Week 6, Day 4: DL 305 x 8 singles

Took yesterday off from lifting but had a very big day, rehearsals and performances in the AM, taught in the afternoon.

This morning, stretched out some and got my right hip/groin to pop back into place - feels like it's been out a lot lately.  Right hamstring and hip have become chronically tight, need to stretch more often.

Next to last DL session before the meet

DEADLIFT

275 x 1 overhand as warmup

305 x 8 singles starting right under - about 1 per minute, maybe every 1:10

Rep #7 - tried turning feet out, looked and felt very wobbly, back to straight ahead feet for rep #8

http://youtu.be/QBcx5HgNT7E

24: swing: 10L, rest, 10R

Onward and Upward

Week 6, Day 3 - DL 290 x 10 singles

Demoed a bench press back arch for my son and lifting partners yesterday, back felt crappy afterwards and for the rest of the day, and this morning.

Warmup:

stretch a little, walk - walk fixed one side of back and half-fixed the other.

24: contralateral one-leg DL, one each way, did right foot first

24: windmill, again press up and in front, non-rotating groove - 3L/R

Zercher DL: 135 x 1 - felt sore si/hip, 1 - felt much better

DEADLIFT:

290 l/u x 10 singles

I am coming to a conclusion - two days of DL after two days of rest feels good.  Three days of DL in a row gets a bit tiring and I might want to avoid it in the future.

http://youtu.be/Rfqh786Xx80

A few sets of swings with various weights - ah...

Onward and Upward

Week 6, Day 2: DL 270 x 12 singles

Yesterday, walked 4-5 miles in the heat but felt great.

Warmup - walk about 2 mi

stretch a bit

clubs

20: press + 3 windmill, lf

DEADLIFT: 270 x 12 singles starting r/u - tried a partial breath at the top, repressurize at the bottom, spend less time at the bottom, felt really good.  Starting at rep #9, felt like I actually took the slack out of the bar before I started my pull.

http://youtu.be/ZH6vZDaJ-B4


Will do some swings later.

Onward and Upward

Week 6, Day 1 - DL 255 x 15 singles

Week 6, Day 1, which is Tuesday - yesterday was a holiday and I had lifted through Saturday last week, so my two off days were Sunday and Monday.

The plan for this week is tentatively to lift Tue/Wed/Thu, take Fri off, and lift Saturday and Sunday, making a second 8-day week for me, and leaving the correct amount of off days before my meet on June 8 according to the spreadsheet based on Pavel's DL singles program that I am using.

8 AM rehearsal, some stretching.

Indian club - a few reps of various things w/ 2 lb. clubs

14 kg - windmill, lf, 3 - skinny handle feels weird but otherwise OK.

28 kg: 2-hand swing x 10

Zercher DL: axle, 135 x 1

DEADLIFT

starting l/u, 255 x 15 singles.  Tried to stay tighter, reps felt and looked pretty speedy to me.

Video link later today.

Week 5, Day 5: DL 320 x 6 singles

Yesterday, after a semi-planned day off on Thursday, I had Day 5, which had been a Thursday, on Friday.  Hips felt 100% during deadlifts and a little sore afterwards - a fine result.

Today, Saturday, will be Day 5 of Week 5 - one more week of lifting after this, then a week off, then a meet.

Based on yesterday's lifting, I'd have to say that 300 lbs. feels lighter and easier than it has in the recent past - a good thing.  We'll see what 320 feels like later this afternoon.

Bodyweight has been just under 154 for most of the last 2 weeks - closer but not close enough, need to drop week slowly and steadily for the next couple of weeks.  Weight class requires me to weigh in at 148-3/4 lbs, 67.5 kg.

Walk 2 miles.

20 kg: 1 clean, 2 mp, 3 windmill left then right.

DEADLIFT:

225: Hack x 1, Conventional overhand x 1

275 overhand x 1

320 starting r/u for 6 singles

http://youtu.be/41Wp7MEqaxs

24 kg: 20 x 2-hand swings, all good, all explosive.

Onward and Upward

Week 5, Day 4: DL 300 x 8 singles

Friday, a bit nervous to see how my right hip and SI feel today

Walk about 2 miles

Do some bodyweight-only windmills with the bearing hip against a wall to be sure of good form.

20 kg: press once, windmill twice, left first

DEADLIFT

Hack 245 x 1

Narrow Sumo: 245 x 1

Conventional, overhand: 275 x 1

Conventional, starting l/u: 300 x 8 singles at about 1 per minute, setup at the bottom, felt really pretty good throughout, some crisper than others but overall, good.

http://youtu.be/Wei5Jw7jFxw

28 kg: 10 x 2-hand swing

Onward and Upward

Day Off

Yesterday, I managed a minor tweak to my first hip and/or SI on that side.

I had a long, tiring weekend, and I feel like I've been behind all week. Fortunately, my schedule was set for me to compete on a Saturday, and my meet is on a Sunday, so this was the perfect day for me to add a day off.  I will lift Mon-Tue-Wed, Fri-Sat this week, and again next week, or maybe even Tuesday through Saturday next week before taking the week off in advance of the meet.

Took a short walk today, did some rolling and a few bent arm bars w/ 12 kg.

PM, did some Hack Sq, first with a 45 lb. bar and then w/ a 24 kg bell.  Tried heavier but it wouldn't go.

Also did 20 kg windmill x 3L/R - ah, need to keep doing this every freakin' day, and I don't, and I have no one to blame but myself.

Week 5, Day 3, DL 285 x 10 singles

Walk 2 mi

Stretch a little

10 kg windmill x L/R

Hack DL 265 x 1

DEADLIFT: 285 x 10 singles starting r/u

lower back felt lousy on first 2 reps, just not tight enough, tightened up and finished set w/ no further discomfort.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVnvV21iKgs

24 kg 2-hand swing x 11

Week 5 of 7, Day 2 - DL 265 x 12 singles

Walk 2 mi

Mil Press: bar x 6, 67 (kg plates) x 6, 77 x 6

First two sets, took bar out of rack w/ FSQ grip and bounced into press grip; third set, took it out of rack w/ press grip.  Focus on opening up right side of chest and t-spine.

warmup - hack DL 225 x 2 touch and go

DL 265 x 12 l/u  to start

http://youtu.be/uUov4ZF7dG0

Onward and Upward

Week 5, Day 1 - DL 250 x 15 singles

Just walked on Thursday and Friday.  Friday night, drove to Philly for Indian Club workshop on Sat/Sun, drove home Sunday afternoon.

Walked 3-4 miles to warmup

Hip Lift:

270, 450, 630, 790 - tried 1070 lbs but failed.  I'm OK w/ this - I'm tired from the weekend, and I've also got a DL meet coming up and have no business trying for PR's, anyway.

Used the Rogue belt, which I don't like - reinforced portion hits my hip bones.  Could also play a part in not getting the final lift.

DL: 225 Hack x 2, 250 x 15 singles, r/u, in 3:40

http://youtu.be/3d5M73VOi5E

24: 15 x 2-hand swing

Onward and Upward

Deload Week, Day 3 - military presses and windmills and a walk

bw windmill x 3L/R

Mil Press: bar x 6,  61.5 lb x 6 (kilo plates), 72.5 lb x 6 (more kilo plates)

20 kg: windmill x 2L/R - had thoughts of going heavier but I haven't been doing these enough lately, so stopping here.

Walk

Deload Week, Day 2, swings, walk, stretch

Tuesday - walk 2 mi, stretch first including cossack and splits, not pretty

20 kg: swing 10L+10R, put down for a few minutes, swing 25R+25L, was breathing hard at the end.

Cut the grass.

Onward and Upward

Hip Lift 1,000 lbs.

Sunday, yesterday, Inman Mile practice - 1/4 mile w/ 75 lbs x 2 - progress for sure.  Used lighter weight than last time but covered the same distance in 2 segments instead of 7.  Also walked, also cut part of the lawn.

Today, Monday, deload week - will try Hip Lift today early as I have a busy rest of the day

Hip Lift:  450, 630 (+45+45 each side), 790 (+45+35 each side), 1000 (+ 3 x 35 each side)

As Jim Fuller suggested, you have to choke up a link of chain every 400 lbs. or so - I chocked up after 790 because it felt barely off the floor.

http://youtu.be/mm1KRnCIzUY

20 kg - press x 1, windmill x 3, left first - pretty good, as usual, took only fingertips to ground on first rep.

20 kg: 30 non-strop swings at 10L, 10R, 10T - good way to do it, end w/ 2-handed

Onward and Upward - I hope to do more today but probably won'/t have time.

Saturday - Restore

Saturday - walk, stretch a little, carry a few things helping my son move out of an apartment.

Did a few 16 kg windmills - yikes, hammies and hips are tight.

Hungry today, too.

Week 3, Day 5 - DL 315 x 6 singles

Yesterday, late afternoon, I tried kicking up into a wall-supported handstand - just didn't want to go.

This AM, tried it again, felt closer to balance point but still no go.  Don't know what happened but that's life, we'll keep at it and we'll get it again.

warmup

28 kg: 2-hand swing x 6, x 10

Walk

stretch

Mil Press -

empty bar x 10,

56 x 8,

67 x 6 - no pressure on disc felt today, but still tends to tighten lower back, similar to how a bench press does.

DEADLIFT:

225 Hack x 1

315 Hack x 1 (PR), conventional x 6 singles

https://youtu.be/e2qSAi-VwnY

Onward and Upward

Week 3, Day 4: DL 295 x 8 singles

Bodyweight has been 153-point-something for the last 3 mornings - this is good.

Found myself just starving this morning, so ate a bit - made a big pan of cheesey eggs, put a bit of it on a hot dog roll, and chowed down.  Aahh, much better.

Walk 2 mi.

Mil Press - 55 lb x 6, 6, 8 - some discomfort at herniated disc in later reps in first two sets, able to finally fix it for the last set and therefore did a couple of more reps.  Need to always remember to 100% lockout both elbows.  Grip width is about 20", stance about shoulder width, maybe slightly narrower.

Some bodyweight windmills in there as well.

DEADLIFT.starting left under today

295 Hack x 1 (PR, and didn't get this by much), conventional x 8

http://youtu.be/Tx0GyDxSjZQ

48 kg - swings, x 8, x 5

Another, shorter walk.

Onward and Upward

Week 3, Day 3: DL 285 x 10

Warmup - strech, cossack sequence

Mil Press - empty bar x 10, ended up with grip just at the edge of the knurling, still feel like I"m leaning back more than I'd like although it's legal - still doesn't feel great on the lower back.

Did a second set of the above - much better, kept glutes tighter, drove more powerfully off bottom, still able to lockout elbows

48 kg - two-hand swing x 8 - first few felt lousy, then a few felt very good, then that was it so I stopped.

DEADLIFT:

285, Hack x 1 (PR, never did these past 225 until this week), conventional x 10 starting right under

final rep (10th) felt the best - finally remembered to pull the bar in as well as up.

http://youtu.be/QJWXnHhcQRw

That's it for today - cut half the lawn and then teach.

Onward and Upward

Week 3, Day 2: DL 265 x 12 singles

warmup - qigong on the front porch including crane pistol

48 kg swing, two-handed x 9 - felt form going.

bw windmill

20 kg windmill x 2L/R

Zercher DL: 135 x 1, 155 x 1, 1 - kept working form.  First 2 reps, bar started to roll down my arms.  Got it right on last rep - have to think about keeping the bar close to the body by driving it up and in towards your face.  Forearms have to stay vertical, elbows have to drive up and forward.

DEADLIFT, started left under (which was wrong but who cares, really...) on the conventional reps

265 x 2 Hack, x 12 conventional

http://youtu.be/Um6Wm2NuYo4

32 kg - 15 2-handed swings

Onward and Upward

Week 3, Day 1: 930 lb. Hip Lift, DL 245 x 15 singles

Yesterday, Sunday, not much, just a set of 20 2-handed swings w/ a 24 kg bell.

Today, Monday, the hip lift bug is chewing on my leg

Warmup - 48 kg 2-hand swing x 10

Hip Lift: 450 x 1, 1, 540, 630, 740 (added 33+22 lb kilo plates on each side), 930 (added 35+35+25 lb to each side)

Video of 930 lb. hip lift:  http://youtu.be/utg1shIPYfc

Loading, unloading, and carrying plates between the two parts of my basement is giving me some loaded carry work - not a ton, but more than nothing, and it feels good, especially on my thumbs, which are feeling stronger.

HACK DL (behind the back) 245 x 1 - warmup

DEADLIFT starting left under today

245 x 14 singles - always seem to mess up the counting on the 15s

These felt _so_ easy.

http://youtu.be/lrfLGtpto6o

Walk a mile or so on errands.

Onward and Upward

Day Off - 36 kg swings x 20

Today, walked about 3-4 miles with my brother-in-law and my wife.

Cut the grass.

Just before dinner, played on the rings in the back yard a bit, then did

36 kg: 2-hand x 20

Onward and Upward

Week 2, Day 5: DL 305 x 6 singles

Food is a funny thing sometimes.  I've been watching my weight, trying to inch down closer to my meet weight for a June 7 PM weigh-in.

Yesterday, I had a big day: up early, take my son to school, walk 2 miles back and forth to grocery store, go to my wife's school to play in a performance of a musical, come home, lift, teach, eat what might be called dinner at 3:45 PM because that's when I had a free half-hour, teach more, head to my wife's school for a second performance of the play, and then eat a bunch of crap afterwards - cookies, cupcakes, drink lemonade, and come home and pick at leftover takeout food my boys had ordered for dinner.

And this morning, I weigh a little less, not more, than yesterday morning.  I think the bottom line here is to trust my gut when it comes to what to eat and when - I guess I needed all those calories at the end of the day yesterday.

Bit of a stiff neck and upper back from sitting at the piano bench so much yesterday - show only has 5 songs and it's a lot of sitting doing nothing in between.

Warmup - walk 2 mi, stretch a little

PU: bw only, 2 slow reps, controlled in both directions, pause at top

Suitcase DL: - there was a bar w/ 135 on it, suitcase DL R, L

neck still stiff

20 kg: mil press, rf, 3

24 kg: 10 two-handed swings - form is improving

neck still stiff - ugh

DEADLIFT starting right under today

225 x 6 singles, warmup and for speed, video:  http://youtu.be/N0bW_YpvT9c

305 x 6 singles, took 4:00, cut out pauses for video: http://youtu.be/ORtq6C8xjiU

and that's all she wrote for today.

Onward, and Upward!

Week 2, Day 4, DL 285 x 6 singles

Busy week - 4th visit to my wife's school today, two performances today, home to lift and teach in between.

Walked 2 mi this morning

Warmup - just some twisting/shaking, bar hang, etc.

Hip Lift:

270 x 1, 1

360 x 1

450 x 1 (447 if we're picking - kilo plates for the last few and the bar is 89, not 90) x 1, 1

Always seems to attach the chain just a little too far back, always need to adjust it slightly forwards.

Working on standing up _more_, bit more ground clearance, just to be on the safe side in terms of the lift being legal.

DEADLIFT - left under to start today

225 x 6 warmup for speed - weird setups, breathing in as I descend

285 x 8 singles

http://youtu.be/NA-grq_B5YI

Onward and Upward