2010-11-28 Deload Squat and Press

First deload.

Warmup - As usual. 3 sets of band GMs, though the third set might not have been all that necessary. Still forgot tennis ball. Band traction for wrist.

Squat: 135, 135, 135
3x3 - 195lbs
This felt as easy as it should have, at long last.
Still need to remember all my cues, though.

Press: 45
3x3 - 100lbs
Also easy, albeit not quite as easy as the squats.

DB Row:
3x3ea - 40lbs
Still getting the hang of pulling this properly.

Rollouts:
2x8
Adding a band next week, yay.

2010-11-26 Dead and Bench

Warmup - The usual, sans lacrosse ball, but with an extra 2 sets of band GMs.

Hamstrings weren't feeling 100% today - right one was tighter than usual, left one felt like it did at the end of my recovery period. Guessing this is due to the cold, though the aforementioned. Had some SI joint stiffness, too - same credit.

I managed to warm up in about 15 minutes, though, which is pretty good.

Deadlift: 135, 185
3x5 - 235lbs
Meh.

Bench: 45, 45, 95, 95
3x5 - 145lbs
Meh.
Need to pause somewhat longer than I did on the first two sets. I think I'm still SPF legal, though.
Need to fix some issues with wrist position - I think I'm cocking my wrists forward again, 'cuz one finger wider than I was 2 months ago shouldn't be causing the issues it has.

Pulldowns:
3x5 - 115lbs
Did a very poor job of engaging my lats on most of these. This was more due to forgetting cues than not being strong enough, but the reps would have been considerably more strenuous had I remembered.

Face Pulls:
3x8 - 15lbs
Wrist stuff came up again here.

2010-11-24 Squat and Press

Warmup - As always, just sans the lacrosse ball because I couldn't find it and couldn't be arsed to grab the tennis ball from under the driver's seat of my car (dangerous place to keep it, I know).

Squat: 135, 135, 135
3x5 - 195lbs
Back wasn't as good I'd've liked, and my hip flexor was acting up, but I was under time constraints.

Press: 45
3x5 - 100lbs
Felt very good.
Met another fairly serious lifter. We went into the other room so he could finish his squats while I did Rows and saw Thomas and Te; fun conversations to be had.

DB Row:
3x5ea - 40lb
Meh

Didn't have time to do rollouts.

2010-11-23 Sled

8 Trips x 205lbs x 100ft x 30 seconds rest

Had a traffic warden as an audience today, lol.

And then after he left a few of the full-time employees from work walked past on the way to their cars and were impressed.

I decided after the 2nd trip that I should be able to get 8 this time. The 8th felt like walking through some very mild region of hell for the last ~40 feet. Fun.

I'll go up to 5 plates once I've gotten 10 at this.

2010-11-21 Dead and Bench

Warmup - Rolling w/ Roller and Lacrosse Ball, Dieselcrew Shoulder Warmup w/ 7.5lbs, 3 Sets of Band GMs

Deadlift: 135, 185
3x5 - 230lbs
Easy. I've noticed that having switched back to double-overhand, I set my grip on these the same way a few people (including you...I'm kinda assuming you're the only guy reading this log, lol), do for cleans. It's a bit odd, actually - it makes my setup feel somewhat more solid, but probably makes the lift harder. Fortunately, that's not likely to matter until I'm up around 315, so w/e.
Form-wise, these were...hard to gauge. I don't know if I'm getting my shins close enough to the bar or setting up my upper back properly.

Bench: 45, 95
3x5 - 140lbs
First set was fairly good, second set was really good, third set was pretty meh due to some mild balance/uneven bar lowering issues. First time in recent memory that that's come up, actually.
Got my arch and my lats back, though, so very strong net win.

Pulldown:
3x5 - 110lbs
Figured out the weights of the little blocks for use on the cable stations by...well, using a bosu ball as a scale. That makes two uses for the stupid thing.
These felt fine.

Face Pull:
3x8 - 15lbs
Used one of the blocks to up the weight on this. Somewhat harder than 10lbs.

2010-11-20 Sled

6 Trips x 100ft x 205lbs x 30sec rest

Last time may only have been 4, come to think of it.

Last one of these was damn near impossible.

2010-11-19 Squat and Press

Warmup - Rolling, Lacrosse Ball, Self-Massage on left hip flexor, Dieselcrew Shoulder Warmup w/ 7.5lbs, Band GMs (Orange Band)

Squat: 45, 45, 45, 95, 95, 135
3x5 - 190lbs
My right hamstring is uber-tight. I did some static stretching between sets and it loosened up, thank god.
Even if I can get down to depth with 45 or 95, my back rounds out horribly without lots of stretching. The work sets were fine, though.
Called Inzer and wound up paying $30 more to get my belt next week with a lifetime warranty rather than wait 3 months for the economy one.

Press: 45
3x5 - 95lbs
Still occasionally losing my balance forward on these.
Felt a lot easier than in the past. Yay.

DB Row:
5x 50, 50, 35
Took the weight down drastically to see if it'd help me get my elbow further out - it did, but I'm not sure which of the two I like more. Trying 40 next week to see how positioning goes, and after that increasing by 2.5lbs using the minichains I made a while back; Rachel's using them for her standard progression, so they're pretty available.

Rollouts:
3x8
Need to remember to bring in the micro band next week for these. Need to bring in the mini and/or monster mini for Rachel to do Band GMs, too, actually.

2010-11-18 Sled

6 Trips x 100ft x 205lbs x 30sec Rest

This was a lot harder.

2010-11-17 Deadlift and Bench

Warmup - Rolling w/ Foam Roller and Lacrosse Ball, Band GMs, Dieselcrew Shoulder Warmup w/ 7.5lb DBs (waaaay harder than 5lbs)

Switched to 3x5 for the sake of time. Not switching to full-out SS, though...I like deadlifts too much.

Deadlift: 135, 135, 185
3x5 - 225lbs
Decided my starting weights will be 95 for Press (resetting down to this), 135 for Bench, 185 for Squat, and 225 for Dead. Pulldowns and DB Rows I'm approaching somewhat more chaotically, because they don't follow the same loading patterns (well...they could, actually, given that I have Olympic Handles...hrm, maybe I'll take one in).
These went well. I didn't record any extensive comments in my log, but besides Deads currently being a huge crapshoot after 3 reps, there was nothing particularly wrong here.
My conditioning is still somewhat lackluster, probably because a 100ft sled drag takes 20 seconds, whereas a serious set on any of the big 3 takes around 45 including setup. I'm going to keep going at my current pace until I'm loading up all my plates (for a total of 365lbs + the weight of the sled), and then go by feel on trip length/number. After that I'll probably start pulling it up the hill of death.

Bench: 45, 45, 95
3x5 - 135lbs
Unlike last week, when the guys using the good bench asked why I didn't want to use the bad one and switched when I changed, this week's guys just said they had 4 sets left and then muttered to each other about the other one being free, so the training session went over by about 10-15 minutes. I do not understand why the RSF only has one good bench.
(Clarification - I can't arch on the other one. There's no real padding on it, and the material's slippery as hell, so I slide around like nobody's business. I used it for a single at 225 [or something] a while back without much issue, I'm pretty uncomfortable setting up on it for a serious set).

Pulldown:
3x5 - 105lbs
First set was great, second meh, third also great.

Face Pulls:
3x8 - 20lbs
I may go up on weight for these.

2010-11-16 Sled and some program stuff

Sled Dragging -
4 Plates x 8 Trips x 100ft x 30 seconds' rest

Training schedule adjusted to Wed Fri Sun, with dragging Tue Thur Sat.

Still haven't decided if I'm switching to SS; the main issue right now is time, and I'm not sure if it's enough of an issue to warrant the switch.

2010-11-13 Squat and Press

Fuck.

Squat: 45, 45, 45, 45, 135, 135, 135, 185, 225
260 - 4, 2 (3F)
3x5 - 185lbs
Technical miss, but even then, I should not be having a small technique flaw cost me reps at this weight.
Went down to 185 - I'm just going to cut all my 1RMs in two and start from those weights, working up 5lbs at a time.
I may switch to SS from here. Haven't decided. I may or may not actually do March Madness 2011.

Press: 5x45
5x5 - 100lbs
This was a fair bit harder than the 185lb squats were. I may reduce this.

2010-11-10 Deadlift and Bench

Warmup, including band GMs

Deadlift: 5x135, 4x185, 3x225
4x4 - 285 (chalked)
I need that fucking belt. Inzer are sold out right now and I need to either adjust the size or find another company.
I also need to eat more. A lot more. My main theory on why I feel so crap in the weightroom is that I'm not recovering from the combination of linear + sled work, which is probably an artifact of not eating enough. I'm going to get back on creatine ASAP and grab some milk tomorrow. Or possibly today.

Bench: 5x45, 4x95, 4x135
4x4 - 160
Took my grip out to max legal (difference of one finger - pretty minimal).

Pulldowns:
4x 75, 90, 90, 90
Fairly hard to go up gradually on these, though there are little blocks you can use.

Face Pulls:
1x8 - 20lbs
I wanted to get out of the gym at this point, so...yeah.

2010-11-09 Sled

Sled Dragging: 160lbs + Sled
10x100ft, 30 seconds' rest
Totally thought I was going to get all of like...6 on this. After I did the 4th I decided I could probably hit 8, and after the 8th I contemplated stopping but decided to push for 10. Then I decided it probably wasn't worth doing more. Backwards dragging to get it home was also a lot easier than I thought - did the usual ~30-40ft for the first two, then got it the rest of the way up the hill in one trip.

Going up to 180+Sled next time.

Not sure what the fuck I'm going to do once I'm at 270.

2010-11-08 Squat and Press

Seems the trap thing is a very, very serious trigger point on the left side. AGH.

Warmup - Rolling, Lacrosse Ball, Dieselcrew Shoulder

Need to add in GHRs and leg swings.

Squat: 45, 45, 45, 95, 95, 135, 185, 225
4x4 - 255
This was a lot harder than it should have been, presumably because I've lost about 10-15lbs. My conditioning level didn't help; hopefully that part of it goes away fairly soon.
I also need to re-master some elements of the form. I don't think I was at risk of failing any of these, but they should have been a lot smoother.

Press: 45, 45
4x4 - 95
I can't take a grip closer than pinkies on the rings without having something slip around in my left shoulder; I assume this is related to the trap problem. This was easy as balls, though; I was taking 5-minute rests between sets to avoid any chance of overtaxing myself and it was just embarassingly easy.

DB Row:
4x4/4 - 50lb
Yup.

Rollout:
3x8
Trap made these somewhat less comfortable than usual. Once it's fixed I may add resistance, but...w/e.

Program Choice

Decided I'm doing Emevas's basic 3-5 from the Beginner topic instead; I may switch to mine after March Madness, but I'd like to hit at least close to my goals there. I'm pretty sure I can get around there with Squat and Bench; Deadlift I should at least be past where I am now. The annoyance of this is exacerbated somewhat by my having to take at least one week completely off because I'm going to be nowhere near a gym for all of Thanksgiving, and may not have gym access for the week of Christmas.

First real training day in a month coming up.

EDIT: That said, I may be doing 4x4 instead of 3x5 or 5x5.

2010-11-06 Sled

Sled Dragging - 135lbs x 12 trips x 200ft, 30 seconds' rest

This was a hell of a lot easier than the 8 or 10 I did on Thursday. Adding a 25 next time.

Got my first complaint, presumably because I started at 7pm. Asked when a good time was for Tu/Thur/Sat and was told 3pm. This coincides nicely with Chem Lectures I already don't go to and the end of work, so I should be fine.

2010-11-05 Final Rehab

Friday

Final day of rehab checking. Everything felt fine today. Sled dragging tomorrow, upper back permitting. See below.

Extensive warmup

Squat: 45, 95, 95, 135, 135, 135, 185, 185
3x5 - 225
This was largely because I didn't want to try 275.
At the end of the last set, I reracked the bar and immediately felt something horrible in my traps. This hasn't gone away; I've experienced it before and it usually subsides fairly quickly, but it looks like I'm back to ice and ibuprofen.

I need to eat more, sleep more, get back on my fish oil and ZMA, and generally try to get back to how I was back when I was kicking ass every time I set foot in the gym. I'm going to try to get over to Costco and buy a 3ft section of Ribeye and a sharp knife. I've got other things going on here as well - two months out from Christmas and I've already decided my big (realistic) gift request is going to be a vacuum sealer, given that a set of Cast-Iron Cookware is already requested for my birthday and apparently in the works. But...yeah.

I just don't feel as good as I used to right now, and I strongly suspect it's because I've been out of the gym and undernourished.

2010-11-04 Sled

Sled Dragging

3 Plates
10 Trips, 100ft each way - Forward drag, holding straps
30 seconds between

Back to the House
Split into 3 or 4 sections (can't remember which), uphill, backwards dragging, holding straps. No set rest period.

I died.

It might have been 8 trips. I forget.

2010-11-03 More Rehab

More Rehab

...I'm a bad person, 'cuz I decided not to do sled work yesterday and instead played Dragon Warrior Monsters for an extra hour. I need to get better food. And my act together. Et al.

Warmup: Asstons of ITB-related rolling, band GMs, then the regular shoulder warmup
I'm going to standardize something for this.
Hip circles too, btw.

Squat:
3x 45, 45, 45, 45, 45, 95, 95, 95, 135, 135, 135
3x 185
5x 185
Didn't have time to go for 225 because I was showing someone powerlifting bench form.

Hamstring acted up a little bit on some but was fine by the end.
Hip was fine for the set of 185.

DEFINITELY sledding tomorrow.

2010-11-02 Rehab Check

Greg's started lifting again. Will he stick with it? TIME WILL TELL.

Rehab Check Day 1:

Extensively rolling, particularly on hip flexors and IT Band (along with ITB-related stuff).

Squat:
45x 3, 4, 3, 5, 5
95x 4, 4
Bad stuff started popping up when I pushed my hips back for 95. I shouldn't have gone for a fourth.