Codger's Quest

[codger]

Darn, tweaked by back today while doing squats for sets of 6 at relatively low weight--280. It's the same spot I injured last October, lower right back. Not sure what happened but I think I really do need to have a coach check my form, something which I'm hoping to set up in the next couple of weeks. For now I guess I'll rest for a few days, maybe check out one of the injury rehab templates.

[codger]

Following a lower-back rehab program. Did the first work-out on Tuesday:

Back at it today, using the new low-back-pain template. Lots of high reps.

Squat, no belt: empty bar x15x1@4; 95x15x1@5; 135x15x1@6. Three minutes rest. No pain at all, not even discomfort, though I notice tightness or something in the area that I hurt last week--lower right side of my back.

Paused bench: empty bar x15x1@4; 95x15x1@5; 135x15x1@6. Three minutes rest.

Deadlift: empty bar x15x1@4; 95x15x1@5; 135x15x1@6. Three minutes rest.

Crunches: 15x3. Two minutes rest.

Second work-out yesterday:

Squat: 45x12x1@4; 135x12x1@5; 175x12x2@6. Three minutes rest. Everything feels good so I think I'll be able to add weight pretty quickly.

Paused bench: 45x12x1@4; 100x12x1@5; 155x12x2@6. One to three minutes rest. The weight felt about right for this high-rep range.

Deadlift: 45x12x1@4; 115x12x1@5; 190x12x2@6. One to three minutes rest. I'll add weight fairly aggressively to these too.

Sit-ups: 4 sets of 12 reps. I anchored my feet against a bar while doing these. I tried them without anything to hold my feet but couldn't do them without jerking myself forward, which made me appreciate the abdominal strength displayed by this woman:
YouTubeShe makes them look deceptively easy.

[codger]

Day 3 of lower-back rehab.

Squats: 180x10x1@4; 190x10x1@5; 200x10x2@6; 210x10x1@7. Three minutes rest. These high-rep squats really leave me winded. I'll try adding 5 pounds next time I do 10s.

Paused bench: 135x10x1@4; 155x10x1@5; 165x10x2@7; 170x10x1@8. Three minutes rest. I'll repeat this next time since the last set was supposed to feel like a 7, not an 8.

Deadlift: 200x10x1@4; 210x10x1@5; 220x10x2@6; 230x10x1@7. I can easily add weight to these.

Sit-ups with ab mat: 5 sets of 10 with 1 to 2 minutes rest.

[codger]

Since my back is feeling nice and normal again I decided to start the Time Crunch template this week. I'm hoping to follow it for most of the summer. I'll be doing a lot of traveling for work and probably won't be able to devote as much time to training as I would like to over the next three months.

Still being conservative with the weights--babying the old back a bit.

Squat with belt: 290x1x1@7; 265x5x1@7.5; 240x5x2. Three minutes rest. The RPEs were supposed to be 8, 9, and then 76% of my !RM, which I'm taking to be 315 for now. I'll add 5 pounds next week.

Press with belt: 130x1x1@7; 117.5x5x1@7.5; 106.25x5x2. Three minutes rest. Conservative with these too, RPEs were also suppoed to be 8, 9, and 76% [of 140]

BB rows for myo-reps: 150x15x1@8; 150x5x3; 150x5x4. Five deep breaths between sets.

A few crunches, to keep up the low-back rehab.

[codger]

Day 2 on the time-crunch program.

One-count paused bench: 226.25x1x1@8; 198.75x6x1@8.5; 186.25x5x2. Three minutes rest.

Squats for myoreps : 150x15x1@8; 150x5x1; 150x2x1. Five deep breaths between sets. These are tough--strength-wise I felt capable of doing more but I quickly ran out of breath and had to stop.

RDLs for myoreps. 175x14x1@8; 175x5x1; 175x4x1. Same story as the myoreps squats. The weight didn't feel heavy at all but by the third set I was done.

I'm hoping I can at least maintain my strength on this program.

[codger]

Day 3.

Deadlift with belt: 395x1x1@7.5; 360x5x1@7.5; 326.25x5x2. Three minutes rest. The RPEs were all supposed to be higher but I'm being conservative for a few workouts to see how my back responds. So far so good.

Press touch and go for myoreps: 95x15x1@8; 95x5x1; 95x2x1. Five deep breaths between sets. These myoreps are interesting.

Single-arm DB rows for myoreps: 60x16x1@8; 60x5x4; 60x4x1. Five deep breaths between sets. I'll add 10 pounds to these next week.

[codger]

GPP today

DB curls: 30 (each ) x12x3; single-arm over-head triceps extensions: 30x12x3; ab-mat situps: 12x3. I did all these as supersets, with 3 minutes rest.

LISS on airdyne: 25 min

[codger]

Another time crunch workout today, starting week 2.

Squat with belt: 295x1x1@8; 270x5x1@8; 245x5x2. Three minutes rest. I'll add at least another 5 pounds next week.

Press with belt: 135x1x1@7; 122.5x5x1@8; 111.25x5x2. Three minutes rest. I'll add 2.5 pounds next.

BB rows for myoreps: 155x15x1@8; 155x5x3; 155x4x1. Five deep breaths between sets. I'll try 160 next.

Tomorrow I'm off to Cleveland on a working trip for a few days, then to upstate NY for a week.

[codger]

Been traveling for the past week so I missed a couple of workouts. I'm still on the road but I managed to squeeze in a session today. Hoping to get another one in on Wednesday.

Squat with belt: 275x1x1@7.5; 255x5x1@7; 225x5x2. Three minutes rest.

Press with belt: 135x1x1@7.5; 125x5x1@8; 115x5x3. Three minutes rest.

BB rows for myoreps: 155x12x1@8; 155x5x2; 155x4x1. Three deep breaths between sets.

[codger]

Back from traveling. My training suffered a bit. All together I got in 3 workouts while I was on the road--the one posted above; a GPP day; and a dumbbell workout in a Hampton Inn's mini-gym.

Continued with the time-crunchprogram this week, since work has kept me pretty busy.

Tuesday:

Squat with belt: 290x1x1@8; 265x5x1@9; 240x5x2. Three minutes rest.

Press with belt: 135x1x1@8; 125x5x1@9; 115x5x2. Three minutes rest.

BB rows, myoreps: 155x12x1@8; 155x5x3; 155x5x4. Five deep breaths between sets.

Today (Thursday):

Paused bench: 225x1x1@8; 200x5x1@9; 185x5x2. Three minutes rest.

Squat, no belt, myoreps: 200x12x1@8; 200x3x2; 200x2x1. Five deep breaths between sets.

RDLs, myoreps: 175x14x1@8; 175x5x2; 175x4x1. Five deep breaths between sets.