Bryan's journal

[Walter Palmer]

Nice volume to start building the base for this year. Good insight into your pulling position, as well.

[Bryan Dobson]

Thanks Walter. Slow and steady build up.

[Bryan Dobson]

Friday
TRAC
You are showing some negative effects of stress. Reduce your training by 1 set or subtract 2% fatigue from each movement.
Also, tiredness has been high. Try to take a nap today.

Passive recovery day
Recovery message for an hour
followed by trip to brewery for beer and lots of food.

[Bryan Dobson]

Sunday 1/11/2015
TRAC Contin ue training asnormal..I need a nap
Pin Squat
300x8@7.5
300x8@7.5
300x8@8
300x8@8.5

NGBP
215x8@8
215x8@7.5
215x8@8
215x8@8
215x8@8.5

Lever rows
225x8x4@7-7.5

Press
135x7x4@6.5-7.5

[Bryan Dobson]

Last set of Pin Squats.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwky...ature=youtu.be

[Oldman]

Last set of Pin Squats.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwky...ature=youtu.be

Great reps, Bryan. Do you feel that these are different in effect from paused squats?

[Bryan Dobson]

Yes, they have a slightly different training effect...but not much. The pin squats you unload before the concentric portion. This makes it similar to deadlifting in my mind, But with squat form /bar loaded on the back. Less specific to comp squatting, but good general lower body training that takes away a lot of the stretch reflex( I consider it good for both deadlift general strength and squats.)

The pause squat you stay loaded throughout. You must maintain tension during the pause in the legs, back and trunk. This trains me, In respect to tightness. This is a little more specific to comp squatting.

They both help build better capability out of the bottom and improve awareness of bar position which makes me a more efficient squatter( less waste, more pounds on bar).

I currently am doing both in the same training week for volume with one session a week dedicated to competition style. I keep other variations in my back pocket as I need them but pauses and pins are my favorites.

[Bryan Dobson]

I meant to add this as this will be my measure of weekly progress.
Tonnage week 1
Pressing 10,860
Lower body 15547


For this phase of training I will track progress through tonnage. With no meet pending really soon ( I have some in my sights for maybe March or April, July and possibly October) I can just train each block with no pressure, run each until it stops working or runs out off steam and go to the next with the same attitude.
I am thinking of just letting trac protocol control any volume undulations as well,I don't have to force any timing until I need to do meet prep.

[Bryan Dobson]

Tuesday 1-13-15
TRAC says I am showing negative effects of stress try not to overly fatigue myself today.


2count pause squat
335x5@8
325x5@7.5
325x5@8+ perceptibly harder than first set.

2count pause bench with chain
45x10, 135x5 add chain 180x3, 210x3 damn left shoulder /neck thing
Took off chains
225x2 stopped it there more below

During vacation somehow I traumatized my left ac joint or contused the actual acromion protrusion. I suspect it was either when I was cleaning and front squatting over there and I had a messy rack that impacted the joint and surrounding tissue or a water sports thing.

Symptoms felt like a contusion near or on the ac joint( it is hard to feel) with muscular pain on the side and anterior left of my neck.
Today I got some muscular feedback from the clavicle as well as neck muscle cramping. I have been dealing with some left shoulder pain since this began. I am having trouble determining if this is a simple contusion and muscle issue or a joint issue. Since I was getting a unique feedback from my shoulder today I cut the session short. Also the left shoulder did not like me reaching overhead after Sundays session...
I was hoping if it was a simple contusion that training would be beneficial. For now ice. And hope the reduced loading and volume today lets it feel better.

If I was certain it was muscular I would do something like the Starr rehab protocol. Just not sure and I don't have competitive orthopedics in my area.

[elVarouza]

Ouch, that sounds annoying. I've had shoulder pain around that area before that's usually caused by the bar getting out of position during an overhead movement. It's always seemed to go away on its own. Well, once I tore something up there but that was really obvious. Hopefully yours starts to feel better.