bean counter's Barbell Medicine Log

[bean counter]

Sunday 7 February
GPP

Bodyweight: 95.9 kg

L Sits [8 minutes]
9 X 10s = 1:30

Ring Rows [8 minutes]
58

Arms [8 minutes]
DB Curls, Band Press Downs

Elbows still grumpy. Press downs with a mini band were very light.

Cross Trainer
25 minutes @ 120-130 bpm

Mobility [12 minutes]

Edit - Nutrition Summary

[bean counter]

Monday 8 February
Cycle 2
Week 4, Day 1

Bodyweight: 95.9 kg

I'm in a big hole of fatigue right now.

LBBS
℞ 1 @ 8, 1 @ 9, 4 @ 9. 4-6% fatigue
Belt, wrist wraps, SBD sleeves
140 kg: 1 X 4 @ 7
157.5 kg: 1 X 1 @ 8
165 kg: 1 X 1 @ 9
150 kg: 1 X 4 @ 9
142.5 kg: 1 X 4 @ 8.5 [5% drop]
Totals: 14 reps, 2,055 kg

Lower back started getting tired after 140 kg X 4, which wasn't a good sign. Single at 165 kg was a bit scary as I lost tightness at the bottom, but I came up again fast afterwards. 150 X 4 was unpleasant. My first and only down set wasn't quite at the fatigue stop, but it was on seven minutes rest and probably would have been @9 on five, so that was it for the day.

Following the last set I was spotting someone on the bench before unloading my squat barbell. A guy asked if I was done on the squat rack and I said yes. He then proceeded to unload all the plates on one side and nearly flipped the barbell, which made most of the gym come running.

2ct Bench
℞ 1 @ 8, 3 @ 9, 6-9% fatigue
Wrist wraps
92.5 kg: 1 X 3 @ 7
102.5 kg: 1 X 1 @ 7.5
100 kg: 1 X 3 @ 8.5
92.5 kg 3 X 3 @ 7.5, 8, 8 [7% drop]
Totals: 16 reps, 1,515 kg

I did all of this on c. 3 minute rest periods and still didn't quite fatigue in the time available. I had to use the dedicated bench rather than the power rack, which I'm not used to, but strength was still better than expected. There might have been another down set, but I lost count.

[bean counter]

Tuesday 9 February
Cycle 2
Week 4, Day 2

Bodyweight: 96.5 kg

Subjective fatigue levels still very high.

Comp Bench
℞ 1 @ 8, 1 @ 9, 4 @ 9, 4-6% fatigue
Wrist wraps, belt
97.5 kg: 1 X 4 @ 7
110 kg: 1 X 1 @ 8
115 kg: 1 X 1 @ 9
105 kg: 1 X 4 @ 9 [PR]
100 kg: 2 X 4 @ 8.5, 9 [5 % drop]
Totals: 18 reps, 1,835 kg

Singles OK but not great. E1RM here is steady around the 120 kg mark. 105 kg X 4 was a tough, genuine @9, but it's nice to still hit a PR when I'm not feeling great overall. I hit the fatigue stop relatively quickly after that.

Squat Without Belt
SBD sleeves, wrist wraps
℞ 6 @ 7, 6 @ 8, 6 @ 9, 6-9% fatigue
110 kg: 1 X 6 @ 7
115 kg: 1 X 6 @ 7.5
120 kg: 1 X 6 @ 7
110 kg: 1 X 6 @ 7
Totals: 24 reps, 2,730 kg

My lower back pump came on during warmups and was threatening to get severe after the 115 set, so I took an 8 minute rest (I had time due to quick fatigue on the bench). My fatigue dissapated and the top set felt great. One down set was OK too. I didn't really do the ℞, but given how crappy I've been feeling lately this seemed like a decent slot overall.

Technique felt nice today. Cues I was giving myself:
- Lower bar position (go past the bar and then come back)
- Unlock the knees then immediately focus on hips back
- Master cue
- Stay tight to maximise the stretch reflex

[lou t]

nice work overall and congrats on bench PR

[Dave Hahn]

Nice work!

[bean counter]

nice work overall and congrats on bench PR

Nice work!

Thanks guys!


Wednesday 10 February
GPP

Bodyweight: 96.0 kg

Planks [8 minutes]
9 X 30s = 4:30

I should increase the time here, but I have a hard time pushing myself on something as dull as planks.

BB Rows [8 minutes]
40 kg: 9 X 10 = 90

I have a crick in my neck and a quick warmup set of lat pulldowns confirmed that pullups were going to irritate that, so I tried rows again. Super light because they typically irritate my lower back, but they did so yet again. Lower back felt tired and wrenched afterwards with no real sense of upper back work. D'oh.

Arms [5 minutes]
DB Curls
DB French Press

I only did one set of the triceps work because I could feel my elbow getting irritated.

Cross Trainer
25 minutes @ c. 130 bpm

Today was one of those days where I had to force myself to slow down to keep my HR in check.

Mobility [12 minutes]

SI joint went clunk on both sides. I blame rows.

My opinion about barbell rows is as follows: fuck barbell rows. Really. Fuck them.

[Chris McCarthy]

Do you have the option to do a chest-supported row of some kind?

[bean counter]

Do you have the option to do a chest-supported row of some kind?

I was thinking the same thing, so good to hear it from you as well. I expect I could given them a reasonable go using an adjustable bench. There are plenty of other upper back options, but not really any I've found that give me a good pump, so these are probably worth a shot.

[Chris McCarthy]

I've never found a row I didn't like but I definitely found rows on a bench (with dumbells or barbells) hit the spot - more so than most machines I've ever tried. If on the very off chance you have access to a Hammer Plate Loaded Row I did enjoy using that machine.

[lou t]

Do you have the option to do a chest-supported row of some kind?

good suggestion.
I found I needed to get away from bent over BB rows. They were causing additional fatigue in my lower back. I opted to do inverted rows or pull downs for now.

There are a lot of mixed opinions on the importance of row. As much as I love the effect of building my back, I have never felt that they provide much or any carry over to other lifts.

For a good pump:
superset lat pull downs with low cable supinated rows using a curl bar.

8 minute amrap alternating between the two lifts...no rest. I do these on my GPP day.