Really freakin excited at how much my back doesn't hurt today, the day after lifting weights that could (generously) be described as working weight. First time since January.
The bad news: A lot of sitting in small, uncomfortable seats watching my GF compete at CF Regionals, and a 3 hour drive to and 4 hour drive back from Albany this weekend, left my back kind of cranky.
The good news: Cranky now is still SO much better than how it felt almost all day long prior to a few weeks ago. So that's good. Though still definitely nagging me, I finally feel I have turned a corner and can somewhat train again.
The other bad news: I have only 1.5 weeks left till my hernia repair, after which I'll about a month of forced time off, so this improvement in my back situation won't let me get very far before another lengthy deload and build-back-up.
The other other bad news: Elbow-itis is back already.
Such is life.
SSB Squat - 3" belt + SBD
250x8, 300x8x3 @6 - 3 mins rest
Notes: Used the SSB to give my elbows a break, they were pretty angry on Saturday and still a little on Sunday. Frustrating that it comes back so quickly even after nearly 4 months off. Not shockingly, my work capacity and conditioning sucks now after so much time away from squats, pulls and any conditioning work for 1/3 of a year, so these relatively light 8s had me huffing a bit. But moved pretty fast.
300x8 SSB Squat on IG
Close Grip Bench Press
285x4x5 @7
245x10
225x10
Notes: Not much to say here.
Deadlift - 3" belt, shoeless
475x5 @7
Notes: I was a little apprehensive about this, as earlier warm-ups didn't feel great on back or knees, but last warm-up at 435 was good so went for it. While having worked so hard for years on my DL to get it near 700, I want 475x5 to move faster than this. But considering I've only been pulling again for a few weeks after so long off, I'm pretty happy.
Chins
BWx3, BWx4x8 = 35
DB Alt Curls
45x8x2
Rehab stuff.
Really freakin excited at how much my back doesn't hurt today, the day after lifting weights that could (generously) be described as working weight. First time since January.
Back is still improving. It's amazing how much I appreciate not being in constant pain after 4+ months of it. It still doesn't feel perfect, but just to go about my business day to day, hour to hour, without my back hurting the entire time. Without being aware of it acutely and constantly the entire time, because it always hurts, bad. I really appreciate it.
High Bar Squat - 3" belt + SBDs
135x5, 225x5, 275x5 315x5. 345x5, 365x5 @7
Notes: Really wanted to get back to some heavy low bar today, but given the lack of urgency in any of my training right now, wanted to give my elbows more of a break. Took a wider, wrists bent back grip in the high bar position and elbows were alright. Not much to say about the squats themselves.
Press - belt+wraps
225x2, 240x2 @8, 250x1 @9
175x10 @8 - belt only
Notes: First time going over 225 since I did my 290 rep two months ago. Done 225x5 a few times, but never heavier for any reps. Considering my lackadaisical training lately, I'm happy with 250 with a rep in the tank. 175 back off set was solid.
Deadlift
500x5 @7
Notes: SUPER happy about this! First time doing 500 for any number of reps since November, I think.
I first did 500x5 in March, 2013, and between then and summer of 2015, got it to the point where it was a very routine set of 5. Never just a warm-up set, but a super routine set that I could bang out on any given day. My back has more or less not been great since then, and while I've done 500+ for reps many times since, its always felt kind of meh. Whereas this 500x5 felt great, my back felt solid and like it would hold up just fine, and the reps moved well. Not as fast as they were moving at my best, but very well. Really happy with this.
500x5 DL on IG
Chins
BWx3, +25x3, +35x3x4, +25x5, BWx10
LTEs
87x8, 102x8x2
Rehab stuff
Hey Wolf, you remember that book BMueller recommended a while back?
I read it a few weeks ago, and I've got to back up his recommendation. I'll admit, yes, the title alone set off my BS detectors, but I read a bit about the book, and it reminded me of one of Austin's videos:
After watching that video and trying to apply it to my own back pain, I found out I could largely reduce the pain without doing anything differently physically. And since the book summary seemed along the same lines as the video (and because it's only about seven bucks) I gave it a chance. Gotta say, it's helped more than anything else. I don't know if I agree with all Sarno's analysis, but he admits he's not 100% sure that he's right, but that it's worked for him and his clients. Seems to have worked for me as well.
Squat - SBDs + belt
135x5, 225x5, 315x5, 365x5, 405 x unracked several times but didn't even walk it out, 315x5x3
Notes: Trying to find a way to low bar that doesn't wreak havoc on every other part of my body is a challenge. Sometimes challenges are fun, but this one is more perplexing. My regular grip is strong, stable, allows me to squat in a consistent pattern using the SS model. But it trashes my brachialis and elbows, unbearably over time. Trying to find a grip I can use that doesn't destroy my brachialis and elbows - thumbs around the bar, elbows down, wrists bent back, seems to consistently lead to an unstable bar on my back, less consistent reps, less ability to lean over, even more hurt knees than usual, and is the acute cause of my back injury, which I re-aggravated today using that grip at 365, the same way I did it in January - the grip itself leading to inconsistent and unstable reps.
The racks at Solace are all Rogue Monster Lite, which are not conducive at all to taking a wide grip; after being unable to unrack 405 in a way I was satisfied with that I wouldn't further exacerbate my issues, I went back down to 315 and tried to, given the limitations of the rack, work a wider grip with thumbs still over. It helped, but some damage had already been done by then. Will have to just try again next time and see, but not sure I'll be able, at 500+, to do what I did today to get into this grip.
The plan today was to do 445x5, so having 365 be the heaviest is frustrating but of course any one day isn't the end of the world.
Bench Press - 1st rep paused
255x5, 285x5, 305x5, 325x5 @7
275x8x2 - no pause
Alt DB Curls
45x8x2
Rehab stuff. Also did a bunch of hammer curls today re: elbows.
I had planned on doing some power cleans, but given how crappy everything felt, I just shut it down.
Yes! Do it!
Also, you didn't refer to it by name, but I'm guessing you worked out at Albany Strength a few weeks back, judging by your assortment of observations. It's definitely a difficult place in which to lift if you're over 6 feet tall. Price is right, though.
Ya, that was the place. I think it was $5 to drop in, which I couldn't believe. I know I am in the most expensive part of the country, but my gym is $35 for a drop in, whether you're going to take a class or just do open gym. $5 is basically the rate you pay to take a breath of garbage-stinked-up air where I am, so having that for the day rate is mind boggling to me. Hell, even WFAC is more!