Man those chins are ****ing stout. I tried +90lbs the other day, missed. Maybe 75 goes once.

Prob just a recovery/diet/rest downswing with SQ. You might just double check your stance is where you want it--I noticed I was letting my toe angle creep inward (on setup not during), maybe 10% too much and it was sapping some power.

Thanks bros.

TC,

KC made the same comment in person, but I've found more than a few degrees more outward of a foot angle leads to some knee pain. Who knows.

9/21: 186.2

A
Barbell Bench (Cycle 4, TM 240): wu, 155x5, 180x5, 205x1, 225x3, 240x3 (8.5-9), 205x10 (9.5), 190x11, 170x13
Hammer Strength Row (Single Arm): 6x10
One Arm Cable Row: 6x12

B
DB Incline Bench: 3x6x85
Machine Rear Fly: 6x12
Single Straight Arm Cable Pulldown: 6x12

C
Lying DB Skullcrushers: 4x12
Upsidedown KB Press: 4x10

Day went fine; got the reps I wanted on bench and bumped up the incline DB weight without incident. Might have re-tweaked my left forearm/elbow region, but doesn't feel super serious. Food choices remain solid.

9/22: 186.2

Felt a little fatigued last night so I had an extra 600 calories or so of dessert - few pieces of fruit, extra protein bar, few molasses chips. Felt better today.

A
5/3/1 DL (Cycle 2, 325 TM): wu, 5x215, 5x245, 1x275, 3x300, 3x325, 12x275, 10x260, 10x225
Seated DB Press: wu, 4x8x65
Upside down KB press: 4x8

B
Squat (light, recovery): wu, 3x8x215
Facepull: 8x15
Zottman Curls: 4x10

C
Back extensions: 4x12xbw

Everything felt pretty k. Probably had another rep or two on the AMRAP, and a few more on the backoffs, but leaving a bit in the tank seems prudent. Squats were tough but fine. DB press was a volume/weight PR.

Those deadlifts look great. Tremendous power pushing from the floor and through lockout.

275x12 is sick. I've done 315x10 and felt like death.

Thanks fakeb; just trying to make my lifts slightly less proportionally pathetic when compared to Renton and his flared belt.

315x10 probably would kill me at this point, though. Hopefully will be coming soon, though.

Nice pulls. And yea Renton putting us all to shame.

How's the refeed going?

Can you give me some cliffs on your SI joint issue? What caused it, how was it diagnosed, what treatment/rehab did you do, etc. I think I may have developed something similar.

9/25: 190.2

Pretty reasonable weekend considering I flew to Philly and back for my 20th reunion. Was supposed to be in Seattle this week, but it got postponed.

A
OHP (paused): wu, 2x135, 1x155 (8.5), 3x5x130, 7x130
NG chins: 8xbw, 3xbw+25, 5xbw+35, 5xbw+40, 5xbw+45, 5xbw+50, 5xbw+55
DB Pullover: 4x10x90

B
DB Bench: 2x8x95, 2x7x95
Facepulls: 8x15

C
Dips: wu, 8xbw+25, 8xbw+35, 8xbw+45, 8xbw+55, 8xbw+65
DB Hammer: 4x12x35
Bayesian Curls: 4x12
Upsidedown KB Press: 4x9

Went k; obviously can't move as much weight with paused OHP, but it feels more stable and puts less pressure on my SI. Weighted stuff was solid across the board.

I got it diagnosed by my wife's cousin, who's a PT with the Celtics and Patriots, when I was out visiting a few years back. I'm relatively certain the acute injury occurred while deadlifting, but now that I've cleaned up that form and kept the weight jellydick for a while, it's become apparent that overarching while pressing aggravates it a bit too, so I'm trying to watch that as well.

There wasn't much actual treatment other than trying to stay active and train through it the best I could; raising myself up at my trunk to get out of bed was a no go (I'd have to roll out), and bending over to tie my shoes wasn't possible either. I just kept the lower body stuff either non-existent or light, depending on if it irritated it or my ROM felt restricted, rested, and tried to do some stretches I found on the web/laid on a foam roller and lacrosse ball for a while. I hurt my left one initially and then my right one around 15 months ago, and all that I can say for sure actually improved things was time.

About your paused OHP: pause at the top or bottom? I've been experimenting with a one second pause at the top and have noticed less lower back arching.

Pausing at the bottom.

9/26: 188.6

A
5/3/1 Squat (Cycle 11, TM 290): wu, 3x205, 3x235, 1x260, 2x280, 2x300 (9.5), 8x260 (9), 8x245, 8x215

B
RDLs: wu, 4x8x225
Upsidedown KB Press: 4x9

C
Back extensions: 4x8xbw+15

Felt pretty good under the bar, although 300 felt heavier than it looked on video. Looked like 260 was a solid 8.5-9, although it felt more the like 9.5 while I was doing it. Everything else was pretty k.

No more poverty calories; going to be working my way back up to a small surplus over the next few weeks or so and see how that works.

Every time I see you record an upsidedown KB press I initially picture you doing some sort of awkward handstand pushup on a KB. It passes quickly and I realize exactly what it is but it makes me laugh every time (at me, not you). I may have had a similar issue with facepulls at sometime in the past.

9/27: 187.6

Treadmill (4.0/2.0%): 45:00/3.0 mi
HLRs: 4x8xbw
Pallof Press: 4x12
Farmer's walk (105 lb DB): 3x30secx~100ft
Upside down KB Press: 4x10

Still k.

9/21: 188.2

I'm a little sick, but 10+ hours sleep each of the last few nights, so maybe it cancels out?

A
Barbell Bench (Cycle 4, TM 240): wu, 170x3, 195x3, 215x1, 235x2, 250x2 (8.5), 215x9 (9.5), 205x10, 180x12
Hammer Strength Row (Single Arm): 6x10x88
One Arm Cable Row: 6x12

B
DB Incline Bench: 4x8x80
Machine Rear Fly: 6x12
Single Straight Arm Cable Pulldown: 6x12

C
Lying DB Skullcrushers: 4x12
Upsidedown KB Press: 4x10

Pretty k. Bench double was pretty smooth; got a few extra reps compared to the last time I AMRAP'd 215, so that was a plus. Took the backoff sets to ~ RPE 9. Good pump.

Moving ever so slowly towards adult male status (2 plates per side) on the Hammer Row. Incline was smooth.

Flat bench is coming along great

This is where EV and montecore have something in common, their PR bench was long ago. However, to be fair to the monte, if you weight adjust for his former fatness he might be at PR territory.

Thanks, I think so. I think I set 255x5 as a goal for flat bench in the 2017 goal thread, and that seems decently achievable by EOY, which given I've only been back benching for a few months, seems pretty k.

This is a fair criticism. Whether or not 330 at 235 or whatever it is I top out at this year (280ish?) at what I'm assuming will be ~190 is more impressive is obviously up for debate. Setting an actual PR and/or getting back into 3 plate territory seems unlikely unless I commit to a non-trivial bulk, though, so we'll see.

Maybe. You are on the surplus train. Gains gains gains.

And you are consistent. More gains.

Thanks. Sounds like what I've got. Probably not as bad as what you had, but my sympoms are similar. It is getting better without my doing anything specific, but it is slow AF.

9/29: 186.8


A
5/3/1 DL (Cycle 2, 325 TM): wu, 3x225, 3x260, 1x290, 2x315, 2x340 (~7?), 11x290, 10x275, 10x245
Seated DB Press: wu, 3x6x70
Upside down KB press: 4x10x18

B
Squat (light, recovery): wu, 3x8x225
Facepull: 8x15
Zottman Curls: 4x11x25

C
Back extensions: 4x8xbw+20

Everything beltless as usual. Deadlift felt strong; felt like I had five at 340 if I wanted it, and a few more at 290, but I'm trying not to overdo it. First time repping 70s on the seated press; other than a bit of difficulty getting them to my shoulders initially, pretty smooth. Feels nice to hit the two plate threshold for volume squats; last few reps of the last set felt like a house, but if course looked fine on video.

340x5??! Estimated, of course, but I feel 405 incoming

Just when Renton starts running away with the Golden, monte fires back with big chin and increasing squat/deadlift.

Renton +150
Montecore +200
Rav +300

Monte the Gainz Giant against Renton the Deflated Garden Gnome? Snap call