tescott's log

[tescott]

Hi all,

thought it was time to start an online log. Motivation is a bit low at the moment. I train on my own in my garage, and I have recently found out that the two comps that I was planning to enter later this year are on when I'm at a friend's wedding, and an interstate conference. So, as I said, it's a bit hard to be motivated at the moment.

PRs
Squat 160kg 3RM
DL 175kg 5RM
Bench 105kg 3RM
Press 79.5kg 2RM
Power Clean horrific. Last sets were 5x3x75kg, with very poor racking.

I'm using Texas Method, and have been for the last 7-8 weeks. I'll post again after monday's volume (Squat, Bench, Pull Ups) session.

[tescott]

Ok, after missing several workouts from sickness/tiredness etc, it was good to get back into it today. Since it was first time back, and it's not the beginning of the week, I thought I'd just do some 3x5s to get back into it. I wanted to take it easy on the squats (compared to my last 5x5x140kg, a few weeks ago), since I knew I haven't been eating very well while I've been sick. I also wanted to make sure I did my power cleans and didn't cut them short, like I tend to do when workouts start to move into dinner/family time.

Squats 3x5x135kg. These were really good. Tried looking straight ahead as a remedy to my chronic loss of back angle, and seemed to work pretty well. Lost my balance on one, but recovered ok.

Press 3x5x70kg. Also surprisingly good. Last novice workout was 3x5x71kg, with about 10min rests between set. This was 5min, and felt really strong. I am making progress on TM after all :-)

Power Clean 5x3x75kg. As usual, these sucked. Though, I might have had a breakthrough on the last rep of the last set. I concentrated on keeping a really tight back, and the bar just popped up really high. Perhaps my problem has been a 'soft' back, dampening power transfer...

Chins 7-6-5. Chins. On a really rough knurled bar. If I leave these out, my deadlifting grip dies.

Solid session. Good to get back into it.

Oh, BW about 102kg.

[tescott]

Light day today. Would normally be intensity day, but since I had sort-of-volume on Wednesday after a lay-off, made this one active rest. Bumped up volume on squats since volume was down on Wed. All in all, felt good.

Squats 3x5x110kg still looking ahead, also concentrating on bar over mid-foot. Felt a loss of power on a couple. Need to find the hip drive without sacrificing back angle.

Bench Press 3x5x85kg Felt solid.

Deadlift - warm up only (5x50kg; 3x90kg; 2x130kg; 1x150kg) Knew I wouldn't get 5RM after the lay-off and Wednesday session, and want to be fresh for Monday.

Weighted Sit Ups 3x12x5kg Threw these in for the first time. Will try to do these weekly.

[tescott]

Volume Day. BW 102kg

Squat 5x5x135kg. I dropped the weight a bit since progressing 2.5kg/week for 8 weeks or so. This felt better and technique was pretty solid. Looking straight ahead, focusing on midfoot is helping a lot.

Bench 5x5x95kg. Felt good

Chins 7-6-6. These were hard right after bench, but felt ok.

[tescott]

Light Day. BW 103.3. Ate a lot of salt and carbs yesterday. Been really thirsty. I guess all that water accounts for the extra weight!

Squat 2x5x110kg.

Press 3x5x67.5kg.

Power Clean 5x3x75kg. Still working on these bad boys. My plan is to stay at a challenging weight until my form is good. Seems to be working, since these were pretty good. Before this, did a lot of resets over the months, to no avail.

[tescott]

Intensity Day. BW. - didn't weight myself this morning.

Squat 1x5x150kg. These felt good, and was told they looked good. Was going to go for a few more kg, but wanted to make sure I nailed this. I did.

Bench 1x2x107.5kg. With presses and benches, I picked a weight, worked up to a 3RM with it, then go up 2.5kg. This time, I managed to only drop 1 rep in the 2.5kg increase. Will go for 3 at this weight next time.

Deadlift 1x5x177.5kg. These were hard. Lucky my pal was yelling at me, or I don't think I would have got the last rep. Hands hurt. Need to work harder on grip and hand toughness this week (dead hangs on rough bar, CoC gripper work). Looking forward to cracking 4 plates next time!

Weighted Sit Ups 4x12x5kg.

[tescott]

Volume Day. Normally Mon, Wed, Fri, but I have exams those days, so it’s just two days this week: Tues and Thurs.

Squat 5x5x137.5kg. 5min rests. These felt really hard. I think me knees are drifting in. I took video, but my black trackies makes it hard to see me knees properly.

I didn’t eat enough this weekend, and my sleep hasn’t been that great. Exams at the moment. Busy and stressed. Maybe I’ll do this weight again, or maybe I’ll just make sure I get food and sleep…

Press 5x5x67.5kg. 5min rests. Last time I did 68.5kg, but I didn’t squat that day, and that was after missing 5x5x67.5 the time before. After squatting, these were hard enough. Though, I may have miscounted the last set and only done 4… Nonetheless, 68.5kg next time.

Chins 8-6.5-5. 3min rests.

Curlz 2x12x16kg. Haven’t done bicep curls since I was in high school. I get sore biceps tendons when I bench press. I read around the forums that these are good ‘prehab’.

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

I think me knees are drifting in. I took video, but my black trackies makes it hard to see me knees properly.


I have the same problem. I really should wear white leggings, like a ballet dancer; I would probably get laughed at, but the videos would certaily be more useful. I don't think I've got enough self-confidence to dare.


IPB

[tescott]

Woke up with a cold this morning. That would explain the toughness of the squats yesterday.

[tescott]

It turns out that the last workout was hard because I was getting sick. Bad cold, then Pharyngitis that just wouldn't shake. Out for three weeks. Dropping to 80% and doing SS for a few weeks to get back on top of things.

Back Squat 3x5x110kg. Felt good to be back. Challenging, mostly on the technique front.

Press 3x5x60kg. Again, a little challenging, but to be expected.

Deadlift 1x5x140kg. Pretty easy.

[tescott]

Woke up REALLY sore today. I guess that's what 3 weeks off does to you...

Squat 3x5x115kg. This was really surprisingly hard. I guess because I was still really sore.

Bench 3x5x80kg. Took it easy, and it felt easy.

Power Clean 5x3x60kg. Took it easy, felt easy.

[tescott]

Soreness subsiding now.

General Warmup:
High knees; butt kicks; leg swings; butt-kick leg swings; lunges; air squats; shoulder rotations.

Work:

Back Squat 3x5x117.5kg. Better than last time. Took some video, and wasn't terribly impressed. Focusing on knees out and tight at the bottom so I don't lose too much back angle.

Press 3x5x62.5kg. Didn't belt up for this, and felt pretty easy. I love presses :-)

Deadlift 1x5x150kg. Ok, that felt hard. Will make 5kg jumps from now.

Last time and this time I spent 10 minutes stretching. I normally hate stretching because I get bored. Though this time, rather than doing 2-3 stretches for a long time, I'm doing a collection of 9 for 30s each from some youtube video on a site that Gary posted [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apELAM4g5Hg]. Then I spend some time sitting seiza-style while doing something else.

Normally I have super tight quads, and my knees pay the price. I'm already feeling much better.

[tescott]

Went down the park and ran around for a bit today. Jogged, then did a few 75% efforts over 50m before doing 6 or so 50m sprints (small park). Finished off with a couple of 75% efforts. First time running in a long time, so didn't want to overdo it. Felt slow but good. Plan to do this on Saturdays for a bit of conditioning.

[tescott]

Missed yesterday. Too busy working on essay in Library and lost track of time.

General Warmup:
High knees; butt kicks; leg swings; butt-kick leg swings; air squats.

Work:

Squat 3x5x120kg. Felt challenging today, but I was generally a lot happier with my technique. Didn’t video, but I could feel a difference by concentrating on my knees out at the bottom. Still looking ahead, which is helping a lot with the back angle.

Bench Press 3x5x85kg. A bit more challenging today. Will add 5kg next time, but I suspect that will be the last.

Power Clean 5x3x65kg. Again, fairly easy. Though, I’m always making little technique errors here and there. Technique works when I focus on: 1) tight back in first pull, 2) brush the shirt, 3) fast elbows, and 4) ‘front squat’ catching position.

Only had time for a quick stretch. Quads and hammies, then sat seiza while I bathed my boy.

[tescott]

General warmup: as above

Work:

My right lower back felt a bit twingy today - especially as I'm belting up before sets. I'll keep a note on this. Knees feeling good as gold. I'm pretty sure that's the 'knees out' and stretching.

Squat 3x5x122.5kg. Challenging, but felt good. Keeping knees out. Staying farily upright.

Press 3x5x65kg. Getting challenging. Last set I concentrated on keeping everything in my lower body tight – was a breeze.

Deadlift 1x5x155kg. Good.

Shorter stretch routine.

[tescott]

General warmup: air quats; lunges; leg swings; arm swings

Work:

Squats 3x5x125kg.

Bench Press 3x5x90kg.

Power Clean 5x3x70kg.

Back was sore after the power cleans. I think I was catching with my torso leaning back.

[tescott]

Squat 3x5x127.5kg.

Press 3x5x67.5kg.

Deadlift 1x5x160kg. Felt great.

Back felt worse after the press, but better after the deads!

Rushed off to a family get-together, so no time for stretching ☹

[tescott]

Warmup: air squats, legswings, air circles, dislocates.

Knees not feeling great today. Need to make sure I stretch tonight.

Squats 3x5x130kg. Felt hard. Poor form. Probably not eating enough. Should do weight again.

Bench Press 3x5x92.5kg.

[tescott]

Trained at USYD gym today. Bar was worn out and slippery, and the rack was too narrow for my regular grip. Floor was also a bit dodgy. So, squat was complicated by a few things.

(Even though I chose a poor rack and my bar was crap, the gym was great. 2 platforms with bumpers etc, chalk bucket, more racks, and more bars.)

Warmup: air squats, leg swings.

Squat 3x5x130kg. Ok, not great. Probably had a lot to do with the different grip, floor etc.

Press 3x5x70kg. Didn’t think I’d get these after a hard first set, but kept everything tight and got it.

Deadlift 1x5x165kg. Wasn’t too much of a struggle. Will go 170kg next time. Must consciously think ‘big chest’ next time.

[tescott]

Had kim’s mum’s funeral for most of the day yesterday, and felt exhausted, so I put off last night’s session until 6am this morning.

Warmup: air squats, leg swings, lunges, arm circles

Squat 2x5x105kg. First set felt horrible. Second was much better. Training in the morning is heaps harder than in the evening. My back felt a bit out of whack too.

Bench Press 3x5x95kg. Surprised at how good they felt. Though, starting to let my right shoulder loosen up. Need to focus on shoulders back and tight throughout the set. Also, wore a belt for the first time and concentrated on keeping my whole body tight.

Power Clean 5x3x72.5kg. Ok. Still not great form. Will need to do weight again.

Ran for the train afterwards and hurt my left knee (patellar tendon). Could be from training in the morning, or perhaps also from the power cleans.

[tescott]

Right anterior shoulder has been sore. Massage of anterior delts seems to help. Will need to keep up SMR with a tennis ball.

Also been doing a fair bit of quad SMR with a rolling pin. Still some knee pain, but getting better.

Warm up: high knees; butt kicks; squats; lunges; swings

Squats 3x5x132.5kg. These were really dodgy. Possible explanations: only had 6 hours sleep last night; training in the morning. Not sure whether or not I’ll progress weight next time.

Press 3x5x71kg. I was surprised that I got these, considering the squats sucked so much, and how hard the first set was. Stoke I got them.

Chin Ups 3xmax. 7-6-5

Hurt my knee running across the road.

[tescott]

A lot of knee pain today. Both knees.

Squat 3x5x132.5kg. Felt better than last time. Knees felt better after squats than before. Still not great form.

Bench Press 3x5x97.5kg. Tough! Really happy I got these. Will add 1-1.5kg next time. Left bicep sore again on eccentric portion, especially first rep of each set. Belted

No power cleans today. Will lay off them until knee pain gets better. Also not feeling great, so instead of chin ups, I just did some curls.

Curls 12x16kg, 12x21kg, 10x26kg.

[tescott]

Had pain in medial left knee today, feels like articular surface/meniscus.

Squat 2x5x110kg. Some knee pain during and after squatting. Didn’t feel as though it was making it worse. 3min rests.

Press 3x5x72.5kg. These felt great. Really happy to get this. 5min rests. Belted, as usual

Chin Ups 8-6-5. 4min rests

[tescott]

Started taking fish oil yesterday. 9 tablets/day (180/120) (3 lots of 3)

Squat 3x5x135kg. Felt pretty good, though my hips are drifting back in my later reps. Not sure how to fix…

Right knee was pretty sore before session and during warm up. Got better through sets. Left knee hurt during some reps.

Sore right bicep after squats.

Bench Press 3x5x98.5kg. Accidently did 101kg for first set. Managed 4 reps. Then did 98.5 for 5-4. Will continue to add weight next time. Belted.

Deadlift 1x5x170kg.

[tescott]

No training today. Woke up on Sunday with a bad cold, still feeling wrecked. Though, my knees have been feeling better and better over the weekend. May be the fish oil...

[tescott]

No training again today. Still sick. Plan to train on Friday. Two noteworthy training developments though:

1) My friend's younger brother is going to start training with me on Friday. Well, he's my friend too. Looking forward to teaching someone new again. He reckons he's committing to it too, so it will be good to have a training partner.

2) I'm lining up some coaching of my own. I've never had coaching, but I found great gym that charges $12 for a casual visit and provides coaching too. If his reputation is true, the coach is legit. He wants me to come in several times and we'll work on one lift a session. At $12 for a visit, can't go wrong.

[tescott]

No training today. Still sick.

Getting ~300g protein/day, and 6g vitamin C/day. Also looking after my sick wife. Well, looking after our boy while my wife rests. She's getting smashed by this one. Normally its the other way around!

Really, really looking forward to getting back to the gym. Been reading over at Dan John's site, as well as scouring Chaos and Pain (that guy's nuts). Just want to lift...