Finding Out that the Iron Never Lies

[bustermonkey2]

Feb 28, 2014

Press @ 212 lbs-1. PR. Very tough. I was supposed to hit 210 but decided to go for a small pr because of the big failure on deadlifts yesterday. Getting close to a bodyweight press, which has been my goal for several years now. I'm glad to continue to make even small progress on press.

Press @ 167 lbs- 4,4,4,6. Tough last set.

Chins @ bodywt-10
Chins w/ 45 lbs- 6,6. Some kipping.

Incline press @ 190 lbs- 10,10,10. Tough-very tough.

[bustermonkey2]

March 3, 2014
Bodywt @ 223 lbs

I wanted to combine squats and bench since I know I'll be too busy to get to gym for several days with work.

Squat @ 460 lbs- 1 PR. Unwrapped. This was tough but not terrible.
Squat @ 367 lbs- 4,4,4,4. These were real tough by the end.

Bench @ 365 lbs-1. PR. Tough but not terrible. Bro type guy that was spotting me tried to urge me to do another rep and I had to tell him nope.
Bench @ 285 lbs- 4,4,4,7. Tough, probably had a few more reps in me on last set but didn't have a decent spotter available except for same bro guy.

Close grip bench @ 225 lbs- 10,10,10. Pretty tough.

I was really happy with this session after 2 bad sessions last week. Next week I think I'm going to reduce workload to 3 sets of 3 and skip accessories for next 3 weeks as my backoff sets are too heavy on squats and deadlifts at this point.

[Róbert Kovács]

Congrats on the PRs!

[bustermonkey2]

Thanks. Unfortunately, I just had a setback that will possibly further derail my progress. I've had an ingrown fingernail that was swollen and red for last 5 days. Right hand middle finger. Since it wasn't resolving I went to the doctor. He cut it with a blade in 2 spots to allow it to drain and put me on a 10 antibiotic course (Cephalexin). My experience with being on antibiotics in the past is that they quickly reduce progress. I'm still going to continue to try to push forward, but I'm not optimistic.

[idlehands]

Oh man. I had a Paronychia last year. ER cut it open gave me anti-biotics. Next day I was getting blood poisoning and had to go back for more cuts and IV antibiotics and more antibiotics. I don't recall how that affected gains but it sucked worse cause ER doc says "We kept you here extra long cause we wanted to run tests as your white blood count was low, which usually means leucemia"
dot dot dot
dot dot dot
"oh you don't have leukemia, but you should see an octologist. "

That was a fun week. I just have shitty blood apparently.

Good luck with the anti-biotics man.

[bustermonkey2]

Crap. The doc gave me a choice between taking just the antibiotics without cutting or going ahead with both cutting and antibiotics. He said he thought there would be a good chance it wouldn't resolve with antibiotics alone based on how swollen it looked. I thought it was better to just get it all done but now I think it may have been smarter to hold off on cutting.

Do you think I should delay training a few days?

[idlehands]

I don't recall delaying training because of the cut. First time through I opted out of the novacaine when they lanced it. Second time they really dug around. I wouldn't worry. I have weak blood apparently, seriously I shouldn't have had blood poisoning because of it. Everytime I donate platelets I'm on the edge of what they will accept. Normal is something around 200 to 400. They have had me down to 180 on platelet count.

[Róbert Kovács]

I hope you'll get better soon. You might want to keep a deload week, with 1 or 2 light sessions though. You won't detrain on that, and that means you can have a few days off now, like 3-4 before the first session of the deload week.

[bustermonkey2]

I think I'm going to do a deload week next week. I did train today but it didn't go great. In the past antibiotics seem to make me feel fatigued even before the workout. That was similar to how I felt today. It's not that I can't train, it just feels like I didn't get enough sleep, even though I did.

After the deload week I'm going to change programming to 5/3/1 3 month challenge. I screwed up this 4 x 4 cycle on squats and deadlifts by making 15 lb jumps too long and not having any deload weeks. Essentially, by the time I got up to squat/deadlift pr territory, I was dreading the 4 x 4 backoff sets that provide the volume as they had turned into a grinding struggle. It is like being at the end of Texas method where the volume workouts could only barely be completed, making recovery too difficult. I also feel like I need a psychological break for a bit from trying to hit several pr's a week. I doubt that my lifts will increase on the 3 month challenge but it should add some mass and give me a little better conditioning with the 10 rep sets. I'll try it out for 2 months and then test my lifts to see where I am. If any progress was made, I'll do the 3rd month as well.

[bustermonkey2]

March 7, 2014

Deadlift @ 530-0,0. I wanted to give this another shot. Both times it broke off ground a few inches then stopped.
Deadlift @ 455 lbs-3. Very tough and felt fatigued.
Deadlift @ 425-3. Ok.

Press @ 185- 1. Felt heavier than it should have so I didn't try for 215.
Press @ 165- 4,4. Very fatigued by this point.