Still On The Right Side Of The Grass

[codgerus maximus]

Tweaked what appears to be my left adductor on a warm up set of three at 110kg. I say adductor because belt squats and leg extensions posed no problems...therefore not a quad issue.

Sheesh. Hope it takes care of itself quickly. it's weird, but I think most of my tweaks have occurred during warm-ups.

[gymdad150]

4/26/21

Fourth Cycle - Week Two reps/sets
Squats - 70kg 5*3, 90kg 3*3, 110kg 3*2, XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Belt Squats - 20kg *10, 40kg *10, 60kg *10, 67.5kg 5*5
Kettelbell RDL to Mid Row - 64kg 8*4
Single Leg RDL - 32kg 10*3
Oblique Rotations - 40lbs 10*3
Belt Squats - 20kg 15*3
Leg Extension - 60kg 20*3

Tweaked what appears to be my left adductor on a warm up set of three at 110kg. I say adductor because belt squats and leg extensions posed no problems...therefore not a quad issue.

No rhyme or reason for this to happen, other than I'm being tested. I should change my name to Job...

[gymdad150]

4/24/21

Fourth Cycle - Week One reps/sets

Squat - 102.5kg 5*2
Paused Bench (3 ct) - 72.5kg 4*2
Super Set: Pistols (bw) and Single Leg Hip Thrusts (40lbs) - 8*3
Neutral Grip Pulldowns - 120lbs 10*3
IYTs - 10lbs 10*4
Leg Ext - 50kg 20*4
Nordic Hamstring Curls - bw 10*4

Squatted with bare knees for the first time in ages...'cause I forgot my Sleeves. Thankfully it was a "light" day for Squats.

3 count Paused Bench was loads of fun, but I hit the required RPE of 8 dead on.

The Pistols went better than expected, though it was to a "high" box. It was all my knee would allow comfortably.

That said, today was another pain free session, and I didn't take any Aleve too.

[gymdad150]

That's great! Very nice day of pulls.

Thanks!

My back was a little toasty today. I haven't pulled that aggressively in so long that I felt it today.

[codgerus maximus]

I was able to initiate the pull by pushing through the floor for the first time in ages. I can't fully express how happy I am to be able to attack the bar again. Everything felt good, and looked good too...

That's great! Very nice day of pulls.

[gymdad150]

4/22/21

Fourth Cycle - Week One reps/sets

Big Wheel Pulls (@8) - 83kg 5*4, 133kg 3*3, 153kg 3*2, 173kg *2, 183kg / 195kg *1
BWP (@7) - 175kg 5*2
Dumbbell Hip Thrusts - 60lbs 15*3
Face Pulls tempo out - #10 12*3
Single Arm Hi Row - #10 10*3
Planks - 60sec *3
Hammer Curls - 50lbs *15, 60lbs *12, 70lbs 10*3

Great success today: No Pain Pulling!!!

I was able to initiate the pull by pushing through the floor for the first time in ages. I can't fully express how happy I am to be able to attack the bar again. Everything felt good, and looked good too...

[gymdad150]

4/21/21

Fourth Cycle - Week One reps/sets

Paused Bench - 50kg 5*3, 60kg 3*3, 70kg 3*2, 77.5kg 1*2, 85 / 91kg *1
Paused Bench (at #8) - 72.5kg 5*2
Close Grip Spoto (at #7) - 62.5kg 5*3
Single Arm Incline Dumbbells Press - 40/45/50lbs *10
LTE - 30/35/40kg *10
Tri Pulldown - #12 10*3
Overhead Tri Extension - #8 10*3
Palof Press - #10 15*3

Good session considering I slept like shit, and forgot the pre-workout.

Four years of programming and this is the first time I've seen Close Grip Spoto on the schedule...hits my shoulders in all the worst ways, I had to be really careful working my way into these. Fortunately the RPE was low and I found a way to make sure I was in a good position off the chest down and up.

[gymdad150]

4/19/21

Fourth Cycle - Week One reps/sets

Squat - 70kg 5*3, 90kg 3*3, 110kg 2*2, 130kg 1*2, 137.5 / 145kg *1
Squat - 112.5kg 5*2
Tempo Down Squat - 100kg 1*3
Kettlebell RDL to Mid Row - 56kg 8*4
Single Leg RDL - 40kg 10*3
Oblique Rotations - #8 10*3

So we're eight weeks out and I'm having my usual crisis of confidence prior to Natls. This is where I really appreciate having a coach. We had a heart to heart about where I am right now, and my expectations versus the reality in front of us. Coach gave me his views on what he thinks about our current situation, and that perspective has helped me re-frame things.

Todays session was made that much better for the little chat before hand. Squats might have been a tad high, but they moved nicely and without pain...wooohooo!

Might have stumbled onto something with the Tempo work, we'll see if it's a thing come Saturday's Squat session.

[gymdad150]

4/17/21

Cycle Three Week Four - reps/sets

Deadlift - 70kg 5*3, 120kg 3*3, 140kg 3*2, 160kg 2*2, 180kg *1, 195kg X
Big Wheel Pulls - 167.5kg 7*2
Paused Bench - 85kg 3*3
Kroc Rows - 105lbs 8*3
PullDowns - 120lbs 10*4
Banded Goodmornings - grey band 12*3
Leg Extensions slow eccentric - 50kg 8*3
Step Downs slow eccentric - bw 8*3

Missed Thursday's session as my trusty steed broke down on the way to the gym...

So today was catch up with Deads and Bench only.

Pulls from the floor are problematic at the moment, but Big Wheel Pulls are just ducky. So we're pulling with Big Wheels until we start to peak for Natls. Hope to be able to lower the bar incrementally during peaking so that by the end, I'm on the floor with the plates.

I've been stubborn about this, but there is wisdom in doing what can be done without pain, and not being stupid beating one's body up for no good reason. Austin 1:1-3...

Interestingly, my knee was much less swollen on Thursday. I've never seen such a "recovery". The expert agree, this is a good thing!

Bench was strong, probably and 8 / 8.5...

Not sure if there's a de-load coming up, or we go right into the next training block.

[gymdad150]

4/14/21

Cycle Three Week Four - reps/sets

Bench - 50kg 7*3, 60kg 5*3, 70kg 3*3, 77.5kg 2*3, 85kg 2*2, 92.5kg / 97kg *1
Bench - 77.5kg 7*2
Spoto - 72.5kg 7*3
Single Arm Incline - 50lbs 10*3
LTE - 35kg 12*3
EZ Bar Curl - 35kg 15*3
Tri Pulldown - #10 12*3

Thankfully it was Bench day. I went for a walk yesterday, nothing I thought would be troublesome...I was wrong!!!
The walk featured going up and down some very small hills. I guess my knee is incapable of handling any deceleration at this time. The damn thing blew up like a balloon.

It was a struggle getting my mind right for today's session. Fortunately the knee didn't trouble me when employing leg drive.

97 was more of a struggle than it should have been...but like I said, my mind was all over the place, and not in a good way.

Down sets were at rpe9, Spoto was rpe8...at least I got the Spoto sets right.

[codgerus maximus]

Nice squat, especially considering the pain.

[gymdad150]

4/12/21

Cycle Three Week Four - reps/sets

Squat - 70kg 5*3, 90kg 5*2, 110kg 3*2, 130kg 1*2, 142.5 / 152.5kg *1
Squat - 110kg 7*2
Paused Belt Squat - 35kg 10*3
BSS - 16kg 10*3
Single Arm Hi Row - #12 10*3
Palof Holds - 45sec *3
Leg Ext - 50kg 20*3

Just an f'n ugly session. Besides the arthritic condition, I also have a bit of a soft tissue issue. The Quad tendon to the outside of the knee, right above the attachment point presents with a sharp pain coming out of the hole under "heavier loads". Stops any momentum dead in it's tracks...and forces me fully into my hips. I think Aleve needs to be added to squat days until I'm done with training for Natls.

[gymdad150]

4/10/21

Cycle Three Week Three - reps/sets

Paused SSB - 110kg 5*3
Paused Bench - 82.5kg 3*3
Cable RDL - #16 12*3
Chest Supported Revs Fly - 40lbs 12*3
Dumbbells Press tempo down - 35lbs 10*4
Leg Ext - 60kg 20*3
Nordic Hamstring Curl - bw 10*3

Sets at rep7 for Squats, Bench might have ended up at 8 / 8.5 by the last set.

Otherwise it was a good session. Best I've felt in ages. Last couple of days have been fairly pain free...almost makes me think something is wrong LOL.

[gymdad150]

4/8/21

Cycle Three Week Three - reps/sets

Deadlift - 70kg 7*3, 120kg 5*3, 145kg 3*3, 162.5kg 2*2, 177.5kg 1*2, 190kg *1
Deadlift - 155kg 7*2
Banded Goodmornings - grey band 12*3
Kroc Rows - 100lbs 8*3
Pulldowns - 115lbs 10*4

I used lifters tonight, and they "seem" to put me in a better position. I had fewer instances of knee pain during the set up, and initiation of the pull...though it might have been the Aleve talking. I'm still not in the position I want to start the pull, but I'm a lot closer than I have been in a while.

Down sets felt like death, but upon examining the video, they moved nicely. Proving once again, your mind is a shameless liar!!!

[gymdad150]

4/7/21

Cycle Three Week Three - reps/sets
Bench - 50kg 7*3, 60kg 5*3, 70kg 3*3, 80kg 2*2, 90kg 1*2, 96.5kg *1
Paused Bench - 75kg 7*2
Spoto - 70kg 7*3
Single Arm Dumbbell Bench - 45lbs 10*3
LTE / Curls - 30 / 35 / 37.5kg *12
Dips - bw 12*3
EZ Bar Curl - 37.5kg 12*3
Leg Ext - 50kg 20*3

This microloading thing just might work. I will say the bar is feeling "lighter" coming out of the rack these days at the top end.