@FlatsFarmer Thanks! Hopefully it will mean getting back into pain free squatting again
Day 1 - Tuesday - Lower
Sumo w/ Belt/Straps:
3x3x515 - Felt bad, backed off for the day on deadlift
Cossack Squats w/ Contralateral KB Front Racked + Band:
2x10/10x40+Light
Goblet Squat + Band TKE:
2x12x100+2 Lights
20x100+2 Lights + 15xBW+2 Lights - Drop set
KB Single-Leg RDL + Hips Banded - Staggered Stance:
2x12/12x70s+Light
20/20x70s+Light
Leg Extension + Band:
3x20x90+Light
Calf Raise - Single-Leg Alternating No Rest:
50/50 - Alternating at each 10
Standing Hip IR with Band Inferior Distraction:
10 minutes of work
Band Ab Pulldown:
2x20xAvg
Band Ab Wood-Chop:
2x10/10xAvg
Deadlift felt bad from 335 on up. Form wasnāt crumbling, I just wasnāt sitting back like I needed to and ended up over the bar more than usual. No big deal, Iāll survive. The rest of the workout went well and the quads are sore the next day despite not squatting with a barbell.
The hip IR work was done with my working leg to the side resting on a barbell, about 75 degrees abduction and the bar at mid-thigh. I had a doubled mini band that was going from my stance foot up around my hip, so that when I internally rotated, there was a self-mobilization into the hip capsule. I would like to rig it up so that I have a posterior-inferior distraction instead, I was just experimenting. It felt pretty great, so Iām going to keep up with that movement and see where I go with it.
Day 2 - Wednesday - Upper
DB Floor Press:
10x100s
2x15x120s - PR
A1 | Incline Bench:
8x185
8x225
6x225 + 3x225 partials
A2 | Rear Delt Fly:
3x20x25s
Incline Band Overhead Triceps Extension:
3x15x2 Lights
B1 | Cable Low Row - Semi-Pronated MAG Grip:
15x150
3x12x200
B2 | Smith Machine JM Press + Bands:
2x10x90+2 Dbl Micros
EZ Bar Curls:
50x60 - Change grip every 10 reps
Machine Preacher Curl + Band:
15x45+Dbl Mini + 12x25+Dbl Mini + 8xDbl Mini - Drop set
C1 | Band Lateral Raise:
2x20/20xMini
C2 | Shoulder ER:
2x20xMicro
Switched the order of the bench variations just due to equipment availability. The floor press definitely fatigued me for incline. Thatās fine though, still got a couple hard sets in and I got my extra reps in on floor press for the PR.
Day 3 - Friday - Lower
Squat w/ Belt:
4x8x315
Plus some other normal stuff I forget. I did these squats after about 15 minutes of hip IR with band posterior/inferior distraction. The squats were used a lot as a testing/diagnostic sort of thing. My pelvis is (and has basically always been) rotated to the right under load, which allows for that left hip to be in less IR without me noticing it. Most probably think that they just need to rotate that bar back to the other side, since a lot of people are rotated, but that would only work if the issue were at the spine. But what I needed to do was contract the right glute to push that side of the pelvis forward and the hip into more relative ER, and thus pushing the left into relative IR. I was able to figure this out with my gf (another physical therapist) and the last set was very fast and easy. The only issue was the superficial hip pain, which is likely my TFL.
Day 4 - Sunday - Upper
Bench:
3x6x315
2x12x225 - Spoto press
Plus other stuff. Bench isnāt feeling very strong currently. Not sure why really, but itās alright. Iām going to deload it a bit.
Gods of Iron - Week 1 - Day 1 - Lower
Sumo w/ Straps/Belt - Deadlift Bar:
3x495
3x545
3x585
6x495
10x495
A1 | GHR:
3x15xBW
A2 | Chest-Supported Bent Over Row:
3x12x115 - This is a bench made by Arsenal Strength that uses a specialty bar, similar to a seal row set up
Belt Squat - 5 Ct Eccentric:
3x10x180
Cable Ab Pulldown:
12x150
2x12x190
Found a gym in Columbus, GA called Gods of Iron that is basically like a compact version of i3, the amazing gym I was at in Augusta for the last couple of years. Iāll only be here for 8 weeks for this clinical rotation, but lets see how it treats me.
Felt so nice to pull with a deadlift bar after 2 months with shitty stiff bars. I didnāt pull a PR or anything, but it just feels so much better with sumo.
Iām going to do a bunch of GHR work while Iām here to see if I get anything out of dedicating a good chunk of time to it. Same with the pivot type of belt squat they have here.
Gods of Iron - Week 1 - Day 2 - Upper
Paused Bench:
12x275
9x295
6x295 - Oof, whereās my endurance
3x3x275 - 3 ct eccentric, 3 ct pause
Single-Arm DB Incline Press:
12/12x75
2x12/12x95
Dip Machine - Arsenal Plate-Loaded āKick Backā:
2x15x135
15x180 - Leaned forward to make these dips instead of kick backs through these
2x15x45 - āKick backā, which is more like a lever pushdown
Single-Arm Arsenal Low Row:
10/10x90
10/10x135
2x10/10x180
Cable Delts:
A bunch with 20-30 lbs
Cable Single-Arm Rear Delts;
3x20/20x20
Cable Shoulder ER:
2x20x20
Right shoulder is getting sort of painful at the end of bench sets. Going to focus some effort on making sure thatās okay. Rotator cuff, serratus anterior, lower trap, and CARs should be good.
Gods of Iron - Week 1 - Day 3 - Lower
Squat w/ Belt:
3x315
3x365
4x3x405
8x405 - Pretty conservative here, definitely had several more reps in me
Split Squat on Belt Squat:
10/10x50
2x15/15x90 - Wow these are rough
Conventional Deadlift w/ Belt/Straps:
3x5x474 - Kilo plates. Felt bad, man
Hyperextension:
2x15xBW+53
Cable Leg Curl:
12/12x50
12/12x70
12x110 - Switch to bilateral
12x130
Cable Wood Chopper:
2x15/15x40 - 1 set standing, 1 set half-kneeling
Continuing to work on my hip IR as I warm up. Same self-mobilization as described above mostly. As I work on that, Iām being limited by my TFL/IT band causing some pain still. So Iām working on a couple of things at once, but I did get a pretty significant set in today with the 405x8.
Those split squats on the belt squat are something else. Very tough. My conventional deadlift is all kinds of shitty currently. Iām going to try to clean those up and see if they help my sumo pulls. Also, itās probably apparent that Iām leaning back towards some powerlifting style stuff. Iām just gonna label myself a powerbuilder at this point lol
Hereās a video of the 405x8.
Gods of Iron - Week 1 - Day 4 - Upper
DB Bench:
2x20x100s
25x100s
Dip Machine - Plate Loaded:
3x15x115+Dbl Mini
Single-Arm DB Preacher Curl:
15/15x25
12/12x30
Single-Arm DB Spider Curl (Fixed Humerus):
12/12x30
12/12x35
Band Triceps Extension:
3x15xDbl Mini
Seated DB Laterals Dropset - Lateral + Lateral + Chicken Dance:
2x10+10+10x40s+25s+25s
I donāt know if Iāve explained āChicken Danceā but itās the lateral raise variation in which you have the DBs in the crooks of the elbows and the hands are touching in front of you at clavicle height.
Went pretty light with the DB bench, just making it harder with more reps. 25x100s is probably a benchmark PR.
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Gods of Iron - Week 2 - Day 1 - Lower
Sumo w/ Belt/Straps - Deadlift Bar:
2x495
2x545
3x2x585 - Felt bad
4x495 - Paused, also felt bad, cut it here
A1 | Belt Squat:
3x10x180
A2 | GHR:
3x12xBW
Goblet Squat w/ Initial Isometric:
2x0:15+15x125
Donkey Calf Raise Machine:
3x10x200
Really just didnāt feel good through this workout. Need to make sure Iām not putting myself in shitty positions throughout the day while helping patients out of bed and with gait training and such. Hip wasnāt feeling great either though. Itās felt surprisingly okay since the squats until today, so I was kind of surprised at how it felt.
Oh well, moving on.
Gods of Iron - Week 2 - Day 2 - Upper
Floor Press:
8x275
2x8x295
8x295 + 10x225 + 10x135 - Drop set, 5 ct eccentrics with 135
Chest-Supported Bent Over Row - Arsenal Strength:
2x15x115
A1 | Band Overhead Triceps Extension:
20, 20, 18 x 2 Lights
A2 | DB Preacher Curl:
2x15/15x35
B1 | Cable Triceps Pushdown:
3x15
B2 | Cable Curls:
3x15
Cable Lateral Raise:
10/10x30
2x10/10x40
20/20x20
Wasnāt sure how floor press would feel since itās been a long time since Iāve done it. Pecs were a little iffy, so I didnāt push it too heavy. Still got some decently hard sets in. Got a good pump in afterwards, but I need to be more focused instead of just choosing some stuff I want to do.
Nutrition (?) update: Iām focusing on bulking through the winter. Really shitty at keeping up with a dedicated over or under-feeding schedule because it takes a lot for me to change weight either direction, but lets get biiiig.
Gods of Iron - Week 2 - Day 3 - Lower
Squat w/ Belt:
3x315
3x365
4x3x405
10x405 - 2 reps over last week. 20 lbs off my 10RM PR.
1" Deficit Deadlift - Touch and Go - Belt/Straps:
2x10x405
Reverse Hyper:
3x20x150
A1 | Single-Leg Band Leg Extension:
3x15/15xAvg
A2 | Sissy Leg Press w/ Bands:
3x10x90+2 Lights
B1 | Seated Calf Raise:
3x10x90 - Slow eccentric, pauses on both ends
B2 | Hanging Leg Raise:
2x15
Had some hip pain during squats that took a few more sets at 405 to get worked out than last week, but the last triple and the AMRAP were good. Iām honestly very surprised Iām only 20 lbs off my 10RM PR and 2 reps off my PR with 405. Iāll keep riding this and hopefully get some wins in the squat arena.
I havenāt done reverse hypers as a serious part of programming ever, so I may try them out, since Iāve been having some recent back discomfort with walking and helping patients all day. Soā¦GHR, reverse hypers, belt squats are all an accessory focus of the next 6 weeks or so.
405x10 video
Gods of Iron - Week 2 - Day 4 - Back
Lat Pulldown - Semi Supinated MAG Grip:
15x80
15x120
12x160
12x180
10x200
Cable Low Row - Neutral MAG Grip:
12x160
3x12x180
A1 | Seated DB Shrugs:
3x12x100s
A2 | Machine Lat Pulldown - Single Arm:
12/12x45
12/12x70
12/12x45
Chest-Supported Row:
3x10x90
Barbell Curl:
50xBar
Single-Arm Cable Row:
2x20/20x100
Plate Curl - Reverse + Neutral Grips:
2x20+10x45
Pretty simple but good back day here.
Gods of Iron - Week 2 - Day 5 - Upper
DB Bench:
2x15x110s
21x110s - Half rep on 22
Incline Bench w/ American Press Bar:
10, 9, 12 x 175 - False grip led to the better sets
Triceps Pushdown:
15x100
2x15x120
Cable Crossover Overhead Triceps Extension:
2x12x30s - These were very hard and both sets were to failure
Cable Curl:
3x15/15x40
Machine Lateral Raise:
20x80
2x20/20x120 - Last few partials on both sets
Machine Reverse Fly:
20x80
2x20/20x120
Cable Fly:
2x20/20x30
Cable Y Press:
3x15x30
Good workout today. With the accessories, Iāve been focusing on training both the strengthened and lengthened positions, and going nearer to failure, a la Paul Carter and friendsā recent Instagram posts. Gotta say, itās really hitting everything well. Most of what I write here isnāt showing that Iām doing that, but for the triceps pushdown for instance, Iām setting the cable a little lower and focusing on pushing all the way back into shoulder extension, so that the angle of tension is perpendicular to the joint at lockout, thus working the shortened position. For the lengthened position for triceps, the overhead extension works that, since the angle of tension is perpendicular to the joint at the beginning of the movement.
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Gods of Iron - Week 3 - Day 1 - Lower
Sumo w/ Belt/Straps:
3x485
1x595
1x645 - Not bad
Sumo w/ Belt/Straps - Paused+Normal Reps:
3+3x485
2x3+3x535
3+3x485
A1 | Belt Squat:
10x90
10x180
3x10x270
A2 | GHR:
5x10xBW
Goblet Squat w/ Band TKE:
3x15x100+2 Lights
Reverse Hyper w/ Hip Abduction Isometric:
3x20x50 - Focusing on hip abduction against the strap really got the hips into this more
B1 | Donkey Calf Raise:
3x15x200
B2 | Cable Ab Pulldown:
3x15x100
Either the Texas deadlift bar is much better than the Ohio deadlift bar for me or Iām just getting used to the whip again, because these pulls felt much better than the past 2 weeks. 595 moved very easily, so I just jumped up 50 for the heaviest single Iāve done since I pulled 675 in April. This was done pretty calmly too, which is the exact opposite of my 675 lift. Not bad at all for 95%.
3+3 reps were difficult, but seems like they are a good variation for directly carrying the pauses over to the competition form.
Video of 645 and one of the 3+3 sets.
Gods of Iron - Week 3 - Day 2 - Upper
3 Ct Paused Bench:
4x3x315
2x6x275
A1 | Incline Push-Ups w/ Band:
15xBW+Light
2x12xBW+2 Lights
A2 | Band Fly (Around Back):
3x15xLight
Cable Low Row - Wide Grip:
20x80
20x120
20x160
Seated Cable Curl:
15x40
15x60
12x70
10x70+12x40
B1 | Single Arm KB OHP:
20/20x55
15/15x55
B2 | Single Arm DB Preacher Curl:
15/15x30
12/12x30
C1 | Band Wrist Extension:
2x15xDbl Mini
C2 | Band Preacher Curl:
2x15xDbl Mini
Today was just not my day for pressing strength. My pecs were feeling shitty bilaterally, so it may have just been soreness limiting me, but either way the weight didnāt move quickly. Iām not focused on benching strength right now obviously, but Iāve still been within a 375-385 bench pretty much regardless for years and it doesnāt currently feel that way. So Iām going to try to get back to that point of feeling good with pressing.
Gods of Iron - Week 3 - Day 3 - Lower
Squat w/ Belt:
4x3x405
12x405 - Match all-time PR!
RDL w/ Straps:
8x405 - No belt
8x405 - Belt
12x405 - Belt
Lying Leg Curl:
3x10x100
Staggered Wood Chop/Airplane:
3x20/20xMini
Not a lot of extra volume done after the main couple of exercises here. They were hard enough for today. The top set of squats was very hard. Probably could have stopped around 8 and thought it was a hard set, but I had a number in mind. This was as close to a true 12RM as Iāve had on squats, I think.
Last exercises is an anti-rotation core exercise and dynamic hip exercise. Iāll have to film it at some point, because I donāt want to describe it through text.
405x12 video.
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Gods of Iron - Week 3 - Day 4 - Upper
Close Grip Incline Bench:
2x10x135 - JM press
2x20x135 - First 10 were 3 ct eccentrics
HS High Row w/ Bands:
3x15x180+2 Lights
A1 | Incline DB Curl - Fixed Humerus:
3x15x25s
A2 | Preacher Curl Machine w/ Band:
12x45
2x10x25+Dbl Mini
Rear Delt Fly - Cable Crossover:
2x20x40
This was a very light session, basically just focused on those biceps sets. Pecs are in need of some TLC and Iām going to take it easy on them for a while, focusing on feeling good and then getting back into benching.
Gods of Iron - Week 4 - Day 1 - Lower
Sumo w/ Belt/Straps:
1x485 - Hook grip through this set
2x1x540
1x595 - Not good today, moving on
Sumo 3" Block Pull - Belt/Straps:
4x2x595
8x595 - I wanted 4 based on the preceding sets, so this is a win
A1 | Belt Squat w/ Band TKE:
3x12x180+2 Lights
A2 | Reverse Hyper w/ Hip Abduction Isometric:
3x15x180
GHR:
3x12xBW
B1 | Seated Cable Single Leg Curl:
3x15/15x70
B2 | Split Squat:
3x15/15xBW+90
I had no strength off the floor today, so my weekly single was pretty trash compared to last week in weight, form, and speed. Luckily my plan was block pulls, so I was able to get some good work in regardless. The 4x2 felt hard, but it was moving anyway. Still thought I wouldnāt get a great AMRAP in. 8 reps near 600 is pretty good though. Probably had a rep or 2 in the tank, but didnāt want to push it there since the rest of the sets werenāt great. Not worth the injury potential.
Gods of Iron - Week 4 - Day 2 - Upper
Push Press:
4x6x185
Single-Arm Seated DB OHP - No Back Support:
10/10x50
2x10/10x65
A1 | Lying Cable Triceps Pushdown:
15x80
2x12x100
A2 | Cable Overhead Triceps Extension:
2x12x80
10x80
Seated Cable Curl:
15x40
15x60
2x12x80
Incline DB Curl:
3x12x25s
Chest-Supported DB Laterals:
15x30s
2x10x40s
Machine Laterals:
12x80
2x12x120
Mid-Back Lat Pulldown - A La Coach Eugene:
15x80
15x100
15x120
Got in a pretty good workout without any benching, which is rare for my upper days, since I feel lost without it. But the push press made me feel like I did something decently strong. They werenāt close to failure, but I was just getting the motion down. Iāve really only ever done military press as my barbell OHP variation, but I figured I would do something more explosive and heavy today. I liked it, it wasnāt nearly as pass out-y as a military press. Made me feel somewhat athletic again too.
Gods of Iron - Week 4 - Day 3 - Lower
Paused Squat w/ Belt:
3x405 - Felt real shitty
Pin Squats w/ Belt:
5x5x315
Reverse Power Squat Machine w/ Bands:
3x12x360+2 Dbl Lights
I donāt remember the rest of this one. Squats just didnāt feel good anywhere, but especially the left hip flexor/TFL area. The power squat machine felt good. I didnāt do an IG booty squat thing, I did a close stance full depth squat with it.
Gods of Iron - Week 4 - Day 4 - Upper/Back
Decline Deficit Push-Up - 3 Ct Eccentric:
3x10
A1 | Meadows Row - Strict:
12/12x45
12/12x70
12/12x90
2x12/12x115
A2 | DB Skull Crusher w/ Band:
15x30s
4x15x30s+Mini
Mid-Back Lat Pulldown - Paused:
3x15x120
B1 | Cable Concentration Curl:
12/12x40
2x12/12x50 - Straddled the cable to make the line of pull the same as a DB concentration curl, but with the most effort needed at the lengthened biceps position. Really liked this one
B2 | EZ Bar Curl:
10x60
2x8x80
Iron Cross Curl:
2x20x35s
Side-Lying Compound Laterals - Another Gem from Eugene Teo:
3x8/8x15 - This isā¦really good and hard
Pecs just havenāt been feeling good so I skipped out on pressing again. Going to try to get back into pressing, just need to go about it slowly and not with ego of needing to press at least 275-315 no matter what.
Gods of Iron - Week 5 - Day 1 - Lower
Sumo w/ Belt/Straps:
1x485 - Hook grip
1x595 - Hook grip easy
1x625 - Add straps, not easy, actually kinda ramped it
1x625 - Better, but not easy enough to move up
Sumo w/ Belt/Straps - Paused+Normal Reps:
3+3x485
3+3x535 - Hard, but video says good for another set or 2
3x2x535 - Guess not, failed forward on last rep
A1 | Belt Squat:
3x20x180
A2 | SSB Good Morning:
2x10x135 - 1 wide, 1 narrow
2x10x135 - 1 wide, 1 narrow, and 3ct eccentric and paused
GHR:
2x15
Hip flexor strengthening and stretching things
Deadlift was strange today. Very good rep with 595 despite the fact that I havenāt hook gripped above 225 to my knowledge since my last meet like 2.5 years prior to last week up to 485. I should have kept with hook grip apparently because going to straps didnāt work out well. I donāt think Iāve ever ramped a deadlift, but I did here. I also canāt remember the last time I failed a deadlift forward like I was going to fall over. So, definitely an off day somewhere down the movement line.
Hip flexor seems to be the main muscular issue over the TFL from what I can tell. Going to keep trying some things but with increased frequency and directed strengthening work for it and see if I can clear it up.