^^^ Yes.

MAXIMUM STRENGTH by Eric Cressey

Beginning Thoughts:

A bit late in posting this...I will be working out on Upper 2 today and then Week 16 begins tomorrow.

Workout:

Speed Box Squats @ 60% of 1RM = 190 lbs x 2 reps x 12 sets

I then loaded the bar to 315 and did 1 rep. It was slow. Even my speed sets were slow as hell....I can't figure out why though..

I also did walkouts with 405 lbs. 2 walkouts for 15 second hold each time.

I did a LOT of high volume Glute Ham Raises, Front Lunges, Unilateral Box Squats and Bar Rollouts.

Videos:

Speed Box Squats @ 60% of 1RM = 190 lbs x 2 reps x 12 sets:

YouTube

Overall Impression:

Today is Upper 2....

That wasn't that slow. It was actually pretty darn fast for 60%. At that percentage it won't seem super speedy but that's not the point. You coming from a dead stop but once you get going your hips snap up very nicely. Nothing to complain about there. If you had the same speed at 50% that would be different. But this is the strength-speed range after all.

Honestly so many of the ideas about speed have been generalized from the sprinting world it's ridiculous. Sprinters don't have gravity getting more powerful on them, do they. They're not putting on 40 pounds and trying to maintain their speed. It is NOT the same thing at all. You do not want to END a session going slower than when you started a session. But the idea that if your not going like a bullet it isn't accomplishing anything is ridiculous. Most people training like that..I've seen them..they spend more time decelerating than creating speed. I don't think learning to slow down your movement toward the end is conducive to absolute strength development.

That's the whole reason people get such good results from banded speed training. They have to fight through the movement instead of just throwing the weights around and having to put on the breaks instead of ACCELERATING.

Another point is that speed training as is typically done will double for "technique" training to some extent. Look how EC wants people to have technique days with very light weights but he doesn't expect that you'll be always moving super fast as the weights go up on DE training. He only expects that you'll try your damndest to move as quickly as possible.

You take people who have been training the typical way with volume oriented training your just trying to lift stuff as heavy as possible without much plan and you see them "getting stronger" as they're technique goes to shit. One big problem with 5x5 training an a good reason why loading the bar everyworkout even sucks for beginners.

But you take a person like that..and they start doing speed training with very light weights. They're moving very quickly because it's so light. Fine. How much of any improvement is because they've suddenly started having "technique" work and how much is it about how fast they lift. Could be some of both but all you can measure is results.

If a sprinter improves his running mechanics, his economy, technique, all that, will he get faster? Hell yes. If a lifter improves all those things will he get stronger? Of course.

Even Jim Wendler has made the point that speed training can't be underated from the standpoint of technique practice alone.

Wait and see what HAPPENS from the training instead of getting to caught up in what is happening during it. Otherwise it's all just theory.

good squats man.

Eric: Nice points. I understand what you mean. I hope this does pay off in practice when I max out next week.

Pity: Thanks :)

MAXIMUM STRENGTH by Eric Cressey

Beginning Thoughts:

I was not in the mood to workout...

Workout:

Speed Military Press @ 60%

Close Grip Floor Press
Hammer strength Pull-ups

One Arm Dumbbell Rows
Close Grip Push-ups

Overall Impression:

Very good workout IMO.

I weighed in at 196 lbs today...wtf...I think a lot of this is waterweight. I am gonna try and weigh myself at the end of next week. Lets see...

gaining weight while not eating ice cream....there goes my theory :)

what's been different in your eating habits lately?

I have been eating a lot of food in general these days.

For example, over the course of a whole day, this is what I have consumed:
1.) 1 sachet instant oatmeal
2.) 4 scoops whey
3.) One serving of fruits (cantaloupe - this is what I love right now)
4.) sandwhich with double serving meat
5.) Stir-fried with triple serving of protein (meat) and possibly tofu added too
6.) 4-5 scoops of peanut butter

This is roughly what I eat per day.

where are your vegetables young man? besides stir fry.

my veggies only come when i eat the sandwich and i have a lot of them when i have stir fry.

i eat at my school campus and it's expensive as hell for me to add all this stuff in it. I worry about getting my required protein ##