_tim's Log

Yeah Tot - the way I understand 'em, to qualify for a set to be "Kroc" rows, they have to be between 25 and 45 reps, and the load has to be heavy. My 55 was rather puny compared to the 225 that Kroc pulls here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7jAIdoORxI

Today...

Tabata, Elliptical: 3:00 WU; 4:00 work; 4:00 CD
That was it. I've noticed that when I do the elliptical work, my calves take a beating - almost as if I'm on my tip toes for the whole time. So - given that I have squat day tomorrow, the sprints were good enough for me.
 
Pause Squats: 205, 220 x 5; 235 x 6
I actually did 7 reps on the last set but the rep was horrible so I didn't count it. These were hard sets - I felt very untrained. I guess the deload worked!

Repetition Squats: 185, 175, 165, 155, 145 x 10
No clustering.

I actually did a couple Good Morning reps and found that with the repetition work, my back and hams need absolutely no more work. So - I'm taking them out of the squat day routine. I ran out of time for the ab work, and I'm fine with that. Very solid lower body workout for the day. I'm going to be away from home this weekend, so yoga will be the only thing I'll be doing for the weekend. I think my back will need the rest regardless - I already feel the DOMS starting, and it's just been 7 hours since the workout.
 
I'm not surprised that you didn't feel like you needed to GMs after all that. So many reps on squats can really work the lower back and hams quite a lot. At least that's what I find.
 
Another Barnburner!

Pause Standing Press: 110, 115 x 5; 125 x 6
Pretty happy with the work - the 125 set felt solid.

Repetition Standing Press: 100, 95, 90, 85, 80 x 10
Lots of clustering... Sets 2 and 3 were clustered 7-3 and set 4 was clustered 6-3-1. Got all 10 on the last set.

NG Chins: BW x 10, 7, 6, 5, 4, 5, 4, 4, 3, 2
Got all 50! These were done in between the repetition sets, plus a couple afterward to hit 50.

Kroc Rows: 60 x 25
I tried out a hook grip on these and it worked pretty well. My left arm was clustered a bit after the 18th rep. I was so fatigued, I kinda just know that I hit 25. I'm doing these again on Friday, and I'll keep the load static to see if I can get all the reps in. At the end of the cycle, I'm going to go back to the 55 mark and see if I can get close to 45 reps. I'm hoping to progress up to 70 this cycle - but that may be a tad aggressive over 4 weeks time. We'll see.

I was late as anything getting to the gym - and I didn't care. I did everything on the docket and was damn happy doing it.
 
Late Post...

Tabata Elliptical: 3:00 WU; 4:00 work; 4:30 CD
Tough - but I can feel my endurance hasn't dropped much.

Treadmill: 20:00, 6.7 MPH
I did a big chunk of this blind; I'm almost legally blind without correction, and my glasses kept falling off my face. So - I had enough and took 'em off and ran blind. Very interesting experience to say the least!

Good conditioning!
 
Contacts...?

Not at 5:00 in the morning, Seeker. Putting contacts in my eyes too early makes for a very painful afternoon.

Ok - so a reluctant update....

Yesterday:
Setback.

Deads: 260 x 5

I felt a familiar pop on the concentric part of rep 5. My very low back got quite angry yesterday. At first, I thought hernia or slipped disk. But, around 5:00 yesterday afternoon, I did one stretch that I've learned to trust for this pull, felt another pop, and I've been feeling much better since. Regardless - I'm not going to be stupid. Heavy Deads and Squats are out for the rest of this microcycle - in a couple weeks I may do some light repetition work just to keep form moving forward. All upper body work will continue full-tilt. Tabata and treadmill work will be suspended for a week or two; light cardio will resume Saturday most likely, and all work in the interim will be on the elliptical.

I wasn't done with the workout despite the pull, though.

Dips: 5 x 10 @ BW
Last set was clustered 9-1. Haven't done these in a very long time - felt great to have a burn in my tris again.

Hanging Leg Raise (Wendler): 2 x 12, 1 x 1
Very hard, and not exactly smart in retrospect.

Suffice to say All - I'm not letting this setback get in my way. Progress will continue - smartly and healthily. I'll reset squats and deads for next cycle, and maybe even add a weight belt. Who knows.
 
Nice lifting tim. Better to play it safe than be sorry. Good move and keep on truckin. Blind running.....hmmmmm i would be afraid of falling off the darn treadmill. Too funny man!!
 
Thanks Bax - as always, much appreciated.

Today...

Pause Bench: 195, 210 x 3; 220 x 4
I would have liked at least five on the last set, but it was a good effort regardless.

Repetition Bench: 175, 165, 155, 145, 135 x 10
NO CLUSTERING. I love progress.

Chins: BW x 10, 8, 5, 5, 4, 2.5
Well, this is better than any chin (suppinated grip) effort to date. Pretty happy with 34.5 reps. I did these in between repetition bench sets - so there was a sorta-superset feel about them. The chin bar is across the gym from the benches, so the action between lifts wasn't immediate.

Kroc Rows: 60 x 25
NO CLUSTERING. Once again, I love when I see tangible differences from workout to workout.

I can honestly say that my upper back has never felt stronger. It's just a shame that my lower back is injured, because I'd love to be testing out Wendler/Kroc's theory on deadlifts.
 
I promise I will, TR. I'm not messing around with this one. Going to the doc on 10/21 just to make sure.
 
I waited over a year to see the doc. Not going to a doc is a waste of time. You’ll be back to lifting sooner than you expect. But health must be in the first place.
 
Good luck at the doctor. Hopefully it's nothing serious. Awesome rowing. I might have to try that stuff out soon, it sounds like a lot of fun.
 
Thanks guys.

Stress-Based Saturday Cardio (Elliptical): 1:00; Interval Program (Up - Higher Resistance and Incline); 6.53 miles; 757 calories
I HIIT'd the last 10:00 - I sprinted the up intervals and backed off the down intervals. What can I say - I needed to get out of the house.

"Ab Coaster": 30, 12
The 12 set was strict, focusing on the lower abs. Figure a bit of countering will help heal up the back.

Best news - no back pain at all, either in stretching or the workout. I'm still going to the doc regardless.
 
Sorry to hear about your back Tim.

Some years ago, when I was lifting some heavy sheets of ply whilst on a roofing job, I felt a popping sensation in my lower back. After about 5 mins I couldn't move and my left leg was completely useless. Long story short: I was on me back for two weeks before I was able to get about again. Turned out I had ruptured a disc so there was a little bulge of jelly-like stuff pressing on me spinal chord. It used to flare up every so often; sometimes I would just twist a bit differently and I'll feel it go again. Happened in the office once and I had to drag myself across the floor to try to get to a phone so I could ring for help! Pretty funny now but not so much at the time. :D Anyway, the doc said that the cartilage would toughen up as I got older. Well, I was still getting trouble with it for years until I finally decided to take the bull by the horns and start deadlifting. That did the trick and my lower-back has been fine ever since.

After years of careful deadlifting, I now have to watch out because I have a tendency to allow my lower-back to lose extension when I push it really hard and its fatigued (heavy 15s and 10s, for example). So far I've gotten away with it but that's when problems are likely to start. Do you think that you let it relax a little when you got your popping sensation? If so, then that's the thing to watch like a hawk.

If it's feeling a lot better already then you will probably be back at it very soon. I'd be interested to hear what your doc says.
 
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Thanks Lol -

I'm really not sure if I relaxed or not, but it certainly is a possibility. It was 260 pounds - for me, not at all difficult for a set of 5. So - either I shifted slightly, relaxed, or there is damage there and it was waiting for the right amount of fatigue before really showing itself. My doc goes to the gym with me - and he basically said that he felt my issue was with me not wearing a belt. I'd love to hear a couple opinions about this if anyone would be willing to chime in. I personally disagree - but will probably start using my belt again as a just-in-case measure. Dunno.

On to today...

Leg Press: 230, 270, 320, 360, 410 x 5; 180 x 20; 140 x 30
I suppose I was a tad angry at not allowing myself to squat...

Bench Abs (Triple reps): 3 x 10 @ 135
I think I'm going to have to increase the volume - these aren't the challenge they once were.
 
Why does he think you need to wear a belt exactly?

I never wear a belt but I know people who can't function without them...
 
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