In Search of Strength

[CharlesSwann]

07/07
Cable fly: 10x10, 25x10,10,15,15,15
Posting towel deadlift: 40x3,3,3,3
Hip rehab circuit

I realized I forgot a pretty important warm up (rolling adductor w/ barbell) and that might be part of why squats aren't feeling great. I might do front squat again on Thursday instead of high bar because they seem a bit easier on my hip. Not sure yet though.

Also not sure flyes help or hurt my pec. We'll see tomorrow.



Rehab:
- squat knee-touch-and-spread
- (2-3min) weight plate hip IR
- barbell roll hams/adductors
- lacrosse ball roll hams/adductors
- (few times) door glute bridge
- (few times) side bridge
- (few times) goblet squat
- (few times) hip airplane

[CharlesSwann]

07/08
Pinch DL and hold: 43x9s,6s,11s note: 34s last time, I guess the towel work overlaps with this? Definitely some fatigue here. Also I chalked thumb well but I didn't chalk fingertips well until the last set, got me the higher time.
Hip rehab circuit

Gonna google some "unglue adductors/hamstrings" stuff tonight to see if I can get beyond barbell rolling. Or at least mix it up a bit.

[CharlesSwann]

07/09
Overhead press: 185x4,4,4,4,4,4
Front squat: 405x3
+ band front raise for shoulder

185x4 isn't too bad, but by the 6th set my tris are gassing. 6x5 and 6x6 look tough.

[CharlesSwann]

07/10
Pronation towel deadlift: 50x3, 60x1, 70x1, 80x1, 90x1, 95x1, 100x0 (LH miss), 100x1,x1+hold
Pull ups: 70x7,7,7

[CharlesSwann]

07/12
Overhead press: 185x2,2,2,2,2,2
Beltless highbar: 405x1, 425x3
Wrist wrench DL and hold: 80x10s,10s,10s

[CharlesSwann]

07/14
Overhead press: 185x5,5,5,5,5,5
Front squat: 405x3

[CharlesSwann]

07/15
Seal row: 210x8,8,8

[CharlesSwann]

07/16
Grippers: #2.5x5,3,1,4

Off-day hip thing:
- smush hamstring/adductor
- supine piriformis stretch, knee on thigh
- weird super externally rotated couch glute bridge with emphasis on ribs down

[CharlesSwann]

Switching workouts from: A - press/squat, B - back
To: A - press/back, B - squat

Hip rehab: I started stretching piriformis and strengthening a super externally rotated position and I'm not sure if it's helping. My hip (glute med/min? TFL? hard to zero in) has been super sore after starting it, even with no real exercise happening. But I need to get over that last 20% of hip funk by changing something up. I'll try to squat 425x3 on the beltless highbar tomorrow after half a week of ER mobility, let's see how it goes...



07/17
Overhead press: 185x2,2,2,2,2,2
Pull ups: 70x8,8,8
Sledgehammer deadlift: (2H)x3,3,2



Days since:
- pull ups: 0
- rows: 2
- pronation towel deadlift: 7
- sledgehammer deadlift: 0
- grippers: 1
- pinch block: 9
- wrist wrench: 5

[CharlesSwann]

Delayed the squatting and it seems like a good idea. Maybe my workload was just too high for the current state of my hip so I need to cut workload instead of trying to rehab it out. Planning on squats tomorrow if all's well though.

07/19
Overhead press: 185x6,6,6,6,6,6
Pinch DL and hold: 43x6s,15s,15s,15s

The OHP was... okay. I started getting light headed and had to reset the last set twice. The third time ended up a bit iffy because I started fading out on the 4th rep or so. Bit more body English around the knees at the end than I'd like. But I think the 6x6 is okay if I'm in good shape. I'm gonna continue on with the program, with a 5x5@195 as the next hurdle.



Days since:
- pull ups: 2
- rows: 4
- pronation towel deadlift: 9
- sledgehammer deadlift: 2
- grippers: 3
- pinch block: 0
- wrist wrench: 7

[CharlesSwann]

07/20
Front squat: 405x3



Days since:
- pull ups: 3
- rows: 5
- pronation towel deadlift: 10
- sledgehammer deadlift: 3
- grippers: 4
- pinch block: 1
- wrist wrench: 8

[CharlesSwann]

07/21
Overhead press: 185x2,2,2,2,2,2
Some hip rehab
Pronation towel deadlift: 45x1, 70x1, 90x1, 100x1,1,1





Days since:
- pull ups: 4
- rows: 6
- pronation towel deadlift: 0
- sledgehammer deadlift: 4
- grippers: 5
- pinch block: 2
- wrist wrench: 9

[CharlesSwann]

07/22
Beltless highbar: 425x3,3
Seal row: 215x6,6,6
Wrist wrench DL and hold: 80x13s,12s,12s

Hip felt a bit better on the top sets today. Maybe either my pigeon/ER stretching and distraction on off days, or the warm up this time:
- BW squat and knees in and out
- band distraction standing external rotation thing
- barbell rolling adductor/ham
- couch ER glute bridge hold
- getting comfortable with the warm up weight before adding more
- more BW squatting and some distraction/rolling between warm up sets
I'll look at adding hip airplanes too, I like those a lot.

Hopefully this is a trend and my heavier squats start feeling smoother. I'm really held back by hip health right now.

One more big note: the second set where I focused more on speed (and squatting more naturally/confidently) not only felt stronger but healthier too. Squat confidently and hard!

Idea: left foot a little bit forward and out, or just roll with it?





Days since:
- pull ups: 5
- rows: 0
- pronation towel deadlift: 1
- sledgehammer deadlift: 5
- grippers: 6
- pinch block: 3
- wrist wrench: 0

[CharlesSwann]

07/23
Grippers: #2.5x7,8,6

More good hip stuff:
- one leg standing ER thing, standing rotations, and squat with elbow on knee
- one leg quad stretch
- hip airplanes





Days since:
- pull ups: 6
- rows: 1
- pronation towel deadlift: 2
- sledgehammer deadlift: 6
- grippers: 0
- pinch block: 4
- wrist wrench: 1

[CharlesSwann]

07/24
Overhead press: 195x5,5,5,5,5
Pull ups: 75x7,6,6
Sledgehammer deadlift: (2H)x4,3,3
And some hip rehab stuff





Days since:
- pull ups: 0
- rows: 2
- pronation towel deadlift: 3
- sledgehammer deadlift: 0
- grippers: 1
- pinch block: 5
- wrist wrench: 2

[CharlesSwann]

07/25
Pinch DL: 38x1, 48x1, 53x1, 58x1,1,1
And some hip rehab

Tomorrow is the 6x2 OHP day and hopefully some front squats. Not sure what loading I want to do, I was hoping to squeeze more reps out with 405 but I'm kinda stuck lately. Instead of working back to my old e1RM I'll start again with a lower e1RM and go from there. It might be subtle but it makes a pretty big difference in my loading decisions.





Days since:
- pull ups: 1
- rows: 3
- pronation towel deadlift: 4
- sledgehammer deadlift: 1
- grippers: 2
- pinch block: 0
- wrist wrench: 3

[weezystrong]

Miring progress 💪💪

[CharlesSwann]

Cheers, good to have you.

07/26
Overhead press: 185x2,2,2,2,2,2
Lu raises: 10x10,10,10
Front squats: 390x5





Days since:
- pull ups: 2
- rows: 4
- pronation towel deadlift: 5
- sledgehammer deadlift: 2
- grippers: 3
- pinch block: 1
- wrist wrench: 4

[CharlesSwann]

07/28
Overhead press: 210x4,4,4,4
Pronation towel deadlift: 90x1, 100x1, 105x1,1,1





Days since:
- pull ups: 3
- rows: 5
- pronation towel deadlift: 0
- sledgehammer deadlift: 3
- grippers: 4
- pinch block: 2
- wrist wrench: 5

[CharlesSwann]

07/29
Paused beltless highbar: 365x3, 385x3, 405x3
Seal row: 215x7,7,7





Days since:
- pull ups: 4
- rows: 0
- pronation towel deadlift: 1
- sledgehammer deadlift: 4
- grippers: 5
- pinch block: 3
- wrist wrench: 6

[CharlesSwann]

07/30
Wrist wrench DL: 90x1, 100x1, 105x1,1,0 (LH only on the last one)





Days since:
- pull ups: 5
- rows: 1
- pronation towel deadlift: 2
- sledgehammer deadlift: 5
- grippers: 6
- pinch block: 4
- wrist wrench: 0

[CharlesSwann]

07/31
Overhead press: 185x2,2,2,2,2,2
Band front raise: 3x15,15,15
Grippers: #2.5x5,5,6





Days since:
- pull ups: 6
- rows: 2
- pronation towel deadlift: 3
- sledgehammer deadlift: 6
- grippers: 0
- pinch block: 5
- wrist wrench: 1

[CharlesSwann]

08/01
Front squat: 405x1, 430x1,2
Pull ups: 75x7,6,6
Sledgehammer deadlift: 3,2,3





Days since:
- pull ups: 0
- rows: 3
- pronation towel deadlift: 4
- sledgehammer deadlift: 0
- grippers: 1
- pinch block: 6
- wrist wrench: 2

[CharlesSwann]

08/02
Overhead press: 220x3,3,3
Lu raises: 10x10,10,10
Pinch DL and hold: 45.5x14s,15s,11s





Days since:
- pull ups: 1
- rows: 4
- pronation towel deadlift: 5
- sledgehammer deadlift: 1
- grippers: 2
- pinch block: 0
- wrist wrench: 3

[CharlesSwann]

08/03
Front squat: 315x3, 365x3, 375x3,3
Dumbbell pronation to 45-degrees with pause: 10x10, 12.5x10, 15x10,10

I decided to add some "lighter" days where I push something like triples with really clean form, because my max effort front squat work gets really messy (lose back position and hips back). The other session is rep maxing at a decent weight, but it's a bit tough to hit that every time for now anyway. Still working on my hip health.





Days since:
- pull ups: 2
- rows: 5
- pronation towel deadlift: 0
- sledgehammer deadlift: 2
- grippers: 3
- pinch block: 1
- wrist wrench: 4

[CharlesSwann]

08/04
Overhead press: 185x2,2,2,2,2,2
Seal row: 215x8,7,8





Days since:
- pull ups: 3
- rows: 0
- pronation towel deadlift: 1
- sledgehammer deadlift: 3
- grippers: 4
- pinch block: 2
- wrist wrench: 5

[CharlesSwann]

08/05
Beltless paused highbar: 365x3, 385x3, 405x3
Attempt + assisted close + 5s hold: (parallel choked #3)x1,1,1





Days since:
- pull ups: 4
- rows: 1
- pronation towel deadlift: 2
- sledgehammer deadlift: 4
- grippers: 0
- pinch block: 3
- wrist wrench: 6

[CharlesSwann]

08/06
Wrist wrench DL and hold: 80x12s,13s,10s,8s





Days since:
- pull ups: 5
- rows: 2
- pronation towel deadlift: 3
- sledgehammer deadlift: 5
- grippers: 1
- pinch block: 4
- wrist wrench: 0

[CharlesSwann]

08/07
Overhead press: 230x2,2
Pull ups: 75x6,6,6
Sledgehammer deadlift: (2H)x3,4,3

This is +5lbs on my best single for 2x2. Next week I'm supposed to try 245x1, and that's a big reach. I'm really happy even to hit this though, so it's all good. I've gotten a lot stronger either way for sure.





Days since:
- pull ups: 0
- rows: 3
- pronation towel deadlift: 4
- sledgehammer deadlift: 0
- grippers: 2
- pinch block: 5
- wrist wrench: 1

[CharlesSwann]

I'm pretty beat lately. Tired as hell.

08/09
Overhead press: 185x2,2,2,2,2,2
Band front raise: 3x15,15,15
super set with:
Lu raises: 10x10,10,10
Front squat: 405x1, 420x2
Pinch DL and hold: 45.5x11s,18s,14s,13s





Days since:
- pull ups: 2
- rows: 5
- pronation towel deadlift: 6
- sledgehammer deadlift: 2
- grippers: 4
- pinch block: 0
- wrist wrench: 3