A log by any other name...

[SeanP]

Ok.  I'm starting out on a bad foot here... especially since this is a rest day and I essentially have nothing to report! 

 

I'm in the midst of program test driving.  I'm currently interested in a 10 week peaking cycle that will potentially add to my 1RMs in all my major lifts.  I'll see how she goes for a couple of weeks and regroup.  I will need to modify it somewhat as I work out at home and don't have a lot of machines the program calls for ... but it's all for accessory stuff, so I can wing it with other exercises.

 

What I'm currently working with:

 

Rubber Hex Dumbbell Set - 5 - 50 lbs

Olympic weights - 490lbs

Bumper Plates - 270lbs (6x45)

Olympic Bar

Amstaff Incline to flat bench ... the heartiest one they make with a capacity of 1200lbs

Powertec power rack

Powertec lat attachment - modified slightly 

Custom welded spotter arms for outside the rack... my bench doesn't work inside the rack... hindsight 20/20

A bunch of handles 

 

Cardio wise - I do different Airdyne HIIT stuff 2 - 3 days a week now... I have a 20ish year old Airdyne that I recently purchased from some nice folks outside of Buffalo NY.  That's right, I went out of country to buy cardio equipment!  Because the second hand market for Airdynes in Ontario is dumb.  

 

My next post will probably be Thursday... should be doing some deadlifts.  It won't be anything ground breaking, since I'm at the start of a peaking cycle.  Should be interesting in 9 weeks though!

 

I'll hopefully be posting some videos of my training on Instagram.  I will link to this thread if possible.  

[SeanP]

Yesterday's workout was a visit to Canada's Wonderland with my beautiful wife, my son and niece and nephew.  (Ages 20mos - 10 years)

 

Cardio?  Check. 

 

All undone with a funnel cake?  Double check. 

[SeanP]

Ok.  Unable to do anything last night.  Had a lot of life stuff get in the way.  Nothing dire, just business to attend to.

 

I'll be hitting up my little weight room today.  Hopefully an old workout buddy will be coming over too, so I'll have some motivation. 

 

Next week I'm starting the Ed Coan program I found. Not sure if it's legitimately attributed to the legend or not, but it looks like something that was written just for me! 

 

Today's goal is to maybe do some 12 rep challenges ala Super League and then a little Airdyne.  I'll post tonight and let everyone know if it actually happened! 

[dayzee84]

Hey! I didn't know you were in Ontario. Up until recently I was living in Toronto (I just moved to New Brunswick). Happy training!

[SeanP]

Hey! I didn't know you were in Ontario. Up until recently I was living in Toronto (I just moved to New Brunswick). Happy training!

Thanks! Yeah, I'm an Ontario guy. My brother moved to NB last year. He's big into lifting too. What pulled you out there?

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[SeanP]

Hit some upper body today. Worked up to a strict press single of 225 followed by some speed work on my bench with 8 sets of 3 at 205. I polished it off with some seated close grip rows, 3 sets of 10 at 200.

I was planning on doing g some max sets of 12 but I was inspired to do some conjugate style training after a conversation with my brother. He works at a bank and wears a tie so I feel like I should listen to him... Even though I'm almost a decade older than he is.

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[SeanP]

Started the Ed Coan program today... Or at least my version of a program someone pieced together based on what they thought Ed Coan might very well have done.

Day 1 is squats.

Worked up to 2 sets of 8 @ 315

High bar cose stance squats followed by good mornings.

2 sets of 8 each @ 225

This, of course, is all way to many reps and about 2 sets and 3 exercises short of what the program actually calls for. However, my lower body was torched after this so I think I will certainly benefit.

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[SeanP]

Started the Ed Coan program today... Or at least my version of a program someone pieced together based on what they thought Ed Coan might very well have done.

Day 1 is squats.

Worked up to 2 sets of 8 @ 315

High bar cose stance squats followed by good mornings.

2 sets of 8 each @ 225

This, of course, is all way to many reps and about 2 sets and 3 exercises short of what the program actually calls for. However, my lower body was torched after this so I think I will certainly benefit.

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Oh, I was also wearing my Chinese knock off version of Mark Bell's STrong sleeves. No belt today.

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[SeanP]

Ate way too much today.  Family gathering and teacher friends lamenting returning to work lead to 2/3 of a medium pizza, hamburger, hotdog, chips, cider, DQ Blizzard, brownies and some apple spice cake.  I'm laying here on the couch feeling like ass.

[dayzee84]

On 9/1/2017 at 11:13 PM, SeanP said:

Thanks! Yeah, I'm an Ontario guy. My brother moved to NB last year. He's big into lifting too. What pulled you out there?

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Toronto is crazy expensive! What we were paying in rent (for a not so great 2 bedroom) plus daycare was ridiculous. We wanted to leave and have a simpler life. We both landed jobs in NB so here we are! It was definitely the right move for us. We don't have family in Ontario so we were easily able to go wherever. 

[SeanP]

1 hour ago, dayzee84 said:

 

Toronto is crazy expensive! What we were paying in rent (for a not so great 2 bedroom) plus daycare was ridiculous. We wanted to leave and have a simpler life. We both landed jobs in NB so here we are! It was definitely the right move for us. We don't have family in Ontario so we were easily able to go wherever. 

Yeah, GTA is crazy costly!!  I was paying about $550 a month for a bedroom on the main floor of a house... And that was 10 years ago!  I was young though and no family so I could live like that.  Nowadays, no way.  Glad to hear things worked out for you though!  The Maritimes is lovely... May - September.  And a horror show of snow the rest of the year!

[Jord]

stalking... I mean following along, a warrior hello! 

[SeanP]

53 minutes ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

stalking... I mean following along, a warrior hello! 

Sweet!  A hearty warrior hello back atcha and stalk... erm... follow away! 

 

Now for lifting progress.....

 

I did my bench press day on Monday and deadlifts on Tuesday... basically looked like this:

 

Flat bench

 

Worked up to 2 sets of 10 @ 235

 

Close Grip

 

2 sets of 10 @ 195

 

Wide Grip

 

2 sets of 8 @ 165

 

This was a crazy light day for me... especially the wide grip... but, ego needs to be set aside.... this is WEEK ONE of a PEAKING cycle!!!  All that being said... squat day kicks my ass after rep 4, so it's all relative. 

 

Deadlifting

 

Worked up to a set of 10 @ 405

 

SL Deads

 

1 set of 8 @ 315

Off of a rack - about mid shin. 

 

Bent Over Rows

 

1 set of 3 @ 245

 

Pull ups

 

5 sets of 3 @ BW

 

One Arm Rows

 

1 set of 10 per side @ 90

 

NOTE - I did my deadlifts sumo style.  First time for me in a few years doing this.  I don't know what prompted this in me, but I thought I would give 'er a go.  It went pretty well, except 2 minutes after the set my right upper glute (minnimus?) cramped up like a mother fo!  Of course I manned up and did a set of stiff leg deadlifts which of course made things much worse.  This culminated in an inability to do bent over rows, as stabilizing my stance in a bent over position for more than 6 seconds was impossibaruuu!!!  Hence 3 reps of what was supposed to be 10-12.   

 

The reason for the cramp was the fact that my right leg is shorter than my left.... this creates a more extreme angle where my leg inserts into my hip on my right side.  High reps with heavy weights putting strain on the muscle while it's already in imbalance is a bad recipe I guess. 

 

Luckily 3 minutes on the foam roller cured this right up! 

 

The whole scenario kind of reminds me of the advice I typically give folks trying to lift heavy things:

 

"Pull with your lower back and groin in a twisting motion!" 

 

Not mine, but I can't remember where I got it from. 

[SeanP]

PS -

 

For folks who may be curious about the maxes I'm basing my program off of... here are the following!

 

Bench - 360

Squat - 470

Deadlift - 545

Shoulder Press - 250 (estimate based on seated easy 3 rep at 225... I will have no headroom once my gym moves into my basement, so I'll be working overhead from my ass from now on). 

 

The squat is actually about 10 pounds under what my current max is.  My squat 1RM is disproportionally high when compared to the weight I am able to do in a 6+ rep range.  i.e., I have the 10 rep ability to squat what someone who has a low 400s max theoretically typically has.  I found this program sets weights at a more manageable volume, so I can actually work up to a reasonable peak and stay on program in the lighter phase.  Pretty well every other program I have used makes this impossible for me.   

[Jord]

6 minutes ago, SeanP said:

 

Shoulder Press - 250 (estimate based on seated easy 3 rep at 225... I will have no headroom once my gym moves into my basement, so I'll be working overhead from my ass from now on). 

 

 

This is actually a lot like a Z Press, which was one of the challenge lifts in my gym earlier this summer, the only reason I know about it. 

 

 

[Jord]

Adding: i didn't listen to the audio, so I don't support any misinformation on form he may or may not have given lol. 

[SeanP]

I have done a version of that sitting on my bench.  I found it jacked my lower back a bit (never really figured that one out).  However, I will try them from the floor and see if they're better.  Ideally I would want something that translated a little better into standing overhead press strength, which from my understanding this does in spades... I mean if it's good enough for Big Z, it's good enough for me.   

[SeanP]

Here's a video from the deadlift session on Tuesday.

[SeanP]

Just finished some HIIT on the Airdyne.  4 rounds of 2 mins @ 60 RPM +.  Total cals 139.  As always, couldn't finish the last minute without pushing it hard as I could.  Something about the Airdyne brings out my inner competitive self!

[SeanP]

A brief update:

 

Took Friday off completely to rest up for the Highland Games at the Kirkton Fall Fair.  Must have worked, because I won the overall again.  Two years in a row now!  

 

Today was mostly recovery from that.  Being outside all day kicks my ass.  As does taking multiple attempts at throwing stuff as far and as hard as I possibly can!  

 

My last games for the season will be a week from today on the 17th at the Niagara Celtic Festival in Olcott NY.  It's a pretty big festival with lots of vendors and things to do.  If any folks on the forum are around that area, may be worth it to come check it out.  At least for a scotch egg.  

[Jord]

10 hours ago, SeanP said:

A brief update:

 

Took Friday off completely to rest up for the Highland Games at the Kirkton Fall Fair.  Must have worked, because I won the overall again.  Two years in a row now!  

 

Awesome! I love watching the Highland Games. I couldn't go this year but there are doing the Irish Heavy Games out our local ren faire this weekend and I'm going to that. 

What is your favorite event to compete in? (As in which lift/throw, not sure the correct wording)

 

10 hours ago, SeanP said:

Today was mostly recovery from that.  Being outside all day kicks my ass.  As does taking multiple attempts at throwing stuff as far and as hard as I possibly can!  

 

My last games for the season will be a week from today on the 17th at the Niagara Celtic Festival in Olcott NY.  It's a pretty big festival with lots of vendors and things to do.  If any folks on the forum are around that area, may be worth it to come check it out.  At least for a scotch egg.  

 

I wish I was closer! 

[SeanP]

55 minutes ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

 

What is your favorite event to compete in? (As in which lift/throw, not sure the correct wording)

 

 

 

My favourite is the caber toss.  I'm decent at it (not that I'm great, just compared to my other events, I do this one the most competently) and it's what everyone in the crowd remembers and looks forward to. 

[SeanP]

Squat day!  Worked up to two sets of 8 @ 340 

 

Then high bar narrow stance squats 

2 sets of 8 @ 225

 

Good mornings

2 sets of 8 @ 225

 

Video below:

 

 

[Jord]

I see you like to live dangerously... squatting in the dark. 

[SeanP]

On 13/09/2017 at 7:59 AM, Taddea Zhaan said:

I see you like to live dangerously... squatting in the dark. 

Hahaha, well maybe i do live dangerously but it's really not as dark as it looks.  The lighting in my garage is just total poo farts.  The gym is moving into the basement in a few weeks, so hopefully my vids from there on out will be a little more well lit!