Bluebutton's Log

[Kyle Schuant]

Angry helps you lift, and keeps those pesky kids in line.

[bluebutton]

Heh. We'll see.

Today so far:
Press
35 x 5
55 x 8 x 2

Later I got in

FS
75 x 3
95 x 3 x 5

Now off to order 7' bar

[Aleli]

Good to hear you are ordering the 7' bar!

Also, it's great you aren't feeling depressed anymore!

[bluebutton]

Press back to 90!

So I decided to test my press today--
55 x 5
65 x 3
75 x 1
80 x 1
85 x 1
87.5 x 1
90 x 1
92.5 f
--Everything felt strong and smooth til 90 which slowed at the last 1/3. 92.5 might have gone up if I had grinded longer. Not sure. But quite happy with this given the layoff with the trap spasm. My goal is 100lb press.

FS
92.5 x 3
105 x 3
120 x 3 x 3
--I don't think I've squatted over 115 for reps in a long time. These felt quite good. I'm curious about running up to 165 (old single PR) for reps. But the longer bar should arrive before then and I'll be able to back squat. Maybe I'll keep both squat variants. Haven't totally decided on programming for the next block, but will do that soon.

Overall, I was starting to feel depressed again but was listening to one of my favorite speakers Dallas Willard. He was talking about the distinction between the will and feelings and I decided screw it, I feel like crap, but I can still walk downstairs and lift some weights anyways.

[bluebutton]

Onward and upward and back to vanilla SS.

With the squat stands and a 7 ft bar, I'm able to back squat and bench which I haven't been able to do. I spent yesterday rearranging and tidying the garage so I had a good space to work in. Of course, today's the day the contractor dropped off the new windows to be stored in our garage until they are installed. Can't win for trying, but the guys did leave me enough space to work in, it's just a bit tight.

For the next 12 workouts, I'm going back to vanilla SS working from 60% of my old 1RM.

So today

Squat (the regular ole LBBS)
60 x 5
90 x 5
120 x 5
130 x 5 x 3
--this is "light" but I haven't back squatted in 2 months, so I'm going to feel it.

Press
20 x 5
40 x 5
55 x 5 x 3
--This was more fatiguing that I anticipated--it's that extra set on the end.

DL
120 x 5
150 x 5

After essentially a year of an "Easy Strength" variant, this is noticeably more work than I've been doing. I'm glad I'm only committed to 12 workouts. And then I'll figure out the next thing.

[Kyle Schuant]

Microloading.

[bluebutton]

Microloading.

Indeed.

And DOMS. That is all.

[bluebutton]

Vanilla SS--Workout 2

Squat
40 x 5
60 x 5
90 x 5
120 x 5
140 x 5 x 3
--some definitely knee slide on the first couple lets, and a lot of hamstring/adductor soreness/tightness. Everything loosened up and I started being stricter on the knees.

BP
40 x 5
60 x 5 x 3
--been a long time since I did these

DL
120 x 5
160 x 5

After several months of just power cleans, my upper back is sore from these heavier pulls, in a good way.

Today was another will over feelings day. With the hamstring soreness, I didn't feel like lifting at all. But I knew that the only way to get over the soreness was to force the body to adapt to LBBSs again. So back under the bar with me. It's all a bit of a head game at this point. The squats "feel" heavy, but I know these are teaser weights.

[bluebutton]

My first early morning workout!

Today:
Squat
20 x 5
40 x 5 x 3
60 x 5
90 x 5
120 x 5
150 x 5 x 3
--the garage was pretty cold (for me--I'm traveling to the midwest later this week and it's really freezing there) so spent quality warm up time. Focused on knees out and preventing knee slide. Also realized that it's an adjustment to the accompanying torso lean that comes with a hard knees out after the uprightness of the FS. I have a short torso, so I always feel like an accordion when I do the LBBS, folding and unfolding.

Press
40 x 5
60 x 5 x 3
--These felt taxing which is weird since I was doing sets at 75 and 80 lbs. But I think it's because overall the SS LP is so taxing and the press is the first thing to suffer.
--Also my pecs are sore from Mondays benching.

DL
120 x 5
150 x 3
170 x 5

--With the new meds, I'm a bit "up" so I've been sleeping less and I finally figured I should be productive in the mornings and went to the garage to lift. I should find out shortly whether this interrupted my husband's sleep.

I've been trying to figure out why I've returned to SS as part of figuring out what to do afterwards. A big part is because I can. Without squat stands I couldn't LBBS or Bench. But now I can. Another part is wanting a bit more intensity. Easy strength is mostly high frequency, low volume, low-mid intensity. So more intensity and volume is a change and for 12 workouts, I think it'll be good.

I know the SS forums is always about MOAR strength! But I'm about quality of life and strength is only one part of it. This morning's workout was an hour long. It was a good hour spent, got my workout in and I got some time to sort through some thoughts, pray a bit. In that combination, I could keep it up. But if 20 min/day of iron work is going to provide sufficient strength and stimulus, there's a lot to be said about that. Life has a way of throwing it's own curve balls. I like that I have the option to do shorter or longer workouts and still maintain my general strength goals.

[bluebutton]

After a year of focusing on frequency, it's odd to be aiming for ONLY lifting 3 days a week, instead of lifting 3 days but thinking it should have been 4-5.

I'm less sore than the beginning of the week--yay adaptation.

Insomnia and a weird eating schedule is going to make recovery unsustainable in the long term--but there's no long term! I'm 25% done with this block--haha.