Joys Log

[shan]

You don't have to give up on growth...just have to take it easy on the lat, legs are fair game though. I had a lat sprain/pull two weeks before my show, it took a few weeks to get all better, but just doing everything else I could still keeps growth going. Focusing on lower body can stimulate upper body, so just do what you have to and keep at it.

For caloric needs you can find BMR calculators online, they aren't perfect but work fairly well to give you an idea of what you need. If you know your bf it can be calculated much better...and using one that takes TDEE into account is the best.

 

[Joy]

Thanks for the tip on the TDEE, Shan, and the good thoughts on the growth.

I have laid back on doing anything that aggrevates the lat, but I am still able to lift close to my normal weights. Working machines has given me a change or pace actually. I feel great and haven't had any pain in a week. Unfortunately, that is making me itch to return to deads.

 

[shan]

Yeah...don't rush it...give it adequate time before even trying it lol. I tested just the bar a few times before I even tried adding a lil to it. If there was any discomfort I stopped and just waited another week

 

[Joy]

So I'm not really sure where I left off with my updates...I haven't really been into it since this strain. I have been feeling good and the pain is all but gone. I question my doctors advice to wait "6-8 weeks." My doctor has a shit bedside manner and he seems to take a dim view of body building so I wonder if this might have influenced at least part of his diagnosis. I also know my body and as long as I can work with no pain I'm gonna continue.

I've been working my usual routine. If you wanna see an update go back in my log- everything is pretty much status quo. I've been upping the weight on bi's to 30 lb db's. Muthas are heavy. Hammers same deal. I've been supersetting conc curls (25 pounders) w/ bw dips...challenging. I ran through chest, back, tri/bi and shoulders all with no pain so last night I hit my usual Friday night legs. My goal on April 1 was to up deads to 205. I thought that wasn't gonna take shape thanks to my strain, but to my surprise I was only a few days behind schedule.

4/5/13 legs

Deads- conventional

warmup 135x10
185x5
185x5
185x5
205x5!! right on! It was super slow coming up but once I got it up it became mind over matter and that was that
205x5
I did use a belt.

Squats (this is what aggrevated the lat last time so I laid back on the weight)
95x5 warm up
115x5
125x5 3 sets
My legs were rubbery from my deads so I decided not to push it in case my form went to shit and boom...reinjury.

db lunges
20x10 3 sets
bwx10 3 sets

light abs- these actually did make my lat uncomfortable so I did 3 sets and called it a night. I was super beat so i had a shake and literally fell into bed. So glad I'm still on track for 240. Yes, you might be reading this and laughing at my puny deadlift weight...but I am only 123 so I consider this pretty good

4/6/13 shoulders

military press
25x10
30x8 3 sets (bit aggrevating to lat)

bent bb row
70x7 4 sets

db hanging side lats
10x12
15x8 3 sets (these are still so tuff for me)

low cable face pulls
60x10
70x10
80x8 2 sets

upright bb row
60x5
60x6
60x7
60x6

lat mach raises
40x8 2 sets
50x5.5 2 sets

reverse pek deck
70x10 4 sets

beautiful day here in PA so I am gonna run later today outside. Tomorrow is back day. I plan on killin it.

 

[Joy]

I’ve really been letting my log slide. I will try to make this more of a priority. I’m still stroking along. My lat is good. The only time I even feel it anymore is once in a great while coming out of the hole on a heavy squat. I have been having other strains here and there so I thought it was time to take a break on going balls out.

This week has been a deload week. I ran back and rear delts with lower weights and high reps on Tuesday. That was actually harder than going for big weight and doing 6 reps! Yesterday was a light leg day because I have a tweaked hamstring. I have deads Saturday morning so I am hoping its good by then.

Tonight is tri, abs and bench. I have a woman interested in my joining her powerlifting team. She likes my deadlift numbers and thinks I have potential especially considering I only started to seriously dl about 3 months ago. She placed 2nd in her class in PA w/ a 280 lift. I am currently at 205 with a goal of 240 by the end of June. 280 seems within reach to me~ albeit in time . Anyhow, I gotta work on my bench if I wanna seriously think about competing. I’m still in deload mode, but I am hoping maybe isolating bench twice a week might help my numbers to come up.

Ok. I’ll throw some numbers up tonight and try to keep on top of my log a bit more. It’s tough because its finally getting nice out!

 

[shan]

good idea to deload...when things start creaking and tweaking it is time for a lil break I tried benching twice a week and it was not good on my bum shoulder...but miraculously enough when I switched to benching with dumbells one day and bar the other things are much better. I can keep the angle on the db's comfortable so it is less stressful on my tweaked parts...could give it a try, it took me some getting used to, but I did add 15lbs to my bench.

 

[shan]

sorry, double posted

 

[Joy]

The hardest thing about the deload is leaving the ego at the door! It has been a nice break though. Changing my bench up is a good idea. Maybe instead of doing flat bench twice a week I could give the db's a shot on one of the other benches. Can't hurt! And, it if helps me gain numbers like yours Shan I got nothing to lose haha!