Another 24

[BiggT]

What kind of shoes do you train in? If you're using sneakers, it is common to get shaky at random points in the lift and you'll have lots of problems directing force where you want to, especially as the weights get heavier....if you use sneakers, just buy a damn pair of Olympic lifting shoes already, lol, lifting on an Eleiko bar in sneakers should be punishable by law.

 

[Jim Ouini]

I squat in oly shoes, they've helped me a lot to sit back but I sometimes feel like I'm pushing through my heels too long. When I look at the vid I'm getting stuck right about where I'd start calling it a quarter squat, it's that far up from parallel.

I think I have a new found respect for quarter squatters

 

[Jim Ouini]

Week 5 Day 1

Squat
Bar x 10
135 x 5
225 x 1
255 x 1
275 x1
305 x 2 x 6, stopped, right knee hurt and right lower back hurt a little

Reps were hard, I was going to do 4 but the 6th rep of set #2 was a real grind. My right knee had been bothering me for the past week or so, and the twinge in my back was pretty sharp so I decided to play it safe. At least I feel I had the leg strength to do all the reps, I think.

Incline Bench
Bar x 15
135 x 4
145 x 6
165 x 6
205 x 6

Had to push hard on my last rep of 205 but I had no sticking point.

Clean Pull

225 x 2 x 4
275 x 1 x 4
295 x 2 x 4

Had to cut one of my sets since I was in a hurry. I tried to start my 2nd pull higher up, I think it's better.

Overall: Tough workout with having to bail on the squats. But I didn't want to have a repeat where I tried to push through and ended up losing a few weeks of training. My plan is to try for volume the rest of the week but play it by ear.

 

[Tweakle]

comparing the last workout to this one I had a 'wtf' moment.. then I read 'all weights in kilos'

strong incline there

 

[Jim Ouini]

Week 5 Day 2

Weights in kg

Pause Squat
Bar x 10
40 x 5
70 x 2
90 x 1
100 x 1
110 x 6
115 x 3 x 6

115 was tough. I had to do that bob thing in the hole to get that last rep and I really had to grind it out. Had some left over knee pain and hip pain but it wasn't debilitating so I just ignored it as much as I could.

CG Bench
Bar x 15
40 x 8
100 x 3 x 6, x 5

Missed my last rep at lockout. Pretty hard sets.

BB Row
40 x 2 x 5
100 x 4 x 6

Hard but doable. Form was about the same as 90 a couple weeks ago.

Overall: Pegged these weights about right. Pretty happy about the pause squats, actually all my lifts today were decent. Friday I will try to squat heavy again if my knee and hip cooperate, otherwise I may start my deload a day early

 

[Jim Ouini]

Week 5 Day 3

Squat

Bar x 10
135 x 2 x 5
185 x 6
225 x 6
275 x 6
310 x 6

310 was hard, especially the 5th rep was tough. I took 3 or 4 deep breaths, really braced my stomach and back and the 6th went up a lot better. I think my last 5 x 5 I was pushing deadlift too hard in volume phase and I ended up failing on 295 x 5. So this time it's a little better.

While I was squatting, 3 guys started squatting next to me, all kinda chubby and didn't look like they'd been in the gym much. Anyway, one guy seemed to be the ring leader as the other two pretty much hung on every word as he explained this and that. He was really dissecting the squat, telling one guy his feet weren't pointing exactly forward and in fact during his set he kept yelling 'right foot! right foot!'

Thing of it is, he was only doing 10lbs on each side and was really shakey at that. Then ring leader's turn is up and he slaps on another dime and proceeds to do a 8 hard reps.

When he finished one of them asks him about tempo and he said something about hitting both muscle fiber types and how 'it depends on how much isometric work you want to do'. Whatever

Incline Bench
Bar x 15
135 x 4
165 x 1
185 x 1
205 x 3 x 6, 1 x 5

205 felt heavy from the start; By the 4th set I was pretty tired and had nothing on the last rep.

Clean Pull
135 x 2 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 3, quit, had an ache in my lower back/hip and I couldn't get any snap.

Overall: Besides bailing out on clean pulls it was a decent workout. I think it was good to push another week of volume, I am definitely ready to deload now. I'll probably stick with 3 x 3 convention, and am contemplating deadlifting if I feel up to it.

 

[anotherbutters]

Good job. I look forward to the day when I can do 310x6, let alone at the end of a loading phase!

lol at your gym 'buddies'.

 

[Jim Ouini]

Thanks AB. I always have that doubt at the end of loading that I'll get that rebound effect. We'll see

 

[Jim Ouini]

Week 6 Day 1 - Deload

Squat
Bar x 10
135 x 2 x 5
185 x 1
225 x 1
275 x 1
305 x 3 x 3

Well my left hip (I think my glute med.) was still feeling strained all weekend, I took a lot of time stretching and getting loose and when I finally started warming up I could feel it. I did a pause squat at 275 and it felt heavy so I wasn't feeling that great about 305. Anyway, they actually went up real solid, no sticking point or hitches. And it didn't hurt to come out of the hole but the last few inches and racking the bar hurt it. At least I don't squat until Friday and we'll see what happens.

Incline Bench
Bar x 15
135 x 5
165 x 3
185 x 3
205 x 3

Easy.

Went home after that, didn't want to try any hang cleans or clean pulls since I couldn't snap my hips at all.

Overall: I'll have to see how this thing plays out. I'm hoping a few days rest and it'll be better.

 

[blut wump]

310 for six is decent lifting. How far are you thinking of taking the triples?

These minor injuries suck. You just have to cope and try to work around them.