Yeah, don't want to mess up the shoulders. They are feeling the best they have in years. I used to do what I call weighted leg raises (I'm not sure if there is an actual name for these). I'd lie on a bench with my legs extending off the end. I'd hold a DB between my feet and then raise my legs 6-8" for 8 reps. Seemed like a good exercise and I'm not sure why I stopped doing them. Does this sound like something that is 'back friendly'?

Yesterday:

Safety bar squats: 110x5; 140x3; 170x3; 200x3; 225x3; 245x3
Push press: 95x5; 115x3; 135x2; 155x2; 170x2; 185x2; 195x2
DL: 135x5; 185x3; 225x1; 245x1; 265x1; 275x1; 285x1; 225x6
Side bends (offset): 2 @65x8

Weight: 205

I'm thinking that probably isnt great because youre lying on your back and the low back is flexing. Stuff where your low back isnt under any stress is best. Something like a hanging leg raise might be better.

Planks (front and side), ab wheel rollouts, blast strap fallouts, renegade rows, palloff presses, cable chops, cable lifts, pnf d2 flexion, stuff like that is all good. Its best, especially for older guys like us, not to bend the lumbar spine when we do core work imo.

In case you missed it when you read that link I posted above - make sure to click on page 2 of that article.

Thanks. I've done hanging leg raises before. I'll start doing them again in addition to some of the other things you mentioned.

Today:

Squat: 135x5; 185x3; 205x2; 225x2; 245x2; 255x2; 265x2
CG BP: 115x5l 135x3; 155x1; 175x1; 185x1; 195x1; 205x1; 210x1; 170x7
Pendlay row: 105x5; 135x3; 155x3; 170x3; 185x3; 200x3
EZ Curl: 70x8; 80x6; 90x4; 100x2

Weight: 205

Yesterday:

Safety bar squat: 110x5; 140x3; 170x1; 200x1; 220x1; 240x1; 255x1; 265x1*; 210x7
Push press: 95x5; 115x3; 135x3; 155x3; 170x3; 185x3
Hanging leg raises: 2x8

Weight: 206.

*I tweaked my back on this rep. Nothing major (I hope), just something didn't feel right. I could feel it doing push presses and I didn't want to risk really aggravating it doing DL's so I skipped them. I feel pretty good this morning so hopefully Monday I'll be good to go.

Today:

Squat: 135x5; 185x3; 205x3; 220x3; 235x3; 250x3
CG BP: 115x5; 135x3; 155x2; 170x2; 180x2; 190x2; 200x2
Pendlay rows: 105x5; 135x3; 155x1; 175x1; 195x1; 210x1; 220x1; 175x7
Ab stuff: weighted offset side bends, hanging leg raises, planks

Weight: 206.

My back was OK today. Still not 100% but good enough to get through the work out.

Today:

DL: 135x5; 185x3; 205x3; 225x3; 245x3; 260x3
Safety bar squat: 110x5; 140x3; 170x2l 195x2; 215x2; 235x2; 255x2
Push press: 95x5; 115x3; 135x1; 155x1; 175x1; 185x1; 195x1; 205x1; 165x7
EZ curl: 70x8; 80x6; 90x4; 100x3

Weight: 206

Mixed the exercise order up due to the squat rack being used when I got to the gym. I was real happy with the 205 push press. I didn't get a lot of leg drive but I was able to power through the sticking point.

Today:

Squat: 135x5; 185x3; 225x1; 245x1; 265x1; 280x1; 290x1; 230x8
CG BP: 115x5; 135x3; 155x3; 170x3; 185x3; 195x3
Pendlay row: 105x5; 135x3; 155x2; 175x2; 190x2; 200x2; 210x2
Ab stuff

Weight: 205

Today:

Safety bar squat: 110x5; 140x3; 170x3; 200x3; 230x3; 250x3
Push press: 95x5; 115x3; 135x2; 155x2; 175x2; 190x2; 200x2
DL: 135x5; 185x3; 225x1; 245x1; 265x1; 280x1; 290x1; 230x8
Ab stuff

Weight: 205

My gym is closed tomorrow so I figured I'd get in there today. The second rep on the 200 push press was a grind. I couldn't have done 201. Considering I was really beat after 2 busy nights at work I was just happy to get through today. Happy Memorial Day to all!

Today:

Squat: 135x5; 185x3; 205x2; 225x2; 245x2; 260x2; 270x2
CG BP: 115x5; 135x3; 155x1; 175x1; 185x1; 195x1; 205x1; 215x1; 170x8
Pendlay row: 105x5; 135x3; 155x3; 175x3; 190x3; 205x3
EZ curls: 70x8; 80x6; 90x4; 100x4

Weight: 207. Felt real good today. I'll take a couple of days off and be back Friday.

Today:

Safety bar squat: 110x5; 140x3; 170x1; 200x1; 220x1; 240x1; 260x1; 270x1; 215x7
Push press: 95x5; 115x3; 135x3; 155x3; 175x3; 190x3
DL: 135x5; 185x3; 205x2; 225x2; 245x2; 265x2. Had some back pain on the second rep so I didn't try 275x2. It wasn't as bad as the last time this happened so hopefully I'll fell better by Monday.
Hanging leg raises: 2x8

Weight: 205

Today:

Squat: 135x5; 185x3; 205x3; 225x3; 240x3; 255x3
CG BP: 115x5; 135x3l 155x2; 175x2; 185x2; 195x2; 205x2
Pendlay row: 105x5; 135x3; 155x1; 175x1; 195x1; 205x1; 215x1; 225x1; 180x7
Ab stuff

Weight: 206. My back was still a little balky. I was actually kind of surprised it didn't bother me on squats or rows.

Today:

Safety bar squat: 110x5; 140x3; 170x2; 200x2; 220x2; 240x2; 260x2
Push press: 95x5; 115x3; 135x1; 155x1; 175x1; 190x1; 200x1; 210x1; 170x6
DB row: 50x5; 55x3; 60x2; 65x2; 70x2; 75x2; 80x2; 85x2. I just realized I was supposed to be doing triples. Doh!
EZ curl: 70x8; 80x6; 90x4; 100x4

Weight: 207. Real happy with the 210 PP. Matches my PR that I did about 2 1/2 years ago at around 220 BW. It was a real grind. I don't think I could have done 211.

Today:

Squat: 135x5; 185x3; 225x1; 245x1; 265x1; 285x1; 295x1; 235x8
CG BP: 115x5; 135x3; 155x3; 175x3; 190x3; 200x3
Pendlay row: 105x5; 135x5; 155x2; 175x2; 195x2; 205x2; 215x2
Ab stuff

Weight: 207

congrats on the 210 PP

Thanks. I'm not sure why I'm so excited to be back to where I was 2 1/2 years ago but it feels good.

Today:

Front squat: 95x5; 115x3; 135x3; 155x3; 175x3; 195x3
BP: 135x5; 155x3; 175x2; 185x2; 195x2; 205x2
Rack pull (just below the knee): 135x5; 185x3; 225x1; 245x1; 265x1; 285x1; 305x1
Ab stuff

Weight: 207. Deload week for me. I'm not going to push it too much and no back off sets.

Today:

Front squat: 95x5; 115x3; 135x2; 155x2; 175x2; 195x2; 205x2
BP: 135x5; 155x3; 175x1; 185x1; 195x1; 205x1; 215x1; 225x1. Cool. I haven't done 225 in years. I was going to stop at 215 but it felt real easy so I figured I'd give 225 a try. It was pretty easy as well.
Rack pulls: 135x5; 185x3; 225x3; 245x3; 265x3; 285x3
EZ curl: 70x8; 80x6; 90x4; 100x3

Weight: 208

Today:

Front squat: 95x5; 115x3; 135x1; 155x1; 175x1; 195x1; 205x1; 215x1; 225x1
BP: 135x5; 155x3; 165x3; 175x3; 185x3
Rack pulls: 135x5; 185x3; 225x2; 245x2; 265x2; 285x2; 295x2
Ab stuff

Weight: 206

Today:

Push press: 95x5; 115x3; 135x2; 155x2; 170x2; 185x2; 195x2. Was harder than it should it have been.
RDL: 135x5; 185x5; 205x2; 225x5
Goblet squat: 60x5; 80x3; 95x3
Ab stuff

Weight: 207. Today pretty much sucked. I was going to do safety bar squats to start off but the bar was gone. The bar that has been in the same place for 5+ years. WTF? When I finally got to talk to the gym manager he tells me that the bar was donated by somebody and maybe they took it back. Lovely. I also felt some tightness in my shoulder while doing push presses. I hope 1 week of benching didn't aggravate it.

Try rolling your pecs and anterior (front) delts with a lacrosse ball against a wall - that should loosen the shoulders up.

Thanks. My shoulder actually felt better today. My wrist & elbow are another story. I feel like I got 10 years older this week.

Today:

Squat: 135x5; 185x3; 205x2; 225x2; 245x2; 255x2; 265x2
CG BP: 115x5; 135x3; 155x1; 175x1; 185x1; 195x1; 205x1; 210x1; 170x8
Pendlay row: 105x5; 135x3; 155x3; 170x3; 185x3; 200x3
EZ curl: 70x5; 80x5; 90x5; 100x5

Weight: 208

Wrist problems frequently originate from muscle adhesions in the forearm. Elbow problems can be from the forearm and/or bicep and/or tricep adhesions. I had bad elbows & wrists for a long time. Getting rid of adhesions in all those areas made them a lot better - better than they had felt in over 20 years. Work those muscles over & that should help.

What is the best way to do this? Massage?

Today:

Front squat: 115x5; 135x3; 155x1; 175x1; 195x1; 215x1; 225x1; 230x1; 185x5
Push press: 95x5; 115x3; 135x3; 155x3; 170x3; 185x3
Lat pull down: 100x5; 120x3; 140x2; 150x2; 160x2; 170x2
Ab stuff

Weight: 208

ART is the best way. That would likely do a lot for all your joint issues actually.
http://www.activerelease.com/providerSearch.asp

Deep tissue massage is good too.

You can massage it yourself.

You can roll it with a ball - a lacrosse ball, baseball or even a golf ball would work.

A tool like a Knobble would work, but you'd want to wear long sleeves or have a towel or something over your arm. Google "knobble" for links on that - amazon has them for ~$8.

Thanks Cha.

Today:

Squat: 135x5; 185x3; 205x3; 225x3; 240x3; 250x3
CG BP: 115x5; 135x3; 155x2; 170x2; 180x2; 190x2; 200x2
Pendlay row: 135x5; 155x3; 175x1; 195x1; 210x1; 220x1; 175x7
Ab stuff: I did 2 super sets of ab wheel, db side bends and hanging leg raises. Hardest stuff I've done in a while.

Weight: 208

Today:

Front squat: 115x5; 135x3; 155x2; 175x2; 190x2; 205x2; 215x2
Push press: 115x5; 135x3; 155x1; 170x1; 185x1; 195x1; 205xfail; 165x6
Lat PD: 100x5; 120x3; 130x3; 140x3; 150x3; 160x3
EZ Curl: 70x2 stopped...wrist pain.

Weight: 208

What a ****ty WO. Felt lethargic, had a low grade head ache and had pain in my wrist. Missed the 205 PP pretty badly. I didn't even bother retrying. As for the curls, the first set normally hurts and then it gets better on the later sets. Today I could barely get through a couple of reps. Tried again but too much pain. If I'm still feeling crappy on Friday I might take a week completely off.