Maintenance / Rehab Block. Week 2. Day 3.

BW - 225

Bench (feet-up) - 210X5, 5, 5

Chin-Ups - BWX7, 5, 5, 5, 3 (25 total)

Pull-Downs - X10, 9, 6 (straight-weight; same weight as previous)

BB Curls - 50X10, 9

Went to the P.T. to get the run-down of my MRI results.  ALL CLEAR!!!  No sign of damage to any of the structures in or around the hip, and no sign of tendinopathy.  Diagnosis is just a really over-taxed adductor.  The pain had already faded quite a bit over the last week of not squatting and deadlifting.  Enough for the P.T. to really get in and manipulate the joint.  Prescription is some minor daily mobility work to keep it loose.  Advised not resuming squatting and pulling again until "you've forgotten it was injured," start with the empty bar and add weight as long as it's pain free.  He expects I should be back to work-sets in just a couple of weeks once I resume.  I've got two out-of-town trips and houseguests over the next couple of weeks, so I will just wait until that's all out of the way.

In the meantime, 210X3X5 was a lot more challenging than 205.  Probably some fatigue, but I also had to focus quite a bit more on balance.  I'll continue with this movement until I start squatting again.  Hopefully, I'll even get some slight benefit to my bar path motor pattern as a result of the balance component.  Or not.

Chin-ups felt pretty solid.  Didn't get as many reps on the first set as last time, but got more on the later sets.  But now we're to the point in the plan where I've hit 25 reps and 5 sets.  The plan now is: get 25 reps in 5 or fewer sets.  That is to say, try to show improvement without additional sets.  If I plateau  or regress, reduce the weight on pull-downs slightly, and add a set to those.  If there is no improvement, add another.  Then do the same to curls, then pull-downs again, then curls again.  This days programming isn't in a vacuum either, as there is the 2nd day with pull-ups, supinated pull-downs, and hammer curls.  If this days program gets to 5X~10 pull-downs and 3X~10 Curls without progress, then I will start adding volume to the pull-downs and curls on that day as well.  So the "final phase" program would look like:
Day 1:
Chin-Ups - 5XAMRAP
Pull-Downs (pronated) - 5X8-12
BB Curls - 3X8-12

Day 2:
Pull-Ups - 5XAMRAP
Pull-downs (supinated) - 5X8-12
Hammer Curls - 3X8-12

If I get that far and progress is stalling or regressing, then I will have to come up with something else. To be clear, progress = more reps on the first set and /or more average reps per set on chins.  That's a minor distinction because if one is happening with any consistency then the other must follow.

Maintenance / Rehab Block. Week 2. Day 2.

BW - 224

Press - 137.5X5, 5, 5

Pull-Ups - BWX5, 3

Pull-Downs (supinated) - X10, 10, 10 (straight-weight; +5 "lbs." from last time)

Hammer Curls - 35sX10, 8

Had an MRI on my hips today and dropped the file off with my P.T.  Will see him on Friday to get the scoop.

Press felt really good today.  Even though this is 8 lbs. off my best 3X5, this still surprised me.  This lift had felt like shit for a while.  We'll see how it goes.  My current theory is a combination of factors went into this:  1) Not Squatting and Deadlifting for the last week has reduced overall fatigue, 2a) Pulling back on Bench and Press weights AND volume has also reduced overall fatigue, and 2b) has allowed for a little bit of "peaking."  Basically, I'm doing a little less and so am not as sore and tired, and so my lifts may be temporarily spiking.  Again, just a theory for now.

Also, Pull-Ups blasted off today.  Last session (which was my first time doing pronated pull-ups in 6 YEARS), they were really rough out of the gate, and getting 3 was a grind.  I grabbed the bar today expecting only 3-4.  3 was smooth, then 4 went up pretty well, and then I did a slow but certain 5th.  Felt so good, I was tempted to get some extra sets/reps, but I stuck to the plan and just increased by 1 rep over last session.  I expect this quick improvement is mostly neurological as I re-familiarize myself with the movement.

Pull-Downs and Hammer Curls were fine.  Discomfort in my left hand is still present even in the pronated pull-down.  Also hoping this will benefit from the break from DL.

Maintenance / Rehab Block. Week 1. Day 2.

BW - 226

Press - 135X5, 5, 5

Pull-Ups - BWX3, 2, 2

Pull-Downs (supinated) - X10, 10, 10 (straight-weight; +5 "lbs.")

Hammer Curls - 30sX12, 12

So, I went to my P.T. before the training session today to get my hip looked at.  He didn't like how pain was being triggered during one part of the assessment ordered an MRI.  Got that scheduled for the middle of this week.  Could just be tendinosis in the left adductor, but he's concerned that there may be some impingement or damage in the hip now. 

TL;DR = no Squats, Deadlifts, or full power Bench (i.e. w/ leg drive) until this gets sorted.  I was already planning a maintenance block due to recent and upcoming schedule difficulties, so at least I had a bit of a plan in place.

Press was okay today, but has just been feeling heavy recently.  That probably won't get better during the maintenance block, and I will likely be dropping reps down pretty quickly here.  Last set shown.

The plus side is I can hammer Chin-Ups and chin-up accessory as hard as I want during all this (maybe I should bring dips back too?).  Doing the full Andy Baker 2-day split for this period. 

Haven't done pronated pull-ups in a long time.  Pretty darn hard.  Decided to stay at 3 sets to start, and do my usual thing of getting more reps in each subsequent session regardless of how many sets it takes.  Similar to Chins, I'll look to cap these at 25.  I guess?

Was able to add weight and/or reps to the assistance movements.  Whatevs.

Recovery Squat. Medium Bench. Chin-Ups

BW - 227

Squat - 325X5, 5, 5

Bench - 210X5, 5, 5

Chin-Ups - BWX7, 5, 5, 4, 3 (23 total)

Pull-Downs - X10, 10, 10 (straight-weight; same as last week)

BB Curls - 45X12, 12

Left adductor pain and a terrible schedule the past few, and upcoming, weeks have led me to admit that I haven't really been doing the program successfully for a couple of weeks and won't be able to really follow it for a month or so upcoming.  I'm stuck trying to formulate a sort of "maintenance" block.

Failed pretty hard on I.D. last week and then couldn't get back into the gym because of Memorial Day schedule.  Left adductor is killing me (appointment with my P.T. tomorrow) so I went with the "middle day" programmed weights.  I also started playing around with moving my stance in a little bit as I saw some stuff on the SS forum about narrowing stance and switch to squat shoes helping with this issue.  Felt maybe a little better in the session and probably helped depth the most.  Walking with a limp the next day because of adductor pain.  Video of 3rd set shown.

Because of the adductor pain, I also move my feet in on bench, and used the same middle day weights as last time.  While the leg still hurt, the weight itself felt very easy.  Possibly a stronger foot placement for this lift?  Last set shown.

Chin-ups were okay.  One more rep and set than last week.  That's pretty normal for the ebb-and-flow of this movement, but at the same time doesn't feel much like progress.

I failed to get 10 reps on the 3rd set of pull-downs last time so repeated the weight and got all the reps.  Will move up next week.

Also managed to get to 12 reps on both sets of curls, so will add weight.

Greyskull LP. Session 3

BW - 225

Press - 130X5, 5, 7

Chin-Ups -
BW+30X3, 3
BWX8, 6

Squats - 335X5, 5, 6

First day back lifting after a week-and-a-half layoff for Thanksgiving travelling.  Everything felt slightly off as a result, and there were no PRs to be had on the barbell lifts.

Pressing felt okay, but needed 9 for a rep pr.

One nice thing is that 255 (BW+30)X3 is a Rep PR on chins!  Gym was full, so I had to use one of the wobblier chin stations in a part of the gym that was too crowded for video.  I feel confident that the reps were consistent with what I've been doing, and the back-off sets felt pretty good too.  This is one of those days on the back-offs where it feels like I can do as many chins as I can hold my initial breath for, but after I have to take a 2nd breath the strength seems to go.

I was completely wiped when it got to squats.  Also incorporating rehab movements from my P.T. between all sets was really annoying.  I was ready to be done after I finished my last warm-up.  Still by the time I got to the AMRAP set, I was determined to get more than 5, and did.  Needed 9 for a PR.

Hopefully, this first session back will set the stage for barbell PR sets over the next few sessions.

Greyskull LP. Session 1

BW - 226.3

Press - 127.5X5, 5, 9

Chin-Ups -
BW+25X5, 5
BWX10, 5

Squats - 330X5, 5, 9

127.5X9 is a Rep PR in press.  Felt pretty solid.

No PR on Chins, but I did complete the 2nd set of 5 with +25 that I missed last week.  On to +30!  No video of this.

I've switched over to the full GSLP for this reset to see how that works out, and I was pretty tired and not feeling like squatting.  Also, I'd gone to the PT before the gym to see about this adductor issue, so it was later than usual.  PT thinks I'm got limited internal rotation mobility in my right hip, and he gave me some stuff to do.  I was doing it before and between every single squat set.  I did get fired up for my final set here after spotting a guy with 465X4, so I was ready for the final set.  330X9 is a Rep PR.  The video is off center and terrible.

Be interesting to see how it goes squatting last.

Full-Body. Week 4. Bench

BW - 228

Squat -
BarX5
135X5
205X4
245X3
295X3, 3, 3

Bench -
BarX5
115X4
145X3
175X2
195X1
175X12, 6

Chins - BWX3, 3, 3

Deadlift -
135X3
225X3
265X3, 3, 3

I had an unplanned day of rest before this day, and while I wasn't motivated to get in the gym, things felt great once I got going.

295 felt easier this day than the previous 3X3 day on squats.

175X12 is a Rep PR on bench.  This was probably an RPE 9.  I didn't use a spotter, so light enough to get out of the rack on my own and still get a PR, but I wouldn't have gone for another rep without someone there.

3X3 on chins pain free!  My P.T. does good work.

Deadlifts moved really fast.  Ultimately, I don't know how I want to program this day, because I want chins back in the weekly rotation if I can do them, but I'm finding a lot of value in the technique reinforcement of the "speed" deads.  Maybe put chins on Small Session days like I did with Dips?  That's a thought...

Full-Body. Week 3. Press

BW - 227

Squat -
BarX5
135X5
185X3
225X5, 5, 5

Press -
BarX5
85X3
115X2
135X1
125X8, 6, 3

Chin-ups - BWX1, 2, 4, 4

Deadlift -
135X3
225X3
265X3, 3, 3

125X8 is a Rep PR on Press.  Second set felt strong enough that I think I'll go up on weight next time.

OMG I did some chin-ups mostly pain-free!  One trip to the P.T., and a week of doing the rehab/prehab he prescribed and I'm at lest 50% of the way back.  I was grinning like an idiot after the 2nd set.

Throws a little bit of a wrench into the programming though, because I'd gotten pretty into the idea of the additional deadlift workouts for keeping technique dialed-in.  Don't want the Bench/Press days to become forever long, so I'll have to toy with it.

Novice LP - Session 28

BW - 229

Squats -
BarX5
145X4
205X3
255X2
295X1
315X5, 5, 5

Bench -
BarX5
115X4
145X3
185X1
200X5, 5, 5

Chins -
BWX5, 4, 3, 2

Good stuff.

It was a year ago, on 12/22/14, that I hit 315X1 for the first time.  Went through a lot of ups and down with training in 2015 due to both injuries and conflicting priorities, but here I was on 12/23/15 hitting 315 for 3 sets of 5.  Needless to say every rep after the 1st one was a PR, and that feels great. And I owe a lot to my coach at Kratos and my P.T. at Chicago Spine and Sports. 

Followed that up with a Rep PRs on bench with 200X5 and got all 3 sets of those.  Both this and Squats are creeping into all-around PR territory now.

Even felt a little stronger on my now pitiful chin-ups.  Feel like those may be due for an upswing already.

Coached Training

BW - 216

Squat - worked up to 230X5

Press - worked up to 120X5

Deadlift - worked up to 260X5

P.T. cleared me to do all three lifts.  To give myself a more fixed goal for my rehab, I've decided to do a full meet (my first) that is being held at my gym in March.

Because of the low back issues, I felt now was as good a time as any to get live coaching, particularly on the Squat and Deadlift.  This was a first, get-to-know-each-other session.  I'll be out of town next week, and then we'll start in earnest the Monday after that.

Programming seems that it's going to follow a pretty typical, Texas-style linear progression.  That's fine.  It's having an outside set of eyes on my technique under heavy load that's important to me so I don't reinjure myself.

Inclines

BW - 215

Inclines -
BarX20
95X5
115X5
135X5
155X5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Lever Shrugs - 380X10, 10, 10, 10

Rear Delt Machine - X12, 12, 12, 12

P.T. asked me to start working in some workouts in the 3-5 rep range.

Overheads

BW - 213

Press -
BarX15
65X5
85X4
95X3
115X1
105X14, 5

DB Bench -
50sX15
55sX14

DB Curls - 30sX12, 12, 10, 10, 8
super-set with
Bench Dips - BWX20, 20, 20, 20, 20

105X14 is a good sized, all-around PR.  My previous best standing with this weight was 105X10.  Last month I did this seated, but I find seated pressing to be slightly easier because the first rep starts at the top instead of the bottom, and I'll often hit a weight/reps PR seated before I hit it standing.  On to 115 for reps next week.

This all also seems to show that the standing front press isn't particularly magical for me.  Before this session, I'd done this lift exactly six times since December '13, and hadn't used more than 85 lbs. any of those times.  But with lots of Inclines and a fair amount of PBN, I can come in and set a big PR on the Press, and even have my Bench be in good shape after a year away because of the shoulder injury.

Anyway, my shoulders were on fire after the Press PR.  I went to do a 3rd set of DB Bench, and my shoulders said, 'Nope.'  No pain, just no oomph.

Had enough oomph for Bench Dips, though, and 5X20 gave me zero pain.  I'll talk to my P.T. this week about what's next.  Hoping I get cleared to start doing full dips again, but maybe he'll want to wait and see how the shoulder handles some heavier weight on flat bench or something first.

Legs and Back

BW - 215

Deadlift (Rehab; slow up and down) - 135X5X5

Leg Extesnions - X20

Hack Squats -
50X5
100X5
150X5
170X5
190X5
200X3
220X3
150X10

Chins - BWX5, 5, 5, 5

T-Bars -
45X5
70X5
95X8
80X5, 70X5, 45X10 (strip set)

P.T. cleared me to start pulling from the floor again.  Super slow all the way through, and taking video to make sure my back stays flat.  Progress.  Also, done double-overhand, these were surprisingly taxing on grip.

Knees continue to be weird, so I warmed up with a set of extensions.

In the hopes that squatting may be around the corner, I move my stance out on hacks, lowered the reps, and increased the weight.  Had been doing close stance, toes forward.  These were around shoulder length with the toes out a bit.

Went to the unsupported t-bar contraption and tried to focus on a bit of arch throughout.  No pain.

Shoulders and [bench] DIPS!!!

BW - 212

Bench Dips - BWX12, 12, 12, 12, 12

Side Lateral Giant Set - X2
10sX25
15sX15
20sX10
rest
20sX10
15sX15
10sX25

P.T. cleared me on this very day to start doing un-weighted bench dips.  BWX12 is nothing effort wise, but I wanted to take it easy because it used to be these would cause me pain.  Happy to say that the next day, I am still pain free!  So excited to be able to start adding dipping movements back into my programming.  One of my favorite lifts, and one I've really  missed doing.

This is the last week of the shoulder focus programming so this is the last time I will have to do this brutal giant-set of laterals (for a while anyway).

Overheads

BW - 214

Seated PBN -
BarX21
65X5
75X5
85X12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12
super-set with
Machine Reverse Flyes - X12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12

Slow Rack Pulls at the knee - 135X5, 5, 5, 5

Upped the weight on both PBN and Flyes this week, and still got 12 reps on all sets.  Two weeks ago, I fell 3 sets short of that with 75.  Progress.

I'm really surprised, but these really light and slow rack pulls leave my hamstrings really sore the next days.  I know, I know, DOMS does not equal Hypertrophy, yada-yada.  Just surprising.

Legs and Back, and low-back rehab

BW - 213

Slow Rack-Pulls at the knee - 135X5 for a few sets

GHR - BWX5, 5, 5 (using a stick to maintain spinal alignment)

Hack Squats -
100X8
knees felt weird and tight, so I jumped over and did
Leg Extensions - lightweightX35
jumped back over to Hacks and the knees felt fine and so I continued with
100X5
120X10
140X10
150X8
170X8
190X8

Chin-Ups -
BWX5
+25X3, 3
+45X1
BWX10

Chest-Supported Rows -
45X8
70X5
95X5

Started off with the rehab rack pulls.  Need to talk to my P.T. about these.  There's no pain, so that's good, but I'm also supposed to be re-drilling form to make sure I don't round my lower back.  I'll get one or two more session in before I meet with him again, and we'll see what's up.  Wondering if I need to be filming these or something.

GHRs using a broomstick to maintain a neutral spine were much harder today for some reason.  Could barely get 5 reps on the 3rd set.

Knees felt NOT GOOD on first set of Hacks, but after a bunch of light leg extensions, they were totally fine, and I set my 6th consecutive PR on them.

Felt like going for intensity instead of volume on chins, and so threw some weight on.  Nothing special about the results in-session.

Shoulders, and low-back rehab

BW - 214

Slow Rack-Pulls at the knee - 135X5 for a few sets

Side Lateral Giant Set - X2
10sX25
15sX15
20sX10
rest
20sX10
15sX15
10sX25

P.T. has me doing really slow and light  rack-pulls to start redrilling a neutral spine.  The idea is to gradually lower the rack height, until I'm pulling from the floor again.

Giant set of laterals is still brutal.

BENCH!!!

BW - 211

CG Bench -
BarX20
95X5
115X4
135X3
155X2
175X1
185X1
195X1
135X20, 8

Preacher Curls -
40ishX12
50ishX10, 8, 10, 8

French Press -
50ishX15
60ishX12, 12, 12, 12

2nd day back on bench, and I hit a PR!  135X20 is a Rep PR.  My previous best was 135X17 on 8/5/13.  195X1 is also my heaviest bench since I did a bunch of doubles with 205 on 4/22/14.  I just decided to work up to the heaviest single I could without getting into grinding territory.  No pain on the day or afterwards.

Those dates are a bit rough for me to look at.  I put off getting professional help on my shoulder for so long, and after working with  my P.T. for just over a month, I hit a high-rep PR, and my top-end strength feels like it's at least 80% what it was before the injury.  Why the fuck did I put this off for so long?

I'll stay at 135 for my work-sets until I can beat 22 reps.  Back to my old 25/45/Volume programming which forces me to keep reps high for a long time.

Overheads, and Bench test

BW - 212

Standing PBN -
BarX15
65X5
85X4
95X3
115X2
95X15, 6

CG Bench -
BarX25
95X5
115X4
135X15, 7, 7
super-set with
Face-Pulls - X15, 15, 12, 12, 12, 12

Physical Therapist cleared me to start testing my shoulder on flat bench.  For safety's sake, I'm going to move forward with Close-Grip only, and may stop making the distinction in the log.

Still, the day was originally programmed for PBN, so I went ahead and started with that.  About the same as last week, but a couple fewer reps on the back-off set.  No big deal.

Bench was fine with no pain.  First time doing BB Flat Bench in a full year, and strength is good here.  My previous best was 135X17, so being only 2 reps off of that with all the fatigue from PBN shows that a lot of the work I've been doing, Inclines, overheads, etc., has maintained a good base.  Won't be surprised if my bench is actually stronger than before once I get technique locked back in.

Speaking of which, I forgot what a fucking chore setting up for flat bench is, hahahaah!  Because of all the Incline work, I seem to have naturally drifted from a feet under set-up to a feet wide-and-away set-up.  Feels pretty good, and I seem to be able to keep more tension in my legs throughout AND my butt doesn't seem to want to shoot off the bench nearly as much.  All in all, a promising start.

Legs and Back, and Shoulder Testing.

BW - 215

Leg Curls -
Warm-up - X10, 10, 10, 10
Work Sets - X10, 10, 10-10-10-15 (drop-set at end)

Hack Squat -
100X10
120X10
140X10
160X10
180X10

GHR (to parallel, and using a broomstick to maintain alignment) - BWX5, 5, 5, 4

DB Bench -
45sX10
55sX8
65sX12, 10, 10
super-set with
Chin-Ups - BWX5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Chest-Supported Rows -
45X5
90X10

Trying to make sure I get good hamstring work in while I can't Squat or DL.  Cut out leg extensions today in favor of more leg curl volume.  Also tried adding this GHR approach.  My P.T. has me doing bodyweight goodmornings like this: holding a broomstick against my tailbone, upper back and skull to maintain alignment.  That's not challenging and is for drilling the pattern.  Thought I'd try it with some BW GHR's to parallel to try and get some good, hip dominant hamstring work in.  They were hard as hell, but no back-pain.

Wanted to get a 2nd flat, DB bench work in before my next P.T. session so that I'd have some more feedback to provide.  Last time I worked up to 65sX5; basically just until it felt like real weight.  I checked my logs and saw that my best with the 65s was 15 reps, so I thought I'd push a little harder this time and see what was up.  Got within 3 reps of that, but I also MATCHED the total volume of my best session with the 65s.  That's not surprising because with my Incline having gone up, there's no reason that the strength shouldn't generally be there.

Kind of burying the lead because the main point is that my shoulder felt fairly okay throughout, and the next day.  I expect the P.T. to recommend moving on to light BB bench now.