Burning Bridges in Montana

[AaronM]

2/17/18

Hanley W2D3 (1.5 hours)
Using 1RM of: SQ 365, Bench 235, DL 335

- Bench (80%/70%)
190 6x3 (3m rest) @RPEs 8/7/7/6.5/6/4
160 2x5 (1-2m rest) @RPE lolol
- Squat (80%)
295 5x3 (4 min rest) @RPEs 7/7/6/7/7
-Bro Stuff
db flyes (after benching) 25lb x8/8/8/8 (5 min)
tri-ext (after squats) 65lb x12/12/12/8 (5 min)
RDLs 145 3x5 (1min rest)

Notes: Tried setting up further down bench. Difficult to unrack bar, right clavicle hurt/discomfort from trying to touch bar further up sternum. Switched back to "normal" setup after 2nd set. FTR, I've had issues with my right clavicle since a car accident in 2012. OHP used to make it really mad, but I've had zero issues with it since I stopped OHP around October last year. If I move my right arm in a vertical circle you can see my right clavicle "pop" where it connects to my sternum.

Lower back and hamstrings felt surprisingly good this morning. Sleeping all the way through the night probably helped. Good session, actually felt like I was moving some weight around today.

[AaronM]

2/20/2018

MM W3D1 Hypertrophy
Using 1RM of: SQ 365, Bench 235, DL 335

- Bench (2m rest)
200x1@RPE 5-6? Felt good/fast
175 3x4 @RPE's 4-5
175 5x3 @RPE's 4-5
- CGBP
165x8 @RPE 8 (6 min rest)
- Squat (4m rest)
270 3x5 @RPE's 6-7?
270 4x4 @RPE's 5/7/7/7?
- Deadlift (2m rest)
245 5x2 @RPE ???

Notes: Bench felt decent today. Felt fried after 4th set of squats. I really hate squatting.

[AaronM]

2/22/18

Hanley W3D2

- Bench
135x5
165x2
185x1
205x1@rpe8?!? (judging by bar speed)
220x1@rpe9??? (6min rest)
220x1@rpe9? (3m rest)
195 3x2@rpe's 7/6/5-6? (3m rest)
- Deadlift
135x5
185x3
225x2
255x1
285x1
300x1@rpe6-7?
285 6x1 (1m rest)
- Bro Block (Baker Broceps)
BB Curls 72.5lb 3x8 (2m rest)
Conc. Curls 12lb 3x15 (no rest)

Notes: Bench looks horrible at 220 compared to 195. Deadlift wasn't hard, but not very snappy either. Ongoing allergy issues are leading to a bad cough (with phlegm), so I may have an upper respiratory infection, not sure. Didn't sleep too well last night because of coughing. Had several coughing fits during this morning's training.

[AaronM]

2/24/18

Hanley W3D3


194.2lb

- Squat
135x3/3
185x2/2
225x2/1
275x1/1
315x1@lol (7m rest)
345x1@6? (7m rest)
375x1@FAIL?!?!? (7m rest)
300 4x2@rpe's easy/5/5/5? (3m rest)
- Bench
135x5
165x2
185x1
205x1@rpe8?
217.5x1@FAIL?!?!?
197.5 6x2 @rpe's 7/7/6/6/6/5 (2m rest on all sets except last set, which was 3m)
- Deadlift
135x5
225x1
275x1
315x1@7?
335x1@8?

Notes: Horrible night of sleep. Allergy issues and coughing, plus trying to sleep on my side to not snore so I don't wake my wife up. Felt horrible when I woke up at 8 this morning, so I took a nap from 9-9:45. Ate, popped caffeine, allergy meds, and motrin, and felt a bit better. Squats were stupid easy while warming up. Felt like I could squat 315 all day long. 345 went up fast too. I decided to play it conservatively and just go for a 10lb pr, and I failed a couple inches out of the hole. This is getting really, really stupid. No mental blocks or anxiety prior to the 375 attempt, since I felt very confident after an easy 345. Entered a "lifting state of mind" while blasting heavy metal. I'll upload vids later.

Bench sucked too. Failed 217.5 even though I hit 220 just 2 days ago. Though, I'm not used to benching after squatting, so that may be a factor. 197.5 doubles flew up though. Last set felt like I had another 5 reps in the tank. Deadlift was meh, but I haven't been training it seriously in a long time.

Thinking about forking out some money to Hanley for a couple months so we can get all this figured out. Also need to call my doctor's office next week to see what my insurance situation is and try to get an in-home sleep study.

*** turn volume DOWN ***

[AaronM]

2/27/18

Hanley W4D1 Test Week

- Squat
225x1/1
275x1@low back pain
305x1@ quit 2" above parallel because my lower back hurt really bad
- Bench (3m rest)
200x2@rpe8.5?
200x2@8.5
200x2@9.5?!?
- Deadlift
Didn't attempt

Notes: Today sucked. I must have messed up my lower back somehow last training session, because it was hurting Sunday and Monday, especially while sitting or bending over.

[AaronM]

Skipped today's session, lower back still hurts. This is getting frustrating. Bad enough that I have no high-end strength for 1rm attempts, and now I can't lift at all today because my back still hurts.

[Wilhelm]

Sorry to hear this, @AaronM
Just take care of yourself.

[Hanley]

Skipped today's session, lower back still hurts. This is getting frustrating. Bad enough that I have no high-end strength for 1rm attempts, and now I can't lift at all today because my back still hurts.

Do pulls aggravate your back? Pretty sure you won't like the recommendation, but I think you should scrap back squats for a while and train front squats, pulls and presses in a hypertrophy-dedicated program.

[AaronM]

Skipped today's session, lower back still hurts. This is getting frustrating. Bad enough that I have no high-end strength for 1rm attempts, and now I can't lift at all today because my back still hurts.

Do pulls aggravate your back? Pretty sure you won't like the recommendation, but I think you should scrap back squats for a while and train front squats, pulls and presses in a hypertrophy-dedicated program.

I don't know, because I've been trying to get my squat up since summer of last year. I suck at front squats, would high bar be an acceptable temporary alternative? Are pulls (deadlifts?) any good with a hypertrophy focus? I thought I remember Jordan saying that deadlifts were no good for hypertrophy.

Maybe I should work on getting a much stronger lower back for a few months before hitting LBBS hard again? But I haven't really messed around with anything besides conventional deadlifts.

[cole]

Skipped today's session, lower back still hurts. This is getting frustrating. Bad enough that I have no high-end strength for 1rm attempts, and now I can't lift at all today because my back still hurts.

Do pulls aggravate your back? Pretty sure you won't like the recommendation, but I think you should scrap back squats for a while and train front squats, pulls and presses in a hypertrophy-dedicated program.

I don't know, because I've been trying to get my squat up since summer of last year. I suck at front squats, would high bar be an acceptable temporary alternative? Are pulls (deadlifts?) any good with a hypertrophy focus? I thought I remember Jordan saying that deadlifts were no good for hypertrophy.

Maybe I should work on getting a much stronger lower back for a few months before hitting LBBS hard again? But I haven't really messed around with anything besides conventional deadlifts.

good luck with your back, keep training, you are getting stronger even if it doesnt seem that way

[AaronM]

3/3/18

Hanley W4D3

194.2lb

- Bench (85% amrap of 235 e1rm)
200x7@rpe9.5 (e1RM=250)
3m rest between sets
185x6@8
175x6@8
165x6@7
155x8@8

- Deadlift
225x2
275x1
315x1@FAIL
*sharp pain in lower left spinal erector. Now my lower back hurts in extension, and is sore under flexion. Big mistake trying to deadlift today. Thought I was up for it, but I guess not. Lower back is getting spasms now. Ugh. Really, really regretting trying to deadlift today. Pain is sharp enough that I can't even put away the 25lb plates that are on the floor. No bueno

[AaronM]

Taking muscle relaxers and motrin. Muscles around my spine feel really tense, and had a hard time getting out of bed this morning. Can't bend over very far without pain. Ugh.

EDIT - @Austin suggested I get back under the bar today and walk around. Did front squats, high bar squats, OHP, and RDLs with a pvc pipe, that was fine except for the RDLs. Moved up to an empty BB, everything felt good except RDLs. Low back muscles hurt more with 45lb than with just the PVC doing RDLs.

Still not sure why my low back got such sharp pain 2" off the ground with a 315 deadlift warmup yesterday. Also not too sure if my low back "tweaks" are related to too much fatigue (high volume squats), poor recovery (possible sleep apnea, need to get tested soon), poor technique with LBBS, or some combination of the above. I'll fool around with front squats, high bar squats, and pin squats a hair above parallel this week to see how my lower back tolerates them.

[AaronM]

3/6/2018

Tuesday

- Front Squat (60s rest)
45x8
45x8
95x8
95x8
135 4x3
- Bench, slight pause (60-90s rest)
95x8
135x8
150x6/6/6/5
135x7
- db flyes 15lb x15/15
- HB Squat (90s rest)
95x6
135 6x6
- Inc db curls 25lb x8/8/8
- BB Curls 65x10, 60x10, 55x10
- tri-ext 55lb 3x15
- Rack Pull snatch grip, at knees (1m rest)
135x8
185 3x6
- Shrugs 135 x12/15

Notes: Lower back still agitated, so taking it conservatively. Front squats suck. High bar bar placement is difficult to figure out. Bench felt off, because I wasn't arching hard. Big arch = low back agitation. Lots of novel stresses today, so we'll see how my body feels tomorrow.

I'm going to apply to SAFD (fire department), so making some programming changes. Gonna start working on pullups, pushups, and situps on non-lifting days. Need to start jogging soon...

[AaronM]

3/7/18

Pushups 3x10
Pullups 10 singles
Leg/back/glute stretches. Glute stretches on the left side hurt like crazy, which seem related to my lower back pain.

Gonna start walking to class instead of using the bus. Figure that's better preparation for when I do start running...

[AaronM]

3/8/18 (65min session)

194.2lb

- Med-grip Inc Bench 60 deg.
95x6/6/8/8/8 (90s rest)
- Inc db flyes 15 2x15
- Seated db OHP (elbow flared, db touching shoulders, 90s rest)
20x14
25x10
30 2x8
- Pin SQ, pins@parallel
185 4x4 (2m rest)
- BB Rows 45 deg underhand
95x8/10/12/12
- Hammer Curls w/Fgz 15 3x12 (60s rest)
- Lunges 2x8 forward, 2x8 reverse
- Situps x20, rev crunch x10, abs cramped...

Notes: Back feels good today. Haven't done most of these variations in a while. Back started to get agitated at the bottom of the pin squats, so I took it easy. Couldn't bend over more than 45 deg without making my back mad on bb rows. Lunges agitated my left knee, not sure what's up with that. Abs cramped after just 2 sets, so I'm going to start doing situps a lot more frequently. Thinking about doing pushups, pullups, situps 3x/week on days I'm not lifting.

This change in training is kind of nice. Almost fun to do new things and only rest 60-90s. I could get used to this.

[AaronM]

Circuits of pullups, pushups, situps, planks.

Pullups 3x1, 3x1, 3x1, x3
Pushups x12/12/12/30
Situps x20/20/20/25
Planks 4x20-25s (no bueno)

I think I may start doing the above^ at the end of my training sessions, and on 3 non lifting days work on running, conditioning work, GPP, etc.

[augeleven]

Glad to see things on up and up and good luck with the new plan!

Almost fun to do new things and only rest 60-90s. I could get used to this.

resting longer than 2 minutes sucks. How did I ever wait 8 minutes between sets?

[AaronM]

Glad to see things on up and up and good luck with the new plan!

Almost fun to do new things and only rest 60-90s. I could get used to this.

resting longer than 2 minutes sucks. How did I ever wait 8 minutes between sets?

It's all about the LP. You gotta start with resting 1-2 minutes, and gradually work your way to 10 minutes of rest between sets. Eventually, you might even rest a day between sets, but that's for advanced lifters.

[AaronM]

3/10/2018

Saturday

- Front Squat (90s rest)
135x3
145x3
155x3
165 3x3@rpe6-7 (pr?)
- CGBP (90s rest)
95x5
135x5
155 x10/6/6/4 @rpe 8/8/8/9
- OHP TnG (60s rest)
65 x10/10/10/12
- LBBS 3-1-3 Temp (2m rest)
185 3x4 (stupid difficult)
- SG Rack pull, beltless, below knee (2m rest)
185 x6/8/8
- Fgz hammer curls 12lb 3x15
- Shrugs 135 x15/15/15
"Finisher"
- 30lb db swings x20/20

Notes: back is feeling a lot better, still stiff in the morning, and feels a bit off when LBBS. Slowly increasing ROM on rack pulls till I'm doing them from the floor. I kind of like short rest times, but it really messes with how many reps I can do. Should lower the weight slightly to adjust for this on CGBP.

[AaronM]

Took kids to the park after church. Ran around the soccer/football field in 2:20, twice. Figured I was running about 7.5 mph, so the track should be about 1/4 mile. Lungs and shins weren't happy after about 90 seconds, so I'm gonna slowly work on getting my body used to this. Keeping that pace for 12 minutes is going to suck.

Quick circuit of pullups, pushups, situps.

Pullups 3x1, 3x1, 3x1, x3
Pushups x14/14/14/30
Crunches x21/21/21/30