Pat's Still Not Bionic Log

[acelticmonk]

Hello good people!

After a forced layoff, I get to barbell train again. The layoff happened because, during my first meet - the Spring Classic this past April - I dislocated and broke my shoulder doing my best press ever. Apparently a twice-before separated shoulder gets a bit sloppy when you're grinding up, and when it lets loose, crap breaks. A guy at my work broke his finger the same day; he misjudged the reach to the silverware drawer. I like my story better.

Anyway, I had surgery to repair the break and clean up the shoulder capsule. Sadly, no bionics were installed, even though I asked nicely.

A few months ago, I started PT, and five weeks ago, started barbell training again. In the meantime, I got back into mountain biking, which is super fun even though I'm old.

Age: 48
Height: 5'11.5"
Weight: 222 this morning
Instagram @patl

Programming: Previously did SL->SSLP->Andy's Stronger and Leaner at 40. Currently, again doing an SSLP and will start on Nov 1 with a local SSC to do some in-person and video checks, and her programming. More details to come.

Update: I did ~18 months with that SSC, then moved to the Montana Method template, and now am programmed by John Hanley.

[acelticmonk]

Catching up:

First post-surgery gym visit: 2017-09-11
3 min row
Front squats (shoulder wouldn't open enough to hold a barbell in low OR high bar back squat position until recently).
45x5,5
95x5
115x5,1

Press
Plastic stickx5
25x5
45x5,5

TRX walkouts 2x10

Row 5 more min waiting for a rack

TRX assisted dumbbell press 10lbx5

Deadlift
95x5
135x5
185x3
225x5
It felt SO good to deadlift again.

[acelticmonk]

2017-09-14

Row 3 min

Front squat
45x5,5

DB Chest presss
20x8, 25x8

Bench
45x8,8
85x5
95x5,8,8,8

BB Row, supinated
65x8
95x8,8,8

2017-09-18
Row 2 min
Dowell stretches
Front squat
45x5,85x3
115x5,5,5

Press
Plastic barx5
25x
45x3
55x5,5,5

Deadlift
135x5
185x3
225x1
245x5

[acelticmonk]

skipping ahead...

My shoulder was able to handle a low bar squat position (wiiiiiiiiiiiiiide grip) on Oct 3. What a great feeling. i mean, painful, tight, awkward, but you know, emotionally great to squat again.

Squats
45x5,5
95x5
135x5
175x5,5,5

Bench
45x5,5
95x3
135x5,5,5

BB Rows
135x5,5,5

Then I was traveling and didn't find a gym.

[acelticmonk]

2017-10-11 Wed
Dowell stretches
Squat
45x5,5
115x3
145x3
185x5,5,5

Press
45x5,5
65x3
75x1
85x5,5,5

Deadlift
135x5,5
185x5
225x3
265x2
295x5

[acelticmonk]

2017-10-13 Fri
Squat
45x5,5
135x3
175x2
195x5,5,5

Bench
45x5,5
95x4
135x3
145x5,5,5

Rows
145x5,5,5

[acelticmonk]

2017-10-16 Mon

Press
45x5,5
70x3
90x5,5,5
I pressed first today to see if that would loosen up the shoulder to allow it to hold the bar better. It did.. now I can pull the hands in a couple inches from the plates. Slowly but surely progressing.

Squat
45x5,5
145x3
185x2
205x5,5,5

DL
135x5,5
225x3
275x2
305x5

[acelticmonk]

2017-10-18 Wed

Row 3 min

Squat
45x5,5
135x3
185x2
215x5,5,5
Probably the last of the +10lb jumps. Now to 5s.

Bench
45x5,5
95x3
135x2
155x5,5,5
I struggle with the arch, and was able to hold tightness by conentrating on having light butt weight on the bench. I'll work on squeezing the crap out of the bar. But I'm making more progress in bench than I expected to at this point.

Rows, supinated
150x,5,5,5

[acelticmonk]

2017-10-20 Fri

A good day, with failure

I've been running macros at TBAB's fat loss numbers, which for me means MFP targets 282g protien, 226g carb, 61g fat., for 2581 cal. I recognize this means I'm damaging Gainzzz, but I need to undamage my belly too . That, with crappy sleep for 2 nights, meant today's session was gonna be iffy..

Tight hip flexors and low back, perhaps from Wed's squat session.

The gym I'm at now - an odd combination of being primarily a bouldering gym, but also one with 4 Rogue racks and 7 or 8 bars and bumper plates and chalk allowed - has been a nice change from my last place. I'm the oldest dude lifting there, no quarter squatters anywhere (lots of front squatters), a couple of heavy lifters and there are quite a few strong women there also. But the racks are full from 6:30-7 in the am, about when I arrive. Soon, I'd like to try my hand at bouldering there.

Squat
45x5,5
135x3
185x2
225x5,5,5
I know I said I was gonna do 5lb jumps, but I needed the magic of two plates. Weights moved slow and I was wiped out after set 3 (and set 3 video showed that I was half inch above depth for all reps), but if I widen my heels a bit on Monday and repeat the weight, I should be OK.

Press
45x5,5
65x3
85x2
95x5,5,5
Focused on keeping my elbows forward. Weight was surprisingly difficult today - not a grind, but I was tired after. Perhaps from the squat.

Deadlift
Again, jumping to a plate number.
135x5,5
185x3
225x2
275x1
315x3, failing rep 4 at the shins, and failing again after resting a few minutes.

Weirdly, I felt great about failing that rep. Mostly because the last time I failed a rep, I had to go to the ER after . Also, because I know I can hit that 5 on Wednesday, because I'll be more dialed in on sleep and food.

[cwd]

So you're about 8 sessions in after surgery, and already pulling 315?

I think it took me about 9 months to get back to 315 on my current run of lifting after a long layoff.

[acelticmonk]

So you're about 8 sessions in after surgery, and already pulling 315?

I think it took me about 9 months to get back to 315 on my current run of lifting after a long layoff.

Well, more like 15-18 sessions in, 5 months after surgery, but yeah, I'm happy that the pulls are coming together pretty well, and I'm not horrendously far off squat 5s. Presses of course have a ways to go

In my layoff, even though I wasn' t lifting, I was careful to at least keep my protein macros up. I'm sure that helped.

[acelticmonk]

Monday, Oct 23

Sleep: 5h49m per Fitbit. I belee dat; I'm tired.
BW: 219.4
BF: 29.1 (per scale, inaccurate but consistent?)

Late to the gym, and all racks taken for a while.

C2 row warmup 3m

Alternating DB chess press, 15lbx10

Squat, with heels widened. Much easier to hit depth; a little hard to keep balanced on the descent. Old motor patterns die hard.
45x5,5
135x3
185x2 (now with knee sleeves)
225x5,5,5 (sleeved)
Set 3:
[media]https://photos.app.goo.gl/n3U68Bev98mF2VQI3[/media]

Bench
45x5,5
85x3
135x3
160x5,5,5
Felt good. I've been working hard to stay tight and to get a bit of arch in my stiff spine. Better now. I must be getting close-ish to my best fives from pre-injury; I was struggling to hit BW/225 bench last spring.
Set 3:
[media]https://photos.app.goo.gl/v9dWdg28ZoiEQ3yA3[/media]

No time for rows today

[acelticmonk]

My new sous vide cooker shows up today. This forum has already cost me 200 bucks. But I'm planning to have the tastiest T-bone steaks I've ever made.

[jake]

Nice work monk. I broke my collar bone last year (no surgey) and this reminds me of the little victories like normal squat grip, pressing, etc.

[acelticmonk]

Nice work monk. I broke my collar bone last year (no surgey) and this reminds me of the little victories like normal squat grip, pressing, etc.

Thanks brutha. Yes, the mental victories are huge.

[acelticmonk]

Wed, Oct 25

BW: 219.9' (+1.0)
Sleep: 7h24m

Squat
45x5,5
135x3
195x3
230x5,5,5
Had a really hard time staying on midfoot today. I was on my heel a lot, and knees were pulling back on the ascent.


Press
45x5,5
65x3
85x3
100x5,5,5
Press pissed me off today. I was off balance a lot, plus was inside a cage, so banged the roof at least once per set of five. I'd like to be happy to be in triple digits again, but... that was harder than i would like it to be. Patience, self.

urgent poop break... steel cut oats on my drive to the gym are "adjusting" my morning routine. I knew that if I didn't make this trip, DLs would ... drain me.

Deadlift
135x3
225x2
285x1
315x4,
failed the 5th after it broke off the floor, then rested 3 min, and failed to break it off the floor. Tired and lots of psyching my self up for all 3 lifts. Feel like my CNS is mad today. Hookgripped with thumb tape.

[acelticmonk]

Oh, I forgot my sous vide update! A qualified success. I cooked up some semi-thawed T-bones. They came out of the water not well cooked, so I had to put them back in for another hour... in so doing, I didn't get the Ziplocs sealed all the way. So another hour later, I had watery T-bones. But VERY tender watery t-bones. I ate them anyway, and my yellow lab LOVED me for sharing the bones with her. But she's a total food addict.

I'm gonna do some frozen steaks tonight. If I can really just cook up frozen steaks, without having to think about thawing them for a couple of days first... this toy is gonna be my #1 cooking utensil.

[acelticmonk]

Fri, Oct 27
BW I didn't weigh

Arrived at 6:30 today to find all racks taken, so I did 6 min on the rowing machine and then the first rack opened up.

Row 6 min

Squat
45x5,5
135x5
195x3
235x5,5,5
Still a bit sloppy, BUT. As best I can recall, this is a PR for fives across. (Last spring, a month out from the Classic, my gym bag was stolen from my car, including my training journal. Based on the videos I uploaded privately to YouTube, and the fact I was doing a 531 program, I'm just guessing here. But I'm gonna claim this as a PR. There's lots left in the tank, too.

Bench
45x5,5
95x5
145x3
165x5,5,5
Set 2 was hard. Though I have safety arms set properly, I grabbed a spotter.. which gave me enough confidence to push up the third set easily.

Not sure what my PR for 5s is on bench, but I'm close.

Supinated rows
150x5,5,5
Videod from the side today to check back rounding. First two sets rounded more than they should; third was decent.

I'm surprised how good I felt today after squats. Both sets earlier this week drained the life out of me. Barbell training is weird, but I'll take it today.

[acelticmonk]

Catching up:

Monday Oct 30

Squat
45x5,5
135x3
185x3
225x1
240x5,5,5
(4 min, then 5 min rest between sets)

Press
45x5,5
65x53
85x3
195x5,5,5

DL
135x5
225x3
285x1
315x5,5,5; hook gripped
Finally got all 5, and felt good afterward... maybe coulda got 6.

[acelticmonk]

Wed Nov 1 - No training... no my daughter was in the ER, but is better now.

Wed was supposed to be the kickoff day of my work with a coach, who's doing some online training and programming with me. She's an SS coach but this isn't SSOC. We'll do monthly in-person coaching and form check sessions, video reviews of top sets, and programming.

Fri, Nov 3 kicks this off.
Dropping weight on all lifts to fine tune form. This works OK for me, a I've had a very sore hip flexor/SI joint on the right side that's just not going away. Not even today, Sunday.

Also adding moire warmup sets.

Squats
45x5
95x5
135x4
165x3
185x2
205x1
225x5,5,5
Was harder to be consistent in form than i expected, and harder in general. This reset will be good for me.

OHP
45x5
75x5
85x4
95x1
100x5,5,5
Harder on front of left shoulder than expected

DL
45x5
135x5
185x4
225x3
265x2
285x1
300x5, DOH gripped but should have hooked it.

Got copious feedback on form for all 3 lifts. I'll repeat these weights tomorrow.