I just use an old 2x6 propped up on the spotter arm of my squat rack.
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Smart. Just so long as you don’t drive off course, that could be a nasty surprise.
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Sweet! So far, so good. Can you tell the difference between injury/damage pain and therapeutic/recovering pain?
Good question. I’m not sure. But the injury is a very specific pain/location and it didn’t feel aggravated, and doesn’t today either.
I definitely noticed the injured side was weaker at DB curls.
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10/28 quick update
2.1 mile predawn walk with baby, and a mile last night.
Weighed in this morning, after coffee and walk, at 186.6lbs.
Definitely not TOO heavy but I feel my abs have disappeared. Not ready to risk squats for tire size yet though.
Edit: then 6 eggs
Plus a little sliced Turkey
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Heck yeah! So far, so good. In time, I believe your left arm will gain its strength. How many times each week do you think you’ll be safe to do the therapeutic pulling session? I’m planning for two.
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At this point I’ll just try to work it in on Wednesdays. Dont have much time for it the other days. Plus (and I’m not saying this is good) my goals right now don’t require me to heal/strengthen this area.
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Once a week seems reasonable to me, especially considering your daily busyness and current training goals.
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10/29/2021, Friday
Yesterday (Thursday) I strict pressed for 1, then push pressed for 4, 140lbs - once in the morning (showing off to my wife) and once in the evening. Cold, no warmup. Again thrilled to be this strong now.
Then to keep the he-man thing going I picked my wife up onto one shoulder and slung her around and carried her around the house, just showing off. I may be a tiny bit tweaked from that today but nothing crazy.
Today.
Warmup on elliptical
Squats 8x5@205
Superset with DB rows, 50lbs, 8x various reps
Bench press, single at 225, failed a second rep…
BSS 3x10, 40lb in front rack. These never stop sucking.
One set each leg curl and extension on the way out the door.
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fUnCtIoNaL strength!! That’s awesome though; I think Dan John would approve of this loaded carry lol
Also, I finished the book I mentioned to you recently. Hopefully it’s not too weird for me to write this here. It’s called Children and the Politics of Cultural Belonging by Alice Hearst. It’s much more of an academic text, whereas you probably seek practical information. It also wasn’t my favorite book ever, as I’ve read a couple similar ones, though still interesting. I did find myself nodding many times while reading it. I figured you would at least be curious to know what the book’s title is.
One of my local libraries ordered Highly Irregular, so I’m looking forward to reading that sometime soon. Thanks again for recommending.
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Thanks!
And thanks for the book rec! I’ll look into it.
Some developments here I wish we could chat about. Do you still have my email address?
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It might be hard to find. Only my university library had it.
I believe I do. I can send you a message later today.
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Quick introspective update:
BSS suck, always have, always will. However I wonder if doing them is why my knees haven’t given me problems; I seem to remember my knees bothering me in the past after squats. I want to quit doing them… they don’t progress… but the have to stay in some form. Damnit.
Anyway the point is, “count your blessings” so to speak - my ankles, knees, hips, back, shoulders, and neck are all totally pain-free and functioning very well! Left elbow gets a bit cranky but it’s not in my way at all, and the last two goals on my list of 1-2-3-4 don’t really require much from the elbow.
I’m stronger than I’ve ever been in my life.
It’s been about 12 weeks since I set my 1-2-3-4 goal (OK, I already had the 1) and I’ve accomplished #2 and made significant progress toward #3. And am confident #4 won’t be an issue once #3 falls.
Wife is stoked about how I look, I feel a new confidence walking around in a tight T-shirt, and I’m not obsessing over my soft midsection.
Some things in my non-training life are changing right now, it’s… interesting… and I feel conflicted about a few things work/life-balance related. The future is pregnant with possibility.
I’m very glad training is part of my life. It’s a constant. Something that is only me, when every other part of me serves my family, employers, customers…
Final note. Once 1-2-3-4 is done, I think I’m done chasing poundage goals. Probably totally change my training. Not million-burpees-a-day stuff, but not slow heavy squat stuff either. Something in between. I will need to set goals though, and I have a good one in mind. Which I suspect could carry me well into a healthy and fit middle age (I’m already middle aged damnit!).
Last thing, all this stream-of-consciousness reminds me of our friend @alex_uk . Are you still around my friend?
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Great post, my man. Very thoughtful. (And wise, it seems to me—but then again, you are middle-aged, haha.)
Don’t underestimate the value of this observation. In my experience, the carryover here can be tremendous. Not always apparent, not necessarily directly, but it’s there and it’s important.
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Very wise here. I think the question is “what do you want to get out of your training?”. Big picture goals.
Have you tried walking lunges? I always feel more “stable” in the knees etc. with these included in my program and they suck less than BSS.
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Walking lunges, at least with weight, have caused knee pain in the past. May be worth trying unweighted though. Easy to do anywhere, no excuse!
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I like high volume unweighted. Hits my whole lower body and feels much healthier (to me and my joints), than any other assistance.
By high volume, I mean like 100+
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I thought that and here I am with an eye on 2 3 4 5 
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Bulgarian Split Squats the gift from god hijacked by Satan!
Maybe modify them slightly to change the training effect to force start progress you could:
- Drop the weight and focus on tempo and controlled TUT ( This sucks)
- Increase weight and do them for less reps ( instead of 3x10 maybe 5x5-6)
- Do them with front food elevated on a box (The extra stretch sucks!)
Recognising this is so important. In life we unfortunately get to a place where we live to serve others (having a family requires selflessness ) so it is good to find that thing which makes it about us for a few hours a week
Sounds like the perfect training effect. More confidence, less obsession about parts of your body and a happy wife!
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Damn thanks for that perspective at the end @hustlinghat93 !
@simo74 its hard for me to imagine you at a level lower than 1-2-3-4. How long ago was that? Or was it ever much of a challenge for you to get there?
Nutrition log from yesterday because it’s a funny one, way more food than I normally have:
Breakfast
5 eggs with a slice of Turkey;
Post gym:
small toast with a nut butter, small apple.
Entire box of candied pecans. 14g fat, 13g carb, 2g pro, times 7 servings.
Half gallon whole milk with reduced sugar
Protein powder scoop
Lunch
2 chicken thighs with some olive oil
Dinner out:
2 appetizers of spinach cheese dip, eaten with as few chips as possible
8oz steak
A few bites of salad
One vodka water to fit in socially
Epic (for me) consumption level.
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