Off-Season weight training

[Alan H]

I've been remarkably self-disciplined so far this off season. I set myself up with a 3-week cycle, which I have basically done twice, now since the beginning of November. It looks like this:

Legs A ...squats, core crushers, leg extension, hamstring curls...two core exercises, cardio, either row machine or elliptical

Upper Body A ... incline bench press, upright rows, triceps pull-downs or skullcrushers, curls, 3 core exercises

Explosive A.... bosu squat jumps, hang snatch, suitcase dead lifts for speed, deep squat-jumps up to pylo box .... 2 core exercises....elliptical

Core A .... 6 core exercises, whatever I feel like on a given day from the list: sit ups, hanging leg lifts, incline board window wipers, landmines, standing lat pulls, lat pulls on roman Chair, hammer wind ab crushers, cable chops, Russian twists, suitcase dead lifts for speed....elliptical or row machine

Legs B ... leg press, split squats, sumo deadlift high pulls, hamstring curls, leg extension, 2 core exercises, rowing machine

Upper Body B ... push press, windmills, seated flys, bench rows, 3 core exercises, row machine

Explosive B: hang clean to push press, dumbell snatch, box jumps ....3 core exercises, elliptical

Core B ...repeat of Core A

------------

Christmas break is a chance to deload and do some throwing. Then I have a week before I go to North Carolina to throw with the Pockoskis for 4 days. When I get back I will repeat the above 3-week cycle and pile on the weight again.

Then deload for a week.

Then do another 3 week cycle which is all about speed. It will have lots of hang cleans, snatches, pylos, jumping, stadium step bunny hops, and so on. That takes me to about mid-March...

.......and it's time to start throwing Scottish again!

I've been throwing discus and shot put this winter. I'm hoping that the skills I build with those events will help me in the Scottish stuff.

[Detroitpete]

Alan, I was REALLY hoping NOT to see this thread for at least another month! Good on you for hitting things early! I know you're old and wise enough to know not to 'overtrain' and risk injury--so hang in there brother.

As for me--its shoveling snow and chopping wood. The gym starts in earnest this weekend. I'll be doing a 5-3-1 with some cardio work for the ticker. Glucose meds and blood pressure meds are all "A-OK"--so time to ease in for the long haul.

[o1d_dude]

My winter routine looks something like this:

Day 1
1x8 "The Bear" (warmup) w 75 lbs
2x5 Snatch Grip deadlift from 8" blocks w 285 lbs
8x3 Incline bench from bottom (off the pins) w 175 lbs
1x10 Core blaster swings w 90 lbs
1x10 Hanging knee raises
1x10 Partial chin ups

Two days rest

Day 2
1x8 "The Bear" (warmup)
1x5-3-2 Snatch Grip deadlift from 8" blocks w 285-295-305 lbs
1x5-3-2 Incline bench from bottom (off the pins) w 185-195-205 lbs
1x10 Core blaster swings w 90 lbs
1x10 Hanging knee raises
1x10 Partial chin ups

Two days rest

Day 3
1x8 "The Bear" (warmup)
2x5 Snatch Grip deadlift from 8" blocks w 285 lbs
2x5 Incline bench from bottom (off the pins) w 185-195 lbs
1x10 Core blaster swings w 90 lbs
1x10 Hanging knee raises
1x10 Partial chin ups

Calling the rest days "Rest Days" means I do cardio and flexibility/rehab stuff.

The following week, I do the same routine except instead of the 5-3-2 rep scheme, I use 6x1 with near maximum loads.

The idea is to train for speed one day, strength the second day, and repetitions the third day. The movements are a pull, a push, a swing, abs, chins. Choose whatever lifts you like and vary them as you feel like it. Say, military presses for a couple of weeks, then flat benches, etc. Try to choose lifts that simulate actual throwing motions, ie. core blaster swings have carryover to Weight over the Bar and caber.

Add weight to the bar whenever you can. Consistency pays big dividends so don't skip a workout unless you haven't recovered from the previous one.

BTW, "The Bear" is a complex. Start with the barbell in the hang position, do a stiff leg deadlift, snatch the barbell overhead, drop it on your back, do a squat, press overhead and drop forward to the hang position. That's one rep. After eight reps you will know why it's called "The Bear".

[Alan H]

My winter routine looks something like this:

Day 1
1x8 "The Bear" (warmup) w 75 lbs
2x5 Snatch Grip deadlift from 8" blocks w 285 lbs
8x3 Incline bench from bottom (off the pins) w 175 lbs
1x10 Core blaster swings w 90 lbs
1x10 Hanging knee raises
1x10 Partial chin ups

Two days rest

Day 2
1x8 "The Bear" (warmup)
1x5-3-2 Snatch Grip deadlift from 8" blocks w 285-295-305 lbs
1x5-3-2 Incline bench from bottom (off the pins) w 185-195-205 lbs
1x10 Core blaster swings w 90 lbs
1x10 Hanging knee raises
1x10 Partial chin ups

Two days rest

Day 3
1x8 "The Bear" (warmup)
2x5 Snatch Grip deadlift from 8" blocks w 285 lbs
2x5 Incline bench from bottom (off the pins) w 185-195 lbs
1x10 Core blaster swings w 90 lbs
1x10 Hanging knee raises
1x10 Partial chin ups

Calling the rest days "Rest Days" means I do cardio and flexibility/rehab stuff.

The following week, I do the same routine except instead of the 5-3-2 rep scheme, I use 6x1 with near maximum loads.

The idea is to train for speed one day, strength the day, and repetitions the third day. The movements are a pull, a push, a swing, abs, chins. Choose whatever lifts you like and vary them as you feel like it. Say, military presses for a couple of weeks, then flat benches, etc. Try to choose lifts that simulate actual throwing motions, ie. core blaster swings have carryover to Weight over the Bar and caber.

Add weight to the bar whenever you can. Consistency pays big dividends so don't skip a workout unless you haven't recovered from the previous one.

BTW, "The Bear" is a complex. Start with the barbell in the hang position, do a stiff leg deadlift, snatch the barbell overhead, drop it on your back, do a squat, press overhead and drop forward to the hang position. That's one rep. After eight reps you will know why it's called "The Bear".

Oh, for more time! I think that next cycle I will flat bench press instead of incline press dumbells, just because.....I NEVER bench press!

I'm all for variety. Your "bear" sounds like a killer whole-body exercise. Besides, it incorporates an overhead squat, and those are *Hard*. As for me, I know I need more speed work. Bunny hopping bleacher steps at Menlo Atherton high school last weekend was a real slap in the face in that regard.

[grizzbass]

my 17 year old son is interested in scottish games. He has been powerlifting for a couple of years now. He is hopeing to get into the ones at the queen mary in febuary. I am not sure where he'd practise most of the events though. Our back yard is pretty small and I don't know if the neighbors would like big poles flying into their yards.

[o1d_dude]

Grizz, contact the SoCal throwing group, Scottish American Athletics Association (SAAA). They can help.

Their website can be found at www.saaa-net.org

[o1d_dude]

Oh, for more time! I think that next cycle I will flat bench press instead of incline press dumbells, just because.....I NEVER bench press!

I'm all for variety. Your "bear" sounds like a killer whole-body exercise. Besides, it incorporates an overhead squat, and those are *Hard*. As for me, I know I need more speed work. Bunny hopping bleacher steps at Menlo Atherton high school last weekend was a real slap in the face in that regard.

Not a lot of time involved in this, Alan. I spend about an hour each time. You always want to throw more than you lift.

Are you gonna be a lifter who throws or a thrower who lifts?

BTW, I don't overhead squat any more. Just lower the barbell to my shoulders and do a normal back squat.