Yes much better imo, nice work. Def had a couple more there.

Monte: Thanks. I was hesitant because the weight felt heavier, likely because of the lower bar position. You are right about getting and being tighter the whole squat. I think I have a tendency to loosen up out of the hole. I’m all aboard ignoring the chest up cue.

rAv: Thanks.

10/30/17

OHP: 117.5 x 5,5,6
Squats: 230 x 5,5,6
Superset:
Neutral grip pull-ups: 8,6,5
Ab rollout: 4,4,3

I had to rush the workout due to family obligations. All the AMRAP sets went poorly. On a positive note, the bar felt more comfortable. However, I was having trouble descending evenly. I hit the bar multiple times on left or right safety bars. Not sure if it was due to weak or inactive glutes or just not being properly warmed up. I will film from behind to see what’s up. Friday will be distraction-free, so no excuses for failing to squat seven AMRAP reps at 240.

11/1/17

Bench press: 165 x 5,5,7
Sumo DL: 275x7
Rows: 185 x 5,5,5
EMOM x 10 minutes: 10 KBS @ 32 kg

First time I started losing my grip when DLing. I kept smashing the barbell on my left knee on the descent. My bad habit of bending my knee too much upon descending is coming back. Gotta push those hips back. And figure my grip now that the weight is getting a little heavy.

11/3/17

OHP: 120 x 5,5,6
Squats: 235 x 5,5,5
Neutral grip pull-ups: 8,6,7
Ab rollouts

I finally got a good night’s sleep, but everything that felt heavy. Hitting six reps in OHP was shocking. I almost failed the fifth rep of the second set.

Squats were meh. Better than Monday as there was no problem with feeling like the weight was shifting to one side. That said the AMRAP set didn’t feel great. The first two reps were fine. The next two looked like I broke at the hips too early. The fifth rep featured stripper’s butt. I’m wondering if it is because I am not keeping my knees out when I come out of the hole. My camera angle was too high to see what was going on with my knees.

11/6/17

Bench press: 167.5 x 5,5,7
Squat: 240x4
Split squat: 115x5x2
Deadbugs

I played racquetball for the first time in years Sunday. After an hour, I developed pain above my right elbow. It was so bad I had to stop playing.

No problems during bench press. My right elbow was starting to hurt during my warm up squat sets. I kept moving my grip out, but no dice. My first working set was going well enough, but the elbow pain was too much. Unpacking the weight was also uncomfortable. I tried rows after split squats. Once I worked up to 135, I had to stop. I plan on icing and working on my thoracic spine mobility.

11/8/17

OHP: 122.5 x 5,5,5
Sumo DL: 280x8
Face pulls

Typically when I press, it is more difficult to lock out on the left side. I have been doing the equivalent of an upside down KB press, but with a plate, to improve. It has never been a big deal until today. The AMRAP set was going fine until the fourth rep. The last two reps were grinds on the left side. Video time I suppose.

My right elbow is still a problem. I did a couple of neutral grip pull-ups to test it. It was clear my elbow did not take kindly to them at all. Fingers crossed it will be okay for squatting on Friday.

Switch to high bar or take a wider thumbless grip for lowbar if your elbow is causing issues. It really does not matter whether you do high bar or low bar at this stage (or any stage? probably.)

For press I've had the same problem. It gradually got better without the need to do unilateral accessory work. I think it might have been more of an imbalance in mobility from shoulder to shoulder than of strength. No way to know for sure but I think adjusting my sleep position helped that a good bit; specifically, never sleeping on my left side on top of my left arm. I try to remember to flex my shoulders before I sleep and it's like a passive stretch all night long. (shoulder extension/flexion) Again, no idea if it helped but it seemed to!

Renton, that is interesting about your arm and how it may have affected your mobility. I had to sleep on my left side for seven months due to pain in my right AC joint. Perhaps all that time screwed something up in my left shoulder.

11/10/17

Bench press: 170 x 5,5,6
BB rows (pronated grip): 155x5, 165 x 5,7
Banded face pulls and dead bugs

I experimented with different width grips for squatting. They either hurt my elbows or the bar would rest on the part of my lower trap/posterior delt that hurt. I tried squatting high bar. My elbows didn’t love it, yet they were still manageable. Once I got to 195, the pain in my right knee out of the hole was terrible. I hope someone on the youtubes has a solution to my squatting woes.

On the bright side I was able to row. My elbows were sore a few hours after my workout. This morning they feel a lot better.

11/13/17

OHP: 125 x 5,5,4
Squats: 215 x 5,5,7
Neutral grip pull-ups: 7
Pull-ups: 4,4
Ab rollout

Second time failing OHP at 125. I don’t know why there is such a drop off after 120, where I hit six AMRAP reps twice. I will reset and try one more time before changing things up.

I did a lot of stretching of my wrist flexors and extensor over the weekend. It must have helped because I did not have much elbow pain today. The barbell felt best keeping my elbows up a little higher than normal. Each working set felt better the previous. Now that groove is greased, I plan to go to failure on Friday. I need to get over that mental hurdle.

Neutral grip pull-ups did not feel so good. Regular pull-ups felt better, though unnatural since I had not done them in so long.

11/15/17

Bench press: 172.5 x 5,5,6
Sumo DL: 285x6
BB rows: 165 x 5,5,5
Ab rollout

DL form felt off. Was shy about pushing it because my lumbar spine has felt tight since Monday. I didn’t wear a belt when OHP Monday and didn’t do a good enough job keeping my core tight.

Rows were equally terrible. I noticed I was breaking my wrist when it got tough. Nicht gut.

Ab rollouts are being put on hold. My forearms and elbows are on fire after them, in a bad way. I do dead bugs on my off days. To spice things up, planks will make a return.

11/17/17

OHP: 112.5 x 5,5,8
Squats: 220 x 5,5,8
Neutral grip pull-ups: 7,6,5
Dead bugs

Best workout in a while. Sweet.

11/20/17

Bench press: 175 x 5,5,5
Squat: 225 x 5,5,7
BB rows (back to supinated): 165 x 5,5,8

I went with a thumbless grip last Friday for squats. It felt better, but my wrists and elbows were not happy all weekend. Today I went back thumb around and widened my grip. No elbow problems during working sets, though the bar was slipping down my back during the AMRAP set. A couple hours post-workout and my inner elbows are now tender to the touch.

11/22/17

OHP: 115 x 5,5,7
Sumo DL: 290x8
Neutral grip pull-ups: 7
Pull-ups: 5,5
Banded facepulls and dead bugs
A ton of 53# KBS

My hips have been sore since Monday night. I have had a right quad/IT band problem for a few months. From what I can tell, it is because I let my knees glide forward too much on squats.

This pain affected the sumo DL AMRAP. I likely had another rep or two, but my right hip hated the eighth rep.

Elbows hated NGPUs. I have no idea why I keep doing pulls in any position other than with a pronated grip.

11/24/17

Bench press: 177.5 x 5,5,5
Squats: 230 x 5,1; 185x8
BB rows (pronated): 155 x 5,5,8
Dead bugs

Fifth rep on bench AMRAP was an adventure. Was out of gas after four. I went way too slow on the descent, but managed to lock it out.

Squats were a mess. I forgot to wear my belt during the first working set, which felt like an RPE 10. Remembered the belt for the second set. Unfortunately during the second rep, I got too far forward out of the hole. I couldn’t regain my balance and had to dump the weight, which sucked because I didn’t have the safety bars set. I usually set them after the second set. I dialed the weight back and changed back into my chucks. I will do some tempo or pause squats tomorrow to try and fix my form. On the bright side, my elbows and hips don’t feel terrible at the moment.

11/27/17

OHP: 117.5 x 5,5,6
Squats: a lot of singles at 205
Pull ups: 5,5,6
Planks

I
After the debacle of last Friday, and my history of injuries, I finally decided to hire a coach. I decided on Brendan Tietz, who has similar problems as me (trouble with overhead lifting, an asymmetrical squat). We spoke on Sunday. We will skype once a week to go over video of my working sets. He will write my programming, which may come as early as this Friday. I told him I have been running GSLP. He thought that the intensity may be a bit for someone my age (ouch...I’m only 37). He suggested not doing anything crazy the rest of this week.

My squat felt off today just as bad as last Friday. I decided to do singles at 205 while trying out different grips, hand placement, and shoes. Wearing oly shoes seems best to get my quads involved. I still can’t find a grip or hand placement where the bar feels stable and my elbows don’t feel destroyed. Hopefully things improve soon.

Tietz seems like a pretty well-rounded and intelligent dude. I'm subbed to his youtube channel, it's good stuff.

Cool! I’ve looked at him before for coaching, but didn’t pull the trigger. I’ll think you’ll do very well. Will follow with interest.

Interested to see how things go; seems like a solid choice.

Thanks guys. He seemed knowledgeable when we spoke. He had ideas on the quad and elbow trouble I’ve had recently. I will pass on anything helpful. Never would have heard of him except for rAv posting a video of his. He posts some great content.

11/29/17

Bench press: 180 x 5,5,5
Sumo DL: 295x6
BB rows: 157.5 x 5,5,7
Planks
100 24 kg KBS: 5:30

First set of bench was best set in forever. Had trouble with consistent bar path and speed the other two sets.

I haven’t DLed this heavy since throwing my back out at the same weight over two years ago (though I pulled conventional back then). I I had trouble with the bar drifting forward upon liftoff. Plus the bar was slipping out of hands. Mixed grip sumo DL feels strange, but looks like it will be a necessity.

12/1/17

OHP: 120 x 5,5,5
Squats: 185 x 5,5,10
Pull-ups: 6,5,5

I had to squeeze in a workout during lunch. Pressing was tougher than it should have been. I had hit six reps the past two AMRAP sets at 120.

I tried a million variations for low bar squatting. None of them worked for one reason or another. Instead I just high barred it. I only used a belt the last set, which made the weight feel magnitudes easier.

12/4/17

Bench press: 182.5 x 5,5,5
Squats: 215 x 5,5,5
BB rows: 160 x 5,5,7
Planks

Still running hot in bench press.

Fooled around with grip (type and width) for squats. No elbow problems but wrist felt crushed.

I have a problem cheating during rows. When it gets tough, I definitely shrug my left trap. I think pause rows may be the way to go.

12/6/17

OHP: 122.5 x 5,5,5
Sumo DL: 300x6
Pull-ups: 6,6,5
Banded facepulls and planks
KBS: 24 kg x 20 x 3

Two big milestones: finally pressing 122.5x5x3 and deadlifting 300 for the first time in years. Finally had to pull with a mixed grip after two reps. Mixed grip feels incredibly awkward pulling sumo. Maybe it takes a couple of times to get used to.

12/8/17

Bench press: 185 x 5,4; 175x6
Squat: 220x5x3
Pause BB rows: 125x5x4
Planks

Like Renton, squats can’t seem to feel right. Elbow and wrist pain wasn’t as bad. On the other hand, the bar didn’t feel right on my back and I was getting pitched too far forward.

I’ve cut ties with Brendan Tietz. We spoke on the phone almost two weeks ago. He said he would provide programming at the end of last week, or at the latest, the beginning this week. I hadn’t heard from him earlier this week so I texted him a couple of times. Never heard a word.

I’m going to visit my parents the next two weeks in South Florida. I plan on deloading since I’m always weaker in foreign gyms. On the bright side, I have an initial consultation with the Strength Athlete next Tuesday.

That’s very unprofessional. I hope you didn’t pay him yet?

I had not made any payment. One of my messages to him was how payment works. He never made that clear in our conversation. It makes his indifference all the more perplexing.