Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Kentbob]

So, after browsing through the CrossFit boards and doing some reading here and there, I bought Louie Simmon's book, "The Westside Barbell Book of Methods".  It's pretty interesting stuff, and goes into detail on the "conjugate system" method of powerlifting training and strength training. 

I mainly started this sort of training looking to try and get faster.  Louie details different ways of building speed and strength, which leads to increased power.  I plan on doing this training for the next month, prior to the start of our deployment training, to help myself get ready.

As of this moment I can squat 345, deadlift 415, power-clean 240, bench 325, and front squat 255.  I can run 100m in roughly 15 seconds (slow), and a 400m in 1:26.  I plan on retesting all these numbers at the beginning of September, and I'm looking for some huge increases.  Will keep you posted, but I recommend the book for people interested in strength training.

Kent

[arnold]

What is your current weight

[Kentbob]

What is your current weight

About 240.

[JimH]

What is your height ?
240 is a ggod weight if around 6 feet tall.

Those are nice lifts.
Especially is you are near 6 feet ,as you would tend to have long limbs.

I assume they are single lift amounts ?
Deadlift and bench are good for a natural trainer.(I assume )
Squats need to come up big time,150-200 pounds,but are probably being held back by running.
A 325 bench should also be capable of a 505 min squat,as limb length is in proportion.

I would not expect to see a drastic change in the amounts lifted unless you also add body weight to accompany/help the strength increases.

Simmons book is good and his training theories are good,but mostly pertain to those using growth enhancing gear.

Hey but strength is good,added size is a benefit and a man who can press his bdy weight,bench his bdy weight plus 100 ,deadlift his body weight plus 200  and squat bdy weight plus 200 is seen as really strong,so you are there with most lifts.

Great Luck in your training and keep posting your gains and training.

[Canuk]

Kent is 4' 8" tall

[Kentbob]

I'm right around 5'11"-6', depending on the measurement device.

Right now, I'm working towards a 405 pound squat.  I think 150 would be a lot to ask for a minimum.  I think I can add 60 pounds in the time I have before deployment.

More than anything, I'm trying to be able to simply move faster.  Short distance, long distance, lifts, and so on.  The way I see it, the faster I can move between cover or from one vehicle/building to the next, the better off I and everyone in my squad will be.

Kent

[TLE]

Methods to increase speed, is the holy grail of sports training. Thats why the appraoch is normally to get a guy who is fast and slap some meaningful muscle on him to kick up power rather than take a very strong but slow guy and try to make him fast. Year ago pro sports teams went haevy  into Olympic lifting because of a study that showed Olympic weight lifters ( and gymnasts) were the best overall ahtletes around based on speed, power, strength, flexibilty and muscualr endurance. Unfortunatley, they put the cart before the horse. These athletes were  naturally gifted in these areas = the training just optimized their  already outstanding potential. Short take- speed kills and is difficult to train. My guess would be you might have to sacrifice a bit of weight to get faster. Your squat should be closer to 2x bodyweight and front 1.5.  Also, if sprint speed is what you want- you guessed it - do a lot of sprinting along with your strength work. If you haven't been doing that- thats the best place to start and you will probably see some good gains on that alone. Good luck. Keep us posted.

[whitewolf]

TLE-sense i am 72 -any thoughts on keeping up speed for people my age who are in good physical condition-thanks WW

[TLE]

WW- first let me say I hope I am still doing what you do at 72 years old  two parts to speed-  fast twitch muscle fibers and central nervous system - muscle fibers-  pure strength work  and  lifts emphasizing explosive movements ( heavier lifts squats, deads, presses benches ec...cleans, snatches with light to moderate weights) cns work- doing things quiclky in general in response to a stimulus in particular.  This is one area older athletes don't train- doing things explosively and fast. We don't play sports which calls for quick responses to a stimulus. We stop sprinting, we jog or run 10k,s. Handball, football, basketabll etc.. are great, but who plays them as we age? We stop lifting heavy and use weight machines which are essentailly useless for power and speed. Forgetting about lifting -a few  exersizes  I like- 12 inch box or step hop on an off as fast as posiible as many reps till form and endurance break down  use an 6 inch step to start- heavy bag speed punching- 4 to 6 punch burst as fast as possible emphasis on speed not power move to opposite side of bag repeat - 2 minute rounds using a timer- if you can still kick- I can't- do the same with rapid roundhouse kicks - free squats and pushups as fast as possible while keeping good form, believe me there is a huge difference between 50 squats as fast as you can do them an 50 at a moderate pace. Try a few sets you'll feel it the next morning- and shuttle runs- put 2 cones 20 feet apart and sprint back and forth touching cone as quick as possible  for 30 sedonds -if you have not done this kind of stuff break in easy - sparring is a great way to keep fast
If you have someone to work out with their are a bunch of other stuff you can do also - Its like anything else use it or lose it

[JohnS]

KENT:get home safe!Thats an order.CANUCK:I spit out my cereal laughing when I read 4ft 8.JIM H:what does limb length/height have to do with the weight on lifts?I no understann.WW:god bless.

[JimH]

JohnS,
Height and Limb length dictate how far one must move a weight.
The longer the distance to move a weight the harder it is on joints and the heavier the lift feels.
It is ,for many,especially those not on growth enhancing drugs ,to build size and strength if the limbs are longer,as one gets over 5'8" the limb length is longer and greatly impacts  how the body structure,over all,sets its self for heavy lifts.
(Body tends to lean forward or back,squats put pressure on knees and hips,benches put stress on elbows and shoulders)

Look at an Arnold compared to his buddy and training partner Franco Columbu.
Arnold ,even though a strong lifter,could not lift the weights of Columbu,and look at the legs and arms,though big,Schwarzenneger's look thin as compared to the smaller structured Columbu,or many other smaller Boby builders.

Look at a sprinters legs the taller they get the leaner they look as compared to their shorter competitors.
Limb length  in a taller person is good for stride distance,but they tend not to produce the speed or power of a shorter more average sized runner.

Hope this helped answer the question

[JohnS]

OK.So the shorter man doesnt have to move the weights as far as the taller man so they can move more weight safely.So should the taller man,for safetys sake,stop at a certain poundage.Should the taller lifter avoid certain exercises with heavy weight completely?

[JimH]

If one decides to use weights as a tool to increase size,strength,speed and power ,then one should always push to lift more weight or move a weight for more reps than before.
The Taller man,with longer limbs,and no growth enhancing meds,should always be aware to use proper form in their exercises.
Example,is a tall man squats with the weight across the back,they must keep their head up,back as straight as possible and decend into the squat and burst out with power.
Once form slips then there is a likely hood for injury:
a slightly rounded back in the squat or deadlift may cause a lower back injury.

One must strive to increase THEIR specific levels of strength,speed,power,the sad part is that injuries are the thing that most times rears its head and halts progress and causes a set back that the willing will recover from and try to beat.

How we train is up to each person and they set their goals:\Heavier Weight
More reps with a lighter weight
Body Weight over weight lifting
More aerobics over size and strength
All must be decided by each of us.

[whitewolf]

TLE  thanks ill start that type exersises  WW

[JohnS]

I did a google search on the subject and re read your post.all clearThanks again.