SeanThornton gets back in fighting shape!

[SeanThornton]

Thanks, WW & Peez

[SeanThornton]

3/18/16 - Conditioning

Rec Center track (1/11th of a mile): 24 laps: (1 walk/2 fast) x 8. Total time 25:09, fast laps were in the 50 second range.


3/20/16- BW: 196.5

Should have been done on the 19th, but Saturday was just too busy, so one day late

SQ - 45x5x2, 90x5, 130x3, 170x2, 210x5x3 (PR!)(tough, but no issues)
OHP - 45x5x2, 60x5, 75x3, 85x2, 95x3,4,4,4 (PR!)(tough, and missed a rep on the 1st! set. Keep same weight next time, and man, I suck at this lift)
PC - 35x3x2, 45x3, 55x3x5 (PR!)(not too bad, and now heavy enough that I land with feet wider than before the jump. With 35 and 45, I land with feet closer, very strange. Go to 65 next time)
Chins - 12, 12, 11 (just the blue band)(OK, way more reps than last time, and with less assistance, but that's because I found a better way to use the band. Less assistance at the bottom, but more at the top. Noted exactly where I had the band on the rack, so it will be consistent from now on. Once I hit 15x3, I'll decrease the assistance.)

Glad I'm going to the DL & PC clinic on the 9th, because I'm fairly certain my PC form sucks pretty bad


3/24/16 - BW: 197.1

Again, one day late, had too many things going on after work yesterday.

SQ - 45x5x2, 90x5, 135x3, 175x2, 215x5x3 (PR!)(pretty tough, but no issues)
BP - 45x5x2, 72.5x5, 97.5x3, 122.5x2, 147.5x5x3 (PR!)(very tough, just like last two times, 5th reps were all a slow grind. Tells me I'm right at my true strength limit, and that I AM getting stronger
DL - 95x5x2, 130x5, 165x3, 200x2, 235x5 (PR!)(very tough. Normal grip, and that's still fine, but the lift itself is hard. I don't think the bar speed was that slow, though, so I think it's mostly that I'm just a wimp!)

If this was a powerlifting meet today, I'm 2.5 pounds from the 600 club
Also, happy to see that for the squat, 175#, where I got stuck several times, is now my last warmup set weight!

Bob

[SeanThornton]

3/16/16- BW: 195.4

BP - 45x5x2, 70x5, 95x3, 120x2, 145x5x3 (PR!)(tough, and like last time, all the 5th reps were slow, but completed all reps without issue)

From my last update on the 16th, BP was 5x3, not 4x4. Can't copy and paste for format between BP and OHP any more, since I do 4x4 on OHP

Also noticed that I couldn't edit that post any more, so there must be a time limit for that.

[SeanThornton]

3/26/16 - BW: 195.3

Conditioning: Rec Center track (1/11th of a mile): 20 laps: (1 walk/1 fast) x 10. Total time 22:52, fast laps were in the 36-38 second range.

OHP - 45x5x2, 60x5, 75x3, 85x2, 95x4x4 (PR tie)(tough. Repeated weight from last time, since I had missed a rep)

Last time I missed a rep on the >first< set, so this time, I rested for 3-4 minutes after the last warmup set before starting the worksets. And I think that I might have missed a rep on today's 1st set if I hadn't. For some reason, OHP tires me out faster than any other lift.

[SeanThornton]

Last workout was on the 26th (OHP only), and should have done a full workout on the 27th. However, the last SQ/DL workout left my legs (outside of the thighs, starting where you feel the tip of the hip, and going about half way down the thigh) VERY sore, and it took days to get better. Finally seems to have let up yesterday, so got back to it today. In retrospect, I think there were two contributing factors... not eating enough, and (this one is kinda weird), the desk chairs that I use at work and at home seem to aggravate the leg pain I get from lifting. They're both decent chairs (the one at work is an "Aeron" or something, from a well known supplier (Herman something), the one at home is a similar style). They both rise up on the side of the seats (next to the thighs, i.e., where it's been hurting). It's like it forces the legs closer together than I'd like. Never noticed it til the weights have started getting heavy (well, heavy for me, that is). I have a flatter chair to use at home, not sure what I'll try at work. I'll keep you all posted on how it goes.

Oh yeah, almost forgot, had a lot of lower leg pain earlier in the week as well. That was from the conditioning I'd been doing, so I guess I'll ease up a bit on that for now, as well.

3/29/16 - BW: 196.6

SQ - legs were still very sore, but I just joined my son on his squat workout, since it was light, and I figured some light squatting might help
45x5x2, 65x5, 85x3, 100x2, 115x5x3

Then joined my daughter at the Rec Center, and stayed off the running track, did an elliptical instead (1st time). 25:00, started at level 1, ended at level 4. Still wound up with a lot of lower leg pain the next couple of days.

4/2/16 - BW: 197.2

Chins (just messing around with my son's weightlifting team): 5, 10, 13 (1st set could have been more, was just demonstrating form).
These are assisted, so not that impressive

SQ - 45x5x2, 85x5, 125x3, 160x3, 195x5x3 (backed off 20# from last WO. Seeing how the leg pain goes)
BP - 45x5x2, 75x5, 100x3, 125x2, 150x5x3 (PR!)(very tough, probably shouldn't have gone for a PR with the break I took)
PC - 35x3x3, 45x3, 55x3, 65x3x5 (PR!)(still kinda easy) I'm sure my form still sucks. Looking forward to the clinic for PC and DL next Saturday.
Chins - 13 (to make up for the set of 5 I did in the morning!)

[SeanThornton]

Just a quick update... moved to using the flatter chair at home over the weekend, and brought a cushion to work to avoid the rise on the sides that was bugging me. Long story short, it's made a huge difference. Normal soreness is improving as I would expect it to, and should be ready to squat again tomorrow!

[waistline warrior]

Glad to here its working. Throw up some good numbers tomorrow!

[SeanThornton]

4/5/16 - BW: 198.4

Chins (along with my son's weightlifting team, 3 hours before my workout): 12, 15, 15. Assisted, with the heaviest of the three bands that I have. Will go to the medium band once I hit 15x3.

SQ - 45x5x2, 85x5, 125x3, 165x3, 200x5x3 (tough, but definitely getting full depth now, compared to the recent 200+ lifts last month)
OHP - 45x4x2, 60x4, 75x3, 85x2, 97.5x4x4 (PR!)(pretty tough)
DL - 95x5x2, 130x5, 165x3, 200x2, 230x5 (backed off 5# from last time, since it's been well over a week since last DL. Still pretty tough)

This will be my last full workout (squats and pulls) before Saturday's pulling clinic with Karl & Dave. Will likely do bench on Thursday, and maybe some chins. I need to go every three days for recovery for squats and deadlift, and that would be Friday, which is too close to Saturday

[SeanThornton]

4/6/16 - BW: 197.5

Still had a decent amount of pain in the outside of the thighs from Tuesdays workout, but it wasn't as bad as recently, thanks to the chair mods I made (posted above).

Then, last night, I decided to try some HIIT at home on the bike (not an Airdyne, but another brand of the same basic thing). I had tried the HIIT over the last couple weeks, but running, and that didn't turn out too well! Anyway, last night, did 5 rounds of 30 seconds on, 90 seconds off, going full out on the bike. Net result: ALL leg pain on the outside of the thighs is gone! It's like magic

Gonna try some dips (for the first time since college!) tonight, assisted, of course. Will post about that tomorrow.

[YoungOpa]

... Anyway, last night, did 5 rounds of 30 seconds on, 90 seconds off, going full out on the bike. Net result: ALL leg pain on the outside of the thighs is gone! It's like magic

Ah, you're just in shock... it'll probably wear off. ;-)

Nice work, though -- personally, I hate HIIT.