Tossing Weight With Torobestia: Powerlifting Log

Always man up.


So toro which shoes do you wear for which lifts?

I have nikes for bench and dead and chucks for squat. If I can find a better shoe for dead (I need new) then who knows what I can pull.
 
CountryLiftin said:
Always man up.


So toro which shoes do you wear for which lifts?

I have nikes for bench and dead and chucks for squat. If I can find a better shoe for dead (I need new) then who knows what I can pull.
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I use my pendlay do-wins for everything. Sometimes I just bench in my whatever running shoe but I like to get in a few sessions with my dowins, but that's only as a "form check" to make sure my setup is right and my ass doesn't float off of the bench.

I mentioned this in another thread, but since we're discussing the topic here I figure I might as well mention it. Yes, the squat shoes have changed my squat, and they allow me to involve my quads more. However, I honestly can't say they've done anything to help my squat otherwise, at least not now***. They don't help me reach depth more easily or make me squat more weight.

***Now, to be fair, my 3 weakest/smallest muscle groups, period, are my biceps, calves, and quads. So the fact that I can't squat the weight any easier with these shoes may be a function of how they load my weakest muscle group more. This may turn out to be a good thing in the future because it'll help bring out my quads more, thus making my squat stronger/better.
 
I agree with your logic. I like the look of the do wins. I may have to check them out and get a pair next year after my first pay check.
 
Torobestia said:
I don't remember what I did in between but I managed to get my act together and bench. Interestingly, though there was shoulder pain on the first 220, it's now no longer shoulder pain I feel but pain in the bicep, where it inserts into the delt. Regarding poor performance with the 85s on high incline bench, at first I thought wtf, then I realized I PRd on my standing db press, lol. Lastly, didn't have time for arm work so I'll do it tonight.
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Not to be an alarmist ... This sounds like your long-head biceps (LHB), which attaches to the labrum. Pain there can portend a potential tear in the biceps tendon, the labrum, or both. I've torn both of mine (biceps and labrum), in fact one of my biceps twice (and both labrum twice). Given that this is hurting while you are benching, I am guessing that it's at the point of attachment to the labrum, rather than the LHB. It's likely just a strain, but be on the lookout.

Way to stick to it re the benching. And I forget while I called you a slacker jack. I assume you said something about taking a bunch of time off and then hitting a bunch of absurd PRs. So yeah, a compliment.
 
jinxie said:
Not to be an alarmist ... This sounds like your long-head biceps (LHB), which attaches to the labrum. Pain there can portend a potential tear in the biceps tendon, the labrum, or both. I've torn both of mine (biceps and labrum), in fact one of my biceps twice (and both labrum twice). Given that this is hurting while you are benching, I am guessing that it's at the point of attachment to the labrum, rather than the LHB. It's likely just a strain, but be on the lookout.

Way to stick to it re the benching. And I forget while I called you a slacker jack. I assume you said something about taking a bunch of time off and then hitting a bunch of absurd PRs. So yeah, a compliment.
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Thanks for the input. But from a cursory glance on google, since neither of those things are things I can really do anything about right now (except laying off - lol jokes) I will see what I can do about my internal rotation. I did a few diagnostic tests from BASL and found out this is a SERIOUS problem for me on my left side, so I will follow this one 3-day mwod to try to restore some internal rotation in the shoulder. Looking at the vids, all the various exercises he does address all of my symptoms, so I have high hopes for this.

Workout update in next post
 
About time. Today was it. Today was one of those days I was 110% dialed in and everything clicked. Everything just felt right. Now I know this workout is more or less the same workout I did exactly a month ago (plus or minus), but the way the weights moved, the way I felt, the PRs, and almost as important, the time in which I completed all of this ... I dont really have the words to describe how pleased I am.

So that it is forever inscribed (I'm doing this on my phone, too, so I don't **** up), this is my squat setup: stand up straight, externally rotate hips/engage glutes, crunch forward, extend back (this is all similar to my deadlift so far), extend neck slightly up, big air, go under bar, set feet under back, reset neck with a slightly extended position, big air again, unrack, walk out, make sure neck/head is positioned right, squat down, press back into bar to initiate squat up.

Sorry for the overcomplication, but all these stupid little fixes I've been trying on my squat have almost all sucked ass except for the bracing of my spine I do for my deadlift and squat.


---------------

12/15/13

SQUAT ME1

PVC upper and lower back, ITB and adductors, LXC upper body and glutes, rocking frog stretch, hip circles x10 forward/backward

SSB SQUAT
155-5 slow, 5 faster
245-5
295-3
335-1
380-5x2 <-- ~2 mins between sets

SSB PAUSE SQUATS
335-6,6 <-- both are +2 rep PRs

RUSSIAN KNEE CURLS
BW (266)- 9+1 rest-pause 5+1 rest-pause 2+1 <-- 16 rp reps + 3 assisted
great negatives on eccentric

DB LUNGES
30 (total weight)-15,10

HANGING AB RIPPER
BW-15,15,15

Phew, great day. I also finished much faster than I ever have before, clocking in well under 90 minutes as opposed to my usual 120+ minute behemoths of a workout. I even did more than last month. I think I'm starting to see the light on the other side of the tunnel. Lets keep this train going. Bench is gonna blow but what can you do? I found some things I think will greatly help that situation and will start on them tomorrow, hopefully.
 
Torobestia said:
Thanks for the input. But from a cursory glance on google, since neither of those things are things I can really do anything about right now (except laying off - lol jokes) I will see what I can do about my internal rotation. I did a few diagnostic tests from BASL and found out this is a SERIOUS problem for me on my left side, so I will follow this one 3-day mwod to try to restore some internal rotation in the shoulder. Looking at the vids, all the various exercises he does address all of my symptoms, so I have high hopes for this. Workout update in next post
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BASL Page #?
 
Sean1332 said:
BASL Page #?
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It was on a video. It's a 3 part/3 day series on restoring internal rotation in the shoulder. Basically you lie down on the ground with a stable base (meaning your shoulders are in a good, stable position [retracted vs protracted shoulder]) have your upper arm out to your side and elbow on the floor and forearm in the air, making a right angle. From there you keep your shoulder in the same position and rotate your arm towards the floor. Good shoulder rotations = touching the floor without your shoulder coming forward. Bad internal rotation = you dont touch the floor at all.
 
Torobestia said:
It was on a video. It's a 3 part/3 day series on restoring internal rotation in the shoulder. Basically you lie down on the ground with a stable base (meaning your shoulders are in a good, stable position [retracted vs protracted shoulder]) have your upper arm out to your side and elbow on the floor and forearm in the air, making a right angle. From there you keep your shoulder in the same position and rotate your arm towards the floor. Good shoulder rotations = touching the floor without your shoulder coming forward. Bad internal rotation = you dont touch the floor at all.
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In that case: Mine=Terrible. Right side is decent though.

I'll find the vid. I think I recall it. Do you have Asses and Correct?
 
Sean1332 said:
In that case: Mine=Terrible. Right side is decent though.

I'll find the vid. I think I recall it. Do you have Asses and Correct?
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negative
 
I just did some serious internal rotation work on my left shoulder from that 3 parter and it didn't hurt at all on bench or squat today. Being a realist I'm sure it will be a continuous thing. So there is hope ma man.
 
Torobestia said:
Thanks for the input. But from a cursory glance on google, since neither of those things are things I can really do anything about right now (except laying off - lol jokes) I will see what I can do about my internal rotation. I did a few diagnostic tests from BASL and found out this is a SERIOUS problem for me on my left side, so I will follow this one 3-day mwod to try to restore some internal rotation in the shoulder. Looking at the vids, all the various exercises he does address all of my symptoms, so I have high hopes for this.

Workout update in next post
Click to expand...

As noted, I suspect it's just a strain. I would expect some serious pain during DLs if it were serious. If it does begin bothering you more, you may wish to consider restricting yourself to overhand grip on the affected side, or even using wraps. I know, I know, heresy.

Nice squat workout, as well as shaving down the time. I can't believe your typical workouts are 2 hours. That's serious.
 
jinxie said:
As noted, I suspect it's just a strain. I would expect some serious pain during DLs if it were serious. If it does begin bothering you more, you may wish to consider restricting yourself to overhand grip on the affected side, or even using wraps. I know, I know, heresy.

Nice squat workout, as well as shaving down the time. I can't believe your typical workouts are 2 hours. That's serious.
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More like seriously embarrassing.

Yeah, it could be a strain in those areas. Lets see what happens after this series of self-treatments.
 
Vid from squat workout yesterday:
[video=youtube;NtnIcqf5iog]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtnIcqf5iog&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
Torobestia said:
More like seriously embarrassing.

Yeah, it could be a strain in those areas. Lets see what happens after this series of self-treatments.
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Big man, the only embarrassing thing about you is being blamed for for farts.

Keep up the good wrok.
 
Did a ton of mashing with the lacross ball before, during, and after my bench session today, notably around my back in the scapula area (below, in between, directly over the shoulder blade, laterally where the lat and cuff rotators insert, and above the scapula around my clavicle and around my upper trap. Nothing at all on my right side (healthy), but my left side is totally in bad shape. Is is desperate for attention and I'll need to address this outside of my upper body workouts. Now that I mention this here, I won't mention it in my warmup/preworkout rehab section, at least not today.

12/18/13

BENCH C1W3

PVC upper and lower back, teres, lats, LXC upper body, PNF lats then chest, band dislocations

BENCH, PAUSE LAST REP
135-7 slow, 5 explosive
185-5
225-3
265-3
280-3
295-3 <-- RPE 8
Sharp pain in shoulder throughout but it lasted a second or less throughout all my benching

NGBP, PAUSE 1" FROM CHEST
255-8 <-- was supposed to be 6 but it felt too easy

NGBP
235-12

CHEST SUPPORTED DB ROWS superset BAND PULLAPARTS
110-5x10
red bands-5x20

SINGLE ARM REVERSE GRIP TRI PUSHDOWN superset TRIPLE THREATS
30-15; 40-11,10 <-- 1 second pause on contraction\
black through black-13,14,13

Tried to do my rolling db extensions and hammer curls but shoulder would have none of it. I had done so much work on the shoulder complex and had benched with enough comfort to blast past my numbers my shoulder deserves lots of good credit, but it was tired and angry by now. So I did the pushdowns. Hamstrings and lower back giving me sliiiiight issues so I didnt do bent over rows to save myself for deadlifts Fridayish.
 
Sorry if this was addressed but are you doing mike Tuchscherer RTS style stuff now? I just noticed you gauging your main lift with rate of perceived exertion(RPE).
 
rob112 said:
Sorry if this was addressed but are you doing mike Tuchscherer RTS style stuff now? I just noticed you gauging your main lift with rate of perceived exertion(RPE).
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No problem. And no, I dont follow anything like what he does at the moment. I just wanted to note the ease of the lift as I like to keep track of these things every now and then.

Not including anything I did with my butchered 5/3/1, the last time I hit 295x3 it was at an RPE of 9, and while my form was very solid on my last rep I don't know if I could have gotten 1 more and I know at the time I couldn't have gotten a 5th. Today, I'm pretty sure I could have gone after 5 if I had to.
 
Torobestia said:
No problem. And no, I dont follow anything like what he does at the moment. I just wanted to note the ease of the lift as I like to keep track of these things every now and then.
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That is a pretty cool idea to gauge another aspect of your training. Thanks brother.

Edit: saw the edit. I may steal that idea when I get into heavier weights for me.
 
I'm sorry to report the following, but today I did not bring it.

I went to the gym feeling pretty ok, slightly tired but nothing truly out of the ordinary. It was deadlift day. I noticed as I was warming up that my form really felt off. I checked it with some boards and vids and it seemed ok but it felt like I wasn't engaging my mid-back erectors at all. You guys know that feeling you get in your back after slouching for hours and hours in a seat? That's the feeling I had during and after deadlifts.

While working up the weights still felt light, but it was around 455 that I noticed something was up. 495 went up super slow, and when I was on my working set with 550 I could do nothing to put my body and mind on the prize. I hit the deadlifts, went up super slow, and I gave up after the first rep. Took 7 minutes, huffed some ammonia, and all I could summon up was a big yawn 5 seconds after. I decided to shut it down. I might attempt this workout again tomorrow morning before my trip, but if I feel the same way I'm just going to have to redo my deadlift cycle again with some modifications to my accessory work.
 
I wouldn't bother trying again. Your body is telling you you need some rest. You got your work in best you could, now recover. That's how my last 2 weeks have been since the meet. Even today I felt eh but hit a PR squatting so... you'll come back around. Pushing through the hard workouts is just as important as killing the good ones and setting PRs.
 
I think I'm actually going to end up doing like country says. I also think this is all due to some mistakes I inadvertently made with my deadlift programming related to not resetting certain weights that I should have. Anyways, I actually dont really care all that much and am more thrilled about not working the next 2 weeks than I am upset about scrapping 3 weeks of training.
 
Merry Christmas to you and yours, buddy. Hope all is well for you as we haven't heard from you in a few days.
 
Guys, thanks a lot for the wishes. I've been gone from AM for quite a while due to vacations, but you can expect me to make appearances again starting this week. I was just so busy with the holidays with travel and seeing friends and family that I had no time for this. I hope you all had a great Christmas!
 
Well guys, it's been somewhat of a long time since I've posted, and it's been an equally long time since I've worked out. To be precise, it's been over 8 days since I've been to the gym. A lot of great things have happened since then, not a whole lot of rest (thankfully I have all of next week off of work, too), but I was ready to hop back in the saddle and lift.

Briefly, I signed up for a meet March the 15th. It's a push-pull, but that's the only event they're hosting. Should be nice. Somehow, the timing works out incredibly well as it allows for a solid 11 week cycle that will end in a meet week (5-6 day deload plus meet day). In addition to this news, today at the gym, the pain/discomfort in my shoulder was GONE. Zero trace. I will continue to train smart and not push the upper body work too hard, but this is a promising development.

12/29/13

BENCH C1W1 (T-11 weeks)

PVC upper and lower back, teres and lats, peanut scapula, LXC scapula, upper trap, upper body (anterior), PNF lat stretch, facepull 1x20, EFS pullapart series 7x10

BENCH PAUSE LAST REP
135-8 <-- 5 slow, 3 explosive
185-5
225-3
250-5
265-5
280-5 <-- RPE 8.5
Again, no pain. Bar path was very shaky, and I don't know if that's related to tightness (I felt difficulty channeling air into my belly today) or lack of practice

NGBP PAUSE 1" FROM CHEST
240-9

NGBP
240-9

BO BB ROWS superset BAND PULLAPARTS
255-5x15
red band-5x20

FOOTBALL SKULLCRUSHERS superset HAMMER CURLS superset TRIPLE THREATS
95-15,15,15
50-12,12,12
black through black-13,13,13

Good first session back. I felt very out of shape today, though, as the nausea hit me on my first set of bent over rows, and I was winded from that point on throughout the workout. Otherwise, very pleased with the shoulder. I think my prehab stuff, the week off, and some mashing thanks to my gf has done me well.

Unfortunately, it looks like I'll be repeating the first 3 weeks of my squat cycle YET AGAIN. I may decide to throw in some hack squats at the end, however, or maybe some before the pause squats. We'll see.
 
Nice man! Awesome to hear everything. Very good. Shoulder pain and meet is good news.
 
CountryLiftin said:
Nice man! Awesome to hear everything. Very good. Shoulder pain and meet is good news.
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Yeah, the meet should be very fun. I wasn't planning on doing something so soon, but the date is so perfect I figure why not?

Also, here's vid from today:
[video=youtube;uQ9O0BLLDOk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ9O0BLLDOk&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 
Push down on them heels, big man. Nice work today. Good to hear you're healing up.
 
Nice to see some updates. Good luck in that Push/Pull. Based on your PRing lately I see some solid results on the platform. ;)
 
Thanks men. Hopefully this is nothing, but I've been dealing with some lower back pain for about 2+ weeks. Gonna try to see a doc about this and stretch in order to nip it in the butt while it's not a big deal and still have the ability to lift.
 
Got damn it. I've got to catch your DL and match your BP while 20# heavier.

You're making this a PITA, man.
 
Swan, Toro, where are you you guys at weight wise and #s on the big 3? We still having a DL race haha.

Toro those BPs look good.
 
Haha, you'll definitely get there again, Swanson.

Country, I'm sitting around 262 right now (sadface). I am going to plan to diet down, goal weight unknown, probably through to May. I'd like to get to a lower bodyfat for a variety of reasons, the biggest one being money and the need to fit into my business pants again so I can do some interviews. SQ = ???, BP = 340-350, DL = 605.
 
Torobestia said:
Haha, you'll definitely get there again, Swanson.

Country, I'm sitting around 262 right now (sadface). I am going to plan to diet down, goal weight unknown, probably through to May. I'd like to get to a lower bodyfat for a variety of reasons, the biggest one being money and the need to fit into my business pants again so I can do some interviews. SQ = ???, BP = 340-350, DL = 605.
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Nice my man. Yeah fitting into clothes is nice. I just had to buy some nice jeans tonight because my legs don't fit any of mine anymore. Squats are evil. Well for fitting pants at least. I need to test a legit squat max sometime in the next few months too.
 
This guy's back. I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and a great New Year.

Been busy again, this time with the gf. She took off a decent amount of time from work, visited her mom for Xmas, then came to see me. I had an amazing time with her and I was so tied up with things with her I didn't have any time to check back in here except once in a while on my phone.

Long story short, I did go to the gym for a squat session and today for bench. Squat session was a redo of a previous workout, so you can look that up if you want. The following was my bench workout.

01/04/14

SPEED BENCH C1W1 (T-11 weeks)

PVC upper and lower back, teres and lats, peanut and LXC scapula, LXC upper body, PNF lats, facepulls 1x20, EFS shoulder pullapart series 7x10

BALLISTIC BENCH
135-6-8 reps, many slow and 3 explosive
185-3
205-6x3 <-- 40 seconds between sets

HIGH DB INCLINE BENCH (+fatgripz)
*warmed up with standing DB OHP 40x10
75-14
Mechanical dropset: 75x12 drop x5 drop x6
I had enough to do at least 1 more rep for sure and I'd bet I could have done 2 for a total of 14, but my feet slipped and I had zero energy to get the weights back up again

LAT PULLDOWNS superset TRIPLE THREATS
180-10,10,10
black thru black-12,12,12

RING PULLUPS superset TRIPLE THREATS
BW-6,6
black thru black-12,14

DB SCAPTIONS superset DB INCLINE CURLS superset ROPE PUSHDOWNS
25-15,15,15
30-9,10,9 <--- LOL WEAK
65-17,15,15

Pretty happy with this session. It was weird benching without pain. I did have pain on the inclines, although the pain was only at lockout. This is pretty standard shoulder impingement related pain, but I think it may also suggest I was shrugging my shoulders near my lockout. I think after this bench cycle I might consider going to a BB incline bench to work on keeping the scapula in place. I think this has always been an issue for me and incline DB benching. Also, I figured out specifically why my arms seem smaller even though my triceps are much larger. I went from being able to curl 65lb dumbbells with 4-5 second negatives a rep for a set of 10-15 back in 2012 to 30s for less than 10 reps. Ouch.
 
Good to have you back man and glad you had a good holiday!
 
01/05/14

DEADLIFT C1W1

Nothing but some tspine rotations, bent knee iron cross, rocking frog stretch, hip circles, LXC upper body, and PNF lat. I felt mobile from a good-decent massage I had the day before.

BLOCK PULLS
225-5
315-4
405-2
490-5 <--RPE like 100 lol. Form was good but it was a serious grinder

CAT DEADLIFTS
340-4x4 <-- wow, the quality of these was 4x better than last month. Def started these too heavy last time

SSB DEAD SQUATS
285-6x1 <-- 30 sec between sets
Started these at "pin 7," realized I should maybe do pin 6 next time as I was more upright this time which meant my hips were lower than normal and too low for this exercise

SSB GM (suspended, as usual)
250-15,12,12,12

STRAIGHTBAR STANDING AB CRUNCHES
90-15,15,15
 
Torobestia said:
Thanks man. How was yours?
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It was pretty well, then the 1st of Jan I was in an accident so I am Jeepless for a while... I'm alright other than some sore neck muscles and a headache. Then the 2nd til now I have had a bad stomach bug/flu... lol. But the holidays were all good!

Torobestia said:
01/05/14

DEADLIFT C1W1

Nothing but some tspine rotations, bent knee iron cross, rocking frog stretch, hip circles, LXC upper body, and PNF lat. I felt mobile from a good-decent massage I had the day before.

BLOCK PULLS
225-5
315-4
405-2
490-5 <--RPE like 100 lol. Form was good but it was a serious grinder

CAT DEADLIFTS
340-4x4 <-- wow, the quality of these was 4x better than last month. Def started these too heavy last time

SSB DEAD SQUATS
285-6x1 <-- 30 sec between sets
Started these at "pin 7," realized I should maybe do pin 6 next time as I was more upright this time which meant my hips were lower than normal and too low for this exercise

SSB GM (suspended, as usual)
250-15,12,12,12

STRAIGHTBAR STANDING AB CRUNCHES
90-15,15,15
Click to expand...

Nice workout man. RPE 100, I laughed. Good work.
 
Damn dude, 280 x 5, with a pause, after a lotta work, very nice.

I want 400 out of you this year. :)
 
jinxie said:
Damn dude, 280 x 5, with a pause, after a lotta work, very nice.

I want 400 out of you this year. :)
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That'd be sweet. The goal is actually 385, so fairly close. We shall see what we can make this shoulder do, eh?
 
01/08/14

BENCH C1W2 (T-10 weeks)

PVC upper and lower back, teres and lats, peanut scapula, LXC scapula, LXC upper body (anterior), PNF lat, facepulls 1x20, EFS shoulder pullapart series 7x10

BENCH, PAUSE LAST REP
135-5 <-- explosive
185-5
225-3 <--some pain
260-4 <-- great deal of pain
275-4 <-- less pain
290-4 <-- less pain than before, RPE 8 max

NGBP, PAUSE 1" FROM CHEST
250-8

NGBP
240-10

BO BB ROW superset BAND PULLAPARTS
275-5x12
red bands-5x20

No arms today. Ran out of time, will have to do it tomorrow.

Well, shoulder pain was present today. What I did when it came up was to mash my scapula, upper trap, and supraspinatus, and it would feel better in my subsequent sets of benching. And my last set of benching felt the best after 135. That's all to report for now.
 
Nice benchin chief. Good work. Still fightin some pain huh?
 
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