For Those Who Want To Talk Strength...

[Dave Lemanczyk]

Too much of Internet forums result in flame wars, unecessary comments irrelovant to the subject matter, and pissing contests. This is the thread for all those who want to simply state, share and discuss training styles that have worked for them over time. Please refrain from discussing anything less than YOUR OWN personal efforts over time as this would take away from what will be the best thread in the history of this forum.

To start things off I'd just like to comment that the finest thing I have ever done for my own training was to simply understand myself. When I took a good look at myself I realized that I had inherant strength and weakness alike. I took that self-collected information based on various tasks/life experience and made it relevant to the building process that is physical training. I took my strengths and began to make them stronger with exercises that gave me the opportunity to maximize my effort while minimizing danger. I took my weakness and made them stronger as well using the same perspective. This process will never end for me as I will never truly be satisfied with anything I have done or will do in the future. This is a door that once opened will never be closed to the person who understands the mindset necessary for human improvement.

The vessels I have used most to allow me to build various types of physicality have been awkward implements. My mastery over these objects has given me a vast perspective on physical training, who I am and what I can become. The primary focus for me over the past twenty two years has been my ability to give every conceivable amount of focus and energy to everything I do.

How about you?

[Seth Collins]

Dave -

The best thing I ever did for myself and my training was to get a heavy tire for flipping. I've had my tire for about two years now (actually I have three, one heavy and two that are much lighter). I still do squats, deadlifts, good mornings, I have a couple large stones, and now the addition of a 200 pound sandbag BUT nothing ramps up my metabolism and works my entire body from my fingertips down to my toes as flipping that heavy tire for reps does.

This past Sunday we had a heatwave here in Baltimore. Temp at the start of my workout was 41 degrees and 49 when I had finished (fahrenheit). My heavy tire weighs 526 pounds and I flipped that thing for a total of 152 flips in 118 minutes. That's a personal best for me. Last Wednesday I did 100 flips in 68 minutes for my fastest time but Sundays workout worked me BEYOND having an appetite. All I wanted to do was lay down and rest for as long as possible, I had to force myself to eat. Until Monday morning when I woke up that is, then I couldn't get enough to eat all day.

Hopefully this is what you meant when you started this thread. The mental aspect of it though, I learn something new about myself EVERY single time I dress for the cold and head outside to do what most "normal" people would call crazy.

Seth

[Dave Lemanczyk]

That is EXACTLY what I was hoping for Seth. Thank you for your contribution of which was tremendous. Legendary workload. Crazy for some people is regular for us. Keep kickin' a**!

[Steve Gardener]

A quick tip I pass on (relevant to a comment of Dave's).

Ignore the 7 day week. Work out how often a muscle can be worked and recover and do that. Do NOT get hung on 'Monday is chest' if it's not working.

[Tim Francis]

A quick tip I pass on (relevant to a comment of Dave's).

Ignore the 7 day week. Work out how often a muscle can be worked and recover and do that. Do NOT get hung on 'Monday is chest' if it's not working.

Steve, I know this is totally dependant on the kind of workout someone would do, in your personal experience what do you feel is the optimum recovery period for each of your major muscle groups?

[Steve Gardener]

Any reply I give would be specific to me. Any idea that you might follow the suggestion should be with that in mind. Look at the workouts you do, see how long it takes to recover and adjust accordingly.

In my own example my legs can be, if pushed hard, sore for 3-4 days following a workout. Chest 1-2 days and so on. To be considered is that I am a grip strength athlete who trains that aspect 2 days in a row, then shoulders/arms or legs, or chest or back in between. I train six days a week at the moment usually training once a day. Also consider impact on the CNS. My hands, esp when using say grippers, do not knock it for six the ways legs or back would. Thus I find the body parts are getting worked on rotation around every 7-10 days and hands 2-4 times a week. But because that doesn't add up to an easy to plan in 7 day period I do what needs to be done and then just take a day off (usually Friday at the moment as I like to kill whatever I am working on Saturdays).

[Doug Carroll]

I dig this thread Dave, and what it is you want.

I'll be 50 in April, here's some things I'm noticing.

For me, heavy, brief sessions allow me to recuperate much faster. This also allows me to lift more frequently. I've also come to realize that I have a high tolerance and preferance to training my back more often then most so called experts would advise.

For example I like sets of 3 in the deadlift, followed by several heavy singles(not maxes). For my bent over rows I prefer sets of 3 as well.

This leaves me rest of the week to add farmer picks, 18" deads, or stiff legs. By listening to my body and sticking to lower reps,I can handle a higher weekly volume, then just trying to get it in one workout.

For over 30 years I've heard the dogma about hitting the lifts once a week, I'm sure that works for most, but it never worked for me. What I have found is that I normally stiffen up,and become lazy. The more frequently I train the better flexibility I have and the faster I recover.

One thing I should make very clear, these workouts suit me and my body type, I also want to make clear not all workouts are what I would consider heavy.

[Seth Collins]

That is EXACTLY what I was hoping for Seth. Thank you for your contribution of which was tremendous. Legendary workload. Crazy for some people is regular for us. Keep kickin' a**!


Thanks Dave. I'm aiming for 200 flips in a single workout by the end of summer but with more hard work and buckets of sweat, I'm sure I'll be there long before then. Once the weather breaks, I'll be stopping by the tire shop for an even heavier tire.

Seth

[Dave Lemanczyk]

@ Seth - You're welcome man. I really enjoy reading about your efforts especially knowing what you have overcome. Overcome the opposition, love it!

@ Doug - Thanks for the feedback and writing down personal experiences that worked for you. That's exactly what I was hoping this thread would provide. Really happy you dig the topic man.

@ Steve - Great response and thank you for the contribution. That was awesome man.

One basic rule of training that I have learned to live by and have had fourteen years of success teaching is train once, repair, and then train again. While a very simple perspective, it literally goes over the heads of millions who seem to think a paper template dictates their training frequency. How could you go wrong by listening to your body? :;tu)

[Kevin McFadden]

The biggest lesson I have learned is that trying to crank up the intensity when you are injured is not hardcore, it's stupid. I might still have a fully functioning lower back if I realized this when I was younger.

[Zac K. Phillips]

Great thread Dave!

One for me is I'm only as strong as my weakest point in a lift. Getting this obvious and overlooked point completely changed how I viewed assistance work/training in general and opened new avenues of progress that "more/harder" would never have allowed. The idea that weaker muscles where holding back stronger muscles from fully realizing new levels of awesomeness and untold PR's really left a mark.

[Steve Gardener]

Another. KEEP A LOG!!!

[Dave Lemanczyk]

@ Zac - Glad you dig it man. There are very few threads on Internet boards that are actually helpful to a universal population. This one is. Thanx for your contribution.

@ Steve - Very good tip, no doubt.

@ Kevin - Outstanding tip. While it may read like common sense too many people injure themselves trying to stick to the template when their body says REST! Nice one.

Another tip I would like to drop here is to add the right type of intensity to each workout. Only a very small % of the human population can go 100% intensity from the start. Everyone else has to build up to it. Make the safe choice and build up to giving 100% both mentally and physically. Here's one more...Even if your body is 100% recovered from the last workout, your mind might not be. Wait until both are 100% and then give that workout your all.