2016 Log

Volume lower


105.5 still have that heavy/bloated feeling going on.


5min walk
Buffalo squats; 1 x10-22.
Buffalo GMs; 1 x10-22.
Banded abs; 1 x10-green band per hand.


DL clustered singles, leveraged slack pull; 1 x70, 120, 170, 220. 17 x1-240. These were fantastic. High hips, close-V, bend the bar, hip drive and drop. Stopped at 17 as form/trunk stability started to feel just slightly less strong. Aim for 20 next time.


Buffalo HBBS, oly shoes, beltless, volume set; 1 x10-102. Something felt like it popped/pulled back into place in my right shoulder during deadlifts around the 10th single or so. This set made it feel a bit tight and grumpy again, minor pain. Will see how it pans out, but I want to maintain some form of back squat and this will make me keep form honest. Not quite to the bleeding edge, but it will be in time.


SG BB hypers; 4 x8-115.
Sit-ups, plate behind head; 4 x10-20.
Supersetted. I took my foot of the gas here, behind very far ahead on time. Something to be more disciplined with in the future.


SSB split squats; 3 x10-42 per side. I felt like these might help un-jank the right hip whilst providing the quad stimulus. Guess I will find out through the day.

Banded abs; 3 x20-green band per hand. These have helped a lot in the last two weeks for positioning of hips and holding the flexed position during the slack pull. Abs getting some extra attention too of course.
Supersetted.


Daily walks
2 x30min

GPP split squats; 2 x20-bw per side. Just aiming to stretch the hip flexors a bit further.
 
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Upper volume and lower GPP


105.1


Seal rows, volume; 5 x10-90.
Buffalo CG bench; 5 x10-82.
Supersetted.
Load bump for both next week.


Turtleshell SG rows; 2 x10-70. Moves these out to SG.
Buffalo WG 3ct Larsen press; 2 x10-72. This is the widest grip I can go without my fingers getting crushed my the J-hooks.
Supersetted.
Third set added back in next week. The press was feeling really good.


Seated deadlifts; 3 x20-180.
Buffalo JM press; 3 x10-52.
Supersetted.


GPP SSB GMs: 3 x20-72. Definitely noticing the extra work capacity in the PC that these are building. Glycogen-water swelling too.


GPP Zercher squats, oly shoes; 3 x10-52. 1 x20-52. Running low on gas here. The last set was intended as an AMRAP but I didn’t start to feel a proper burn until around 18 reps, so didn’t bother going all out. My conclusion is that the load I’ve been using is too low, rest periods be damned.


Neck extensions; 1 x50-20kg.


Daily walks
1 x15min
2 x30min
 
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Upper GPP


105.1


CG chin-ups; 5 x20-bw.
WG push-ups; 5 x20-bw.
Supersetted.


WG neutral pull-ups; 2 x16-bw. Half-ROM but felt like most reps were in the ‘uncomfortable’ space rather than painful. Hopefully something to build on.
OHP, middle-wide grip; 2 x15-bw. I need to maintain these, they’re definitely on the right path to shoulder health. Lower-load, higher reps so give the back some breathing space is fine.


BB curls; 3 x10-42.5.
Band extensions; 3 x25-red band per hand, double loop grip.


Daily walks
1 x30min
High NEAT day
 
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Rest day

105.6 feeling heavy in the gut, has a bug food day yesterday

Medium-High NEAT, skilled planned walks due to weather and needing to just take it easier and rest up.
 
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Max effort lower


106.0 and it feels like it. Time to tighten up and retire food discipline. Really high stress levels unrelated to lifting, with a very few busy weeks coming up before Christmas. Definitely feeling how it is impacting the body. Yay cortisol.


5min walk
SSB squats; 1 x10-32.
SSB GMs: 1 x10-32.
Banded abs; 1 x10-geeen band per hand.


DL to max; 1 x1-70, 120, 170, 220, 240, 260, 280. Took a few attempts to get my head in the game and didn’t quite have the full leverages slack pull but it was a really smooth rep. 290 would’ve moved if I had the gas left in the tank on a different day. I also didn’t get my glutes involved enough at the start. Something to be mindful to maintain whilst not resorting to a crazy duck stance.


SSB squat to max, only shoes; 1 x1-82, 132, 162. Probably RIR2. The hips took over just a bit earlier than felt optimal, quad growth should help address that. I think I will stick with SSB for maxes for a while, it’s a faster setup for my equipment.


RDLs; 4 x5-205. These feel ok but I’m wondering if deficits or SGDLs wouldn’t be better at addressing my weaknesses, being the initial leg drive to leverage the hips. They sure as shit hit the posterior chain hard though.
Sit-ups, plate behind head; 4 x10-bw+20kg.
Supersetted.


Belt squats, narrow, oly shoes, setup-max mats minus four; 3 x10-115. Maybe found the right setup for it all. Significant quad bias.
Banded abs; 3 x20-green band per hand.
Supersetted.


BB rows, heavy; 3 x6-150.


Daily walks
2 x30min
 
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Max effort upper


105.7


Seal rows, heavy; 1 x10-70. 5 x4-105.

Bench, pinkies on rings; 1 x10-70. 1 x1-110, 120, 125. Butt came off the bench but the rep also seemed to blast through my sticking point. I probably just need a tighter hip and leg position. Continuing to go with more of a flatter back and sinking the bar for a moment. It just feels better and stronger.
Back offs; 1 x3, 2-110. Got out of my groove on the 3rd rep of 2nd set and didn’t want to grind-fight given the positive momentum post-pec strain.

1-5-1 tempo sit-ups, plate behind head; 1 x10-bw. 3 x10-bw+10kg.
Giant set.


Seated deadlifts, box+6 mats; 4 x5-240. 8 mats for the last set, which felt better now that I’ve adapted to the movement again.
Larsen bench, pinkies on rings; 3 x7-100.
Supersetted.


CG chin-ups; 2 x20–bw. Pull-ups; 1 x20-bw. Felt ok being warmed up. A bit of discomfort but not outright pain.
Band pressdowns; 3 x25-double grip red band per hand.
Supersetted.


Neck extensions; 2 x15-30kg. Keeping plenty RIR for now after the 5kg bump.

Standing upper back rolls; 2 x2-110. Not sure how else to label these. Hold the lower back in place, barbell in hands, roll it down the thigh with chin tucked until the lower back would otherwise have to flex, then reverse it.


Daily walks
1 x30min
 
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Arm day

105.7

BB curls; 1 x20-20kg. 3 x10-45kg.
Band pressdowns; 1 x25-red band per hand. 3 x10-green band per hand.
Supersetted.

Reverse curls; 2 x10-45.
 
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Max effort lower


105.2


5min walk
SSB squats; 1 x10-32.
SSB GMs: 1 x10-32.
Banded abs; 1 x10-geeen band per hand.


DL clustered singles; 1 x1-70, 120, 170, 220. 12 x1-245. Not as quickly paced as I’d like, feeling a bit beat up, so focused on the slack pull and technique a bit more. Went well. High hips, close feet, wide knees to keep my weight behind the bar.


SSB ATG volume squats, oly shoes; 1 x10-112. Taking a breather at the top or bottom as necessary.


BB hypers, #6, 50deg; 3 x8-110. Did these with the hyper and hold at the top, Rubish-style, after seeing him hit 182.5 for a single on YT yesterday. If my QLs don’t spasm from them, I think these could be fun for a while.

Sit-ups, plate behind the head; 3 x10-bw+20kg. Full body extension at the bottom feels best for normal tempo reps.
Supersetted.


Step-ups; 3 x10-bw+10kg per hand.
Banded abs; 3 x20-green band per hand.
Supersetted.


Daily walks
Farmers walk; 1 x10min continuous, 25kg per hand, straps
1 x30min
 
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Upper volume and lower GPP


105.6


Seal rows; 1 x10-70. 4 x8-92.5
CG buffalo bench; 1 x10-72. 4 x8-84.5
Supersetted.


BB rows, full ROM; 3 x8-120. I’m using these to practice my hips width DL stance, toes slightly out, to see if I can take advantage of both a leveraged slack pull and reduced ROM/less vulnerable lower back positioning. Some encouraging signs but it’s only a start.

WG 2ct buffalo Larsen press; 2 x10, 1 x9-74.5. The 10th rep would’ve failed on set 3, so stopped here. 4th to come next week. Bumped the load against last week.
Supersetted.


Seated deadlifts, box+8 mats; 3 x15-180. 2mat ROM increase, approximately an inch. Mostly continuous. Some slight tightening of a pause in momentum at the bottom is required, but overall pretty happy.

OHP; 3 x8-50. Taking it conservatively until the right shoulder falls into place properly. Keeping lower-ROM to chin or so, which feels like it keeps the load on the delts without over exposing the joint or needing lumbar hyperextension.
Supersetted.


GPP SSB GM; 3 x25-72.


GPP buffalo Zercher squats; 3 x10-72. I was lately and didn’t setup the mats to stand on. Couldn’t go low enough without hitting the safety and I should’ve gone to 62 not 72. Will fix both errors next week.


Neck extensions; 2 x35-25kg.


Thoughts; dumping Zerchers for belt squats probably. And one arm BB rows, ala long DB style.

Daily walks
1 x30min
 
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Upper GPP

105.6


CG chin-up; 2 x25, 3 x20-bw.
Push-ups; 5 x20-bw.
Supersetted.

WG pull-ups; 1 x20-bw. Just a familiarity set, as I’ll be doing a bunch of these on vacation come Christmas.

Dead hangs with chin-up grenades. Just a bunch of these for as long as I could. Right shoulder irritation is limiting reps on them for the moment.


BB curls; 3 x10-45.
Behind the head triceps extensions; 3 x10-22. Used the buffalo as powerbar for curls.
Supersetted.


Daily walks
1 x30min
 
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Max effort lower


105.9 really busy days at the moment due to preparing to move next week, so carbs and calories were pumped up a bit yesterday


5min walk
Buffalo squats; 1 x10-22.
Buffalo GMs: 1 x10-22.
Banded abs; 1 x10-geeen band per hand.


DL to max; 1 x1-70, 120, 170, 220, 240, 260, 270. Feeling the stress and fatigue massively. Had no ability to hold the slack pull up high today with my lower back exhausted. I went with a hip-stacked stance, toes out and just timed the hip drive at the break pretty well for the 270. 280 was definitely there, maybe 290 so far as strength goes but not as far as what was in the chamber today. All good, next year will be fantastic for improvement.


Buffalo squat to max, oly shoes; 1 x1-72, 122, 162. Didn’t quite nail my technique but it wasn’t an absolute max either. Overthought the lift while doing it.


BB hypers, 50deg; 3 x5-130. Tried a mix of grip widths and #6 and 7 pad heights. I think I will try wide/SG and #7 to keep ROM sufficient for hamstrings next time.

Sit-ups, plate behind head; 3 x10-bw+20kg. Holding the momentum at the bottom for a second.
Supersetted.


Belt squats; 1 x15-120. 2 x15-140. Natural stance and form. These felt great and are probably what I should’ve aimed for all along :D. Balance improvement will be a goal on these.
Banded abs: 3 x20-green band per hand. Feel great wearing oly shoes, probably because the shortened hamstrings allow for smoother hip rotation.
Supersetted.


4-inch deficit RDL hybrid rows; 3 x6-150. The rows were a little tokenistic for some reps, but that improve with time and repetition. The position makes me wonder if deficits from here will help my start, if I maintain vertical shins.


Daily walks
2 x30min
 
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Max effort upper


105.2


Seal rows, heavy; 1 x10-70. 1 x5-105. 4 x7-100. 105 is too heavy for now. 102.5 next week might be ok.

Hanging leg raises to the side; 4 x10 per side-bw.

CG bench, hands to knurling; 1 x10-70. 1 x1-110, 115. 120kg fail. Wrong bar path and technique.
Back offs; 2 x5-100.
Giant set.


Seated deadlifts, box+8mats; 2 x4-250. 1 x10-250 6mats. 7 mats might be the right spot. 6 cuts the ROM just the slightest bit short. Either that or make sure I bring the bar close under my hips before the lift, if 8 mats.
Larsen press, pinkies on rings; 1 x8, 2 x6-100.
Supersetted.


CG chin-ups; 2 x20-bw.
Band pressdowns; 2 x15-green band per hand. Some body-English to find the right positioning.
Supersetted.


WG inverted rows; 2 x20-bw. Trying to sort out the right scapula, which seems to be involved in the shoulder issue.

Neck extensions; 1 x25-30kg.


Daily walks
1 x30min
 
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Arm day


105.5


BB curls; 1 x20-20kg. 3 x8-50kg
Band extensions; 4 x 20-red band per hand.
Supersetted.

Front raises; 2 x10-10kg per hand.


Daily walks
1 x30min
 
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Volume lower


105.6


5min walk
SSB squats; 1 x10-32.
SSB GMs: 1 x10-32.
Banded abs; 1 x10-geeen band per hand.


DL to max; 1 x1-70, 120, 170, 220, 240, 260, 270. Got it with a leveraged slack pull in the end. Medium-V, close hips and more or less straight shins. Really happy with the top rep.
Back offs, beltless; 2 x3-210. Beltless so I can practice the slack pull with less weight and I think I was processing better with lighter backoffs compared to heavier.


Belt squats; 4 x15-140.
Banded abs; 4 x20-green band per hand.
Supersetted.


SG BB hypers, #6, 50deg; 3 x15-110.
Sit-ups, plate behind head; 3 x15-bw+15kg.
Supersetted.


SSB GMs; 3 x20-72.

SG BB rows, isometric torso; 2 x15-120.


Daily walks
Didn’t get there today
 
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Upper volume


106.3


Seal rows, medium grip, volume; 1 x10-70. 4 x-10-95.
Buffalo bench, thumbs on inner knurling; 1 x10-62. 4
x9-92.
Supersetted.


T-bar rows; 1 x10-75. 3 x10-90.
WG 2ct buffalo Larsen press; 4 x10-72.
Supersetted.


Seated deadlifts, box+8 mats; 3 x10-200.

Cut short here.


Neck extensions;


Daily walks
2 x20min
 
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Lats and arms


106.9 heavy in the gut and carrying too much food there. The scale number will come down tomorrow and Monday.


GPP CG 45-V chin-ups; 2 x25, 3 x20-bw. Final set as WG neutral in an attempt to force this bloody impingement or whatever it is into line. It really does feel as though something is literally in the wrong place somewhere surrounding the capsule. Not sure if it worked.
GPP CG Push ups; 5 x20-bw.
Supersetted.


Kneeling banded abs; 2 x20-green band per hand.
DB raises; 2 xDB+10kg-per hand. Haven’t weighed them yet.
BB curls; 2 x8-50.
Band pressdowns; 2 x25-tight red band per hand.
Giant set.


Neck extensions;



Moving house all day
 
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Max effort lower


105.6

Beltless DL to max; 1 x1-70, 120, 170, 220, 240, 250. Had some more in the tank but left it there due to being a little in my head the fatigue build up from the last week of moving house. Went with a wider stance and building up the tension, but was just an inch too wide for optimal hip height I think.

Back off, breathing set; 1 x15-200


Belt squats, oly shoes; 2 x20-120. I realised half-way through that the lever arm was set too low. Will fix it for workout post-holidays.
Banded abs, oly shoes; 2 x20-green band per hand.
Supersetted.


WG pull-ups, versa’s; 2 x20-bw. Have to remember to keeping my head and neck tucked. These nearly fixed my right shoulder back into place, or it felt that way at least.


Strict RDLs; 2 x10-150. I’ll stick with natural rather than extended lumbar. It never feels good afterward. Will add deficit to make the ROM legitimate.

Bent knee sit-ups, plate behind head; 2 x20-bw. Could go full extension due to space, so worked on a different movement pattern.
Supersetted.


Strict BB rows; 2 x10-150. Felt reasonably good.


Five weeks of holidays and machine workouts ahead. The plan on return is more sets to failure for accessory work and less junk volume. Two back exercises with bent arms a session, four times a week.


Late afternoon;
SG buffalo hypers, #5, 45deg, hamstring focus; 3 x15-62.
 
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Max effort upper


105.6 started about 15minutes behind

BB rows, floor pause, strict; 1 x10-70. 3 x6-120. 1 x10-120. Obviously need to go harder and more disciplined on these for the early sets.

Bench, rings between middle and index fingers; 1 x10-70. 1 x1-110, 120, 130. Didn’t quite touch but rose the stretch reflex out. I’m trying to look straight up rather than forward or at the barbell. Seems to help with bar path, albeit small sample size.
Back off; 1 x10-100 RIR1. Not bad to start with but room to tighten up technique.

Kneeling banded abs; 5 x20-green band per hand.
Giant set.


Seated deadlifts; 3 x15-200. Controlling these delivers a much better stimulus to going faster and getting the pump happening. Feeling the bar heavy in the hands and then exploding the slack pull.

Kneeling tempo banded abs with hold; 3 x10-green band per hand. A really nice movement to balance out my hinging work across the front of the hips.
Supersetted.


CG chin-ups; 3 x20-bw. On the third set I tried elbows flaring out a bit during the rep and something in my right shoulder slid/clicked into place. So much relief, and mental note to remember moving forward. Hopefully it’s whatever has been in the wrong spot this past month.
Dips; 3 x10-bw.
Supersetted.



Neck extensions; cut short but all good, was doing full extensions at the top of seared deadlifts anyhow.
 
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