I don’t usually log my BJJ class but today I have decided to mention it.
Before the dojo I stopped by the gym (next door to the dojo), and I warmed up with some bodyweight squats and push-ups. I then did 10 sets of 5 reps of pull-ups and then did 3 sets of “shoulder shocker”.
Into the dojo, we started of with some striking practice. Sundays are the only time we practice any form of striking and we spent a good 20 minutes on the bags. We then learnt a new way to set up a kimura from guard.
We then did 30 minutes of grappling. During one of my grapples I rolled back onto the back of my head and bent my neck badly. It was actually quite scary. Two hours later and my neck feels a little stiff/sore, but I think I have got away from any real damage. Thank God. It was probably my fault as I was feeling a little tired and was not 100% concentrating on what I was while grappling.
@Ironwarrior25: It is pretty tricky. I have never done any martial arts before and its not really in my nature to try to choke someone to death. At first my sensei kept on criticizing myself at been too gentle and considerate when grappling, although I think it was because I had zero knowledge of technique, so hence I didn’t really know what to do.
We are a small dojo, so there was no introductory classes for myself, I just jumped into the deep end. Im slowly getting better at it, but don’t think I will be winning any world championships anytime soon.
@Destrength: Lol. Sometimes I feel I should channel my inner competitiveness and aggression while grappling.
Warm up including: planks, backbends, bodyweight squats and push-ups, archer push-ups and pistols.
BB floor press: 5 x 5: with 85 kg. (no pull-ups as the bar was occupied)
Superset 4 sets of: T-bar row (10 x 35kg) x 4, dB hammer incline curl (10 x 15kg) x 2, (8 x 15kg) x 2.
Cooled down by having from the bar.
Bike ride home.
notes:
Woke up feeling good, which is good after rolling over my head yesterday at BJJ. I thought I was going to wake up with a sore neck, and although it was a little sore I think I have luckily got away with any significant injury.
Floor press felt strong. Next week I think I might attempt 5 sets of 3 reps at 90 kg. Need to remember to be explosive.
Nutrition has been somewhat poor for the past week. Have had a few christmas parties here and there. Need to make sure I keep my protein up and limit myself to one or two beers when out.
Warm up including: plank, back-bends, body-weight squats and push-ups, handstand practice and eccentric pistols.
BB step-ups: 5 x5 with 50 kg (3 reps of pull-ups in b/w sets)
dB lunges : 3 sets of 10 steps each leg with 2 x 17.5 kg dBs.
Ham curls: 3 sets of 10 x 30 kg.
Bike ride home
notes:
Felt a little tired this morning. My nutrition has been off with various Xmas parties, and last nights BJJ most probably took it out of me. I really concentrated on curling my toes up with the non-lifting foot with the BB step-ups and I think that made a significant difference.
Back is feeling a little irritated. I need to get back into my daily ROMWOD and walks again.
You mentioned back problems a few times…
I’m no expert, but here is what I have noticed
Weak/thight hamstrings make you vulnerable to back injuries, so they should be a priority when we talk about lower body training for a guy with back issues.
Squats are another priority. I have noticed that if I stop back squatting my hips and lower back will begin to ache and hurt. Squats are magic for those areas.
Hanging leg raises and reverse hypers help open your back thus decreasing risk of injury and pain.
@danteism: Hi mate. Thanks for the tips. Much appreciated.
Regarding your suggestions:
I think my hamstrings are tight. I always struggle with ‘forward fold’ types of stretches. A lot of people on here will tell you that hip flexor flexibility and glute activation is most likely more important. I agree partly with that, but I still feel that increasing my hamstring flexibility can only help. In-fact, something that triggers my back pain is when I extend my left leg out in front of me and hence stretching the hamstring.
The only squatting I am doing at the moment are body-weight squats to about parallel during my warm-up. Back squats are just too risky for me. Eventually I want to progress o goblet squats, front squats and then maybe even consider trying out a trap bar if my back ever returns to 95% health.
Ive always had difficulties with hanging raises due to the hamstring issue. I have never done reverse hypers, but it is something I will look into.
Thanks again for your suggestions. If you have any idea how I should implement them, please share.
I’m quite sure the problem is indeed in your hamstrings
The fact that you can’t extend your left leg is quite alarming for me, I would suggest seeing a trained professional fir that.
Working up to be able to squat again is a great idea. Even goblet squats are better than nothing.
I would be really careful with the hypers as they put you into a kind of forward fold position, you could do them one side at a time and work up the range of motion.
I would also suggest you try anterior reaches, just be sure to be careful. Again, you could work up the range of motion here.
Is anterior reach even an exercise outside my world? I have almost never seen anyone (except my clients) perform it.
Do you do those anterior reaches with a straight leg or do you allow some bend in the knee?
I have seen various professionals(chiro, osteo, GP etc) and no one can give me a definite answer/solution. Its manageable most of the time. As I get older it just takes longer to recover when I do irritate it.
@danteism: Looks like those are what I call single leg deadlifts. I used to do heaps of those, but have stopped since my last “lower back blow-up”. I think I probably can start to re-introduce those. There will be some pain/discomfort, but not the “doing damage” type of pain.
Warmed up with the ball outside. Was not really “feeling it”, so I stopped after 15 minutes and did not do any sprints.
In the gym I warmed up a bit more with bodyweight squats and push-ups. Practiced some froggies, hand-stands and pistols.
BB MP: 5 x 5 with 55 kg. (hanged from the bar b/w sets)
Superset 4 sets: dips (8 x BW), BB curls for the girls (11 x 35kg).
Finished off with some rear felt raises.
notes:
Was not feeling it. Not sure why. I have been experimenting with my nutrition and maybe the extra carbs at lunch had made me feel lethargic. My lower back was a little sore, not the “have to stop” kind of pain, but more of a annoying type of pain. I really need to keep up with my daily romwod.
I have been thinking I would like to get my conditioning levels back up to a decent standard. I don’t know when or what, but I think a conditioning session during the week may be what is required. I will probably wait until after Xmas before I implement it, but I am thinking a session of hill running or maybe just some jump-rope with some bodyweight circuits.
Warmed up in the gym: BW squats and push-ups, archer push-ups and pistol squats.
10 sets of pull ups: 5 sets of 6, and then 5 sets of 5. About 60-90 seconds break b/w each set.
Did 2 rounds of shoulder shocker.
BJJ no-GI/self defence: we practiced some striking and self defence, practiced some combos on the pads, practiced some arm-bars and triangles from guard and then into some grappling.
notes:
Feeling much better today. Last few reps of the pull-ups were a struggle and there were maybe some kipping involved.
BJJ was fun. We only do an hour of striking a week, but it has kind of got me interested in learning some more boxing. Nothing serious, but I just want a thunderous punch in my arsenal. Grappling was fun. Feeling more confident all the time, although I need more submission moves, especially when on mount.
Warmed up: plank, back-bends, BW squats and push-ups, and handstands against the wall.
BB floor press: 5 x 5 with 90 kg. Bird-dogs in-between sets.
Superset 4 sets: dB incline hammer curls (10 x 15kg) x 4, T-bar rows (8 x 40 kg) x 3, (10 x 30kg) x 1.
Finished off with some suitcase walks.
Bike ride home.
notes:
Feeling strong, which was suprising as I kept on waking up throughout the night. Almost feels like I could do with some more volume, but I think Im happy to keep things “short and sharp” and keep myself relatively injury free and concentrate on getting stronger with my strength work.
@Destrength: careful buddy.
Its better to have an extra day off rather than have to take weeks off. I don’t think mine is just “pump”. I think there is something wrong with it, but as long as Im not making it worse I will continue to train. Im confident that it will get better eventually, its just taking longer as Im now a little older.
Yep. It’s just on my heavy day after I’ve already gotten the snatching in, so it’s more of a fatigue and tightness thing than a recovery thing in my opinion. I think I am going to check out stretching my hips/rolling my quads and gluteus medius. I feel like I’ve built up a little bit of tightness I need to work on.
Staying injury free is a hassle, but who wants to get injured?
Warmed up with: plank, back bends, archers push-ups, pistols onto a box.
BB step ups: 5 x5 with 40 kg. (4 reps of pull-ups in-between sets)
dB lunges: 3 sets of 10 steps with 20 kg dBs.
Ham curls: 3 sets of 8 x 35 kg.
Bike ride home.
notes:
Dropped the weight in the BB step-ups and real concentrated on isolating the working leg by having the toes curled up for the whole movement of the non-working leg. Even though this is not a typical strength movement, I feel I am getting some benefit out of this exercise.
I have been playing with my nutrition a bit lately by adding some extra carbs. Feeling a little stronger but looking a bit more “fluffy”. Im going to have to find that middle ground, which I suppose is the “Holy Grail”.