Return of the King

BossArky

kevpants wrote: »

Cool. Feels good to actually know what the hell is wrong with you I find.

Yes, feels better when I feel that the physio understands the problem.

2nd session with new physio today. More prodding and poking, but gentler. I told him I was pretty sore from his last tinker around on Monday. He stimulated the back muscles electronically to draw in blood and flush out crap from the lumbar region.

My homework includes knee rocking and piriforis stretching.

BossArky

Saturday January 14th:

Surfing
---

Lesson 2 of 4. Much better this week. Really enjoyed it and managed to sort out my pop up. Caught lots of waves. Stood up a lot. Fell right, left and forward a lot too. Saved my best effort for the end though. Managed to ride a wave all the way in & got an "Awesome!" from the instructor. Addictive!

Still had to go home and lie down for a few hours afterwards. It's tiring.

BossArky

Monday January 16th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Light Deadlift

Warm Up

• knee rocking
• piriformis stretch
• lunging stretch

---
Bench
20kg – 1x5
60kg – 1x5
70kg – 1x3
80kg – 1x2
87.5kg – 3x5 ... felt good. Needed slight spotter help on very last rep of 3rd set. Just a feather touch
---
Step Up (barbell, medium step)
20kg - 1x5 per leg
40kg - 1x5 per leg
50kg - 2x5 per leg

DB Bench
20kg per arm - 2x10 ... just light stuff
---
BB Curl
20kg - 2x10
---
Plank
2 x 1 minute ... or 1 x 1 minute.. cannot remember
---
Military Press
40kg - 2x8

Lunge (barbell)
40kg - 2x8 per leg
---

Bench today was much better than last week.

Barbell Step Up was good too.

The rest was light assistance.

Woke up with back feeling the best it has in two weeks. Hopefully the phyiso is having the desired effect. Still about a 2 out of 10 in terms of pain. Had another physio session. Looking forward to being fixed.

Bodyweight 82.2kg after gym.

BossArky

Thursday January 19th: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Warm Up
Knee Rocking
Hip Flexor Stretch
---
Close Grip Bench (feet on bench)
20kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x5
65kg - 3x5

Pull Up
bodyweight - 3x5 ... weird bar that slants down at too much of an angle. Couldn't really find a comfy grip
---
Glute Ham Raise
3x12 ... easy

Barbell Step Up (medium step)
30kg - 1x5 per leg
42.5kg - 1x5 per leg
52.5kg - 2x5 per leg ... got through them. Getting harder
---
Military Press (pinky finger on ring)
40kg - 2x8

Plank
2x1 minute
---

Quicker than usual... 'cos I forgot the lunges. Whoops...

Step ups getting harder. Gonna keep adding 2.5kg now and see if I can get to 60kg.

BossArky

Saturday January 21st:

Surfing

Lesson 3 of 4. Really enjoying this. Managing to pop up ok and staying on board for a few seconds each time. Next aim is to steer the thing.

BossArky

Monday January 23rd: Heavy Bench & Squat, Light Deadlift

Warm Up at home with various physio things, then lunging stretch@gym
---
Bench
60kg – 1x5
70kg – 1x3
77.5kg – 1x2
85kg – 1x1 ... easy. like a rocket off chest
90kg – 3x5 ... Needed slight spotter help on very last rep of 1st & 2nd sets. 3rd set required assistance on last two reps
---
DB Bench
20kg per arm - 2x10 ... just light stuff

Lat Pull Down (wide grip)
50kg - 2x10 ... just light stuff
---
Step Up (barbell, medium step)
35kg - 1x5 per leg
45kg - 1x5 per leg
55kg - 2x5 per leg ... video'd the first set. Weren't as hard as expected
---
Military Press
40kg - 2x8

Plank
1 x 60 secs
1 x 30 secs as was straight after last MP and knackered
---

Bodyweight 81.7kg this morning, so a good few kg lighter than last time attempting 90kg bench 3x5.

Still getting physio for back. Now working on core strength.

BossArky

BossArky wrote: »

Step Up (barbell, medium step)
55kg - 2x5 per leg ... video'd the first set. Weren't as hard as expected

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7spI8bGStyQ

BossArky

Thursday January 26th: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Warm Up
Knee Rocking
Hip Flexor Stretch
---
Close Grip Bench
20kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x5
65kg - 3x5

Pull Up
bodyweight - 3x5
---
Glute Ham Raise
3x12 ... easy

Barbell Step Up (medium step)
40kg - 1x5 per leg
50kg - 1x5 per leg
57.5kg - 2x5 per leg ... still getting through them ok
---
Military Press (pinky finger on ring)
40kg - 2x8

Plank
2x1 minute
---

41 degrees today for Australia day. The bars and plates in the gym were roasting. It's like walking around in a fan heated oven.

Step Ups today at 57.5kg. Next session I'll do 60kg then think about getting back to squatting and deadlifting, pending physio input.

Back pain free. Don't want to rush anything.

BossArky

Saturday January 28th: Surfing

Surfing: 4th of 4 lessons.

Gonna surf alone for the next 4 weeks and practice the stuff I've learned. Really enjoyed those lessons. Incredible rush when you're out there in the swell and the waves are booting you around the place either on or off the board.

Had a funny experience before and after surfing. Had two separate male surf instructors make encouraging remarks about my body. Encouraging as in they were compliementing me.... alarming though as they may have been hitting on me. I seem to get this alot... especially in Asia. Asian dudes love me.

Surfing-wise... I can stand on the board for maybe 4 secs before stacking it. Apparently I was too far back on the board. Need to hop further forward next time. Good laugh. Lovin' it.

BossArky

Sunday January 29th:

Swimming: 8 lengths... then splashing about.

BossArky

Monday January 30th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Light Deadlift

Warm Up at home with various physio things
---
Bench
20kg – 1x5
60kg – 1x5
70kg – 1x3
77.5kg – 1x2
85kg – 1x1 ... easy. Was a bit wired from the can of Mother and kinda paused it unintentionally before exploding up
92.5kg – 3x5 ... Needed slight spotter help on very last rep of 1st & 2nd sets. 3rd set required assistance on last two reps. Equals pb from sept cycle... but I'm a few kg lighter
---
DB Bench
20kg per arm - 2x10 ... just light stuff

Lat Pull Down (wide grip)
50kg - 2x10 ... just light stuff
---
Step Up (barbell, medium step)
40kg - 1x5 per leg
50kg - 1x5 per leg
60kg - 2x5 per leg ... oh yeah! happy to get 60kg!
---
Military Press
40kg - 2x8
---
Barbell Curl
20kg - 2x10
---

Yeah, I'm king of the Barbell Step Up.

Bench was good. Equalled my all time best there for 3x5s, at a bodyweight of a few kg less.

Drank a can of Mother in the car on the way to the gym. Alice Cooper was on the radio, the taste reminded me of good times at comps, everything went well. I'm on a roll.

BossArky

Just went back through my log to find out what my bodyweight was last time I did 92.5kg 3x5 (4, 4, 3 clean). It was exactly 3kg higher than current bodyweight. See below.

84.7kg then vs. ~81.7kg now.

BossArky wrote: »

Monday September 26th: Heavy Bench

Bench
92.5kg - 3x5 ... pb for reps at that weight anyway ... which was 4, 4, 3 without spotter assistance. First set he yanked the failed one up. Last two sets I told him just to help a tiny bit, which he did
---
Was 85kg on the dot after breakfast this morning, so may 84.7kg ish first thing in the mornings. Lost a bit of weight recently. Probably affected my benching.

BossArky

Thursday February 3rd: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Warm Up at home for 30 mins. Lots of physio stuff
---
Close Grip Bench
20kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x3
50kg - 1x2
65kg - 3x5

Hip Flexor / Quad Stretch
3 times per leg between top sets of CGB
---
Squats (lots and lots and lots... and lots with broom handle, supersetted with other stuff below)
3x8 to high box (few inches higher than parallel)
3x8 to low box (few inches lower than parallel)
5x8 no box - had someone check depth and they were fine

Lat Pull Down
50kg - 3x10

Chin Up (parallel grip)
bodyweight - 3x5 ... explosive up 1 second / 3 second negative down

Glute Ham Raise
5x8
---

Physio reckons my back is looking good - less tightness and vast imrpovements in past month. Gave me the go ahead to get back to light squatting, so I opted for just the broom handle. Started off with a medium box, then low box, then no box. Had someone check my depth to make sure I wasn't fooling myself or cutting depth subconciously due to trying to protect my lower back. Depth was fine apparently.

Felt good to be squatting again, even if with just the broom handle.

BossArky

Saturday Feb 4th:

Swimming (ocean)

The plan was to rent a board and go surfing alone for the first time. Unfortunately it was too busy at the surf club and they needed all the boards, so I couldn't rent one. Went swimming in the ocean instead. Crazy waves. Used my body as a board and was washed 20 to 30m in onto the beach. Violent stuff.

BossArky

Sunday Feb 5th:

Swimming (pool): 8 lengths... then splashing about.

BossArky

Monday January 30th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Light Deadlift

Warm Up at home with various physio things
---
Bench
60kg – 1x5
72.5kg – 1x3
82.5kg – 1x1
90kg – 1x1
95kg – 2x2 PAUSED ... pb. Suprisingly easy

Lunging Hip Flex Stretch
---
DB Bench
20kg per arm - 2x10 ... just light stuff

Lat Pull Down (wide grip)
50kg - 2x10 ... just light stuff
---
BB Curlz
20kg - 2x10
---
Squats
20kg - 3x8 to high box (few inches higher than parallel)
20kg - 3x8 to low box (few inches lower than parallel)
20kg - 3x8 no box
---

That bench pb was easy. Last cycle at beginning of October I tried 95kg for paused doubles also, but only got the first rep in each set before spotter had to assist. Tonight the 2x2 flew up. In a weeks I'll go for a gym bench pb of 107.5kg touch and go. Based on tonights performance it is there for the taking.

Physio was happy with my core strength and said I should up the squat weight mildly. 20kg was fine. Legs are like "WTF is that? A squat? Been a while...". Got that satisfying sensation when you've just used a muscle that hasn't been used for a while or isn't used to the activation.

I've been stretching loads recently: glutes, hams, hip flexors & quads. May have over stretched a tad. Lower back is a bit tingly, but not sore.

Left hip flexor is miles loser than right. Hamstrings seem the opposite. My pirifomis has loosened out a lot in the past month, so much so that I cannot really feel the stretch in it anymore. Hamstrings are more flexible than before.... but still horrendously inflexible. Lots of work to do here, but I can see my streching is helping and that makes every step in the right direction all the more pleasing.

BossArky

Thursday February 9th: Light Bench & Squat

Warm Up at home for 20 mins. Lots of physio stuff
---
Close Grip Bench
20kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x5
50kg - 1x5
65kg - 3x5 ... narrow grip, but wider than I normally narrow grip. Felt way more stable. About 2 finger widths out from the smooth

Lat Pull Down
50kg - 3x10
---
Squats
broom handle - 2x8 to high box (few inches higher than parallel)
broom handle - 2x8 to low box (few inches lower than parallel)
20kg - 1x8 ... no box from here down
30kg - 1x8
40kg - 1x8
50kg - 1x8
60kg - 3x8 ... heaviest squatting in a couple of months

Glute Ham Raise
6x8
---

Increased the squat a bit. No problems powering it up. Bar just feels weird and heavy when I take it out as it has been a while and out of the groove. Wary of lower back. Had someone check my depth on warm up sets, which was fine. Put some deep heat on back later as it feels a bit tingly, which is hopefully just the lumbar region getting back into the swing of things.

BossArky

Thursday Feb 16th:

Close Grip Bench Press (couple of inches out from the smooth)
20kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x5
60kg - 3x5

Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch
each side between top CGB bench sets
---
Ring Pull Ups
bodyweight x8, x8, x4

DB Bench
20kg - 3x8
---
Step Up (DB, Medium Step)
bodyweight - 1x5 per leg
20kg per arm - 3x5 per leg

Glute Ham Raise
3x10
---
Military Press
20kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x5
50kg - 1x5
---

Bit of a nothing session.

Was supposed to go for a gym bench max attempt last Monday, but on Sunday got some kind of bug and was in bits for days. Lost a bit of weight, had pounding headache and was filling sinks and toilets with vomit. Don't worry. I'm back. Opted not to test my 1RM tonight though as the lack of eating and lose of weight would have taken from whatever I was gonna get.

Writing this on Saturday afternoon. Nearly had a heart attack when I stood on the scales at home first thing: 79.9kg! W.T.F.!.!

Registered 79.9kg twice, then 80.0kg twice. Loosing too much weight. Bench strength was still there until recently. Way leaner than any time in the past two years. Wanna be heavier tho.

Back didn't like the 60kg squats a week ago. Was pretty sore. Physio chastized me for going too heavy, too soon. Gotta agree with her. I was too eager and jumped the gone. Still got lots of work to do on rehab and core strength.

I'm gonna come back stronger than ever. Just need to play it right.

BossArky

Monday Feb 20th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Light Deadlift

Warm Up at home with various physio things
---
Press Ups (paused)
1x5

Bench
60kg – 3x10

Lunging Hip Flex Stretch
x3 per side
---
Deadlift
40kg - 3x5

Squats (to adjustable box (half way between usual medium & low box i.e. just at parallel)
broom handle - 2x8
20kg - 3x8
---
DB Bench
22.5kg per arm - 3x10

One Arm DB Row
22.5kg per arm - 3x10
---
BB Curlz
20kg - 1x5
40kg - 2x5

Military Press
40kg - 2x8
---

First time doing the big 3 together in a session for ages. Writing this 2 days later and back didn't implode. Gonna up the squat and deadlift by 5kg each session and see where I get. Slow and steady.

Need to start eating. Waking weight is too low. 80kg ish.

BossArky

Thursday Feb 23rd: Heavy Dead, Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench Press (couple of inches out from the smooth)
60kg - 3x5

Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch
each side between top CGB bench sets
---
Glute Ham Raise
3x12 (first 6 reps of each set with 10kg chains around neck)

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight - 3x10
---
One Arm DB Row
25kg - 3x10

DB Bench
25kg - 3x10
---
Deadlift
45kg - 3x5
---
Squat (to adjustable box (half way between usual medium & low box i.e. just at parallel)
broom handle - 2x8
20kg - 1x8
25kg - 3x8
---
Military Press
40kg - 2x8
---

Squat and Deads up 5kg.

BossArky

Sunday Feb 26th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Light Deadlift

Warm Up at home with various physio things
---
Bench
60kg – 1x5
65kg – 3x8

Deadlift
50kg - 3x5
---
Squats (to adjustable box (half way between usual medium & low box i.e. just at parallel)
broom handle - 2x8
20kg - 1x8
30kg - 3x8
---
One Arm DB Row
27.5kg per arm - 2x8
---
Military Press
40kg - 2x8

BB Curlz
20kg - 2x8
---

Again adding 5kg to Squat and Deadlift.

BossArky

Saturday March 3rd: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench Press (couple of inches out from the smooth)
60kg - 3x5

Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch
each side between top CGB bench sets
---
Deadlift
40kg - 1x4
55kg - 3x5 ... alright, didn't feel it in back
---
Squat (to adjustable box (half way between usual medium & low box i.e. just at parallel)
broom handle - 2x8
25kg - 1x8
35kg - 3x8 ... ultra wide stance with feet parallel, practising using glutes/hammies a lot more vs quads
---
Glute Ham Raise
3x12 (first 6 reps of each set with 10kg chains around neck)

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight +5kg - 3x8

Military Press
42.5kg - 2x8
---

Again.... Squat and Deads up 5kg. Back is coping.

Was away in Singapore the past week so this was the make up for missing Thursday.

Weighted myself mid afternoon on Sunday March 4th. Bodyweight 80.7kg. Friends I haven't seen for 6 months in Singapore remarked on how much skinnier I look. Needs to be rectified. Went down to the petrol station and bought two 3 litres of full fat milk. Bulk, here I come.

BossArky

Tuesday Mar 6th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Light Deadlift

Bench
20kg - 1x8
40kg - 1x5
60kg – 1x5
70kg – 3x8

Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch
between top bench sets

One Arm DB Row
27.5kg per arm - 3x8
---
Deadlift
40kg - 1x5
60kg - 3x5
---
Squats (to adjustable box (half way between usual medium & low box i.e. just at parallel)
broom handle - 1x8
20kg - 1x8
30kg - 1x8
40kg - 3x8
---
DB Bench
27.5kg per arm - 3x8

BB Curlz
30kg - 3x8

Military Press
42.5kg - 2x8
---

Writing this two days after the above. Deadlifts at 60kg didn't agree with lower left back. Still aggravating something down there.

Box Squatting 40kg 3x8 felt good. Just working on technique.

Will increase Military Press by 2.5kg for the next two sessions, then maybe another 2.5kg the next two. Want it to be muscle building assistance, without actually slaughtering myself.

Started eating more and drinking milk.

BossArky

Saturday March 10th: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench Press (couple of inches out from the smooth)
20kg - 1x5
40kg - 1x5
65kg - 3x5

Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch
each side between top CGB bench sets
---
Deadlift
40kg - 1x5
65kg - 3x5 ... back didn't like it, especially left side
---
Squat (to adjustable box (half way between usual medium & low box i.e. just at parallel)
broom handle - 1x8
25kg - 1x8
35kg - 1x8
45kg - 1x8 ... same as previous sessions, ultra wide stance with feet parallel, practising using glutes/hammies a lot more vs quads
---
Glute Ham Raise
3x12 (first 6 reps of each set with 10kg chains around neck)

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight +7kg - 3x6

Military Press
45kg - 2x8
---

Back is not better. Getting frustrated. It's been over 6 months since injuring it and still seems to get aggravated by low weights. Tried to engage glutes more on deadlift to take strain off lower back. Didn't work. Not sure what is up with it, and think physio is running out of ideas too. Strained facet joint on lower left? Buldging disk? (didn't show on MRI). Wear and tear? (never had pain before injury).

Conventional deadlift dosen't agree with my back in current state. I may start off with light sumo and build it up gradually. Will try to keep increasing box squats and see if that alone will allow my back to cope.

Rounding (ala heavy deads) or over arching (start of dead / current squat technique) seems to cause flare up.

Can barely get up off sofa / tie shoes, etc now. This always happens. I think I'm getting better and then f**ked up again. It takes a couple of days to ease off then gradually pain subsides over 5 to 6 days.

BossArky

Tuesday Mar 13th: Heavy Bench & Squat, Light Deadlift

Bench
60kg – 1x6
77.5kg – 3x6

Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch
between top bench sets
---
Deadlift
40kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x3
70kg - 3x5
---
Squats (to adjustable box (half way between usual medium & low box i.e. just at parallel)
broom handle - 1x8
20kg - 1x8
35kg - 1x8
50kg - 3x8

DB Bench
32.5kg per arm - 3x6
---
BB Curlz
30kg - 3x8

Military Press
45kg - 2x8
---

Lots of foam rolling glutes in pirformis stretch position before/during/after deadlifts. Seems to help loosen things up. Pain afterwards wasn't as bad as the few days before. Almost recovered as I write this two days later. Hopefully on the mend. Slowly slowly.

BossArky

Sunday March 18th: Heavy Deadlift, Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench Press (couple of inches out from the smooth)
65kg - 3x5

Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch
each side between top CGB bench sets
---
Deadlift
40kg - 3x5
---
Squat (to adjustable box (half way between usual medium & low box i.e. just at parallel)
broom handle - 1x8
20kg - 1x8
40kg - 1x8
55kg - 3x8
---
Glute Ham Raise
bodyweight - 3x8

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight +10kg - 3x6

Military Press
47.5kg - 2x8
---

Thinking I've got a trapped nerve in lower left back.

Just gonna use bodyweight on GHR for a while. Trying to increase hamstring flexibility and adding extra weight to the GHR may be tightening them up.

Military Press 47.5kg 2x8 is getting up to an 8RM. Will do one more session on that weight, and then decide of I stick with 2x8 for 50kg or drop to 2x6.

Squats were fine. Can feel my legs working!

Spent about 30 mins stretching hamstrings today. Sitting in close to a wall with back on ground and feet up against wall towards ceiling. Trying to get butt as close to wall as possible without rounding lower back. Can feel it catching in lower left back when I do this, but if I hold it for a while it seems to loosen out.

BossArky

Wednesday Mar 21th: Heavy Bench & Squat

Bench
60kg – 1x6
67.5kg – 1x6
75kg – 1x6
82.5kg – 3x6 ... fine. Forgot to bring program. Think this was what was planned for today

Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch
between top bench sets

BB Curlz
30kg - 3x8
---
Squats (to adjustable box (half way between usual medium & low box i.e. just at parallel)
broom handle - 1x8
25kg - 1x8
45kg - 1x8
60kg - 3x8

DB Bench
32.5kg per arm - 3x6
---
Military Press
47.5kg - 2x8 ... fine, but that is about the max I'll be getting for 2x8
---

Not gonna Deadlift until after my next Bench only competition which is end of April. Will see if that speeds lower back recovery. Gonna keep in Box Squatting to see if that is ok alone. 1 hr post workout I don't seem to have aggravated anything with the Box Squats. Will reassess tomorrow when I hop out of bed. Something on the lower left seems generally tight/stuck. Physio twisted/cracked me yesterday & I've been doing some aggressive hamstring stretching. Once I've recovered from this I'll see how I feel.

Squats up to 60kg. Fine

Military Press 47.5kg 2x8 I got, but I'll drop to 2x6 at 50kg next week. Was getting tough towards the end tonight.

Everything else was just getting through assistance as usual.

Bodyweight 81.8kg post gym and pre shower. Jaysus. Need to put on some muscle now that I'm back with at least 60kg on the Squat bar.

BossArky

Saturday March 24th: Light Bench & Squat

Close Grip Bench Press (couple of inches out from the smooth)
65kg - 3x5 ... easy. All paused on chest

Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch
each side between top CGB bench sets
---
Squat (to adjustable box (half way between usual medium & low box i.e. just at parallel)
broom handle - 1x8
25kg - 1x8
45kg - 1x8
65kg - 3x8
---
Glute Ham Raise
bodyweight - 3x5 ... pushed back the horizontal setting each set to ease up on hamstrings which I've been stretching the hell out of recently

Chin Ups (parallel grip)
bodyweight +10kg - 3x6

Military Press
50kg - 2x6 ... easy. All paused on chest
---

Military Press feels strong, even with the pause.

Feeling good about the squats as they creep up.

BossArky

Sunday March 25th:

Swimming 200m ... alternating bs/fc every 25m length

BossArky

Tuesday Mar 27th: Heavy Bench & Squat

Bench
60kg – 1x5
70kg – 1x3
80kg – 1x2
85kg – 3x5 ... felt good

Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch
between top bench sets

BB Curlz
20kg - 2x10
---
Squats (to adjustable box (half way between usual medium & low box i.e. just at parallel)
20kg - 1x6
40kg - 1x5
60kg - 1x3
70kg - 3x6

DB Bench
25kg per arm - 2x6
---
Military Press
50kg - 2x6 ... fine
---
One Arm DB Row
25kg per arm - 2x6
---

Bench was easy. Happy with that.

Right knee felt a bit clicky on the squats. Put on knee sleeves and was ok from then onwards. Felt nice to have 70kg on my back. Slowly slowly...

Military Press was good too.

Writing this the evening after the session about and back feels fine thankfully.

I use "fine" too often.