bean counter's Barbell Medicine Log

[bean counter]

Monday 14 December
Week 8, Day 1

Bodyweight: 93.5 kg

LBBS
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 3 X 3 @ 9
Belt, wrist wraps, SBD sleeves
140 kg: 1 X 3 @ 7+
153.75 kg: 1 X 1 @ 8
148.75 kg: 2 X 3 @ 8.5, 9
145 kg: 1 X 3 @ 8.5
Totals: 13 reps, 1,900 kg

Best squat day I've had in a while. As with Saturday, I used quite a bit of psyche and focus to attack these heavy sets. The top single was finally advanced (if only by 1.25 kg) and 148.75 kg X 3 @ 8.5 predicts a 169 kg E1RM, which is getting back towards my previous peak, if still a few kg off.

Savagely yanked my left elbow while reracking one of the early sets, which was particularly dumb given it was already aching.

Close-Grip Bench
℞ 5 @ 8 -> @ 9
Wrist wraps
87.5 kg: 1 X 5 @ 7.5
90 kg: 1 X 5 @ 7.5
92.5 kg: 3 X 5 @ 8, 8.5, 9
Totals: 25 reps, 2,275 kg

No shoulder trouble but my elbow did hurt, especially when unracking. Kept the rest fairly short at 92.5 kg so I would fatigue - I didn't want to do too much volume with a sore elbow and competition bench tomorrow.

[bean counter]

Wednesday 15 December
Week 8, Day 2

Bodyweight: 93.6 kg [PR]

Comp Bench
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 3 X 3 @ 9
Wrist wraps
96.25 kg: 1 X 3 @ 7
106.25 kg: 1 X 1 @ 7.5
102.5 kg: 2 X 3 @ 8.5, 9
100 kg: 1 X 3 @ 9
Totals: 13 reps, 1,010 kg

My elbow hurt while benching, which is rare, and indicates how badly annoyed it is at the moment. I'm still aware that my shoulder is a bit tweaked, but there's no pain or loss of confidence while lifting.

Excellent session otherwise, with E1RM up to 117 kg, which is well over my actual PR of 111 kg.

Squat Without Belt
℞ 5 @ 8 -> @ 9
SBD sleeves, wrist wraps
115 kg: 1 X 5 @ 7
118.75 kg: 3 X 5 @ 8, 8, 8
Totals: 20 reps, 2,655 kg

Ouch, elbow really feeling it. That, along with still being very cautious on beltless squats were my excuses for not hitting the target RPE.

[bean counter]

16 December 2015
GPP

Bodyweight: 93.3 kg

Spin Bike HIIT
20 / 1:40 X 7

Mobility
- 10 minutes

Pullups [9 minutes]
10 X 3 = 30

Didn't AMRAP the final set because my elbow hurts.

Planks [9 minutes]
1 X 60s, 8 X 30s = 5:00

[lou t]

sorry to hear about your elbow. As you know my left elbow has been chronic, so I empathize. I got a third injection last week and it seems to have helped...good news....now the bad news....Dr. said I can no longer do pull ups or chin ups if I don't want to keep have recurring problems.

[bean counter]

sorry to hear about your elbow. As you know my left elbow has been chronic, so I empathize. I got a third injection last week and it seems to have helped...good news....now the bad news....Dr. said I can no longer do pull ups or chin ups if I don't want to keep have recurring problems.

Hey Lou. It sure is frustrating; I've had elbow problems for over a year now. Pullups are generally OK, but I've given up on chins for now. I have tried a lot of things, but nothing's fixed them. The Voodoo bands are good for a bit of short-term relief if they are getting especially cranky.

Thursday 17 December
Week 8, Day 3
Coaching session with Carl Raghavan

Deadlift
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 3 X 3 @ 9
Belt
165 kg: 1 X 3 @ 7
182.5 kg: 1 X 1 @ 8
175 kg: 2 X 3 @ 8, 10
Totals: 10 reps, 1,730 kg

First the good. 175 kg X 3 @ 8 is great, probably helped by pulling on a proper 28mm bar. Now the not good: on rep three of the second set I pulled something in my hip/glute area. It was pretty painful. I'm thinking glute medius or minimus, but it might be piroformis or something like that. No way I could do any more deadlifts after that, even picking light objects up off the floor and moving round the gym was tough for a while.

Carl's main coaching point was to emphasise my chest up at lockout, but not to hold the lockout on multi-rep sets, and come straight back down.

2ct Bench
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 3 X 4 @ 9
Belt, wrist wraps
90 kg: 1 X 5 @ 7.5
100 kg: 1 X 1 @ 8
94 kg: 2 X 5 @ 8.5, 10
90 kg: 1 X 5 @ 9
Totals: 21 reps, 1,940 kg

I'm an idiot. I ended up trying to lift the weights I'd calculated for 3 X 4 @ 9, thinking I was going for 5 @ 8 -> @ 9. This confusion was due to rearranging the week slightly to lift 2ct bench with Carl rather than close-grip bench (i.e. I swapped Monday and Thursday's bench sessions) as well as pain and distraction from my injury.

That being the case, strength was good. Carl's Power Bar and a nice wide Rogue bench were a distinct step up from the equiptment I'm used to. My grip was a little asymmetrical, but I think this was due to the unfamiliar set up rather than a recurring problem. Carl's main feedback was the my right shoulder was a bit higher than the left, so I really tried to keep it down on the last couple of sets.

Squat
PVC pipe: 1 X 5
7 kg training bar: 1 X 5
15 kg women's bar: 1 X 5
20 kg men's bar: 1 X 5, 2 X 25

Testing out the injury and moving into a Starr rehab kind of approach. Pain levels actually decreased while doing this, which was a good sign. I doubt I'll be ready for my next heavy squat day, but I'm hopeful this won't be a major setback.

[bean counter]

Saturday 19 December
Week 8, Day 4

Hip/glute has calmed down a lot. I didn't know if I'd be able to squat the full weight for today, but planned to work up and see how things went.

Bodyweight: 94.5 kg [PR]

Having a fat day today as I couldn't fit into my normal belt hole until the last squat set. I'm also feeling moderately ill (sore throat, cough, sluggish).

TnG Bench
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 3 X 4 @ 9
Wrist wraps
95 kg: 1 X 4 @ 7+
107.5 kg: 1 X 1 @ 8
100 kg: 3 X 4 @ 8.5, 8.5, 9
Totals: 17 reps, 1,690 kg

Good, where it should be based on recent performance. Neck is a bit stiff - need to make sure I don't grind my head into the bench.

LBBS
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 3 X 4 @ 9
SBD sleeves, belt, wrist wraps
135 kg: 1 X 4 @ 7+
153.75 kg: 1 X 1 @ 8
143.75 kg: 3 X 4 @ 8.5, 8.5, 9
Totals: 17 reps, 2,420 kg

Minimal pain on any rep, which is great news and I managed to do all the prescribed work. My lower back got quite tight and fatigued though. Technique felt really solid (hips back, master cue) and performance was excellent considering injury and illness.

RDL
20 kg: 1 X 20

Trying a gentle pulling motion to see if that aggravated my injury. No issues.

Barbell Curl
20 kg: 1 X 20

Just because. Due to illness and feeling tired I didn't do back or abs today. I will do them during tomorrow's GPP day.

Progress Summary



Looking good!

[lou t]

really good week of work

[bean counter]

really good week of work

Thanks! I just got my third block from Jordan. It looks pretty intense.


Sunday 20 December 2015
GPP

Feeling even more unwell. Debated not going to the gym, but decided that gentle GPP wasn't going to break me.

Spin Bike LISS
30 minutes @ c. 80W

Light effort.

L Sits [9 minutes]
3 X 15s, 7 X 10s = 1:55

Down from last time (5 X 15s).

Face Pulls [9 minutes]
14 kg X lots

Mobility [10 minutes]

[lou t]

Thanks! I just got my third block from Jordan. It looks pretty intense.


Sunday 20 December 2015
GPP

Feeling even more unwell. Debated not going to the gym, but decided that gentle GPP wasn't going to break me.

Spin Bike LISS
30 minutes @ c. 80W

Light effort.

L Sits [9 minutes]
3 X 15s, 7 X 10s = 1:55

Down from last time (5 X 15s).

Face Pulls [9 minutes]
14 kg X lots

Mobility [10 minutes]

even though I can manage a bunch of abwheel reps, I can't do 1 L sit. how do suggest I start? I keep at.

[bean counter]

even though I can manage a bunch of abwheel reps, I can't do 1 L sit. how do suggest I start? I keep at.

There are a bunch of videos on Youtube with suggested progressions, like this one for example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16a529mtX68

If you can't extend both legs at once you can start with just one. A key point for me is keeping my shoulders pushed down and not letting them shrug. Since I don't have parallettes I use a pair of dumbells on their ends to get a bit of clearance from the floor. I also wrap my wrists. Generally my first one or two sits look nice and clean, but then my position gets uglier, with my legs drifting south of parallel.