Bench (paused)
Bar * 10, 10
60kg * 5
80 * 5
90 * 5
100 * 5 (strained my right pec here)
Close Grip (paused)
110kg * 3, 3, 3
105 * 3, 3, 3
Was experimenting with different grips today, and ended up straining my pec. Doesn't seem THAT bad, but it's purplish blackish bruised and swollen, plus tender to the touch. I don't think it's torn off, but just a bad strain. Switched to close grip after that to take some pressure off it, but felt really weak cos of the pain. Probably should have stopped but still managed to continue my training somehow.
Close grip (touch and go)
100kg * 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3
Tried to go as fast as I could with these, working on pushing as fast as I could, but couldn't finish the reps well cause of the pec pain, so these ended up pretty slow.
BTN press
40kg * 10 * 3
Yates rows
80kg * 10 * 3
I supersetted the BTN pressing and rows, using a close grip. Surprisingly, the pec didn't hurt much during the BTN pressing. Rest time was about 1 min.
Called it a day there and came back. Ran the pec under some cold water and just spammed a shitload of fish oils plus some cal mag to hopefully help recover this fast. Probably have to adjust my pressing to close grips for the next few weeks.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Monday, January 27, 2014
27th January 2014 On the road back...
I realize I have neglected this space for quite a while, but I have good reasons. For whoever is still reading this, I have been focusing alot on my rehab, even 'skipping' out on my pressing training due to work commitments and rehab taking priority. Also, I travelled quite a bit during dec to early Jan since my gf was in town.
Anyway, I'm back to training proper and slowly regaining some strength. Long road, but worth the challenge yeah! Just to recap, I tore up my right lumbar, and various other muscles in my sacral area in early October. After extensive rehab (and needling by Aldrin, plus massages from my fellow colleagues), I started back into squatting in early dec, although it was only once to twice a week, and starting out at an extremely high box (851 squats as I call them hehe). Majority of the rehab was mainly just rolling and stretching, with activation drills. By 22nd December, my range of motion had improved such that I managed to box squat to depth. I started squatting proper (without a box, to depth) in the first week of January.
So far my poundage and progression have been based off a linear progression. What I did was set a goal for end feb (180kg * 5) and work backwards. I started off in early jan at 80kg * 5 * 5, and added 5kg each session. I also took this opportunity to try and address my 'lazy lifting', focusing on blasting the weights thru to the top. For the initial stages, I've been squatting 3 times a week, with the exception of the 10th to 16th of Jan, when I was away in Boracay with the gf. The next phase will arrive when I hit 160 * 5 * 5, then I might change the sessions to a Heavy, speed, and volume session, depending on how the 160 goes.
Diet wise, I lowered my calories during my rehab phase, as I didn't require as much, and as a result, I lost some weight, dropping down to 92kg at my lowest. Have started eating more again, and my weight is now back up to 95kg on an empty stomach. Not really gonna count calories, just mentally guesstimate and make sure I get enough protein for the day.
Today's training is listed below.
Squat
worked up to 130kg * 5 * 5
Played with high bar for the first 3 sets, but found that I couldn't accelerate as well. I slowed down towards the top (cruised). Switched back to low bar for the last two sets, and while slower out of the hole, I could accelerate towards the top. The first 3 sets had me feeling relatively tired, but the low bar sets actually made me feel a bit more ramped up. the work sets were done within 12 mins.
Rack pulls (4 inches below knee)
worked up to 190kg * 3 * 3
Decided to do rack pulls because I was lazy to set up the bar on the ground (it's been a long day). The bar feels heavy off the rack, almost as though it's stuck to the rack, but once it got moving, it seemed to jumped straight up to lockout. Decently happy with this, considering that I could barely bend over and reach my mid shins without pain just about 4 weeks back. Did feel like I could have gotten tighter off the rack though, probably will have to record these to review them.
Dead stop rows
60kg * 10 * 3
Pull down Abs
3 sets of 12
Currently, the training plan is as follows:
Mon - Squat & DL movement
Tues - Heavy bench
Wed - Squat & DL movement
Thurs - Rep bench session
Fri - Squat & DL movement
Sat - Heavy Press
Sun - Off day
The DL movements will be constantly rotated between rack pulls (1"- 4" below knees), block pulls (3" - 6" blocks), trap bar(high), trap bar(low), speed pulls from the floor (regular & sumo), regulating between intensity and volume schemes.
The heavy bench session will not necessarily be heavy (high intensity), but may include higher rep work based off the est max. The rep bench session is merely a recovery workout with 4 to 5 sets of light benching.
The sun off day is there in case I need to shift a training a day later or so; basically a buffer day to allow some flexibility in my schedule.
Simple layout, but certainly not easy. Whoever said the road to recovery was easy?
Anyway, I'm back to training proper and slowly regaining some strength. Long road, but worth the challenge yeah! Just to recap, I tore up my right lumbar, and various other muscles in my sacral area in early October. After extensive rehab (and needling by Aldrin, plus massages from my fellow colleagues), I started back into squatting in early dec, although it was only once to twice a week, and starting out at an extremely high box (851 squats as I call them hehe). Majority of the rehab was mainly just rolling and stretching, with activation drills. By 22nd December, my range of motion had improved such that I managed to box squat to depth. I started squatting proper (without a box, to depth) in the first week of January.
So far my poundage and progression have been based off a linear progression. What I did was set a goal for end feb (180kg * 5) and work backwards. I started off in early jan at 80kg * 5 * 5, and added 5kg each session. I also took this opportunity to try and address my 'lazy lifting', focusing on blasting the weights thru to the top. For the initial stages, I've been squatting 3 times a week, with the exception of the 10th to 16th of Jan, when I was away in Boracay with the gf. The next phase will arrive when I hit 160 * 5 * 5, then I might change the sessions to a Heavy, speed, and volume session, depending on how the 160 goes.
Diet wise, I lowered my calories during my rehab phase, as I didn't require as much, and as a result, I lost some weight, dropping down to 92kg at my lowest. Have started eating more again, and my weight is now back up to 95kg on an empty stomach. Not really gonna count calories, just mentally guesstimate and make sure I get enough protein for the day.
Today's training is listed below.
Squat
worked up to 130kg * 5 * 5
Played with high bar for the first 3 sets, but found that I couldn't accelerate as well. I slowed down towards the top (cruised). Switched back to low bar for the last two sets, and while slower out of the hole, I could accelerate towards the top. The first 3 sets had me feeling relatively tired, but the low bar sets actually made me feel a bit more ramped up. the work sets were done within 12 mins.
Rack pulls (4 inches below knee)
worked up to 190kg * 3 * 3
Decided to do rack pulls because I was lazy to set up the bar on the ground (it's been a long day). The bar feels heavy off the rack, almost as though it's stuck to the rack, but once it got moving, it seemed to jumped straight up to lockout. Decently happy with this, considering that I could barely bend over and reach my mid shins without pain just about 4 weeks back. Did feel like I could have gotten tighter off the rack though, probably will have to record these to review them.
Dead stop rows
60kg * 10 * 3
Pull down Abs
3 sets of 12
Currently, the training plan is as follows:
Mon - Squat & DL movement
Tues - Heavy bench
Wed - Squat & DL movement
Thurs - Rep bench session
Fri - Squat & DL movement
Sat - Heavy Press
Sun - Off day
The DL movements will be constantly rotated between rack pulls (1"- 4" below knees), block pulls (3" - 6" blocks), trap bar(high), trap bar(low), speed pulls from the floor (regular & sumo), regulating between intensity and volume schemes.
The heavy bench session will not necessarily be heavy (high intensity), but may include higher rep work based off the est max. The rep bench session is merely a recovery workout with 4 to 5 sets of light benching.
The sun off day is there in case I need to shift a training a day later or so; basically a buffer day to allow some flexibility in my schedule.
Simple layout, but certainly not easy. Whoever said the road to recovery was easy?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)