TunnelRat's log -- working my way back to zero

Monday, March 21, 2011

Pull-up BWx5
RDL 10x45, 10x95
Deadlift 10x45, 10x95, 5x135, 5x185, 5x235, 1x275, 1x325, 3x265, 3x295

It's good to be back. My time was limited, so I just focused on my deads. I was glad to get the 325. I was afraid that perhaps I'd lost some strength (I have), but the 325 lbs came right up.
 
Good to see you back TR, I missed reading about your progress. Helps to keep me motivated. Sometimes I find you can come back from a short break and gain strength quickly. Hope that happens.
 
Okay, I'm back.

April 26, 2011

I just finished the SD from hell, but I'm back. My shoulder is still a little iffy, but I'm ready to go.

Squat 10x45, 10x95, 5x135, 3x185, 3x225
Bench 1045, 10x65, 5x85, 3x100, 3x120
Deads 10x45, 10x135, 5x185, 3x225, 1x275, 1x315
Chins/Dips 5xbody weight
Kroc rows 25x35

I can tell I've been gone for too long. The 225 lb squats were hard, and the 315 lb deadlift only went up one time. However, I got 120 lbs for 3 on my bench, so that was a nice surprise.

I've been looking for a new place to workout. The YMCA is very pleasant, but it is tuned more to the fern, chrome, and spandex crowd rather than to serious lifters.

The place I'm looking at now is the Powerhouse Gym. It is really quite impressive -- they have all sorts of neat toys. In addition to a machine for seated calf raises, they've also got a Donkey Calf Raise machine (I'd never even heard of that one!). They had a barbell jack -- I've only ever read about those. I had to ask a guy how to use it. There's even a milk crate full of chains...!

They've got two Shirley machines and an industrial strength power rack. Plus there are several chest supported row places. All this is in a little room off to itself (I think that may be actual blood on the walls).

There's a much larger area full of dumbbell racks and weight benches. They've got all sorts of high dollar, Hammer Strength equipment. I think I'm in love. They've also got several rows of fancy cardio machines.

Unfortunately, the air system is of poor quality. The back room (where I'd likely spend much of my time) is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. The guys lifting there were quite frank in their assessment, but they were equally frank in admitting that they did not let it bother them.

I'd save over $235 per year and I'd get to work with some serious lifters. I've got a one week pass, so I'll see if it fits.
 
That gym sounds pretty awesome. I hope it works out well for you. I've found that the right training environment can make a huge difference. It made a huge difference for me.

So what happened? Is everything ok?
 
Thursday, April 28, 2011

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 1x115, 1x135, 1x155, 1x185, 1x205, 1x225, 3x3x200, 5x10x95
Chins/Dips 3x3x body weight
seated single leg calf raise 2x10x45
donkey calf raise 20x180
treadmill 30 min @ 3.2 mph

I'm back to using Russ's 3x3. I even followed his suggestion for the warm-up. I threw in Wendler's Boring but Big for my supplemental exercise. 95 lbs was too light, but too light is okay just starting out again. I'll probably bump it up about 10 lbs each workout.

I wanted to get started on strength training -- I plan to pick up Lyle's Rapid Fat Loss diet starting Monday, May 2d. It is my goal to reach a body weight of 129 lbs without losing strength.

I hadn't planned to do the calf raises, but the machines were right there, calling to me...
 
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Saturday, April 30, 2011

RDL 10x45
Deadlift 10x45, 5x135, 1x155, 1x185, 1x205, 1x225, 3x245, 1x275, 1x295, 1x315, 2x3x245
Bench 10x45, 5x65, 3x85, 3x3x95
Dumbbell Row 3x3x55
Kroc Row 25x35
Seated Single Leg Calf Raise 2x10x45, 2x10x45
Donkey Calf Raise 20x180, 20x180
Leg Curl 10x30, 5x3x50
Chins/Dips 5x body weight
Treadmill 30 minutes @3.2 mph

Today was my alternate workout: Deads, Bench, Row, with work sets of 245, 95, and 55 respectively. Everything else was either a warmup or else just trying out my new playground. I had initially planned a Boring but Big (5x10x135 deadlift), but the neat new toys at the Powerhouse Gym kept distracting me.

I had read Brian's article on the main Thinkmuscle page in which he offers a sample of a full body workout. I realized that none of the exercises I do pays any particular attention to my hamstrings (except, perhaps, to stretch them a bit). So I went looking for a leg curl machine to play on today.
 
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Thursday, May 05, 2011

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 1x115, 1x135, 1x155, 1x185, 1x205, 1x225, 1x245, 3x3x205
Chins/Dips 4x5x body weight
Kroc Row 25x35
Seated Single Leg Calf Raise 2x20x45, 2x20x45
Donkey Calf Raise 20x225, 20x225
Leg Curl 10x30, 5x3x50
Treadmill 60 minutes @3.2 mph

It's been a long week. Here it is Thursday and I've just done Monday's workout. Oh, well, at least I made it to the gym...

I always end up paying for being away -- today that 245 lb squat really seemed heavy.
 
Thursday, May 12, 2011

RDL 10x45
Deadlift 10x45, 5x135, 1x155, 1x185, 1x205, 1x225, 1x245, 1x275, 1x295, 1x315, 3x3x250
Bench 10x45, 5x65, 3x85, 3x3x100
Dumbbell Row 3x3x60
Kroc Row 25x340
Seated Single Leg Calf Raise 20x45, 20x45
Donkey Calf Raise 20x225, 20x225
Leg Curl 10x30, 5x3x50
Chins/Dips 3x5x body weight
Treadmill 60 minutes @3.2 mph

Time and events (and health) have been conspiring against me lately. I haven't been to the gym. Then late last Thursday night, about midnight or so, I had some free time that I suppose I could have spent sleeping. However, my new Powerhouse Gym is open 24 hours! So I made a midnight run.
 
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Monday, May 16, 2011

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 1x115, 1x135, 1x155, 1x185, 1x205, 1x225, 1x245, 0x275 (miss), 1x235, 3x3x210
Chins/Dips 3x5x body weight+10lb
Dumbbell Row 3x3x60
Kroc Row 25x40
Seated Single Leg Calf Raise 20x50, 20x50
Donkey Calf Raise 20x225, 20x225
Leg Curl 10x50, 5x3x70
(no treadmill today; I was out of time)

It's been a rough couple of weeks. My health is better, but my PTSD has been giving me a hard time. Depression is a b*tch to work through. Anyhow, I made it to the gym once again, and was glad I did.

I tried holding the bar a bit lower on my shoulders for my squats. I did it by placing my hands closer together on the bar and squeezing my shoulders together. I dunno, maybe I hit that 'low bar' position finally.

I found that the weights seemed easy this time (heck, I've been getting plenty of rest!). The 245 went up so easy that I took a shot at 275. I think my legs were good for it, but I got into a forward lean and couldn't 'Good Morning' my way out of it. I unloaded the bar and was going to try the 275 again, but thought better of it. I've been out of the gym for a while; I'm not at all near my peak of ability, and after all, this was just a warmup.

As much as I like Wender's Boring but Big, I've been doing a series of other assistance exercises instead. This new gym is like a playground filled with neat new toys; I keep wanting to take a turn on everything.
 
It's been a rough couple of weeks. My health is better, but my PTSD has been giving me a hard time. Depression is a b*tch to work through. Anyhow, I made it to the gym once again, and was glad I did.
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Hang in there TR I sympathize with what you’re going through. Mine manifests itself as anger and tends to get triggered when people (read bosses) do stupid crap to piss me off. I haven’t gotten more than 6 hours sleep in one night since Christmas, and have woken up several times having lost my voice from yelling in my sleep. One of the reasons I became an exercise addict was to let out my aggression, tire myself out (before going to work) and avoid falling into other addictions.
We just got a new Chief a week ago who I’m pretty tight with and is trying to rectify what the guy he beat out for the job had done to a female coworker and I who were carpooling. However, no matter how unhealthy it might be I tend to always hold a grudge against people who mess with me if I can’t get payback.
 
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

RDL 10x45, 10x95
Deadlift 10x95, 5x135, 1x185, 1x205, 1x225, 1x245, 1x275, 1x295, 1x325, 3x3x255
Bench 10x45, 5x65, 3x85, 3x3x105
Dumbbell Row 3x3x65
Kroc Row 25x45
Seated Single Leg Calf Raise 2x20x50
Donkey Calf Raise 20x225
Leg Curl 10x50, 3x3x70

I was foggy all day; just couldn't get going. Finally fought through and made it to the gym close to midnight. Gotta love a gym that's open 24 hours...!

During my warmup, I did everything double overhand grip except for the 325 lift, which came up easy. I wore a belt for the 295 and 325 lifts.

My mini-Kroc rows were clustered a bit. I did them last and I was tired.
 
Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 1x115, 1x135, 1x155, 1x185, 1x205, 1x225, 1x245, 3x3x215
Chins/Dips 3x3x body weight+10lb
Dumbbell Row 3x3x65
Kroc Row 25x45

Temperatures have been in the high 90s, very close to 100 degrees. It has been a difficult month with heat, car trouble, family problems, and other assorted distractions. However, I made back into the gym this week, going in the early mornings while it was still fairly cool, and hope to able to soldier on.

I've been experimenting with what I hope is a "low bar" position. I've been doing it by:

1) placing my hands much closer together on the bar -- I used to put my thumbs on the rings, now I put my little fingers there, and

2) big chest, superman pose, forming a sort of "shelf" a couple of inches lower than where I usually put the bar on my traps.

It doesn't seem to be as solid a position as the one higher on my traps, but it does let me get under the weight better. Unfortunately, I find it makes my back quite sore afterwards and tender to the touch. I almost expect to find bruises.

I'm having to go by what I've seen in videos from Rip and others. I wish I had a coach right there to show me how to do it right.
 
Thursday, June 9, 2011

Deadlift 10x135, 1x185, 1x205, 1x225, 1x245, 1x275, 1x295, 3x3x260
Bench 10x45, 3x65, 1x85, 3x3x110
Dumbbell Row 3x3x70
Kroc Row 25x45
Standing Calf Raise 10x225
Leg Curl 10x70, 3x3x70

I came in early in the morning again, while the day was still cool. The last guy didn't re-rack his weights, so I just went ahead and started with 135 on the bar. The 275 lb pull was hard. The 295 lb pull went up slow and shaky. I seem to have lost some strength by not getting into the gym. I pay a price for being lazy. Anyhow, I stopped after the 295 pull and did my work set.

After my poor performance on deads, I got someone to spot my bench, but I didn't need him. The bar went up just fine, albeit a bit slowly.

My mini-Kroc rows were clustered and I had to stop after only ten calf raises. I've been away too long; I need to work my way back. But I've put two workouts together this week and that's good for something.
 
Saturday, June 11, 2011

Squats 10x45, 5x95, 1x115, 1x135, 1x155, 1x185, 1x205, 1x225, 1x245, 3x3x220
Chins/Dips 3x3x body weight+20lb
Dumbbell Row 3x3x70
Kroc Row 25x45

EZ-Curl-Bar Skull Crushers 20x52
Leg Curls 10x50, 3x70, 3x90, 3x70

Ta DA! Got a whole week in -- three workouts without a miss!

Tired but happy.
 
Monday, June 13, 2011

Deadlift 10x45, 5x135, 1x185, 1x205, 1x225, 1x245, 1x275, 1x295, 1x315, 3x3x265
Bench 10x45, 5x65, 1x85, 1x105, 1x125, 2x120 (missed the third lift), 2x3x110
Dumbbell Row 3x3x70

Chins/Dips 3x3xBW+20
Leg Curls 10x70, 3x3x50
Seated, single leg, calf raise 2x10x55
Donkey Calf Raise 20x180
Leg Curl 10x70, 3x3x70
Kroc Rows 25x45

I wasn't real happy with my workout today. I had lot of trouble with my deadlift and my bench press. While warming up for deads, I got to my 275 lb lift and wasn't able to make it with a double-overhand grip. I had to stop and switch to a mixed grip, but it still went up slow, shaky, and heavy. So I put my belt on and hit both the 295 and 315 lifts. Even so, this is much less weight and much harder going than the simple warm up to 325 lbs that I had used to take for granted.

I kept my belt on for my 265 lb triples. For these I also had to use a mixed grip -- the bar wouldn't go up double-overhand. I made all three triples -- the last was easier than the first -- but it was much harder than I have come to expect. I was frankly concerned that I wouldn't be able to make all my lifts!

Bench went about the same. I was pleased to warm up to a 125 lb lift (the most I've had overhead in a very long time), but I was only able to finish two out of three on the first triple at 120 lbs. I lowered the weight to 110 lbs for the second two triples.

All my other lifts seem to be just fine. I didn't progress any of them, but I probably could have. I suspect that I have not made sufficient allowance for a loss of strength during my time off. I've likely started back in at a level that is above where I ought to be. Perhaps I need to dial back some of the weight for a week or so, then begin to progress again.
 
Have you had an extended layoff before TR? Do you regain your strength pretty quickly?

I’d hate to have to long off for various reasons but losing the strength I’ve been steadily gaining would piss me off. I hate how weak I feel after just a 9 day SD.
 
grunt11 said:
Have you had an extended layoff before TR?
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Yes, there have been a number of occasions when health and circumstances have conspired against me. Of course, I have no one to blame but myself. I am responsible for my own life.

I went back and reviewed my log. Apparently I have missed more workouts than I realized. Between a wonky shoulder and a recent flare up of my PTSD I've spent more time out of the gym than in. That goes a long way to explain why my workouts have been less than satisfactory.

It's time for me to own up to my situation, recalibrate the weights I am using, and get a program in gear. I've spent the last month or so without any goals more definite than "to get back in the gym". Looks like I need to sit down and decide on a diet and a strength program. Summer is upon us, and here I sit -- fat and weak...

Time for some planning and decisions!
 
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