Could be dangerous. You like living on the edge…
Clockin' A Grip
That’s a quote from Josh Bryant. He has lots of fun phrases.
5-6 Light Upper
Bicep Stretch/ Wrist Roller/ Shoulder Extension with dumbbells
A few times
Decline Bench
160 + 34 Chains x3 reps x9 sets with different grips.
Y- Raise (dumbbells, chest supported on inclined bench) x12
Straight Arm Pull down x12
Chest Supported Row, Standing x12
Pec Deck x15
3 loops
Chest Supported Row x12
Pec Deck x15
Mini Band Pushdown x100
Mini Band Curlings x100
Just 1 time
Today was benches and chest/back, with arms high rep prehabed. Wednesday will be more shoulder/tricepbicep, with upper back high rep prehabed. Unless I forget.
5-7 Heavy Lower
Warm up junk, including sideways hanging leg raises. They were cool and went nice with hip hikes and Peterson step ups.
Box Squat, 45 Plate on Box, Manta Ray on Barbell
Two’s working up, start light, small jumps.
275 x1
290 x1
300 x1 -best one of the day.
Pin 2 Sumo Pause Rack Action
225 x6 reps x3 sets
Paired With Smith Machine Hack Squat
135 x15, 15, 23
Reverse Hypers (180) x20
Hip/Ab Raise x15
Standing Leg Raise x12
4 sets reverse hyper, paired with 2 sets each of ab stuff
Good workout. Squats felt like they weren’t damaging my hips, back and abs felt right, reaching up and back to barbell didn’t mess with shoulder or elbow. Maybe these stupid zercher squats are working.
High bar is good, also no know number to worry about beating.
Last time I used the SSB I got sloppy and my knees came in and I leaned forward, it kinda crunched up my hips and back. I did the same thing trying to get a PR front squatting. With the manta ray I was just trying to work up while staying tight.
5-9 Heavy Upper
Band pullapartz, straight arm Pulldowns, shoulder rotations, PVC pipe bends with band around wrists.
3 times
Bench in Rack, Pin 8
Up to 320x1
Then Pin 6
Up to 285 x1
Face Pull x20
Pull down x15
4 supersets
4 Board Bench Press (175) x8, 10, 12
Paired with Psoas Ball abs x10
Cable Curls with hold and slow lower x15
Straight Bar Tricep Pushdowns with hold and slow lower x15
3 pairs
Fat Gripz Hammer Curl x15
V Bar Pushdowns x15
3 pairs
Dumbbell Rear Delts then Side Delts then keep repeating
5-11 Light Lower
Warm up junk, trying to get hip extension
Zercher Box Squat
140 x2 x10 sets
Sumo from Blocks
165 x2 x12 sets
Reverse Hypers (180) x25
Seated Calf Raise x20 then Standing Pause Calf Raise x10
4 times
Hanging Knee Raises x10
Standing Hamstring Curl x15
4 times
Good workout. Stupid zerchers still going. Lowered Sumo deads from rack to blocks on floor. Couple sets were shitty on hips then fell backwards on 5th set. But after that, it went well. Weights were poppin off the floor as I pulled into position. Hips were loaded and arms were straight. I shoulda done some high rep leg extension for healthy knee/quads.
Long Emo Puss Story Ahead
About this time last year, at the former house by the lake, my former neighbor was doing some work on his boat dock. He and another neighbor (both in their 50s) were moving bags of Quikrete from some even ground, then down some uneven steps.
I jumped in to help, expecting no problems from 80 pound bags of concrete. To my surprise my legs and hips were so weak I couldn’t squat down to pick them up! I had to lock out my legs , fold my back over and stiff leg them up with all back. It was super disappointing and kind of a blow/wake up call.
Today, at the new house, I put 100 pounds of loose rock in an old feed bag and lifted it to compare. To my relief I was able to squat down instead of bend over without thinking about it. And I one motioned or kinda snatched the bag overhead easily overhead without thinking about my shoulder. I also lifted it from a defecit (I stood on a step) or uneven footing ( 1 foot on step).
100 pound sack is nothing. Having issues with it was a problem. Being able to lift it is not “Good,” but not having problems with it is at least “normal.” It feels like before I was so weak I was in constant danger of injury and now I can at least not live in fear. Not an accomplishment but a feeling of Relief. I didn’t realize how much that doubt was fucking with me until just right now.
5-13 Light Upper
For Warm ups
-Shoulder Rotations then Band Pull Apart/Straight Arm Pulldowns x3 loops
-Shoulder Rotations, then bend and bench press PVC pipe with band around wrists, then some barbell rows x3 loops
Decline Bench
165 +34 Chains x3 reps x9 sets with different grips
Chest Supported Dumbbell Y Raise x15 then
Chest Supported Iso Rows, Standing x15 then
Mini Band Pull Aparts x20 then
Pec Deck x15
4 loops
Mini Band Pushdowns x75
Mini Band Curls x75
2 loops
Flute Loop
Here is a video from some guy and his wife visiting Westside for a workout.
First they work up to a heavy single on the box squat with a bow bar/cambered bar. You can see dude uses the technique they like. But wifey leans forward and GMs the squat up.
Dude does the Standard Assistance, 1 thing for lower back, hamstrings, glutes and abs.Hamstrings( inverse curl machine) Lower Back (reverse hyper) Glutes (hip hinges in belt squat machine) and Abs ( hip-ab raise machine).
But wifey has the forward lean problem. So she walks in the hip belt squat machine to learn to extend the hips and drive the legs straight. Then immedietly hip hinges, to get the hips and glutes working together. Then “defecit deads” on the Belt Squat Machine to get more leg drive. Then step ups to get quads and stay upright.
Hey man,
I have gotten a lot of good advice from you! I am not top caught up on all you have done ( I have read the beginning of your log and what you have been doing for the last weeks/ months). Also I have read that you were doing a lot of grip stuff.
Did you do any competitive Sport/ strength sport in the past or currently have plans to compete?
I’m glad you got some good info, and not just sabotaged!
I always admired athletes, wanted to play sports, and I used to hang around lots of sporty action and have athletes for friends.
Back in middle school/high school (13-18 years old) I played football and wrestled. In college (18-20)I was on the Army Ranger Challenge Team where we competed against other teams in land navigation, long road marches with backpacks, pushups-situps-2 mile runs, shooting rifles and stuff like that.
Those were organized activities, with teammates, coaches (sometimes professional college coaches or career army guys) and older more experienced guys to follow around.
I also trained and competed in some Brazilian jujitsu/grappling stuff with some friends(21-22) because I missed wrestling. That was way less directed and organized, just messing with my friends, getting them ready for competitions going along. Years later some of those guys are pro fighters or full time martial arts instructors or wrestling coaches.
I was never great at any of those, but I did lots of training for different stuff with a bunch of dudes and different coaches and methods.
I competed in 6 or 7 Strongman contests in my mid 20s. I wasn’t great at that either, but I got a couple 2nd or 3rd places and some trophies/medals. I also got very very last once.
For grip, I was never in a contest, but I did try to accomplish as many grip feats as possible. To “beat” everbody else.
No current plans to compete. You never know, though.
5-14 Heavy Lower
Warm up junk, mainly hip hikes and sideways band stuff.
Coventional Deadlift, Stand on Bumper Plate + Red Bands(Defecit deadlift)
135 x2
225 x2
275 x1
300 x1
325 x1
+10 pounds, These were easy easy today. At first I thought the bands were broken. Maybe working legs gave me some leg drive.
Pin 2 Pause Sumo Rack Pull
225 x7, 7, 8
These were hard
Smith Machine Hack Squat
8s, working up to plate + 10 per side x8. These were hard too.
Reverse Hypers (180) x25 reps x4 sets
Suitcase Walk x 2 double length walks
Leg Extension x25 x2 sets
Single Leg Curls x25 x2 sets
These were all worked together, interwoven like a zipper.
Good workout.
Deficit deads are great like that: once you get into the right position, they feel amazing. Plus the feedback you get for being in the wrong position tells you where you were off.
I’ll have to work some in for a few weeks when I get back to conventional stance.
5-16 Heavy Upper
Shoulder Rotations/Band Pull Aparts/Dumbbell Shoulder Extension
3 times around
Shoulder Rotations/Face Pulls/Wide Pulldowns
3 times around
Reverse mini band Bench Press
A few working up
255 x1
265 x1
275 x1
Shoulder Rotations, Pull Aparts
4 Board Press
175 x10, 10, 12
Dumbbell Y- Raise x12
Dumbbell Shrug on Chest Supported Bench x12
Dumbbell Rear Delts x12
Dumbbell Side Delts x12
3 loops
Cable Curls with hold and slow lower x20
Cable Tricep Pushdowns with hold and slow lower x20
3 pairs
5-18 Light Lower
Get ready, including many hip hikes.
Box Zercher Squat
130 x2 x12 sets
Sumo Deadlift, Plates on Blocks + Bumpers
185 + 90 Chains x2 x10 sets
Seated Calf Raise x20 the Standing Calf Raise with Pause x12
Hanging Leg Raises x12
3 times around
Hit some leg extensions and leg curls in warm ups but I half assed it on reverse hypers today. Oh well. Lowered box for zerchers. They remain too stupid to enjoy and too good to stop. I felt pretty good wedging myself in with tight hips for sumos, and the bar was breaking off the floor before I could really get my back set. Training has been effective and it’s time to add some weight. I can’t quit these light, plates elevated sumos either. This workout is kinda like raisin bran though.
Pure gold. The first one reminds me of a bad relationship. And the second one of my grandmother.
Watching and learning…
Let’s learn about turtles.
This gnarly dude wwas running up against a wire fence, trying to get to the duck pond. The sun came out and he was trying g to hide under some leaves.
He could move his head super quick to bite my foot when I dangled my boot in front of him. Their scientific name is Chelydra Serpentina for the snake-like strike. They live all over Eastern North America.
I relocated this dude to the ditch a little ways down the road. If he stays in there it’s a straight shot to the river.