Exodus Strength

I'm starting a log because I'm really bad at recording my training, and also to try and be a little less of a lurker.

Background info: 28, male, ~192lb - Did the whole SSLP thing, and then Texas Method after that and ended up with 0 progress and a hamstring injury that I'm still dealing with 2 years later.

Currently I'm doing the BBM group training, which has been fun. Absolute weight on the bar hasn't really gone up in a while due to the hamstring injury, but a lot of my gains have been conditioning and body comp. I used to have the Starting Strength gut of ~38", now I'm around 32"-33".

Monday - 03/04/19
Competition Squat
250 x 6 @ 7
260 x 6 @ 8
275 x 6 @ 9
240 x 6 x 3

Competition (overhead) Press
135 x 6 @ 7
140 x 6 @ 8
145 x 6 @ 9
130 x 6 x 3

CGBP
205 x 10 (AMRAP)
170 x 12 x 2

Notes: strength down ~10% than previous week, whatever.

Welcome to the log jam, @cgeorgiev

Is that overhead press?

Sorry to hear about the hamstring.
Hope that gets better.

welcome to the forum!

and congrats with your SSG loss

Welcome to freedom from The Voluntary Hardon Manly Grindr, or whatever it is. Progress awaits. Or at least some amusing posts.

Wilhelm wrote: ↑Tue Mar 05, 2019 3:38 pm Welcome to the log jam, @cgeorgiev

Is that overhead press?

Sorry to hear about the hamstring.
Hope that gets better.

Thanks! Yeah, that's Competition Overhead Press ie the press 2.0 w/ belt and wrist wraps.

mbasic wrote: ↑Tue Mar 05, 2019 3:39 pm welcome to the forum!

and congrats with your SSG loss

Thanks! I've been reading your posts since egypt.

Tuesday 03/05/19

Competition Deadlift
290 x 6 @ 7
305 x 6 @ 8
320 x 6 @ 9
275 x 6 x 3

Competition Bench
Overshot x6 @ 7
225 x 6 @ 8
235 x 6 @ 9
210 x 6 x 3

Leg Press
~455 x 12 (AMRAP)
~425 x 12 x 2

Notes: I had 0 hip pain while deadlifting tonight. Lately I've been bummed about my long-term injury and lack of gains for my lifting age which has affected my desire to train. I have to remind myself that less than 6 months ago I couldn't break 300 off the floor for a single due to pain. Progress is progress is progress.

Wednesday 03/06/19
GPP
30min rower - 6766m
Yates Rows - 135 x 13 x 5
Curls - 25 x 15 x 5
Tricep Pulldowns - 150 x 15 x 5

Thursday 03/07/19

HBBS
235 x 8 @ 7
245 x 8 @ 8
255 x 8 @ 9
230 x 8 @ 8
230 x 8 @ 8
230 x 8 @ 9

TnG Bench
200 x 8 @ 7
210 x 8 @ 8
220 x 7 @ 10 <--- wtf?
195 x 8 @ 8
195 x 8 @ 8
195 x 8 @ 8
195 x 8 @ 9

Press, no belt
120 x 9 (AMRAP)
95 x 12 x 2

Notes: Disappointed I overshot my top set of Tng bench. It's probably not a big deal since I have an AMRAP programmed x4 a week, so I'm doing @10 sets frequently. I think the issue was my job changing my call time to 6 a.m. with short notice, and fatigue was building up quickly from lack of sleep. I still stand by @7 and @8 weight selections; I wouldn't have done it differently, so, oh well.

Friday 03/08/19

RDL
265 x 8 @ 7
280 x 8 @ 8
295 x 8 @ 9
265 x 8 @ 8
265 x 8 @ 8
265 x 8 @ 8
265 x 8 @ 9

CGBP
195 x 8 @ 7
205 x 8 @ 8
215 x 8 @ 9
200 x 8 @ 8
200 x 8 @ 8
200 x 8 @ 8
200 x 8 @ 9

Barbell Rows
185 x 12 (AMRAP)
165 x 12 x 2

Notes: It's been a good week of training with no pain in my hip/hamstring. I'm thinking all the volume on RDLs, leg press, HBBS, etc is helping me tolerate higher working weights on the competition lifts. I'm enjoying this development cycle, and I hope I'll be able to express any strength gains without pain. I think the RDLs tonight is a pain PR for me: in the last development cycle they were programmed I think my top set @ 9 was ~215, so I am healing, slowly.

Sunday 03/10/19

GPP
Yates Rows - 135 x 14 x 5
Dumbbell Curls - 25 x 15 x 5
Tricep Pull-apart - 150 x 15 x 5

Skipped out on the HIIT I had programmed.

Monday 03/11/19

Competition Squat
250 x 6 @ 7
260 x 6 @ 8
275 x 6 @ 9
240 x 6 x 3

Competition Press
137.5 x 6 @ 7.5
142.5 x 6 @ 8.5
147.5 x 6 @ 10
130 x 6 x 3

CGBP
165 x 11 @ 6
175 x 11 @ 7
185 x 11 @ 8
185 x 11 @ 8
185 x 11 @ 8

Notes: Strength still lower than average on squat by ~10%. Feeling really tired and unmotivated for some reason, I also had to give myself an extra notch on the waist of my belt, cool. Trying to divorce the idea that since the weight didn't go up from my previous week that today's session was a failure. It's just lifting weights, right?

It's all about stringing the days together, @cgeorgiev.

Everyday contributes, and consistency is king.

cgeorgiev wrote: ↑Tue Mar 12, 2019 11:50 am Notes: Strength still lower than average on squat by ~10%. Feeling really tired and unmotivated for some reason, I also had to give myself an extra notch on the waist of my belt, cool. Trying to divorce the idea that since the weight didn't go up from my previous week that today's session was a failure. It's just lifting weights, right?

Alot of volume the preceding Thursday (6 sets of 8 reps at 70%+ would crush me) followed by that massive RDL session on Friday. Skipped on your HIIT session Sunday; still feeling it in your lower body? 10% swing is trivial once you factor in residual fatigue, job change/ stress, lack of sleep and perhaps impacted nutrition as well. Days like those I set a @9 cap and just auto-regulate.

Like Wilhelm says you still turned up and done a session. Good job on being consistent mate

03/25/19

It's been awhile: I fell off hard with my training and spent the week in NOLA for a vacation and a wedding. I usually train at a powerlifting gym whenever I'm in town, but I had a case of the fuck-its and skipped training for the week. I felt bad, but I rarely miss training. So back at it...

Competition Squat
260 x 6 @ 7
275 x 6 @ 8
290 x 6 @ 9
260 x 6 x 2

Competition Press
135 x 6 @ 7
140 x 6 @ 8
145 x 6 @ 9
135 x 6 x 2

CGBP
170 x 11 @ 6.5
180 x 11 @ 7.5
185 x 11 @ 8
185 x 11 @ 10

Notes: First week back after missing a week of training. I went off program slightly: programming for this development block had ramping sets of 6s with back-off sets, adding a set each week. I was programmed to do 3 back-off sets for squats, and 4 back-off sets for press. I don't think I had that in me today, so I did two back-off sets for everything and called it. Presses felt like dog shit: reduced velocity and quicker to fatigue than my trained self. Strength is back to normal on squats now that some fatigue dissipated. Hip hurt a little, but not too bad.

03/26/19

Competition Deadlift
290 x 6 @ 7
305 x 6 @ 8
325 x 6 @ 9

Competition Bench
205 x 6 @ 7
215 x 6 @ 8
225 x 6 @ 9
200 x 6 x 2

Leg Press
365 x 11 @ 6
385 x 11 @ 7
405 x 11 @ 8
405 x 11 @ 8

Notes: Another shit show today. Deadlifts were feeling good until the last set. My hip did not like that at all. Hurt like hell at the top of the pull, as well as when the weights touched the floor. Couldn't pull back-off sets due to pain. Feeling really frustrated about my injury and lack of progress over the past two years. I think I'll order the damn MRI tomorrow.

Hey man! Hang in there. I am going through some rehab myself and I know it sucks, but you get a lot of goods things out of it despite the situation.

What did you do to try to address your hip/hamstring pain? Have you ever tried tempo work?

Cheers!

DrHades wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2019 3:13 am Hey man! Hang in there. I am going through some rehab myself and I know it sucks, but you get a lot of goods things out of it despite the situation.

What did you do to try to address your hip/hamstring pain? Have you ever tried tempo work?

Cheers!

Thanks, man. I've tried a few different things like 2ct paused squats, 3-0-3 tempo squats, high rep RDLs, collagen supplements, etc. It all helps, and I've definitely made progress, but I get really frustrated sometimes when it flares up and it all feels for naught. I made the appointment for a referral for an MRI, and I might contact the rehab guys at BBM for a consult after that. How's your rehab going?

I think you are doing the right thing. If I had some money to spare I would definitely contact the guys at BBM.

Regarding my rehab, I feel I am on the right track. I assumed for too long that it was only a muscle thing that would go away with time and by not working too much the area. And then I starting reading about tendons and all that.. It just takes time and a lot of work, i.e. the right amount of work. That is what I am trying to figure out.

It seems you have more experience than me, but the most difficult part for me was the mind shift. There is a huge spectrum of movements, variations and ROM to play with and not only 3-4 exercises to "live a complete life".

03/27/19

GPP
25min rower - 5768m
DB Curls - 25 x 15 x 3
Tricep Pull-Apart - 140 x 15 x 3
Lever Rows - ~70 x 15 x 3 (each side)
Toes-to-Bar 5min AMRAP - 10, 7, 5, 5, 3

Notes: First time doing any sort of trunk work this year. Abs kept cramping during AMRAP.
"Sucking at something is the first step towards being sorta good at something." - Jake the dog

03/28/19

HBBS
225 x 8 @ 7
235 x 8 @ 8
245 x 8 @ 9
225 x 8 @ 7
225 x 8 @ 7
225 x 8 @ 8
225 x 8 @ 8

TnG Bench
195 x 8 @ 7
205 x 8 @ 8
215 x 6 @ 10
185 x 8 @ 7
185 x 8 @ 7.5
185 x 8 @ 7.5
185 x 8 @ 8

Press, no belt
85 x 11 @ 6
95 x 11 @ 7
100 x 11 @ 8
100 x 11 @ 8

Good luck with your volumizing
Jeesh!