Lionize's Training Log

[lionize]

Oh, I guess I have an interesting enough story to post.

The squat rack in my gym is next to the leg press machine and this other kid I see in quite a lot was loading it up. He's actually quite strong but I haven't seen him squat, he wears gloves all the time and uses straps on a lot of things, but he's doing his own thing, I don't want to convince anyone that they're doing anything "wrong" just because they do things differently and his workouts seem to work for him.

But anyway, there was a 100lb plate that he wanted to put on the machine but it was laying flat on the ground and he needed help getting it up. He asked me to lift it up a little and he'd put a collar under it so that he could get under it, get some leverage and lift it up easily. Well I lifted it so easily with one hand without even thinking that we got into a conversation with me about grip, he didn't know what chalk was and he never really figured that using straps helped him lift more weight. I told him where to get chalk... I hope I see him with some next time, and maybe without the gloves.

[lionize]

12/9/2009 , Saturday
Walk 25 minutes
Squat - 215lb@3x5, WU - 45x10, 135x4, 155x3, 175x2, 195x1 | Almost failed 2nd set 5th rep.
Benchpress - 130lb@3x5, WU - 45x10, 65x4, 85x3, 105x2, 120x1 | All comfortably difficult.
Bentover Row - 120lb@3x5, 3rd set felt really explosive.
Run - 4:20 mins, 0.5 mi
Walk 35 minutes

[lionize]

14/9/2009 , Monday
Walk 30 minutes
Squat - 220lb@3x5, WU - 45x10, 135x5, 160x3, 185x2, 205x1 | 5/5/4 - 1st Fail
Overhead Press - WU - 45x5 | Skipped this, elbow wasn't working.
Front Squats - 95lb@1x5, WU - 45x5 | Just wanted to try it out.
Deadlift - 275lb@1x5, WU - 135x5, 185x4, 235x2 | 15 second hold at the top of the 5th rep.
Dumbbell Rows - L - 20kgx10, 25kgx8, 30kgx6, R - 20kgx10, 25x8, 30x8
Walk 50 minutes

Wow, I failed before my deload amount, I didn't really expect it but today I just wasn't able to set the bar on my back right. I almost want to switch to high bar.. >_<. Deadlift was easy, but I'm not sure about my technique.. try to keep a straight back but it's difficult. I threw in some quick rows at the end to tire my arms out because I might not be able to train on Wednesday.

Note: I've lost weight >_<, I'm now 170lb/77kg... need to put some on. I'll go make a batch of gnocchi!

[guru]

Hey lionize, thanks for dropping by on my new log. I see that you've caught the elbow bug. With most of the people here I've read that it happened because of the incorrect low bar position. People tend to support the bar weight with their arms rather than back & that results in the elbow pain. Maybe you already know this, but the key is to rest the baron your rear delts & press it against your back with your arms - which means your arms will only push horizntally, not vertically.

And as regards to the second fail on squat, it may have something to do with your weight loss. Make sure you're eating well, my friend.

Good luck with the elbow. If it's hurting a lot, it may be wise to stop / modify a few exercises for the time being & allow it to heal. A massage from time to time can help this.

[lionize]

Yep, I know it's from incorrect low bar technique.. I've got to sort it out. The consistent 3 workouts a week might get disrupted in the next few weeks so I plan on just improving my technique rather than trying to add much weight to the bar.

[lionize]

16/9/2009 , Wednesday
Walk 25 minutes
Squat - 45x5, 95x5. 135x5, 160x5, 185x5, 210x5
Front Squat - 45x5, 95x5, 135x5, 160x2
Bentover Row - 125lb@3x5, WU - 65x8, 85x5
Benchpress - 135lb@3x5, WU - 45x8, 65x4, 85x4, 104x2, 120x1 | 5/5/7 - Felt easy.
Dips - 3xf, 12/7/4 - 23
Run - 18:50 mins, 2.13 mi
Walk 35 minutes

[lionize]

19/9/2009 , Saturday
Walk 25 minutes
Bike 5 minutes, while waiting for the rack
Squat - 45x10, 95x5, 135x5, 155x5, 175x5, 195x5, 215x5
Front Squat - 45x5, 95x5, 135x5, 160x3
Overhead Press - 105lb@3x5, WU - 45x5, 65x3, 85x2 | 5/5/3 - 3rd Fail, deload.
Deadlift - 285lb@1x5, WU - 135x5, 185x4, 225x3, 255x2 | Form on WUs was good, not so much on the work set.
Walk 50 minutes

[lionize]

21/9/2009 , Monday
Walk 5 minutes
Bike 5 minutes
Benchpress - 140lb@3x5, WU - 45x8, 65x4, 95x3, 115x2, 130x2 | 5/5/4 Not my day.
Squat - 45x6, 135x5, 160x5, 185x5, 210x3
Front Squat - 45x5, 95x5, 135x5
Bentover Row - 120lb@3x5, Finally some progress in this workout.
Dips - 3xf, 12/8/5 - 25
Run - 11 mins, 1.25 mi
Walk 30 minutes

A roided up guy with ballooned up biceps was waiting to use the bench but I took my time between my 2nd and 3rd sets. On the last rep I brought the bar down uncontrolled, hit the pins on one side and lost it, I tried to push it up but it wasn't going anywhere so I started lowering it but this guy waiting felt the need to run over and try to help me yet it was obviously placed safely on the bars... everyone looked over like I had almost killed myself.

[lionize]

23/9/2009 , Wednesday
Walk 35 minutes
Squat - 190lb@3x5, WU - 45x5, 135x4, 155x3, 175x2 | Quite hard actually.
Overhead Press - 95lb@3x5, WU - 45x5, 65x4, 80x2
Deadlift - 295lb@1x5, WU - 135x5, 185x4, 225x3, 265x2
Walk 35 minutes

23/9/2009 , Wednesday
Run - 31 mins, 3.4 mi, 9:08 / mi

24/9/2009 , Thursday
Run - 17 mins, 1.96 mi, 8:41 / mi

[lionize]

26/9/2009 , Saturday
Walk 25 minutes
Squat - 195lb@3x5, WU - 45x10, 135x5, 155x3, 175x2
Benchpress - 140lb@3x5, WU - 45x5, 65x4, 95x3, 115x2, 130x1
Bentover Row - 135lb@3x5, Lots of cheats... 1st Fail*
Dips - 3xf, 11/9/8 - 28
Walk 35 minutes

*Wrote this in my physical log, but I've just realised that I was supposed to do 125lb today.. I miscalculated and then got excited because I thought I was supposed to use the big plates today finally. There was a lot of cheating and such but I think this has given me confidence, if 135lb was only that difficult 125 shouldn't be difficult to complete. I'll be on the big plates soon...

Someone noticed I was doing a Starting Strength type routine so I talked to him between sets about the popular routines going around the internet.

[lionize]

28/09/2009, Saturday
Walk 25 minutes
Squat - 200lb@3x5, WU - 45x10, 95x5, 135x4, 160x3, 180x2
Overhead Press - 100lb@3x5, WU - 45x5, 65x4, 85x2
Deadlift - 305lb@1x5, WU - 135x5, 195x4, 225x3, 275x1
Chin ups - 3xf, 8/4/2 - 14
Walk 35 minutes

I'm really happy with the deadlift, my next DL workout will be 6x45 plates - that's impressive to me and while my form is never perfect I still felt strong, but I can see my progress slowing from now on.

Squats were squats, I really hate them right now... I like thinking about them, having goals with them, but when I'm under the bar it just hurts.

I am just going through the motions with the OHP, I hope I get 105lbs, but I see myself going to 110lb, failing 3 times, deloading, working my way back up... that's how it's been for 95lb, 100lb and now 105lb.

[lionize]

30/09/2009, Monday
Squat - 205lb@3x5, WU - 45x10, 95x4, 135x3, 155x2, 185x1
Benchpress - 145lb@3x5, WU - 45x5, 65x4, 95x3, 110x2, 130x2 | 5/5/3.4 - fuck.
Bentover Row - 125lb@3x5, decent.
Walk - 30 minutes

I only got 6 or 7 hours of sleep (usually it's 9+ these days), and I was rushing all morning so the only thing I had eaten was 2 bananas before my workout. Next time I should have that benchpress weight. Excuses,eh?

[guru]

Don't worry, you'll get that bench soon. Life happens to everybody.

Nice progress on the squats BTW. 4 wheels are just around the corner now.

[lionize]

Yea, I've been up at 230lb with the squat but after a deload and elbow pain I couldn't get back into squatting heavy so I decided to deload even more, I went down to 190lb last Monday and so far the weights have been quite comfortable. thanks for the comment guru


2/10/2009 , Friday
Walk 30 minutes
Squat - 210lb@3x5, WU - 45x10, 135x5, 155x3, 175x2, 190x1
Overhead Press - 105lb@3x5, WU - 45x5, 65x4, 85x2
Deadlift - 315lb@1x5, WU - 135x5, 225x3, 275x1
Walk 35 minutes

That OHP was fun. The 5th rep in the second set was almost impossible, I thought for sure I'd only get 3 or so reps in the final set but somehow it was easier than the second. I'm so glad I got it first time after my deload.

My deadlift is heavy... but my form is so bad I've got a new plan. Next deadlift workout I'm going to start from 225 and do 5 reps for sets increasing 20lbs at a time, as soon as my form breaks I will deload to that weight or just below it for the workout after that and work back up. My back arches for every rep and I've seen people deadlift like I am, it's not comfortable to look at.

Also to note: I'm trying to gain weight (I'm around 77kg right now), I'd like to be around 85kg, then I'll re-evaluate my body.

[lionize]

5/10/2009 , Monday
Walk - 25 minutes
Squat - 215lb@3x5, WU - 45x10, 135x5, 155x3, 175x2, 195x1
Benchpress - 145lb@3x5, WU - 45x7, 65x4, 95x3, 110x2, 130x1
Bentover Rows - 130lb@3x5, WU - 115x3 | 4/3/4 - 1st Fail
Walk - 35 minutes

Finally got that benchpress.