Axle push-press
160 x 5
185 x 5
210 x 4, 5
-
Super-set with wide-grip pull-ups
8, 10, 16

Got called into second job early so left it at here. Happy I was able to get that second attempt of 210x5.

Something to note, the last 2 weeks I've cut the nightly frequency of my edible usage significantly down and I've noticed my sleep quality has risen because of it. Seems like the regularity of doing it makes the difference, not an amount on any one night. In other words, taking the amount I did (usually half a pomegranate juice gummy) on a regular basis causes the fatiguing effect, but taking a full gummy or two once or twice a week does not.

Unrelated but my finances are in a healthy-enough spot that I can sign-up for Muay Thai again. That free session at AKA was a good one, and it's the only place I've found that has a Muay Thai technique class that late so I can hit it up after work (only other option is a kickboxing cardio class at a gym closer to my place, which isn't what I'm looking for).

Yesterday

Mat pulls (6)

570 x 0, 2

500 x 8

* My second attempt was too wide a stance despite being able to eke out a couple of reps compared to the first try. I also feel like there's a wide disparity by dropping down to 405 and repping that, it'd be good to stay in the 500 range sometimes and make that a win.

SSB box squats
Work up to 290 x 5, 330 x 5

SSB walkouts and quarter squats
420 x 15

Came back in the evening and did two backwards hill sprints, some split-squats for knee health, and reverse crunches and planks

Benched 285x5 on Saturday and did my usual fasted workout in the morning Sunday. Got up to 60 burpees with one short 10ish second rest at the 50 mark. Lots of stretching on both days as well.

Practiced some shadow kickboxing today going along with a YouTube video in the background. 

 I'm falling behind on this due to my work schedule. I recently became manager at my first job again and coincidentally my work-from-home job has gotten much busier. The last two days I've trained while working on my phone, which is annoying as holy fuck but necessary.

Today especially was looking bad. I woke up 2 hours early and thought I'd have an excellent chance at knocking my squat session out and then clocking in for work. Nope, it was phone meetings practically non-stop until the afternoon. I managed to work-up to squatting 275 over a period of 2 hours doing this, eventually putting the boss on mute to get my sets in (he takes long pauses while he looks over things). By the time that mercifully ended I was hungry and cooled down, so I just went up to eat. Then I discovered that Amazon had dropped-off my groceries out on the street 5 minutes away so I walked over and picked them up pissed-off (they refunded my order so at least it was free food and all my bags were untouched). 

Reprepped for my workout and this time managed it undisturbed, although it sucked that I woke up early and ended up getting to it at 3pm.

Yukon bar squats
Up to 455x1
Strip-sets of 405x3, 315x8, 225x8, 135x8, 45x8

During this I fielded calls from my second boss asking when I could be at the office. I intentionally rested just a little longer because he was annoying me.

Finished it there and went to the office for a meeting, and will do hamstrings and abs at night when I have a friend over. My friends are all used to me doing shit like that lol.

That was quite a mishmash of thoughts and reflections, I'm feeling like lightning after that second cup of coffee despite not enough sleep.

Mat pulls (7)

570 x 0, 5

* Couldn't fire on first attempt, came back a minute later and focused on leg drive. Solid comeback. Trained hungry again, looking forward to dropping the mat count by one next week and seeing what I can do on a full stomach. 

Deadlifts
405 x 13
* I'm standing on a decline so there's an extra factor of trying not to fall forward, which is murder on my calves. I think it's a good challenge but it might also be teaching me to deadlift too carefully instead of concentrating on ripping the bar.

Had a pressure headache after the mat pulls but now I feel extremely high energy and hyper. I'll be back in the evening to do box squats and abs.

Before breakfast today I did my usual fasted workout routine. 50 burpees, total time for everything was 18 minutes.

Had a near total rest day yesterday and feeling very refreshed. Still got in some stretches and a few minutes of shadowboxing. 

Yukon squatted 435x3 and benched 315x1. For my horizontal pressing I'm simply bringing in more bench pressing for the assistance work, nothing works better than that. Hit sets of 225-235 for 6-8 reps. 

Recently reviewed my squat videos from a year ago when I was repping 500 and I'm not sure some of those would have passed depth in a meet. I'm sinking in deep now.

That has been higher in carbs lately, I've been so rocked from soreness that my body just wants to eat. I weighed 194 yesterday in the morning. Basically zigzag dieting, sometimes I'm lowering carbs and then when my body is feeling rocked I eat more. 

Axle push press

170 x 3

190 x 3

215 x 4

* In light of my recent string of poor performances I'm eating sooner after finishing breakfast. A stronger showing here than last week and to be honest I was still a little hungry going in so I'm going to cut the time down even more.

Axle press

145 x 3 x 8

Dumbbell press against bands, keg curls

All presses super-set with chin-ups

Felt under the weather yesterday. Mat pulled 570 for 3 reps off 7 mats, then deadlifted 405x13. In the evening I box squatted 275x2x8, did some split-squats, a 1:06 plank, and an uphill backwards run. 

Bench press

235 x 3

265 x 3

300 x 3

* My strength is at a low point but the 300 set was the easiest-feeling, at least. Another instance of warm-ups feeling heavy and the top set being breezy. What seemed to have happened is I lowered the poundages by switching to the Swiss bar and didn't retain what I could do with the straight bar due to losing so much weight. What I was using with the Swiss bar became the new norm. This has happened before when I've used previously successful methods while growing that ended up not panning out on a calorie deficit (50-rep goblet squats come to mind). Reinforces the notion that heavy weight is king in the absence of calories. 

Dumbbell press

115s x 7, 8, 6

 Ran uphill backwards for one round last night, then two normal uphill sprints, followed by a roughly 20 minute jog. Stretched afterwards. That uphill run is quite a leg workout, it's a decently steep hill.

Experimented with eating less before bed, pretty much just my protein shake (no high fat meal alongside it). I also didn't sip protein throughout the night when I woke-up to use the bathroom because I have ZMA now and it doesn't play well with casein protein. Woke up ravenously hungry.

Also woke up very sore in my legs today, my calves moreso than normal probably thanks to the backwards uphill run. Did a lot of stretching, some reverse hypers, and used the massage gun. Got in two shadowkickboxing rounds after stretching, mostly going very light and fluidly (or as much as I could on these two dead weights attached to my pelvis).

Hit the bag for 3 rounds last night (3:10 periods). Stretching afterwards. 

Yukon squats

315 x 5

365 x 5

410 x 6

Drop-down to 365x3

315 x 7

225, 135, 45 x 8

* Pretty much going as deep as possible with the width I'm standing, it's well below parallel. Happy to report this is the best my knees have felt squatting in a while.

SSB good mornings

60 x 20

150 x 10, 

Hanging leg raises

10

Ab wheel with mid-pauses

5

Axle push press

160 x 5

180 x 5

205 x 4, 5

-

Last two sets super-set with with chins

8, 8

Axle press

140 x 8

-

Super-set with chins

11

Went to a Muay Thai class at AKA on Thursday. Really excellent session, left me little doubt in my mind I want to come here more. The coach that evening, Derrick Yuen, actually taught one of my other coaches at XMA, Payam, for his kickboxing fights back in the day. He's a great dude with a stoic patience about the way he teaches. Definitely not the loud OSU-type that wants to hype the class up. I appreciate both personalities.

Got told I'm not rotating my shoulders enough when I kick. Shoulder should block the jaw to some degree. Made an instant correction as soon as I was told this and he said good job.

Most of the session was teaming up with partners and going back and forth between a simple jab followed by a low kick. After enough of this, we took turns push-kicking and batting it away to change trajectory. Really basic stuff but I have never actually learned to parry a push-kick.

Reviewing the fundamentals with a live opponent was a welcome step back to shaking off rust and remembering what it's like to react to a moving target versus the endless bouts of heavy bag work and shadow boxing I've been doing during the pandemic, which by the way have served me extremely well. I could just tell I looked far more polished than the last time I stepped into a gym and I change directions much more fluidly and naturally now when shadowboxing as opposed to just facing the same way.

 Mat pulls (8)
570 x 8
* 1 rest pause. I could have eked out more reps but my back has been hurting the past few days and I have Muay Thai tonight so I didn't want to soul drain myself. Felt very strong despite a stabbing headache once I went past 315.

SSB box squats
Up to 290 x 5, 330 x 5

Can't believe I didn't record what an epic cheat day I had yesterday. The day before I weighed 193 and the same time yesterday I weighed just over 200 lbs. I was in pain most of the day.

Bench press

Up to 285 x 5

* Well that sucks, but fuck it, I appreciate being humbled. I thought the Swiss bar would magically make my bench skyrocket up. Yeah, that worked a decade ago but I was also eating like it was my job, whereas here I'm down 7 lbs and the lightest I've been in 15 years. And honestly, back then it was probably more attributable to simply training for a period of time and growing period, bar type be damned. The feeling I have at this bodyweight is that the first few reps feel like an atom bomb and then my endurance just dies. It's a notably faster decline than it used to be.

Dumbbell press

115s x 7, 8, 7

All set super set with dumbbell rows of 115

Rear delts, curls

I have a Muay Thai appointment with AKA at 8pm on Thursday. They're requiring reservations this way.

The past two nights I took what most would consider a microdose of edibles in anticipation of having a movie night and instead got thoroughly absorbed watching YouTube videos about either Mike Tyson or 90s boxing in general for hours. One guy in particular apparently remastered a bunch of his VHS tapes and uploaded sublime footage that I couldn't turn away from. I might have known this way back in the day but I don't remember Hajime No Ippo's Smash special punch being a real move by Razor Ruddock (a name I know but haven't really watched much of beyond other boxers' highlight reels). It's really cool to witness, kinda like a shovel hook but with a straighter trajectory fired from the hip.

UPDATE: According to the Ippo Wiki they do indeed mention Ruddock in the anime, damn. I blame it on me not having been that much into 90s boxing before, with some exceptions (Tyson and Foreman).

Deload

Yukon squats

200, 250, 300 x 5

225 x 8, 8, 8

-

Last 4 sets super-set with banded leg curls

12, 15, 15, 15

Hanging leg raises

2 x 10

Woke up with my knees feeling a little achy (weird since I had a complete rest day Sunday). Did the session without any sleeves and felt totally pain free by the end of it. That reminds me, I gleamed an idea from both kneesovertoesguy and a boxing Instagram to do runs backwards uphill. My usual sprinting place will do the trick nicely. 

Saturday before I went to a pool party. Deload

Push-press

Up to 185 x 5

Super-set with chins x 10

Axle press

130 x 7, 7

-

Super-set with chins x 10, 8

Double monster band chest press + dips

15 + 8

-

Super-set with wide grip pullups

8

Keg curls

8

Did more YouTube shadow kickboxing yesterday and then went on a jog for about 35 minutes. Got kinda lost in the music and ran for longer than I expected to. 

I've been neglecting to mention that I'm stretching everyday and making really good progress on my flexibility. Kicking high is becoming easier. It's a constant back-and-forth battle between lifting and stretching.

Deload

Mat pulls (7)
315 x 5
405 x 3
500 x 3

Banded leg extensions
30, 30

SSB split-squats
60 x 5

 Deload

Swiss bar bench
135, 185, 205 x 5

Close-grip 
185 x 10, 10, 10
-
Super-set with T-bar rows
2 plates, 3 plates, 4 plates x 10

Standing Arnold press
50s x 11
-
Super-set with dips
10

T-bar rows
4 plates x 11

Keg curls
160 x 10

Rear-delt flyes
35s x 10

Whenever I train heavy I look forward to doing it and then am miserable in the session. When I deload I have to drag myself to do it and end up thinking "This is nice" during it.

Did some really good shadow kickboxing yesterday evening. Followed along with Sean Fagan doing it on a Thai beach via YouTube, just taking some cues from him but doing my own flow. In the middle of it my friend arrived with a big batch of homemade cinnamon rolls, and on top of that, it was 100 all day as I was working so I refreshed with a cold beer. Kept going with my boxing, though, I was finding my pattern way too nicely to stop. I'd say total time was 25 minutes.

Woke-up and did 4 minutes bike warm-up, 60 burpees, shadow kickboxing, 120 jumping-jacks, 1 minute burning out on the bike, and more kickboxing. Total time was 19 minutes.

I've been going straight to shadowboxing after those burpees to simulate fatigue in a fight. Similar to the breath restriction mask, I'm more after the psychological impact. That final round of kickboxing felt totally fresh in comparison despite not having any rest preceding it; instead, I'm recovering while working.

Great way to start the day before my work-at-home shift. 

Was doing my work-up sets for squats and I actually had to dump 430. First time I've ever failed squats at home, too. I've been thinking I'm due for a deload for awhile now and am taking this as a stronger sign, I've been feeling really beat-up all over.

The Yukon bar also poses a challenge when it's hot out because of its smooth knurling. It was 98 today, which isn't uncomfortable to me, but I had to keep chalking my shoulders up and sweat still made the bar feel like it's slipping. I'm wondering if my positioning was off and I wasn't firing my legs properly trying to keep it stationed. On the plus side, it was REALLY easy to drop behind me.

I'm thinking I might try swapping in the straight bar next cycle just because I'm really curious what the transfer feels like like.

Night:

Came by after work and finished this in 30 minutes. 

Back squat/front squat

Up to 225 x 10/10

Drop-down to 185 x 8/8

Good mornings

150 x 10, 10

-

Super-set with band leg curls (no counting)

Ab medley of 5 slow standing wheel rollouts, 20 sec plank, and 10 slow Swiss ball crunches

Thanks to Mythical Strength's ebook for the squat idea, although I've been thinking about trying some of that same stuff from his training log for awhile. Zero knee pain here by the way despite going without sleeves. 

Hit this Friday.

Mat pulls (8)

570 x 1

* The injury spot in my back that I thought had recovered started acting up so I shut this down. It's possible I might have been able to pull this off but better not to risk it. I think it's a good feeling to be hungry for more and carry that into the next try . 

Deadlifts (TnG)

405 x 15

* This is always a good fallback option. Not a PR but I'm lifting with mats under my feet lately so it's a tad deeper. Didn't need to grind anything out either, I'll hit that nice-sounding 20 when my back is all better. 10 years ago this was above my peak performance. I know that's a long time but it's so cool to be 30 lbs lighter and have this just be an accessory amount now. 

Came back later in the evening to do banded leg extensions and split squats. 

Went on a 20 minute jog last night. Lately I've been wearing knee sleeves while I run to help out my knees. Feels stupid but effective. Even at what I consider a light weight I don't think a 197 lb person is supposed to run as much I like to but it's really therapeutic for me while I zone out to music. Guess it makes sense to protect my joints more than the average person.

Woke up today and did 5 minutes of bike warm-up, 55 no-rest burpees, shadowboxing, 100 jumping-jacks, and 2 minutes of bike burn-out. Total time was 15.

Swiss bar bench

275 x 6, 5

285 x 5

225 x 12

-

Super-set with Meadows rows

2 plates x 8, 8, 10

3 plates x 8

* Order out of chaos. Last night I wrenched my shoulder doing dynamic stretches and it hurt to raise my arm. Was still feeling it today so rather than try to continue and fail the cycle I'm on I switched to a favorite protocol of working up to 3x8 on a particular weight. I sometimes insert this after a 531 cycle just to change things up (modifications are bound to happen after 10 years) and periodize with a higher rep scheme than 5. Wasn't happening with 275, though. I got the hunch that my strength endurance is more hampered by the shoulder than anything so I reverted course and set-up 285 like I was supposed to. Mid-set of this as I grinded rep 4 up I realized many of my reps today have been very low down my body, almost like a decline bench, probably a subconscious measure to protect my shoulder. I pressed the final rep higher up on my chest and the weight practically fell over my head with how much easier that was. So I ended up getting the minimum reps I needed with a much tougher work-up journey despite a pissed shoulder.

Band-resisted Arnold press

50s x 8

50s without bands x 8

-

Super-set with T-bar rows

4 plates x 10, 10

Medley of chest flyes, rear-delt band raises, skull crushers, and keg curls

Tweaked my back doing good mornings today. Not a bad one but I feel it. Can walk fine thankfully, just am bending over gingerly.

Did Yukon squats up to 455x3 and log pressing over the weekend. Knees hurt again, but I adjusted my stance and they felt better. It seems like I start squatting narrow, this causes knee pain, I widen, and I feel better at the heaviest set, so I just need to squat at that width period. Ate a lot, including at this newish Chinese restaurant nearby that was some of the best I've ever had.

Oh, so I tweaked my aquarium and made some additions to it. Sitting on the floor watching it with my hand flat and supporting my body made my forearm tendon hurt. Pretty weird, better not do that. I can feel it today if I twist my arm, although I don't think it's set me back much or anything.

So my arm, knee, and back are hurting today. I might just be a lifter.

Weighed 198 in the morning. Going to make a decision about a new weight goal soon. If I can find a competition to enter, I'll lose. If nothing's coming up soon, I'll gain.

Swiss bar bench
250 x 5
285 x 3
317.5 x 1
250 x 8
225 x 10
-
Last 3 sets super-set with Meadows rows
2 plates x 8, 10
3 plates x 8

Close-grip Swiss bar bench
195 x 10
-
Super-set with Meadows rows
3 plates x 10

Dumbbell shoulder press against bands
50s x 10 - Dropdown to behind-the-neck barbell press x 8
-
Super-set with Meadows rows
3 plates x 10

Keg curls
170 x 10, 10

Mat pulls (9)

570 x 8

* Resuming this again but starting at the top. Pleased with this. A little bit of forearm pain but no worse than it has been, will be monitoring it.

SSB split squats

110 x 8, 8

Called it here to go eat some food and then felt seriously tired after so I lay down and ended up taking an hour and a half nap. Went back to it at night.

Iron Woody banded leg extensions

15, 15, 15

SSB squat partials

330 x 15

405 x 20

* Just threw these in to get a quad pump as I worked up to suitable weight for squat walkouts.

SSB squat walkouts

510 x 10 secs

This was from Saturday.

Press

170 x 5

190 x 0, 3

215 x 0, 1

145 x 9, 9

-

Last 3 sets paired with chins

10, 10

45 x 9

Band-resisted incline dumbbell press

50s x 12, 12

-

Super-set with chins

45 x 9, 10

Rest of the session was a flurry of super and giant sets

Man, rough pressing effort, but I still got the numbers done. That 215 was a total grind.

Ended up staying awake for 36 hours while hanging out at George's watching a marathon of kung-fu movies. I ate and hydrated impeccably so I felt really good at the end of it, and got lots of sunlight and outside air at the pool on Sunday.

Workout before breakfast of the bike, 50 burpees (no rest pauses this time), shadow kickboxing, the bike again, and finally lying reverse-hypers using a strong band attached to my couch (line because I was lying down and also because you probably wouldn't call this a reverse-hyper but the basic movement is the same).

I also did some shadow kickboxing last night.

Something significant to note, I've known for many years that I tend to habituate back to not extending my punches fully. After getting this advice again in a Muay Thai group I've been filming every shadow boxing session and I finally have it cut out on a consistent basis without trying. It really took memorizing the feel of my lats stretching out.

Looks like the air is going to be crap again today. The whole outside looks like sunset and the sun is blood red. Noticed my eyes feeling watery and irritated yesterday when I was out. I have my respirator if I feel like going on a run later. 

Didn't do any training yesterday due to social obligations the whole day with my friend and then the family. Can't remember the last time that happened but it's not a bad thing for recovery. Lots of outside eating but I dialed it back in at night with a low carb meal of tuna and veggies. I also meal-prepped and had my usual ground turkey with veggies and quinoa with me for some light snacking between meals. 

Yukon bar squats
330 x 5
380 x 5
435 x 5

Drop-down sets of 405x1, 315 x 8, 225 x 8, 135 x 8, 45 x 8

Band leg curls, ab wheel rollouts

Knees were hurting up until the heavy set. Could be adrenaline, the belt helping me sit back more, or just being sufficiently warmed-up (I already do a really extensive warm-up though). I discovered today that it helps to think of moderately dive-bombing into the descent instead of consciously trying to lower slowly. 

Air quality is pretty poor right now due to the fires. Not apocalyptic like last year but it's at 111. I have a thing where 100 and lower is OK for outdoor activity. I'd really like to leave the west coast within the next 5 years.

Swiss bar bench press

235 x 3

265 x 3
295 x 3
235 x 13

-

Super-set with supine-grip Meadows rows

45 x 8

90 x 5, 10
100 x 10
* Very strong performance on the bench. Weight shot up.

Close-grip Swiss bar bench
195 x 10, 9
-
Super-set with supine-grip Meadows rows
110 x 10
135 x 10

Band-resisted Arnold press
50s x 9 - Dropdown to 35s with no bands x 5
-
Giant-set with rear-delt lat raises
35s x 10
-
Keg curls
160 x 10, 10

Tried different ways to make the Meadows rows palatable to my forearm, but straps and Fat Gripz didn't feel as good as simply adopting an underhand grip. Tells me the bicep has probably nothing to with the problem. It's slowly getting better over time, in any case; just have to keep doing what I'm doing and train around the pain.

Brother is in town. Going to be fairly socially busy the next 32 hours: visiting a friend overnight tonight, going from there to work tomorrow, and from the office meeting my bro and older sister for dinner before we see Dad. Will probably do some Muay Thai practice before leaving tonight and I'm looking to go swimming at the hotel tomorrow.

Deadlifted 425x10 yesterday. Only moderate forearm pain afterwards if I stretch my arm out and twist. That sensation is gone today, just the usual tight feeling if I do the same.

Woke up today and did a fasted workout consisting of the bike, 50 burpees, 100 jumping-jacks, and shadow kickboxing. Total time was 15 min.

I posted this picture in a Muay Thai group and with the understanding that I was merely copying the pose from Ong Bak and not trying to keep a tight guard or anything else, I got a good tip about keeping my toes curled tight (which I did) but UPwards. My coaches have always told me to flex my shins but not the direction of my toes.

Also on an unrelated post about roundhouse kicking: "This might be weird to try, but really try to pull with your standing leg. Not quite a jump, but more of a pull! Try it"

Just thought that was a good cue. Seems like thinking it will help with balance.

Worked the heavy bag for 3 rounds for 3 minutes each, then did 1 hill sprint followed by a 20 min jog last night.

Swiss bar bench

225 x 5

250 x 5

285 x 5

225 x 13

-

Last 2 sets super-set with dumbbell rows (unilateral)

100 x 10

115 x 9

Close-grip Swiss bar bench press

195 x 8, 7~drop-down to 155x5

-

Super-set with dumbbell rows (unilateral)

125 x 9, 10

Seated overhead dumbbell press against bands

50s x 7 ~ drop-down to without bands x 3

-

Giant set with rear-delt lat raises

-

Keg curls

160 x 10, 10

I totally meant to do Meadows rows today in light of his recent passing but I forgot. He definitely had an influence on me in the 2000s.

Had a good press day yesterday. Worked up to 200x3. I first got only 200x1 and that was a grind, but after narrowing my grip and really tensing up I felt like a completely different being on the retry.

Did deadlifts for the first time in a couple of weeks today. Worked up to 405x10 TNG and my forearm felt good with elbow sleeves on. Had to call it here to make it to work, but will return to do box squats and abs in the evening. 

Woke up naturally after 5 hours of sleep.

SSB good mornings against heavy bands
60 x 8, 10
110 x 10, 10, 10

Band leg curls

Ab wheel rollouts

Bodyweight split squats and foot raises for knee health

I am really liking this habit of doing knee stuff the day after squats. Feels like I'm reinforcing them after the taxing work.

 Schedule has gotten later as my first job's hours have been adjusted. Lately I've been busy at work during the day and then hitting the weights in the evening after I'm done with the second. I'm going to realign and wake-up early enough to lift before my first shift soon.

Yukon bar squats
345 x 3
395 x 3
445 x 3

Drop-down sets of 405x4, 315x8, 225x8, 135x8

Finished at 10pm so saving posterior-chain stuff and abs for tomorrow.

Swiss bar bench

245 x 5

280 x 3

315 x 1

245 x 10

-

Last 2 sets super-set with unilateral dumbbell rows

100 x 8

115 x 10

Close grip Swiss bar bench

190 x 10, 10

-

Super-set with uni dumbbell rows

125 x 8, 10

Did some shadow kickboxing, 3 hill sprints, and a 20 minute jog last night.

Log press (clean once)
Worked up to 180 x 6, 7, 6
-
Super-set with wide-grip pull-ups and chin-ups x 10-15

Band chest press x 2 x 12

Curls

Fairly brisk workout before 2nd job. Coming back into log cleans cautiously, but forearm is holding up so far.

 Both my back and my forearm are feeling much better. I can make my arm hurt if I stretch it out and then twist, but only marginally. I'm thinking give it another week and then have a deadlift day of up to 405 lbs to see how that feels.

Yesterday I Yukon squatted up to 420x5, essentially making good on my last attempt where I got 3 and had to rerack because of my back. Did drop-down sets after of 365x5, 315x8, and 225x8. 

Came back today and did some band-resistant good mornings and 5 slow reps on the ab wheel, pausing mid-way to do a nasty plank variant.

Had a good weekend visiting a friend in San Francisco, which always means a good amount of uphill walking. Random fact on that, last weekend I couldn't find where I parked my car and a local who was helping me kept getting out of breath and I had to keep waiting. They really put the perspective on what training does for you because I didn't even think twice about those hills being difficult. 

Swiss bar bench

230 x 3

260 x 3

295 x 3

230 x 12

* As has been the trend lately, the work upsets felt very heavy and then I absolutely crushed the final.

Close grip Swiss bar bench

190 x 10, 10

-

Super-set with T-bar rows

Up to 5 plates x 10-12

Dumbbell shoulder press against bands

10

Curls, rear-delt flyes

Upon wake-up with only some casein protein in me:

3 minutes exercise bike warm-up
50 burpees
3 minutes shadow kickboxing
100 jumping-jacks
2 minutes bike burn-out

Missed recording some good sessions, probably because my back has been so bad lately and I don't sit-down at the computer if I can help it. As of today it's gotten quite a bit better. I've been throwing some good rehab at it. Main lift-wise, I hit 425x3 on the Yukon bar (would have hit 5 but I reracked when my back started feeling it) and a 190x5 press, which I fell short of a month ago.

Realized the other night while on edibles and thinking about my training that this sudden spurt of intense back pain isn't random - I injured myself doing those heavy good mornings and didn't even realize it. The pain only set-in once I was asleep.

Swiss bar bench
215 x 5
245 x 5
280 x 5
225 x 14
* Felt a bit weak on the lead-up sets and then absolutely crushed 280x5, with probably another in the tank. Really significant improvement using this bar. That 225x14 was more than I expected to muster, as well.

Close-grip swiss bar bench
185 x 10, 10
---
Super-set with T-bar rows
5 plates x 10, 10

Dumbbell shoulder press against bands
50s x 10
* Band snapped on rep 6, RIP. Finished the rest of the reps without.
---
Super-set with T-bar rows
5 plates x 10, 10

Keg curls
160 x 12, 12

Fun random note, right as I arrived at the club on Friday night I noticed the street dog vendor outside and asked him how late he'd be open. Had to secure a protein source before going in. I ended up eating one of those (I absolutely love them) and a veggie pizza slice in the end, and then an Orgain protein shake with some homemade fresh-ground organic black coffee I had saved in my car. I think I've gotten a rep for being a food diva when I party.

 Basically did a repeat of last week's log strict press workout, managing sets of 5, 7, and then 6. Came ever so close to a 7th on that last set. For some reason had major implement drift this time and had to fight the log quite a bit more in keeping it from going too far in front. Wonder if it's wearing running shoes this week versus proper lifting shoes last.

Back has been KILLING me in my sleep and all day today despite stretching, yoga, etc. I'll keep throwing everything I can at treating it. On the other hand, my forearm has been feeling a little better. It no longer hurts to throw a right straight. Keep using elbow sleeves and stay away from deadlifts for now.

I've been majorly busy with home improvement projects this week and didn't get around to going to AKA. I'm going to make sure I go next week. I feel the craving.

Going out to a show in SF tonight. Not sure if I'll be spending the night at a friend's but I'm eating big before and after, with it being SF and restaurants open all night.

 Woke up and did 4 minutes on the bike to warm my knees up, 35 burpees, some shadowboxing, 2 minutes of fast biking at the 6 resistance, and 15 more burpees. Total workout time was 19 minutes.

Back is feeling a bit better. I found out that it makes a big difference doing some stretching and exercises like reverse crunches and reverse hypers right before bed. That way I'm not going to sleep with any kinks unaddressed that get exacerbated in my sleep. Woke up today not feeling like an old man, for the first time in a few days. 

It makes me wonder about chiropractors. I definitely believe your back can feel better by adjusting it, but how precise can you even be just by eyeing someone? By spinal adjustment I literally just mean stretching myself out and going against extension (hence reverse hypers and crunches), certainly not analyzing individual vertebrae or anything. I've always been skeptical about the practice while also remaining open-minded.

Got a light workout in later by sledgehammering a large shelf and moving debris and an old CRT TV. 

Got up to mat pulling 565x2 off 5 mats. Back has been in bad pain upon waking up lately and it had an affect here. The trend has been that it feels awful in the morning but stretches as well as reverse hyperextensions with bands throughout the day make it feel better, only for the cycle to repeat the next day. What's more, despite strapping up, my forearm really felt it on 315 and above. So I'm not going to be doing any pulls until it feels better. A tendon snapping is the last thing I need without health insurance.

Luckily the pain didn't linger and it felt back to "normal" after this.

Came back in the evening:

SSB good mornings

150 x 10

200 x 8

200 x 8 against bands

220 x 8 against bands

240 x 8 against bands (PR)

* Even without band resistance 240 is the most I've ever good morning'ed.

SSB box squats

Work up to 330 x 5

Xtremely deep (hamstring-to-calf) split-squats with 45 lb plate

8, 10

Planks

Had a moment after my shower where I stared at myself in the mirror and thought how I lived to fight another day and stay healthy instead of risking injury by pushing it on pulls. I take a lot of unmentioned calculated risks when I deem it wise to do so, and I didn't feel right about it today. I have no doubt I'll get stronger from good mornings anyways.

Swiss bar bench
245 x 5
275 x 3
310 x 1
245 x 9
* Donned elbow sleeves today as a part of my plan getting my forearm to heal. This was so easy I almost went for a second.

Close-grip bench press
185 x 9, 9

Band-resisted seated dumbbell shoulder press
50s x 10, 8
* Started out as Arnold presses and gradually shifted to just neutral hand-positioning to eke out more reps.

All presses super-set with T-bar rows varying from 3-5 plates x 8-10
* Used a strap on my injured side and it seemed to help. Grip work right now is a no-no, unfortunately. 

Barbell preacher curls
45 x 20

Forearm is actually feeling better after this workout. Lately I've been waking up to it in pain, which has been concerning. I can even feel it a little bit when I throw hard right straights.