Griff sometimes lifts, mostly climbs

[Griff]

2/19/19
9-10:05pm
HBBS - 190x8x3@7-8
Military press - 90x8x6@7-9
Sumo - 255x6x3@7
CGBP - 145x10, 10, 8@8, 9, 9
Notes: Used 4" belt for HBBS and sumo.

2/20/19
am bodyweight: 178.0

[Griff]

2/20/19
Chinups - bwx6, 6, 7, 7, 7 (1 min rests)
Tri pushdowns - 35x15, 15, 15, 12
BB curls - 55x10, 10, 10, 9
Wrist curls - 55x15, 15, 15; 45x20
Spin bike - 25 min

2/21/19
am bodyweight: 176.6

[Griff]

2/21/19
8:30-9:45pm
Deadlift - 360x1@9; 285x5x5@7-8
Bench - 225x1@9; 180x5x6@7-8
Squat - 205x5@6; 225x5x2@7
Notes: Deadlift warmups felt heavy. Considered stopping at my last warmup (340) or only trying for 350, but then 360 moved well with solid form. Everything felt easy after that.

2/22/19
am bodyweight: 177.0

[Griff]

2/24/19
2:15-3:20pm
Squat* - 275x1@8 ; 225x5x3@8-9
Bench - 175x5x5@<6; 175x10@9
Deadlift - 270x5x4@7
Notes: I tried to put my daughter down for a nap before heading out to the garage to lift. Unfortunately, she had trouble falling asleep, and I had to interrupt squat warmups several times to comfort her/negotiate. The longest break was between my 225 warmups and 265 warmup single (planning for a 295 top single). I probably should have redone 225 for a few reps before taking 265, but I was in a time crunch. Trying 265 pretty cold crushed me, and I ended up just doing 275 for a shockingly hard top single. Squat backoffs sucked too after that--225 today felt WAY heavier than it did this past Friday (when I was doing 225 for light squats at the end of my workout, after heavy deadlifts and bench).

On the bright side, everything after squats was great. Bench was so easy I decided to do an AMRAP@9 with 175 and got a very smooth 10 reps for an eRM of 240ish. Deadlifts moved well too, so it seems like the horrible squat day was just due to screwing up warmups.

2/25/19
am bodyweight: 177.4

[Griff]

2/26/19
8:55-10pm
HBBS - 195x8x3
Military Press - 92.5x8x5
Sumo - 260x6x3
CGBP - 145x10x3
Notes: I felt really tired, drained and headache-y prior to this workout, but it went well. HBBS and Sumo continue to progress well--they still feel like pretty novel movements. Not sure how much CGBP is doing for me--it always feels a bit awkward. I think I'm going to buy a slingshot and replace CGBP with overload bench.

2/27/19
am bodyweight: 176.4

I'm going to take this week off from direct arm work and pullups--I've been noticing some irritation in my right elbow. So just target doing cardio tonight and then easing back into my usual accessory workouts next week, but with more of a "tempo" focus.

[Griff]

2/28/19
am bodyweight: 175.8

8:50-10pm
Deadlift - 365x1@9; 290x5x4@8
Bench - 225x1@9; 185x5x5@8
Squats - 225x5x3@7
Notes: Deadlifts were good. Bench single got a little out of groove, but otherwise bench work was strong. Light Squats felt SO much easier than the heavy session last Sunday--feeling pretty comfortable that the terrible squat session was just due to screwed up warmups.

I'm happy that 365 and 225 are becoming comfortable, non-intimidating weights to hit on DL/BP, respectively. I'll probably hold my singles there until they drop to @8 and focus on progressing the backoff work. Now I just need to get to that point with 315 on squats...

Tired today. We got a new mattress a week ago, and neither of us has adjusted to it yet. Its a lot firmer than what we're used to. I woke up in the night on my side with tightness/aching in my right lat/scapula/ribcage area and had trouble getting back to sleep. Still feeling uncomfortable and off today. I think we're going to end up returning this mattress--fortunately we can get a full refund for the first 100 days. Not sure what we'll replace it with, though.

[Griff]

3/3/19
1:15-2:30pm
Squat - 295x1@8; 310x1@9 (PR); 235x5x5@7
Bench - 180x5x5@7
Deadlift - 275x5x3@7
Notes: Squat warmups felt kind of heavy and I was thinking it was going to be another disappointing squat session. But then my single at 265 felt really easy and I decided go for 295 as my top single. I rated it at 8, but it moved really fast on video so I debated going for 310 (a 5lb PR) or 315 (obviously a bigger milestone). I decided to be conservative and it moved well--felt like I could have handled at least 10 more pounds, so that's a confidence boost.



3/4/19
am bodyweight: 177.4

[Griff]

3/4/19
25 min spin bike at moderate-to-fast pace
should have done chins and arm work, but it was cold in the garage

3/5/19
am bodyweight: 178.0

My slingshot is scheduled to arrive in time for this evening's workout. I'm excited

[Griff]

3/5/19
8:50-10pm
HBBS - 200x8x3
Military Press - 92.5x8x6
Sumo - 265x6x3
Reactive Slingshot (SS) Bench - 185x6, 6; 205x6
Notes: solid workout. Slingshot bench is fun! Not sure if the Large I ordered is too tight. I'm at the upper end of the L weight range, but I figured I have scrawny arms. The arms were a little tight, but not terrible to get on. I think there's room to stretch, even if my arms grow.

3/6/19
am bodyweight: 176.something [forgot]

[bobmen10000]

Slingshot bench is fun! Not sure if the Large I ordered is too tight. I'm at the upper end of the L weight range, but I figured I have scrawny arms. The arms were a little tight, but not terrible to get on. I think there's room to stretch, even if my arms grow.

I have owned a couple slingshot sizes and each time they ran a little small, I think and I have small arms for my weight. Then again, better to be a little tight than overly loose as that sort of defeats the purpose of the slingshot.

[Griff]

Yeah, I'm thinking I'll keep the large. The amount of assistance/support of the L was definitely very nice. Not sure I'd want to give that up by going up to XL. Plus I read it might stretch a bit over time. And the arms weren't too tight--just a little. Kind of like putting on my (loose) knee sleeves.

Worst case, I'll end up doing some blood flow restriction training, right?

[Griff]

3/6/19
Chins - bwx6x3
Tri pushdowns - 25x15x3 (slower tempo)
Curls - 45x12x3
Spin bike - 20min moderate-to-fast
Notes: easing back into chins and direct arm work due to some minor triceps tendinitis. Will increase volume slowly over the next few weeks, and continue to focus on tempo

3/7/19
am bodyweight: 177.6

[Griff]

3/8/19
9:15-10:45pm
Deadlift - 365x1@8.5-9; 290x5x5@7
Bench - 225x1@9; 185x5x6@8-9
Squat - 205x5; 225x5x2@7
Notes: Long, late session. Happy with deadlifts. 365 is the most I’ve ever pulled and is no longer intimidating. I rated it @9 but on video looked more like an 8. Bench was just okay—felt a little heavier than I expected. By the time I got to squats I was really exhausted, but they still moved well.

[Wilhelm]

Nice work, @Griff.
Four plate DL on the horizon.

[Griff]

Thanks @Wilhelm

Definitely hoping to pull 405 sometime in the next few months. Hopefully hit I can hit a 1,000 pound total around that time, too. Those would both be huge for me.

[Griff]

3/11/19
Squat - 295x1@9; 240x5x4@8
Bench - 180x5x6@7-8
Deadlift - 275x5x3@6-7
Notes: Squat single was a bit disappointing, but I rushed my warmups again--can't do that. Rest of the workout was fine/good. Bench felt fine, deadlifts really easy.

[Griff]

3/12/19
Chinups - bwx5; +15x5; +25x5, 5
Triceps pushdowns - 25x15; 35x12, 12, 12
BB curls - 45x8; 55x8, 8, 8
Notes: decided to do some weighted chins. I've been focusing on adding reps/density on bodyweight chins, but that's getting boring. I think I'll be more fun to focus on increasing chinup strength for 3-5 reps. I felt a tiny bit of discomfort in my right elbow during this workout, but much improved over a couple weeks ago. Skipped cardio

[Griff]

3/14/19
9:20-10:45pm
HBBS - 205x8x3@8
Military Press - 95x5x5@8
Sumo - 270x6x3@7
SS Bench - 205x6x3@8-9.5ish
Notes: Ugh, such a late workout. Didn't get dinner until 11 and fell asleep after midnight. The kids are still on standard time so its hard to get them to bed before 9. Lifting went well, though, and I hit all the numbers I'd planned to. Nothing terribly difficult, although slingshot bench is tough to gauge RPE on...the last set was probably a 9-9.5. Thinking I might back off the weight to like 195 next workout, add an extra set and give my self more room for progression.

Re-titling my journal. Lifting is a fun hobby, but stuff like family, friends, work and sleep are more important. So lately when getting to the gym conflicts with life stuff I'm more likely to shrug it off and not train. The gym will be there tomorrow (or the next day). Not the most hardcore attitude, but trying to be hardcore about lifting is mostly frustrating at this stage in my life.

[cgeorg]

That 310 squat looked great

[Griff]

That 310 squat looked great

Thanks, man! It felt great. I'm at a cool place with my lifting right now, where I'm starting to surpass (and in the case of DL significantly exceed) my best SSLP numbers, but at lower bodyweight/bodyfat and at submaximal intensities. Lifts feel good and I don't dread my workouts. So glad I found this place (and BBM) and started learning a little bit outside SS dogma.