The Progress Thread 2012

[Rob Cote]

yeah its pretty nice actually.

SL DL 405 3x3

wasn't feeling up to normal DL last night, plus its nice to change it up once and awhile

For straight legs, do you just do a wide stance and the whole lift is in your back?

[kryptonik]

Welp, I think I ****ed my shoulder up. Not sure how. I did chest on Saturday, and it felt fine. Felt fine all of a Sunday. Felt fine all of yesterday, till the car ride to the gym. Anyway, I warmed up, feeling okay, DB shoulder press was 100% pain free. Military press felt a little off, so I stopped. Close grip bench was fine. Tricep pull downs seemed to hurt, but only on the initial set up, not the actual movement.

Anyway, as soon as I left the gym it got worse. There is some improvement from last night till today, but it is a very dull ache in what seems to be my medial/anterior deltoid. If I raise my arm I get a sharp, wincing pain in that area. The pain is very localized, and I have nothing anywhere else in my arm, neck, etc. There is some minor clicking-ish sounds, though I'm fairly positive this shoulder has always had them. Anything behind the back, is pain free. And, it seems like most over head activity is pretty much pain free. It's just getting my arm up there that hurts.
Also, if I stick my arm straight out in front of me, and rotate my hand, I am pain free. If its out to the side, I get pain rotating thumb down, but only at full flex of that rotation. Thumb up is fine.
I have no noticeable swelling or bruising.

I'm hoping it's just an irritation or something, but my mind is getting the best of me for sure. One thing I am aware of is that if I do lateral raises, it flares up something very similar to this. It's never been this bad, but, on the lateral raise, if heavy enough (+20lbs or more) I get this clicking in my left shoulder, and it ends up feeling similar to this now. Not sure if this is pertinent or related, but, maybe...?

[spoolin215]

So it hurts during abduction and internal rotation?

Probably from over working your delts because you have a "chest" day and "shoulder" day.

[Chilledman]

For straight legs, do you just do a wide stance and the whole lift is in your back?

I do a narrow stance , just slight less wide then my regular DL stance.
There is a platform at the gym that I use so I am able to go deeper then I do with normal DL .

I would ask spoolin or someone else how to do it correctly thou

[kryptonik]

So it hurts during abduction and internal rotation?

Yes. Abduction at pretty much any angle causes pain. It's worse as I move outwards, away from my body. And, I worded the rotation wrongly. It hurts when I twist it upwards, so, external rotation, but only when my arm (left arm) is, left, of being straight out.

[spoolin215]

I do a narrow stance , just slight less wide then my regular DL stance.
There is a platform at the gym that I use so I am able to go deeper then I do with normal DL .

I would ask spoolin or someone else how to do it correctly thou

The way you do it chilled is the correct way. Doing a wide stance straight leg dead is asking for injury, imo.

Yes. Abduction at pretty much any angle causes pain. It's worse as I move outwards, away from my body. And, I worded the rotation wrongly. It hurts when I twist it upwards, so, external rotation, but only when my arm (left arm) is, left, of being straight out.

Interdesting....Well in my opinion it's pretty much unfixable. you're ****ed bro.

[Rob Cote]

I did squats two days ago and am happy to report that my legs are not jello today! I made my stance a bit wider than normal and pointed my toes a little further out than normal. Also used the open hand grip mentioned on the last page I think, I'm really loving that. Bottomed out my ass on my calves for most of them and felt excellent going through the whole 5x5. Soooo onto real progress now?

Added 20 pounds this week and got through 3x5. On number 4 of the 4th set though, I stopped on my way up. I told myself **** that, I'm getting it. My back stayed in good shape from what I could tell but I shifted to the right, almost like my left leg pushed harder or something. I dunno, I couldn't quite tell. I feel fine but it freaked me out a little so I hung it up. Still content with it.

[kryptonik]

Interdesting....Well in my opinion it's pretty much unfixable. you're ****ed bro.

lol

[miscbrah]

lol

Just give it some rest, ice and heat. I tweaked my "good" shoulder (the one that hasn't been surgically repaired lulz) a few weeks back, pain subsided after a week and I took it easy in the gym for about a week after that.

Sometimes minor shoulder pain is exacerbated due to inflammation and the relation of tendons/nerves/muscle in that region.

[kryptonik]

Just give it some rest, ice and heat. I tweaked my "good" shoulder (the one that hasn't been surgically repaired lulz) a few weeks back, pain subsided after a week and I took it easy in the gym for about a week after that.

Sometimes minor shoulder pain is exacerbated due to inflammation and the relation of tendons/nerves/muscle in that region.

Yeah, I've been hard on the ice for the last 36 hours or so, and it's amazing how much better it feels. My arm went from being basically useless, to feeling like I got a tetanus shot or something.

[Techun]

flat, one arm DB presses are now my favorite exercise. Just use one DB, and press while making sure you don't tip over. Did 3x8 at 90lbs, ready to move up. It's also great because you don't need a spotter, you always have another hand there ready if you fail, or just dump it.

Was able to work up to sets of 8x100lbs* just a week after this post. I can see myself soon doing more weight on these than "regular" db bench (I'm around 6x120 on those IIRC)


*edit I also did OHP first and I have a sore throat :p

[autodubbin98]

how much time do you guys spend warming up? Before even touching a bar or weight? I feel like this is the cause of most injuries.

[::xander::]

how much time do you guys spend warming up? Before even touching a bar or weight? I feel like this is the cause of most injuries.

speaking of this!

I had a pretty lame deadlift day today! After my awesome pull last week, I couldn't pull 495 for a single today!

1. nichole and I were in kind of a funk and had a pissing match right before we went into the gym. One of the few negatives of having your girlfriend as a gym partner.

2. I skipped a LOT of my workout sets and I think that jammed me up.

Years ago, I used to NEVER warm up, these days, I find the more I do, the better.

For instance, tomorrow I want to pull 530. I will attempt to warm up as such:
135x8
225x6
315x5
365x3
405x3
455x2
490x1
505x3 or more

Even that is a little light on the warm up, I may do a set at 425 and 475.

[spoolin215]

I think your guys injuries some how infected me via the web. My right shoulder is totally ****ed all of a sudden for no real reason (oh wait maybe it's because I snatch and jerk everyday).


I was having some internal rotation issues, and now I can internally rotate, but from an abducted/internally rotated position (like a snatch) I can't externally rotate without a searing pain shooting from my shoulder down into my bicep. There is also a thick band of tissue (feels like ligament) sitting near my front delt that shouldn't be there, and if I hold my arm straight out and internally rotate, it has some subluxation, and pops like a mofo.

[autodubbin98]

So you guys don't do any dynamic warm up stuff before you even touch the bar? No band work directly to the muscles? Takes me about 15-20 minutes before I even get under/near a bar. Check out mobilitywod.com. Crossfit related, but good info.

[Residentevol]

After 2 weeks off I picked back up and squatted 205 for 5x5...well I tried at least...Couldn't get all of my reps I'm thinking because my breakfast was not that great...Just ran out of gas.

I am now also sore as hell more than I had ever been before which I'm thinking could be because I've been off of BCAA's and creatine for the 2 weeks as well...

[Chilledman]

how much time do you guys spend warming up? Before even touching a bar or weight? I feel like this is the cause of most injuries.

Pretty much zero.

-anyhow -

For Dead lifts I do some light 225x5 Straight leg ones then go right to 315 and go up from there
For Bench I do 3x10 of lateral raises and then go bench
For both front and rear squat I do a set of 5 at 205 very slowly and sit at the bottom for a few seconds for both .

I used to not do anything since I was moving all day for work , now since I am stuck at a desk I find myself doing a little more stretching especially for my legs / hips.

But I think every person is different , I have a friend who is in better visual shape then me but he is always injured .

[miscbrah]

This is partly the cause, I've been slacking on the warmup lately. The other factor was benching after push press, cleans, rotator and rear delt work just two days prior and not being recovered. I usually stagger any shoulder intensive days for recovery.

[kryptonik]

My warm ups usually consist of ~5 sets, ramping up to the weight I will be using, regardless of the exercise. Though, that is usually on the first lift. For example, on leg day, for squats, I'll go:

135 2x5-8
185 1x5
225 1x3-5
275 1x3
working sets.

Then, I'll just jump into my other lifts, as my legs and whatnot are good to go.

On a sour note, I said something earlier this week about feeling like I almost gave myself a hernia setting up on DB bench. Well, I did. No protrusion thankfully, but the doc believes I got about as close to popping thru as possible. Not excited about it at all.

[ultimate steve]

Kryptonik, how close is 275 to you workout weight?

I think I need to adjust my warmup, sometimes I feel too spent to finish my work sets.

[kryptonik]

Last week I was squatting 305. Those numbers/reps aren't set in stone. Sometimes I'll only do one rep for the last set. Sometimes I'll go from 225, to 255, to 285 to my working set. I kind of play it by year.

[Rob Cote]

I kind of play it by year.

[kryptonik]

Not sure what the smiley is for?

Playing it by year means that sometimes I may add a set or two, depending on how I feel. It's still five or so sets give or take for warm ups, before my working sets.

edit: Yeah, I missed that joke/thread.

[Chilledman]

joke



my head I think

[Rob Cote]

I knew what you meant. But there was just a thread on here somewhere within the past few days wherein a bunch of people butchered common sayings. I thought it was a reference to that. It's "play it by ear". For future reference.

carry on.

[ultimate steve]

Last week I was squatting 305. Those numbers/reps aren't set in stone. Sometimes I'll only do one rep for the last set. Sometimes I'll go from 225, to 255, to 285 to my working set. I kind of play it by year.

Hmm yea I think I need to change my warmup a bit

Gonna go
135x8
155x5
185x5
205x3-5
Work set is 235 5x5

Last week I did a set of 225x5 before the 235 and I was struggling on my 3rd set. Might have been a bad day though cuz the Monday before 230 went up just fine.

[kryptonik]

Hmm yea I think I need to change my warmup a bit

Gonna go
135x8
155x5
185x5
205x3-5
Work set is 235 5x5

Last week I did a set of 225x5 before the 235 and I was struggling on my 3rd set. Might have been a bad day though cuz the Monday before 230 went up just fine.

You were probably a bit gassed because for your warm up, you did a set of 5, at 95% of your working weight. That's basically an additional work set.

[Techun]

Tried trap bar DL for the 2nd time. It seems soooo much easier, I imagine that means my quads are stronger than my posterior, correct?

worked up to 315x8, my shoulders and upper back were burning up at that point. With regular DL I would mainly do triples up to 325 or so.

[ultimate steve]

Had the ****tiest workout in recent memory today. No energy. Purposely didn't take my pre workout because I want to stop using them but Jesus **** I duno if I can. I had green tea instead and it taste like hot cigarette water and made me ****.

[Rob Cote]

Where do you guys go mentally to lift? I have to be listening to metal. The more aggressive the lyrics, the better. Screaming? Yes please. I imagine he's yelling at me. I zone out and tell myself that the weight is going up. I find that as soon as I question whether or not it's gonna happen, it's game over. I also need a goal number of repetitions. If I know I can do 5 but maybe not 10, but just go until failure, I'm lucky to get the 5.

[ultimate steve]

I been listening to ignite station on pandora. Plays ignite, rise against, afi, bad religion, strung out, pennywise, etc

[Techun]

weird songs get me in the mood to lift. I don't listen to rap, but somehow I like it when I lift.

Lately this has by far been my favorite lifting song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeF1a_gYVRc


Also did 110x5 on single arm press. Next time 120? ha

[Chilledman]

Where do you guys go mentally to lift? I have to be listening to metal. The more aggressive the lyrics, the better. Screaming? Yes please. I imagine he's yelling at me. I zone out and tell myself that the weight is going up. I find that as soon as I question whether or not it's gonna happen, it's game over. I also need a goal number of repetitions. If I know I can do 5 but maybe not 10, but just go until failure, I'm lucky to get the 5.

Just music and I try to think about something that pissed me off lately .

Or just think of some of the dumb things that people think here are a good idea .

Like staying on a boat as its going to get run over ....

What will set me off in a few seconds is thoughts of the years I wasted being a JW and how it has ****ed my life up and ruined my childhood and bam 600 DL no problem

[ultimate steve]

Just music and I try to think about something that pissed me off lately .

Or just think of some of the dumb things that people think here are a good idea .

Like staying on a boat as its going to get run over ....

What will set me off in a few seconds is thoughts of the years I wasted being a JW and how it has ****ed my life up and ruined my childhood and bam 600 DL no problem

What's a jw?

[.Mad Hatter.]

Witness to God...