Lo/Rez Training

Training Training Logs
1081

Didn’t make it to the gym yesterday since I was working and cooking all day. Had guests over, made fresh chicken stock, chicken and sausage gumbo (gluten free; millet works well instead of flour for the roux), corn maque choux, and my girlfriend made collard greens and cornbread. Between the stock and gumbo, I literally had things cooking on the stovetop from 6pm to midnight one night, and 10am to 10pm yesterday.

Did do gymnastics stuff afterwards.

Gymnastics Progressions
5 x (36s Arch Body Holds/Supermans + 10 Standing Hip Circles each way)
5 x 9 x (Tuck Ups + 5 Stiff Leg Windmills each way)

This wasn’t the best thing to do on a full stomach, but still better than doing deadlifts while stuffed.

Also a couple more sets dead hang ring pullups. Based on what I’ve seen, it actually seems like my tendons aren’t quite conditioned to doing those from dead hang. The “golfers elbow” is the result of that. Supposedly a combination of dead hangs for time, and flexed hangs (hold at top position) for time are what can be used to build up to that.

1082

7 Mat Pulls w/35lb Chains
135 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 2
315 x 1
add straps
330 x 1
360 x 5 - 5RM PR (formerly 355 x 5, but I’ve done 365 x 4)
330 x 5

Just like that 345 set, this went up fast and easy. A full rest day between sessions could have made some difference.

There’s a few reasons I can think of why this was easy:

  • better form/technique - somewhat possible, though I don’t think it was that different
  • better warmup: more jumps, less reps - possible
  • soft tissue work in hamstrings and glutes before the session - unlikely
  • the “deload” provided enough time for everything to adapt from the last cycle - very possible
  • the submax work this cycle built strength - also very possible
  • the gymnastics work - unlikely

Regardless, something’s going right.

I didn’t sleep well, and I didn’t eat much today, so I was genuinely doubting my ability to do this at all today. I took a short walk after my last warmup set to clear my head.

No SI pain on any of this anymore. I think I have that pretty well sorted now.

1083

Hey, Lorez, are you an engineer?

1084

[quote]Destrength wrote:
Hey, Lorez, are you an engineer? [/quote]

Software Engineer, if that counts. Why, what’s up?

1085

Rolled hamstrings, glutes and calves before I lifted. Had to rush this session to get back before a meeting.

7 Mat Pulls w/35lb Chains
135 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 2
275 x 1
315 x 1
add straps
345 x 1
375 x 5 - 5RM PR (was 360 x 5, as of last night)
345 x 5

And there’s 2.5x BW for 5, which should be a bit over 2.5x BW from the floor. Now time to work on 3x.

Bodyweight is around 152.

1086

Yesterday:
Ring Pullups - Partial ROM
5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Ring Pullups - Dead Hang/Full ROM
3, 2, 1, 1

Today:
Ring Pullups - Dead Hang/Full ROM
3, 2, 2, 1

After doing a bit more researching, I decided to work on doing dead hang pullups instead of the ~85% down pullups I’ve been used to. Given that I want to eventually be able to do some basic gymnastics stuff on rings, it would be better to train in a manner conducive to doing that – namely, in a way that builds up connective tissue too.

There seem to be enough cases where people who do tons of pullups end up hurting themselves by not working the connective tissue well enough. Biceps get too strong and a tendon gets ruptured. I’d rather avoid that.

Basic routine I’ll be following is the 3RM one here: How to Increase Your Pull-Up Power

Do that with bodyweight, work up to 5,4,3,2,1 over a couple weeks, then add weight and repeat.

Essentially, it’s this:
3, 2, 1, 1
3, 2, 2, 1
3, 3, 2, 1
4, 3, 2, 1
4, 3, 2, 2, 1
4, 3, 3, 2, 1
4, 4, 3, 2, 1
5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Just accumulating volume, adding reps at the last set, then 2nd to last set, and so on.

1087

When you do the pullups,which way are your palms facing? Are they a lot harder on rings?

1088

[quote]confusion wrote:
When you do the pullups,which way are your palms facing? Are they a lot harder on rings?[/quote]
For the most part, they’re mostly facing each other/neutral.

Dips and pushups are harder on rings, but pullups are as easy if not easier as with a bar. You can rotate the rings however you want and make it easier or harder, but you can also just let the rings rotate on their own.

For any sort of shoulder or elbow issues, I imagine the rings are much better. They let your arms rotate as they naturally rotate.

1089

Really enjoying your log as always LoRez. Seems to me like mat pulls and ring work would make an incredible minimalist routine, I really like the idea of it. Long term is your plan to stick with mat pulls or gradually increase ROM until you are pulling from the floor? Or are you as yet undecided? Your ring pull-up routine looks very similar to Pavel’s fighter pull-up routine, which I have done in the past.

1090

Ring Pullups - Dead Hang/Full ROM
3, 3, 2, 1

And a few hangs.

These are still well below my ability level, so I’m just working on control through the whole range.

7 Mat Pulls w/35lb Chains
135 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 2
275 x 1
315 x 1
340 x 1
360 x 1
390 x 1 (attempted 2) – PR
360 x 1, 1

And that concludes the training cycle.

390 = ~425 at top.

Left spinal erector is a bit pumped and sore, but I’m not feeling it in my joints anymore. Rolled out calves, glutes and hamstrings before heading to the gym. This makes a difference.

1091

Ring Pullups - Dead Hang/Full ROM
4, 3, 2, 1

Z Presses (finally)
45 x 5
65 x 3
85 x 5
75 x 5

Should have done more warmup here.

7 Mat Pulls w/35lb Chains
135 x 5
135 x 5
225 x 2
245 x 1
275 x 5
245 x 5

Back is still pretty touchy from yesterday. Feels like it might take a couple more days to be back to normal.

1092

[quote]furo wrote:
Really enjoying your log as always LoRez. Seems to me like mat pulls and ring work would make an incredible minimalist routine, I really like the idea of it. Long term is your plan to stick with mat pulls or gradually increase ROM until you are pulling from the floor? Or are you as yet undecided? Your ring pull-up routine looks very similar to Pavel’s fighter pull-up routine, which I have done in the past. [/quote]
Oh, sorry I missed this.

Yeah, the ring pullup routine is Pavel’s, but just the shorter 3RM one. Since I never did full ROM pullups in the past, I figured I’d start slow. Plus Dan John’s take on it seemed to be to use the 3RM one and add weight and repeat.

I’m not planning on doing ROM progression with the mat pulls; down the road I may, but if we’re actually talking about that 18" strongman deadlift, I’m already training below that height.

I did add the Z Presses back in (starting yesterday). It was just convenient to leave the bar set up for the mat pulls instead of switching between the lifts. It gave me one lift to truly focus on and see what could be done, while I experimented with some of the ring and gymnastic stuff.

Routine right now is, for sure, ring pullups (soon to be weighted), mat pulls w/chains, and z presses. I’m still debating how much effort I want to put into the gymnastic progression work. It’s a lot of core work, and a lot of holds, which I’m just having trouble with motivation. Conditioning of some kind will also be added in, but I haven’t started with that. I have exercise-induced asthma, and I just hate triggering it, so there’s my real hesitance.

But yeah, there’s the general idea.

1093

Ring Pullups - Dead Hang/Full ROM
4, 3, 2, 2, 1

Still this.

Drove by Chris Duffin’s gym tonight. Took less than 20 minutes to get home after, without traffic. No saying what that would be like any other time of the day though.

Thinking about joining. While it’s a bit pricey, it’s still cheaper than what my girlfriend spends on gym and personal training each month. And the people and coaching is top notch.

Seems like a no-brainer, except that I’m just used to training at home, alone, and have the equipment to do that.

So, yes, thinking about joining.

1094

[quote]LoRez wrote:
Drove by Chris Duffin’s gym tonight. Took less than 20 minutes to get home after, without traffic. No saying what that would be like any other time of the day though.

Thinking about joining. While it’s a bit pricey, it’s still cheaper than what my girlfriend spends on gym and personal training each month. And the people and coaching is top notch.
[/quote]

I’ve been meaning to stop by there for some time. I’m surprised it only took you 20 minutes, you must of gone at the right time to avoid traffic. I5 and 205 can be hell going North from 3-8. I don’t head up there too often, but usually takes forever.

1095

[quote]dchris wrote:
I’ve been meaning to stop by there for some time. I’m surprised it only took you 20 minutes, you must of gone at the right time to avoid traffic. I5 and 205 can be hell going North from 3-8. I don’t head up there too often, but usually takes forever. [/quote]
It was 9:30 or something.

There’s only a few times I’ve tried to do that drive north in the afternoon, and it’s been pretty crazy. I left at 3 or so from the southeast, and it took me nearly 2 hours to get up to Washington.

Since I work at home though, and kind of set my own schedule, I might be able to find a way to make this work on a fairly regular basis.

But yeah, I literally just drove by, found the place, but didn’t stop in. I was really just down that way picking up tickets for a concert.

1096

Last Night:

Ring Dips
3, 2, 1, 1

I’m going to do these with the same progression as the pullups.

Today:

Ring Pullups
4, 3, 3, 2, 1

Ring Dips
3, 2, 2, 1

Z Presses
45 x 10
65 x 5
90 x 5
80 x 5

Shoulders still feel quite a bit less than perfect. Again, could have used more warmup here. Form isn’t as clean as it used to be either.

7 Mat Pulls w/35lb Chains
135 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 2
260 x 1
290 x 5
260 x 5

Did all that with a hook grip. Usually I do work sets with straps, but I might as well work on conditioning my thumbs.

1097

Being completely honest with you dude, I’d say it would be kind of stupid NOT to join that gym, man.

1098

I’m contemplating making some changes to my overhead programming, based on this, from Bill Starr:

[quote]A set and rep formula that has proven to get results for myself and my athletes over the years
is as follows: two, or for some, three sets of five as warm-ups; then three sets of triples with the same
poundage. Slowly expand this to six work sets of three, and unless you?re going to add in one of my
recommended exercises for overloading, do a back-off set of ten.

A sample workout might look like this: 115x5, 135x5, 165x3x3-6 sets with a back-off set of
10 with 145. The key to making this work is that you cannot add to the top-end work sets unless
you make every single rep in the routine, not counting the back-off set. Should you only be able to
make two reps on your final set with the work weight, you need to use that same amount at your next
pressing session. If you are successful, increase the top-end sets by five pounds. And so on and on
upward.

Eventually, you?ll plateau. […] That?s where my exercises come into the act. They?ll help
to jolt the muscles and attachments that are involved in pressing and make them stronger. Stronger
muscles, tendons, and ligaments translates to moving more weight overhead.

The number one exercise on my list for improving the press is weighted dips. […]

The routine I give my athletes changes every week. It brings results because the low reps hit
the attachments while the higher ones strengthen the muscles. It?s a three week cycle. Week one: five
sets of eight with weights plus a warm-up set done free hand. Week two: a warm up set free hand
then five sets of five, followed by a back-off set. Week three: warm-up set, two sets of five and two or
three sets of three to limit, followed by a back-off set. The back-off sets will be with fifty pounds less
than you used for the top-end set and needs to be done to failure. I?ve had some athletes who handled
fifteen reps on their back-off sets and these really boost the overall workload.

[…] What you want to do is handle as much as possible on your final set at each session. So if you do five with 80 and realize that you can use more weight that day, go ahead and jump the numbers up for one more set.

After a couple of these cycles, go after a PR single. […]

One final comment on the weighted dips before I move on. You have to progress to where
you?re using at least a hundred pounds for three before these will have an influence on your overhead
press. So work hard to get to that level, and then it will be smooth sailing.

The next exercise is to help with the start of the press, which I aptly call Press Starts. […]

Press Starts will strengthen your start and push presses can improve your finish.[…]

What else? Very steep inclines are beneficial. They work if the incline is really steep because
the angle is close to what is used in the press. On these, I utilize the same routine that I outlined for
weighted dips: 8s, 5s, and 3s plus an occasional session with singles to max.

Doing pure isometrics and/or isotonic-isometrics is a great way to get the press to move upward.
In fact, they are both excellent exercises to get any lift to move in the right direction. [/quote]

Lots of stuff, but I think my currently plan of working on dips is a step in the right direction.

1099

[quote]Spidey22 wrote:
Being completely honest with you dude, I’d say it would be kind of stupid NOT to join that gym, man. [/quote]
You’re right.

I can come up with lots of excuses, but in the end, I’d regret not taking advantage of the opportunity.

My biggest concern is actually the traffic. A 20 minute trip there can take 2.5 hours or more to get back, and afternoon rush hour legitimately lasts from like 3:30pm to 7:30pm.

And then there’s secondary concerns about changing my programming, or losing track of my goals, or feeling like I just wasted my money on my home gym because I’m not using it.

But really those are just excuses. I mean, Amit Sapir stopped by his gym for a few days on his way to Australia, to consult a world-record squatter before setting his own world record, so really, the inconvenience of a couple hours traffic on a regular basis is pretty negligible.

1100

Ring Pullups
4, 4, 3, 2, 1

Ring Dips
3, 3, 2, 1

Z Presses
45 x 10
45 x 10
65 x 3
85 x 1
95 x 5
85 x 5

Better warmup. 2x10 with the bar seems good.

This was annoyingly heavy.

7 Mat Pulls w/35lb Chains
135 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 2
275 x 1
straps
305 x 5
275 x 5

Tricep Pushdowns
“5” x 5 x 10

I think I’ve done well to get the strength out of the muscle I have, but I think I just need more muscle. My arms are my biggest weak point, size wise. Going to put some concerted effort into growing them.

Chins + dips + pushdowns is going to be the strategy for now.

I’m also noticing more fat than before. Probably the biggest change in my diet is a decrease in the milk I drink, and that I’m skipping lunch more often. I’m going to switch back to drinking more milk, and just drink it throughout the day. Yes, I know, “I’m getting fat, I need to drink more milk” is counterintutive.