Tweaked my back doing good mornings today. Not a bad one but I feel it. Can walk fine thankfully, just am bending over gingerly.

Did Yukon squats up to 455x3 and log pressing over the weekend. Knees hurt again, but I adjusted my stance and they felt better. It seems like I start squatting narrow, this causes knee pain, I widen, and I feel better at the heaviest set, so I just need to squat at that width period. Ate a lot, including at this newish Chinese restaurant nearby that was some of the best I've ever had.

Oh, so I tweaked my aquarium and made some additions to it. Sitting on the floor watching it with my hand flat and supporting my body made my forearm tendon hurt. Pretty weird, better not do that. I can feel it today if I twist my arm, although I don't think it's set me back much or anything.

So my arm, knee, and back are hurting today. I might just be a lifter.

Weighed 198 in the morning. Going to make a decision about a new weight goal soon. If I can find a competition to enter, I'll lose. If nothing's coming up soon, I'll gain.

Swiss bar bench
250 x 5
285 x 3
317.5 x 1
250 x 8
225 x 10
-
Last 3 sets super-set with Meadows rows
2 plates x 8, 10
3 plates x 8

Close-grip Swiss bar bench
195 x 10
-
Super-set with Meadows rows
3 plates x 10

Dumbbell shoulder press against bands
50s x 10 - Dropdown to behind-the-neck barbell press x 8
-
Super-set with Meadows rows
3 plates x 10

Keg curls
170 x 10, 10

Mat pulls (9)

570 x 8

* Resuming this again but starting at the top. Pleased with this. A little bit of forearm pain but no worse than it has been, will be monitoring it.

SSB split squats

110 x 8, 8

Called it here to go eat some food and then felt seriously tired after so I lay down and ended up taking an hour and a half nap. Went back to it at night.

Iron Woody banded leg extensions

15, 15, 15

SSB squat partials

330 x 15

405 x 20

* Just threw these in to get a quad pump as I worked up to suitable weight for squat walkouts.

SSB squat walkouts

510 x 10 secs

This was from Saturday.

Press

170 x 5

190 x 0, 3

215 x 0, 1

145 x 9, 9

-

Last 3 sets paired with chins

10, 10

45 x 9

Band-resisted incline dumbbell press

50s x 12, 12

-

Super-set with chins

45 x 9, 10

Rest of the session was a flurry of super and giant sets

Man, rough pressing effort, but I still got the numbers done. That 215 was a total grind.

Ended up staying awake for 36 hours while hanging out at George's watching a marathon of kung-fu movies. I ate and hydrated impeccably so I felt really good at the end of it, and got lots of sunlight and outside air at the pool on Sunday.

Workout before breakfast of the bike, 50 burpees (no rest pauses this time), shadow kickboxing, the bike again, and finally lying reverse-hypers using a strong band attached to my couch (line because I was lying down and also because you probably wouldn't call this a reverse-hyper but the basic movement is the same).

I also did some shadow kickboxing last night.

Something significant to note, I've known for many years that I tend to habituate back to not extending my punches fully. After getting this advice again in a Muay Thai group I've been filming every shadow boxing session and I finally have it cut out on a consistent basis without trying. It really took memorizing the feel of my lats stretching out.

Looks like the air is going to be crap again today. The whole outside looks like sunset and the sun is blood red. Noticed my eyes feeling watery and irritated yesterday when I was out. I have my respirator if I feel like going on a run later. 

Didn't do any training yesterday due to social obligations the whole day with my friend and then the family. Can't remember the last time that happened but it's not a bad thing for recovery. Lots of outside eating but I dialed it back in at night with a low carb meal of tuna and veggies. I also meal-prepped and had my usual ground turkey with veggies and quinoa with me for some light snacking between meals. 

Yukon bar squats
330 x 5
380 x 5
435 x 5

Drop-down sets of 405x1, 315 x 8, 225 x 8, 135 x 8, 45 x 8

Band leg curls, ab wheel rollouts

Knees were hurting up until the heavy set. Could be adrenaline, the belt helping me sit back more, or just being sufficiently warmed-up (I already do a really extensive warm-up though). I discovered today that it helps to think of moderately dive-bombing into the descent instead of consciously trying to lower slowly. 

Air quality is pretty poor right now due to the fires. Not apocalyptic like last year but it's at 111. I have a thing where 100 and lower is OK for outdoor activity. I'd really like to leave the west coast within the next 5 years.

Swiss bar bench press

235 x 3

265 x 3
295 x 3
235 x 13

-

Super-set with supine-grip Meadows rows

45 x 8

90 x 5, 10
100 x 10
* Very strong performance on the bench. Weight shot up.

Close-grip Swiss bar bench
195 x 10, 9
-
Super-set with supine-grip Meadows rows
110 x 10
135 x 10

Band-resisted Arnold press
50s x 9 - Dropdown to 35s with no bands x 5
-
Giant-set with rear-delt lat raises
35s x 10
-
Keg curls
160 x 10, 10

Tried different ways to make the Meadows rows palatable to my forearm, but straps and Fat Gripz didn't feel as good as simply adopting an underhand grip. Tells me the bicep has probably nothing to with the problem. It's slowly getting better over time, in any case; just have to keep doing what I'm doing and train around the pain.

Brother is in town. Going to be fairly socially busy the next 32 hours: visiting a friend overnight tonight, going from there to work tomorrow, and from the office meeting my bro and older sister for dinner before we see Dad. Will probably do some Muay Thai practice before leaving tonight and I'm looking to go swimming at the hotel tomorrow.

Deadlifted 425x10 yesterday. Only moderate forearm pain afterwards if I stretch my arm out and twist. That sensation is gone today, just the usual tight feeling if I do the same.

Woke up today and did a fasted workout consisting of the bike, 50 burpees, 100 jumping-jacks, and shadow kickboxing. Total time was 15 min.

I posted this picture in a Muay Thai group and with the understanding that I was merely copying the pose from Ong Bak and not trying to keep a tight guard or anything else, I got a good tip about keeping my toes curled tight (which I did) but UPwards. My coaches have always told me to flex my shins but not the direction of my toes.

Also on an unrelated post about roundhouse kicking: "This might be weird to try, but really try to pull with your standing leg. Not quite a jump, but more of a pull! Try it"

Just thought that was a good cue. Seems like thinking it will help with balance.

Worked the heavy bag for 3 rounds for 3 minutes each, then did 1 hill sprint followed by a 20 min jog last night.

Swiss bar bench

225 x 5

250 x 5

285 x 5

225 x 13

-

Last 2 sets super-set with dumbbell rows (unilateral)

100 x 10

115 x 9

Close-grip Swiss bar bench press

195 x 8, 7~drop-down to 155x5

-

Super-set with dumbbell rows (unilateral)

125 x 9, 10

Seated overhead dumbbell press against bands

50s x 7 ~ drop-down to without bands x 3

-

Giant set with rear-delt lat raises

-

Keg curls

160 x 10, 10

I totally meant to do Meadows rows today in light of his recent passing but I forgot. He definitely had an influence on me in the 2000s.

Had a good press day yesterday. Worked up to 200x3. I first got only 200x1 and that was a grind, but after narrowing my grip and really tensing up I felt like a completely different being on the retry.

Did deadlifts for the first time in a couple of weeks today. Worked up to 405x10 TNG and my forearm felt good with elbow sleeves on. Had to call it here to make it to work, but will return to do box squats and abs in the evening. 

Woke up naturally after 5 hours of sleep.

SSB good mornings against heavy bands
60 x 8, 10
110 x 10, 10, 10

Band leg curls

Ab wheel rollouts

Bodyweight split squats and foot raises for knee health

I am really liking this habit of doing knee stuff the day after squats. Feels like I'm reinforcing them after the taxing work.

 Schedule has gotten later as my first job's hours have been adjusted. Lately I've been busy at work during the day and then hitting the weights in the evening after I'm done with the second. I'm going to realign and wake-up early enough to lift before my first shift soon.

Yukon bar squats
345 x 3
395 x 3
445 x 3

Drop-down sets of 405x4, 315x8, 225x8, 135x8

Finished at 10pm so saving posterior-chain stuff and abs for tomorrow.

Swiss bar bench

245 x 5

280 x 3

315 x 1

245 x 10

-

Last 2 sets super-set with unilateral dumbbell rows

100 x 8

115 x 10

Close grip Swiss bar bench

190 x 10, 10

-

Super-set with uni dumbbell rows

125 x 8, 10