Striking a Balance

Training Training Logs
101

Warm-up:
Band pull-aparts, jumping jacks,v-crunch, Greco pull-aparts

Mains:

Pull-ups, band-assisted:
6, 6, 6

Overhead press:
8 x 3
18 x 3
38 x 3
50 x 8
50 x 8
50 x 8
50 x 6
50 x 3
50 x 3

Barbell row:
48 x 5
68 x 20
68 x 15
68 x 12
68 x 10

Not really any plan to this. Should have been dumbbell rows, but decided that BB was quicker - so on a whim went with some amrap sets.

Dumbbell lateral raise:
8,4 x 12,12,12,10
SS with
Band facepull: 10,10,10

And that was that - just over an hours workout. Did not get to the supplemental stuff, but am trying to limit myself to strict(ish) one hour sessions.

Workout tunes: Evangelist: In Partibus Infidelium

2 Likes
102

Warm-up:
Band pull-aparts, Greco pull-aparts, hip mobility stretches, jumping jacks, v-crunches.

Mains:

Chin-ups - band assisted
7, 5, 5, 5

Overhead Press:
8 x 5
18 x 3
28 x 3
38 x 3
58 x 3
60 x 3
60 x 3
60 x 3
60 x 3
58 x 3

Barbell row:
32 x 8
58 x 8
83 x 8
83 x 8
83 x 8
83 x 8

Barbell floor press
32 x 10
58 x 8
58 x 15
58 x 15
58 x 15

Finishers:
SS:
Band 1 hand crossover chest press: 15, 15, 15
Triceps band pulldown: 15, 15, 15

Straigth band flyes with feeling:
10, 10, 10

The feeling part being doing them slowly with mmc focus.

In my quest for shorter, more focused sessions, I have decided to introduce a leg & accessory stuff day on mondays. That means that RDL moves to core day. Not sure if I really want to train 5 days a week, but will give it a try and see how it feels.

Workout tunes: Sinister Realm: The Crystal Eye
Really good US power/doom metal band. Too bad they stayed in the underground, but guess traditional style metal is just not to the tastes of the younger generation metalheads.
Oh well, their loss.

2 Likes
103

Ok, first time for my new accessory/leg day - mainly split out from Sundays workout to slim that down a bit - but also to be a bit of a playground, where I try out stuff with the aim of improving mobility and hopefully reduce the various aches and pains.

Warm-up:
Hip / leg / back mobility stretches, shoulder mobility exercises, wrist mobility exercises, air squats.

I have recently realized that I have lousy wrist mobility - one day I discovered that I have a really hard time presenting a flat hand with the palm up. That is probably where the pain in my left wrist originated. (supinated chin-ups without actually having the wrist mobility to do that.) So better try doing something about it.

Accessory stuff:

External rotator set: 30s hold / 20 koncentric / 10 large sidestep with slow eccentric.

L-Sit Alternating Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Press: 10es @ 5kg

(Donā€™t actually have a suitable kettlebell, so used plates instead - my plates have grip cutout, so should be more or less the same principle.)

Cuban presses: 10 @ 10kg

Leg stuff:

Deadlift:
20 x 5
58 x 5
78 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5

Bulgarian Split-squats:
BW x 10
10kg x 10
10kg x 10

Yeah, not impressive I know, but being a squat novice with an iffy knee and ample bodyweight, this is a case of learning to crawl, before attempting to walk.

Band leg triple ss exercise:
Sideways extension for hip: 10, 15, 15
45 degree back extension for hip & glute: 10, 15, 15
Standing quad extension: 10, 15, 15

Ended up taking an hour 15 min, which were more than expected - and wanted to do some more stuff. But took my time and had fun, which was nice.

Workout tunes: Skelator: Cyber Metal

104

Warm-up: Back stretch sequence / shoulder & wrist mobility stuff Band pull-aparts, jumping jacks

Mains:
Push-ups: 10,35,25,15
ss with band flyes: 10,10,10,10

ss of
One-arm band flyes - low to high: 10,10,10
Band press high to low: 15,15,15
Band press low to high: 8,10,15

Negative Pull-ups: a few

1 Like
105

Warm-up: Shoulder Internatal rotation / mobility stuff, wrist mobility exercises, band pull-aparts, jumping jacks, V-crunches, Greco pull-aparts

Mains:
Rear delt raises
8.4 kg x 8, 8, 8

Pull-ups, band-assisted, alternating grip:
5,4,5,4,8

Overhead press 3x8,18,30 / 50x 8,8,8,4,6,4
8 x 3
18 x 3
30 x 30
50 x 8
50 x 8
50 x 8
50 x 4
50 x 6
50 x 4

Dumbbell rows:
32 x 12
32 x 12
32 x 12

Dumbbell lateral raise:
8.4 kg x 12,12,12,12
ss with
Band facepulls: 10,10,10

Workout tunes: Kreator: Gods of Violence

1 Like
106

A bit of core work this morning:

Sit-ups 15,30,40
Reverse hypers: 25, 25, 25
Floor corkscrews: 20
Side plank w/twist: 25 es
Band corkscrews: 20 es
Band sledgehammer: 25 es
Band good mornings: 25
Farmers walk: 50kg - 135 steps
X-walks 25 es

RDL:
32 x 5
58 x 5
68 x 5
78 x 5
88 x 5
88 x 5
88 x 5
88 x 5

1 Like
107

Warm-up: Shoulder Internal rotation / mobility stuff, wrist mobility exercises, band pull-aparts, jumping jacks, V-crunches, Greco pull-aparts

Mains:

Pull-ups, band-assisted:
5, 6, 6, 6, 5

Overhead Press:
18 x 5
38 x 5
58 x 3
63 x 3
65.8 x 2 PR
65.8 x 1
65.8 x 1
60 x 3
60 x 3
58 x 3

YES!- that is a bona fide PR - first time ever I managed anything above 63kg. Have worked at improving this lift for a while, so am really stoked.

Barbell row:
32 x 5
58 x 5
83 x 5
83 x 5
83 x 5
83 x 5
83 x 5

Dumbbell floor press:
17 x 15
17 x 15
17 x 15
17 x 15

Experimented with different hand positions - first 5 reps were supinated to target upper chest more. Found it hard to maintain due to poor wrist mobility, so switched to neutral for the remaining reps.

Finishers:
Band 1 hand crossover chest press: 15, 15, 15
SS with Straight band flyes: 10,10,15

Workout tunes: Smoulder: Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring

2 Likes
108

Congratulations on the PR! WhooHooo!!!

109

Most likely all this core work paid off? Congrats!

110

Thanks :slight_smile:

Probably a contributing factor at least, yeah

1 Like
111

Warm-up: Back/shoulder/wrist mobility stuff, jumping jacks, band pull-aparts

Mains:

Push-ups:
10, 35 ,20, 20

Straight band flyes: 12,12,12,12
SS with One-arm band flyes - low to high: 12,12,12,12

One arm band press high to low: 10,10,10
SS with One arm band press low to high: 10,10,10

Finishers:
Negative Pull-ups: 4
Narrow width push-ups: 20

On the subject of pull-aparts, I could be curious to hear from others who do them - how do you do them? And have you found much long-term difference when doing resistance/grip variations?

I mainly do 50 pronated reps with a 30-90LBS (purple) loop band.
But have read various advice for doing them differently, like supinated, high, low, lighter band, etc - to target different parts of the back, and have started trying some stuff out.
But are there really that much benefit to get from doing variations - or is it simply doing the main movement that is important for back & scapular health?

Workout tunes: Ironsword: Return of the Warrior

1 Like
112

Warm-up:
Shoulder Internal rotation / mobility stuff, wrist mobility exercises, cuban presses, air squats

Mains:

Deadlift:
58 x 5
78 x 5
88 x 5
88 x 5
98 x 5
98 x 5
78 x 10

Bulgarian Split squat:
Bw x 10
10kg x 10
16.8kg x 10

My knee is not happy about this, but I hope it is a matter training it up.

Band leg triple exercise SS of:
Sideways extension for hip: 10, 15, 15
45 degree back extension for hip & glute: 10, 15, 15
Standing quad extension: 10, 15, 15

Finishers:

Farmerā€™s carry: 20kg @ 50steps es
Goblin Squat: 20kg x 10

1 Like
113

@oldergoat says you need to vary the pull aparts and hit all the different angles.

2 Likes
114

Yeah? Makes sense, thank you for the feedback.

1 Like
115

Master OG would never steer us wrong, he is very wise.

1 Like
116

Main focus of this movement is on supra-spinatus and posterior deltoid. Rhomboids and mid traps if you retract the scapula during the movement. Infra-spinatus and teres minor will participate if you have an external arm rotation (supinated), sub-scapularis if you are pronated. Along with other rotators of course

117

Did definitely not feel it today. And I skipped core day earlier this week, so have to do a bit of core as well.

On the other hand, Iā€™m home alone and have a date later with some confit de canard, duckfat roasted potatoes and a nice christmas ale. So better earn it before feasting I guessā€¦

Warm up: Shoulder/wrist mobility stuff, band pull-aparts, jumping jacks.

Sit-ups: 25,35
Reverse hypers: 25,35
Sideplank w/twist: 25 es
Band corkscrews: 20 es

Rear delt raises:
8.4 x 8, 8, 8
SS with band facepulls: 10, 10 ,10

Pull-ups, band-assisted, alternating grip:
7, 3, 6, 4, 7

Overhead press
22 x 8
32 x 5
50 x 8
50 x 8
50 x 5
50 x 5
50 x 5

This did not go as hoped (expected more 8reppers). Perhaps introducing the rear delt/ face pull super set as first shoulder exercise was not the brightest idea.

Barbell row
60 x 15
60 x 15
60 x 15

Should have been dumbbell rows. Could not be arsed changing the setup.

Dumbbell lateral raise:
8.4 kg x 12,12,12,12

RDLs:
60 x 8
70 x 8
70 x 8
70 x 8

First two sets, I started from ā€œrackā€, but that did not work at all. Apparently I need to start from floor to utilize all the cues for proper setup. Lesson learned.

Workout tunes: War Cloud: State Of Shock

3 Likes
118

Hmmmā€¦ I do them from an understanding that they (among other things) help strengthen the area around the scapulae, which have to move freely and well, to avoid shoulder problems when pressing.

Supra-spinatus and posterior deltoid was not really what I had in mind as targets here. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: (and yeah, i retract scapula when doing them.)

Think I will add a mix set in addition to my usual set to broaden out the impacted areas.

2 Likes
119

Supra-spinatus and teres minor should probably be your first priority as they are the external rotators, and ours is usually shit! Indeed training all of these will make your shoulder more stable

1 Like
120

Ok - that is actually a sound argument for doing the movement both supinated and pronated. Thank you for explaining-

1 Like