Check out one of our six E-Books:
• “Squat Every Day”
• “Eat What You Want”
• “Squat Every Day 2”
• “No Weaknesses”
• “Mash Program Sampler”
• “The Mash Blueprint for Program Design”
Check them out here: ⇒ Mash Elite E-Books
Auto-Regulation and Workouts January 19th and 20th
I am sorry for getting a little behind. CTP, original Barbell Shrugged producer, is in town, and I am trying to pick his brain and learn from him. We have already captured some priceless footage, and I can’t wait to deliver the end product to you guys. Anyway, here were the workouts:
Thursday January 19th at Jack King’s Gym
Clean & Jerks:
115k x 3
125k x 2
135k/297lb x 1
During this workout, I could tell that I was starting to feel the volume from the last several weeks. The workout progresses nicely, but it took a longtime to warm up and energy levels were down. The cool thing about being 43-years-old is that I have finally learned to listen to my body.
Friday January 20th
Morning Workout at TFW Winston-Salem
Mash Method Bench Press
315lb x 1
275lb x 5
340lb x 1
275lb x 5
365lb x 1
275lb x 10
KB Bottom Up Z Press 20lb 5 x 5ea side
Hip Mobility Work and Evening Prep
PM Session at the Mash Compound
Front Squat up to 210k/462lb and called it a day
The morning session was excellent. I decided to use the 5+ principle on the last set of bench to get in a little extra hypertrophy. The Mash Method paired with Max Effort on Mondays has really shot my bench up quickly. I have also added some quality muscle, which is great for the ego. I actually had some on Instagram comment on my increased muscle mass. Maybe I have a vanity issue, but the comment made my day.
The KB Bottom Up Z Press is an exercise that I have been meaning to add to my program. This exercise encourages proper posture, while developing stability and strength in the shoulder and surrounding musculature. I could feel this exercise all throughout my scapula region. The best part was that my range of motion and position improved each rep and each set.
Coach Ox Mason had me pause each rep for a few seconds at the top of each repetition. That added to the stability portion of the exercise, and it really made my left arm work. Ever since fracturing a cervical vertebra in 2007, my radial nerve in my left arm has been compromised. My thumb, pointer finger, and middle finger on my left hand are semi-numb and are not as strong as my right hand. The closer to my cervical spine you get equals more weakness. I have tried numerous protocols to improve it like chiropractic, laser, and acupuncture, and so far nothing has helped other than targeted strength work. That’s right, the more targeted strength work that I do strengthens the area and allows for better functionality of the entire arm.
The evening session was the first time that I have experienced complete over-training during this comeback. I have been working incredibly hard to get back into shape, but the real reason is lack of rest. I have a beautiful newborn baby at home, Behr Bradley. Between Behr, and my main man Rock Mash (my 2-year-old) rest can sometimes be hard to come by. Like I said, CTP is also in town, and we are working hard on some cool projects for all of you guys.
These are not excuses. This is just life, and now finally at 43-years-old I am wise enough to chill out for a day when I am wrecked. Basically all I did was work up to a medium weight in the front squat, realize that I was wrecked, and then I just worked on mobility. I spent the weekend working on projects, eating a lot, and recovering.
Any and all programs are just guidelines. They are more like outlines. It’s up to you or your coach to know when to go off the script, and going off the script doesn’t just mean go heavier than prescribed. Going off the script can also mean go lighter than prescribed. The athletes that last the longest in the game are the ones that can auto-regulate the best. That means they know when to hold’em and they know when to fold’em.