Variety/Off

Walked a few times today on errands into town.

Later, experimented with individual finger lifts via a ring and a loading pin.  Tried all fingers individual with up to 35 lbs. on loading pin for 40 lb. total - got every finger except left pinkie - right pinkie was tough.

Also, 20 kg swing x 10 R + 10 L

Minor medical procedure tomorrow but will require general anesthesia so no lifting all and maybe none the day after, either - we'll see.

Onward and Upward

Heavy Day - Another new 8RM!

walk, stretch

BP: 155 x 1-2-3-4
DL: 135 x 3 right under
FSQ: 155 x 5

Ladders: 2


BP: 155 x 1-2-3
DL: 135 x 3 right under
FSQ: 155 x 5

Ladders: 3

Notes: did 4th ladder, did 6 FSQ by mistake; 5th ladder, did 4 FSQ to compensate

DL: warmup w/ singles: 225 r/u, 225 l/u, 275 r/u, 295 l/u

315 x 8 r/u (weaker grip) = yet another PR!

315 x 5 l/u (stronger grip)

Another PR set, and the 1RM calculator says 391 - freakin' awesome

Variety/Off

Monday - walk, stretch, felt good after yesterday's workout

Tuesday, today - stretch - lower back and hips very tight today.

Walk,

3 x towel L-Sit pullups,

a few bodyweight windmills and toe touches.

bw crane pistol, 1 crane frolic and 1 crane pistol each way as alternating singles

Onward and Upward

Medium Day - 5 Ladders to 3 + FSQ as usual

Lots of stretching after lots of sitting and lots of driving yesterday

Walk

Played with the format a little today, just to keep it interesting

BP: 155 x 1-2-3, DB BP 35s x 5 right first
Speed DL: 145 x 10 right under
FSQ: 155 x 5

Ladders: 5  Notes:

2nd ladder, 6 FSQ instead of 5

3rd ladder, DB BP for 8 instead of 5 but only paused, not exhaled, 6 FSQ instead of 5

4th ladder: BP was 1-3-2 because I messed up counting, failed first try at curl right w/ feet on the bench, rested a minute, tried again (set was left first) and it went.  Did DB BP with feet up on bench although curled w/ feet on the ground in order to get it., also 8 FSQ - gets me my 25 FSQ for today, wasn't hard, felt nice to be able to skip FSQ on final ladder, not to mention to pull off a pretty easy set of 8 FSQ near the end of a workout.

5th ladder: BP 6 reps x 1 set - was tough but felt good to do.  Skipped DB BP, did suitcase DL 1 rep right, 1 rep left, skipped FSQ per above - got all my reps in already

Onward and Upward

More Variety - double 20 kg press x 6 reps x 2 sets, 36 kg 2-hand swings

After a good, but long, concert last night, I'm going to take it easy again today.

Stretch

Military Press 2 x 20 kg x 6 reps - I never do more then 5 but I want to get used to doing up to 8-10 of these and then switch to 24's.  After a long rest, repeated the set

36 kg - 2-hand swing x 7

More stretching

Walk

Will walk more in the city tonight.

Onward and Upward

Variety - Swings

Had a 3-hour dress rehearsal last night, and have a concert tonight, so today is another Variety Day.

Stretch

Walk about 1.5 mi.

7 explosive 2-hand swings w/ 32 kg, active rest until fully recovered, 7 of the same but with 36 kg.  Both sets felt fantastic, and I feel better than I did before I did them - excellent.

Rest, repeat w/ 1 arm swing w/ 24 kg - 7 left, active rest, 7 right.  Again, feels great, but noticing that grounding w/ right-handed swings isn't as good as w/ left, so

Rest, repeat above but right side first - better.  Thinking about pushing through my left foot helps my right foot stay more solidly on the ground - go figure but it works.

42 swings without even breathing hard - nice.

Onward and Upward

Variety - Stretch, Press, Stretch, Walk

Floor work for stretching

Press 2 x 20 kg for 5 solid reps, focused on matching pace side to side and full extension at the top while keeping glutes tight and thighs zipped up.  Felt great

walk

Onward and Upward

Light Day, Ladders to 2, Heavier Curls/DB Press

Tuesday - very tired after two rehearsal on Monday, decided to take it easy

Wednesday - Light Day

Notes - increased DB BP from 25s to 35s, curl to start is tough, right is harder than left

BP: 155 x 1-2, DB BP curl 35s, left first, 5
Speed DL: 145 x 10, left under
FSQ: 155 x 5

Ladders: 5

3rd ladder, left first curl failed on right, so rolled more and curled right first.
4th and 5th ladders, rolled more to my side and got it everything.

Onward and Upward

Variety - see-saw mil press, hand to hand swing

Sunday - stretch, walk

Monday - stretch, walk, and

1 towel pullup

2 alternating singles of bodyweight windmill each side, palm to floor

20 kg x 2, see-saw press, right first, 12 total (6 each side), stopped when I was just starting to feel them, probably could have gone for 20 total but I have a long day ahead of me.

24 kg, hand to hand swings, 20 total (10 each side)

Onward and Upward

Heavy Day - First Ladder to 4, Deadlift 8RM PR

Warmup - not much, hectic Saturday, made post-PSAT brunch for five 11th-graders, roasted coffee, lots of laundry, dish washer, etc.  Stretched a little.

No DB BP on heavy day, minimal light DLs between BP and FSQ, big DL 2 sets at the end

BP: 155 x 1-2-3-4 - first ladder to 4, made sure to take my time between rungs, rung of 4 felt solid and controlled.
DL: 125 x 3 r/u
FSQ: 155 x 5

Above Ladders x 1

BP: 155 x 1-2-3
DL: 125 x 3 l/u
FSQ: 155 x 5

Above Ladders x 4

NB: Unloaded bar from last week, had misloaded - it was only 290, not 295 because there was a 5 on the right side where there should have been a 10.

DL: warmup with singles: 225 r/u, 225 l/u, 285 r/u, 285 l/u

305 x 8 r/u (weaker grip) = PR

305 x 8 l/u (stronger grip) = Repeat the PR

Finish with a walk to my son's soccer game.

Onward and Upward

Medium Day

Yesterday, a couple of OAOL 2-step pushups and matching bw pistols, and walk

Today, walk to warm up, stretch a bit, then

BP: 155 x 1-2-3, DB BP 25s x 5 right up/down first
Speed DL: 145 x 10 right over (left under)
FSQ: 155 x 5

Ladders: 5

Not bad - everything is getting easier, especially the FSQ.

Onward and Upward!

Medium Day

Walk, stretch, very tired from rehearsal last night and just, well, life - lots of driving.

BP: 155 x 1-2, no db bp
Speed DL: 125 x 10 r/u
FSQ: 155 x 5

Ladders done: 4

Last ladder, did BP, did 3 DL, skipped FSQ - short on time

Several Unplanned Days Off

Sometimes life takes precedence over lifting.  Was going to have Heavy Day on Saturday but ended up picking a sofa at IKEA and taking it in to our son's apartment in the city.  Sunday, we had plans to go to a concert in the city, which ultimately fell through, but I ended up taking a lovely 4-5 mile walk with my wife instead.  Today, Monday, I have a 2-1/2 hour rehearsal for which I'll be standing and playing double bass the entire time, and it's important to me - and I decided to postpone Heavy Day until tomorrow, Tuesday.

Walked twice for about a mile each time today.

32 kg: swing 5 x 2-handed, 5L, 5R, 5 x 2-handed without putting the bell down, and that was it for today

Medium Day

It's raining outside so probably no walking today.  Instead, warmup with 1-hand swings, all in short sets, using 36, 32, and 24 kg bells.

BP: 155 x 1-2, DB BP x 5, curl left first
Speed DL: 165 x 10 r/u, starting slowly, which eliminates the lower back pain I felt the last few workouts
FSQ: 155 x 5

Total ladders: 4 - ran out of time, this is OK for today.

NB: - seem to have been rotating to the right at the bottom of my squats - not doing that helps.

Variety - 24 kg Pullup, 32 kg swings, 2 x 20 mil presses

Stretch, arm bars w/ 10 kg, walk, cut the grass

2 x 20 kg - mil press x 4 - trying to get right side to go straight up, doesn't want to, though, but doubles helps to keep the grooves at least similar

PU: 24 kg on left foot x 1, right foot x 1

32 kg swing, 5L+5R

That's it for today,

Onward and Upward

Light Day

Yesterday, a long and demanding day.  2 hour rehearsal at the piano in the afternoon, 2-1/2 hour rehearsal on upright bass in the evening.  Did a few 2-handed swings w/ a 32 kg.

Today, decided to warm up with 1-handed 32 kg swings, switching hands every 3 reps, so 3L, 3R, 3L, 3R, and put the bell down.  Repeat a few minutes later, noticed some grip fatigue the second time through.  Going for a hooks-of-the-fingers grip.

Walk 2 mi

BP: 155 x 1-2, DB DB 2 x 25 lb x 5, hammer curl right first, 1-2 breaths each press rep at bottom
Speed DL: 165 x 10 left under, on first rep, felt it in left side of back at bottom - nothing bad but a muscle or group not firing before it needed to, only just after it was called upon.
FSQ: 155 x 5

Above total of 2 ladders, switching l/r stuff each ladder

Ran out of time, and that will be light day - a bit off, but in the proper spirit.

Onward and Upward

Variety - Walk, Press 2 x 20 kg

2 mi walk

2 x 20 kg: military press x 5.  Focus on straight up groove (straighter, anyway), and tight glutes and minimal lean back.

First 5 ladder workout this cycle, DL 8-RM PR

Last lifted on Tuesday due to a very busy week - played in a concert on Thursday, had a doctor's appointment on Friday.

5 ladders to 3 today, plus deadlifts

BP: 155 x 1-2-3 (no backoff DB presses - saving energy for DL at end)
Speed DL: 115 x 3 reps r/u (had been doing 165 x 10, again saving for heavy DL)
FSQ: 155 x 5

Almost no rest during the ladder, 10-15 minutes between ladders

Ladders done: 5 (alternating DL grip so 2nd set l/u)

DL: warmup with 4 singles: 225 r/u, 225 l/u, 275 r/u, 275 l/u

295 x 8 r/u is weaker, do first - this is an 8-rep PR, 1RM calculator says 366 lbs = nice

295 x 8 l/u is stronger grip - a second set of the PR weight/reps, very nice, indeed

No more for today.

Onward and Upward.

4th workout - 4 ladders, Varied Set/Rep Scheme a little

warmup - walk, stretch a bit

BP: 155 x 1-2-3, DB BP: 25s x 5, curl up and put down right first
Speed DL: 165 x 10 on thin bar, l/u
FSQ: 155 x 5

BP: 155 x 3-3, skipped DB BP - getting short on time
Speed DL: 165 x 10 on thin bar, r/u, right knee was sore during these
FSQ: 155 x 5

BP: 155 x 1-2-3, DB BP: 25s x 5, curl up and put down left first
Speed DL: 165 x 10 on thin bar, l/u
FSQ: 155 x 5

BP: 155 x 5, skipped DB BP - getting short on time, decided to 1 hard set, 5 felt good
Speed DL: 165 x 10 on thin bar, r/u, right knee was sore during these, something about this grip
FSQ: 155 x 5

Onward and Upward