EDITOR’S NOTE: Ever wonder how a world-class coach actually trains? Wonder what it’s like to train as a “mature athlete?” Welcome to the athlete journal of Charles Staley. A big believer in practicing what he preaches, Charles trains and competes just like his clients. Every Friday you can read what Charles has done this week in his workout sessions.
This was a bit of an abbreviated training week, but I managed to get some hard work in nonetheless. One highlight (and a new feature to my training) is kettlebell training, and in particular, high rep kettlebell swings, which I’m doing as endurance training for my upcoming Tactical Strength Challenge in April. It was suggested to me that the ability to perform 300 snatches with a 53lb bell in fifteen minutes would be a good endurance benchmark. Although I didn’t manage that, I did get 225 reps in about thirteen minutes, so that’s my starting point. Interestingly, those swings produced marked soreness in my hamstrings and traps.
Kettlebell snatches also went well. I performed five snatches on each side every sixty seconds for five minutes, for a total of fifty snatches. My goal for April is 100 snatches in five minutes. Fifty turned out to be only a moderate challenge, but since this was the first time I’ve ever done this, I decided to err on the side of conservatism. I suspect I could have hit 75 snatches had I really pushed.
I’m anticipating one more week of “subdued” training and then I’ll start digging in hard on about December 22nd. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013, 6:20 PM
Bodyweight: 202 lbs
CAMBERED BAR SQUAT
Set 1: 65 lbs × 5
Set 2: 115 lbs × 5
Set 3: 155 lbs × 3
Set 4: 190 lbs × 3
Set 5: 190 lbs × 3
Set 6: 190 lbs × 3
Set 7: 190 lbs × 3
Set 8: 190 lbs × 3
Set 9: 190 lbs × 3
Set 10: 190 lbs × 3
Set 11: 190 lbs × 3
SWINGS
Set 1: 53 lbs × 50
Set 2: 53 lbs × 50
Set 3: 53 lbs × 50
Set 4: 53 lbs × 50
Set 5: 53 lbs × 25
STANDING CALF RAISE (MACHINE)
Set 1: 90 lbs × 10
Set 2: 90 lbs × 10
Set 3: 90 lbs × 10
Wednesday, December 11, 2013, 6:20 PM
Bodyweight: 200.6 lbs
BENCH PRESS
Set 1: 45 lbs × 5
Set 2: 95 lbs × 5
Set 3: 135 lbs × 5
Set 4: 195 lbs × 2
Set 5: 195 lbs × 2
Set 6: 195 lbs × 2
Set 7: 195 lbs × 2
Set 8: 195 lbs × 2
Set 9: 145 lbs × 12
Set 10: 145 lbs × 12
Friday, December 13, 2013, 6:20 PM
Bodyweight: 202.2 lbs
1.5″ DEFICIT DEADLIFT
Set 1: 135 lbs × 3
Set 2: 135 lbs × 3
Set 3: 225 lbs × 3
Set 4: 275 lbs × 1
Set 5: 300 lbs × 8
3″ PIN PULL
Set 1: 340 lbs × 3
Set 2: 340 lbs × 3
KETTLEBELL SNATCH
Set 1: 53 lbs × 5
Set 2: 53 lbs × 5
Set 3: 53 lbs × 5
Set 4: 53 lbs × 5
Set 5: 53 lbs × 5
Set 6: 53 lbs × 5
Set 7: 53 lbs × 5
Set 8: 53 lbs × 5
Set 9: 53 lbs × 5
Set 10: 53 lbs × 5