Sweetlou's training log

4/15/16-primary bench (med) sb 1 week 3 day 3
Warm up
Usual stuff
Chinsx3x2

Comp bench paused
79%-275x4x4 @6-7
Cg bench paused
79%-255x4x3 @8/8/6
Overhand chest supported rows paused
160x5x4 @8/8/8/8
Chinsx13, 19 total
Extra:
Standing French press/mini band pull aparts paused/scap push ups
95x6/10/6, 2 sets @6
Rehab: usual stuff 2 rounds

Notes: very ready for a deload, one more day. I was tired and had trouble really dialing it in but it all felt good and light. Felt very strong. I even added 25 more lbs to rows with ease to hit my rpe goals. Last set of cg I was able to hit my old set up with the improved upper back positioning perfectly hence the rpe drop. I popped my hip last night and it feels normal now. Even when lifting. I was telling the chiro it felt like it needed to be popped and I had my gf push on my hip to help open them up and it popped big time, instantly felt better and it's only getting better today. Excited to see how it feel tomorrow. Also excited to really dial in my bench again pain free.
 
4/16/16-primary deadlift/secondary squat (heavy) sb 1 week 3 day 4

Warm up
Usual stuff
Added oblique activation

Conv deadlift
82.5%-485x4x3 @8/8/9
Comp squat paused beltless
285x5x3 @9/9/9
Abs wheel paused
5x4 @8/8/9/9
Extra:
Mini band around knees abduction plus pause squats/mini band adduction
10-5/15, 2 sets

Notes: today was the hardest and worst day of the whole block. Sumo felt great and hip feels 100% as I was warming up. Stuck with conv, flew off the ground but locking out was hardest, was very tired and struggled to get my max brace, stomach was upset. I figured out how to set my back on squats yet again. This was after my set tho so they looked and get awful. Just wasn't my day mentally. Also the caffeine pills I've been taking pre wo don't help me get any more amped lol. Just glad to deload and recover next week. Left arm hurts very very bad too. Never felt a pain like this before. Best and most productive block I've ever had, volume and load was spot on to just overreach my mrv.
 
Have gotten through this block feeling good. How would you guys approach the next block? I can now start doing other squats then comp and hacks and I can pull sumo again. Would you switch on conv day to sumo? And would you switch one comp like squat to a variation? Hacks will have to wait until my hyper blocks again due to heavy loads really taxing my knee tendinitis. Take all suggestions. Still just gonna slowly add weight to squats like I am doing anyways.
 
Start shifting to sumo, but stay flexible. If the hips aren't firing, pull conventional that day. Or stay light and incorporate pause sumo.

I'm still struggling with my squat so I can't really help there lol.
 
I like Rodja's idea. Pull conv for primary dl and have a secondary pause sumo day. That way you can reintroduce your stronger stance and hammer technique at the same time. Then next block transition into sumo as your primary.
 
Rodja said:
Start shifting to sumo, but stay flexible. If the hips aren't firing, pull conventional that day. Or stay light and incorporate pause sumo.

I'm still struggling with my squat so I can't really help there lol.
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Yeah I can use my pause pull max for either form, sumo would be a lower rpe but I can just switch to either or depending on the day. Appreciate it.

Squat is a bitch, but if I can keep my positioning in place they move well now that I don't feel my hip pulling to one side.
 
jswain34 said:
I like Rodja's idea. Pull conv for primary dl and have a secondary pause sumo day. That way you can reintroduce your stronger stance and hammer technique at the same time. Then next block transition into sumo as your primary.
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Yeah I'm gonna go with that. Next block after this one will be hyper so I'll actually be going mainly conv again to save the ole hips for the later blocks as I get close to prep. I'll do some hip strengthening variations then. Like box pulls.

I'm a lot like you and Sean in that sumo is my stronger stance but my hips get all beat up quick then it affects the squat. So most of my pulling will be conv to save them for when it counts.
 
The hip issue is the reason I mainly do speed pulls or pause. I haven't pulled heavy in probably 6 weeks even though I'm in meet prep.
 
Rodja said:
The hip issue is the reason I mainly do speed pulls or pause. I haven't pulled heavy in probably 6 weeks even though I'm in meet prep.
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Makes me wonder how the big sumo guys pull it off long term. Must just have that good of structure and genetics.
 
4/18/16-day 1 sb 1 week 4 (deload)
Warm up
Usual stuff

Comp squat
285x3x3
Warm up
Chins3x2
3 count pause bench
185x3x3
Incline chest supported db rows paused
60x5x3
Extra:
Skull crushers to mouth/hammer curls
65x6/20x6, 2 sets

Notes: bc squatting and deadlifting on the same day is starting to suck again as I add weight back to squats I am doing full body 4 times a week. Today was fine, hips were a touch tight but squats moved way better then last week. Bench set up was better too. Just resting up this week.

General layout will be

Day 1-comp squat/bench variation
Day 2-comp bench/deadlift variation
Day 3-bench variation/squat variation
Day 4-comp deadlift/bench variation

Just to split up the lower body work some. Today felt good.

Also will probably keep the rotation between light/med/heavy to help managing fatigue, may also try the Mike t single at 8 to calculate accurate daily numbers to even further control fatigue instead of using training maxes.
 
It's nice to prep for meet conditions squatting and pulling in the same day, but you know as well as anyone that we must be mindful of what we can recover from. I love that you're hitting upper four days a week. Gonna be the resident Swoleapotamus in his natural habitat.
 
herderdude said:
It's nice to prep for meet conditions squatting and pulling in the same day, but you know as well as anyone that we must be mindful of what we can recover from. I love that you're hitting upper four days a week. Gonna be the resident Swoleapotamus in his natural habitat.
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Lol I agree, and I'll probably change things come meet time. My upper body could use the help it can get, my legs are way bigger anyways.
 
So I'm happy with where I'm at in training so far. But I am finding it hard to get my body primed for squats. My left side is still very shut off and just doesn't fire right. Any suggestions welcome. I know I wanna try full body but either way I need to spend more time warming up to squat over any other lift.
 
SweetLou321 said:
So I'm happy with where I'm at in training so far. But I am finding it hard to get my body primed for squats. My left side is still very shut off and just doesn't fire right. Any suggestions welcome. I know I wanna try full body but either way I need to spend more time warming up to squat over any other lift.
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When I had my right side shut off, I basically started over with 135 to a box. I kept my angle at roughly 30 degrees and made sure I fired off with my hams and glutes. If it didn't, the set didn't count. I spent time outside of the gym mobilizing my ankles (roller near the Achilles while moving the foot into dorsiflexion and plantar flexion). Piriformis has practically dead and used a TENS to wake it up. Unilateral movements with hip oscillation (BSS, lunges) along with implementing the hamstring curl. Lastly, laugh all you want, but yoga.
 
Rodja said:
When I had my right side shut off, I basically started over with 135 to a box. I kept my angle at roughly 30 degrees and made sure I fired off with my hams and glutes. If it didn't, the set didn't count. I spent time outside of the gym mobilizing my ankles (roller near the Achilles while moving the foot into dorsiflexion and plantar flexion). Piriformis has practically dead and used a TENS to wake it up. Unilateral movements with hip oscillation (BSS, lunges) along with implementing the hamstring curl. Lastly, laugh all you want, but yoga.
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Can you share a little more how this all laid out in a session? I know some of it is postural as you pointed out before so I've doing hip shift work pre squat, not as much consistent tho.

I need to mobilize ankles I do none lol. Beside basic stretches.

My bad side is my right and that is shut off at the periformis, tens barely touches it, just my left is the side I can't use when I lift, and that side responds very well to ten. The right side is the tighter side that takes most of the load. I'll start over again if I need to get things going right again.
 
The Duffin warmup seems to make a good difference often in feel for me, especially the BSS and his glute activation/hip shift movement where you are kneeling on one knee and the other knee is set over the angle flared out wide as you shift back and forth.

Basically some of the same movements Rodja just suggested, to mirror. A little roll/mash of the piriformis couldn't hurt either (could even be hitting some microband pullaparts to warm the shoulders as you roll/mash it simultaneously).

Badass thing about getting warm for squat before bench is you hips and shoulders are ready to rock generally come bench.

I think you sound like you know what you need to do but it's more a matter of not being as consistent as you could be. Which is probably all of us lol
 
Hyde said:
The Duffin warmup seems to make a good difference often in feel for me, especially the BSS and his glute activation/hip shift movement where you are kneeling on one knee and the other knee is set over the angle flared out wide as you shift back and forth.

Basically some of the same movements Rodja just suggested, to mirror. A little roll/mash of the piriformis couldn't hurt either (could even be hitting some microband pullaparts to warm the shoulders as you roll/mash it simultaneously).

Badass thing about getting warm for squat before bench is you hips and shoulders are ready to rock generally come bench.

I think you sound like you know what you need to do but it's more a matter of not being as consistent as you could be. Which is probably all of us lol
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I liked the full duffin warm up, I'll try it out again if my chiro doesn't give me any good tips tomorrow.
 
SweetLou321 said:
Can you share a little more how this all laid out in a session? I know some of it is postural as you pointed out before so I've doing hip shift work pre squat, not as much consistent tho.

I need to mobilize ankles I do none lol. Beside basic stretches.

My bad side is my right and that is shut off at the periformis, tens barely touches it, just my left is the side I can't use when I lift, and that side responds very well to ten. The right side is the tighter side that takes most of the load. I'll start over again if I need to get things going right again.
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Most of it was done outside of the gym. Approach it like rehab.

If I were to lay it out in a session, it would be like this:
Mobilize ankles (floss if needed)
Mash piriformis
Myofascial stretching piriformis/psoas
BSS

After that, hit the box and only fire from glutes/hams.
 
So after some tinkering I think I've come up with a layout, it's based on the one before, I'm gonna try the single at 8 to establish that day's work also, I feel the single is to much I'll cut it out and run the remainder off my training maxes. I feel this will be a good way to auto regulate for my bad days and keep me from pushing when it just isn't the day to do so.

I also adjusted my set/rep scheme after reading a duffin article. Volume is the same as it would have been, just more first reps for now to refine some of my technique issues.

Pretty excited to get started. I'm very best up tho. Hoping I'll survive the lower work 4 times a week. I may or may not make it. Can always just go back to upper lower if even nearing the end of the deload I'm iffy about it.
 
4/20/16-rehab
Got some more work done on my hips. Got some homework to do. Need to spend some more time working on my left side and getting it firing before I lift and getting some more mobility in the right.

Left is weak and right is strong but tight.

They also raised the idea that I may have jumped to quickly back into it as my structures just may not be ready to go yet. Gonna cycle the weights back down and really work on this. Determined to come back.
 
4/20/16-day 2 sb 1 week 4 deload
Warm up upper
Usual stuff
Chinsx3x2

Comp bench paused
195x3x3
Sumo deadlift
405x3x2
Sumo box deadlift
225x5
Chinsx12
Oblique abs wheel paused
5x4
Extra: circuit
Ghrs/seated abduction/left leg adduction/flys
6/15/15/10, 2 sets
Rehab: opened up right side more

Single leg hack squat on left side to try empty sledx2 @9 lol way harder then I thought it would be

Notes: still not sure how I feel about full body lifting. Low back was pretty pissed off as were hips. I did the duffin warm up, took about 3 rounds to feel good enough to pull. I was gonna pull conv but sumo felt better to activate left side. I was hesitant on the reps but all moved easy enough. Long road ahead. Just another set back. Leg curling into my pull really helped get my left side going. Also did hip shift warm up too.

Bench felt much better today. I can see the higher frequency really paying off in the technique department.
 
Just gonna say thanks for all the help from everyone, I'm gonna stick with the full body. Still working out the kinks in volume and intensity. I really like the rpe stuff but based on the chart and my rpe for my work sets last block. I will well above my projected %. So if I run it off that then I'd deff have to be honest and adjust. I think I'll take jswaines advice. I'll run straight rpe sets on my light days, and save the 1@8 for my medium and heavy days. At least for now.
 
4/22/16-day 3 sb 1 week 4 deload
Warm up/rehab
Role and mash till right hip was completely mobile
Timed glute bridges with mini band around knees 45sec
Plank 45sec
Side plank 30sec
2 rounds
Single leg rdl/bss/pause goblets, 2 rounds
Usual upper body stuff

Comp squat beltless and sleevless
Work up with fronts to 185
Work up comp only
405x1 @7ish, best squat I've done since getting hurt, pain free, glutes and abs locked in, all time beltless and sleevless squat pr. Felt good warming up so took it.
Chinsx3x2
Comp bench
135x3x3
Chest supported rows paused
95x5x3
Planks/paused mini band pullaparts
30sec/10x2
Rehab: usual upper body stuff/mini band adduction/abduction for left leg/oblique activation 2 rounds

Extra: hack squats 2 sets of 10

Notes: that warm up had all the right things turned on and ready to go. As soon as my left side kicked in I was fine. That will be in every session to kick off another round of rehab.
 
4/23/16-day 4 sb 1 week 4 deload
Warm up
Usual upper stuff
Chins 3x2
Cg bench paused
135x3x3
Lower rehab/warm up from yesterday
Conv deadlift
275x3x3 (did these a little slower to feel some form issues and smooth them out)
Chins 3x2
Rehab: same as yesterday

Notes: easy day, woke up feeling good and felt good again after warming up. I hate conv deads but all good. Glad to be deloading today after yesterday. Ready to get back work Monday.
 
4/25/16-sb 2 week 1 day 1 (light)
Warm up
Hip rehab
Comp squat
415x1 @7-8 was easy but decided to be conservative
Cat 75%-335x3x3 1min rest, started to flare up and was not ready for the volume I had planned so shut it down early.
Chinsx3x2
Foam press paused
275x6x3 @7/6/6 was suppose to be all 7s but got easier each set lol
Incline chest supported rows paused
60x6x3 @7/7/7
Planks/hammer curls
30s/35x6, 2 sets at 6
Rehab: usual stuff 1 round

Notes: overall pretty good day given full body will be a HUGE change. It's also a huge factor on my conditioning. But squat kills me every time anyways. Always has and always will. Happy with how 415 went. The rpe scores for foam press put me around my training max anyways so that is good. Starting to get bicep tendinitis I've never had since I quit chain supported gms. Gonna need to watch my squats closer to make sure it's not coming from there.
 
Looks good man. Keep at it, full body will be tough for a couple weeks then you'll start to adapt.
 
jswain34 said:
Looks good man. Keep at it, full body will be tough for a couple weeks then you'll start to adapt.
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Already want to switch back. More bc my hips are tightening up bad and the tightness in my right is leading to more pain. See how I feel tomorrow tho. That is the only draw back so far.

But I'll tough it out if the body becomes less tight and more resilient to injury over time as Mike t suggests. Did you find this to be true?
 
Either mobilize between lower and bench variant or adjust setup. This change is more specific to meet day anyway, so it's a good change.
 
herderdude said:
Either mobilize between lower and bench variant or adjust setup. This change is more specific to meet day anyway, so it's a good change.
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Its not a mobility issues between lifts. Its that daily mobility isn't helping them loosen up between sessions. They are tightening up more and more even with the deload. Today was bad going in and just opening them up didn't help. However still performed.

I agree if I can make it work with my issues its a good change. Its just getting to a stable point I have to figure out.
 
SweetLou321 said:
Its not a mobility issues between lifts. Its that daily mobility isn't helping them loosen up between sessions. They are tightening up more and more even with the deload. Today was bad going in and just opening them up didn't help. However still performed.

I agree if I can make it work with my issues its a good change. Its just getting to a stable point I have to figure out.
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Just keep working it harder and longer and working new angles until something clicks. Temporary relief is not what you're after. Try to work toward the golden ratio of 1:1 prep and training time.
 
SweetLou321 said:
Starting to get bicep tendinitis I've never had since I quit chain supported gms. Gonna need to watch my squats closer to make sure it's not coming from there.
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FWIW, I can't do any pressing immediately after squats or even the following day otherwise my bicep gets all outta whack. All it takes on squat is a hair too inside and it's primed to get pain on pressing.
 
I those of you who have rehabbed stuff. If I have firing issues on one side, would more often activation help or should I space it out? I ask this bc if lifting to often and trying to activate is shutting me down more. I will adjust. All I want is to perform and restore myself back to healthy.
 
SweetLou321 said:
I those of you who have rehabbed stuff. If I have firing issues on one side, would more often activation help or should I space it out? I ask this bc if lifting to often and trying to activate is shutting me down more. I will adjust. All I want is to perform and restore myself back to healthy.
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Bands became my best friend when my lats weren't firing. I'd attach one to a rack and go thru the initial 1/3 of a row/pulldown while focusing on allowing the appropriate musculature to stretch. Play around with your elbow positioning and make sure to maintain the double chin position to keep the shoulders packed.
 
Rodja said:
Bands became my best friend when my lats weren't firing. I'd attach one to a rack and go thru the initial 1/3 of a row/pulldown while focusing on allowing the appropriate musculature to stretch. Play around with your elbow positioning and make sure to maintain the double chin position to keep the shoulders packed.
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Big fan of this one. I'm still addressing my left hip sadly. It's better but not 100%. Wondering if 4 times per week is to much with activation and squatting/pulling and I should really be at two times per week
 
SweetLou321 said:
Big fan of this one. I'm still addressing my left hip sadly. It's better but not 100%. Wondering if 4 times per week is to much with activation and squatting/pulling and I should really be at two times per week
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It doesn't have to be full on pre-training activation. I still struggle with my right glute/piriformis and will do some sets of just contracting and relaxing the muscle.
 
Rodja said:
It doesn't have to be full on pre-training activation. I still struggle with my right glute/piriformis and will do some sets of just contracting and relaxing the muscle.
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This is what I wanted to know. Thanks a ton. Excited to push this forward.
 
4/26/16-rehab
Went to see the chiro again. He hammer my right hip and helped activate my left. Basically we all think the same thing. Right is bound tight and is effecting left. Open right up and activate left. Plus he wants me to open up my shoulders some more to get under the bar better and into better spots when I squat. Feeling better.
 
Watched Darden's recent strong man Sunday vid (been following him religiously for the last year and a half) and he has been having ongoing issues with his left Lat (torn a year ago)/rear delt/ pec tie in, been rehabbing a torn bicep for last 6 months, he has Chemo treatment every Friday for his IBS, and has to do TONS of mobility/prehab/rehab. He's 38 and broken tons of bones, torn a lot of muscles, and is pretty beat up.

He has been going to bed with TENS on his rear delt/lat, turning it back on every hour or so, mashes between every set, does a lot of Super D work and flossing, uses ART tools while he works at his computer nightly. TENS unit is popping as he drives to the gym. Tons of progressive warmup sets, and more than enough autoregulation no matter what the original plan for the day was.

He's very recently boxsquatted ~700 in suit bottoms again, ran a 700lb yolk, back to loading a 345 stone to 58in, benching nearly 400 raw, just hit a 292 log and pulled 608+105 chain in loose bottoms. Weighing about 250-260.

That dude is activating and mashing between every set it seems. Before a RPE9 sometimes he will put the TENS on for a full song inbetween sets just to be careful. It's nuts, but what it really makes me realize is you really are only limited by how much effort you are willing to put into it.

TLDR: I know you aren't looking to live your life rehabbing just to lift weights, but I think whatever you are willing to put into it is what you can expect to handle, workload-wise.
 
Hyde said:
Watched Darden's recent strong man Sunday vid (been following him religiously for the last year and a half) and he has been having ongoing issues with his left Lat (torn a year ago)/rear delt/ pec tie in, been rehabbing a torn bicep for last 6 months, he has Chemo treatment every Friday for his IBS, and has to do TONS of mobility/prehab/rehab. He's 38 and broken tons of bones, torn a lot of muscles, and is pretty beat up.

He has been going to bed with TENS on his rear delt/lat, turning it back on every hour or so, mashes between every set, does a lot of Super D work and flossing, uses ART tools while he works at his computer nightly. TENS unit is popping as he drives to the gym. Tons of progressive warmup sets, and more than enough autoregulation no matter what the original plan for the day was.

He's very recently boxsquatted ~700 in suit bottoms again, ran a 700lb yolk, back to loading a 345 stone to 58in, benching nearly 400 raw, just hit a 292 log and pulled 608+105 chain in loose bottoms. Weighing about 250-260.

That dude is activating and mashing between every set it seems. Before a RPE9 sometimes he will put the TENS on for a full song inbetween sets just to be careful. It's nuts, but what it really makes me realize is you really are only limited by how much effort you are willing to put into it.

TLDR: I know you aren't looking to live your life rehabbing just to lift weights, but I think whatever you are willing to put into it is what you can expect to handle, workload-wise.
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I understand this but I know whatever you do the body gets use to, so as of now I'm trying to get by on the min and most targeted work to come back. I respect darden but it seems excessive and something he could just go to professionals for to get better.
 
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