7/17
The big man ordered last warm up on squat x1 rep and up to @8 on bench today. Things went fine. I managed to find a way to rack the bar in the squat that seemed to minimally piss off my shoulder while providing a bit tighter set up than yesterday. What seems to work is to take a wide grip, wrists flexed. Get the bar in place, then walk the hands in. I don’t know if I’ll adopt this going forward as I’m not sure my elbow appreciates the wrist position and the load it receives, but maybe I can find a middle ground here. We’ll see
The bench went decent. Up to 287.5 for a single. A bit heavy, but the shoulder doesn’t really hurt. Just doesn’t feel right.
7/18
We’ll do up to last warm up’s, 340x1 and last warm up on bench, ~265x1. That’ll be it.
1 Like
Meet Recap!
So, short story is that I squatted 187.5 kg for a 2.5kg PR, benched 140 kg (tied PR) and deadlifted 230 kg (2.5 kg PR). I took 1st in the 198 lb, open division.
I was stronger than this in the bench, but something just doesn’t feel right close to lock out. I think I’m anticipating being in pain. But at the meet, it didn’t really hurt which was great. The new squat grip worked pretty well too.
The meet went really well, all things considered. I was pretty nervous with the shoulder issue, a new squat grip the week before the meet and hoping the new skin on my thumb would hold up for three pulls. It turns out, everything went pretty well.
Now it’s time to try to get healthy and maybe go to USSF Nationals in February. I’m ready for this shoulder and elbow to not be painful and generally just pissed off.
Here are my 3rd attempt videos:
Squat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfyduCMx6NI
Bench: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9GO7oIcDQM
Deadlift: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4b59ZhmEAk
7/23/
hiiiigh bar squat
225x6x4
press w/ belt
140x4x4
Dumbbell incline
47x12x1
2 Likes
Sumo Deadlift
350x6x3
5-3-0 bench
175x4x4
Belt squat (Mike T landmine style but without a landmine. Barbell shoved into a corner with a mat over it. Redneck at it’s best)
155x12x1
SSB squat
220x8x3
2 board bench. Was going to do incline but that bothered the shoulder too much. These we’re manageable but still had some sorenees in the shoulder and elbow when I got home from the gym
205x8x3
DB press. These felt pretty fine. Light.
37x12x1
2" deficit SLDL
305x8x3
2ct paused DB bench
72x8x3
Good morning
125x12x1
Shoulder and elbow are getting better. Very slowly
7/30
high bar squat
245x6x5
press w/ belt
155x4x5
db incline
47x12x2
Shoulder is still progressing in the right direction. Racking a high bar position wasn’t painful. Presses were less painful and heavier. DB incline work was not painful once I got it warmed up and added load. I’ll take it as a sign of progress that things are no longer hurting more when I add weight. They’re either staying the same or going away.
Sumo Deadlift
355x6x4
5 3 0 bench
180x4, 185x4, 190x4x3. Trying to add weight judiciously here. Shoulder felt pretty good. No real pain, mostly a crampy sort of feeling.
Belt squat
155x12x2
SSB squat
235x8x4
2 board bench
215x8x4
dumbbell press
42x12x2
Shoulder and elbow is holding up. No real pain once warmed up, just feels sort of crampy still. It is sore after training, but manageable.
I do think that tempo and paused work is more friendly on it. Touch and go work is a bit dicey in that I’m more sore after.
Overall, I think we’re still getting better. I’m supposed to go back to low bar squats and regular bench next week. I think it will go OK. We will see.
SLDL off 2" deficit
305x8x4. All at about an RPE 8
2ct paused dumbbell bench
77x8x4. Again all at about RPE 8
good morning
125x12x2
8/7
comp squat. back to low bar this week with modified grip to avoid the shoulder issue.
295x6x6
comp press
155x4x6
db incline
47ishx12x3
Getting into the low bar position was very uncomfortable for the first few warm ups with the bar, but it quickly got better. Shoulder\elbow pain was very minor and seems to continue to get better.
After training, things started to tighten up in the shoulder and elbow. I expected this. Sleeping in a bed is still an issue as I can’t seem to get into a position where my shoulder and elbow doesn’t start to ache in the middle of the night. Sleeping in a recliner is much more comfortable and I don’t wake up with a shoulder ache and having tossed and turned all night. For whatever reason, it feels better if my arm is allowed to hang for the most part. Instead of being supported at the elbow if that makes any sense.
Anyway, things seem to continue to trend positively in that pain in training is much better. I’m hoping that in a few more weeks this will be completely behind me.
comp deadlift
360x6x5
comp bench
245x4x2, 235x4x4
245 was going to be a bit heavy for today, 235 was the right load for all the sets across.
belt squat
155x12x3
8/9
ssb squat
240x8x5
2 board bench
215x4x5
dumbbell bench
42x10x2, 37x12x1
8/10
2" deficit SLDL
305x8x5
2ct paused dumbbell bench
77x8x5
good morning
125x12x3
8/13
pivot week. Glad to get a little break from all the volume lately.
comp squat
295x6, 305x6,320x6@8.5
comp press
up to 155x6@9
close grip incline
up to 145x10@9
Shoulder is coming around. I think I’m officially part of the thumbs-around squat crew.
Comp deadlift
365x6, 385x6, 395x6@8.5
Comp bench
230x6, 245x5@10, 245x4@10.
Got a little greedy here. The right load @9 was probably 240 or so. Thought I could get it resting more than 3 minutes or so. No dice .
303 tempo SSB 120x10, 140x10, 160x10@8.5-9. These can go to hell. I may have been able to up the load a bit here but these can be tricky to judge at high reps. At least that’s what I’m telling myself. 
high bar squats
Up to 280x6@9
tng bench
Up to 230x6@9
pin press, shoulder height
Up to 115x10@9
I realized as I wrote this that the program actually called for sets of 4 for high bar squats and tng bench. Oops. I r smart.
8/17
Mid shin block pull
Up to 385x4@9
Bench + mini bands
Uo to 230x4@9
Rdl with 3ct pause just below the knee
Up to 285x10@9
comp squat
290x5, 330x1, 360x1@8, 335x5@9, 295x5x4
comp press
147.5x4, 175x1@9, 155x4@7.5, 147.5x4
15 min EMOM of light incline 5-3-0 benches.
comp dl
355x5, 455x1@8, 415x5@9, 355x5x4
comp bench
255x1@7, 245x4@7.5, 230x4x2
The shoulder thing is messing with my RPE rating ability here. The shoulder is getting better, but slowly. Just trying not to lose strength while it comes around
3ct paused SSB squat
160x10, 170x10, 180x10, 170x10.
8/23
high bar squat
up to 280x4@9, 265x4
some temo bench and press rehab stuff
8/24
mid shin rack pull
up to 390x4@9, 370x4
bench + mini bands
up to 220x4@9, 210x4
3ct paused RDL’s
up to 295x10, 280x10