August 27, 2012 Lower/Upper Body

• BB DL: 315*1 345*1 365*1 
• Speed DLs: 225*5 185*5
• DB Flat Bench: 100*9 105*7 110*5
• Viking Quest: 216m*0:37 420m*1:29

Combining upper & lower once again because I'm moving some more stuff out of my old apartment to the new one.  I know I said I'd take at least two more weeks off of deadlifting, but I hate just sitting around.  I did extensive warmups before this, starting with 135, 185, 225, 245, 275, 295, and then the weights you see here.  It felt odd; my back was fine, but my shins were not used to it.  Usually they're bruised, or at least used to the bar banging on them, it kind of skipped up my shins oddly.   

My bar speed is absolute shit right now. I actually put 385 on the bar, started to lift and realize it was going so slow I'd probably hurt something. I hate this to be honest.  I can pull 500 lbs. when fully healthy and I have to piddle around with 365.  Well I guess I'm just going to have to keep slowly throwing weight on the bar week to week until my body is used to this again.  The reps today definitely felt weird, in part because of the way it skipped up my shins, but also I haven't done conventional deadlifting in over 3 weeks at this point.  I did some speed DLs after just to try and remind my body what it's like to pull something fastly.  

DB Benching went well, as did the rowing, I'm impressed I got to 420 meters in under 1:30.  It's not exactly 200, or 400 because when I stop the 'boat' is apparently still moving.  

August 23, 2012 Lower / Upper

• Low Box Squat / Pullup Superset: 255*5-80*3 265*5-80*3  275*3-80*3 sore from sprints
• Incline Bench Press: 250*3 240*3 230*3
• Hanging Power Snatch: 95*3 135*3 145*2

Wow...not putting squatting the day after sprints ever again.  Hamstrings,etc. were completely exhausted.  I liked super-setting though with the pullups.  Did some Incline Bench after, haven't done it in a few weeks, numbers should be back up next week.  Also getting back into the olympic lifts as well. Took it easy here, didn't want to torque back / piriformis.  Everything went fine though, didn't feel a thing.  

August 22, 2012 Conditioning / Sprinting

• 300m: 1
• 200m: 4
• 100m: 3
• Total: 1400m

I'm 90% certain this is the furthest I've ever sprinted before.   The 100s at the end aren't that hard at all.  I've noticed that as the summer progresses I'm not necessarily feeling like the sprints are getting easier; I'm still doubled over after the 300m and am absolutely exhausted by the end of the workout.  But what I'm noticing is that my recovery time between the sprints is getting much shorter.  Today for instance this whole 1400m session took about 45 minutes.  5 weeks ago, about 1100m would've taken me about 65 minutes.  So obviously my anaerobic conditioning is getting better.   

As for how much I'm sprinting, I'm thinking of putting a hard cap of 1200m on a session, maybe even 1100m.  I do like the anaerobic effect these sprints are having, but this is also supposed to be a speed training day.  I'm not sure if beating myself to death with a slew of 300 & 200s is really accomplishing that, or at least I don't think grinding myself out is really helping my top end speed any.  I may still do the 300 at the start from now on, but may shift to 2 200s, and then 4 100s or something like that. 

August 20, 2012 Upper

• Bench Press: 285*1 300*2 285*3 275*2
• BB Rows: 225*8 235*3 245*6
• Push Press: 225*1 235*1 245*1
• Viking Quest Rowing: 200m (0:39), 200m (1:00)

Took a couple days off after moving since I was beat/sore.  With the back still being sore it's hard for me to get a good arch when I bench, definitely effecting the numbers I'm putting up, but hopefully it gets better each week.  Did some push pressing, went great, so I'm happy about that. Also worked traditional BB Rowing back in as opposed to the underhand I've been doing.  The viking quest thing is something I picked up from T-Nation; you row a certain amount, and then your break is supposed to be however long it took you to complete the previous set. So it took me 39 seconds to do the 200m, so I rested 39 seconds before the next set. You're actually supposed to double the distance for each time, but I was pretty beat here, will go 200-400 next time. 

August 15, 2012 Sprinting

• 300m: 1
• 200m: 4
• 100m: 2
• Total: 1300m

Good session; definitely used to doing the 1300m now.   Still feels like I'm sucking wind at the end, but in a good way.  

August 14, 2012 Lower

• Snatch-Grip Deadlift: 135*5 185*5 205*5 225*5
• Hanging Power Clean: 135*5 155*5
• BB Front Squats: 225*2
• Paloffs: 70*10

I'm a bit behind on entering these; I moved on the 16th-19th so I'm just catching up now.   

My back is still sore, as is the piriformis on my left side.  It hurts getting in and out of my car, but by and large it's abating.  Once I start moving/exercising I'm fine, it's only when I'm sedentary for extended periods that I run into problems.  Wanted to deadlift something but didn't want to reinjure or aggravate anything; so I did some snatch grip deadlifting, and kept it light.  Did some hanging power cleans after just to keep the tracks greased for when I return to heavier weights. Tried front squatting, but by that point my back was getting fatigued and didn't want to risk anything. 

August 13, 2012 Upper

• Bench Press: 275*3 285*3 300*2
• BB Underhand Rows: 225*10 235*9 245*6
• Push Press: 205*1 225*1 225*1

Good session, still trying to take it a tad easy because of my back.  I have my lower body day tomorrow, will probably do really light deadlifting, nothing above 225 lbs, if that even.  We'll see how it goes!  I'm moving later this week so may not workout after Wednesday for a few days.

Good Stuff

LaMarr Woodley donates $60,000 to cover school budget cuts

Just wanted to pass this along to my readers; with so much focus on the negatives with professional athletes I'm glad to see some coverage of something positive. Athletes are just like the general population; there are the ones that do stupid things, the ones that do awful things, and then the vast majority that are just regular people.  Unfortunately great amounts of money brings greater amounts of attention, and people will focus on the negatives ten to one over the positives because it makes a better story that gets people aggravated and interested more.   

August 12, 2012 Sprinting

• 300m: 1
• 200m: 4
• 100m: 1
• Total: 1200m

Back is still pretty stiff.  Talked to a friend, said it sounded like glute medius, and piriformis.  Just tried lacrosse balling my piriformis...back started twitching and feels much better. Going to be doing that every half hour for the next couple days. I'll see what happens.

As for the workout, air was absolute soup.  Last 3 sprints I had about 6 minutes between each.   I almost did 350 on that first one...was tempted, but I was pretty gassed at the 300 mark so I saved it.  Will try for 350 next time. 

August 10, 2012 Lower

• Low Box Squats: 245*5 255*5 265*5 275*3
• Pullups: 80*3 80*3 80*3 80*2
• Ab-Wheel: 10, 10

Alright, feeling a little better today, about 50% better than I did right afterward on Tuesday after the deadlifting.  Didn't workout yesterday since I had an optometrist appointment...and of course got stuck on the turnpike when they shut it down for an accident. Sitting for 2 straight hours, definitely not good times for my back.  So anyway, I've learned my lesson, definitely NOT deadlifting again for a few weeks at least, and when I go back it's going to be light and working up gradually again.  In the meantime I'm going full-out on everything else as long as it doesn't hurt me.  Was cautious here, but I felt fine during the workout so I'm going to proceed as normal for all other workouts coming up.   I really feel like my hamstrings are responding to the low box squatting. I'm getting better at not leaning back on the box before firing back up.   Afterward my back was in pretty bad pain when everything tensed back up, I've got to find a way to keep everything loose. 

August 8, 2012 Sprinting

• 300m: 1
• 200m: 4
• 100m: 1
• Total: 1200m

I came out feeling like I had something to prove to myself.  I was pretty depressed yesterday wondering if I had done my last set of deadlifting ever.  I woke up this morning and still feel the pressure when I sit or stand for too long.  It hurts like crazy when I bend down to get something, actually it's more when my hips move back at all that it hurts.  It's excruciating getting in and out of my car.  But similar to how I've felt the last few weeks, when I do other exercises my back doesn't feel worse. Not great, but ok.  I was doing air squats last night.  This morning I feel about 40% better.   I got out to the track determined to do something, I wasn't sure how long I'd last but if I'm hurt I'm still not going to stop.  The first 100 meters of that 300 I was a bit tentative, and then I realized I was fine and I took off.  I sprinted more than I have in about a year.  Felt good.  Back actually felt better.  It's when I stop moving that it tightens back up.  So this was definitely needed. 

August 7, 2012 Lower

• Deadlifts: 315*5 410*X WEK:NTKEWJ:TJKSNDF Back.. 135*10 225*X
• Hanging Power Cleans:  135*5 185*X-Back 135*5

aaaah SHIT.  So my back was feeling about 90%.  Did the bar, 135, 225, 275, and 315 to make sure everything was decent.  Was sore, but felt capable.  Went to pull 410 and couldn't budge it. Weird...that's usually a borderline warmup set for me. Reset, got down and threw everything I had behind it.  Got it 5" off the ground and then....I can't describe what the hell happened.  My lower back muscles on both side cramped, felt like they were roiling, and then seized up completely.  I dropped the weight and then fell backwards.  Friend got a foam roller and I stretched it out, so I could stand up again.  Several minutes go by and it's still painful.  Try 135 and get it fine, doesn't hurt any worse.  Try 225 and can't even move it.  Switch to hanging cleans.....can get 135, but again as soon as I throw any kind of real weight on the bar, can't do it.     

After I was in some pretty bad pain/soreness/stiffness.  Ice didn't do anything. Heat didn't do anything. Tried poking/prodding/massaging. Nothing.  Not sure what this is. I hope it's not my spine/disc in the spine.  When I stand and try raising my leg I feel a sharp pulling pain in my lower back.  When I sit I feel pressure build up in my lower back, far out on the sides, and also in my lower abdomen near where you would have a hernia (I don't appear to have any). Plus my left calf keeps getting this weird tingling pain in it when I sit for too long. All of this happens when I stand for too long as well.  Shit.

August 6, 2012 Upper

• Bench Press: 285*1 305*2 295*3
• BB Underhand Rows: 225*11 235*10 245*8
• Push Press: 225*1 235*1 245*X 245*1

FINALLY got 245 again on push pressing. Felt great, there's really no in between for me, I either get the rep easily or miss by a mile.  Rows went good, benching went well.  Back feels pretty much 90% at this point, should be fine for some deadlifting tomorrow; probably will just do 410 or so in order to not re aggravate whatever I did.  

August 3, 2012 Lower

• Low Box Squats: 255*5 275*5 300*3
• Hanging Power Snatches: 135*5 145*3 155*3 135*3
• Wide-Stance Anti-Rotational Chops: 60*10
• Bird-Dogs: 10, 10

Good session, still focusing on trying to use more hamstrings on the low box squats.  Lower left back still feeling a little tweaked but much much better.  Bird-Dogs and ab-work felt fine, whereas a couple days ago it would've been uncomfortable. 

August 2, 2012 Upper Body

• Pullups: 80*3 80*3 80*2 75*3 75*3
• BB Incline: 245*1 260*3 250*3 240*3
• Standing Press: 135*5 135*5 135*5
• DB Unilateral Flat Bench: 95*6 95*6

Good session!! Got 80 for more than I expected.  Incline bench went well too, nice and explosive.  Did some unilateral bench at the end of this. I really think that's one of my 5 favorite exercises; I love how you have to clamp down on your core while doing them.