Structure in Chaos

Training Training Logs
121

Oly Day:

Snatch: Barx3x1, 65x3x1, 95x3x1, 105x2x1, 115x1, 125x1, 135x2x1, 145x1, 155x1, 155xF, 155xF, 155x1
C&J: 155x2x1, 175x1, 185x1, 205x1, 225x3xF, 185x2x1, 205x1
Snatch Pull: 185x3x1, 205x2x1, 135x3x1

I was hitting my pubic bone again today. I think this is from trying to stay over the bar for too long and extending when I was not vertical yet. I need to work on my first pull to put me in the right position for the second pull. I couldn’t receive the 225# clean properly and never stood up with it.

Also, my left quad feels tight. I must have a minor strain. It did not affect my lifts, however.

122

Push:

Front Squat: 135x5, 155x5, 175x5, 195x5, 215x2+F, 225xF, 225x1, 245xF, 135x5
DB OHP: 45x5, 55x5, 60x2, 60x1.5, 60x2
Jerks: 135x3, 155x1, 175x2x1
BB OHP: 135x3
DB Bench: 60x5, 75x5, 85x5, 90x5, 95x1
Incline Bench: 145x5, 165x1
Wide Grip Incline Bench: 95x5
Lateral Raises: 25x2x5
Delt Triad: 15x8x8x3
Light stretching on the mats, overhead squat holds, froggy sit, stretching of hips, hamstrings, and quads

I noticed that when I stretch my hamstring and let my quad COMPLETELY relax, I stretch all the way down to the calves. My calf pain may be related to tight hamstrings. I will continue stretching my hamstrings and see if this helps. I could feel a twinge in my right calf but my left calf feels fine.

I left the gym feeling hungry today. I had more energy but didn’t want to exhaust myself. I will Oly lift tomorrow.

123

Olympic Lifts:

Snatch: 65lbsx2x1, 85lbsx2x1, 105x2x1, 50kgx2x1, 58kgx2x1, 66kgx1, 70kgx2x1, 74.5kgx1, 74.5kgx1, 79kgx1, 83.6kgxF, 83.6kgx1 PR
Clean and Jerk: 70kgx1, 70kgx1, 79kgx1, 88kgx1, 97.22kgx1, 100kgxF, 100kgx1, 104.5kgx3xF

Although my quads were really tired from Front Squats yesterday I still put up great numbers. I didn’t drink any caffeine today either. I couldn’t stand up with the 104.5 clean and jerk, but I am happy with my PR on the snatch. Also, I did not smash my pubic bone today(with the exception of ONE snatch).

I am happy with my progress.

124

Pull Day:

Clean Pull Deadlift: 135x3, 135x2, 225x2, 225x1, 225x1, 275x1, 275x1, 315x1, 335x1, 355x1, 375xF, 335x1, 315x1, 225x1
Clean Pull with Pause At Shin: 225x1, 225x1, 225x1
DB Row: 55x5, 70x5

I pulled a muscle in my lumbar spinal region. I continued working out for a little bit, because I have felt a twinge before and continued to work through it with no problems. However, this did not subside. I decided to go home early and prevent aggravating it more. I am currently icing my lower back and have taken an ibuprofen to prevent inflammation. I hope this is just a small injury, but it is tough to tell sometimes. I just know its probably going to hurt like shit tomorrow. :slight_smile:

125

I am still recovering from my lower back injury. This is my first lower back strain, and I do not want to get a recurring injury. I applied ice the first day and night. The second day I had to work, and hung out with a female friend of mine for the evening. I took no precautions with my back, and it did not limit my performance.

Yesterday and today I have been using heating pads on my lower back region along with rolling my erector spinae with a lacrosse ball. My back feels much better after doing the lacrosse ball.

I did a light workout consisting of bodyweight squats, bodyweight lunges, scissor kicks, side leg raises, 30 second leg raises, and some total body stretching.

After moving around for a while my back feels much better. Exercise does wonders.

I am taking high doses of fish oil right now as well (around 5 capsules per meal).

I would like to be back lifting by this weekend. I am not expecting to lift heavy, but I will at least start grooving the movement patterns with light weights. Maybe I will train for hypertrophy for once?

126

Lower Back Rehab:

I spent about 45 minutes total in the gym. I did a lot of bodyweight squats and bodyweight stretches then did front squats, back squats, overhead squats, and overhead presses with just the bar. I wanted to warm up pretty thoroughly.

After that I did some very simple exercises in the rack with 65lbs. Straight legged deadlifts, power cleans, front squats, back squats, overhead presses, etc.

I did some more stretching and then came back and did some straight legged deadlifts from the knees up with 135 lbs. I also did slow eccentrics with 135. I was really trying to get some light work in for my lower back/spinal erectors but did not want to risk any reinjury.

Lastly, I did some more work with 65lbs and did some snatch grip slow eccentrics to knees, front squats, and back squats.

At the end I stretched my lower back, hamstrings, quads, and hip flexors.

I did notice a movement that caused me pain, captains chair leg lifts.

127

Rehab:

Front Squats: 95x3, 95x3, 135x3, 135x5, 135x5, 135x5
Back Squats: 135x1, 135x1, 135x1
BTN Jerk+30sec Hold: 135x3x1
Seated BB OHP: 95x3x8
Lateral Raises: 22.5x3x5
Multiple sets of deadlift variations with 95 lbs on the bar (sumo, conventional, slow eccentrics)
Dumbell Curls: 35x8, 20x12
Hyperextensions: BWx8, 35x8, 35x15
Pullups: BWx3x3

Thorough hamstring and lower back stretching at the end.

I spoke with Glenn Pendlay over Facebook chat and he suggested that if I have access to a reverse hyper machine to do light weight high volume sets of that every day and slowly increase the weight used over the course of a couple of weeks. I do not have direct access to a reverse hyper machine, but I will try to do the same sort of exercises and build up slowly.

128

Rehab:

Warm up including bar front squats, slow lightweight deadlifts (trying to stretch my lower back), bar rows, bar ohp, bar back squats, etc

FS: Barx3, 95x3, 95x3, 135x3, 155x3x3, 175x3
Hyperextensions: BWx8
DB Lateral Raise: 15x3x8
Light-EZ Bar Curl: barx6, bar+20x6, bar+40x6, bar+30x6, bar+40x5
Barbell Row: Barx8, 95x8, 115x2x8
DB Tricep Ext: 25x5, 25x3
DB Bench: 25x5
Single Arm DB Press+Hold: 50x3
Push Press+40s Hold: 135x3x1
Hyperextension with Plate: 25x5
Hyperextension Plate Raise: 25x5
Hyperextensions: 25x2x12

At the end I used the lacrosse ball on my glutes/piriformis and my vastus medialis. Also, I did lots of hamstring, lower back, groin, quadricep, and calf stretching

129

Rehab:

Warmed up thoroughly, lots of stuff with the bar

Pullups: BWx6x3, BWx2, BWx5x1
Lat Pulldown: 8x8, 9x8, 10x8
Hyperextensions: BWx8, 45x3x5, BWx8
Hamstring Curls: 2x8, 5x8, 7x8, 9x8
Lateral Raises: 20x5, 25x5
Snatch Bottom DB Press: 30x5
Cable Hip Pull Throughs: Light weight x 6
Snatch Bottom Holds: 60x10s, 70x10s

Lots of stretching at the end, hamstrings, groin, calves, etc etc

130

Rehab:

Warmups consisting of bodyweight squats and exercises with bar

FS: Barx3, 95x3, 115x3, 135x3, 155x3, 175x3, 195x3x1, 205x2x1, 215x1
Push Press: 135x5x3
Dips: BWx8, BWx8, BWx12
DB Curl: 25x5, 35x5, 40x3, 45x2, 25x8
Lateral Raises: 20x8, 20x8, 25x5
Pull from Shins(Top down): 115x3x5, 135x2x5
Hyperextension: BWx8
Dumbell Hold: 85x30s
Close Grip Bench: 95x8
Wide Grip Bench: 95x8
Overhead Squat: Barx8, Barx8

Lots of foam rolling, lacrosse ball release, and stretching at the end.

I have an appointment tomorrow to determine the cause of my lower back pain.

131

Rehab:

Thorough warm up wearing a hoodie. Bar work, body weight squats, etc

Front Squats: 135x5, 185x2, 135x4, 135x5, 135x4
OHP: 95x5, 115x5, 125x3, 125x3, 125x3
Single Arm DB Press: 65x2+1 Press
BB Bench: 135x3x8
Deadlift to Knees from Top + Barbell Row: 135x3x4+4

Lower back is getting progressively better. A visit at the doc and some X-rays confirms that it is not an SI joint injury and is not a herniated disc (“pain is not radiating from the SI joint and spinal disc spacing appears healthy”). The result is most likely a ligament sprain in my lumbar area. Doctor suggested to continue working out and strengthen the lower back, and make sure to have strict form on my deadlifts.

The only time I notice the injury is after long periods sitting down. I also feel it when I go into a backsquat. As a conservative guess, I expect to be lifting heavy by May. Until then I am going to try to keep a steady volume and bring up my lower back strength in the meantime.

132

Rehab:

Front Squats: Barx5, 95x4, 135x5, 135xClean+4, 155xClean+4, 175xPower Clean+2, 135x4
Lat Pulldowns: #12x8, #12x8
Push Press: 135x3

I was in and out in 25 minutes. The cleans felt pretty good, but I couldn’t train them because they are banned at the gym I go to.

133

Rehab:

Warm up with bar work and body weight squats, light weight lat pulldowns

Pullups: BWx3x3
FS: 135x2x3, 155x3, 175x2, 195x1, 215x1, 225x1, 175x2, 175x1, 175x1, 175x1
OHP: 135x6x1
Push Press: 145x2, 145x2
DB OHP: 50x3
Lateral Raise: 20x3x8
Deadlift with Pause at Knee: 135x5x1, 185x2x1
Snatch Grip Deadlift with Pause at Knee: 135x2x1
Standing Preacher curl: 75x5
Seated Preacher curl: 75x2x5
Standing Preacher Curl: 75x5

Stretching of hamstrings, lower back, quads, etc…

My lower back does not bother me while training, I can feel it however when I am walking sometimes and after prolonged sitting.

134

Olympic Lifting:

Snatches: Worked up to 135x3x1
Clean and Jerk: Worked up to 185x3x1
Ez Bar Curl: 90x2x5

I could have gone a little higher on both lifts, but I want to gradually get back into the lifts. The cleans were pretty tough however after 175lbs.

135

Yesterday:

FS: 135x2, 155x2, 175x2, 185x1, 195x1, 205x1, 215x1, 225x1, 245xF, 185x1, 205x1, 225xF
Strict OHP from Rack: 135x3x1, 145x3x1, 155x1, 155xF, 135x10x1
Lateral Raise: 15x8, 20x8, 20x8
Bent Row: 185x5
Glute-Ham raise: BWx8, BWx8, 30x8, 30x8
Reverse Hyper: BWx5, 50x5, 50x5

Today:

FS: 135x2x3, 155x3, 175x3, 195x3x3
Chin Ups: BWx3x5, BWx3, BWx2
Lat Pulldown: 150x3x5, 120x5
Incline Bench: 135x5, 155x5, 175x2, 195x3x1
DB Curl: 40x5, 40x3, 35x3
Reverse Hyper: BWx2x8, 50x8, 50x8, 50x8

Lots of stretching after both. I have been eating lots of red meat too to try and up my recovery potential.

My lower back is feeling much better and I notice it less and less each day.

136

Rehab:

Snatch Pull: Barx3, 50kgx3x1, 72kgx3x1, 90kgx1, 90kgx2, 90kgx1, 98kgx3x1, 90kgx3x2, 50kgx2x3
Highest Box Jumps: BWx8
Highest on top Platform Box Jumps: BWx4, BWx2
Reverse Hyper: BWx12, BWx8, 50x8, 50x8, 50x8, 70x8, 70x8
Lateral Raise: 22.5x3x8

I planned on back squatting but all of the squat racks were occupied. I decided I need to work on some pulling and did some snatch pulls.

My right glute bothers me, but my lower back is getting better each day.

137

Switching over to wordpress for the remainder of my log.