Leg Training

1 April 2015


Squat 345 lbs. 4s x 5 - did an extra set for no particular reason

Rack pull 335 lbs. 3s x 5

Hip still hurts, but it's not that bad. I'm planning to stay away from heavy squats (triples) for a while yet - will keep doing sets of five. Also will switch to singles for the rack pull once I hit 355 for sets of 5.

Glute-ham raise 2s x 6

Leg press 5 plates x20, x20, x12

20-rep leg presses are worse than 20-rep squats. With the squat, at some point self-preservation kicks in and you simply can't do another rep because it'll crush you. With the leg press, you can always do one more rep.

Machine split squats 1s x 20 (10 per leg)

Not sure why I did this last exercise, except maybe masochism.

Machine ab crunch 3s x 8-10

Squats and Deadlifts, Rehab Mode, Week 4

30 March 2015


Squat 345 lbs. 3s x 5 -felt very heavy

Rack pull 335 lbs. 3s x 5 - this felt OK. I might go back to my singles-only program, except with mid-shin pulls instead of deadlifts from the floor.

Glute-ham raise 3s x 8

Leg press 5 plates 2s x 20, 1s x 10

Leg curl 21s x 2 sets

Leg extensions 3s x 10

15 minutes cycling - all the legs could take

More Rehab - Week 3, Day 2

25 March 2015


Did a bunch of stretches and activation exercises for the hips and glutes.

Back squat 335 lbs. 3s x 5

Rack pull 325 lbs. 3s x 5

Glute-ham raise 3s x 6

Leg curl 21s 1 set

15 minutes cycling.

Riveting.

Rehab Addict

21 March 2015


Back raises, weighted 1s x 15 - been slacking on these

Squat 325 lbs. 3s x 5, back-off close-stance 225x10

Somehow the close stance hurt my injury more.

Rack pull 315 lbs. 3s x 5, stiff-legged 225 x 10

Glute-ham raise 3s x 6

Lever machine split squats 3s x 15-20 (8-10 per leg)

Leg curls 2s x 21's (7 partials at bottom of ROM, 7 partials at top, 7 full reps)

Rubber band crunches 3-4 sets

Back/hip are feeling OK, but the pain is still there. Recovery has slowed down a bit. I guess I just have to be patient and push through.

Will increase weight by 10 lbs. on the squat and rack pull next week and try to get 3 workouts in.

RIP Back

28 January 2015


I tried squatting and deadlifting today and disaster ensued. My back held out fine on the squats, although I didn't push the weight or reps, but I felt a pop in my left piriformis as soon as I tried deadlifting, accompanied by the type of sharp, rolling pain similar to being kicked in the balls. I'll wait a few days for the pain to subside, then go see a doctor if it doesn't get better. In the meantime, bench press specialization and light leg work, I guess.

Back squat 135x8, 225x3, 275x3, 315x5, 335x3, 365x3, 375x2

Sumo deadlift - 135 and 275 felt fine, my back seized up halfway up with 345

I'll go back to doing machine leg work and no lower back for the time being. Something like 2 days upper body lifting, 2 days light lower body lifting. This totally sucks, but it could be a lot worse - I could have a spinal injury. I hope that's not what it is.

Squats and Deadlifts

24 July 2011

Back squat:

Bar x 2 sets x 5
95 lbs. x 10
225 lbs. x 6
245 lbs. x 4
260 lbs. x 1
305 lbs. x 1
330 lbs. x 1

Pause squats (2-second pause at bottom) 230 lbs. x 5

Deadlifts:

135 lbs. x 2
225 lbs. x 2
275lbs. x 2
325 lbs. x 2
345 lbs. x 1
365 lbs. x 1

Heaviest I've gone since the back injury, I'd say I'm back to around 75-80% of pre-injury strength in the DL.

Leg curls 3 x 10

Leg extensions 3 x 10

Calf raises 3 x 10

Incline ab board situps 3 x 12

Some Squats and Deadlifts

17 July 2011

Today I had a squat session followed by some deadlifting. My lower back injury is still bothering me, but I am already at around 60% of my pre-injury weights and hoping to improve further in the coming couple of weeks.

It's going to be a long way back to decent weights, but now I'm confident I can do it.

(All in lbs., of course):

Full squat bar x 2 x 5,95x5, 145x5, 175x5, 195x5, 220x3, 245x2, 265x1, 285x1

High box squat 285x5, 305x5, 335x3, 355x3, 375x2

Deadlift 135x2, 225x2, 275x2, 295x2, 315x2, 325x1 (post-injury PR)

Leg curl 3 sets x 10

Leg extension 3 sets x 10

Calf raise, seated 3 sets x 10

Incline board situps 2x12, crunches 2x25

Overhead Press Training and Misc

12 July 2011
Full squat bar x 2 x 5, 95x5, 145x5, 175x5, 195x5, 215x3, 245x2, 255x1 (back complained a bit so I stopped)

Overhead press 145x2, 175x3, 195x3, 215x2 (shitty performance, but I was tired and the gym was overheated)

Seated behind-the-neck press 115x2, 135x2, 155x2, 165x2, 175x2

Seated incline bench DB curls 5 sets

Squats and Upper Back... and Finally Deadlifts

11 July 2011


Full squat bar x 2 x 5, 95x5, 145x5, 165x5, 195x5, 215x3, 245x2, 265x1, 275x1, 285x1

Pullups/chin-ups 5x5

Lat pulldown machine 3 sets x 5-8 reps (progressively heavier)

Seated cable row machine 3 sets x 6-8 reps (progressively heavier)

Deadlifts 135x2, 225x2, 245x2, 275x2, 295x2, 315x2 – very happy with this, back felt okay

More Squats

8 July 2011

Did some more squats today. The weight is coming back up, I managed to hit a pain-free single with 270 lbs. today as opposed to 195 lbs. last week, made some progress on the high box squats too. I am hopeful that I'll be back to normal strength levels in a week or two. The deadlift might take longer to recover, though - did a few doubles with 225 lbs. and they hurt.

Full squat bar x 2 sets x 5, 95x5, 145x5, 175x5, 195x5, 215x3, 235x2, 250x1, 270x1

High box squat 245x5, 285x5, 325x5, 355x2, 375x1

Deadlift 205x2, 225x2x2

(All weights in lbs., of course)

Pullups 5x5

Squats And Some Deadlifts

6 July 2011

Tried some deadlifts after the squats, super light weight and very careful of form. There was pain, but only in a certain range (at the very bottom of the deadlift). Might try pulling off blocks or pins in the power rack if I can do it pain free. Anything to get back into deadlift training. Lower back keeps feeling better, but still nowhere near ready for heavy weights.

Full squat bar x 2 sets x 5, 95x5, 115x5, 145x5, 175x5, 195x3, 215x3, 235x1, 250x1

High box squat 250x5, 285x5, 300x5, 335x3, 355x1

Deadlift 95x5, 145x3, 195x1 - new pain-free record

Standing band crunches x a bunch of sets

Upper Back + Squats

5 July 2011

Full squat bar x 2 sets x 5, 95x5, 115x5, 145x5, 165x5, 195x3, 215x3, 235x1, 245x1

High box squat 235x5, 285x5 - back started feeling funny so I stopped there

Deadlifts 135 lbs. x 3 - finally can do these again. They hurt.

Pullups 5x5

Seated rows 3 sets

Pulldowns 3 sets

EZ bar preacher curls 3 sets

Upper Back Training + Squats

1 July 2011

Limited myself to full squats only, the above-parallel ones are hurting my knees. Back is feeling much better again. Went a bit heavier, it was still pain-free.

Full squat barx5, 65x5, 95x5, 115x5, 145x5, 165x5, 175x5, 185x5, 195x3, 215x3, 235x2

Pullups 5x5

Neutral-grip pulldowns 3 sets

Seated DB shrugs 3 sets x 10

Rear delt raises 2 sets x 10

Incline bench DB curl 4 sets

EZ bar reverse curls 3 sets

Wrist curl 2 sets

Seated good mornings 3 sets x 10

Standing band crunches 1 set

Bodyweight 198.7 lbs. Added some weight despite all the squat volume.

Overhead Press Training + Squats

30 June 2011

Continued with the squat saga in addition to the scheduled overhead press workout. Back is feeling better.

Full squats barx5, 65x5, 95x5, 115x5, 145x5, 165x5, 175x5

Overhead press 175 lbs. x 5, 200 lbs. x 3, 220 lbs. x 2 (so now my press is higher than my squat)

High box squats 220x5, 265x5, 285x5, 295x5, 300x5

Seated good mornings 45x5, 65x2x5

Light bench press 200 lbs. x 2 sets x 10

Seated behind-the-neck press 115x2, 135x2, 145x2, 155x2, 165x2

Close-grip bench lockouts in power rack - a few sets

Light abdominal work 2 sets

Leg Training - Rehab Squats

29 June 2011

Followed my decision to try squatting five days this week. So today was Day 3. I even managed to add some weight to the bar for real squats, but my hips are still mysteriously stiff, despite doing several minutes of hip stretching.

Full squat barx5, 65x5, 95x5, 115x5, 135x5, 145x5, 165x5

High box squat 195x5, 215x5, 245x5, 265x5, 285x5

Again, kept form perfect, avoided forward lean and quit at the slightest sign of pain. This might work.

Seated good mornings bar x 10, 55 lbs. x 2 sets x 10

Standing band crunches 3 sets

Leg extension 3 sets x 10

Seated calf raise 4 sets x 10

Lower Back Rehab + Some Upper Back Work

28 June 2011

Managed to hit a few sets of high box squats, which makes me very happy. Also squatted to depth some with an empty bar.

High box squats 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5 - back started to hurt a bit here, so I stopped.

Pullups 5x5

Pulldowns 4 sets x 5, progressively heavier

EZ bar preacher curls 3 sets

Did a lot of standing band crunches, I think they help te lower back a bit.

Lower Back Rehab + Upper Back + Biceps

23 June 2011

Some light lower back work, seated upper back and biceps exercises. Injured area is slightly better, I keep doing stretches and abdominal exercises when at home. Hoping to get back to very light squats and deadlifts next week, then maybe heavier stuff the week after that.

The pain is now bearable and I hope no permanent damage has been done.

Morning: pushup planks, planks and crunches, lower back stretching

Afternoon (gym): Seated good mornings: bar only x 3 sets x 10, 65 lbs. x 1 set x 10

Pullups 5 sets x 5

Leg extensions 3 sets x 10

Machine pulldowns 5 progressively heavier sets

Leg curl 3 sets x 10

Chest-supported seated row 3 sets x 10

Seated shrugs 3 sets x 10 w. 80 lb. dumbbells (this was not a good idea, as picking the DBs up was sort of painful)

Incline bench seated DB curl 4 sets

Concnetration curl 4 sets

Evening: light abdominal work, back stretches

Squat Training - Week 2, Cycle 8

20 June 2011

So my back problem escalated today to the point where I can barely walk. Managed to get the squats done but my back almost collapsed as I was racking the bar, so I could have been in a world of trouble. No squats or deadlifts this week - will see about next week. Hope the pain goes away on its own.

Back squat:

Warmup 4 sets
315 lbs. x 3
365 lbs. x 3
405 lbs. x 5

Deep squat - worked up to 305 lbs. x 1. Pain was really bad at this point so I cut the session short.