Training Log: Entry 594

RDLs of 365
3x5

Notes: First deadlift in a while, back felt great, and no tightness whatsoever.  I figured not breaking the weight off the floor would be good for me.  I tend to round a little bit towards the end, but otherwise do my best to keep my arch.

(Wider Grip) Pause bench of 245+chains
3x5

Notes: Experimented with a slightly wider grip and loved the results.  Need to keep this in mind for the future.  Camera ran out of power and cut off the last 2 reps.

V-handle pull-ups of 40
3x5

Notes: I already want to change these out, maybe for chins.

 

Neck harness work with a 45lb plate
Band pull aparts w/light+2minis
12,10

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ6mJRhcG3s

Training Log: Entry 593

Squats of 295+chains
3x5

Notes: Felt like one of my greatest squat sessions ever.  Felt a little twinge in my lower back on the warm-up, but once I strapped on the belt it was all coming up roses.  Kept the arch well, and flared my knees out.

Dips w/100lbs
5,5,4

Notes: Got my wife to stand on the power cage, adding more stability. Coulda hit that 5th rep if the damn thing was shaking so much.  Gonna move up, and swap this out at some point.

DB rows of 150
5,3,3

Notes: Gotta swap this out for something too.  Becoming more like kroc rows honestly.

 

Hise shrugs of 315
23,15

Notes: All my small plates were tied up on my DB, so I decided to just stick with 315 and see where it got me.

 

Here's the video of squats

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_l7p4YdWIs

Training Log: Entry 592

Front squats of 275
3x5

Notes: Warmed-up using the olympic grip to practice my flexibility.  Stuck with the crossed over grip just for the sake of continuity.  Think it's time to switch this lift out, maybe after my next deload.

Pause bench press of 235+chains
3x5

Notes: Need a little longer pause in the future, but still wasn't bouncing the weight.

V-handle pull-ups w/40lbs
5,5,4

Notes: Last rep was too shy.  Gonna stick with this weight and get clean reps.

 

Pull throughs w/light band
Neck harness work with 45lb plate
15/10, 12/10

Notes: Wanted to hit my posterior chain a little more, to continue my rehab.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr0JJai33iE

Training Log: Entry 591

Squats of 275+chains
3x5

Notes: Figured the chains would help deload the weight at the bottom of the squat, where I find myself prone to injury.  Back was feeling great today, and only experienced a little bit of tightness.  I've lost a great degree of flexibility, and am lacking in lowerback strength.  I'm folded over like a choirboy in my squats.  Need to focus on keeping my arch.

Dips w/100lbs
5,3,3

Notes: Used the power rack and 2 bars to create parallel bars.  Was a shakey set-up, so numbers dropped a little.  Gonna call it training for my stablizers.

DB rows of 145
3x5

Notes: Lats were really engaged on this movement.  Right is stronger than left, but that comes with DB work.

Band pull aparts w/light +2minis
2x10

Notes: Increased resistance is nice for a change.

 

Got more video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPa-U_lJFTw

Training Log: Entry 590

Front Squats of 275
5,4,4

Notes: Didn't lose any progress after my week off to rehab my back, and my back felt great once I strapped on my belt.  Might've been able to grunt out the full 3x5, but wanted to take things easy.

Pause Bench press of 225+chains
3x5

Notes: First time using chains.  Got two lengths of 5 feet of 1/2 chain at the tractor supply store the other day, and wanted to try them out.  Using a longer pause than before.

V-bar pull-ups w/35lbs
3x5

Notes: Chins never work for me, so I swap these with pull-ups.  Got great lat activiation.

 

Hise shrugs of 355 supersetted with neck harness work w/35lb plate
12/15, 12/15

 

Got some video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Apdu-yckAzI

 

Have been doing band good mornings on my off days to help with re-hab, seems to be working.

Training Log: Entry 589

Cable pull throughs
2x12

Notes: No idea what the weight was, just using this to help re-hab my back.

Band pull aparts w/light+mini
15,13

Notes: These are getting real easy.

Hise shrugs of 315
20,15

Notes: Cut the weight back and kicked up the reps to save my back from any potential damage.  Weight felt light.

Neck harness work w/35lb plate

Notes: Might be upping this soon.

 

Going to be doing re-hab work for this week.  Back is feeling great, but I want to make it secure to prevent re-injury.

Training Log: Entry 588

Sumo deadlifts of 405
5,3,3

Notes: Learned my lesson from previous experience and terminated the sets once they got too difficult.  Felt a slight pull in my left hip on the final rep, but played through the pain for the rest of the workout and felt fine walking out of the gym.  Utilized the strategy of raising my hands above my head, taking a deep breath, and knocking out a rep.  Works very well for the first rep, but I think I need to reset for every rep to make this extremely effective.  The weird looks alone from the mutant clowns in the gym alone should be worth it.

Bench press
280x5
290x5
290x3

Notes: Been so long since I benched that I didn't add up the weight right on the first set.  Focused on staying extremely tight, especially in my upper back.  The pain in my elbows is completely gone.  Oustanding.

Pull-ups w/55lbs
5,4,4

Notes: Think I'm just about as far as I can get on these for now.  After I finish up 55lbs, going to switch.  Maybe to chins, or v-bar chins.

 

Band pull aparts w/light+mini
15,13

Notes: These are getting really easy.  Rear delts getting very wrong.  Should ask for green bands on my next birthday.

Neck harness work w/35lbs

Notes: Progressing well on this one.  Can't wait until I an gain more weight and make my neck vanish.

Training Log: Entry 587

Front squats of 275
5,3,3

Notes: Fell down on the first rep of the second set, and decided not to push myself to allow my back to heal.  Think I tore a muscle in my lower back on squats, or re-injured the same torn muscle.  Pain has moved from my lower back to my hip on my right side, so that's a plus at least.  Used my new powerlifting belt on these, and love it so much more than the cheapo Weider belt I was using at the gym.

Weights dips w/100lbs
5,4,4

Notes: Didn't push myself to spare my elbow health. 

DB rows of 145
5,4

Notes: Cut a set out for the sake of my back.  These are becoming Kroc rows at this point, but I don't care too much.  The pull-ups hit my lats just fine, and this is doing a good job of overloading my back.