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Island Son
New member
on friday if it hurts.. stop! One last rep isn't worth a week off.
but I'm glad the pain eased up so quickly
but I'm glad the pain eased up so quickly
AB's Happy Smiley Thoughts journal
- Thread starter anotherbutters
- Start date
I
Introspective
Guest
Maybe swap military press for incline so it's less stress on your back just to give you more time to heal ?
I have been doing O.H.P with my current run of HST and i felt a little lower back pain last night because of excesive arch. Maybe it's because of a flexibility problem ?
I have been doing O.H.P with my current run of HST and i felt a little lower back pain last night because of excesive arch. Maybe it's because of a flexibility problem ?
blut wump
New member
In my recent run of the 5x5, I found it very hard to work deads after front squats. As you mentioned, they're in the same territory as your back squats and so no longer really count as a suitable sub for light back squats. I let go of my front squats once the penny dropped in favour of saving more of myself for the deads. Congrats on the PR.
1700 calories?!? I don't look at junk food if it has less than 3000.
1700 calories?!? I don't look at junk food if it has less than 3000.
S
scorpiogirl
Guest
anotherbutters said:SF 5x5 Week 7, Wednesday
Bodyweight: 179.2lb - up 2.4lb since yesterday, wtf! I had half of a large, thin crust pizza last night as a treat. At 1700 calories, I expected it to be a bit more enjoyable. Grrrrr, I HATE it when I wait all week for a reward and it's TOTALLY unfulfilling!!!!Don't sweat it, 's only water.
Damn, I've hurt my back again!
I ended up with a massive arch in my back to get the 4th rep up, which is exactly what aggravates my old back injury. I started the 5th rep, knowing it wasn't going up and my back got worse. I just wanted someone to take the bar out of my hands so I didn't have to move. Arse.
I guess I shouldn't call it an 'old' back injury. I still have it, but it doesn't usually affect me. I don't think this is a big issue, although I couldn't really stand upright afterward and had to give up the chins.
Too bad ya' can't strap yourself in on these benches sometimes to keep the back flat. I always have to make the conscious effort to push my lower back against the pad to stay straight
Comments
Everone else was getting injured this week and I didn't want to be left out
I have a 'catch' in my back when I lean forward. I can lean over a certain amount, then I slow down and 'jump over' a weak point, then I can continue leaning over slowly. I'm going to have to re-read chunks of McGill's book.
Bummer. I'm having the other half of that pizza as a consolation prize.
Hopefully the 2nd have is more satisfying than the first!
If the back hurts....don't push it! ....I'm sure you already know this, BUT....
anotherbutters
New member
I tried inclines a while back when I was doing my non-squatting workouts and didn't really like them. They're difficult to do using the rack that I have. Thanks for the suggestion though. I should try to find some way of doing them.
I thought I hurt my lower back yesterday, yet it's my upper back that's felt bloody awful today. I wasn't sure whether I'd hurt it during the deads yesterday, but now I realise I must have. There's now a persistent throbbing pain under the bottom of my right shoulder blade that I just can't get to. I feel like I need someone to push the middle of my upper back inwards to sort everything out.
I still have the occasional sharp 'nerve' type pain in my lower back, but it's very low intensity if that makes any sense. I tried some curlups before but they hurt with another sharp nerve type pain across my right obliques. I can deal with these, but it's the pain under my shoulder blade that's, um, well, a pain!
I thought I hurt my lower back yesterday, yet it's my upper back that's felt bloody awful today. I wasn't sure whether I'd hurt it during the deads yesterday, but now I realise I must have. There's now a persistent throbbing pain under the bottom of my right shoulder blade that I just can't get to. I feel like I need someone to push the middle of my upper back inwards to sort everything out.
I still have the occasional sharp 'nerve' type pain in my lower back, but it's very low intensity if that makes any sense. I tried some curlups before but they hurt with another sharp nerve type pain across my right obliques. I can deal with these, but it's the pain under my shoulder blade that's, um, well, a pain!
anotherbutters
New member
SF 5x5 Week 7, Friday
Bodyweight: 177.2lb
Previous weeks in colour, warmups not included.
1. Core work
Curlups, side bridges and birddogs: 7x10 secs each
2. Cleans (kg)
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x5 ... 55x3
35x5 ... 40x3 ... 45x3 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 55x3 ... 55x3
35x3 ... 40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 60x3 ... 62x3 ... PR
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x3 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 60x3 ... 64x3 ... PR
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x3 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 60x3 ... 65x3 ... PR
I wasn't sure how these would go, considering my back. I felt a weird sensation on my right shoulder as though someone was touching the skin as I was doing the second pull on the cleans. For the final two sets, it turned into a tearing feeling
. I wasn't going to do the final set, but talked myself into it and got the PR.
3. Squats (kg)
40x5 ... 50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 78x3 ... 70x12
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 65x5 ... 70x5 ... 84x3 ... 70x12
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 82x5 ... 94x3 ... 80x8
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 75x5 ... 83x5 ... 95x4 (FAIL) ... 80x8
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 80x5 ... 90x3 ... 80x7
It seems like months ago that I failed on these, but it was only last Friday! 90kg was ok. I had to do a pause squat during the backoff set because I hit one side of the bar on the safety rail and I had to wait for it to settle.
4. Bench (kg)
40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x5 ... 58x5 ... 65x5 ... 60x10
40x5 ... 45x5 ... 52x5 ... 60x5 ... 67x3 ... 60x10
45x5 ... 50x5 ... 55x5 ... 62x5 ... 70x3 ... 62x10
50x5 ... 55x5 ... 60x5 ... 65x5 ... 71x3 ... 65x8 ... 8 rep PR!
45x5 ... 50x5 ... 55x0 ... 63x5 ... 72x3 ... 65x8
I lowered the warmup sets as I got a bit carried away last week. I ended up missing one of the sets too, by accident. Both final sets were hard, which is disappointing because I was hoping to fly past my previous PR (72.5x5).
Comments
Not a bad workout. My back still feels as though bits of it are in the wrong place and my upper back feels very tight and sore. I'm happy to be squatting ok though.
I was going to do Wednesday's chins today too, but I think I'll just let my back rest over the weekend. Happy weekend everyone!
Bodyweight: 177.2lb
Previous weeks in colour, warmups not included.
1. Core work
Curlups, side bridges and birddogs: 7x10 secs each
2. Cleans (kg)
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x5 ... 55x3
35x5 ... 40x3 ... 45x3 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 55x3 ... 55x3
35x3 ... 40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 60x3 ... 62x3 ... PR
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x3 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 60x3 ... 64x3 ... PR
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x3 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 60x3 ... 65x3 ... PR
I wasn't sure how these would go, considering my back. I felt a weird sensation on my right shoulder as though someone was touching the skin as I was doing the second pull on the cleans. For the final two sets, it turned into a tearing feeling
. I wasn't going to do the final set, but talked myself into it and got the PR.3. Squats (kg)
40x5 ... 50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 78x3 ... 70x12
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 65x5 ... 70x5 ... 84x3 ... 70x12
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 82x5 ... 94x3 ... 80x8
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 75x5 ... 83x5 ... 95x4 (FAIL) ... 80x8
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 80x5 ... 90x3 ... 80x7
It seems like months ago that I failed on these, but it was only last Friday! 90kg was ok. I had to do a pause squat during the backoff set because I hit one side of the bar on the safety rail and I had to wait for it to settle.
4. Bench (kg)
40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x5 ... 58x5 ... 65x5 ... 60x10
40x5 ... 45x5 ... 52x5 ... 60x5 ... 67x3 ... 60x10
45x5 ... 50x5 ... 55x5 ... 62x5 ... 70x3 ... 62x10
50x5 ... 55x5 ... 60x5 ... 65x5 ... 71x3 ... 65x8 ... 8 rep PR!
45x5 ... 50x5 ... 55x0 ... 63x5 ... 72x3 ... 65x8
I lowered the warmup sets as I got a bit carried away last week. I ended up missing one of the sets too, by accident. Both final sets were hard, which is disappointing because I was hoping to fly past my previous PR (72.5x5).
Comments
Not a bad workout. My back still feels as though bits of it are in the wrong place and my upper back feels very tight and sore. I'm happy to be squatting ok though.
I was going to do Wednesday's chins today too, but I think I'll just let my back rest over the weekend. Happy weekend everyone!
I
Introspective
Guest
I don't know squat about soothing muscle pain but i did use a tennis ball on my back after that O.H.Pressing that give me a little ake. I put my back to the wall, tennis ball inbetween wall and back and used it to put pressure on the area that hurt, rolled the ball around a little and it seemed to help.
anotherbutters
New member
SF 5x5 Week 8, Monday
Bodyweight: 178.8lb - it fluctuates a lot, but it's generally going up round about 1lb per week. Kind of.
Previous weeks in colour, warmups not included.
1. Core work
One-legged back bridges, curlups, side bridges and birddogs: 7x10 secs each
2. Cleans (kg)
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x3 ... 53x3 ... 60x1 ... 60x0 ... 60x0 ... 60x1 (pclean) ... 60x1 ... 60x2
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 60x3 ... 55x3
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x3 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 60x3 ... 63x3 ... PR!
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x3 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 60x3 ... 65x1 ... 65x2
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 60x3 ... 66x3 ... PR!
These felt bloody brilliant today! I read a few of Glenn's posts on the midwestbarbell board and took in a few things. I started using the hook grip to get used to cleaning with it. I started the pull with my hips higher and that seemed to make a massive difference. I even caught one of the warmup sets after it clipped my chest on the way up/my way down, which is a cue in Starting Strength to keep the bar close.
I would have tried a bigger PR today, but after my little injury last Wednesday, decided to keep it steady. The tearing feeling around my right shoulder/lat was much less pronounced than on Friday. I feel like I ought to be making faster progress on these since I'm still not using much more than one plate, but looking at the progress above, I can't complain.
3. Squats (kg)
40x5 ... 50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 80x5
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 80x5 ... 90x5
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 80x5 ... 95x2 (FAIL)
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 80x5 ... 87x5 ... reset
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 80x5 ... 90x5
Not too hard. Will do 93kg for Friday's triple.
4. Bench (kg)
40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x5 ... 57x5 ... 66x5
45x5 ... 50x5 ... 55x5 ... 60x5 ... 68x5
45x5 ... 50x5 ... 55x5 ... 63x5 ... 70x5
50x5 ... 55x5 ... 60x5 ... 65x5 ... 71x5
45x5 ... 50x5 ... 55x5 ... 63x5 ... 72x5
I dropped the warmups back down again. The top set is just 0.5kg/1lb less than my 5RM, but this is already feeling very hard. It'd be a shame to reach my 5RM and then crap out and stall. I'll go to 73kg for Friday's triple and go for the PR on Monday.
Comments
Thanks for the suggestions about rolling around on a tennis ball. That helped nicely and I reached a new spot that I didn't realise was sore!
I had to pull myself up by the bar after the final bench set again. Anything that involves compressing an arched back sets it off. I've been doing the core exercises each day, so we'll see how I fare after another couple of weeks. I've also started stretching, which I always neglect.
Bodyweight: 178.8lb - it fluctuates a lot, but it's generally going up round about 1lb per week. Kind of.
Previous weeks in colour, warmups not included.
1. Core work
One-legged back bridges, curlups, side bridges and birddogs: 7x10 secs each
2. Cleans (kg)
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x3 ... 53x3 ... 60x1 ... 60x0 ... 60x0 ... 60x1 (pclean) ... 60x1 ... 60x2
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 60x3 ... 55x3
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x3 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 60x3 ... 63x3 ... PR!
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x3 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 60x3 ... 65x1 ... 65x2
35x5 ... 40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x3 ... 55x3 ... 60x3 ... 66x3 ... PR!
These felt bloody brilliant today! I read a few of Glenn's posts on the midwestbarbell board and took in a few things. I started using the hook grip to get used to cleaning with it. I started the pull with my hips higher and that seemed to make a massive difference. I even caught one of the warmup sets after it clipped my chest on the way up/my way down, which is a cue in Starting Strength to keep the bar close.
I would have tried a bigger PR today, but after my little injury last Wednesday, decided to keep it steady. The tearing feeling around my right shoulder/lat was much less pronounced than on Friday. I feel like I ought to be making faster progress on these since I'm still not using much more than one plate, but looking at the progress above, I can't complain.
3. Squats (kg)
40x5 ... 50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 80x5
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 80x5 ... 90x5
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 80x5 ... 95x2 (FAIL)
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 80x5 ... 87x5 ... reset
50x5 ... 60x5 ... 70x5 ... 80x5 ... 90x5
Not too hard. Will do 93kg for Friday's triple.
4. Bench (kg)
40x5 ... 45x5 ... 50x5 ... 57x5 ... 66x5
45x5 ... 50x5 ... 55x5 ... 60x5 ... 68x5
45x5 ... 50x5 ... 55x5 ... 63x5 ... 70x5
50x5 ... 55x5 ... 60x5 ... 65x5 ... 71x5
45x5 ... 50x5 ... 55x5 ... 63x5 ... 72x5
I dropped the warmups back down again. The top set is just 0.5kg/1lb less than my 5RM, but this is already feeling very hard. It'd be a shame to reach my 5RM and then crap out and stall. I'll go to 73kg for Friday's triple and go for the PR on Monday.
Comments
Thanks for the suggestions about rolling around on a tennis ball. That helped nicely and I reached a new spot that I didn't realise was sore!
I had to pull myself up by the bar after the final bench set again. Anything that involves compressing an arched back sets it off. I've been doing the core exercises each day, so we'll see how I fare after another couple of weeks. I've also started stretching, which I always neglect.
Cynical Simian
New member
The words "tearing feeling" make me cringe every time I read them. Good thing the problem's improving so I won't have to see them much longer. 
It's weird that bench almost always seems to stall before the other lifts. Madcow's theory was that a lot of guys put disproportionate emphasis on a big bench and try to increase it too quickly, but it happens to you (and me and other 5x5ers here) even with conservative increases.
One thing I've found helpful when ramping to a single top set is actually the opposite of what you're doing - a heavier fourth set. Pendlay's warmup example has something similar percentage-wise - the top two sets are 185 and 200 for a beginning squatter. There's a balance between helping and hindering performance, of course, but not going too light on the next-to-last set might help that top one feel a bit lighter.
Congrats on the cleans PR.
It's weird that bench almost always seems to stall before the other lifts. Madcow's theory was that a lot of guys put disproportionate emphasis on a big bench and try to increase it too quickly, but it happens to you (and me and other 5x5ers here) even with conservative increases.
One thing I've found helpful when ramping to a single top set is actually the opposite of what you're doing - a heavier fourth set. Pendlay's warmup example has something similar percentage-wise - the top two sets are 185 and 200 for a beginning squatter. There's a balance between helping and hindering performance, of course, but not going too light on the next-to-last set might help that top one feel a bit lighter.
Congrats on the cleans PR.
