17-11-2013
Weight: 83,1
Squat: 3x5x82,5
OHP: 5,5,4x40
Deadlift platform was occupied, so I did 3x10x30kg wide-grip bench press.

Filmed my squat (pr btw) and posted in form check thread: link

So I went to the gym yesterday, for the first time in about a year. It was painful.

Worked my way up to 55kg squats and 35kg benchpress. Unfortunately, it is a very small gym and yesterday was not able to do deadlifts or ohp.

I have a question for you guys. I can only go to this gym two times per week (tuesday and thursday), because of the schedule of my classes. I would like to do an extra day working out in the weekend, but am limited to doing stuff at home. I have a dumbell (but will buy another, if I can fit it into a routine that makes any sense) and a kettlebell (16kg I believe?). Can anyone recommend a schedule that makes any sense: 2x per week in the gym, 1x at home. My goal is mainly aesthetics.

Thank you!

I mean, painful in a social way. Physically, today was worse.

Sooo, its's time for an update I guess.

The good:
- Have been lifting more or less consistently past 4 months, SS-style
- Lifts have gone up
- Joined gym chain with multiple locations nearby
- Started incorporating mobility and flexibility exercises at home, using a resistance band, and foam rolling
- Started tracking calories and macros

The bad:
- Progression has started to stall, with semi-frequent failed final sets
- Form is not spectacular
- Left elbow has been hurting, usually sets in after squats. Possibly a result of cominbation of low elbow position on LBBS, attempt to add in volume on dumbell curls and lat pulls, and ****ty bench form.
- Hurt my neck/upper back rather badly on OHP recently. This has happened before. It seems to be trap issue? Possibly some other smaller muscle?

The lifts:
LBBS
Has gone up from 55kg to 97,5kg
No video, but I know that my form is at least decent but depth has been deteriorating.

BP
Has gone up from 35kg to 55kg
I reckon this is my worst lift, also re: form. It is all over the place. It was hurting my lower back, but I think I fixed this by decreasing my arch, increasing thoracic spine mobility, activating the glutes, and stretching the quads. It probably contributed to hurt elbow, but I think I am working towards fixing this by slightly widening my grip and decreasing ROM by letting the bar go more towards my belly. Another issue I have is that my shoulders tend to protract/un-retract on the push movement.

Recent video:


OHP
Has gone up from 25kg to 40kg.
Not feeling very confident with this lift either. I don't have micro plates, and I think the 2,5kg jumps are the primary reason that I frequently "stall" on this lift. My most recent attempt at 42,5kg has caused a nasty injury on the lift side of my upperback, causing sharp pain when I move my head around (especially when turning it left). I suppose the pain is primary located along the "inside" edge of my scapula from halfway up and towards my neck. I am not entirely sure what form issue is causing this. I will be focusing on keeping my upper back tight (not over extending on last part of the press) and neck tight/the double chin+tong behind teeth move.

Slighly less recent video:


Deadlift
Has gone up from 70kg to 110kg.
Feeling pretty confident on this one. Have never really failed a lift. I have slown down the progress intentionally because my form was quite bad (terribly rounded lower back) but I have made huge improvements! Narrowing my stance width has helped and so has focussing on activating the lats (bending the bar). I am now learning to lower hips slightly, just to set my back properly, but than have to really be conscious thay my hips don't rise early. I think this has been improving by focussing on pushing my heels down. Another issue I have started to confront is my head position. And I need to learn to keep everything tight on the negative movement as well.

Slightly less recent video (with low weights):


The plan:
In a couple of days I am going on holiday for 9 days, where I will not be lifting. Before then I hope to get in another session of each of the lifts, hopefully all succesful PRs. When I come back I am planning to move from SS to a GSLP inspired routine. I think I will reset with -15%, so I can really focus on form again, getting depth in squat and fixing all my form issues on the other lifts. The reasoning behind GSLP is: (1) I am now quite frequently failing new weights in the SS style. GSLP is also LP, but failing is less hurtful for the progression, because you get to add in some more reps on a lower weight, thus still sort-of-progressing! (2) My goals are not 100% strength, but also aimed at aesthetic (but first I need to get some base strength). GSLP = more reps = hopefully some more "hypertrophy".

Now I have a little problem with scheduling the work-outs. Basically I will not be able to do (heavy) squats + bench, because only 1 location has proper squat rack with safeties and this location has a terrible terrible bench set-up. I don't think I feel comfortable going all out on squats without safeties, but maybe you can convince me to man up? I am not entirely sure how I will fix this. I think on the days that prescribe bench press + squat (1/3 workouts if my calculations are correct) I will just do some lighter squat. Or maybe I will do front squats?

As far as weight/diet goes: I am decently steady at 82/83kg. I started tracking calories recently and hope to maintain my weight, while still making strenght improvements. I think 2900 kc/day should achieve this, but will adjust along the way if the scale tells me a different story.


This has become a really long post. Hope one of you is bored enough to go through it, any comments would be really appreciated! (especially on my bench form )

You're kinda loose in the bench press (shoulder retraction and legs, importantly), and your elbows are not below the bar through the full ROM (they are closer to your toes at some point). Either touch a bit lower or flare your elbows more.

More shoulder prehab work. I posted a good list in khanrava's log. Also stretch lats and pecs. Should help with some of shoulder issues.

deadlift seems pretty good, but that is a pretty light weight for you.

You weigh as much as I do at 5' 9" - eat some more food.

GSLP is good.

Thank you very much for your comments, Aidan. Also your earlier comments ITT and in the form check thread, greatly appreciated!

Re: shoulder prehab work. I came across this Donnie Thompson video around these forums and was planning to use this as warm up before bench (and OHP I suppose). Do you think this would be sufficient or should I add some of your exercises?
I have also started doing these stretches at home and have more general question on the different types of exercises. Is there a difference between when I should apply which type of mobility/stretch/flexibility type of exercise? E.g. the KStarr stretches on non-workout days and the Thompson mobility stuff as a warm up before lifting?

Do you find it's easier to bench taking breaths between every rep? I've found it helps me to try to get as many reps per breath as I can in benching/pressing.

I am ashamed to say it a matter of necessity. I am really bad at holding breath for longer periods (while lifting), undoubtedly caused partially by my failure to quit smoking entirely.

.

That's the post! It's partly a thorough warm up, but also helps develop the small muscles that can easily lag behind the big muscles and cause issues similar to what you describe. It attempts to provide a bit of balance to the shoulder musculature. I'd definitely rest until you have no pain, then progress very slowly.

I appreciate the kind words too

As for the breathing thing, it is really personal preference. Doing it all on as few breaths as possible may get you an extra rep or two, but since we train for powerlifting our mantra is "every rep is a single", so we are taught to breath and get everything tight for every single rep. Different strokes, and pretty irrelephant for the general trainee.

Holiday was very nice. Ended up not getting another session in before I left, but that's al right. Weight still at 82.5 which is also nice.

Today I did my first session of GSLP, my bastardized version of it at least. Because of weird gyms I am not able to do squat+bench. Also, I can't do 5 pull-ups yet. Therefore I will do a very simple alternating schedule for now:
A: OHP - LBBS - BB Row
B: BP - BB Row - DL

I will try to do regular gtg pull-ups at home. Do you think this schedule is ok, or is it very stupid? Any alterations to improve it?

Today I did:

OHP - 32.5kg - 5+5+11. Focused on keeping upper back really tight during the entire lift. Felt very good. Hopefully this will keep me safe from twitching/injuring my neck/traps again.

LBBS - 85kg - 5+5+6. O man, I was already sore after the first work set, especially in the hamstrings. Really sucks to squat again after two weeks of doing nothing.

Vid:

Thoughts:Lol, only watching it back now. I am way high

BB Row - 40kg - 5+5+10. First time doing this exercise. Don't really know what I am doing.

Vid:

Thoughts: Doesn't look too bad I think? Next time I will try to keep my hips down a bit more on later reps. And I need to remember from the start to keep my neck in line.

Sit back a touch more on the squats, knees out. Definitely high, like you said.

Not an expert on that kind of row, but maybe pull it in a little lower on your chest, closer to the point where it becomes your belly.

Short(er) session this morning:

BP - 50kg - 5+5+5. Focused on keeping shoulders back during the lift and elbows under the bar. Think I did reasonably well with this, but will need te get used to it more.

Vid:


DL - 100kg - 7. Form not very good. Was feeling rushed by other people waiting for me to finish. Not worried for next time, just need to take my time and focus.

No time for rows. Will get some gtg pull ups in today.

Weight: 82.6kg

Was ill for a couple of days, but made it to the gym again today. Not fully recovered yet, which resulted in some mediocre lifting. Unfortunately no videos this time.

OHP - 35kg - 5+5+8
BP - 52.5kg - 5+5+4
BB Row - 45kg 5+5+8
LBBS - Out of energy by this time, so just worked my way up to 5x80kg and called it a day.

Also did some curls.

BP - 50kg - 5+5+5

I think I'm doing slightly better here with regard to my elbow position under the bar and bench (on the low point). Felt quite a bit better as well.

BB Row - 50kg - 5+5+8

DL - 105kg - 5+5+5

Felt unexpectedly heavy and not happy with form. Will really have to keep focusing and concentrate on this lift.

Elbows are still slightly closer to your toes on the way down, which I think could be fixed by just slightly starting with the bar closer to your toes. General tightness could be improved, it's never a bad time to rewatch so you think you can bench.

Deadlifts you're letting your hips rise early, so got to work on driving your feet into the floor and keeping your chest and head moving upwards with a really tight core.

OHP - 37,5kg - 5+5+9 - These are coming along quite nicely!

BB Row - 52,5kg - 5+5+5 - Realized that I am not really doing full ROM so will drop down significantly next time
ss with
Hammer curls - 6kg - 15+15+15

LBBS - 80kg - 5+5+8 - Feeling pretty good about these! I brought in my hands 1 finger on each side on the first working set, which almost immediately irritated the inside (towards the spine) of my left trap (I think). I am now almost certain this has been the primary contributor to my previous injuries. On the next sets I went back to my previous position, which is pretty much as wide as the rack allows. I realize that this is probably not optimal for getting tight in the upper back, but it will have to do for now. Working on mobility in this area.





One of the reasons I was not hitting depth previously was because I have some seriously tight hip adductors (really high up, almost on the pelvic bone). To fix this I have narrowed my foot positioning very slightly and started to do some mobility work in the area: Duffin's tactical frog stretch and warm-ups. This seems to be working nicely. It's a difficult area to get to with roller/lax ball kind of stuff though.

Squats look good. Think you were good for 2 more reps though

This video might help with regards to hand positioning/back tightness (they aren't as linked as people think): http://www.lift-run-bang.com/2012/06...-hand-and.html

Squats do look solid. You've just got to make your Deadlifts look like post #30 the whole time. You have it in your locker. I'd say you have a huge amount of potential if you stuck at it consistently.

Thanks for the video link, Aidan. I had actually already seen that before! But a very long time ago, and it is a good reminder. And yes I probably should have gotten more reps, a big issue is I get terribly out of breath after 4/5 reps, but will push harder next time!

Thanks LL, motivating to hear

Today:

BP - 52,5kg - 5+5, did not feel comfortable doing AMRAP at this weight so did 6*50kg - Nope. Still not there yet





BB Row - 30kg - 5+5+14 - I am doing Pendlay row and have a question for anybody who does them as well: are you actually touching the bar to the belly every rep? I am touching about 50% of reps, but it doesn't really feel like a strength issue (it is not only the later reps), maybe a form issue? Then again, maybe I am just fooling myself.

ss with

BB curls - 15kg - 15+15+15

DL - 107,5kg - 6.

I'll give you a vid of my final warm-up set (90kg) as well:



Utterly frustrated with my form I then did some sets of three reps with light weight (50kg) to see if I was able to improve on form. This is the last of them. Seem acceptable?

It's getting quite heavy for you, and you're struggling with keeping a stable low back position. Your lever lengths mean your hips are very high in the start position (totally correct, btw) but it does put a lot of emphasis on your low back due to the fact it is almost perpendicular to the ground. You really need to focus on keeping the chest and chin up when you engage the pull off the floor along with keeping everything as tight as you can. Add in some direct ab and low back work.

Bench press descent is too slow, but at least you have a very consistent touching point. Tightness still leaves a bit to be desired. Try and get as tight as you are the moment you engage the press off the chest throughout the entire rep - you demonstrate you CAN do it, so its just about developing the ability to hold it.

Thanks for the comments, Aidan. Are ab wheel roll-outs an appropriate exercise or is something else better?