Training - 27th Jan. 2014

Back Squat: Worked up to 1 rep @ 280 lbs
Snatch Pull: 145x5x3 w/ rebend, worked up to 185 w/o rebend
Rows: 5x10
Dips 3x
Ab Wheel 3x

Woohoo! Finally did a rainbow bar squat! (45,35,25,10) lbs on each side...Just need to imitate this with the rainbow version of KG plates! hehe.
Sort of was going for a max, and I did achieve a new best by 25lbs, but still felt I could have gotten a bit more if I had gone for it. I'm just still not used to squatting heavy, and I've been more strict with form recently, so I was unhappy to see it breaking at the heavier weights. All good though.

Just proof that I need to do a LOT of work.

Training - 25th Jan. 2014

Snatch Balance: Worked up to a heavy single with 135
Back Squat: Just did some paused reps up to around 185
Snatch Pull off the Blocks: Did 135x2x3 w/ rebend, then worked up to 185 for a shrug-pull
Rows: 120x4x10
Glute Ham Raise: 3x5
Ab Wheel 3x

One of the ideas I had for this recent strength phase was to do heavier pulls more often. The pulling portion isn't a real weakness for me in the classicals, as I can always pull the bar high enough. However, heavy pulls should hopefully allow me to maintain better form and confidence at heavier weights, while also training the back musculature in the related positions.

I used to hesitate mainly because I was scared to pull heavy to the point where form would be breaking down. I'm still pulling with good speed (see strong pull above), and taking many videos. Happily Surprised to see that maintaining form at heavier weights on pulls comes pretty naturally at this point.

Training - 14th, 16th, 20th, 22nd January 2014: Last week of Smolov Jr

14th Jan:

Back Squat: 205x6x6

16th Jan:

Back Squat: 215x7x5

20th Jan:

Back Squat: 230x8x4

22nd Jan:

Back Squat 240x10x3

Hello. So, I sort of pooped out in a bunch of ways here, in failing to update this blog on time as well as messing up the end of the Smolov Jr. Schedule.

I still haven't quite gotten in to the routine of training --> updating as last term yet, I usually end up getting distracted when I get home by my rowdy roommates! Anyway, will try to do better from now on.

Glad to be done Smolov Jr. I picked a conservative max, and I think it was a good idea mainly because I felt like I maintained good form throughout the program. Unfortunately, I ended up going home on the weekend of the 17th. Since I now have a rack at home, this wouldn't have been a problem if I wasn't feeling iffy about my adductors that day. I decided not to squat, postponing the last two days of the program to the next week, and now they are done. Even though I sort of ruined everything :P

The Saga of Zammar the Great #5: Candahar pt.2

Note: This is part five of a story. If you are seeing this for the first time, you may benefit from reading the previous parts as can be found here: http://zammarahmer.blogspot.ca/search/label/The%20Saga%20of%20Zammar%20the%20Great

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The high sun beat down on Abasi's bare back, burning the giant gash that had opened vertically across it. He gritted his teeth and kicked the tired camel beneath him in frustration, reminding himself that it was just pain. His left arm pounded with more where the monster had crushed it beneath the large taloned feet. Oh well, he had gotten even with that one...and the arm still functioned well enough. He wanted to drift, to fall away like his single sleepy eye kept encouraging him to in the desert heat. His vision was narrowing, the blackness of his eyelid slowly taking over from the painful glow of the sun. He felt himself swaying just slightly, his head slowly drooping down...Just a bit more and he'd be off this bothersome camel. Just a little bit more...

"How much further do we have to go?!" Jamil's irritatingly high voice crooned out in complaint behind him, instantly bringing Abasi back to the world with a start. He cursed under his breath in anger. 

"Kairo is on the other side of the world you retard...We'll never make it." Hadi replied glumly, his own voice being a pitch lower but similarly irritating. 

"Fuck man, I wanna go home...I don't want nothing to do with those fucking things no more." Jamil replied. 

Abasi sighed inwardly, furious with himself for picking Hadi and Jamil. How was he meant to know how spineless the pair were? They were both above blackness of eighty and neither were badly wounded. He had figured that meant they must have been good, pure blooded fighters. Now, he realized it was probably just proof that they hid away during the fight. 

Their constant complaining had done nothing but chip away at his patience, breaking it down in tandem with the heat. It was remarkable how different the weather was on this side of the Dragon Peaks. Here, it felt like autumn hadn't even started to bathe the world in cool. Once they had crossed the furthest reaches of most small streams from the mountains, the landscape quickly changed from the grassy prairie to a vast, barren desert of hard rocks and loose dust underfoot. Many rivers still coursed through here, fed by the headwaters in the mountains to west, none of which were conveniently close to the path that Abasi had chosen to travel. 

"Imad, weren't you from around here?" Hadi asked. 

"From there." Abasi turned just slightly at the deep voice to see the tall, muscled man pointing his long hand to the massive plume of smoke they were approaching. His face seemed completely impartial to the destruction of his childhood home. 

"Fuck...sorry man." Hadi replied. 

They stopped their camels at the edge of the village; the fifth ruin they had come to. The air had grown noticeably heavier as they approached, and now the smell of burned wood hardly prevailed over that of flesh. It was impossible to tell the layout any more; all the wooden structures had collapsed and burned. Few logs remained, the rest of which had been transformed into ashes littered with bones and limbs. Amongst the debris, the once vibrant colours of childrens toys stuck out of the otherwise monotonous scene. On a tall pole, still standing in the center of the village, the lonely flag of The Blacklands flew lazily in the warm wind. The black canvas, bordered with red, had been slashed where the golden headrest was meant to be.

Abasi turned to face his men, he didn't really want to look at the ruin of a loyal village, the bodies were still too visible, the failure of The Blacklands military far too clear. 

Training - 11th & 12th January 2014: 7th & 8th day of Smolov Jr.

11th Jan:

Back Squat: 220x8x4

12th Jan:

Back Squat: 230x10x3

So tired...

:(

Training - 7th & 9th January 2014: 5th & 6th day of Smolov Jr.

7th Jan:

Back Squat: 195x6x6
Behind the Neck Snatch Grip Press: 65x5x5
Rows: 130x5x7-10
Ab Wheel 3x

9th Jan:

Back Squat: 205x7x5
Ab Wheel 3x

I guess saying that I've been too busy to update would be inaccurate, I just sort of forgot!
Having fun (sort of?) with school, but its great hanging out with the friends again!

The Saga of Zammar the Great #4: Candahar pt.1

Note: This is part four of a story. If you are seeing this for the first time, you may benefit from reading the previous parts as can be found here: http://zammarahmer.blogspot.ca/search/label/The%20Saga%20of%20Zammar%20the%20Great

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We need to go, right now!" Ren pleaded with the immensely muscular back in front of her. Zammar did not reply, still lost in his thoughts. He was facing the long ramp that led down from the Kampallan ring. Directly in front was a giant fissure that had appeared when he punched the stone in unbridled fury. Tristan was afraid the entire mountain would crumble and crush them because of it. But so far it had held. On the other hand, he was grateful that the tall mountains, in whose shadow they stood, obscured view of the absolute ruin contained within. They did not, however prevent the smell of rotting, burned flesh from permeating through the thin evening air.

"Please Zammar..."

The man turned around, revealing his gorgeous face with an eccentric swirl of beautiful black hair. He looked at the young queen with deep, empty brown eyes.

"Not yet, Ren." He whispered finally.

"But they're going to reach more villages...we can warn people..." She, like Tristan had been stunned silent by his solemn mannerism.

"No, we will never catch up on foot." He unsheathed the immense greatsword across his back. It rippled mesmerizingly along the lethal edge with an azure glow. With a loud heave, the immense man thrust the sword deep in to the ground directly in front of him. There, it began to pulsate softly with a stronger, more visible blue that banished the shadows immediately around in periodic intervals.

"What are you doing...?" Ren managed to utter before Zammar's hands landed softly on her shoulders. Tristan felt a dagger of envy at the way her entire body went limp and she stared up at him with large and completely unguarded, but beautiful green eyes. He could almost hear the rapid increase in her heartbeat.

"Listen Ren, this was not your fault."

She was silent for a long while before whispering "We should have arrived sooner, we should have warned them."

"No, think of what happened at Torst...Kampalla never stood a chance."

"I don't care...I should have done better...so many...so many people..." Her small voice died instantly as the giant arms pulled her in to an embrace, effectively hiding her behind the bare muscles.

"Ren, I will not let this happen again." The conviction in the mans voice was penetrating.

Training - 4th January 2014: 4th day of Smolov Jr.

Back Squat: 215x10x3

Pretty tired again today...10 sets is a lot! Even if the weight isn't all that much :P I'm excited (not) for when this program has me doing 10x3 with 240 :'(

Also, left leg has been bugging me. Lots of clicking and clacking near the knee join, caused (I think) by tight quads and possibly calves. Pretty annoying, hopefully it gets better with more myofascial release!!


I am writing this from my new home next to my cool friends who are sharing it with me! 2A awaits, and with it, I am sure many hardships and good times!!

Training - 3rd January 2014: 3rd day of Smolov Jr.

Back Squat: 205x8x4

Feeling pretty shot today. The squats went well, but even though the weight is relatively light, I was pretty drained by the end. Part of the reason for that is that 8 sets...is a lot of sets. Another reason is that I was being very strict with form, minimizing the amount that my hips kicked back and staying as upright as possible. It's a good thing to do, because it ends up emphasizing more on the Quads, which is of course a weakness of mine.

Another reason is probably that my appetite sort of (contradictorally) disappeared since the beginning of the winter break and I have been eating less because of that.

Training - 1st January 2014: 2nd day of Smolov Jr.

Back Squat: 190x7x5
Ab Wheel 3x

Yay! Happy New Year everybody! Too bad my new year post is slightly late, and a boring one about an ordinary training day. woohoo!

As far as training goals are concerned, I haven't really thought about it much beyond accomplishing what I had aimed to accomplish last term. (315lb Back Squat for reps, 185lb Snatch, 225lb Clean and Jerk) I don't think these should be too hard to reach now, it mainly depends on where my co op placement ends up being for the Spring term. Other than that, I hope to compete, or be ready to compete at some point. I guess I'll have to look in to that.

On another note, Left hamstring has been bugging me a lot lately. There isn't much in the way of pain, it just feels really weird, and is causing my knee to click funnily at the bottom of the squat. I am taking a hard, spiky ball to it...so hopefully it stops being weird :D

Training - 30th December 2013: 1st day of Smolov Jr.

Back Squat: 180 x 6 x 6
Behind the Neck Sn. Grip Press: 75x6x6
Ab Wheel 3x

Hello all! I am back from what turned out to be a short hiatus during the holiday season.

I intended to start Smolov Jr. last week, but the combination of a power out and bad flu influenced me to postpone it.

So, as detailed before, I will be doing the three week strength program called Smolov Jr. as can be seen here: (http://www.seriouspowerlifting.com/2362/articles/smolov-jr)

Sort of unusual, since I'm not a powerlifter. However, it suits the current emphasis for strength wickedly. As such, I will be running the program for my Back Squats. I did do it before with good success for Front Squats (and then I got injured right at the end! :( ). But, hopefully it helps bring the squatting strength up.

I will be using 255 as a max. Very conservative, but I think it usually is best to be conservative with your max when running a program like this. Especially when you are expected to add weight that isn't based on the max later on.


So today's training was the first time squatting for two weeks, and after recovering from a cold. That being said, it was relatively easy. 180 for 6x6 is a good 35lbs less than I would have been doing before. Oh well, just going to take it easy working in to it, the program will get a lot tougher.