My back seems to respond to a LOT of volume, and in the off season I try to give it special attention. Prepping for this last competition, the back was getting hammered with a lot of log cleans, sandbag carries, stone loads, etc, but not a whole lot of specific “back work”. Seemed to work well enough, but now it’s like a sponge and needs more volume, haha.
Also helps that I only own 1 heavy set of dumbbells, so I have to keep pushing the volume. I have loadable handles, but they’re such a pain.
I think it goes for everybody, the back works absolutely all the time if you do labour work and is designed to do a lot of work.
These things really are the worst. I think I’d do a lot more DB work if they weren’t my only option in the basement.
@mortdk Definitely inclined to agree. I feel like the biggest mistake people make is treating the back like any other muscle group. It can take SO much more if you push it.
@mr.v3lv3t It’s amazing how much the minor inconveniences can add up. Powerblocks went a long way for me, but I got a killer deal on them at a yardsale. Hard to pay full price.
AM WORKOUT
(5) Texas deadlift bar mat pulls touch and go
5x135+chains
5x225+chains
3x315+chains
1x405+chains
DROPSET
11+4+4x495+chains
10+5x405+chains
Standing ab wheel
4x8
REST PAUSE (12 deep breaths between sets)
5x335 SSB
5x205 front squat
4x335 SSB
4x205 FS
3x335 SSB
3x205 FS
2x335 SSB
2x205 FS
1x335 SSB
1x205 FS
Notes: Oh I’ve missed sessions like this. I really had to survive that last part of the workout, and right at rep 3 of the very first set I immediately realized I had bit off more than I could chew. I definitely need the SSB back in my life, and I think my deadlift will start climbing again, because I can tell I got weak in my upperback and it was preying on that weakness. This was a solid protocol.
Slowly upping the reps on the mat pulls while increasing the ROM. Gonna see how well that works.
Woke up at 193.6. Usual cheat meal yesterday.
Occasionally I might realize something like this (finding a weakness), but I’m never excited about it and I’ll never sound like I’m looking forward to fixing it. And there’s a good chance I’ll continue to ignore it. Kudos to you!
I’m not excited or looking forward to fixing it either, haha. But I am looking forward to being stronger. It’s honestly one of the great things about weaknesses: it means you’re not done yet. Imagine how awful it would be if you had no weaknesses? It would mean you already reached your potential. What then? What if you were still unsatisfied? That’s all you get.
I still think I have a good stupid heavy deadlift in me, and I think the SSB will get me there. I’ve been coasting on my deadlift for a while, since it’s always been good enough to win, but I’d like to see what I can do with it with some dedicated time.
PM WORKOUT
Prowler loaded w/90lbs
50’ low handle/50’ high handle
5 rounds with no rest
Notes: Getting back into shape with this. Really need to focus on keeping my head down on the low handles. The instant I look up, the prowler stops.
No weigh in this morning.
AM WORKOUT
GIANT SETS
Axle strict press
5xAxle
5x103
5x136
5x166
3x191
4x216
10x166
D-ring lat pulldowns 140
7x12
Band pull aparts
7x20
GIANT SETS
Weighted dips w/105lbs
5x9
Axle rows 196
5x9
DB curls 35
3x11
2x10
Notes: Axle is feeling good again. TM still a little high; I’ll drop it for next cycle. Dips are boding well. This was a decently challenging set. Not sold on the rows: might replace them with reverse hypers come next cycle.
Woke up at 197.6. Took in a lot of sodium over the weekend.
Ever try to clean your axle like this?
Nah, I’ve never used a mixed grip on a clean or a continental. Right now, my grip outpaces my press.
AM WORKOUT
Buffalo Bar Squats 280
9x10
Notes: This was a real test. Left knee was not happy this morning, and felt like bone on bone. Rested 3 minutes between sets for the first 5. Started laying down between sets after that, and rested 4 minutes for the next 2 sets. That’s when a real bad exertion headache set in, so then I started resting 4 minutes between sets, would then stand up and lean against the bar until my vision went from double to single, and would get the next set in, so longer than 4 minutes in total. In turn, once I was done with set 9, I was running pretty low on time, and was feeling the distinct feeling of my soul escaping my pineal gland, so I called it a day and literally crawled up the stairs to take my shower before getting to work.
I’ve got room to hit 10x10 next week before I get on my cruise, after which point, I’ll most likely apply a different approach for this workout. I think training like this in absence of a caloric surplus is most likely not terribly viable, but the challenge has been good for me.
Woke up at 194.8. I know I said I’m going to enjoy this off season, but last night I saw an Octoberfest competition about 7 hours away that looks pretty cool. I might just train the way I wanna train and then show up for it, because it didn’t look terribly heavy. Something I’ll consider at least.
Wait… what? Is the Octoberfest celebrated internationally? Does your competition atleast include bavarian stone lifting?
We Americans hijack everyone’s holidays - especially ones that appear to be an excuse to drink.
@Koestrizer No stonelifting for this one, though I’d love to give that a run. It does have a keg press medley though, which I think is in the spirit, haha. Octoberfest can run the gamut of attempting to be very authentic to simply being an excuse to drink in October here in the states.
@Frank_C Do I hear Cinco de Mayo and St Patty’s day? Haha. As a non-drinker, I tend to miss out a bunch. But, I mean, I like quesadillas and corned beef, so that’s cool.
Halloween fits right into that mix as well. The holiday food leaves a bit to be desired on that occasion though.
Now that I live in Bavaria I really need to give that a run. A bunch of strongman around here are competing in that as well.
Yes SSB is king of squat bars. I don’t know why I don’t use it exclusively it destroys dreams, in a safe way
#triggered
This one puzzles me. Your bench is better than mine, your overhead press is much better than mine, but our incline is quite close. Are you going out of your way to minimize any arch? What kind of angle on the incline?
@mattjp I wouldn’t be doing the proper American thing if I didn’t completely butcher the holiday while co-opting it. Same thing with how many people think Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day, haha.
@brady888 Zero arch, totally flat back. With it being an incline press, I feel that arching would defeat the purpose, as it reduces the angle. Couldn’t tell you the specific angle of the bench, since I have a bad eye for measurement. It’s higher than a low incline and lower than a high incline. Looks like what I’ve seen most bench settings for incline benching. Skill is a significant part of it I imagine, as my improvements seem largely neurological right now.
AM WORKOUT
GIANT SETS
Axle bench press
5xAxle
5x136
5x186
5x226
5x256
3x281
7x316
12x256
DB rows 105
8x11
Band pull aparts
8x20
GIANT SETS
Incline axle bench 161
5x10
DB rows 105
5x10
DB lateral raises 25
5x10
Notes: Extra warm-up set worked it’s way in, which threw things off a touch, but otherwise a solid bench day. Wanted 8 for the topset, but 7 is a good showing. Incline is getting slightly better. It’s a weird feeling. I don’t feel any real sort of pump or strain, but alluva sudden I’ve just got no more reps in me. Definitely a weak link in the chain somewhere. DB rows continue to move along well.
Woke up at 194.4.