I have no idea what's going on anymore.

[ThePman]

From your analysis of the 250kg lift what do you think limited you?

My first thoughts (obviously without seeing the lift) would be speed off the floor, given it got to your knees and stalled?

In my experience with many lifters if it stalls prior to this (i.e. just breaks the floor or mid shin) its purely a function of not being strong enough. However if it's at your knees its almost at the point you just drive your hips through and lockout?

Keen to hear your take on your attempt (as I know you will have critiqued this over & over already! :grin: ).

lol, you got that part right. I was lucky enough to have filmed it and I've watched it more than a few times trying to nail down my strategy.

Strength off the floor was just fine, to the point that I thought I had it in the bag until it stalled out. I fought it, but it wasn't budging. That's actually new to me - in the past, getting it off the floor guaranteed the lift. I can only think of a handful of times where it broke the floor and I didn't lock out.

Looking back over recent logs, the biggest thing I notice is that I've cut out the heavier hip/lower-back work. I'm doing high-rep stuff for the LB, but squats are light due to the quad issue and I've also dropped GMs and rack pulls as well, so that's basically nothing heavy for those muscles. I do have heavier upper-back work in there, but that only goes so far. I think that was a mistake.

I still don't have anything firm nailed down, but I know I definitely want to start getting max-effort work back in there, mainly low-rack pulls and reverse-bands, deficit speed pulls, and more GMs and loaded back extensions. I've already brought barbell rows back in, and Kroc rows and shrugs may not be a bad idea either.

I really don't expect to be able to squat heavy enough any time soon for that to be useful, which is too bad - since I'm a narrow-stance squatter it's always helped my pull. I'll just have to make up for it with the other stuff.

PS - have been trialling your 'butter knife' tendon therapy! Seems to be having a positive effect. Cheers.

Excellent, glad it helped.

[nate225]

No surprises that you nailed the suggestions I had in mind. Probably GM's & GM variations would be my pick, given your limited ability to squat atm.

Good to see Bar rows back in the mix - do you ever do the Pendlay variation of these, might be of use? Again as you've mentioned deficits will no doubt be beneficial.

What can you do with the quad currently? Would reverse hacks be doable? They tend to be shallow and don't load the knees, but if standing in a DL stance are a very similar movement to DL. Nickoli, myself & Phil E (321@90) have found these of use.

[ThePman]

Good to see Bar rows back in the mix - do you ever do the Pendlay variation of these, might be of use?

I don't do them any other way :grin: I'm not picky about using a little sloppy form hip-english, but I start each rep off the floor.

What can you do with the quad currently? Would reverse hacks be doable? They tend to be shallow and don't load the knees, but if standing in a DL stance are a very similar movement to DL. Nickoli, myself & Phil E (321@90) have found these of use.

It's worth a try. I can squat as long as the weight's light-ish, but I'm really worried about putting anything over about 125-130 on it at the moment. Hacks might be an option, sometimes changing the levers can make all the difference.

[ThePman]

Day 3 - 3/5/10

Early session:

Squat - 1RM: 148 kg

60 kg x 5 reps @ 6 RPE - 41% of 1RM

75 kg x 5 reps @ 6 RPE - 51% of 1RM

90 kg x 5 reps @ 6 RPE - 61% of 1RM

105 kg x 5 reps @ 7 RPE - 71% of 1RM

GHRs, 5x6

Seated calves, 3x12

Weighted abs, 10kg 2x8

Hypers, 1x25

Evening session:

Incline Bench - 1RM: 109 kg

92.5 kg x 1 reps x 4 sets @ 7 RPE - 85% of 1RM

Barbell Row - 1RM: 136 kg

105 kg x 3 reps x 4 sets @ 7 RPE - 77% of 1RM

BB curlz w/ fat gripz, 2x high rep warmups, one rest-pause set, one iso hold x40s

[Beef]

We don't have the damn things in 'merka and I've been hooked on them since the day I set foot in 'straya. Worse things to be hooked on I guess.

you've got fruit pies over there though! the one food i miss from my days living in canada =P~

[ThePman]

Fruit pies are nice, yes. Those and pizza are two things I've never found to be quite right here or in 'straya.

***

Day 1 - 3/8/10

Rack DL 3in. - 1RM: 241 kg

100 kg x 5 reps @ 6 RPE - 42% of 1RM

140 kg x 3 reps @ 7 RPE - 58% of 1RM

180 kg x 2 reps @ 8 RPE - 75% of 1RM

205 kg x 3 reps x 2 sets @ 9 RPE - 85% of 1RM

Overhead Press - 1RM: 68 kg

65 kg x 1 reps x 4 sets @ 9 RPE - 95% of 1RM

Halting DL - 1RM: 225 kg

180 kg x 3 reps x 3 sets @ 8 RPE - 80% of 1RM

Finished up with 45-degree hypers for 1x40

Starting a new training cycle this week, more deadlift-focused, taking bits and pieces from the usual sources.

[ThePman]

Day 2 - 3/9/10

Front Squat - 1RM: 124 kg

105 kg x 1 reps x 4 sets @ 7 RPE - 85% of 1RM (60s RI)

Squat - 1RM: 150 kg

90 kg x 5 reps x 5 sets @ 6 RPE - 60% of 1RM (60s RI)

Close-grip Bench - 1RM: 125 kg

92.5 kg x 5 reps x 2 sets @ 8 RPE - 74% of 1RM

92.5 kg x 4 reps @ 9 RPE - 74% of 1RM

92.5 kg x 3 reps x 2 sets @ 8 RPE - 74% of 1RM

Chinups - 1RM: 139 kg

125 kg (+35kg) x 1 reps x 5 sets @ 8 RPE - 90% of 1RM (60s RI)

Solid workout. Upper/mid-back was a bit fatigued from the DLs yesterday, but that was expected. Just gotta suck it up, cause I expect that this particular training cycle is going to beat me up but good. It's required, though.

Everything felt good and un-broken on the squats, which I'm glad for.

And on that note, pizza.

[ThePman]

Day 3 - 3/10/10

Speed Deadlift (3in. Deficit) - 1RM: 159 kg

135 kg x 1 reps x 12 sets @ 7 RPE - 85% of 1RM

Incline Bench - 1RM: 109 kg

92.5 kg x 1 reps x 5 sets @ 7 RPE - 85% of 1RM

Good Morning - 1RM: 122 kg

60 kg x 5 reps @ 7 RPE - 49% of 1RM

80 kg x 5 reps @ 8 RPE - 66% of 1RM

90 kg x 5 reps @ 8 RPE - 74% of 1RM

Finished out w/ a couple sets of GHRs with a purple band. The GMs and GHRs are definitely showing up as weak spots right now.

[Beef]

what about doughnuts? the doughnuts here are rubbish compared to north america :nod:

solid training mate, how many days a week are you hitting the gym at the mo?

[ThePman]

haha, I haven't really tried many donuts down this way, but it wouldn't surprise me.

I'm lifting four days at the moment, M-T-Th-F, with weekends off. Having two consecutive days off seems to help a lot with recovery. Not sure how long it will last, as four days tends to be about my limit before it overworks me.

[ThePman]

Day 4 (AM) - 3/11/10

Front Squat - 1RM: 124 kg

105 kg x 1 reps x 5 sets @ 7 RPE - 85% of 1RM

Squat - 1RM: 169 kg

110 kg x 5 reps @ 7 RPE - 65% of 1RM

120 kg x 5 reps @ 8 RPE - 71% of 1RM

125 kg x 5 reps @ 8 RPE - 74% of 1RM

Bench Press - 1RM: 142 kg

82.5 kg x 3 reps @ 7 RPE - 58% of 1RM

92.5 kg x 3 reps @ 7 RPE - 65% of 1RM

105 kg x 5 reps @ 8 RPE - 74% of 1RM

Not much to report here besides the numbers. Everything felt smooth and snappy. I'm going back tonight to do my rows and probably some gunz, yo.

[ThePman]

Day 1 - 3/15/10

Rack DL 3in. - 1RM: 247 kg

140 kg x 3 reps @ 6 RPE - 57% of 1RM

180 kg x 1 reps @ 7 RPE - 73% of 1RM

210 kg x 3 reps x 2 sets @ 9 RPE - 85% of 1RM

Overhead Press - 1RM: 68 kg

65 kg x 1 reps x 5 sets @ 9 RPE - 95% of 1RM

Halting DL - 1RM: 225 kg

180 kg x 3 reps x 3 sets @ 8 RPE - 80% of 1RM

Both DL exercises felt much stronger this week, which explains a lot. My pulling strength or at least those involved muscles must have gotten very de-trained without me even realizing it. Oh well, lesson learned.

Finished this session with a set of Kroc rows, a set of weighted hypers for 25 reps, and a few sets of curlz.

[ThePman]

Updating from last night's session:

Day 2 - 3/16/10

Front Squat - 1RM: 124 kg

105 kg x 1 reps x 6 sets @ 7 RPE - 85% of 1RM

Squat - 1RM: 134 kg

95 kg x 5 reps x 4 sets @ 7 RPE - 71% of 1RM

Close-grip Bench w/ Fat gripz - 1RM: 125 kg

92.5 kg x 5 reps x 5 sets @ 8 RPE - 74% of 1RM

Chinups - 1RM: 132 kg

125 kg (+35 kg) x 1 reps x 6 sets @ 9 RPE - 95% of 1RM

Finished up with GHRs for 3x8 and three sets of pushdowns.

[ThePman]

Updating with last night's workout:

Day 3 - 3/18/10

Deficit Deadlift - 1RM: 214 kg

150 kg x 1 reps x 10 sets @ 7 RPE - 70% of 1RM

Incline Bench - 1RM: 103 kg

92.5 kg x 1 reps x 6 sets @ 8 RPE - 90% of 1RM

Good Morning - 1RM: 127 kg

60 kg x 5 reps @ 6 RPE - 47% of 1RM

70 kg x 5 reps @ 7 RPE - 55% of 1RM

80 kg x 5 reps @ 7 RPE - 63% of 1RM

90 kg x 5 reps @ 7 RPE - 71% of 1RM

Finished up with two sets of GHRs with the purple band.

Going back for squats and benching tonight.

[nate225]

Interesting comments earlier re: de-training of DL.

I found this with my quad tendon tear moving back to Atlas Stones. The lack of DL/Sq/GM work made me very weak thru the mid section of the lift.

[rose]

The lack of GM work made me very weak thru the mid section of the lift.

I've found the same re GM's so have decided to do them more frequently again in order to address it. I used to do them as a staple ex but began to cycle them and I don't think doing them less frequently helped at all TBH.

[ThePman]

Yeah it's really weird. I think once you get up to a certain level of strength you really do have to hammer all that stuff directly to keep it going up. DLing by itself just doesn't seem to cut it anymore.

GMs and pulls off blocks/out of the rack are money though.

[rose]

I think once you get up to a certain level of strength you really do have to hammer all that stuff directly to keep it going up.

Agreed. Lifts seem to suffer if you don't, that I've found anyway. Heh, someone stole my 2" block, bastards.

[ThePman]

I only notice it on the pull, and I'm fairly certain that's because it's so far ahead of the bench and squat. Those two I can just work on with a basic program and they'll improve, out of pure suckitude.

Being that I'm basically a deadlift specialist these days it takes a lot more dedicated hammering to see results.

[nate225]

I think we three are all in agreement then (apart from the rack pulls PMan - they don't do a thing for me! :? ).

Luckily I enjoy GM's & deficits so it wont take long to sort out!

[rose]

I find deficits good. Heavy George Anderson's are too. I haven't done rack pulls in ages :think:

[ThePman]

For rack pulls to be good for me they need to be below my knee. I like doing them with the plates from 1-4" off the ground. I've gotten in the habit of setting the plates on blocks, instead of actually pulling from the rack. It feels better than pulling off the pins.

That height actually feels harder than pulling off the floor, so I figure it's gotta be good for me. Anything above knee height doesn't do much though.

[rose]

Yeah the lowest pins in the power rack at my gym aren't low enough for midgets so I used to stand on a step to get the bar below knee. Might give them another go sometime.

[nate225]

For rack pulls to be good for me they need to be below my knee. I like doing them with the plates from 1-4" off the ground. I've gotten in the habit of setting the plates on blocks, instead of actually pulling from the rack. It feels better than pulling off the pins.

That height actually feels harder than pulling off the floor, so I figure it's gotta be good for me. Anything above knee height doesn't do much though.

Yeah I did some for a SM comp at below the knee and found that the positioning (ie being out of the groove) made the first rep hard, then reps 2-3 usually easier.

Definately agree that blocks are better than rack. The bounce at the bottom is horrid in racks and it trashes the bar.

[ThePman]

Was meant to lift tonight but that got side-tracked due to circumstances out of my hands, so I'll go in the morning.