Should've Stayed in Bed

I said I was going to take a few days off.  I said I was going to let my body rest and hope the tendons in my left shoulder and elbow would heal up.  Then my wife left with the kids to go play with their cousins and I was left with chores to do... hmm, Gym?  SURE!

I biked to the gym (not far, no biggie).  I got my squat sets, and was in a lot of pain because of it.  A liberal application of Blue Heat AND Tiger Balm,  1000mg of IB, 440mg of Aleve, and half a tab of of the wife's 4 year old post natal Oxycodone later, and I was still in quite a bit of pain.  Didn't get Bench OWU, and got one work set and was done.  Blech.

I will have to try the cambered bar--and if that doesn't work, I'll have to [glances around to make sure no one is listening] do the leg press!  I know, I know... I don't like it any more than you do--but I am doing so well that I don't want to back slide, and if I don't get this pain under control, I won't be able to finish a single bloody workout... Actually, I think I will move directly to the Leg Press, give it a week or two, then try a regular bar.  If that doesn't work, I'll go to Cambered.  Wish me luck.

I can't be too upset--I mean I did squat 2 sets of 10 at 270 pounds... that is pretty awesome in itself.  But Having that ruin the rest of my workout was a bit bogus.


7.27.13

Squat 3x305; 2x10@270
Bench 225x1; 210x6
No Chins
No Rows


I think I will continue to bike to the gym as time and energy permit.

The Press is Officially BACK!

Well, I finally tied my all time 1RM PR in the Press @ 190#!!  It went up much easier than last time (which was in Feb of 2012!)

My elbow tendinitis wasn't very bad (it was worse when I helped my sister-in-law move some furniture), but I had also put lots of Blue Heat and Equi-Block on it over the last 18 hours (and had 600mg IB and 440mg of Aleve in my bloodstream).  Squats went well.  Warm-up felt great (I love working out on my day off!) but the first set was a bit heavy with some major form wonkiness.  Second set went better with form issues on only the last rep.  Third set was about the same.

Skipped Dips and Sumo DLs, but did my Shrugs... (oh yeah, by the way, did I mention that I decided to add light sumo DLs on Shrug days as assistance?)


7.25.13

Squats 3x3x335
Press 175x3; 190x1; 152.5x7,6,6
Shrugs 10x135,225; 315x5; [added wrist straps] 365x10

So stoked that I could hit (tie) a Press PR in the midst of elbow pain!  PRs for the other lifts should be around the corner (with maybe an exception for DL.  I am purposely taking that one nice and easy).  If I average 2.5 lbs/week for the rest of the year, I will add 55 more pounds to that total!  (I have the potential to get 7.5 every 2 weeks, but even 2.5/week is going to be hard to maintain.) I could hit a 1RM of 245 pounds by the end of the year!  That is probably pretty ambitious, but cool to think about.

If I add 55 to my Bench, I'll be just 2.5 pounds short of 3 wheels!  Less ambitious is to add just the 55 to my Squat and DL*, which would put me at 3x390 (which would effectively put a 405 1RM in the bag) and 2x435 (which would put me far short of my 500 DL goal for 2013).  This would put my theoretical PL Total at 440/312.5/460:  1212.5!!  So, even though I will most likely not get 500 DL, a 1200 total is possible!  I will have to remain consistent and injury free [knock on wood] (and add a pinch of luck) but this is exciting to see it as a real possibility!




*Blogger's note: Current programming dictates that I only DL heavy and conventional once every 4th workout so 55 pounds is more unlikely.

"Ouch!"

Tendinitis started bothering me almost right away during warm-ups.  I got through squats but they felt heavy and focusing on form issues that might alleviate my elbow pain only made them feel harder.  Pretty cool that 300lbs is now my "light" triple for OWU!  [*grin*]

Bench was tough on the elbow, but I got through it without missing a rep, surprisingly--although there was no (+) on set three.

Chins and Rows got two sets each--as always I was exhausted from no sleep and pressed for time.


7.23.13

Squats 3x300; 2x10@265
Bench 1x257.5; 3x7x207.5
Chins BWx10, 8
Rows 180x5, 5


I am excited with all the success I have had, and I will be immensely and exceedingly bummed if my elbow halts that in any way.  I have PRs around the corner for most of my lifts, and don't want all of that to go Amtrak.  I got some Blue Heat and Equi-Block.  I hope these work!

"Who needs sleep? No you're never gonna get it."

Well, I have a Dr's appointment tomorrow, before work, so I knew I had to workout today and I was EXHAUSTED.  Brought the kids to the zoo yesterday and walked around in the sun and heat and didn't get to sleep until after 1 AM last night.  At the gym by 930 this morning, it was destined to be a poor showing, but I was still surprised at how heavy 330 felt on 3x3 squats.  I also had to rest for about 10 seconds between rep 7 and 8 on DL 12s.  I failed all OWU on Presses and time constraints forced me to skip Dips entirely.

Oh, and Hey there Mr. L. Bow Tendinitis, it has been a such a long time that I had forgotten all about you!  You know, I can't say I am really all that excited to see you again.


7.19.13

Squat 3x3@330
DL 2x380; 12x330
Press 180x0; 190 (skipped); 150x7,6,6
Dips skipped.

I was grateful to still get 7,6,6 on Press considering my monumental failure on OWU.  OWU really bugged me since I wanted so badly to tie my all-time PR 1RM on Press.  I couldn't even get 180 up!!  Boo!  Oh well.  There is always next week... assuming I get more sleep.

But, who really needs sleep anyway?

Accessories Step Back

Haven't been consistent at ALL with my accessory work for quite a while now, and I really noticed the effects today.  Chins and Rows need a deload since I haven't worked them well for some time.  I wasn't able to complete a real set at the original planned weights.

Squats and Bench both felt a touch heavier than expected--I may not be warming up sufficiently well.  If that is true, I am screwed, because I already take way too long in the gym.  I got all my work sets just fine, but they were more of a grind than I'd hoped.


7.17.13

Squats 3x295; 2x10x260
Bench 1x255; 205x7,7,9
Chins BWx10; +35x4,3
Rows 3x5x185

My 2x10 Squats have finally moved up to what I foolishly thought I COULD do when I first started the new program on June 3rd.

I had originally planned on testing my 1RM on Bench when my OWU passed my last 1RM test (which it will on my next bench day) but I think I am content to just continue with my OWU as is and let my 1RM continue to grow in the background.

Decent Day

Squats felt a lot heavier than I anticipated--even though I got a fair amount of sleep compared to what I usually get--and form broke down pretty badly, but I would be darned if I was going to dump the bar.
Press didn't move up AS much as I hoped, but I am still well on my way to setting some serious PRs soon.  I am only 2.5lbs away from tying my all time Press 1RM PR.  I was hoping for sets of 7 across, but I only got 6 on set 3.
Did some light DLs because I don't like only DLing every 4th workout.  Dips were strong and Shrugs were okay.


7.13.13

Squats 3x3x325
Press 3x177.5; 1x187.5; 147.5x7,7,6
DL 2x3x275
Dips BWx10; +50x5,5
Shrugs 355x10

Slurpee

Happy 7/11!  No 711 convenience stores around me (that I know of) so no free Slurpee for Joose.

Squat and Bench were good, but too much chatting with the bros made for quick (and lame) chins and rows.

Didn't repeat the 10 reps on set three, but 9 was still acceptable.


7.11.13

Squat 3x290; 2x10x255
Bench 252.5x1; 202.5x7,7,9

First Full Day Back

Hit the gym today, with a minor re-deload on Press.  It was a pretty good day, and made up for the disaster which was my last press day.  I can never be mad when I get to do DL 12s!


7.8.13

Squat 3x3x320
DL 2x375; 12x325
Press 175x3; 185x1; 145x7,7,8
Dips BWx10; +45#x5,5

Just another day in the gym.  I am glad my 2 weeks off and my vacation didn't throw me off much at all.

California Benchin'

Worked out with my brother (the person who got me on SS in the first place) for the first time in like 16 or 17 years!  AND we got to do it in the OC!  This was my first day of the Bench Deload, and I feel like it was a success.  I am getting a lot of volume in with the deload, and that should reap benefits in the long run.

Squat 10s moved up according to plan, even though it has been weeks since I have squatted.  That was a pleasant surprise.

I skipped chins and rows in the interest of time--I was on vacation, after all.


7.5.13

Squat 3x285; 2x10x250
Bench 1x250; 200x7,7,10

TEN REPS on set three!! I was very pleased.

Bleh... Press

Took like two weeks off (not because I wanted to, just had no bloody time) and only had time to do the Press before I had to catch a plane to California for our family reunion.  It was awful!!  I didn't have a very good session at all, so I am deloading again to make sure I get back into the swing a things quickly.  It will be a small deload, though.


7.1.13

Press 175x1 (I failed at 185x1, which was the planned OWU); 155x5,4,4.

Absolute rubbish.  I was tired, in a rush, and hadn't worked out in two weeks, but to go from 182.5x2 and 152.5x6,6 and 7 to THIS is totally lame.