Deadlifts and milkshakes

...
The lax ball is placed over the general area of the iliopsoas with the kettlebell on top. Then proceed as you would with any foam rolling/lax ball work. Find a hot spot, sit on it until it works itself out. You can also add some knee or hip flexion/extension when you find a tender spot, but it won't be comfortable at all.

This and the usual half-kneeling stretch focusing on keeping my pelvis neutral (or even slightly posteriorly tilted) have helped me a lot. Pretty much eliminated my pain while squatting.

The kbell on top of the lax ball is freaking BRILLIANT. Now, unfortunately, I lost the Keo-Babyeater House Lacross Ball, so it's on me to go get another one. I feel REALLY stupid for asking this, but what do you mean by a half-kneeling stretch? Do you have an image you could post, possibly?
 
The kbell on top of the lax ball is freaking BRILLIANT. Now, unfortunately, I lost the Keo-Babyeater House Lacross Ball, so it's on me to go get another one. I feel REALLY stupid for asking this, but what do you mean by a half-kneeling stretch? Do you have an image you could post, possibly?

http://eplerhealth.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/hip-flexor-stretch.jpeg

Just lean your weight forward to get a stretch in the leg behind you.

You can also use a physioball or bench to intensify the stretch and get the quad involved (like below)
http://www.jump-higher-basketball.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/vertical-leap-stretches.jpg

Just make sure you don't cheat by arching your low back or tilting your pelvis forward.
 
^^Those stretches are SO painful for me! I can barely even hold it for 20 seconds.
Also, I just read some of the Supple Leopard book and saw those iliopsoas smash exercises. They look pretty painful, but maybe I'll try it out soon.
 
2/6/2014

Press
bar x 5
50 x 5
55 x 5
60 x 2
65 x 4
65 x 4
65 x 5 rep PR

Notes: Trained at HS gym again. I've been trying to get 5 with 65 for a long time and I finally got it today. One of my student's saw me lifting in there and came in to watch. My student's always really inspire me, I couldn't possibly fail in front of her!
 


Here are my squat sets from yesterday. I included all of my warm ups for reference (on super speed frames to cut down on uploading time) to how I GM every single squat, even when it's just the bar. My first work set I did in real time so everyone can critique my depth.

P.S. Check out Smokey's video bombing! I love that little guy.
 
http://eplerhealth.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/hip-flexor-stretch.jpeg

Just lean your weight forward to get a stretch in the leg behind you.

You can also use a physioball or bench to intensify the stretch and get the quad involved (like below)
http://www.jump-higher-basketball.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/vertical-leap-stretches.jpg

Just make sure you don't cheat by arching your low back or tilting your pelvis forward.

Many thanks for this. I really appreciate it!! WC's log has become a place of learning once again.
 
2/9/2014

Squat
bar x 5
95 x 5
115 x 3
135 x 3
155 x 3
175 x 2
190 x 5 new 5RM

PAUSED bench
bar x 10
75 x 5
85 x 5
95 x 3
105 x 2
115 x 1
115 x 1
115 x 1
115 x 1
115 x 1


Deadlift
135 x 5
155 x 3
175 x 1
175 x 1
175 x 1
175 x 1
175 x 1

Notes: Happy with all of my lifting today. Squats were fairly easy considering that's a new 5RM (and I got all white lights for depth from coach) :-P Deadlifts also felt fantastic, form felt solid for once.

I went to the doc yesterday and found out that these prolonged flu-like symptoms are actually a result of an upper respiratory infection. I'm on antibiotics and using an inhaler throughout the day. Hopefully this will be the end of it.
 
What's up woman! :) looking good, keep up the good work.
 
What's up woman! :) looking good, keep up the good work.

Thanks! Glad to see you back. What have you been up to?

2/12/2014

Squat
bar x 5
bar x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 3
170 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 5
170 x 5

Bench
bar x 5
65 x 5
88 x 5
100 x 5
105 x 3
110 x 5
110 x 5
110 x 5
105 x 5

Deadlift
135 x 5
155 x 5
155 x 5
155 x 5

Notes: Training went pretty well today. I'm pretty heavy right now for some reason. Body fat seems very low to me, probably the lowest it's ever been. But I'm weighing close to 140 in the morning! I'm about 5-7 pounds over my regular weight. I've been chuggin raw milk and eating at least a pound of chicken a day, so that's probably the reason for the increased weight gain.
 
Here's an update on the bikini prep. I have a lot to work on still, but happy with my quad growth lately. I can thank texas method for that.

 
Lesson I learned today: don't browse this log while in my office.
 
haha sorry! I have no idea how to put photos into a spoiler alert.

No worries. And your quads have definitely improved. Looks like you've got some pretty serious visible separation going on there--soon you'll be too jacked for bikini!
 
No worries. And your quads have definitely improved. Looks like you've got some pretty serious visible separation going on there--soon you'll be too jacked for bikini!

Thanks, and man I would love it if they told me I was too muscular!
 
2/14/2013

Squat
bar x 5
bar x 5
95 x 5
135 x 3
140 x 5
140 x
140 x 5

Press
bar x 5
50 x 5
55 x 5
66 x 2 + F
55 x 5
55 x 5
55 x 5
55 x 5
55 x 5

Chins
5
+8 x 2

Weighted bulgarian split squats
+20 x 10
+20 x 10
+20 x 10

Notes: My overhead press is miserably weak. I hate it :(
 
2/16/2014

Squat
bar x 10
bar x 5
95 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 3
175 x 2
185 x 1
195 x 4 rep PR

Bench
bar x 5
65 x 5
88 x 5
100 x 3
105 x 2
115 x 2
115 x 2
115 x 2
115 x 2
115 x 2

Deadlift
135 x 5
155 x 3
175 x 2
175 x 2
175 x 2
175 x 2
175 x 2

Chins
5,5,3

Stretching

Notes: Felt a little flat squatting today. Got a rep PR but was hoping to get 5. I didn't fail anything, but just racked it at 4. I was getting pretty wobbly and almost definitely would have been stapled.

Next week, depending on how I feel, I might start doing triples and cycling between triples and singles and go back to 5RM's later on.
 
2/17/2014

Smolov, Week 1, Day 1

PAUSED Bench
bar x 5
65 x 5
75 x 5
85 x 5
90 x 6
90 x 6
90 x 6
90 x 6
90 x 6
90 x 6

Chins
3,6,4,5

Notes: Going to do a cycle of Smolov Jr to kickstart my bench a little.
 
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