Aimless Lifting

[BassPlayer]

39yo Husband and father with lots of Children. I have been lifting fairly consistently since 2013. I was dealing with a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis and kept reading that resistance exercise was a good way to combat the stiffness. I started out with BB.com stuff but had strength goals early on. I found SS trying to learn how to squat and deadlift. I over did the SSNLP with way to many resets, and then moved on right into TM proper with zero modification. It did not end well.

I messed around with LP and modifications to TM for awhile, and I did manage to get stronger, but it took a long time, and I kept hitting ceilings and spinning my wheels. I tried the bridge and did poorly with it, but I did start to learn RPE, and started tracking my e1RMs. I messed with HLM, and then made some significant progress on a couple cycles of 5/3/1. I did some Block training and DUP which also helped me to get stronger, but also helped me to despise training. I took most of 2019 off, focused more time on my family and hobbies, lost a bunch of weight and regained some mental health.

This fall I started to notice some aches and pains developing from joints not moving right, and realized that I needed to get back under the bar in some capacity. At that time I didn't want to spend longer than an hour lifting, and that I needed it to be flexible enough to not take away from my other activities. After about 10 weeks of basic "Block" training, I got my lifts back in to the 90-95% range of where I left off. (Except for bench which was more like 85%.)

I am currently trying to do some HVLF stuff on all the lifts to see where it takes me. I am at least setting volume PRs. I have never done an online log before, not sure how this is going to go.

[Cellist]

Welcome

[BassPlayer]

Week 1 playing with "HVLF" stuff:
Day 1
Rower 2min,500m
Squat 295 x[4,8,5,10,5,8,4]
Bench 185 x[4,8,5,10,4,8,5,8]
Tried to do some barbell rows, but low back was too fatigued to care

Day 2
Rower 2min,500m
Deadlift 365 x[3,5,4,6,4,5,3]
Press 125 x[4,8,5,7,4,8,5,6]
Density block of BW Chins 6 sets of 5

Day 3
Rower 2min,500m
Squat 320 x[3,6,4,10,4,6,3]
Bench 185 x[5,10,6,12,5,10,6,5]
Density block of ugly barbell curls, 95 5 sets of 6

Day 3.5
Rower 10min,2000m

Day 4
SGDL 275 x[4,8,5,10,5,8,4]
Press 125 x[5,10,6,12,5,10,6,5]
Density block of weighted dips, 25 4 sets of 8

Overall the week was doable and training was about 60-80min long. On bench I especially start getting out of position as I fatigue, but I was surprised at how many reps I was able to get. I tried to keep rest periods around 2min, but found myself letting that get to 3-4 mins before higher rep sets on day 4. Right now my plan is to run with this for another week or two bumping up weight on Squat and DL, and volume and/or weight on Bench and Press. At that point I may test some doubles and singles and decide where to go from there.

[BassPlayer]

Week 2 Day 1
Rower 2min,500m
Squat 305 x[4,8,5,10,5,8,4]
Bench 200 x[4,8,5,10,4,8,3]
Density block of dumbbell rows

Squat felt pretty light today. I am not gasping for air like I was last week. I bumped bench weight up a bit. Struggling to keep shoulder blades back as I fatigue. I did not get all the target volume, so I will try this again in a few days.

[BassPlayer]

Welcome

Thanks!

Week 2 Day 2
Rower 2min,520m
Deadlift 380 x[3,5,4,6,4,5,3]
Press 130 x[4,8,5,10,4,8,5,6]
Density block of BW Chins 6 sets of 6

Deadlift moved well. I have no idea if it is the right amount of volume. I bumped OHP weight up today and was surprised how much of the volume I was able to get in.

[BassPlayer]

Week 2 Day 3

Rower 2min,500m
Squat 330 x[3,6,4,10,4,6,3]
Bench 200 x[4,8,5,10,4,6]
Density block of dumbbell curls, 25 for 45 reps.

Exhausted from lack of sleep past couple of days. Squat felt great and went well Bench volume down. Planning to try some top heavy work before bench volume next time.

[BassPlayer]

Week 2 Day 4

SGDL 285 x[4,8,5,10,5,8,4]
Press 130 x[5,10,6,12,5,9,4]
Density block of dips 8,9,10,10

DL was fine today, moved fast, getting a better feel for SG. Press volume was not horrible, but pondering switching things up slightly on Bench and Press next week. Squat and Deadlift will stay on track at least for next week.

[BassPlayer]

Week 3 Day 1

Rower 2min,450m
Squat 315 x[4,8,5,12,5,8,4]
Bench (Slingshot) 300 x2
Bench 200 x[4,8,5,10,5,8,4]
Density block of barbell rows 185 x6 reps for 5 sets

Squat 12rep minor PR! I almost didn't train today because I was tired and rushed for time. Squat volume felt easy today. On Bench I warmed up and hit a double at 300 with the slingshot. It moved well, and I probably could have done another rep or two. Bench volume work felt a little fatigued the first couple sets, but the x10 moved really quick. Will certainly be trying the slingshot again pre volume next week.

[BassPlayer]

Week 3 Day 2

Rower 2min,500m
Deadlift 405x1, 455x1, 505x1, 395 x[3,5,4,6,4]
Press 130 x[5,10,6,3,5,5]
Density block of BW Chins sandbagged

I wanted to check how deadlift was progressing on the top end. It all moved smooth, but the top single moved slower than I had anticipated. I was shooting for an @8, but it felt like a solid @9. By the time I got to the 4th set of volume I was smoked. Probably will structure back off work differently in the future, and I am open to any suggestions to better approach testing and volume. Maybe 2@8 would be a better test to find e1RM? Press was not a priority after deadlift. I will pickup the volume next time.

[BassPlayer]

Last workout took me down a notch. I then spent Saturday and Sunday hand augering holes through mostly frozen ground for 6" fence posts. It always amazes me which parts of the body a "full body" workout doesn't seem to hit like doing manual labor. Shitty sleep all weekend. Upper neck and back felt like shit, but I went through the training motions last night and loosened up a bit.

Week 3 Day 3
Rower: got warm
Squat: Squat 330 x[3,6,4,8,4,6,3]
Bench: 200 x[5,10,6,5,5,5,5,5]

Squat helped with how I was feeling, but still generally fatigued from weekend fun. I did not push bench much, but got some volume in.

[BassPlayer]

Week 3 Day 4

SGDL 300 x[4,8,5,10,5,8,4]
Press 130 x[5,10,6,11,4]

Still dragging behind on press volume.

[BassPlayer]

Week 4 Day 1

Rower 2min,500m
Squat 325 x[4,8,5,12,5,8,4]
Bench 200 x[5,10,6,12,5,7,7,7]
Row (Barbell) 205 x[6,6,6,6]
Roller skating with the family for 2hrs. I have not done this in decades... Such a blast!

Squat went well, upper body lagging a bit but with slight improvement.

[BassPlayer]

Week 4 Day 2

Rower 2min,450m
Deadlift 390 x[3,5,4,6,4,5,3] - This went fairly well.
Press 130 x[5,10,6,5,5,5,5,5]
Density block of BW Chins 5 sets of 6.

Lower body work seems to be progressing ok, but upper body has stalled a bit.

[BassPlayer]

Probably going to look at incorporating something like this for upper body lifts: viewtopic.php?t=2219

[BassPlayer]

Week 4 Day 3
Rower: 2min, 500m
Squat: Squat 350 x[3,6,4,9,4,6,3]
Bench: 275 x1, 235 x[3,3,3,3,3,3]
Density Block is dumbbell curls

Squat was good. Mistyped last week's load in the log, but can't edit it now. Bench top set moved ok, but not great. The rest felt fine.