Reactive Training Systems

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

RE: Big Mike's Training Log

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Tuesday – BDB
Reverse Band Bench +90c- 70-80%, 4-9 NL
405x3 @8
425x4 @8
445x4 @9 (14m)

DL off 45lb plate +90c- 70-80%, 4-9 NL
575x2 @8
625x4 @9 (9m)

Standing Military- 4x6
205x6 @8
227x6 @9
205x6 @8.5
215x6 @9 (16m)

Total Training Time: 95min

Still hitting really good weights for taking so much time off. The volume was low to keep the stress down, but it feels good to be getting back into serious training again.

Thursday – SBDB
***This was a combination day because tomorrow I will drive 1250 miles and won’t be able to train.
Squat +360b +90c- 70-80%, 4-9 NL
425x2 @7.5
465x2 @8
495x4 @9 (19m)

Bench (pinky on ring) +90c- 70-80%, 4-9 NL
365x2 @7
400x4 @9.5 (8m)

3ct ISO MIO Deadlift- 70-80%, 10-14 NL
455x2 @7
485x3 @8
525x4 @9
525x2 @8 (30m)

3ct ISO MIO Bench- 70-80%, 10-14 NL
365x3 @8
415x4 @9
415x3 @8 (11m)

Total Training Time: 140min (not bad for 2 workouts in 1)

Workouts like this are tough to analyze because there’s not much historical data. Overall, it was a good workout and I met or exceeded most of the weights I wanted to hit. Not bad for driving all day yesterday.

Friday – Driving
Drove 1200 miles from Indiana to North Dakota. Took 19 hours.

Week 2
Monday – SBD
***This is the first workout with my Mega-Cheap-Wanabe-Tendo. Notation will be: Weight x Reps @ RPE / Bar speed (ft/sec) / “wattage” for set based off 100 pounds

11” Squat- 75-85%, 12-16 NL
565x3 @8/1
605x2 @8/2
645x3 @9/1.5
645x1 @9/1.5
565x3 @8/1 (36m)

Bench (pinky on ring) +180pp- 75-85%, 12-16 NL
315x3 @8.5/1
335x2 @8/.5
352x3 @9/.5
352x2 @9/.5
315x2 @8.5/.5 (24m)

GM (squat stance)- x8, 31-36 NL
365x8 @8
395x8 @8
420x8 @9 (14m)

Total Training Time: 108min

Overall this was a good workout. The squat was a solid PR. If I set my stance right, it would’ve been even better.
Bench was good enough. Small PR here, too.
GM’s were also a smallish PR.
I used my cheap-o-tendo for the first time today. It was cool, but I’m not sure how useful it will be. This version that I have tells me bar speed in half-foot-per-second increments, which has highly limited application for how I want to use it. It was interesting nonetheless.

Tuesday – BDB
Reverse Band Bench +90c- 75-85%, 8-11 NL
425x3 @8/.5/32
450x2 @8/.5/16
475x2x2 @10/.5/33 (23m)

DL off 100lb plate +90c- 75-85%, 8-11 NL
585x3 @8
635x2 @8.5
665x3 @9 (15m)

Standing Military- x8, 31-36 NL
185x8 @7.5
200x8 @8
210x8 @9
195x8 @8 (16m)

Total Training Time: 89 min (pretty fast for me)

This was a pretty good workout. The Reverse band work wasn’t as good as last week, but I think the setup was much different then.
I pulled off a 100lb plate this week instead of a 45 – and still set a PR. It felt good to get that kind of weight in my hands again.
Standing militaries were good today, too. I hit a small PR here.
I used the cheap tendo again today. This time I was trying to see how I could make sense of the Power output. Again, no real correlation. I’ll have to see if I can make it work better.

Grant Gavran · Senior Member

Hey man i am kinda stuck right now with trainin because im not really sure when a meet is coming up. In the past i have always programed for a meet in sight so im kinda having a little trouble with my cycle for the next couple weeks. Let me know if you are going to be around this weekends.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

I will be busy this weekend. Program for 14-18 weeks out and do a mock-meet in the gym. If a new meet pops up between now and then, re-do your macro cycle.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Thursday – SBS
Squat +360b +90c- 75-85%, 8-11 NL
475x3 @8
505x2 @8
530x3 @9
530x1 @9 (24m)

Bench (pinky on ring) +90c- 75-85%, 8-11 NL
375x3 @8
405x2 @8
425x2 @9
425x3 @9 (20m)

SSB 11” Squat- x5, 18-23 NL
425x5 @8
455x5 @9
405x5 @8 (18m)

Total Training Time: 104 min

Squats went really well. I hit another solid PR this week. Made sure to hit depth on a few solid reps, too.
I missed a PR on my 3rd set of benches, but managed to come back and get it on my 4th set. I’ll give myself a pat on the back about that.
The focus of the volume for today was supposed to be on SSB work. I was doing fine (weights felt heavier than usual due to not using this bar for 2 months) until the 3rd set. I got a funny feeling in my SI joint, so I shut it down – live to fight another day.

Grant Gavran · Senior Member

Dude 60 days is going well. I havnt really done all that much just chilin visited my girlfriend in New Orleans and had people at my house (like Jamaal). Anyways i only got two more weeks of it till i have to go live with barry and nick "the texan/cowboy" hainsfurther in texas.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Week 3
Monday SBS
11 Squat- 80-90%, 5-7 NL
605x2 @8/2
655x1 @9/1.5
685x2 @9/1
685x1 @10/1.5 (21m)

Bench (pinky on ring) +180pp- 80-90%, 5-7 NL
335x2 @8
360x1 @8
375x2 @9
375x1 @8 (20m)

GM (squat stance)- x5, 14-18 NL
425x5 @8
455x5 @8
480x5 @9 (15m)

Total Training Time: 86min

This was a good workout. Went 3 for 3 on PRs today. This was a pretty low volume workout, so it went quickly.
Surprisingly enough, the data I collected from the Tendo today is highly correlated with the data from last week. Theres still a lot of holes, but the fact that it seems to be consistent is very encouraging.
The bench and GMs today went well. Not a lot else to comment on.

Tuesday BDB
Reverse Band Bench +90c- 75-85%, 16-18 NL
385x3 @8
405x2 @8
430x3 @8.5
440x3 @9
440x2 @9
385x3 @7 Wave Loading in action.(24m)

DL off 100lb plate +90c- 75-85%, 16-18 NL
585x3 @8
625x2 @9
667x3 @9 got a little cat-backed.
667x2 @10
585x3x2 @9 (34m)

Standing Military- x5, 14-18
195x5 @8
225x5 @8.5
240x5 @10 (10m)

Total Training Time: 92 min

This was another pretty quick workout for me today. The volume was much higher than yesterday.
I hit a pretty big reverse band PR this week. I think thats kind of due to getting re-acquainted with the equipment last week, but Ill take it.
The Deadlift work went well today, too. I got a little out of position on the top set, but I did squat and GM pretty heavy yesterday, which probably had an effect.
The Standing Military was a little disappointing, but not that big of a deal. If I could have slowed the pace down, I might have made it, but who knows.
All in all, this was a good workout. Im happy to be training hard and getting strong.

Eric Talmant · Senior Member

I think that low volume for a bit is the ticket coming out of a major competition.

What do you think?

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

I definately agree. I think I heard you say before that how much low volume work you should do is dependant on which competition it is in your annual cycle. This one is in the middle for me, so I took 2 weeks of highly reduced loading and started to work it back up from there. During my first two weeks of real training, I moved back to North Dakota from Alabama and also got to live with my wife for the first time in a year, so training took a lower priority. 1) that's why the first two weeks didn't have a Friday workout and 2) that highlights the importance of adaptability in training.

Nick U · Senior Member

Mike, as usual you have inspired me. I've been looking at the Tendo machine for some time after watching a special on fit tv. I wanted to purchase my own but a decent system is around 2 grand so that option was out. So I found another way, I get USAFA to pay. I'm working with CW to see if I can take an independent study course analyzing the mechanical dynamics involved in powerlifting. The tendo would of course be a machine that I would need to analyze my findings. The hardest part so far is getting CW to see the value in this type of study. I'll let you know how it all turns out.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Definately let me know. If you don't find it, they have the cheap-o version that I use on the Lifting Large website.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

Wednesday GPP
Single Arm External Rotations- 30x10x3
Wrist recovery
Barbell Rollouts- 10x2

Giant set:
RDL x6
Bent Rows x6
Front Squat x6
Military x6
Split Squat x6 ea
Hang Snatch + OHSQ x6
75lb bar, 2:1 work to rest, 12 minutes total

Stretching- 15min

I took a bunch of heart rate information during the conditioning period today to try to make sense of how to use Fatigue Percents for conditioning work. If anybody knows, Ive been working on this for a long time and have had some mixed results. Well, the HR thing looks promising so far today. It might be a little cumbersome without a HR monitor, but theres more work to be done before I start solidifying the process and making those judgements.

Date: Jul 19, 2008

I have been reading through this training log and the one on IronGodz and I see you don't do Behind the neck presses or Weighted Dips. Is there any reason why you haven't implemented these exercises? I know that Coan believes in his behind the neck presses for bench and I have found personally that weighted dips are a big help as well. Just curious if these have had any negative impact on your lifting in the past or just not a positive one so you took them out.

Mike Tuchscherer · Guru

The first and foremost reason is the specificity of the movement. I do very little "assistance" work each week, so I have to be selective in what movements I choose. Here's why I decided not to choose thos movements:

I chose not to do dips because I don't see what it will get me. If I need some hypertrophy or GPP for my triceps, I'd prefer something that's a little more specific -- say a close grip floor press. If I'm looking for chest work -- dips rank a little low on the list for me. I just think there are better choices available.

I know a lot of people will say BTN Press is bad for your shoulders, but I disagree. It's only bad for your shoulders if you don't have the flexibility to do it correctly. I do have the flexibility to do it., but since I can accomplish pretty much the same thing with a standing military press without the technique demands, I opt to do that instead.

I hope that helps. I will say you have piqued my interest in these movements and as always I'll be continually evaluating which movements provide the most benefit.

Eric Talmant · Senior Member

Mike Tuchscherer wrote:

I definately agree. I think I heard you say before that how much low volume work you should do is dependant on which competition it is in your annual cycle. This one is in the middle for me, so I took 2 weeks of highly reduced loading and started to work it back up from there. During my first two weeks of real training, I moved back to North Dakota from Alabama and also got to live with my wife for the first time in a year, so training took a lower priority. 1) that's why the first two weeks didn't have a Friday workout and 2) that highlights the importance of adaptability in training.

Exactly right.

For example, my second major competition for the 2008 year will be August 22. Once it is over I will take 2 full weeks off from barbell exercises and just do G.P.P. stuff i.e. elliptical, walking, and perhaps some work in the gym-but limited.

I will then go from the 4X/week training to 3X a week all the way up until my second minor competition of the year November 1st. I will then take a week off and gear up for the my biggest meet of 2009, the Raw Unity Powerlifting Championships which will have me back at it 4x a week.