Military Fitness Brainstorming

Well, bad news/good news.
Bad news: I stalled out on my 4th rep doing squats today on my 5+ day.
Good news: The weight I was doing is my previous 1RM that I started with at the beginning of the program.
 
I don't fucking get it. How can 5# make such a difference??
I went back one cycle on all my lifts because I was hitting a wall (2 cycles/8 weeks) at my current weights. I was struggling just to hit my 5+/3+/1+ numbers every week. Now that I've gone back an entire cycle, I'm destroying my numbers. My brain is having a hard time understanding how 5# can be the difference between 9 reps and a struggle to hit 5 reps. Is it because the 2 preceding sets are heavier as well?
I'm happy that I'm killing my numbers again, but the mind boggles!
Your thoughts?
 
We all have our ups and downs.

Sometimes it can be attributable to stress, but other times there may not be a clear explanation. In any case, I've never noticed perfectly linear progress in the long term. We seem to go through phases.
 
SkrewzLoose said:
I've posted them all in here.
No laughing at the weights though...
Click to expand...


No laughing here, your postings are one of the things, that got me started on 531. I appreciate your spreadsheets.

I'm just heading out of my 2nd cycle of 5/3/1 and so far I'm very pleased with it. I really like the deload week, to let my body recover and make me stronger. I feel fine but at my age, periodization training has been very helpful. I do realize my preparation would change to more volume for certain military schools. I just don't have anything to report on that.

A by product of this program is, I'm doing 20 dead hang pullups for the first time ever. I've been in the 15-18 category for a while. Not sure exactly why that is, but I'm attributing it to, my accessory exercises, 5/3/1 and changing my grip as Etype talked about somewhere on this forum.

My accessories have been: GHR's, planks, pull ups & tabata push ups. With 3 runs a week with 1 to 2 being 400m/800m sprint workouts.
 
Well, I was going to bitch about having an off day today (feeling old sucks) after a really good week...but then I realized surgicalcric is banging out burpees on his newly fitted prosthetic.
It's all about perspective. So, I'll just take it in stride. 8-)
 
DAVE101 said:
SkrewzLoose said:
I don't fucking get it. How can 5# make such a difference??
Click to expand...
We all have our ups and downs....
Click to expand...

When I posted this last week, I was having a "down" day. I went from 220x5 the previous week, to 225x2 that day. However, today I got 235x3 :-). I'm so glad I recognized it as just having an off day.

As long as you know when to auto-regulate, we can keep training and make progress in other ways.8-)
 
I took some time this week, to lift some heavier weights for 1 rep, before heading into my next session. I don't want to come off as a infomercial for 531, but it definitely made me stronger. I am very close to some personal lifting goals.

These are the maxes I made this week without going to failure. If a lift takes me 3 seconds to complete, I don't go up in weight.

I'm 5'11 and 185 lbs.

Bench Press: 265
Military Press: 180
Dead Lift: 365 - I very rarely attempt dead lifts with this kind of weight, my last +1 week on 531 was 300. I pulled this and am confident I can pull more.
Squat: didn't do because I have a strained muscle.

This board has been a great source of knowledge for strength training, I appreciate everyone sharing.
 
Here's my latest...

Also, new 1RM after 7 4-week cycles. I don't know why I gained so little on my pressing movements, but I have an idea. I did my 1RM DL & bench on the same day and squat & OH press on the same day and in that order. Squat and DL are more complex lifts so I did them first. Would the physical exertion used in working up to a 1RM in one lift effect your ability to truly max out the other?
I'm extremely happy with where my 2 heavy lifts are now.

Bench: 195#, got a generous spot to get 200# up.
Up 10 pounds

Squat: 215#, failed at 220#
Up 30 pounds

DL: 315#, failed at 325#
Up 20 pounds

OH Press: 125#, failed at 130#
Up 10 pounds.
 

Attachments

So I converted the MA Strength and Honor program to a spread sheet, I like what's there but I definitely can see room for addition to it. I'm going to start monday...looks like it's going to be a smoker.
 
OK, really starting to "feel" old. For the past 3 months or so, I've been getting (something similar to) pain in my left hip while squatting. I do A LOT of stretching before, during and after my workouts on squat days. I can usually stretch enough to where it doesn't bother me during my left, but as soon as I take the first step to rack the bar I can feel it. I stretch for a few minutes, walk it off and I'm fine. No lingering effects or anything like that.
Going on the assumption that my form is not horribly flawed, does anyone have some suggestions as to how to alleviate this? If I need to upload some videos, I'll try to figure out how.

On a separate note, I love that our gym on base has a room devoted to bumper plates, pull up bars and chalk. However, if you're performing a lift where the weight does not touch the ground (squat, OH press, etc) DON'T use the fucking bumper plates. Also, if you are doing an oly lift or some other lift where a bumper plate would be beneficial, just 1 on either side is enough to create the bumper effect. You don't need 6 god damn 45# bumpers on the bar for your DL. :mad:
That is all.
 
I've been doing the MA selection program for about 10 weeks now (yes, I repeated it) with some modifications to prepare for an upcoming SFRE. Numbers at times are looking good so far, but there's always room for improvement.
 
Speaking of 5/3/1..(Sorry to bump an old thread, but I didn't want to clutter the forum with a new one)

I have have the new PDF "Beyond 5/3/1: Simple Training for Extraordinary Results" by Jim Wendler. Anyone interested in it can PM me.

It has a lot of good information in it. Many tree's were killed in the printing of it.
 
Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 2nd edition was the best, most thorough, fitness publication I've ever read. The only thing I don't like is his approach to diet:

"Bulking? Gallon of Milk a Day (GOMAD). Lactose intolerant? Grab some baby wipes, it's gonna get messy."

"Cutting? Drink whey protein before every meal." Since when is liquid calories a good idea while trying to lose weight?
 
So I finished my second cycle of Strength and Honor about three weeks ago now, shitty thing happened. I hurt my back some how, I was going to change up my training program, I have my sheets ready and then last Tuesday I woke up in tremendous back pain. I didn't do my maxes after the first cycle, and then ended up a month out of the gym after that before I did the second cycle. I don't even want to know where I'd be had I put in the sacrifice to be in the gym everyday last year when I was going through BOLC, wouldn't have gotten home until 2000 or after....but there would have been results.

Bench: 250
Squat: 285 (that went up fast from where I started reps)
Deadlift: 215
Front squat: 225
Power Clean: 165 (I've only done power cleans twice in my life, so I like that.)

Now I'm getting the run around from the PA at Nelson Clinic, no lady I do not have a back spasm.
 
I would be very interested in getting opinions from the users of this forum in relation to PT tests and how relevant they are to job/task specificity. I appreciate I'm a new arrival, but I've been lurking on this site for a while and have seen some great discussions!

My opinion is that most forces PT tests don't replicate the demands of the job or the fitness capacities used in their jobs and are out of date.

First, most police forces entry and annual fitness tests tend to revlove around push ups, sit ups and 1.5 mile run. Any time I've been on duty I've never had to run at a steady pace, with no change of direction, for 1.5 miles. Likewise, dealing with violent prisoners requires total body strength and power. Push ups and sit ups do not replicate the situation or the force required.

Secondly, tests like APFT require good levels of muscular endurance and aerobic power, yet a soldier will need to carry heavy loads for lengthy periods of time (strength), short sprints to cover (anaerobic) etc.

-Judging by the introduction of the RAW and Tactical Athlete Programmes, SOF and other units seems to be switching to job specific PT and PT tests.-

I have been reading through the threads in here and most if not all users partake in Crossfit, Military Athlete, Starting Strength, Wendler etc. I'd imagine you all feel these better prepare you for your indivdual jobs as opposed to just calisthenics and running!?

A high score in the APFT and other similiar tests will mean you are physically fit, but, do you think it transfers to fit for job? Obviously, a large organisation that needs new bodies on a regular basis will want simple, easy to administer PT tests. But with the advent of Crossfit etc., why not introduce functional movement screens, strength/power tests etc to new entrants?

What are your opinions on PT tests and their relevance to your job?
 

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