Tangodown's 2015 Log

Yeah, it's feeling a lot better tonight. Still stiff and sore but alternating ice and heating pad + an anti-inflammatory seems to help. I could barely walk this morning so I was pretty worried.
 
In my experience it's probably due to a lack of flexibility and perhaps an imbalance, but diagnosing over the internet is for Layne Norton groupies ... so I won't go that far.
 
Well my hamstring flexibility is garbage and I've never really been able to fix that. I've tried self-PNF and some soft-tissue shit with a baseball but I could never get it to work
 
Never. I did some static stretching for a couple of weeks but it didn't seem to do much for them. I can try again though. Nothing to lose, really.

How would you go about it? Contract/move into new ROM/relax (hasn't worked for me), hang out at max ROM for a few sets of 30 seconds, or hang out at max ROM for an extended period of time?
 
At night after a dead/squat workout, just stretch it out on the floor. Sit down, extend the 'stretching' leg out in front - the old 'touch your toe' stretch from P.E. in school, and then butterfly/whatever the leg you're not stretching. Hold for 30s, x3, each leg.

Something like that.

Definitely do NOT do it before working out, and don't do it the day before a session either.
 
[only working sets shown]

5'8", 170lb

Sumo Deadlift (5 minutes b/w):
375lb x 3, x 3, x 2

Almost back to where I was previously.

Paused Bench (3 minutes b/w):
205lb x 2, x 2, x 2, x 1, 185lb x 6 (touch-and-go), x 2 (paused), 135lb x 10 (touch-and-go)

Squat:
Decided to play around with high bar ATG squats as opposed to low-bar squats. I like 'em. Gonna see where I can get with it this month. Didn't get to post last session's numbers, but last session I got 5,3 with 265lb. Failed rep 4.

Machine Row (1.5 minutes b/w):
200lb x 4, x 3, x 2

Elliptical: high resistance, 12 minutes. ~200 calories burned.
 
[only working sets shown]

5'8", 170lb (-0lb) - Gonna drop calories to 2300/day from 2600.

Sumo Deadlift (5 minutes b/w):
385lb x 3, x 3, x 2

Deficit Deadlift:
305lb x 5

This felt very easy. Promising.

Paused Bench (3 minutes b/w):
205lb x 2, x 2, x 2, x 2

DB Chest Flies (NEW, 2 minutes b/w):
30lb DBs x 8, x 8

Candito's program has chest flies in as an optional accessory movement for upper day, and as they're kept relatively light, I thought I'd throw them in now and see how they feel. Arms are kept bent, chest is kept up, and arms are angled toward my lower body as opposed to flared out for safety purposes. Honestly, cable flies might be a better option but the cable machine at my gym is always in use so...

High Bar Squat (NEW):

I don't normally squat on this day, but decided to work up to a few reps of 225lb ATG (not near max) and everything felt pretty good. Stance was super narrow; I'll probably widen it a bit.

Weighted Pullups (3 minutes b/w):
Belt + 60lb x 3, x 3, x 2

I tried out straps today because I've got a little cut right above one of my calluses that hurts. Didn't really like them. I'm thinking about lowering load slightly and pushing for more volume. The last reps were questionable.
 
[only working sets shown]

5'8", 170lb

Deep HBBS (NEW, 5 minutes b/w):
250lb x 3, x 3, x 3, x 3

Felt great. Gonna 5lb progress weekly.

Deficit Deadlift:
315lb x 4

I had at least 5 in me but I didn't want to puke. No more heavy meals before belted deadlifts. Fuck...still, very happy with progression. Gonna try for 5 next time and then move up another 10lb. Still haven't gotten a chance to measure the deficit but it's probably 1.5-2".

Paused Bench (3-3.5 minutes b/w):
205lb x 2, x 2, x 2, x 2

Think I'm gonna increase load. I also might start tucking my elbows more to bring the bar down lower on my chest and experiment with that.

DB Flies (NEW, 2 minutes b/w):
30lb DBs x 8, x 8

Been doing these slow and controlled. Not super heavy but that's not the point.

Machine Rows (1.5 minutes b/w):
200lb x 4, x 3, x 3 (Volume PR)

Elliptical: 11 minutes at 85% resistances, 1 minute at 100% resistance, then 1 minute at 35-50% resistance, then walked 2 miles home.
 
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[only working sets shown]

5'8", 170lb

Deep HHBS (NEW, 5 minutes b/w):
255lb x 3, x 3, x 3

Felt good. Last set, the bar slipped a bit lower than I'd like which made it more of a hybrid back squat than a high-bar squat but I'll count it. In other news, I've heard that my gym is getting a proper power rack at the end of fiscal year. Finally!

Sumo Deadlift (3 minutes b/w):
365lb x 1, 315lb x 3, x 3

Need to do these after bench as opposed to right after squat. That's why I worked with light weight today.

Paused Bench (3 minutes b/w):
210lb x 2, x 2, x 2, x 2 (PR)

Every 2nd rep was a major grinder including the last one, but this is a PR with paused bench. Now I need to start focusing on maintaining leg drive which I consistently forget to do.

DB Chest Flies (2 minutes b/w):
30lb DBs x 8, x 8

Weighted Pullups (3 minutes b/w):
Belt + 60lb x 4, x 3, x 3

Stationary Bike:
8-10 resistance, 17 minutes, 150 calories burned
 
I think Candito's is pretty decent, but not particularly well suited to specific goals.

I think you need to do more volume on that deadlift. 6 reps at 315 seems quite beneath you by now.
 
Jester said:
I think Candito's is pretty decent, but not particularly well suited to specific goals.

I think you need to do more volume on that deadlift. 6 reps at 315 seems quite beneath you by now.
Click to expand...

No, I do. I did 385 x 3, x 3, x 2 last DL session but this was the first time doing sumo DLs right after squatting and 365 felt really heavy as a result so I just half-assed DLs today. Next session is DLs only so be back doing 385 for reps.

What goals do you mean? I just want to run something for 9-12 months and get stronger.
 
I don't think his programme is good at addressing specific weaknesses, nor for peaking etc.

Do squats after DL. DL'ing won't impact them so much, but the reverse is definitely true.
 
Jester said:
I don't think his programme is good at addressing specific weaknesses, nor for peaking etc.

Do squats after DL. DL'ing won't impact them so much, but the reverse is definitely true.
Click to expand...

Will probably run it after my cut assuming he update the bench portion before then. It's only 5-6 weeks a cycle so if I don't see progress, I'll hop on something else.

And yeah, will do.
 
My thoughts are that if your lifts are still progressing, there's no point changing. If you need to mix it up for mental satisfaction reason, just add in some accessories or iso's to help with the redundancy.
 
The only thing that really progressed as much as I would have liked post-HST was my sumo deadlift. I think squat was mostly neural coding (though leg press helped) and my bench barely progressed at all in terms of top-end stuff.
 
Also, I appreciate your approach to strength as it brought my deadlift up significantly, but I sort of hunger for a more periodized approach to things.

Since my gym is apparently getting a proper power rack, I can really start to focus on building my squat without fear of failing a rep so I need to start really hammering squats and Candito's 6 week really does that. Also partially why I switched over to a HBBS: I feel like its quad dominance is going to be good for me.

But if you'd like to suggest an alternative, I'm all ears.
 
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