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Post Info TOPIC: BobW's Log
BobW


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Posts: 327
Date:
ART/Chiro, GPP
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Pretty tired and sore today; tired enough that, given a clear 30 minutes of free time in the parking lot for my session with Doc Zak, I set the alarm, and woke up violently 28 minutes later, bouncing my chest off the steering wheel in a big "twitch."
ART/Chiro
Great ART session.  Didn't realize how sore / tight I was until Doc Z. hit hammies, and wow - yeah, Susie, Trixie, and all the other patron saints - did that pull.  We ran through the usual core stuff, neck (including a couple great adjustments that made me feel all melty inside), flexion/distraction, and hit the left forearm and brachialis as well.
Felt way more mobile at the finish of the session.
GPP
24kg KB Swings: min HR147, Max HR160 5% fatigue in recovery time
Took quite a bit to get to 160, and first set had ~55 second recovery to 147; the second set was likewise ~55 seconds; the third set jumped to ~60sec.  Done.
Neglected Muscles: Standing Ab curl- 2x10x45
These were made extremely difficult because my ass was cramping.  I've never experienced cramps in my ass (this way), and it was quite unpleasant:  both cheeks, near the top, just completely locking up whenever I bent over and moved those muscles.
Self Prehab/Rehab
Side Lying External Rotation- 3x10,
Reverse Upper Spinal Traction with DB Pec Stretch
Band Leg Curls- 2x50 - skipped due to cramping
Calf Raises- 2x50
Single Leg RDL's- 1x20 - stopped due to cramping
Worked on various stretching, focusing on shoulders more than anything given our work in ART.
Skipping hiking tonight, last thing I need is to be compromised by cramping out in the ice & snow.


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BobW


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Posts: 327
Date:
Session 14
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Incline Press (close grip): 2x8xbar;2x8x95;1x8x135,185/8.5;3x8x170/9
  • Sore pecs from flies, not an issue
Farmer DL: 1x2x170/hand;220;290;310/9;1x2x290/9
  • PR
  • Used the fat bar farmer's, so even more grip work
  • Definite headrush at 310, pretty light-headed afterwards

Back Extensions: 1x8xbw+35,45,70,100,145/9;1x12x100/8.5

  • Just used plates for additional weight, had to fudge with reps / percentages a bit
  • Huge improvements in this exercise

Stones: 147xbunch of reps; 225x2;255x2;276x1/10

  • Pretty much fried & done at 276 - got a bad lap, felt too much strain in left arm, so called it a day

Total Training Time: 130 minutes


Did the normal hike with the dogs in the morning.



-- Edited by BobW at 14:56, 2009-02-08

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BobW


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Posts: 327
Date:
GPP / THe week in review
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Hiked for about 75 minutes today; the snow was mostly melted, and difficult to walk on, definitely worked on proprioceptive skills.  Spent a little bit of time stretching, foam rolling, and working on relaxation technique afterwards.

My left forearm / bicep are still a problem.  I'm going to ask Doc Zak to focus on that a bit more, as the level of pain I'm experiencing after training is too unmanageable.
 
Other than that:  I'm pretty sore today; yesterday as well.  Nothing debilitating, nothing disease related, all good ole muscle / CT soreness from heavy lifting.   Didn't impair yesterday's training at all. 


I'm 14 sessions into training with Mike; that's about 5 weeks.  It's been an intense 5 weeks, I'll give it that.  I feel like over the past 2 weeks I've "gotten my legs under me."  Not everything is new, not everything is different; I'm finding my pace, my stride, and I think, improving in key areas.
One huge difference between the way I trained prior to this is the amount of deadlifting I'm doing.  Part of me feels a bit guilty working on DL so much, b/c it's such a natural lift for me, and so much fun. 

I'm setting PR's on a regular basis in a variety of exercises.   So it's not like the results aren't coming along with the fun.

Another big difference is that focus on implement work all the time.  I think this is a huge improvement over what I was doing before, and I'm feeling much more confident with the tools of my sport.

Most notable:  I've now switched to training full body 3 days/wk.  No more upper/lower split.  I think I'm seeing results in shoulders and upper body. 

It's taken me some time to acclimate to the recovery demands of this training, but that's part of finding my stride.


-- Edited by BobW at 22:22, 2009-02-08

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BobW


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Posts: 327
Date:
2/9: ART/Chiro
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Great, great session with Doc Zak today. We started working through the left arm: can't even begin to document everything that was done in 10-15 minutes of concentrated work, but Doc found a couple big problem spots, worked those out, and then it was onto shoulders, lats, pecs - working on some shoulder mobility.

Quick "core" tuneup followed: hips / quads / neck, and then it was on to the flexion/distraction table.

I was really sore, tight, immobile, tense, & tired going into the session. Coming out, relieved, relaxed, mobile, much less sore, and my body able to move much more freely.

Skipping any GPP today. Need some rest.

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BobW


Senior Member

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Posts: 327
Date:
Session 15
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Tired today.
Cambered 1/2 squat + 200c:2x2xbar + chains;1x2x149;239;289/9;279/9
  • Back in the saddle in terms of weight
  • No sciatic pain; still tentative on depth at working weight, but...a breakthrough on the final rep, it was much more natural sitting back
Strict Log Press: 1x8x120;1x2x170;1x4x170,180,185/9,180/9
  • Again - nice improvement over last week - last couple reps grindy
  • Getting into rep-PR territory
  • Nothing negative, just felt pretty strong, controlled, and good

Lunges: meh, with a breakthrough: 2x6x135/8-9

  • Played with my normal range of db weights: 55,60,57-1/2, 70, and nothing felt right.  Clumsy, clumsy.
  • Had the thought that I should try barbell lunges, and oh, yeah, oh my:  I can actually do lunges this way.  I think holding the db's was pulling my shoulders too far forward, causing a huge postural / biomechanics issue.
  • Did a couple sets of 6 reps/135lb, called it done and a great lesson learned

DB Rows: 1x6x60,85,100/8,100/8.5

  • Left arm sore

Total Training Time: 1hr45m

Good session.  No back pain to work through!  Felt strong:  this was the first session since starting RTS that I felt like I was controlling things instead of being controlled.  Don't know if that's a function of familiarity, or of focusing on mental recovery more the past week or so: maybe both.  Whatever, I'm on the right track, and won't be changing anything soon to derail that.

Grabbed a snack, then headed out for a 30 minute hike with the dogs to get my dose of cardio for the day.



-- Edited by BobW at 02:20, 2009-02-11

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BobW


Senior Member

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Posts: 327
Date:
GPP, (P)rehab
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Started with some conditioning work:  did a bar complex (back squat, Good Morning, Front Squat) to get my chubby ass huffin', and then moved onto KB swings.
3 sets to HR of 160, recovery to 147, and the third recovery period was 65 sec as opposed to 55 sec.  Left forearm and hips/SI joint were complaining quite a bit.
Then, out for a 1/2 hour brisk hike with the puppies; after getting onto relatively stable (ice-free) land, I focused on long strides, trying to loosen up.
Did some prehab:  band leg curls, landmines, ab wheel, shoulder rotation.
Finished up with some static stretching, focusing long and hard on hip flexors, hams, adductors, and shoulders.
All in all, a nice little session.  Sharon remarked that my training looks hard; I guess she saw me flailing with the KB swings in the driveway.


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BobW


Senior Member

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Posts: 327
Date:
Session 16
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Axle Clean & Press (+50c): 1x4x75;1x2x127,1147,167/9, 165xfail
  • Thought for sure that I had accurately gauged RPE on the set at 167, felt like I had more in me
  • Dropped not quite 3%, and just couldn't get past my sticking point midway up on the press, tried 3 times
  • This is still approaching PR territory: 167+ chains is more than I've done

DL (+100c): 1x2x135,225,315,405 (easy),495 (fail), 1x1x455/10;1x2x440/9;1x2x425/9

  • Bar was apparently stapled to my shins at 495; I broke it from the floor, but couldn't get it past mid-ankle
  • Better numbers and felt much stronger than last week
  • Probably put too much effort into the failed attempt, I suspect I could've have gotten 2 reps at 455 otherwise

Front Squat Paused on Pins: 1x6x135,185,232/9;225/9

  • Deloading at the bottom is a new feeling
  • Great way to teach form, have to maintain that groove with no weight
  • Pretty killer on the legs and upper body

Bench Pin Press (3-4 board): 1x6x135,185,225,280/9,275/9

  • Set up pins to mimic a floor press ROM

Total Training Time: 2h30m


Got out for a nice, brisk 45 minute hike with the puppies.  I'm feeling tired, but not exhausted, and my body feels pretty good:  strong, like I'm working within capacity, and recovering nicely.  This is a huge change from 3-4 weeks ago, when I was feeling so run down and just spent.




-- Edited by BobW at 01:44, 2009-02-13

-- Edited by BobW at 12:03, 2009-02-14

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BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
Friday the 13th: ART/Chiro, GPP, Conditioning, (P)rehab
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Great session with Doc Zak today; hit the left forearm, with some follow up work to left lat.  Big focus on "core" issues: hips, low back, hammies, quads, spinal erectors, neck. 

Flexion/distraction was the cherry on top of the sundae.  Felt much more mobile at the end of the session; the downside is I started to realize just how sore I was. 

Don't know if it was timing, or getting things moving a little bit, but wow - last night's training really wrecked me.  I hurt.  A lot.
Conditioning
I faked this a bit, not sure what I did - aside from 10 minutes or so of 24kg KB swings (I wish it was continuous, my name's not Shaf).  The plan was to get the heart rate to 160, then recover to 147, back up to 160, measure recovery time, etc. 
My HRM stayed at 143 no matter how hard I worked.  Then suddenly, shot to 175, and 185.  Then back down to 140.
So, I basically did three or four sets of swings, pushing my heart rate up and getting the sweat flying off me.  That was close enough.
Then it was out for a 40 minute brisk walk with the dogs.
GPP/Prehab
The "sore" theme continued through GPP.   
Landmines 2x10 - oh, yeah, my hips are cooked
Ab Wheel 2x10
JumpStretch Band Leg Curls 2x50
Then, did some spinal traction and reverse spinal traction to open up the chest and subscaps, some internal rotator stretching, and then
Side Lying External Shoulder Rotation: 3x10
Finished up with lying "hip sways" to loosen up and relax the hips some more.


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BobW


Senior Member

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Posts: 327
Date:
Session 17
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Beat up & tired today.  Slept for 9.5 hours; got up, fed the dogs, back to bed for a couple hours.  Not too sore, one good thing, but very tight.
Seated Military Press (+50c): 3x6x45;1x6x95,135,145/fail;140/9;135/10 (fail on last rep)
Farmer's DL: 1x2x135,135,225;1x2x315/fail
  • 225 was extremely easy.  Based on this, and last week's number of 310/hand, I thought 315 would be no problem.  First rep was hard; second rep, I felt/heard my right adductor pop.
  • 315 is still a PR
  • Tried a set at 275, but right adductor felt wrong.  Very wrong.

220 lb Stone over 50" bar: 1x2/fail;1x6;1x5

  • First set was really bad, couldn't get the stone over - just not driving properly
  • Second set was good
  • Third set I focused on driving up hard, and was clearing the bar by 4"
  • Rep PR territory

Good Morning: 1x6x135,185,205/8,195/8

  • Nice finisher

Total Training Time: 1hr45min


Well, a little disappointing in a couple respects:  numbers for the farmer's DL are down, first time ever that's happened.  This is usually my "gimme" exercise.  No big deal - I can live with that. 


What is a bigger deal is my struggle to find a max working weight.  I thought that I would start trying to cut down on the volume of run-up sets, saving myself some wear and tear.  That didn't work so well on Farmer's today.


Likewise, even with reasonable (i think) jumps on seated military, I clearly mis-guaged effort here and hit a wall.


I need to get smarter at this.


Now, for the good news:  I'm getting much better at stones, and I am getting stronger in other lifts.  Picking up 315 in each hand, even for 1 rep, is a PR, and that's starting to be a goodly amount of weight.

After training, I took another 1.5 hr nap.  Right adductor is tender, but there's no bruising, and not a terrible amount of pain.


Another piece for Doc Zak to put back in place on Monday.



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BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
Quick Video from Session 16
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Warmup set of DL, 405 + 100c




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BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
Mon 2/16: ART/Chiro, thinking some stuff through
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I was pretty wiped out Sunday; some CNS fatigue for sure, body was pretty tight, and a little sore here and there. I ended up taking some anti-inflammatories and Tylenol Sat night at bedtime, to help calm down the right adductor and the left forearm.


Today was better, felt pretty recovered overall, but tired as heck.  Problems getting to sleep last night didn't help me here.


ART/Chiro

The good news: it looks like whatever happened with the adductor is not serious; I might have broken up some scar tissue, or just heard/felt it moving over the bone.  But there's no bruising, no serious pain, and Doc Zak hit it directly today, and ROM is fine.


I guess we'll see how it goes tomorrow in squatting heavy.


Did a lot of core work: hips, hammies, adductors, quads, ITB.  Hit left forearm/bicep, neck, and the flexion/distraction table for the low spine.  Getting some good motion in all joints, and really getting off the table feeling like my back is healthier than ever.


So, where does that leave the week?

Last week was a big training week for me. I hit a lot of heavy weights, set some PR's, and pushed myself pretty hard both in lifting and in GPP. Strength is coming along nicely in some key areas: stone work is improving a lot; farmer's DL is gradually coming around. Overall, I feel stronger in everything, regardless of numbers.


My bodyweight is back above 270, coming up on 275, and I'm the leanest I've been in recent years. I still have too much excess fat, but I'm moving in the right direction.

I'm also feeling pretty mobile, ignoring training-induced tightness. I'm noticing that in my upper back / scapular retraction and overall posture. Even when an exercise like the SSB calls out a weakness in the upper back, I'm still able to move.

Technique
I've really got to work on Axle Cleans. I'm using my belt right now, basically a Continental Clean, but that's a no-no in competition.

I think I'm getting stone technique dialed in. If I can just get consistent, and then add a lot of weight...the big difference I finally figured out is that there's two distinct lifts in the stone that both require hip "pop":  the first is out of the lap, and getting the drive up started.  But then there's a moment when that drive stops, and you have to start a second lift.   The second lift requires even more explosive hip drive, as you're trying to get that stone up over your breastbone and high up for the load.  I had been trying to do one hip drive, and then rely upon upper back strength to carry the stone up the rest of the way.
Got out for a nice 35 minute brisk paced walk with the puppies this evening, and that was the extent of my activity.


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BobW


Senior Member

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Posts: 327
Date:
Session 18
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Tired, a little cranky.

Warmed up with some KB swings, got a little breathing going on, then moved into cambered bar squats, doing a few light sets.

Cambered Bar Squat (+200c): 1x2x150,200,240,290/fail*;230/8
  • *fail was almost immediately upon unracking, right adductor felt wrong, throwing low back slightly out of position
  • Other than this - these felt solid


Log Jerk: 2x4x120;1x4x170,190/9,180/8
  • grindy at the very top of the last working rep of both heavy sets


Lunges: 2x8x95

  • Oh, that right leg really hurts on lunging with it forward. Something is very wrong.

RDL: 1x10x135,185,235/8,225/8

  • Stopped here due to low back being pulled / painful

Total Training Time: 1h40m


Well, aside from babying the right leg to some degree, a pretty good session. I think my squatting is getting much more solid (see video), and I'm pleased with that.

Typing this out about 1/2 hour later, that leg still hurts quite a bit.


Right shoulder feels like it is "catching" whenever I do any external rotation; quick, deep and strong pain through the right delt region. Great.


Got out for a 40 minute brisk paced walk with the puppies.



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BobW


Senior Member

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Posts: 327
Date:
Camber Squat Vid
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From last night:





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BobW


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 327
Date:
GPP: Conditioning (2/18)
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A little tight & sore, aside from the adductor not too bad. Took some AI's and Tylenol in the morning to ease the pain.

Coach dropped me a note asking me if I wanted to deload for 2-3 weeks; we talked about it, bounced the idea of Doc Zak, and I think I clearly have to hold back a bit on some exercises, but that a complete deload is not warranted. Doc Zak agrees with this, thinks that the minor injuries I have can get fixed up and healed without holding back progress overall.

Got my new HR transmitter in; that appears to have fixed the problem I've been having, so it's back to tracking some stats better.

Out for a hike with the puppies; did our normal route in ~20 minutes, then walked about an extra mile to turn in the following stats:

Duration: 31'
Max HR 145
Ave HR 135.

About as flat a line as I could make - a couple minutes at 120-130 at the beginning, a couple minutes at 140-145 at the end, but otherwise flat at 135.


Really focused on getting a good stride, and getting hips, etc. into each step. Felt much looser afterwards. Going to try something different, and skip prehab stuff tonight, and instead do those in the morning tomorrow

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BobW


Senior Member

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Posts: 327
Date:
GPP & Session 19 (2/19)
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Felt OK this morning, a little tired, a little sore, nothing terrible.

Did some prehab stuff. Hips loosened up a bit, overall feeling pretty ok.

Landmines: 2x10
Ab Wheel: 2x10
Jump Strech Band Leg Curls: 2x50
Spinal Traction / Reverse Traction & Pec Stretch
Shoulder External Rotation: 3x10

Short & sweet, enough to get moving a little bit.

By this afternoon, I was really tired. Difficult to get moving.

Axle Clean & Press (+50c): 2x3x75;1x3x95,115,135/8;130/8

  • Worked on technique: cleans were "belly flops", no belt used to hold up bar

  • Pretty hard on left forearm

  • Good drive on the press, no grindiness


DL (+100c): 1x3x135,225,315/8,300/8.5

  • Switched so right hand was forward in mixed grip, trying to take some strain off left forearm

  • Worked up until I felt tightness in back / right adductor, then called it


Front Squats to Pins: 1x10x137/8;1x10x132/8

  • Sets of 10 on this are tough

  • Right adductor was twinging a bit, didn't want to push it


Bench Rack Lockout: 1x10x135,185,205/8,200/8

  • Everything felt fine here - no right shoulder complaints


Total Training Time: 1h35m



Basically, an easy session: took intensity up to only where I felt some twinging/complaining from a body part, then called it.



Afterwards, got out for a 30 minute hike, moderate pace, with the puppies. Kinda suprised by how sore my hams/adductors/low back revealed themselves to be during this walk.



 



Thinking about revising my answer to Coach Mike wrt deloading.





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