rgove's log

[rgove]

Weight: 66kg
Average calories: 2600

Sun
Squat: 87kg, 5,5,5 *PR*
Press: 36.5kg, 5,5,5 *PR*
Deadlift: 89kg, 5 *PR*

Squat was formerly getting one deep breath per rep. This is no longer enough to maintain proper concentration, so from now on I'm taking an additional part-breath. Tried a full breath, but that led to mild hyperventilation, which is even worse.

Tue
Bench: 49kg, 5,5,5 *PR*
Squat: 89kg, 4,1 and 88kg, 5
Chinup: 5,4,4,4 *PR*

Well, this is embarrassing. In the first squat set I unexpectedly stuck on rep 4 just above parallel, and just marginally managed to get it up. Then in the second set I let the weight push me down too fast, fell through the bottom of the hole and had to dump it. Time for another form adjustment.

Thu
Squat: 89kg, 5,5,5 *PR*
Press: 37kg, 5,5,5 *PR*
Deadlift: 92kg, 5 *PR*

Did an extensive squat warm-up at lower weights, being very strict about not allowing the weight to push me down through the point of rebound. This was previously causing me to always go deeper as I got weaker.

Also now using even more flexion at the hips, and (as in the deadlift) not lifting the torso angle until the knees are through their sticking point. This puts more load on the low back, but should allow the hamstrings to contribute for a longer ROM.

I have a theory that this is the real reason why Rip's "drive your ass up" cue works: it inhibits your instinctive attention to driving the bar up, which causes your torso to become too vertical too soon and turns the lift into a quad press.

[rgove]

Oh yeah, forgot to say, I'm starting to develop a ... well, I was going to say "gut", but that would be an exaggeration by most people's standards. It's just a bit novel for me to feel anything at all spilling over my belt when bending over. I can still see my abs easily enough, and I'm resigned to saying goodbye to them for a year or so if that's what it takes, so this doesn't bother me too much.

[rgove]

Weight: 65kg
Average calories: 2750 (Fri-Tue)

Sat
Bench: 50kg, 5,5,6 *PR*
Squat: 91kg, 5,5,5 *PR*
Pullup, 5,5,5,4 *PR*

Bench keeps going up with surprising ease. With my long arms and skinny chest it's always been by far my weakest lift relative to Kilgore's strength standards, but for whatever reason it looks as if that is now starting to resolve itself. Going to make a 1.5kg jump next time.

Noticed for the first time that the bar racked for the squat is slightly flexed. Didn't expect this to happen so soon, though it is a cheap bar only rated up to 150kg.

Tue
Squat: 93kg, 5,5,5 *PR*
Press: 37.5kg, 5,5,4
Deadlift: 95kg, 5 *PR*

Squat starting to overbalance forwards again, got to stop this immediately or I won't reach 100kg by the end of the year.

Press would probably have been fine if I hadn't messed up the balance and rhythm a couple of times by lowering the bar too fast and too far in front.

Wed
Bench: 51.5kg, 5,5,5 *PR*

Just had time for a short workout before leaving to visit family. Managed the 1.5kg jump well, but didn't have much spare capacity.

Ate reasonably well for the rest of the week, but spent a lot of time in the cold.

[rgove]

Weight: 65.5kg
Average calories: 2500 (Sun-Thu)

Mon
Bench: 52.5kg x 5/5/5 *PR*
Squat: 94kg x 5/5/2

Looks like I shouldn't have tried pushing up the weight after 6 days off. Gave myself 10 minutes rest between squat sets, but just couldn't supply enough concentration.

Thu
Squat: 94kg x 5/5/5 *PR* (form check video)
Press: 37.5kg x 5/5/5 *PR*
Deadlift: 98kg x 0 and 88kg x 5 (form check video)

This was a bit surprising. My back didn't seem that tired, but 98kg felt as if it was glued to the floor and wouldn't move at all.

[Krump]

Keep up the progress rgove. I'm not a form expert but your squat depth looked fine - it seemed at or just below parallel. I did notice on the way up the bar starts moving up in front of the foot but when you start driving your ass back the bar levels out over the foot.

I challenge you to average eating 3000 calories next week though. Eating is part of training and you need to progressively overload that as well to keep your lifts increasing. Whole milk is your friend in this endeavor. I always find it easier to drink extra glasses of milk than snacking on solid food between meals.

[rgove]

Keep up the progress rgove. I'm not a form expert but your squat depth looked fine - it seemed at or just below parallel. I did notice on the way up the bar starts moving up in front of the foot but when you start driving your ass back the bar levels out over the foot.

I challenge you to average eating 3000 calories next week though. Eating is part of training and you need to progressively overload that as well to keep your lifts increasing. Whole milk is your friend in this endeavor. I always find it easier to drink extra glasses of milk than snacking on solid food between meals.

Thanks for the encouragement. You are right about eating, of course, and I think I am now hitting that "wall" I predicted a few weeks ago.

[rgove]

Weight: 66kg
Average calories: 2600

Sun
Bench: 53.5kg x 5/5/5 *PR*
Squat: 94kg x 5/1
Chinup: 5/5/5/5 *PR*

Suffering from general tiredness and lack of motivation. Couldn't supply the intensity to keep going on the squats.

Tue
Squat: 86kg x 5/5/5
Press: 38kg x 5/5/5 *PR*
Deadlift: 93kg x 5

Thu
Bench: 54kg x 4/4/4
Squat: 90kg x 5 (after numerous form practice sets at 70)
Chinup: 6/5/5 *PR*

Found that squats feel much more stable and consistent if I pay conscious attention to the feel of where the weight is distributed over my feet.

Unfortunately I have had a minor problem with my right foot for about a year. It presents as a very sudden and unbearable pain when placing pressure on the ball of the foot around the third or fourth toes. It does not occur predictably, maybe only a few times a day, and I have more or less stopped it from bothering me in my daily life by developing reflexes to shift my weight when I feel it coming on.

Three months ago when I was thinking of restarting weight training, I did some research and found this sounded a great deal like a condition called Morton's neuroma. However, it wasn't seriously bothering me, and I didn't want to start training only to have to stop again for a month to get surgery, so I did nothing about it.

I still think that was the right decision, as I've improved my technique and strength a lot since then. But now I find that as squats get well above my bodyweight and balance becomes more critical, my inhibition against putting too much weight on the front right quadrant of the right foot is getting to be a problem. So I'm going to see a doctor next week, and meanwhile I am going to have to bear the cold and go back to squatting barefoot, which I think prevents the problem by allowing the foot to spread out under load.

[rgove]

Weight: 65.5kg
Average calories: 2200

Took most of the week off for festivities etc.

Fri
Squat: 90kg x 5 (same as last time but barefoot)
Press: 38.5kg x 5/5/3
Chinup: 6/6/5 *PR*

Not too difficult to return to barefoot squatting, just had to lower the safety bars a notch.

Doctor's appointment tomorrow.

[rgove]

Weight: 66kg
Average calories: 2450 (2300 Sun-Thu / 2900 Fri-Sat)

Still on semi-hiatus at the start of the week but got back into it properly on Friday.

Mon
Bench press: 54kg x 5/5/4

Tue
Squat: 93kg x 4
Deadlift: 90kg x 1/1/0

Obviously need to back off a bit more, I've been out of a regular training schedule for too long.

Wed
Press: 38.5kg x 5/5/5 *PR*

Fri
Squat: 90kg x 5/5/5
Bench press: 54kg x 5/5/6 *PR*
Deadlift: 90kg x 5

Good solid end to the week. Consumed a protein shake and over 100g of dates before starting, which really kept my energy levels up from beginning to end.

Doctor agreed that my foot problem is most likely Morton's neuroma. This being the NHS, I will have to wait at least one or two months before I can see a foot specialist and get it treated.

In the meantime I will continue squatting and pressing barefoot, which feels pretty stable now. Deadlifting is not affected because front/back balance is much easier in that lift.

[rgove]

Weight: 66.5kg
Average calories: 2650

Mon
Press: 29kg x 5/5/5 *PR*
Squat: 92kg x 5/5/5
Chinup: 6/6/5

Wed
Squat: 94kg x 5/3/5/5
Bench: 55kg x 5/5/6 *PR*
Deadlift: 94kg x 5

Went too deep in the second squat set and got stuck at the bottom, but it didn't really feel that heavy, so decided to do two more complete sets and succeeded without too much difficulty.

Deadlifting barefoot as well now, after realising that my work boots have a 3cm heel.