Busa's log

[Busa]

Took an extra rest day before kicking off week 8 of GGW--this is where it gets harder, at least for me (and especially leading up to the dreaded week 9). Anyway, my legs thanked me for the extra rest.

Squats: First couple of sets felt pretty easy, last few reps in last set I was losing some tightness and getting out of the groove forward, but I powered them up.
310x5
310x5
310x5
310x5

Bench: messing around with different grips, these were all pretty easy. Looking forward to the weekend (225x5 for four sets).
210x5 -- narrow grip seemed to irritate my shoulders a bit more, hmm...
210x5
210x5

Deadlifts
305x5
305x5
305x5

[Busa]

Felt strong today.

Squats: Light day
275x5
275x5

OHP: These felt pretty easy
145x5
145x5
145x5
145x5

Barbell Rows: Easy
175x6
175x6
175x6
175x6

Was meant to do lat pulldowns but ran out of time. Might hit them later tonight or roll them into an arm workout tomorrow.

Edit: Got 'em in.

Lat Pulldowns:
200x20
200x20
200x20
200x18

[Busa]

So, about 6 months ago I bought a C2 rower... and never used it. Decided that today would be the day, so I attempted my first ever row.

Distance: 2000m
Time: 9:10.3

I guess a sub 7:00 time is a benchmark to shoot for, so I have some big work to do. The workout actually felt good, but getting up off the seat was an adventure with wobbly legs. I'm sure after a few sessions I will acclimate, and hopefully my times will start to improve with practice.

[Busa]

Pressed (no pun intended) for time due to Mother's Day, but got the important lifts in:

Bench: started at RPE 7, ended at RPE 9.5. The sit-up to get up off the bench was RPE 11.
225x5
225x5
225x5
225x5

Deadlift: worked up to the top set
345x5

[Busa]

Owed squats from yesterday, and that wraps up week 8. GGW week 9 starts Wednesday... here come the pain.

Squats: these were moving pretty fast
295x3
295x3
295x3

OHP: so, I was going to try for a density block (first time ever attempt), but I over-reached on the first set so just called it an AMRAP and done.
135x10

DB Hammer Curls
40x15
45x15
50x10

Triceps Pushdowns: drop sets, no rest, arms were letting me know by the last reps
140x10
120x10
100x10
80x10

[Busa]

GGW week 9, day one

Squats: Pain
330x4 -- lost one forward but recovered it and completed the rep
330x4
330x4
330x4

Bench: felt heavy, have to be ready for 235x4x4 on Sunday
225x4
225x4
225x4

Deadlift: moved well
325x4
325x4
325x4

2000m row @ 9:20.3... too spent to push it

[Wilhelm]

GGW week 9, day one

Squats: Pain
330x4 -- lost one forward but recovered it and completed the rep
330x4
330x4
330x4

Bench: felt heavy, have to be ready for 235x4x4 on Sunday
225x4
225x4
225x4

Deadlift: moved well
325x4
325x4
325x4

2000m row @ 9:20.3... too spent to push it

Hope your benching goes well Sunday.

[Busa]

Hope your benching goes well Sunday.

Thank you, sir. That makes two of us.

[Busa]

For reasons that I can't fully explain, I decided that week 9 of GGW was a good time to start a serious calorie restricted diet. I am three days into it, averaging 1700 calories against a TDEE of around 3400. Today's session was, predictably, a bit of a shitshow.

OHP: a couple of the last reps turned into push presses
155x4x4

Squats: due to #platemath, I mis-loaded the bar 5 pounds light, but IDGAF due to #hangry
290x4
290x4

Barbell Rows
195x4x4

Lat Pulldowns
200x20
200x20
200x19
200x18

2000m row @ 9:00.0 flat

[JohnHelton]

Don't nocebo yourself. If you are still a big guy, then as Dr. Feigenbaum told me, "you have plenty of resources to recover". That being said, make sure you are eating a crap load of protein. You need more in a caloric deficit than you do otherwise. Whey is your friend.

Keep up the good work.

[Busa]

Thanks, John. Appreciate the encouraging words and the good advice.

[Busa]

LISS on the treadmill, incline walking for 34 minutes / 407 calories burned.

I’ve managed to tweak my right rotator cuff, which is a bummer. I’m going to stop OHP for a bit and focus on a rehab protocol (2-3x per week?) based on this: https://www.t-nation.com/training/crack ... -conundrum

Depending on how bench press feels, I might need to dial it back as well, which would be even more annoying.

[Busa]

The verdict is in--my right shoulder is jacked up. Tried benching today, couldn't do it. Probably partly a mental thing too, but I really don't want to risk further injury, so I'm starting the rehab protocol per above link.

Bench Press: programmed for 235x4x4
235x3 -- last rep was @9
235x2 -- shoulder pain, abandoned the set

Shoulder Rehab: using very light weights and deliberate movements, the whole thing felt okay and was over in 15 minutes, but my right shoulder feels about 20% weaker than my left.

Cuban Press: 3x8
L-Lateral Raises: 1x8
Side Lying Dumbbell Abduction: 2x12
Low Pulley External Rotation: 2x10

I'm still committed to continuing with this cycle of GGW for squats and deadlifts, I'll just have to be careful I don't tweak my shoulder during those movements.

[Busa]

Last day of GGW week 9.

Squats
310x4
310x4
310x4

Deadlift
365x4

LISS on the treadmill, incline walking for 34 minutes / 478 calories burned.

I’m down 8 pounds of BW in 5 days, which I realize is a lot of water weight being shed, but I was able to tighten my belt by an another inch, so that feels good.

[Busa]

Random arm workout.

Tricep Pushdowns
120x25
120x25

EZ Bar Curls
70x10
70x10
70x10
70x10
70x10

Dead Hangs: for rotator cuff rehab
5 sets, not timed but around 30 seconds each

[Busa]

GGW week 10: deload week

Squats: these felt heavy but I’m down 10 lbs of BW in a week and didn’t sleep well last night, so it’s explainable. They still moved reasonably fast.
295x4
295x4
295x4

Bench Press: was programmed for 195; I reduced the offset by 5% to a weight of 185, in order to test my shoulder. All reps were pain-free and moved as fast as a 70% load is expected to move.
185x4
185x4
185x4

Deadlifts: flew off the floor
285x4
285x4
285x4

[Busa]

Shoulder rehab protocol: already starting to feel some improvement.

Cuban Press: 3x10
L-Lateral Raises: 1x10
Side Lying Dumbbell Abduction: 2x12
Low Pulley External Rotation: 2x12

LISS on the treadmill, incline walking for 34 minutes / 448 calories burned.

[Busa]

Deload week.

Squats: 2x4@70%, nothing to see here
255x4
255x4

OHP: did not do these due to shoulder rehab
135x4x4

Barbell Rows
155x8
155x8
155x8
155x8

Lat Pulldowns: felt the 10 pound weight loss on these
200x20
200x18
200x16
200x16

[Busa]

Last workout of the deload / end of week 10.

Squat
275x4
275x4
275x4

Bench Press: these felt really good, no shoulder pain, which gives me additional confidence going into next week (singles or doubles at 95%)
210x4
210x4
210x4
210x4

Deadlift
325x4

[Busa]

Shoulder rehab: increasing the weight in very small amounts; I feel like my right shoulder is about 80% back to normal... will start to re-introduce light overhead pressing (maybe with dumbbells at first) in the coming weeks

Cuban Press: 3x12
L-Lateral Raises: 1x12
Side Lying Dumbbell Abduction: 2x12
Low Pulley External Rotation: 2x10

Hammer Curls
50x10
50x10
35x15

LISS on the treadmill, incline walking for 34 minutes / 457 calories burned. Probably going to stop logging cardio... I do something every day, either the rower, treadmill, or hill walking / hiking. It's doing the job to help me shed the extra fat (down 12.3 pounds in 13 days).

Starting GGW week 11 tomorrow, with 350 lb squats programmed for 4 sets of doubles or singles (these will be @95% of my starting 1RM). Fun times!