The Martial Artists' Training Log

[bushido_man96]

Thats an impressive press! Looks like it is trending the right way

My presses have always been by far my weakest lift.

my lifetime PRs were 200kg x 5 DL (not too bad as was a little more than 2 x bw); 150kg x 5 squat, 100kg bench, 102.5kg x 3 BB row and 60kg press! Have never been able to get above this! If i could ever get to an 80kg press i would be ecstatic! People are generally built to pull or push and i'm definitely built to pull!

Nice numbers!

The secret to pressing is keeping the stress high, and having fractional plates. Being able to increase the load by only 1.5 lbs per workout will help to sustain gains for a long time.

The other secret, is lots of pressing. Good pressers are pressing at least three times a week, if not four. I can't bench press worth a darn, due to a prior shoulder surgery. But I can press without issues, and I get lots more enjoyment out of pressing overhead than I do bench pressing. Every bro at the gym benches; I want to build a press that makes their eyes wide.

1/19/2023

Half hour of treadmill...and reading a TKD book.

1/20/2023

Strength Training

Squats: 45x5x2, 135x5, 195x3, 240x5, 240x5, 240x5.

Press: 45x5x2, 65x5, 95x3, 120x5, 120x5, 120x5.

Snatch Grip Deadlifts: 165x3, 225x2, 260x5, 260x5.

Shoulders are still feeling good. Almost misloaded the press today.... Snatch deads are still going up. Grip is holding, and I like the feeling I get in my lats.

[DarthPenguin]

to be fair they are older PR's, not lifting close to that at the moment but i will get back there (other than the BB row and bench which were last year).

interesting tip on the pressing volume- i can't make use of it at the moment but will file it away for future! Am looking to get an extension built to my house and my other half is fine with my adding a garage extension with a high ceiling to use as a gym. Having that at home will mean i can more easily add in some sets of presses and pull ups more often - currently i lift in my mothers garage as her house is nearby but that isn't as easy as it being downstairs!

[bushido_man96]

1/23/2023 Monday, which has become my "big day" of training.

Strength Training

Squats: 45x5x2, 135x5, 195x3, 245x5, 245x5, 245x5.

Press: 45x5x2, 65x5, 95x3, 122.5x5, 122.5x5, 122.5x5.

Lat Pull-downs: 120x10, 120x10, 120x10.

Squats were a bit annoying today. The bar kept rolling around on my back. 'Twas irritating. I was also having issues with my adductor flaring up, but I think I fixed that on the last set. Press is still feeling good. I'm trying to fight from adding in too much layback until it starts to get heavier. Added lat pull-downs back in without any issues. I made a point to hold each rep at the bottom of the pull for a second, and this really helped me to put emphasis on the lats.

TKD Class: 5:30 - 6:30 pm. Traditional Class. Only two students again, two orange belts. I helped teach this class, and sat and did a little stretching towards the end while they were doing one-steps. They were really responding well to feedback, and making adjustments as they went.

6:30 - 7:30 pm. Black Belt Class. I did two run-throughs of Choong Jang prior to class. The first one was a more laid back run, but still with some pop and power. The second run, I really blasted out the techniques. I was winded at the end, but I really liked how it came together. In class, we warmed up with Do-Kangs 3, 5, and 6, and then spent time on three-steps 1-9. I really need to get more practice in with these, even though I don't like them very much.

Choong Jang hyung count: 27

Total hyung count: 56

[Zaine]

I've had some time to do some extra training, so:

MA Training

900/1000 Kata complete.

I am going to try and finish up tomorrow, I think it will be a blast.

[bushido_man96]

I've had some time to do some extra training, so:

MA Training

900/1000 Kata complete.

I am going to try and finish up tomorrow, I think it will be a blast.

You're killing it, Zaine! Way to go man!

1/25/2023

Strength Training

Deadlifts: 135x5, 185x5, 255x3, 325x1, 360x5.

Press: 45x5x2, 65x5, 95x3, 125x5, 125x5, 125x5.

Triceps Push-downs: 65x14, 65x14, 65x8.

Loaded the weight for deadlift that I should have done last week, and nailed it. Rep three was the only one I really had any issues with. Reps 1 and 2 went smooth, 3 floated away, and 4 and 5 were the typical grind. While deadlifting, I kind of had a realization; even though it felt heavy, I knew that I was going to get it done. So on that last rep, it was kind of relief, knowing that even though I knew it was going to feel like garbage, I was still going to complete the rep. I tend to get squat and deadlift anxiety when they get heavy, so hopefully this will help me with that. I had to leave the gym earlier than expected, so I didn't get to finish my sets of triceps push-downs. I got the two main lifts done, though, so no real loss.

TKD Class: 6:30 - 7:30 pm. T-Shirt Class. This class has kind of turned into my solo workout class. I did forms in sets of two: Choong Jang-Chon Ji, Choong Jang-Dan Gun. Next did review of Do-Kang 6; getting closer to getting it down. Lastly, went through all colored belt one-steps, and then the first 6 three-steps.

Choong Jang hyung count: 29

Total hyung count: 60

[DarthPenguin]

I've had some time to do some extra training, so:

MA Training

900/1000 Kata complete.

I am going to try and finish up tomorrow, I think it will be a blast.

Awesome, looks like you are going to blast through your target with ease!

[DarthPenguin]

I've had some time to do some extra training, so:

MA Training

900/1000 Kata complete.

I am going to try and finish up tomorrow, I think it will be a blast.

You're killing it, Zaine! Way to go man!

1/25/2023

Strength Training

Deadlifts: 135x5, 185x5, 255x3, 325x1, 360x5.

Press: 45x5x2, 65x5, 95x3, 125x5, 125x5, 125x5.

Triceps Push-downs: 65x14, 65x14, 65x8.

Loaded the weight for deadlift that I should have done last week, and nailed it. Rep three was the only one I really had any issues with. Reps 1 and 2 went smooth, 3 floated away, and 4 and 5 were the typical grind. While deadlifting, I kind of had a realization; even though it felt heavy, I knew that I was going to get it done. So on that last rep, it was kind of relief, knowing that even though I knew it was going to feel like garbage, I was still going to complete the rep. I tend to get squat and deadlift anxiety when they get heavy, so hopefully this will help me with that. I had to leave the gym earlier than expected, so I didn't get to finish my sets of triceps push-downs. I got the two main lifts done, though, so no real loss.

TKD Class: 6:30 - 7:30 pm. T-Shirt Class. This class has kind of turned into my solo workout class. I did forms in sets of two: Choong Jang-Chon Ji, Choong Jang-Dan Gun. Next did review of Do-Kang 6; getting closer to getting it down. Lastly, went through all colored belt one-steps, and then the first 6 three-steps.

Choong Jang hyung count: 29

Total hyung count: 60

The deadlifts are progressing well! You'll be up to 440lbs before you know it! Knowing you can get it while grinding is good too - means you can probably manage even more!

One question (out of curiosity) - for the lighter sets you jump up quite a bit in weight between each set and the final set pre heavy one is a lot closer : does this work a lot better for you with experience? Just curious as maybe the penultimate set being so close is affecting the final one? Am just always curious about how people programme these things - personally i build a spreadsheet with the percentages i plan and future progressions and just follow the spreadsheet: removes all personal judgement but am aware that it might not be the best approach!

[bushido_man96]

DarthPenguin, the last warmup set is at approximately 90% of the work set. I don't find that it hurts the work set at all, because I only do a single. What I should probably be doing, but I'm not, is squatting this day, too. If I were squatting at the beginning of the workout (which is what the program intends), I would finish with deadlift, and only do something like two warmup sets, due to already being warmed up from the squat. Since I don't squat in deadlift day, I do a few extra warmup sets to good an prepped for the work set.

My warmups typically go like this: 2x5 of the empty bar; set of 5 at approximately 50%, set of 3 at 70%, single or double at 90%, then into the work sets. Right now, with my squat and press being fairly light compared to what they were at, I'm just kind of feeling it out. As I get heavier, I'll adhere to this more strictly.

1/27/2023

Strength Training

Squats: 45x5x2, 135x5, 195x3, 250x5, 250x5, 250x5.

Press: 45x5x2, 65x5, 95x3, 127.5x5, 127.5x5, 127.5x5.

Snatch Grip Deadlifts: 165x3, 225x2, 265x5, 265x5.

Overall, a good session today. Snatch-deads stayed pretty well on the shins; a slight drift in the second set, but I fixed it in the following reps. No irritation in the adductor from squat sets, but still have the bar shifting problem.

30 minutes on the elliptical later on with my wife.

[Zaine]

I forgot to update!

1/26

MA Training

1000/1000 kata completed! 100% finished, my NYR has been completed!

[bushido_man96]

I forgot to update!

1/26

MA Training

1000/1000 kata completed! 100% finished, my NYR has been completed!

Congratulations, Zaine! That's awesome!

1/30/2023

Strength Training

Squats: 45x5x2, 135x5, 185x3, 225x1, 255x5, 255x5, 255x5.

Press: 45x5x2, 65x5, 95x3, 130x5, 130x5, 130x5.

Lat Pull-downs: 122.5x10, 122.5x10, 122.5x10.

Still had the bar rolling issues on squats. It's frustrating. But I feel like I'm maintaining back angle, and driving my hips out of the hole. Almost back to a plate on each side for pressing. Once I hit that, I may drop the increments to 1.5 lbs per session.

TKD Class: 5:30 - 6:30 pm. Traditional Class. Assisted with this class again (although I was a little late getting there). Most of the stuff I emphasized to the kids last week has faded away this week. Oh, well, par for the course with kids. There were a few new faces that haven't been there the past few times, a green belt and a brown belt. The green belt had quite a few things he needed to spruce up on, for sure, especially with testing coming this Saturday. Honestly, I don't think the green belt or the two orange belts are ready to test. I'm going to rant about some technique issues in the Instructor Forum. I was going to do it here, but I think it'll be better discussion over there.

6:30 - 7:30 pm. Black Belt Class. Did walk-throughs/quick reviews of Kwang Gae and Se Jong. Tried to do Yoo Sin, but it's been a while...and honestly, I hate that form anyways. Class started with warmups of Do-Kangs 1-3, and then we broke out and the CI and I watched the three black belts that will be testing this Saturday. We basically did a pre-test with them, calling out forms for them to do, and finishing with them going through their one-steps. I sat in a stretch while they did one-steps. We were able to offer advice and pointers throughout.

Choong Jang hyung count: 29

Total hyung count: 65. That's a wrap for January. No where near 1000!