my back was jacked for almost a week after a deadlift injury. Good luck on finding the cause and healing it
Thanks, it's actually feeling better. I'm getting good at stopping short of really hurting myself. I may end up going in and doing something in the morning, but nothing too strenuous.
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
Well, another deep tissue massage from the greatest wife in the world, two advil, and three glasses of wine last night. This morning the back was still tight, so the smart and necessary thing to do was to skip this morning.
But I didn't. Still had to take my daughter to school and had an hour gap before the earliest I usually get to work, so I went in and did my first and probably last arms-only workout of 2008.
EZ bar curls @ 95 or 105, depending on how much the bar is. 5 x 5
EZ bar skull crushers, same weight 5 x 5.
Alternate dumbell curls, 25 pounds on incline bench, 3 x 10
Tricep pushdowns with 120 3 x 10
Hopefully tomorrow I can do something substantial. The back is doing better and I know I'm being to antsy, but I'm hard-headed.
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
Nah. I asked my family doctor about it a couple of years ago and he said I'm getting small strains in the muscle that runs to the right side of my spine. It just spasms and locks up in a knot sometimes. It used to be bad, but the more back work I do the better it gets. And, it's nowhere near as bad as it used to get - it would lock up and I literally couldn't turn my head. I can tell when it's coming now, so I seem to be able to stop short of messing it up badly now.
What I have right now is nothing that even bothers me in daily activity, just when I try to go "heavy" I can feel it start to spasm. I'll test it tomorrow and hopefully it'll be ready to go, though I won't do deadlifts until at the earliest Monday. If I had better form last Monday this wouldn't have happened.
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
A little better today, but not enough to go crazy.
Stiff legged deadlifts
5 x 5 @ 135
Squats
5 x 135
5 x 135
5 x 185
5 x 205
5 x 225
These were fast and it would have been fun to push it upward, but I didn't want to take any chances. Box squats are helping, as I think I've found a good stance for me and I was going down and firing back up fast. Calves and Hamstrings were actually touching at the bottom.
Some seated calf raises.
Some abs.
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
Off today and the back is feeling good. Hamstrings are "good sore" from the SLDLs. I also think the SLDLs loosened up my middle part of my back as it just keeps feeling better. Tomorrow I will probably bench if my partner shows and squat if he doesn't, or doesn't want to bench. Plus, if the hammies still have DOMS I may bench in that case. Either way, whatever I don't do tomorrow I'll do Tuesday.
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
3 x 135
3 x 155
3 x 175
3 x 185
3 x 185
3 x 185
3 x 185
3 x 185
3 x 185
calf raises in between most sets.
Looking back, numbers don't show improvement on my box squats, but they are way, way better. I've lowered the box (I use those step squares and put a 25 pound plate on top- today I only used two of those things, so its gotta be somewhere around 8 inches off the ground). I also sit completely on it for all reps on this day, as opposed to moving the weights up and going "touch and go". Then I try to go up as fast as I can.
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
nice on the clean and press. I have to figure out if my form is right. I can't seem to progress at all. Maybe I just have weak shoulders. Nice work though.
nice on the clean and press. I have to figure out if my form is right. I can't seem to progress at all. Maybe I just have weak shoulders. Nice work though.
Thanks.
I'm not sure how my form is- I don't get under the bar much on the clean.
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
6 x 135
6 x 135
6 x 185
5 x 225
5 x 245
3 x 275
1 x 295
5 x 225
None of these reps were forced- all were deep and smooth.
abs
I'm really encouraged by squat depth and form. I'm going real low and doing so helps me make these reps more of one smooth motion. Again, the numbers are not great, but 3 x 275 is a PR for that depth and reps and the 295 was probably a PR at that depth. It's not like I didn't go down hardly at all before, but I was trying the real wide stance- these "olympic" type squats just fit me better right now. Perhaps when I can handle bigger weights on my back I can move the stance out- I do still have some aprehension with the weight on my back- I need to keep handling what are heavier loads for me to get used to "holding the weight on my shoulders".
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
how long do you training sessions generally last each day? three exercises but with a lot of reps. (of course, you're probably too shamed now to list the crunches and ab machines on here. )
how long do you training sessions generally last each day? three exercises but with a lot of reps. (of course, you're probably too shamed now to list the crunches and ab machines on here. )
Ha, I almost put a note about 'no abs today'!
I take about 45 minutes or so, sometimes longer, seldom shorter, but not by much either way. When you see a day where all I do is deadlift, squat, bench, or clean and press - I'm taking long breaks in between sets. Oh, I may do seated calf raises in between sets on leg days, but I don't really count those.
Days like today, where I do more exercises, I shorten the breaks quite a bit.
I've made my own template, but I find myself incorporating some of the philosophies of the elitefts guys since my main focus is own bigger numbers in squat, bench, and deads.
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
1 x 315 for speed. Really worked on leaning back and pulling fast. Probably did this at least 8 times, didn't really count, not much rest in between.
Rack pulls
2 x 315
1 x 335
1 x 355
1 x 405
worked on staying on heels and keeping the back straight and locking it out. I've heard of people doing heavier in this than regular deads, but not me - starting just at the knee with no momentum very difficult.
Dumbell rows
8 x 80 (each)
8 x 80 (each)
8 x 80 (each)
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
rack pulls are weird. how low did you have them? For a long time I rack-pulled much less then my regular deadlift and it was not until I concentrated on them that I got them almost equal.
On your speed benches, you may want to consider actually lowering the weight (although, its hard to do if your like me.. hah). I just use singles, but dont go over 160lbs. Bar speed is the only important thing. Speed training is a good tool for sure, and while it can take a few weeks to take effect, its nice when it does.
Nice work on the squats, low squats will help your wide stance squat should you ever go back. I know that I did a few months of atg front squats and only a few days of atg back squats leading up to my last comp and in the end I actually hit a PR in a wide stance squat.
rack pulls are weird. how low did you have them? For a long time I rack-pulled much less then my regular deadlift and it was not until I concentrated on them that I got them almost equal.
On your speed benches, you may want to consider actually lowering the weight (although, its hard to do if your like me.. hah). I just use singles, but dont go over 160lbs. Bar speed is the only important thing. Speed training is a good tool for sure, and while it can take a few weeks to take effect, its nice when it does.
Nice work on the squats, low squats will help your wide stance squat should you ever go back. I know that I did a few months of atg front squats and only a few days of atg back squats leading up to my last comp and in the end I actually hit a PR in a wide stance squat.
I started the rack pulls just below my knees- right around where I miss the lift when I go for a max single. When you got yours equal, had they both gone up, or do you think you just got better at them? I don't mind them, but I really only care to do them if they'll help my deads go up.
I'll try singles with a lighter weight on speed bench. All the "westside" type stuff is new to me, so I knew the weights were probably not exactly right. The 315 deads for singles felt good and got faster as I went, but I probably could have used a lighter weight there as well since it's supposed to be like half your max if I understand correctly.
And I'm hoping I can get out wide on squats someday and put up real numbers. But yeah, I needed to do this atg because the movement is so foreign and this is helping. That's what I get for doing squats religiously (once every Easter) up until the past few months.
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
I started the rack pulls just below my knees- right around where I miss the lift when I go for a max single. When you got yours equal, had they both gone up, or do you think you just got better at them? I don't mind them, but I really only care to do them if they'll help my deads go up.
I think they helped, some. Not as much as some things, but they did help. My rack deadlift was ~500lbs with a best max of about 540. I bought the rack deads up a hell of a lot and hit 600 x 2 from below the knees and deadlifted 560... and almost failed it, at the lockout..
I feel the lower the rack is (use the first pin so you are only a few inches shy of the ground) the more carryover they have.
That being said.. I put on a fair amount of mass on my traps/upperback when getting that rack pull up.. maybe down the line that will turn into some strength.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dmw
I'll try singles with a lighter weight on speed bench. All the "westside" type stuff is new to me, so I knew the weights were probably not exactly right. The 315 deads for singles felt good and got faster as I went, but I probably could have used a lighter weight there as well since it's supposed to be like half your max if I understand correctly.
I have found singles a good tool for the bench myself. Westside ususally does 2-3 reps for the bench press and 8-12 sets. I have found the 2nd rep my form isn't 'bad' its just, not like the form I would use in a 1rm which is what i care about.
Usually around 60% is used for westside for the unshirted benched (they say 50 sometimes. but thats based on a bench shirt max). I actually use 50% because I am quitea a slow presser and at 60% im loosing to much speed.
a three week wave works good for the speed bench.. something like 50/55/60 % then take a few weeks off. Speed benching is hard on the joints if done right (because of the explosivness at the lockout).
As for the deadlift, ive found 50% to be, useless, as have many. as high as 70% for real speed work ive had better luck with. Or what ive been doing for the last 6 or 7 weeks, working up to a heavy double, then dropping the weight and doing a few sets of speed work after (# of sets depends on how heavy the double was, and how heavy the speed work is).
So many different ways to do everything, and really, i dont think it matters that much which methods you choose as long as you constantly improve on them
Quote:
Originally Posted by dmw
And I'm hoping I can get out wide on squats someday and put up real numbers. But yeah, I needed to do this atg because the movement is so foreign and this is helping. That's what I get for doing squats religiously (once every Easter) up until the past few months.
atg squats are good. I hate doing them, but they are good hah.
Thanks for the thoughts, Frank! - As for rack pulls maybe helping, maybe not- but definitely putting mass on traps and upper back means I'll probably keep them in because if all I get is added mass then that ain't so bad.
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
6 x 135
6 x 135
6 x 135
6 x 225
1 x 245
1 x 255
265 missed, barely
255 missed
3 x 225
incline dumbell
12 x 50s
12 x 50s
Still have a bad head cold, but went in anyway. Then, had a strange workout - 6 reps at 225 is the best I've done in a while and then I got 255 for the first time in a while and it was EASY. 265 was missed because I got out of my groove going down and back up, but still almost got it. Then like a dummy I tried 255 again, but was out of gas. My head was really clogging up, so took it easy the rest of the way. If my partner hadn't been there, I probably would have just done reps at 225 since the first set was so good- but I had a spotter, so I went for a few singles.
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
5 singles @ 135
5 singles @ 135
1 x 185
1 x 185
several singles @ 155, not much rest in between.
This was quite a bit shorter than I'd planned - a guy that's been coming in about the same time as me came up and asked me a bunch of stuff about how I workout. I'm flattered, because he kept saying he thought I was pretty strong and was asking about why I do what I do, but it ate up about 1/3 of my workout time.
As for the lifts, on the 135s I was trying to get down and catch the clean in a front squat and work on form. This is WAY harder than how I do them - sort of a power clean. After 135 I just did them the way I always have.
Overhead push press still the weak link, but I'm working on overhead pressing more, so maybe it'll get better.
Oh, and head cold is getting better, but still a factor.
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
This was quite a bit shorter than I'd planned - a guy that's been coming in about the same time as me came up and asked me a bunch of stuff about how I workout. I'm flattered, because he kept saying he thought I was pretty strong and was asking about why I do what I do, but it ate up about 1/3 of my workout time.
The really funny thing is about half the time when my wife asked me how my workout was I make up a story about how all these hot chicks just stopped what they were doing and watched me the whole time. She laughs every time.
Turns out it's really happening now, only it's guys watching.
__________________
Since most of your life is already complicated, why make your training the same way? Jim Wendler
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