531 Krakenium week 4, day 3
25 minutes on the tread
Squat (Smith)
5 x 225
5 x 265
5 x 295 focused on good technique, alignment with more of a low bar. I squat wide, but usually with a higher bar. Trying to use my time wisely on the smith. I pretty much panicked a couple weeks ago with 250 on my back, felt like I was going to hurt my back, drop, etc. It’s ridicules because I used to rep 315 regularly last year. I don’t know what my issue is but I am tired of struggling with this, I don’t have a spotter or people I can relay on at the gym, so I think the smith is a good option.
single leg leg presses
225 x 10 (each)
275 x 5-7 x 3 my right leg is definitely weaker
Good mornings
5 x 95
3 x 135
back ext
x 10
3 x 5 x35
Been feeling “down” all week, the job switch back to my former employer seems not to be happening. My energy at the gym has been lackluster, need to hit the Krakenuim sets again…however, the recomp is going well. Wife noticed my arms are bigger, and my suits are fitting nicely again. I’m down 7lbs from earlier this month, but generally stronger. DL, Bench, dips, and OHP are gaining. Squat, I guess I’ll figure it out.
531 Krakenium Week 5 day 1
12 minutes walking on the tread–I was feeling great and actually thinking of jogging a little, but all of the sudden I get a cramp in calf.
Deadlift
3 x 225
3 x 255
3 x 285 this last set was sort of a grind. I had the force, 285 came up easy, but the work was a grind.
DL from the pins
3 X 315
3 X 365
3 x 365 (with 5lb plates under my feet, about another inch for ROM)
Krakenium sets
DL
10 X 2 X 155 totally gassed, but that is sort of the point.
The DL partials are inspired by T3punishwr and his recommendations. I’m frankly surprised at how easy 365 (115% of my last 1RM) moved for me. in the past I found DL partials downright painful.
531 Krakenium Week 5, day 2
11 minutes on the elliptical
OHP
3 X 85
3 X 95
3 X 105
3 X 95
3 X 85
Bench
3 X 185
3 X 205
3 X 225 (Should have been 235, I should have consulted my program but I was in a rush)
3 x 205
3 x 185
Heavily assisted dips
2 x 5
I hit a wall on dips and left. These kids from a “Technical School” (15K tuition for certificate seems like a con to me) were all over the gym doing some sort of class. They were annoying as hell and it got into my head.
531 Krakenium Week 5, day 3
20 minutes on the tread…a literal cake walk
Squat (Smith)
5 x 185
3 x 225
3 x 275
3 x 315
3 x 275
3 x 225
Leg press 'cause my back was feeling slightly tweaked, but also generally feeling better
10 x 315
10 x 405
2 x 6 x 495
tri pushdowns and curls
I actually meant to continue doing heavy partials but my back, etc., and I couldn’t find my knee sleeves and I like the worry free smith squatting. I am getting the same glute, ham, quad, lower back, core workout without the worry of dropping it, or hurting myself. I’m considering doing more bb style isolations. I feel like I have a solid base and can build on it and be yoked and healthy. Likely, it’ll be a mix of big 3, OHP and some ego pumps. I sort of have a framework program, and some options depending on my feeling
531 Krakenium Week 6, day 1
25 minutes in the tread
This should have been a 531+ deadlift day…but my lower back has been sore and borderline tweaked sense last Friday (today is Monday) Squat and assault on my posterior chain. Oddly, my hips are finally starting to heal, but my erectors and QS have been just at the point of soreness and hurt.
so… lots of lats
seated lat pulls
10 x 140
5 x 160
3 x 180
1 + 3 x 200
Lat pull downs, close grip
3 x 5 (I cant remember, 160 I think)
Abs
531 Krakenium week 6, day 2/3
The snow Wednesday kept me home, but I got a solid hour of shoveling, so not a total loss. However, my back is a mess still, so I’ll be on a modified program again
30 minutes on the tread
Leg press
10 x 315
7 x 405
5 x 495
1 x 565
OHP
5 x 90
3 x 100
1 +2 x 115
3 x 100
5 x 90
2 x 10 x 75
6 x 75
I think not being able to, or more correctly knowing that doing so will likely put me on the injury list, squat and D/L depresses me. I did not bench this week, but my presses are making good progress. I have not tested my OHP in a while, but I think I the 1rm max I am working with is still low…and I lost two inches around the gut, so gaining strength while “cutting” is great.
531 Krakenium…DELOAD
30 minutes on the tread, 3.5 incline, 3.7 mph
This was actually pretty easy.
I seem to have found the limit of what my lower back will take, so this deload will avoid compound movements that would further strain it.
Hammer machine rows
10 x 135 (2 45’s + machine)
7 x 185
5 x 205
5 x 225
Lat pull downs
10 x 100
8 x 140
6 x 160
4 x 180
Tri pressdowns
3 x 8 x 140-180
abs
Mid February I got the flu, bad. I was feverish, coughing, and a total mess. I am also unemployed (but joining a former colleague in an independent recruiting firm) and having no motivation or reason to get better it lingered for almost a month. I did drop 15 pounds, and I did not loose much strength. I also switched from DHEA (3 x 10mg/day) to Keto 7, 100mg 2 x day. I’ve been bouncing between 315 and 318 this week. I started 2014 at an embarrassing 336, so I am headed in the right direction. During my “time off” I decided to focus on weight loss. I also abandoned my low carb diet during the flu because I was loosing weight so quickly and couldn’t taste anything anyways. I have not gone back to it yet, but likely will soon. I am impressed with Keto 7. I think it and MCT oil had a part in my weight loss so far, and I like that the risk of it driving estrogen is nill compared to DHEA.
Since I have been back in the gym, I have been doing 25-30 minute walks on the tread, pushing the intensity up slightly with speed and incline. I am sticking with my decision/assessment that squatting seems to be doing more harm than good. My back and hips have been sore for a year to varying degrees. Also, I constantly feel like I am going to drop the bar or loose stability and injure myself. I did squat on the smith machine which alleviates some of the back and hip strain but I still get some secondary core work in and all the leg pushing muscles. I have been substituting rows and hypers for DL but I think I may got back to DL’n on a light basis.
Todays workout
25 minutes tread, 3.5mph, 2.0 incline
smith machine squats
5 x 185
5 x 225
5 x 275
3 x 295
5 x 225
tri pushdowns and curls for the girls
20 minutes on the tread+ 5ish on a different one that had a squeak
DL!
135 x 5 x 2 one sumo, one conventional
165 x 5 conventional
185 x 5
205 x 3
185 x 5
Rack pulls
225 x 5
275 x 5
295 x 3
315 x failed
Abs
standing cable crunches
It was great to DL, it has been too long. I stayed really conservative having not done much conventional DL’n and having not DL’d in a looong time. 2 1/2 hours post gym, I feel like I got hit by a car, but it was awesome. I think I could have pulled 315 off the rack, but I did not want to go 100%, either way I am happy with the work.
[quote]kpsnap wrote:
Welcome back. A month is a long time to be sick.
Not being able to squat. That would kill me.[/quote]
Thanks. The month long sickness sucked! Not being able to squat is frustrating as hell, but I don’t have anyone around me that I feel I could trust to coach or even spot me through it. The free weight area of my gym is usually empty when I’m there. I may try to work through it, but I’m focusing more on health, (joint health, mobility, general well being) and happiness than true powerlifting. I want to continue to loose weight and stay strong. So far it is working.
I have begun working for myself, with a partner. I’m trying to find a schedule that works with headhunting prime times, and the gym. Today I went around lunch time. I have been training semi-fasted for a while, i.e, no breakfast, gym 930-10ish-1200ish, lunch, dinner, repeat, so I prefer morning training. I have never liked training on even a partially full stomach.
25 minutes on the tread
OHP
5 X 65
5 X 85
3 X 95
5 X 85
5 X 65
Bench–cable free-motion machine
100 x 5
110 x 5
120 x 3
110 x 5
100 x 5
Heavily assisted dips
3 x 5
20 minutes on the tread–feeling some time constraint
DL–all conventional
5 x 165
5 x 205
5 x 235
4 x 255 This came up smooth and easy–doors blown off conventional DL PR, I guess I just have to apply myself
5 x 205
5 x 235
I surprised myself here. I have never worked conventional DL for any time. I think my previous best was 225 x 3. I’ve just never felt comfortable with it. I capped myself at 255 in this session because the urge to go for at least 315 was strong. I am feeling it today, sore lumbar and pretty much entire back and glutes.
25 minutes on the tread, 2.0 incline 3.7 mph
OHP
5 X 65
5 X 85
3 X 105
3 x 95
Bench
5 x 185
5 x 205
3 x 5 x 185 My shoulder was feeling a little “kinked up” so I stuck to a 5 x 5 sort of routine.
20 minutes on the tread
Squat (on the smith machine)
185 x 5
225 x 5
295 x 3 x 3 this was too big of a jump…stop rushing!
275 x 3
Back extensions
1 x 8
1 x 5 +25lbs
1 x 5 + 45lbs
30 minutes on the tread, 1.5 incline 3.8 mph
actual training 2 days ago, make-up post
OHP
5 X 65
3 x 5 X 85
bench
5 x 5 185 I was feeling sort of blah, so I opted for the ole’ 5x5
20 minutes, 1.5 incline 3.7 mph
paused Squat
3 x 95
3 x 115
3 x 135 These felt good. I decided to man-up, overcome my issues with squats. I think it is a both a balance issue and a muscle balance issue so a pause in the hole might help. I really should be doing some lateral work too, because I have a clear imbalance, favoring pushing more with one leg than the other.
I got an important business call at this time, so my momentum was stalled. I’m working for myself, and made some solid progress on a recruit that could be some much welcomed cash.
Either way, I am psyched I made some progress. I think switching to conventional DL has taken a lot of stress off of my hips but at the same time strengthened my lower back and core.
Smith Machine Squats
5 x 185
5 x 225
2 x 275
3 x 275
2 x 295
3 x 275
5 x 225 I try to focus on form (as much as you can in the machine) and pushing off the heels.
Back extensions (the other part of my squat problem rehab)
5 x failure with a pause on the top and focus on the hams and glutes.
20 minutes unenthusiastic on the tread…but got up to 3.6mph @ 2.0 incline
Deeeeeeee eeeeeeeeLLLLL!
5 X 165
5 X 195
5 X 245
3 X 275
2 X 295
2 X 1 315 yeaahhhhh! Again I felt like I had much more in me, but I like being able to walk. Rewarded with a buffalo wings lunch
3 X 275
5 X 255
…And some frick’n abs