Platypus lifts/reads

[platypus]

8/29/24 - Dynamic effort upper
Press 115x3x10 emom
Incline press 155x6, 145x6x2
JM press 65x8x3
1 min aussie pullup BWx16

Notes:
- I finished You Only Live Twice. I'm almost through with Fleming's novels and they're still going strong.

[hector]

Little known fact. The current head of GCHQ (UK’s NSA) is named Fleming.
Relation to Ian?
Unknown.

[platypus]

8/31/24 - Dynamic effort lower
Squat 270x5x5 e3mom
#13 rack GM 85x8x2
Reverse lunge BWx40
Run 1/4 mi.

Notes:
- Making rapid progress on good mornings. 65lbs two weeks ago left me nearly unable to walk. 85lbs yesterday didn't feel as hard, and today I'm not sore.

Little known fact. The current head of GCHQ (UK’s NSA) is named Fleming.
Relation to Ian?
Unknown.

I googled this and found his middle name is Ian. Coincidence? Or spiritual destiny?

[cole]

is the conjugate/DE work making you stronger?

[platypus]

9/2/24 - Repetition effort upper
Bench 195x5x3
DB incline 60x9, x8, x7
Close grip EZ curl 65x15rp
1 min pushups (hands on either side of a 10) BWx18

Notes:

is the conjugate/DE work making you stronger?

This is just week 4 of a Westsideish split after doing a bro split for several months, so we'll see. However, it's worked for me in the past.
Bench - I added 5lbs to my bench between 2019 and 2023 doing more conventional training. Then I added 15lbs to my bench this spring in about 3 months doing an ME/DE split, while losing weight.
Squat - I seem to do better replacing the ME squat rotation with just doing regular squats for a rep max. The DE squatting really seems to help with the transition out of the hole. Maybe this will be different doing conjugate while I'm not on a weight loss diet.
Deadlift - I haven't figured this one out yet.

[platypus]

9/3/24 - Max (?) effort lower
SSB box squat 250x5x3
2" deficit deadlift 365x4, tried a 5th but bar didn't leave the floor
Pendlay row 170x5x3
Alternating KB swing 53x52

Notes:
- Finished The Man With the Golden Gun. This one was the most like what I'd expect from a spy novel. Now only Octopussy and the Living Daylights remains.
- I failed to give rows the vigor they deserve; pulling really sapped my energy.
- I'm thinking a simple rotation of deficit deadlifts and rack pulls for a top set of 3-5 might get my deadlift going again.

[platypus]

9/5/24 - Dynamic effort upper
DE bench 140x5x5 every 90 seconds
Press 135x5x3
Chinup BWx5, x3x2

Notes:
- On Monday I tweaked my neck during BJJ, and since then I haven't been able to turn my head to the left without discomfort. Today, on the first rep of the last set of presses, I felt a flash of pain in the left side of my neck and heard a popping sound. Foolishly, I finished the set. Now, I can barely move my head.
- On the plus side, my ankle is mostly healed. Oddly, it only hurts when I sit Indian style.

[houzi]

Neck injuries/aches/pains are the absolute worst, up there with lower back pain. At least with back pain you can sit/lay down and be comfortable (generally). When I hurt my neck a few years back I could barely move my head without searing pain. Trying to roll over or get out of bed was the worst. Take care mate, hope it gets better.

[James]

I wonder what talks you into finishing a set when you know you just hurt yourself. Because I've done it too and I'm sure near universal. Hopefully it feels better after some rest and light movement.

[Renascent]

I wonder what talks you into finishing a set when you know you just hurt yourself. Because I've done it too and I'm sure near universal.

For me, it's usually a thought that goes like, "Welp, I'm already here. Damage is already done. Don't wanna walk away empty-handed. Gains won't make themselves. Might as well get the ROI."

[platypus]

9/6/24 - Repetition effort lower
Squat 315x5x3
#13 rack GM 95x8x2
Reverse lunge BWx50
Run 1/4 mi

Notes:
- All hopped up on ibuprofen for this one. I told myself I would only do some light shrugs to get the blood flowing into my neck, but a friend joined me and "just do some light shrugs" turned into "heavy 5s on the squat." It didn't seem to make anything worse, not like I need to move my head to lift.

[platypus]

Neck injuries/aches/pains are the absolute worst, up there with lower back pain. At least with back pain you can sit/lay down and be comfortable (generally). When I hurt my neck a few years back I could barely move my head without searing pain. Trying to roll over or get out of bed was the worst. Take care mate, hope it gets better.

Thank you! It's still painful, but it's a whole lot less painful than it was on Thursday.

I wonder what talks you into finishing a set when you know you just hurt yourself. Because I've done it too and I'm sure near universal.

For me, it's usually a thought that goes like, "Welp, I'm already here. Damage is already done. Don't wanna walk away empty-handed. Gains won't make themselves. Might as well get the ROI."

That's basically what went through my head.

[DanCR]

- All hopped up on ibuprofen for this one. I told myself I would only do some light shrugs to get the blood flowing into my neck, but a friend joined me and "just do some light shrugs" turned into "heavy 5s on the squat." It didn't seem to make anything worse, not like I need to move my head to lift.

I’ll bet your head position was perfect through every rep.

[platypus]

9/9/24 - Repetition effort lower
Press 150x2x3
CGBP 155x8, x6
DB skullcrusher 40x2, 30x9, 30x5
Lateral 12.5x12, x8

Notes:
- My training partner is back, at least till December, hence all the repetition effort instead of ME/DE.
- I finished Fleming's Bond books. The series actually ended on a sour note; the last short story in Octopussy and the Living Daylights had basically no plot, and was just Bond complaining about New York. I consulted Google and found out it was originally published in some kind of travel guide. The rest of the series was a lot of fun, though, and I've no doubt I'll be reading them again.
- After a few days of ibuprofen, my neck feels much better. It's a bit uncomfortable to turn my head, but not painful. Also, I caught some kind of rash on my arm from rolling. The gods seem determined to punish me, perhaps for return to BJJ, or perhaps for taking time off.

[platypus]

9/10/24 - Back day
Pullup BWx5, 4, 3, 3, 3
Forehead supported barbell row 155x4, 135x5
Deadlift 405x0, 385x2
Band pullaparts 1 set

[platypus]

9/12/24
Bench 215x2x3
Incline DB bench 60x10, x8, x7
DB hammer curl 25x12, x8, x7
1 min pushup (hands on either side of two 10s) BWx19
Finger/wrist curl 5x10

Notes:
- I got a repetitive stress injury in my wrist working at a factory last summer, and it decided today - the day I decided to do direct forearm work - to start hurting again. I will take a few extra days off from the gym soon; I think my body is trying to tell me it could use a little more rest.

[platypus]

9/12/24
Squat 345x2x3
#13 rack GM 105x8x2
Reverse lunge 10x30


Notes:
- I also tried landmine hack squats but didn't like them at all.
- Assisted two lifters with the deadlift today for my school powerlifting club. One was very coachable; she was starting with the bar over her toes, and I got her to begin with the bar closer. Initially she found it difficult to set her back with the bar in closer, but then she got it.
The other one was a guy, and his deadlift was the worst I have ever seen. The bar was in front of his toes, and he ripped it violently off the ground with his back rounded horrifically into a semicircle. I tried to coach him into a decent back position, but he tried setting his back once then said "I can't do that," decided not to try again. One of his violent jerks with 115lbs resulted in him groaning in pain, dropping it, and grabbing his back in anguish. A few minutes later he was back at it. Though it'll only take him into a bad place, I found myself marveling at his level of commitment to hurting himself.

[SeanHerbison]

- I also tried landmine hack squats but didn't like them at all.

Huh. I like the sound of these. I'm recovering from being sick, and doing too much too early definitely punished me by pushing back my recovery timeline, so now seems like the ideal time to try these out. I've been getting more comfortable getting up on my toes and shoving my knees way forward, so this is perfect.

The other one was a guy, and his deadlift was the worst I have ever seen. ... Though it'll only take him into a bad place, I found myself marveling at his level of commitment to hurting himself.

I didn't realize you met me from college.

[SeanHerbison]

- I also tried landmine hack squats but didn't like them at all.

Huh. I like the sound of these.

Alright, having tried them, I'm with you now. Nope to those.