Optimal strength training for runners

Thanks Sid! That would save me the return postage. Then I'll probably only have to eat the sending shipping charges. Still, it's going to be tempting to open the box and see what a 13mm-thick belt looks like.
Heh that's a mouthful. Mine is technically 7 lifts. I am dedicated to the farmers. I still need to pull 180 I might try at the end of November and again when I am back in the states in December. Hopefully I can get it by then.

I think working in the 90% range volumes should be low 3 reps maybe? So 85% = 10 reps or 3x 3?
Yah, I thought about that. Mine could be "725/80," or maybe 7/10/80, too if I were to always try to get in either the Loaded Carries, Russian Twists, or Hyperextensions as my assistance lift at the end. I don't know if I could commit to doing Loaded carries every time. Just not that much fun in my cramped garage.

Yah, that might work. I've got 90% pegged as my doubles, as in 5x2, but I've only tried that many sets of doubles for the bench. 85% works pretty well for 3x3 based on what I already know I can do for the bench, squat, and deadlift. In general I've been impressed by the degree of correspondence between the percentages and what I found to be my singles, triples, and quintuples during the last cycle while working out my 1/3/5 plan. The matches are pretty close--given 1RMs in the bench, squat, and deadlift of 250, 275, and 360, respectively--and will take some of the guess work or trail-and-error out of increasing increments in the future. It's also nice to know that, theoretically, based on my five-rep weights (80%), my OH Press 1RM is only about 20 pounds off of where it should be, relative to the B Press, or that I should be able to start doing BW pullups if I can get my weight down to 210 again. I wonder if 95% would be a good percentage for training singles?
Yeah I like the full body thing too i also am glad you got me doing more upper lifts and back work in particular I lime having some flexibility there too. THe bench and press are plenty for my chest shoulders and triceps I am seeing some good development there. We should organize this program some once we have more data from the 80% trial.
Yah, yesterday I didn't warm-up with the cable rows, but I'm still going to try to maintain a 2:1 ratio of upperbody pull to upperbody press. Maybe do the pulldowns 2x5 for both neutral and supine grip, and do two kind of rows, the initial cable row warm-up, and then one of the row variations in the middle of the workout. That would bring me up to 40 reps for the pulls, and 20 reps for the presses in any given workout. I'm also thinking of subbing 2-DB B Press or Dips for the BB B Press once or twice a week, to make sure I don't provoke my shoulder issues by overBench-Pressing, and to work on my ROM. Still, the simplicity of just doing the same damn six or seven exercises each and every time is pretty appealing.

That's an interesting idea about organizing this into a program. Time will tell how long I stick with it, but it's feeling like a pretty good basis for just about any goal.
 
Saw this one from a while back. Trying to understand how much of a shrug he means?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-rippetoe/the-overhead-press_b_4550676.html
Around 2:30 he says it's the lockout position.
For me, a key has been getting the elbows slightly in front of the bar, as in this video, and also in the one by the funny guy talking about the press police.
I've also brought the elbows in on my bench press, almost like a close-grip bench press, and I think this helps. Not sure if I need the t-grip bar anymore, and it's still out-of-stock, but could be useful for bb rows with a neutral grip.

Sid, the package was refused and has now been sent back to the sender. Thanks for the tip.
The 6.5mm version should arrive tomorrow.

Got some 2"x2" J-hooks from Rogue--very nice, very heavy duty, but it'll be a squeeze getting proper grip for squats now, if I get the Rogue C-70 bar, which is only 43" between the sleeves. That's just three and a half inches between the sleeves and each side of the 36" rack. I think my hands will barely fit outside the rack, inside the bar's collars, but only with a thumbless grip. Might have to use the Body Solid bar, which is 46" between the sleeves, for squats. So much for simplifying.

Right knee clicking is still there, but it hasn't locked out for a few days, so I can get up from sitting now without having to test it first. Progress . . .
 
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You can check the tracking on the refused item to make sure the vendor receives it. Then contact the vendor for the refund.
If you don't hear from the vendor after multiple attempts, you may need to open a dispute through the credit card company. If the vendor doesn't respond to the credit card company in a timely manner, then the credit card company will process the refund.
 
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You can check the tracking on the refused item to make sure the vendor receives it. Then contact the vendor for the refund.
If you don't hear from the vendor after multiple attempts, you may need to open a dispute through the credit card company. If the vendor doesn't respond to the credit card company in a timely manner, then the credit card company will process the refund.
Thanks again Sid. Elite FTS is supposed to have a good return policy, so I don't anticipate any problems. Just wanted to save the return postage, a little more than $10. If I don't see the refund I'll try calling them again. Not sure why their customer service doesn't reply, but they have a big clearance sale going on right now, might be the reason? Their shipping is fast, just one day to process and two days to deliver, both times. The 6.5mm belt is due tomorrow, I ordered on Tuesday.

Hopefully, my gear fetish will diminish now. Still looking forward to the Rogue shorty bar when it becomes available. Might even get around to doing some power cleans again if I have a high quality bar in my hands. Almost thinking of just getting the full-length version, the Ohio bar, and have something that will work for everything. Abide or anyone else, do you have an opintion on finish? The Shorty bar only comes in Black Zinc, but the Ohio bar comes in Black Oxide as well, for a more natural feel. I guess the latter is more prone to rust though, so more maintenance.

Feeling a little incomplete for having missed this morning's run. But it was wet and close to freezing with windchill around 21F. It'll be much nicer this afternoon.
 
Around 2:30 he says it's the lockout position.
For me, a key has been getting the elbows slightly in front of the bar, as in this video, and also in the one by the funny guy talking about the press police.
I've also brought the elbows in on my bench press, almost like a close-grip bench press, and I think this helps. Not sure if I need the t-grip bar anymore, and it's still out-of-stock, but could be useful for bb rows with a neutral grip.

Sid, the package was refused and has now been sent back to the sender. Thanks for the tip.
The 6.5mm version should arrive tomorrow.

Got some 2"x2" J-hooks from Rogue--very nice, very heavy duty, but it'll be a squeeze getting proper grip for squats now, if I get the Rogue C-70 bar, which is only 43" between the sleeves. That's just three and a half inches between the sleeves and each side of the 36" rack. I think my hands will barely fit outside the rack, inside the bar's collars, but only with a thumbless grip. Might have to use the Body Solid bar, which is 46" between the sleeves, for squats. So much for simplifying.

Right knee clicking is still there, but it hasn't locked out for a few days, so I can get up from sitting now without having to test it first. Progress . . .

Thanks for the video. Still not quite sure why you would shrug at the end? Once your arms are locked out what's the purpose of going higher? I'll try it out in the morning.

With you running more it should help with the gear consumerism unless you start buying more winter running gear. I'm pretty happy with the setup right now. The second barbell is very convenient. It was down to 2 this morning time to pull out the fancy cold winter biking gear.
 
Thanks for the video. Still not quite sure why you would shrug at the end? Once your arms are locked out what's the purpose of going higher? I'll try it out in the morning.

With you running more it should help with the gear consumerism unless you start buying more winter running gear. I'm pretty happy with the setup right now. The second barbell is very convenient. It was down to 2 this morning time to pull out the fancy cold winter biking gear.
Yah, lemme know what you think. Does seem kind of odd, but I think Rip sometimes argues from abstract principle a little too much. Still, I've learned a lot from him, so worth a try. I'll try to remember to look up his explanation in the SS book. I have to say, my OH Presses have felt pretty good the last few workouts. I'm getting really sore in my upper back. Might not take as long as I thought from them to catch up to my B. Press.

Haha, I'm all set for winter running gear, took care of that last winter with Icebreaker Merino wool. For me, the only thing on my mind now is having a real nice bar. I think half the reason I'm having trouble with the deadlift grip is that the Body Solid is thicker and the knurling a bit too aggressive. I think the Black zinc finish of the Rogue shorty bar could be the way to go. And I'm pretty sure if I use the thumbless grip, as Rippetoe recommends, I'll be able to rack it for squats. If it doesn't work out, I can go for your 2-bar approach.
 
Yah, lemme know what you think. Does seem kind of odd, but I think Rip sometimes argues from abstract principle a little too much. Still, I've learned a lot from him, so worth a try. I'll try to remember to look up his explanation in the SS book. I have to say, my OH Presses have felt pretty good the last few workouts. I'm getting really sore in my upper back. Might not take as long as I thought from them to catch up to my B. Press.

Haha, I'm all set for winter running gear, took care of that last winter with Icebreaker Merino wool. For me, the only thing on my mind now is having a real nice bar. I think half the reason I'm having trouble with the deadlift grip is that the Body Solid is thicker and the knurling a bit too aggressive. I think the Black zinc finish of the Rogue shorty bar could be the way to go. And I'm pretty sure if I use the thumbless grip, as Rippetoe recommends, I'll be able to rack it for squats. If it doesn't work out, I can go for your 2-bar approach.

So I tried it for both the bench and press. It worked great on the bench, I used to use it more frequently but kind of forgot about it. The press it just seemed like I was doing two excercises press out and then shrug? seemed a little pointless.

A smoother knurl and thinner bar makes deadlifts harder for me. Have you bought some chalk yet? It really helps me.
 
So I tried it for both the bench and press. It worked great on the bench, I used to use it more frequently but kind of forgot about it. The press it just seemed like I was doing two excercises press out and then shrug? seemed a little pointless.

A smoother knurl and thinner bar makes deadlifts harder for me. Have you bought some chalk yet? It really helps me.
Hmmn, shrugging on the bench press too? I don't think I'll mess with technique on the presses much any more. My shoulder is still a little aggravated after the workouts, but it always recovers well these days with a little mobility and massage, so I think I've got a good thing going. My mental energy is mostly focused on the squat technique, just working on the nuances of bar position, grip, and stance, although I think I've settled 95% on a good overall approach. I'll keep the squats relatively light this aft, and then if everything still checks out, start pushing the weight over 200 again next week.

I'm thinking I might do 2 x 5 bb bench press just once a week, and then do a relatively light 60-80lbs (each) dumbbell bench press the other too days, since I'm trying to bring all the lifts up to the bench press level.

Yah, I got chalk this last summer, and now a chalk bag as of this Wednesday. I only really need/use it on the deadlift. Interesting what you say about the deadlift. The Black Zinc isn't smooth--it adds just a few ten thousandths of an inch to the knurling--but it doesn't have quite the natural feel of black oxide I guess. Unfortunately, the Rogue shorty doesn't have black oxide as an option, but it's probably just as well, as I'm not very good at maintenance. With my deadlift though, it could be atrophy of my hand muscles and calluses, but whatever the case, by the fourth or fifth rep my grip starts to give out.

The 6.5 belt should be arriving soon, yippee. Edit: belt just got here. Wow, I couldn't imagine needing a belt thicker than 6.5; 13mm must be for the big boys. See if it helps later . . .
 
Well its kind of a shrug it helps keep tension in the lats for me. I pull my shoulder blades together and then pull up into a shrug. It really provides a lot if stability.

How's the width of the belt? Any issues with it digging into your ribs? Yeah my 10 mm belt is overkill and like I said it's still not broke in. Yours looks like it's all leather so it should break in faster. Looks like the customer service was pretty good with elitefts?
 
Well its kind of a shrug it helps keep tension in the lats for me. I pull my shoulder blades together and then pull up into a shrug. It really provides a lot if stability.

How's the width of the belt? Any issues with it digging into your ribs? Yeah my 10 mm belt is overkill and like I said it's still not broke in. Yours looks like it's all leather so it should break in faster. Looks like the customer service was pretty good with elitefts?
I guess I'm not understanding how the lats could be tensed while shrugging from a bench press position. Wouldn't that put the bar over your neck? I do like pulling the shoulder blades together though, for a stable platform, but they're retracted, not extended as in a shrug.

I spent some time messing with the belt before I found a good position, plus it was a bit of a struggle just to tighten the damn thing. It'll be nice when it's more broken in. Now I really can't imagine using the 13mm, but it would've been nice to have checked it out.

I started out with the belt too low, but once I got the belt position more or less right, I did notice a difference right away on the squats. My trunk felt more solid and stable, and the power transfer more efficient. I think it might add 10-20 pounds to my squat if I were to try a 1RM. I read that the belt actually helps the isometric abdominals get stronger, not atrophy, because they're able to contract harder, so even if I take the belt off in the future, I should notice an effect.

I tried the belt on the last set of my seated overhead presses too, and it helped there as well. So a good purchase. In the past, some of my fitness purchases have been a bit impulsive and boneheaded, like the head harness for doing neck flexes and extensions, but lately I've been batting close to a 100. Not sure about the weighted vest idea, but the rubber mats, dumbbell rack, shorty bar, low pulley foot plate, j-hooks, power hooks, and now belt have all made my workouts more enjoyable and/or efficient. Once my knees have been 100% for a while, I'll try to start doing some kicks with my heavy bag too.

Thanks for your initial recommendation to use a belt at the beginning of this thread. It took me a while to act on it . . .

Well, EliteFTS's Brady accepted the return delivery, according to UPS. I'll check the credit card on Monday to see what the refund situation is.
 
I guess I'm not understanding how the lats could be tensed while shrugging from a bench press position. Wouldn't that put the bar over your neck? I do like pulling the shoulder blades together though, for a stable platform, but they're retracted, not extended as in a shrug.

I spent some time messing with the belt before I found a good position, plus it was a bit of a struggle just to tighten the damn thing. It'll be nice when it's more broken in. Now I really can't imagine using the 13mm, but it would've been nice to have checked it out.

I started out with the belt too low, but once I got the belt position more or less right, I did notice a difference right away on the squats. My trunk felt more solid and stable, and the power transfer more efficient. I think it might add 10-20 pounds to my squat if I were to try a 1RM. I read that the belt actually helps the isometric abdominals get stronger, not atrophy, because they're able to contract harder, so even if I take the belt off in the future, I should notice an effect.

I tried the belt on the last set of my seated overhead presses too, and it helped there as well. So a good purchase. In the past, some of my fitness purchases have been a bit impulsive and boneheaded, like the head harness for doing neck flexes and extensions, but lately I've been batting close to a 100. Not sure about the weighted vest idea, but the rubber mats, dumbbell rack, shorty bar, low pulley foot plate, j-hooks, power hooks, and now belt have all made my workouts more enjoyable and/or efficient. Once my knees have been 100% for a while, I'll try to start doing some kicks with my heavy bag too.

Thanks for your initial recommendation to use a belt at the beginning of this thread. It took me a while to act on it . . .

Well, EliteFTS's Brady accepted the return delivery, according to UPS. I'll check the credit card on Monday to see what the refund situation is.

The belt may or may not add any weight but that sense of stability is what it's really good for. Plus it teaches you really good spinal stabilization by giving you a physical response when you pressurize your abdomen.

I don't use it often with anything except the DL but I have tried it with the bench, press, SLDL and farmers walks and I have noticed benefits.

This is usually how I setup on the bench. I first pull together my shoulder blades to get the lats stabilized and then I shrug up. You dont get a full shrug because there is already tension it just helps position my shoulders better. You cantry it just sitting there, just make sure you pull them together as far as you can before you shrug and you will feel it. The shrug only lifts your shoulders an inch or so, but it feels better for me than just activating the lats.