Cleave's Log - A new Beginning

[oilstain]

Wow, amazing transformation! That's something to be proud of for sure!

Keep at those squats! Re-watch SquatRx on youtube, and remember, you aren't pushing the weight up, you are pushing the world away from you (with your heels!)

[Cleave]

Thanks Oil...

Nothing to report today in the ole training log. I slacked off and slept in this morning. I don't know what it is about Fridays but I just don't feel like working out on Fridays. And my Saturday and Sunday are booked solid. But I've been considering taking a few days off. I haven't taken any time off since sometime in May. Most trainers recommend a few days, if not a week, off every 6 weeks or so I think. I'm taking today and the weekend off and then hit it hard on Monday morning.

[Cleave]

So...I took a long weekend off from the gym. We were very busy though. The kids were in the city wide swim meet that took all day on Saturday and on Sunday I cleaned out the garage. The wifey wants to have a garage sale next Saturday...so I spent my Sunday sweating my ass off cleaning out the garage, which hasn't been done in about a year.

This morning went well though.

Squats 5x5 @ 85lbs
Bench 5x5 @ 155
Barbell Row 5x5 @ 85
Dips 3 sets of 4!

I'm up to 4 dips!

I've done a slight deload after struggling a bit the last week or two and after a few extra days off I really felt good today. I'm also beginning to feel that I have to do other activities. I need more than just the weight room. I need two days a week doing something, whether it's cycling or pilates, or rugby; it doesn't matter. I just have to get out and do something.

[ih8stairs]

I need more than just the weight room.

I definitely hear you on this one. To me, it seems pointless to spend all my time training, and not actually doing anything with the gains. I'm certainly not planning on going to powerlifting meets, etc. I'm not trying to attract anyone, really. So there has to be some motivation for this. Recently, I've started playing tennis. I'm awful. That's OK though, because it's something new. I try to be involved in some rec sport all year, just to keep things interesting.

That's one of the Crossfit principles that I like: Actively try to master new sports. I think there's a lot to be said for this. And, like I said, I find it helps my motivation in the weightroom, which feeds back into the sport, ad infinitum. Or until injury occurs. I guess you might call it synergy?

[Cleave]

A good workout this morning. I feel like my slight de-load has helped my form and I'm back on track.

Overhead Press 5x5 @ 95lbs
Dead Lift 3x5 @ 135lbs
Squats 5x5 @ 95lbs
Pullups 3x5 I went back to the assisted pullups in the powerrack using the olympic bar and setting my legs on a bench out in front of me. I'm not making as much progress on my pullups as I am my dips and I just don't think I'm gaining a lot by hanging on the bar and doing one pullup.

Another funny morning at the gym too. On Monday I was the only guy in the free weight room. I had the place all to my self from 5:30 to 6:30. Nice. This morning there was like 10 guys in there. Where do these guys come from and where were they on Monday? There were 4 sets of buddies all hanging around the bench press and the Hammer Strength machines. I don't really care cause they never come over to the power racks. I'm off in my corner of the gym where there's only me and "Fred" that ever use our 5 power racks.

Oh...the funny part is two of the new guys were kind of skinny and doing bench. They had 225 on the bar and I thought there is no way in hell this guy is gonna be able to lift this. I was right. Mr Skinny gets the bar up while his buddy is spotting him. Bounces the bar hard enough to break a rib, makes it about half way up and starts shaking and convulsing so much I thought he was having a seizure. His spotter grabs the bar and can't get it back to the rack....all of a sudden they get one side of the bar racked but the other doesn't make it and it goes crashing to the side and the plates fall off (of course no collars) then the other side flips up and the other two 45lb plate go. One of the 45's hits the ground rolling and rolls all the way across the room. They're lucky no one was hurt. Me and Fred were laughing so hard I I couldn't do anything for about 5 min.

[baughmjk]

I don't know what it is about pullups, I'm barely making any progress myself.

That's pretty funny about those guys on bench. Good to hear no one was hurt, hopefully they learned their lesson!

[Scottymouth]

Hey Cleave. I see similarities in our two training logs. I re-injured myself a month or so ago being stupid on deads. I am doing rack pulls now instead. I agree with your statement about being busy. I started playing on a volleyball league and trying to get more exercise on my rest days. My wife is not the easiest to impress, so because of my ever-so-gradual progress, she doesn't think that my diet is working! Although I have not gained an ounce and am stronger, but who ever wins an argument with a wife anyway! Keep up the good work. I will keep up with your log as most of the people I started here with are gone!

Scott

[Cleave]

Hey Scott thanks.....my wife is support but I think I can drive her crazy too with all the gym talk and nutrition talk. She'll come home from the store and I will start reading labels and driving her crazy.

I haven't posted in a few days, but not from lack of working out. Just busy.

Last Friday
Squats 5x5 @ 85lbs
Bench 5x5 @ 165
Barbell Row 5x5 @ 95
Dips 3 sets of 4

Monday
Squats 5x5@ 95lbs
OH Press 5x5 @ 95lbs
Dead Lift 3x5 @ 155lbs
Pullups (inverted rows) 3x5

Also did my 25 mile fixed gear bike ride on Saturday morning.

[Cleave]

This moring might have been my best workout in two months! I've been on a plateau or a stall or something. Not sure what else to call it, but I've just been a little stagnant the last few weeks and slightly unmotivated. I backed off a bit and deloaded on almost all exercises. This morning the weight was light, seriously....My first set on bench there was a slight struggle but my last set was my strongest with a lot to spare. The same with squats!!!

Bench 5x5 @ 175lbs
Squats 5x5 @ 100lbs
Bent Rows 5x5 @ 100lbs
Dips 1x5!! 2x4...

I blew right through all the weights where I previously deloaded and felt strong doing it.
I also used a box to stand on during bent rows. (about 6 or 8 inches high) Most my height is in my trunk, so when I do my rows I feel like I'm using the floor too much. My gym is a great place for powerlifters and stronglifters. We have 5 power racks, lots of bars, different sized boxes for box squats, step lunges, etc....Using the box I felt like I was getting the full range of extension and getting the most from the exercise. Squats were exceptionally good too. I could feel my form was spot on and I was going very deep past parallel. Even Fred, who does quarter squats with heavy weight commented on how good my form looked.

Don't know what it is about Wednesdays, but they seem to give my my best workouts.

[Scottymouth]

Awesome Cleave!

You've passed my stall point on Benches. I only got to 3 reps on my last set of 170. This is where I was before my injury. I am hoping that I can get to 175 by next week. I wish I had good form on squats. I can only get to about 2 inches above parallel, even after I have improved flexibility. I guess i have more work to go.

Keep up the good work!

[Cleave]

Awesome Cleave!

You've passed my stall point on Benches. I only got to 3 reps on my last set of 170. This is where I was before my injury. I am hoping that I can get to 175 by next week. I wish I had good form on squats. I can only get to about 2 inches above parallel, even after I have improved flexibility. I guess i have more work to go.

Keep up the good work!

Not sure why, but compared to most guys here I'm stronger upper body and weak on squats. Seems like my bench and squats are opposite strength to a lot of guys whose journals I'm reading. Maybe it's a product of being over weight for a number of years and having to backtrack hard in order to get my legs and back correct. But it seems to be working.

On my squats there's a point that's about 3/4 to parrallel (where a lot of guys stop and head back up) where I want to lean forward, round, or stop. At that point is where I was messing up before. After my deload I'm going down a lot quicker and trying not to hesitate at all at that spot. It's like slowing down a few feet from the finish line. The finish line is parrallel or lower and I've decided that's where I'm going not matter what happens. I don't care if I fall over. It doesn't seem to be a problem getting back up, For me it's more of a problem getting past this point. Once past it I'm fine.

[Cleave]

Looks like a few of my posts found their way back home and I'm just missing last Friday....no biggie.

Today

Bench 5x5 @ 180lbs
Squats 5x5 @ 110lbs
Bent Rows 5x5 @ 105lbs
Dips 3x4...

Moving up nicely. Still feeling strong. No problems at all today. I think I'm taking more rest between sets though.

[Cleave]

Had kind of a difficult workout this morning. I woke up about 3am to pee, (that's what you do when your 40) and my left arm was numb. I had fallen asleep on my side and completely messed up my arm for the next 24hrs. My OHP suffered this morning. Everything else was fine but I had a lot of pain while pressing. Not real pain, but bullshit avoidable pain....

Overhead Press 5x5 @ 95lbs
Dead Lift 3x5 160lbs
Squats 5x5 @ 115lbs
Pullups 3x5 inverted rows

[Scottymouth]

I hate those avoidable pains! I feel your pain on the OHP. 100lbs is not yet my bitch.

[Bulldogge]

Not sure why, but compared to most guys here I'm stronger upper body and weak on squats. Seems like my bench and squats are opposite strength to a lot of guys whose journals I'm reading. Maybe it's a product of being over weight for a number of years and having to backtrack hard in order to get my legs and back correct. But it seems to be working.

On my squats there's a point that's about 3/4 to parrallel (where a lot of guys stop and head back up) where I want to lean forward, round, or stop. At that point is where I was messing up before. After my deload I'm going down a lot quicker and trying not to hesitate at all at that spot. It's like slowing down a few feet from the finish line. The finish line is parrallel or lower and I've decided that's where I'm going not matter what happens. I don't care if I fall over. It doesn't seem to be a problem getting back up, For me it's more of a problem getting past this point. Once past it I'm fine.

I have the same issues and probably the same cause. When you are "big" your stomach acts as a launching pad when you are in the hole (the bottom position of the squat) - it gives you support and something to push against. When you lose weight you have to relearn how to stay upright without that added support. Take your time progressing and make sure you are working on mobility for your hips - it will come.