Tip Toeing in my Vibrams

[hector]

Welcome!
First time reading your log. Glad you found your way here.

How do you like the Spud Pully? I wanted to get it, but realized it wouldn't make for a lat pulldown since I had nothing to lock my knees in place.

[Renascent]

Welcome!
First time reading your log. Glad you found your way here.

How do you like the Spud Pully? I wanted to get it, but realized it wouldn't make for a lat pulldown since I had nothing to lock my knees in place.

Thanks man!

I bought my equipment the night they announced the gym lockdown in my neck of the woods, so I figured I was better off with the pulley than without it.

Depending on what you're doing with it, the plates can swing all over the place. I was told to attach chains to the plated end to prevent that, but I think my chains are too light. I've had to come up with strange setups to mimic gym exercises, but I can't complain.

You're right about the lat pulldown, though; I'm limited with what I can do for lats at the moment. I wind up using the same exercises over and over.

Sometimes the line of pull is a little skewed, too. It can't replicate a machine stack very well.

I've seen videos where people show how to make their own pulley setup with a few hardware store purchases. Probably a better option, because the thing was overpriced.

[Renascent]

(7.14.2020)
LB Squat
135 x 10
185 x 10
225 x 8 x 2
275 x 8
315 x 4
325 x 3 x 3
335 x 2
345 x 1

Hotter than hell as usual, but honestly I kind of knew this was gonna be a shitshow. Somehow this took nearly an hour and a half. I may need to listen to that little voice that, for months, has been suggesting a hypertrophy block. Probably no point in worrying too much about squat maintenance if I'm supposed to be breaking a deadlift PR anyway.

Deadlift
225 x 7
315 x 7
365 x 7
405 x 5
425 x 3 x 2

I was supposed to do a set at 385, but forgot and just kept stripping the bar. Neighbor's skunky smoke was being carried by the breeze, so I knew he was outside ambling around somewhere. I'd intended to keep lifting for a bit longer; I know he hates that the gym shutdown hasn't stopped me from lifting. Heh.

Cable Woodchops (high to low)
40 x 12 per side (too light)
45 x 12 per side

Found another caveat to the pulley setup; even with the add-on cable, I can't do these with a low pulley setup. Not enough room to fully extend my arms. Might need to make my own cable for this specific purpose.

Ab Roller (Kneeling)
15 x 2

I think I pinched a nerve yesterday doing fucking plate raises, so lateral neck flexions might be on the menu before bed. Fuck Tuesdays.

[Renascent]

(7.15.2020 -- Morning)
RDLs
225 x10 x 2
255 x 8 x 2

Nordic Curls (as supersets with above)
12, 12, 10, 10

Hip Thrusts
185 x 12
225 x10
275 x 8
315 x 5 x 3

Felt hamstring cramps with this one. Got work to do.

Seated Barbell Calf Raises
185 x 30 x 3

Dumbbell Dorsiflexion (as supersets with above)
25 x 30 x 3

Glute Kickbacks
25 x 12 x 3 per side

Felt way better than they have a right to.

Cable Adductor Pulls
10 x12 x 2

Just fucking around. I need to figure out how to improve the leverages. I actually felt a burn, but these are a poor substitute for the good girl machine.

[Renascent]

(7.15.2020)
Bench Press
135 x 10
185 x 10
225 x10
235 x 8
255 x 6
255 x 5
285 x 3 x 3
245 x 4
225 x 5

Barbell Rows (alternating pronated and supinated grip each set)
155 x 10 x 6
145 x 10 x 4

Hanging Windshield Wipers (w/o forward flexion)
10 x 3 (per side)

Face Pulls
40 x 20 x 3

Weighted Lying Knee Raises
40 x 12 x 2
35 x 12 x 2

Lateral Band Walks
12 x 3 (per side)

Chasing the afterglow, I guess...

[Renascent]

(7.16.2020)
Overhead Press
135 x 9
145 x 7
155 x 4
165 x 3 x 3

Pull Ups (as supersets with above)
10, 10, 10
(Weighted) 35 x 4, 4, 4

Yazmin Press
115 x 10 x 2
125 x 7
135 x 5, 4

Clean High Pulls
175 x 10 x 2
185 x 10

Snatch Grip High Pulls
155 x 5
165 x 5
175 x 5

Overhead Tricep Rope Extensions (as supersets with above)
60 x 9 x 4

Rope Pushdowns (as supersets with above)
60 x 12 x 4

Cable Crunches (as supersets with above)
60 x 15 x 4

Rope Pullovers
70 x 14 x 4

Dumbbell Curls (as supersets with above)
25 x 12 x 2 (seated w/ incline)
25 x 12 x 2 (standing)

Face Pulls
45 x 12 x 3

Batwing Rows (as supersets with above)
25 x 9 x 3

Weighted Lying Knee Raises
40 x 14, 12, 10

[Renascent]

(7.17.2020 -- Morning)
LB Squat
135 x 10
185 x 10
225 x 8
275 x 8
315x 5 x 4
275 x 6
265 x 6
255 x 6

These felt much better than I anticipated. Smoothest squats I've done in awhile. No QL or TFL bullshit.

Deadlift
225 x 6
315 x 6
365 x 6
405 x 5
425 x 3 x 3
385 x 5

(7.17.2020 -- Evening)
Good Mornings
135 x 10
145 x 10
155 x 10
165 x 8

Nordic Curls
12, 12, 12

Cable Crunches
60 x 15 x 3

Cable Adduction
10 x 12 x 3

Cable Abduction
10 x 12 x 3

Had to cut it short today. Engagements. Will do more ass-building tomorrow.

[Renascent]

(7.18.2020)
Hip Thrusts
185 x 10
225 x 10 x 2
285 x 8
315 x 5 x 3

Seated Barbell Calf Raises
185 x 25 x 3

Dumbbell Dorsiflexion
25 x 30 x 3

Cable Abduction Pulls
10 x 10 x 3

Cable Adduction
10 x 10 x 3

Glute Kickbacks
20 x 12 x 3

Roman Chair Sit-ups
30 x 12 x 3

Face Pulls (Low to High)
45 x 15 x 3

Weighted Lying Knee Raises (getting too lazy to keep copying and pasting typing this out. Might start just calling them "Bronwen Blunts" going forward)
45 x 12 x 2
40 x 15

Chin Tucks (with 20 lbs)
20, 20

Yard work took about four hours today. Wasn't really looking forward to working out afterwards, but a familiar pain popped up sometime this morning (squats were moving too well yesterday), and I'd like to nip that in the bud before shit goes haywire.

Hip thrusts ... I've never known how to gauge progress on those. Just trying to stay consistent with actually doing them. Looking forward to ass-DOMS waking me up all night.

[Edit: 315 sets on hip thrusts were fives, not triples.]

[Renascent]

(7.19.2020 -- Morning)
135 x 10
185 x 10
225 x 10
235 x 8
255 x 6, 5
285 x 3 x 3
275 x 3
265 x 3
255 x 3

I feel like I got away with murder this morning by benching on an empty stomach (again). Reps weren't as smooth as I'd have liked, but I kind of expected it, considering the energy expended the day before. Lats didn't wanna wake up until the later sets, but I realized it's probably because I was mindlessly guarding "discomforts." Watched a few of Mkgillman's old lifts to get mentally prepped. Had to dig up the old "Power Rangers" intro theme on YouTube to get amped for the 285 work sets.

Whatever it takes, I guess.


(7.19.2020 -- Evening)
Barbell Rows
155 x 12 x 2
155 x 10 x 6
165 x 7 x 2

Rear Delt Plate Raise
15 x 10 (too heavy?)
10 x12 x 6

Face Pulls
45 x 15 x 3

Cable Woodchops (High to Low)
45 x 12 x 2 per side

Cable Woodchops (Low to High)
45 x 12 per side

The carabiner keeps hitting the bottom pulley before I can get my arms to full extension, so I did not bother with a second set. This needs a permanent solution, though. I bought a damn D-handle specifically for this exercise.

Cable Abduction Pulls
10 x 10 x 3

Cable Adduction Pulls
10 x 10 x 3

"Bronwen Blunts"
40 x 15 x 2

[Renascent]

(7.20.20)
Overhead Press
135 x 9
145 x 7
155 x 5
165 x 3 x 3

Pull Ups (as supersets with above)
10, 10 ,10
(W/ 35 lbs) 5, 5, 5

Lateral Raises (as supersets with above)
10 x 15, 15, 15

Yazmin Press
115 x 10
125 x 8 x 2
135 x 4, 4, 2

Clean High Pulls
175 x 10 x 3

Snatch Grip High Pulls
155 x 5
165 x 5
175 x 5

Overhead Tricep Rope Extensions (as supersets with above)
60 x 9 x 4

Rope Pushdowns (as supersets with above)
60 x 12 x 4

Straight Arm Pulldowns
70 x 14 x 4

Weighted Chin-Ups (as supersets with above)
35 x 6, 6, 6, 6

Rope Pullovers
70 x 14 x 4

Dumbbell Curls (as supersets with above)
25 x 12 x 2 (seated w/ incline)
25 x 12 x 2 (standing)

"Bronwen Blunts"
45 x 15, 12, 12

Didn't much feel like doing anything after the OHP segment. Need to get back on a responsible sleep schedule -- eventually.

[Renascent]

(7.21.2020)
LB Squat
135 x 10
185 x 10
225 x 8
275 x 8
325 x 4 x 3 (Too far forward on the first rep of the first set; adjusted stance mid-set and thereafter.)
335 x 3
355 x 1
315 x 4 (Unintentionally went a2g on the last rep, hit the safeties. Didn't expect to make it back out of the hole.)
275 x 5

Snatch-Grip Deadlift
225 x 8
275 x 2, 4, 3, 5, 2, 4
295 x 2 x 3

This aggravated the living shit out of me. I threw away some old plywood scraps this weekend, and forgot to get replacements. Since it rained today, I didn't want to create more holes in the yard pulling conventional. So, I figured I'd snatch-grip inside the cage (it's my rainy-day lift).

My thumbs and forearms were sweating the entire time, and it wasn't that goddamn hot today. My towels got soaked, and I couldn't hook for very long, hence the schizo sets. I couldn't even convince myself that I was doing a lazy man's version of a density block. Loaded up the bar for 305 at the end, but said, "fuck it."

Also got hungry. Then I got hangry.

"Bronwen Blunts"
45 x 15, 12, 10

Weighted Chin Tucks
20 x 20 x 2

Governor extended "Phase 2" of the quarantine, so I have at least two more weeks to plot out my lower body routines in preparation for "normalcy."

[Renascent]

(7.22.2020 -- Afternoon)
Good Mornings
135 x 10
145 x 10
155 x 10
175 x 7 x 2

Nordic Curls
12, 12, 12, 10

Hip Thrusts
185 x 10
225 x 10 x 2
275 x 10
315 x 6 x 3

Seated Barbell Calf Raise
225 x 25 x 3

Glute Kickbacks
25 x 12
30 x 12 x 2

Cable Adduction Pulls
15 x 12 x 3

Cable Abduction Pulls
15 x 12 x 3


(7.22.2020 -- Evening)
Bench Press
135 x 10
185 x 10
225 x 10
235 x 8
255 x 6
285 x 3 x 3
255 x 5
225 x 9

Barbell Rows
155 x 12 x 4
155 x 10 x 5

[Renascent]

(7.23.2020)
Overhead Press
135 x 9
145 x 7
155 x 5
165 x 3 x 3
155 x 4

Pull Ups
10, 10, 10, 8

Yazmin Press
115 x 10
125 x 7, 7, 6, 6
135 x 3 x 2

Lateral Raises
10 x15, 15, 15

Clean High Pulls
175 x 10 x 3

Glute Kickbacks (as supersets with above)
35 x 12 x 2

Snatch Grip High Pulls
155 x 5
175 x 5 x 2

Rope Pushdowns (as supersets with above)
60 x 12 x 4

Overhead Tricep Rope Extensions (as supersets with above)
60 x 9 x 4

Dumbbell Curls
25 x 12 x 2 (seated w/ incline)
25 x 12 x 2 (standing)

Straight Arm Pulldowns
70 x 14 x 4

Compound Rows
70 x 14 x 4

Bronwen Blunts
45 x 15, 12, 10

Chins Ups (as supersets with above)
35 x 6, 6, 5, 5, 3 (some of the reps didn't feel honest, so I added the last set to make up for a deficit)

Face Pulls (Low to High)
45 x 12 x 2

[Renascent]

(7.24.2020)
LB Squat
135 x 10
185 x 10
225 x 8
275 x 8
325 x 4 x 3
335 x 3 x 3

Snatch Grip Deadlift
225 x 10
275 x 6, 5, 5
295 x 4, 4
315 x 2
225 x 8

For all the complaining I did about how this lift went on Tuesday, I have to admit that I actually felt it the day after. A real density block -- properly programmed -- might not be a bad idea.

Face Pulls
45 x 15 x 5
45 x 12

Bronwen Blunts
45 x 16, 12, 12

[Renascent]

(7.25.2020)
RDL
225 x 5
265 x 8 x 3
225 x 8

Nordic Curls (as supersets with above)
12 x 4

Cable Crunch (as supersets with above)
60 x 15 x 3

Barbell Hip Thrusts
185 x 10
225 x 10 x 2
275 x 10
315 x 7

Dumbbell Dorsiflexion (as supersets with above)
25 x 30 x 3

Seated Barbell Calf Raises (as supersets with above)
225 x 30 x 3

Glute Kickbacks (as supersets with above for work sets only)
35 x 12

Cable Adduction Pulls
15 x 10 x 3

Cable Abduction Pulls
20 x 5
15 x 10 x 3

Bronwen Blunts
45 x 15, 15, 12

[Renascent]

7.27.2020 -- Morning)
Bench Press
135 x 10
185 x 10
225 x 10
235 x 8
255 x 6, 5
285 x 3 x 3
295 x 2
235 x 6
225 x 6

Barbell Rows
155 x 10 x 8
165 x 8, 8, 8

Straight Arm Pulldown (as supersets with above)
70 x 15 x 4

Compound Rows (as supersets with above)
70 x 14 x 4

Barely ate this weekend. Finished Saturday's workout and spent the rest of the weekend building a PC with my son. Fully expected bench to be a wash today, but the real shitshow begins this afternoon with overhead stuff. Or squatting tomorrow -- historically, it goes to shit when I lose a few pounds of water weight.

Gonna need to graze all day at work tomorrow and avoid wasting energy interacting with people...

[Renascent]

(7.27.2020 -- Afternoon / Evening)
OHP
135 x 9
145 x 7
155 x 5
165 x 3 x 3

Weighted Pull Ups (as supersets with above)
20 x 9, 9, 9
35 x 6, 6, 6

Yazmin Press
115 x 10
125 x 7 x 3
135 x 4
145 x 2 (PR?)

Clean High Pull
175 x 10 x 3

Weighted Chin Ups (as supersets with above)
35 x 6 x 4

Snatch Grip High Pulls
155 x 5
175 x 5 x 2

Rope Pushdowns (as supersets with above)
60 x 12 x 4

Overhead Tricep Rope Extensions (as supersets with above)
60 x 9, 9, 9, 8

Face Pulls
45 x 15 x 6

Been slacking off on these, need to do them more often. They seemed to relieve some residual brachial discomfort today.

Dumbbell Curls (as supersets with above)
25 x 12 x 2 (seated w/ incline)
25 x 12 x 2 (standing)

Cable Crunches
60 x 15 x 2

Bronwen Blunts
45 x 15, 15, 12

Tried a new setup for cable woodchops, but it didn't work. No getting around it -- gonna DIY something.

[Renascent]

(7.28.2020)
LB Squat
135 x 10
185 x 10
225 x 8
275 x 8
325 x 4 x 2
335 x 2 (racked before third rep -- lost my nerve?)
345 x 2 x 2
325 x 3 (last rep was "meh")
315 x 3

Snatch Grip Deadlift
225 x 10
275 x 8
295 x 4, 5
315 x 1, 2
275 x 5
225 x 8

I got the sweaty-thumbs issue sorted out by acquiring a roll of shop towels. What I did not anticipate/account for was the possibility of squeezing blood from beneath my thumbnails. Washed my hands after the first single at 315, to no avail. Couldn't keep a proper hook without smearing it all over the bar and fucking up my would-be triples.

The solution is either taped thumbs, stop biting my nails, or mittens.

Face Pulls
45 x 15 x 3

Bronwen Blunts
45 x 16, 16

Ab Roller
15 x 2

I tried calf raises with a half foam roller. It didn't work out as well as I expected, but I think it's because I'd need proper shoes with a proper toe box to get the rocking motion I'm after.

A few months ago, I noticed a guy at the gym using an ab roller with his knees on the half foam roller. When I asked him about it, he said it helped him activate the lower end of rectus abdominus, so there's that. Hopefully I can get that much out of it, if not the calf raise stuff.

[Renascent]

(7.29.2020 -- Morning)
RDLs
225 x 6
265 x 8 x 3
245 x 8

Nordic Curls
12 x 4

Barbell Hip Thrusts
185 x 10
225 x 10 x 2
275 x 8 x 2
315 x 7 x 3

Glute Kickbacks
35 x 12 x 3

Seated Barbell Calf Raises
225 x 30 x 3

[Renascent]

(7.29.2020 -- Evening)
Bench Press
135 x 10
185 x 10
225 x 10
235 x 8
255 x 6
285 x 3 x 3 (mistimed my breaths on the last set, so the last rep was really slow)
255 x 4, 4
235 x 6

Barbell Rows
155 x 10 x 8
165 x 8 x 2

Straight-Arm Pulldowns
70 x 15 x 4

Compound Rows
70 x 14 x 4

Face Pulls
45 x 15 x 3

Bronwen Blunts
45 x 15, 12, 10

Dumbbell Dorsiflexion
25 x 30 x 2

One of the local headlines today mentioned the local college football coach promising the start of the season by early September. Which gives me the feeling that he knows something about this quarantine timeline that has not yet been made public. Which means I can expect to not have as much time for high-volume shenanigans in the very near future...

Priorities, I guess. I have a lot of co-workers who are relying on another national championship title to renew their sense of self-worth. Solitude, I will miss thee...