conorvansmack's Training Journal

[conorvansmack]

4/30

Pull ups - 7, 7, 8, 6

Squat - 12 air, 8 OH @ 75, 5 @ 115, 5 @ 165, 3 @ 225, 2 @ 245, 3 x 5 @ 280

OH Press - 2 x 5 w/bar, 5 @ 75, 3 @ 95, 2 @ 115, 3 x 5 @ 140

Deadlift - 2 x 5 @ 135, 5 @ 185, 3 @ 225, 2 @ 275, 5 @ 310 (paused btw 3rd and 4th to regrip)

Burpees - 2 x 14

 

[conorvansmack]

5/3

Front Squat - 12 air, 5 OH w/75, 5 @ 85, 5 @ 135, 3 @ 175, 3 x 5 @ 215
I felt some pain in my left knee, below the kneecap on the inner part of the joint, but it went away after the first work set.

Bench Press - 10 push ups, 5 @ 115, 3 @ 165, 2 @ 205, 3 x 5 @ 225
Finally, body weight bench! I didn't have a spotter and didn't need one at all. This felt great.

Rows - 2 x 5 w/bar, 5 @ 135, 3 @ 155, 2 @ 185, 3 x 5 @ 200

Dips - 15, 15, 13
Close, but no cigar.

Burpees - 3 x 11
These were harder than normal after the bench and dips.

 

[conorvansmack]

5/7

I had every intention of working out last night, but my pregnant wife was admitted to the hospital for precautionary measures. Everything is fine and we're scheduled for a C-Section on 5/26.

Pull ups - 7, 7, 7, 5

Squat - 5 OH w/85, 10 air, 5 @ 115, 5 @ 165, 3 @ 225, 2 @ 255, 3 x 5 @ 285

OH Press - 2 x 5 w/bar, 5 @ 75, 3 @ 95, 2 @ 115, 3 x 5 @ 140

Deadlift - 2 x 5 @ 135, 5 @ 185, 3 @ 225, 2 @ 275, 6 @ 315
My goal was to hit 315 before my son is born, so this is pretty cool.

Burpees - 4 x 10

 

[conorvansmack]

5/10

Squat - 10 air, 5 OH @ 85, 5 @ 115, 5 @ 175, 5 @ 225, 3 @ 265, 3 x 5 @ 290

Bench Press - 10 push ups, 2 x 5 w/bar, 5 @ 115, 3 @ 165, 2 @ 205, 3 x 5 @ 230

Power Clean - 5 @ 65, 3 @ 95, 3 x 5 @ 110

Dips - 19 - I went for 20, but there was nothing there when I went for the 20th.

Burpees - 3 x 13

 

[conorvansmack]

5/14

Pull ups - 10, 6 wide grip, 5
I got in a set of 10, but I really need to do these more often. Does anyone out there think doing weighted pull ups will help me get up to a set of 15? That worked for me with dips.

Squat - 12 air, 8 OH @ 85, 5 @ 115, 5 @ 175, 3 @ 235, 2 @ 265, 3 x 5 @ 295

OH Press - 2 x 5 w/bar, 5 @ 75, 3 @ 105, 2 @ 120, 3 x 5 @ 145

Deadlift - 2 x 5 @ 135, 5 @ 195, 3 @ 245, 2 @ 285, 5 @ 320

Burpees - 3 x 14

 

[conorvansmack]

My current short team goal is to squat 3 x 5 @ 300 before my son is born. I have a concrete day to do this by since he's being delivered by C-section on 5/26. I think it's possible since the last few sessions have gone so well.

Once he's born, I anticipate having to take some time off due to lack of sleep and the desire to hang out with him.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: conorvansmack
I got in a set of 10, but I really need to do these more often. Does anyone out there think doing weighted pull ups will help me get up to a set of 15? That worked for me with dips.

If your goal is to build the strength associated with pull-ups, then yes, doing weighted pull-ups is the way to go. Strength is best built with the lower rep ranges and if you can already do 10 unweighted, adding weight is the only way to challenge yourself with low reps. As a bonus, getting stronger with weighted pull-ups will gradually increase the total number of unweighted pull-ups you can do.

However, if your goal is the muscular endurance needed for pull-ups, then there are more efficient approaches. For example, using Grease The Groove (GTG) would probably increase your pull-up numbers faster than doing weighted pull-ups. It'll also increase your overall pulling strength, but at a slower rate than doing weighted pull-ups.

 

[conorvansmack]

5/18

Front Squat - 12 air, 8 OH @ 85, 5 @ 85, 5 @ 135, 3 @ 185, 3 x 5 @ 220

Bench Press - 10 pushups, 8 @ 70 DB, 5 @ 115, 3 @ 165, 2 @ 205, 3 x 5 @ 230

Rows - 2 x 5 w/bar, 5 @ 105, 3 @ 145, 2 @ 185, 3 x 5 @ 205

Burpees - 20, 13, 13

 

[conorvansmack]

5/22

15 burpees

Squat - 10 air, 5 @ 115, 5 @ 175, 3 @ 235, 2 @ 265, 3 x 5 @ 300
4 days before my son will be delivered and I hit 300. Squats have been going really well lately, I'm kind of bummed about having to take some time off.

OH Press - 2 x 5 w/bar, 5 @ 75, 3 @ 105, 2 @ 120, 3 x 5 @ 145

Deadlift - 2 x 5 @ 135, 5 @ 195, 3 @ 245, 2 @ 285, 5 @ 325

Burpees - 15, 10, 10
I did the rest of the burpees at home in the driveway. I was nice outside and the gym closed at 9 tonight.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: conorvansmack
5/22

15 burpees

Squat - 10 air, 5 @ 115, 5 @ 175, 3 @ 235, 2 @ 265, 3 x 5 @ 300
4 days before my son will be delivered and I hit 300. Squats have been going really well lately, I'm kind of bummed about having to take some time off.

OH Press - 2 x 5 w/bar, 5 @ 75, 3 @ 105, 2 @ 120, 3 x 5 @ 145

Deadlift - 2 x 5 @ 135, 5 @ 195, 3 @ 245, 2 @ 285, 5 @ 325

Burpees - 15, 10, 10
I did the rest of the burpees at home in the driveway. I was nice outside and the gym closed at 9 tonight.

Congrats on hitting 300. You've definitely been making some very solid progress on all your lifts - maintaining it won't be easy after the kid, but if you can sneak away even 1-2 times per week for 30 minutes, that might be enough (and might be a good mental break). Is this going to be your first child?

 

[conorvansmack]

Thanks dude! This is our first kid, so there are lots of adjustments in my future. I figure twice a week is about all I can manage for a few months, which is about where I've been in this whole "getting ready for baby" phase anyway. I'm gonna go stock up on some sleep.

 

[conorvansmack]

5/25

2 rounds of 14 burpees, 7 pull ups, 10 Turkish get-ups w/30 lbs.
2 rounds of 13 burpees, 7 pull ups, 10 Turkish get-ups w/30 lbs.

This is the first time I've done a workout like this. After the first round, I wasn't sure if it was such a good idea, but I started enjoying it by the 3rd round. It took me about 45 minutes including rest breaks.

 

[conorvansmack]

6/5

16 burpees
Front Squat - 5 @ 85, 5 @ 135, 5 @ 185
16 burpees
Squat - 5 @ 185, 5 @ 225, 5 @ 255

Power Clean - I worked with a guy at the gym who has a lot of experience with O-lifting. He helped me a ton with Power Cleans. I had been working up from 85 lbs. and my next workout would have been at 115, but he helped me work up to 185 without any problems. I tried 200, but a mix of not getting under the bar, fatigue, and some torn skin between my thumb and index finger stopped me. I'll start around 185 next time they come up.

 

[conorvansmack]

6/10

20 burpees

Squat - 12 air, 6 OH @ 85, 5 @ 115, 5 @ 170, 3 @ 235, 2 @ 265, 5 @ 290, 2 x 3 @ 290
I stopped the second set because my form was breaking down pretty seriously. I completed 3 with ok form on the 3rd set and decided that was a good point to start from.

20 burpees

Bench Press - 5 @ 115, 3 @ 155, 2 @ 205, 3 x 5 @ 225

30 burpees (20, 10)

Power Clean - 3 @ 95, 3 @ 135, 3 x 3 @ 155
I noticed that I'm bending my elbows too soon at the start of the 2nd pull. I cleaned it up a bit in the last set, but I'll spend some time doing hang cleans next time to improve this. I'm not keeping them locked long enough

This wasn't a bad workout for my first one back. My diet was pretty poor and my sleeping wasn't much better the last couple of weeks, but I think I'm settling into a routine with the baby.

 

[conorvansmack]

6/13

Pull ups - 3 x 7, 10 burpees after each set.

Squat - 10 air, 5 @ 115, 5 @ 170, 3 @ 235, 2 @ 265, 3 x 5 @ 290

OH Press - 2 x 5 w/bar, 5 @ 75, 3 @ 95, 2 @ 115, 3 x 5 @ 135

Deadlift - 2 x 5 @ 135, 5 @ 185, 3 @ 235, 2 @ 285, 5 @ 315

 

[conorvansmack]

6/17

20 burpees

Front Squat - 10 air, 5 @ 85, 5 @ 125, 3 @ 175, 3 x 5 @ 215

Bench Press - 10 burpees, 5 @ 115, 3 @ 160, 2 @ 205, 3 x 5 @ 230

Rows - 10 burpees, 5 @ 105, 3 @ 145, 2 @ 185, 3 x 5 @ 205

15, 11, 10 burpees

 

[conorvansmack]

6/20

Pull ups - 3 x 8, 10 burpees after each set

Squat - 10 burpees, 2 x 5 @ 135, 5 @ 175, 3 @ 235, 2 @ 265,
5 @ 295, 1 @ 295
I felt great for the first 4 reps of the first set, but felt a tweak in my back on the 5th and it got really tight in my right erector spinae. I went for the next set just to see how it would go and decided to call it off after the first rep. It felt fine, but I didn't want to risk it.

OH Press - 2 x 5 w/bar, 5 @ 75, 3 @ 95, 2 @ 115, 5 @ 140, 4 @ 140
The first set went fine, but slowly. My back was really sore on the 2nd set and I spent too much time with the weight over my heat getting a breath for a Valsalva to get all 5 reps.

Deadlift - No chance in hell today.

I finished off my burpees (79), which surprisingly didn't bother my back too much.

 

[conorvansmack]

I went to the chiropractor today and he did some adjustments and my back felt better pretty much immediately. I was sort of loosening throughout the day, but the treatment really made a difference. I have another on Wednesday. He advised me to avoid any exercises that involve stressing the erector spinae or anything that involved compressing the spine. I'll probably do some pull ups and bench press on Thursday. Oddly enough, burpees don't bother me at all.

 

[dealmaster00]

Back injuries suck. Hope you get through it quickly!

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: dealmaster00
Back injuries suck. Hope you get through it quickly!

Indeed. Other than rest + ibuprofen, I find that doing very high rep (very low weight) back exercises followed by stretching helps these kind of injuries heal a lot faster. For example, back extensions, supermans, hip bridges, bird dogs, cat stretch and similar variations. Some good ones are shown in this video (last 30 seconds are the guy strutting shirtless, sorry). Make sure to warm-up first and start very gently to make sure it doesn't hurt or make it worse. The goal isn't to make the muscle work hard but just get lots and lots of blood flowing through the area to promote healing. If everything feels fine, proceed to do a few sets of 20-30. Once you're done, do some nice lower back stretches, such as the ones shown here and here. Good luck

 

[conorvansmack]

The chiropractor has helped a lot. He's the same guy that taught me how to power clean and has a lot of experience with O-lifting (state champion in high school).

 

[conorvansmack]

6/25

8 pull ups, 10 back extensions, 16 burpees
8 chin ups, 10 back extensions, 16 burpees
8 pulls ups, 10 back extensions, 16 burpees
8 chin ups, 5 chest supported rows @ 90 lbs, 16 burpees
Bench Press - 2 x 5 w/bar, 5 @ 135, 5 @ 165, 5 @ 195, 5 @ 225
2 rounds of 12 hanging knee raise (knees to elbows) and 10 burpees

The doc advised me not to arch my back if I was going to bench today, so it was harder than normal.

 

[conorvansmack]

6/29 - Rehab workout

Squat - 10 air, 10 @ 95, 10 @ 115, 10 @ 135, 8 @ 165

Deadlift - 10 @ 135, 8 @ 165, 8 @ 185

Dips - 10 @ BW, 2 x 8 @ BW + 35

My back (erector spinae) felt fine. Actually, the left side (I hurt the right) was tighter than the right. I have one more visit to the chiropractor on Wednesday and then I'm back in the gym on Thursday.

I think the burpee challenge has tweaked something in my right ankle. My achilles tendon has been tight for the last few days.

 

[conorvansmack]

7/2 - I'm working my way back up for Squats and I'm trying not to lose the gains that I've made in my other lifts. I'm still taking it easy on anything that involves my erector spinae.

Squat - 10 air, 5 OH @ 75, 5 @ 115, 5 @ 145, 5 @ 165, 5 @ 185, 5 @ 205
Everything felt good, so I kept going to 205.

OH Press - 2 x 5 w/bar, 5 @ 75, 5 @ 95, 5 @115, 5 @135

Power Clean - 3 @ 95, 4 @ 115, 3 @ 135, 3 @ 155

Back Extensions - 3 x 10

Burpees - 3 x 15

 

[conorvansmack]

7/6

Squat - 10 air, 6 OH @ 85, 5 @ 115, 5 @ 135, 5 @ 165, 5 @ 195, 3 x 5 @ 225

16 burpees

Bench Press - 5 @ 115, 3 @ 160, 2 @ 205, 3 x 5 @ 230

3 rounds of 10 back extensions and 16 burpees.