Waldo's Log

[Waldo]

I think I'm going to take some time off from challenges, there's just not much of a point for me anymore. Move to a battle log instead.

I'm bulking at the moment, have been for a couple months now, and plan on continuing through until the spring. Though I'm probably going to do a 2 week minicut in early December to trim a little of the extra fat off.
 

 

 

Workout Log Key:

I use a lot of easy to write shorthand in my workout log, which greatly increases the data carrying capability without long written out notes, however it does make it a bit difficult to read without a means of decoding it.

Starting with the basic:
Exercise Name - Reps or time in a set
I try to add the unit (secs/reps) as much as possible, though I do forget from time to time.

From there I add a lot of modifiers:

/ = Forward slash indicates that it is single limb work, and that the set is broken up per limb. I always use the convention left/right. 3/3 means 3 reps on the left, 3 reps on the right.

, = delimiter between sets. 3,3 means a set of 3, a break, and then another set of 3.

n = negative reps. 5n1 means a set of 5 with a negative rep at the end. 0n3 means a set of 3 negatives.

c = cluster reps, can have a modifier in () to denote a nonstandard pause time. Standard pause time is 5 breaths. 3c3 means a set of 3 reps, a 5 breath pause, and then another set of 3 reps. 3c(10br)2 means a set of 3 reps, a 10 breath pause, and then 2 more reps.

m{} = myo-reps, I'll usually add a () and note pause time. 10 m{3,3,3,3}(5br) means that I did a 10 rep activation set, took a 5 breath pause, did a set of 3 reps, took a 5 breath pause, did a set of 3 reps, etc... (repeated 4 times total). I often use multiple pause timings when doing myo-reps.

Going past what was done, I also have 2 grading scales in use to note how it was done. The following is added to the rep/hold numbers above for each individual set to grade the set.

Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), notes how "hard" the set was. I use shorthand to note the standard RPE scale:
z = RPE 10, need to be mentally prepared for that output (making noises helps as well), true failure/edge of failure, very slow grinding final rep.
y = RPE 9, might have a highly motivated rep left in the tank, failure or edge of failure when training calm, slow grinding final rep.
x = RPE 8, left a rep in the tank (2 or more if highly motivated), rep speed slowed down noticably and there is a slight grind, but not close to failure.
e = RPE's 7 and below, several reps left in the tank, did not lose rep speed, easy work.

Rate of Perceived Technique (RPT) notes how good set form was. I'm going to use my own form rating system at first:
++ = Very high quality form, no major issues, any issues with the form are extremely minor.
+ = Average/above average form. No major issues, though there are some definite problems with the smaller details.
- = Below average form. Major issues possible (though not severe), smaller details need a lot of work
-- = Poor form, major form problems.

[Waldo]

I'm now up about 8 lbs total since I started bulking late Aug. My guess is about 3 lbs of that is carbs/water, 3-3.5 lbs is new muscle mass, 1.5-2 lbs of fat.

Overall I've gained:
Weight 186.6 -> 194.4 (+7.8 lb)
Neck: 16.6" -> 16.9" (+0.3")
Chest: 45.8" -> 46.9" (+1.1")
Flexed Waist: 28.6" -> 28.9" (+0.3")

Bicep R: 15.6" -> 15.8" (+0.2")
Bicep L: 15.0" -> 15.3" (+0.3")
Forearm R: 12.9" -> 13.0" (+0.1")
Forearm L: 12.6" -> 12.8" (+0.2")

Glutes: 39.8" -> 40.4" (+0.6")
Quad R: 23.4" -> 24.0" (+0.6")
Quad L: 22.1" -> 23.1" (+1.0")
Calf R: 15.6" -> 15.8" (+0.2")
Calf L: 15.1" -> 15.3" (+0.2")


10.28.2013

Leg Day A - Intensity

Lunge Matrix x5
Kick Circuit x5
BW RDL - 10 reps
BW Squat - 10 reps
Standing L - 15/15 sec

Pistol Squat (BW) - 5e++/5e++ reps
Pistol Squat (+30) - 5x++/5e++ reps
Pistol Squat (+50) - 4y++/4e++, 4y+/4x++, 4y+/4x++ reps
- ++ reps on the left at +50 - {4,3,3}
- Switched my Mon workout a bit, added a set to the +50 pistols, subtracted a set from the step ups.  I like doing pistols better, and I feel they are more effective.

Deep Step Ups (+70) - 6y++/6x++ reps
Deep Step Ups (+50) - 11x++/11e++ reps
- No real progress today over last week, not a great workout.  Motivation to really push wasn't there today.

[Waldo]

10.29.2013
 
Dynamic Upper Body - Volume
 
Door Frame Pullup - 4 reps
Fingertip L-Sit - 15 sec
Hollow Hold - 30 sec
Straight Bridge - 30 sec
Planche Lean - 30 sec
Superman Hold - 30 sec
Wall Handstand - 45 sec
Parallel Bar L-Sit - 30 sec
German Hang - 30 sec
Seated Straddle Hold - 30 sec
Seated Compression Hold - 20 sec
One Arm Dead Hang - 7+6/13 sec
DB Wrist Extension (35 lb) - 10/10, 10/10 reps
Wall Slides (front/back) - 10/10 reps
Shoulder Dislocates (rope)(pronated-front/supinated-reverse) - 10/10 reps
Fingertip Dead Hang - 15 sec
- This is my whole upper body warmup/mobility/prehab routine.  It takes about 20 minutes on the dot.  I probably won't write it all out again and rarely ever comment on it.
- One arm dead hangs were subpar, been hitting a single 15 sec hold or better for a while now, kept slipping on the left (a sign of weakness)
- Door frame pullups are in the doorway, one arm on either side, the fingertips holding on to the molding.
- I get progressively lower in the seated straddle hold, which means moving my hands further away.  I move them at 10/20/25 sec.
- Seated compression hold is shorter because I push my limits, hands as far away as I can, legs as high as I can get.

 

Headstand Pushup - 3e++ reps

Handstand Pushup - 2z++, 1y++, 1y++, 1y++ reps

Headstand Pushup - 8x+, 7x++ reps

- Damn HSPU's are pissing me off.  This marks 3 weeks now with no progress in the first 3 sets.  Going to start forcing the issue with volume, following a 1 more rep no matter the sets progression plan.

- I'm not going to go back to doing a few sets of partial depth reps on the HSPU's though, I'll let the forced progress do its thing.  HSPU's (on parallel bars, hands to the shoulders) are a frickin beast mode exercise.  Without a doubt my favorite exercise to do at the moment.

- On the flipside, that is by far the best I've yet done at headstand pushups after my handstand pushup work (they act as back off sets, the point being to make the delts burn).

 

False Grip, Chest to Bar, Dead Hang, Wide Grip Pullups - 8x++, 8x++, 8x+ reps

Neutral Grip, Shoulders to Bar, Rest-Pause Pullup Pyramid - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 - 8, 7*, 6*, 5*, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps

- Had to kip a bit to get the height on my last rep (feet behind my back though, which makes for some weak kipping), hence the + on the final set of wide pulls

- I can absolutely fly though on the first  rep or two.  Starting to get into smash head on ceiling territory with these (easy with a shoulder width hollow pull, not so much with these).  I need to try clap pulls again soon, see if I can do double/triple claps or behind the back claps.

- All pauses 5 breath.  Asterisk sets I had to drop off the bar a couple seconds mid-set (reached failure mid-set).  30 sec break at the top of the pyramid.

- Was hoping to master the 8 rep pyramid this week, but I did largely the same as last week.  So close.  A 9 rep pyramid though gives me the heebee jeebies.

 

Planche Lean - 20 sec

Tuck Planche Pushup - 5x+, 5x+, 5x+, 5x+, 4x+ reps

- I can't really get past x level exertion on the TPP's as I lose the ability to hold myself level well before I get anywhere near muscle failure.

- The 2nd set was awesome.  I keep getting better and better at these, that set felt really, really good; smooth, natural and powerful.

- I need to start adding reps, wanna get the pump.  Ring dips give me an awesome pump, as do pseudo planche pushups.  I need to get another 2-3 reps per set and these things will be right there.  Feel 'em in my chest great, but not yet to the rep count that'll blow up my chest like a balloon.  I'm at the point where I'm happy with my form, so I'm going to start focusing more on rep instead of form progression.

- True planche pushup variations (incl tuck) are to me the ultimate upper body hypertrophy exercises.  Every muscle in the upper body to some degree, and hits the forearms and traps especially hard for a push exercise.

 

Concentration Curls (35 lb) - 10y++/10x++, 9y++/9x++ reps

- No progress for a while now on these.  I don't really care though.

[wildross]

Amazing..

[chairohkey]

sub'd

[Waldo]

Amazing..

 

sub'd

Thanks!

 

*****************************

 

10.30.2013

 

Handstand Practice - 5 minutes

- Barely any good holds, terrible day, just couldn't find the groove.

- However I'm sore as heck in the lats and shoulders from yesterdays workout.

 

Bar Muscle-Up - 2+, 3-, 2+, 1+ reps

- Used no swing and started in a dead hang for the first set and the last set

- Just tagged that final rep on the end there, I usually only do 3 sets.  I wanted to see just how good of a rep I could do.  Tried to limit kipping as much as possible, but getting your center of gravity right without forcibly lifting your legs is easier said than done.

- Lifetime total of 153 good bar muscle-up reps.

 

Tuck Flag Inverted Hold (2 sec) - 3+/3+, 3+/3+, 3+/3+ reps

- Big time improvement over last week.  Probably my biggest single week jump with flag work.

- Going to start adding time to the inverted holds. 

 

Run 2.6 miles in 23:24.67

- Eh, so so time.  Nice night though.

- My legs, not my lungs, were what limited me.  They were tight and seemed to build up lactic acid a bit more than usual when running.  Noticed the same last Saturday during that run.  Seems like my leg workouts as of late have been a bit more fatiguing/slower to recover than usual.

[Waldo]

10.31.2013

Leg Day B - Volume

Lunge Matrix x5

Kick Circuit x5

BW RDL - 10 reps

BW Squat - 10 reps

One Leg Standing L - 15/15 sec

Pistol Squat (BW) - 5e++/5e++ reps

Pistol Squat (+30) - 7y++/7x++, 7y++/7x++, 7y++/7x++, 6y++/6x++, 7y++/7x++ reps

- Added a couple reps this week, 32x +30 reps last week, 34x reps this week

- Once I can consistently hit 8 ++ form reps at +30 on the left, I'm going to start rest pause work again. In a gap right now, BW are just a bit too easy, +30 a bit too hard.

Shrimp Squat - 8y++/0 reps

Assisted Natural Hamstring Curl - 5e reps

Natural Hamstring Curl - 5x+, 6y++, 6y++ reps

- Still an issue psychologically with the tendon tweak from a few weeks ago. Need a few reps before I gain the confidence to go for it.

- Added reps, though rep count is very form dependent. Thought my form was very good, deep without excessive hip hinging, at least on most of the reps (sloppy form on these tends to be early in the set, not later)

All in all a good workout, especially since I got up early this AM and was worn out from taking the little one tricker treating, while wearing steel toe workboots (I went as a construction worker).

[Waldo]

Took some pics today.

Monthly progress photo:

 

Partly due to optics (less image shift/fisheye effect than usual), partly due to reality, my legs definitely look bigger.  Fat gain isn't as noticeable as I expected.  I think my traps are an area that have really shown strong growth this bulk as well.  One arm handstands really do the trick. 

 

Which leads me to.....

 

 

 

11.1.2013

 

Static Upper Body

 

Standard Warmup/Prehap/Mobility

One Arm Wall Handstand (15 sec) - 4/4, 4/4 reps

- These things are, for all intents and purposes, torture.

Slow strength circuits (circuit number in parenthesis):

(1) Planche Lean - 15 sec

(2,3,4,5) Tuck Planche (Floor) - 12, 15, 14, 15 sec

- Balance was terrible this week. 

- I might switch back and forth between PB's and the floor.

(1) Tuck Front Lever - 15 sec

(2) Advanced Tuck Front Lever - 15 sec

(3, 4, 5) One Leg Front Lever - 4/4, 4/4, 4/4 sec

- Nice, definite progress this week.  Front lever has taken a big step the last 3 weeks.

- Still not sure if it is a muscle imbalance or I'm overusing a side, but my right is much more sore after a set than my left.

 

(1) Advanced Tuck Back Lever - 15 sec

(2) Half Layout Back Lever - 15 sec

(3,4,5) Back Lever - 8, 8, 8 sec

- Very good week of back lever work.  All holds were high quality.

(1) Floor L-Sit - 15 sec

(2,3,4,5) Middle Split Hold - 10, 10, 10, 10 sec

- First set kinda sucked, but I finished strong.  Good night of work. 

DB Concentration Curl (35 lb) - 11y++/11x++ reps

- Got that rep I missed the other night.

[Waldo]

This weekends work:

5.0 mile run on Saturday in 52:29. Average time for me as of late. My hams were sore as heck from Thursday's workout.

Sunday Mini-Workout:
Planche Lean - 15 sec
Tuck Planche Rotations - 6, 6 reps
Tuck Planche Pushups - 4, 6, 5 reps
Tuck Front Lever - 15 sec
Advanced Tuck Front Lever - 6, 7, 7 reps
- Front lever progress is apparent in rep based work as well

 

Rodney Yee Total Body Power Yoga (60 min), my usual Sunday night workout

 

***********************

 

In addition to the progress pics I took on Fri, the selfie style, every 4 weeks I also take a full set of front/back/side flexed/unflexed pics with my SLR.  They give a much more thorough look at things.  But they are impractical to post due to the huge size (used to post downsized versions of the style a couple challenges ago).  Most fat gain has been in the belly area, compared to when I was cutting, my front details have softened more than the back.  My back, especially the lats, has shown notable growth.  My legs have as well.  Not as much in the shoulders as I expected to see.

[I-Jo]

<3 these workouts and your dedication- and yes- your traps DEFINITELY look bigger!!  I love it.

 

I'm jealous of the one arm HS... I started doing HS work thinking it would be a quick progression- I do that occasionally you know grossly underestimate work ... 

 

anyway- yes- not so easy- moar work to be done. One day- I'll be as that awesome

[Waldo]

<3 these workouts and your dedication- and yes- your traps DEFINITELY look bigger!!  I love it.

 

I'm jealous of the one arm HS... I started doing HS work thinking it would be a quick progression- I do that occasionally you know grossly underestimate work ... 

 

anyway- yes- not so easy- moar work to be done. One day- I'll be as that awesome

 

One way to think about one arm handstands it that it is pretty much like racking up 2x BW on a bar, shrugging it, and just holding the shrug.  Although they are hell on the obliques as well, right down by the Adonis belt.

[I-Jo]

Since I don't do shrugs... I'll just have to keep pushing handstands LOL  YAY oblique work!! I never really thought of that- very spiffy!

[Waldo]

Since I don't do shrugs... I'll just have to keep pushing handstands LOL  YAY oblique work!! I never really thought of that- very spiffy!

 

Yeah I didn't realize that they hit the obliques to the extreme until I started doing them (actual holds and not side to side "walking", which I used to progress to the real deal).  When holding one arm handstands it becomes very obvious that they are every bit the oblique exercise that they are an upper trap exercise.  For a little while my obliques were my limiting factor, though it has evened out now.

[Waldo]

Updating from last night. Abbreviated workout due to football.

11.4.2013

 

Leg Day A - Intensity

 

Lunge Matrix x5

Kick Circuit x5

BW RDL - 10 reps

BW Squat Holding Toddler - 10 reps

One Leg Standing L - 15/15 sec

 

Pistol Squat (BW) - 5e++/5e++ reps

Pistol Squat (+30) - 5x++/5e++ reps

Pistol Squat (+50) - 5y++/5x++, 4z++/4x++, 4y++/4x++ reps

- Nice progress this week.  Once I hit sets of 5 ++ reps across the board, its time to move to +70.

- No weighted step ups due to time constraints.

[Waldo]

Awww yeah.  Love days like today, where everything is a solid PR.  At first when you are starting out, every day is like this.  But as the weeks become months, and months become years, they become rarer and rarer, only really occurring while bulking, and even then, not all that frequently.

 

11.5.2013

 

Upper Body Dynamic - Volume

 

Standard warmup/prehab/mobility

- Last week my grip on the one arm dead hangs was teh suck.  This week, did a strong 17 sec hold on both sides.

 

Handstand Pushup - 2y++, 2y++, 2z++ reps

Headstand Pushup - 6x+, 7y++ reps

- Last week was week 3 of little progress on the HSPU's, 4 reps in 3 sets.  I did a 5th rep in an extra set to start forcing the issue with volume, and was rewarded with straight 2's today (6 total reps).  I will continue to force progress with volume in this manner.

- Feel like a 3rd rep on HSPU's is very close.  They are getting so much easier.  At first each rep was a 5+ sec epic press, only my last rep was like that today.

 

False Grip Dead Hang Chest to Bar Wide Grip Pullup - 8x++, 8x++, 8x++ reps

Neutral Grip Chest to Bar Rest Pause Pullup Pyramid - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 - 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps

- Progress on the wide pulls is subtle.  I'm really going for perfect form on them as well as doing them as explosively as possible.

- 5 breath pauses on the pyramid, 30 sec break in the middle.

- Booyah, completed the 8 rep pyramid.  On to 9 reps next week, which I am fairly terrified of.  90 pullups in about 8 minutes is easier said than done.

- It is ridiculous how much the pyramid fries the lats.

 

Pseudo Planche Pushup - 5e++ reps

Tuck Planche Pushup - 6x+, 5x+, 5x-, 6x+, 6x+ reps

- Performance was a bit all over the map.

- Yeah, got a better pump this week.  Just a couple more reps makes a huge difference.  Volume this week was a nice step forward.

 

Concentration Curl (35 lb) - 11y++/11x++, 12z+/12x++ reps

- To cap off the night I wanted rep #12 (a new PR).  Felt I could have had it during the first set with more motivation.  Went for it and got it.  Form was a little subpar tho.

[Waldo]

Well it appears I'm sick. Started as sore/stuffy sinuses this am, started feeling lethargic and the blahs after work, the chills kicked in after working out. No bueno. Going to bed early tonight. Fortunately/unfortunately I don't have to work again until Tuesday (damn waste of some time off).

11.6.2013

Handstand Practice - 5 min
- Not a good day, only a couple 10+ sec holds.

Bar Muscle-Up - 2-, 2-, 1n1+ reps
Tuck Flag Inverted Hold (2 sec) - 3-/3-, 3-/3- reps
- Pretty much a terrible day. Cut it short.
- Really just did it to say I did, clearly was going to suck even before starting.
- Did 5 bar dips after set 2 of the MU, was going to do a good negative but the dips screwed that up, so I did another MU after the last flag sets.
- Lifetime total of 158 good bar muscle-ups (the only reason I'm keeping track of this is because I can, and is easy to keep track of. No other good reason).

Run 2.6 miles in 26:36:15
- Pretty much a pathetic time. Was really fatigued and started feeling terrible halfway through.

Probably shouldn't have worked out today, and just done a token walk a bit on the 'mill to say I did something. The situation definitely declined continuously from the moment I got home from work until now, I'm frickin miserable now.

[Waldo]

Feeling better today (with the disclaimer better = the results of double dosing the strongest green death Q, still sick, don't care).

11.7.2013

Leg Day B - Volume

Lunge Matrix x5
Kick Circuit x5
BW RDL - 10 reps
BW Squat - 10 reps
One Leg Standing L - 15/15 sec

Pistol Squat (BW) - 5e++/5e++ reps
Pistol Squat (+30) - 7x+/7x++ m{2,2,2,2,2,2,2}(5br) reps
- Wanted to compress my workout to as minimal as possible. Of course myo-reps was the natural solution.
- Holy hell did they ever torture the glutes. I felt like my butt had a cramp for like 2 hours afterwards. Still hurts a little.
- Went better than I expected, I was going to hold off until I could do 8 per set for a single set, but with how well these went, there is no sense in waiting.
- Started out on the left doing + reps (in an effort to get to higher than 7 reps in the activation set), + reps with weight purposely felt weird so I ditched it by midway through the left activation set and went back to ++ reps.
- Going to start using myo-reps again next week.

[Donar]

Hope you feel better bud....I got sick as hell this time last week....and I am hoping to be back to me in the gym finally today.

 

In general, no fever = work through it.

 

Just get your sleep on this weekend. Hibernation mode......engage.

[Waldo]

Hope you feel better bud....I got sick as hell this time last week....and I am hoping to be back to me in the gym finally today.

 

In general, no fever = work through it.

 

Just get your sleep on this weekend. Hibernation mode......engage.

Thanks.

Yep, no fever = work. I was stuck kind of in the weird place where I had all the physical symptoms of a fever (all over fatigue and weakness, chills) with only marginal elevation on the thermometer.

One of my old rules that I've never broken that is a strong habit for me is to always at least do a something if I had a workout planned. Skipping is not an option, though I can modify as needed to accommodate. We've got a treadmill which means I can modify on down to 5 minutes of easy walking indoors. I need to be in a really bad place if walking 5 minutes on the treadmill is too much, so I really have no excuse to skip, ever (the only time I really did was when I broke my toe and possibly foot by smashing it while falling).

On the brighter side, having a nasty cold is a good excuse to get f-ed up on strong cold medicine. Not something I would do otherwise nowadays, but being sick gives a bit of a license to indulge. Though I don't get pure dxm (when sick you also want antihistamines and anti-inflammatories, no can take big doses of that without negative side effects), so it isn't that strong. Still, double dose on the strongest Nyquil and you'll be feeling pretty good.

[Waldo]

11.8.2013

Upper Body - Static

Standard Warmup/Prehap/Mobility

One Arm Wall Handstand (15 sec) - 3/3, 4/4 reps

- Fatigued a bit easy today. Didn't expect a great workout.

Slow strength circuits (circuit number in parenthesis):

(1) Planche Lean - 15 sec

(2,3,4,5) Tuck Planche (PB's) - 15, 15, 15, 15 sec

- Did a better job staying parallel to the floor on the PB's. Next week will be on the floor.

(1) Tuck Front Lever - 15 sec

(2) Advanced Tuck Front Lever - 15 sec

(3, 4, 5) One Leg Front Lever - 5/5, 5/4, 5/1 sec

- Added time to my max, but petered out toward the end.

- Pretty happy with the consistent front lever progress though as of late.

(1) Advanced Tuck Back Lever - 15 sec

(2) Half Layout Back Lever - 15 sec

(3,4,5) Back Lever - 8, 8, 8 sec

- In a holding pattern on these, quality is high.  Really trying to figure out where to go next with them.  I might start doing half layout reps instead of holds. 

(1) Floor L-Sit - 15 sec

(2,3,4,5) Middle Split Hold - 10, 10, 10, 10 sec

- Was not lifting into them well, but I was able to methodically get into the hold, which if anything actually increased the quality of the work.

DB Concentration Curl (35 lb) - 12z+/12x++ reps

- Nailed 12 reps again.  Progress on the curlz can only mean one thing, bicep growth. 

 

Tuck Planche Pushup - 5x-, 5x- reps

- Wanted to get in a little extra chest work.

[Waldo]

I'm looking forward to measurement day tomorrow. I've been feeling so much bigger as of late, in a good way. Shirts are starting to get tight in the upper chest, my shoulders have to borrow more and more arm, and the arm holes on some of my shirts are getting tight. Even my wife commented on that today. Though I don't measure it independently, I feel like my lats and just blowing up.

11.9.2013

Run 5.0 miles in 49:30.96
- One of my better runs in recent weeks. I probably could have even done better if I wasn't working with a subpar respiratory system due to having a cold. Though running so good also owes a lot of having a cold; my Thursday leg workout was abbreviated and didn't include natural hamstring curls, plus I've gotten a lot of sleep the last couple days, my legs were feeling a lot better today than they typically are on Saturdays.

[Waldo]

Ugh.  Well this football season has gone down the toilet.  When Rodgers got hurt GB was starting to look like one of the superpowers, now I doubt they make the playoffs.

 

Feeling a lot better today.  Snotty, but that's about it.

 

Today's measurements were pretty darn good.  Waist stayed the same this week (might have even lost a hair), weight is about the same (a spike is about to occur I believe, been a couple weeks of maintinaing/losing since the last one).  Gained a whopping 1/4" in the chest (lats mostly) this week.  Left arm showed gains across the board.  Calves haz gainez!!!!  Thighs and right arm stayed the same.  The net effect is an increase in symmetry and proportion.

 

11.10.2013

 

Tuck Front Lever - 15 sec

Advanced Tuck Front Lever - 8, 7, 8 reps

- Wowzers, lotta reps, awesome form too.

 

Planche Lean - 15 sec

Tuck Planche Rotations - 4, 4 reps

Tuck Planche Pushups - 5, 5, 5 reps

- Today's planche work was terrible, was not hitting my reps at all and form was not great.

 

60 minutes of Yoga (Rodney Yee Total Body Power Yoga)

- Starting to be able to comfortably hold a full lotus (as opposed to getting in it a few seconds before things hurt a bit much)

 

My shoulders are a bit sore, more tendonish than muscleish, I think the main culprit is the shoulders dislocates that I do during upper body warmups.  Going to take a little time off of them then work back up with tubes for a bit before going back to the rope.  Stretching 'em a little too hard at the moment.  This isn't the first time I've eased off with the rope, the last few months is actually the longest stretch I've sustained with the rope.

[Waldo]

11.11.2013

 

Leg Day A - Intensity

 

Lunge Matrix x5

Kick Circuit x5

BW RDL - 10 reps

BW Squat - 10 reps

One Leg Standing L - 15/15 sec

 

Pistol Squat (BW) - 5e++/5e++ reps

Pistol Squat (+30) - 5x++/5e++ reps

Pistol Squat (+50) - 4y++/4x++, 4y++/4x++, 4y++/4x++ reps

 

Deep Step Ups (+70) - 6y++/6x++ reps

Deep Step Ups (+50) - 12x++/12x++ reps

 

- Was not terribly motivated tonight.  A punch the clock workout.

- No real progress either.  If anything I took a step backwards.

- If lack of progress issues continue I may need to move up to +70 or look harder at my volume workout.

[Waldo]

Took some pictures and videos today:

 

 

For Jo, both wide grip and hollow body high pullups.  I thought I was going more to a dead hang with the wide ones, guess not.  Its hard to see from this angle, but my shoulders almost travel in a C path, the first movement of each rep is to push the bar away from me to get behind it.  It is so much easier to get height when using the hollow body form, I could even get higher, but I'm nearing nail the ceiling territory.  Having your legs out in front of you like that makes it much easier to get behind the bar.

 

 

Those are what I consider to be perfect form toes to bar reps.  Something to strive for, but hard to achieve (I can lift right into a flat back front lever).  It is totally acceptable to use momentum and cheat as much as you can at first; as you get stronger and as they get easier improve your form instead of increasing your reps.  This exercise is great for strengthening your pullups, especially for teaching the lean back to really activate the lats, the first movement of a dead hang pullup.

 

And I took a picture of a fingertip L-sit:

 

 

11.12.2013

 

Upper Body Dynamic - Volume

 

Standard warmup/prehab/mobility

 

Handstand Pushup - 3y++, 1y++, 1y++, F reps

Headstand Pushup - 8x++, 8x++ reps

- Dammit, lost total volume this week, tried for an extra set on shorter rest, failed

- That said, I did hit a 3 rep set, which is a new PR.

 

Wide Chest to Bar False Grip Pullup - 8x++, 5x++, 7x++ reps

Neutral Chest to Bar Rest-Pause Pyramid - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 - 8, 7*, 6*, 5*, 4*, 3, 2, 1 reps

- Realized that my dead hanging was not dead hanging when taking a video.

- 2nd set of the wide pulls I did a much better job of dead hanging each rep

- 5 breath pause between sets, 30 sec break at the top of the pyramid.  Starred sets included failure, hopping off and back on the bar.

- Went backwards since last week.

 

Pseudo Planche Pushup - 5e++ reps

Tuck Planche Pushup - 6x+, 6x+, 6x+, 5x+, 5x+, 5x+ reps

- Moar volume.  Not much improvement in the last couple weeks on these.

 

Concentration Curl (35) - 12y++/12x++, 11y++/11x++ reps

- Nice, form on the left at rep #12 was noticeably better.  Curls are making progress, slowly but surely.

[Metalhead]

 

 

 

Awesome looking L-Sit.