“I’ll take the dirt road, it’s all I know.”

I’m an unabashed fan of country music.  The story-telling backbone of this entire genre simply speaks to me, and today was no different.

Admittedly, I was feeling a bit sorry for myself this morning – I was closing in on completing my first two-week loading cycle of The Nemesis Program and I was sore all over (insert hilarious Donny Shankle – Ivan Adadjiev story about soreness).*  This negative perception was further fueled by loads that felt way too heavy.  But then, the famous Sawyer Brown song, “The Dirt Road,” started coming through my earphones loud and clear, and I began to earnestly listen to its words.  Reflecting on words “it ain’t easy, it ain’t supposed to be,” I changed my attitude, and subsequently blew away several singles north of 90 percent.  At this point, I faced my own choice – attempt a PR or settle for tying my previous best…take the dirt road, I thought, adding another five kilos to the bar.  After all, God hates a coward.

Unracking the weight – elbows high -- there wasn’t a doubt in my mind, and 20 seconds later I was walking back to my seat to write “(PR)” next to the attempt in my training log.

 

Sometimes you just can’t say it any better: 

“I’ll take the dirt road, it’s all I know

I’ve been a’walking it for years

It’s gone where I need to go

It ain’t easy, it ain’t supposed to be

So I’ll take my time

And life won’t pass me by

‘Cause it’s right there to find, on the dirt road.” 

 

 

Work hard for that dollar, Sawyer Brown.

*This clip was not intended to offend anyone.

Self-Titled First Post

"Squat, you are my nemesis."

Several months ago, I read Nick Horton's "The Squat Nemesis Program: An Introduction To Volume, Load, And Intensity Zone Training," (herein referred to as the "Nemesis Program") and I must admit his concept intrigued me.  The Nemesis Program calls for squatting five consecutive days, Monday through Friday, always to a daily maximum, then moving down for back-off triples and fives.  Nick recommends most people perform these triples by "ramping up" the intensity, starting somewhere around 70 percent of that day's best, and adding a small amount of weight to each subsequent set (he suggests 3-5 percent jumps).  The final set of three is broadly defined as "heavy," i.e. the upper end of Zone 2, but NOT a 3rm.  The program concludes with two sets of five at 50 percent (once again of that day's best single).  Nick writes of these final sets, "You do these for speed . . . [t]he goal here isn't weight on the bar (per se) it is the perfection of the lift.  Go down under perfect control, and then explode out of the hole like your life depends on it."  If you are interested in learning more about the Nemesis Program, i.e. the loading vs. deloading weeks, please check out the following website:

http://www.theironsamurai.com/2012/08/23/the-squat-nemesis-program-an-introduction-to-volume-load-and-intensity-zone-training/

Now, in my own training, I experimented with a similar approach, and although my self-programmed variation was far less structured and included far less volume with respect to the back-off sets, it still produced surprisingly good results (over one four-week period I added 15 kilos to my back squat, not bad for no formal coaching).  Despite the many positive results I was seeing -- strength gains, reduced soreness, etc. -- I broke from the program because older, more experienced lifters told me I was "crazy," "nuts," or "begging for an injury" by squatting to maximum daily.  For this reason, Nick's Nemesis Program reasonated with me, and it confirmed my own informal observations.

With my self-confidence renewed courtesy of Nick Horton, I am once again ready to venture into the strange "Bulgarian" land of "daily maximums."  I cannot be sure where this journey will lead me, but rest assured I am prepared to eat more, sleep more and drink more whole milk.  Stay tuned for future progress reports.

Thanks, Nick.

PS - Max Aita is a beast.  I watch this clip when I'm riding the 5:16 a.m. bus to the gym -- very motivating, especially the set of five.