Mkral55 2019 Log

Hello!

Formerly somewhat active in these forums. I will eventually edit this header post to link some old logs, maybe.

Quick summary is, I was once kinda strong (515-425-625 @200), Buf since then I’ve torn my ACL and have had complications with the knee for 3 years or so (nerve damage, degenerative cartilage, etc)I’ve been up and down in training, but mostly down. I’m in the worst shapeof my life, heaviest I’ve ever been, and weakest I’ve been since… well I don’t know, left leg is functioning at around 20% strength.

I no longer want to use the knee as an excuse, just going to see where I can get on 1 and 1/2 pegs. My goal is a Powerlifting meet 12-18 months from now, at ~200 pounds (dunno what the weight classes are anymore). I’m starting the year out at 260.

04 JAN 19

Leg Press -bilateral
Sled x 10
Ramped up in ~50# increments to 6pps x 10s
7pps x 25

Hex bar DL
95x6
115x6
135x6
155x6
175x6

Leg curl/leg ext Superset, 4x15 each

07 JAN 19

Cardio day

Incline walk warmup
Incline 3, speed 2.3, time 10m

Stair stepper
Level 3
15m
400 steps

Rower intervals
1m sprint, 1m just upper body
10m

Treadmill cool down
10m

Keep working and you’ll get there man

That’s the plan. Just gonna be a new normal.

As for programming, I’ll get on something more structured next week in a proper gym.

08 JAN 19

Incline treadmill warmup
Inc. 3 speed 2.3 time 7m

Stairs
8m 370 steps (4m @5, 4m @4)

Dumbbell bench press
40s x 15
50s x 15
60s x 15
70s x 15
75s x 12 (yuck)

Superset, 4 rounds

A: DB pec fly
20s x 10

B: EZ Bar skullcrushers
40 x 25

Superset, 4 rounds

A: TRX push ups x 10

B: overhead kettlebell tricep ext x 10

Tricep cable push down, single arm
No rest, 100 reps each (sets of 25,25,20,15,10,5)

Machine chest press
45 x 25 x 4

Pretty fast pace/tempo. This is still cardio/workload training. Man am I weak, I’m lookin back at old PRs, I’ve pressed 200# DBs for the reps I got at 75 today.

Onwards.

09 JAN 19

Incline treadmill
Inc: 3, speed: 2.3, time: 7m

Stairs
8m 400 steps (3m @6, 2m@4, 2.5m @5, 30s @6)

Assisted chin ups
(Weight listed is the net resistance)
85 x 10
100 x 10
115 x 10
130 x 10
145 x 10
160 x 10
175 x 8 (yuck!)

Superset

A: Lat pull down machine
B: row machine
Same weights reps each: 35,45,55,66,75 x 15

DB Reverse fly
15s x 15 x 4

Ez bar curls
30,40,50,50 x 15
Some shoulder int/ext rotations in between sets

Cable rows
55 x 10
70 x 10
85 x 10
100 x 10
120 x 10

Slightly slower pace today. Still fast. I’m looking forward to when these comparatively AWFUL numbers are behind me. It’s depressing on one hand and motivating on the other.

10 JAN 19

Treadmill
Inc: 4, speed: 2.3, time: 10m

Leg press - single leg (bum knee)
Worked up in 20-25# increments, set of 15 to 5.5 plates (368) for 15

Hip AB/AD superset, 5 sets of 20 each

Single leg extension negatives
25 x 10 x 3
35 x 10
40 x 10 (hard)

Bilateral leg curl x a bunch (didn’t count, high vol low weight)

I believe this is my best single leg press set since the injury, so that’s interesting. Then again, knee rehab is the only thing I’ve been consistent on since then also. Pace was a bit slower but today is more rehab than the previous work capacity/cardio days.

I take a few personal training clients on the side, and one of the guys I’m working with, I have him set up for legs on fridays. I jump in with him. It will end up being bilateral volume work for me, and eventually Tuesday’s will become my “heavy” leg day.

My program will look something like this next week:

Monday: 5/3/1 bench day

Tuesday: knee rehab turned leg day. Won’t be real structured initially.

Wednesday: back/bi day. Chin up focus to start. I’m appalled at my numbers here, and I’ve had best results for back as a designated day in the past.

Thursday: conditioning, re/prehab, light shoulders (I also have a torn up shoulder and an abdominal surgery that made those guys finicky)

Friday: leg day, the very first day in this log, and tomorrow’s post

11 JAN 19

Leg press - bilateral
Worked up in sets of 15 to 681 x 15
Lots of sets

Hex bar DL
Worked up in sets of 6s to 305 x 6

Machine circuit x 4 rounds
Leg curl bilateral x 20
Leg extension bilateral x 20
Calf raise x 20

I think deadlift variations are going to be easier to push right now. I have a yoke bar in my garage gym but I didn’t bother winterizing/heating it this year. I don’t think I’d be comfortable pushing barbell squats yet.

Overall a nice first week, hopefully I can keep momentum through next week, as I have some other health issues that will cost me at least one session.

14 JAN 19

Brisk walk to the gym ~12 min

Bench
200x5
235x5
265x8
165x8x5

Skullcrushers x 20 superset with DB flies x 10, 4 rounds

Tricep rope push downs single arm 15x4 each

3 sets of cable crossovers

Yikes. Thought I was setting a training max nice and low (310), I’m going to lower it to 295. Less than 70% of my PR. Of note though, I’ve been fasting for about 13 hours at the time of this workout, procedure tomorrow. I very much doubt I’ll be lifting tomorrow but if I can I will. If not I’m considering 2adays this week. We will see.

16 JAN 19

Treadmill warmup, quick

Deadlift, conventional, ACL brace
95 x 6
145 x 3
185 x 3
235 x 3
275 x 3
305 x 3
335 x 3 (mixed grip)
355 x 3 (slight twinge in hammy)
375 x 3

Assisted Chins, wide grip, overhand
20 x 5, 18 x 5, 16 x 5, 14 x 5, 12 x 5, 10 x 5
8 x 3 (40# assistance, 255 bw and clothes = 215 pulled)

Rear delt flies, 20s x 12 x 4
Superset with
EZ bar curls, 40 x 15 x 4

Lat pulldowns, cables, wide grip
Lowish weight, big squeeze at the bottom
60 x 10, 72 x 10
84 x 8, 96 x 8, 108 x 8
No squeeze, fast tempo, 15 sec between sets
72 x 8 x 7

The goal today was ballpark a DL and assisted Chins training max. Secondary goal of finding a stance and which knee sleeve/brace/wrap worked best. I think I’ll spread it out over a few weeks here before I structure the programming too much. Pulled sumo in my prime (615 Pr) but either the platform or my shoes were slippery so I went Conv. I didn’t dare go higher than 375, not confident in the knee. I want to work high volume low rep in the 250-335 range for now. Will try the elitefts heavy knee sleeve next DL session.

For chins, I went wide because that’s where I’ve always been weaker anyways, may as well work em up from there, for now anyways.

Of note: more for my reference than anything I guess. I have some tailbone pain that I and my primary physician guess is tied to my knee surgery. I had a gracilis/semitendinosus graft taken from the insertion (near knee) and the pain is forming around where that muscles origin is (hip/tailbone)

So on top of assuming “hammy twinge” is on the involved leg (left), I also had some hip… discomfort? I don’t know how to name it, but that’s also why I shut er down at 375.

I intend to see my physical therapist soon about the knee/hip, and run my programming plan by him as well.

17 JAN 19

10m 2 speed treadmill warmup

1.5 miles walk/jog - 24:26

Arnold press
25s x 8, 30s x 8, 30s x 8, 45s x 8, 50s x 8, 55s x 8, 60s x 8
(35s and 40s taken)

Some other light shoulder health stuff

Some abs:
15 med ball crunch’s
30s front plank
10 med ball crunch’s
30s side plank
10 med ball crunch’s
30s other side plank

So. While my knee was still the limiting factor in the 1.5 mile time, this was considerably challenging for the garbage cardiovascular shape I’m in. My goal is going to be to improve that time every single week. My PR for. 2 mile is 11:44, I think that time for 1.5m can be my year long goal. For now I can only jog a couple minutes at a time, which was more than I expected for today, so that’s good.

As bad as my cardio/strength are, my core may be worse. Getting some cramps from that super light work. I think I’m going to do a small amount of abs daily rather than this.

18 JAN 19

Leg press
Worked up to ~6 plates per side, felt a big click on the 3rd rep, shut er down. Knee was slow to warm up on these today

Hex bar DL
More warmups
275 x 6 x 3
275 x 12

Bulgarian split squats
5s x 5 each x 2
10s x 5 each x 2

Leg curls, light, bilateral
A ton

Exercise ball side crunches
15 each way x 2

Front planks
30s x 4

Knee was angry today, which makes sense. Yesterday was the first running I’ve done. Not a concerning level of pain, but worth takin it easy today.

A nice positive though, ran my PT client through split squats and to my surprise, I can do them. I don’t feel them in my quad much but it’s another thing I can work on now.

Also, I aggressively golf ball rolled whatever tissue it is that’s bothering me in the tailbone: sacrotuberal ligament, glute origin, lumbodorsal fascia, I don’t know. It seems to have helped moderately.

22 JAN 19

Tried some free barbell squats. Unable to not lean considerably to the good leg. No sense working these for a few months

DB split squats
12.5 x 5 each x 2
15 x 5 each
17.5 x 5 each

Free motion legpress
Worked up to 5 plates per side x 30

Leg Circuit: 4ish rounds
A: lying leg curl x 15
B: leg ext: 10 bilateral concentric, left leg eccentric, 5 single leg full rep
C: free motion squat x 10

An circuit: 3 rounds
A: band crunch x 20
B: exercise ball crunch x 10-15
C: plank 30s (front, side, side

Missed yesterday due to the holiday, so order of work outs is off, no biggy.

25 JAN 19

5m treadmill warmup: 2.3 speed, 3.5 incline

1/4 mile jog 3:36

Circuit 1
A: dumbell bench press: 55x15, 65x15, 75x15x3
B: dumbell rows: same weight/reps

Circuit 2 (20s)
A: Db flies x 10 x 3
B: rev flies x 12 x 3

Circuit 3 (50)
A: EZ bar curls x 12 x 4
B: EZ bar skulls x 25 x 4

Circuit 4
A; cable lat pulldowns, wide
35x20, 42.5x15, 50x12, 60x8, 70x6
B: 4/2/- tempo push ups. 5x5

Just winging it today, missed the bulk of this week due to health. Short time today between clinic and work, feel like shit but glad I got something in.

28 JAN 19

Edit: beginning body weight tracking. Start of log was 260. 249.6 today

Quick treadmill warmup

1.5 mile 22:44
Including a continuous 1/3rd mile

Bench: wide grip, incline, Smith machine
Bottom 3/4 (no lock out, fast)
50, 70, 90, 110 x 15
130 x 10
150 x 9
160 x 8

Circuit 1
A: TRX pec fly x 10
B: single arm band tricep ext x 20 each
4 rounds

Circuit 2
A: TRX push up x 12
B: kettlebell overhead tricep ext 12kg x 20
3 rounds

Single leg ext (bum knee)
Full rom
10 x 15 x 2
15, 20, 25, 30 x 15
35 x 15 x 4
40 x 25 x 2

AB circuit
A: crunch machine: upper abs x 12
B: hanging leg raise, with twist, bent knees x 12
C: 40s plank (one each front, side, side)
3 rounds

I hate smith machine pressing, but this variant was kinda okay. Weights don’t include the bar, whatever that is.

The rest was a chest/tri day, but this be decided I want cardio abs and single leg work every day for a while. Not terribly certain how programming will look, winging it.

01 FEB 19

BW 247.6

Leg Press bilateral
Worked up in 12s to
601 x 12
651 x 12

Hex bar DL
Worked up in 8s to
285 x 8

Circuit
A: leg curl bilateral x 15
B: leg ext bilateral x 20
C: straight knee calf raise x 10
D: bent knee calf raise x 10
5 rounds

Circuit
A: exercise ball crunch x 12
B: 45 sec plank (front side side)
C: hanging leg raise bent knee x 8
3 rounds

So this week sucked also, -60 temps caused gyms to close. All I accomplished at home was some TENS stim sessions on the quad.

Hopefully there’s no excuses next week.

04 FEB 19

BW 246.6

5m treadmill/ stretching

1.5 mile 21:52 (including 0.4 continuous to start and end)

Bench, feet up
Worked up in 15# increments sets of 12 to 160
185 x 3
200 x 3
215 x 3
230 x 14

Leg ext, single leg
12 x 15 x 2
12 x 20
24 x 12 x 2
36 x 12 x 2
48 x 12
60 x 15 x 2

Single arm reverse grip cable push downs
15 each arm no rest 7ish rounds

DB fly/DB skull crushers 20 x 10 x 3

JM Press
45 x 12
60 x 12
70 x 12
80 x 12

Ab superset attempt
Ex. Ball crunch x 20
Plank x 50s
Got to 11 on 2nd crunch set, cramp city, done.

Knee/quad feeling stronger every week, which is new since mid 2016.

Bench loading, I’m winging it. Not overall upset with 230x14 today, even though it compares poorly to my 225 PR which is 29.

I think cardio improvements might slow down some here some but I’ve shaved 3 minutes off since mid Jan.