Training Log: Entry 586

Squats of 355
1x3

Notes: Felt a twinge in my back on the 3rd rep, so cut the set short and terminated the rest of the exercise.  It's not as bad as the first time, so hopefully I won't be off my feet for a long time.  I beleive I have at least correcty diagnosed the issue with form.  I have been using the pins to determine depth on my squat, making light contact on the descent and then rising from there.  I beleieve that making contact is unloading the weight from my spine, and then going up from there reloads the weight way too rapidly, putting the weight on my back without any sort of "tightness".  After resting up, I'm going to try again without the pins in place, and see if I still encounter this problem.  I won't have any pins in a meet anyway, so it'll be good to learn depth this way.

Pull-ups w/55lbs
5,3,3

Notes: Didn't want to go all out for the sake of my back.  Might be time to switch this out anyway.

Band pull aparts w/light+mini
2x13

Neck harness work with 35lbs

45 degree extensions to get blood flowing.

 

Skipped the bench in order to avoid further injury from arching.

Training Log: Entry 585

Front squats of 265
5,5,4

Notes: Lost my balance on the last rep.  Not really an issue of strength, so I don't think I need to hold back on it.  Rest times were cut short anyway because I was working in with an 1/8 squatter.  Get me away from these mutants.

Weighted dips w/90lbs
3x5

Notes: Need to keep the weights from swaying next time.  Cinch them higher maybe?  Felt a little strain on the right elbow on the final rep of the last set.

DB rows of 140
3x5

Notes: Right arm is noticably stronger than the left.  Might keep the weight for a while to nail the form, or maybe throw in some body english and make them Kroc Rows.

 

Ab pull downs w/57.5
2x10

Notes: Cables suck compared to bands.

Barbell shrugs of 315
2x10

Notes: Didn't have chalk or straps, and grip was already fried from DB rows and dips and such, so this was pretty stupid.  Jump shrugged the last 5 reps of the final set.  Figured it'd be nice to feel heavy weight in my hands again after the time off from deadlifts.

Training Log: Entry 584

Squats of 335
2x3

Notes: Got to work out in my basement for the first time, so didn't have a belt.  Kept the weight light and the reps light.  It's a deload anyway.  Back felt amazing the whole time, I think the belt has helped me learn proper form.  Don't know about depth, but it was as far down as I could go.  I might need to train my flexibility more.

Bench of 295
2x3

Notes: Elbow had a little twine on the warm-up, but otherwise joints felt strong.

Pull-ups w/45lbs
2x4

Notes: Felt a great pull in my lats for some reason. 

 

Hise shrugs of 335
2x15
Band pull-downs w/light band
2x25
Band pull aparts w/light+mini
2x12

Training Log: Entry 583

Front squats of 255
3x3

Notes: Deload, knees were feeling a little achey, so it's prolly well timed.  Might need to get into some joint healt supplements...or maybe just start enough more again.

Weighte dips w/70lbs
2x5

Notes: Still pretty simple.  Always a fan of this.

DB rows of 135
2x5

Notes: Used the DBs in the gym instead of my adjustable ones.  A lot easier to manage.

RDLs of 225
2x10

Notes: Picking these up just to help re-hab my back and train my PC.

 

Did some grip work with the Captains of Crush #2 yesterday

Reps right
20,18,15

Reps left
15,12,10

Training Log: Entry 582

Squats of 345
3x5

Notes: Power cage was in use by imbeciles, so I made do with the squat rack.  Depth was actually lower because the pins were set lower, and I really took a pounding on my hips.  Didn't have any issues otherwise.  Belt is a real asset.

Pull-ups w/50lbs
3x5

Notes: Very last rep was questionable, but I'm gonna keep pressing.

Bench of 295
3,2

Notes: Just like my overhead press, my bench was burning out today.  I blame my ego for making me increasing my lifts too much, and my diet for not being enough (down to a trim 205 on one of my infamous unplanned cuts) and a lot of unaccounted for GPP this past week (helped someone move apartments, been walking a lot, mowed the lawn for 2 hours, etc).  Gonna call this a deload, and then drop the weight 5lbs and keep going.  Once I hit 310 or so, I'm gonna switch to 2 board press and see what that gets me. The lack of full range might be good for my aching elbows.

 

Ab pull downs of 50 (whatever that means)
2x10
Neck harness work with 35lbs

Training Log: Entry 581

Front squats of 255
3x5

Notes: Have an issue with the bar rolling down on the last few reps.  I actually got stuck at the bottom of rep 3 on set 2, alomst fell over backwards.  Had to stop, get my balance, and go back up.  Good to know it's not just the stretch reflex that's lifting me.  Did sets 1 and 3 without a belt, set 2 with.  The belt just makes things worse, not gonna use it on front squats.

Overhead presses of 180
4,2

Notes: Time to get off these things.  I stopped to calculate that I've been doing overhead presses non-stop for about 3 months, so it's time for some variety.  Gonna switch to weighted dips.  Gonna call this a deload.

DB rows of 135
3x5

Notes: Had a little difficulty getting the lats to engage, mainly because my hands were exhausted from grip training.  Might need chalk or straps.

 

Hise shrugs of 355 superset with band pull aparts w/light+mini
15/12, 15/11

Notes: Got good rom on the Hise Shrugs.

Training Log: Entry 580

Squats of 335
3x5

Notes: Amazingly, still felt my lower back engaging on the squats, even with the belt.  Gonna stick with this for a while and see if my core development suffers from using the belt.  First squat of the second and third set were a little higher than the others, but was still at least parallel.

Bench press of 295
5,3,3

Notes: Elbows were feeling painful during the warm-up, so I upped the weight to keep the reps low.  A little touch and go on the last set, but that'll fix itself.

Pull-ups w/45lbs
3x5

Notes: Gonna learn my lesson from pull-ups, and apply light gradual increases to my other lifts to keep momentum going.

Band pull downs w/light band
2x25

Notes: Been feeling a little elbow pain, so I decided to throw these in.

Band pull aparts w/light+mini
12,10

Notes: The mini band really adds resistance.  Thinking of picking up a micromini sometime.

Cable pull throughs of 57.5
2x10

Notes: No idea how much weight 57.5 was supposed to be, but it was decent resistance to help gradually rehab my back and keep my PC strong.  Gonna try alternating between this, RDLs and Good Mornings.

Lots of assistance work today, because I split my workout in 2. 

 

Training Log: Entry 579

Front squats of 245
3x5

Notes: Had the bar rolling a little bit.  Depth was awesome.  I really spred my knees wide on this movement, don't know if I should care or not. 

Overhead press of 185
5,5,3

Notes: Going to drop it 5lbs next time.  Form is getting too crappy.  Did my middle set without the belt to see how my back is doing.  Was able to handle the load well, just didn't want to risk it.

DB rows of 125
3x5

Notes: Works much better than the bent over rows.  Taking the lower back out of the equation might help, or maybe I just have bad bent over row forms.  Either way, glad to finally have my horizontal rows back.

 

Accessory work of hise shrugs with 335 and neck harness work.  Also worked on the grippers today. 

On CoC #2
3x15 right hand, 15, 10, 10 left hand.

Training Log: Entry 578

Squats of 335
3,2,2,1

Notes: Used the belt again, different experience.  Could focus more on blasting out of the hole.  Had terrible DOMS in my left hamstring, forced my stance to be shorter.  Result of improper deload and switch to front squats.  Made the most of it.

Pull-ups w/45lb plate
5,5,3

Notes: Form was starting too get crappy, so I cut the last set short.  Always another day.

Bench of 285
5,5,4

Notes: Weight was heavy from the lack of deload.  Might bump it up next time.

 

Pull down abs of 40 supersetted with band pull aparts w/light+mini
15/10, 15/10

Notes: Still figuring out weight on the pull downs.  The pull aparts were just the right resistance for now.

 

Still working out the plan, but I'm piecing it together.

Training Log: Entry 577

Front squats of 225
3x5

Notes: Lower than parallel, and good speed on set.  Used a belt on this exercise to keep my back from getting re-injured.  Don't mind the belt, might use it for singles, but don't want to become dependent on it.

Overhead press of 185
5,4,4

Notes: Wore the belt on this one as well.  Misgroved the weight on the last rep of the last set.

Did some accessory neck work.  Skipped out on my rows, just to avoid putting pressure on my back.  May use the cable station next time.