BigA's Log

[BigA]

HBBS (no belt + no wraps/sleeves): 365 x 5, 5, 5 (rehab)

I repeated last time's weight due to an extra day of rest. It seems like 3 days of rest is just about the maximum amount of rest that I can take in between squat days otherwise my coordination on squats begins to deteriorate and consequently, my strength levels drop (not technically speaking, my muscles can obviously still produce the same amount of force after 4 days of rest but my technique breakdown makes it harder to lift the same amount of weight. This only seems to apply to squats for me).

My next step in the LP will be to do a top set of 5 with 2 back off sets. I think I have still got a decent amount 3 x 5 gains left though.

[BigA]

Wednesday

SLDL (no belt + mixed grip): 405 x 5, 365 x 5, 5 (rehab) LS RO

First workout of the LP using 3 sets on the SLDL. Hopefully, this set up propels me forward for a while.

[BigA]

Press (no belt): 187.5 x 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 172.5 x 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 145 x 9
Weighted Chin-ups: 55 x 1, 50 x 1, 1, 1, 1, 5 (lbs) x 8, 6
Incline Bench Press (no arch): 210 x 3

I decided to do singles for the weighted chin-ups instead of 3s. The chin-ups have stagnated a bit. I added in 2 extra singles in order to have 5 singles. Now I have 7 sets of chin-ups in total. Andy was right, the press singles really do make your technique better. The 5th single was the smoothest. I could only complete it because my technique was spot on though. I felt the fatigue setting in but my technique overcame it. This transferred over to my volume work very well. The set of 10 is quite a different beast than 5s or singles. The weight is light but, you fail right away when your triceps are too fatigued. There is no grinding, you just can't do it, period.

I am hopeful that these changes to my upper body programming will start to get things moving again. My arms are starting to get swole from all of this volume. I haven't even been doing my curls.

[BigA]

HBBS (no belt + no wraps/sleeves): 370 x 5, 5, 5 (rehab)

The squat is challenging now. The first set was the hardest. I actually wasn't 100% sure that I was going to complete it because I didn't feel that great going in.

[BigA]

SLDL (no belt + mixed grip): 410 x 5, 370 x 5, 5 (rehab) LO RS

I need to apply the master cue to the SLDL as well. My form is getting sloppy. The bar is swinging out away from my body. I actually failed 1 of the reps on the 410 because the bar swung too far away. I managed to complete 5 reps because the weight is not at my limit yet but this can't keep happening.

Also, having eaten less than 2 hours prior did not help with staying tight. The food kept coming up. Unfortunately, I did not have a choice to train later on due to the gym closing.

I also *almost* got sick a few days ago. My throat was sore for about 5 days but I did not get completely sick (thankfully). However, I have been coughing up the remaining phlegm and this has impacted my sleep and there really isn't much that I can do about it besides take mucinex and hope that it goes away.

Last week, I got a massage for the first time in my life. I went in expecting it to be this incredibly pleasureful experience (I told them to go lighter, I can sports massage myself at home with a lacrosse ball). But, to be honest, it was kind of underwhelming. To me, it definitely wasn't worth the money. I suppose if 60$ was nothing to me (which will be the case ASAP), then I might as well do it. But otherwise, better to save that money or spend it on food.

[MattimusMaximus]

I’ve also never had a massage in my life but I hear people talking about how amazing they are all the time. Something about a stranger rubbing my back seems strange... maybe because of that episode of Seinfeld when George got a massage... lol

[BigA]

I’ve also never had a massage in my life but I hear people talking about how amazing they are all the time. Something about a stranger rubbing my back seems strange... maybe because of that episode of Seinfeld when George got a massage... lol

Yeah, it was a little awkward although I can see how one gets used to it. I think I am (was) used to getting more intimate massages from a past girlfriend. What I mean by that is that she used her nails to scratch or grab my skin lightly, sort of like a cat. This isn't exactly something a masseuse would do for you. I told my friend this and she jokingly told me to go make a tinder account saying that I should put "I am just looking for a back massager, no hookups". I wonder if that would actually work haha.

Press (no belt): 190 x 1, 1, 1 (horribly misgrooved, used up a lot of extra energy grinding it up), 0, 172.5 x 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 145 x 10
Weighted Chin-up: 17.5 x 5 x 5, BW Chin-up: 6
Incline Bench Press: 215 x 3

I added in one set of BW chin-ups going up to 12 reps so that I cover that rep range as well and get some hypertrophy gainz. I decided to implement a slight autoregulation component to my press programming (nothing like what is talked around here though). Quite simply, if I fail one of the intensity reps on the press, I will stop with the intensity work for that workout. This will save some energy for the volume work.

Well, I am doing a bunch of upper body work now. My arms had a huge pump by the end of the workout. I literally couldn't flex my arm more than 60 degrees or so. If this amount of volume plus intensity doesn't work, I don't know what will. I suppose that realistically, if it's not enough, I will add incline bench volume. Like Jordan and Austin said, volume is infinitely scalable so there must be a magic amount to get things going.

Something else to note is how much my forearms have grown from all of this chinning (and to a lesser extent deadlifting). High volume chins really stresses your forearm muscles, particularly the flexors.

[BigA]

HBBS (no belt + no wraps/sleeves): 375 x 5, 5, 5 (rehab)

Late night workout. Had a little knee tweak on the second to the last warm-up but it went away after the last warm-up set.

[MattimusMaximus]

Yeah, it was a little awkward although I can see how one gets used to it. I think I am (was) used to getting more intimate massages from a past girlfriend. What I mean by that is that she used her nails to scratch or grab my skin lightly, sort of like a cat. This isn't exactly something a masseuse would do for you. I told my friend this and she jokingly told me to go make a tinder account saying that I should put "I am just looking for a back massager, no hookups". I wonder if that would actually work haha.

hahaha no harm in trying... or is there? lol, you never know who would reply!

[BigA]

hahaha no harm in trying... or is there? lol, you never know who would reply!

With my luck, probably another male, 180 lbs crossfitter looking for someone to "help their glutes fire properly". But I guess I will never know until I try haha. I should probably consult Carni about getting results on Tinder, he seems to be the Tinder expert around these parts.

SLDL (no belt + mixed grip): 415 x 5, 375 x 5, 5 (rehab) LS RO

I really focused on keeping the bar over the middle of my foot this session and it helped quite a bit. The bar was swinging forward way too much and it made the reps much harder than they need to be. I am thinking of raising the back off sets my 10 pounds, they are feeling a bit too easy.