30 Aug 2015 - The groove continues...

"Every morning you have two choices; continue to sleep with your dreams or wake up and chase them." -anon (Really, I have no idea, I just happen to read this randomly the other day. it is something I have felt for a long time.)

24 Aug
1800 hrs

I somehow ended up Benching on a Monday. Not a normal occurence for me even though I know it is International bench day.
Warm Up: Chest Supported Rear Delt Laterals 3 x 17 x 20 lbs
Bench 
worked up to 1 x 2 x 135+EFS Micro band+EFS Pro Mini Band
dropped down to 3 x 5 x 95+EFS Pro Mini Band
Db Bench 2 x 40 x 20 lbs
Barbell Rows 3 x 13 x 135

My Low back handled these well. I made sure to keep my low back organized and stable. I used an extremely wide grip.
Finished up with Ed Coan Obliques, Medium Grip Face Pulls, & YTW's. 

25 Aug 
1610 hrs

20 lbs Tac Vest the whole session

Stair /Elliptical Thing  1/2 Mile x 5 min 22 sec
Double Db Rows - 55 reps x 50 lbs (increasing to 60lbs next time)
Push Ups - 105 reps
Bench Squats - 155 reps
Stair /Elliptical Thing - 1/2 Mile x 5 min 33 sec

Increasing the reps a little each session. Once I am hitting the numbers for the Rows, Push Ups, and Squats I will increase the 1/2 Mile distance. It definitely still sucked but my recovery between sets is much better.

26 Aug
0600 hrs 

Swim and water walking x 15 min
Just a light easy session to start the day. Get my body awake and loose. Felt better all day.

1805 hrs

KB Swings
2 x 1 min x 20kg
2 x 1 min x 70 lbs
1 x 1 min x 20kg
Forearms started to burn out so i stopped before they gave out completely.

Tricep Pull Downs 165 reps x EFS Monster Mini (black)
Face Pulls 120 reps x EFS Monster Mini (Black)

Head harness 
1 x 31 x 16 kg
3 x 17 x 16 kg

Bird dogs x Lots (with a 10 sec hold)
McGill Situp x Lots
The KB Swings felt better than they have in a very long time. Thanks to a few EFS videos I have corrected my technique which has had immediate carry over to how my low back stability feels during the movement. This was not quite the conditioning session I wanted but solid work and all told this was less than 30 min. I really feel I am getting back into a groove and things are starting to click again.

27 Aug 
1840 hrs

Warm Up: Stretch and ROM work in Squat cage with Oly bar. Basically i have figured out how to stretch, then manually adjust my rib heads (crack my upper-middle back)
Then some Klokov press (bar only).  Shrugs (Bar only)

Shrugs
1 x 21 x 135
5 x 3-3-3 x 225
Superset w/ Double KB Swings 
4 x 20kg (ea hand) x 11
Each set of shrugs I started with a different grip but rotated through all 3 grips (wide, medium, narrow).

The rest of this session was fairly quick, minimal rest. Fairly high volume I guess and I was pretty pumped by the end.

Exercises covered:
Rope Pulldowns 5 x 7 x 135
Fat man Pull ups superset with Banded Push Ups 4 sets
Gladiator Curls superset with Rear Delt Laterals
Hammer Curls superset with Rear Delt laterals 
Heading home tomorrow so I plan on doing a Heart popping session with Prowler, Sled Drags, and Farmers walks. Plan on burning some hard Calories for the 2.5 days I am home this weekend.

More on that in a little bit. It was a great weekend of trg and moving forward. 

Keep Moving Forward, Keep Getting Strong(er)

23 Aug 2015 - Fining a groove...

17 Aug
1105hrs

I was feeling a little beat up going into this session. 

KB Swings 5 x 50 x 20kg+EFS Monster Mini Band
GHR 2 x7
FacePulls 100 reps x  EFS Monster Mini Band
OH Tricep Ext 100 reps x EFS Monster Mini Band
Band Pull a parts 75 reps x EFS Monster Mini Band
A simple recovery session to sweat and get my blood moving.

18 Aug
1035hrs

Einstein being the gym rat he was I am sure said this. 

KB Clean /High Pull /Snatch 1 x 5 x 35lbs
Rack Pulls 5 x 2 x 225lbs
Good Mornings (starting in Bottom Position) 3 x 8 x 95lbs
DB SLDL 2 x 11 x 50lbs

At this point my low back was wiped out. I guess the Swings the day before were a little bit of a factor. Overall though, my low back is gaining more work capacity.
Finished up with DB Shrugs, Banded Side steps, Bird dogs, McGill Situps, Side Plank, & TKE's

19 Aug
1930hrs

Db Bench 1 x 5 x 40lbs to 85 lbs at increase rate of 5lbs per set
I got sweat in my eyeball during the last set. It burned. I suffered in silence.The Struggle is real.

Db Floor Press 3 x 11 x 60lbs (80%)

Finished up with PullDowns, Banded Incline Pushups, Fat man Pull ups, Machine Rear Delt Laterals, and Db Rear Laterals. 

20 Aug

AND sometimes it is better to be in a Calorie Surplus! Stupid internet caption-quote-picture-thing. Sheesh.

My low back was still pretty stiff and fatigued. So I decided to take the day off. Eating some extra calories. I ate Mc Nuggets & a Big Mac.This is riveting material, I know you care though.

21 Aug
1530hrs

A solid night's sleep and then I traveled home. Things of course at this point I switch up a little for the next few days.

45 Deg Back Ext 50 reps (a few sets as possible)
Farmer's Walk 6 x 20m x 90lbs
Prowler 6 x 20m x 90lbs
GHR 3 x 7 reps

I cycled through the last 3 exercises with minimal rest. Solid Session. Getting more comfortable with the Farmer's walks particularly the pick from the ground. So far things feel decent but I think if I decided to go heavy I will be using blocks to protect my back. Overall though the 20m is a good distance and now that I have adjusted to walking with weight I am not getting super cramps in my obliques when I brace my mid-line. The Humidity in the field house makes things interesting with the Prowler as usual, making it stick to the floor of the field like it is made of tacky instead of rubber. Which saves on loading time I guess.

22 Aug
0835hrs

Stair Climber w/ Weight Vest 20 min x 98 Flights x 199 Calories
Breakdown was different than usual. I pushed the rest lower (Lvl 8 vs Lvl 10) but the same rest period of 40 sec and 20 sec work. I pushed the work cycle harder than normal. I have decided to try this out for a while to see how it carries over. I must admit I do dread these sessions, they really do suck. Once I start there is no way I am stopping and going home. The drive to the gym though I normally have a knot in my stomach. It is a good feeling to have.

Finished with:
Kirk Shrugs, Incline Push Ups, Plate Raise, Face Pulls, Db Rear Laterals x 50 reps each
Pull Ups 4 x 1 x Vest
Back Ext 25 reps x vest (minimal sets req'd)
45 Deg Side Hold 1 x 20 count x Vest
Pull Downs 1 x 55 x EFS Monster Mini Band

I will not say this was easier than normal but it did feel like a 10% increase of reps next session is required. I was not praying for death as I normally am.

23 Aug
0950hrs

Farmer's Walk 
2 x 40m x 50lbs
6 x 20m x 100lbs
Prowler
4 x 20m x 90lbs
4 x 20m x 220lbs
4 x 20m x 140lbs
GHR 2 x 13

Another fun session in the super hot & humid field house. Solid session. Focused on a strong pick from the floor, fully braced, and then fast, small steps. The farmer's walk are working my grip but not frying it completely. If anything this volume with the farmer's walk will make my neck and shoulders more jacked.  I did at one point over pressure and had to put drop the farmer's handles.  I thought I was going to thunder in, regrettably i did not this time so no funny story today.

So back in Ottawa for 5 days and I am working straight days. Shortened days by the sounds of it. So I am thinking an intense swim in the morning for 10-15 min to start the day. Then another session at the end of the work day. Then back to Farmer's, Prowler, and Stair Climber next weekend

Keep Moving Forward, Keep Getting Strong(er)

17 Aug 2015 - Summary of the last 10 days....the right things are building back up.

7 Aug (1805hrs)

Dynamic Bench 8 x 3 x 50% & EFS Red Band
Pull Ups 3 x 2
Finished up with:
Seated Cable Rows, Landmine Rows,V Bar Pulldowns, Rear Delt and Rotator work. Finished up with Plank and Pallof Press

I am working the Pull Ups back up slowly. I am starting them from a locked in position and staying as tight as possible during every rep. The finishing work with the Rear Rotator work seems to be keeping my scap locked in.

8 Aug (1800hrs)

KB Swing /High Pull/ Clean/ Clean&Jerk /Snatch  3 x 5 x 35 lbs KB's

The point of this sessions was active recovery /conditioning. The rest of the session was upper & lower back prehab /rehab work. (Hip Bridges, Scap retractions, Banded shoulder series, Birddogs, & Banded side-front steps.)

10 Aug (1105hrs)

20 lbs Tac Vest Worn the Whole Session

Hill Climb Elliptical 1/2 Mile x 5 Min 30sec
Db Rows 70lbs x 50 reps
Push Ups 100 reps
Bench Squats 150 reps
Hill Climb Elliptical 1/2 Mile x 5 Min 50sec
The whole session took me about 35 min. I rotated through the Rows, Push Ups, & Squats until the reps were completed then back on the Hill Climb /Elliptical machine thing. (Not quite an elliptical, not quite a stepper)

11 Aug (0210hrs)

This was one of my first lifting sessions on Midnight shift. I was well rested and amped things up with a Monster going into the session.

1" Pin Press -Top Set- 1 x 3 x 205lbs
Max Reps at 80%  1 x 9 x 175lbs

Db Floor Press 3 x 7 x 60lbs

Scap is locking in really well. My lats are engaging properly or rather I am figuring out how to engage them properly. Working the weight up slowly.

Finished up with Tricep Pushdown's, Face Pulls, Machine Rear Delt Laterals, Single arm Pulldown, and Bicep work. I ran the rack doing Gladiator curls.
Good times.
It was also awesome having a solid Arm pump at 2 am.

12 Aug (0105hrs)

Good Mornings - 1 x 7 x 135, 3 x 7 x 105lbs
Rack Pulls 6 x 5 x 195

My Low back is feeling solid so I figured it was time to test it. I kept the weight low and reps mid range. My Low back was fairly stiff (in a good way) for the next few days afterwards.

 Finished up:
Db Shrugs, Mach Delt Flys, and Ed Coan Oblique holds.

This was another Midnight shift trg session.  Looking back on the session it went well. I did make notes mid session. Reading through them again it is interesting to see how my frustration with my physical limitations and recent set backs pushed to the surface. It is not how I feel regularly, but occasionally and I guess in the dark hours of the morning the mind will wander and falter.

12 Aug (1735hrs)

I did have a nap when I got off shift at 7 am. Slept till Noon then drove home.

GHR 3 x 9 reps
Farmer's Handles 4 x 20m x 90lbs
Prowler 8 x 20m x 180 lbs
Head Harness 1 x 31 x 35lbs

First four sets of Prowler were  supersetted /medlied with the Farmer's Handles. My low back started getting tired so I shut the Farmer's walk down and did a few more Prowler pushes. Even with that I still finished with a Low Back Pump. GHR was done through out the session. I have decided I prefer the GHR in the field house of my old location. The Model of GHR in Ottawa has extra pads and multiple adjustments that do not seem to make it more effective. Just an observation.

16 Aug (1655 hrs)

Spent the rest of my time time off at home relaxing, catching up on sleep and eating so I had lots of energy and was feeling fresh going into this session.
DE Bench 9 x 3 x 135&Orange EFS Super mini bands
Finished up:
Seated rows, Wide bar Delt rows, Tricep Pulldowns, Pull Ups, Machine Rear Delt Fly's, and Rope Curls.

 Upper back is still coming along nicely. Overall I am happy with how things are moving forward. The adjustment to shift schedule has been fairly seamless. I have a shift schedule. My shifts are only 8 hrs long. I get 24 hrs off in between Evening and Midnight shifts. 2 /2 /3 every string with the triplet changing every string based on the Friday Shift. So no excuse to be completely run down and beat up. I make a point to get as much sleep as possible. As it is summer time I hit the Roof top patio in my Apartment building everyday for 40 min to 1 hr to get some Vitamin D.

 I have figured out what I can do between my home and work /Apartment locations.
Keeping it simply so far I have it separated to:
-Weighted Conditioning at my home location (Stair Climber, Prowler, Farmers Walks, Sled Drags)
-More GHR work at home and 45 Deg Back Ext (neither available in Ottawa)
-Bench Style Movement every three days regardless of location.
-Bodyweight / Bodybuilder style Lifting in Ottawa
Resting when I am too sore or beat up but no organized rest days. Keeping everything else flexible. Focusing on Rehab daily, Building Pull Ups, dragging my deplorable weak ass Bench back up and doing some conditioning to keep myself sane.
I don't say it much but I really do miss Squatting, Deadlifting and running Sprints. As well as getting on the Mats to roll once in awhile. One day soon.

Keep Moving Forward, Keep Getting Strong(er)

6 Aug - Last few days summed up.

The Past week has been very productive. Almost to the point where I feel I am ready to Rampage my training full bore.  I have found mentally that hard Conditioning sessions is making up for the loss of the heavier lifting sessions.
There really is something to be said for Pulling hand wrenching, shin scrapping weight off the floor or putting enough weight to fold you in half on back to put everything else in your life into a certain calming perspective.

Similar to the Heavy lifting Sessions, the Lung bursting, mind altering conditioning sessions still need to be managed and spaced out properly. So as not mess myself up or create some stupid chronic over use injury. Not to mention putting those sessions together to closely too often leads to fatigue that cannot be made up by food and sleep. So you just end up trg and feeling like trash.

I have been practicing a little bit of KB exercises everyday. My technique and ability to handle the Bell's is coming back quickly.

My bench is starting to creep back up as I am figuring out how to lock in my upper back and keep it that way.

I will "mess around" for another week and then start to firm up my calendar into the 11 day cycle. I am not sure if I will base things off of a simple 7 and 4 or if time of day for trg will come into play. I am in a new world of working shifts and not sure how I will respond to working evenings and midnight's while trying to train at various hours of the day.

My initial instinct is set up the 7 day /4 day cycle and base everything around available equipment and then simply make minor adjustments on the fly as required. More flexibility in the plan allows for more adaption to unseen or unavoidable challenges.

I started recording again in my note book. I will keep it to the highlights of each session.

 I do a few of the following exercises for 2-3 sets and 9 - 30 reps depending on the exercise and how i feel. Some days I do all of them, some days I pick 3 -4 and get them done. Trying to never go more than 2 days without not doing and exercise.  (Lying Hip Extension, Single leg bridge, Pallof Press, Plank, Superman's, McGill Sit up, Bird Dogs) I will not be recording these in the log too much but realize they are getting done.

31 July
(DE) Bench 10 sets @ 50% plus EFS Super mini bands and EFS Light bands
 When things slowed down a little after a few sets I dropped the Light Bands.
CSR 3 warm up sets then 3 x 10 x 125 lbs
Finished off with Tricep Pushdowns, Rear Delt Rows, YTWL, and horizontal shrugs

1 Aug
Stair Mill  20 min x 97 Flights (40lbs weight vest)
Varying intervals every 5 min. I have definitely have not done this in awhile my lungs were there but my leg recovery was brutal. Rest was a little lower than normal and I did not push the high end to much until the last 3-4 min

Then 50 reps of the following exercises
Kirk Shrug, Plate Raise, Push Ups, Back Ext, Side hold (20sec ct), Face Pull, Fat man Pull ups, Db Rear laterals, & 3 x 1 Pull Ups with the vest on

 Before the session started I also conducted a Scapular Depression Test at the suggestion of Coach JL Holdsworth. Definitely improvement from a month ago, but still a little ways to go. More on that when I get some feedback from the coach.

2 Aug
Warm Up consisting of: Back Ext, Pallof Press, Hanging Scap Retractions
Prowler 10 sets total x 20 m (4 warm up sets) 6 x 20 m x 180 lbs working sets.
Farmer's Walk 2 x 20 m x 90 lbs
The gym got a new implement. Very excited to include these now.
GHR 3 x 7 x Bodyweight
Finished up with some ,upper back /Scap work. Bicep work and Plank lots of plank

3 Aug
Bench Worked up to 1 x 3 x 210 lbs
Back off set 80% x 11 reps
Still weak but my upper back tightness has returned. So now slowly but surely the weight will go back on the bar a little each week.
Db Floor Press 4 x 12 x 50 lbs
A little extra pressing more than normal. Trying to condition the upper back and get some Tricep work in as well. oh and BALANCE of left and right if that is a thing.

Finished with back work, more back work, triceps, Upper back & Rear Delts.
Oh and some ITWY's! (Although this is another exercise i do almost daily right now)
Exciting stuff I know.

Sadly not all my facilities allow the use of Lifting Chalk, but I adapt. 

4 Aug
Prowler 10 x 20 m x 50 lbs (total time less than 10 min)
I was guessing a little with the Prowler weight as the humidity in the field I push on can make the floor like glue some days. But the intent was there, some lighter Prowler work a few days after the heavier pushing
Farmer's Handles 2 x 20 x 90 lbs /1 x 40 m x 90 lbs
Turn around on the first set the clamp slipped, plate slid, forced to reset. Second set I turned slower and made sure to keep the handles level.

Finished with Band work for Face Pulls and OH Tricep Ext 100 reps ea

Then 4 light sets of KB Work:
Swing /High Pull/Clean/Clean&Jerk - 2 x 2 x 35 lbs then 2 x 2 x 50 lbs

It feels kind of nice to working with KB's again. It has been nearly a decade since I have concentrated on doing actual KB work in the form of chains or other movements beyond just doing Swings for time. Taking things slow, low volume for now until I feel my low back has the strength and endurance to do longer sessions. So far everything feels like it getting strong(er) and stabilizing nicely.

5 Aug
Two hand KB Swing 2 x 50 x 53 lbs
One Hand KB Swing 1 x 20 x 53 lbs
Double KB Swing /High Pull /Clean /Clean&Jerk 2 x 2 x 53 lbs
Approx 10 min. Good sweat. Recovery /building session.

6 Aug
Warm Up: Head harness & YTWL
SDL worked up to 2 x 5 x 185
Shrugs 4 x 13 x 185
Higher reps to work the grip. Also I felt a little beat up going into this session so I took it down a little.
Finished with GHR, Scap retraction, Back Ext, TKE's and then a few of my low back exercises.

Till Next time....

Keep Moving Forward, Keep Getting Strong(er)