Accidental Training

(The following may or may not be true and was written for the entertainment of the reader, not to offend or insult anyone or any particuliar style of training. Enjoy.)

"Accidental Training" by Unknown (and with good reason)

"There are many methods of training; from Westside templates to Weider principals to Charles Poliquin to Arthur Jones and Heavy Duty and HIIT. One must look past the hype and examine the methodology for its merits and whether or not it withstands the application of science. Weightlifting is merely applied physics. Unfortunately, a lot of training programs are perpetuated upon a wanton audience by charlatans with a talent for marketing. Then, training becomes "working out" and the proponent is merely a better marketer. If the program can or cannot withstand the rigors of applied science do not matter as the effective hype pulls the heart strings of the ignorant masses and sales follow.

Recently, I came across a little known method of training while reading the collected works of Brookszinski and Malcolmovic. Lying in wait between the pages of a Western Soviet training manual written by Brookszinski, he explained the method of 'Accidental Training'. (Brookszinski, to the uniformed, was a champion Soviet lifter from Xenialamadadizsthan who trained with Alexeyev and immigrated to the United States when the USSR fell. He documented his experiences in a senior thesis for the University of Pittsburgh which became the basis for the manual, "Poculi a mi Dupe", which translates into English as "The Gut Buster".) Brookszinski explained the importance of having an open mind in the regulation of training and cited many influences in his programming. For example, he did not worry if there were 13 or 15 links of chain dangling from the bar onto the floor, he lifted the weight. He explained 'Accidental Training' as what resulted when one opens his mind to new ideas and through experimentation, conducted under rigorous NASA-like conditions, creates breakthroughs in strength. So, the lesson here would be to pay attention to details regulating the volume of training in particuliar to their application to feats of strength. Thus, one can discover 'Accidental Training' in their own regimine."



A-hem. Or one could define "accidental training" as I did Sunday. When I was working at the gym and Shawn and Malcolm came in to train ME Upper body and I joined them. I did not plan to train with them (or that day even, other than the "D&B barbell complex"). But due to my quick-wittedness I deduced that this was a perfect opportunity to get in some quality ME work. So I seized it and it went very well; thus accidental training...

ME Upper

The warmup consisted of reps with 135 on the bar continuously adding chains until their were 5 total sets (4 each side of 5/8" chain hanging from 1/2" helper chain and 1 "alternative lifestyle" smaller chain. Total chain weight was 214-pounds). I used a medium grip.
135x3, 185x1, 195x1, 205x1, 210 miss
Then moved to a wide grip and went off a 2-board: 210x1, 225 miss
Then took one set of 5/8" chains off each set and added weight. Still wide grip and off a 2-board: 225x1 (4 chains), 255x1 (3), 275x1 (2), 300x1 (1 "a-l" chain), 320x1 no chain, 340 miss

That's it. Supplemental and assistance work follows on Monday. Thanks to Shawn (and for calling the weights!) and Malcolm.

Lift strong(er),
Ed T.