Farmers Log

Training Over 35 Lifter
881

Not a great workout!

09/05/2011

Overhead squats

Bar only x 8
88 lbs x 6

Full snatch

88 lbs x 1-1
132 lbs x 1-1-1-1-0-1
143 lbs x 1-1-1
154 lbs x 0-1-0-0-1-0-0-1-1 (first failure was due to a mis-load, put 11 on one end and 22 on the other, doh!)
159.5 lbs x 1-1 (new PR)

Back squats @ 308 lbs x 5-5-5

Overhead press @ 110 lbs x 0 (couldn’t budge first rep, wtf?)

Face pulls @ 93 lbs x 10-10-10

Even though I finished up with a new snatch PR this was a poor workout and I’m not happy. I think my OL expectations are unreasonable aand therefore I am continually unsatisfied. As hard as I try I just can’t seem to crack this dropping under business. I keep catching in a half squat (occasionally lower) but then I pause for some bloody reason and then slowly drop into a full squat. It’s bloody infuriating and when I do finally do a fairly deep, quick drop, I lose it on the way up. I felt like crying at one point. Anyway I got a PR but it wasn’t much consolation.

Then I did squats in my lifting shoes and the heel threw me right off, so I went back to my flat ones. The squats were pretty slow because I was fatigued after the snatches.

Then I went to press and after doing 3 sets of 5 last week with 110 lbs, I couldn’t budge the first rep off the pins. I just couldn’t move it, my right shoulder just couldn’t apply any force at all. It was if the power cord had been pulled out!

So I have come to the conclusion that despite stopping all pressing movements, doing rotator cuff exercises every night and face pulling like a maniac, that my shoulder is not going to improve until I rest it properly and that includes snatching. It may well be that despite the fact that I can snatch without pain, that snatches are responsible for my shoulder trouble because my shoulder was fine a few weeks ago when I was benching and doing millies, but has got worse since my snatch weight and volume has increased.

So I think I have to rest it until it heals. I am not good at doing nothing, so I will carry on riding and maybe do some hill sprints and if I can do them without bothering my shoulder, some squats too. I’m hoping that a week should be enogh for the inflammation to die down. BUGGER!!!

Two at 159.5 lbs (PR) followed by my best lift of the day (ironically a miss) where I dropped under fairly quick, balanced and then somehow lost it on the way up. Summed up my day really.

882

Nice. Wish I could do a snatch

883

Snatches look solid!

I have a love hate thing with the o-lifts
I learned them enough to do them for wrestling
only to get back to practice
I do enjoy them but they are not good for my
wrists/elbow/shoulder and neck. go figure.

sorry to hear your shoulder is still bugging you

I had good sucess with TONS of fish oil MSM and curricumin 500
which is basically caspsulated tumeric
really good for inflamation

I can apply for citizenship for Ireland via my dad.
Ok Me da.
I thought about it pretty hard
our economy and the entertainment television business in NYC
is completely in the shitter.

growing up in NYC the cost quality of life issue is like a 300lb elephant.

as for the deadlifts

I am like 185 or close to it I think I weighed that at the gym last week
so I am something like 7 to 10 lbs from 2.5 body weight.

a 500 pull for you is mostly a lock- your a few weeks away-
maybe less.

884

you are very entertaining to watch :slight_smile:

sorry to hear about your shoulder and that lifting is feeling a bit frustrating at the moment. hope your shoulder sorts itself out soon.

885

Sorry to hear that. Shoulders are such a weak link for so many lifters. A week or two off doing stuff that doesn’t hurt is probably a good idea.

My left bicep tendon is acting up. I can feel it up my arm and into my shoulder. I can’t decide whether to keep training through it, train around it or rest.

886

France. That’s where I would go.

I dont know if its been explained to the non Europeans on this forum, but you dont need permission to work or stay in another EU country. So Brett can go and stay in Greece Portugal Spain, Germany France etc etc etc for the rest of his life, no visa to get no work permit and doesnt even technically need a Passport to get there.

One benefit of being in the EU

887

That snatch looked strong.

We are talking about retiring to Ireland when we retire. Find a nice cottage out west and build a home gym.

888

[quote]bluebrasil wrote:
France. That’s where I would go.

I dont know if its been explained to the non Europeans on this forum, but you dont need permission to work or stay in another EU country. So Brett can go and stay in Greece Portugal Spain, Germany France etc etc etc for the rest of his life, no visa to get no work permit and doesnt even technically need a Passport to get there.

One benefit of being in the EU

[/quote]
so for us, it would be like moving to utah, only sucking much less?

889

Are you sure you will be able to handle nice weather all year round? I mean sun in January, your skin turning a shade or three of brow. what will you do without the wind and cold?

890

[quote]mjnewland wrote:

[quote]bluebrasil wrote:
France. That’s where I would go.

I dont know if its been explained to the non Europeans on this forum, but you dont need permission to work or stay in another EU country. So Brett can go and stay in Greece Portugal Spain, Germany France etc etc etc for the rest of his life, no visa to get no work permit and doesnt even technically need a Passport to get there.

One benefit of being in the EU

[/quote]
so for us, it would be like moving to utah, only sucking much less?
[/quote]

Which raises a good question, MJ. Why did you move to Utah? I can’t think of a less interesting place.

891

I have always wanted to go to Utah…just for the beautiful scenery alone, I had a chance to go but got sent to Vegas for training instead, I was really hoping to go to Utah, not a Vegas person.

892

Brett, time off is mentally frustrating, and will likely drive you at least somewhat batty. But it can be a very good thing for the body. At the other forum where I hag out I was complaining about joint pain and on of the big-ass bodybuilders asked me “how long has it been since you’ve taken a month off?” Initially the concept actually cause me a little panic. Can you believe it?

Anyways, why not give yourself a full week? Do some biking and mobility work. Thoughts?

And for the peanut gallery, Vegas rocks, as does New York, for a holiday. Sucky, uninteresting places like Utah and Alberta are awesome for living.

893

Bulldog - Thanks, I just wish I could do a ‘proper’ snatch.

Kevin - I do eat a lot of fish, but I could probably try adding fish oil again. I tried a spell with cod liver oil but I didn’t notice any effect, is that what you used?. What’s MSM? So you’re a recent Irish decendant then, not a descendant of the potato famine?

Alexus - I’d rather be impressing you than entertaining you with my pratfalls. Still trying for that elusive quick drop, how long was it before you could do it?

Git - The shoulder’s a real bummer. I’m a bit aggrieved really, because I’ve never been one of those bench and curls only kind of guys and always tried to balance push and pull. However, I am a bit prone to, “Ooh I like this new exercise, I’ll do a gazillion of them”. I think this is what I’ve done with the snatches.

I tried to work around mine for a bit, dropped my pressing but continued snatching. But it hasn’t worked so it’s got to be complete upper body rest now. As far as your shoulder goes?, I would rest it now rather than continue and prolong the lay-off when it inevitably comes. Over use injuries don’t get better by themselves while you keep lifting IMO.

BB - France was definitely a consideration, but they have some weird inheritance laws that bypass spouses and go directly to kids. It means if my wife were to die her kids could claim her half of the house and force me to sell up. Apparently you can get around it by buying the house as a ‘company’, but that and the fact that the French are sick to death of the English buying up their villages puts me off.

Joe - Well now is the time to buy. Property prices there are plummeting.

MJ & Cavalier - Any state that produced The Osmonds can’t be that bad can it?

UN42 - Joking aside, we are a bit worried about being able to sleep. I just can’t sleep in really hot weather, but I’m sure it’s something you’d get used to.

Matty - Vegas always looks like a tacky shithole to me. England’s equivalent is Blackpool.

894

Kent - I had 3 days off at Christmas, a 5 day break a month or so ago and 4 days in a row recently, but my wife informed me that I worked out on consecutive days before we went away, so in fact my 5 day break was only 1 missed workout! I haven’t had a month off since 2000 when I had six months off because we moved house and I didn’t have my gym built.

I know what you’re saying makes complete sense, but I don’t think I could take a fortnight off, let alone a month. “My name is Brett and I am addicted”.

My compromise is that I am going to refrain from all upper body work until my shoulder is better, because right now my arm is pretty useless and I can’t sleep at night because I can’t get comfortable.

That’s one of the few negative things about having your own gym in the garden, if I was away from home it would be much easier to have a lay-off. It’s like knowing there’s chocolate in the fridge, if you know it’s there it’s really hard to resist it, but if it weren’t there you wouldn’t want it.

Thanks for being the voice of reason.

10/05/2011

Hill sprints 35 yds x 10

These were hard. Funny how specific ‘fitness’ is. These got pretty comfortable last winter, then I started riding which was hard to start with. Then the riding got easier and now these are back to being hard again. Breathed heavy for at least 20 minutes after.

895

I have been right there with you, Brett. Only doing lower body stuff is driving me nuts, its been almost 3 weeks I think, and I am really Feening for a fix of bench, chins, dips, millies, or at least a few db presses. I think next week I will go on and work some upper body, just with light weights, and see how I feel. If its light ache, I go on, if more, I quit for another couple of weeks I guess. I have worked regular squats back in, using a closer grip, and only get a slight ache afterwards, If I can keep the pain to that level or less with upper stuff, I am back baby!

Hope you work your stuff out soon, too.

896

Solid work. Sucks about the shoulder because you’re getting into your groove with the snatches. It always has to be something right?

james

897

I’m with you on the mandated breaks. Just doesn’t work for me.

So. About dropping under the bar during the snatch. Why do you do it if you already have the weight under control before your start your descent? I never learned to snatch. But I remember struggling with the same issue on the C&J.

And I love your vids too.

898

Ogre - There’s nothing more frustrating than mentally feeling like you want to lift, but can’t because of a nagging injury. It’s different if you’re feeling unwell. I started my rehab exercises today so hopefully I’ll see some improvement soon. Hope your arm is better, the pains you were having sounded weird!

James - Thanks for checking in. You are so right!

KP - I think the dropping under is because as the weight gets heavier you won’t be able to lift it so high, so you have to get under it lower down. Even though I could powersnatch the weights I’m using I’m trying to learn to catch it lower for later on, but it’s not really happening for me right now. I will persist.

899

Day 2 of my week off.

Day 1 was hill sprints, day 2 front squats.

I did intend to do 5 x 5 on 220 today, but because Kevin did 225 the other day and I’m a competitive chap and he’s 20lbs lighter than me, I thought I would have to have a crack at 242. So I loaded the bar and started squatting. It wasn’t until I’d finished 3 surprisingly difficult sets that I noticed that I’d put a 22lb plate on each end not an 11 lb plate. So in fact I’d been using 264!! Damn, I knew they’d felt hard!! At this point I was so amazed that I’d managed to get this far (my PR for 5x5 on front squats is 248 lbs) that I was damned if I was going to fail now, so I carried on and just managed to finish the last set. This was a great example of how much what we think we can lift affects what we can do. There is no way in the world I thought I could have done 264 for 5x5, but because I thought it was only 242 I managed it. Anyway…

11/05/2011

Front squats @ 264 lbs x 5-5-5-5-5 (PR + 16 lbs)

Leg curls @ 90 lbs x 6-6-6-6-6

No upper body work, started Diesel Crew shoulder rehab protocol,

DB retraction - 3 sets of 15
DB protractions - 3 sets of 15
Posterior capsule - stretch 3 sets of 5 (done as a circuit)

Vid of squats. I said a while back that because of my precarious front squat grip, if I ever lost the bar forward I would probably break both my thumbs. Well tonight the bar started to slip forward and I managed to dislocate my thumb (it went straight back in) I was quite impressed that I managed to keep the bar up long enough to finsh the rep. See if you can spot exactly when it happens.

900

[quote]FarmerBrett wrote:
I think the dropping under is because as the weight gets heavier you won’t be able to lift it so high, so you have to get under it lower down. Even though I could powersnatch the weights I’m using I’m trying to learn to catch it lower for later on, but it’s not really happening for me right now. I will persist.

[/quote]
Yes. I know this. What I meant was if you can snatch without a deep squat, then why even bother with the descent? You probably do need more weight on the bar to necessitate getting under it in the squat position. Does that make sense? Oh. I sent you a PM.