I've hit a bit of a setback.

I deloaded last week, but my lower back got quite sore and tight the day after deadlift day. This was surprising because I didn't feel like I tweaked my back while deadlifting, and was also going very light.

I basically stopped all lifting activity for a week, but did play basketball once. After a week I started feeling better, so I lifted again yesterday by doing the big 3 at a light weight. Again, I felt fine while lifting, but now my back is tight and sore the day after.

It's all in my lower back, seems like it could be a nerve thing. I'll randomly getting a pulse of pain that will start in my lower back and spread a bit. Sciatica maybe?

I'm taking it easy again and hopefully I can get back to the serious weights on Monday

Some simple possibilities you can do at home/gym - some back issues come from lack of mobility in the hips. Try looking up these stretches, do some tests to see where you're at and then do them often (daily if possible, especially pre-workout at least).

-couch stretch
-scorpion stretch
-lying face down, try to slide one knee up to the side while keeping your body as flat to the ground as possible. Stretches the inner groin.

I battled back problems for a while (still can be tender) but since a PT evaluated me and had me doing these I've been much better. First time I touched my opposite hand on a scorpion stretch scared the crap out of me. I still do them pre-workout and it takes me now < 5 minutes and it maintains things. Had to work more on starting as the hip mobility wasn't great and low back was forced to try and "move" to compensate for lack of hip mobility. The erector muscles around my spine were working to hard to stabilize.

Goals:
t-spine - mobile
lower spine - stable
hips - mobile

If you don't notice much improvement I'd get out to a decent sports PT and get evaluated. Save yourself from future issues....low back pain is no good.

Yeah, I think you're onto something. I've mentioned my neglect of mobility multiple times in this thread but have never been able to commit to a mobility/stretching routine.

I've also recently realized that I have horrible ankle mobility, and my right ankle has been getting tight and sore lately.

I really need to start focusing on mobility more. I wish I had more open space in my apartment to stretch. I don't have the time to stretch for 30 minutes pre-workout and going to the gym just for the purpose of stretching is a pain.

Mobility needs to be a thing - bad back = no bueno for pretty much anything (lifting, running, sitting in a chair, etc). As someone a bit older than you I've figured that out.

doesn't have to be 30 minutes/day...although at the beginning you may want to put a decent focus on it. I'd like to think that even 2-4 weeks of concentration on this (even at expense of lifting) will pay huge dividends going forward. My maintenance level is literally 5 minutes or so these days.

2017-03-06
Squat /w Belt
5x330 @7.5
5x353 @8
5x375 @9


OK - good news and bad news here.

Good news: I was able to squat heavy again and my back wasn't bothered. These werent my strongest squats, but I haven't lifted heavy in 2 weeks so it makes sense.

Bad news: When I tried benching, I started feeling pain in my low back when warming up with 95 pounds. It wasn't worth continuing so I cut my workout short. If I feel good tomorrow morning I'll try deadlifting.



I'm not sure why bench is bothering my back. The pain is on my lowest vertebrae, slightly above my tailbone. Like droopy said, I think it's probably an issue with hip mobility. I'm pretty good at keeping the weight on my upper back when I arch, but it's possible I'm arching too hard as well.

2017-03-07
Deadlift /w Belt
5x353 @7
5x375 @7.5
5x407 @9
5x385 @9

Comp Bench
5x205 @6.5
5x215 @8
5x225 @9
5x215 @8
5x215 @9


Awesome! Made it through without too much back troubles.

The deads were great and I think a new 5RM for me. They felt really strong today and didn't bother my back at all. I also haven't deadlifted heavy in 2 weeks, which is interesting.

I was experimenting with my bench a bit and I'm 95% sure that my lower back woes are being exacerbated by my benching arch. During warmups I was changing the degree of my arch and my back would hurt after I arched as hard as possible.

So I reduced my arch by 1-2 inches, my back stopped bothering me, and I put up the same amount of weight as the last time I did 5 reps.

I'm not sure why the arch would all of a sudden start bothering me. AFAIK, I haven't changed anything in my form and have been arching hard for about 2 years now. I think it's still probably a hip mobility issue that the arch is exposing.

Beware of the injured lifter Nice PR.

2017-03-09
3s Pause Squat
4x286 @6.5
4x308 @8
4x330 @9
4x313 @9

Spoto Press
4x200 @7
4x210 @8.5
4x215 @9
4x205 @8.5

Push Press
5x132 @5.5
5x154 @7
5x164 @7.5
5x169 @8
5x159 @8


No issues. Back was a bit sore on the walk home but I'm already feeling good.

2017-03-13
Squat /w Belt
3x375 @7
3x397 @8.5
3x407 @9.5
3x385 @9

Comp Bench
3x225 @7
3x235 @8.5
3x240 @9
3x225 @9

WG Bench
6x185 @7
6x195 @8
5x200 @9
6x190 @9


Not the worst day, but my numbers were a little bit weaker than I had hopped (still slightly stronger than last week).

My left ankle/foot is something nasty right now. It was basically screaming in pain anytime I hit the hole during squats or initiated leg drive in bench. The pain is on my inner ankle and goes from the heel to the big toe. Prob just need to do some SMR.

2017-03-14
Deadlift /w Belt
3x397 @7.5
3x419 @8.5
3x434 @9.5

5ct Pause Bench
3x185 @7
3x195 @7.5
3x205 @9
3x195 @9

SSB Squats
5x176 @6
5x220 @8
5x203 @8


Deadlifts wiped me out and I wasn't able to do any fatigue sets.

My lower body is very tight and in a lot of pain now. In addition to my left foot/ankle, my knees and calves are causing me misery now. Gonna try to do some foam rolling today.

2017-03-16
Pin Squat
3x308 @7
3x330 @8.5
3x340 @9
3x323 @9

Floor Press
6x176 @7
6x181 @7.5
6x186 @8
6x176 @8

OHP
3x132 @6.5
3x142 @9
3x132 @8.5
3x132 @9


A bit weak today and I had very little stamina. This was particularly true on OHP, but I was feeling pretty fried from the floor press.

My ankle/foot is still bothering me but it's not too bad. I did some SMR on my calf and that proved to be very helpful.

2017-03-17
Sumo DL
3x353 @6.5
3x375 @7
3x400 @8
3x385 @7.5
3x385 @8

JM Press
3x145 @6
3x155 @6
3x165 @7
3x175 @7.5
3x180 @7.5
3x185 @8
3x175 @8

Good Mornings
6x132 @6
6x154 @6
6x176 @6
6x198 @6
6x220 @6.5
6x242 @6.5
6x264 @7


Haven't done good mornings in probably over a year so I spent a ton of sets gauging my strength. Was supposed to work up to an @8 but I figured 7 work sets was enough.

2017-03-20
Squat /w belt
2x375 @7
2x397 @8
2x419 @9
2x397 @9

Comp Bench
2x230 @7
2x240 @8
2x250 @9
2x240 @8.5
2x240 @9

WG Bench
8x155 @6.5
8x165 @7
8x175 @8
8x185 @9
8x175 @9


Pretty strong day in line with my expectations. I'm still a bit injured particularly in the left ankle but I'm feeling better.

2017-03-21
Deadlift /w Belt
2x397 @7
2x419 @8
2x441 @9
2x419 @9

5ct Pause Bench
4x177 @7
4x187 @7.5
4x199 @9
4x189 @7.5
4x189 @8
4x189 @9

SSB Squats
8x176 26
8x198 @7
8x220 @8
8x208 @8

Another pretty good day. All of my estimated 1RM's increased this week. No idea how I pulled 4x430 a few weeks ago. Seems like an outlier.

Just skimmed this log - nice progress!

Thanks for reading!

2017-03-23
Pin Squat
4x286 @6.5
4x308 @7.5
4x330 @9
4x313 @8
4x313 @9

Floor Press
5x185 @6
5x195 @8
5x185 @8

OHP
5x110 @7
5x120 @8
5x132 @9
5x125 @9


I'm really enjoying floor press. I end up starting the press at the exact position where I have my sticking point in bench. I wish I did more volume on it today but misjudged my loads and probably worked too quickly.

2017-03-28
Sumo DL
5x308 @6
5x330 @6.5
5x352 @7.5
5x362 @7.5
5x375 @8

Pendlay Rows
7x176 @6
7x198 @6
7x220 @6.5
7x242 @7
7x264 @8
7x252 @8

JM Press
5x132 @6
5x154 @6.5
5x164 @7
5x176 @8
5x169 @8


I was supposed to do this workout at the end of last week, but wasn't able to squeeze it in. So I did it now and will probably just deload for the rest of the week. I'm bust with some fantasy baseball drafts and don't have a ton of free time to hit the gym.

My rows are out of control. No idea how I suddenly got so good at them.

I think loco knows

2017-04-03
Squat /w Belt
3x363 @7
3x385 @8
3x407 @9
3x385 @9

Comp Bench
3x225 @7
3x235 @8
3x245 @9
3x235 @9

WG Bench
5x185 @7
5x195 @8
5x205 @9
5x195 @9


Pretty solid day. My lat/tricep/shoulder areas have been tight/sore on both sides and have to be affecting my bench a bit.

2017-04-04
Deadlift /w Belt
3x385 @7
3x407 @7.5
3x435 @9
3x407 @9

5ct Pause Bench
2x205 @7
2x215 @8
2x225 @8.5
2x230 @8.5
2x235 @9
2x220 @8.5
2x220 @9

SSB Squats
6x220 @5.5
6x242 @7
6x264 @8
6x247 @8


The progress continues. I've now seen gains in my estimated 1RM for all three lifts during each week of my intensity block.

Bench felt awesome today. I've been experimenting with keeping my feet flat on the floor when I do non-competition bench, and my leg drive feels MUCH stronger. Unfortunately I also feel a bit less tight so I'm not sure if it's a true win.

I think during my next cycle I will only bench with my heels on the floor. I might take an initial hit to my bench numbers, but I think it's worth doing as a long-term form change.

Do you use the RTS app on the website for tracking e1RM? how accurate do you find the default for you?

I do my own calcs using the formula from his manual, so it's probably the same. It seems to be very accurate on my bench, underestimate my squat a bit, and overestimate my deadlift. It's pretty accurate overall.

That being said, I just calculate my e1RMs to look for positive trends. I'm not too concerned with the actual number.

2017-04-06
Pin Squat
2x308 @6.5
2x340 @8
2x363 @9
2x345 @8
2x345 @9

Floor Press
3x185 @6
3x195 @6
3x205 @7
3x215 @8
3x205 @8

OHP
3x132 @6.5
3x137 @8
3x142 @8.5
3x147 @9
3x137 @8.5
3x137 @9


Brought the pins up a bit higher on the squat. I'm now stopping right around my sticking point as opposed to the deepest part of the hole. I think I was actually going below parallel before which was causing me to incorporate some forward lean in order to hit the pins.

Love floor press.

2017-04-07
Sumo DL
4x353 @6.5
4x375 @8
4x353 @8

JM Press
3x155 @6
3x175 @7
3x185 @7.5
3x190 @8
3x180 @8

Good Mornings
5x220 @6
5x242 @7
5x264 @8


This was a quick one. Got it done in about 45 minutes.

I don't like good mornings. I feel like I'm always at risk of hurting myself and SLDLs hit my hammies well enough.