Killn' The Cube: My powerlifting venture begins

[herderdude]

herderdude if you knew as much about lifting as you do now when you were wrestling, what are some more non-traditional lifts you would incorporate?

Lunges were always huge for good shots.

Anything with a fat grip or cannonball grip or pull ups from a rope. Almost all grappling strength must be translated through the hands, and I've worked with 140#ers that could make you wilt from grip.

Neck is paramount. My 18" neck at 245lbs is the same size as it was my sophomore year of college at 190 walking around weight. We would do one minute timed yes/nos and lots of bridging built and stretched the neck.

I wish I knew about GMs back in the day. I would do some very light, very low, ugly round back GMs and zercher GMs to replicate getting stuck under someone.

Bench isn't as important because when you set your shoulders in wrestling like you do for bench, the match is over and you lose. But I used to be able to do flyes with 60# dumbbells so I could crunch cradle people.

The other one I wish I knew about was KBs. I'd replace all barbell Olympic lifts with the KB variation. Swings, snatches, cleans, Turkish get-ups, high pulls (we actually did dumbbell high pulls in college).

Things I did then but wish I did better: squats: use more hips and more weight. I oly squatted for 8-12 exclusively. Deadlifts: do more weight and less reps. More rows, more hamstrings. Great wrestlers have backs (lats and lumbar erectors) forearms, core, and hamstrings. Big pecs and quads And delts and upper arm are added weight causing you to bump to the next weight class up. Important, sure, but not optimal.

The rest is core training and weird ass implement training. Get a retarded strong core, and be able to hit full suplexes with a giant heavy bag. Atlas stones, farmers walks, refrigerators, whatever. People are not so easily manipulated as barbells. It takes weird muscle. I can tell you about guys that couldn't lift a damn thing but chucked haybales and shoveled coal that whooped my ass.

Conditioning: don't be like me. I put in about 20-25 miles a week in of roadwork (5:30 mile, 14 min two mile, 56min seven mile once) and my conditioning was eh. Intervals. Even in short matches, there's an ebb and flow. Intervals were the answer I didn't have. Roadwork is important, it lays the base, but intervals peak the pyramid.

Look what you've done getting me talking about wrestling! Rodja get in on this.

 

[Rodja]

When I was at fully MMA condition, it was more about being able to be dynamic at any moment. Even when my HR was ~180, I could do a 50" box jump. Mobile hips and ankles made the difference for me. I could have someone shoot in and my leg dexterity would break the shot long enough to get an underhook, crossface, etc. My conditioning was more MMA based so being able to fly for a full 5, 5 minute rounds was essential. Anything less and I was out of shape by my standards.
That being said, I would put more emphasis on grip and hamstrings than I did at the time. More imbalanced core work such as a suitcase dead for distance would be an easy addition.

 

[herderdude]

Yes, hip mobility. I could put my calf behind my humerus seated or standing at any time of day. Straddle to where my hips were within a foot of the ground. Cossack squats were easy. And gymnastics. If you find someone who can teach you some gymnastics, the carryover is huge. I was the only guy on the team in college that couldn't stick a front handspring.

 

[Rodja]

Yes, hip mobility. I could put my calf behind my humerus seated or standing at any time of day. Straddle to where my hips were within a foot of the ground. Cossack squats were easy. And gymnastics. If you find someone who can teach you some gymnastics, the carryover is huge. I was the only guy on the team in college that couldn't stick a front handspring.

Gymnasts are easily the most underappreciated athletes in the world. Watching them move in space and the amount of strength they display is insane.

 

[CincyKiller45]

Thanks a lot for the recommendations herderdude Rodja. I've been implementing these into my training.

Big obstacle I'm facing now is that I workout directly before BJJ class. I'm always wanting to leave a little in the tank for the long sparring sessions. Especially my grip. Gi sparring is hell on the hands.

Light workout

Deadlift stiff bar (beltless)

425x5x3

DE squats:

245x3x8 (too light)

Parallel rounding back GM's

135x12x2

Walking BW lunges: 20x3

Calves

Pretty easy workout. I've been DL'ing heavy every sessions (2-3 range) for the last few workouts so I needed to scale back. Squat has been ok. Brought it in to save the hips for Jiu Jitsu. Def brought my 1 rm down.

Then 1 hour of solid rolling.

Hope everyone is doing well.

 

[herderdude]

Glad it helped! Wasn't sure if I was too long out the game to be helpful. If you need your grip for grappling, pull with straps. Train your grip at the dojo with some odd stuff. Barbell grip is different from that, and if you tighten up your extensors from gripping a skinny barbell, your grip won't be as good for grappling.

 

[CincyKiller45]

Squat day:

Squat: 5x5

DE 2.5" deficit DL: 3x6

Zercher GM: 6x3

BSS: 12x3

Calves

Good day. Zercher GM's officially suck.

 

[CincyKiller45]

Hope everyone is doing well.

I'm still lifting 5-6 days a week but my main focus has been grappling. I've been going in 4-6 days a week for a couple hours so you can say I have been bitten by the BJJ bug hard.

Lifts have gone done a little but I have also lost weight. I'm going to start competing here soon in some local BJJ tournaments and the weight divisions are dumb. There's 200 then 221 and then 221 and up. So I have to be sitting at about 213 to make 221 in a Gi .

Sorry I haven't been posting. When you're weak it's not nearly as fun to log workouts. Lol.

Glad to see everyone is still strong as **** though!

 

[CincyKiller45]

Heavy deadlift day:

Deadlift, stiff bar:

345x5
435x3
Add belt
485x3
515x1x2- moved slow but I'm pretty happy with it

DE squats:

255x2x3
285x2x3

Parallel GM:
135x12
185x8x2
215x5

Hamstring curl SS seater calf raises

I got to be pretty selective with with my exercise choices..no time for any fluff and buff.

Then straight to BJJ for only 1 class tonight. Body is beat up from the lifting and BJJ. Have been hitting 2 classes a day 6 times/week on top of lifting. Getting pretty slick on the ground though. Rolled a 15 min round with a Special Forces guy last night and my body feels it today. Lol.

Night gents.

 

[CincyKiller45]

Sunday squats

3" beltless pause squats:

245x5
295x3x3

Rack pulls:

385x2x6

BSS:

35's: 12x3
BWx20

Leg extensions x20x3

Calves a lot

AB wheel roll outs: 10x3

Russian twists x50

Then some DE benching today..nothing crazy but effective.

Then rolled with a 300# man for 25 min straight. These Brazilians are nuts...And then drilled loop chokes for 45 min.

All good.

 

[CincyKiller45]

Shot in the dark...does anyone have any experience coming back from a dislocated knee cap?

Mine popped out pretty bad a couple of months ago and it's still not completely healed. Anything from preventative or rehabilitation standpoint would be helpful.

 

[RegisterJr]

No sir, sorry that happened

 

[CincyKiller45]

No sir, sorry that happened

It's all good, man...nature of the beast. Doctor told me he thought it was a torn ACL at first so
I got very lucky.

Hope all is well with you!