Intro: One year post distal bicep tendon tear I'm nearly back to 100% in terms of capability, though still not full trained/developed to express capabilities. Planning my first competition in nearly 14 months for October 21st. Weightlifting meet. Goal will be to break state record clean and jerk. 146 kgs is the number to beat. Roughly 320# for non-Canadians. This is more about "getting back on the horse" so to speak than anything else. Big psychological milestone after what I have to admit was a devastating injury, emotionally and physically. Not being able to use your dominant arm for several months is pretty traumatic.
Current Baseline: Squat - 475 x 4 Bench - 300 x 5 Dead - 510 x 3 Snatch - 85 kgs CnJ - 135 kgs
End of Year Goals: Squat - 660 x 1 Bench - 400 x 1 Dead - 640 x 1 Snatch - 140 kgs CnJ - 160 kgs
Note: 140/160 = 300 would qualify for American Open, and become 3rd lifter in state history to achieve a 300 total in a local sanctioned meet.
Will keep weekly logs and notes in here as replies. Largely for my own purposes of organization and accountability, but also happy to riff with anyone if it might prove helpful.
Yeah, but not bad. I've been cleaning up the diet and working in a bit of interval training once or twice a week for a month now. I'm "cutting" the smart way, which is VERY gradually over 6-8 weeks. I've got maybe 9 lbs left to go and a month to get it done. When I cut rapidly I fucking die. Cramps, head aches, weak-ass lifts, temper tantrums. Not really my bag, baby.
Dead Lift 2x3 @ 525 today. Super happy with this. Still over 100 lbs under my PR, but technically much cleaner, smoother, more controlled in my movement. Really tight sets today.
Moving over the last few weeks have been rough on my schedule, but I have been getting back to lifting over the last few months. Not tossing around manatees like Baph, but got back to some respectable numbers. Lower back is still liquid shit, so I can't DL or squat, but I hit leg presses and do a lot of body weight stuff. I did hit 275x5 on flat bench about a month ago. I was actually more impressed with the set before that 225x15. I'm at about 195 right now, but a little soft in the core since I'm not currently grappling.
Good to see you're still at it, Baph.
I may be short, fat, and have a ton of gray hair...
I need to get a squatter to work out with for chest day. I feel I can go bigger, the 2 plate bench I am doing 3×5-7 and would like to add 20 and then 50 lbs into the mix.
One of the very few rules I enforce at my place is no un-spotted benching. Bench press is one of the very few ways you can actually die in the gym. Random cramp, wrist buckles, fluke deal, and you've got a 275# bar on your neck, or chest, or face. Ironically, the face is probably your safest option. Two or three guys died last year from internal bleeding after missing a big bench at a meet and cracking a rib. A couple more died from dropping it on the throat, internal trauma, suffocation. Former director of the U.N. apparently did this in a hotel fitness center a day before he was going to testify against the Clinton Foundation. If the barbell is moving over the face/neck of the bencher, the spotters hands are on the bar.
Unfortunately clean and jerk was a shit show of low T, homoerotic, nerd shit tonight. Some fatigue I guess. Just not happening. Ended up a full 15 kgs short of the goal. Got some dece reps and moved on.
Squat was on target but it was fucking WORK. 480 @ 3x5.
Clearly some sleep, recovery, whatever was in play today. Pretty rough. Gonna take a day off and regroup for Thursday. Snatch, Front Squat, Jerk. Try to go moderately heavy on all three.
I've been experimenting the last few months with the concept of Time Under Load. It's basically a blend of Steve Maxwell and Pavel Tsatsouline's approaches to strength training. They are very similar and both targeted at preventing injury, especially as you get older. A little heavier weight for 5-7 very slow reps. I've had some really good success with it. I find that I don't end up as sore, but I've also maintained almost all of my strength/mass as well as cut down on how long/often I have to lift. Five second up/down is a real mind fuck too. Took me a few weeks to push through the mental portion of just wanting to hit reps and move weight.
Side note, been doing it for the last few months with zero time on the mats. Grappled two weeks ago for the first time in about 8 months and not only did I feel strong as fuck, but my muscular endurance was really good. Even my cardio was surprisingly good. Did six five minute rounds with 60sec breaks. Only trouble I had was with my left grip, but it was gi, so that's not a shocker.
I may be short, fat, and have a ton of gray hair...
I do a lot of TUT work on my recovery days. (Time under Tension). Feels good on my joints, ligaments, little stabilizer muscles, etc. Interesting that the "bro lifts" are starting to find their way back into functional training.
Today clean to 130 kgs for x 2 Dead Lift to 535 for x 3
I'm going to take the no spot bench very seriously. I feel that's a smart way to go about it. I see guys not getting spotted many times where I almost want to give them a hand and at the same time I don't want to blow out my back because some 135lbr is trying to bench 3 plates.
Started doing the battle ropes. First time in my life I have ever done them. Made buddies with a larger ex basketball and football player. I think he may be a good ingredient to my workouts to get me to the next level. Dude is a beast and makes me look bad. I don't like to look bad.
A good workout partner is worth their weight in gold. May be more important than even being on a good program.
Bench Press 4x4 @ 310# tonight. Best bench in a while. Been getting good sets, but went all the way to 16 tonight without a miss, squirm, or even a deviation in bar path. Really happy with that outing. And, yes, every set after 135# had a spotter.
Hit the bench today with a spotter. 245 2x5 and later 265 for 2x2. Not a personal all time record but the most I've put up since I was in my early 20s. I walked out of there this morning with a pep in my step. Seriously psyched on the workout partner.
He went ahead and hit 3 plates for 4x8 but that's another story.
Thank you I appreciate that. I've been working on this for the past year plus. This is the most consistent I've been when I wasnt injured (had a pretty bad l5 issue for awhile) in a long time.
My new workout partner is a beast of a human and I'm very glad he is there on the days we work out together. We don't really even talk much during put workout, headphones going, nods and signals. We both have to get somewhere by a certain time so it's all business. I love it.
My next goal is to get my incline bench #'s to a respectable level. They are horrible right now.
Hit a nice back day today. I am to the point where I can either do lat pull downs or just do pull ups with body weight. 4x10 is not a problem with body weight, even with wide spread.
Hit a nice back day today. I am to the point where I can either do lat pull downs or just do pull ups with body weight. 4x10 is not a problem with body weight, even with wide spread.
I've been working on the body weight pull ups myself. Picked up a Marcy utility rack that also has multi grip pull ups, dip bars and a high/low cable set up that works off of olympic weights. It's dope as fuck. I do some quick 20-25 minute workouts that are basically 4-5 minute circuits for 5 rounds. I find that it works much better for me than the long crazy gym sessions. Sick full body pump, less recovery time needed, and I burn fat like a mother fucker.
I may be short, fat, and have a ton of gray hair...
Dead Lift 545 x 1, weight fell off, changed music, then x 2 Log Clean and Press up to 200# for a couple singles Yoke Walk 90' x 2 @ 535# Atlas Stone over 52" Bar 2x3 175# Keg Carry 60' x 2 Circus Dumbbell Clean and Press x 5
Hit a nice back day today. I am to the point where I can either do lat pull downs or just do pull ups with body weight. 4x10 is not a problem with body weight, even with wide spread.
I've been working on the body weight pull ups myself. Picked up a Marcy utility rack that also has multi grip pull ups, dip bars and a high/low cable set up that works off of olympic weights. It's dope as fuck. I do some quick 20-25 minute workouts that are basically 4-5 minute circuits for 5 rounds. I find that it works much better for me than the long crazy gym sessions. Sick full body pump, less recovery time needed, and I burn fat like a mother fucker.
Would you mind posting a brief outline of those workouts? I like to change things up now and then.
Shit the bed today. Tried to squeeze on in during a break. Poor warm up. Strained right pectoral on first working rep of bench at 315. Fought through to get a x4. Stretched it out. Came back for round two and felt it on the first rep and shut it down. Will revisit this maybe Wednesday or so. Disappointing.
vegeta420z: So fucking funny I hated country music growing up in a tiny redneck town, wasn't until I moved to Portland I realized I'm alot more of a redneck then I ever would have dreamed🍻🍻🍻🍻🤠
Oct 22, 2019 3:56:24 GMT -5
vegeta420z: Been listening to alot of Conway and willie Nelson lately lately, and George jones, they all been hitting my soul.
Oct 2, 2019 7:06:35 GMT -5
javier: I'm still here. I've been busy as fuck but still check in. I'm also watching the political games going on in Washington D.C. I hope the Democrats are stupid enough to try an impeach Trump so that they get their asses handed to them in 2020.
Jun 15, 2019 16:50:06 GMT -5
da prez: Kinda quiet in this bitch huh ?
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vegeta420z: T.....S..F..B
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