Okay session. I'm probably still pushing harder than I should, and should take my foot off the gas a little bit. Despite the Volume PR, Curls were flat-ish and more rest-pause-y than I want them to be. Bench slid back.
Deadlift rebounded a bit as I did a lot of BW squats between the last squat session and this session to keep adductor DOMS at bay.
Poor session. Curls were way harder than expected, and lingering adductor DOMS from last session made DL very difficult.
Going back and reviewing the last time I ran this block for Curls more in depth yielded some surprises. e1RM actually went down week-over-week in the first 3 weeks then spiked in Week 4 and rocketed off from there. I went back to look at the block and see if anything changed between Week 3 and 4. What happened was that I backed-off the weight. I was trying to force the weight to increase pretty drastically at the beginning of the block until I started hitting @10 on set 2. After Week 3, I backed off to make sure I was hitting target RPE on the first set, and things seem to have gone better from there.
Curls were a struggle today, but not as much as...
Deadlift. On the first warm-up with 135, my adductors lit up like crazy. I'd had some mild adductor DOMS over the weekend following Friday's squat session, but that was mostly gone by the AM of this training day. And yet they lit up so hot that I was struggling to walk around the gym trying to get them to dissipate.
I did some empty bar stuff and then came back and did 225X7 just fine. The lifting wasn't bad, but getting down into position was SUPER uncomfortable as the adductors stretched. So much so, that I knew my starting position was off, and I was having trouble getting good tension on the bar before the pull. Nevertheless, the top set and first back-off set came in more-or-less on target, but then I tweaked my back on the second back-off set.
As I write this the next day, I'm mostly fine again; as expected. Some lingering adductor and low-back tightness, but it was physically and psychologically stressful during this training session.
I'm really at a loss as to how to handle the adductor DOMS issue at the beginning of each training block. The next step is probably to reduce pivot blocks from two weeks down to one (more of a deload week), and keep squats high volume and high specificity in that time.
Last session of the pivot. As I've had some very mild adductor DOMS after these beltless sessions, I'm optimistic that I WON'T have crippling adductor DOMS as I start the next dev block.
Was out of the gym for almost 3 months avoiding the holiday Covid surge. Did some BW stuff at home and on playground equipment in that time.
The main purpose of this block was to just build work capacity back up on the gym lifts. The layout was generally worst lift first on day one, 2nd worst lift first on day two, etc. I started off only doing 1-2 sets of 1-8 reps in the first week, to 4 sets of 3-10 reps in the last week, and Toes-to-Bar and Press went from 1 slot per week to 2 slots per week.
Things went generally well.
Lifts in order of priority:
Toes-To-Bar - Went from doing hanging leg raises to just above parallel, to getting my first toes-to-bar in week 4, to doing sub-max sets of 3 in the last week. Taking this up another level will be the focus of the next block. Hopefully at the end of that block, I will be able to formulate some long term goals for this family of movements.
Press - Went from 117.5X1@7 (e1RM 132.5) to 135X1@7.75 (e1RM 147.5). I also hit some volume PRs: 100X3X8 and then 100X3X10
Bench - Went from 215X1@7.5 (e1RM 237.5) to 250X1@9 (e1RM 257.5; I went for some #'s in the last week). Volume PR: 165X3X10
BB Curls - 70X8@8 (e1RM 95) to 72.5X10@7 (e1RM 112.5). Volume PRs: 65X3X12 and 67.5X4X10
Deadlift - 380X1@8 (e1RM 420) to 405X1@7.5 (e1RM 447.5; e1RM PR). Volume PRs: 310X3X8 and 300X3X10. DL continues to be the lift that has survived-and-thrived the most in all the tumult of the last year.
Squat - 345X1@7.5 (e1RM 382.5) to 365X1@8 (e1RM 420). This lift struggled the most this block, as I got some lingering soreness in my right adductor that started making heavier sets painful. I dropped top singles for the bulk of the block and just focused on ramping volume up to 3X10. Volume PR: 250X3X10
Chin-Ups - Ugh. BW(221)X3@9.5 (e1RM 245) to BW(223)X3@8 (e1RM 260). The worst, but I can't bring myself to do another Chins focus block for a bit.
Adductor DOMS from Squats lit up HARD on my first warm-up set of DL. Made all of the subsequent sets incredibly difficult, and drove up the sRPE. Still, once the back-off set of DL got moving, the expected strength levels appear to be there, so I'm optimistic this all bounces back in Cycle 2 once the DOMS start to fade.
Quad pain was barely a tickle during squats, even if it's still causing me distraction outside of the gym, and Squats generally felt the best they have in a while. I had an e-mail consult with one of the rehab specialists from BBM, and they recommended staying this course for another week or so, but dropping leg press and belt squat. My plan for an accumulation block following this with sets of 6-8 and RPE 6/7 was agreed with. Caution was to just keep an eye on tonnage, to make sure there's not a huge jump in the next 4 weeks or so.
Bench-Grip Press didn't feel quite as natural on this day for some reason. Had more trouble finding the best grip so that the bar path felt smooth.
Per BBM, I'm going to discontinue the leg press in this block. Frankly, my left medial hip/adductor area that was hurt for so long earlier this year hasn't been loving the single-leg press, and I'd been considering dropping it for that reason anyway.
Dips felt good with more reps while depth stays good.
Chest-Supported T-Bar Row - 125X5, 5, 5 @ 8
super-set with
Seated Leg Curls - X10, 10, 10, 10
"Novelty Week" or "My Continued Adventures with Back Pain" continues!
Back was a little bit better on this day, but still didn't feel like I was ready to load my spine. Hoping the third session of the week will be
Tried out the belt squat for the first time. It took me 7 sets to arrive at the 165 work weight I used. It's a very different squat feeling, and took a long time to dial-in technique so that I felt like the weight was staying over mid-foot, I wasn't falling forwards or backwards (the weight being attached at the hip caused the upper body to feel a bit more out of control), and that I could apply full power to the movement. I do feel like I got some work in here.
Tried full power bench, but my back wasn't liking it. Went with feet-up. It was still painful at times (mainly getting on the bench and in position), but I got through it. These numbers are low compared to what I did with this movement when I was rehabbing my adductor, but I think low back pain just takes a bigger toll on everything. Overshot a little bit with 195 on the back-off work and couldn't sustain it for 5X5, so had to drop down to 185.
I really couldn't think of what to do in place of block pulls here. So I went with Chest-Supported rows again, but for lower reps, and superset it with leg curls to get some hamstring work in. I tried lying leg curls, but my back HATED that, so I had to switch to the stupid seated machine.
Because I wasn't doing any movements where I'm concerned about long-term proficiency, I didn't grab any video.
Was again nervous about the top set of Squats. 20 lbs. heavier than last week, and the heaviest weight since rehabbing my adductor. And once again, the weight was pretty easy, an the adductor feels fine. Unfortunately, the first set was above parallel. Wah-wah. I deliberated about what to do, and ultimately took it again. Better depth, but still borderline. Decided to take it and try to do better in the future. Originally, the program was to do a single and 5X5 back-off. Since I took an extra single, I decided to only do 4X5 to keep the volume "slots" as programmed. Both singles, and last back-off shown.
After last week's Inclines, I was pretty sure I 4X5 @ +10 lbs. wasn't going to be great. I was prepared to be surprised, but I could tell from the first couple of reps that I needed to cut to 3 reps if wanted to get all of the volume in without a lot of @9+ RPE sets. Totally at peace with that decision. I've decided to incorporate that into the program going forward for the last week of each 3 week Bench wave. I really want the Incline weight to be the same as the back-off weight on heavy Bench day for the psychological benefits of having handled the weight already on the "harder" movement, so that it may "feel" light on the main movement. Last set shown.
I was running out of time, and my right wrist has been bothering me, so I decided to skip Chin-Ups. They can sometimes aggravate my wrists, and I'd like those joints to be fresh for alternate grip DL later in the week.
Week 1 of a new 3-week DL wave, so intensity drops down on BB Rows, but I upped the reps to 7 per set. These did take a little more "leg" to complete all the reps in the sets, but I kept pretty good torso position and the bar touched in the same area (just above the belt) on all reps. Gym was crowded, and so I couldn't get video where I was working.
This might have been the smoothest set with 375 I've ever done. I 100% that the Starr Protocol has allowed me to "reset" to better depth on the squat. That depth seems to be taking some stress off of the adductor (I still feel a twinge in it moving through parallel, but nothing at the bottom), and it's giving me a stronger rebound out of the hole. I was nervous going into this set as this is 20 lbs. heavier than the heaviest weight I've handled since I went on the protocol. They just felt great. Top set and last back-off set shown.
190X5 is a Rep PR for inclines. This was a challenging weight on every set. My grip is medium-close (top thumb knuckle on the smooth; about 1.5" out from Press grip), and the combination of the angle and the closer grip makes the ROM feel forever long. I had a spotter stand by for the last couple of sets. I'm programmed to go up to 200 next week, but I'll play it by ear. It would be great if the strength is there for it, but I'm prepared to do triples if necessary. Last set shown.
Chin-Ups were whatever. I'm just doing 3 sets and trying to leave a rep in the tank on every set (RPE 9, I guess). The BB Rows will either trigger additional adaptations that allow chins to maintain/increase, or they won't. Tired of living and dying by my chin-up strength for a while.
Rows felt a bit heavier than I expected after last week even though I was only doing triples. A reminder that with movements that rely on smaller amounts of muscle, something that felt easy at 175, can feel much tougher 20 lbs. heavier even with less reps. So I added the belt to makes sure I kept everything tight. Had straps on hand, but those definitely weren't necessary. Last set shown.
The good belt that fits me got snagged by someone else, so I had to use one of those crappy tapered belts. Pinched like a mofo. Anyway, these Squats went okay. I wish a set that's 50 lbs. off my best set of 5 felt a little stronger, but there it is. Back-offs were easy even with the crap belt. Adductor continues to just "pinch" coming out of the hole, but also continues to bother me outside the gym. We'll see. Top set and last back-off shown.
First time doing incline bench in over two years. Because this is a curved bench, it took me some time to figure out my set-up. When I pull my feet back under me like a regular bench, I end up arching up enough that it makes this basically a flat bench. Putting my feet out in front helped keep the angle down a bit. Grip here is "medium" or about half way between full bench and Press. Definitely made for a longer, triceps heavy stroke. Last set shown.
Chins were about as strong as they've been lately. I'm just going to focus on keeping them strict and leaving a rep in the tank, and they'll be what they'll be for a while.
Rows were very easy at this weight. Had set these to be 50% of that week's DL top set weight, but I'm gonna up that to 55%. Last set shown.
First time using a SSB so...Rep PR! I was told the bar is 70 lbs. so 2 plates should be 250. Had to fiddle around with pad placement. Putting it right on tom of my shoulders, I felt it pushing down into my neck rather than my upper back, and it also made it fairly vertical feeling coming up. On sets 2 and 3, I worked to find a "natural" way to set it a bit lower on my back, and was able to use a bit more hip drive with that placement. Ideally, I'd like the mechanics to fall half way between a high bar and low bar, give the benefit of the upper back work from the camber, but also allow for a narrow-to-medium stance to lessen strain on my adductor. 1st and 3rd sets shown for comparison.
This was still the ramp up week for the new program so I just left the press top-set at the same weight as my 3X5 last week. Top-set and last back-off set shown.
Last week, 315X5 on DL felt very easy (as I would hope), so I did add weight to this movement. These were harder than I would have expected, but my set up is pretty weak. My upper back is definitely not extended or "proud" the way it should be prior to the pull. This needs work.
Ramp up week for my HLM program now that adductor feels good enough to get back to training Squats and DL. Got some feedback from SS coaches Brent Carter and Michael Wolf on the design.
I don't think I've ever done Paused High Bar Squats, so...Rep PR! I'm treating this session and the next as a sort of introduction to movements and program, and so didn't worry too much about pushing intensity. This weight was fine, and I felt a bit worked afterwards. Intensity will increase from here. Last set shown.
I dropped the top set of Bench back 5 lbs. from last week's 5X1. Again, treating the last two sessions of this week as a ramp up to the program. 195X5X5 felt like a solid work-weight, though. Top set and last back-off set shown.
295X5 is a Rep PR on RDL. This was the only movement where I was "going for something." Straps help so much here, but I use "Oly" straps so this weight still stressed my grip a bit. Still worth it to be able to feel out the more important details of the movement. Filming the first set, I realized that the weight was swinging out when I initiate the concentric. Cleaned it up a bit on the second set, but still not totally locked in. I'm fairly certain this is because my knees are shooting forward, but I'm not positive on the cue to fix it yet. Last set shown.
Getting back to only doing 3 movements in a session sure made it feel like I was getting out "early."
Pull-Downs (supinated) - X12, 9, 7 (straight-weight; same weight as previous)
Hammer Curls -
45sX5
35sX12, 10
Moved Squats back into LP mode to see if I can run them up a bit. Definitely readjusting to what "heavy" sets across feel like, i.e. what it feels like when every rep isn't fast or "easy" all the way through. I probably panicked a bit in the last session when that happened, but I got my mind more right coming into this one, and was able to approach it with more confidence. Also, getting back into my old work set routine of making sure the unrack is stable before I walk it out, and making sure the bar is settled on my back between breath and rep. Last set shown.
2nd day back to LP for Press. These all moved very well. Very happy with how it went. Last set shown.
I Deadlifted for the first time in a couple of months. Zero adductor tightness on this movement, although it's still tender outside of the gym. Just did a set at 315 to feel it out.
As far as the assistance, I'm not caring about it as much now that I'm back on all the main lifts. Pull-Ups were week, pull-downs and curls were both strong.
Pull-Downs - X11, 8, 7 (straight-weight; same weight as previous)
BB Curls - ~60X11, 10
Starr Rehab Squats were expected to be sets of 8 today, but the Squat had other plans. 6th rep with 315 was challenging technically, so I called it there and went ahead and dropped to sets of 5. These all "felt" like real work sets and my legs were nice and achy for about 24 hours following. I'm just going to switch over to standard LP progression with 10 lb. jumps (hopefully) between sessions. Adductor still feels a bit sharp on the initial warm-up sets, and feels a bit spasm-y at times outside of the gym, but nothing nearly as debilitating as it was. Current plan is to run the LP up to the mid-to-high 300's and then switch back into regular programming with an HLM, top-set followed by back-off sets approach. I'm hopeful that lower intensity back-off volume will help continue the healing process while also driving adaptation for the top sets. All 3 work sets shown.
250X1 is a Rep PR on bench. Nice to get it for 5 sets, too! The first set was really close as the descent was a bit slow, and touched a bit high. Those were the two cues I took into the other sets, and they were all much better. I may try to push this up one more time. Would be nice to notch 255 before I switch over to HLM, but we'll just have to see. Last set shown.
Chins were fine. Still strict and double-paused.
RDLs still feeling good with the straps. So good, I'm probably sand-bagging on switching back to pulls from the floor. "I'm talkin' to the man in the mirror."
Pull-downs were the same total reps as last time, with a slightly different distribution. All these chin-up accessories are probably going out the door once the adductor feels good enough to switch back to regular programming. Looking back at my log, I have added about ~15 lbs. over the course of about 2.5 months. Went from getting ~105X8 to getting ~115X11-12.
Likewise, I've taken barbell curls from getting ~50X9 on the 2nd set to getting ~60X10 on the 2nd set here. If I start to miss these movements because my chin-up strength starts going backwards, this is stuff I could potentially mix in on off days at the gym in my office building, but I don't want to get ahead of myself. The main thing is to get back to regular, progressive work on the multi-joint barbell movements.
Pull-Downs (supinated) - X10, 8, 7 (straight-weight; +~5lbs. from last session)
Hammer Curls -
40sX5
30sX12, 10
Starr Rehab Squats felt much better today. 305X10 is actually a Rep PR. Probably going to go ahead and drop down to 8's for the next 1-3 sessions. Didn't get the same painful low-back pump as the other times I switched, but we're starting to get into range of pre-injury workset weights. It seems better to kind of "glide" up into 5's, making sure form is consistent rather than grind myself down chasing higher rep sets. Last set shown.
RPE experiment on Press is over. Maybe with additional guidance, or more time, I would have found my way into making it productive, but I was sick of each workout with the same weight feeling harder than the one before it, so I'm going back to more traditional SS programming. I may still stall out this round, but at least I'll have a clearer idea of how to proceed. Last set shown.
Pull-Ups were fine. Hadn't done them in about 10 days due to travel, etc. Left a rep in the tank on every set.
I brought my straps in today for RDLs. So much easier to execute this way. Really focused on: 1) bar stays in contact with leg, 2) bard drops because butt moves backwards, and 3) shoulders back hard at the top to contract the lats. Two sets of 5 and my lats were burning after the first set this way.
Upped weight on pull-downs with now predictable results. Will stay here until I get 3X10+.
Dropped the top-set reps on Hammer Curls and that left more in the tank for the back-off sets. We'll see what happens when I up the weight next time.
Was out of town for a few days, so I backed up 10 lbs. on the Starr Rehab squats. Went ahead and backed reps off to 10 as previously planned. These were okay, but my adductor was kind of cranky throughout, and has been giving me discomfort ever since. We'll see how it goes next time. Finale set shown.
I was looking for doubles with 245. I failed on my first attempt. The first rep of the second set made it clear that doubles weren't happening, so I proceeded to complete 5 singles. Will continue with 5 singles adding only 2.5 lbs. per jump until I can't get 5. 1st, 2nd, and final set shown.
Was training on an off-day and plan to come in two days in a row to get back on track. So I didn't do any Chins or chin accessories. I will do just those and Starr Rehab squats today.
Because the adductor was cranky and because of the lay-off, I was conservative with the RDLs and backed off 20 lbs. If the adductor feels okay next time, I will jump back to the previous weight of 275. If it then continues to feel okay, I may start pulling from the floor again.
Pull-Downs - X12, 8, 6 (straight-weight; same weight as last session)
BB Curls - ~60X10, 9
Starr Rehab Squats continue. Adductor was bugging me a bit during the first set, but not the others. Weight has gotten heavy enough now, though, that low-back pump and conditioning are making it very difficult to complete all reps with good form. Gonna drop on down to 10 reps per set. Last set shown.
Went into this session with a lot more intel on using RPE in the BBM way (gleaned from some YouTube videos by Alan Thrall). Using the RPE chart, I was dropping the weight on the first and 2nd sets, and the third set would project to be around where it's been. 120X5 was supposed to be @6, but it felt much heavier than expected and was @7. Based on my understanding of the BBM approach to RPE, I should have stayed there at the next set. However, Press has been pretty demoralizing the last few weeks, and no progress has really been apparent. The prospect of reducing average intensity again was a real bummer. I'm about to go out of town to attend to some family issues, and really didn't want to leave it on this note, knowing I wouldn't be training again for several days. So instead I just maxed out. 165X1 is a Rep PR. That was nice to hit. Some might say that indicates progress, but frankly 165 has been right around my projected max for a while. Anyway.
Chin-Ups were okay at the new, stricter, double-paused, chest to bar execution. 1 less rep than last time, though. Whatever. Press PR.
RDL felt pretty strong. Grip seems to be the limiting factor right now. May just pack straps next time.
Got a couple more total reps on pull-downs with the same weight as last time.
