Getting strong log

[joelash302]

So following a week of bedrest and recent engagement, what better time to start a lifting log and actually keep myself honest about progress. Plus, I've been destroying my notebooks so this has a better chance of sticking around for more than a few weeks.

02/15/2012

BW - 185

DE Legs
135x10
135x10
Below weights plus bands:
135x3
135x3
185x3
185x3
155x3x8

First day back and my energy was really low, stomach is still not 100%. Bands are eliteFTS fierce which I am fairly sure are too stiff for me but I really liked the groove once I got them tensed up properly and balanced (wrapped around DB's on the floor). So maybe will be asking for some for upcoming b-day or grab them on sale. Due to an appointment to pick up the fiancee, had to cut the workout short. Stretching, hot tub, and some foam rolling finished the day. Fairly sore right now, the banded squats are very interesting.

[joelash302]

02/16/12

BW: 186
Energy Level: non-existant

ME Upper Day
Bench
135x10
135x10
185x5
225 for 5x2
175x9

BTN PP
95x10
95x10
135x5

Machine T-Bar
10ppsx12
12x10
12x8

Dips
BWx12
+25x10
+25x9

Accessory Band pull-aparts

Thoughts
I'm still on a hard recovery path following this stomach sickess on 01/06. What was originally slated for 5x3 @255 to start a fresh microcycle turned into the above plus a little bit of half assed accessory work. I was sucking air very quickly, thinking it's going to be early March before I can legit start up at my pre-sickness weights.

On a more positive note, I can feel like death and still bench 225 for 5x2. So that's nice . Definitely going to be ramping up the intensity soon, so this log should be looking better by the day.

[psychodiver9]

1st

[Vitek92]

In.

[Lvisaa2]

^IN.

Good luck as you work through the recovery - must've been a hell of a stomach virus.

[JasonDB]

Tried to 1st but my BB.com blocked my abilities to type for like 2 hours... IN!!!!

[joelash302]

Good luck as you work through the recovery - must've been a hell of a stomach virus.

So, I like to piss and moan when I'm sick. A hobby, if you will. However, this was how last week went:

Monday - Started the bi-directional evacuation of food at around 2:00. Finally went to the hospital at 9 after drinking 1 oz of water and throwing it up. 2 iv bags and anti-nausea meds, home at 1:00 AM. 0 cals.

Tuesday - A quart of pedialyte, 1 piece of toast, 4 anti-nausea pills. 200 calories.

Wednesday - A quart of pedialyte, 2 bananas, 3 pieces of toast, 3 anti-nausea pills, and a popsicle. 500ish cals.

Thursday - first day back to work. Egg sandwich, chicken + rice from chipotle (only chicken and rice), rice for dinner. 800ish cals and I think I'm being generous at that.

Friday - Don't remember exactly but it was the first day back over 1,000. Weighed in at 181 (Sunday was 190).

Now I'm back to 186, but I still have mild stomach pain while laying down. Making progress though, hoping to put up some real volume soon.

[joelash302]

02/18/12
Day off - Semi GPP work helping a buddy move.

Also just for giggles, my advancing latte art:

[Lvisaa2]

^ Are you a wizard?

But on a serious note, I'm intrigued by how you made this.

[psychodiver9]

Sorry to hear about your illness. My wife hates when I'm sick for the same reason

[joelash302]

^ Are you a wizard?

But on a serious note, I'm intrigued by how you made this.

2 months of practice on my new espresso machine . If you make the milk foamed right it's actually reasy easy, but that's like saying if you know how to paint something then it's easy.

On a training note -

02/19/2012
Climbing training
1st flash of a 5.11a (no falls, 1st attempt) - corner route
5-6 routes total at ~5.9

Thoughts
At 3 weeks post injury (pulley injury middle and ring finger of left hand, ring > middle) this was my first day back climbing with a new partner. I was very right hand dominant with climbing and couldn't put more than 25% strength into it. Another 5 weeks should put me back into climbing at 10c/d levels again strength wise. My cardio needs lots and lots of work though, I was dragging ass hard on face climbs and especially anything with even a minor invert. The 11a was my first flash in that range.

Today is leg day for ME, but will be still working on ramp-up and redesign. Going to be working on multiple stances today, might be making some stance changes again. Will be doing sets at 135 at work and then killing it after work in the gym

[joelash302]

ME Lower Day (kind of) - No belt

Weight - 185

Squat
135x8
185x5
225x4
225x3
245x3
245x3
255x2
255x1

Front Squat
135x10
155x10
155x8

Deadlift
225x8
275x8
275x8

Ab Wheel
3x12

Thoughts
Energy levels were not terrible, probably 3-4/10. Still dealing with a lot of strength loss, but it's giving me an opportunity to redo my squat to something more comfortable instead of trying to force a big PL stance which I have hated since rep 1. I'm now in a low bar, short foot placement, mid-sit back squat with head facing 6-7' out instead of up to maintain cervical angle better. I'm feeling much better doing it this way, more balance in the frontal plane. Since I have no intention on using equipment in the future, I think this will have better results. Back still needs work but I was 100% gassed out by the end, so will be doing some light volume work tomorrow during work time. Also going to stick with mixed stance deads for now, ME pull before getting sick was 455 the first time ever so there's a lot of opportunity in this stance.

[ko300zx]

1st.

[PBateman2]

OP lifts? Had no clue.

JK

Train hard, man. What are the major goals?

Will follow.

[joelash302]

OP lifts? Had no clue.

JK

Train hard, man. What are the major goals?

Will follow.

Nope, no lifting. This is all e-stats!

Major goals for 2012: 365/315/550 @ under 198 and a BW OHP. Plus a climbing goal of 5.12, which is the entry to advanced level. So basically a hard ass from top to bottom.


Today's lifts brought to you by Recovering Like a Boss:

DE Upper

Weight - 185.9

Bench
11x3 at 145, multiple grips

DB Bench
4x8 with 65's

BTN PP
3x5 at 135
Backdown set OHP 95x10

Dips
BW x 10
+30x10
+30x7
+30x7

CGBP Burnout
115x10 (lulz)

Chest Assisted Rows
2x10 @ 2pps

Thoughts
So realizing I was going to be doing back work literally 6 days straight this week, I cut rows short. Also forgot my bands so the speed work wasn't as aggressive as I was planning, however, I brutalized my triceps (hence the burn out on cgbp ending a lot faster than I was expecting). DB Bench was basically the most controlled I have ever done, 3 second down, pause with tension, hard spring up. Chest is definitely feeling it, which is exactly what I need to get more power off my chest on full bench.

Open to suggestions on the following given I'm having a stall out right off my chest. I want to bust the sht out of my last peak just before getting sick (275 for 3 singles):
1. CGBP vs. JM press for triceps
2. DB bench vs. incline bench for chest
3. Floor or pin press for accessory / dead point work

[joelash302]

Also just to put out where I'm at right now... Clearly I need more back (and to learn how to pose and camera at the same time)

[Lvisaa2]

I don't feel a huge carryover from DB flat > BB flat, but have noticed good carryover from BB Incline > BB Flat. Should be noted that I don't bench full PLer style, but rather a hybrid which has more upper chest involvement than what I imagine a Tate style does.

Incline also helps me to work on keeping tightness and driving my lats into the bench so there is a carryover(for me) in helping with my form and could help with initially coming off the chest.

As to the others, honestly have no clue since I've never JM pressed(although I've been contemplating adding it) and never done pin work.

6 days straight of back? Sounds like a good week to me

[psychodiver9]

Looking aesthetic bro. Keep it up

[Andrew_S]

I think some of the comparison lifts you brought up have more to do with recovery and how taxing the lift is more than anything else, so it would depend on the overall program and where they will be utilized. JM press is more of a tricep iso (that beats the hell out of my elbows), while CGBP is a tricep focused bench press, but you'll be moving more weight than the JM press. You're not going to make JM presses a main lift like CGBP, so it depends on how you have things structured. Floor presses hit the triceps and chest pretty good! I read/hear/whatever that pin presses are rougher on the joints (starting from a dead stop), but I've never had the need to use them. Never know how you'll react until you try something as you no doubt know. Just my 2 cents up in here.

But if the sticking point is RIGHT off your chest, have you just thought of pausing your normal flat bench grip?

[JasonDB]

Strong shoulder development in the pic.

What sort of training template are you using? Looks WSBB based thus far of course.

Solutions for stall off the chest:

1) technique... a video would help as it would let us assess your setup and possible heel drive and arch issues that could be contributing to this stall.
2) speed work (which you are doing)... I would consider pausing for a one count on the chest for the speed reps though.
3) dumbbell presses... which you are doing.
4) more heavy lat work as the lats do play a large role in pressing off the chest and maybe some pullovers, as they can help train the chest and lats to work together to some extent from a stretched position.

[joelash302]

Yea WSBB format. It'll develop into a more clear picture once I get back up to working weights and start to periodize again. Right now I'm just hammering things to get my endurance back up and get the weights settled back to baseline.

I have come to the conclusion that I have little to no idea how to properly activate lats off the chest. The only time I've seen it work properly is when a shirted lifter has to literally pull the bar down to touch properly. Maybe as my arch develops higher it will make more sense.

Andrew - I do a lot of pause work as well (well, more than I used to). Your comment regarding the recovery / taxing is well taken, I should be thinking more in terms of primary mover, primary assistance, volume work. That will help set it up better.


Today will be an "off day", so climbing work for volume. Lot of lats, grip work, and dynamic stretching will help keep the hips loose for DE Lower tomorrow.


02/22/12
Climbing Day

45 minutes of MISS-style cardio, 9+ thru .10c completed.

Thoughts
Middle / ring finger still having some trouble, strength has come a long way but I definitely cannot keep power on it for longer than a few seconds. Wore out quicker than I expected which was partly making modifications in climbing due to the hand. Got a chance to roll out some knots in the quads and upper back, looking forward to a killer DE lower day tomorrow.

[Vitek92]

Open to suggestions on the following given I'm having a stall out right off my chest. I want to bust the sht out of my last peak just before getting sick (275 for 3 singles):
1. CGBP vs. JM press for triceps
2. DB bench vs. incline bench for chest
3. Floor or pin press for accessory / dead point work

Great work in here!

As for the exercises I think CGBP involves more muscles while JM press is pretty much just triceps but I have only done JM press twice as assistance (3x6-10).
Low incline DB presses seem to work chest more then flat but that might be just me.

[mss55699]

02/18/12
Day off - Semi GPP work helping a buddy move.

Also just for giggles, my advancing latte art:

your espresso art looks like a tiny weiner.

But for srs - In. Good luck!!

[joelash302]

Thanks bra.

02/23/12

DE Lower

Band Squats
135x8 (warm up no bands)
10x3 @ 165 (vid below)

Front Squats - Speed
8x3 @ 135

Standing Good Mornings
4x9 @ 135

Chin ups
3x10 BW only

GHR Machine
4x8 BW only

Leg Raises
3x12

Thoughts
Energy wise doing a LOT better. I ran thru the squats really well and was sweating pretty hard at the end. Below is a vid where you can clearly see my hitch point, but it's getting worked out now. It's so much better to be able to work on this sticking spot without needing to be at 85% 1RM, so it's effectively getting twice the attention. Additionally, I need to work on the groove some more, but I think this weight will be the working numbers until it looks a lot better. Front squats I was pushing up hard enough to bounce the bar off my shoulders for the first round of sets.



The transition point is still pretty sticky but when I'm not exhausted it isn't as terrible, I promise haha.

[JasonDB]

Nice work and your strength will be back in no time. Having some major dental work done in 2 sessions a week apart myself very soon and will be forced to deload probably. Had a bad stomach virus, similar to your situation, that took me out for of the for a week and spent another week struggling to lift any real weight. However it all returned.

[joelash302]

Yea you are right Jason, strength is definitely coming back.

02/24/12

ME Upper Day

Bench
135x8
185x3
225x3
235x2
235x2
240x2
240x1 (plus a fail)

DB Bench
65x10
70x8
70x8
70x6

Floor Press
115x10
115x10
115x9

Rope Pull Downs
3ppsx12
4ppsx10
4ppsx10
4ppsx10

Neutral Grip Row
12ppsx10
12ppsx10
12ppsx10
12ppsx10

Thoughts
Failed bench rep was a form fault not a true fail, but I took that as a cue to call it - lost tightness on the descent. My reps are a hell of a lot faster than either pre-sickness, which may be a result of the DE work. Energy is still getting more progression, volume is not where it could be overall and I'm still struggling with climbing volume. Thinking of adding in some cardio work soon to really get it going.

[joelash302]

Today is ME Lower Day, so will have an update this afternoon with max squat + higher weight on volume deads. I do want to point out that we picked up a memory foam topper from Target and tried it out last night. Holy crap did I sleep well, and my back feels better than it has in a while. Going to be looking to get a full memory foam bed soon.

[JasonDB]

Today is ME Lower Day, so will have an update this afternoon with max squat + higher weight on volume deads. I do want to point out that we picked up a memory foam topper from Target and tried it out last night. Holy crap did I sleep well, and my back feels better than it has in a while. Going to be looking to get a full memory foam bed soon.

Mixed feelings on mine... great on my back, but really easily cuts circulation off in my arms if I sleep too hard on a delt if laying on my side. Also wife says it makes it hotter at night that I am like a massive heater when sleeping now and the memory foam applifies it.

Look forward to that update, will see it in the morning during coffee most likely.

[mss55699]

Just watched the squat video...definately losing form in the hole (but you already know that)...It seems your upper back wants to round as you descend, which is pushing you forward. Some heavy trap work should help that...i personally like heavy cable rows and bent over rows.

I just started doing lowbar squats and they are helping me tremendously.

PS Morgan got a legit squat bar LOL

[ko300zx]

Neutral Grip Row
12ppsx10
12ppsx10
12ppsx10
12ppsx10

What in the...wha...I don't...