Why???
Is it because you’re not getting the stretch reflex at the current depth or is it for some arbitrary reason?
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I’d like to be right at parallel, but not if it’s going to cause me injury/pain. I assume I’d get some level of better effect, but the real reason is to build comfortable rom which should carry over to a standard no-pin squat to parallel. The goal is to get back squatting without the pins comfortably, to parallel. I know I’m not a competitor, so I need not squat to any particular depth, but I’d personally like to have a zero restriction parallel squat.
I’m in no hurry though, so I appreciate the reminder to be patient. I’ll probably ride this out for awhile while I’m fixing and strengthening my hip flexors.
Thanks again for saving me from myself 
2 Likes
2/8/2020 - Cycle 4, Push 1 - 187.5 lbs
Axle Bench Press
205x3x6 (far more controlled than last Push 1)
Standing DB OHP
50x8, 55x8, 50x8
Dips
2x20
Leaning Lateral
25x3x10
Seated French Press
65x12, 70x2x10
Purple Band Press Down
25, 20
Some rehab/prehab.
—————
Progress on bench. Paused the last rep of first two sets, along with tempo reps for the other reps. Last set I was pretty fried, but still hit all reps comfortably, but they were standard reps.
My plan is to finish this fourth cycle, deload for about a week, then spend 4 cycles working up to a quality 6 rep amrap set and one 10% weight drop amrap set. I’ll switch the movements around some too. Sticking with p/p/l. It’s working well.
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Parallel is just such an arbitrary metric, haha. Definitely take it slow getting there, since it’s not necessary. Sounds like you’re on top of that.
Yup. Really works well. Gives me my bro split fix with a bit more all-around work.
2 Likes
2/9/2020 - Cycle 4, Pull 1
Strict Pendlay Row
135x3x6
Pull-ups
11, 11, 10
KB Paused Incline Bench Row
44x3x9
DB Rear Delt Raise
35x3x10
Axle Curl
70x3x10
DB Hammer Curl
35x2x10
Paused Ab Wheel
3x12
-with-
Side Plank
3x
——————
Purchased a 60lb weight vest and Glute ham glider from Titan. Really looking forward to weighted ring pushups. They kick my ass. I may even make this a primary movement.
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2/10/2020 - Cycle 4, Legs 1
Pin Back Squat (8)
185x2x6, 200x6
DB RDL
60x3x12
SL Squat
8x3x8
Walking Lunge
1x75 steps (yowch)
SL Calf Raise
15, 20, 15
——————
Squats felt really damn good.
@MarkKO how high from parallel/comp legal is this squat? 2”? Just want to see if I’m way off here, or in the ballpark. My eye can deceive me.
4 Likes
Two to three inches I think. Hard to tell with the black clothes, but that would be the ballpark. Definitely not more than three.
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Out of town on business Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri. 4 days off. Body will love it. Will stretch and do PT and be ready to roll Saturday, or potentially Friday depending on how I feel from the trip.
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2/15/2020 - Cycle 4, Push 2
Axle OHP
130x6, 135x5, 130x6
Flat DB Press
80x8, 85x7, 80x8
Weight Vest (30) Feet Up Ring Push-up
8, 8, 11(unweighted)
Orange Band Lateral
25, 20
Swiss Bar Lying Ext
75x12, 75x2x10
Red Band OH Ext
2x
1 mile Weight Vest walk (60)
—————
This is off 4 days out of town with poor sleep. Pretty happy with the performance. Could have gotten 6th with 135 but did not attempt bc 5 was slower than I wanted, and was not time to grind. Have made good progress with DB bench.
Weight vests suck. That walk was really hard. I’m a pussy I reckon, but I’ll get used to it. My traps and upper back were screaming, so will be interesting to see what that feels like tomorrow. Love it though.
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Weighted vests are great - we did 20-25 mile hikes with 70+ lbs of gear on in the Marines but it was mostly in a pack, so it really destroyed our backs. Posture is big with weighted stuff, as is a proper stride and foot strike. Music with a good rhythm for you to step to can really break up the time.
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Yeah I should not have jumped right into +60. I was climbing a hill (not fast either) and I just watched my HR climb up past 140 walking!
I was thinking constantly about my posture. It was trying to round me over, so I forced a tall and back squeezed posture. It was hard as hell though. Serious trap pain from it forcing everything down. Not much sore today though, so that’s good. I’ll go for 1.25+ miles today.
Very humbling though.
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Next 4 cycles:
Push 1
Axle Floor Press 3x4-6
2 CT Pause DB OHP 3x6-8
Dips R/P
Deadstop Seated DB Laterals 3x8-10
DB PJR Pullover 3x8-10
OH Band Ext 2x
Push 2
2 CT Paused Axle OHP 3x4-6
Low Incline DB Bench 3x6-8
Feet Elevated Ring Pushups R/P
Side Lying Lateral raises 3x8-10
Standing French Press 3x8-10
Band Pressdown 2x
Pull 1
Paused Barbell Row 3x4-6
Pull Ups 3x
Chest Supported DB Row R/P
Band + Weight Rear Delt Raise 2x8-10
Swiss Bar Curl 3x8-10
Concentration Curl 2x8-10
Pull 2
Weighted Chin-up 3x4-6
Meadows Row 3x6-8
Feet Elevated Ring Inverted Row R/P
Face Pull 2x
Axle Curl 3x8-10
Hammer Curl 2x8-10
Lower Day 1
Pin Back Squat 3x4-6
Paused DB RDL 3x6-8
Single Leg Squat 3x6-8
Glute/Ham Glider R/P
Calves 3x max reps
Lower Day 2
Pin Front Squat 3x4-6
Good Morning 3x6-8
Step Up 3x6-8
Glute Bridge R/P
Calves 3x max reps
Prehab - run through 3 sets of 3 exercises per day or more if an off day.
Ext Rotated Wall Slides
Isometric Ext Rotation
Side Lying Ext Rotation
SA Y Raise
Pec Stretch
Copenhagen Plank
Quad stretch
Hamstring stretch
Lax ball to hip flexor
Hip flexor hold/strengthening
——————
My goal is to pivot back to axle bench and axle OHP next round of cycles and hit sets of 230-250 for 4-6 on bench and 150-160 for 4-6 on OHP.
I don’t want to psych myself out on squats, but this is the one I’m most excited for. As I continue to get this hip flexor fixed, I see 300s in the near future.
1 Like
2/16/2020 - Cycle 4, Pull 2 - 188.1 lbs
Weighted Chins
31x6, 36x2x6
DB Row
100x8, 105x2x8
Weighted Feet Up Inverted Row
8x3x9
Face Pull
2x25
DB Seated Incline Curl
25x3x10
Axle Reverse Curl
70x3x10
Ab Wheel
20, +30x2x5, 10
1.5 mile walk (no vest)
—————
I think I’m starting to get somewhat strong again. These are good, quality reps too. Not trash, swinging weight. My grip strength may be invincible from all the pull-ups and KB swings I’ve done the past couple years. No issues whatsoever without straps on the DB Rows.
Edit: the weight vest Ab wheel work was HARD. Which surprised me, because I can pump out a paused set of 20. Perhaps because all the weight is centered around the core. Mid section just wanted to buckle. Got work to do here, on my way to standing roll outs.
3 Likes
2/17/2020 - Cycle 4, Legs 2
Pin Front Squat (8)
185x2x6, 195x6
Good Morning
110x3x8
RFESS
44x8, 62x2x8
Paused Hip Circle Glute Bridge
62x3x8
Standing Calf Raise
135x3x20
2.5 mile mid day walk
——————
Squats feel strong as hell. I’m adding 10-20 lbs per session right now ez. Need to slow my role. It’s amazing how strength just reappears in the absence of pain.
Start new cycle and exercise rotation Wed or Thur.
3 Likes
2/20/2020 - Cycle 5, Push 1
Paused Axle Floor Press
185x3x6
Weighted Dip
+30x3x8
2 CT Paused Standing DB Press
40x3x8
Laterals
20x3x10
Ring Ext
3x10
OH Band Ext
2x12
—————
Getting started with the new rotation. Wasn’t easy, but wasn’t hard.
1 Like
Cycle 5, Pull 1 - 2/22/2020
Bent Row
135x3x6
Pull-up R/P
12+6+4
Paused Chest Supported Rear Delt Row
25x3x8
Rear Delt Raise + Orange Band
20x2x10
Swiss Bar Curl
65x3x10
Concentration Curl
20x2x10
Cut grass
Kind of a boring workout really.
1 Like
Cycle 5, Legs 1
Pin Back Squat (8)
195x3x6
DB RDL
70x3x8
SL Squat
8x8, 10x2x8
Titan GHR Slider
3x8
SL Calf Raise
R/P 5x
—————
Body felt better after the workout than before the workout. Doing it right.
Might get off plan a bit soon and go for a max(ish) rep set.
2 Likes
Don’t.
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It can return if you arent careful. It is a good feeling having pain free movements though.
1 Like
2/24/2020 - Cycle 5, Push 2
2 CT Paused Barbell OHP
115x3x6
Low Incline DB Press
70x8, 80x6
DB Push-up
20+7+4
Lateral
20x3x10
Lying DB Ext
25x2x10, 30x10
Band Pressdown
2x
—————
Workout was done at a customers gym on a whim. So, made some modifications from my template, but general structure was there. Didn’t get a thorough warmup, which had things start out a bit rough and twingy, but fine by the time I was warmed up. We moved real fast too. Got all this done in 30 minutes. Nothing felt heavy minus the 80s on DB press, and it was due to rest periods of around a minute. Good one for on the fly. I’m glad I got it in, because I won’t be able to train again till Thursday due to being out of town on business and packed schedule.
2 Likes