Week 1 of 13

Day 1 (Wednesday, 5/18/11)

Deadlift
2x10x135
5x185
5x225
3x265
3x305
3x345
5x3x375 (65%)

2 Board Shirt Bench (44 F6)
4x135
3x165
2x195
2x225
1x245
*add shirt
1x275 (touch)
1x295 (touch)
*add 2 board
3x275
3x285 (86%)
2x285

Bulgarian split squat
8xBW
8x25's
6x40's
6x60's
2x6x75's

NG Pull-ups
1x6
4x5

Ab wheel
5x8

Band Standing Scapular Retraction
5x10xmm

Comments: So this week I will be squatting and deadlifting about 65%, and my back is handling the increasing work pretty well, so I am doing something I consider a bit bold . . . counting down to the Twin Cities Open in August.  I really think I can continue improving in the next several weeks, get my strength back in a few more weeks, and dial in my technique a few weeks after that.  I decided to abandon my Westside inspired bench cycle so that I might put a few extra pounds on my shirt bench and not have to squat and pull quite as much to qualify for 2012 USAPL Men's Open Nationals.

So about the bench, I knew I would be a bit under-recovered from a hard previous bench week, but today's performance was absolutely pathetic.  I couldn't possibly be THAT bad at board benching in a shirt.  The plan was to do a couple of 3 week cycles (with a deload week in between) in my two non-competition shirts to get a little practice taking weight to my chest, but then doing some lockout work.  One thing that was interesting is on my first set with 285 I threw the 3rd rep into the rack.  I do some weird things as my triceps get fatigued. We'll see how things go next week, and go from there.

Deadlift went well today, perhaps too well.  I was really zeroed in on keeping my core very tight and my low back seemed to be very happy.  Well about 5-10 minutes after deadlifts my low back started to tighten up (really feels like the quadratus lumborum).  Should be all systems go by squat day on Sunday.

Started A.R.T. (active release technique) for my back on Tuesday.  Hopefully this will get me over the hump I can't seem to on my own.

The good news is that as I am adding weight to the bar on squat and deadlift, my back seems to feel better each week.  Hopefully A.R.T. can help this continue as I start getting closer to 80%+.



Day 2 (Friday, 5/20/11)

Incline Pause Bench
5x115
5x135
5x145

DB Step-ups
8xBW
8x25's
6x40's
3x6x55's

CG Reverse Band Bench (light/short, #20)
5x225
5x245
5x265

Pendlay Rows
5x135
5x155
4x5x165

Reverse Hypers
4x10

Bogart Pulldowns
12x100
12x110
12x115
12x110

Band Fae Pulls
4x12xlight

Lower abs on Swiss ball
5x12

Comments: Low back felt decent today.  Checked my form on Pendlay rows and it is much better than it was ~5 months ago, definitely a good sign that my back strength is improving.  Wanted to keep the volume way down on bench to recover some for next week.




Day 3 (Sunday, 5/22/11)

Squat
2x10xbar
2x8x95
5x135
5x185
5x225
5x275
3x5x315 (64%)

Box Squat
5x135
3x185
3x225
3x275
3x315
3x3x345 (70%)

Squat walkouts (10 sec., no belt)
1x385
1x405

Bench
3x135
3x165
4x3x200

NG Pullups
5x3x+20

Seated Cable Rows
8x120
8x130
8x140
8x150

Chop & Lift
1x20x30lb (chop)
1x15x20lb (lift)

Comments: Squats went pretty well today.  Low back felt really good going in to the session, and it only felt a little sore on the right side afterward (higher up, had been hurting along the iliac crest the last few times).  I think one thing that has helped my back over the last couple of days is not stretching the low back or doing any soft tissue work on it.  Just focusing on stretching and rolling the hips and doing a static back mobilization (knees at a 90 degree angle) has seemed to get me on the right track.  I have also done a lot of lower abs on the Swiss ball and bodyweight hip thrusts on the Swiss ball this week. I did 20 minutes of icing my back and then a warm shower after this session.

Was reading some stuff about Gray Cook this morning, and thought I would try the chop and lift exercises to see if I have an imbalance that needs to be fixed.  Seemed pretty even on both sides though.


Squat 052211
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE12bfJJtFE