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.