Going Intermediate - very slowly

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

Saturday June 5th, 2010

Today I felt sluggish, like I needed another half an hour of sleep before waking up properly. Maybe I was still under the effect of the blood donation I did on Thursday evening.

A very hot day in London, with 29 degrees and some humidity. Despite all the windows being open, there was not much of a draft in the weight room. The fact that each window opens no more than 4 inches might be a factor. But that's 60s brutalist architecture for you.



(Peso x reps x serie. Peso in libbre. 1Lb ~ .44Kg)
(Volume day)


Squat

40 x5 x2
90 x5
140 x3
180 x2
190 x1
205 x5 x5 (belt)

First time with a belt. The first impression is that the belted squat is different from the non-belted one (this wins the LaPalisse prize for stating the bleeding obvious).
The second impression is that one might be so focused on pushing the belt with the abs, that it's possible to lose track of what the back is doing. In other words, squatting with the belt is mentally more complicated, because there is one more thing to keep under control.



Press (Military)

40 x5
65 x5
90 x3
100 x1
105 x5 x6




Power Clean

85 x5 deadlift
85 x3 hang power clean
105 x3 hang power clean
125 x1
130 x1
135 x1
140 x3 x6 (61.5 Kg)

I had no great expectations for this lift, as I had done no pulls for almost three weeks. To my surprise, a lot of executions were actually fine. Feeling good about that.


Stupid move of the day: put your gym notebook on the window sill next to the treadmills. Put on top of it the belt, and the towel. Spend a few minutes running very slow to warm down. Then take the towel and the belt, and head towards a well deserved cold shower.
Once at home, realise that there is something missing...



IPB



3192

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

Monday June 7th, 2010


You learn something every day. This morning I learned where the switches are for the weight room spot lights (usually on) and for the fans (usually off). This information will be useful for the summer.

(Weight x reps x sets)
(Recovery day)


Front squat

40 x5
60 x5
80 x4
100 x3
120 x2
135 x5 x2

I will be reducing the load on this lift, going from 65% to 60% of the squat.



Bench Press

80 x5
100 x5
120 x3
130 x1
140 x5 x3

I think I might have got the concept of "rowing the bar down" to the chest. Mind you, I thought I had the concept of driving the feet into the ground too, but from the comments I got in the Technique section this doesn't seem to be the case.



Chin-ups

4 x7
3 x1



Hang Power Snatch

Burgener warm-up
60 x3
75 x3 (33Kg)


Only five minutes, but I like this lift too much to leave it out.


The notebook is back in my bag, thanks to the efforts of the gym staff.
As of today I'm introducing a new counter, to keep track of the number of consecutive sessions since the last injury. This could be considered as tempting fate, but my fate with injuries can hardly get much worse anyway.
Bets accepted about the number it will stop on.


IPB

Sessions: 2

3250

[fnet]

I hope that "rowing" cue works for you. I know it might sound silly considering the bar is quite capable of finding its way down on it own, but it helped me.

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

Hi fnet,

I hope that "rowing" cue works for you.

I used a similar cue in the past, namely "reach teh bar with your chest", but I forgot about it. This morning, when I tried yours, it came back. The value of both cues seems to be in the fact that if you try to reach the bar (or row it) then it comes natural to bring the shoulders back, hence keeping the scapulae tight.

I hope I won't forget the cue this time round.
Thanks again for your suggestion, and for reading my log.

IPB

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

Wednesday June 9th, 2010

Last Saturday I was informed that my membership would expire on the next day. The renewal procedure is a formality, but it was not possible to do it there and then because the system doesn't allow for renewals of memberships that are still valid.
I tried on Monday, but the person dealing with the procedure was not in. Today it finally seemed to be the right day. But I was handed two forms, the additional one to set again my bank payment mandate. So I can't renew until my membership expires, but once it's expired, I need to start everything from scratch. The admin lady handling this admitted the procedure is cumbersome, and apologised profusely.
She really did apologise, at some point sounding like a stuck CD. This is so British. The British are world-class apologisers; they apologise for everything, and with a readiness honed in years and years of practice. Unfortunately they usually stop there, instead of doing the right thing and offer not just an apology, but a refund for the wasted time. Actually, the Tube does that, when it's late you can ask for your money back. Time for my gym to do the same.


(weight x reps x sets)
(Intensity day)


Squat

40 x5 x2
90 x5
140 x5
180 x2
200 x1
220 x5 (belt)

I really could have done 225. But I chickened out, and opted for a conservative weight.


Press

40 x5
65 x5
90 x3
110 x2
110 x1
116 x5

A very slow last rep. I need to be more aggressive when starting the bar. And I also need to take a bigger breath, and really big one, before I start.


Deadlift

100 x5
150 x5
200 x3
230 x1
240 x5

I haven't pulled in hanger since before Easter, and unfortunately it shows. Twenty pounds more than the squat is rather pathetic, but it's all I trust myself with for the time being.
I've added two singles at 210 pounds, to experiment with belt placement for this lift. The results is that I seem to use the belt better if it's fairly high, bang on top of the diaphragm. I'm actually thinking about using the same position for the squat too, to see how it works.



IPB

consecutive sessions: 3

3326

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

Friday June 11th, 2010

A follow-up on my renewal saga: it's all fine. This morning, after the session, I took all the forms, duly compiled, and presented them to the admin staff. They swiped my card, assumed a befuddled look, and then proclaimed I had nothing to do, because my membership had been automatically renewed. I didn't know whether to feel happy because I've nothing to do, or enraged for the time I've wasted.
I've also been told that I could save some money on my monthly fee; I currently pay 30 quid a month, with no tie-in, but I could pay 25 a month, if I signed to a 12-month contract.



(weight x reps x sets)
(Volume day)



Squat

40 x5 x2
90 x5
140 x5
190 x3
207.5 x5 x5 (belt)

Apart from one horrible rep during the fourth set, when I found myself lurching forward, I am reasonably happy with the work. For some strange reason, the first set is invariably the most difficult, despite being the one I do when freshest. It's surely a question of nerves and coordination, not strength.



Bench

80 x5
110 x5
130 x3
150 x1
156 x5 x5

The bench still eludes me. Maybe, just maybe, this time the bar top position was a bit more consistent. But I am not able to remember all that needs to be done for every rep. Sometimes I don't cue myself to "row" down the bar, I forget to push the legs out before starting the bar down or fail to give the bar a really good squeeze. It's like doing a puzzle on a table that is too small: I know how all the pieces fits together, but as soon I finish one part, the other falls to the ground.



This was the morning session. This evening I'll do the rest, either Snatches (if there is enough space in the gym) or cleans (which I do with a shorter bar, taking less real estate).


IPB



consecutive sessions: 4
3361

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

Friday June 11th, 2010

Weight x reps x sets.
Volume day - evening session

Hang Power Snatch

Burgener warm-up
50 x3
70 x2
80 x2
90 x1 x2
95 x3 x6

Nothing in particular to report.


IPB
3394

[Dastardly]

Saturday June 5th, 2010

Today I felt sluggish, like I needed another half an hour of sleep before waking up properly. Maybe I was still under the effect of the blood donation I did on Thursday evening.

A very hot day in London, with 29 degrees and some humidity. Despite all the windows being open, there was not much of a draft in the weight room. The fact that each window opens no more than 4 inches might be a factor. But that's 60s brutalist architecture for you.

Well done for donating blood. I think the sudden burst of heat was enough to make anyone feel tired, you having given away your blood would have put your low on minerals & oxygen carrying blood cells. Training mustve been hard work.

In terms of your gym, I think it looks great (from the videos). None of the gyms I have been to have windows!

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

Well done for donating blood.

Thanks. I hope I don't get too preachy about this, I know I sometimes do.



IPB

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

Tuesday June 15th, 2010

Last Sunday I went rock-climbing (I'm rubbish at that, but I still enojoy it). It was a long day, and I needed all of yesterday to fully recover.

(weight x reps x sets)
(Recovery day)


Front Squat

40 x5
80 x5
120 x3
130 x2
140 x5 x2


Press (military)

40 x5
65 x5
90 x4
100 x1
105 x5 x3


Deadlift

100 x5
140 x5
190 x3
210 x2 x3


Chin-ups

6 - 6 - 5 (to failure, but tryingto keep good form)



IPB


consecutive sessions: 5
3472