Wolf's Log: From Cub to Direwolf

[Michael Wolf]

Pretty solid work today. My pulls were a bit squirrely, with lateral movement that I can't really account for. But moved OK and felt OK.

Squat
45x8x2, 135x5, 225x5, 315x5, 365x5 (b), 415x3 (b), 455x3 (b) @ 8
Notes: These will probably get a bit easier whenever I go get my iron plates and reduce the major bar bouncing happening here. Stopped at three to save some juice for deadlifts, my back was still feeling a bit fatigued.

https://instagram.com/p/0MLySamIWL/?...=wolf_strength

Deadlift
585x3 - HG @ 9
585x3 -HG @ 9.5
495x5 - Straps @ 9
Notes: The 585 triples, especially the second, had some weird lateral movement but moved well once they got off the floor. Took a lot out of me though, as I backed off an entire plate and it was still hard.

Sled Push - 2 min clock, alternating high/high and high/low
2 empty
2 +50
2 +70
2 +80
2 +70

[John Petrizzo]

Good to see your squats moving so well, Wolf.

[Michael Wolf]

Good to see your squats moving so well, Wolf.

Thanks John.

Forgot to log yesterday.

Paused CGBP
295x3x3
Notes: Still some discomfort. thought the closer grip would be easier on it but it was actually more uncomfortable than Thursday's normal grip volume work.

Couldn't do chins because of it. Did 3 sets of ring rows, 12,12,10 with short rests (1-2 mins).

[Michael Wolf]

Today was a little disappointing but not bad. Things are slowing down sooner than I anticipated and it's hard to tell how much of that is fatigue/programming and how much is related to the pec/shoulder issue. Everything was tight and cranky today. Not just my pec, but I had random flare-ups of tightness in my back and my abs and even hamstrings. Just an off day.

Bench Press
380x1@ 9.5, 390x1 @ 9.5, 400x1 @ 9.5, 410x1 @ 9.9
Paused: 365x1 @ 9, 375x1 @ 9.25
Notes: I warmed up extra today hoping that would help, but pec/shoulder was still uncomfortable and tight when I got to 380. Since my default is to push even when I shouldn't, I had mentally prepared to talk myself into shutting it down if I felt it would make things worse, but it seemed OK and like it wasn't making things worse, just not warming up. So I went ahead. Between 380 and 400, things got a bit better. 410, though, was slow. I probably would have made 412.5, but maybe not 415 today. Disappointed that my volume work and PR doubles haven't let to a higher single, or at least a faster 410, but there's still silver lining. That's the second most I've ever benched, and the most I've done in almost a year and a half. The paused singles were fine.

Press
222.5x3x5 @ 8.5,9,9,9.5,9.5
Notes: Volume work getting tough again. Was so tempted to put on two plates for this, but I knew I wouldn't get it for 5 sets across so stayed with the plan.

KB Rows
32kg/70x10, 40kg/88x10, 44kg/97x10x3
Notes: I tried one BW chin and while it seemed a bit better than Saturday, it also felt like doing 5x5 weighted chins would exacerbate what's wrong up there, so I very reluctantly skipped weighted chins. Live to fight another day. My hope is that avoiding chins for a short time will be enough to allow healing to occur, and I won't have to scrap bench temporarily either. The BW ring rows didn't feel good on Saturday, so did these instead, even though 97 was easy and is the heaviest KB we have (no DBs in house). Could have done more reps, but also didn't want to fatigue my back ahead of tomorrow's squats and SGDLs.

HSPU
1,1,1

KB Press
24x5, 28x5, 32x5, 36x5x2 (b)
Notes: Belted for 36, since my low back was spasming just slightly at 32. It helped me lock things up better.

EZ Curl Standing OH Tricep
106x9

[Adam Skillin]

Today was a little disappointing but not bad. Things are slowing down sooner than I anticipated and it's hard to tell how much of that is fatigue/programming and how much is related to the pec/shoulder issue. Everything was tight and cranky today. Not just my pec, but I had random flare-ups of tightness in my back and my abs and even hamstrings. Just an off day.

It's a little hard to sympathize with your plight when you're benching in the 400's. First strengthworld problems.

[Michael Wolf]

It's a little hard to sympathize with your plight when you're benching in the 400's. First strengthworld problems.

On the one hand, ya. On the other hand, I hit these numbers a long time ago. I am still, when healthy, able to make weekly progress on bench. Yet one thing or another has prevented me from PRing this lift T-n-G since 11/13 and paused since this past July. This is quite frustrating. Moving my grip in an inch seemed to be working, then this happened. I don't recall it happening at a specific moment or on a specific lift, I noticed it Monday last week, I think, while benching. Suddenly, it was just there.

[Adam Skillin]

On the one hand, ya. On the other hand, I hit these numbers a long time ago. I am still, when healthy, able to make weekly progress on bench. Yet one thing or another has prevented me from PRing this lift T-n-G since 11/13 and paused since this past July. This is quite frustrating. Moving my grip in an inch seemed to be working, then this happened. I don't recall it happening at a specific moment or on a specific lift, I noticed it Monday last week, I think, while benching. Suddenly, it was just there.

I totally get it. I'm just being peanut butter and jelly. I hope you get back to PR-ing all your lifts soon.

[B. Murphy]

I totally get it. I'm just being peanut butter and jelly. I hope you get back to PR-ing all your lifts soon.

You're jelly? I felt awesome about my bench PR today then come in here and it's barely over half of what Wolf is benching.

Feel better Wolf, you'll be crushing PR's soon!

[Dwayne_KONG_Wint]

If your pec tendon is healing or currently in a state of disarray, for the time being, you probably shouldn't be pushing so many 9+'s. Let it heal. What would you tell a client? "That looked rough and since you are in pain, you should probably do more." No, I don't think you would tell them that. Think about the long term Wolf. If you stopped at 380 and maybe went straight to the paused work, you probably would have incurred less damage and would have helped your cause for next week and the week after that. Maybe the idea that you are "when healthy, able to make weekly progress on bench" is not completely true. Maybe, you can do it for a while and then not, for a while. During the "not" times, pushing will just lead to breakdown. Its good to just go status quo for a bit so that adaptations can take place.

[Michael Wolf]

If your pec tendon is healing or currently in a state of disarray, for the time being, you probably shouldn't be pushing so many 9+'s. Let it heal. What would you tell a client? "That looked rough and since you are in pain, you should probably do more." No, I don't think you would tell them that. Think about the long term Wolf. If you stopped at 380 and maybe went straight to the paused work, you probably would have incurred less damage and would have helped your cause for next week and the week after that. Maybe the idea that you are "when healthy, able to make weekly progress on bench" is not completely true. Maybe, you can do it for a while and then not, for a while. During the "not" times, pushing will just lead to breakdown. Its good to just go status quo for a bit so that adaptations can take place.

You're like the little angel on one side of my shoulder. I've thought just about exactly this. But maybe you're the devil. Because, so far, it has continued to get better, albeit slowly, without major reduction in planned bench press work - just very slightly lighter on both of the past two intensity days. Does that indicate I'm making a good choice, or would it be better for it and heal faster if I stopped altogether, or went a lot lighter? I don't know. Partially because I don't know exactly what the injury is; I *think* it's a slight strain on the clavicular head of the pec major, but I'm not 100% sure.

Sometimes it's pushing through minor things, consistently, that allows us to make progress because once you're past the general strength/well being phase, something somewhere hurts a little most of the time. On the other hand, sometimes you need to back off to let something heal so you can come back stronger in a few days, weeks, or months. I am not sure which scenario this is, but I am actively considering the options constantly.