Wolf's Log: From Cub to Direwolf

[Karl Schudt]

Wolf, what's your programming these days?

[Michael Wolf]

Wolf, what's your programming these days?

Basic Volume/Intensity weekly manipulation in a Four Day Split (Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri on a normal week). I switched to this from the 3-day standard TM back in August. I don't yet need anything more complicated than this to make progress, as my lack of progress - or, rather, uneven progress in the various lifts - has primarily been due to being unable to do the lifts at all due to injury. I did have to do a rather long de-load & re-ramp after the standard TM ran me into the ground (not enough sleep, methinks), but that was only a month or so. Other than that, the basic weekly volume/intensity manipulation still works to stimulate progress for me. Which tells me I'm still not that deep into intermediate territory. I just need to stay healthy, which seems impossible.

I've tweaked things a couple times. My current set-up is (or would be if healthy and running PRs):

Monday: Bench Press Intensity, Press Volume, Chin-ups 3x fatigue, curls
Tuesday: Squat Volume, Pulling Volume (Power Cleans), C2 Erg
Thursday: Press Intensity, Bench Press Volume, Lat Pulldowns, Rows (DB or Seated Plate Loaded), Triceps
Friday: Squat Intensity, Pulling Intensity (DL alt with Rack Pull), C2 Erg

When I get back to this schedule, I'll probably add a back-off set or two of halting DLs or deficit DLs after the heavier pulling.

[notetcetera]

I seem to be quite snakebit. I get injured much, much more often than anyone I know who lifts, or anyone I coach.. Sometimes it's freak weird things, and sometimes it's nothing at all - what appears to be solid form on a rep, or even doing nothing and then something pops up.

I couldn't squat or pull for about 2 months, from late September to late November, and I've been slowly working my way back up. I squatted 385 for 5s today, and will pull 485x5 on Friday.

However, the week before last, my left trap started acting up and is still very painful. So much so that I skipped upper body altogether yesterday. If it's not better in a few days, I will try some aggressive ART or something.

Wow. That's gotta be real rough on you mentally. I hope you recover fast, man!

[Rori Alter]

Thanks, Kooline.



I seem to be quite snakebit. I get injured much, much more often than anyone I know who lifts, or anyone I coach.. Sometimes it's freak weird things, and sometimes it's nothing at all - what appears to be solid form on a rep, or even doing nothing and then something pops up.

I couldn't squat or pull for about 2 months, from late September to late November, and I've been slowly working my way back up. I squatted 385 for 5s today, and will pull 485x5 on Friday.

However, the week before last, my left trap started acting up and is still very painful. So much so that I skipped upper body altogether yesterday. If it's not better in a few days, I will try some aggressive ART or something.

Take a trip to LI for my ART guy. He is amazing.

[Michael Wolf]

I have been absent for a while. I went to Chicago for a good friend's wedding on NYE, where it snowed for 4 days straight and was no higher than 20 degrees, as low as -5 while I was there. Spent most of the time shoveling out my rental and my mom's car and the walkway, and cleaning the cars off. Then I had the worst traveling ordeal I've ever had, getting 2 hours sleep and then taking 22 hours door to door to get back home on Friday/Saturday, culminating in having my luggage (in which I had foolishly left my house and gym keys in, by mistake) lost for two days. I got back 30 hours after my scheduled arrival, and couldn't leave home due to lack of keys, until I got my luggage back at 12:30am this morning.

I will probably spend the next week recovering from the past week.

I have been checking in briefly, where possible, on the coach's Q&A but haven't looked at the logs for a week. I also haven't trained at all for a week, but will getting back at it today.

Current status is that my left trap is still bothering me quite a bit, but has started to get better. Depending how that progresses over the next few days, I'll decide whether to see an ART guy. I was going to do so for sure, but since it's started improving on its own, I might hold off. I'll do a light upper body workout. From lack of sleep, stress, exhaustion, and a lot of sitting, my back is very tight. I've rolled and iced some, and will do some more. I'll ease back in to squats and pulls this week, waiting till next week to resume my progression back to PRs.

I still have to move/vacate my space no later than my birthday, Jan 14, so the craziness isn't quite over yet, but I'm glad to be able to resume at least some of my normal routine. And catch up on the happenings of all the logs, which I'll do over the next few days as time allows.

[Michele Knaub]

leave your apt?

[Rob Israel]

Welcome back Wolf. Do you have a bath tub? One that is big enough for you to fit in? I've been doing lots of epsom salt baths and it's helping with my back, especially with the cold. Helped my shoulder and tight trap too.

And you are back just in time for the arctic air to arrive here!

[Michael Wolf]

leave your apt?

They changed the downstairs lock recently and I hadn't yet made a copy. So once I was home, I was basically stuck in till I got my keys back at 12:30 this morning. It is good to have freedom back.

Welcome back Wolf. Do you have a bath tub? One that is big enough for you to fit in? I've been doing lots of epsom salt baths and it's helping with my back, especially with the cold. Helped my shoulder and tight trap too.

And you are back just in time for the arctic air to arrive here!

I do have a bath tub, but not realistically big enough for me to fit in. Not without getting more uncomfortable than I already am, trying to squeeze in.

It may be chilly tomorrow, but it's loads better than where I came from. Chicago has a high of -9 or something today, with 20mph winds. Awful.

[Michael Wolf]

Tested out some upper body work today. Not good, but not awful. Felt good to be back in the gym, at least.

Bench Press
95x5, 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5, 315x5
Notes: 315 wasn't hard, but did bother my trap.

Lat Pulldowns - Dual Handle
100x10, 130x10, 145x10, 160x10, 180x10, 200x10
Notes: A pleasant surprise, as I thought they would hurt and I'd have to cut them but they felt fine.

Behind The Neck Push Press
45x5, 65x5, 85x5, 105x5, 125x5, 145x3, 165x3x3
Notes: Haven't done any behind the neck pressing stuff literally ever, and haven't push pressed in years. But I wanted to do some OH work and these didn't hurt, probably due to the supported position of the bar at the bottom. 165 felt harder than I expected, probably due to my trap hurting (though I don't think these aggravated it more than it already is), and also not being locked in on the timing since it's been years since I push pressed. Grip width was about the same as my bench press grip width.

Was going to row, but the only working rower (one is out of order) was being used the past hour, and I wasn't patient to wait around for it to open up.

Getting a massage tomorrow afternoon. If it's not clearly moving in a better direction by Thursday, I will seek some other assistance out.

[Michele Knaub]

i meant i thought you were implying you had to move out of your apt, but i wasn't sure if you were referring to where you live or where you train.