6/19

DL
237x5x3
329x4
379x3
404x4x4
461x2
517x2 (PR double)

trap bar DL
475x10

Hmmm.. My chiro got me a TENS unit. Is this different? I haven't tried it.

yes, completely different things. As far as I know, there is literally nothing else like a DMS. I have a TENS unit too. I used that while rehabbing my back, but havent needed it in a while.

Nice lifts. Great flat back except when you drop the weight with that last rep

Also with the trap bar it didn't seem like you were locking out quite the same as with the barbell. On purpose or?

DMS is $2700??? holy crap.

The last rep - I'm pretty sure I'm not resisting the weight anymore at the point that I round.

yeah, that's a little sloppy form with the trap bar. I was just trying to get 10 reps. Locking out a TBDL is a bit different than with a straight bar because the bar isn't pushing against you - the weight is just hanging there. It would be easy to hyper-extend if you are not careful, so I'd rather err on the side of caution.

yeah, it went up $100 since I got mine.

6/21

bench press
55x10, 105x10x2, 146x5, 196x3, 237x3, 267x3x5
Felt fine - I used the Fibroblaster on my triceps Thursday night and that broke some of the crap up. I still have work to do though.

hammer curls
35x10, 40x10x2
Felt ok. I felt like I might have had a little trouble if I had done anything heavier.

floor press
206x6x3
very ez

single arm cable rows
125x10x3
Felt ok. Again, I didnt want to push too hard with more weight or reps.

DB bench press
65x15, 12, very short rest between
Felt ok. Again, I didnt want to push too hard with more weight or reps.

face pulls
125x15x2
felt fine

I cant do a whole lot more soft tissue work on the triceps again until the red spots from the fibroblaster clear up. I feel fine so far today. There is a lot more work to do on the triceps. I feel like the 1" of stiff leather in the middle tricep heads has been reduced to about 1/2". The right side is slightly worse than the left now, probably because I worked the left one harder with the fibroblaster.

6/23

ssb squats (no box)
80x5, 140x5, 180x5, 230x3, 270x3, 305x2, 327x2, 352x2, 384x2
I did lots of hip mobility & voodoo band stuff before this, so hitting below parallel depth with no back movement felt easy. The weight felt relatively easy too, but balancing it becomes tougher the more weight you put on that bar. This was more straight weight than I've ever had on this bar before.

reverse hypers
140x15x3

ssb box squats
220x3, 220 + 8 chains x 3 x 3

GHR
15x3

Are you able to know if/how much back movement occurs just by feel? Or do you verify via video?

If yes to feel - how does one develop this? Maybe some sort of tape trick?

Cha has good feel but video is necessarily imo to truly confirm what you're feeling that day - even for him. Trying to remember from last squat session what a very slightly rounding or flexing low back feels like doesn't really seem that possible to me.

A tape trick would probably work if you can't do video.

wrt to your deadlifts a posts up I thought if you were doing multiple reps the weight should stop in between every rep. You seem to be bouncing if off the floor. Thoughts?

Yugo's right. I take videos & watch them between sets.

Halstad - it depends what you're trying to accomplish. Touch & go is fine.

I've been doing a top-down setup recently, as suggested by Kelly Starrett. I have decided that I'm going to do that on heavy, multiple rep straight bar DLs from now on because I can hold my breath and keep my core/back in a good solid position throughout the whole set much better than if I stop dead and try to reset. I've conditioned myself to exhale when the weight stops dead on the floor, and I'll continue that. fwiw, I am not getting any assistance from any bounce as the weight is just barely touching the floor, but I am benefiting from stretch reflex. I'm saving the dead stopping for heavy singles and trap bar DLs from now on. I am better able to reset my back on TBDLs, so I dont mind stopping dead & resetting those.

I just got one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Due-North-Foot.../dp/B002QEY6NK


The ball part is about the size of a golf ball and about as hard as a lacrosse ball. The knobby things are fairly stiff as well. It works excellent on feet and forearms and hands. I'll be trying it on other places later. This thing is well worth the $5.90 imo.

6/25

DE bench
55x10, 105x10x2, 146x5, 196x5x5

hammer curls
35x10, 40x10x2

1 arm 1/2 kneeling pulldowns
105x10x2, 115x10

DB skull crushers
75x10, 85x10x2
superset w/preacher curls (on GHR)
30x10, 35x10x2

cable rows
200x20x3
superset w/blast strap pushups
15x2
I did these like KStar suggests with the straps straight down and my shoulders externally rotated. They were a lot harder like that, and my shoulders came out at the end of the second set.

face pulls
115x15x2

6/26

DL
237x5x3
329x4
379x3
421x4x4
471x2
532x1x2 (PR+3)
I was supposed to do a set of 2, but that wasnt meant to be tonight. I bet I would have got the 2nd rep on the 1st set if I had my new DL bar. And I wouldnt have scraped the **** out of my shins.

They're finally shipping the new bar tomorrow. Apparently the gal I talked to on the phone didnt understand that the bars were on the way to their warehouse when she talked to me (she told me they were in stock before I ordered it). They actually just came in today. They are giving me a t-shirt for my trouble.

trap bar DL
495x8

Nice deadlifts

Thanks Weasel!

6/28

bench
55x10, 105x10x2, 146x5, 196x3, 237x3, 267x3, 287x3x5

superset
hammer curls
35x10, 40x10x2
floor press
221x6x3

1 arm cable rows
125x12x3

face pulls
125x12, 18

How'd the bench feel today? Solid, thick, tight?

Why is the floor press so light compared to your bench? I haven't really looked at what program you're doing

My shoulders & arms feel good right now. Dr K did a lot of stuff on me Wed., and my shoulders feel looser than they have in a while.

As far as the bench itself, not very hard, and that shouldn't be very hard. Next week is ~299x3x3, and I'm somewhat concerned right now that I might miss some reps then. Hopefully that goes well.

As far as floor pressing goes, I'm just basically doing what this says to do: http://strongestman.org/?p=207

6/30

I lifted with an experienced powerlifter last night. I was telling him about my radial nerve/arm/neck issues when I back squat.

He suggested trying a super-wide, collar to collar grip. It worker pretty well. I havent had any arm/nerve pain. I'm unsure if I'm as strong doing it this way or not. He has a sweet squat bar - its the one we used at the last meet. I dont know if they'll have the same bar in Vegas at nationals or not, so I dont know if the grip I used last night will work the same there or not.

Anyone have opinions on the pros & cons of using a super wide grip for squatting?

back squats
55x5x2, 115x5, 155x5, 205x5, 245x5, 295x3, 335x2, 350x2, 375x2, 405x4

GHR
15x3

ssb box squats
240x3, added piles of chains - 2x3
note: the chains were lighter than what I usually use at home, but they were hanging off the floor at the top, so overall it was pretty close.

reverse hypers
140x15x2
I do not like his reverse hyper machine. Its a custom made machine. The top is tilted slightly down towards the handles and the handles are too far away from the platform so I cant get up on my elbows. That forces me to use my low back a lot more than I think is safe for me. If I lift anymore over there, I'll plan on not doing reverse hypers.