Sunday 1.9.13 My usual Kali training partner is on holiday at the moment (how selfish of him), so my usual MA training has been on hold for a little while, although today I met up with the Wing Chun guy whose class I tried out a couple of weeks ago – turns out he was impressed by my movement and wanted to check out kali to see what it’s like. We trained for about 2 hours in the park, all single stick, covering a couple of footwork and hitting mechanic drills, then a long range (step back and away, hit the hand) and mid range (tip up block, check hand, hit body and move) set of ‘answers’ to the common angles of attack. Put them together with varying pressures and random angles (using padded sticks) so the receiver has to ‘feel’ the difference between the ranges. He picked it up very quickly, seemed to enjoy it and had loads of intelligent questions; hopefully I’ll be training with him again! Later in the day me and the Better Half went for a good 2 hour walk in to and around town, stopping at some of our favourite eateries including a place that does amazing milk shakes – I had pistachio mmm :love:
bad luck on that 115 the other day, but sounds more like a technical fail than strength, if you can do a triple at 110 I know you can do it. I would start Deadlifts at 60kg (forget the empty bar stuff), all reps are effectively from that same starting height/position, do bigger jumps so say: 1 x 5 @ 60 1 x 3 @ 75 1 x 3 @ 90 1 x 2 @ 100 1 x 1 @ 110 1 x 1 @ 115 or (as many reps as possible) alternatively if you want to build more on what you already lifted 1 x 5 @ 60 1 x 3 @ 80 1 x 2 @ 95 1 x 2 @ 105 1 x 3 @ 110 amrap
That's kind of you, and thank you for the tips too (so long, empty bar!) Tomorrow will be mainly front squats, pendlay rows and push press (time permitting), then Saturday morning I'll be back to a deadlift focus...
Monday 2.9.13 Gym workout from hell (thanks coach!) All in all it took far too long at about 90 minutes, plus 8-10 minutes either side jog to and from the gym. I. Must. Learn. To. Do. Less. Here goes: 8 min jog to gym Thoracic flow thingy, lunges (front, side, cossack), hindu squats, hindu push ups. Deadlift warm up: 1x3 bar 1x3 @40 (I’ll be dropping these next time Haru ) 1x3 @60 1x3 @70 Circuit 1 - 3 rounds, no rest between exercises, 60s rest between rounds. 6x deadlift (80, 90, 5x100) DB shoulder blast, all with 10kg DBs: 10x DB shoulder press 10x see-saw press (5 on each side) 10x bicep curl to Arnold press 10x box squat to push press 20x bar grappler press (similar to a standing landmine press, where you throw the bar up with one hand and catch with the other), 15kg plate on the thrown end of the bar. Shoulders burn, start again. Circuit 2 - 3 rounds, same rest allowances. 6x Bear Complex (clean, front squat, push press, back squat, push press) @40kg 10x DB rows from plank @22kg DBs Circuit 3 - 3 rounds, had to take some rest before the thrusters, and more rest between rounds. 5x OH squat @bar only 10x split squat (5 on each side) @40kg 5x front squat @40kg 5x thruster (front squat to push press) @40kg Walk home, sit down, reminded that I had promised to start C25K (from the couch to running 5k) programme with the Better Half, smile, stand up again. Start C25k programme with the Better Half – 5 minute warm up (brisk walking) followed by 20 minutes of 60s jogging and 90s walking. This was hard work for me and quite achievable for her Tuesday 3.9.13 Structural Integration (Rolfing) session 8 of 10. This one was lower body work, glutes and ham strings, quite uncomfortable at points but seemed effective as femurs, hip and heels are all in line now… 25 minute walk with the Better Half as a rest day for her. Wednesday 4.9.13 Today my right leg (knee and ankle particularly) and neck all felt quite ‘clicky’, so my workout consisted of some gentle mobility in the morning, and in the evening, a 30 minute walk and some laying on the floor acting as a cat pillow.
Yarp, only 5 reps on each side though, they were the 'high intensity' portion of that circuit. Done with minimal twisting, maximal grunting. I guess my MA to date has made me 'OK' at some stuff (Thai clinch = (kind of) renegade rows), and not so good at other stuff (not enough Capoeira = pretty poor OHP). I asked the coach who wrote that programme whether he preferred high intensity or volume, he said "YES, DO BOTH". I don't know whether that's necessarily helpful, I think I should probably keep to simple stuff as I'm still an imbalanced beginner.
Thursday 5.9.13 Felt loads better this morning - no back stiffness upon waking, legs felt back to normal, so… gym tonight! AM: 10 mins mobility (yoga cat stretching, 4 quick sun salutations, slow mountain climbers, quadruped thoracic extension/rotation) 2x10 wall press dead bug (alternate leg lowering) 2x10 swiss ball ham curl to 5s leg raise 2x10 swiss ball plank stir the pot 2x45s side plank PM: Jog to gym Front squat 1x5 bar only 1x5 @40kg 1x4 @50 3x5 @60 (good form, last few reps ground out) Pendlay Rows 1x5 @40kg (from blocks) 1x4 @50 (smaller blocks) 1x3 @55 (same) 3x5 @60 (from floor, good form) 1x4 @70 (poor form, stay at 60 for next time) Bench Press 1x5 bar only (wide grip (forefingers on the rings) remembering slight arch, engage lats, leg drive) 1x5 @40kg 1x4 @50 3x5 @60 (all reps touch chest, last few ground out a little…) Jog home All done in 40 minutes including jogging there and back, didn’t feel tired in the gym, felt absolutely godly when I got home, pint of milk for Tyr please :woo:. Friday 6.9.13 AM: mobility/yoga (flowing) warm up 3x circuit 15 hindu push ups 25 hindu squats 20 mountain climbers 20 push up-sit throughs (10 on each side) Plank – 60s front, 60s sides, 60s back 10x15s vacuum breathing (this is awesome BTW) PM: c25k session 3 – 5 min brisk walking then 20 minutes 60s jogging followed by 90s walking. Gripper work (listed for one hand only, same thing done with the other hand, 1 set left hand, 1 set right hand) 100lb Heavy Grips 1x10 half closes spring up 1x10 half closes spring down 1x8 full closes spring up 1x8 full closes spring down 140lb CoC #1 3x5 full closes spring up (managing more full closes in total, but not on all reps) 2x5 full closes spring down 1x3 full closes (with a set) and 5 second hold spring up 1x3 full closes (with a set) and 5 second hold spring down Hand stretching 30 minutes empty hand carenza – focussing on the Rear Hand Series (serious visualisation required – can’t wait for my training partner to get back from holiday!).
Saturday 7.8.13 and Sunday 8.8.13 Well, on Monday one of my kindly co-workers decided to come in to work even though they were experiencing the early stages of a cold: sniffing a lot, and sneezing and coughing all over everyone :bang: I was feeling a bit under the weather yesterday, today I feel rubbish (although just a head cold, not proper flu), no gym, no c25k, just recovery, sleep, Berocca, mild doses of paracetamol. Bah! Monday 9.8.13 Felt quite a lot better today, not quite 100%, but definitely better than over the weekend. Back to work, thanks friendly co-worker for making me spend my weekend sniffling. PM: gym time 10 minute jog to gym Front Squat 1x5 bar only 1x4 @40kg 1x3 @50kg 3x5 @60kg 1x3 @70kg 1x2 @75kg 1x1 @77.5kg (new 1RM PR! ) Fail at 80kg, good job I was using the safety bars in the rack! Dead lift So, remember the checklist – bar over mid foot, breathe into your balls and hold lower trunk tight, slight bend in the legs, **** back, back at 45 degrees, grip just outside leg width, shoulder blades down (lock lats), squeeze ****, squeeze grip, neutral spine (look forward), centre moves up forwards (NOT **** first), push hips forward and stand up, don’t hyper extend (lean back), put it back down in reverse order (controlled, not dropped). 1x5 @60kg (bar+40) 1x4 @80 1x3 @90 1x2 @100 1x2 @110 (nice and easy ) 1x3 @115 (new 3RM PR! ) 1x1 @120 (new 1RM PR! 1.5x bodyweight :woo 2x3 @110 (good form all the way through) Reverse cable wood choppers, gripping the thick rope attachment thingy (upward lunge, pull, twist, then push) 6x10 @ ’35’ kg (I think there’s a mechanical advantage of 2x on the cable machine, so really it’s 17.5kg) Next two as a circuit, no rest between exercises, about 45s rest between sets. Push up to Renegade row 3x20 @24kg DBs (10 on each side) Offset goblet split squat (weight on the back leg side) 3x20 @24kg DB (10 on each side) /circuit 4x5 archer pulls with the new heavier band (I think it’s one you can use to do assisted pull ups) 2x10 straight band pulls (these were hard!) Jog home, drink 2.5 pints of milk (oops), and eat a 6 egg omelette. Good day all round, now for the sleeping.
Well done! I've had to revise my Deadlift stance after watching a few million more youtube vids. The golden rule of midfoot under the bar varies depending on how tall you are and other things like body length, arm length. The main thing is to be near the bar, with hips high and shoulders as far back as possible.
Cheers! Yeah, I know what you're saying, and, although I'm taller than average (6ft2), I think my limb and torso proportions are close to standard (that should be on my CV ), so most of the golden rules seem about right for me, except the bar is a bit closer to the floor (proportionally).
Tuesday 10.9.13 Structural Integration (Rolfing) session 9 of 10 - all about balancing everything up with the lumbar spine, so for me this was work on glute and psoas, and forearms (apparently they’re the counterweight to the psoas) and something in my arm pits… Didn’t feel quite as beaten up as last week, although things still feel a bit loose and need to settle down before any gym time. KALI (my training buddy is back from holiday!) about 1.5 hours of empty hand hubad including switches (switching from trading right side attacks to left side attacks), guntings (limb destructions when the attack is incoming), free footwork (stay on balance and at a range where you can attack, and move slightly to reduce potency of their attack when you are receiving), pushes (to the body), pulls (to the neck, or the arms either directly from double hand grab, or ‘roll’ down the bicep with wrist control), low line kicks (primarily stomping type), wrist control, elbow control, single neck tie, double neck tie (plumb clinch), leg presses, angular and straight line hand attacks, elbows, and (this was a surprise to my partner), draw knife and move in to tapping, limb control and counter striking (and the occasional, incidental disarm, although we weren’t going full tilt). Meh, that probably won't mean a lot to lots of people (like when I read about others' judo/jj/ninja techniques), don't worry, it was fun, functional (I think!) and looked pretty cool Wednesday 11.9.13 MOAR KALI! We did a mixture today with an emphasis on training the ‘short weapon’ hand - in single stick it is the hand NOT holding the stick (the “live hand”), in stick and knife it is the one holding the knife, with equal length weapons (empty hand and double stick etc), it can be either hand... Started with 5 count sumbrada (a mid range (weapon can hit body/head yet hand cannot) counter for counter drill) with single stick, and an emphasis on the live hand coming down in more of a scooping motion rather than a straight outward blocking motion, then you don’t eat a punio in the palm every time… Both (and other responses) have their time and place, so please no one tell me what a block is, or that I 'should' be intercepting etc Switch up the drill to sumbrada stick and knife, with an emphasis on the stick being a shield, and the knife cutting downwards on the hand with the same motion we just practiced (we use Nok training knives, tough but forgiving). Isolate the blocks in angle order (abecedario drill from our system), first tip up, then tip down, then passing (progressively lower and lower percentage reactionary moves). First get the movements with the angles in a set order, then switch to padded sticks an d trade random angles 3 for 3. Go back to single stick and note the improvement in live hand parrying and control! Finish off with a little more hubad type drills, but including double hits (rather than just 1 for 1), and grabbing/holding with one hand whilst hitting with the other - makes it harder for the received to deal with each element Techniques learnt, attributes and skills improved, fun had, job done :woo: Gripper work when back home (all sets repeated spring up, spring down, and on both hands, left hand first) 100lb warm up 1x8 1x5 1x3, each with a 5 second static hold 140lb work 1x5 (5 full closes on RH, 4 on left in first set, fewer on each subsequent set, still maximum effort!) 2x4 2x3 with a set (with both hands) and 5 second static hold I tried doing vacuum breathing at the same time as squeezing the gripper, I think it helps the squeeze, but definitely takes some concentration… 5x10 Straight arm strand pull (with low poundage resistance band from Argos, I think it’s only about 10 lbs… Although, the set came with a light, med and heavy which, I think, are 5lb, 8lb and 10lbs, so if I pull them all together that’s 23lbs… Still not much). I vary the angle on these (straight down, downward diagonal, straight in front, upward diagonal, overhead) 2x5 archer pulls with band doubled up (2 sets on each side). Stretching including hand/forearm.
Thursday 12.9.13 Morning yoga, about 30 mins today, sun salutations, warrior flow, thoracic flow, longer periods of relaxed stretching (ham strings, calves, hip flexors, glute and piriformis etc). PM: gym o’clock Run to gym, warm up when there (mobility and bodyweight shizzle) Front Squat (I am coming to love this exercise) 1x6 bar only 1x5 @40kg 1x4 @50 1x3 @60 1x5 @70 (was going to do 3x5 @70, but felt like pushing it a bit…) 1x2 @75 1x1 @80 (this is the most weight I’ve moved with this exercise, I did full ROM, but my form was TERRIBLE on the way back up, so I don’t count this as a PR ) 3x5 @65 (wanted to make sure my chest stayed up, so settled for 65 rather than 70) Deadlift 1x6 @60 1x5 @80 1x4 @95 3x3 @105 Pendlay Rows 1x5 @40kg 1x5 @50 5x5 @60kg Circuit Overhead split KB squats 3x20 (10 each side) @ 8kg KBs 3x10 Straight arm dips /Circuit 2x10 archer pulls (5 each side). Still not found out what resistance the band that I use is…
Saturday 14.9.13 Run to gym, mobility warm up (sun salutations, thoracic flow, straight, side and Cossack lunges, shoulder dislocations, OH squats with broom stick) Circuit 3x5 OH barbell squat @25kg (these are harder than they look!) 3x5 full range dips 3x10 straight arm dips /Circuit Wide grip bench press 1x5 bar only 1x4 @40kg 1x3 @50 3x5 @60 (still grinding out the last couple of reps, not ready for more resistance yet) Barbell split squat, front squat position My last Rolfing session revealed a slight imbalance when I split squat – left foot forward and all is fine, right foot forward and I wobble significantly on the way down. The theory is that my right glute isn’t quite firing at the right time, possibly reciprocally inhibited by right hip flexor (or hip rotators, not quite sure), maybe from driving an automatic (left leg stays still, right leg rotates and presses between brake and accelerator). Anyway, time to tackle it head on and practice the (one of the many) thing(s) I can’t do very well. Each set right foot forward first (crappy one first), then repeated left foot forward. 1x5 bodyweight only 1x5 bar 3x5 @40kg I like the front squat loading, makes me keep my chest up (thoracic extension makes me taller, ug ug) Clean and push press complex 1 x clean / 3 x push press @40kg 1 x clean / 3 x push press @45kg 5x (1 x clean / 3 x push press) @50kg Renegade rows 3x10 (5 on each side) @ 24kg DBs Stretch, walk home, fry up for lunch (all ur foodz R mine) Sunday 15.9.13 Kali in the park Double stick 6 counts with hourglass footwork; working on coordination and positioning, keeping at engagement range whilst constantly moving and hitting. Switch it up to knife v empty hand, start with tip up grip disarm series (it’s a way to remember a set of hand positions, disarm mechanics and likely counters/alternatives). Add this in to a tapping type drill (like Sayoc tapping – cross hand scoop, but a lot more to it), incorporating defender striking whilst controlling the weapon arm (and when there are any gaps), add in picking up the common positions for disarms, and (when you ‘feel’ it’s right) slipping in a disarm. Similar to the other day, we weren’t going full tilt (uber pressure test mode), more smooth drilling, trying to recognise the moment where it might be appropriate and when it might not. I should start recording these on video... All in all, a very pleasing session
Monday 16.9.13 PM: gym o’clock, about 45 minute workout. Jog there, usual warmy uppy thingy when I got there (thoracic flow, front, side and Cossack lunges, sun salutations, shoulder dislocations etc) Dead lift 1x5 @60kg 1x4 @80 1x3 @95 1x2 @105 3x3 @110 (double overhand grip, no straps, form felt good on all reps, grip lasted, happy) Front squat 1x8 bar only 1x6 @40kg (paused) 1x4 @50 (ditto) 1x3 @60 (ditto) 3x5 @65 (ditto) the last few were a bit strained, easier than last time, but I’m still not quite ready for the next step Front split squats (I’m still trying to isolate and work on that imbalance on my right side, so each set I did right foot forward, then left foot forward) 1x5 @40kg 3x5 @45 Croc Rows (thanks Frodo ) 1x8 @18kg DBs 1x6 @24 3x6 @32 (easy to start with, tough at the end) Stretch, walk home, stretch some more, drink milk. Crush Grip (after a rest; all sets left hand spring up, right hand spring up, left hand spring down, right hand spring down) 100lb Heavy Grips warm up 1x8 closes to parallel 1x8 full closes 1x3 full closes with a 5s hold 140lbs Captains of Crush #1 1x5 full closes (4 full closes on each hand in spring up set, 2 in spring down) 1x3 5s hold with a set (assist) from the other hand These felt pretty good despite the preceding workout… Workout 1 from week 3 of C25k with the better half – 5 min warm up followed by 2 x (90s jog, 90s walk, 3 minutes jog, 3 minutes walk). Warm down stretching. About 45 minutes Kali carenza (shadow boxing) - single stick, single sword, and double stick/sword. Switch between hands and grips, free moving footwork, level changes, defensive and offensive. One thing I'm really working on is my upward backand cut with left hand, making sure that I get sufficient turning mechanics and cut with the very edge of the weapon. Tuesday 17.9.13 PM: Structural Integration (Rolfing) Session 10 of 10 This was my final session of the Ten Series; meaning that after today I am left to my own devices for 6 months for my body to work out how to use the newly available range of motion and (hopefully) improved structural balance and, therefore, physical efficiency (that’s the theory). This means it's early days to review how the whole series went; but the early results are that: my posture has dramatically improved, my flexibility has improved (could also be due, in part, to Yoga, but I was practicing Yoga before, without nearly the same rate of improvement), I have not noticed any back, shoulder or neck pain of the same chronic nature that I had before (still get DOMS though ), several people have asked whether I have got taller and broader, and I feel lighter, and, dare I say it, have a more positive mental outlook. It feels as if the world has shrunken slightly, everything and everyone has become smaller, and the effect of gravity on my physical being has been reduced. Yes, it sounds a little nuts, and no, I’m not on chemical medication, it’s the best way I can describe it. Anyway, size-wise, as I am the same weight as I was at the start of this log (I still weight 12st9lb/177lb/80kg), one conclusion is that my posture has improved to the point where my eyes are higher up, my shoulders are externally rotated (compared to beforehand) and therefore my chest is extended and looks broader (it could also be the noob lifting), my hips are freer meaning that my les can naturally straighten slightly more easily. My breathing is deeper and freer (this is a very strange thing to notice - I noticed several 'releases' from tension that I didn't realise I was holding), and my voice has become slightly deeper as I am breathing more deeply, more regularly, and have less tension around my head, neck, chest, ribs, belly, hips, psoas, pelvic floor, ham strings… I think Elliot Hulse found a similar effect from freer, deeper breathing and grounding (although the thing he does is Bioenergetics (I think), it seems to have several points of similarity with Rolfing). I was highly sceptical to being with, and the lasting effects remain to be seen, but right now, I am very pleased with the results, and have learnt a lot about my own body along the way. My next challenge is to retain my improved structure through movements, especially martial arts movements, as I have learnt the majority of those at a time where my posture was poor, and there is the risk of reverting to those familiar (poor posture based) patterns, rather than modifying the movement patterns to the improved posture. It’s good to have a goal though, right? I have kept a photographic log at the start and end of each session, and I am considering sharing these online, but the things that are putting me off a little are: a) privacy etc and b) my half nakedness may offend (most taken only wearing shorts/boxers). Hmm, I will think on this more.
A geeky issue with Kroc rows... They are suppose to be high rep dumbbell rows. I tend not to class them as Kroc rows unless I'm doing over 10-12 reps, and aiming to building up to 20-30 reps for each set.
Ahh, OK, I'll adjust the parameter accordingly Don't think I could do more than 7-8 reps @32 at the moment... Something else to aim for!
Wednesday 18.9.13 Kali in the park: double stick 6 count variations with footwork, emphasis on range and positioning. Single stick sumbrada with receiver variables, emphasis on constant motion and reacting to the moments of unexpectedness. Thursday 19.9.13 Run to gym (I recently read about the difference between running and jogging, all of the previous times I wrote ‘jog’ I should have written ‘run’ ) Circuit* *OH Barbell Squat 3x5 @30kg, all paused (1-2 second), working on stability and symmetry *Full ROM dip 3x6 @BW, all slow, glutes and abs tight for stability *Straight arm dip (reverse shrug) 3x6, shoulders back and down for lower trap work Pendlay Rows 1x5 @40kg 1x4 @50 1x3 @60 3x5 @65 Clean and 3x push press 1x2 @40kg 1x1 @50 5x1 @55 (struggling a little on the lock out of the last few) Front squat barbell split squat 3x5 @50kg each side Band pulls 4x5 archer pulls, each side, with the thick green band (doubled up) 3x5 straight arm front pulls with green band Saturday 21.9.13 Gripper Warm up with 100lbs (all sets each hand, spring up and spring down) 1x8 half closes 1x8 full closes 1x3 full closes with 5 second hold CoC #1 140lbs 2x5 full closes (I am now managing 5 full closes with both hands, provided I ‘squeeze’ with my whole body…) 2x3 full closes with 5 second hold 1x5 overhead two hand closes 1x5 front two hand closes 1x5 two hand closes at belly level 2x10 straight arm pulls with ‘heavy’ resistance band (tripled over - it’s not that heavy) 3x15 DB curls @12.5kg (pump it up!) Sunday 22.9.13 Run 1.3km to gym Gym closed Run 1.3km home Plank - 4x 90s (front, rear and sides) Stretching
Monday 23.9.13 Turns out training on Monday was a bad idea, I didn’t exactly ‘twang’ anything whilst in the gym, but soon after felt quite sore, and have been resting and slowly regaining mobility in my hips/low back/ham strings through the week. It’s been moderately painful (for me, don’t know how painful it would have been for other people – differing pain thresholds etc), and quite frustrating knowing I might have been able to avoid it. Story begins: I had the day off, and wanted to get a workout in, but the early afternoon (about 1-2pm, typically a low ebb in circadian energy cycles) was the time I had made available, therefore, a little too soon after lunch, and without enough of a warm up (ran to the gym, but none of the usual spine mobility stuff), I dove in… Deadlift 1x5 @60kg 1x4 @90 1x3 @105 5x2 @115 (I had intended to do 3x3, but my grip kept failing on the last half of the way back down on the second rep - I should have heeded the warning!) Romanian Deadlift 3x8 @90kg (again, although I’ve RDL’d similar before, this was probably a bit too much for Monday) Front squat, all paused 1x5 @50kg 3x5 @60 (starting to realise that I wasn’t at optimum performance…) Front split squat 10, 7, 5 @50kg each side (I had wanted to get to 3x10, but was fading fast and starting to lose lateral stability) Barbell Row (these were slow, concentrating on form and squeezing my shoulder blades together at the top, much lower load than I’ve done with Pendlays previously, realising I was having a weaksauce session) 3x5 @45kg Wide(ish) Grip Bench Press 3x10 @50kg (grow you barsteward!) Kroc Rows (I had re-watched one of Matt Kroc’s video earlier and wanted to give it another go…) 1x20 @22kg DB each side, left hand first 1x16+4 @22 es (a tiny rest between 16 and 4) 1x10+6+4 @22 es Straight Arm Dip 3x10 bodyweight Walk home. Maybe I had done too much, maybe it was from eating a little close to training, maybe from not enough warm up, maybe from training in the early afternoon (I usually train 9-10.30am, or 6-7.30pm ish), whatever it was, my lumbar-sacrum and hamstring regions were all pretty sore, with significantly reduced comfortable range of motion. Stiffness was worse after long periods of immobility (sleeping, sitting etc). It didn’t hurt when I lay on the floor, completely relaxed. Good start. I worked out that I could gradually relax into normal ROM (e.g. standing forward bend, pigeon pose) without too much pain, but only when done very slowly (this made me think it was muscular soreness, rather than joint problems). I went to see my physio friend who poked me and made me move around, confirming muscular rather than joint, suggesting that I should ‘man up a bit’ (thanks mate), then helpfully suggesting some foam roller/trigger point stuff I could do to aid recovery. The rest of the week has pretty much been daily stretching, foam rolling (also with a baseball for glute medius), gentle walking, one session of kali (quite technical, stick and knife stuff), and one yoga class. So now I’m just about back to feeling normal, and ready to dive back in, I’ve had a decent breakfast, waited about an hour to digest and am planning a good mobility warmup, as well as easing myself back in to the resistance… Watch this space!
Nope, too much too soon :cry: 3rd round of a circuit starting with dead lift 6 reps @80kg, 6th rep, about 2/3 of the way up something went click in my lower back, pain, put the weight down sharpish, end session, walk home, gentle stretch, take passion killers, ring physio. Rubbish
^ I'm confused about where this was in your last workout, read it several times... Oops Hope my suggestion of heavier start weight hasn't contributed! I also have an issue with training times. Whenever I have taken a day off and gone earlier in the day, when the gym would usually be quieter I don't seem to have the same level of strength. Assuming my physical strength is fairly consistent with regular training sessions almost every week I can only think it is physiological. I only skip the 15-20 min warmup on my stretch days when I have 2 exercises with lighter weights. When I'm not doing deficit Deadlifts the 20kg plates a side, good position, fast pull, not overpull leaning back a lot of people do, hold top position for a couple of seconds, descent, dead stop. Repeat.
