Martin roy training log

[Alan H]

Here's a thought....

While I am absolutely in favor of starting speed work ASAP, there remains that little issue of the 300 pound squat. Now, whether that is a big priority or not is totally your call, but here's my thought.

You're not throwing at Ardenwood because of a work commitment (sucks!). You likely won't throw at Sonora or Bakersfield (March 7/8 and March 23rd). That means that your opener will be Woodland.... April 28th. Let's figure on getting in 5 good weeks of speed work and more throwing. That takes you back to the week of March 18th. If you want to call it 6 weeks of speed lifting, then March 11th. Matt Vincents training system suggests a 10-week strength phase followed by (If I remember rightly) and 8 weeks speed phase. So even if you went back 8 weeks from Woodland....February 28th, that STILL gives you another month for raw strength training.

I'd say...pick two lifts, one upper body, one lower body, and go for the one-rep Max PR's. Push it. Ease up on the other lifts and focus on those. On a day when you feel like utter (*$%&$# OK.. That day, you don't push it so hard. But if you just go in and feel kind of dicey, GO for it, anyway. You've been careful and conservative for a long time and built a base of strength. If you never break out of your comfort zone, you won't move up to the next level.

That's what I did the past three weeks. Seriously, the lower weights just felt awful. Squat for instance.... the 135's and 185's just felt terrible. 205, when I did it was horrid. 225's weren't much better. I only started to feel better after a few reps at 255. 275 felt much better, and 295 and 315 felt great. If I hadn't pushed through the grumpies at <225, I'd never have found the rare air on the other side.

Think about it. You've squatted 270. If you quatted 2x a week, say Mon - Fri and each Monday was a "reps" day where you took it up to 2 x 3 or 3 x 3 at 85% of your max, and each Friday you got a spotter and added 5-10 pounds to the total, you'd do it. Your max right now is 270. 270 X .85 = 230, close enough.

Oh, and cut out doing so many reps!!! Go look at John Davis's workout on NASGA, for an example.

Here's my thinking.

Monday Feb 4 - Reps day 6 x 135 / 6 x 185 / 2 x 3 x 205 / 2 x 3 x 225/ 3 x 1 x 235 ( 27 squats)
Friday Feb 8 - heavy day 6 x 135 / 5 x 185 / 2 x 2 x 225 / 1 x 245 / 1 x 255 / 1 x 265 (18 squats)

Monday Feb 11 Reps day 6 x 135 / 6 x 185 / 2 x 3 x 205 / 2 x 3 x 225/ 3 x 1 x 235 (27 squats)
Friday Feb 15 heavy day 6 x 135 / 5 x 185 / 2 x 2 x 225 / 1 x 245 / 1 x 255 / 1 x 270 (18 squats)

Monday Feb 18 - Reps day 6 x 135 / 6 x 185 / 2 x 3 x 205 / 3 x 2 x 225/ 3 x 1 x 240 (27 squats)
Friday Feb 22 - heavy day 6 x 135 / 5 x 185 / 2 x 2 x 225 / 1 x 245 / 1 x 255 / 1 x 280 (18 squats)

Monday Feb 25 Reps day 6 x 135 / 6 x 185 / 2 x 3 x 205 / 3 x 2 x 235/ 3 x 1 x 245 (27 squats)
Friday March 1 heavy day 5 x 135 / 4 x 185 / 2 x 2 x 225 / 1 x 255 / 1 x 270 / 1 x 290 (16 squats)

Monday March 2 Reps day 6 x 135 / 6 x 185 / 2 x 3 x 205 / 3 x 2 x 235/ 3 x 1 x 255 (27 squats)
Friday March 8 Heavy Day, Goal Day ... 5 x 135 / 4 x 185 / 3 x 225 / 1 x 255 / 1 x 275 / 1 x 300 (15 squats)

If it takes one more week, no big deal, you still have plenty of time for speed work before Woodland. You could also have Mondays be heavy days and Fridays be reps days, which would probably leave you more gas in the tank for Sunday afternoon throws.

[o1d_dude]

You're not throwing down at the Queen?

[Martin Roy]

(I'm really irritated - this is the third time writing this post because I've lost the two previous attempts. The second time at the very end I hit the backspace tab to make a correction and it reverted to the general forum page. Post gone in the blink of an eye. Eff%^%$#*!!!)

Short version: Last night I did a lot of fast easy tune-up lifts with light weight to smooth out the kinks for throwing on Sunday. (The lost text had a lot more pithy, insightful analysis, coupled with general wisdom on life which would have, without doubt, brought clarity and deep understanding of life's mysteries to all who read the post. Unfortunately the fleeting moment has passed.)

Kit, I'm planning on starting the season at Bakersfield in March. The Queen in February comes at an inconvenient time and I just don't feel ready for a game that early.

Alan, thanks for the input, I'll give it serious thought. However, even if I change focus somewhat, I still intend to hit 300 squat in the next month or so; I'm too close to stop that quest at this point.

[Martin Roy]

Alan, Alan, Alan:

Your max right now is 270.

Strictly in the interest of vanity, my squat maxx is two eight five; it's a matter of record...

Sic transit gloria mundi

[Martin Roy]

Hammer day at Shaffer Park yesterday, Steve Elliott, myself and the two Gmen. (For those who don't know, my son and my brother are both named Garrett; hence Gmen.) A lot of tosses for the second real hammer session of the off-season. As a starting point I'm better off than last year by about ten feet. Last year when I began focusing on hammer it felt like a foreign object. This year not so much. However, it has been a source of frustration that I'm not getting more distance. There are some very specific things I'm trying to work on which I think will pay off in a few more sessions.

The other big event was Alan's quest for his best ever deadlift; I won't tell you the result but check out his Facebook page for the film.

[Alan H]

285?? I missed that! Oh, you gotta go get 300!

I was sorry to have missed the hammer party, but church....*sigh*.... I've noticed something, though. Lifting hard for PR's wreaks havoc on throwing the heavy weights...heavy hammer, Braemar Stone, HWFD. The ooomph just kind of isn't there. Anyway, it hasn't been for me for several weeks, now. While chasing the lifting numbers is fun, I'm glad it's over in a way, and it's time to get back to lifting fast and 3-D and some throwing.

After you left and Molly went home I threw discus for about half an hour. It was nice...a light implement, and the key to is is relaxation.

[Martin Roy]

Yesterday evening I was feeling a bit tired after the hammer extravaganza on Sunday, so I went for light and fast to pump the blood and loosen everything up. Started with the bike, went to abs - more than usual, shoulder routine, several sets of overhead press in the 75-95 range, two sets of pause at the bottom squats with 135, bench with the bar for about 50 reps, more bike and out the door.

Tonight is the last home game for bball and running the shot clock. It's also senior night for my daughter; her team has about 5 seniors and there will be a brief recognition ceremony for all of them before the game starts.

[Martin Roy]

My right shoulder has been really tight for the past several weeks, no pain, just an annoying kink in the front delt. But it has been loosening up over the past several days and the light fast work on Monday and Wednesday seemed to speed up the process. Thus, last night I did more of the same instead of heavier on the bench as was the original plan. I did fast multiple sets of 20 with little rest in between sets: traps, lats, overhead press, more lats, more traps, straight arm pull down, triceps, bench row, pec dec; finished on the elliptical for about 10 minutes.

This morning it occured to me that I have an 18lb kettlebell that was lost and forlorn in my garage. So, I brought it to my office where it now sits right beside my desk to remind me to get out of my chair, away from the computer, and warm up with it a couple of times a day. Swings, snatches, and anything else that comes to mind. I expect it will be good tonic for body and soul and working on the mechanics of weight over bar.

[Alan H]

I like it....besides, it will get your clients to ask questions!

[Martin Roy]

When I walked into the weight room this evening my favorite rack was wide open; I took it as a Sign From God that I was supposed to put it to good use. I decided to continue light and fast because I've been feeling like I need a break from going for the heavy stuff. So, I warmed up with the bar - good mornings, bent over rows, squats - and then began a series of rack pulls; two sets of 10 with 135, then two sets of 5 with 185, 205, and 225. I was very focused on maintaining form based on our discussions a couple of weeks ago and everything felt really good. Then I did some finishing squats - two sets of 10 with 135. I'm making some adjustments to my form to get my butt lower. I'm generally fairly tight and getting atg ain't going to happen, but I'm making some progress. Ended with some reverse extensions and ten minutes on the elliptical. Good session.