Squat Wednesday & Pull Thursday

IT'S AMAZING the difference good sleep can make. This last week my Fitbit has been recording six- to nearly eight-hour periods of solid, mostly uninterrupted sleep per night. This is a marked improvement from the last... couple of months, in fact. It must be the new CPAP mask.

With rediscovered zeal I returned to the gym Wednesday night for some high volume squats. This was a mistake, all things considered, as my right knee got progressively more painful through the second set of 14 reps. I had to stop at 10. But there was no lasting pain or fluid, which suggests I just need another dry needling.

While chatting with the PTCSM crew, Wonderboy suggested that I switch things up a bit (since my hammie was still inhibiting me) and drop the weight in favour of higher rep ranges. I took this idea and ran with it. Fuck it, I thought to myself, I've never programmed 20 reps sets of anything other than overhead press, when I was working through a sticking point. Why not try for maximum hypertrophy with my rows and stuff also? Add this to the 15-20 rep sets I am now doing on various other movements, and it's starting to look more like a body builder's routine.

Preparing for gains LOL.

I was also given a reminder about why I never do dumbbell side raises while completely upright. Just like dips, the lack of cartilage in my right shoulder makes them quite painful.

PULL+ Thursday - interim hypertrophy routine wk1
stretch
Deadlifts:
75 kg x 10
100 kg x 3 x 10
Meadows rows (l&r):
30 kg x 3 x 20
HS seated rows (p/h):
30 kg x 2 x 20 - right forearm issue
seated row machine (underhand):
full stack x 3 x 10
HS leg extensions (p/h):
15 kg x 3 x 15
Face-pulls:
plate 11 x 3 x 20
super-set w/DB standing* side raises (p/h):
10 kg x 3 x 10
* never perform these upright!

SQUAT Wednesday June 13th
stretch
Squats w/cambered bar:
50 kg x 10
90 kg x 5
110 kg x 14, 10

Events Saturday & Press+ Tuesday

ALLOWING the hammie strain to fully heal while also getting a bunch of extra-curricular things done over the last two weeks has made me estranged from the gym. But Saturday I finally kick-started what will be consistent SM events training leading up to Static Monsters Perth (October 28th at PTC Perth), and of course the WASM state championships for 2018 (date and venue tbd).

I have learned from my last attempt at increasing my previous max reps with a pretty heavy weight by one hundred percent, and so did not attempt a fourth set of axle OHP tonight. Two weeks after I began this axle press program, I added an extra set because I was handling the volume comfortably. Now the loading is forcing me to drop that set and return to the template as originally written. This is not a bad thing.

I also discovered that, if I keep the weight low and stick with barbell incline press, the elbow doesn't complain. So I'm going to start training this movement in serious hypertrophy rep ranges of 15 to 20 reps per set while keeping the weight between 60 and 90 kilograms. I am also going to do something similar with Hammer Strength chest presses; 20 rep sets.

Thanks to Shaun and Anthony for spotting me tonight on the bench. That final paused rep of 150 took a long time to lock out, but I got it.

Quaid is feeling odd. During triceps pushdowns I felt some discomfort in my abdomen. So I thought I should probably start doing those core and oblique flexibility exercises I was doing years ago, in an effort to keep him from popping out more.

PRESS+ Tuesday 12th June
stretch
Axle OHP (strict):
40 kg x 10
60 kg x 5
80 kg x 3
100 kg x 1
110 kg x 3 x 3 PR
Bench press (paused):
60 kg x 5
100 kg x 3
120 kg x 2
140 kg x 1
150 kg x 2 x 2 TPR
Incline BB press:
60 kg x 20
Triceps pushdowns:
full stack x 4 x 15
super-set w/DB front raises (p/h):
12.5 kg x 4 x 10
Axe-swings (l&r):
plate 8 x 3 x 10
HS chest press (p/h):
20 kg x 3 x 20
super-set w/HS bi curls (l&r):
15 kg x 3 x 10
Cardio:
bike 5 mins @ +50 rpm

EVENTS Saturday 9th June
stretch
Lion method week 1
Yoke walk:
130 kg x 2 x 20 meters
210 kg x 2 x 20 meters
270 kg x 5 x 20 meters