Michigan Muscle Boy

Eccentric Training: The end of max strength training

Arnold and I just completed our sojourn in max strength training.  Maybe the most interesting thing was the eccentric training we did at the end.  In eccentric training, you go beyond what you can lift and just do the negative of each exercise.  We did 120% of 1RM.

So, in the leg press, say you think your 1RM is 545, you would do 655 for 120% 1RM.  Obviously, you can't lift that, so you have to have spotters.  We did that for 5 sets of three reps.

Initially, it's very mentally challenging, you think the weight is going to come down and crush you, but no, you actually control it.  To get maximum benefit, you need to lower the weight slowly.

It is typically the case that you can lower a lot more than you can lift.  The difference is a measure of how far you are from exerting your absolute strength potential in your 1RM.  If you are very good, you can get up to 90% of your aboslute strength potential, but usually you get 80% or less.  Our Muscle Ventures post provides more details.

Maximimizing Max Strength: Hip Flexor Stretch

So, Nancy and I have put up some new videos at muscleventures. This is our hip flexor stretch. It was a hoot to make at 8:30 AM last Sunday.  We do these stretches to help get us in shape for max strength.

In our training, we've been progressing from 5 sets of triples at 90% to 5 sets of doubles at 95%. Those are hard.  Here's a sample workout:

• Hammerstrength Leg Press (95% 1RM): 505 lbs/ 2 reps X 5 sets;
• Partial stiff legged deadlift (80%): 167.5 lbs/6X5;
• Bench press (95%): 182.5/2X5;
• Seated bent over row with cable (95%): 160/2X5;
• Hack machine calf raise (95%): 300/2X5;
• Hammerstrength ab machine (80%): 40/6X5

Nancy and I have never done max strength before this cycle.  It's kind of fun but hard.

A good but tough max strength workout

The Big Girl seems to be having an easy time cutting over to the anabolic diet, a good thing.  I've done low carb diets like the anabolic diet before, but my experience is that I tend to need more than the minimum carbs to feel really good.  The thing that attracted me to this diet is that it seems designed to get you to the right level of carbs for exercise ... eventually.

I hit the wall a bit on carbs yesterday, day 3 of the diet, and felt a little drained.  But, I had a decent enough workout.  Here's what I did:

• Smith Squats (90% 1RM):  174 lbs./2 reps X 1 sets; 184/2X4;
• Kneeling hammerstrength leg curls (80%):  95/6X5
• Bench Press (90% 1RM): 172.5/2X5
• Bent underhand EZ Bar row (90%): 150/2X5
• Front dumbbell press (90%): 55/2X1; 50/2X4;
• Hack calf raise (80%): 240/6X5

A few observations.  We worked out at Gold's.  The Smith machine there is different, angling you back in the squat, and the bar weight is also different also.  It's harder than what we do at Liberty, so I can do less weight in the squat. 

On the bench I needed some light spotting on the last two sets (thanks Arnold!).  The bar is also a little heavier than standard (47.5 lbs. vs. 45).

Based on past performance, I felt pretty sure I could do 55 lbs. on the dumbbell press.  Well, barely.  I suspect the carbs were hitting me.

Max Strength Day

So, Arnold and I did a max strength workout yesterday.  We also talked about the plan going forward, something Scott has been asking about.  We'll have more on that in a later post.  It includes elements of diet and measurement.

We stuck with Smith squats.  We're both getting good depth and range of motion.

Here's the workout:

• Smith squats (90% of 1RM): 198 lbs./3 reps X 4 sets; 178/3X1
• Single leg curls (80%): 80/6X5
• Bench press (90%): 170/3X5
• Bent underhand EZ Bar Row: 150/3X5
• Overhead dumbbell press (90%): 50/3X5
• Seated calf (80%): 190/6X5

Max Strength at Gold's

Nancy and I returned to the sensational Gold's Gym in Ann Arbor for a max strength workout.  We stuck with Smith squats, mainly because we are getting superior depth.  We will likely bring back freestanding squats when we get to another hypertrophy cycle and have digested the Eric Cressey video this Fall.

We fell back a bit in squats in this workout.  I think the Gold's Smith machine has a different counterbalancing.  The main point here however continues to be depth, depth, and depth.  So, we'll take our lumps on weight.

Here's the workout:

• Squats (85–90% of 1RM): 148 lbs/4 reps X 2 sets; 158/3X3;
• Standing Hammerstrength Leg Curl (70%): 80/7X5;
• Bench Press (85%–90%): 160/4X2; 170/3X3;
• Bent underhand EZ Bar row (85–90%): 144/4X2; 150/3X3;
• Dumbbell overhead press (85–90%): 45/4X1, 50/4X1, 50/3X3;
• Hammerstrength hack calf raises (70%): 240/7X5

BTW, we recorded an interesting diet podcast at Gold's that Nancy gives some hint about in her most recent blog post.

I did Smith Squats, Pleae Don't Hate Me

Arnold and I returned to some max strength exercises today.  The workout took one hour 44 minutes, not the three I previously asserted and which Chris Dorr called me on. 

At any rate, we decided after some consideration to try Smith Squats.  The basic reasoning was to go for range of motion.  We'll publish the full analysis on Muscle Ventures tomorrow, and I'll have more to say then about our various plans.  The skinny is that I think we succeeded in our quest for range of motion.

It was good to train with Arnold again.  We took three to four minutes rest between sets.  Here's what we did:

• Smith Squats (80%–90%):  177/6X2; 197/3X2; 177/1X2
• Single leg curls (70%): 35/7X5
• Bench press (80–90%): 155/6X2; 170/2X2
• Bent underhand EZ bar rows (80–90%): 135/6X2; 150/3X3
• Overhead dumbbell press (80–90%): 45/6X2; 50/3X3
• Seated  calf (70%):  165/8X5

There was some work in the gym that intruded on our bench, so we did not do all three sets at 90%.  It was harder doing squats on the Smith.  I dropped weight at the end to maintain range.

A Max Strength Day

So, max strength (MxS) training is different.  You rest 3 or more minutes between sets.  Remarkable.  We are in the start week of a three week sequence that mixes hypertrophy (H) and max strength.  We're doing under a minute's rest on H days.  Here's the MxS workout Nancy and I did Wednesday:

• Squat (80%): 184\5X7
• Standing Leg Curl (60%): 30\4X10
• Bench (80%): 155\5X7
• Bent Barbell Row (80%): 135\5X7
• Front Dumbbell Press (80%): 45\5X7
• Seated calf (60%): 130\5X8

My legs hurt after the squats.