AK's Journal

Hopefully so! With any luck it'll transfer nicely to help get my squat up too, trying to keep it belt-free as long as possible this time.

Todays training;

Chest/Biceps

Flat BB Bench

105kgx6
100kgx6+1
90kgx6+1

Decline DB

40kgx5
35kgx6
30kgx10

Cable Crossovers

17.5kgx12 - Bit too delty
15kgx12
12.5kgx12

Smith Floor Press

65kgx8
60kgx8
50kgx8

Incline DB Curl

15kgx10
15kgx8

Barbell Curl

30kgx10
25kgx10

Cable Curl

21kgx10
17.5kgx10

Stretching to finish.

Pretty good one today. Decided to go for 105 after last weeks 100x7 rather than go straight to 107 again and end up bombing around 3-4 reps. Remaining pressing work ended up a bit lower rep than i'd initially hoped for as my tri's were toasted from the flat work, but thats life!

Hams are still sore from deadlifting on saturday so doing sumo's on wednesday could be fun!

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Doesn't matter if the following numbers drop a bit so long as the important lift goes in teh right direction, good stuff

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
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Precisely my thinking - if i can get the first lift up week by week then im not really arsed how the rest of it turns out numbers wise.

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yeah, they'll have weeks when they catch up and weeks when you've drained the tank (or moved on faster/slower than usual etc)

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
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why do you think you bombed on 105kg bench?
is this the first chest session back after xmas period?

whats the hang up on using a belt?

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I didn't bomb on the 105 bench - i've been working at 6's for a while for a change because i ended up getting stuck at 102 for 7. First chest session after christmas but i've been training as normal - just how it goes on a 10 day split.

No real hang ups about using a belt - if i have heavy squat weeks i'll probably drop it in, but towards the time my back threw a wobbler in the summer i was becoming far too reliant on it and my form went to sh1t.

2010 there'll be no injuries, so slowly slowly catchy monkey on the lower back demanding exercises is the way forward

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ahhhh, misread this part of your inane rambling

Decided to go for 105 after last weeks 100x7 rather than go straight to 107 again and ended up bombing around 3-4 reps

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Well at least you weren't loading the plates up else i could've ended up with 3 plates one side and 2 the other!

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you'd of been happy with that new PB

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Glutes/Hamstrings/Calves

Deadlift

150kgx3
155kgx3

Hips shagged, no more.

SLDL

80kgx8
80kgx8

Leg Press Calf Raise

120kgx20
140kgx15
140kgx12

Glute-Ham Raises

BWx15
BWx12
BWx12

Cable Pullthroughs

28kgx12
24.5kgx12

Seated Calf Raise

45kgx50

Core work and stretching to finish.

Highly average session, not much to write home about. Trying to deadlift heavy twice in 5 days = bad idea. Kind of made the rest of the session a bore as a result as i was all hyped up thinking i could manage them

SLDL's i've not done in a long time, felt OK on my lower back bar some pump towards the end - need to really tweak the RoM for these. I can get down to the floor with the bar no problems but i'm unsure if losing the arch in my back when getting deeper will crock me in the long run.

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I don't bother over-reaching on the SLDL, IMO it's not worth the risk, you'll stillbe getting the job more than done as it is.

Hear you on the DLs, if more than once a week I would make the other session more speed focussed

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
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I agree if your back aint 100% doing em deep don't.

Stonehenge
 
Where the banshees live and they do live well

iaink


I agree if your back aint 100% doing em deep don't.

Cheers yoda

dirtyvest


I don't bother over-reaching on the SLDL, IMO it's not worth the risk, you'll stillbe getting the job more than done as it is.

Hear you on the DLs, if more than once a week I would make the other session more speed focussed

True that - i think i'll leave deads just once per week now though, no point putting myself at risk of overuse injuries when it's only january!!

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Shoulders/Tri's

Barbell Push-Press

70kgx5 - Didn't quite get it off the chest properly for the 6th
65kgx6
60kgx6

Seated DB Press

25kgx8
22.5kgx8

Laterals

Bit of a run the rack type thing today;

Single Arm DB's - 12.5kg, 10kg, 8kg, 6kgx10, then Single Arm Cables - 5kg, 2.5kgx10

Standing Helmet Press

40kgx8
40kgx6
40kgx6

Dips

BWx10
BWx8
BWx6

Cable Overhead Extensions

24.5kgx10
21kgx12

Face Pull/Rear Fly

28kgx12/10kgx12
28kgx12/10kgx12

Stretching to finish.

Good session today, was happy enough with the OHP work - should get 7 or 8 out next week at 70 with any luck.

Lateral work was quite good too, much burnage towards the end although i may drop the starting weight to 10's, 12.5 felt very heavy to maintain proper form with.

Standing HP i'm unsure how good this was - didn't quite feel as big a strain on the tri's despite trying a few different grips, will most likely go back to the smithy next week for these.

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Quads/Calves

Back Squat

115kgx10
110kgx10
100kgx15

Seated Calf Raise

70kgx12
65kgx12
60kgx12

Staggered Leg Press/Leg Extension Superset

160kgx12/25kgx10
160kgx10/25kgx10 - then 15x110kg on the leg press normal style because i was feeling masochistic

Donkey Calf Raise

30kgx50 - Rest pauses as necessary.

Stretching & core work to finish.

Not bad for a sunday session Hams were STILL a bit sore from wednesdays session which is very odd - didn't really hamper the other stuff though. Each squat set will be up 5kg next week.

Leg press stuff is a keeper for a while, didn't fancy the FST extensions and the inability to go inadvertently deep on the leg press makes it a suitable option for my back.

Expecting some nice DOMS in the morning please!

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I truely admire your squatting good sir! Bravo.

I think at some point I'm going to have to sucumb to high rep squatting

Journal

Embrace it!

More than half the battle with 15's is the mental barrier, every time i end up saying in my head i'll go to 8, then i make it to 10, 12, then it's 3 rest-pause singles with a lot of huffing and puffing You could argue it will do good things for conditioning too because it takes you a good 2 minutes per set, if not longer. Re-racking the last set and collapsing in a heap in the rack is nothing short of euphoric, knowing you don't have to do it for another week!

That said i'm really enjoying 10's at the moment, my legs are probably a shade ahead of my upper body so to go a bit heavier for a change is nice. Hoping to get to my PB (130x10) beltless over the next few months.

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High reps squats, pah!!!

Solid work there tho fella. I would keep the Helmet press seated tho, definately. It's for developing the strength and power on the tri-s and lockout, no need to complicate that lift IMHO.

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

I cannot read 'helmet' press with a straight face... ever.. period!

Nice Push pressing session back, and good to see continued back squatin!

Stonehenge
 
Where the banshees live and they do live well

Child!!

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

iaink


I cannot read 'helmet' press with a straight face... ever.. period!

Nice Push pressing session back, and good to see continued back squatin!

LOL, i don't blame you! I'm just waiting for someone to invent a bell pull now

dirtyvest


High reps squats, pah!!!

Solid work there tho fella. I would keep the Helmet press seated tho, definately. It's for developing the strength and power on the tri-s and lockout, no need to complicate that lift IMHO.

Yup, same as my thinking now!

Todays training;

Back

Deadlifts

150kgx5
155kgx5
160kgx5

Barbell Row

Skipped - see below

Chins

BWx11
BWx6
BWx5

Cable Row

63kgx10
56kgx10
56kgx10

DB Shrugs

Skipped

Facepulls & stretching to finish.

Bit of a mish mash session today. Had two very poor nights sleep by normal standards the last two nights so my lower back has been playing up some. Had to be conservative with the deads, although seemed OK once i was warmed up.

160 was probably within 2.5-5kg of my 5RM today taking into account the prior sets. I could feel if/when my hips were coming up a tad early so there'll be no ego crusade to get the numbers up - next week ill start at 155 and gauge how i go from there.

The only downside was this wore me out quite a bit and my hips too - i wasn't able to hold the right angle for BB rows without getting hip in the left rear side of my hip. Wasn't going to mess around with it so just go through what i could. Few good nights sleep and i should be right as rain on this - happened before and will probably happen again, just a case of getting through each episode unscathed and not aggravating it with stuff that'll overload it (i.e free-weight rows and shrugs!!)

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Good session mate. If you feel you are compromising postural form afterwards tho I would look to chuck in supported lifts on those occassions

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

I think part of it is that i'm still learning to DL properly - when i was warming up and looking in the mirror there were odd twinges, yet as soon as i turned around and forced myself to 'feel' the lift things were a lot lot better.

As for not being able to row etc afterwards - i don't think it's any more than just the crap sleep catching up with me, things are generally tight for 10 minutes in the morning if i'm in a good sleeping pattern but after that i'm fine. Tends to get worse if i sleep poorly but it's almost expected since i'm not giving myself a good enough recovery!

Something to keep an eye on for sure, but at present i think my prehab work is doing its fair share for now.

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I always DL facing a mirror (just always have done) but I'm never actually 'looking' if that makes sense, not at my form anyway. I think you can find yourself trying to perform a YMCA text book DL rather than following your natural groove, not mention your focus being elsewhere.

Do you train early then?

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

Nope not really! Finish work at 4 so i'm probably on the gym floor about 4:20-4:30 and warming up. I dont think even on the best days i could train lower body effectively within 4-5 hours of being up for now. It just seems to be a common occurence that if my sleep pattern buggers itself, then so does my back for a few days. I'm not sure whether it's a case of muscles, ligaments or other structures tightening up or not recovering properly or what.

My cousin recently qualified as a chiro and mentioned that the local inflammation around chronic back injuries or little niggles actually turns into a 'gel' due to your horizontal position when you sleep coupled with a change in hydrostatic pressure (from being on your side vs standing up) and blood pressure when you sleep. Once you're up and about it all dissipates from the local tissues and things calm down. Not quite sure how it's affected with sleep deprivation though.

Looking in the mirror i try and do the same to not look at myself, but i always seem to do it regardless and lose so much awareness of where i am, despite looking in the mirror! Squats i can avert my attention a bit better because the bars obviously on my back rather than on the floor but deads i end up hunching forward and making it all lower back and no legs.

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Good sess pal. Sometimes barbell rows can be a step too much after deadlifting if your back just isn't having it.

Stonehenge
 
Where the banshees live and they do live well

Yup - it seems to be that particular point of back flexion that caused it. When i was warming up, coming through that zone on the way down for DL's was a bit niggly (only when i was looking in the mirror mind you!). If it becomes persistent i'll chuck Deads onto the start of my glute/ham day instead, no harm done.

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On the way down? Do you focus on the way down being a controlled negative or do you 'go with the flow' on the way down?

I used to do DLs at the end of my back day with no problems.

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

Negatives are always controlled on the way down.

At a guess - when i'm facing a mirror the bar may drift further away from me than it should do, whereas when i'm facing a wall or whatever the bar grinds down my knees & shins more.

Maybe an earlier knee bend in the working stuff too - sooner the knees are unlocked the sooner the load's transferred away from the hips perhaps.

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How controlled?

With a DL TBH you don't want or need a controlled negative in the same way as you would with other lifts. I keep hold and follow it down but I don't try and control the bar on the way down. It could be that if you are, to a degree, fighting the want for a heavy loaded bar to drop straight down then perhaps that is playing your back up.

Look at heavy DLers and how the bar goes down, it's not out of control, but they aren't trying to control it either.

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

Fair point really! I'm not sure how long i take on the descent - not a massively long negative but i don't just go flaccid and let it drop Back is feeling a lot better after 2 better nights sleep so things are a lot better mobility wise.

Chest/Biceps

Flat BB Bench

107.5kgx4+1
100kgx5+1
95kgx

Decline DB

40kgx6
37.5kgx6
32.5kgx7

Cable Crossovers

17.5kgx10
15kgx12
12.5kgx10 > 7.5kgx15

Smith Floor Press

65kgx8
60kgx8

Barbell Curl

35kgx10
30kgx10


Incline DB Curl

15kgx10
10kgx12

Cable Curl

Done on a different machine - no point recording the weight

Stretching to finish.

Good session today - was happy with the flat work and the assisted reps didn't feel like masses of the bar were being taken which was nice. Assistance work was done in a bit of an ad-hoc order as the gym was quite busy.

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So the cable curls were REALLY light then yeah

Quite strong on the DB Dec work considering the previous Flat work.

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

Nice session mate.

Whats the advantage of incline curls over standard?

My Journal

James M


Nice session mate.

Whats the advantage of incline curls over standard?

I find if you stick a bench 1 or 2 clicks back from the most upright position it gives a little more stretch on the bi's when you have them by your sides whilst the other one curls - give it a go and see if it's any better!

dirtyvest


So the cable curls were REALLY light then yeah

Quite strong on the DB Dec work considering the previous Flat work.

'course not, balls to the wall or not at all

Yeah i was quite happy with that too! Turned into a bit of a lower rep session than anticipated but my chest was sparko after the above. Hopefully i can crack 107 for 6 next week and put some more weight on the bar!

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Will try it on my next session

My Journal

Re: inc curls.

The biceps attach over the shoulder joint so by sitting back on an inclined bench so your arms in effect reach behind you, you increase the stretch and ROM on the bicep. Expect to lighten the load tho

Limits, like fear, are often just an illusion: MJ 12/9/09
My journal

dirtyvest


Re: inc curls.

The biceps attach over the shoulder joint so by sitting back on an inclined bench so your arms in effect reach behind you, you increase the stretch and ROM on the bicep. Expect to lighten the load tho

Good info, thanks.

My Journal

Glutes/Hamstrings/Calves

RDL

100kgx10
100kgx10
90kgx10

Seated Calf Raise/Standing Ham Curl Superset

70kgx20/40kgx10
70kgx10/40kgx10
60kgx12/35kgx10

Glute-Ham Raises

BWx10
BWx10

Cable Pullthroughs

31.5kgx10
31.5kgx10

Leg Press Calf Raise

140kgx20
140kgx15
120kgx20

Core work and stretching to finish.

Lovely session, my hams and calves are absolutely nuked. RDL's were fine on my back - stopped 2 inches or so below my knees to maintain the arch, forearms were fcked though, haven't had to grip a bar raw for so long in ages!

Enjoyed the superset too - as i found out the calves act as a weak knee extensor i thought it'd add to the calf blast, will be keeping it in for a while

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Ak, do you know of any sites to illustrate stretching? calfs, hams and quads?

I'm thinking I'm not warming up enough and stretching cause my legs are feeling heavy as fcuk whilst running, slightly painful too....could warming up or lack of it cause this? or am I fcuked?

I only ask you cause you want to do this sh1t for a living, well I'm your patient now!

It's finally arrived....PM Neb for swaps!

Is the amount of running catching up with you do you think (i.e in terms of rest/nutrition etc) or is it a bit hit and miss sometimes whether it comes about?

Exrx has a few i think - http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

Choose a muscle from the right hand column and theres a handful on the right hand side again.

Failing that just chuck 'quadricep/hamstring/calf/knob' stretch into google images and it'll probably throw something good up.

Thought about doing any soft tissue work too or is that too bender-like?

Journal

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