Sunday October 22 – 142.9 lbs

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff
20 mins swim

A
Dips – 5x6
Feet Raised Push-ups – 5x16
DB Curls – 3x15x15lbs

B
Barbell Curls – 5x45lbs, 2x15x55

C
Squats – 15xbw, 2x10x45lbs, 2x5x85, 5x125, 3x165, 2x195, 1x215, 2x4x220, 4x220

1685 cal/112 carb/66 fat/188 protein/36 fibre

The squat gain train streak comes to a temporary halt. It was an awesome run from 185 to 215 after stalling out around the 185 mark for a few months until getting some forward momentum towards the end of August. I hovered at 200 for a short piece along the way but otherwise it was pretty steady progress. I am probably going to reset down to 185 or 190 and go from there. My elbows/arms could use the break more than anything. Arms were killing me today and wife was on me to get moving so I skipped the drop set without much convincing.

You're doing a low bar squat right? When I did low bar I took a fairly wide grip with my hands on top of the bar, not thumbs around. I'd think if you used that method of grip you wouldn't have elbow issues.

Yeah, I have been doing LBBS with thumbs around. I have tried not using thumbs around a couple times to alleviate the elbow issue but only during warmups. I will have to give that another go and see if I can get comfortable with a no thumbs grip.

Monday October 23 – 142.1 lbs

20 mins swim
2hr hike @hobble speed, 5.4 miles, 1000 foot elevation change, +15lbs

1942 cal/170 carb/83 fat/159 protein/44 fibre

I took the day off of work to do whatever. I thought I might tackle some yard work but I spent most of the day just enjoying the unseasonably warm weather for the most part instead. Took one last swim for the season before closing the pool. We cranked the heater up to the high 80’s on Sunday and left it there overnight. My ankle is still not 100% so I stripped some weight out of my backpack before hiking this morning. I did not check the weight but I figure I pulled out at about 10lbs, leaving somewhere near 15. My ankle held up pretty well during and felt okay following the hike. I assume that carrying less weight probably helped a bit. Over the weekend we got the kids and my wife fully equipped with ski gear. We had planned to rent gear for the kids but ended up finding used stuff for about the same price that we would pay for one season. I dusted off my old gear which hasn’t been touched in over 10 years and it looks like it will do just fine. The skis are a bit narrow compared to most anything these days but they will do the trick. The only thing I needed was a helmet which I don’t think people had even begun using at all the last time I skied.

Tuesday October 24 – 142.0 lbs

Rest day

1648 cal/93 carb/70 fat/178 protein/35 fibre

Woke up during the night with some back pain like I twisted or pulled something. I think I know what caused it as I was topping up the pool after closing it yesterday and was crouching face down on the stones trying to look under the cover to check the water level and kind of started to pull a muscle in my back but caught it on time and was fine afterwards. Or so I thought. Maybe I just slept funny. Feels a bit like someone stabbed me in the ribs through my back. Getting old is so awesome.

Wednesday October 25 – 141.4 lbs

OHP – 2x5x45lbs, 5x65, 3x84, 5x84, 4x84, 7x75
NG Chins – 8x, 7x +25lbs
Squats – 15xbw, 2x10x45lbs, 2x5x85, 5x125, 3x145, 2x170, 2x5x190, 8x190, 10x170

1739 cal/124 carb/56 fat/200 protein/37 fibre

My back was still really sore all day but it is bothered much more by twisting motions so I went ahead with my workout but proceeded with caution. OHP was a bit of a train wreck. One of my kids ran into the garage during my first set and pretty much brought it to an early halt. Bounced the bar off the pulley attachment at the top of a couple reps as well which is majorly distracting. I will try the same weight again next time around. I was too lazy to dig out a 2.5 plate so dropped to 25lbs for chins which seems to be enough of a drop for an extra rep on each set. I did all my squats with thumbs on top of the bar which worked okay for the most part. I still had some pain in my arms but it was further from the elbows towards my shoulders. I also messed around with some High Bar squats with the bar, 65 and 85 pounds during my warmups. I think I should have more than 8x190 and 10x170 in me and am not sure if messing around with my grip held me back or not. I felt a bit off throughout the whole workout.

Thursday October 26 – 142.1 lbs

10 mins mobility and dynamic stretching stuff
17:54 run, 2 miles, walk 5min warmup and 5min cooldown

1707 cal/135 carb/50 fat/192 protein/41 fibre

I went for a run to see if my ankle was back to full health. I was going to run 5k if things were good and it felt 100% for the better part of the first mile but then started to hurt again. I packed it in after another mile and am waiting to see how everything feels tomorrow. It seems to feel okay for now.

When injured ankle starts hurting again within first mile of return run maybe consider stopping somewhat immediately is what I have learned. Dumb.

Friday October 27 – 141.6 lbs

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

A1 - Dips – 5x7
A2 - Feet Raised Push-ups – 5x17
A3 - DB Hammer Curls – 3x15x15lbs, DB Curls 2x15x15

Barbell Curls – 5x45lbs, 2x12x55

RDL – 2x8x45lbs, 2x8x95
Block Pulls – 5x95lbs, 5x135, 5x175, 6x205, 7x175

2079 cal/181 carb/71 fat/194 protein/39 fibre

This workout felt a lot better than the previous block pull effort but that doesn’t say much. I can see my hips popping up at the beginning of the lift and it looks like my chin likes flying up in the air. Will need to continue working on getting tighter, tucking my chin, not starting with my hips so low and a host of other stuff. Still on a break from bench press hoping to give whatever is wrong around my elbows a chance to heal up and I’m subbing in dips and push-ups instead which probably isn’t really letting things actually heal up. Added in some DB curls recently to help with blood flow to elbows but felt like today was a bit much on the curls. I have been fighting a cold all week, getting way more sleep than normal in the process but am absolutely bagged tonight.

Thanks for giving them a second go. I kind of expected you to blow them off after you felt like it didn't go so well the first time. I think they look pretty good. The neck thing is a common problem for me and happens regardless of whether I want to if the weight is sufficiently heavy. As this is not a particularly heavy weight for you (maybe a 15 rep max if I had to hazard a guess), just concentrating on tucking your chin should be sufficient to fix that.

What is it that always prevents you from pushing these DL sets? Lower back discomfort or just worrying that you're going to snap something?

I was pretty much stuck in a holding pattern trying to pull from the floor with no confidence that it was safe to add more weight so I have nothing at all to lose by switching to block pulls to see if I can get my form to a point where I am comfortable adding weight and then hopefully that translates back to conventional. I was told ages ago that I really need to work on my flexibility and that it could be an issue in holding me back and while I do a decent amount of stretching I spend way too little time working on that particular issue. So there is definitely more I could be doing that should help.

Right around rep 5, 6 or 7 lower back discomfort/fatigue/pump(?) sets in and feels like it is not safe to continue. Of course there is a really good possibility that is just my mind telling me I am a pussy about to snap but my mind does a good job convincing me. I am surprised every week that rep 7 on the back-off set feels so dangerous. I usually feel just fine after rep 6.

The pulls this week felt way better but still look shockingly easy to me on vid. How they feel versus how they look is always so surprisingly different.

Saturday October 28 – 142.8 lbs

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

A1 - Face Pulls – 3x15x15lbs
A2 - Pull-ups – 3x7
A3 - KB Rows – 2x8x20kg, 1x6x20

B1 - Pallof Press – 3x12x10lbs
B2 - Chin-ups – 3x8

C1 - Hanging Knee Raises – 3x12
C2 - NG Chins– 3x8

2158 cal/192 carb/94 fat/159 protein/46 fibre

I took a break from hiking or running to rest my ankle. After looking at the C2 rower as an alternative for some sort of cardio and deciding that today was not the day to die I did some chins and stuff. I think I have been missing doing frequency chins.

Sunday October 29 – 142.7 lbs

OHP – 2x5x45lbs, 5x65, 2x75, 2x5x84, 5x84, 7x75
NG Chins – 8x, 7x +25lbs
Squats – 15xbw, 2x10x45lbs, 2x5x85, 5x125, 3x155, 2x175, 2x5x195, 9x195, 11x175

2095 cal/172 carb/73 fat/194 protein/34 fibre

This cold I have been fighting is starting to win and I almost blew off the workout today in order to just focus on laying around and feeling miserable. I eventually kicked myself into gear and got it done as the thought of having to do the workout after work tomorrow felt like a much worse choice. I wore a belt for OHP today which I have never done before. Not sure it helped but now I’ll be stuck wearing one every time as I managed to barely complete the whopping 84 pounds which is the best I have managed in a few months now. I will forever press in a belt and wearing today’s underwear as a result. I squatted with thumbs on top of the bar instead of around again and messed around with the grip a lot trying to find something more comfortable. The knurling wants to peel skin off of my thumb meat once the weight starts to get heavy (for me). Alternative log title – The Trials and Tribulations of a Soft-Palmed Desk Jockey. I ended up narrowing my grip a bit compared to last session which worked great for getting extra reps but was really hard on my elbows. I felt like I could barely lift my arms for about 30 mins post workout. Pretty sure those last two sets were both rep PR’s and I was pretty gassed afterwards.

Nice job. Seems like it was only a few weeks ago that you were excited about / intimidated by 200x5. Now it's probably your 10 rep max.

Thanks! Yeah, it was barely a month ago that I managed to get past 200x5 for the first time. Now that I have a taste for weight going up, it is time to dirty bulk to 180 pronto!!

It might at least soon be time to kick the caloric deficit to the curb and level out for a bit. I may stubbornly try to get a week in the books at 139.x just to say I was part of the Ant division even if briefly but I'm about done.

Monday October 30 – 142.0 lbs

Rest day

1489 cal/114 carb/53 fat/158 protein/32 fibre

I was treated to breakfast in bed by my boys this morning. They brought me a plate of sliced melon, pineapple, grapes, radish, carrots and cucumber piled on top of a couple cough drops. Radish, the breakfast of champions!?! I took a break from all exercise today and plan to do the same tomorrow hoping to kick this cold back a bit. Dipped into some Halloween candy tonight but did minimal damage.

Tuesday October 31 – 141.0 lbs

Rest day

1771 cal/135 carb/76 fat/154 protein/29 fibre

Almost 1/2 of all kcals complements of Halloween. I ate a lot of air, protons and a fish otherwise.

Nice squats; looked like you had 3-5 more in there. Great progress!

Watch your depth as your set goes on; you look like you were parallel or a bit higher on a few of the later reps.

Thanks Monte. Yeah, depth was definitely getting cut off on the last few and at my best depth tends to be questionable.

Wednesday November 1 – 140.9 lbs

Extra rest day
25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

1346 cal/116 carb/46 fat/133 protein/36 fibre

Feeling a bit less miserable today compared to the last two but took another day off to try and get over this cold. Hope to be back in action by Friday night, if not tomorrow.

Thursday November 2 – 141.0 lbs

Another rest day (4x)
10 mins mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

1511 cal/90 carb/62 fat/170 protein/38 fibre

Feeling quite a bit better but didn’t get out of the office until after 8pm which seemed like enough of an excuse to take another day off. I have managed two nights in a row getting over 8.5 hours sleep which has to be a WR. May try to make it three in a row.

Friday November 3 – 140.0 lbs

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

A1 - Dips – 3x10
A2 - Feet Raised Push-ups – 3x20
A3 - DB Curls – 2x15x15lbs

Barbell Curls – 5x45lbs, 2x15x55

Squats – 15xbw, 2x10x45lbs, 2x5x85, 5x125, 3x155, 2x175, 2x5x195, 7x195 (+2), 11x175

1790 cal/174 carb/43 fat/174 protein/38 fibre

I missed setting a new WR for 3 nights in a row with over 8.5 hours sleep but I didn’t miss by a whole lot with just shy of 8 hours. I am feeling much better than earlier in the week but still feel crappy compared to regular. I almost blew off this workout too but decided I had better at least do something/anything before I turn not working out into a habit that lasts 4 or 5 months. I did dips and push-ups in place of bench again and cut back on the number of sets which I had been planning to do at some point anyway. Upper body stuff was a struggle. Last reps on everything were a big grind and I was concerned about how badly squats were going to kick my arse following that. I felt surprisingly strong on squats through and was on track to match my last workout despite planning to go easy. On my last work set though I started to lose the bar down my back and re-racked after my 7th rep. I banged out a couple more immediately following but was losing the bar again. On my back-off set I had the same problem but just didn’t stop and while the bar did slip lower than I liked it of course didn’t really go far. Still playing with grip and elbows felt really good tonight but control of the bar was a disaster and tightness probably suffered as well. Depending how I feel tomorrow I may do DL’s tomorrow and then Squat again either Sunday or Monday before sliding back into my regular Weds/Fri/Sun schedule.

Saturday November 4 – 140.3 lbs

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

OHP – 2x5x45lbs, 5x65, 2x75, 3x3x85, 5x75
RDL – 2x8x45lbs, 2x8x95
Block Pulls – 5x95lbs, 5x125, 5x165, 2x195, 5x215, 5x215, 6x195
NG Chins – 7x, 7x +25lbs

I was super weak this morning on OHP. Block pulls went okay. They looked so much easier on vid compared to how they felt so I did an extra set. Felt kind of crappy by the end. I do not think I will do a full workout tomorrow but may just do the upper body stuff and do squats Monday night. Will see how everything feels tomorrow and go from there. Have to find some motivation this afternoon to take care of some back yard work before things start freezing.

2504 cal/225 carb/84 fat/205 protein/38 fibre

Late night wedding nomzies gave me a day this week finally where I ate a little. Was up super late watching UFC 217 afterwards and sleep suffered as a result. Worth it to see GSP pull off the win after a four year layoff.

Sunday November 5 – 140.7 lbs

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

A1 - Dips – 3x10
A2 - Feet Raised Push-ups – 3x20
A3 - DB Hammer Curls – 2x15x15lbs

Barbell Curls – 5x45lbs, 2x15x55

Squats – 15xbw, 2x10x45lbs, 2x5x85, 5x125, 3x155, 2x175, 2x5x200, 9x200, 11x175

1914 cal/138 carb/74 fat/185 protein/35 fibre

I realized that I have a massage scheduled tomorrow and I am not going to want to squat afterwards so I got everything done today. Ended up working out three days in a row to catch up after being sick which is probably not ideal but it is done. I was pretty sore going into things tonight but all my weights are so light and I am subbing in bodyweight stuff so should be fine. Still messing with the grip on squats trying to find something that works for my elbows and still not finding a great solution. Had better control of the bar tonight but had a few wobbly reps. Took vids of first and last sets at 200lbs.