Ltbs Training Log (2nd time around)

[ltbs]

Fri 13th nov 2.00pm

squat 5@80k, 5@85k, 5@90k, 5@95k, 4@102.5k - a repeat of wednesdays' session. lost confidence on last set of 5 @102.5k, not having a rack to squat in plays real mind games now. From next workout taking a deload to concentrate on depth and form and blast through the 100k next time it comes around lol

bench 67.5k - 3x5 - 1st set hard as hell, 2nd more concentrated and focused, 3rd hard again, will look to complete the 5x5 efore increasing weight

row 62.5k - 4,5,5 - extremely hard as always (check out the face), vid of last set below, will look to complete 5x5 before increasing weight, possibly have to deload first though

dips +1.25k - 9 - only has time for the 9, vid below



summary :- enjoyed the bench and finally a dip video, row was hard and squat demoralising in the fact i feel the need for a squat rack even though i can handle the weight, i know i can, but for form and safety sake it's time to deload

[ltbs]

Mon 16th nov 'B' 2.oopm

squat 80k - 5x5 - going back to basics - been getting carried away with increasing the weight ahead of keeping good form and tightness. Was starting to suffer slight pains here and there. vid below shows warm up and all work sets, side and back views, last set really tried focusing on knees out more

ohp 32.5k - 3x8 - although my ohp has prgressed well, i am afraid to increase the weight further due to a pinching pain in my right shoulder. my only guess is that as the sets progress and the muscle gets full with the 'pump' of blood it feels like a pinch in the shoulder joint. fatigue also plays a part, so dropped the weight (hard deload) but increased the reps. Noticed slight pain on very last 2 reps of last set. This approach worked last time i had pain and let me work all the way up to 42.5k, so here's hoping it works out the same and get past the pain at 42.5k. Vid below shows 30k warm-up (mistaken labelled 32.5k, is actually 30k) then 1st, and 3rd set


deadlift 115k - 3 - maybe jumped the gun with this increase. All the way through i have only increased by 2.5k on deads, this was a 5k jump, was confident to do it but as i went to pull the 4th rep my quads were on fire and wouldn't drive me up, also maybe my breathing was not as it should because as i stood up i just wanted to collapse, like you see on max attempt lifts, had a blood rush and was a bit of sway lol. Vid below shows warm up and work set

pull ups 3,3 - ran out of time or would have tried more

summary :- squats were hard becasue of the sheer tension i created, previously was unhappy how my back was starting to look at the bottom so hoping this tension will also act as a stretch, ohp fairly pleased apart from last rep with slight pinch, deads was a hurdle to high but will try that weight again friday

[ltbs]

Wed 18th nov 'A'

squat 80k 5,7,7 - still struggling with depth and form

bench 65k 5x5 - now could've sworn i put 67.5k on bar but video shows 65k so going with that,

row 62.5k 3x5 - rasied the bar with mats to give me a more horizontal start position, seemed to help, used less hip extension, struggled with last reps

no time for dips

vid below shows squat 50kx9, 70kx5, 1 workset @80k, bench 1st + 5th set (narrower grip from3rd set onwards), bent row 1st + 3rd set

[ltbs]

Fri 20th nov 'B' 9:30am

squat 80k 3x5 - all and any pains i had in quads/knees have disappeared, proof i was squatting too much to soon. The drop in weight and attention to form (albeit not perfect) have paid off, next week will increase by 2.5k for that week and see how things feel

ohp 32.5k 3x8 - last time (mon 16th) was thumbless with pain only towards the very last reps. This session standard grip and felt pain beginning 4th rep of last set for the remainder of that set

deadlift 115k 1x4 - was kinda confident on making this and would've if someone hadn't walked in. Had the vid going and knowing they would see the camera put me off, even after all these vids I am very self-concious if someone walks in and i have camera going, it is still kinda freakish to me that someone films themself lifting. If the room is already full i have no problem asking if I may use my camera, but when alone i feel like a freak, pervert even, weird shit..............

6:30 pm - so everyday without fail i foam roll and stretch during my work break but today decided to do "arms". Told my buddy "gonna do arms" and he said cool. So got a 2.5k plate and strapped it round my waist not expecting much, but DAMNIT, i managed 3x5 chins and 2x9 dips when at most i can usually do is 2x5 chins just BW. man i might have to re-think my chins and actually care about them (and pull-ups)

squat,ohp,deads vid to follow if i get time to process...........

[ltbs]

Wed 18th nov 'A'

9:30am session, went to bed Tues 17th weighing 188.2lbs, wednesday wake up at 185.6lbs

[ltbs]

vid for 20-11-09

[guru]

Good to see you've nailed the form issues on the squat. It looks quite effortless now. Time to go for those 2.5 kg increases. And yes, you can dispose of your depth marker. Pretty good depth on all reps. The only nitpicking I can point to is that you need to lock out more positively at top.

OHP looks very easy too. However, what you're doing in those is that you're not quite getting under the bar at the top. Your head still stays behind the body.

Deadlift is almost perfect.

Good workout.

[ltbs]

Good to see you've nailed the form issues on the squat. It looks quite effortless now. Time to go for those 2.5 kg increases. And yes, you can dispose of your depth marker. Pretty good depth on all reps. The only nitpicking I can point to is that you need to lock out more positively at top.

OHP looks very easy too. However, what you're doing in those is that you're not quite getting under the bar at the top. Your head still stays behind the body.

Deadlift is almost perfect.

Good workout.

Thanks for the comments, really appreciated. Squat, will I ever "nail form"? lol Previously on lockout i was actually leaving the floor, recently i am paying attention to depth and knees, lockout has been neglected but will be noted. OHP again, not concentrating on my lockout but on a painful pinch which has been bugging me, but also noted lol. Deadlift, generally i am most happy with this lift recently but will continue to focus on the technique first, weight increase second

[ltbs]

Mon 23rd nov - 186.2lbs - NO GYM

Have lost track of time so no gym. Ok, i lied. Real reason? Partly true, i am running late, which means if i go gym now i wil be sharing it with the "belt boys" and today is "bench day" (again for some...). 5 people and 1 bar don't go well together, plus i just can't be arsed to put up with their shitty attitude and remarks and constant questions about training legs!!!!!!!!!! "For fucks sake i told you 3 months ago what to do now do it"

But to be honest, everyday is a battle revolving around training and work and family and i am feeling it. Shit, I leave the house at 9:30am most days and am not back 'til after 10pm. Also make sure you have food, water, time, support????? SUPPORT??? NO, no support, gym is taboo in this house. Have they broken me??? NO. Well maybe just for today lol. How can someone be so negative about gym and yet rave about the results it produces?????? Maybe they have low self esteem? maybe feeling neglected? jealous? scared i will be snatched away by someone more glamorous? Fuck knows but for today, no gym.

I believe this is the first time since I started my log in May that i am missing gym because of unforced reasons (holiday, sickness), so yes, this is a rant but in reality, 1 day missed in 6 months can't be a bad record. It is still a hard pill to take but i will use this time constructively, do some reading, foam roll (again) and just take a step back from it all. At 6.30pm I have the chance to go gym, if I go it will be farmer walks (dumbells) maybe will, maybe not, again peoples shit attitudes and misunderstandings to contend with, perhaps completely miss out for today.

Regards reading, I firmly believe i suffer from this. Have had it confirmed by physio and chiro, but everyday it is a physical battle with the pain, for years, not just since starting 5x5. Considering some sort of scan to confirm. The only real relief comes from tennis ball work standing against a wall and working into the muscles, ooh the beautiful pain and the more beautiful relief it gives.

[ltbs]

Wed 25th nov 'A' 9.30am because monday was missed i decided to do 'A' today instead of 'B'

squat 82.5k - 3x5 - think they were ok, vid below

bench 67.5k - 5x5 - one word - oustanding. made sure to put the correct weight on and made the 5x5. Some wobbles on 4th set, lost bar path on 4th rep, went too high on chest but managed to complete. 5th set much tighter but got up feeling light headed, vid below

row 62.5k - 4x5 - creeping up ever so slowly with this lift, could've made the 5x5 but time was against me, vid below showing 2nd, 3rd, 4th set

no dips, no time

summary :- suprised myself with bench today, gives me great confidence that i will top the 70k by new year, not rushing this as i train alone with no rack so can't afford a failure, but pleased with progress so far

[ltbs]

Fri 27th nov 'B' 2.00pm

squat 82.5k - 3x5 - still focusing on keeping tight form, vid below shows 2nd + 3rd set, still not 100% happy, depth inconsistent and knees move forward occaisonally, but now more the minority of reps rather than majority

ohp 37.5k - 1x5 - planned to do the 3x8 but was stuck in the 5 rep groove from squatting. Had a phone call which cut my session short so no more ohp and no deads either, vid for ohp below

thursday 26th - foam roll - did my usual foam rolling but also included my calves, MAN, that was pain, so much so i had to stop after 2 lengths, sounded like a fatally wounded soldier as i rolled. the result? bruising. Looks a lot worse in the flesh (lol). But, more worrying, it is the same leg i injured back in April this year, i wonder if it actually has fully healed. Now i want a scan to see what kind of scar there is on the muscle. It hasn't caused me any problems, i can run up stairs, squat, deadlift, stretch, no problem but this bruising has given rise to question.

November 09 ->April 09 top ->
April 09 bottom ->



summary :- well, now i have a forced break from gym, 1 week holiday from work. Kinda finishing on a high, deads and bench going well, ohp so-so and squat, i will never be happy, maybe too critical on that lift but i am the only one doing it in the work gym, and when the time comes to go "public gym" it needs to be spot on. If i am to make 1.5 bw on squats i will need a rack of some sort, 100k+ is just terrifying, yeah i been there before but that was myabe too premature, with poor form the result.

[ltbs]

Mon 30th nov - weight 187.4lbs - no gym

[ulbonado]

Hey, thanks for the critiques over on the weightlifting forum, I appreciate it. We seem to be about the same size, so I thought I'd come over and check your log. I totally understand the issues with time, work, family, etc. That's why I workout at home, and picked up the apparently controversial freespotter (http://www.shermworks.com) so I could try for that extra rep without worries about dropping it, getting stuck, etc.

I can also relate on the injury front, having been nursing a bad hamstring all year. It has limited my squats and deads considerably, but I think it's improving. It's made me pretty shy about increasing my lifts too quickly though.

Anyway, best of luck to you, sounds like you're making great progress!

[ltbs]

Sun 06th dec - self update

Had no gym for a week, extremely poor diet, either no food or just ate plain junk, no stretching/foam rolling, tired, lethargic, bored. Didn't really think of gym as much as i thought i would, but now looking forward to getting back on track with food and work and gym. Wednesday 2nd December had an x-ray on lumbar region, fed up with the constant pain. Tried explaining to the doc it is radiating, he just looked blank, mentioned ortho and surgery but doesn't want to go that route (thank god, it's muscular man, so i believe anyway), so procedure is x-ray first then go from there, muscular-skeletal and physio, i don't hold out much hope, I treat my back daily quite intensely, would be interesting to see what they have to offer.

Had a "compliment" from my 15yr old daughter. She tried to jump on me for a piggy back for a carry but found i am "wider" in the hips and promptly jumped off, complaining "you used to be skinnier" HA, so pleasing to hear............

[guru]

Had a "compliment" from my 15yr old daughter. She tried to jump on me for a piggy back for a carry but found i am "wider" in the hips and promptly jumped off, complaining "you used to be skinnier" HA, so pleasing to hear............

Hehe, getting compliments like that is definitely good for the motivation.

Soon you will be wider everywhere & she will probably have more complaints.