Did some shadow kickboxing, 3 hill sprints, and a 20 minute jog last night.

Log press (clean once)
Worked up to 180 x 6, 7, 6
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Super-set with wide-grip pull-ups and chin-ups x 10-15

Band chest press x 2 x 12

Curls

Fairly brisk workout before 2nd job. Coming back into log cleans cautiously, but forearm is holding up so far.

 Both my back and my forearm are feeling much better. I can make my arm hurt if I stretch it out and then twist, but only marginally. I'm thinking give it another week and then have a deadlift day of up to 405 lbs to see how that feels.

Yesterday I Yukon squatted up to 420x5, essentially making good on my last attempt where I got 3 and had to rerack because of my back. Did drop-down sets after of 365x5, 315x8, and 225x8. 

Came back today and did some band-resistant good mornings and 5 slow reps on the ab wheel, pausing mid-way to do a nasty plank variant.

Had a good weekend visiting a friend in San Francisco, which always means a good amount of uphill walking. Random fact on that, last weekend I couldn't find where I parked my car and a local who was helping me kept getting out of breath and I had to keep waiting. They really put the perspective on what training does for you because I didn't even think twice about those hills being difficult. 

Swiss bar bench

230 x 3

260 x 3

295 x 3

230 x 12

* As has been the trend lately, the work upsets felt very heavy and then I absolutely crushed the final.

Close grip Swiss bar bench

190 x 10, 10

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Super-set with T-bar rows

Up to 5 plates x 10-12

Dumbbell shoulder press against bands

10

Curls, rear-delt flyes

Upon wake-up with only some casein protein in me:

3 minutes exercise bike warm-up
50 burpees
3 minutes shadow kickboxing
100 jumping-jacks
2 minutes bike burn-out

Missed recording some good sessions, probably because my back has been so bad lately and I don't sit-down at the computer if I can help it. As of today it's gotten quite a bit better. I've been throwing some good rehab at it. Main lift-wise, I hit 425x3 on the Yukon bar (would have hit 5 but I reracked when my back started feeling it) and a 190x5 press, which I fell short of a month ago.

Realized the other night while on edibles and thinking about my training that this sudden spurt of intense back pain isn't random - I injured myself doing those heavy good mornings and didn't even realize it. The pain only set-in once I was asleep.

Swiss bar bench
215 x 5
245 x 5
280 x 5
225 x 14
* Felt a bit weak on the lead-up sets and then absolutely crushed 280x5, with probably another in the tank. Really significant improvement using this bar. That 225x14 was more than I expected to muster, as well.

Close-grip swiss bar bench
185 x 10, 10
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Super-set with T-bar rows
5 plates x 10, 10

Dumbbell shoulder press against bands
50s x 10
* Band snapped on rep 6, RIP. Finished the rest of the reps without.
---
Super-set with T-bar rows
5 plates x 10, 10

Keg curls
160 x 12, 12

Fun random note, right as I arrived at the club on Friday night I noticed the street dog vendor outside and asked him how late he'd be open. Had to secure a protein source before going in. I ended up eating one of those (I absolutely love them) and a veggie pizza slice in the end, and then an Orgain protein shake with some homemade fresh-ground organic black coffee I had saved in my car. I think I've gotten a rep for being a food diva when I party.

 Basically did a repeat of last week's log strict press workout, managing sets of 5, 7, and then 6. Came ever so close to a 7th on that last set. For some reason had major implement drift this time and had to fight the log quite a bit more in keeping it from going too far in front. Wonder if it's wearing running shoes this week versus proper lifting shoes last.

Back has been KILLING me in my sleep and all day today despite stretching, yoga, etc. I'll keep throwing everything I can at treating it. On the other hand, my forearm has been feeling a little better. It no longer hurts to throw a right straight. Keep using elbow sleeves and stay away from deadlifts for now.

I've been majorly busy with home improvement projects this week and didn't get around to going to AKA. I'm going to make sure I go next week. I feel the craving.

Going out to a show in SF tonight. Not sure if I'll be spending the night at a friend's but I'm eating big before and after, with it being SF and restaurants open all night.

 Woke up and did 4 minutes on the bike to warm my knees up, 35 burpees, some shadowboxing, 2 minutes of fast biking at the 6 resistance, and 15 more burpees. Total workout time was 19 minutes.

Back is feeling a bit better. I found out that it makes a big difference doing some stretching and exercises like reverse crunches and reverse hypers right before bed. That way I'm not going to sleep with any kinks unaddressed that get exacerbated in my sleep. Woke up today not feeling like an old man, for the first time in a few days. 

It makes me wonder about chiropractors. I definitely believe your back can feel better by adjusting it, but how precise can you even be just by eyeing someone? By spinal adjustment I literally just mean stretching myself out and going against extension (hence reverse hypers and crunches), certainly not analyzing individual vertebrae or anything. I've always been skeptical about the practice while also remaining open-minded.

Got a light workout in later by sledgehammering a large shelf and moving debris and an old CRT TV. 

Got up to mat pulling 565x2 off 5 mats. Back has been in bad pain upon waking up lately and it had an affect here. The trend has been that it feels awful in the morning but stretches as well as reverse hyperextensions with bands throughout the day make it feel better, only for the cycle to repeat the next day. What's more, despite strapping up, my forearm really felt it on 315 and above. So I'm not going to be doing any pulls until it feels better. A tendon snapping is the last thing I need without health insurance.

Luckily the pain didn't linger and it felt back to "normal" after this.

Came back in the evening:

SSB good mornings

150 x 10

200 x 8

200 x 8 against bands

220 x 8 against bands

240 x 8 against bands (PR)

* Even without band resistance 240 is the most I've ever good morning'ed.

SSB box squats

Work up to 330 x 5

Xtremely deep (hamstring-to-calf) split-squats with 45 lb plate

8, 10

Planks

Had a moment after my shower where I stared at myself in the mirror and thought how I lived to fight another day and stay healthy instead of risking injury by pushing it on pulls. I take a lot of unmentioned calculated risks when I deem it wise to do so, and I didn't feel right about it today. I have no doubt I'll get stronger from good mornings anyways.

Swiss bar bench
245 x 5
275 x 3
310 x 1
245 x 9
* Donned elbow sleeves today as a part of my plan getting my forearm to heal. This was so easy I almost went for a second.

Close-grip bench press
185 x 9, 9

Band-resisted seated dumbbell shoulder press
50s x 10, 8
* Started out as Arnold presses and gradually shifted to just neutral hand-positioning to eke out more reps.

All presses super-set with T-bar rows varying from 3-5 plates x 8-10
* Used a strap on my injured side and it seemed to help. Grip work right now is a no-no, unfortunately. 

Barbell preacher curls
45 x 20

Forearm is actually feeling better after this workout. Lately I've been waking up to it in pain, which has been concerning. I can even feel it a little bit when I throw hard right straights.

 Yukon squatted up to 465 on Saturday, followed by the drop-down sets. This time I was able to get 405x5. I'm curious if this will amplify my numbers if I suddenly switch to straight bar squats like the Swiss bar does for benching. It's not as dramatic but I definitely have to work a little more to keep the Yukon bar balanced.

Right forearm still feels like crap, not getting better so far. Going to try doing wrist curls and hand-opening exercises with vegetable bands.

Miscalculated the log weight last week when reporting. The log is 90 lbs, not 80.

Log press from rack

Up to 180 x 6, 7, 5

As with a Swiss bar, getting much more proficient with the implement. Developing stabilization and nailing how to draw the implement back and into my body are key factors. Very good idea to go forth with this despite not being able to pull from the floor, just making very productive time learning the press portion. 

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Super-set with neutral grip chins

10, 12

45 x 10

Band-resisted neutral grip dumbbell press

50s x 12, 12

Super-set with weighted neutral grip chins and keg curls

45 x 10

160 lb keg x 15

Been trying to figure out how I can get back to a martial arts gym around my double job schedule, but it turns out AKA has Muay Thai classes 8pm. It's a little farther than my previous gym, which is only relevant because my car sucks, but eff it, I'm gonna go for it next week.

https://www.americankickboxingacademy.com/copy-of-adult-schedules-1

Swiss bar benched 290x3 the other day. I'm getting better with this thing. Also found that my pecs really felt it using the narrow grip on it, very hard to balance and I had to reduce the weight down to 185 to get a decent amount of reps in.

Mat pulls (6)

565 x 6 

Was hoping for a better showing, and tbh I got a little lost on the count and am only 90% sure that was 6 and not 5. Right forearm is hurting from this too, in the future do NOT double overhand the 405 when working up just because I can. Gripping that started the pain. Still, this is considerable weight being moved and I no longer have any days that my body refuses to budge the bar at all.

Called it here to get ready for my second work, will be back in the evening.

 Typing that post about wishing I can use my log around my forearm injury gave me the weird idea to just use it to press from the rack. Worked up to 170 (just the log and a 45 on each side) for 2 sets of 5 and a third set for 6.

Hit a deep 440x3 squat set with the Yukon bar today, then did drop-sets of 405x3, 315x8, 225x8, 135x8, and finally just the bar x 8 before heading to work, resolving to do good mornings and abs in the evening.

Almost ordered a pizza at the office today from this bomb local joint but then remembered it's 4th of July weekend and I try not to patronize businesses near or on holidays. I have food here.

Just a couple of random notes but I didn't mention doing dumbbell overhead press seated with 50s against bands and I'm definitely bringing that movement in. I've missed using dumbbells on this movement with any considerable difficulty for years and band tension is the perfect answer until I get the right-sized dumbbells.

It also dawned on me that I'm doing a ton of boxing technique analysis through mostly Instagram tutorials but also some of YouTube, and I'm not breaking it down in my logs. That's a shame and something I'm going to do more of.