Game Four: My Idea of What Happened and a Heavy Upper Body Day

Here is what I think happened after the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the

Golden State Warriors in game three of the NBA Finals. Steve Kerr picked up the phone and called San Antonio, Texas and spoke with his long time mentor and former coach Gregg Popovich and asked, "How do I beat LeBron James in the NBA Finals?!" "Pop" responded very simply. Pop responded with the same phrase that he used on his team in the huddle when they last beat LeBron's very thin benched Miami Heat with his very deep benched Spurs. "Run them into the ground. And then keep running." Kerr replaced the plodding Andrew Bogut in the starting lineup with the smaller and faster Andre Iguodala and the Warriors literally ran away with a 21 point victory in Cleveland. Mentorship wins again.

Today's quote is from Donovan Bailey:

"Every kid needs a mentor. Everybody needs a mentor."

Workout: Heavy Upper Body

Warm-Up:

Rowing Machine, 10 minutes

Bicycle Abdominal Crunch, 50 repetitions

Weight Training:

Heavy Bench Press, 4 sets of 5 repetitions

Weighted Pull-Up (Bodyweight +50lbs.), 3 sets of 5 repetitions

Barbell Push Press, 5 sets of 2-4 repetitions

Weighted Push-Up (Bodyweight +50lbs.), 3 sets of 20 repetitions

Bent Over Dumbbell Row, 3 sets of 6-8 repetitions

Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions, 3 sets of 6-8 repetitions

Rotating Wall Ball Toss, 3 sets of 10 repetitions

Have a Great Day!!

Pushing Things in a New Way, Chest and Biceps

Today we are going to mix up our routine a little bit by simply shifting the way we look at our training routine. We will do a warm-up, that won't change. The change will come when we break the sets and repetitions model. On a typical day we would put a prescribed weight on the bar for bench press and do something along the lines of five sets of five repetitions. Today, we are going to do a lot of our typical exercises but get rid of the sets. Instead of doing five sets of five we are simply going to do a total number of repetitions, in this case 30. We may end up doing a set of six or seven and then need to break. That set may be followed by four or five repetitions. There will be no prescribed number, but you you will finish when you complete those 30 total repetitions. More pushing, more power, more physicality.

Today's quote is from Gregg Popovich:

"No physicality, no win."

Workout: Chest and Biceps
Warm-Up: Perform each exercise in order for one minute to complete a set. Three sets total. One minute rest between sets.
Jumping Jack
Ball Slam
Bicycle Abdominal Crunch
Weight Training:
Bench Press with Typical 5x5 Weight, 30 total repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Pectoralis major, anterior deltoids, triceps brachii)
Weighted Dip, 60 total repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Pectoralis major, anterior deltoids, triceps brachii)
Weighted Push-Up, 60 total repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Pectoralis major, anterior deltoids, triceps brachii)
Axle Bar Bicep Curls, 60 total repetitions
(Primary muscles worked: Biceps brachii, flexor carpi radialis and ulnaris)
Dumbbell Hammer Curl, 55 total repetitions per side
(Primary muscles worked: Biceps brachii)
Captains of Crush Grippers, 15 repetitions per side between each of the above sets
(Primary muscles worked: Flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris)

Have a Great Day!!

One More Reason Gregg Popovich is a Bad Ass and Leg Day!

This week San Antonio Spurs' coach Gregg Popovich made news again for all the right reasons. "Pop" hired Becky Hammon as an assistant coach for the NBA champions. Hammon is a six time WNBA All-Star and was voted one of the top 15 players in WNBA history. In July 2013 Hammon blew out her ACL and during her rehab she attended Spurs practices, meetings, games and was often asked her opinion by the head coach. In the end Popovich hired the best person for the job stating, "I'm confident her basketball IQ, work ethic and interpersonal skills will be a great benefit to the Spurs." This made Hammon the first full-time female coach in NBA history.

Today's quote is from Becky Hammon:

"I'll be doing the same thing all the other assistants will be doing."

Workout: Legs
Warm-up: Do each exercise in order to complete one set. Three sets total.
Step-ups, 10 repetitions per leg
30" Box Jumps, 10 repetitions
Back Squats with Heavy Chains, 10 repetitions

Weight Training: Three sets of 6-8 repetitions unless otherwise stated.
Front Squats
Reverse Lunges with Weighted Barbell
GHD
Stiff Leg Deadlifts
Standing Calf Raises with Weighted Barbell, three sets of 50 repetitions per set.
Superset 25m 130lb. Weighted Sled Drag and 25m 300lb. Weighted Sled Push, 3 sets.

Have a Great Day!