Still On The Right Side Of The Grass

[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.

[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]

4/19/21

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]

4/21/21

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]

4/22/21

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...

[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]

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.

[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]

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...

[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]

4/28/21

Fourth Cycle - Week Two reps/sets

Bench - 50kg 10*3, 60kg 7*2, 70kg 5*2, 77.5kg *3, 85kg 1*2, 92kg *1
Bench - 75kg 5*2
Close Grip Spoto - 65kg 5*3
Single Arm Dumbbell Incline - 50lbs 8*3
LTE/Curlz - 40kg 8/10*3
Tri Push Downs - 28kg 10*3
Curls - 40kg 10*3
Overhead Tri Extensions - 18kg 10*3
Palof Press - 16kg 15*3

Trying hard to get my mind to frame the Bench movement as "fast". I was...until I wasn't at 92kg. Had issue with my foot slipping. Something that hasn't been a issue for a long time...grrrrr.

Saw our inhouse PT guys today. What ever is going on in the Quad/Adductor is not serious, but will require that I squat to a high box for the next few sessions...and probably close up the stance a tad as well.

[gymdad150]

4/29/21

Fourth Cycle - Week Two reps/sets

Big Wheel Pulls - 83kg 7*3, 123kg 5*3, 153kg 3*2, 173kg *2, 188kg *1, 200kg X
Down Sets - 163kg 5*2
Dumbbell Hip Thrusts - 70lbs 15*3
Face Pulls slow eccentric - 24kg 12*3
Single Arm Hi Row - 20kg 10*3
Planks - 60sec *3
Leg Ext - 60kg 20*3

A bit of a mixed bag today. I wasn't sure how the adductor would hold up, and my lower back was still not 100%.

188kg felt great. Set up was as close to normal as I've been able to manufacture in a long time. Good drive through the floor and I rate it about a rpe7. 200kg was not to be as the adductor made it's self known...shut down the pull before it caused any damage.

Down sets were just fine, and not aggravating to the adductor. I dropped the weight as well to keep my lower back happy.

I've built up a lot of fatigue due to my knee issue keeping me from being able to use my legs, so every pull has pretty much all back up till now. Additionally, my sleep has sucked the past few weeks...and that's not helping recovery.

I chose to be positive about where my training is at the moment. I'm not where I'd like to be, but I'm not that far away either. Get me past the pains and strains, and I'm good to go...

[gymdad150]

5/1/21

Fourth Cycle - Week Two reps/sets

Squat to Box (20") - 105kg 5*2
3 Count Paused Bench - 75kg 4*2
Pistols / Single Leg Hip Thrust - bw/20kg 10*3
Neutral Grip Pulldown - 130lbs 10*3
IYTs - 5kg 10*4
Leg Extn. - 40kg 30*3

Played some Squash for the first time in 15 months last night. Played an hour or so, had fun, drank beer, and had a lot of laughs. The knee held up pretty well, and I was able to train today without any restrictions (save the adductor issue, which didn't bother me on the court).

Squats to the Box were just what the doctor ordered. Right height, weight and range of motion that kept me just on the outside of the adductor being a problem.

Bench was supposed to be an rpe8, but it might have been a 9 on the last set...it was close.

And I think I know where the adductor issue came from: Pistols! It's a novel movement, and I might have overdone it the first week they were in the program, building up fatigue that I was unaware of. Trying to do them today was a no go without using a crutch to take some of the load off this single leg movement.

I must say that I'm really happy to have been able to play some Squash and train on back to back days and not have my knee go pear shaped on me. My lack of "athleticism" due to my knee issues has been weighing on me. I needed a day like yesterday to reframe my "issues"...

[gymdad150]

5/3/21

Fourth Cycle - Week Three reps/sets

Squat to Box - 70kg 5*4, 90kg 5*3, 105kg 3*2, 115kg *1, 122.5kg *1
S2B - 105kg 5*3
Kettlebell RDL to Mid Row - 28kg 8*4
Single Leg RDL - 40kg 10*3
Oblique Rotation - 14kg 10*3
Leg Extensions - 50kg 20*3

Lots to look at:

1) Adductor held up nicely at 122.5kg, though it still made itself known. Down sets went ok as well.

b) I had my 1 year anniversary of completing prostate cancer treatments with a check up today, my PSA numbers continue to drop towards negligible. The trend is your friend, as they say in the financial world.

iii) I learned a bit more about the effects of the hormone deprivation therapy I was put on. The doctors asked about my training, and how it was going. I filled them in on my precipitous drop off a cliff starting back last October. I let them know about the numerous strains and pulls I've been experiencing over the last 6 months.
For the first time they admitted that the everything I've been experiencing is to be expected...as the effects of the hormone deprivation last longer than the warnings on the box say (especially for a "strength athlete"), and effect the larger muscles of your legs, more than your upper body muscles. So the strains and pulls are directly attributable to cancer treatments, not programming or me taking a turn for the worse...yeah I've been catastrophizing a bit the past few month.

I wash I "knew" about this earlier in the process. It would have saved me beating my head against a wall trying to figure out where it all went wrong these past 6-7 months. This new found knowledge allows me to re-frame my recent training experiences as well, and that's a really good thing!

I don't know if this will make enough of a difference to get me ready for Natls in Daytona, but I'm in a better frame of mind. Now if the adductor can come around fully...

[mouse]

Where are you training out of if you don't mind me asking...