BLAB Log: Week 3.Day 3

Simple-6

Chin-Ups - Band-Asst.(Foot)X10X2, BA (Knee)X5, BWX4, BWX3, BA (Knee)X5, BA (Foot)X10

Pull-Down (Neutral Grip) - 70X23, 70X18
super-set with
DB Standing Presses (Neutral) - 30'sX18, 30'sX12

Cable Rear Delt Raise - 30X10, 25X10X3

"Run the Rack" DB Curls - (30, 20, 15, 8, 5) X8

Core Circuit X 2

Timed Pushups - 50X4:25

Crap session.  -10% as Paul Carter might say.  Some possible progress on the chin-ups.  Not in reps, obviously, but in technique.  I really tried to go all out on the band-assisted sets instead of treating them as warm-ups/downs and I felt it a lot more in my lats so I'll be sure to get after every chin-set no matter what going forward.  I really, really want to progress to weighted chins. 

On a hopefully related note, I was able to jump up 10 lbs. on the pull-downs pretty easily.  Initially I thought that was due to the grip change, but since the DB presses didn't get a similar benefit I'm hoping that's real progress on back strength.


Bent over cable raises were very nostalgic.  The sets went well, but it was disconcerting because I kept flashing back to my mid-twenties when I used to do a lot of body-building style weight lifting, so-called "bro-splits," etc.  Nevertheless, it was kind of fun.  I had just watched some of the Indigo-3G training videos, and picked up some possible form tips for laterals from Christian Thibaudeau.  He didn't say this explicitly, but when I was doing the reps, rather than think about bringing the weight up in an arc, I though more about throwing the weight sideways.  I actually picked a target in my peripheral vision that was on the same plane as my shoulders, and threw the weight towards that target without letting go.  I believe I was able to take my traps and back out of the peak contraction portion of the movement in this way.  Little bit of an ego-check on the weight to do this, but I think it was right.

Started off too light on the curls, and had way more reps in the tank on the lower weights.  Have to go up 5-10 lbs. next week.  Even if I have to muscle up the last few sets of the opening weight, I think the final reps on the lower weights will be under more fatigue.

I continue to suck at direct ab work.  No strength or endurance there at all.  Had to pull back from all the prescribed reps as my abs were starting to cramp half way through the 2nd movement of the first set.  Likewise, the push-ups actually LOST time from last week.  This really sucks because I looked at the program this morning, and realized the timed push-ups are over, and I never actually got to the prescribed hundred.  I don't feel okay about this.  For those of you (imaginary) that are keeping track, the list of things I suck at and now feel compelled to keep in a program no matter what are: chins, push-ups, direct ab work, and single-leg squat variations.  Looking at that list, I realize probably anything where body-weight makes up a significant portion of the overall load may be lagging for me.  Except for dips.  For whatever reason those were going fine when I worked them into WS4SB prior to starting BLAB.  I even started strapping on weight with a dip-belt.  Maybe I've got good dip genes or something.  Anyway, I like chins and single-leg squat stuff is growing on me, but I hate the push-ups and the ab work.  That tells me I HAVE to make sure to keep it in future programs.  When I start 531 this fall, I've got to remember to find where this stuff plugs-in.  I know Wendler uses hanging-ab raises with the feet coming all the way up as ab work, but I'm wodering if I shouldn't take the ab circuit progressions out of BLAB and put them on my 531 schedule.  Food for thought.

Speaking of food, I started with protein supplements yesterday.  It was just to damn hard to try and get all the protein in from food, and attempting to do so was screwing up my cooking.  The wife was never totally pleased that I kept substituting additional meats for carbs whenever I cooked big portions of things.  Hopefully now I can feel more comfortable churning out rice and starchy vegetable sides.