Wolf's Log: From Cub to Direwolf

[Michael Wolf]

Was supposed to practice power snatches with the bar and then with 10lb training plates on Tues, and then do this lift Weds but my body was just tired. I took both days completely off and ate badly yesterday too. At least I still got enough protein, but WAY too many processed carbs and sugar and sodium. Oh well.

Foam Roll/SMR/Movement prep/etc

BB Bench Press
Decided to switch to weekly programming/progress beginning next week. If I did 300x5x3 Bench today, I know I'd still be fatigued for my first 5x5 Presses come Monday, so decided to do 5 heavy singles in the Bench today (not across).
Warmup - 115x6, 115x5, 180x3, 225x2, 275x1
305, 315, 325, 300, 335 - all singles, no help with the liftoff, 3 mins rest between each

BB Squat Advanced Novice Recovery Squats
Warmup - 45x5, 95x5, 155x5, 205x5
255x5x2

BW Pullups
10, 10, 9 - 3 minutes rest

1/4 mile runs - 7 repeats, started slow @ 7.0, but was up to 9.2 by the end

[Michael Wolf]

For the 1st time in ages, I got to lift while an experienced powerlifter (a lifter I know) coached and provided feedback during the set. He wasn't lifting, either, so I got more of his full attention. He's a strong guy, benching in the mid 300's, squatting in the mid/upper 400's, and deadlifting in the upper 500's at about 185bw.

Foam roll/smr/movement prep/etc

Squat - belted for 245 and beyond.
45x5x2, 135x5, 205x3, 245x2, 285x1
330x5x3
Jorge's feedback was that my squats are good - better than I thought. As I felt, he said need to do better in pushing my kees OUT at the bottom, which should automatically help them from not sliding forward at the bottom. Good sets.

BB Press - going easy since I’ll be starting texas method pressing next week on Monday. So just warmed up and then did four doubles:
175, 175, 175, 185 - all easy as they should be. I finished at 192.5x5,5,4 on my LP, so these were easy doubles, but heavy enough to maintain training.

BB Deadlift - first belted DLs
Warmup-185x4, 275x2, 345x1, 395x1
Work set: 450x3 - smooth and easy
Back off set: 405x3 - easy

1/4 milers - 4 @ 8.0-9.0
1/8 miler - 1 finisher @ 10.5

[Michael Wolf]

Foam roll/SMR/Etc...

TFL's were tight, so spent extra time there. Also rolled at home, then went to the gym, instead of rolling at the gym. Though I don't have as much or as good of a space, I find the mat area is often crowded, and I don't like having to fight for foam rolling space.

Squat
45x5, 95x5, 145x5, 225x3, 260x2, 295x1, 335x5x3, 365x1

Still not perfect with knees staying back, but felt strong today. Only 2/15 reps felt iffy. I did the 365 single (which I BURIED, totally owned it!) because a) I wasn't 100% sure I did all 5 reps on the second set. Lost count and might've only done 4 and b) I power clean, not deadlift on Weds, and PC's are relatively light, so no heavy lower body work, really, till Squats @ 340 on Friday. So figured might as well.

BB Press
95x5, 120x3, 140x2, 160x5x5

My first Texas Method Press week. Did 5x5 @ 160, which is just under 85% of 192.5, my previous 3 sets of 5 Press weight. I will do light bench press on Weds, and a 5RM Press on Friday of 195.

Weighted Pullups
BW+30lbs (270 total) for 3 sets of 5.

Sprints
1/4 milers: 4 @ 8.0-9.0
1/8 miler: 1 @ 11.0

[Michael Wolf]

Started feeling a tiny bit wonky last night, and carried over to today. Several of my PT Clients have just come down with something, so whether I got it from them or not, there seems to be something going around.

I kept putting off my lift, and thought about skipping it - because lifting when you're sick is a BAD IDEA. But I started feeling a bit better, and since today is a scheduled lighter lifting day anyway (Thank you, Advanced Novice recovery squats and Texas Method Pressing!), I went for it.

Foam Roll/Mobility/Etc...

Power Clean
Warmup: 95x3,125x3, 160x2, 195x1
Work: 10 Singles on the minute @ 215

Bench Press - TM Press week recovery day
135x5, 185x5, 225x5x3
So nice and easy. I love recovery day.

Squat - Advanced Novice recovery day
Was feeling a bit frisky by this point, so did something a bit different: warmed up with front squats and high bar, did my 2 low bar 'heavy' sets (which are light today), and then cooled back down with more high bar and front squats.

Front Squat: 115x3, 155x3, 185x1
High Bar: 215x3
Low Bar: 255x5x2
High Bar: 185x2x2
Front Squat: 155x2x2

Seem to have very minor elbow tendinitis or something like it, but not causing any issues other than minor annoyance.

[Michael Wolf]

I did something on Monday with my elbow position during low bar squats that niggled all week, but flared up today while squatting - only in low bar position. Feels like tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis or however it's spelled). It also f'd up my presses, which really pisses me off. Oh well, I have to be smarter going forward.
Foam roll/smr/etc
Squat
45x5, 135x5, 185x3, 225x2, 260x1, 295x1
340x5x3 - got em all, but holy hell did elbows hurt! I probably shouldn't have continued through all 3 sets.

Press
45x10, 95x5, 115x3, 140x2, 165x1
195x4 - supposed to be a 5RM of 195x5 but didn't get #5. I think the elbow shit effected my pressing big time. I am NOT happy about this. I figured 195 would be a cinch after 192.5 x 5,5,4 for 2 consecutive workouts. Damn. Hard to tell, really, if it was the elbow stuff or if I really needed a re-set when transitioning to TM presses.

Pullups
10,10,8. Interestingly these didn't exacerbate the elbow stuff.

Did a few more sets of doubles or triples in the front squat (135/155) and high bar squat (185) just to see of that bothered the elbows. It didn't. So looks like I'll be front and high bar squatting for a while while my elbows unfuck themselves.

Skipped sprints because I was in a bad mood. Only did them on Monday, so will need to do them tomorrow.

[Michael Wolf]

Been under the weather the last several days. Missed one lifting and one conditioning workout.
Foam roll/smr/movement prep
KB Swings + hip flexor stretch 24kg, 32kg x 10

BB Deadlift
185x5, 275x3, 345x1, 405x1
460x3 - work set,smooth. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmRaRfH56WQ
410x3 - back off set @ ~90% working weight.

BB Bench - 1st week of Texas Method Benching
135x6, 175x3, 225x2
255x5x5 - work sets, felt too easy. Rested only ~3min between sets, didn't feel too little at all (many report needing 5-8mins on Texas Method 5x5 day). Might make bigger jumps than scheduled for a few weeks.

BB Squats - high bar, to allow elbows to fully heal from tendinitis I've had for 9 days. They feel 95%, but doing high bar today and Saturday to ensure full healing and no relapse.
95x5, 135x5, 175x5, 205x5, 225x5 - Took short rest, but was still surprised at how hard these were? I squatted 340x5x3 (low bar) on Friday?!

Sprints: haven't done these in 9 days, so took it easy.
Four 1/4 milers @ 7.5-8.3
Three 1/8 milers @ 9.0-10.0

[Rob Israel]

The volume days are definitely going to be easy in the beginning. They are still doing their job though. You don't need a lot of rest until after at least 5 weeks: when your 5x5 passes where your 3x5 was. Then it's becomes the marathon grind known as the Texas Method. My 2 cents: don't rush to get there, it'll just shorten your cycle in the long run.

[Michael Wolf]

This week was Weds/Sat instead of Mon/Wed/Fri because I was under the weather at the beginning of the week. So skipped recovery day, and just did Wed/Sat - Volume/Intensity on Bench Press. For Squats, just did high bar to keep some training in, while elbows recover from the tendinitis.

Foam roll blah blah blah
KB swings etc…

Bench Press 5 heavy singles
Warmup: 135x5x2, 175x3, 225x2, 265x1
Singles: 305x1, 310x1, 315x1, 315x1, 315x1
Took about 3 mins rest between these, all went up smoothly.

Squat 5x5 Ascending, High Bar
95x5, 155x5, 205x5, 235x5, 265x5
- short rests.
Then tried a few sets in low bar position to see how elbows felt - thankfully all was good!
135x5, 165x3, 195x3, 225x3 - all easy, all fine on elbows!
Will resume low bar 3x5’s on monday. Will do ascending monday, probably 285, 305, 325. Then 3x5 across Friday @ 335. Then back to 340 next Monday, where I left off before the tendinitis.

Pullups: BW x 10, 10, 8.

1/4 milers - felt sluggish. Didn’t go very fast. 4 @ 7.3-8.7mph.

Theeeeeen…out to Marry-Ann’s in Tribeca. Amazing Mexican, if you live in NYC or ever visit and like Mexican - go to Mary Ann’s! They have a location in Chelsea and Tribeca.

[Michael Wolf]

The volume days are definitely going to be easy in the beginning. They are still doing their job though. You don't need a lot of rest until after at least 5 weeks: when your 5x5 passes where your 3x5 was. Then it's becomes the marathon grind known as the Texas Method. My 2 cents: don't rush to get there, it'll just shorten your cycle in the long run.

Good to know from someone who's done it. I was tempted to go up higher than 255x5x5, because it was so easy, but resisted. Per Andy/KSC's advice, I am going right to 5 singles on ID, instead of a 5RM or even 3RM. I knew 300 x 5 singles would be way too easy, so I did the ascending 305, 310, then 3 at 315. Seemed right.

[Michael Wolf]

Foam roll/smr/movement prep etc…

Squats - first true low bar day in 1.5 weeks. Since I only missed 2 adaptation-causing squat workouts (1 recovery), I didn’t go too far back.
Warmed up with 45x5x2, 135x5, 185x3, 225x2, 265x1. Then ascending work sets: 295x5, 315x5, 335x5. Rested only 3 mins between, and felt surprisingly easy. Maybe I needed a de-load. Anyway, will do 335x5x3 on Fri, and then 340x5x3 - which was my last adaptation squat workout - next
Monday.

Press
Warmup then 165x5x5. Rested only 2.5-3min, so was a bit harder than expected. Ha, I guess Justin Lascek would be happy!

Power Cleans - 12 singles with 1 min rest, including warmups
135, 165, 195
225x9

Erg intervals - since I couldn’t run because of my foot, did these.
200m / 1:30 rest x 8. Did them at between 1:42-1:50/500m.
Then did a single 500, fairly slow, in 2:02. Since I haven’t erged in a while, building up slowly so I can go harder next week, in case foot isn’t healed yet to sprint. But I hope it is, I like sprinting better!


Today's Lesson
Don’t do stupid things. Like your straight leg kick/hamstring stretches near a power rack with protruding metal feet. Nevermind that the creation of such a power rack is stupid. I saw it, I knew it was there, and thought I could avoid it. But I didn't. I kicked right into one of the protruding feet, bruising the bottom of my foot, right under my pinky toe. It's all swollen and black & blue now. Sounds like nothing but holy hell does it hurt! It hurts just to walk, and probably won’t be able to do sprints for 1-2 weeks. Damn!!!