15.03.
1 Push Press
67,5 kg x 5
77,5 kg x 5
87,5 kg x 13
2a paused close grip board press (as made popular by Graham Hicks)
5 x 10 @ 70 kg
2b seated row
5 x 10
3 hang power clean
5 x 10 @ 40 kg
4a triceps push downs
5 x 10
4b face pulls
5 x 15
5 biceps curls
100 total. Pump pump baby
Notes:
It is this that keeps us all coming back for more. Quality
Is it weird I hate the pump? I do love lifting heavy though
Nope, I am not a fan either. Especially biceps because I feel so immobile.
Yesterday was different for some reason. Maybe I was just happy to be “back”
16.03.
1 deadlift
5 @ 120 kg (doh, beltless)
5 @ 135 kg (beltless)
9 @ 152,5 kg - ten would have been nice but it was very likely that the next rep would have been hitched, which I want to avoid for now
2 ssb lunges
3 x 10 per leg @ 42 kg
4 Sandbag carries
4 x 40 meter @ 80 kg
5 seated hamstring curls
4 x 15
6 lat pull down
4 x 15
Sauna and steam bath
Notes:
After I finished typing I realized that this is a super long but not super important post. So sorry and thanks if you made it through
19.03.
I was very sore after the last workout so I waited until today to train.
I still have some DOMS left in my glutes. This was the most intense DOMS I have ever had in the glutes:
The next step is oviously becoming an IG fitness model sensation. Expect texts like “be the change that you want to see in the world”,
“it’s you vs you”,
“Just believe in yourself and you can be anything you want”,
“use my code Koestrizer10 for 10% off on oil made out of human feces”.
1 hang power clean (beltless)
5 @ 50 kg
5 @ 57,5 kg
9 @ 65 kg (damn slippy bars - lost the bar on rep 10. My typical luck came into play and the plates landed on my earphones. I need new ones … again… )
2 squat
5 @ 100 kg
5 @ 115 kg
9 @ 130 kg
3a strict press
2 x 10 @ 50 kg
3b rdl
5 x 10 @ 90 kg (started with the belt because of my back but took it off after two sets and it felt a little better)
4 kroc rows
2 x 20 @ 40 kg (first without straps)
5 Leg Press
2 x 1 Minute: First Set 32 reps, second 30 reps (3,5 minutes between) @ 193 kg
Video:
Notes:
One thing that bugged me and that has been bugging me on the last two workouts as well is my back. I don’t have back pain during the day or upon waking or anything like that and to speak in detail I don’t experience back pain during my workout per se. BUT my back gets super “pumped” and stiff when I start to train. Today it was so bad that I could barely bend over. Hips felt pretty shitty too, I had all the flexibility a guy my size can have before I started with the weights.
It affected my squats because I was naturally trying to keep pressure away from my back.
Possible reasons for this:
Anyway I wan’t to be proactive about this before I am forced to deal with back pain/ discomfort on a regular basis or injure myself. So far I was thinking about something like agile 8 preferably daily with some extra love for the psoas and then maybe McGill’s big 3 but I am all open to ideas and suggestions!
I don’t really know to tag here besides @FlatsFarmer (because you are the man for this) and @MarkKO (because I know you have been dealing with this yourself).
That is almost the opposite to what I’ve been experiencing (tight and stiff during the day, generally eases up during training). Interesting. I would go for your job being a factor. Your hips are probably tightening up from the sitting.
Do you have the option to stand at your desk? That would probably help a ton.
The Agile 8 might help, but my ecorrience has been that it actually made my hips hurt. The McGill big three is probably a better option to get your whole midsection working. Maybe do it twice daily, on waking and when you get home from work?
Thanks for the response man.
Well there are certainly periods where I could stand up but generally I can’t have a standing desk and the actual work would require me to sit down.
I’ll try to implement the big three and some stretching as often as possible. I’ll log it to keep myself accountable because I find this stuff easy to forget, especially since I don’t have problems during the day.
I like Mark’s idea about getting a little straightened out before and after work. And before workouts.
If I start lifting with tight hips, I find myself over arching, using too much low back and like no abs to brace. It makes my back really tight and sore.
Anything to fire up the abs and glutes to take pressure off hip flexors and low back. McGill 3, clam shells for glutes, sidebends, glute bridges or hip thrusts, dead bugs for abs and proper hip tilt, all that little BS stuff.
When sitting at your desk, remember your Box Squats. Abs, hamstrings and glutes should support you, letting hip flexors relax. Feet flat on the floor, shins vertical. Slumping forward and letting knees go over toes pulls hips into flexion and tightness your lower back into bad posture. So try not to do that.
Also, working your glutes is always good. But if they’re really sore from lunges, they are probably tight too. They are strong thick muscles and if they “crank down” after a tough workout they can limit your hip motion and make your back tight/sore. Sometimes I use a lacrosse ball to roll out glutes and loosen up. I believe you had something like this pop up once in the past.
I also had good results from using isometric sumo deadlift to get the right muscles fired up before lifting. I’d put enough weight on the bar so it wouldn’t move, then pulled on it for 3-8 seconds, focusing on brace/glutes/abs, spreading the floor, neutral back, etc.
Specifically for psoas you can hang out in the 90/90 position, taking deep breathes and letting your hips relax and your lower back go neutral.
This dude is going more extreme and using a lacrosse ball with a kettlebell on top to grind on his ropey psoas.
@FlatsFarmer thank you very much. Once again some valuable Info and suggestions!
Sitting “properly” is really hard for me. Like really, really hard. I forget about it after 5 minutes.
I’ll try to do more activation before my workout today and I’ll let you know how it went.
Yeah the sitting might very well be the culprit.
Flats and Mark have some good advice stick with them.
I’ll throw in a few I’m using.
I’m using a yoga flow “sun salutation”
And then the one I would highly suggest you’d do.
Sitting in the third world squat I don’t really know what it’s called but sit in a deep deep squat ass to grass and stay there.
Start out with as long as you can get in 5-6 minutes every day and spread it out do 5 - 6 times and when you’re getting used to it, and can sit there comfortably for 3+ minutes (I’m doing it while brushing my teeth) start out this routine:
I would highly recommend this.
Thanks a lot Mort! I’ll definitely look into it!
The third world is a very comfortable position for me, so I’ll probably progress quickly.
The more I try to be aware of it, the more I agree/ am sure it is the sitting that fucks with me.
This is true for me. So much so I struggle to sit in a car for more than 30 mins. That’s part of the reason I ride a motorbike… that and I love doing wheelies !!
Looks like a solid plan!!!
That sounds tough. From that brilliant CCTV video I remember you wear a suit to work so I guess you are sitting a bit yourself? How do you deal with that (assuming I am right)?
I manage a large distribution centre so my day is a mix of sitting at the desk looking at emails and reports, meetings and being on the floor in the operation. I try to balance my time between the desk and the floor so I don’t sit for too long. I also have all my meetings in a stand up meeting room.
My biggest issue is when I travel interstate for a few days. It involves a drive to the airport, 1-4 hours on a plane (depending on state) and then usually 2 days in a meeting room. For these I always find a seat directly in front of any presentation so I don’t need to turn sideways. I also spend a decent amount of time stood up behind my chair. Everyone I work with knows me well enough by now so no one cares if I stand for half the day.
21.03.
Warm up measures today:
All for a few.
1 Log lift (clean every rep)
Up to
3 @ 85 kg
3 @ 90 kg
3 @ 90 kg
2 carry medley
2 rounds of:
15 meter: 90 kg (per hand) farmer’s + 80-85 kg sandbag + ca. 60. kg keg
1 round of:
20 meter (with a turn at 10m for each implement):
90 kg farmer’s + 80-85 kg sandbag + ca. 60 kg keg
Ouch.
3 wanted to do load to height with the sandbag but it opened up. Need to fix that damn thing again.
So I settled for light zerchers. 1 from the floor, rest just squats
3 x 5 @ 60 kg
Notes:
23.03.
Warm ups:
1 Push press
Some @ 60 kg
3 @ 82,5 kg
12 @ 92,5 kg - probably a PR
2a paused close grip board press
5 x 10 @ 72,5 kg
2b seated rows
5 x 10
3 hang power cleans
5 x 10 @ 50 kg
4a triceps push downs
5 x 10
4b face pulls
5 x 15
5 biceps curls
100 total
6 Band pull aparts
3 x 15
Notes:
Edit: Forgot to mention that I also incorporated the breathing excersise that @FlatsFarmer mentioned
Last two sessions were killer koe keep it going
