Had a great day at the mini show today, even picked up a prize which was a real surprise.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzmyG-tATjV/?igshid=gam2n8dfgywu
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzmj1xjg9GN/?igshid=1l685g5te70oe
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Squatting 3x per week will really tighten things up. Pay close attention to your hips and thoracic region, which if tight and tacked down, will wreak havoc on your lumbar.
Bracing is great, and important, but you need sufficient mobility up and downstream to allow your lumbar to do its job safely.
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That car show looked fun.
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Congrats Simo, It is a fine looking set of wheels you have.
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Thanks @losthog and @mortdk it was a great show and there were lots of nice cars there. The problem when you go to the shows is you start thinking about getting more cars or doing another resto and I really dont have the space or time for either !!!
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Back is a little better again today. Still a little stiff right and the base of my back and get a little pain when I squeeze my abs and lower back. I still plan to squat tonight but I will have the belt on as the sets get heavier and if there is any pain I will shut it down.
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This might sound counterintuitive but if your back is acting up you may do better NOT to use a belt until you be absolutely have to (in terms of bar weight). The belt can mask things like insufficient brace which will make a really big difference if your back isn’t ok.
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I get what you mean, I will do all my warm ups and lower weight sets without as i normally do. If there are any issue with bracing or pain on those i wont go heavier anyway.
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Monday 8th July - Intensity block week 2
Squat
Bar x 10
65 x 5
85 x 3
105 x 3 belt on
Ok up to now
120 x 4 RPE 8 (264 lbs)
120 x 4 RPE 9
120 x 4 RPE 8
120 x 4 RPE 9
120 x 4 RPE 9
Felt ok, depth may have been off on a couple but happy. Kept the rest longer tonight to give me a chance !! No issues with my back on warm ups or top sets.
Bench
Bar x 10
65 x 5
85 x 3
90 x 6 (198 lbs) RPE 9 (last one was a bit slow),
90 x 6 RPE 8
90 x 5 RPE 10
90 x 5 RPE 10
90 x 4 RPE 10
90 x 3 RPE 10
First set paused, others just moved the bar. Shit got real quickly lol. Kept the rest short. Different bar tonight, felt thinner diameter which was weird !!
Bulgarian
15kg x 8 x 4 sets
Very short rest. Urgggg hate!
DB bench
32.5kg x 8 x 3 sets
SS Db Row
32.5kg x 10 x 3 sets
Db press were fine, last couple of reps I was working but no grinders.
Good session tonight. Back didn’t give me any trouble so squats moved fine. Having the bar just a couple of inches lower seems to be really helping me stay tight and keep my chin down. It’s early days but I’ll keep working at it.
Bench was off tonight, which is weird because last week it felt really light !!! Anyway still happy with the session.
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How do you know if you’re only bracing 80%
I hate pressing with thinner bars. I’ll always seem out the older, beat up, fatter ones
You hurt your back
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LMAO gold Mark, just gold. Reading this I had a mental image of you sitting at a table eating and young duke asks this question. Without looking up from your food and in a slightly grumpy tone you answer “You hurt your back” and then you keep eating without skipping a beat.
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The funny thing is, I was eating as I typed that.
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Now you have made me laugh out loud in the office and smile inanely!! As the boss I really should do some work !!
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how do you know without waiting until you hurt your back?
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Not sure how it applies to other people but for me it was/is mostly my lower back feeling strain at points it shouldn’t:
- unracking the bar for squats
- below parallel for squats
- as the bar breaks the floor on deadlifts
- around the knee when deadlifting
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A good belt always goes well with some nice tailored pants and a button down shirt
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And a good pair of thongs
DOMS in my glutes is real today. I think having the bar a little lower is deff allowing me to use my posterior chain more and quads less. Glad I have another rest day before my next session.
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