10/19/08 Bench Assist
Military Press
45x10
95x8
135x5
155x5
170x5
185x7
DB Clean and Press
60x6
60x6
60x6
60x6
Cable/Rope Thing
40x12
50x12
50x12
50x12
Bent Lateral Raise
20x15
20x15
20x15
EZ Curl
100x8
100x8
100x8
100x6
DB Incline Curl
30x8
30x8
30x8
30x8
10/21/08 Deadlift
Deadlift
135x5
225x5
315x5
365x5
405x5
435x2…low back did not feel right after the set of 405. Probably shouldn’t have kept going, but 2 reps in w/ 435, I knew something was wrong. We’ll see how it feels tomorrow.
Back Ext w/ long pause at top squeezing glutes
Bx12
Bx12
Bx12
…just to get a bunch of blood in there
Apex Rows
4x15
Pulldowns (Rev Grip)
3x15
DB Shrug
4x20
Light leg extensions
I’m a little concerned about my back…hopefully this is not a major issue.
10/23/08 Bench
Bench
135x10
185x5
205x5
225x3
245x3
265x3
285x3
Pauses
245x3
245x3
JM Press
135x8
135x8
135x8
Hanging Leg Raise
Bx12
Bx12
Bx12
Forced to train at midnight last night due to a goofy work function. Truncated things a little.
10/25/08 Squat
SQ
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5
315x3
355x3
375x3
395x5
Pause Squats
325x3
325x3
Dynamic Lunge
95x6
115x6
115x6
115x6
Leg Curl
100x10
100x10
100x10
Lat Pulldowns
5x10
My legs have gotten stronger recently. My low back still feels a little tweaked but the squats didn’t really bother it…they felt very good and I’m descending much slower and under better control.
10/26/08 Bench Assist
Military Press
45x10
95x8
135x5
165x3
180x3
195x7
DB Clean and Press
65x6
65x6
65x6
65x6
Bent Pitcher Raise
25x12
25x12
25x12
25x12
EZ Curl
110x6
110x6
110x6
110x6
Incline DB Curl
30x8
30x8
30x8
Ab Wheel
Bx12
Bx12
Bx12
Bx12
My overhead strength is better than it’s ever been. These are strict military presses, with heels touching and paused on my upper chest after every rep…still waiting for this to translate on the bench.
Can you tell if the back is a disc or a muscle? Probably a muscle from deads which is better than a disc if you ask me. Or is it OK now? I hate low back issues. I had a bulging disc a couple years ago and it sucked to the uttermost.
It’s on the left side right above the glute. Funny thing, it didn’t bother me in the least when I squatted, until around my second set of pauses, when it was fatigued.
I’ve never really had back issues, except when I gain weight quickly and it cramps up. But this is sort of sticking around.
So I don’t know. But it’s definitely proper to the left side. I’m banking on it going away if I don’t pull tomorrow and just do some light stuff for the low back.
10/29/08 Deadlift
Deadlift
135x5
225x5
315x3
365x3
405x3
445x3
Pull Thru
120x15
130x15
130x15
130x15
Apex Row
190x10
190x10
190x10
190x10
Supinated Pulldown
180x10
180x10
180x10
180x10
DB Shrug
75x16
75x16
75x16
75x16
My low back felt good enough to give it a go, but I stayed conservative. Worked to a very easy 445x3…Next week hopefully I will be able to push it.
[quote]Ramo wrote:
It’s on the left side right above the glute. Funny thing, it didn’t bother me in the least when I squatted, until around my second set of pauses, when it was fatigued.
I’ve never really had back issues, except when I gain weight quickly and it cramps up. But this is sort of sticking around.
So I don’t know. But it’s definitely proper to the left side. I’m banking on it going away if I don’t pull tomorrow and just do some light stuff for the low back.[/quote]
HMMM. I’ve got a little nagging “thing” above my right glute. Like right at the belt line 3 or 4 inches from my spine. I really only really feel it if I sit on that side for a while and during warmups. Once I get going, even pulling movements don’t hurt it. It doesn’t go away, but doesn’t get any worse.
As long as it’s not in the middle, in other words not a disc. That can wind up bad and permanent with greater ease than what’s probably a tender erector muscle.
What is an Apex Row?
[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
Ramo wrote:
It’s on the left side right above the glute. Funny thing, it didn’t bother me in the least when I squatted, until around my second set of pauses, when it was fatigued.
I’ve never really had back issues, except when I gain weight quickly and it cramps up. But this is sort of sticking around.
So I don’t know. But it’s definitely proper to the left side. I’m banking on it going away if I don’t pull tomorrow and just do some light stuff for the low back.
HMMM. I’ve got a little nagging “thing” above my right glute. Like right at the belt line 3 or 4 inches from my spine. I really only really feel it if I sit on that side for a while and during warmups. Once I get going, even pulling movements don’t hurt it. It doesn’t go away, but doesn’t get any worse.
As long as it’s not in the middle, in other words not a disc. That can wind up bad and permanent with greater ease than what’s probably a tender erector muscle.[/quote]
This is pretty much what I’ve got going on, just on the opposite side. And it’s pretty low down and distinctly on the side, not in the middle. It really only kicks in when I bend or move in certain ways. I think it’s going away, and I’m very pleased because I was concerned for a couple days.
Then again, I heal quick and I’m a good bit younger than you are 
[quote]BlackLabel wrote:
What is an Apex Row?[/quote]
Apex is the manufacturer of the machine, I think. At least it says ‘Apex’ on the machine.
I like it because it almost perfectly mirrors the groove of the bench press, and it just has a smooth feel. It has options for either an overhand or a semi-supinated grip.
10/30/08 Bench
Bench
135x8
185x5
205x5
225x5
245x5
275x3
305x1
Pause Bench
255x3
255x3
Incline DB Press (slow eccentric/long pause at bottom)
70x8
80x8
80x8
JM Press
115x8
135x8
135x8
135x8
Slant Board Situps
Bx10
Bx10
Bx10
Just benching…who really gives a shit?
[quote]Ramo wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
Ramo wrote:
It’s on the left side right above the glute. Funny thing, it didn’t bother me in the least when I squatted, until around my second set of pauses, when it was fatigued.
I’ve never really had back issues, except when I gain weight quickly and it cramps up. But this is sort of sticking around.
So I don’t know. But it’s definitely proper to the left side. I’m banking on it going away if I don’t pull tomorrow and just do some light stuff for the low back.
HMMM. I’ve got a little nagging “thing” above my right glute. Like right at the belt line 3 or 4 inches from my spine. I really only really feel it if I sit on that side for a while and during warmups. Once I get going, even pulling movements don’t hurt it. It doesn’t go away, but doesn’t get any worse.
As long as it’s not in the middle, in other words not a disc. That can wind up bad and permanent with greater ease than what’s probably a tender erector muscle.
This is pretty much what I’ve got going on, just on the opposite side. And it’s pretty low down and distinctly on the side, not in the middle. It really only kicks in when I bend or move in certain ways. I think it’s going away, and I’m very pleased because I was concerned for a couple days.
Then again, I heal quick and I’m a good bit younger than you are ;)[/quote]
Sometimes I’ll go a day or 2 without noticing it and forget it’s there, but then I’ll stand up and there it is. Nothing terrible, but it’s been there for like several months. And yes, you are a good bit younger than I am =]
11/01/08 Squat
Squat
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5
315x3
365x3
385x3
415x3
Pause Squat
335x3
335x3
Dynamic Lunge
95x6
115x6
115x6
115x6
Leg Curl
100x10
110x8
110x8
Apex Row (Semi-Sup.)
170x10
180x10
180x10
180x10
Lot of people knocking leg curls. None of them are very strong.
11/02/08 Bench Assist
Military Press
45x10
95x5
135x5
155x3
175x3
190x3
210x4
DB Clean and Press
60x6
65x6
70x6
Bent Pitcher Raise
25x12
25x12
25x12
EZ Curl
90x8
110x8
120x8
Hanging Leg Raise
Bx15
Bx15
11/05/08 Deadlift
Deadlift
135x5
225x5
315x3
365x3
430x3
480x3
Pull Through
130x12
140x12
150x12
160x12
DB Shrug
85x12
85x12
85x12
Apex Row
200x8
200x8
200x8
Supinated Pulldown
190x10
190x10
190x10
Great training cycle for me…I will dial back for a week and then push hard into mid-December. From there I will streamline things for the March meet.
I am especially happy to be getting stronger while really only doing each movement pattern once a week. So I don’t attribute it to just getting a more efficient groove.
11/6/08 Light Bench
Pause Bench
45x10
135x8
185x8
205x8
225x5
245x5
Incline DB Press w/ Pause
60x15
60x15
60x10
Elbows-Out DB Extension
25x15
35x10
Decline Situp
Bx10
Bx10
Quickest workout in months…in and out in about 40 minutes.
11/8/08 Light Squat
Pause Squat
135x5
185x5
225x5
275x5
315x3
315x3
Bulgarian Squat
Bx15
Bx20
Leg Curl
100x12
100x12
Overhand Pulldown
160x12
160x12
160x12
11/9/08 Light Bench Assist
Press Behind Neck
45x10
95x10
115x10
135x8
155x8
DB Cuban Press
2x15
DB Curl
3x8
Hanging Leg Raise
2x15