Keeping My Head Down, Doing My Thing

Training Training Logs
281

2022.1.19

90,5 kg

Morning — Strength Block Week 3 Day 3: Pull

Warm-up

3-minute timer per set

Pull-ups, normal tempo, various grips
8p, 7s-(f), 7n-f

(8p, 8s, 8n(f))
(3 x 6)

Let-me-ups (inverted bodyweight rows)
8, 9, 8

(8, 7(f) + 1r-p, 8(f))
(3 x 6)

Let-me-ins (towel rows)
3 x 12 (all with longer lever = harder)

(12, 12, 12(f) — second and third sets with longer lever = harder)
(3 x 12)

Towel curls
5 (l-m), 4 (m-h), 4 (m-h)

5 (l-m), 4 (m-h), 3 (l-m)
(3 x 4.6 (l – m))

5 minutes of thoracic stretching

Despite what I thought was a good night’s sleep and having quaffed a cup of coffee, I really struggled to feel fully awake this morning. Performance lagged accordingly at the beginning but picked up slowly after that.

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 21: Pronated grip: 8 (7 + 1r-p) + 7 + 6 + 6 + 5 (32)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

Energy & strength much worse than expected today. Really struggled to stay awake after lunch for some reason (even though my eating was clean and to plan), and so I have NEVER done as badly at this as today. But I take comfort in the fact that no single workout is all that meaningful, and that it’s intensity over long time periods that matters.

That’s what I’m telling myself anyway . . .

3 Likes
282

Does anyone reading this remember a recent thread in which people were talking about buying a weighted vest? The OP was going to buy something like a 25 lb vest, but then someone (@dagill2, @SvenG perhaps?) mentioned that he/she would probably get used to the weight rather quickly and therefore to buy something like a 35 lb vest instead, at which point the vest with the lower weight would quickly become useless.

That’s my memory of it, but I’ve searched using every term and combination I can think of, and I can’t seem to find that particular conversation anywhere.

I’m starting to need a weighted vest for some of my sets, which is why I was looking for this information. Price is not an issue so much as comfort and quality.

283

I don’t remember it at all, so it definitely wasn’t me. I very rarely use a weight vest… I know @antiquity is pretty big on weight vest training, so he might be able to advise.

1 Like
284

Similarly, I don’t remember that thread in particular, but I do use a weighted vest.

I bought mine from a supplier called Atlantis Fitness in Texas that is loadable from 1-30 kg. It was expensive, but came with 30 1-kg blocks that insert into little pockets: 15 on the front, 15 on the back.

The vest has a label saying, “Ader Fitness USA,” and a quick web search took me here: link. It doesn’t look like you can order direct, however, and I’m not seeing any overseas dealers.

(Clearly I’m assuming you’re not in the US; forgive me if that’s an incorrect assumption.)

It’s a rugged, well-constructed vest and it’s served me well, but there might be better options—I got mine at the height of the pandemic, so I was just thankful to have found something that was actually available!

1 Like
285

@oldnattychris

I’m a huge believer in using weight vests as a strength and conditioning tool. My go-to WV training is a circuit, like the Jim Wendler WALRUS training protocol:

Push ups or dips
Pull ups or rows
Squats or snatches

I do these circuits by putting on a vest, jumping on the AIrdyne for 1-2 miles, doing the circuit with reps broken up into 5 or 10 rounds depending on the rep goals, and finishing with another 1-2 miles on the Airdyne (still wearing the vest). For these types of workouts, I think a 20-30 lb vest is the best. Get a good one. I like the TribeWOD vest. Rogue also makes a similar one.

I don’t do weight vest walks too often. For these, people often favor a heavier vest in the 45 - 80 lb range. These are typically a different type of vest than the lighter ones (which you use plates for). Something like the RunMax that you can buy on Amazon is a good choice.

2 Likes
286

Wow! Thank you guys! I will look into the options mentioned.

@dagill2: Thanks so much for tagging @antiquity for me! I didn’t think to do that, even though I follow his log too.

@antiquity: Thanks especially for the training advice (what you describe is exactly along the lines of what I intend to do), and for the recommendations regarding the weight. I will go for a lighter one, since I don’t intend to use it for weighted walks.

I will also look into @SvenG’s idea of a loadable one, so the weight can be varied for various purposes. And yes, I’m not in the U.S.

Thanks again everyone! :heart:

2 Likes
287

@SvenG: The Adler Fitness vest doesn’t seem to be available where I am, so I followed @antiquity’s advice and ordered the TribeWOD.

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately?) the weights to make up 30 lbs of total weight are out of stock at the moment, so I ordered it with weights to make up 20 lbs instead. I can always order the heavier weights later, and will probably need to work up to them anyway.

Many thanks again for all your help! I’m excited to try it out when it arrives!

4 Likes
288

This is probably the best choice for consistent or even daily WV work if you’re doing push ups/dips, pull ups, and squats. And, like you say, you can add the 30 lb plates when needed.

Hope you like the TribeWOD vest! I’ve been really happy with mine and have used it constantly since I got it maybe 9 months ago or so.

On a related note, this Saturday I’m going for a weight vest circuit PR:

Wearing a 30# vest
2 miles Airdyne
100 pull ups
200 push ups
300 squats
2 miles Airdyne

Time goal = 41 minutes or less to set a PR by a comfortable margin.

2 Likes
289

Ouf! That weight vest circuit sounds crushing, especially given the time limit. It’s going to be a few years before I catch up to you there — if ever! :grin:

Good luck for Saturday! I’m excited for you, and I’ll be looking in on your log to see how it went!

1 Like
290

2022.1.20

–,– kg — batteries on the scale died this morning. Update tomorrow.

Morning — Strength Block Week 3 Day 4: Core

Warm-up

3-minute timer per set

Leg lifts with hands on chest
3 x 12.8 — still felt punched in the stomach but not as badly, so that’s progress?

(10.8, 12.8, 12.8)
(3 x 10.8)

Supermans with 3-second hold at top
3 x 12.6 — stiff at first, but better in the subsequent sets

(3 x 12.6)
(3 x 8.6)

Bicycles
10-ish, 8-ish, 9-ish — improved ROM but not quite there yet

(8-ish, 8-ish, 6f-ish)
(6-ish.6, 5-ish.6, 5-ish.6 each side — incomplete ROM. For me, these are tough)

Hyperextensions with hands under chin
3 x 12.6 — slightly stiff at first, then better

(3 x 12.6)
(3 x 12.6)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 22: Supinated grip: 8 + 7 + 7 + 6 + 5* (33)

  • held contraction on last rep of last set of pull-ups, about 5 seconds

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

What a difference a day makes! Much better strength & energy today, despite a worse night’s sleep (why?!). Honestly, I don’t understand my body sometimes . . . :roll_eyes:

5 Likes
291

2022.1.21

90,5 kg

Morning: Easy conditioning

Warm-up

As many cycles as possible in 20 minutes with no rest:

10 alternating back lunges
8 Let-me-ins (towel rows)
6 Push-ups

Did 10 rounds.

The thought of doing this in a weighted vest some day is hugely terrifying (and just the very tiniest bit exciting).

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

Afternoon: PLP

For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Day 23: Neutral* grip: 8 + (7 + r-p + 1) + 7 + 6 + 5 (34)

* After reading Chad Waterbury’s article below, I switched from supinated to neutral grip today to protect my elbows, which were annoyed again:

Tip: Do Pull-Ups Without Elbow Pain

5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

What can I say? Today wasn’t as bad as Wednesday but it was close. I hit failure on the last rep of the second set of pull-ups — I was stuck half way back up and absolutely nothing would budge, so I took a rest-pause and then re-did the final rep.

I’d love to believe that there’s a universe in which you get stronger despite sliding backwards, but I’m not sure it exists, Toto . . .

4 Likes
292

2022.1.22

90,0 kg

Morning & afternoon: Mobility and elbow rehab

Full-body warm-up

Because I have no imagination (exhibit A: my log) AND because I’m desperate to fix my elbow pain, I made a shameless theft of part of a posting @Voxel made in @aldebaran’s log.

(I probably should have asked first, guys; I hope you don’t mind? If you do, let me know and I’ll be happy to delete this post.)

I have to do something to try to rehab my elbows. Even though @Voxel’s instructions refer to rehabilitating Golfer’s Elbow (which I’m not entirely sure that I have), I decided to try them anyway, since I thought that if they make things worse, I’ll just stop, and if they make things better, then it’s a win!

This is what I did:

I followed this with 5 minutes of thoracic stretching, as I usually do, and then I repeated everything again this afternoon.

I will equally shamelessly steal Phase 2 when the time comes, but for now I’m trying this out on rest days.

I’m not quite sure how I’m going to fit the timing in with all the other daily work I’m doing — that would require an 18-hour day at least, and I’m far too addicted to my sleep to do that. So I’ll have to muddle along and figure out what works as I go.

3 Likes
293

What daily work are you doing?

Can you describe your elbow pain? Where it is? When it hurts? During which exercises?

1 Like
294

I just applaud you for doing the work with no equipment. I did ONE traditionnal style session at home, then got instantly bored.

Well in any case even if it’s a 20 it’s still makes everything harder and spending more calories, even if you got used to it.

The goal of this community is to share, there’s no stealing!

1 Like
295

Thanks guys! That’s very generous of you! :heart:

Because I have no access to a gym or equipment at the moment (I live in a small village in the middle of nowhere and I’m moving to a bigger city in November), I am doing everything by bodyweight alone.

I’ll spare you the long story, but because of mobility and health issues, I’m performing two “workouts” a day (each “workout” is more like a form of self-directed physiotherapy to start to help build some strength, and probably really something closer to what you would consider to be a warm-up).

I started with just the morning workouts (push, pull, legs, core split), but found that I needed more volume each day, so I starting doing Chad Waterbury’s PLP challenge (push-ups, lunges, pull-ups) as an afternoon workout. To make it a bit more manageable, I modified it using Dan John’s rep scheme. These are supposed to be done 6 hours after the morning workout — and with my strength and energy where it is, I very nearly need those 6 hours but can manage a 4-hour break if necessary.

I’m really enjoying the daily PLP work, and it’s helped me a lot!

Where I got myself into trouble was with “small” things like hand placement for push-ups, which were too narrow, leaving almost a 0º angle at the elbows instead of 45º. Similarly, I experimented with hand-widths on the pull-up bar — for a long while, my supinated grip was too narrow and my pronated grip slightly too wide because the neutral-grip handles are in the way of where I’d ideally put my hands on the bar. I probably need a different bar, which I’ll attend to after my move.

I’ve largely fixed these issues, though, and now have some fairly minor lingering pain, which comes and goes — gets worse on some days and better on others. I was looking for a way to rehabilitate the elbows in a more sustainable way, so reached for your suggestions.

I’ve had tennis elbow before (many years ago), so I know it’s not that. I’ve never had golfer’s elbow, but from the descriptions I’ve read, it doesn’t sound exactly like that either, although it might be.

Forgive the unscientific explanation, but if you extend your arm, you can feel three knobbly bits to your elbow: what we think of as the elbow itself (the large knobbly bit), and two smaller ones either side of it.

My pain is most often right BETWEEN the inside knobbly bit (on the pinky side) and the large knobbly bit we think of as the elbow itself. Occasionally, there’s some minor pain on the other side of the big knobbly bit we think of as the elbow, in the same place. You’re literally feeling right up against either side of that big knobbly elbow. If I remember correctly, tennis elbow pain is further out towards the outside of the joint, and my understanding is that golfer’s elbow pain is further in, towards the inside of the joint. My pain is closer to the middle, on either side of the largest knobbly bit.

The pain occurs when doing push-ups with the elbows at anything too far away from a 45º angle away from the torso. It also occurs during pulling motions (pull-ups, inverted bodyweight rows) if the hands aren’t roughly at shoulder width or very slightly wider.

I’m fortunate in the sense that the pain is not severe enough to require me to stop those exercises (it’s nowhere near as severe as what you described yours to be, @Voxel); I just wanted a way to prevent it from getting worse, and ideally deal with it once and for all, if that’s possible. It is slowly getting better, so I think I might be on the right track. Time will tell.

I’m laughing! Yes, it’s true that these routines are the very opposite of exciting! :grin: I’m a relatively good plodder, though.

Thanks again for taking an interest, and allowing me to share your posting and rehab measures. :heart:

1 Like
296

I’d say don’t get too much into your head and do whatever doesn’t hurt. What is optimal is what you can do.

Clearly you are! What i was doing for staying motivated was bodyweight WODs. I would go on WODwell or some other site and do those who looked badasses. It helped me being competitive and motivated. By the way my cardio improved greatly!

1 Like
297

Yep, that’s what I’m trying to figure out, but your point is well taken.

This is one of the places I’m hoping to get to as well, and it’s why I find so much inspiration from so many people’s logs here.

I’m also learning how to push harder than I have before. I think I’ve been so afraid of (further) injury that I frequently haven’t pushed with enough intensity. I also think it’s something you have to learn how to do, and I’m a rank beginner, so it’s taken me a long while to get there.

As you’ll see from what I’ll post later, I’m making some progress on that front, on the days when I feel good (like today, for example).

Thanks so much for the encouragement. Your patience and kindness mean a lot to me!

1 Like
298

Have you seen a physiotherapist for this new problem?

1 Like
299

I have not. The nearest physiotherapist is roughly 300 km away. I’m really hoping that I can sort this out on my own. If by November it doesn’t look like I’m able to, I will find a physiotherapist after my move to the city.

300

2022.1.23

89,2 kg

Morning — Strength Block Week 4 Day 1: Push

Warm-up

3-minute timer per set

Push-ups with feet elevated on chair
12, 11f, 8f

(10f, 8f, 6f)
(12, 10(f), 7f)
(3 x 6)

Military Press with hands raised on first step
8f, 6f, 5f

(7(f), 6(f), 6(f))
(3 x 6(f))
(3 x 6)

Close-grip push-ups
8f, 7f, 7f — good!

(6f, 7f, 5f)
(7f, 8(f), 6f)
(3 x 6)

Assisted dips (legs bent behind and feet on chair to help push up)
8(f), 8f, 7f — good!

(8(f), 8f, 8f)
(7(f), 6(f), 7f)
(3 x 4-ish)

5 minutes of thoracic stretching

This morning was good because I managed to push more sets to failure than ever before.

Afternoon: PLP, mobility, and elbow rehab

Warm-up (rest 10 to 20 seconds between sets):
3 x 5-sec hangs, neutral grip, with 90º elbow angle.
3 x 5-sec hangs, neutral grip, with 120º to 140º elbow angle

PLP:
For P & P always explosive up, 1-2-sec pause, 6-sec eccentric; for L always 6-sec pause at bottom each side

Climbing the mountain again:

Day 13: Neutral grip (to spare the elbows): 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3* (25)

* I intended to hold the contraction on the last rep for a count of 12 (approx. 6 seconds), which was as much as I thought I could manage; I was able to hold it for a count of 20 (approx. 10 seconds). Could have held it longer, but was too astonished to do so. I’ll try again tomorrow.

Stretching:
5 minutes of thoracic stretching.

Elbow rehab “work” sets (rest 2 to 3 minutes between sets):
2 x 30-second hang, neutral grip, with 120º to 140º elbow angle.
2 x 30-second hang, pronated grip, with 120º to 140º elbow angle.

During the pronated grip set, I tend to want to pull myself up, to counteract the fatigue that begins to set in. I have to watch this because at a certain elbow angle, the elbow is not happy. If I adjust position slightly, it’s fine again.

Overall, this was a very, very good day for me. All but the first set of PLP felt effortless — I was bursting with strength and energy today (relative only to myself, that is). I wish I knew the magic formula . . .

I think I’ve found one possible way to integrate the mobility and elbow rehab work each day by splitting it up and putting the warm-up part before the PLP, and the “work” sets after the PLP. I abbreviated the warm-up to avoid too much pre-fatigue (yes, I’m really that weak), but I’ll try adding warm-up sets gradually and see how it goes.

5 Likes