Squat from Pins: from 3" below bottom of chest - ramped to 3 x 3 x 280kg
Then: from mid stomach height - ramped to 3 x 4 x 200kg
Then: from upper pelvis height - ramped to 3 x 5 x 150kg
Stat. Bike: maximal resistance for intervals, 6 mins total
Since my knee is fine with limited ROM, partial pin squats seemed like a great option. Most sets were beltless, and all were with standard powerlifting technique (hips back, low bar, etc.) to maximize carryover. I was pretty tired by the end, so left it there. Another good day of training.
By the way, S/O to FarmerOwen whose training log kinda gave me the idea to try out the high pin squats! It’s brilliant to be back to squatting in some capacity while my knee heals fully.
Power Clean and Front Squat: (1 power clean and 5 front squats) 70kg, 70kg, 80kg, 80kg, 80kg
SS with:-
Rowing: 1 min. sprint (x5)
Leg Extension: 15 x 125kg, 15 x 115kg, 15 x 105kg (all with pause and contraction at top)
Front Squat Reverse Lunge: 8 each leg x 30kg, 8 e/l x 40kg, 8 e/l x 50kg
Barbell Reverse Lunge: 8 e/l x 50kg, 8 e/l x 60kg, 8 e/l x 70kg
Seated Machine Row: 6 x 115kg, 6 x 125kg, 5 x 135kg, 8 x 105kg
Wide-Grip Lat. Pulldown: 8 x 95kg, 8 x 82.5kg, 8 x 65kg
A day off from heavy loading today, but good fitness work and legs / knee rehab. Feeling pretty good overall; my grip is struggling a bit after so much deadlifting and rowing this week, but nothing terrible.
[quote]halcj wrote:
By the way, S/O to FarmerOwen whose training log kinda gave me the idea to try out the high pin squats! It’s brilliant to be back to squatting in some capacity while my knee heals fully.[/quote]
Hey dude I’m glad those are working for you! I hope the knee continues to recover.
FarmerOwen: Thanks, the MCL is a lot better now, nearly full strength I think.
8th
Squat from Pins: (mid stomach height) warmed up to 210kg x 4; (3" from bottom of chest) built to 10, 10, 10, 8, x 250kg
Deadlift: 3 x 120kg, 3 x 160kg, 7 x 1 x 190kg
Stat. Bike: 5 mins high intensity
Bench: w/u with 8x60kg, 6x100kg; 5 x 3 x 130kg
SS with:-
Goblet Squat: 10 x 25kg DB (x6)
Very difficult session today. Sets of 10 with 250kg / 551lbs were tough endurance-wise and reasonably heavy, and deadlifts afterwards added to the fatigue. I had time for some bench and extras, so figured a superset would be a good idea. Again, solid progress today.
I’m planning to utilize an Anderson-style ROM progression for one or two sessions a week as I return to full squats, so began the process with high pin squats and high reps today. Feeling pretty good, knee significantly better.
Push Press: w/u with 4x70kg (strict); 2 x 90kg, 1 x 100kg, 1 x 105kg, 2 x 90kg, 2 x 90kg, 1 x 100kg, 1 x 105kg, 2 x 90kg, 3 x 90kg, 2 x 90kg, 5, 4, x 70kg (strict)
Bench: w/u with 8x60kg, 5x100kg; 2 x 3 x 130kg
Stat. Bike: 5 mins
An easier session today as I was sore and tired after yesterday and the day before (especially in the upper back). Plenty of technique work on the push press with fairly heavy weight, and a couple of sets of bench for practice.
Squat: (all paused for 1-2 sec. in the hole) 5 x 70kg, 5 x 120kg, 5 x 120kg, 2 x 3 x 140kg, 1 x 160kg
Bench: w/u with 10x60kg; 10 x 100kg, 8 x 110kg, 4 x 120kg
Single-leg Hamstring Curl: 6 sets with injured leg @ 15-25kg, 15-20 reps each, and 4 x 8 x 45kg with other leg.
Seated Machine Row: (overhand grip) 20 x 65kg, 3 x 12 x 75kg
Progressing rehab-wise with the knee. No pain whatsoever on squat reps; felt it very slightly on the single, but not much. I couldn’t do unweighted leg curls a week ago, so more progress there. I just hope I can return fast enough to hit the 250kg+ level by Nov. / Dec. - some serious training coming up in a week or two when my knee is closer to 100%. For now, light full squats, heavy partials, and maximal deadlifts are on the menu.
Deadlift: 3 x 110kg, 3 x 150kg, 1 x 190kg, 1 x 210kg, 1 x 220kg, M x 240kg (lost form, stalled at knee), 1 x 230kg, 1 x 210kg, 4 x 1 x 200kg
Goblet Squat: 10, 8, 8, 8
SS w/
DB Row: 8 e/a, 6 e/a, 6 e/a, 6 e/a
(Both with a 35kg thick-handled DB)
Stat. Bike: 5 mins VERY intense intervals (nearly collapsed at the end, sprints got to me!)
Not too bad. I’m disappointed that I missed the 240kg deadlift, but I misloaded the bar on the warm-ups and overestimated my strength for the day, which meant what I’d thought was 230kg was actually 220kg as recorded above - this meant 240kg was a big jump when I checked the plates and added the correct amount of weight, and I wasn’t fresh enough after last week’s training load to hit such a heavy single. Basically, my lat tension went to shit and I was weak of the floor, causing me to stall just above the knee; since I wasn’t going to try a Poundstone-style hitch, that was it. Still, no need to despair; heavy deadlift volume recently should pay off when I rest up and retest.
EDIT no. 2: I pressed submit too soon and tried to finish the post, but my first edit disappeared…!
Squat from Pins (bottom of chest): built to 15 x 250kg, 6 x 290kg
Then: full squats, beltless - 5 x 100kg (paused), 3 x 6 x 120kg
Seated Machine Row: 2 x 6 x 115kg, 2 x 6 x 105kg
I felt nauseous after the squats, serious work after time off. The Anderson partial squats were pretty intense, but I met my rep target so the pins will be lowered next session. Progress continues…
Deadlift: 3 x 120kg, 3 x 160kg, 1 x 200kg, 1 x 220kg, 4 x 1 x 200kg, 1 x 180kg, cluster of (6x1) x 160kg (double overhand, unusual for me)
Bench: w/u with 8x60kg, 5x100kg; 7 x 120kg, 5 x 130kg, 3 x 140kg (break between second rep and third rep due to elbow / bicep pain)
DB Row (bent-over): 8 x 22.5kg DBs, 10, 8, 10, x 27.5kg DBs
Preacher Curl: 15, 10, 8, x 20kg (if bar weighs 10kg)
Row: 1000m in 3:40 (started off at easy pace, sprinted finish)
Decent session. Elbow / bicep tendon affected my bench and deadlifts slightly; they’ve been aggravated a bit by my push pressing and frequent pulling, so I’ll have to go easy on them this week. Knee feeling good.
Squat from Pins (lower than last session, stomach height): 5 x 140kg, 5 x 180kg, 4 x 220kg; (add belt) 5 x 250kg, 7 x 250kg, 6 x 250kg
Then: full squat, beltless - 3 x 130kg, 3 x 140kg, 3 x 150kg
Single-leg Hamstring Curls: light sets of 10 with injured leg, slightly heavier sets of 10-12 with uninjured leg
Knee was fine during the squats, but still sub-par for leg curls. Feeling a lot better in general though. It will be three weeks from competing tomorrow, so another week or so should be enough. I’m planning to return to the adapted Bulgarian method around mid September.
What’s up bro, sorry to hear about the injury but congratulations for good IPF meet.
Nice way to work around pain. And I believe you’ll gain so much confidence from all of that that 130%+ work.
Squatsandmilk: Thanks, that’s the idea with the pin squats, hopefully it will work!
I’m away this week, but have been training.
17th
Bench: built up to 7 x 120kg, 5 x 130kg, 3 x 140kg
OHP: 5 x 60kg, 5 x 70kg, 2 x 4 x 80kg, 5, 7, x 60kg
Deadlift: 3 x 100kg, 3 x 140kg, 3 x 180kg, add belt, 2 x 190kg, 2 x 200kg, 1 x 210kg
T-bar Row: 3 x 8 with 3 plates
DB Muscle Clean and Press SS with Lateral Raises: 2 sets then drop set
Stat. Bike: intervals
18th
Explosive SGDL: 5 x 60kg, 4 x 100kg, 3 x 140kg, 3 x 2 x 160kg, 4 x 4 x 140kg (all beltless)
Cable Row: 4 x 8
Klokov Press: 10, 8, 6, 6, x 50kg
DB Hammer and Incline Bench Curls: 3 sets each
Knee feels better and has full ROM, but is very stiff and sore if left still for long. Hopefully not more than another two weeks now.
Bench: w/u with 10x60kg, 5x100kg; 7 x 120kg, 5 x 130kg, 3 x 140kg (thick bar today, weights will go up next week)
SGDL from Pins: 5 x 4 x 140kg
Conventional DL from Pins: 3 x 5 x 180kg
Short session today. I’m currently trying to focus all of my attention on knee rehab and bench / deadlift strength, as I need to get back to full training in time to begin proper meet prep.
SSB Goodmorning: built to 3 x 3 x 140kg, 3 x 5 x 100kg
OHP (strict / semi-strict): 5 x 60kg, 5 x 70kg, 5 x 3 x 80kg, 2 x 5 x 60kg
Dimel DL (or similar): 12 x 90kg, 10 x 100kg, 2 x 8 x 110kg
Single-leg Leg Extensions: 20, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, x 55kg each leg, alternating
Traveling today, so another short session. GMs felt awkward, but I got used to them after a few sets. I’ve been invited to the Four Nations powerlifting at the end of October, so it looks like that will be my first target after rehab before the British / Commonwealths. My knee isn’t much different this week, but is healing gradually.
Pin Squat: w/u, then - 2 x 8 x 250kg (stomach height)
Deadlift: 3 x 120kg, 3 x 3 x 160kg
Core Work
Knee better today, but still sore at times. I have a laterally-supported knee brace that I’ve been wearing for a couple of days now whenever I go for a walk or anything like that (I can’t deadlift in it though), and I hope that should allow the ligament to heal at last without constant stress. I’m aiming to get back to running and full squats in about 2 weeks, full daily training by the end of September. That will give me a month of meet prep before competing the first time and breaking the British records, then another 5 weeks or so to work on a 255kg squat for the world record. Not at all easy, but I think there’s a chance yet. If only I could train already! Again, we’ll see…
Deadlift: 3 x 120kg, 2 x 160kg, 1 x 200kg, 1 x 210kg, 2 x 1 x 220kg, 2 x 2 x 160kg
Bench: w/u with 10x60kg, 5x100kg; 7 x 122.5kg, 5 x 132.5kg, 3 x 142.5kg
Treadmill: 1-2 min intervals with short rest periods on an incline of between 10 and 18 % (10 mins total)
I went to the physiotherapist today and was cleared to get back to standard training gradually, with frequent knee ROM stretches. Great news! Time to build…