Reactive Training Systems

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Reactive Training -> Training Logs -> BobW's Log
Post Info TOPIC: BobW's Log
BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
The week in review; GPP
Permalink   

The good news is that I'm feeling much better; my appetite finally came back with a vengeance yesterday, I'm not that beat up, sleep is getting better, and I'm actually feeling recovered.

I'm not sure if this is good or bad:  just before Christmas, my weight was hovering between 275 and 280; now, it's hovering between 260 and 265.  The mirror shows me that I'm a bit leaner, clothes are all looser.  Strength seems OK; might be down a little bit, but it's tough to separate the weight loss from feeling so beat up.

Next week will be telling.  I'm looking forward to it.

I did OK with this deload week.   It turned into a pretty stressful time, with the missing dog, and all the hiking / focus I put into finding her.  But then combine that with a punted lifting session, and it probably balances out to a decent deload.

The only thing I'm worried about is my left forearm:  it's hurting pretty badly today.

Update:  GPP Session

40 minute hike, river route, with the dogs.

Feeling pretty good, a little bit tired, but not sore, and not ill-tempered at all.  Been going over next week's lifting, practicing some visualization, and getting the routine nailed down in my little brain.



-- Edited by BobW at 14:51, 2009-01-25

-- Edited by BobW at 23:57, 2009-01-25

__________________
Sponsored by Zak Performance Health
BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
ART/Chiro & GPP
Permalink   

(P)Rehab:  The first ART/Chiro session of the "double-double" experiment, in which I'm going to have 2 double sessions each week instead of one double session weekly. 
I can't even begin to accurately list everything Doc Zak hit today.  Started with hammies and adductors, then vastus, hip flexors (left was extremely tight), hip rotators (right was tighter), QL/obliques, neck, a whole bunch of work on the left forearm, which feels much better, a neck adjustment, and spinal decompression on the flexion/distraction table.
All in all, a top-notch session, and I'm convinced that this will help speed my recovery.
GPP:  35 minute hike with the dogs, the normal river route.  Hips felt quite mobile tonight, everything seemed to be moving easily.
I'm feeling pretty darned rested and recovered.  Looking forward to kicking the snot out of training tomorrow.


__________________
Sponsored by Zak Performance Health
BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
Session 9
Permalink   

Cambered Bar 1/2 Squats, 200c:  1x3x290/9;1x3x270/9
  • Did something like 5 warmup sets on teh runup
  • Came close to squatting 500 - heck, might as well call it that, given that I don't really know what the chains weight, lol
  • Had the thought that I'm calculating drop-weight wrong.  I'm ignoring the 200lbs of chains when I do the calc; if I would include those, my drop weight would have been in the 455 region - might have grunted out another set
  • low back was the weak point

Strict Log Press: 1x6x120;2x4x120;1x4x140;1x4x160/9;3x4x150/9

  • Everything felt good here

Farmer Step up to 13" platform: 1x6x45/hand;x95;x115/9;1x6x105/9

  • Leading with right leg is more difficult.  Not sure why yet, but have a sneaking suspicion it's tied into something with the left hip flexor
  • Low back was the big weak point on these - very fatigued

RDL: 1x6x135,185,225,275/9,255/9

  • Guess the weak point?  Low back!
  • Didn't really feel these a lot in hammies/glutes, low back was so painful that it blocked out everthing else

Total Training Time: 120 minutes

A good session; felt a little tired / moody going into it, but great during and afterwards.

Post-Training GPP: got out for a 35 minute hike with the puppies.



__________________
Sponsored by Zak Performance Health
Mike Tuchscherer


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 880
Date:
RE: BobW's Log
Permalink   

No, you're doing the drop off correctly. Think of the chains as making it a different exercise.
How's the back feeling?

__________________
BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
Permalink   

Mike Tuchscherer wrote:

No, you're doing the drop off correctly. Think of the chains as making it a different exercise.
How's the back feeling?



Thanks.

Back is about where I'd anticipate:  tightness / stiffness in lumbar region, probably more from hips and hammies/adductors pulling on it b/c they're tight from training.  Nothing unexpected.



__________________
Sponsored by Zak Performance Health
BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
GPP
Permalink   

Life 1, Training 0.

Got home to 14" of nice, dense, wet snow down.

Snow Shovelling

Session 1:  1h13m
Ave HR: 131
Max HR 145

Session 2: 1h30m
Ave HR: 125
Max HR: 143

Session 3:  0h30m
Ave HR: 123
Max HR: 136

Done back to back to back, taking a break only to change socks and stuff some food / Gatorade + whey in my piehole.

Got the entire 100 yd driveway cleared.  I cranked.  No way a snowblower could keep up with me.

Taking a much deserved break, and will do some restoration stuff in a little bit.

Stretching
Well, I was right:  tightness in hips and legs was a major contributor to lumbar region tightness / soreness.  Stretched hammies, adductors, glutes, hip flexors - all very tight, but hip flexors especially so.  Hammies a little sore while stretching.  With everything relaxed, low back feels much better.

Off to bed.



-- Edited by BobW at 01:42, 2009-01-29

__________________
Sponsored by Zak Performance Health
BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
Session 10
Permalink   

Kind of stiff /sore /tight today, more than I'd like.  I think all the snow shovelling yesterday did me in.  So, I warmed up with a little snow shovelling, figured hit the same tight muscles a bit, then moved onto dynamic stretching, and then the bar complex - which was nearly a complete fiasco on the OHP components.  Had to really spend some extra time and focus to loosen up for these.
Axle Clean & Press (+50c):1x2x75,125,145. 1x2x154/9;3x2x144/9
  • Hardest part was the clean
  • Chains definitely teach me to drive, drive, drive
  • Pretty hard on the left forearm

Conventional DL (+100c) 1x2x135,225,315,405. 1x2x457/9;1x2x427/8.5

  • Tried not to go to my special place and get overly psyched
  • Lockouts were hard with teh chain weight; hopefully the judge was lenient
  • Bobby likey

Tarp Bar DL: 1x6x135,225,315,405,455.  1x6x497/9;1x6x457/9

  • Out of room on the bar - dropped too much weight, but didn't have space for other plates
  • Used straps
  • Came up smooth as silk, great lockouts

DB Flies (+red bands, 3 sec hold at top): 1x6x25,30. 1x6x35/9;1x6x32.5/8

  • Starting to get stronger on these, right on schedule

Total Training Time: 150min, whew.

Overall, a great session.  A little weak on axle cleans, need a lot of work on technique here.  DL's loosened me up nicely, feel much better post-training.


Left forearm is still a bit painful.

Going to skip dog-walking tonight.  Got plenty of conditioning last night, have a sick dog tonight, and I spent too much time in the gym - it's close to bedtime.



__________________
Sponsored by Zak Performance Health
BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
ART/Chiro & GPP
Permalink   

Tired today; slept well enough last night, but...tired. 

Not terribly sore:  have a little bit of soreness here and there, but nothing like yesterday.

Another stellar session with Doc Zak, and, I should mention, his assistant Beth.

Beth gets the thankless task of figuring out how pick and move my legs through complete ROM while Doc gets on the hip flexors & hip rotators with all the tension he can bring.

Hit hammies, adductors, quads, hip flexors / rotators, neck adjustment, left forearm, obliques, flexion/distraction table for spinal decompression.

There's probably more that I'm forgetting, but it all kind of blurs together into one big, massive, release of pain and a heavenly dose of mobility.

I'm counting that session as (p)rehab

Got home, shovelled snow for 15 minutes, then got the puppies out for a hike.

We covered our normal 2.2mile course, took us 50 minutes, snow up to my knees most of the way, breaking trail.  I didn't strap on the HRM, but I'm guessing I averaged 145.   Peak wasn't that much higher, it was slow & steady tonight.

I'm done.  I'm counting that hike as my GPP for the day.

Now comes food.


-- Edited by BobW at 23:05, 2009-01-30

__________________
Sponsored by Zak Performance Health
BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
Session 11
Permalink   

Left adductor was a little crampy this morning; took a hot bath, that didn't help.  Decided to spend some extra time warming up, probably did a 45 minute warmup: snow shovelling, light DL, bar complex. 
Incline Press: 2x6x135;1x6x185;1x2x225/10;1x5x205/10;1x6x185/9
  • Probably didn't do the best job of finding the perfect drop weight
  • Problems holding a good bar path
Pulldowns: 1x6x45,100,150/9;3x6x125/8
Doesn't seem like much weight in retrospect, but it felt heavy - and this is about the range I can do on my pulldown
Farmer DL: 1x3x135,225,275/9;1x3x255/8
  • 275/hand was pretty hard
  • 255/hand felt like a picnic until the 3rd rep
  • Felt in lower back a little bit
Stone to 50": 1x5x220/9;1x3x220/9
  • Having training partners means instant ball return, and little rest between reps
  • I felt stronger on 2nd set, but endurance was gone
  • PR for me here - all reps cleanly over the bar.
  • Key technique point: get lower in the lapping position, putting the breastbone under the center of the mass, and put ass into the lift
Total Training Time: 165 min (including long warmup)
Another simply awesome session.  Had 2 partners today, we basically rotated through the work, so timing was about right.
The week
A big week.  Lots of heavy deadlifting.  I've felt pretty good all week, with the exception of Thursday, beat up from snow shovelling the night before.  Put in about 7 hours of conditioning work.
I'm feeling stronger and in better condition than I ever have.  Things are starting to pull together quite nicely.  The weights that I'm using during training were not all that long ago unthinkable.
Two days a week of ART/chiro is helping.  We get two times to run through my core trouble areas: hips, hammies, etc. and some time to address other issues (injuries, etc).  It's only money, and I can't take it with me when I go...
Had some spare time this morning, so I started working on mental recovery technique.  Started with some basic deep breathing exercises, and did them in the hot tub.  I think I'm going to try to incorporate that into recovery days, see if there's any help.
Did some research online, and discovered a couple other things to try:  progressive muscle relaxation, and the emotional freedom technique.
I think I have visualization rolling pretty well.  I know with deadlifting, I can "feel" the bar, and I actually start to get amped up when I practice visualization with this exercise.  Any coincidence that DL is one of my best movements? 
Last but not least:  sometime around Wed, my bodyweight climbed up to the 270lb region.  But I think I'm leaner overall - a couple people have said something to me about my shoulders this past week.


__________________
Sponsored by Zak Performance Health
Mike Tuchscherer


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 880
Date:
RE: BobW's Log
Permalink   

Good on you regarding the visualization stuff.

Couple of notes...
If your goal is recovery, focus on deep, rhythmic breathing. Visualize something relaxing and constructive (i.e. cells rebuilding, etc). This will trigger a parasympathetic nervous system response and will aid in recovery.

If your goal is technique practice, visualize the exercises in fantastic detail. When you start feeling "amped up", you know you're doing it right! This triggers a sympathetic nervous system response and inhibits recovery. It sounds bad, but as with everything you do in training, just make sure the benefits outweigh the costs (and in this case, they often will).

__________________
BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
GPP / Recovery
Permalink   

A bit tired today.
Hiked for 40 minutes, our normal route, normal pace.
It was...a bit exciting.  For part of the route, we're on a bridle trail, and there was a rider out - the girls were going nuts.  We managed to complete that leg of the route without incident, but as we looped back around, luck ran out, and there was the rider, atop the horse.
A sibe + two mals can pull really, really hard when they focus on it.  I had to drop to one knee in the snow to get a stable base, and plant the other leg in front of me, and lean back hard to keep from getting a free ride to visit Mr. Ed.
All credit to the rider and horse.  While I had seen it coming, and manage to get backed off by 20' or so, it must have been disconcerting to have the dogs howling.  Not a flinch; the horse did really well.
Worked on some relaxation techniques this evening.


__________________
Sponsored by Zak Performance Health
BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
ART/Chiro & GPP
Permalink   

Another great session with Doc Zak.

Focused on core: hips, low back, t-spine spinal erectors, neck, flexion/distraction, quick hits on forearm.

Typical 35 min. hike, nothing too exciting today.

Practicing rhythmic breathing throughout the day to help with relaxation / recovery.

Feeling a bit fried today.  Better after PT session, better yet after hiking a bit.

-- Edited by BobW at 22:37, 2009-02-02

__________________
Sponsored by Zak Performance Health
BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
Session 12
Permalink   

Tired today. Got up a little bit early (4:15AM), and spent 15-20 minutes doing some stretching and mobility stuff. Felt pretty good overall.

Warmed up with dynamic stretching and bar complex. Overhead work felt a bit off; otherwise, all was well.

Cambered 1/2 squat + 200c: 2x2x150,200,1x2x240/9;1x2x220/8
  • A little tentative - working sets did 1/4 squats first, then increased ROM
  • had to work through sciatic pain
  • weights are so far down from what I recorded last week that I wonder if I recorded last week wrong

Strict Log Press: 2x8x120;1x2x170;190 - stapled to chest; 1x2x180/9;2x2x170/8.5

  • nice improvement over last week
  • sciatic pain a little annoying, but no real problem here

Farmer Stepup: 1x6x45/hand;95;115;135 - fail*;115 - fail*

  • Everything was going well - first set at 115 felt good / easy
  • 135, left foot up, last rep, severe sciatic pain, dropped implements
  • Couldn't get it back after that - too much pain

Bent Over row: 1x8x45,95,115,135,155/9;2x8x145/9

  • weak point - low back, definitely had to be careful not to trigger sciatic nerve
  • Got good motion through scapulae, that was nice to feel

Total training time: 120 min

Ok , so weird session.

Squatting was hard, like I said, I really feel like I recorded last week wrong.  It clearly aggravated bad discs, which then haunted me on unilateral leg work.

Pressing was improved.

Low back was definitely tight / sore after training.  Limped around a bit, then got out for the normal 40 minute hike with the puppies.  About halfway through, things loosened up and I started to walk like a human.  

Time for food.



__________________
Sponsored by Zak Performance Health
BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
(P)rehab, GPP, AR
Permalink   

Tired today, but feeling pretty recovered otherwise.  No really significant muscle/CT soreness; a little bit of joint pain (SI, low back, hips) but not terrible.
(P)rehab
Side Lying External Rotation- 3x10, Spinal Traction, Band Leg Curls- 2x50, Calf Raises- 2x50, Single Leg RDL's- 2x25 each*
  • Slated for 1x25 on RDL, dunno what went thru my little brane

GPP

3 sets of 5 reps of bar complex: RDL, Bent over row, power clean, OHP, Good morning, back squat; followed up by 2 sets of 24kg KB swings

  • Slated to do HRM 147 <-> 160, 5% fatigue in recovery time, forget HRM at office, so faked it - made sure I drove HRM up to 170 by clock, caught my breath, back up

Active Recovery

Worked on hip sway / paced breathing upon completion of above, then paced breathing lying on floor.


Grabbed a snack, then a 30 minute hike with the dogs, our normal route.

By the time I was on the last leg of the hike, I was feeling most excellent:  body fairly loose, joints nice and mobile, healthy, recovered, and ready to train.  Looking forward to tomorrow's session.


Whatever triggered the sciatic pain last night is completely a non-issue today.






__________________
Sponsored by Zak Performance Health
BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
Session 13
Permalink   

Well, this was a "13" session for sure.  Frustrating, but taken with a grain of salt, not all bad.
Axle Clean & Press (+50c): 1x5x75;1x2x95,115,135/9;2x2x120/8
  • Worked on clean technique, switching to Continental - but however I cleaned, cleans were the weak point tonight by far
  • Pressing felt pretty solid

Deadlift (+100c):1x2x135,225,315;1x1x405;1x2x365/8;3x3x340/8

  • Grrrrrr....lb-ages way down from last week
  • Second and third sets at drop weight were better than the first set

SSB Squat: 1x8x155,205;fail at 255, 225**; 1x8x195/9

  • **Couldn't even begin to move with the weight, could barely hold it up.  Back was completely fried by this time
  • Legs were fine

DB Flies + red band + 3sec hold: 1x8x25,35/9;1x8x32.5/9

  • These felt pretty good

Total Training Time: 130min

After wrapping up, grabbed a quick snack, and headed out for a 35 minute hike with the puppies.  A beautiful crisp, clear, starlit night was ours to behold, and life was good.


Not every training session can hold new PR's; not every training session can be "great".  Some will grind, some will suck, some will test me in new ways; but whatever the numbers, whatever the effort, whatever the momentary frustration, any training session beats no training session.




__________________
Sponsored by Zak Performance Health
«First  <  1 2 3 4 5 … 21  >  Last»  | Page of 21  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
Reactive Training -> Training Logs -> BobW's Log


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse 		Powered by ActiveBoard