Battered, mostly retired, south Wales rugby player

[Ian Short]

Disappointing to miss out on the bicep curls haha. Because the curls have been programmed by a SSC, I feel like they are an appropriate part of the training rather than just being like every other guy doing curls!
I look forward to both of our bench presses skyrocketing as a result of this extra bro-stuff!

Haha, I forgot about the curls! I'll get over by the mirrors with the everyone else, today's the day!

[Ian Short]

Monday 04/01/2015 - Frustrating

Squat: 155kg 5x1, 140kg, 120kg Based on coach feedback, tried to concentrate on neutral spine and knees not moving at the bottom. Felt out of balance all over the place. Didn't feel like I was leaning over. And didn't feel tight. As stated above - Frustrating. Took a few videos, don't want to bother coaches again for the moment. Really need to go see London coach. Easier said than done.
Press: 72.5kg 5,3,1,2 Concentrated on "crunching down" to get a neutral spine. Again, felt all out of balance. But then a couple of reps felt good. The very last rep felt very close to my face. Not sure if my beard is distracting me.
Deadlift: Stopped at 140kg and did a few reps. Hip/low back discomfort.

Overall, I am struggling with where my pelvis should be and how hard to squeeze glutes. Squeeze hard as possible? Squeeze a bit? Squeeze between a bit and hard as possible!!

For a variety of reasons, didn't have time for chins etc.

[Ian Short]

Monday afternoon 04/01/2015 - 25.5kg 4x10 - Curls
Tuesday 05/01/2015 - Sore biceps!

Wednesday 06/01/2015 - Mixed

Squat Working on technique - a variety of sets and reps up to 160kg. Doesn't feel particularly heavy. But I am confused.com about what my bottom position should be. Chest up, or nipples pointing at the floor. I can lean forward and 120kg feels f**king hard. Then I can simply drop down with 160kg and its easy. Have contacted Carl the London coach, hope to see him on 21st Jan
Bench 100kg 5,5,5,4,1 and a variety of back off sets. Better than last workout. The mat I bought from Amazon (link) did seem to help me leg drive my traps in the bench, when I lift my neck to get my hair out of the way!
Today - retract shoulders blades (bit of a shrug to tighten traps) lift hips, leg drive traps into bench, drop hips to bench, unrack. Later reps I squeezed biceps before rep, seemed to "do something"
Power Cleans 97.5kg - dropped to 90kg and then 80kg. Missed loads. Slow over knees. Bit tired. Struggled to find start position. High hips? low hips? Arghh!
Chins 3,2, 5 jumped and lowered
Dips 10, 8, 8
Might do curls later!

So, now a lifting break for 10-12 days. Give my back a rest, see Carl a week or so after. Off to Austria on Friday. Beer and skiing. Or skiing and beer? Auf Wiedersehen!

[Yaums]

Working on technique [...] up to 160kg. Doesn't feel particularly heavy.

Ha ha. Very funny.

Seriously, Schöne Ferien mein Freund!

[Ian Short]

Thanks Yaums, was a good trip, plenty of snow!

07/01/2015 - had a sports massage from a chiropractor. She basically poked me around the hip. Felt relieving at the time. I'll repeat, and see if it improves.

Made contact with Carl the SS coach in London, and going to see him next week. It'll be a lot of effort, as it is not just around the corner. Worth it in the long run I am hoping.

08/01/2015 - 13/01/2015 - Skiing. Still problems with boots. Got to fix, or give up on it. Good beer though, lovely scenery and fresh air.

15/01/2015 - Easy - decided to squeeze in a workout, on the rational that it makes next Mondays workout easier. Did all lifts at sub maximal weights

Squat 140kg 3x5. Made a point to lift my toes, to keep knees in place. Hopefully Carl will be able to set me straight on what I've been doing wrong
Bench 95kg 3x5 Surprisingly OK. I think my setup and mat is working for me
Press 65kg 3x5 Tried to stop extending my back. Again, hopefully Carl will improve things
Power Clean 85kg 4x3 Seemed to go up OK
Deadlift 140kg 1x5 Quite a slow set, more like 5x1. Felt some discomfort in the hip on a few reps. Need some clarification from Carl on my start position as dictated by my anthropometry

Chins 3, 1, 5 jumped and lowered - did dips after first set, affected the next set of chins - won't be doing that again!
Dips 10, 10, 10
Didn't do curls

[Ian Short]

Monday 18/01/2016 - Positive

Squat - 145kg 3x5 Played around with toe angle at 45 degrees. Felt a bit strange, but I focused on keeping knees out, especially on the way back up. I felt my back position and tightness improved, especially at the bottom. Plenty of questions for Carl on Thursday
Bench - 97.5kg 4x5 Did an extra set because I wasn't particularly fatigued. The mat is definitely helping to keep my shoulders in place, especially during set up.
Power Clean - 85-90kg 5x3 - Played about a bit width grip and stance. Settled on ring finger on the rings, and based on my earlier experience with toes out, toes out more that usual, with a hip width stance. Knees were turned out more than usual. A lot of the reps felt good. Encouraging

Chins 3,3 6 jumped and lowered
Dips 10, 10, 10
Curls - maybe later! (Did 25.5kg 4x10 - sore biceps tomorrow I bet!)

[Ian Short]

Wednesday 20/01/2016 - Positive

Took it fairly easy. I am working out/receiving coaching tomorrow evening, don't want to be too sore/tired.

Squat - A variety of reps and sets up to 155kg with focus on knees out and toes at 45 degrees. Is my back angle too vertical?
Press - A variety of reps and sets up to 72.5kg with focus on knees out and toes at 45 degrees. Press 2.0 to get started, then "bounced" the other reps. Toes at 45 degrees, squeeze glutes seems to eliminate low back over extension . We shall see.
Deadlift - A variety of reps and sets up to 160kg. Some hip discomfort/fear. I usually do alternate grip, right hand supinated. I did a rep at 160kg with left hand supinated, my recollection was there was no hip pain. Perhaps I am on to something? Ask Carl tomorrow.

Chins 3,3 6 jumped and lowered
Dips 10, 10, 10 - Maybe I should add some weight?
Curls Maybe later, as usual!

[Ian Short]

Thursday (evening) 21/01/2016 - Excellent - Strange to train at 5pm after some food. I generally train fasted at 9.30am.

Caught a coach to London to see Carl Raghavan. Learned a lot. Reassurance and with lots of tips and cues to focus on.

Squat - 140kg 3x5 (Without safety bars. Definitely introduces a new variable to consider!!) Instagram Confirmed toe angle at 45 degrees. Point nipples at shoes. Squeeze into the belt as hard as possible. Slow tempo a little, for now. Move hips and knees a bit more slowly at the top, 1, 2, 3 - squat. Carl put his fingers between the belt and my stomach to ensure I squeezed all the way up and down. I didn't the first rep. I did the second. I could feel my back was much tighter. My low abs are sore today. My hips aren't. (neutral wrists - leads to elbows that are a bit lower)

Press - 70kg Again, squeeze into belt. Its a recurring theme. Squeeze, then squeeze again. Squeeze butt hard. Angle hands inwards. Point knuckles at the ceiling. Reach forward more with hips.

Deadlift 160kg 1x5 - Confirmed stance width, toe angle, grip width and back angle. All OK. Slight tendency to lower hips. Need to fight. May have been lifting chest to start lift. Lift chest, drive feet into floor after chest up. No hip pain. Correct distance from bar, is bar over shoes straps.

Bench 100kg 1x5 No major issues. The bench was different to what I'm used to. Harder, less foam. Not as slippery. Better. Form OK. Angle hands inwards. Point knuckles at the ceiling. Make sure legs were pushed out to side and tight. Bench so the bar ends up over shoulder joint

Power Snatch 40kg or 60kg. Snatch grip is as wide as the bar. Chest up. Find a fixed point in front of you and focus on it. Point palms at the ceiling. Shrug traps hard and quickly to stabilise bar, when racking.

Power Clean 80kg Speed up elbows to rack. Knees out. Chest up. Grip width - use thumb width from knurl edge. For now!

All good. I was soaked through at the end. Bit of food and a few beers with sister after, then coach back home.

[Ian Short]

Monday - 25/01/2016 - Pretty good

Squat 142.5kg 3x5 I now realise that I was relaxing my stomach when initiating the squat, and trying the regain the tightness while moving. It is much harder to keep that tightness throughout the movement.

Press 70kg 3x5 Not too hard. Do I do 71.5 or 72.5 next time?

Deadlift 162.5kg 1x5 Didn't feel entirely comfortable. Some residual hip "discomfort".

Chins 4,3 6 jumped and lowered. Surprised to get 4, considering I'm heavier than last week.
Dips 10, 10, 10 - Maybe I should add some weight?
Curls Maybe later, as usual! (26.5kg 4x10 - not very difficult)

10 prowler pushes (about 20m), with 140kg on it. Got easier as it went on. Up the weight perhaps?

[Ian Short]

Wednesday - 27/01/2016 - Mixed

Time, these workouts are taking a long time, at least two hours. Maybe I take too long over rests? Squat: this new squat emphasis on chest down from the top is taking a while to get used to at working weights. Concentrating on not relaxing stomach throughout the entire movement, is taking a while to get used to. I can do 3 sets of 5, with any old technique, relaxing, chest up etc, not hard. 3 sets of 5 with perfect technique is much harder, at the same weight.

Belt. I wore belt for power cleans for the first time ever. Don't know if you're supposed to wear a belt? They felt tighter, much more hip dominant. Perhaps I should use the belt for all working sets for all exercises?

Squat 145kg 3x5 - Tough. Final reps were a grind. Fighting the urge to lift chest. Still not even sure I'm leaning over enough. I may be going a little bit too deep. Carl mentioned this. How to rectify? Squat 145kg - YouTube
Bench 102.5kg 3x5 - Tough. First reps were OK. Shoulder moved during one set at least. Very last rep of last set - just made it. Repeat
Power Clean 92.5kg 5x3 Used belt. Felt tight. I've been struggling to get above 92.5 - 95 for at least a year. Perhaps the belt will allow some progress to be made? Perhaps 5x3 is too much for me?

Chins 4,3 6 jumped and lowered. 4 again.
Dips 10, 10, 10 - I should add some weight
Curls 4x10 27.5kg

10 prowler pushes (about 20m), with 140kg on it. Up the weight a bit

Recovery - I'm eating enough on a weekly basis to stay between 105-110kg without waist increasing in circumference. I think I'm eating enough.

I got to 187.5kg squat last year, with likely imperfect technique. It seems strange to consider doing advanced novice or TM at around 150kg, but I feel I would benefit from a volume day at 90% focusing on chest down, while ensuring one set of five on intensity day, was perfect.

I'll give it another 4 workouts and see how I feel about form.

My back feels a bit sore. Perhaps it will adapt by Friday!