Doo-ing My Best

[Doo]

Very High

• Sumo Deadlift [9 singles > 90%] - 1x1x275lb/8x1x285lblb
• Speed Deadlift [8x1 @ 70% 1RM] - 1x1x245lb
• Barbell Reverse Lunge w/ Front Squat Grip [4x8/side] - skip
• Pallof Press [3x8/side] - skip

Still have lower back pain so I stopped the workout. Will finish week but no more heavy lower body exercises like today's deadlifts and Friday's Box Squat. Depending upon how I feel, I may redo the lower body exercises that I missed early next week (Su/Tu?) and then start the final week, Week 16 which has very little lower body, sometime midweek.

[MindPower]

What happened to the back??
Bad timing, hope it gets better quick

[Doo]

Originally Posted by MindPower

What happened to the back??
Bad timing, hope it gets better quick

Don't think it was caused by lifting but lifting did not make it better. I really hate being sidelined like that but I'd be stupid to continue and make things worse. I need to see how I feel on Friday before I commit myself to any specific plans. I may end up postponing Moving Week until I can take a good shot at it.

Doesn't help that I have a new job assignment (supposed to be more money...but I haven't seen it yet ) and moved myself. I tried to keep box weight down but I figured I have moved about 8000lb of boxes for quite a distance (amazing what you accumulate in 20 years of work).

[Doo]

In order to give my lower back a rest, I think I may plan on not finishing Maximum Strength as designed. I will finish upper body exercises and do the Moving Day for bench press. I will then take an "active rest" week and return with several weeks of Rippetoe 5x5 (w/ chin-ups and pull-ups) starting with 50% 1RM and adding 10% 1RM each workout thereby letting back finish healing and prepare it for heavier weights. As I near 100% 1RM, I will complete the Maximum Strength Moving Day (1RM box squat, 1RM deadlift, broad jump and 3RM chin-up).

In addition to letting my back heal, I am also thinking that I will do better with the deadlift, box squat, broad jump and chin-up attempts if I practice doing them and not count on the progress with the variants.

[AdamD]

Good luck with the back man. We started around the same bench press and chin ups so in a few months when I'm done we can compare. I haven't been logging so I'm going to try and make one on here. That's a really good ideal heh. I also didn't test the broad jump but I did test the vertical leap. I start broads this week. Good luck!

ps I noticed you were doing around 40 lbs on the pull through on phase one, did you feel you couldnt go higher? I was doing around 130 lbs, but perhaps I was using wrong technique.

[AS]

I was using 100lb on the pull throughs (although every cable pulley station is different), I tried to do what the book said, but Im really not sure that I was doing it 100% right.

[Doo]

Originally Posted by Adam Welch

Good luck with the back man. We started around the same bench press and chin ups so in a few months when I'm done we can compare. I haven't been logging so I'm going to try and make one on here. That's a really good ideal heh. I also didn't test the broad jump but I did test the vertical leap. I start broads this week. Good luck!

ps I noticed you were doing around 40 lbs on the pull through on phase one, did you feel you couldnt go higher? I was doing around 130 lbs, but perhaps I was using wrong technique.

I have decided to postpone Maximum Strength for now. I am now rating back pain as a 3 and have decided to focus on my arms and abs today: weighted chin-ups, weighted pull-ups, weighted dips, push-ups, GH bench abs, close-grip bench press. I will rate back pain after and tomorrow morning and then decide if I repeat this on Sa.

If all goes well, I will start a couple weeks of Rippetoe 5x5 beginner on M starting with 50% 1RM and adding 10% as long as back pain is gone. That should get me back to latest Maximum Strength numbers and allow me to continue with Week 15/Day 1.

I'll reply separately about the pull throughs since AS commented about them also.

[Doo]

I think of the pull through as being similar to a weighted back extension with the difference being that your legs and core have to stabilize against the weight rather than the pad of the back extension machine.

As you pull the weight through your legs you will be raising your upper torso until you achieve a completely vertical stance. While this is happening, your core will be activated and the weight will want to pull you out of position. You will have a slight forward lean although it seems my forward lean (with only 40lb!) was more than what Eric is shown doing.

I had trouble holding the exercise steady and I only had a makeshift rope handle so 40lb was sufficient for me to feel that I was getting a benefit. I did not look at this as being a high volume exercise.

[MindPower]

How is your back??

[Doo]

Back feels good. Thanks for asking. Probably could have continued Maximum Strength but decided to go with my 2 week 5x5 rehab plan since I still feel a very, very slight remnant of the pain I had last week.

Just finished my first 5x5 "rehab" workout as outlined below:

Workout A

• Squat - 5x5x165lb
• Bench Press - 1x225lb/1x245lb PR/2x205lb
• Barbell Row - 5x5x135lb
• Dips - 3x5x240lb PR
• Power Cleans - 1x45lb/3x95lb

I still ended up starting with a higher squat weight and barbell row than I had first planned on. I am also practicing power cleans these two weeks.

Decided to make a bench press PR attempt since I can still do heavy weights without adversely affecting back. Might have done a better PR if I didn't do so many warmup sets (didn't plan on a PR attempt until I got started). I might have held back a bit since I didn't have a spotter. Maybe I will train my wife to help. Never asked her before.

[MindPower]

Originally Posted by Doo

I might have held back a bit since I didn't have a spotter. Maybe I will train my wife to help. Never asked her before.

glad your backs ok,
I have the same problem with the spotter on bench,
my brothers in town this week so I might get him to spot me and go for a bench PR (thinking out loud)

[Doo]

Originally Posted by MindPower

glad your backs ok,
I have the same problem with the spotter on bench,
my brothers in town this week so I might get him to spot me and go for a bench PR (thinking out loud)

Back is great this morning. Tempted to finish up Maximum Strength now but will complete my plan. My 5x5 Squats were only 55% 1RM (previous 1RM, not sure now).

Only need a spotter to help ease bar done to pins for bench press. I have pins set low enough to allow bar to completely meet chest but will hold the bar if I move it closer to my neck. At that point, I can pull my head out. One ear ends up pretty red when that happens. No way would any of my family memebers be able to help spot squats.

[Doo]

After thinking about this for a little while, I see no sense in waiting a little bit to let my back heal (which it may have already done) and then finishing Maximum Strength with a very high volume week followed by a low volume week culminating in a [/i]Moving Day[/i] test.

Instead, I will continue with my 5x5 rehab workout and then go ahead with doing a Moving "Week". I will need some of those stats to continue with a Bill Starr 5x5 variant. It is not the MadCow version I have provided a link to before but a version based upon what is discussed in Bill Starr's The Strongest Shall Survive and the writings of weight lifting coach Glenn Pendlay. I have an Excel spreadsheet for the program that requires 1RMs/3RMs as input. I tend to use such spreadsheets to determine a goal for a given workout but adjust depending upon how I feel that day.

I can continue to record a log here if anyone it interested. Otherwise, my main log is done on Gyminee (nutrition plus warm-up and work set recording) and a work set plus comments version at StrongLifts (which inspired me to be at the level I currently am).

I would recommend Maximum Strength and have seen gains from it. Future programs will include deep tissue work and mobility exercises (I have a copy of the Magnificent Mobility DVD). I may repeat the program next April and try to push myself further and do more of the recommended cardio so that I can also get leaner as well as stronger.

[Doo]

Below is what I ended up doing after back healed which was about a week after I last posted. I never did go back and finish Maximum Strength but value the experience of it. I did end up with a Bench Press PR and all my squats are now ATG which I attribute to the box squat work.

StrongLifts 5x5 Advanced (BENCH) - Week 1/Day 1

• Squat - 5x5x196lb
• Bench Press - 5x132lb/5x143lb/5x153lb/5x165l b/5x175lb
• Power Clean - 5x73lb/5x79lb/5x84lb/5x90lb/5x 96lb
• Weighted Dips - 5x202lb/5x214lb/5x226lb (BW=190lb)

Made use of my fractional plates but may just go back to 5lb increments for convenience...until I get close to PRs. I really like the Power Clean. Didn't have technique down enough for it so starting weight is low as I practice.

StrongLifts 5x5 Advanced (BENCH) - Week 1/Day 2

• Squat - 5x5x176lb
• Overhead Press - 5x5x85lb
• Deadlift - 5x5x212lb
• Weighted Pull-ups - 1x4x(190lb+11lb)
• Rope Pull-ups - 2x3x190lb

StrongLifts 5x5 Advanced (BENCH) - Week 1/Day 3

• Squat - 5x161lb/5x174.5lb/5x187lb/5x19 9.5lb/5x215lb
• Bench Press - 5x5x161lb
• Power Clean - 5x5x212lb
• Turkish Get-ups - 5x12lb/5x24lb
• Dragon Flags - 8

Only did two of the three sets of Turkish Get-ups. Still need more practice. Should have just done a third set with same weight. Decided to at least throw in a set of dragon flags.

StrongLifts 5x5 Advanced (BENCH) - Week 2/Day 1

• Squat - 5x5x221lb
• Bench Press - 5x149lb/5x161lb/5x173lb/5x185l b/5x196lb
• Power Cleans - 5x82lb/5x89lb/5x95lb/5x102lb/5 x108lb
• Weighted Dips - 5x(190lb+13lb)/5x(190lb+27lb)/ 5x(190lb+41lb)
• Dragon Flags - 8
• Lever Lifts to the Front - 8x8lb/8x10lb
• Lever Lifts to the Back - 8x8lb/8x10.5lb/8x12lb

Planning on doing dragon flags and forearm work after StrongLifts. May do some calf work also but not today. quote

StrongLifts 5x5 Advanced (BENCH) - Week 2/Day 2

• Squat - 5x5x194lb
• Seated Press - 5x5x96lb
• Deadlifts - 5x5x238lb
• Weighted Pull-ups - 4x(190lb+12lb)/4x(190lb+0lb)
• Rope Pull-ups - 3x(190lb+0lb)
• Dragon Flags - 8/8
• Lever Lifts to the Front - 8x8lb/8x9lb
• Lever Lifts to the Back - 8x11lb/8x12lb/8x13lb
• Lying Lever Lift to Side - 8x8lb

Warm-up sets for Seated Press were cleaned while work sets were done from the rack. 5x5 Deadlifts are tough. Weighted Pull-ups were tough after the press and deadlift work. Threw in a Rope Pull-Up set.