Deloading

Next week starts our deload week and it is usually needed by time we get to the end of our third week. We deload every fourth week but in the past I have taken a deload week as I felt it was needed. With a planned deload I feel we can plan our training better and get more out of the same training. When I did not plan for the deload I ended up randomly deloading and miss an important workout that I needed.
For our deload weeks we always cut out the CNS work but keep the muscular work high. We also use these weeks to work on our conditioning, rehab injuries and do some things we might not usually do for powerlifting training. We also have rep contests like kettlebell snatches, 100 glute ham raises in as few sets as possible, Power b jack me ups and other fun stuff.
If you do not use a deload in your own training or with your athletes I highly recommend it. If you are unsure what to do start by cutting your volume to 50% of your normal workload. If you need to get away from your traditional stuff try getting outside for a playground workout or just pull the sled. We find that we are ready to get back to lifting at the end of the deload. As long as your work load is lowered you should be fine. If you are looking for more information about deloading you can check out the links below.

Eric Cressey - The Art of the Deload

Jim Wendler - Deload to Reload

Eric Cressey - The Prehab Deload

playground workouts

I ran into a video of these guys on http://www.straighttothebar.com/. These guys are truly amazing.



Get past this guy talking for some great action.

Home gym helper

If you have a home gym like me or a small training studio you might be on a budget and can't get everything you want right away. Here are some items you can pick up at your local hardware store or make with lumber. I live near a big chain hardware store and most of this stuff can be made pretty cheap and will last a long time.



Platform

My main platform is eight foot by eight foot. I have some anti-stress rubber mats on the floor underneath to keep the wood dry. The mats I am using have holes in them so when it does rain and gets into the garage it can dry quickly. These are $20 for a 3x3 mat. After that was done I added 2 layers of plywood. One layer runs vertical and the other horizontal. Lastly I have carpet on top that is about $.45 a square foot. This is usually replaced every year.

Box squat box

I did not make this but as you can see its pretty simple. A bunch of 2x6's alternating directions each layer. Then a square of plywood on the top and bottom. This is nice and study but it is a pain to move.

Multi-purpose platform

This little platform started out as a place for our shorter lifters to put their feet when using the lat pulldown but we found other uses as well. We now use two as a platform for handing off when benching and we also use them to elevate our glute-ham-raise. These were made with scraps we had left and are one of the most useful items.

Bench boards

If you are looking for a bigger bench press then board pressing should be in your recipe. We use a 1/2 board all the way up to a 5 board. Pretty simple to make and again very cheap. If you do not want a lot of boards lying around make a one, two, three and stack them if you want a four or five board. Make sure you use 2x6's and not 2x4's they are easier to control and easier to keep in the middle of the bar.

Most of this stuff is pretty simple but can save you some money in the long run.

Computer problems

If you have noticed I have not posted in a while. Our computer had some problems and needed to be fixed. I am now back online but have lost all of my favorites. If you you are like me you are always looking for new information or something that might help you with a workout in the future. Well in trying to locate all of the sites I used to visit I fugured I would pass them along to you as well.

elitefts.com
dieselcrew.com
westside-barbell.com
dragondoor.com
crossfit.com
http://www.jasonferruggia.com/
http://www.defrancostraining.com/
http://yesstraining.blogspot.com/
http://www.tacticalathlete.com/index.htm
http://www.averagetoelite.com/
http://alwyncosgrove.blogspot.com/
http://www.straighttothebar.com/
http://www.mikemahler.com/

I am still building my list but this is a good start.

Kettlebell snatch and variations

Pregnancy Training

Yesterday was Fathers Day and I hope everyone had a great day. In January I will be blessed with another child. So today is about basic training for pregnant females. Most of the items listed below are guidelines from doctors and for the general population. My wife is able to get away with more due to her past training. Make sure any female who is going to workout while pregnant follow all her doctors orders.


Training

Keep your heart rate under 140 bpm.

The doc says no squats. (Julia still does them but lowers the intensity quite a bit). This is due to the softening of connective tissue to prepare for delivery.

Lying on the back to do exercise is also a no-no. Certain positions can restict blood flow to the fetus. Do more incline and overhead pressing or dumbell press on a stability ball.

As far as exercise goes there is not much to avoid. Listening to your body is key. Julia actually improved her bench press and within three months of delivery was setting personal bests.


Nutrition

For this Julia consulted with John Berardi. He had alot of good information and I think it made all the difference. Julia gained only 22 pounds and after giving birth, was actually down about six pounds from where she started. I think most women are fooling themselves when they get pregnant and think it's a free pass to eat whatever they want. This makes it much harder after delivery and also sets up the baby for problems in the future.

No caffine

No artificial sweetners

15 servings of fruits and vegetable (10 veggies and 5 fruits). John said this would be difficult, so get a juicer. Making juice each day with fruit that is close to going bad and alot of greens made it much easier for her to get all the recommended servings everyday.

Avoid processed food. This was a little tougher for Julia. For about six weeks she could not stand the smell or sight of meat. Finding things to eat during this time is a little difficult but soon passes.

A pregnant woman only needs an extra 250 calories a day. Not much - just a snickers.

A woman who is breast feeding will need almost 500 more calories a day.

A fetus will drain away DHA and ARA from the mother. A premium fish oil will help the mother to not feel so tired and drained.


There you have it. The nutrition is much the same as you might recommend to a normal person trying to lose weight but with a few more calories. The training is the same with less intensity and a few positions to avoid.

Rolling up a frying pan by a woman!