alek’s log

[broseph]

Squats still looking good. I agree with your RPE ratings, FWIW.

[KarlM]

Parroting others’ assessment of your squat. Looking real good.

Interesting comment about J curve and tng bench. I’ve never really thought about that. I don’t do tng bench at all but if I did it seems it wouldn’t be natural to push back towards the face without a prior pause to get set. But I don’t know…

[alek]

That squat single looked easy. Looking great

Squats still looking good. I agree with your RPE ratings, FWIW.

Parroting others’ assessment of your squat. Looking real good.

Interesting comment about J curve and tng bench. I’ve never really thought about that. I don’t do tng bench at all but if I did it seems it wouldn’t be natural to push back towards the face without a prior pause to get set. But I don’t know…

Thanks, dudes!

Yeah, the TnG was weird; I might also just do all paused/stopped reps.

[alek]

2/29/24 Thursday [Training]

AMBW & Umbilicus
Today: 187.6 & 34.5
7-Day: 187.0 & 34.54

Paused Squat (S)
350 x 3 @ 7.5
355 x 3 @ 7.5; e1rm = 418
360 x 3 @ 8
350 x 3 @ 8
Another pr.

Comp Bench (S)
215 x 3 @ 8; e1rm = 249
210 x 3 @ 9,8.5
Tendonopathy...

Session Length
0:47

Notes
I'm beginning to hate bench press. I really don't like the tendonopathy in my left bicep.

[cole]

I'm beginning to hate bench press. I really don't like the tendonopathy in my left bicep.

is it upper bicep where the bicep attaches to the front delt or is it lower as in close to the elbow?

tendonopathy are a bitch

[EricK]

More curls? I don't know...

[alek]

I'm beginning to hate bench press. I really don't like the tendonopathy in my left bicep.

is it upper bicep where the bicep attaches to the front delt or is it lower as in close to the elbow?

tendonopathy are a bitch

It's closer to the elbow--but not in the elbow--and to the left of the bicep vein as you would look down at your left arm. It seems to bother me only during pressing movements, specifically bench pressing. I can't remember it bothering me during any other movements--deadlifts are not a problem at all, and it is usually bothersome only at heavier weights.

I think it initially came about from lugging big rounds of firewood a few weeks ago, and heavy lifting is just exacerbating it/preventing it from healing.

More curls? I don't know...

Maybe. I might try some slow tempo curls with light weight to see what that does.

[alek]

3/1/24 Friday [Training]

AMBW & Umbilicus
Today: 188.0 & 34.5
7-Day: 187.3 & 34.54
Okay, maybe not so fast.

Comp Deadlift (S)
385 x 3 @ 6
410 x 2 @ 6.5; e1rm = 482
435 x 1 @ 7.5
440 x 1 @ 8

Deficit Pushup (H)
BW x 18,14,10

Session Length
0:39

Notes
Okay, so I think I've figured out the bicep tendonopathy. It is in fact deadlift. If you'll recall, I started doing a different start a few weeks ago. Well, after looking at the video of my top singles today, I can see that when I do that start, my knees are pushing forward into my arms a bit, which causes my supinated arm to bend just a tad. I then pull from there. Here's the two singles from today.



So, I could do a couple of things. 1) I could go back to my old deadlift start. 2) I could try widening my hands a bit so that my knees don't touch my arms. 3) I could try hook grip because my right arm doesn't have any issues with this start. 4) I could try turn my toes in a bit so that my knees don't touch my arms.

I do like the start, but I don't want to end up snapping my biceps tendon...

[EricK]

Yeah, bent arm at the start is bad joojoo... get that shit worked out. @TimK's incident still scares the shit out of me.

[alek]

Yeah, bent arm at the start is bad joojoo... get that shit worked out. TimK's incident still scares the shit out of me.

Yeah, I think I’ll be a #hooker4lyfe.

[EricK]

Yeah, bent arm at the start is bad joojoo... get that shit worked out. TimK's incident still scares the shit out of me.

Yeah, I think I’ll be a #hooker4lyfe.

Geez, play an exciting role play game a few weekends in a row and he's instantly addicted...

[alek]

Yeah, bent arm at the start is bad joojoo... get that shit worked out. TimK's incident still scares the shit out of me.

Yeah, I think I’ll be a #hooker4lyfe.

Geez, play an exciting role play game a few weekends in a row and he's instantly addicted...

Well, when you serenade me so well, what do you expect?

[JohnHelton]

Yeah, bent arm at the start is bad joojoo... get that shit worked out. TimK's incident still scares the shit out of me.

Yeah, I think I’ll be a #hooker4lyfe.

I noticed the bent elbow before but didn't say anything. @TimK's injury is what caused me to switch to hook-grip. Scared the crap out of me.

[alek]

Yeah, bent arm at the start is bad joojoo... get that shit worked out. TimK's incident still scares the shit out of me.

Yeah, I think I’ll be a #hooker4lyfe.

I noticed the bent elbow before but didn't say anything. TimK's injury is what caused me to switch to hook-grip. Scared the crap out of me.

I’ve never had any issue before, but I damn well don’t want to continue. I hooked a set of 4 or 5 at 225 after the top single today, and it’ll very likely be the option I choose.

I’ve hooked before, so it’ll just be about getting back into the habit.

[TimK]

I definitely had the whole “knee pushing my elbow out” thing going on. That said I do really believe that my tear was at a result of the fluoroquinolone antibiotics that I took the month before… maybe not 100% but that’s impossible to know.

I’ve done three meet preps since then where I’ve tried to make hook grip work, including one with a 27mm deadlift bar, and still never been able to pull over 585 without straps (even that was slipping at the top). Super frustrating to the point where I have seriously contemplated going back to mixed grip if I do another meet. If I do I will make sure to widen my grip so I can keep my arm completely straight, and to pull the slack out of the bar completely at the start vs jerking it off the floor.

[KarlM]

I hook all my deads, and as others have stated TimK’s experience locked that in. If the hook hurts the thumbs, you can hook your top set then use straps for the backoff work. I doubt I’ll ever have TimK’s issues with hook slipping because I don’t think a 700+ lb deadlift is in my future lol.

[cole]

you can hook your top set then use straps for the backoff work.

this is what i do

[alek]

3/7/24 Thursday [Training]

AMBW & Umbilicus
Today: 188.2 & 35.0
Day: 187.5 & 34.59

Paused Squat (S)
365 x 3 @ 9; e1rm = 409
350 x 3 @ 8
345 x 3 @ 8
340 x 3 @ 8

Comp Bench (S)
215 x 3 @ 8; e1rm = 249
210 x 3 @ 8
205 x 3 @ 7.5,7.5

Session Length
0:47

Notes
We were out of town on Monday and Tuesday, so no training. I also need to get my diet back under control...

Yeah, I hate bench press...

[alek]

3/8/24 Friday [Training]

AMBW & Umbilicus
Today: 187.0 & 34.5 That's better.
Day: 187.7 & 34.59

Comp Deadlift (S)
390 x 3 @ 6; e1rm = 481
415 x 2 @ 7.5
440 x 1 @ 8,8.5
Hooked

Paused Bench (S)
3-count
190 x 3 @ 8
185 x 3 @ 7.5,7; e1rm = 221
190 x 3 @ 8

S&M Machine
495 x 8 @ 9,9; e1rm = 650

Session Length
1:20

[alek]

Life stress is acutely high; I have a sinus infection thing going on; training is falling apart.

I'm 5 weeks out from a competition, and I ripped the skin off of my thumb today doing hook grip; I couldn't deadlift 445 x 1 for a second single after deadlifting 395 x 3, 420 x 2, and 445 x 1.

That is all.