The TFP Health Club

Gym two days in a row. Bench is stagnant, but that's fine while I'm losing weight. Squats feel good with the new hand/bar position on my back. Was only able to do a top set of 405 for 2, but a back off set of 315 for 10 felt damned easy. I also ended the day with a couple of calories to spare. I'll take tomorrow off and go again Thursday and probably Friday.

 

Had not done regular heavy squats for a few weeks now. So today my heavy sets were 315x6, 335x5, and 365x3. Not terrible. Still not seeing any dramatic increase in squats, but not too worried about it. Actually did 16 minutes of cardio yesterday and today.

 

Doing ppl (push, pull, legs) as my workout routine. Sometimes I work out a few days in a row, sometimes 4 or 5. I just keep going through ppl and rest days insert themselves. So it has been 4 days in a row. Push on Thursday and back to push today on Sunday. Thursday I benched 265x3x3, plus a couple lighter sets after. Today was 275x3x3. A single set of three calculates to a max of 300. But I did three sets. So I estimate my 1 rep max is between 315-325. Not too shabby. Did 12 sets total for chest, the rest with more reps and less rest. Also a bunch of shoulder exercises and 6 sets of triceps. No tennis elbow today, so a little less concentrated triceps work seems to be helping. Also playing on my phone less. That upturned cradled grip is killing my forearms.

 

Apparently the new method of racking a bar on my shoulder for squats is pissing off my elbows. Ulnar nerve impingement in both arms. Will switch back to the old way.

Yesterday's squat workout I ended the workout with a set of 405x6, even with the hurting elbows and tingling hands.

 

Been doing ppl (push, pull, legs) for a few weeks and it's been fine. But I'm switching back to chest/back, shoulders/arms, legs. I want more focus on my shoulders and arms. I want them to grow bigger. When I do chest and back, the arms get a fair amount of work. But then they get their own special day. Where I'm not tired from grinding out 15 sets of chest or back and then trying to muster up a good biceps or triceps session. So they will have their own day to be fresh. Yesterday was chest/back, about 28 sets total.

 

I feel like i should be going to the gym, but the kids and work just tire me out. I am 5'6 and 169lb as of today and should be closer to 155lb if not lower. I have maintained this weight range for the past 13 years with little going to the gym.

 

Second week of on ramp to xFit and I'm totally hooked. I despise tabatas and HIIT but I kicked ass on Tuesday with 4:30 intervals on the bike, self-powered treadmill (trek machines), row/squats, and amrap 15 dumbell push, 12 db rows, 9 Burpees. Then 8m of abmat tabata. I didn't puke! And later in the day I had so much damn energy and was at 9700 steps, so I jogged in place for 5m intervals. This is ridiculous, ha ha.

 

So my squats have been stagnant for a long time. I would occasionally squat 365 for a few reps, but then other times things just wouldn't flow that well. Today I finally lifted heavier. Worked up from 315x5 to 345x3, 365x3, and then peaked at 385x2. Haven't been under 385 in at least a few years, maybe 10. I don't remember. But it's progress.

 

I love my back and shoulders after just three weeks of BX classes... Crossfit without the Olympic weightlifting. Gainz!

 

Used my anger and discontent over the election to fuel my workout. Squatted 385x2, 405x1. It's been at least 10 years since I have been under 405. Things are picking up in one area of my life at least.

 

Squats keep me sane. Messed up last week on squats and the bar slid down my back, but I, like a jackass, kept on squatting. Everything hurt for a week, everything. Vanity lifting in front of some fine ladies. ( dumb guy stuff right there )

This week I squatted, higher volume and making sure I had the bar firmly planted to my preferred bar path. Time to build up my rear delts to make sure my shelf is stronger. So far I feel pretty good after the workout Tuesday. Upper body madness tonight.

 

I have never done a low bar squat, so I have never had the bar slip or slide. It stays firmly planted, nestled in the meaty part of my upper traps. My feet are a little bit wider than my shoulders. I have never really done an exaggerated wide foot stance either.

 

My leverages were bad for high bar. Did them for most of my life, but due to my proportions I would end up bending forward which got worse as the weight increased. Switched to low bar and things worked better for me. Less back pain anyway, neck too. I've recently bought some lifting shoes with a heel and may start high bar again.

I'll give low bar this. I am less likely to have the bar tilt on my back, since it has a wider shelf with my shoulders. When I walk it out it's much more stable.

 

Today I bench pressed 275x5. That is all.

 

PR 9 Burpees in 45s. Yay, me.

 

Started logging my workouts again. It's kind of depressing that my max for 2 has gone down by 50 lbs since April.