Social Distancing

Monday, March 16, 2020

I hope this post finds everyone well. At my house, we've been taking the dog for walks and home cooking a lot more than normal. Otherwise, we're doing our best to hunker down and ride this thing out. Strange times for us all.

Training-wise, very little has changed. Going to the gym is not an option, which means I can't use some pieces of equipment I like, but squatting is still going smoothly. I've been doing higher rep work now for at least a year and have made 135lb x 200 a goal for 2020. So far, 135lb x 140 in 35 minutes is my best effort as far as both total time and total reps in a single set.

Generally, my training "approach" is to squat once or twice a week. In squat workouts, I generally do one higher rep set with 135lbs x 50-100 reps lasting 10-30 minutes, and follow this with shorter, faster sets of 10-30 reps.

For example, on Monday, March 9th, I did the following squat workout with a Manta-Ray:

• bar x 20
• 135lb x 75 (15 minutes, 4-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-6-5 by minute)
• 2 minutes rest
• 135 x 18 (2 minutes, 8-1-8-1 by 30 seconds)
• 2 minutes rest
• 135 x 19 (2 minutes, 10-1-7-1 by 30 seconds)
• 2 minutes rest
• 135 x 18 (2 minutes, 8-1-8-1 by 30 seconds)

On my non-squat days when working out at home (which is all the time now), I generally do one of the following:

• Kettlebell Snatch (16kg kettlebell, 30-60 minutes, 10-15 reps/minute, switching hands every minute, no setting down the bell)
• 100 Total Push-Ups (in sets of 20-40)
• 15 minutes total of 45 Degree Hyperextensions, Pull-Ups, and Push-Ups (usually getting 250-300 reps total)
• YAT Pulls with a micro band (2-3 sets of 50/50/50)
• Standing Single Leg Hip Abductions/Adductions (2-4 sets of 25/25 per leg)
• Axle Deadlifts (primarily sets of 135lb x 10-15 and 185lb x 10, sometimes working up to 205-225lb for a double or triple)
• Twist Yo' Wrist 

When I go to the 'big gym' (which is rare), I do glute-ham raises, hip abductor machine, hip adductor machine, bench press, and occasionally dumbbell rows and bent over dumbbell laterals. I enjoy 20-30 minutes of the sauna there when I have time.

I'll post an update to the blog when I've successfully completed 135 x 200 (hopefully next week). Until then, stay safe and good squatting,

Boris