Wolf's Log: From Cub to Direwolf

[idlehands]

Knees, especially the left, were back to their old cranky ways today. Made squats less technically solid.

Squat - SBD + belt
405x3, 435x3, 455x3 @7, 465x3x2 @ 7.5, 8
Notes: Knee pain made it hard not to try to guard them and then led to knee slide. Felt heavier on my back than I expected, but it is heavier than I've gone in three weeks so no big deal.

Close Grip BP - beltless
135x5; 185x5; 225x5; 245x5; 265x5; 275x5x2 @6.5, 6.5; 255x5
Notes: Pretty easy.

Deadlift - beltless, mixed grip
365x5, 405x5, 425x5
Notes: After seeming to not improve at all for a couple weeks, my back is suddenly improving rapidly this week. The reps were fast. As is often the case when building back up, they felt heavier and slower than they looked. I did feel the slightest bit of twisting so need to really focus on pulling the bar in and keeping it even. Held the last rep at the top for an extra 5 seconds.

Since my hook was clearly a problem at max weights at the meet, I'm going to pull mixed grip at least for a while. Though these weights are still not heavy, I want to re-adjust to mixed gripping now so I'm already OK with it by the time things get back over 500. I really like the hook, but I just can't pull max weights with it; after 600x3 and 610x2 with the hook, I thought I could. But it was clearly slipping a bit at 640, so need to re-train myself to be comfortable mixed-gripping.



Ring Rows
BW x 8 x 3

C2 Erg - 20/80 x8
Paces: 1:39, 1:34.3, 1:30.0, 1:27.7, 1:29.2, 1:31.7, 1:39.0, 1:25.4
Notes: Felt like I could push a bit again today, back was ok. Still not full throttle but enough for some work.

Damn. I am training hook cause of twisting, now The Wolf is not hooking. Can I go back to mixed? Deadlifts are too much thought, just to figure out how to hold the bar. Darn

[Michael Wolf]

Damn. I am training hook cause of twisting, now The Wolf is not hooking. Can I go back to mixed? Deadlifts are too much thought, just to figure out how to hold the bar. Darn

Honestly, if you can hold your heaviest weights with the hook, DO IT. I really don't like mixed grip, but my dislike for it isn't as strong as my desire to get my pull up. I can't hold my max deadlifts with the hook, so I just have to deal with it. Once I am used to mixed-gripping again, I will resume doing some of my training with the hook.

[idlehands]

Honestly, if you can hold your heaviest weights with the hook, DO IT. I really don't like mixed grip, but my dislike for it isn't as strong as my desire to get my pull up. I can't hold my max deadlifts with the hook, so I just have to deal with it. Once I am used to mixed-gripping again, I will resume doing some of my training with the hook.

Heh I can pull doh these days. Taking deadlifts slow cause of shit back. Will continue hook practice and see

[Michael Wolf]

Knees were a bit cranky today and didn't have the command of squats that I had yesterday, but still a solid day of lifting overall. Really feeling better now from this cold, I think/hope I'll be at full strength by Monday.

Squat - XXL SBDs, belt
405x3, 435x3, 455x3, 475x3 @7.5, 495x1 @8, 445x3 @8
Notes: Squats felt a little more solid than expected, till 495. I didn't focus for that rep, and 445x3 afterwards was a little slow. Still, pleased I was able to work up to 495 today. In my original, pre-cold plan, I would've done 500x5 today which would've been a cool milestone to hit. Not sure if I'll go for it in this cycle, as I lost two weeks and will need to hit some heavier 3s, 2s, and 1s before the meet. We'll see.

CGBP -beltless
Fives at: 135, 185, 225, 265, 285 @7, 295 @7.5, 275
Notes: Fine.

PC Warmup
135x2, 155x2
DL - beltless
225x5, 315x5 - DOH
405x5 - first two DOH, then L-Up
455x5 @ 8, R-Up
Notes: I didn't film it but I'm guessing 455 felt way slower than it was. Probably looked like a 5.5, but it felt like an 8. Mixed grip is still weird and doesn't feel tight and solid.

Some highlights from this "building back up" week:


C2 Erg - 20/75x7
Mostly 1:37-1:30, one at 1:33. Just able to start speeding up again.

[Karl Schudt]

Two questions: what were your thoughts on shoes and heel height?

What did you get your squat to on linear progression? I've got a client up to 445x5x3 who wants to know who's gone the furthest. #damnkidsandtheirtestosterone.

[Michael Wolf]

Two questions: what were your thoughts on shoes and heel height?

What did you get your squat to on linear progression? I've got a client up to 445x5x3 who wants to know who's gone the furthest. #damnkidsandtheirtestosterone.

1. That's kind of a vague question. I seem to be able to stay tighter in the LBBS with a slightly lower heel. If someone has great ankle mobility and/or certain anthropometry (short femurs, long torso), an even lower or flat sole may work just as well - as long as it's non-compressible and rigid. But these more minimal shoes (nanos, minimus, etc) and chucks etc...I'm not a fan of for squatting heavy. I'd rather squat in too high a heel in a real lifting shoe than any of those. The completely rigid sole is very important.

2. Your client is linearly stronger than I. I got to 420x5x3 and 440x5 with two 5-10% drop back-offs.

[Karl Schudt]

1. That's kind of a vague question.

It was just something you promised to talk about a few weeks ago in your log. I like the lower heel myself, but I'm an outlier.

The client is going to be very strong. I hate him a little. Mostly I'm happy for him.

[Michael Wolf]

It was just something you promised to talk about a few weeks ago in your log. I like the lower heel myself, but I'm an outlier.

I did? Must be getting old, I don't remember. One day you'll know what that feels like, Karl.

The client is going to be very strong. I hate him a little. Mostly I'm happy for him.

I hate him a little, too. But truth is, the more really strong guys we have, the better it looks for us.

[Michael Wolf]

Welp, when Wolf's Disease isn't manufacturing soft tissue or joint injuries, it's making me sick. Literally the first day I felt normal and totally over the cold, I got hit with a nasty bout of food poisoning Saturday night/Sun morning from about 12-5:30am. Everything came back up, in both directions, and I lost 7-8lbs in that time and didn't get any sleep. Couldn't eat anything till about 5pm, when I had some soup & crackers. Had solid food, a sandwich, at 1am Sun night/Monday - about 1200 cals total for the day between the food and gatorade I drank.

Still felt like crap this morning but could eat my usual meal and was back to my normal weight afterwards. Things were improving so decided to go to the gym and see what I could do, expecting not to go very heavy but maybe prevent detraining. Turns out I was improving rapidly enough to actually get some work done. I was very pleasantly surprised, and am feeling almost back to normal now at 10pm.

Squat - rehbands, belt for the heavier ones
315x5, 345x5 - beltless
375x5 @6, 395x5 @6.5, 365x5 - belt
Notes: Weight obviously felt harder than usual, but still pretty easy all things considered. Didn't go further because I didn't want to delay my recovery from the FP.

https://instagram.com/p/7oi9WqGIQd/?...=wolf_strength

Press
95x6, 135x6, 160x5 - beltless
175x5 @6.5, 185x5 @7, 190x5 @7, 195x5 @8, 175x5 - belt
Notes: Worked a lot on the second layback today. Wasn't great, but was a lot better than I've ever done it with more than 135. Some reps were off, but got the timing right with a very moderate amount of 2nd layback on 1/3-1/2 of the reps.

DL - beltless, DOH
135x5, 225x5, 315x5, 365x5
Notes: All pretty easy.

OHS - all paused
45x3, 85x2, 115x2, 135x2 - no wraps
155x2, 170x1x2 - wraps
135x2x2 - no wraps
Notes: All easy again, just challenging for left shoulder and right wrist. Did this without any plates under my feels for the first time today. Was using them to supplement my crappy ankle mobility while I improved shoulder mobility for the OHS. Shoulders still not great, but improved enough just from doing the movement a couple times, to do with just the WL shoe heel today.

[Michael Wolf]

Felt better today, almost back to normal, but did have some fatigue leftover from yesterday.

Squat - rehbands
355x5, 385x5 (belt), 415x5 @7 (belt)
Notes: Legs a little tired from yesterday but all ok.

Bench Press - beltless, medium grip
245x5, 285x5, 305x5 @7.5, 320x4 (racked instead of 5th rep, pussed out), 295x5 @8
Notes: Not very strong today.

Deadlift
185x5, 275x5, 365x5 - DOH
435x5 - belt, L Up
485x5 @7.5 - belt, R Up
Notes: Mixed grip still feels weird. 485 set started strong, last rep got suddenly harder. If I'd stopped after 4, I'd have rated it a 5.5.

C2 - had to stop during 3rd interval, abs were cramping in the spot that's still a little sore from contracting so hard to help me set a vomit PR the other day.