Reactive Training Systems

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

RE: Big Mike's Training Log

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Thursday BDB
Shirt Bench (Janet)- 75-85%, 16-18 NL
565x3 @8
605x2 @8
635x2 @9
635x3 @10
545x3x2 @8 (46m)

Deadlift- 70-80%, 18-23 NL
605x3 @8
645x3 @8
685x3 @8.5
685x2 @8
605x3 @7.5
645x2 @7.5
645x2 @8 (54m)

Neutral grip DB Military- x6, 25-30 NL
70x6 @8
80x6 @9
80x6 @8.5
80x6 @9 (12m)

Total Training Time: 159min

I really wasnt feeling it today. The shirt work wasnt all that great, which could be just a bad day or this shirt could be looser than I remember. Either way, it just wasnt what I hoped for. I was exhausted on the DLs, but my form looked good, so thats a plus. At least I moved weight a little better for pulls.
The neutral grip DB military was fine, but Ive got too much backward lean. I need to use this exercise partly to develop mobility in my shoulders.
Overall, it was a good workout, but I think the Wednesday GPP work needs to be toned down a bit so I have more energy for this day.

Friday SBD
Squat- 70-80%, 18-23 NL
515x3 @8
555x3 @8
585x3 @8.5
585x2 @8
515x3 @8
555x2 @8
555x2 @8.5 (39m)

Bench (pinky on ring) +90c- 70-80%, 18-23 NL
355x3 @8
385x3 @8
405x3 @9
405x3 @8.5
355x2 @8
385x2 @8
385x2 @8 (32m)

SSB GM (str; AB)- x6, 25-30m
275x6 @8
295x6 @8
315x6 @8.5
335x6 @9 (20m)

Total Training Time: 118min

I got up early this morning to train, so it was less than 12 hours post Thursday session. I did pretty good for being on such short rest. Squats and benches both went well. The Good Mornings were different. I usually do them bent leg, but today I did them straight leg and I think it will be exactly what I need to do to further develop my posterior chain. It really hit some perceived weaknesses.

Weekly Analysis
This was a High Stress, Low Intensity week, which should correlate to very high volume. Truth be told, this was FAR AND ABOVE the highest volume of the Macro cycle. Just some food for thought:
Totals for the *week*
Work Sets: 67
NL: 230
Tonnage: 99,000
Normalized Volume: 17,000
Avg Intensity: 76%
No wonder my body is trashed! I do feel like my GPP work is a little too high, so I will correct that, but I now feel like the main reason Im so wrecked is that I should be. Ive had some very aggressive protocols so far, then I had one day less rest than normal last week, and this week was a gigantic amount of work. And the intensity was borderline medium, which would make it even more stressful. I messed up some protocols this week (plugged some numbers incorrectly and such), which accounts for that. Those were dumb errors on my part, but I think the follow-up effect will actually be pretty good.
Im going to do some restoration work tonight, so that should help things. Im excited that my work capacity seems to be improving!

Grant Gavran · Senior Member

Hey man yeah training has been awsome. I found a meet the longhorn open in austin which is 9 weeks away. I am trying to set up my training tonight to get ready for it. But i may want to do it raw so i dont have to depend on anyone around here, plus i was thinking about doing that anyway. If you get this tonight could you hit me up on here, text, or phone.

Nick U · Senior Member

Mike, I also have been working on program that lets me dip into some of the russian ideals, but still not wander far away from the flexibility of RT. It may be greek to you but I'll send you an email plus some random thoughts I've had.

marcus mucheck · Member

MIKE,
i notcie you use the RPE even on assistance work(floor press).

is this something youre trying lately, or have you always done it?

i tend to only use rpe on the larger lifts perfromed under competition standards...

for instance a snatch or clean/jerk. i havnt been using them for say, pulls or presses.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

I use them with everything. You can't have too much data, IMO. Also, if you want to train with a rep left in the tank (@9 for me), then it's helpful to track your RPE for each lift and see for sure where my effort is.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Week 4 Accumulation
Monday SBB
Suit Squat (Lana)- 70-80e%, 14-18 NL
695x3 @7
745x3 @8
785x2 @8
785x1 @8
785x2 @8
695x3 @8.5 (45m)

Bench- 70-80e%, 14-18 NL
375x3 @8
405x3 @8
425x2 @8
425x2 @8
425x2 @8
425x2 @8 (28m)

Flat Back Floor Press- x4, 14-18 NL
385x4 @8
405x4 @9
410x4 @9
385x4 @8 (14m)

Total training Time: 149 min

Numbers-wise, this was a good session, but Im having some issues with squat depth. I dont know if I just cant get down or if Im being a chicken. Or maybe the weight is too light. One way or another, next week is it. I have to get some reps to full legal depth. In fact, thats the main goal of the session.
The bench work was fine as usual. 80% almost feels too light to be effective. Maybe I should chop my rest periods even further.

Tuesday DBS
Deadlift w/belt- 70-80e%, 14-18 NL
585x3 @7.5
635x3 @8
675x2x3 @8
675x2 @8.5 (35m)

Bench +360pppp- 75-85%, 12-16 NL
220x3 @8
235x2 @9
247x3 @9
247x2 @8
225x3 @8.5 (23m)

SSB Wide Squat- x4, 14-18 NL
425x4 @8
455x4 @8
475x4 @8.5
455x4 @8 (25m)

Total Training Time: 114min

Deads are feeling very solid, but its weird that I havent handled any really big weights and its getting close to meet time. Oh well Im sure the next several weeks will take care of that. Lots of 90%+ stuff there. But my technique is solid and Im smoking the weight, so maybe this is a good thing.
Bench work was a PR this week, but it was close! I really had to get after it.
The SSB work was good. I know you can always sit back better with a SSB, but the wide stance feels really comfortable. Im wondering if I should try wider with my regular squats or not. Ill think about it some more. Im leaning toward not, but who knows what Ill do if Im still having depth issues next week.

Wednesday GPP
Just stretching this week

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Thursday BDB
Shirt Bench (Janet)- 70-80e%, 14-18 NL
505x3 @7.5
545x3 @8
575x2x4 @8 touched (38m)

Deadlift- 75-85%, 12-16 NL
605x3 @8
645x3 @8.5
690x3 @8.5
690x2 @9
645x2 @9 (39m)

Neutral Grip DB Military- x4, 14-18 NL
75x4 @8
85x4 @10 cant stabilize at the top
75x4 @8.5
75x4 @8.5 (12m)

Total Training Time: 150min

I videoed the instructional stuff for solo shirt operation today. When I edit it, Ill get it on the web. I started touching some weights today. It felt pretty comfortable. They were actually looking better than the ones that didnt touch.
I tried a suit to Deadlift in today. I liked the way it felt, but this one was at least one (probably two) sizes too small. And the way I figure, its too close to meet time for me to be trying any more gear. Im just going to have to make due raw again for this meet. Which is fine by me Id like to break Jon Kucs record raw anyway. I dumped the suit during warm-ups because I couldnt even get to the bar. My raw pull is feeling pretty good for right now.
The DB militaries arent very good in the lower rep ranges at least not right now. I have a feeling thats because my shoulder musculature isnt prepared to handle it.

Friday SBD
Squat- 75-85%, 12-16 NL
555x3 @8
595x2 @8
625x3 @9
625x2 @9.5 tried a wide stance
555x2 @8 (31m)

Bench (pinky on ring) +90c- 75-85%, 12-16 NL
385x3 @8
415x2 @8
430x3 @10
405x2 @8
405x2 @9 (25m)

SSB GM (str; AB)- x4 @14-18 NL
315x4 @8
345x4 @8.5
365x4 @9
335x4 @8.5 (18m)

Total Training Time: 105min

Squatting went pretty well today. I hit a PR and my depth was better than usual for raw work. I think I need to focus a bit more on some posterior chain work so I can sit back a bit better.
Im glad this bench exercise is done. Ive messed it up from the beginning of the cycle, and Im glad to be rid of it.
The SSB work was still good, but different from last week because they put mirrors up all over the gym. I should be able to move into my garage gym after this week, so hopefully I wont have to deal with mirrors too much longer.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Week 1 Transmutation
Monday SBB
Suit Squat (#7)- 80-90%, 8-10 NL
785x2 @8
845x1 @8
885x2 @9
885x1 @9.5
785x2 @8.5 (47m)

Raw Bench- 80-90%, 8-10 NL
425x2 @8
455x1 @8
480x2 @9
480x1 @8.5
425x2 @8 (26m)

3Board (thumb from smooth) +180pp- x5, 20-24 NL
285x5 @8
305x5 @8
325x5 @8.5
325x5 @9 (30m)

Total Training Time: 1 month (j/k, but it was 166min)

This was a pretty good session. My squats were good enough. Some were pretty close depth-wise. I think the addition of knee wraps will really help. Also, handling high-800s is good for my confidence after so long of 80-85% work.
The raw bench work was really solid. Im getting rid of some bad habits now and Ive got a method of doing it that I feel will be productive for me considering my psyche.
The 3Board work was a refreshing change. This tied an old PR (I think) which is good considering its the first week back to this movement pattern.

Tuesday DBS
Deadlift w/belt- 80-90%, 8-10 NL
675x2 @8
725x1 @9
760x2 @9.5
760x1 @10
675x2 @8.5 (34m)

Bench +180pp +90c- 75-85%, 12-16 NL
285x3 @8.5
305x2 @8
315x3 @9.5
305x2 @8.5
275x2 @8.5 (21m)

SSB Wide 12 Box Squat- x5, 20-24 NL
335x5 @8
385x5 @8.5 (4m)

Total Training Time: 94 min

This was an interesting session. Im not quite sure what to think about the deadlifts. If I had to pull another rep, I feel pretty sure I couldve done it, but I also feel pretty sure it wouldve resulted in injury. I think Ill count it as tying a PR from last week and just press with the weights as they are for right now. That was a little disappointing, but Ill get over it.
The bench work was good. I got close to a PR, which for this movement is pretty darn good for week 1. Regardless, it gives me a really good set point, which I didnt have with Bench (pinky on ring) +90c last block.
The SSB work had to be cut short because I had an appointment to get to, but this was very interesting nonetheless. First of all, the weight was light for as hard as it felt. I dont know if thats just the SS Bar or the fact I havent done much of anything wide stance (with any seriousness anyway) in such a long time. Also, this was my first time box squatting in about 2 years. My SI joint held up fine. Whats even more interesting is that my technique (every single aspect of it) looked markedly better. I sat back MUCH better and my depth was very solid. Im going to continue to play with this, but I think Ill do some wide stance work with a regular bar in the preparatory stages of the next Macro Cycle.

Wednesday GPP
Band Pull Aparts- 2x8
Scap Pushups- 2x20
External Rotation stretching- 2x
Side Lying External Rotations- 10x10x2
Barbell Rollouts- 10, 8, 8

Conditioning work
RDL, Bent Row, Front Squat, Military, Lunge, Hang Snatch
6 reps, 75 pounds, 10% fatigue, 130-150 bpm range: 2 sets

Stretching
Will use foam roll in the morning

First of all, the external rotation work is getting better albeit slightly.
Im getting close to finding a auto-regulation method that makes sense for conditioning work. Id like some feedback on what others think. Here it is:
The goal of conditioning work is overall health, but specifically improving the ability of the cardiac muscle to recover a lowered heart rate. So thats the performance metric were after. The normal way to use fatigue percents is to let it control your volume and put manual controls on intensity and overall stress. In this case, the intensity is the heart rate. 110-130 beats per minute can be likened to overall recovery style work. 130-150 beats per minute is low intensity aerobic work. 150-180 beats per minute is high-end aerobic work. Over 180 beats per minute and youve crossed the anaerobic threshold. Of course, these intensity zones are going to be dependant on the athlete and Ill do some research to figure out how exactly to account for those differences, but for now this is what I have. The fatigue percent will give you the stress level. So, I work through the conditioning circuit noting my HR as I go. When I get to the high end of my HR range for the day, I terminate the set. I time how long it takes my HR to drop to the low end of the range and repeat the set. The recovery time for this first set is the initial. You account for a 10% loss of capacity (recovery time is 10% longer) and then you stop. Im going to play with it a little more, but the theory seems sound to me.

Nick U · Senior Member

Mike, I administered the aerobic test for the air force before we made the switch to the timed run. In the test we were more concerned with the bodie's ability to sustain a heart-rate than your ability to reach a heart rate (although that was considered at some level). I'm sure you've done your research but you may want to bounce around an idea that concerns sustaining a certain heart rate unless I'm mis understanding you, which I may be this is an interesting approach if you don't stop the exercies completely, like maybe your jogging thenou sprint to a heart rate and the fall back to a jog to get your sustained heartrate or something like that, kinda like the good old run/jog stuff of basic training but with some controlling parameters in there like you mentioned. This approach may be more benefical

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Good points. We'll discuss this idea more. After talking to you yesterday, I feel like we're more on the same page than we initially thought. Either way, we're getting some training refinement going on and that's key.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Thursday BDB
Shirt Bench (#4)- 80-90%, 8-10 NL
585x2 @8
625x1 @8
655x2 @9
655x1 @9
585x2 @8 (32m)

Deadlift +90c- 75-85%, 12-16 NL
565x3 @8
605x2 @8
645x3 @9
645x2 @9
565x2 @8 (21m)

Skipped Inclines No time.

Total Training Time: 103 min

Shirt work was really good today. This will be my 661 shirt if I get it dialed in right. It might take me 1 more week.
The Deadlift work went well also. Using chain was a welcomed change for my body. I also PRed in this movement, which is very good since I havent done it since the last meet cycle.

Friday SBD
Planned on doing this workout once I got to St Louis for the seminar, but my drive took me much longer than expected. That, and some other things going on, I just cut my losses.

Weekly Analysis
I cut a lot of work this week, which really helped me recover. I feel much better now. It was probably a blessing in disguise since things worked out so much better anyway. Youll see what I mean. Keep reading.

Sunday SBB
Suit Squat (#5)- 75-85%, 16-18 NL
735x3 @7.5
785x2 @7
835x3 @9
835x2 @10
785x3 @9
735x3 @8 (58m)

Raw Bench- 75-85%, 16-18 NL
405x3 @8
435x2 @7
455x3 @8.5
455x2 @7
435x3 @8
405x3 @7 (31m)

Cut 3Board. No time at the seminar. Planned on hitting it Monday, but the drive took too long.

Total Training Time: Who knows, but a long time. We were there all day.

First of all, I gotta thank Bill McDonough and Jeff Lewis for helping me with my squat technique. If youve been following my log you know Ive been having some issues here. Bill and Jeff made the suggestion that I open my hips a little more and it made a world of difference. Im totally psyched about squatting now, because my technique is so much better, which makes depth so much easier.
Raw bench went well, but at the end of a long day, I was just ready to get out of there.

The Seminar was AWESOME. There was a fantastic exchange of information and a lot of good stuff came out of it. I was there presenting and I STILL learned a bunch of new stuff! If the attendees learned half as much as I did, then they got much more than their moneys worth! I learned Squat stuff, and a bunch of other information that I plan on developing over the next couple weeks and providing to some readers here. Its going to make RTS that much better!

Monday Drove home

Tuesday DBS
Deadlift w/belt- 75-85%, 16-18 NL
635x3 @7.5
675x2 @8
715x3 @8.5
715x3 @9
715x2 @9
655x3 @9 (33m)

Bench +180pp +90c- 85-95%, 6-7 NL
305x1 @8
325x1 @9
345x1 @9
345x1 @9.5
325x1 @9.5
305x2 @9 (27m)

SSB Wide 12 Squat- x4, 18-23 NL
355x4 @8
385x4 @8
405x4 @8.5
425x4 @8.5
385x4 @8 (23m)

Total training Time: 119min

Deadlift was very strong today. I attribute that to the extra day of rest since my squat workout. Thats encouraging.
It was nice to get into some singles with the bench work today. I managed a PR, but its dialed in pretty close.
The SSB Wide stance work was fun. I missed box squatting and didnt even know it. It will stay in an assistance category for now, but it was still pretty fun.

Date: Oct 1, 2008

Yo its grant.

Question, what do you mean opening your hips a little more on the squat. Just curious.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

pushing my knees out. They weren't knocking in real bad, but it was just a tiny biomechanical inefficiency that those guys picked out.

Date: Oct 2, 2008

http://rts.activeboard.com/index.spark?forumID=121829&p=3&topicID=21208705

-- Edited by Mike Tuchscherer at 10:52, 2008-10-03