Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
Edit: Today is PR Friday too. Weight lifted, body weight gained, food eaten, etc. Post a PR to the comments.
Yesterday I mentioned a program that is a nice combination of barbell training and conditioning (there was not an emphasis on explaining the conditioning, but I digress). Today I want to highlight a very basic novice program that will not only help a novice to increase their strength, but their performance in the Olympic lifts as well. It looks like this:
Monday — Clean and jerk (heavy), Snatch (light)
Tuesday — Squat, Press, Chin-ups
Wednesday — OFF
Thursday — Snatch (heavy), Clean and Jerk (light)
Friday — Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift
The basic idea is that the Olympic lifts are done before the strength workouts so that there is not fatigue for the Olympic lifts. I like to put clean and jerks at the beginning of the week because after having the weekend to rest, the novice lifter should be able to consistently drive the weight up on this lift. The deadlift is done at the very end of the week because I do not want it to interfere with any of the Olympic lifting done earlier in the week.
The key here is that this is a novice program. It will not work for someone who has a more advanced state of adaptation because the days start to interfere with each other (for example, the pressing done on Tuesday will interfere with Thursday’s snatch workout). This set up works well with trainees who are learning the Olympic lifts as well as younger athletes who are still able to adapt to stress on a daily basis. If you guys remember the video of Bryan squatting 495x5x3 (and he has since done 505x5x3), he is on this particular program along with having two minor league practice sessions a week. A trainee will not be able to handle this workout for very long because eventually the stress will become to high to recover from.
Keep that in mind, because this will only work with certain people. We have been tinkering with it at the WFAC for about five months, and this should allow the novice to learn the lifts, and increase everything on a weekly basis. Certain days will require one of the Olympic lifts to be done light, and this should be taken seriously. Ten singles in the clean and jerk done every two minutes or 15 singles in the snatch done every minute would work well for the light workout. The key is to consistently practice good technique and the weight lifted is totally irrelevant. The slow lifts can be increased in a similar manner to the linear progression. Again, this is all dependent on the individual, so use your brain, or hopefully your coach uses his.
Feel free to ask any questions in the comments. If some of this post does not make sense, it is because I have been playing pool and drinking for a few hours in my mom’s basement. Sue me.
———-
And here is an impromptu Merry Christmas from a few of us fellows at the WFAC dicking around:
Notice AC’s laugh at the end.
78 Comments
December 25th, 2009 at 12:56 am
nice snatch
Pervert.
–Justin
December 25th, 2009 at 1:16 am
Justin,
Merry Christmas!!!!! Can not wait to see what kind of crazy shit you guys performed last week……….have a great holidays.
December 25th, 2009 at 3:40 am
Justin,
Thanks for the post. Because I am one of those military dudes, I have to perform some tests that involve endurance and therefore, keeping those conditioning days are important.
The barbell/conditioning hybrid program of yours has done me really, really well but I am getting the itch to start working in the Olympic Lifts somehow (even if only to practice them). I””ll toy around with this and see what happens, but if you have any advice on how I can combine all three (strength, conditioning, and O-lifts) into a program and still make progress, at least with the strength aspect, I am all ears. Merry Christmas!
You can get by with one conditioning workout a week to maintain it. This is gonna have to be a serious event though. Think using the Prowler or 200 meter repeats.
Remember that trying to do a bunch of stuff in training is not optimal. Depending on your job in the military, most strong people could not ever train for the PFT and get an above average score. Your training will not flourish without being focused.
–Justin
December 25th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I watched that video probably 5x and it was still funny
December 25th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Mom got me a copy of Mean Ol Mr Gravity for Christmas. Best gift ever.
December 25th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Awesomest. Fitness site. Ever
Since the slow lifts are on a linear progression, are you using the 5×3 rep scheme for this? Is it the same for the conditioning program?
Yes, the strength movements that are not pulled from the ground are three sets of five reps. Deadlifts are one set of five. Power cleans (in the conditioning program) are five sets of three.
–Justin
December 25th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Not going to lie. I laughed like AC at that.
Asked for extra large t-shirts to train in (to have some room to grow and all that good stuff) to which my mom told me she thinks they are too big. I just looked at her for a second before saying, “70””s big dot com” and grabbing my gallon of milk.
Merry Christmas to everyone.
Parents just don’t understand.
–Justin
December 25th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Merry Christmas, y””all!
Hope I wasn””t the only one whose family had seen lifting videos of them and sent clothes that are big enough to double as fitted sheets!
On a side note, I have a tradition of eating chili around the holidays, and it made me realize that a chili post is much needed! I trust that you guys know real Texas chili and will do it justice.
I’ve only been a Texan for a year. I will default to Gant on this topic.
–Justin
December 25th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Merry Christmas yall!
Hit 219 on the scale last night! PR for me!
December 25th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Merry Christmas.
Currently on a linear progression since October, I plan on switching to a Oly training program once my 1 rep back squat reaches around 450-475. I”ve been on a modified linear program Justin e-mailed me to coincide with my Fire Dept schedule of 24 on, 48 off. I am going to have to change it I think, have been doing squats the first day off and when we are up all night, even with a nap, its tough. Going to try squats on the second day?? Thoughts? Would the above program be a good start to Oly lifting? Thanks for a great site guys!!!
December 25th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Christmas Eve hoagies and pizza dinner. 1.5 hoagies and 4 slices of pizza.
December 25th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Justin – I”ve got faith in Gant after approving of his BBQ post. Maybe I”ll send in a rough recipe. Chili and tamales last night for dinner, chili with a fried egg and bacon on top for breakfast, now chili with cornbread for lunch…best Christmas ever.
December 25th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
This week”s PR:
202 lbs body weight.
December 25th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Merry Christmas, lads and lassies!
Jacob, I can cook a decent pot of chili, but I claim no expertise. However, since it”s cold and since I have a beard right now, chili talk is probably mandatory. All I can say is no beans and lots of chili peppers.
I also need to do a chicken fried steak post in the next week before I have to cut weight (from 230 [PR 1]to 205: yeah, we”ll have to talk about that).
Decent training week. I hit 92kg in the power snatch [PR 2]. I also did a 3 lift total on Wednesday:
425 squat [PR 3]
215 press
475 dead
I had planned on doing 505-515 in the DL, but I red-lighted on 405 and 415 squats and had to repeat them. That made DL suck a lot.
I got home and knocked back a quart or two of egg nog (found a use for Captain Morgan”s). Then, for no reason, I made a bowl of icing* for no reason and ate all of it [PR 4].
This morning my wife made some Paula Deen French toast, and I went crazy on that.+ I know it”s Paula Deen, but even I looked at the recipe and said “damn, that”s a lot of butter.”
Spent today playing in snow, watching the kids play, and eating snow ice cream.#
Enjoy the holiday, stay safe, and keep growing.
* 1 cup powdered sugar, some vanilla, 2 tbsp.+ of milk
+ AWESOME: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/baked-french-toast-casserole-with-maple-syrup-recipe2/index.html
# snow, sugar, vanilla, milk…pretty low tech
December 25th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Is there a gym that is actually open today?
After trying to stay over 230 since Thanksgiving, I finally got to 240 after eating Mom”s cooking. Beat that Springer…
December 25th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
YEAH ALAN!
December 25th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Bodyweight PR is 215 lbs up from 170 in October and here is the last set of 5 at 310 lbs of 5 reps at 3 sets. Still working the linear progression. Merry Christmas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWrqA_RAq4M
December 25th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Merry Christmas guys.
BTW, Why is all the text in *Bold*?
December 25th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Happy Festivus!
Squat – Fixed some issues with my elbows dropping which caused my chest to drop. PR”d 125kg 3×5
Press – 60kg 3×5
Dead – 145kg 1×5 light gonna go for 155 on tuesday.
Bench – 85kg 3×5 Finally going up after injury and form issues.
BW- 208
Height – still the same 5”9
And my girlfriend asked how much bigger I was going to get( having been 165 in may.) I told her being big is a by product of training to be strong and that until I was strong I would keep growing.
Then I punched her vagina.
December 25th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Justin
What do the sets and reps look like for the heavy and light olympic lifts?
December 25th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Weighed in yesterday at 192.
5”10″ still, no PR
Squat 310x5x3
Clean 175X3x5
Bench 240x5x3
DL 360x5x1
I”m going to have to reset my press. Stalled at 160# 2 weeks in a row.
Thank God for fried turkey. And sweet potato casserole.
December 25th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Failed to set a bodyweight PR as my weight fell from 93kg to 92.7kg this week but prs were set:
95kgx2 power snatch
250kg squat
December 25th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
@micahdonovan
Straight from the post – “ten singles in the clean and jerk done every two minutes or 15 singles in the snatch done every minute would work well for the light workout”
Nothing about the heavy days though. I”d guess you”d work up to a heavy single, then maybe do a couple singles with 80-90% of that weight. This seems to be what Greg Everett likes for novices trying to increase the oly lifts.
December 25th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Anyone that likes Cream should check out “Them Crooked Vultures.”
Fucking badass!
Dude from Queens of the Stone Age on vocals, John Paul Jones from zeppelin on bass and Dave Groll on drums.
December 25th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
no friday workout due to christmas, and gym is closed tomorrow too so i”ll play some hockey(live in canada, aka wasteland).
just started starting strength again.
monday squat 185lbs
wednsday squat 200lbs(same effort brahs)
obviously no prs in other exercises since only 2 workouts this week.
gained 7lbs, NO FAT GAIN, though some of it was water weight
December 25th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Ok thanks hunter
December 25th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Rip opens the gym every Christmas whether anyone comes or not (they usually don””t). Call him up at 940-696-0829 and sing him a Christmas carol. If you sing “Jingle Bells” to him, I”ll do you up a rack of ribs next time you”re this way.
December 25th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
lol
December 25th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
I was given starting strength book and dvd today, read about 75 pages–a PR for me.
Have a good Christmas everyone.
December 25th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
i also bought a kickass belt, a neck harness and new chuck taylor”s(well not real chuck taylor”s, airwalk kicks, pretty much a make up but its literally the same on every aspect except its 15$ instead of 45$
December 25th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
I have a key to my gym. Have I mentioned how much I lofe it? Luckily, I shifted my normal MWF routine to TThSa this week so I don”t have to go destroy stuff without anyone around. It”s always more fun with people watching.
Gant, you hit the nail on the head on chili, IMO. The batch I made this time takes the cake. I”ll try to sober up over the weekend and write down most of the stuff I tossed in it. Also, glad to hear I”m not the only poor sap around here trying to cut weight. 242, here I come. Right after this beer.
December 25th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
Jacob as long as you focus on getting toned and have a nice six pack, it doesnt really matter how much you weigh. Don”t lift too heavy though, you”ll get bulky
December 25th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Hookie, all I have to do is follow these daily sweet vids from p90x.awe and I”ll have the gunz and 6 pact of my (and your) dreamz. Oh, yeah.
December 25th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
I nailed a 360# squat this week. In line with setting goals for the new year, I”d like to get 400 by the end of March, and a 200 press by the end of January. Both very attainable if I keep working.
Hope everyone is having a great Christmas, especially you guys (and gals) deployed over seas.
December 25th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Great week. Squatted 3×5@408 (pr) on monday spent the rest of the week resting and eating. Will try out my new Inzer belt tomorrow, just came in yesterday. Girlfriend got me PP, Strong Enough, and a 70”s Big shirt. She is awesome. Merry Christmas everyone.
December 25th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
New PR: Squatted 300lbs for 3 sets of 5 reps. Excited to finally crack 300, can”t wait to make 315 and throw on 6 plates.
I”m cutting weight for the first time since starting the 70”s big quest. Is the 70”s big strategy for this as simple as curbing carbs, or is there more I should be doing?
I have an urge to throw in some metcon, but don”t want to f with recovery.
December 26th, 2009 at 12:00 am
@Justin
To answer yesterday”s question, I am usually pretty tired the day after conditioning. By the time I get to DL or PC (final lifts) on my lift days, I am spent. Form suffers by the last set so I usually cut the warm ups in half. I may change to what Eric mentioned a couple days ago: Monday squat/press/chins, Tuesday power cleans/con, Thursday squat/bench, Friday deadlift/con, Sat Game, Sun Rest.
I hit a terrible PR this week. Least work done.
What a waster of a week. My gym was closed all week. It opens up on Sunday, so I”m going to get in a great workout before going out of town for NYE. Weighed in at 172 tonight, weight is starting to climb as my stomach grows.
December 26th, 2009 at 12:24 am
Gant, a chicken fried steak post sounds delicous.
LaHabra, I almost shit laughing when I read your post. You showed her. I plan to checkout that band too, they sound sic.
Jacob is working on getting jacked and tan, haha
so did anyone call and sing to Rip?
December 26th, 2009 at 12:33 am
PR: Squat 5x1x350
December 26th, 2009 at 12:37 am
Finally get to post some PR”s…
BW: 177 (from ~160)
Squat: 295x3x5 (previous 1RM is 313)
Press: 140x3x5 (previous 1RM is 165
Still not eating enough, though. By the way, anyone else keeping up with Don”t Shave December? I heard Gant say he”s got the beard going. Mine is weak, but I”ve definitely got a beard PR right now…
December 26th, 2009 at 4:20 am
PR”d on eatng venison. Got 20 squats at bodyweight (87.5kg) the other day, but a couple of days of relentless eating and boozing has pushed me up to 89, so will have to do it again!
I”ve got a key to my gym too, but bollocks to training on Christmas day. Timed it so it was a much needed recovery day.
December 26th, 2009 at 9:25 am
I am on a cut also as I am trying to go from a malnurished pig to an adult male!
PR”s 275 1rm Bench
435 1rm Dead w/belt
380 5rm Dead w/belt
I had ate a lot the previous week! Really helps!
December 26th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Feels like I”m starting to get close to the end of my novice program. It”s been a great ride!
5”7″
Weight: 182 lbs PR
Squat: 295x5x3 PR (10 lbs over previous 1 rep max)
Press: 142.5x3x5 PR(2.5 lbs over previous 1 rep max)
Thanks 70sbig and Starting Strength!
December 26th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Question about the singles done on the light days….should these be done in a (metcon) intensity or more of a slow duration?
December 26th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Weight PR this week: 200lbs.
December 26th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Lets not get too excited Alan, I still own you.
However, if you could learn to train the way you eat, you would be a monster.
December 26th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Jacob: To cut the weight, you need to give up food, all meals to be salads. And only workout with the “shake-weight”. U”ll be ripped and have big ass arms in no time.
http://www.shakeweight.com
bahahahahahahahahaha!
December 26th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
7 McDoubles = 154g protein and 2730 calories
December 26th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
@ Springer
I am planning on dropping out of school just to keep up with you. Even though I only have one semester to complete a BS in Chemistry. School will always be there, but the weight gain competition between you and me will not.
December 26th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Crossfit total
Back squat 350 (pr!)
Shoulder press 165 (pr!)
Deadlift 405 (pr!)
Total: 920 (pr!) prev 780 on 10/21/09
10 weeks of gomad & linear progression = 140# increase. I think it works, although my gut has increased with my numbers (bw 209 – started @ 180)!
December 26th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Squat: 365×3 PR
Press: 180×2 PR
First time doing halting deads, so started pretty conservatively:360×8
Ripped a hole in the groin of my favorite jeans…but they were getting rather snug anyhow.
December 26th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
I”m at my parents house. My legs won”t fit between the kitchen chairs and the table. I love life.
DL PR 1×3 @ 500#
December 26th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
A picture worth a thousand words:
http://greyskullelite.blogspot.com/2009/12/training-day-091216.html
December 26th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
PRs this week:
Press – 140×8
DL – 295×7
Bench – 195×11
December 26th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
PR body weight of 185 in the morning. Up from 174 5 weeks ago. Should be damn close to 200 at the scale on the RAC when I come back.
December 26th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
well since the best i got this week is a food PR then here it is…..i have actually lost weight since being home from school so i got fed up with seeing the scale drop so i went to the local wall mart and got 2 16oz steaks,can of green beans, a tub of mac n cheese,and rotisserie chicken with a half gallon of milk and sat down and ate till i couldn”t anymore and then ate a bit more……..weight before meal…168.weight after 172..
December 26th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
70s Big Homemade EggNog:
8 cups Whole Milk
1 Pint Cream
8 Egg Yolks
4 Cups sugar
Vanilla and Nutmeg to taste
PR- Bodyweight (135#) Front Squat x 3
December 27th, 2009 at 12:41 am
Ben, what RAC are you talking about?
December 27th, 2009 at 1:31 am
pretty sure he it talkin about the one at georgia southern university
December 27th, 2009 at 2:02 am
PANTS PR
http://baltimoregetsbig.wordpress.com/2009/12/26/pants-pr/
December 27th, 2009 at 8:55 am
@ Hookgrip
Ben is talking about the Recreation Activity Center at Georgia Southern University.
December 27th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
New DL 5 rep PR 120kg.
20 squats @ 90kg.
22k row in 6:55, few seconds of my PB. Nearly died afterward, really felt the booze from the last few days.
December 27th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
pr”s this week:
bp 185# 5×3
sp 105# 5×3
sq 170# 5×3
dl 285 5×1
pc 125 3×5
weighted dips 25# 12,10
Still weak but t won”t happen over night.
December 27th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Hey justin I live in Idaho but I”m gonna come visit you because you are so cool and was wondering where do you live, and could I have a piece of your hair?
December 27th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Crappy training week. Stalled on squats which caused me elbow/bicep pain which caused me to stall on presses. Deadlift is still rolling along nicely. Almost 250 lbs though..which is probably an adult male for 6”2″ height.
Justin, what would you say a 6”2″ male would have to weigh to be an adult?
December 27th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
still 5”1″, bumped up to 130lbs thanks to my mom”s cooking, and am still an italian woman.
BS: 185x3x5 PR, I await the opportunity to break 200.
DL: 195x1x5, am now using straps
I”ve stalled for the second time on both my press (@ 75) and bench (@ 110) — failing in the first set — thus will have to begin an intermediate program for my upper body. But it”s an amazing feeling to come home on Christmas Eve after squatting that much weight…
December 28th, 2009 at 5:01 am
That should have read ”2k row”, not 22, obviously. Stupid brain!
December 28th, 2009 at 8:19 am
New to the site and I love it. Great to see what Rip is up to as well. 70”s big is to sweeet.
December 28th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Ive read in this article that most strength gains can be made in the 1-3 reps range, any thoughts on this? Link to article below…
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek8.htm
Excuse the website, i know theyre crap.
December 28th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Late post, hope everyone had a great XMas.
Bodywieght 220
Squat 335 (1RM)
December 28th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Hey Justin,
I know you talked about what type of rep / set scheme would work well for the lighter sets on OLY days. But what type of rep / sets were you guys implementing at the WFAC for the heavy exercise?
Thanks,
Dylan
December 29th, 2009 at 3:07 am
I guess Rachel answered a question I had. How many of you are making your own egg nog?
I use a recipe from a book, but however you make it, it should be much cheaper than buying it. I can get a dozen eggs and a gallon of milk for under four dollars, that”ll make a gallon, compared to paying $3-4 for a quart off the shelf.
December 29th, 2009 at 6:04 am
PR – I weighed in at 215.
AC – Upon seeing this I promptly threw up, began fasting, and ran a 5k. lol
-Older Beblowski
December 29th, 2009 at 9:08 am
I think thats a great idea Alan, and just think you”ll only be 35 when you graduate from college!
Aim Low!
December 29th, 2009 at 10:17 am
this week:
Powerclean & pushpress 78kg
Powerclean 80kg x 2 singles
Bench 110kg
bw 79kg
December 29th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Every day that goes by without a new 70sbig blog post, I die a little inside
January 2nd, 2010 at 3:14 am
If you can only train on a 3 times a week basis would it work if the program was changed to train the olympic lifts on wednesday and strength work Mon and Fri? Would wednesdays workout have to be heavy for both lifts rather than heavy and light or will it be too much?
Monday — Squat, Press, Chin-ups
Wednesday — Clean and jerk, Snatch
Friday — Squat, Bench, Deadlift
March 16th, 2012 at 3:35 pm
[...] Eli, I do. This was the original template I was playing around with back in 2009 in my training. There are some updates I would make to it [...]