2017 log

[Skeletor]

Yeah mate you should if you want to get strong this way. Not cookie cutter like all the famous powerlifting royalty will give you, or overpriced like others. Our well known Aussie friend on IG emailed me back and wanted to charge me $330aud per 4 week training block via online when I was first enquiring bout powerlifting programming last year. Not bagging the guy but that's just fucking rediculous lol woulda cost me over $1000 for a comp prep cycle. Wtf. I'm proof that this system is working. So yeah I endorse it 100%. Jono is a past NZ strongest man winner, NZ Highland games winner and just been to the Highland games world champs. As well as being a good junior IPF lifter, probably won't national titles there too I'm not sure. So good credentials. Everything you should look for.

Sounds good man. Think I will have to make contact and get started . Just need to decide if ill go in this comp on the 18th or not .  Would be good to start after that. Lol about the IG guy. Hes good but hes not worth paying that for. 

[Realtalk]

Fri 3rd

GC bar squats

55x10, 95x5, 135x5, 180x3 x8sets

Leg press

5ppsx12, 6ppsx12, 7ppsx12, 8ppsx12

Leg ext

20x3

Good session. Felt good.

Got my appointment finally for MRI scan for my arm and then an appointment with the orthopeadic surgeon later on that same day. Which is the 14th July. So hopefully I can get some answers and we can get it fixed up.

[Realtalk]

On the weekend my gym had our 1000lb club day for males and 500lb club for females we hold this day twice a year and there is a board in the gym with the names and totals of members who have reached that milestone. We just had 2 males enter on Saturday they both got past 1000lbs over the 9 attempts of their 3 lifts. I ran it and was head ref was a good day. Lots of fun. A 545kg total and a 525kg total.

[Realtalk]

Mon 6th

GC bar squats

55x10, 95x5, 135x5, 175x3, 205x5, 220x5(9rpe), 215x5(9rpe)

High bar pause squats

140x5, 140x5, 140x5

Leg press

5ppsx12, 6ppsx12, 7ppsx12, 7ppsx12

Leg ext

20x3

Pulldowns

15x3

Real strong session. Back in my journal I maxed my GC squat at 240kg for a single not so long ago. Big squat coming.

[Realtalk]

Tues 7th

Bench press

Barx20, 60x15, 100x5, 120x3, 140x2, 160x8(9rpe), 150x8(9rpe)

Standing behind neck bb press

60x10 x4sets

Flat db press

50x10 x3sets

Tricep pushdown

15x4

Was really happy with the 2 working 8s of bench press. Felt really good today, arm was feeling 50% better than usual which tells me my mobility work is paying off and that it's the heavy barbell squats that flare it up.

Here is my 160kg x 8. Bodyweight 110kg

[BeastBuilder]

Sick pressing bro ! Mirin hard

Is that a PB ?

Be good to see how it translates once you start going heavier again, surely be a mammoth press there !

Sorry if you've already said but what kinda mobility stuff are you doing to fix the issues ?

I have been told off for not doing enough mobility work lol.

Hips and Upper Back (Mainly Traps) are my main issues I think and they affect postioning for lifts so always interested in people's success with mobility stuff to give me some motivation to take it seriously haha

[Realtalk]

Yeah bro I answer that tmw. No one at home tonight and I'll just take photos of what I'm doing too long to type it all out and no one will read anyway. So I photograph and caption.

Wed 8th

Deadlift

60x10, 100x10, 140x10, 180x2, 220x1, 260x1, 290x1, 220x3 x6sets

Sumo SLDL

150x8 x3sets

Lying leg curl

15x3

GHR

15x3

Did all my deads with stiff bar tonight. All good. I think 290 will be my first heavy 5 set next week deadlift day. If I go for that and succeed that'll be massive, last cycle I went for 280x5 and couldn't get the 5th past my knees. I think I'll probably still use straps this far out. I see little point in reading my palms up. Iv never failed a pull on grip since I now grip in my palm and not in my fingers. but I'll see what the Wookie thinks. Heavy rows and back assist tommorow.

[Pseudonym]

Yeah bro I answer that tmw. No one at home tonight and I'll just take photos of what I'm doing too long to type it all out and no one will read anyway. So I photograph and caption.

You might be surprised how many people read this journal, Tom!

 

But regardless, maybe post up your mobility stuff in a new topic in the Rehab forum? Then people can easily find it again in the future too.

[Realtalk]

You might be surprised how many people read this journal, Tom!

 

But regardless, maybe post up your mobility stuff in a new topic in the Rehab forum? Then people can easily find it again in the future too.

Yeah ok will do that makes more sense. Have it up tonight

[Skeletor]

So strong bro and just seems like you're getting better and better to.

[Realtalk]

Thurs 9th

Bent over barbell row

60x10, 100x10, 120x5, 140x5, 140x5, 140x3

Pulled my hamstring so stopped. Was going for a 5x5.

Lat pull down

12x5sets

Seated row

12x5sets

Silly doing those rows heavier than 100-120 like I normally do after deadlift day. Really killed my hamstrings last night in the gym so that was just really stupid doing barbell rows where I use lotsa p-chain to hold that position and get the bar moving from the bottom of the row. Icing it as I type. Probably won't training ssb tommorow and just take 3 days off and come back Monday. Not a big deal really pretty relaxed about it as training going so well sma set back and good lesson, could have been avoided. Respect the fatigue.

[Realtalk]

So strong bro and just seems like you're getting better and better to.

Thank you bro. appreciate your support and interest in my training.

[Realtalk]

Sick pressing bro ! Mirin hard

Is that a PB ?

Be good to see how it translates once you start going heavier again, surely be a mammoth press there !

Sorry if you've already said but what kinda mobility stuff are you doing to fix the issues ?

I have been told off for not doing enough mobility work lol.

Hips and Upper Back (Mainly Traps) are my main issues I think and they affect postioning for lifts so always interested in people's success with mobility stuff to give me some motivation to take it seriously haha

Made mobility topic bro. Yeah that's the most reps i have done on 160kg before. If I have ever done it before was a long time ago and wouldn't have been as comfortable as that.

Bench is a funny one for me the reps don't seem to translate to a big 1rm and the big 1rm doesn't translate to the big reps. I think if I was to do a triple or a 5 it woukdbt actually be much heavier than that 160. In the past that had been because my arm is holding me back, and that is the only reason my bench is still under 200. It should be way above that. But that's just the way it is with injury just makes me determined to get it sorted.

[Realtalk]

Mon 13th

GC bar squats

210x3 x7sets

High bar squat

140x10, 160x10, 160x10

Leg press

5ppsx20 x2sets

Leg ext

15x3

Just listed my work sets today, I warmed up as usual but can't be bothered putting them in. I was meant to do 10 sets on the GC bar but just my hamstring felt a little funny still from the other day. You got to really control this bar it pitched me forward on a couple of reps on various sets just because I didn't sit back enough this turned the squat into a slight good morning as I fight to get back up straight. (This is one of the points of the bar). So that put strain on my hamstrings which is normally ok. I strained it though on Thursday doing barbell row. So I left it at 7 sets. The reps were good and fast, as fast as they can be with 200+ on that bar it wobbles around abit but good reps most of them. Rest of workout was good. 10 sets of triples takes a while lol. So I probably won't deadlift this week now I was going for around 290x5 but that's not smart to do that. 9 weeks and 2 days till I lift so plenty of time, would be foolish to take risks at this time when I am already going well.

Bench press tommorow.

[Realtalk]

Tues 14th

Speed bench

60x10, 100x5, 120x5, 145x3 x8sets

Incline db press

35x12, 40x10, 50x8, 50x8, 50x8

Machine flye

20x4

Tricep pushdown

20x4

Speed bench triples were flying up. Did a few sets paused as well.

[Realtalk]

Today I had my MRI and orthopeadic surgeon appointment for my arm. Never had an MRI before and not having one again unless I got cancer or a fucking brain tumour. The radiologist said it'll take 30min... 30min? I there!? Got in there and was tight and just started freaking out, I needed some dope. Which is weird cause I used to do ceiling and underfloor insulation and in some under floors I literally couldn't breathe with fave so close to joists... Softer as I get older perhaps lol. I was trying to relax and thought I was staying still but 10 min into it she comes in and said you keeping shaking and moving we gonna have to start again... No, f*ck this shows over get me the f*ck out of here. So got out and said nah that's it sorry. They got some images so they sent them off to specialist and I headed up to the private hospital on other side of town. The guy was really good he looked at the images and x rays and had a poke and a prod. So it's not a bicep issue its a radial nerve issue the big nerve that runs down my arm is catching on my muscles causeing the pain when this comes under load it just compresses the nerve and makes it worse. That's basically the plot. So it won't do any damage, it'll get better on its own most of the time (already feeling better last few weeks, but havnt done heavy barbell squats yet so time will tell). We are gonna leave it till after worlds and if it's painful just push through it if I can and want to. After that if not better he can Inject some shit into it which should have success, I can't do this now because it'll affect the nerve and while the injection is working I won't be able to really use my wrist or arm and even train... if that treatment is temporary and it comes back after the injections then he will operate. Which involves making an incision and cutting around in there to make more room for the nerve. This is absolute last resort as it means I would not be able to train and would put me out for months as far ac heavy lifting goes.

Feel so good to have peace of mind now and know what is going on. All the things I have been doing he said to keep doing so everything is all good there.

[maccaz]

Today I had my MRI and orthopeadic surgeon appointment for my arm. Never had an MRI before and not having one again unless I got cancer or a fucking brain tumour. The radiologist said it'll take 30min... 30min? I there!? Got in there and was tight and just started freaking out, I needed some dope. Which is weird cause I used to do ceiling and underfloor insulation and in some under floors I literally couldn't breathe with fave so close to joists... Softer as I get older perhaps lol. I was trying to relax and thought I was staying still but 10 min into it she comes in and said you keeping shaking and moving we gonna have to start again... No, f*ck this shows over get me the f*ck out of here. So got out and said nah that's it sorry. They got some images so they sent them off to specialist and I headed up to the private hospital on other side of town. The guy was really good he looked at the images and x rays and had a poke and a prod. So it's not a bicep issue its a radial nerve issue the big nerve that runs down my arm is catching on my muscles causeing the pain when this comes under load it just compresses the nerve and makes it worse. That's basically the plot. So it won't do any damage, it'll get better on its own most of the time (already feeling better last few weeks, but havnt done heavy barbell squats yet so time will tell). We are gonna leave it till after worlds and if it's painful just push through it if I can and want to. After that if not better he can Inject some shit into it which should have success, I can't do this now because it'll affect the nerve and while the injection is working I won't be able to really use my wrist or arm and even train... if that treatment is temporary and it comes back after the injections then he will operate. Which involves making an incision and cutting around in there to make more room for the nerve. This is absolute last resort as it means I would not be able to train and would put me out for months as far ac heavy lifting goes.

Feel so good to have peace of mind now and know what is going on. All the things I have been doing he said to keep doing so everything is all good there.

 

my sisters boyfriend had this exact same issue just recently bro, when i was in nz just recently he had just had the operation, was quite sore, on a lot of pain killers.

surgeon reckoned 6 weeks out from any lifting at all, then gradually back onto it, but would be a permanent fix. same thing they had to make more room for the nerve so it stopped moving.

 

he opted for operation straight away from the sounds of it rather than fck around tryna fix it. i reckon that is a toss up between handling few months out of gym altogether vs quick fix that may or may not last long term

[Realtalk]

Reassess October/November. But surgery is last resort for me.

[Skeletor]

That set of 80 though. When are you starting the fundraiser bro?

[Realtalk]

That set of 80 though. When are you starting the fundraiser bro?

Haha typo! Edited it, cheers.

1st August bro I'll bump that topic and post more details in there next weekend.

[Realtalk]

Wed 15th

Back - today everything 10-15 reps 4-5 sets on each exercise. Hamstring on the mend that's why. Exercises were

Lat pulldown close grip

One arm db row

Lat pulldown wide grip

Seated row

Db shrugs.

[Realtalk]

Thurs 16th

SSB squats

55x10, 95x5, 135x5, 175x3, 200x3 x5sets, 175x3 x5sets

The 200 triples were probably a little heavy as the idea was speed and 10 sets at 200kg was gonna turn slow so after 5 sets I dropped the weight down to 175 and these were how I wanted them. 185ish was probably the right weight to stick on for all 10 sets but never mind.

Back squats

180x10, 180x10, 140x10, 140x10

Lower back was on fire from the ssb. Leg press busy.

Leg extension

20x3

This was Friday's workout but I going to Wellington tmw so didn't want to squat after massive drive. Will go to a gym in Wellington cbd tommorow arvo and do ohp day. Under 9 weeks to go now. Bench and deadlift I'm really happy with the squat my lower back on one side is not liking the loading on it, so when I unrack and step out its jarring. Had that back issue for a while I think I need to directly train my core abit more. I have a strong lower back but think my abdominals could do with being stronger. Not sure see how we go once I start going over 260. I'll have my new rack next week the heights in the gym making unracking difficult as ig said previously I'm sure that will help a tonne too. Not being in awkward positions when I unrack at moment it's either half squat it out or stretch upwards to get it out. I just want to bend knees and stand it up then step it out.

[Pseudonym]

Jesus, this week has flown by, and I'm only catching up on everyone's logs now.

 

So... backtracking to your MRI... I know exactly what you mean! I had one done a while back (for my elbow too, I think), and still remember how claustrophobic it made me feel. You're in the tube, lying on your side, with your shoulder jammed up against the roof - while this enormous magnet spins around you outside, and makes a huge noise... Yeah, I don't feel the urge to do it again any time soon.

 

What's the injection? Is it cortisone? Or an autologous blood injection?

[Realtalk]

Not sure bro something where my wrist would be limp and I wouldn't be able to really use my arm for 1-2 weeks. Didn't talk too much about the specifics. Just talked about the options and the time each would put me out for. Hoping the mobility pays off and it gets better itself. Time will tell.

[Realtalk]

Sat 18th

Trained at ascension gym in Wellington cbd today. This owned by supry and his wife they compete for nzifbb. Good sorts. Great gym I really liked it. All old hammer strength gear the same stuff they had in don Oliver's where I first got into training. Got everything I would need even though I didn't use it lol.

Ohp

60x10, 80x8, 80x8, 100x5, 100x5, 60x15

Cgbp

60x10, 100x10, 120x10, 120x10

Db side raises

15x12 x4sets

Pushdown

20x4

Spent like an hour yarning before and after so quick workout. All g!