Thanks!

8/8

I was able to bench the bar for a couple sets of 10 using fat gripz.


8/9

I went to the gym with no expectations or plan. I thought I might do some trap bar DLs, but when I saw the regular DL bar loaded, I figured I'd join my teammates and see how regular DLs felt.

135x3
225x3
275x3
315x2
365x1
405x1

Everything felt good up until the 405. I had to grip the bar harder on the 405, so I felt a similar sensation between my left thumb and index finger to holding the bar when I bench. Its fine.

safety bar box squats vs bands - I jumped in with another teammate who was doing these.
150x2
200x2
240x2
270x2
290x2x3
350x1
350x2

plate loaded front squat machine (plate weight shown)
360x10
540x10
720x10


8/11

elevated pushups on bar using fat gripz

a bunch of bench sets of bar x 10 with fat gripz.

some band pulling

A teammate was doing a core exercise. She had a PVC pipe in a rack with plates hanging by bands on both sides. We picked up the bar zercher style and walked about 120' one way and then walked back to the rack. Seems like a decent exercise.

machine pulls with a machine that is between a row and a pulldown

plate loaded machine rows (plate weight shown)
90x15 or 20
180x12
270x10 with a long hold on the contraction of the last rep - I felt muscles working that I hadn't in a long time.

very light tricep cable pushdowns - 50 reps

face pulls

light curls

8/13

Marrs bar squats to an 18" box up to 330x3x4

leg press machine
about a zillion light reps

hack squat machine
2 plates was feeling fine until it didnt on my lower right leg / knee, so I stopped

RDLs
185x8x3

8/14

some bench pressing with the bar and other stuff


8/16
skipped the gym to hang out with Mrs Cha, who lifted in the trap bar WDC championships the next day.

8/17
Mrs Cha set a WR and PR with a 450 lb trap bar DL, going 4/4. Her form was perfect. My friend who is a beast pulled 900 and barely missed 950 in what he says will be his last competition. The 950 got a tiny bit out in front of him.

8/18
bench press
45x10x7
65x10x3

Lots of pulling stuff


8/20 - 8/25, we went to Vegas. I took 15th out of 133 in a tourney at Wynn for a small cash on Thursday.

8/23
We lifted with a friend/former teammate who lives out in Vegas now at Lifetime. It was actually a great gym. My friend keeps some of his specialty bars there, and they allow chalk.

SSB squats up to 365 x 2

DLs up to 455 x 1

GHRs


8/24
We drove out to the LA area to lift with my friend/former coach Priest at Mendy's gym.

Mrs Cha got coached up again (like last year) by two of the best bench pressers/coaches in the world, Priest & Mendy. Their main cue was to get her to do something I've been trying to get her to do - tuck her feet and use her legs & hips. She set a new 1 board PR again. Last year she pressed 429 out there. This time she pressed 441, and she attempted 463, but missed it near the top because her form was just a hair off from being perfect.

Mendy asked me to be the IPA chair for MN. Mendy runs IPA meets from his gym, and he has a lot of influence in the organization. Apparently they want more of a presence in the midwest part of the country. I have never run a meet, but I know a lot of people who can help me with that, so I am considering doing it. Mendy says he will come to MN if I do it, and so will his sister Shawna, who is one of the top women lifters in the world - her meet PRs are 725, 565 & 510 in the 181 lb class.

I just did minimal pressing and some pulling while we were there. It was fun to hang out with those guys. Priest pressed 903 off a 2 board like it was 2 plates @ ~230 body weight. He's incredible.


8/27
DLs up to 405
RDLs up to 370 x 5 x 2
GHRs
I put 20 lb ankle weights on each leg and went up & down 160 stairs.
100 light tricep cable pushdowns
Some light pulling

Well done Mrs Cha!!!

Checked in for the first time in years, found your thread again, and... Holy **** what a rollercoaster in the last year! No way I was watching the bad vids. But you and Mrs Cha are friggin BAD ASS! This little dude has been getting into fitness over the last 3 years and am currently trying to improve my strength so this was a very cool read.

Thanks!!

Thanks Mike! Great to see you here! I hope all is well with you & your family.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions or want suggestions. My general suggestion is to just keep moving - that is what keeps us feeling younger (you probably know this) - and resistance exercise is fantastic (which you also probably know). I can help with form advice if you want any.

8/28

some very light pushing and medium pulling

8/30
Marrs bar squats to high box
up to 565 minus red bands (assisting bands) x 2 in briefs

front squat machine
up to 8 plates on each side x 10

9/1
bench press (no fat gripz)
up to 145 x 5
I did some lighter sets of 10 after

light tricep cable pushdowns - 200 reps

face pulls

machine rows
up to 4 plates on each side x 10 x 2

cable pulldowns


I've been doing a lot of hand/thumb exercises daily. I've also been doing some light, high rep tricep cable pushdowns any time I go downstairs in my house (maybe every other day or so). My PT suggested lots of very light 200 rep sets of triceps work to get blood to the tendon.