Post by Dennis on Aug 22, 2004 18:14:23 GMT -5
Joe Average XI
By Jim Parrish
GPP: My favorite subject!! Dennis, who lives outside of Chicago, started the Joe Average system several months ago and is doing quite well and making great gains in his lifting. He posts his training logs on my site for all to see and comment. Days 4&9 are basically our off days, but I will try at the very least to do some light sled work. My heavy sled work is done on Days 2&7, which I rarely miss. Anyway, Dennis posted on his log that he had to stand for 12 hours at work, (he is a cop) and some how in his mind he rationalized that it was okay to skip the workout because standing for 12 hours was a good replacement for the sled. I more or less blew a gasket when I read this and posted an appropriate response. Work is work. Lifting is lifting. The two are separate. No matter what your job is nothing can replace the intense stimulation that your body receives when doing the sled. Dick Crane does roofing and siding for a living, up down the ladder all day. On squat day he doesn’t come in and say, “I’m not squatting today because I was up and down the ladder fifty times today.” He would get laughed out of the gym. I hate the sled, I hate it more than anything we do, except day 1 cycle 1, I’m always looking for an excuse not to do the sled, but when it’s required to do, in the end, I drag it out and do it. Being conditioned is most important, I cannot emphasize it enough. Do not rationalize or make excuses, pull the sled!
Template: The Joe Average training template which is posted on Dave’s site as well as mine consists of 6, ten day training cycles. The foundation of the program was set up and hasn’t changed in 2 ½ years, why fix what isn’t broken. That does not mean that I haven’t made subtle changes here and there to fit my needs or to correct a weakness. I’ve received e-mails in the past asking when I was going to make the changes to the template. My response was that I’m not making any changes to the template. If I did, I would constantly be making changes that may not benefit everyone. If you look at the template and then look at my training log which is posted on my site, you will see for the most part, they both match. For example, for over a year I was doing my goodmornings with bands and am now using free weight only. I’m also starting my wide stance good mornings from a pin instead of an upright position. Not everyone may want to make these changes. If you notice any changes that you are not sure about, send an e-mail and I will answer your question.
Breathing: Some of you like myself are starting to notice the advantages of wearing very tight gear and the importance of keeping the gear altered constantly. I received an e-mail from a guy who was having trouble getting to parallel in his suit because he couldn’t breathe correctly and thought his head was going to explode. What I had to learn to do with my canvas suit, because it is so tight and it compresses my chest, is to breathe in reverse. Normally, with a looser suit, you would hold your air until you hit parallel, then on the way up let your air out. With my suit being so tight, I have to slowly let my air out as I go down to parallel, this relieves the build up of pressure and allows me to squat down. Because of the support from the suit and the ME squat training with the heavy band tension, I do not need my air to get out of the bottom, I shoot right up. Doing your sled work and being in top condition will go along way in helping you to squat with a tight suit and breathing in reverse.
Days 5&10: Lifter’s will look at the template and e-mail asking, “when do you do your tri’s?” Tri’s and front delts are stimulated on days 5&10. “What about the push down’s, extensions and other tri exercises?”
My answer is usually, “been there, done that.” As I have stated in past articles, I try and do all my assistance work as close to or in the same motion as the core exercise that it is assisting. When I bench, I lay on my back and push the bar up. Therefore I want to work my tri’s in that same motion. Push downs, extensions, overhead dumbbells, the list is endless do not work the tri’s in the same motion or direction as the bench. Doing close grip bench and close grip boards work the tri’s in the same motion as the bench. Most lifter’s when they miss a bench, they miss at or near the top. If your tri’s are so strong from all those tri exercises that you do, why do so many miss at the top? Days 5 & 10 are short and quick workouts. With the heavy band tension, the tri’s and front delts get all the work they need. The tricep is a relatively small muscle when compared to the legs or back, but most guys will work their tri’s harder than they do their legs or back. Try cutting back, allow for more rest and recovery. If your bench is stuck, whether it’s at 200 pounds or 700 pounds, stuck is stuck, try something new and different. Like the squat test that I suggested in my last article, try my tri test. Get a set of green bands (mediums), double them, not choke, around a heavy dumbbell and attach to a bar and then do a close grip bench. If you can handle this, then great, your tri’s are strong. But, if you can’t and you are very unstable, then your tri’s aren’t as strong as you thought.
Experimenting: In article 10 and just now, I challenged you to do a squat test with the bands and a tri test with the bands to test your strength. My intention is not to brag, boast, demean or insult. My intention is to try and get you to open your minds and to be willing to try new things. When I got out of the Marines in 1987, I joined a local gym. There were several guys in there who powerlifted. After several months they took me under their wings and introduced me to the sport. I was taught the traditional 12 week periodization system. Like any new lifter doing any new system, you make gains, get stronger and think, this system is the greatest. I made decent gains for 2 years and that’s about where it ended. I spent the next 8 years spinning my wheels. During those 8 years no one could tell me a thing. I was so convinced that what I was doing was right. It was at this time, as I stated in my first article, that I had myself convinced that I would never lift above average weight because I was just an average guy, drug free and all the other BS excuses. I’ll never forget the day, I was deadlifting and expecting to do a PB, didn’t happen! That’s when I got so fed up with my lifting that I knew it was time for a change. The rest is history. Don’t be afraid to try something new and if it’s some of my stuff, I won’t tell a soul!
Pushing ab’s: I hear this all the time when guys are squatting “push your ab’s out” To this day I haven’t quite figured that one out. I’m not saying that I have a six pack, but I don’t have a big belly either, so if I don’t have a gut to push out when squatting, what then? Do I stop squatting? My team and I are well conditioned from all the sled pulling and you do not see to many big bellies. We also wear our canvas suits very tight and with belts on, I’m not pushing anything out. Training with the heavy band tensions and wearing properly altered gear, we do not have to worry about pushing out the abs, instead we can focus on the actual squat itself. I do no ab work! But that isn’t to say that my abs do not get worked. Squatting with the heavy band tension, not only on our dynamic day but especially on our ME day, has strengthened my ab area greatly. My abs are flexed during the entire set when squatting with the heavy band tension. Holding that heavy tension on my back has done wonders in building up my foundation which is my midsection. I have taken a common sense approach to this system and my training and I have yet to figure out how doing a bunch of high rep ab exercises will help me to squat 800 plus pounds or to stay more upright when squatting with that much weight. What I have found that works is, heavy free weight goodmornings and training with very heavy band tension.
Cleaning your gear: Do not ever put your poly, denim or canvas gear in hot water or a dryer. This does nothing but break down the material and weakens it. If the gear starts to stink, soak it in warm water with woolite and hang dry. Yes, putting gear in a dryer will shrink it, for about 5 minutes, once the shirt or suit is back on, it stretches right back out and is even looser because the high heat helped to break down the fibers. If your gear is loose, the gear needs to be altered not dried.
Questions or comments: post on www.joeaveragepowerlifting.com
Jim Parrish
By Jim Parrish
GPP: My favorite subject!! Dennis, who lives outside of Chicago, started the Joe Average system several months ago and is doing quite well and making great gains in his lifting. He posts his training logs on my site for all to see and comment. Days 4&9 are basically our off days, but I will try at the very least to do some light sled work. My heavy sled work is done on Days 2&7, which I rarely miss. Anyway, Dennis posted on his log that he had to stand for 12 hours at work, (he is a cop) and some how in his mind he rationalized that it was okay to skip the workout because standing for 12 hours was a good replacement for the sled. I more or less blew a gasket when I read this and posted an appropriate response. Work is work. Lifting is lifting. The two are separate. No matter what your job is nothing can replace the intense stimulation that your body receives when doing the sled. Dick Crane does roofing and siding for a living, up down the ladder all day. On squat day he doesn’t come in and say, “I’m not squatting today because I was up and down the ladder fifty times today.” He would get laughed out of the gym. I hate the sled, I hate it more than anything we do, except day 1 cycle 1, I’m always looking for an excuse not to do the sled, but when it’s required to do, in the end, I drag it out and do it. Being conditioned is most important, I cannot emphasize it enough. Do not rationalize or make excuses, pull the sled!
Template: The Joe Average training template which is posted on Dave’s site as well as mine consists of 6, ten day training cycles. The foundation of the program was set up and hasn’t changed in 2 ½ years, why fix what isn’t broken. That does not mean that I haven’t made subtle changes here and there to fit my needs or to correct a weakness. I’ve received e-mails in the past asking when I was going to make the changes to the template. My response was that I’m not making any changes to the template. If I did, I would constantly be making changes that may not benefit everyone. If you look at the template and then look at my training log which is posted on my site, you will see for the most part, they both match. For example, for over a year I was doing my goodmornings with bands and am now using free weight only. I’m also starting my wide stance good mornings from a pin instead of an upright position. Not everyone may want to make these changes. If you notice any changes that you are not sure about, send an e-mail and I will answer your question.
Breathing: Some of you like myself are starting to notice the advantages of wearing very tight gear and the importance of keeping the gear altered constantly. I received an e-mail from a guy who was having trouble getting to parallel in his suit because he couldn’t breathe correctly and thought his head was going to explode. What I had to learn to do with my canvas suit, because it is so tight and it compresses my chest, is to breathe in reverse. Normally, with a looser suit, you would hold your air until you hit parallel, then on the way up let your air out. With my suit being so tight, I have to slowly let my air out as I go down to parallel, this relieves the build up of pressure and allows me to squat down. Because of the support from the suit and the ME squat training with the heavy band tension, I do not need my air to get out of the bottom, I shoot right up. Doing your sled work and being in top condition will go along way in helping you to squat with a tight suit and breathing in reverse.
Days 5&10: Lifter’s will look at the template and e-mail asking, “when do you do your tri’s?” Tri’s and front delts are stimulated on days 5&10. “What about the push down’s, extensions and other tri exercises?”
My answer is usually, “been there, done that.” As I have stated in past articles, I try and do all my assistance work as close to or in the same motion as the core exercise that it is assisting. When I bench, I lay on my back and push the bar up. Therefore I want to work my tri’s in that same motion. Push downs, extensions, overhead dumbbells, the list is endless do not work the tri’s in the same motion or direction as the bench. Doing close grip bench and close grip boards work the tri’s in the same motion as the bench. Most lifter’s when they miss a bench, they miss at or near the top. If your tri’s are so strong from all those tri exercises that you do, why do so many miss at the top? Days 5 & 10 are short and quick workouts. With the heavy band tension, the tri’s and front delts get all the work they need. The tricep is a relatively small muscle when compared to the legs or back, but most guys will work their tri’s harder than they do their legs or back. Try cutting back, allow for more rest and recovery. If your bench is stuck, whether it’s at 200 pounds or 700 pounds, stuck is stuck, try something new and different. Like the squat test that I suggested in my last article, try my tri test. Get a set of green bands (mediums), double them, not choke, around a heavy dumbbell and attach to a bar and then do a close grip bench. If you can handle this, then great, your tri’s are strong. But, if you can’t and you are very unstable, then your tri’s aren’t as strong as you thought.
Experimenting: In article 10 and just now, I challenged you to do a squat test with the bands and a tri test with the bands to test your strength. My intention is not to brag, boast, demean or insult. My intention is to try and get you to open your minds and to be willing to try new things. When I got out of the Marines in 1987, I joined a local gym. There were several guys in there who powerlifted. After several months they took me under their wings and introduced me to the sport. I was taught the traditional 12 week periodization system. Like any new lifter doing any new system, you make gains, get stronger and think, this system is the greatest. I made decent gains for 2 years and that’s about where it ended. I spent the next 8 years spinning my wheels. During those 8 years no one could tell me a thing. I was so convinced that what I was doing was right. It was at this time, as I stated in my first article, that I had myself convinced that I would never lift above average weight because I was just an average guy, drug free and all the other BS excuses. I’ll never forget the day, I was deadlifting and expecting to do a PB, didn’t happen! That’s when I got so fed up with my lifting that I knew it was time for a change. The rest is history. Don’t be afraid to try something new and if it’s some of my stuff, I won’t tell a soul!
Pushing ab’s: I hear this all the time when guys are squatting “push your ab’s out” To this day I haven’t quite figured that one out. I’m not saying that I have a six pack, but I don’t have a big belly either, so if I don’t have a gut to push out when squatting, what then? Do I stop squatting? My team and I are well conditioned from all the sled pulling and you do not see to many big bellies. We also wear our canvas suits very tight and with belts on, I’m not pushing anything out. Training with the heavy band tensions and wearing properly altered gear, we do not have to worry about pushing out the abs, instead we can focus on the actual squat itself. I do no ab work! But that isn’t to say that my abs do not get worked. Squatting with the heavy band tension, not only on our dynamic day but especially on our ME day, has strengthened my ab area greatly. My abs are flexed during the entire set when squatting with the heavy band tension. Holding that heavy tension on my back has done wonders in building up my foundation which is my midsection. I have taken a common sense approach to this system and my training and I have yet to figure out how doing a bunch of high rep ab exercises will help me to squat 800 plus pounds or to stay more upright when squatting with that much weight. What I have found that works is, heavy free weight goodmornings and training with very heavy band tension.
Cleaning your gear: Do not ever put your poly, denim or canvas gear in hot water or a dryer. This does nothing but break down the material and weakens it. If the gear starts to stink, soak it in warm water with woolite and hang dry. Yes, putting gear in a dryer will shrink it, for about 5 minutes, once the shirt or suit is back on, it stretches right back out and is even looser because the high heat helped to break down the fibers. If your gear is loose, the gear needs to be altered not dried.
Questions or comments: post on www.joeaveragepowerlifting.com
Jim Parrish