voodoo flossing link so I can reference later

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...postcount=2318

I think if you can find some DIY ART for that spot, it should clear it up the fastest. Otherwise there's lots of differing information about the best method to clean it up with self-applied pressure (static, circles, with the grain vs against, directional, how much, ...). Most seem to agree that you can work on the trigger several times a day.

I'm gonna add my mattress log to this thread so someone else can feel my pain. Plus, it does involve exercise.

Background. GF and I don't live together. Although maybe that's the plan. I'm not really sure. Anyways. I live in a small 2 bedroom house.

GF is attempting to create a situation where she can stay overnight at my house. That involves having a suitable bed at my house. Between her, umm..., attention to detail and her propensity to take pretty much everything she buys back to the store she bought it at, this has been quite an adventure.

Since I've met gf she's bought 4 mattresses (with box springs). She's taken 2 back. She tried to take a third back after it sat in my room unused for over 6 months, but Sears wouldn't go for it. One I had to haul to Lousiana to her dad. One is still in my room. We've tried several combinations of putting 2 beds in one room, and putting each bed in a different room. Several times. I've lost count how many times I've picked up and moved a mattress now.

Also, in addition to the actual bed, she has bought, tried, and returned numerous mattress tops. Sometimes she will put 2 different ones on the same mattress, with various combinations of one on top, then the other, only one, only the other, etc.

So, now that everyone is caught up. She has now purchased a new bed. It arrives Thursday. I will be putting together the frame tonight and once again attempting to squeeze 2 queen size beds in a quite small bedroom. I would be somewhat put out by this arrangement, but I feel confident one of the beds will be removed fairly soon (to be replaced of course).

3/27

To catch up. Back has been bad since last DL session. Chiro tortured me yesterday and it felt pretty good today. Nevertheless I was really nervous about DLing. My initial game plan was to just go through the motions and experiment with form. I had no aspirations of going anywhere near what I did.

As you can see, I started ridiculously light. After the set I felt kind of unsure but good enough to go up a little. Each one got me a little more confident and I actually felt really good by the last one. I felt stronger each set. The only reason I stopped was just to quit while I was ahead.

I fiddled with form some. I found it felt much better after I moved my feet apart just a bit more. I think I had them much too close together. But what really made a difference was looking down more. I had been looking up without thinking about it. I was amazed at how much better it felt once I brought my eyes down some.

Anyways, not sure what it was - the number of warmup sets, going lighter, form tweaks, or chiro work but this is the best my back has felt after a DL session.

7x65
5x85
6x95
6x115
5x135
5x135
5x145
3x155

I had a lot of gas left in the tank, but I'm happy with what happened.

press

8x45
6x65
8x85
7x105
3x125
1x135
145xf (sooo close)

Mattress update.

Mattress was delivered today. GF was here while they set it up. I got home and she had this "don't hit me" look on her face. The conversation went as follows:

Me: The mattress won't work for you.
Her: It's not the same as the one in the store.

We'll be returning it this weekend.

lolwomen

Might be time to get a cat and ditch the old lady

I'm really frustrated with my front squat progress. I can't use my back as an excuse. It feels fine and I'm not scared something will happen. Form feels good, all seems right. I'm genuinely putting in max effort with them. But, sheesh, doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

I know it looks like I'm doing too many lighter sets, but I really need to warm up. The first few are just ugh before things loosen up.

FS
8x45
7x65
7x85
4x105
3x105
5x95
5x95
4x95

Good mornings
8x45
8x55
8x65
8x75
7x85
5x95

dumbbell rows
8x50
8x60
7x70
6x80
5x85
4x90

Got a few light kb swings in, but I was pretty much toast by the end of my workout.

just pick a smart progression scheme. if sets of 5 are working out OK, just hit a weight that you can do 3x5 pretty challenging but isn't a struggle. add 5lbs each time you FS.

Still have a nagging calf injury. Went on a bike ride instead of run. My legs were absolute toast from doing squats.

got 15 miles in but it wasn't pretty

Saw a roadrunner, though - right on the side of the bike path. Pretty cool.

Shoulder bothering me a bit. Cranked a few flat benches out then it was too much. Went to incline. Started working in swings again.

bench (flat)
10x135
8x165
6x185
3x195xoh****hthathurts
incline
8x95
8x115
8x135
6x155
4x165
2x175

front squats
8x45
8x65
7x85
5x105
4x105
3x5x95

kettlebell swings
15x40
3x12x50

Deadlift day. For some reason I felt MUCH stronger. Not sure why. Maybe my body is getting used to them. Widening my stance maybe? Chiro has worked on psoas and lower back the last 2 sessions and really loosened up the psoas. I wonder if this contributed? I dunno.

My plan was to go up to maybe 155. But every time I upped it, it seemed easy.

DL

8x95
5x115
5x135
5x155
5x175
5x175
5x175
Hadn't tried 185 yet so I thought I'd do 1 rep. Did one and thought **** yeah, this is gravy
5x185
1x195 (20 lbs. more than I'd tried before so I just stopped)

Really could have done a lot more but I thought I'd quit while everything felt ok.

overhead press
8x65
8x95
5x115
2x125
3x115
5x105
4x105

Question if anyone is reading. Am I doing to much volume on deadlifts? Too many sets? Reps?

Mattress update. Apparently, gf does not want to take back the mattress. I think the plan is she wants to sleep in my bed to see how it compares to the new bed, then sleep in the new bed again. Possibly several iterations of this. I dunno. Not sure when this will start either since she hasn't slept in either since her first trial run.

In a weird twist of fate, my chiro asked about the mattress I slept on since I told her I usually wake up with back stiffness. I started laughing. Anyways, we talked about foam mattresses, which is what gf just bought. So, just for ****sngiggles I slept on the new one. It was fabulous. Not a bit of stiffness. Not sure what's gonna happen now that gf might want to return it and keep the one that I wake up stiff from.

I fear that some of her mattress insanity has rubbed off on me.

I'll post updates.

I'm not worried about your deadlift volume yet, most of this work is in easy, low weight, low stress sets.

Hell, one way of looking at that workout is, you worked up to one heavy set and a single. Obv as things get more serious, you'll want less work in the top range.

You ever plan on back squatting?

thx

Yeah, I'll probably give back squatting another try some time. That first time was sort of "oh ****" with my back. But yeah, I'll give it a whirl again.

Mattress hoarding ITT. At least she has a functional b/f who makes her return them.

FS
8x45
7x65
7x85
5x105
3x115
5x105
4x105
6x95

Good mornings
845
7x65
7x85
6x95
6x95
6x105 (lol I can do more with good mornings than front squats)

wide grip pullups
3x4xBW

dumbell rows
7x75
6x80
4x85

Pretty much dead after all this.

mattress update

When last we checked in, gf had purchased a mattress from Sam's that apparently was much harder than the floor model. I fully anticipated taking it back, but it appears as if she's not through buying everything that will need to be taken back yet.

So, she bought a foam mattress pad. To go on top of the foam mattress. She made it a point to remind me that she got it at Target because they don't require her to bring back a receipt when she returns it.

However.... it seems that it wasn't enough to get a foam pad for the seemingly too hard foam mattress. So, to loosen up the foam mattress (pre foam pad), GF first spent about 10 minutes jumping up and down on the foam mattress.

Eventually, we got the foam pad on the foam mattress. Unfortunately, she won't be trying it out yet because apparently the foam pad has some sort of odor that requires airing it out first.

I'll keep everyone posted.

lol

lolol

Incline bench today. My shoulder is buggered again and flat bench doesn't help. Incline bench doesn't seem to aggravate it. Then, when I tried to max, my good shoulder just collapsed. I can't describe it any other way. No pain, though - it just gave out.

9x135
7x155
5x165
4x175
195xf
3x175
4x165
4x165

FS (stands for frustration squatting)
8x45
7x65
7x85
5x105
115x4f
4x105
3x105
4x95

kb swings
15x25
12x40
2x12x50
2x12x55

Tweaked back on 205 set. grrr.... The rest of me can lift a lot more than this.

DL
5x95
5x115
5x135
5x155
5x175
5x195
5x205
1x215

Overhead press
8x65
8x95
5x115
3x125
5x115
4x115
5x105

Spent quite a bit of time after the workout with the lacrosse ball trying to loosen the back up. Still probably gonna wake up hurting tomorrow. grrr...

FS
8x45
7x65
7x85
6x105
3x115
1x125
1x135 (WOOT!)
2x115
4x105
6x95

GM
8x45
7x65
7x95
7x95
6x95

WGPU
6xBW
3xBW+!0
5xBW+5
5xbw

TBAR Rows
6x90
5x100
3x110
7x90

I read the OP, then skipped to the end.

We have a lot of things in common despite age differences. Hate running, bad knees. bad swimmer, used to be regular lifter, skinny, etc. Heaviest I have been is 205 when I graduated HS, Now I am 165 6'0.

I found the biggest difference, really the only difference that I was able to make in the midsection fat, BF% thing, is to quit eating grains, and almost all carbs.

Yeah, I cut out most grains quite some time ago. GF cooks stuff that I probably should cut out, but it's really good and I have limited willpower when it is sitting in front of me.