Thursday, January 31, 2013

Week 8, Day 3 - SQ 185 and BP 180

warmup - cossack sequence and other floor work, also an assisted one-arm chin each side as an experiment to wake up the abs.  Did index finger assist at the end of the chinup bar, did right first, got it, didn't get all the way up on the left side, will try left first next time.  This is a good difficulty level for me.

shoulder dislocates

NB: Left shoulder sore this morning, feels like the getups are finally starting to tax it in a way I've been avoiding, don't know how this will impact pressing.

SQ:

bar x 1

135 x 3

165 x 1

185 x 1, 2, 1, 1 - getting used to back squatting.  All felt deeper than they looked on video, but nonetheless all were more than legal depth.

No backoff sets today - short on time and legs a little tired, perhaps from all the walking, too - about 7 miles in the previous 2 days.

DB BP: 25's x 5

BP:

bar x 5

135 x 3

155 x 1

180 x fail - nothing hurt, but I did slightly narrow my grip because wider seemed to bother whatever is sore in my shoulder.  Lots of failed reps at various things lately, not good, but educational as they're all on relatively new lifts for me - sumo DL, front squat, and BP.

165 x 2 - good

Onward and Upward



Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Week 8, Wed Mid-Week Variety - stretching, walking, windmills, getups

Yesterday, after lifting, walked 3-4 miles taking care of some errands here in town - felt fantastic.  Right hip was a little sore at times but today it feels great, as does the rest of me.  The weather was unseasonably warm.

Qigong-like body slapping,

cossack sequence,

kick up into wall-support handstand - first in a while, didn't go terribly well but still got some upside down time and some exercise,

furniture slider assisted one arm, two leg pushups - just one each side, haven't done these in a while.

bw getups to elbow, reps on each side

Walked another 2 miles on errands - another warm day, even warmer than yesterday, and supposed to be the last for a while, so must take advantage of it.

16 kg getups to hand, just a few, definitely feel it at the rib dysfunction spot, not sure how to work around this, am compensating, for sure.  Left side up is fine, it's the right side up, left down that's the problem, as always.

Press 12 kg from split, several each side - been a while but form starting to return.

Windmill - 12 kg, left first, 3

About to walk again on a few more short errands in town.

Onward and Upward




Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Week 8, Day 2 - Incline BP 130, DL Frog 315

warmup - very little

Incline BP

bar x 8

95 x 3

105 x 2

115 x 2

130 x 1, 1 - slow negative

DL Frog;

225 x 2

275 x 1

295 x 1

315 x 1 - slow but solid, lockout is tougher this form

switch to over/under grip

315 x fail, right under (weaker of the two grips) - felt discomfort in knees, legs are tired

Try DL conventional

315 x fail, right under - just plain tired, will try back off to 295

Enough DL for today - on Friday, will try to get Frog DL 295 x 3-5 with a competition grip.  Today was good - 315 with a new DL form and without having done more than 285 in this form is good result and my DL will get stronger over the next few weeks.

Stretched calf/hamstrings, then

HLR: 1

Onward and Upward

Monday, January 28, 2013

Week 8, Day 1 - FSQ 185 x 1, SQ 175 x 1, DB BP 50's x 7 (PR)

warmup - not much

Felt pretty lousy over the weekend - bloody nose on Saturday, and stuffy sinuses on top of that.  Felt marginally better by Sunday night after staying in and doing almost nothing for two days.  Today, better still although not 100%.  It helps immensely that the super-cold weather is in the process of leaving - got above freezing outside for the first time in 10 days yesterday.

FSQ

bar x 5 pause and exhale

95 x 5 pause and exhale

135 x 5 - pause 4, pause-exhale 1

165 x 1

185 x 1, 1, 1, fail - oh, well, still too much weight on my heels


Thinking about the WNPF meet on Feb 23, so will start some back squats.

SQ - will try some back squats today as well, all deep, all bounced

bar x 10

95 x 6

135 x 4

155 x 1 - easy

175 x 1, 1 - both nice and deep, and that's enough squatting for today,

DB BP

25's x lost count, 6-8 reps, I think, long pauses and several breaths on each

50's x 7 = PR

Tomorrow, will try for up to 325 as a single in the Frog DL if the ramp-up feels good.  This will be quite a change from last Friday's 285 x 6 so we'll see how it goes, might settle for 300-315 for a double or triple tomorrow.  Then 335 and 345 the week after, 355 and 365 after that, and then off for a week until the meet.

Finish with 16 kg - press, 2 windmills each side.

Onward and Upward

Friday, January 25, 2013

Week 7, Day 4 - Incline BP 130 x 1, Frog DL 285 x 6

Notes - yesterday, played a show, then lifted, then taught.  This morning, played two shows back to back and am about to lift - and I am t-i-r-e-d.  After lifting, I'll teach for 3 hours, then play my third show of the day.  Sinuses are stuffy, weather's been freezing, nose bleed this morning - ugh...

Incline BP:

bar x 12

95 x 3 exhaled

115 x 2 paused - unpleasant but zero psych, too.  Need a little mental energy for the next set ...

130 x 1 - not a great one rep, either, tried 2nd but no go.

120 x 2 - slow, controlled negative after 2nd rep

115 x 2 - enough pressing for my tired back and tired shoulders today


Frog DL:

225 x 2 - wow, felt really light - funny, as the presses felt heavy.  Weight just flew up.

285 x 6 - decided to go +10 today, +5 is just not enough at this weight and I'm pretty well used to Frog DL by now.  I also can't count - seems like I wanted 5 touch-and-gos so I got 6 reps - had trouble holding onto that last rep but it doesn't look like it on the video.

Video: http://youtu.be/Ht87LKWLyh8

Onward and upward.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Week 7, Day 3 - FSQ 185 x 1, 2 and BP 175 x 2

Morning performance to play, plus errands, we'll try lifting and see how it goes.

Tried shoulder dislocates w/ a stick but had a stiff neck - neck work, Egyptians, cossack sequence, shoulder dislocates again, this time they went.

FSQ:

bar x 2, 4

135 x 5 - paused and exhaled.  I think this is the first time I've done a set of 5 paused/exhaled FSQ @ 135 lbs.

155 x 1, 175 x 1 - only short rest between

185 x 1 - slow but will try to get another single in a few minutes

185 x 2 - hey, I was hoping for another single, but on the first single, I felt tight and the lift felt easy so I did another - nice, nice, nice!  Enough of this weight for today, 3 total is up from 1 total just last week.

155 x 4 - paused, again one rep more than last week, excellent result, could have gotten a 5th rep but didn't want to be a pig about it.

DB BP:  25's x 5 - several breaths on each

BP:

bar x 5 - paused and exhaled

135 x 3 - paused

155 x 1 - paused

175 x 3 - nope, got 2 reps, got the 3rd up and moving but it feels like my right shoulder just isn't tight and I had to have my spotters (my 2 sons) take it. <sigh>  This is the third - third! - time I've tried 175 x 3 and failed on the 3rd rep.

Oh well, we'll go on with doubles for next workout.

Hey, maybe a back-off set - 155 x 3, paused

OK, another back-off set - 135 x 3 - longer pauses but still no exhale.  135 exhaled is maybe a new frontier to conquer - soon ....

Let's try some kettlebell pressing, which I cut out a week or two ago - it'll be back-off training instead of before the barbell work.

24: mil press, lf, 2 - OK, that works, can try for more reps next time, will keep mil press and not c&p format because it more specifically addresses my goals.  Long pause at the top of each rep, stretch, aahh.


Onward and Upward





Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Wednesday - Variety Day

Floor work, cossack-like stuff that I do.

NB: In the middle of an absolutely crazy week of extra rehearsals and performances plus my full teaching load at home.

Getups to elbow or hand

bw: 12 x 3

16, 24, 28 singles

32 kg fail to elbow - haven't been doing many getups, should revisit.  After getting to the elbow, the rest of the movement is easy for me, so probably a bit more 24 kg to the elbow practice is warranted.

Windmill - bw only, left up first, 3 - always a nice stretch

Onward and Upward

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Week 7, Day 2 - Incline BP 125 x 3, Frog DL 275 x 5


Incline BP:


bar x 12 - no real wamup or stretching today

95 x 4 - paused and exhaled
115 x 2 - paused and exhaled (2nd rep, can't do it on first)
125 x 3, 2 - right shoulder feels disconnected, tried to fix on second set, bar is not going up evenly but I don't think it's awful, either.

I guess we're doing triples for our incline BP now, eh? :)


DL: Frog

225 x 2

275 x 5 - video at http://youtu.be/7hJaHWCnsqY

Didn't quite touch as lightly between reps as I'd like.

Onward and Upward

Monday, January 21, 2013

Week 7, Day 1 - FSQ 1 x 185 = PR, DB BP 50's x 6 reps = PR

FSQ: - new rep scheme today, experimenting

bar x 8

95 x 6 - reps 1 and 6 very long pause w/ several breaths each, reps 2-5 bounced

115 x 1 pause/exhale and 5 bounced, total 6 in set

135 x 1 pause/exhale 1 breath + 4 bounced, total 5

155 x 1 bounced

165 x 1 bounced

175 x 1 bounced

185 x 1 bounced - a PR, I've never done 185 before.  Well below parallel but not really deep-deep

trying a back-off set

155 x 3 - deep-deep, paused but not exhaled.  This feels very good and like what I need to do more of.

Last week proved that 180 x 3 doesn't mean 185 x 1 is possible.  I swear, spending a half-day in Nike Free shoes before last week's disasterous FSQ session was part of the problem.

DB BP:

25's x 5 pause/exhale

50's x 6 - PR reps @ this weight.  Pause but no exhale

Onward and Upward!

Friday, January 18, 2013

Week 6, Day 4 - Incline BP 120 x 3, DL Frog 270 x 5

Excellent warmups upstairs today - full cossack sequence plus body slapping plus a few bar hangs - does everything.

Short on time.

Incline BP:

bar x 3, 10

95 x 3 - paused and exhaled

120 x 3 good reps, picked my butt up for the 4th, try again - 2 reps, did a slow, controlled negative on the last rep


DL: Frog

225 x 2

270 x 5 - wanted to do 275 for ease of loading but sticking strictly with the plan, +5/session, 2 sessions/week, so +10/week.  video: http://youtu.be/z9cRoiI1Rug

Out of time

Onward and Upward

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Week 6, Day 3 - FSQ 135 x 10, BP 170 x 3

warmup - cossacks, wall squats, OHS w/ empty bar, shoulder dislocates w/ stick

I need some squat re-education.  I posted this on the StrongFirst.com forum today


A lesson I figured out today:

I can't deadlift light.  The bar just feels dumb to me with less than 225 on it, even with only a 365 max.  My wife says my 225 DL's look like I'm picking up a bag of groceries.  I don't love heavy deadlifting and I don't hate it, I just do it.  Doing it isn't fun but it's satisfying.

I love to squat light.  People at meets watch my warmups and comment on how beautiful my form is, but I'm clueless when the weight gets heavy.  I get to a certain point where, even though I could triple a certain weight, if you add 10 lbs. to the bar, I can't do it even once.

My lesson:  I'll know I've finally learned how to squat when I no longer enjoy it with light weights nor fear it with heavy ones, but when light weights feel too light and heavy ones hold no fear for me. 


Of course, having said that, today is _not_ the day to squat heavy, after multiple failed reps earlier in the week.  Some light squatting, which as admitted above, I do like, is the ticket - a tonic, a chance to play with form.

FSQ:

bar x 4 - paused, exhaled, explode up.  Phone rang after 4 reps

95 x 5 - paused, exhaled, explode up.

95 x 10 - bounced at the bottom and exploded up.  I'm finding I need more turnout than I thought, and a narrower stance as well.  Perhaps things learned from Frog DL...

115 x 5 - paused, exhaled, explode up - can't come up as fast w/ this weight as w/ 95

115 x 10 - bounced, short pause after 5th because I was losing my balance

135 x 2 - paused and exhaled and exploded up - slower but not bad
http://youtu.be/X5PTsE9amOY

135 x 10 - bounced, started slowing on 8th rep.
http://youtu.be/FV6mvGsawVw

A few thoughts

First, there is a big fear factor for me in squatting.  I get nervous about my back which, while understandable given my back history, is something I now need to get over.  Bouncing squats means moving quickly which means giving up what I had been calling control and now I think was a misplaced stiffness.

Second, 135 x 10 done this way is a PR set for me.  I'd done 135 x 12 before but those were "breathing" squats - that set took a lot longer and had more rest built into it than today's This was a snappy 135 x 10 and I am definitely stronger than a few months back at the front squat.

Third, I am going to stick with bounced, deep front squats.  Deep - no question.  But I think I'm going to keep the bounce, in combination with some paused and paused/exhaled training, because it helps me over my fear factor with moving my back.   I would love to show up at PL meets and do deep, bounced back squats - but we'll take that up when I switch to back squatting in another six weeks or so.


DB BP:  25's x 5 paused and exhaled

BP

bar x 8

135 x 2 - paused 1st rep, paused and briefly exhaled 2nd rep, first time trying exhale w/ bar on chest @ 135

155 x 1

170 x 3 - Third rep was slow but it went and it didn't stop.  Pauses were solid on all reps, better than last week's 165 x 3 in that regard.  Focusing on a strong back arch.

Looking back on old training blog entries, I see I've gotten 170 x 3 before - twice in the run-up to the Nov, 2012 WNPF meet - but never 175 x 3, so next week's will be a PR triple if I get it.  I have another crazy week next week, and lifting Thu and Fri will be after AM performances at my wife's school, so we'll see how it goes and how I feel.

No nuthin' else today - no swings, HLR, etc.

Onward and Upward

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Week 6, Day 2 - Incline BP 115 x 5, Frog DL 265 x 5

After a crappy squatting day yesterday, cutting back on volume a little today

wamup - walk a couple of miles

Skipping kb press today


Incline BP:

bar x 2, 8

95 x 3

115 x 5, 4 - picked my butt up off the bench for 5th rep of 1st set, all paused on the chest


DL: Frog

225 x 2

265 x 5 - video at http://youtu.be/QFsyuk1qyoU

Not switching to 3's for Frog DL because 265 is still light.  Could go up faster but I'm no pig here - it's a new form for me and the slow progress plus the higher rep count are, IMHO, just what the doctor ordered for a new lift.

That's it today - two lifts, minimal warmup, no swings, no abs - feel better already

Onward and Upward



Monday, January 14, 2013

Week 6, Day 1 - FSQ 185 x 0, DB BP 50's x 5

Stood for 2 hours at a rehearsal yesterday - we'll see how that plays out today.

warmup:

DB BP 25's x 5, 3 breaths per rep, maximal (read - it hurts) stretch at bottom of each rep.

shoulder dislocates w/ stick, OHS w/ stick

FSQ:

bar x 8 - some paused and exhaled, some Franken grip because my left hand felt tight.

95 x 3 - exhaled

135 x 3

155 x 1 - paused

170 x 1 - no pause but no problem

My son called as I was about to do my work set and I got distracted.

185 x 1 - started to descend, back felt funny, racked it

185 x 1 - back still felt funny, descended all the way, couldn't stand up with it, left it on the pins

185 x 2 - first rep almost no movement, second rep a few inches above parallel but that's all that felt good.

185 x 1 - down, paused, came up only a little, left it on the pins - back feeling better

185 x 1 - again, left on pins but came up a bit first this time.  Back still odd

Enough squatting for today, not sure what I'll do next time but I think it will be less than 185

DB BP:

30's x 3 - paused and exhaled

40's x 3 - paused and exhaled

50's x 5 - paused but not exhaled - nice, and a PR as I've never handled a pair of 50 lb. dumbbells before.

Well, an absolutely crappy squatting day, perhaps because of the long rehearsal yesterday, perhaps because my squat weights have been too close to my limits and I'm just burned out.  I'll need to regroup for Thursday's planned squat session - my gut tells me to drop a few pound but not more than a few and go for some more volume, e.g, maybe to go back to sets of 8 with a lighter weight.  I think 5's to 3's to doubles and singles may simply be too advanced for my current squatting abilities and 8's to 5's to triples and doubles might be, or might have been, better.

Ugh...

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Weekend - See-Saw Press

Yesterday, Saturday, walk to the grocery store and then to meet my wife at a rehearsal, about 1.5 miles, most with a light backpack w/ our groceries - not much, maybe 10-15 lbs.

Today, Sunday, stretch and then, feeling need of something, a bit of body slapping to loosen the shoulder and back, then

2 x 20 kg See-Saw mil press - total 20 reps or 10 each side.  I just love the see-saw press, really loosens things up.

Onward and Upward

Friday, January 11, 2013

Week 5, Day 4, 24kg C&P 2x(1-2-3), 28kg PU, Incline BP 110 x 5, Frog DL 260 x 5, 32 kg 1-leg DL, 28 kg swing

warmup - cossack stretch sequence, walk, tried the swing-your-arms Chinese warmup, really hits the arthritis in the left shoulder today - banged it 3 times in pretty rapid succession, decided that enough was enough of that movement today

24 kg C&P and 28 kg PU

1-2-3 w/o putting bell down,

rest 1:00,

PU w/ 28 kg on left foot x 1 - felt weak, might try these a second day

rest 10:00

1-2-3 - way better than the first - better cleans and better presses.  Timed, took 1:25 from bell on ground to bell back on ground.  Best volume on this yet (in current cycle, of course, have done 5 x 1-2-3-4-5 before)

rest 1:00


PU w/ 28 kg on right foot x 1 - could have gotten a second

Incline BP:

bar x 8

95 x 3

110 x 5 - really solid including good pauses

Decided to try one angle steeper, which is all my bench will do and it pretty much a vertical seatback  Also decided to take some weight off the bar for this experiment, so

95 x 3 - ugh, same sticking point as a standing barbell mil press, will have to ask Marty at some point but, for now, going back to the lower bench angle for the rest of this cycle

Frog DL: 

225 x 2

260 x 5 - starting to notice the weight, grip also more fatigued after pullups.


32 kg - 1-leg contralateral DL, 2 alternating singles - same volume as last time but much more solid, also first time doing these 2x in one week, will try to keep on both DL days.

28 kg - 1-arm swing, 10L + 10R in :35 - form improving

Onward and Upward

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Week 5, Day 3: FSQ 180 x 3, BP 165 x 3

Dead tired this week.  My wife back to work after a 2-week break, feels like jet lag.  This the busiest time of year for us both - new students all the time, our big annual volunteer project, Ridgewood Jamboree, in rehearsal, a show 2 weeks before Jamboree at my wife's school, and so it goes.

IOW, happy that I'm still continuing to move forward with my lifting.

Warmup - OHS w/ empty bar, wall squats, shoulder dislocates, bodyweight windmills, a half-HLR, just to get the abs firing, with a brief pause at the 90 degree spot

FSQ:

bar x 1, 5

135 x 1, 2 - these feel heavy today, 3 - better, 2 - better still, tried letting weight move to a more centered location on foot instead of staying on heels, feels better, still must experiment.

160 x 1 - tried new center-of-foot weight feeling - infinitely better!  Can feel it activating all those pressure points (or whatever they're called) under the ball of my foot.

180 x 3 - took a phone call after previous sets and thus felt a little off - wasn't completely engaged with my "new gear" (read: I found my quads), but I have definitely found something new about squatting today.  I think warming up this way and getting used to this will absolutely help for all squats after today.

Video http://youtu.be/IMttXxZUEDk

DB BP: 25's x 5

BP:

bar x 5

135 x 3 - skipped 95, not sure if I should have

155 x 1 - still not feeling altogether warmed up and in the groove but next set will tell us

165 x 3 - yeah, not great but did touch and did pause, albeit rather briefly, on every rep.  Back stiff and sore, tough to really lean on the arch in my back today

28 kg 1-arm swing, lf, 9L + 9R in about :30 - form improving

Onward and Upward





Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Week 5, Day 2 - KB 24 kg C&P, Incline BP 110 x 5,4, Frog DL 255 x 5

warmup - a little stretching, and a walk


24: c&p ladder
1-2-3 - did not put the bell down
rest 10:00
1-2 - excellent, could have easily done more and will do next time.

Incline BP: 
bar x 8
95 x 3
110 x 5, 4 - another improvement (hey, another PR - I'm new to this lift) and I think we'll try to keep 5's on this while we're on 3's with the SQ and BP

DL: Frog
225 x 2
255 x 5 - still clean grip

32: 1-leg DL, contralateral, lf, 2 each way

28: swing, 10L + 10R in :35

Onward and Upward


Monday, January 7, 2013

Week 5, Day 1 - Triple FSQ 175, DB BP 45's 6, 5

FSQ - getting to know the difference between ATG ("super deep") and just plain "deep."  Did a little demo video for Marty showing 135, stopping at Deep, then continuing to Super Deep.

135 x 2 as described above

155 x 1 ATG

175 x 1 deep but not super-deep - left hand middle finger, which bothers me sometimes during FSQ, was hurting.  Stopped, stretched, will try again in a few minutes

175 x 3 - deep but not super-deep, no pause, video http://youtu.be/Av97MS9eY_8 - starting to get tighter because the weight requires it

KB FSQ - 2 x 24 kg, 5 reps - nice backoff set


DB BP:

25's x 6 - long pauses, looking for good position for left shoulder

45's x 6, 5 - excellent result, much better than 1 set x 5 reps a week ago

HLR: 2

28 kg: 1-arm swing, 8L + 8R in about :30

Onward and Upward



Saturday, January 5, 2013

Saturday - Off, and My Take on Hypertrophy

I was tired, tired, tired by the end of the day yesterday.  It represented the last of 5's for the current training cycle, and while I sometimes practice other lifts on variety/off days, today I'm doing nothing but a bit of walking.  I treated myself to a homemade Irish Coffee last night after dinner and slept like a log.

My bodyweight this morning was a hefty, for me, 154 lbs. or 70 kg.  I have, without a doubt, added a small amount of meat to my bones over the last 4 weeks, and I'm not complaining.  It just means I'll have to be a little lower in bodyfat to make weight for my next meet and that's never a bad thing.

I don't think people realize that muscle growth, the much-vaunted "hypertrophy", can occur over a period of a few days of the right combination of exercise, eating, and rest.  For me, the holidays were just such a time, and now that they're over, I'll be focusing on not getting to any more than 154 for the next 8 weeks, and perhaps starting to drop back a pound or two - 152 is about right for me to make 148-3/4 lbs. for a meet on fairly short notice since most of that can be accomplished easily with a quick dehydrate, followed by the weigh-in, followed by a nice, big, salty meal with a lot to drink.

Cycles of gaining as little as 2 pounds then dropping back to the same weight usually result in small amounts of muscle gained and fat lost if your exercise and rest are correct.  One can decide to put on 20 lbs. while doing 20-rep squats - but why?  A lifetime of small, easy to accomplish, positive changes in body composition is just what the doctor ordered to fight the effects of a sedentary lifestyle and aging.

Onward and Upward.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Week 4, Day 4: 24 kg C&P x 1-2-3, bw+28kg PU x 3, Incline BP 105 x 6, 7, Frog DL 250 x 5

24 kg c&p ladder, 1-2-3 w/o putting the bell down (second w/o for that)

PU: bw + 28 kg, left foot x 2, rest, right foot x 1 - first time recently for 3 total reps

Incline BP 105 x 6 - all paused, 7 - first few touch and go, last few paused

DL: Frog,

225 x 1

250 x 5 http://youtu.be/2CPdtGIiBIg

Not a bad day for how trashed I felt from yesterday, didn't sleep well, even.

Onward and Upward - and two days off now, triples next week

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Week 4, Day 3 - FSQ 170 x 4-1/2, BP 160 x 5

Yesterday, and off/variety day, not much

Today, Thursday, is my last week of 5's in the front squat and bench press - yeah! (I think ...)

Warmup - really stiff today, got colder outside, sat at my desk a lot yesterday, too.  Cossack sequence, OHS w/ stick and shoulder dislocates.  Lots of neck stretching inside cossack sequence.

Also did DB BP: 25's x 10

FSQ:

bar x 5 paused and exhaled

95 x 3 paused

135 x 1 paused

155 x 1 paused

170 x 4, failed planned 5th rep, video: http://youtu.be/7Nt2Xlud-pk

Notes: 1st rep wasn't deep enough, and I couldn't get enough air for that last rep.


BP:

DB 25's x 5

bar x 10

95 x 8

115 x 1

130 x 1

145 x 1

160 x 5 - competition paused, solid, I think this is a 5-rep PR

Totally spent from the squat set, nothing else today

Onward and Upward

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Week 4, Day 2 - KB 24 kg C&P, Incline BP 100 x 8, 8, Frog DL 245 x 5

warmup - a little stretching, and a walk

24: c&p ladder 1-2-3 - did not put the bell down, good and progress.

NB: Staying truly motionless in the torso, which I tried today, means the same thing it's meant for the last 10 years, that I pinch my herniated disc when I press left - I feel it in my right leg.  I keep trying from time to time and will continue to try from time to time in the future..

NB #2: Didn't put the bell down, excellent, could do more next time, happy with this, will ladder to 4 next time or less do a second ladder to 3.

Incline BP: 100 x 8 - yes!, 8 - double yes!!  I think I'll go 105 x 5 for 2-3 sets next time because we're at that point in the cycle, even though I started incline BP late in this cycle because I just got the bench.  Really feels like it's working my left shoulder in a good way.


DL: Frog style in our current cycle:

225 x 1

245 x 5 - grip still isn't great but with Okie bar it's easier to hang on.  Will need hook grip or over/under grip pretty soon.  For both the last 2 DL days, I haven't had my right thumb even on the bar by the end of the set, just literally hanging by my fingertips.

NB: Fewer warmups is good for me for DL

NB #2: Tried Marty's suggestion of exploding up as soon as the bar touches the floor - mananged to do that, at least somewhat, at the start of the set, not so sure I was doing it at the end because I was afraid of losing my grip altogether.

HLR: 1

32: 1-leg DL, contralateral, lf, 1 each

Onward and Upward