Flow's Log (New and Improved)

Flow · November 12, 2008, 4:47am

[u][i][center]I am at war with how puny and weak I am. This is where I will record my improvements.
[/u][/i][/center]
You may know of my old log:

http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/blog_sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_log/flows_unflow_training_log?id=2259068&pageNo=0

I recorded my training there. Very little nutrition or bodyweight information was recorded. I’ll fix that here.

Format. . .
[u][i]DATE[/u][/i]

AM Weight

Back Pain 1-10 rating

Right Pec Pain 1-10 rating

Diet 1-10 rating

I will create an excel spreadsheet of the foods I eat. I will track my progress and, when things become quick for me to record, I’ll start posting the specific Kcal and nutrient breakdown for each day. This will be a work in progress due to classes/work/life. . .

Training

Format:
WeightX(Reps/set)
(for example: 200X10,10)

Split:

W1 Medium Volume
W2 Medium-high Volume
W3 WTF I’M GONNA DIE
W4 Low-Medium Volume (feel it out)

S Off
M Lower 1
T Upper 1
W Off
R Lower 2
F Upper 2
S Conditioning

L1
Front squats for 4X5,4X4,5X5,3X5
Good morning for 3X6,3X6,3X6,2X6
Lunge variation for 2 sets of 10-12 reps
One arm Push-up hold for 3-4 sets of 30 second holds

L2
Back Squats for 4X5,4X4,5X5,3X5
Rack Pull for 3X6,3X6,3X6,2X6
Single leg squat for 2 sets of 10-12 reps
Ab-wheel hold from knees for 3-4 sets of 30 second holds

U1
Bench Press for 4X5,4X4,5X5,3X5
Semi-Supinated Chins for 3X6-8,3X6-8,4X6-8,2X6-8
Dumbbell Neutral Grip Press for 3X10,3X10,4X10,2X10
Unilateral Triceps Pressdown and Face Pull for 2-3X10

U2
Push Press for 4X5,4X4,5X5,3X5
Inverted Row 3X6-8,3X6-8,4X6-8,2X6-8
Kneeling Dumbbell Row 3X10,3X10,4X10,2X10
10-15 minutes of ?beach work?

Conditioning
This will be done based on how I feel. The plan is to do 2-3 exercises for 3 sets a piece. If I feel pretty wrecked I’ll probably do some sled dragging or running intervals with a 1:2 work-rest ratio. If things are feeling really solid I’ll do tire flips or something ‘harder’.

Pre-training:
Foam Rolling

Dynamic Flexibility
Straight Leg Lying Abduction (Left Hip)
Band Resisted Adduction (Right Hip)
Glute Bridge Hold 25s
Warrior lunges 8/side
Arm Circle ~15
Alternating Lateral Lunge 6/side
Scap Wall Slides 12
Knee Punches 5/side
External Rotators Stretch 15s/side

AngryVader · November 3, 2008, 7:00am

I’ll be looking forward to it. It’s funny how half the people with logs seems to be dealing with one or more pain issues, huh?

Flow · November 4, 2008, 3:25am

[u][i]11-3-08[/u][/i]

AM Weight: 196.8 lbs.

Back Pain: 2 out of 10

Right Pec Pain: 1 out of 10

Diet:6 out of 10
I took the first step and wrote up my ideal diet. Now I’m on a bit of a quest to achieve it, but I’ll change three things a week. I’ll post the idea later.

[u][i]Lower 1[/u][/i]

Foam Rolling
Dynamic Flexibility

A1. Front Squat
45Xreps
95X5
135X5
155X1
165X1
180X5
185X5 Post Back Injury PR
190X5 Post Back Injury PR

A2. Dynamic Hip Flexor Mobs
(8,8,8)/side

B. Walking DB Lunges
50X(10,8,8)/side

C1. Single Arm Push Up Hold
(30s,30s,20s)/side
C2. Piriformis Stretch
15s,15s,15s

D1. Right Hip Adduction
90X15,15
D2. Left Hip Abduction
90X15,15

I forgot Pull-throughs, so I just got done doing DB Swings instead. . .

PM . . .
A. DB Swings
50X12,12

The body weight is disappointing, but the PRs are not.

system · November 4, 2008, 6:21am

Wow. You gotta lot of injury prevention stuff.

PonceDeLeon · November 4, 2008, 7:54am

Damn, son! Strongman events?

What are you doing for Strongman training? I need ideas.

I think campus PD might stop me if they see a sledge hammer being toted over my shoulder with some sling.

Flow · November 4, 2008, 1:38pm

[quote]FightingScott wrote:
Wow. You gotta lot of injury prevention stuff. [/quote]

Yeah, it’s all a precaution. I skip the foam rolling and stuff if I don’t have time. I won’t let the dynamic flexibility stuff interfere with hitting the important stuff hard, but I see a lot of value in it because these movements have fixed me up very well in the last few months. I feel better all around and I move much better than I used to.

But yeah, how do you like that RP program you designed so far?

Flow · November 4, 2008, 1:50pm

[quote]PonceDeLeon wrote:
Damn, son! Strongman events?

What are you doing for Strongman training? I need ideas.

I think campus PD might stop me if they see a sledge hammer being toted over my shoulder with some sling.[/quote]

I don’t have a whole lot of experience with strongman stuff, but I can say that many strong people use it for conditioning.

Things like tire flips, sled pulls, car/truck pulls/pushes, farmers carries, sledge hammer swinging-as you mentioned-, and pretty much anything else most people wouldn’t think of doing but a strong person might.

CT says as many as 4 walks for 2-3 sets a piece is good for conditioning. I only have 2-3 events for 2-3 sets because I know tire flips are more taxing than farmers carries or other kinds of walks. Also, some of CTs recommendations are too much for me to handle because my work capacity and strength levels are pretty much shit.

Campus police really have no problem with us doing the strongman stuff, thankfully I’m starting to meet a small group of guys this Saturday to just mess around and do whatever strongman stuff we can.

I’ll have to hold myself back, because my gym lifts need improvement more than anything else. I wasn’t going to miss out on a chance to flip some tires though!!!

system · November 4, 2008, 2:34pm

[quote]Flow wrote:
FightingScott wrote:
Wow. You gotta lot of injury prevention stuff.

Yeah, it’s all a precaution. I skip the foam rolling and stuff if I don’t have time. I won’t let the dynamic flexibility stuff interfere with hitting the important stuff hard, but I see a lot of value in it because these movements have fixed me up very well in the last few months. I feel better all around and I move much better than I used to.

But yeah, how do you like that RP program you designed so far?[/quote]

Too soon to tell.

bignate · November 4, 2008, 5:42pm

how are u lifts looking right now flow?

Flow · November 8, 2008, 6:31pm

[quote]bignate wrote:
how are u lifts looking right now flow?[/quote]

Hey Bignate,

They are looking okay. Just okay. Nothing special. I’m getting stronger slowly, but progress is never enough.

I think my bench max is somewhere around 200-205, front squat 225-235, deadlift 340-350, back squat 290-300. Nothing spectacular, but I’m doing sets of 5 with weights I was handling for sets of three just a few weeks ago nowadays. So that’s always good. Just gotta keep grinding away and try not to train myself into the hole. Recovery is my biggest issue. . .

[u][i]11-4-08[/u][/i]

AM Weight: 195.8 lbs.
This pisses me off. I need to eat more.
BTW, I had some err. … . digestive stuff going on yesterday, so water weight lost can be some of the explanation. TMI? Yes. Yes, it is.

Back Pain: 0 out of 10
What back issues?

Right Pec Pain: 1 out of 10
Just some tightness during benching, and sometimes when I reach behind to grab something like my backpack. I think there is still some deep scar tissue.

Diet:6 out of 10
I ate more today than I did yesterday, but the choices still weren’t adequate. I do not have the funding to purchase lean cuts of meat and such. I am going to have to do as well as possible with what I have. The two things I want to do for my diet ASAP are investing in some Whey Isolate for peri-workout consumption and getting something other than canned tuna for protein throughout the day.

[u][i]Upper 1[/u][/i]

Foam Rolling
Dynamic Flexibility
-The knee punches are awesome for loosening things up. Really works on the length of hip external rotators. Felt it majorly in glute med/min, and all of those crazy little external rotators like piriformis. Thanks, Coach Gentilcore!

A. Bench Press
170X5,5,5
A2. No Money
8,8,8

B. Semi-supinated chin ups
6,6,5

C. DB Neutral Grip Incline Presses
45X10,8,7F@8* Shoulder popped

D1. Unilateral Triceps Pressdown
50X8/side
55X(8,8)/side
D2. Face Pulls
100X10,10,10

E1. Side Plank Rows
30X15/side
50X15/side
65X15/side
E2. Squat-to-stands
8,8,8

Yeah so no big deal on this session. I matched the volume of my last 3X5 on bench pressing, which isn’t cool. I should have gone up to 175 for the last set. I wasn’t feeling very strong on the warm ups so I knew better than to expect anything spectacular with benching.

It’s odd that I’m actually stronger in pull ups than chin ups. My understanding is that it’s the reverse in most people. I guess I have some weaksauce biceps.

Oh, and, I thought I’d ask for advice here. . .

Should I basically go balls to the wall for 1X5 on the first exercise in the fourth week, or should I just go back to a low-medium volume approach as in this first week? I can honestly tell you that this work load will be a lot for me to recover from- though it may not look like much to you stronger folk.

Flow · November 5, 2008, 11:04pm

[quote]AngryVader wrote:

Back Pain 1-10 rating

Right Pec Pain 1-10 rating

I’ll be looking forward to it. It’s funny how half the people with logs seems to be dealing with one or more pain issues, huh?

[/quote]

How the hell did I forget to respond to this? LOL I think I read it and ADD kicked in while I began typing up my 2nd post.

Yeah, I noticed that. There is some dysfunctional underground brotherhood of loggers around here. I mean physiologically dysfunctional. . . Well maybe psychologically too. Also, I mean loggers in the sense of recording what we do, not cutting down trees. Which reminds me. . . Chopping wood would be good GPP. . . Hmmm

I dunno what I’m saying. . .

Flow · November 7, 2008, 5:18am

[u][i]11-6-08[/u][/i]

AM Weight: 197.6 lbs.

Back Pain: 1 out of 10

Right Pec Pain: 1 out of 10
Tightness and DOMS. Nothing serious. THe thing is that my left pec is not sore, whereas my right (the previously injured one) is. My arms go up evenly on benching. My elbows stay relatively tucked. I think I just need to keep hitting the unilateral stuff hard and just focus on improving my form weekly.

Diet:6.5 out of 10
I ate better today. I brought steak and brown rice along with some fruit and mixed nuts to sustain myself throughout classes and work. I just need more protein. I still need to purchase that whey isolate and some new shaker bottles.

[u][i]Lower 2[/u][/i]

Foam Rolling
Dynamic Flexibility

A. Deadlift
135Xreps
185X3
205X3
225X1
245X1
265X1
275X5
285X5,5

B. Jump Squats
45X2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2

C. Single Leg Squats to lower-than-before box
BWX(8,8,8)/side

D. Back Extensions
+25X12,12

E. Pallof Press
60X(15,15,15)/side

F. Band adduction
1X20 right hip
*I cut out the rest of these because I didn’t have time. Whatev.

The deadlifts felt good. I need to focus on pulling the bar toward my shins to make sure it doesn’t get too far in front of me and put more work on my lower back. The hex plates don’t help with that.

I should have done the jump squats before deadlifts. I’ll start bringing a print-out of what I’m doing so I don’t forget those kinds of things

Single leg squats felt okay. It helps to actually bend at the knee before you push your hips back. Seems to make them feel better.

Pallof presses gave me oblique soreness just 5 hours after doing them. I think the dynamic pallof press is better than the static one because it forces you to keep your abs contracted even without the load, otherwise when you extend your arms you twist toward the weight tower.

Anyway, it was a good day in the gym.

EDIT:

Things to do next time I deadlift

Wear long pants
Reset completely between reps
Pull up and BACK

Things to do next time I front squat

Bend more at the knees and less pushing back the hips
Work on ankle mobility between sets
Work on taking less steps on the walk-out

Flow · November 8, 2008, 6:27pm

[u][i]11-7-08[/u][/i]

AM Weight: 198.6 lbs.

Back Pain: 2 out of 10
Slight pain and tightness. Admittedly, I didn’t do all of the mobility drills yesterday before deadlifting. I won’t do that again.

Right Pec Pain: 1 out of 10
Tightness

Diet: Will post later. . .

[u][i]Upper 2[/u][/i]

Dynamic Flexibility

Sprinting. . . I did this for my Exercise Phys. Laboratory
2 X 40m 5.8 on both. I’m slow. . .

A. Push Press
45Xreps
95X5
115X5
125X3
135X5
145X5
155X2F@3

B. Inverted Row
BWX8,8,8

C. Kneeling DB Row
45X8/side
60X8/side
65X8/side
70X8/side

D1. BB Shrugs
215X12,12,12
D2. Preacher Curls
45X8,8,8

Skipped abs because they are already pretty much wrecked. Especially after that sprinting. . .

Shouldn’t have gone up to 155 on push press. Next week I’ll do sets with 145.

Flow · November 8, 2008, 6:26pm

Yesterday’s diet ended up ~6.5 out of 10

[u][i]11-8-08[/u][/i]

AM Weight: 198.8 lbs.

Back Pain: 0 out of 10
Felt great even after/during the tire flips

Right Pec Pain: 1 out of 10
Tightness

Diet: Will post later. . .

[u][i]Strongman/Conditioning[/u][/i]

We haven’t built a farmer’s carry, but I did some good tire flipping. . .

Dynamic Flexibility

A. Tire flips
550lbs.X10,10,10
A2. 40m sprint
|,|,|
A3. Burpees
10,10,10

This was about all I did. The tire didn’t feel too heavy really, I just focused on the form today. Kept my arms straight and got my knee up on the tire as soon as possible to minimize biceps stress. Last time I did tire flips it was with a lighter tire and afterwards my biceps felt tweaked. Right now, they aren’t any different than normal.

Flow · November 10, 2008, 6:50pm

[u][i]11-10-08[/u][/i]

AM Weight: 198.8 lbs.

Back Pain: Will explain later

Right Pec Pain: 1 out of 10
Tightness

Diet: Will post later. . .

[u][i]Lower Body 1[/u][/i]

Foam rolling
dynamic flexibility

A. Front squats
Warmed up. . .
185X5,5*
SLIGHT back pain

Ditched the rest of the front squats

B. Modified single leg squat to box
BWX(8,8,10)/side

C. DB Split squats
50X(10,10)/side

D. Abduction/adduction
90X15/side

E. One arm push up hold
25s/side

Will explain why this happened later.

PonceDeLeon · November 10, 2008, 7:01pm

Where did you get the tire? I am jealous…

Flow · November 10, 2008, 7:40pm

[center]WARNING: LONG POST[/center]

Well there comes a time when one must realize what they currently are. Sometimes it happens with a slap in the face. It can be a good or a bad slap in the face- if that makes any sense. Today I realized that I am a book-savvy, ill-experienced trainee with a small support group and a tendency to reach out into areas beyond my current abilities too much.

I’ve spent months prepping to avoid another recurrence of back pain during a lift, and today that very thing happened. Let me take a step back and explain that my preparation led me to the ability to maintain moderate/appropriate lumbar extension during deep squats, generally improved hip (especially gluteal) function, and constant tonus of the abdominals suggesting a more stable “core”. These were definite improvements- most of which were measured quantitatively AND qualitatively.

My abs are much stronger, even three-four times stronger than they were just 10 weeks ago. That is fantastic progress. The trouble is that I’ve attacked my abs too much and I haven’t given them time to recover. Direct abdominal training is very important, but, just like everything else, it can be overdone.

In this current training split I use at minimum 2 movements that tax the abs heavily in every training session. Even my conditioning day centers around a movement that is extremely taxing on the abs. I need to back off of this practice.

I think we can all relate to greater progress having a snowball affect on confidence, which can lead us to believing we are capable of more than we can or even should attempt. This situation happened to me.

I will only train abs after leg days, for a moderate volume, with a difficult but realistic exercise, and for 3-4 sets from here on out. Please comment on this approach.

The rest of this week I’m cutting back on the ab training, cutting out heavy bilateral lower body movements, and adding some single leg squats and variations of said lift for 3-5 sets of 6-10 in the heavier lifts stead. My upper body days will continue as planned.

The plan is to effectively reset this training split next week, after my abs have had time to recover.

Oh, and I should add. . . On multiple accounts, by multiple individuals (one of which works with one of our accomplished sports teams here on campus) my lumbar spine is in good position at the bottom of lifts.

My thought is that, although no one was watching, my abs gave out and I fell forward too much on that last rep of front squats earlier today. That is what lead to that moderate amount of back pain.

Alright all, I’m out.

Flow · November 10, 2008, 7:46pm

[quote]PonceDeLeon wrote:
Where did you get the tire? I am jealous…[/quote]

Hey man,

We just called a local place that uses lots of tractors.

They were happy to get rid of the darn things- they even offered an 1100 lbs. one (fuck that)

Generally they cost ~3,000 $ a piece, but when the tread gives out on them they are worthless. My guess is that they are difficult to dispose of so, ‘donating’ them to a good cause (stronger folks) is something they won’t hesitate to do

system · November 10, 2008, 9:48pm

[quote]Flow wrote:
I will only train abs after leg days, for a moderate volume, with a difficult but realistic exercise, and for 3-4 sets from here on out. Please comment on this approach.

The rest of this week I’m cutting back on the ab training, cutting out heavy bilateral lower body movements, and adding some single leg squats and variations of said lift for 3-5 sets of 6-10 in the heavier lifts stead. My upper body days will continue as planned.
[/quote]

If you’re feeling like any bodypart is over-trained, you can always substitute in some Pussy Movements for a week. Instead of Hanging Leg Raises you can do Standing Ab Work with a Cable Machine. Instead of doing Chins you can do Lat-Pulldowns. You get the idea. The Cable Jungle Gym is a great source of puss exercises to sub in if you’ve beat something up.

I gotta say though, I think all this unilateral leg work is HIGHLY over-rated. I’ve climbed pretty far up that tree and let me tell you, when you get to the top there’s not a lot waiting for you.

To that point, cutting out ‘heavy bilateral lower body movements’ would be a big mistake. This would always be a big mistake for anyone. Squats should be your bread and butter. They should be the main source of your lower body training volume.

Instead, I ask you to consider adding in another “Big” lift. Something undeniably manly. Something that you might catch a Norse God doing in his garage on the weekends.

It looks like your “Main Event” for your lower body training is a Front Squat. Great. There’s a “Big” lift. So instead of going into your Unilateral Leg work after your Front Squats, do something else. Rack Deadlifts, Good-Mornings, something that Front Squats doesn’t cover.

I would recommend that out of your two “Big” lifts of the day, have one of them be decisively harder and heavier than the other. Doing High Box Squats and Rack Deadlifts would put a lot of weight through your body, but pairing Rack Deadlifts with Front Squats or paring Good-Mornings with High Box Squats won’t leave your body destroyed.

Maybe one of your Big lifts could be tire flipping. Otherwise, having 3 lower body days is pretty demanding. Only Svend Karlsen Front Squats, Deadlifts, and Tire Flips in the same week and he uses an 8 day week. If you’re going to try and do Strongman Events AND Barbell Lifts you should probably check out his website and take a look at his split.

You’re a bookish one. If you want to know how much volume to do with your two “Big” lifts of choice then refer to prilepin’s chart.

Once you’ve finished your two big moves of the day, then do a set of lunges or two. Sure, try to be as strong at lunges as you can be - but realize their place: to increase your Squat and Deadlift. The only reason you do Lunges is to get yourself in shape so you can raise your Squat and Deadlift - the exercises that are actually going to make you strong.

Flow · November 10, 2008, 10:13pm

[quote]FightingScott wrote:
Flow wrote:
I will only train abs after leg days, for a moderate volume, with a difficult but realistic exercise, and for 3-4 sets from here on out. Please comment on this approach.