Topic: Axeman who likes to Olympic Lift training Journal

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Here's an update on my stooopidnesss.

2.19.10 - went over to MHS with Kiara.  She worked on hitting and we played catch in amongst me doing some singles.  Did some drill work in the tree too.  No chopping.  Felt good.
Here's some highlights:

2.18.10 kata event training with kiara

2.20.10 - got up really early for a Saturday and got some beefcake.

Have decided to focus on getting tall.  Or trying to sort out a way to not bump and hump, and instead jump and shrug.  Still not there. I sooooo am getting peeved with this.  It will come.

Started with clean drills:  Went 40x3, 70x3x5
Then went to cleans: 105x3, 125x3x3, 115x3x2 - I strained something in my right hip.  I was a bit mean to the Mrs., so I guess that was Karma rearing it's head.  :-D  Nothing serious.  just something I can feel.  So I'm going to limit it to power movements for a week to let it heal up.  i felt it when I rocked backward in to the hole with the last set of 115.

Then did a couple power clean sets 105x3x2.
Then did some clean pulls: 115x3, 175x3x3.  Didn't feel the hip with the pulls.  Weird.  Just a deep squat thing.

Then did push presses.  Went 40x5, 75x5, 105x5x5.  Shoulder felt great.
Then did ring pushups 8 sets.
Then did abs.

Here's the highlights:

2.19.10 kata w9wo2 75% clean drills, cleans

Was going to front squat, but bailed because of the hip. 

Took kiara to her hitting lessons, she had a stomach bug, but spent the hour like a trooper.

2.21.10 - nothing physical.  Did a lot of ice/heat/self myofascial relief on the hip.  Feeling a lot better.  ONly transient pain with some movements.  All in all, I've spent the day eating for time.  And I'm doing well at it.

weighed myself a few minutes ago, 250 on the button.  Not bad considering how bad I've been eating.  Yahoo.

[Jack]

Hi Arden,

Wow, marked progress still going on! Just persevere in you agony and it will get better and better.
Very improved squat position and pull, nice thigh brush coming on.  I noticed that when you get tired, you sometimes pause a bit with the bar on thigh level before making your top pull, what you call "hump and bump"?
Maybe it'll be more controllable if you start with the full lifts before the partial work, and, let go of the bar between reps, and set up again. That could make a big difference in fine motor control during the  lift.

With your strength and speed, you could downplay the top shrug a bit and try for a thigh "brush and squat". You will still shrug and rise up the balls of the feet automatically. Both of wich will give plenty height to the bar, in combination with the already apparent speed you give to the bar. You will use less energy and the bar will travel even more vertically because it will stay along the thighs longer and not divert forward because of too early or too strong "explosion". You will not lose the explosion, but it will be better timed.

Thanks for the vids, I enjoy watching them

Sjaak

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Sjaak,
 Thank you very much for the input.  I welcome it and commentary from anyone as I'm a complete work in progess.  I encourage input, as I will listen.

  This hip strain has opened my eyes as to the nature of my true problem and the reason I'm not "jumping and shrugging".  When I scoop the bar, my weight shifts to my toes.  There is no way I can jump from my toes.  I can't believe it's taken me this long to sort that out.  it took a few sets of power cleans with 100kg to sort it out.  I hope to do the same again today, if all goes well.  For me, it will be come about being on my heels while in the scoop position.  I can do that when I do the drills off the tall boxes.  it's always amazed me how I can jump under 120 to 130 with ease, but doing it from the floor with 140 to 150 was a lot more difficult.  It just didn't make sense to me.  Now it does.

I have to stay on my heels throughout the pull and until the bar touches my upper thighs.

In the past, the weight has shifted forward to my toes as soon as I got my knees under the bar.

I hope I'm on the right path?  If any one reads this and would confirm/deny what I'm thinking, I would greatly appreciate it.

In any event, Here's a quick update for me in week with kids full time - having a blast by the way.

2.22.10  First session post hip flexor strain - feeling good, but going to take it slow.

Yoga, roller, then off the beefcake.

Power snatches - 20x3, 40x3, 60x3, 70x3x5 - all easy.  Shoulder is well.
Power Cleans - 60x3, 100x3x3, 60x3x5 - all easy. It was during this that I had the above referenced ephiphany.
strict press - 40x5, 60x5x5
Hammer Strength Overhead Press - 2platesx10, 6platesx3x10 super setted with 15lb lateral raises at three angles (prone, standing, front) for 10 each - I hate bodybuilding, but when i can't squat and pull, I have to do something.
Bodyweight box squats on high box - 6 sets of 20 - 20 seconds rest between sets.  Felt good at the end.
push ups on dyna discs/bosu ball/swiss ball - 5 sets
Abs and more yoga and roller.

2.23.10 - With my body double the entire day.  Watched The Lightning Thief, great flick.  Took Kiara to batting practice and learned a lot of cues and drills that have carry over to Chopping and sawing.  Some yoga and rolling. 

All the best,
 arden

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Arden, I concur with Sjaak. You are also correct that you are on the toes too much and far too early. You have a little hitch in your pull, is another way to say it. You are stopping your acceleration for a moment near the top in the mistaken idea that will help you achieve a bigger acceleration when you resume pulling. Instead, you need to pull through that area of the lower thigh trying nothing but to accelerate the bar. Yes, there will be a final little emphasis at the very last moment of the pull, your last blast. But, it will be more subtle and later (milliseconds). Or, another way to say it is, stay on flat feet longer and pull through the top. Also, when you get your chest up in the start, you do better. When you get lazy with the start, the other problems are exaggerated.

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Chris,
 Thank you very much!  The hip strain is really bugging me that I have to rest when I really want to be working on something.  If that makes any sense?     I finally understand what I'm doing and what I need to do to correct it, but all I can do about it is think.      I'm going to do seated exercises until it feels good then start from the very beginning and work my way back up.  Just to be safe.

All the best,
 Arden

Arden, I concur with Sjaak. You are also correct that you are on the toes too much and far too early. You have a little hitch in your pull, is another way to say it. You are stopping your acceleration for a moment near the top in the mistaken idea that will help you achieve a bigger acceleration when you resume pulling. Instead, you need to pull through that area of the lower thigh trying nothing but to accelerate the bar. Yes, there will be a final little emphasis at the very last moment of the pull, your last blast. But, it will be more subtle and later (milliseconds). Or, another way to say it is, stay on flat feet longer and pull through the top. Also, when you get your chest up in the start, you do better. When you get lazy with the start, the other problems are exaggerated.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

My pleasure. Keep up the good work. I love watching your axe work.

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

2.24.10 - hip still not right, but decided to try some power movements.  Bad idea, re-aggravated the darn thing.

Did power cleans.  Went 95lbx3, 135x3, 185x3, 225x3, 245x3, 255x3, 265x2, 225x3.  I aggrevated the hip/thigh on the catch on one of the cleans with 265.  Then I felt it only on the catch.  Not on the stomp.  That makes no sense to me.

After that did some RDLs.  went 275x3, 345x3x3.  I don't feel the hip/thigh at all on these.

Then did some behind the neck push presses.  Went 95x3, 135x3, 185x3, 225x3, 255x3, 275x3 - this was a PR and I held the last rep over head a good 10 to 15 seconds. Then did 225x3. The drive did not hurt the thigh.  The catch behind the neck did not hurt the thigh/hip.  It's like only holding the bar in the front actually impacts it.

Here's some highlights: 

2.24.10 kata w9wo1r power cleans

Then did high box squats with BW - 5x20
Then did a bunch of Machine pussified Bodybuilding stuff to work my upper body followed by some pullups and abs.

2.25.10 - decided to stop all dynamic movements until my hip heals up.  Committed to bodybuilding for at least two weeks to "heal up."  Lord help me.

Did some yoga, self myofascial release, EMS on the thigh, and tai chi.

2.26.10 - Bodbuilding workout 1 - upper body. Blah.
Started with a seated overhead press Railroad.  Went 45lbx5, 65lbx5, 95x5, 115x5, 135x5, 165x3, 185x3, 165x3, 135x5, 115x5, 95x5, 65x5, 45x5 - the only rest I took between sets was to unload/load the bar.  Took about 4 minutes to do this. 
Then did some Hammer Strenght "overhead press" super setted with lateral raises - Did 5 sets.  Worked up to 8 plates on the HS and did a break down from 8platesx6, 6platesx5,4platesx8, 2platesx5.
Then did ring push ups 5 sets.
Then did incline bench 5 sets - worked up to 275 for 5
Then did 4 sets of pull ups broken down with 4 sets of pull downs.  Did 10 bw pull ups, then 10 140lb pull downs each set or thereabouts.
Then did some ghey rowing machine for 3 sets.
Then did my first arm sorta workout in 2 years.  I just did some form of extension supersetted with some form of curl.  Did 5 sets with 20 reps on the tris, and 10 reps on the bis - arms felt like ballons when I was done.
Then finished off with abs.

That evening, I did a ton of softball drill work with Kiara.  Then did a lots of yoga, self myofascial release and EMS.

2.27.10 - shopping for time with the girls at the Jeffersonville outlets. Took them swimming at the Pool at the hotel and did about 1000 bodyweight squats of various positions and foot stances, plus at least a 150 walking lunges. HIp is feeling better.   Actually felt great after I had it warmed up.

2.28.10.  Took Kiara to hitting practice.  Then we went home and we did a ton of drill work on fielding and hitting for a good two hours.  During that time frame I cut two logs, only videod a bit of it.  The hip/thigh does not impact my ability to do event work on the ground.  I am not leery to jump, but I am leery to land, so I will forego tree work until it's healed up.

Here's some highlights:

2.28.10 kata event training

More yoga, SMR and EMS - hip its not impacted at all with chopping. I like that.  I need to get my heart rate up as this bodybuilding training is really not making me sweat much.

3.1.10 - Upper body pussitude!
Started with flat bench press.  Went 135x10, 225x5, 275x5x5 - did these reps in less than 3 minutes with about 15 seconds rest between sets.  Really easy actually.  Then did 225x5.
Incline Bench - 5 sets.  Top set was 275 for 6 - left a lot in the tank
Some machine stretchy pec thing 3 sets -
Lateral raises - 3 sets of 30 - 10 prone/10 erect/10 front
Then did some overhead lockouts. Set the pins on the power rack at the top of head and did standing presses.  Went 135x3, 225x3, 275x3x3, 225x3
Then did some 4 sets of seated dumbell presses.
Then did 4 sets of pulldowns
Then 4 sets of pull ups
Then 4 sets of dumbell pull overs - I like these a lot!  Good and stretchy
Then did some goofy arm stuff that made my arms feel like balloons.

3.2.10 - lower body wimpiness
Rolled, SMR then tai chi.

Then did back box squats.  Did 10 sets of 10 with 135lb with varying foot stances.  Once the hip was warm I was good.
Then did 5 sets of 5 with 135 really deep high bar squats.  No pain at all.
Then supersetted leg press and leg extension.  4 sets.
Then supersetted hack squat with sissy squast. 4 sets.
Then did RDLs 5 sets of 5 with 135lb
Then did about 4 sets on the various leg curl machines.
Then did abs.

I felt like such a big wimp.  Wah!  It's getting better though.  But I'm taking it slow.

[chris123]

Hello their, I love watching your vids.

Although I am bad in olymplic lifting, I especially notice with your power cleans that you get on you toes and drop underneath without jumping at all. It is quite evident cause your feet stay in the same place. Just do a regular vertical jump and you will see from take off and landing your feet will be about 6 inches wider during landing. This what you should happen during the cleans. To do this just try to think to jump and land with you feet a little wider.

Chris