Clockin' A Grip

Training Training Logs
581

11-28

Vaguely pissed off all day. Realised at night that my back and hams were so tight and sore I was uncomfortable and irritable. GMs!

11-29

Pull down Shrugs x20
Tricep Pushdowns x30
4 pairs

Seated Cable Row with Straight Bar x15
Flat Dumbbell Bench Against Mini Band x22
4 pairs

Floor Press
Work up
235 x1
245 x1 - clipped J Hook on way up
255 x miss!

Noooo! I missed a floor press. Half way up my right leg kicked like a first time bencher. I ended up with left leg extended and right leg bent with foot on Floor. Bar drifted towards “up” over face and I had no power or stability to grind from. Back cramped, I felt Fear and called on spotter to help (save) me.

I hit the J-hook with 245, and tried to set up “lower” with 255. Maybe I was so far away from hooks I didn’t get properly tight. Maybe my “potentiation warm ups” are getting too strenuous. It was a morning workout, maybe I was too jacked on caffeine. Maybe it was just too heavy. Maybe I couldn’t get set because my hip/QL is still tight. Whatever the reason, I was too Emo and intimidated (afraid?) to take another shot at it.

Chest Supported Rows 3 x12
Close-ish Grip Bench With Bamboo Bar 3 x15

Side Delt Raise 3 x12
Bamboo Bar Curls 3 x10

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582

Or maybe you just fucked up and that got in your head. It happens. You’ll get it next time.

583

Lower body workout (Training Session!) coming up. Speed day. All problems this year have happened on speed day. Because I do too many sets, or go too heavy. Because my Percentages/Weights are based on the partial ROM lifts I’ve been using. Numbers are probably 20% too high.

I need some Real-er lifts to base workouts on. So far, I’ve got a Front Squat to a just below parallel box Max. Looks like DE squats will be front squats to parallel box. But deadlifts are still kinda shooting in the dark. Gotta un-puss next week and get a number from the floor, but that doesn’t help me today.

Additionally, I was doing some book-research and Louie said to wave the deadlift weights down over 3 weeks on DE days as the squat weights wave up. Deadlift heavier when you squat lighter and deadlift lighter when the squat is heavier, so the total loading is more flat. Why wasn’t I notified!

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584

That’s pretty interesting! Never thought about it

585

12-1

Some junk to get started.

Front Squat to Parallel Box
150 x2, 12 “sets” - under 7 minutes. Haha!

Sumo Deadlift Isometrics Against Mini Bands
10 exertions

Stir The Pot
Dumbbell Stiff Legs x20
3 pairs

Cable Row Standing x20
Reverse Hyper x20
3 pairs

Stir the Pot before bending over moves is good. For cable rows I had the pulley around knee height, and pulled towards bottom of ribs with a slightly wider than shoulder width grip. It was great! It lit my upper back and traps up like the upright rows I used to love. But without the instant shoulder impingment they give me now. This is good. I’m really missing mass and thickness around my shoulders and neck. I look so skinny, it sucks!

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586

There are no unyoked westsiders. Fix this shit asap :slight_smile:

Yeah, I’ve noticed plank variations to really wake up the hips and glutes prior to work. Almost always in my warmup.

2 Likes
587

I was too hardcore for planks in the past. They’re kinda silly, but I think that was a big mistake. They really work. Those sideways planks really awaken stuff too.

I’m going to have to get super Yoked to cancel out the puss factor of all these yoga moves.

Saturday Extra Work
Pull Aparts x45
Pushdowns x80
4 pairs

Possibe mountain dog walk upcoming? Totally secret, unbelievable details will be posted later. Maybe…

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588

giphy (6)
giphy (6)402×379 551 KB

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589

Sunday extra, standing leg curls x50 for 4 sets. Hips jammed against desk to stay “squared.” Walk around with mutts.

Right hip and back are too tight for comfort. It made me have to think about how to walk.

12-4

Hip still tight

Pull down Shrugs then Pulldowns x20
Single Arm Tri Pushdowns x25
4 paired sets

Inverted Row x23
Slight Incline Dumbbell Press (30s) x25
4 pairs

Bench Press
190 x3, 9 sets with 3 grips

Seated Dumbbell Shrugs x20
Rolling DB Tris, Dumbbells “dead stop” on bench x20
3 pairs

Seated KB Press, with back support (15/15/25)x20
Dumbbell Curls with Fat Gripz x20
3 set pairs

Hang Off Reverse Hyper
Abs with Med Ball Under Back
3 times each, great stretch

BW is up, but inverted rows are up too. Bulk is nothing without Power! Dumbbell Bench felt “piston-like” without bouncing. The banded dumbbell presses did the trick. Bench Press felt smooth and pain less. No issues with shoulder or elbow. I even managed to get the bar back into the uprights even. Shoulders must be leveling out. I feel Positive after this one. Will whine about hip another day.

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590

12-6

Stretch out a little. Walked around with short bands around knees and ankles. Some plank. Some upside down plank. McGill bend overs. Felt pretty good.

Deadlift. Conventional. Floor.
I descended to the bar by bending over McGill style. It worked, and I even pulled a couple deads.
Up to 315 felt like nothing.
365 Felt my “brace”
385 broke it off the ground, but it felt like I was doing it on one leg. Lots of pressure on left crotch. Decided to drop it. Technical breakdown.

Band Thru Belt Action
Stir The Pot
SSB GMs x12
Thrice

Cable Rows x12
Reverse Hypers x15
Three times

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591

Cannot comprehend…

You did a non-variation, also know as a…

…competition lift?

Mind.Blown.

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592

I waited up all night worried, but I didn’t die from it!

Dirty secret; behind the smoke and mirrors, all the “variations” were just High, Partial lifts because I couldn’t hinge over to reach the bar on the floor. I hoped for trickle down gains.
Amazingly, it sorta worked! Now I can use some real variety.

1/2 inch deficit deadlifts, All Day.

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593

Right calf is “bad” sore. Something right down the middle(tendon?) I can feel a little swelling behind my knee. I guess something came out of position during DL. Maybe came up on toe or knee slid forward?

Left upper back is “bad” sore. Behind shoulder (teres major/minor?) and even into the back of my arm. Wrong muscles supporting the DL? Bar drifts away, shoulders get forward, little muscles get worked?

Obliques are “good” sore. That nice, tight, worked feeling. My quads are even a little sore.

Also, my grip is crushed! I can barely told on to my toothbrush. Is that some kind of CNS thing?

12-8

Pull down Shrug
Band Pushdowns (cables taken)
4 sets each

Dumbbell Bench
25 x10
40 x10
55 x10
70 x10
85 x8 (left shoulder came untucked, Dumbbell drifted “high” body squirmed like on Floor Press.

Williams Shrugs on Chest Supported T-Bar Row Bench Between Sets

Chinese Row
135 x10
155 x10
175 x10
195 x10

Paired with Bamboo Bar Close Grip Bench
110 x10
140 x10
160 x10, 7

Shrug/ Side Delt Raise/Band Pushdown
4 sets each

Tried barbell shrugs with wide grip first. Crunched up my shoulders. No go. Then 1 arm shrugs, sideways on Smith machine. Again, shoulders rolled forward, crunched/impinged, arms bent. No go. Finally looped bands low around power rack, stepped back, and shrugged up and back. Got a nice contraction and pump. I guess I need some backwards motion with my upward motion when shrugging. I can manage that.

You tube recommended this John Meadows video on deadlift cues. Active feet. More brace. I gotta Engage Lats!

It really feels like there is a limit to how much I can lift correctly (everything tight and in place). Maybe it’s time to use a routine/structure where I get some reps in with that Just Right, non maximal weight.

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594

Such a big deal. We often dont realize when were off balance. I think this is a player in my hip issue. When I actively grab the floor with my big toe, little toe and heel, my hip pain disappears. If I’m not doing this, I stay on my heels. Bam, precursor to hip pain.

Huge cue for everything we do, as simple as walking. It activates so much more musculature. It’ll flat out surprise you.

595

Saturday

Band Leg Curls x100 (sit on desk, anchor Band to kettlebell, curl legs under desk)
Band Pushdown Sidebends x20
Twice

Seated hamstring curling felt nice.

Stan Efferding on training after injuries. Stuff you’ve heard before. Eliminate motions that hurt. Find lifts and ROMS you can do. Pump some blood in there. Get better and then get back to work getting stronger. Avoid gadgets, voodoo and gimmicks and get to work. Well, Yeah, but Stan (can I call you Stan?) is super smart and strong, so it sounds really good from him.

Also, he repped Dr Stuart McGill, planks, and carrying dumbbells around pretty hard.
-Build core stability and endurance, because your midsection has to hold you stable for awhile.

Sunday

Copied Reed’s pre squat warm up

Walk with bands around knees/ankles
Plank/side planks
Lunge stretch action
Glute Bridge
Roll Quads
30 seconds each, then 45 seconds each.

Dog Walk to the top. Kinda hard, I felt fatigued.

Band Pull Aparts x50
Band Pushdowns x100
Twice. Again, tough because of fatigue.

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596

My woman was pretty busy with grad school, so we’ve just been going to the gym 3 days per week since mid September or so. It’s now the end of the semester, so we’re gonna get back to 4 days, for a month at least. I just did my 4 day week divided over 8 days, got some extra rest and embraced it. But now my days are off, so I did no barbells today (ME Lower) for a mini-deload and to get back on schedual. DE Lower Thursday.

12-11 Purgatory

McGill Floor Stuff
-Curl Up
-Side Plank
-Bird Dog
Both sides, twice thru

1 Kettlebell Suitcase Walk x down and back
10 Pull down Shrugs then 10 Pulldowns
Hamstrings Bend Overs with Dumbbells x15
4 loops

Sidebend on Cable Pushdown x15
Cable Pull Thru x15
Leg Extension x25
4 loops

Shrug on Cables x20
Seated Calf Raise x25
Reverse Hypers x15
4 loops

Stupid workout full of dumb, easy stuff. So I really tried to get the lats and obliques to lock the upper and lower body together, keep the “core” (such a whack term) tight, and hip hinge instead of spine hinge.

The young-jock strong bros at the gym were deadlifting today. They were dropping loaded barbells all over the place while I was down on all fours Bird dogging. It was pretty silly.

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597

12-12

Reverse Pec Deck/ Long Rope Tricep Pushdowns(Tricep pull Aparts)
4 sets of 15 each

Decline Bench Press
A couple doubles
245 x1
260 x1
270 x1

Really kept good shoulder/elbow position. Shoulders stayed back, press went smooth.

Dumbbell Rows
55 x12
70 x12
85 x15
75 x15, 15

These were OK, but it was so hard to maintain lower back position without overarching or twisting. Kind of a victory anyway, because I could feel myself struggling to keep right. I should try these chest supported, but how do I avoid flopping down face first on the bench. How do you get into position for that lift?

-5 Pull down shrugs, then 10 Pulldowns, then 5 pull down shrugs, then 5 Pulldowns. Medium neutral grip.
-Combo Delt Raises (side/rear/front, 10 each way) with 10 pounds plates.
2 pairs

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598

How much incline do you use? I find 40 to 60 degrees is ideal (so there is no way I end up flopping onto the bench). I’ve also played with doing them single arm, with the knee of my working side on the seat. I don’t think I’ve found anything better than than to set my upper/middle back on fire.

599

Ok, good stuff!

Today I was doing the 1 arm rows, using the bench people use for decline sit ups. So non working knee and non working arm were on the inclined bench. Knee was on the bench, but not supported. If I used the adjustable incline bench with the adustable seat, I could wedge my knee/leg in there/on there and be way more solid.

Looking back, last time I did 2 arms chest supported style, I probably did have the bench too low. Will stay above 45 degrees and try again. Also gotta try some dumbbell shrugs this way.

1 arm, chest supported, working knee supported sounds worth a try too. If I can get the lat action of lawn mower style without the lower back issues it’s double good.

Just when I thought I was running out of rows! Thanks Mark!

1 Like
600

I finally pulled a deadlift from the floor, and it was 120 pounds heavier than last time. Now I’m anxious to get that shit up! But I don’t want to quit what got me here. I came up with this 3 week “DE” Lower Body Wave. Its not super about speed, this is more like “Light Day” I guess.

Some kinda warm up. I usually do too much stupid junk, so I’m going to try to focus more.

Box Front Squat (metal 45 plate on box)
Week 1: 70% (135) x2 reps x12 sets
Week 2: 75% (145) x2 x12
Week 3: 80% (155) x2 x10

Conventional Deadlift From Lowest Position in Power Rack
Week 1: 55% (200) +90 pounds of chain x2 reps x10 sets
Week 2: 50% (185) +90 chains x2 x12
Week 3: 45 % (165) +90 chains x2 x12

Dumbbell Super Strict Bending Over
Week 1: 55s x15 reps x3 sets
Week 2: 55s x20 reps x3 sets
Week 3: 60s x15 x3

Pulldowns, Narrow Neutral Grip
Week 1: 160 x15 reps x3 sets
Week 2: 160 x20 x3
Week 3: 180 x15 ( or maybe 10 reps if the 20 pound jump the machine offers is too much)

Final Junk

  • this week I did some cable Sidebends, cable shrugs and a few more hamstring curls.

I’m planning to do 3, three week waves, then trying another heavy deadlift from the floor. I’d like to keep front squat all 9 weeks. I started just a touch high (45 plate on top of just below parallel box) to play it safe. I also went 5% under Louie’s recommended poundages to start. No accomidatting resistance yet either. I want to leave myself somewhere to go, so I can continue to expose myself to the box front squat, which my bros say will help my deadlift.

I’m also Deadlifting above the floor, and 5% light, again to give myself somewhere to go. More weight, more ROM, more chains or even no chains. Also possible is 3 weeks of high (pin 2) Sumo, to give back a break and re excite the glutes, if need be. The chains are cool. I pulled 365 from the floor, and 460 from 6 inches above the floor, 95 pounds different. 25% less from the floor. The exact amount the chains deload at the bottom. Fun.

Dumbbell Bend Overs are really strict dumbbell hamstring deadlifts. I try super hard to maintain Dr Stuart McGill approved posture to keep tension on glutes/ hams, not back. It kills my abs and calves as much as my hamstrings, trying to keep proper position. I’m going to use steady, simple double progression to steadily build these up. 3 sets of 15, next workout same weight, 3 sets of 20. Next workout, add weight and do 3 x15. Almost linear, just a little slower.

Pulldowns, the same way. Steadily drive to new poundages. I’ve been doing a lot for the mid back and I hope, serratus. This should increase stability through strength, so I should be able to bring the lats up to match.

My bros know I like to do a bunch of garbage pumping, so I’m going to try to remember to keep it directed to my obliques and traps, so at least it’s useful.

First week is in the books. Things went smooth, and today, Sunday, 3 days later, lower back and hips feel unsmashed while hams feel sore. So far, so good.

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