Veni, vidi, levavi, BenM Blathers

[slowmotion]

Sorry for not paying attention, but what happened to the hamstrings? Man that sucks!

Re warm-up, after my hamstring problems I adopted the warm-up procedure described by Drs Baraki and Feigenbaum in The Bridge,
five by five with the empty bar every minute on the minute. I do that on the first lift of the day.
The first two sets are usually horrible, but then it gets better, and by the fifth set I feel ready to start loading the bar.

[BenM]

That’s alright @slowmotion - I didn’t really go into detail. So pulling sumo really hits my outer hamstrings in a way I’m not used to. I didn’t warm up much before I pulled those sets of eight last Saturday and my knees and hip were popping and stuff when doing them, thought nothing of it at the time but my right hamstring pulled up very sore (more than just DOMs) the next day. It’s been a week now and it’s still not great - it’s weird actually, the strain is central but it affects the whole leg, like I’m getting a sore butt cheek on that side when I sit more than 5 minutes.

That sounds like a good warmup plan to me for most things. Normally a couple of sets with the empty bar is all I do but deadlifts are a bit different - I usually do at least a couple of light sets (like 80kg) before bumping the weight up, for some reason I rushed it that day. Also my body isn’t fully accustomed to sumo deads yet. Between those two things I got bit on the bum. Almost literally.

I could probably squat if I had to, as I don’t think I get much hamstring engagement from that anyway. But will play it safe a bit longer.

I spoke to a couple of coaches about online coaching this week too. Thought I was ready to commit but don’t want to now until I feel fully fit.

[BenM]

Sat 03/02/18: Hamstring rehab / quads

Hamstring Curls:
50x5kg
50x5kg

Leg Extensions:
50kgx15, 6, 6, 5, 5, 5
50kgx13, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6
Myoreps, 90secs between the two sets

Sun 04/02/18: Bench Volume

Food yesterday: 2495 kcal

Activity yesterday: 10.6k steps on the Fitbit, but probably more like 12.5k since it died suddenly during a big walk

Sleep last night: 7 hrs 30 mins - 58 mins awake

AM BW: 71.6kg (-0.1kg from yesterday)

3 Count Pause Bench Press:
5x20kg
5x20kg
5x40kg
5x55kg @ 8?
5x55kg @ 9?!
4x5x50kg @ 7.5, 7, 7.5, 7

Close Grip Spoto Bench Press:
8x40kg @ too easy
8x45kg @ still a bit easy - 7.5?
4x8x47.5kg @ 8, 8, 7.5, 7.5
3 min rests

Seated High Cable Rows (with pause on chest):
10x30kg too easy
11x35kg miscounted, and @tough
10x35kgx10 still @tough
2x10x35kg @8 with a plate on my lap and better setup

Rolling Dumbell Tricep Extensions:
10x17.5lbs / side way too light
13x22.5lbs / side thought this was 15, video says I can't count
12x22.5lbs / side
2x15x20lbs / side

Long video for a long workout:

Notes:
- Average weight is up .2kg this week, right on track. Went for a 40 min walk this arvo and can walk pretty briskly without hamstring pain now (though going up any more than a slight gradient is still a bit awkward). So it's definitely improved a bit, gonna keep doing these high rep curls and maybe do some heavier squats later this week to see how it feels - I think squatting is probably pretty low risk anyway.
- Long session today with some new movements. It was interesting - the paused benching was supposed to be @ 7 but I overshot a bit. The spoto press was subbed in for board presses - may have stopped too low. It all took almost 100 minutes, but I was doing some IT work remotely in between sets and taking my time a bit. Anyway, was a good session, high volume but not high intensity, hopefully I can put a couple of kilos on my bench while the leg is sorting itself out. Hope everyone has a great weekend and great training.

[BenM]

Mon 05/02/18: Back / Biceps

Food yesterday: 2532 kcal

Activity yesterday: 12.1k steps

Sleep last night: 6 hrs 50 mins - 41 mins awake

AM BW: 71.4kg (-0.2kg from yesterday)

Barbell Rows:
3x10x50kg
3x10x47.5kg
2 min rests

Rack Pulls:
8x100kg
2x8x120kg
Bar sitting on top of patella

Lat Pulldowns:
12x40kg bit easy
3x12x45kg bit more challenging

Reverse Dumbbell Flys:
3x15x12.5lbs / side
15x10lbs / side drop set

Hamstring Curls:
3x50x5kgs rehab work - supersetted with

Seated Bicep Curls:
8x30lbs / side
8x27.5lbs / side - lefty gave out after 7
10x25lbs / side plus 5, 4, 4, 3, 3 myoreps

No video

Notes:
- Ugh. Felt exhausted before starting tonight. Rows were OK, hamstring felt a bit tweaky after the third set so backed off the weight a bit, and went light (and pulled from very high) with the rack pulls. Pretty good session in 62 mins, just hope I haven't made the hammy worse. Biceps were fairly pumped up by the end. Looking forward to a rest day tomorrow - have a good one all!

[BenM]

Wed 07/02/18: Bench specialisation, W1 D2

Food yesterday: 2552 kcal

Activity yesterday: 11.7k steps

Sleep last night: 7 hrs 39 mins - 44 mins awake

AM BW: 71.9kg (+0.5kg from yesterday)

Front Squats (with straps):
5x20kg
5x20kg
5x40kg
3x5x60kg @ 7 or so

Bench Press:
5x20kg
5x20kg
20x42.5kg

Feet Up Bench Press:
2x20x40kg @ 8.5, 9.5

Tricep Pressdowns (rope):
9x5kg too light
4x40x7.5kg holy tricep explosion batman

Lat Pulldowns:
20x30kg bit light
3x20x35kg

Some footage:

Notes:
- Front squats were an effort to do some light squatting without hitting the hamstring too much. Probably didn't do much, could have just done leg extensions. Felt mostly OK, didn't hurt any worse anyhow.
- Knew I was supposed to bench 2x20 but forgot it was supposed to be feet up, so did 2 more sets anyway. Then some high volume light accy work. Apparently the goal was to get a pump (not mucking about, the program actually says that). Mission accomplished. Nice quick session, bang on an hour. Really, I wish every session was 60 minutes. Have a great night all.

[Wilhelm]

Here's to developing a sick bench, @BenMbro.

[BenM]

Here's to developing a sick bench, @BenMbro.

Yep. Same to you mate.

I had a mad pump after that session and I was still feeling it yesterday. Realised I actually liked it. Being injured at least is giving me the opportunity to try some new stuff, and get some ideas about future plans. Magic 8 ball is seeing some more hypertrophy work in my future.

Fri 09/02/18: Bench specialisation, W1 D3

Food yesterday: 2649 kcal

Activity yesterday: 12.8k steps

Sleep last night: 7 hrs 40 mins - 51 mins awake

AM BW: 71.9kg (+0.1kg from yesterday)

Overhead Press:
5x20kg
5x20kg
5x35kg
2x45kg @ 8ish overwarmup
8x38.5kg @ 8
8x37.5kg @ 7.5 didn't rest long enough
8x37.5kg @ 7
8x37.5kg @ 7.5
5 min rests

Push Press:
8x37.5kg on no rest @ 10

Spoto Bench Press (1 sec pause):
5x20kg
5x20kg
5x45kg
6x55kg @ 9
6x55kg @ 9
6x55kg @ 9
6x55kg @ 9.5
4ish min rests

Dumbbell Bench Press:
25x25lbs / side - bit light - called it a warmup set
25x27.5lbs / side @ harder
25x27.5lbs / side @ challenging by the end
2 min rests

Chest Supported Rows (5 second pause):
4x8 x 32.5 lbs / side
2 min rests

Tricep Pressdowns (straight bar):
2x15x25kgs
2x15x22.5kgs
2 min rests

Video of all the work sets is here:

Notes:
- Afternoon training, w00t.
- OHP was supposed to be RPE7, overshot a tiny bit. Not quite sure what the single set of push press was intended to achieve, but did it anyway.
- Bench was good. Working on setup based on feedback from the couch (shown on first set on video). Felt a lot tighter under the bar and a bit more archy.
- Mucho pump from the accessory work. Yowsers. Took 80mins all up, was a good session. Enjoy your weekend, peeps

[BenM]

Sun 11/02/18: Squat + Bench specialisation, W2 D1

Food yesterday: 2531 kcal

Activity yesterday: 13.2k steps

Sleep last night: 7 hrs 56 mins - 50 mins awake

AM BW: 71.3kg (-0.1kg from yesterday)

Squat:
5x20kg
5x20kg
5x45kg
5x65kg
--- Belt on (6th hole) ---
5x85kg
3x105kg @ 7
1x115kg @ 8
5x100kg @ 8ish
5x100kg @ 8ish
5 min rests

^3 Count Pause Bench Press:
5x20kg
5x20kg
5x40kg
5x57.5kg @ 8.5
5x57.5kg @ 8
5x57.5kg @ 8.5
5x57.5kg @ 8.5
5x57.5kg @ 8.5
4ish min rests
^May not always have been 3 count

⁺Close Grip Spoto Bench Press:
6x52.5kg @ 7.5
6x52.5kg @ 8
6x52.5kg @ 8
6x52.5kg @ 8
6x52.5kg @ 8
3ish min rests
⁺May have forgotten to stop above chest a couple of times

*Seated High Cable Rows (with pause on chest):
5x8x40kg

*Rolling Dumbell Tricep Extensions:
5x12x22.5lbs / side

*Supersetted last two movements, 3 min rests

Filmed it. You even get to see the first accessory superset:

Notes:
- Average calories/weight last week: 2609 / 71.69kg; this week: 2566 / 71.59kg. First week in a while I haven't gained a little weight, better try harder this week. I did kinda back off a bit food wise since since I haven't really been doing any lower body training but apparently the upper body volume was plenty.
- Wanted to test out the hamstring, see how it felt squatting, and start greasing the groove a bit at least. Hit a top single around 85% and some back off work. I got a little off centre in the hole on the single and really hit the bad side hard driving out, and definitely gave it a stretch, but it didn't feel bad enough afterwards to stop me doing the back off sets. Feels tight now, will have to see how it pulls up later but I'm feeling more confident I'll be able to do some moderate weights at the seminar next weekend. Still have a question mark over deadlifting.
- Benching was supposed to be RPE8, was near enough. Might have been fatigued from squats too. Definitely getting more of a stretch in my chest (and less tricep) now my setup is a bit higher. May have gone a little light on the close grip stuff, but triceps still felt like they'd done some work.
- Supersetted the last two movements. Almost 30 minutes of squatting before the actual programmed lifting makes for a long session. Had to eat something partway through. Was lifting for 1hr 45mins, but I don't mind that on a Sunday. Hope y'all have a great day

[Wilhelm]

I saw Alan Thrall vis an Instagram "story" counting three for a lifter in his gym.
It was a shot of the lifter and his hand. he counted 1,2,3 with three different fingers once the bar had touched the lifter's chest..
I actually saw that quite clearly in my head today on each of my 3 count reps.
Watched them back and they were all plenty long.

Hope your hammy keeps getting better.

[BenM]

I saw Alan Thrall vis an Instagram "story" counting three for a lifter in his gym.
It was a shot of the lifter and his hand. he counted 1,2,3 with three different fingers once the bar had touched the lifter's chest..
I actually saw that quite clearly in my head today on each of my 3 count reps.
Watched them back and they were all plenty long.

Hope your hammy keeps getting better.

Good stuff! You gotta force yourself to hold the pause especially if they’re heavy. I just don’t wanna cheat myself. The RX in my programming is actually a 3 second pause but I’m definitely not getting that....

Me too. Feeling a little tight after lifting today. Hopefully I haven’t pushed too hard too early.

[BenM]

Tue 13/02/18: Bench specialisation, W2 D2

Food yesterday: 2583 kcal

Activity yesterday: 11.7k steps

Sleep last night: 7 hrs 6 mins - 35 mins awake

AM BW: 71.4kg (+0.1kg from yesterday)

Morning Cardio:
Assault Bike: 20 mins LISS, 9.84 km, 140 kcal, ave HR 105 BPM

Evening Lifting:
Deadlift:
5x60kg
5x60kg
Nup. Hamstring is getting aggro.

Feet Up Bench Press:
10x20kg
10x20kg
20x42.5kg @ 9
20x42.5kg @ 9.5
20x42.5kg @ 10

Tricep Pressdowns (rope):
4x40x8kg
3 min rests

Lat Pulldowns:
4x20x36.25kg
2 min rests

Dumbbell Flyes:
2x20x25lbs / side
1x15, 1x5 x 25lbs / side (rest/pause)
2 min rests

*Leg Extensions:
12x55kg plus 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 myoreps
15x55kg plus 6, 5, 5, 5, 5 myoreps

*Seated Dumbbell Curls:
15x25lbs / side plus 5, 5, 5 myoreps
15x25lbs / side plus 4+F, 4, 4, 3 myoreps

*Supersetted last two movements

Only filmed the benching. Couldn't be bothered with the rest:

Notes:
- Tried out the hamstring on the bike this morning. Felt great afterwards - no issues. Tried it out tonight with some very light deadlifts. Not happening. After some discussion today with a knowlegeable person in the BBC, now thinking it's more like tendinitis than an actual strain, which makes it more insidious perhaps. Might have to try to rest it more (ie walk less) and see if that helps.
- Bench form was pretty all over the show by the end. Tired. But I got all the RX'd stuff done in about 45 mins so kept on going with the pump work. Might have got a bit carried away because it took 78 minutes all up. So much for a short session - feelin' pretty swole though. Have a great night all!

[BenM]

Thu 15/02/18: Bench specialisation, W2 D3

Food yesterday: 2551 kcal

Activity yesterday: 11.5k steps

Sleep last night: 6 hrs 54 mins - 56 mins awake

AM BW: 72.1kg (+0.7kg from yesterday)

Morning Cardio:
Assault Bike: 20 mins LISS, 10.51 km, 165 kcal, ave HR 112 BPM

Evening Lifting:
Overhead Press:
5x20kg
5x20kg
5x35kg
2x47.5kg @ 9? overwarmup
8x41.5kg @ 10 (8 rep PR, +0.5kg)
8x41.5kg @ 10 with too much layback
8x40kg @ 9.5
8x40kg @ 10 layback again

Push Press:
5x40kg on about 30 secs rest

Spoto Bench Press (1 sec pause):
5x20kg
5x20kg
5x45kg
6x56kg @ 9.5
6x56kg @ 9
6x56kg @ 9.5
6x56kg @ 10
6x56kg @ 9 (setup better)
4 min rests

Dumbbell Bench Press:
20x30lbs / side @ 7 whoops, went too light first up again
20x32.5lbs / side @ 8.5 yeah that's better
20x32.5lbs / side @ 9
2 min rests

*Chest Supported Rows (5 second pause at top):
4x6x35 lbs / side

*Tricep Pressdowns (straight bar):
1x12x30kgs too heavy - last one was super shouldery
3x12x26.25kgs

*Supersetted last two movements; 2 min rests

Footage of main lifts:

Notes:
- Not sure if it was the Naproxen I took last night or the bike work, but the hamstring felt noticeably better this morning. About 80% pain free maybe. It certainly wasn't the sleep, last night was absolutely shithouse. Anyway, better keep doing both.
- Felt like shit tonight. Overdid it on the pump stuff the other day, still a bit DOMSey and what with the sleep and a couple of work things, tonight was tough. Went for a tiny press PR anyway, was actually surprised to squeeze out two sets but definitely wouldn't have had a third so backed it off. Push press was horrible. No gas left. Seriously thought about just doing the spoto bench then pulling the pin at that point.
- Anyway, got through it all, though it took 86 minutes. Hopefully I can recover from this before Saturday. Have a great night, all!

[BenM]

So yesterday I flew over to Melbourne for a training camp with Jordan Feigenbaum and Tom Campitelli from Barbell Medicine. They went through the coaching progression for squat / press / deadlift with us (in that order) and then did a Q & A afterwards (which unfortunately I had to miss, as I had to get back to the airport for dinner and my flight home).

There were about a dozen of us there of varying experience levels. Most of us had been lifting for a while, but it varied a lot - there was a 73 year old lady just starting out (see photo Jordan posted below), a guy who was only a couple of months into his novice LP, then there was an 18 year old guy who looked pretty jacked and was pretty easily pumping out 160kg squats like they were warmups, and everything in between - I was one of the weakest there, naturally. But who gives a shit. We got split into 2 groups, I ended up in the group that had Tom coach us on squat and deadlift, and Jordan on the press, and we all worked up to three sets of five at a moderately challenging work weight.

I ended up going much lighter on squats than I planned, as the bar was moving pretty slowly - but then since I've only squatted once in the last 4 weeks and I'm still nursing this hamstring, that probably wasn't a bad thing. The take homes for me were that my upper back is a bit soft and collapsing in the hole (which a few people have already tried to help me with) and I have a tendency to get on my toes coming out of the hole (also true). The cue for me there is to stay really tight and think 'knees back' when I start the ascent; I also have to make sure to setup the same way every time and not make adjustments. But even compared to some of the stronger and more experienced guys there, my squat definitely wasn't the worst going around, which was pleasing considering I've never had any in person help.

Pressing was kindof an unknown quantity, as I've been pressing mainly 1.0 ever since I started - tried 2.0 a couple of times but never really stuck with it. Jordan coached us on the style he uses now which I think is more like 3.0 - a hip thrust, which drops the bar and gives you a bit of bounce off the chest to start the movement. I was fairly happy with how this went - even though I was only pressing 40kg for sets of five at about RPE9, I seemed to pick the movement up pretty quick compared to some of the others (a couple of guys were really struggling with getting the timing right). I didn't need a lot of coaching after the first set, so maybe I'm not as much of a motor moron as I thought. The main points for me here were that my grip needed to come in a lot from how I'd been pressing previously, and I need to keep my elbows in tight and forward of the bar. I struggled with a couple of reps that got out in front of me but for a first effort pressing that way I was stoked and I quite like doing it that way. Will probably train that way for the next few press workouts, if it means I might lift more weight it's worth trying.

Deadlifting was also very light, in fact I bailed on the actual work set as time was running out and my hamstring was getting sore from the last warmup - I didn't want to risk it further. Going into this day, my deadlift was probably the lift I was most concerned about due to my inability to flatten my t-spine. I bought my Chucks specifically for the deadlift but interestingly Tom got me to change back into my heels for this - I forgot to ask why. Anyway - he said what I've suspected for a while, that my upper back is never going to get totally flat. I just have to work on keeping the whole thing rigid during the pull and not letting it flex under load So I guess lots more back work is on the radar (I guess I've been doing lots of it anyway) - it will also help my squat. But aside from that, I was managing to get into a good position and looked ok (though I only got to like 55% of my 1RM).

Anyway that was about the end of my day, I grabbed an Uber for the airport just as they were about to start the Q&A. But I left feeling pretty reassured that my form is not terrible, inspired by what some of the other folks were achieving, and glad that I made the trip even though I was maybe a bit apprehensive about it beforehand. Tom and Jordan are both very good, patient coaches, particularly Tom (who had one or two trainees that were struggling to follow directions) and I got a fair bit of good info from it. If you ever have the opportunity to go to something like this I'd highly recommend it.

Here's a photo of Jordan coaching the aforementioned 73 year old:

[BenM]

Sun 18/02/18: Bench specialisation, W3 D1

Food yesterday: 2463 kcal

Activity yesterday: 11.5 steps

Sleep last night: 6 hrs 48 mins - 47 mins awake

AM BW: 71.6kg (-0.2kg from yesterday)

Comp Bench:
5x20kg
5x20kg
5x45kg
2x60kg @ 7
3x67.5kg @ 10 FFS
3x65kg @ 9
3x65kg @ 9
4 min rests

Close Grip Spoto Bench Press:
12x45kg @ 7.5
12x47.5kg @ 8?
12x47.5kg @ 8.5?
12x47.5kg @ 9?
3 min rests

Seated High Cable Rows (with pause on chest):
3x12x35kg
2 min rests

Rolling Dumbell Tricep Extensions:
1x25x17.5lbs / side too easy
2x25x20lbs / side challenging
1x16, 1x6, 4x4 x 20lbs / side myorep style
2 min rests

Just the benching:

Notes:
- Average weight is up .1kg this week, but not sure how much of that is bloat from the NSAIDs so gonna stick with the macros I'm on for now.
- Not much to report really, except I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a bus. Nutrition was a bit off yesterday because of the training camp, and while I didn't really do any really tough work sets, it was still a fairly big day, and I had an early start with parenting duties this morning. Anyway - had three coffees, got into the gym anyway. Mercifully this was pretty low volume and I got through it in 67 minutes. Now I gotta go eat fuckloads of food.

[Cellist]

Thanks for the write-up. I hope the hamstring gets better soon.

[Jugrock]

Glad you learned and had a good time. I met Tom at an SS seminar I attended and also found him very easy to work with. He was my press instructor. I hope your hamstring heals soon.

[slowmotion]

Good to hear you had a good time and learned useful stuff!

[GrizzlyAdam]

Nice! I'm glad you found it helpful. My upper back doesn't quite straighten, either. I just try to get the lower back straight, and keep everything locked in place.

[BenM]

Thanks fellas. I probably wouldn't have written it up like that except for GrizzlyAdam's suggestion, but I'm glad I did now, if it helps me to remember the things I've gotta work on and maybe gives others who are considering going some idea of what to expect.

[BenM]

Tue 20/02/18: Bench specialisation, W3 D2

Food yesterday: 2424 kcal

Activity yesterday: 12.2 steps

Sleep last night: 7 hrs 24 mins - 53 mins awake

AM BW: 72.2kg (no change from yesterday)

Feet Up Bench Press:
10x20kg
10x20kg
20x45kg @ 9.5 (err PR, he says, sheepishly)
20x45kg @ 10
20x45kg @ 10 - last few reps were butt off bench awful.
4 min rests

Tricep Push Downs (rope):
Myoreps - 10kg x 36, 8, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10
(RX said 1xAMRAP set, with no guidance on rep range)

Lat Pull Downs:
Myoreps - 40kg x 25, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
(RX said 1xAMRAP set, with no guidance on rep range)

Notes:
- Feeling tired, sore, grumpy and depressed. Heart really wasn't in this tonight, so while I'd normally throw some extra pump stuff into this lighter day, I just did what was in the RX and no more. Only took 31 minutes. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
- Thinking a low stress week next week might be a good idea. Hamstring might be fully sorted by the end of that too. Then I can reapply myself with vigour.