lovestolift training log

[lovestolift]

Yeah, it just popped up on Friday's workout. Not sure where it came from. It felt fine after Friday's workout, but it flared up on Saturday again. I hate it for two reasons, one being my inability to squat, and the other because I look like a whiny pussy in front of my new partner. I don't want him to think you can skip squats. Hopefully it goes away soon. I have been eating more, so I'm ready to get some weight on the bar, and something like this is really annoying.

[lovestolift]

08/12/2009
Wednesday- Workout A
Squat- none
Bench Press- 155/5,5,4
Deadlift- 245/5

I had the same issue with the warm ups today, the pain hasn't gone away. I think I won't squat again until Monday. I'll give it a shot on Friday, but I'm not risking any long-term layoff due to impatience. I failed on the bench, which is the third time in a row. Time to deload to 140 lbs. The deadlifts felt great, I'll be back at my old PR in two sessions if it keeps going this well. I felt the pain a little on these, I think it's a hip flexor issue.

[lovestolift]

08/14/2009
Friday- Workout B
Squat- none
Press- 105/5,5,5
Power Clean- 70/3,3,3,3,3

Same squat issue, but it seems to be on the mend. I'm banking on being able to squat Monday.

On to better news, the press was awesome. I had no trouble getting the sets across this time. I watched the SS DVD and found some flaws in my press and worked on them today. I recommend the DVD to anyone that wants to really nail down their technique. I am dreaming of pressing a plate now. I can't wait. I had an annoying moment when someone decided to give me some unsolicited advice about the press. He said I was going to tear my shoulders if I did them the way I was. I politely told him I disagreed, and to go read about Rippetoe. He looked upset that I disagreed with his assessment. I saw him press when we got there, and he was pressing from over 6 inches above the shoulder (not a full range of motion), and not getting under the bar. If I need advice about bad form, I know where to look.

I added weight to the PC, and I felt good about my form. I was racking with the elbows in a good position every time but one. A good workout, but I want to squat. It feels incomplete without it.

[joesterizer]

A good workout, but I want to squat. It feels incomplete without it.

It is! Hope you get better ASAP.

[pagangoddess]

Glad to hear the issue is on the mend LTL. Here's to squatting on Monday.

Congrats on the press.

[lovestolift]

08/17/2009
Wednesday- Workout A
Squat-155/5,5,5
Bench Press- 140/5,5,5
Deadlift- 255/5

Seriously, fuck this leg thing. I had the pain today, but I decided I was squatting with or without it. I will see tomorrow if it was a good idea. I re-did my last weight as I didn't think upping it was a good idea after the week of no squatting plus the pain during warm-ups. I think I was coming up unevenly though and I had a hard time sitting back, so my form wasn't great. At least I squatted.

The bench is in de-load, so it was easy. The deadlift felt good, but tiring. I am debating on one more ten pound jump or not. I'm sure I can do it, and if I do I would be at my former PR weight next session. I guess it will depend on how this leg feels, as I feel the pain during deadlifts, but to a lesser extent. Have I mentioned how much I love the Deadlift? Nothing compares to locking out a weight on that lift.

[pagangoddess]

Sorry the leg is still bothering you LTL. Hope it feels ok tomorrow.

I love the deadlift also. It's my favorite exercise . . . at least with a barbell.

[lovestolift]

I think that exercising it was the best idea. It doesn't hurt nearly as much as it did before. It's still there, but I don't feel it when I stand up out of a chair like I did. It sort of gives credence to my belief that after one week of rest, you should get back to work whether it feels better or not (with some exceptions).

I love the deadlift also. It's my favorite exercise . . . at least with a barbell.

See? Salacious and flirty. Don't ever change, PG.

[pagangoddess]

I do the same thing when my shoulder flares up.

Give it some rest and then work it til it feels better.

Some things just won't change. Trust me.

[joda]

Hey, have just enjoyed reading through your log. Cool to see your progression not only in strength but in attitude, motivation, and priorities.

Hope the squat-related pain clears up, and great job on the press!

[lovestolift]

08/19/2009
Wednesday- Workout B
Squat- 160/5,5,5
Press- 107.5/5,4,3
Power Clean- 75/3,3,3,3,3

The pain was there during the warm ups but it wasn't bad during the work sets. As my training partner so eloquently put it, "Maybe your leg is just sick of being a pussy, and just wants some weight on the bar." I couldn't argue with logic like that.

I am a bit disappointed by the press. I micro-loaded with some chains, only adding 2.5 lbs to the bar and I still failed. Tough lift. I'm glad I didn't add more. I know what happened, the bar was stuck around halfway up and I bent back more to the point where the distance between my shoulders and the bar were too great to overcome. I think I'll get it next time.

The PC is humming along without problems at this point. That is a fun lift. I actually like it more than I liked BBR's.

[lovestolift]

08/21/2009
Friday- Workout A
Squat- 165/5,5,5
Bench Press- 145/5,5,5
Deadlift- 260/5

Same issue with the leg, pain during warm-ups, but almost imperceptible during the work sets. It hurt after though, as I was getting in an out of my car it flared up. I wonder how long I'll be dealing with this? It doesn't seem to affect the squats like it did (I am coming up evenly), but it's very annoying. The bench was easy, I focused on speed since the weight is light. The deadlift was challenging but doable (felt the pain on these too). One more workout and I'll be at my old PR.

[lovestolift]

08/24/2009
Monday- Workout B
Squat- none
Press- 107.5/5,4,4
Power Clean- 80/3,3,3,3,3

I'll address the leg issue after I talk about the rest of the workout, because that will be a robust and lengthy discussion.

I fucked up on the press. I would have had the sets across, but on the second set I lost count and had to hold it at the top while I asked my partner which rep I was on. Stupid, I know. I could barely budge it off my shoulders on the fifth rep. The last set I almost had all five reps, but the last rep was an inch away from lockout. A fucking inch. I had it stuck at head level, managed to power through and get under it, then couldn't make my right arm finish it. Very frustrating.

The power clean is still feeling good. I was getting the elbows nice and high in one motion.

Now... the leg issue. After last Friday's workout I was hoping the two days off would give the leg enough time to heal. It didn't. So on Sunday night I got out my dog-eared copy of Grey's Anatomy (the medical text, not the ABC show), and started looking at the muscles of the thigh. I came to the conclusion that the source of the pain was the sartorius anterior. I feel it is most likely the problem. Here are the criteria that I used to determine it:

[*]The pain runs along the diagonal path that only the sartorius crosses.
[*]Performing a stretch intended for that muscle produces pain.
[*]Placing pressure on the either end of the muscle at it's insertion point also results in pain.
[*]Pain is present when any of the sartorius' actions are performed (Flexion, abduction and lateral rotation of hip, and flexion of knee).

None of those explain why it happened though. So today I tried to warm-up, but the pain was severe. So no squats today. I am not sure of how to move forward now. Any suggestions will be appreciated. I will try to find out if my Canadian health care system will cover the cost of a physical therapist, at least to get an opinion. If it does, the problem then becomes finding one who is not going to tell me never to squat again. I hope that this just goes away in the same manner it arrived (sudden and without warning).

[MrWalk]

Hey, man, glad to see all the work and sorry to hear about the leg. I can say that the breaks in training I have taken over the last couple of months definitely helped my running pain areas. I'm not saying you would have to lay out that long, but I noticed upon returning to the bar from this last 3 weeks off that my left rump pain had been gone for a while and my right elbow pain was finally gone too. That elbow pain has stayed with me since shortly after I started this.

My point is, along with everything else, I know strength training boosts the crap out of the body's drive to heal itself. Enough rest - maybe just laying off the movements that hurt like you are doing - allows for amazing recovery. I bet it is going to heal itself if you just do what you are doing, give it time to heal, and slowly get it back in the groove when you are ready. On the other hand, physical therapy does work (as I know you already know) and will speed healing. Remember, heat, soaking, gentle stretching, staying hydrated, massage, etc. you can do yourself while waiting to, or avoiding, seeing a PT.

A big point I would make, too, is to remember that what a PT or doctor tells you is not a law. They don't know everything either. You have to factor their advice into your own thinking like any you get from anybody else.

Now, about those power cleans. You are the man for doing them. I am impressed. I know I will work up a plan to build a rig and do these properly soon now.

[lovestolift]

Now, about those power cleans...I know I will work up a plan to build a rig and do these properly soon now.

Be warned - they are addictive. I can't wait until I get a plate on each side. Right now I start from the hang, lower them to the mid-shin and pull from there. I do get a lot of strange stares at the gym though. I overheard the bench bunch deriding them as my partner and I trained them. Something to the effect of, "I love throwing a weight in the air....pfftt." Oh, those poor uneducated fools. If they can't identify the muscle it works, they won't do it.

Glad to hear the elbow has cleared itself up. It can be discouraging to take time off, but sometimes it works out for the best. I'll definitely take the PT's advice with a grain of salt - if I even go. I have a bad habit of leaving things untreated. So far I've been fine. Plenty of injuries in my life, but nothing that has stuck around.