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A Rower's Log
33, 6'2, setting this log to hold myself account, track and progress and hopefully gain some knowledge from others on a similar journey.
Started lifting in about 2018/19, pre COVID I was programming hopping on a ridiculous level, the pandemic put a halt to this. Post COVID I was more consistent and panicked when my bodyweight broke 100kg. I looked and felt as good as I ever did, but I was that guy who could leg press 300kg but bailed on a 120kg squat when it got heavy. Rather than fix this, I just found easy ways out.
I have since set up a bare bones garage gym and this is all I have access to, so I can't flirt with fancy machines.
As log title suggests, I row (indoors, on a Concept 2) and this will likely result in program modifications earlier than otherwise anticipated. At the moment it's okay, I'm in a low volume phase in prep for sprint work in the spring/summer with a 1k "race" in March. I don't own, but have read, the blue book. I will fix this. I will order the grey book in the not too distant future. All weights in kg, sorry, double and add a little for conversion!
Session 1 25/01/24
Squat 85x5 5 10
Press 40x5 5 9
Deadlift 125x5
Session 2 27/01
Squat 90x5 5 7 (2:00)
Bench 75x5 5 6 (3:00)
Deadlift 130x5
Session 3 29/01 92.3kg bw
Squat 95x3x5 (3:00)
Press 45x5 5 8 (2:00)
Deadlift 132.5x5
Session 4 01/02
Squat 100x3x5 (3:00)
Bench 77.5x3x5 (3:00)
Deadlift 135x5
Session 5 03/02 (92.7kg)
Squat 102.5x3x5 (3:30)
Press 47.5x3x5 (2:15)
Cleans 60x5 65x5 67.5x5 (2:00)
Inverted rows (off dip stands) 3x12
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Session 6 05/02 BW 92.6kg
SQ 105x3x5 (3:30)
B 80x3x5 (3:00)
DL 137.5x5
Rows 60x3x8
In a predicament for Thursday, I'd have to lift at 4:30am before work which I really don't like the sound of, but I won't get the opportunity after work like I might usually. But I tend to take the "make the time" sort of approach, so we'll see. Also getting a hernia in my abdomen checked on Friday prior to scheduling an op. Not looking forward to the lay off, but it is what it is. BW stalled, an easy fix.
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You seem to be making good progress. If you are consistent once returning from your hernia surgery you should pick right back up. What were you lifting before the mostly politically motivated disruption from 2020-2022? Keep up the good work How much protein to you consume per day?
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Thanks, it's been a good start I think. I'll pick up as soon as is reasonable. I had one (in my groin) about 7/8 years ago, was about six weeks until I started training again, but I'm hopeful this will be less invasive and debilitating. This one isn't causing me any issues, my inguinal one prior to surgery did. Don't know how I've ended up with another, there isn't a moment I can pinpoint.
Yesterday, a typical day, protein wise I ate this:
1 litre whole milk 30g
Scoop whey 20g
Six eggs 35-40g
Tin of tuna 30g
Mince and beans roughly 35g (batch cook even portions)
Half tub Skyr yoghurt 25g
So say circa 180g, rarely go over tbh.
Lifts prior to said disruption, all for 3 reps, where the third may have been questionable:
Squat 120kg
Deadlift 160kg
Bench 90kg
Press 60kg
With consistency and less distractions which a home set up offers me, I aim to well exceed that.
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You seem to be on the right track, I will follow your progress, if you don't find me too annoying.
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Of course, happy to have someone tag along
Change of work shift offered me a late afternoon session, 08/02/24:
Session 7 bw 93.7kg
S 107.5x3x5
P 50x3x5
C 70x3x5
BW rows 3x15
Cleans not as snappy as last week, press felt good. Low bar feels alien to me now the weight is creeping up, I've always been a high bar squatter. I feel like my back is too vertical, so I'm trying to hinge, but looking at my video today, upper back isn't looking too clever on the drive up, but doesn't feel "wrong".
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Ugly tired last rep, appreciate any feedback:
8 February 2024 - YouTube
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Glad to see you posting. Here for a follow.Originally Posted by Greyhound
Not a SSC, but that bar position looks a bit high and you are right about being pretty knee-sy/HB in your squat. Bar lower, sit back more, freeze the knees over your toes or slightly past about 1/3 of the way down and use the hips up out of the bottom. I’d probably also cut your depth a bit as you’ll be missing the hamstring/adductor “bounce” that gives us the muscle mass inclusion the LBBS aims to include if you keep going down that deep.
Do you have trouble with arching the low back? There are some good videos about it from SS on YouTube. If you aren’t sure, run through a few of those and see if you can keep the low back extended and chest squeezed up (thoracic extension) a bit more.
My $.02.
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Lose the hoodie: plain cotton T-shirt and nothing else. The hoodie will put the bar in an incorrect spot in your back, which'll be exacerbated if you tend to "high bar" from habit. And as inch said, cut your depth off JUST below parallel. You can kind of see the point where your descent starts to slow and you have to push deeper. Once you hit that, come right back up from the hips. This may fix your back angle as well (which isn't too bad, considering).
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Interesting you note re depth and losing the bounce, it is something I had started to be conscious of, but easy to "forget" when one starts focusing on another thing. Low back arch/mobility/flexibility isn't what it once was and is something I should definitely get back on top of. I'll take the points on board in sitting back more.
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