Shaping the body; adjusting the mind

[jaja]

• Squat: 1x8x112,5kg + 1x9x102,5kg + 1x10x92,5kg + 1x11x85kg
  • Not completely sure about depth. I mean it was legit, but I could have squatted deeper
• Bent Over Row: 1x6x62,5kg + 1x8x60kg + 1x8x57,5kg
• Dead hangs: 2 sets
  • 1m40s ; 1m20s | Right shoulder basically dislocated after around 1m20s, not good
• Ankle mobility

[jaja]

• Deadlift: 1x3x135kg + 1x6x122,5kg
  • Usually when I increase the weight I can pull out at least 4 reps. Not this time, I actually failed the 4th. Tried to compensate with the second set, though.
• Chin-ups: 4xAMRAP (10-9-8-7)
• Dead hangs: 2 sets
  • 1m20s + 1m10s
• Ankle mobility
  • Right ankle still way stiffer than left one.

Overall, not an amazing session. Yesterday I didn't eat properly and these days I'm quite blue, so all of this might have gotten in the way.

[jaja]

• Chin-ups: 1x6xBW+15kg + 1x8xBW+7,5 + 1x9xBW
• Bench Press: 1x4x80kg + 1x6x77,5kg + 1x7x72,5kg
  • Meh, number got worse
• Single leg squat: 3x8
• Anti-pronation exercise: 1x8x20kg
• Ankle mobilization

[jaja]

 

• Bent Over Row: 1x8x62,5kg + 1x10x60kg + 1x12x57,5kg
  • Switched rows and squats because the rack was busy and I was in a hurry. Did rows first.
• Squat: 2x5x115kg + 1x7x95kg + 1x8x85kg
  • Forgot to de-load after the first set and did two sets with a 115kg load. The following ones seemed extremely light by comparison so I pull out good numbers.
• Dead hangs: 1 set
  • 1m20s - WEAK

That's all. I needed to finish fast, so I rested only 3-4 minutes between sets. Overall, good workout!

------

Mental health: everything's going to shit. Surprisingly jaw stretches are helping a bit.

[jaja]

I lost 1.5kg in one week. It's not really my goal, but at least now my abs are more defined.

Starting from today, I'm going to reduce my resting periods to 3 minutes regardless of the exercise. I'm expecting more fatigue and some numbers will go down, but hopefully my gym sessions will become much shorter.

• Deadlift: 1x3x135kg + 1x7x122,5kg
  • This was unexpected: no progress in my heaviest set, I failed the forth rep. I managed to increase my numbers in the following set, even with a 3 minutes resting time, though.
• Chin-ups: 4xAMRAP (12-7-6-7)
  • 12 reps were actually a surprise, but my total suffered a bit.
• Dead hangs: 2 sets
  • 1m20s + 1m
• Ankle mobility
  • Not much time spent here, today. Just some drills to remind my body what can be done.

[jaja]

Today I cried. I felt restriction in my chest, my diaphragm must be extremely tight. Luckily my outburst of emotions worked as a partial release: afterwards I could breath better.

[jaja]

Yesterday's training, after a lunch that broke a 24h fast:

• Bench Press: 1x6x80kg + 1x7x77,5kg + 1x8x72,5kg
  • Overall…not bad.
• Chin-ups: 1x5xBW+15kg + 1x8xBW+7,5 + 1x9xBW
  • Chins numbers always suffer immensely after the press. Not too concerned about this setback.
• Anti-pronation exercise: 1x8x20kg
• Single leg squat: 3x8
• Ankle mobility

 

Today's training:

• Squat: 1x6x115kg + 1x7x105kg + 1x8x95kg + 1x10x85kg
• Bent Over Row: 1x8x65kg + 1x9x62,5kg + 1x10x60kg
• Dead hangs: 2 sets
  • 1m + 1m10s

In the end I was really fatigued, having alternated rows and squats with very little resting time. I believe this is why my grip sucked so hard after.

My bodyweight currently is 63.4kg, which is not that great. For the foreseeable future I won't be able to have caloric-dense lunches, I need to figure out a way not to lose weight and strength.

[jaja]

Stretching Sunday:

 

• Partner HF stretch
• Partner quad stretch
• Piriformis stretch
• Partner lumbar stretch
• Partner shoulder stretch

[jaja]

• Deadlift: 1x5x135kg + 1x7x122,5kg
  • FINALLY AN IMPROVEMENT! 5, smooth, reps. I was very tired today, so I'm convinced this performance was partly due to yesterday's HF stretch
• Chin-ups: 4xAMRAP (11-7-6-5)
  • Here I suffered, but it comes with no surprise: the DL (and the 3 minutes rest) took a toll
• Dead hangs: 2 sets
  • 1m30s + 1m20s
• Ankle mobility
  • Just few drills, coupled with a static stretch of my stiffer ankle

[jaja]

• Chin-ups: 1x6xBW+15kg + 1x7xBW+7,5 + 1x8xBW
  • Failed the 7th rep. Could have done better. I'm stalling, here
• Bench Press: 1x6x80kg + 1x6x77,5kg + 1x6x72,5kg
  • Managed to keep the reps in the first set, but the following numbers are disappointing
• Anti-pronation exercise: 1x8x20kg
• Ankle mobility drills

[jaja]

 

• Bent Over Row: 1x8x67,5kg + 1x9x65kg + 1x9x62,5kg
  • Began with the rows because the squat rack was already taken by another lifter. Solid performance.
• Squat: 1x7x115kg + 1x8x105kg + 1x9x95kg + 1x5x85kg
  • Devastating. Reps were solid, but during the last set my body just said “no” and refused to keep going (I was aiming at 10 reps). First time I've experienced something like this.
• Dead hangs: 2 sets
  • 1m40s + 1m20s
• Ankle mobility
  • Really short session, just a basic C&R stretch.

[jaja]

What a shitty day

• Deadlift: 1x4x135kg + 1x7x122,5kg
  • Numbers down, poor performance. I sucked.
• Chin-ups: 4xAMRAP (11-8-7-6)
  • Slight improvement, but still waaaay under what I view as optimal
• Dead hangs: 2 sets
  • 1m30s + 1m10s ; not that bad, all things considered, but still a shitty perfomance
• Ankle mobility
  • Bad day even here
• Tailor pose stretch
  • This was much needed, I felt a lot better afterwords

I've started doing kegels, just for “fun”. Let's see how it goes.

[Nathan]

You’re pretty harsh on yourself. It looks to me like you went in, put in the effort, and pushed the limits of your body as it is today - excellent. I wonder what would happen if you tried reframing everything in a positive light, maybe just for a week or two as an experiment 

[Kit_L]

What a great idea! @jaja: please give @Nathan's advice a try. Please consider this the official start of a three-week challenge, to only write about what worked; what felt good; and what you are excited about.

[jaja]

On 2/13/2019 at 9:45 AM, Kit_L said:

What a great idea! @jaja: please give @Nathan's advice a try. Please consider this the official start of a three-week challenge, to only write about what worked; what felt good; and what you are excited about.

Deal! I do have a tendency to frame everything in a negative or hyper-critic way. It's getting worse 'cause I'm dealing with a lot of issues in this period.

[jaja]

Stretching evening (solo):

• HF stretch
• Wall quad stretch
• Passive back-bend over Baby Whale
• Calves stick rolling
• Scalenes stretch
• Levator scapulae stretch
• Neck side bend stretch
• Jaw stretch

[jaja]

Oh gosh, I'm sick. High fever. Shivering. No gym today and probably no partner stretching tomorrow. Anyway, here's yesterday's log:

• Bench Press: 1x5x80kg + 1x6x77,5kg + 1x6x72,5kg
• Chin-ups: 1x6xBW+15kg + 1x7xBW+7,5 + 1x7xBW
• Anti-pronation exercise: 1x8x20kg
• Single leg squats: 3x8
• Ankle mobility

[jaja]

This flu is really taking a toll on me. I've been sick since Saturday morning, suffering high fever, bad cough and vomit. Spent the whole weekend mostly bedridden, yesterday I felt some improvements and now I feel better. I still have a mild fever, though. Due to my status, meal frequency has been sparse and caloric intake limited. I don't know if it's a good thing or not: usually when I'm sick I try to eat as usual, in order to have more energy to fight the illness, but I've never had a fever so high. On Saturday I basically fasted all day, my body rejected food.

Anyway, yesterday evening I was feeling sufficiently ok to do a short limbering session for my legs, ankles and lower back. Felt nice. I have mild discomfort in multiple spots of my body, probably caused by the time spent in my bed. I honestly don't know if I'm gonna train at all, this week. Just thinking about deadlifting makes my stomach turn inside out.

[Nathan]

I suggest you let your body decide. No problem with missing a few sessions. It might turn out to be exactly what you needed! 

[Kit_L]

^^^

What he said! A break will do way more good than harm, in any case.

[jaja]

Interesting thing I noticed: while sick my skin was totally acne free. Now that I no longer have fever, the issue is coming back. Wonder if the two things are related.

[Rik]

Might be something in your diet!

[jaja]

14 hours ago, Rik said:

Might be something in your diet!

Ah it might be indeed! The problem is: I barely ate for three days straight. So it's difficult to pin down something. 

[Rik]

On 2/22/2019 at 2:26 PM, jaja said:

Ah it might be indeed! The problem is: I barely ate for three days straight. So it's difficult to pin down something. 

Elimination diet it is then

[jaja]

Alright, I finally resumed my training after a week of illness. Since I'm challenging myself to view things under a positive light, I'm going to hold back any harsh criticism.

• Deadlift: 1x2x135kg + 1x3x122,5kg
  • Didn't expect this degree of setback, but I'm positive I'll get my strength back fast. Felt my quads activating way too much, but my back held perfect form during every rep. I suspect my performance suffered a lot by the 2.5kg of bodyweight I lost.
• Chin-ups: 4xAMRAP (11-9-6-5)
  • The positive side of loosing weight? Chin-ups get easier! Numbers overall unaltered from last time, which is good.
• Dead hangs: 2 sets
  • 1m + 1m ; probably could have lasted a bit more
• Tailor pose stretch
  • This is always needed
• Ankle mobility
  • After drills and some stretching I noticed I was able to hold a somewhat decent deep squat position, so I began experiment with low-bar squatting.

Those of you that have witnessed my terrible form can here appreciate some tangible progress — although I still have a lot of work to do. After these exploratory squats I attempted a couple of singles with progressively heavier weights. I soon reached the weight I use for my usual top-set, but I wasn't confident enough to attempt it. Still, I feel like this was a huge success!