Accidental Training Part II

Last Wednesday I had the opportunity to observe the two great weightlifters from the former Soviet Republic, Xenialadbanisthan, Brookszinski and Malcolmovich, when they came in to train. Brookszinski, you may recall is the author of the landmark training manual, "The Gut Buster". Based on his experiences it outlines what has become "Accidental Training". He is currently in training for a meet and decided to come in early to do some GPP work. This consisted of some dynamic warm-up drills (walking to the drinking fountain/ locker room several times) and body weight calisthenics (wiggling into his suit). Then he got into the meat of the session with box squats of 275 kg., 320 kg., 375 kg. and finally (drum roll please) The Gut Buster, a 410 kg. effort which he easily made.

Then he did some more warm-up drills and calisthenics and prepared for the main part of the training, Prone pressing (bench pressing in USA terms) with AL-chains (not as heavy as the men's chains and not as light as the women's chains; i.e. "alternative lifestyle chains"). Malcolovich's warm-ups were not as involved as Brookszinski's since lifting all the 45 kg. plates on and off the bar for Brookszinski's squats had left him ready to go. Malcolovich worked up to his Gut Buster, a 135 kg. effort for a PR. His partner finished with a few singles at 185 kg., and declared himself done. "All that aerobic s&$t has left me winded", he said later.

It is always a pleasure and a learning experience when these two greats of the former Russian empire make their presence known at our humble gymnasium!

With tongue in cheek and until next time.....Jjjjeeeegggggggggggggggzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
Ed T.