bad.

Really going to focus on working on the catch in the next cycle as I reckon I have another 5-10kg in me if I can get a stronger and slightly lower catch. Going to use hang power cleans to practice the feel.

3.A Narrow Stance Squats

60x5
80x5
100x4
120x3
140x3
145x3
150x3
157.5x3 PB

+7.5kg PB. Feet maybe an inch wider than normal on these but the position felt better on my back and knees. Happy with the speed and control of these reps.

4.A Push Press

40 x 5
50 x 3
60 x 3
70 x 3
75 x 3
80 x 3
85 x 3 PB

PB by 10kg on these, pretty happy.

Great great day full of PBs, very happy! Taking a good planned deload so we can peak for trials on Sat.