Project: Squat Dodger/no More Curling Like A Bro/get Ankle Better

[No Crust Racing]

I'm wondering if it might just be easier to get some 20kg plates, at least 2, I will need some more weight down the track anyway.

Do they come in standard hole size 25mm or only Olympic?

[TTT]

pretty sure you can get standard bar hole size.

Edited May 16, 2013 by TTT

[No Crust Racing]

Quick search found this so there's a bit of a difference.

25-20kg -these are 20cm bar height when loaded
15kg- these are 16cm
10kg- these are 11.5cm

[Birds]

if it were me, and I was forced to use 10kg plates, I'd get measurements of a proper 20kg plate, work out the difference, and cut some blocks to put under them.

Having said that, deficit deadlifts (which you are doing) are a great assistance exercise for deadlifts.

But not a replacement.

/my opinion.

Agree with this

[No Crust Racing]

Small win, got 2 extra barbell hooks coming.

[No Crust Racing]

Tried benching at the 96-97, pussied out on the final rep as I wasn't sure I'd make it, did a half rep

Did DL from blocks, much easier.

Fiddled with row, see vid for height testing.

Got 7kg in my pocket for dips and did sets of 10 with short breaks and managed that.

http://youtu.be/uf_XgacRYE0

[No Crust Racing]

Added 6kg to squats for 66, I have such weak leaks. I felt this, I didn't super struggle but I felt it and can feel it today between the top of my quads and my hip bones but some of that is DL too.

Successfully benched 96 last night not sure why I thought I wouldn't make it before.

Added 4.5kg to DL for 58.5

Started out rowing 54 as I was trying to get lower as per the last session. then went 58.5 then 60kg while maintaining that lower stance.

Left chin ups at 4.5kg.

Stuffed up my first set of dips with 7kg on, stopped at 8 reps out of habit instead of 10, so added some more weight and did 2 more sets of 10 @ 9kg.

Progress all round.

[No Crust Racing]

I should add too, I've noticed I am getting thicker, arms, chest, back legs, a little bit in the mid section but that my weight is not really going up that much, I still fluctuate between 86-88kg despite getting a little bit stronger.

[No Crust Racing]

I'm in a bit of trouble.

Warmed up and got into session but half way through second set of squats that pain in my back/SIJ went bang and got very sharp in that area and down my left leg.

Had to put bar on safeties, and cannot lift it.

Painful to walk/stand/sit.

Gonna hit the shower then heat pack it.

FML.

[No Crust Racing]

Given it's all down my left leg also everything I read says sciatic.

I'm going to call my physio tomorrow and see if I can come in.

I hope I'm not feeling like this tomorrow as I reckon I'll have trouble driving.

[No Crust Racing]

Copy/Paste from Infirmary thread.

Well I've got a small update, and I may have jumped the gun a "bit" but to be fair, any issue at the moment feels like a mountain because progress is so slow and I'm so mindful that a small slip up can be a very time consuming set back.

It's still pretty tender, but not as bad as it was when I did it. I'm back at work without pain killers but sitting uncomfortably.

I'm seeing my physio today and managed to get into an Osteo last night, he said he was confident I've not done anything major (slipped/crushed disc big ruptures those sort of things) and felt that given the tightness in the area and the cold that the muscles had been too tight and strained a bit which failed to hold the SIJ in place and I'd then in turn strained the SIJ and into the lower lumbar (I think he said L5/L6 area) he did some work on it and made the same comments the physio has been saying, my external posterior chain strength appears quite good but that there's an underlying instability in my core allowing this SIJ movement and irritation.

The consensus being that working being off my feet for 2-3mths and working in a recliner has basically allowed my pelvic floor and associated stabilisers to puss out and now they are not coming back on because I'm relying on abs and obliques to lock up and provide stability.

So I'm going to drop a touch of weight off the squat, DL, and rows, not that it wasn't already light by standards, and just maintain the motions while I focus some solid attention on improve that inner core stability that seems to be upsetting things.

[No Crust Racing]

Small update, had a good 15min stretch/warm up then got into a lighter session tonight. Aimed for 2 sets of everything (with lighter weight on back engaging exercises so squat, DL and row) and got through it all OK, feeling the same today so no worse than previous. Interestingly the discomfort is centralising which I'd think is a good thing maybe?

I'm also doing 5mins of jogging in my morning walk, but weird jogging as asked by the physio where I lean a fair way forward and the balls of my feet are not talking all the load, momentum kind of pulls you forward.

[No Crust Racing]

Back to full weight on things now, low as it is, but full weight for me.

Squats for 66, Bench for 96, DL for 60, row for 60x2 then 1x66, chin ups with 4.5kg, and dips with 11kg.

My arse and legs are getting a bit bigger so I appear to be seeing some growth, need some new pants.

Jogging each morning, only a K or so but going to step that up to a 2k jog and see how I go.

Physio is quite happy with progress, back/pelvis/ankle feeling better all the time.

[No Crust Racing]

Jogged my morning walk, 1.95k in 11ms30secs lol not exactly a blistering oace but I've never ran fast, especially at 6:30am.

I'm only just warming up by the end of it.

Ankle feels OK, good given she did a number on it yesterday.

See how it goes tonight during gym.

On the jogging front my aim is probably to get back to morning 3k jogs on the old route which includes a fairly decent 30-40m ascent.

[No Crust Racing]

First session with new ideas and approach.

Tried a 5x5 session and being sensible and safe with numbers just to feel it out.

Here's how it went.

Squat

73, 78, 83, 88, 54 (low bar last set for practice, 88 is 18 better than before).

Bench (realised I'd miscalculated previous weight, was 93 not 98)

93, 97, 101.5, 104, 104 (11 better than before, did not increase last set as I wasn't sure I could, i had to work for the last rep) .

DL barefoot

61, 73, 78, 83, 88, (22 better than before)

Row

61, 67, 73, 75.5, 75.5, (9.5 better)

Chins

Bw, 2.5, 4.6, 6.5, 9, (4.4 better)

Dips

Bw, 6.5, 9, 11.5, 14, 16.5 (3.5 better)

We'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Ankle was swollen.

[No Crust Racing]

Did the same routine on Monday but added a few extra KGs to the last squat set (lowbar) which was fine.

Feels like there's more in the tank but as mentioned I will just cruise for the moment to get used to the changed routine.

Physio is happy with my back/ankle progress, no visit required for 2 weeks now.

Just brisk walking in the mornings, no jogging, as by the time I gym and work on the car my ankle is getting a good work out itself so it's not up to running just yet.

[No Crust Racing]

Wednesday was a repeat of Monday, checked a few extra KG on the last set of squat (low bar) just for practice.

Going to see out the week then look to start adding some small amounts to some things.

I may ru into an issue in the near future with the my new bench, it's rated at 200kg, including the user. I'm at approx 190kg when using it to bench now.

So either new bench, or I look to switch to incline which should means lower weight used which will extend the bench life.

Realistically, I have no great desires to keep adding heaps of bench weight.

[No Crust Racing]

Pretty happy with tonights session. PBs all round. Will sit on these weights for next week then look to add again.

Could go more on deads, squats are a bit harder. I don't see myself being a great squatter, well great anything really lol.

Squat high bar

75.5 80.5 85.5 90.5 73 (low bar)

Bench

95.5 99.5 104 106.5 109

DL barefoot

73 78 83 88 93

Row

67 73 75.5 78 80.5

Chins

2.5 4.6 6.5 9 11.5

Dips

9 11.5 14 16.5 19

[No Crust Racing]

Have been managing to consolidate those weights this week, added a few extra KG on the low bar squat (78), I'm starting to like the way that feels and where the weight sits as opposed to high bar.

Tomorrow I'll look to add some weight to a few things, I may just sit bench where it is, by the 5th rep of the 5th set I'm starting to feel like I need a spotter just in case and the bench is only rated at 200kg including user so I'm only 5kg off that.

Squat already feels hard for me, ankle protests and and I have to concentrate very hard to ensure the smaller ROM there doesn't make me kink in weird spots etc as I go down.

DL feels good though, there;s definitely room to improve on that one.

Row I constantly feel like I'm not bending over far enough.

Dips I'm starting to worry about the strength of the bars and definitely have room to grow there, just looking for a dipping belt as the I'm all out of pocket space.

[No Crust Racing]

Didn't feel as good as I thought I would after 4 days off, the light strain in my right forearm is sorted bu the strain my left hammy isn't yet.

Anyway, last night went OK.

Squat high bar (All low bar this time for shits and giggles, also upped the last set which was originally the only low bar set, I'm not sure I'd have been able to do another set at 90.5 so the short term goal is to get the final set above the set preceding it.
75.5 80.5 85.5 90.5 85.5

Bench
95.5 99.5 104 106.5 109

Dropped the first 73kg set and added a 98kg set at the end, played with mixed grip.

DL barefoot
78 83 88 93 98

Row: the extra low weight set was playing with depth.
67 73 75.5 78 54 80.5

I should be able to add some weight on these shortly when my dipping belt arrives.
Chins
2.5 4.6 6.5 9 11.5

Dips
9 11.5 14 16.5 19