Back Injury

So I haven't posted here much since January- part of that is laziness, another part is injury.

Late in February, after a night of heavy drinking, I loaded up on preworkout, when to the gym, and lifted with my ego. This led to me essentially good morning 315 instead of squatting it, and my lower back took a huge hit. This led to constant pain in my SI joint, my right glute, and generally my lower back, for over 4 months, all from one poor lift. I would try to slowly work squats and deadlifts back into my routine, google things, mentioned it to a doctor- essentially nothing worked.

When I finally decided to go see a PT, I was told that he was busy and would be available in a month. To his credit, he offered alternative experts if the need was dire, but I took it as a sign to research this on my own- leading me to learn WAY more about the 'tush than I expected to.

Long story short, my piriformis seems to be at fault, which is a long muscle hidden in between the hip and glute. Rolling this out and stretching it directly seemed to do wonders, as well as working on mobility with my ever-patient girlfriend. This honestly goes to show that ignoring a problem area is simply not the answer for its healing: find the source and work it, however you can.

For the past month now, I have been squatting and deadlifting with very minor pain, if anything; nothing heavy, but at least noticeably above bodyweight. I'm hoping to dial everything in and sign up for a meet at some point next year, even if not the the USA Powerlifting Aggie Showdown in February.

We're going to get more strict with our lifting again and think long and hard about what accessories need to go and what can stay. I want to say posting here will be more regular, but I won't guarantee it.

Training Log (37) - Legs

Training Log:

Squats:

Bar x 15

135 x 10

185 x 6

225 x 8

225 x 8

225 x 8

Lunges:

95 x 16

95 x 16

95 x 6

-----

Very brief workout today, just to get blood flowing and rebuild work capacity in legs. Will probably squat again on Sunday.

Training Log (36) - Shoulders/Arms

Training Log:

Dumbbell Press:
30 lbs x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10
50 x 10

Preachers
40 x 15
50 x 15
70 x 15
50 x 15

Reverse Pec-Deck:
85(?) x 15
85(?) x 15
85(?) x 15
85(?) x 15

Tricep Push Downs:

70 x 15

80 x 15

90 x 15

70 x 15

70 x 15

Close-grip Bench Press:

115 x 8

(superset) Hammer curls: 30 x 8

115 x 8

(superset) Hammer curls: 30 x 8

115 x 8

(superset) Hammer curls: 30 x 8

Machine Lateral Raises

60 x 12

(superset) upright row 40 x 12

60 x 12

(superset) upright row 40 x 12

60 x 12

(superset) upright row 40 x 12

60 x 12

(superset) upright row 40 x 12

-----

Woke up at 183.5, if I recall? Taking an easy week, wasn't looking for any big lifts.

Training Log (35)

Training Log:

Close Grip Bench Press:
6 x 160 lbs
6 x 160
6 x 160

Preacher Curls:
15 x 30 lbs
15 x 30
15 x 30

Straight Bar Curls:
8 x 60 lbs
8 x 60
8 x 60
8 x 60

Hammer Curls
10 x 35 lbs
10 x 35
10 x 35
10 x 35

Tricep Pushdowns:
20 x 110 lbs
(superset) Cable Curls 20 x 40
20 x 110 lbs
(superset) Cable Curls 20 x 40
20 x 110 lbs
(superset) Cable Curls 20 x 30

Wrist Curls:
25 x 95 lbs
25 x 95
25 x 95

-------

Woke up at 182.6

Training Log (34)

Training Log:

Front Squat:
8 x 135 lbs
3 x 140
3 x 160
10 x 180
3 x 190
10 x 95
10 x 95
10 x 95
10 x 95
10 x 95

Leg Press:
15 x 220 lbs
15 x 220
15 x 220
15 x 190
15 x 190
15 x 190

Calf Raises:
15 x 190 lbs
15 x 190
15 x 190
15 x 190
15 x 190

Captain's Chair Leg Raises:
3 sets of 15

-----

Light weight on the volume front squats to save my lower back. Still felt it by the end. Glutes are crazy sore the next day. Steph said feet were a little more stable, work in progress.

Training Log (33)

Training Log:

Bench Press:
12 x bar
3 x 135 lbs
3 x 140
3 x 160
7 x 180
3 x 190
15 x 140

Incine Bench:
10 x 85 lbs
10 x 85
10 x 85
10 x 85
10 x 85

Skullcrushers:
12 x 55 lbs
(superset) Lateral raises 12 x 15
12 x 55 lbs
(superset) Lateral raises 12 x 15

12 x 55 lbs
(superset) Lateral raises 12 x 15

12 x 55 lbs
(superset) Lateral raises 12 x 15

Machine Lateral Raises:

12 x 40 lbs

12 x 60

12 x 40

15 x 30

15 x 30

Tricep Pushdowns:

20 x 70 lbs

(superset) Facepulls 20 x 70

20 x 70 lbs

(superset) Facepulls 20 x 70

20 x 70 lbs

(superset) Facepulls 20 x 70

20 x 70 lbs

(superset) Facepulls 20 x 70

20 x 70 lbs

(superset) Facepulls 20 x 70

-----

Woke up at 181.5.

Training Log (32)

Training Log:

Bench Press:
10 x bar
10 x 135
10 x 155
6 x 175
7 x 165
10 x 155 (pause)
12 x 135
11 x 135

Deadlift:
10 x 135 lbs
8 x 185
5 x 225
5 x 275
5 x 275
5 x 275
5 x 275
5 x 275

-----

Woke up at 180.0. Friday's workout.

Training Log (31)

Training Log:

Cable Rows:
12 x 100 lbs
12 x 160
12 x 190
12 x 175
12 x 175

Tricep Push Downs:
12 x 100 lbs
10 x 140
12 x 120
12 x 120
8 x 120

Lateral Raises:

10 x 20 lbs
(superset) Reverse EZ Bar Curls 10 x 50
10 x 20
(superset) Reverse EZ Bar Curls 10 x 50
10 x 20
(superset) Reverse EZ Bar Curls 10 x 50
10 x 20
(superset) Reverse EZ Bar Curls 10 x 50
10 x 20
(superset) Reverse EZ Bar Curls 10 x 50

Hammer Curls:
3 x 10 x 30 lbs

Dumbbell Pullover:
2 x 15 x 35 lbs

Ab Wheel:

20 Rollouts

-----

Woke up at 181.8.

38 Pull ups

Training Log (30)

Training Log:

Overhead Press:

10 x bar
10 x 65 lbs
10 x 85
10 x 85
10 x 85
10 x 85

Squats:
10 x 135 lbs
10 x 185
10 x 225
10 x 225
4 x 275
10 x 225
6 x 225 (paused)
5 x 225 (paused)

-----

Woke up at 180.8.

36 Pull ups.

Training Log (29)

Training Log:

Lat Pull Downs:
12 x 115 lbs
12 x 145
(superset) tricep pushdowns 12 x 100 lbs
12 x 165
(superset) tricep pushdowns 12 x 120
12 x 165
(superset) tricep pushdowns 12 x 100
12 x 165
(superset) tricep pushdowns 12 x 100

Calf Raises:
15 x 250 lbs
15 x 250
15 x 225
15 x 190
15 x 135

Lateral Raises:

5 x 10 x 15 lbs
5 x (superset) curls 10 x 25 lbs

Wrist Curls:
4 x 12 x 115 lbs

Shrugs:
3 x 15 x 165 lbs

Dips:
5 x 10 x bodyweight

-----

Woke up at 178.0. Gaining weight is hard. 35 Pull ups.

Training Log (28)

Training Log:

Incline Bench:

10 x bar
10 x 85 lbs
8 x 135
8 x 135
7 x 135
7 x 135
10 x 85

Deadlift:
10 x 135 lbs
10 x 185
10 x 225
10 x 225
10 x 225
10 x 225

-----

Woke up at 178.4

Training Log (27)

Training Log:

Bench:

10 x bar
10 x 85 lbs
10 x 135
3 x 185
3 x 185
3 x 185
3 x 185
3 x 185
3 x 185
3 x 185
3 x 185
3 x 185
3 x 185

Squat:

10 x 135 lbs
10 x 185
10 x 225
10 x 225
10 x 225
10 x 225

-----

Woke up at 178.2.

30 pull-ups today. I suck at minimal adding. Bring it on, elbows.

Training Log (26)

Developed my own program for Steven and myself. So far it's been very RPE (rate of perceived effort) based, where there's no fixed sets or reps. Tues / Thurs / Sat are accessory days. Mon - Bench/Deads, Wed - Bench/Squats, Fri - Bench/Deads.

Road to a 400 deadlift because I'm weak. Should have it by the end of January.

Training Log:

Lat Pull Downs:

10 x 100 lbs
12 x 130
(superset) tricep pushdowns 12 x 70 lbs
12 x 145
(superset) tricep pushdowns 12 x 80 lbs
12 x 145
(superset) tricep pushdowns 12 x 100 lbs
12 x 130
(superset) tricep pushdowns 12 x 100 lbs

Calf Raises:

12 x 295 lbs
12 x 295
12 x 295
12 x 295

Lateral Raises:

12 x 15 lbs

(superset) DB press 12 x 40 lbs

12 x 15

(superset) DB press 12 x 40 lbs

12 x 15

(superset) DB press 12 x 40 lbs

12 x 15

Wrist Curls:

15 x 115 lbs

15 x 115

12 x 115

10 x 115

Fixed Row:

12 x 205 lbs

12 x 205

12 x 205

12 x 205

-----

Thoughts:

Woke up at 180.0. Doing pull-ups daily, but trying to slowly ramp up to avoid that ugly tendinitis that my elbow has an affair with. Adding a pull-up a day; today we're doing 25.

Updated Personal Bests

Updated Personal Bests:

For records.

Press: 140 lbs 3RM
Deadlift: 380 lbs 2RM
Bench: 215 lbs 2RM
Squat: 335 3RM

Haven't pushed heavy weight on bench due to my wrist swelling at anything above 190, and squats have been feeling weaker since I got new shoes that allowed greater depth.

But yeah, excuses. We'll get those numbers up. 2017 gogo.