BigA's Log

[BigA]

HBBS (no belt + no wraps/sleeves): 365 x 5, 335 x 5, 5

I wasn't sure exactly what weight to use coming back. 365 was moderately challenging. I could have gone heavier but I don't want to be too sore coming back. My biceps and shoulders are super sore from yesterday.

Interestingly, not squatting for about 10 days has resulted in any hip stiffness completely disappearing. I fully expected my hips to feel tight when I did my warm-up set with the empty bar but it was quite the opposite. Zero stiffness. I haven't felt that in a while. I think all of us who train heavy enough to make decent progress are going to be stiff in different areas from time to time. For me, it's mostly my hips. Occasionally, my quad tendons feel slightly stiff.

I think beltless training really mitigates a lot of these obstacles though. You leave some weight off the bar each time you train so you literally cannot beat yourself to a pulp to the same degree as you can using a belt.

[BigA]

Deadlift (no belt + mixed grip): 405 x 5 LO RS

First deadlift workout since being sick. Like with the squat, I could have gone heavier but I don't want to be too sore. My lower body is actually not sore at all from HBBS. I figure I can be pretty aggressive coming back. 20 pound jumps going into 10 and then 5 pounds for the last 2 workouts. It should take about 2 and a half weeks.

[BigA]

Press (no belt): 192.5 x 0, 167.5 x 5, 4, 4, 4, 4, 145 x 8, 7
Weighted Chin-ups: 20 x 5, 4, 4, 4, 4 BW Chin-ups: 7

I got a little frustrated that I did not make my top set. I thought that, having done this weight before, I would have had it but it looks like it will indeed take 2 and a half to 3 weeks to get where I was before. It makes sense though, I didn't just miss sessions, I was pretty sick and I lost some weight. Oh well, I will keep on keeping on and I will continue to make progress.

[BigA]

HBBS (no belt + no wraps/sleeves): 375 x 5, 345 x 5, 5

I think 20 pounds is too aggressive an increase. This wasn't a difficult workout but 20 pounds feels like it would have been too much, too soon. So it will take about 3 and a half weeks to get back to where I was.

You know how I said my lower body wasn't sore 2 posts ago? Well, little did I know that a few hours later, some of the worst soreness I have had in a while would hit me. I literally had to take my time bending over to pick something up because my ADDUCTORS were so sore. Not my hamstrings, my adductors were so sore that they slightly inhibited bending over despite the fact that bending over like in a deadlift doesn't require any meaningful stretching of the adductors. Sitting down and standing up was a mini ordeal everytime I had to do it. They weren't sore for today's workout but there was definitely some lingering fatigue in my quads. They felt "full" of blood during the warm-ups. The weight is light enough that I could still do it no problem but, I just wanted to note that I haven't felt such localized fatigue like that in a while.

[BigA]

Deadlift (no belt + mixed grip): 415 x 5 LS RO

I didn't use chalk today as the block I was using ran out and I forgot to bring a new one. However, this weight was super easy and I was able to complete the reps fast enough that the bar didn't slip out of my hands.

[BigA]

Thursday

Press (no belt): 192.5 x 0, 170 x 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 145 x 9, 8
Weighted Chin-ups: 65 x 1, 5 (lbs) x 7, 6

Friday

HBBS (no belt + no wraps/sleeves): 385 x 5, 355 x 5, 5

[BigA]

Deadlift (no belt + mixed grip): 425 x 5 LO RS

Easy peasy however, there was some form creep. I need to consciously squeeze my chest up more and do my "lean back" cue.

[BigA]

Press (no belt): 192.5 x 1, 1, 1, 0, 170 x 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 145 x 9, 8
Weighted Chin-ups: 20 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Pretty good workout today, I am glad the press is moving again. I am not that far off from my pre-flu numbers.

[BigA]

HBBS (no belt + no wraps/sleeves): 395 x 5, 365 x 5, 5

[BigA]

Deadlift (no belt + mixed grip): 435 x 5 LS RO