Revenge of the Sith: AngryVader's Log

Training Training Logs
401

[quote]Rattler wrote:
AngryVader wrote:
Tuesday 01/06 - Bis and Tris
Reverse Grip Bench (Smith): 165 x 8, 185 x 7, 195 x 6, 6, 205 x 8 - I’m really liking these.

Do you find the reverse grip bench hurts your wrist at all?
How far do you space your hands?

I’ve tried it a few times, always had huge amounts of pain in my wrists and never bothered doing it again after that.[/quote]

I haven’t noticed any wrist pain, but I’m not going particularly heavy yet either.

I grip the bar as recommended in some of the DC related posts I’ve seen, which is the bar actually resting diagonally across the palm, so that the ring and pinky fingers are almost not really on the bar. It’s not a very secure grip, which is one of the reasons why they say to use the smith machine. This video should give you a better idea.

I first tried using a wide grip like the guy in the video, but that made my elbows feel weird during the movement and aggravated my shoulder. I moved my hands in a bit, so they are just a little wider than shoulder width. I didn’t feel anything bad in my elbows and it didn’t bother my shoulder as much (if at all).

Once my shoulder feels better, I’ll probably experiment with a wider grip again and see which I feel more in the triceps, but for now, I’m going to use the slightly wider than shoulder width grip.

Another thing I read is that you should be oriented in the smith machine so that you are pressing the bar more towards your feet (and up) than towards your shoulders.

402

Wednesday 01/07

This morning I did some SMR and about 20 min of yoga.

Then I had my Physical Therapy appointment. The good news is that he didn’t think my issue was due to any kind of impingement. He said my range of motion was normal and I didn’t have pain in the places that people with impingement normally report.

He did say that my right shoulder didn’t feel very stable. Basically he suggested I do some internal rotation to strengthen the subscapularis and some additional scap work. He told me to do push-up plusses, so I’ll obviously continue to do those and the other scap work I’ve been doing.

Other than that, he said to do whatever I can to keep my strength up in the chest, back and shoulder and even suggested to shorten my range of motion on certain exercises until the pain goes away.

This afternoon I was anxious to get some of that work in, so I went to the gym.

Recumbent Bike: 15 min

Side Internal Rotation: 20 x 15,15, 22.5 x 15 - I was really feeling this behind the shoulder blades.

Side External Rotation: 20 x 10,10,10

DB Retraction: 50 x 15,15,15

DB Protraction: 50 x 15,15,15

Scap Pull-up: 12,12,12

Scap Push-up: 12,12,15

After I was done I did some stretching for the chest and shoulders. I noticed that when I do the doorway stretch, I really feel it in the armpit. Also, I did the corner stretch from the article yesterday. I know EC said that you really won’t feel a strong stretch, but I sure do. I feel it a ton in my upper pecs and shoulders. Just shows you how tight I am.

403

Thursday 01/08 - Hams and Calves

Got up late again, so no SMR or yoga. The good thing I’ve noticed is that my glute is finally in a state where I don’t need to immediately do SMR in the morning for that to feel good. Although, skipping some kind of SMR, stretching or mobility work in the morning is not a habit I want to get into.

RDL: 275 x 4,4,4, 285 x 4,4, 295 x 4 - Lower back still feels a little weird, but it’s better than last week.

Lying Leg Curl: 140 x 5, 150 x 5,5, 145 x 5,5 - Had to play with the weight a little. I’m trying to work on really feeling this in my hamstrings more.

One-legged Back Extension: BW x 10,10,10,10 (10 reps with each leg) - I might have to switch these to something else. The hyperextension bench at my gym is not very adjustable and these just don’t feel right.

Leg Press Calf Raise: 450 x 6,6,6,6,6, 460 x 6

Seated Calf Raise: 90 x 30,26,26

Garhammer Raise: 6,6,6

404

Friday 01/09 - Chest and Shoulders

Band Push-up Plus: monster-mini band x 8,8, light band x 6,6,6 - Better than last week.

BB Bench Press: 185 x 5,5,5,5,4 - The shoulder still bothered me a bit on these, but it was much more stable than when doing DB Presses. I really tried to work on keeping the shoulder blades down and back, but I noticed that the right side still likes to try an get out of that position. I also think I wasn’t lowering the bar low enough.

I was bringing it to my lower pecs, but I noticed that I was almost doing a tricep extension by the angle of my elbow in that position. Seems like lowering to just around the base of the rib cage/sternum was a better elbow angle. I’m going to hang out with 185 for a while until it feels better.

Incline DB Press: 60 x 8, 65 x 8, 65 x 8, 70 x 7,8, 60 x 8 - Again, these felt better for some reason, but a few times the shoulder kind of went out. I’ll really need to work on staying in the groove on these. The last set I backed off the weight and really tried to rep out without my shoulder doing anything weird. It actually felt pretty good.

Javelin Press: 45 x 5,5,5,6
DB Iron Cross (hold in seconds): 15 x 20,20,20,15

DB Lateral Raise: 27.5 x 12,12,12

Basically I felt an improvement in the shoulder as far as pain and stability, but there clearly is more work that needs to be done there.

405

How’s the cut treating you so far? Getting enough protein? You could try some Soylent Green if you need.

406

[quote]pushmepullme wrote:
How’s the cut treating you so far? Getting enough protein? You could try some Soylent Green if you need.[/quote]

mmmmmmmm…Soylent Green. (Simpson’s reference there)

I’m getting around 250 grams of protein a day, 100 of fat and I’ve managed to keep the carbs around 60 or so (that’s not after subtracting fiber either, so the net carbs are actually a bit lower). I feel pretty good so far, but it’s little early for me to be complaining about low-carbing it.

I’m down about 4 lbs so far, but I’m sure that can be attributed to water and stored glycogen. Nothing to write home about.

As far as my PWO shake, I’m up to about 15g of Glutamine and 7g of Glycine. I figure I’ll be up to the full dosages of both sometime next week.

I also plan on adding a few more supps this weekend.

I’ll likely add Sesamin, Pantethine and possibly Fucoxanthin. Oh and TRIBEX Gold. I also will add Astaxanthin (anti-inflammatory) as well.

407

[quote]AngryVader wrote:

BB Press: 185 x 5,5,5,5,4 - The shoulder still bothered me a bit on these, but it was much more stable than when doing DB Presses. I really tried to work on keeping the shoulder blades down and back, but I noticed that the right side still likes to try an get out of that position. I also think I wasn’t lowering the bar low enough.

quote]

Just wondering, do you do these standing?

408

[quote]Flow wrote:
AngryVader wrote:

BB Press: 185 x 5,5,5,5,4 - The shoulder still bothered me a bit on these, but it was much more stable than when doing DB Presses. I really tried to work on keeping the shoulder blades down and back, but I noticed that the right side still likes to try an get out of that position. I also think I wasn’t lowering the bar low enough.

quote]

Just wondering, do you do these standing? [/quote]

Oops…that should have said BB Bench Press, not BB Press (which implies a shoulder press). Sorry for the confusion.

409

Saturday 01/10 - SPRINTS!!!

I’m going to do my normal workout later still, but I just wanted to take a moment and post about this as I just got back from doing them.

This is the first time in about 4-5 months that I have done any kind of running or sprinting. I was kind of nervous about it, but once I got out there, it just felt right again. I didn’t go too hard. I did about 8-10 sprints of varying lengths. I just wanted to get back out there and see how things felt. It felt great! It actually felt better than it did just before the original glute issue, so that’s definitely a good thing. All that SMR I guess has paid off after all.

I’m a little tight right now, but no more so than I usually am after sprinting. I did about 10 minutes of stretching when I was done, so that helped.

I did find a really nice track about 10 minutes from my house, so I’m going to make that a regular stop from now on.

Anyway, I need to finishing watching the game and then I’ll hit up the gym later.

410

Saturday (Night) 01/10 - Back, Rear Delts and Calves

Music for today’s workout: Ill Nino - “Enigma”. I’m disappointed in this album. Normally, they are good for a few songs to work out to, but this album was pretty weak. Lots of slower stuff. Blech!

Chins: 15 x 4, 20 x 4,4, 25 x 4, 30 x 3, 35 x 4

BB Row: 225 x 5, 235 x 5,5, 245 x 5,5

One Arm Seated Row: 70 x 8,8,8,8

Incline DB Shrugs: 65 x 8, 70 x 8,8, 75 x 8

Rear Delt Machine: 125 x 8, 130 x 8,7,7

Leg Press Calf Raise: 270 x 10,9 - I did these kind of ‘DC-style’, with a 5 second negative and 15 second pause in the stretched position and then I’d rest pause after a few reps if the burn got too intense and to readjust my feet. Anyone else have that issue with calves? I seem to have to reset my feet like every few reps or otherwise my feet are barely on the machine by the end of the set.

Seated Calf Raise: 70 x 13 - Also done rest-pause, with a 5 second negative and 15 second pause in the bottom.

411

Monday 01/12 - Quads and Calves

Man, I’m still feeling a bit under the weather. I think I really need to try to get to sleep earlier or something.

Music of the day: Scissorfight - “Jaggernaut”. I liked it enough. Some of the songs with a little too ‘southern’ sounding for me though.

Pin (Anderson) Front Squats: 165 x 4,4,4, 175 x 4,4,4

Leg Press: 320 x 2:00 min x 42 reps, 360 x 2:00 x 35 reps

Leg Extension: 120 x 20,16,15

Leg Press Calf Raise: 460 x 6, 470 x 6,6,6,6, 480 x 6

Seated Calf Raise: 90 x 30,26,28

412

[quote]AngryVader wrote:

Man, I’m still feeling a bit under the weather. I think I really need to try to get to sleep earlier or something.

[/quote]

I think I remember reading somewhere in “Get a Life” that you were pretty sick and that it was going around your office or something for a while.

Still the same thing?

How many hours of sleep do you normally need to feel like you can kill a silverback gorilla with a toothpick?

413

Yes, I am a stalker.

414

I’m just posting because your log has nothing visible after 12/29 for me right now, and I’m trying to see what Flow wrote.

Hope you’re feeling better.

415

I am also down with a wicked cold. I was fighting it off a couple weeks back when my roommate was sick, taking zinc and vitamin C and green tea plus lemon juice.

Stayed up until 8 am last Friday night and that did me in. Lack of sleep is the only thing that will throw me under the bus like that. I’m just getting old.

416

[quote]Flow wrote:
AngryVader wrote:

Man, I’m still feeling a bit under the weather. I think I really need to try to get to sleep earlier or something.

I think I remember reading somewhere in “Get a Life” that you were pretty sick and that it was going around your office or something for a while.

Still the same thing?

How many hours of sleep do you normally need to feel like you can kill a silverback gorilla with a toothpick?[/quote]

Yeah, still the after affects of the same thing. I didn’t sleep as much as had originally planned, so that didn’t help my recovery.

I’m normally good with 7 hours or so, but when I feel sick I usually need a few more and that really hasn’t happened since New Years.

417

Tuesday 01/13 - Arms

RGBP (Smith): 185 x 8, 195 x 8, 205 x 6,6,6

PJR Pullover: 75 x 10, 80 x 8,8,8

Reverse/Regular Pushdown: 75 x 8/8, 80 x 8/5, 7/4

DB Preacher Curl: 35 x 8,8,8,8

DB Hammer Curl: 37.5 x 8,8, 40 x 8

Reverse EZ Curl: 55 x 10, 60 x 10,10

Rope Crunch: 80 x 8, 85 x 8, 90 x 8
Dip Shrugs: BW x 12, 10, 10

418

[quote]AngryVader wrote:
Flow wrote:
AngryVader wrote:

Man, I’m still feeling a bit under the weather. I think I really need to try to get to sleep earlier or something.

I think I remember reading somewhere in “Get a Life” that you were pretty sick and that it was going around your office or something for a while.

Still the same thing?

How many hours of sleep do you normally need to feel like you can kill a silverback gorilla with a toothpick?

Yeah, still the after affects of the same thing. I didn’t sleep as much as had originally planned, so that didn’t help my recovery.

I’m normally good with 7 hours or so, but when I feel sick I usually need a few more and that really hasn’t happened since New Years. [/quote]

Showoff!

419

[quote]AngryVader wrote:

Music of the day: Scissorfight - “Jaggernaut”. I liked it enough. Some of the songs with a little too ‘southern’ sounding for me though.

[/quote]

HEY!!! Don’t make fun of the south and our music!! I’m gonna have to go Vader on you!!

Glad things are going well with you, wishing you a prosperous and healthy 2009!!

420

[quote]Rattler wrote:
AngryVader wrote:
Flow wrote:
AngryVader wrote:

Man, I’m still feeling a bit under the weather. I think I really need to try to get to sleep earlier or something.

I think I remember reading somewhere in “Get a Life” that you were pretty sick and that it was going around your office or something for a while.

Still the same thing?

How many hours of sleep do you normally need to feel like you can kill a silverback gorilla with a toothpick?

Yeah, still the after affects of the same thing. I didn’t sleep as much as had originally planned, so that didn’t help my recovery.

I’m normally good with 7 hours or so, but when I feel sick I usually need a few more and that really hasn’t happened since New Years.

Showoff![/quote]

Don’t hate!