Woke-up for the early shift at 6:30 (needed no alarm, thankfully) and had time to knockout 50 burpees before leaving.

Yesterday after work I got in sets of 200x3x10 SSB good mornings. I was STUNNED at how light this felt. That's always been a weight that's on the heavier side but the suck factor that usually comes with good mornings simply wasn't there; it felt like my usual 150 was on my back. Also did 3 sets on the reverse hyper and one set of 8 with the ab wheel before an uphill run and ensuing jog afterwards.

Yukon squat drop-set

450 x 8

410 x 5

320 x 8

230 x 10

140 x 10

50 x 10

* Fantastic. Even better than what I put up with the straight bar despite this thing making my back work harder. Moreover, I never used to be able to hit that 405 for more than 3 reps unless it was a triple or single top-set; to do that after 450x8 is just such a big improvement. Really benefitting from the effects of 20-rep squats even if I haven't been doing them "correctly" (weren't breathing squats).

On that note, I finished reading Super Squats the day before yesterday and it was an awesome read I should have done a long time ago. I used the breathing technique for a lot of reps here, which I've never employed before. 

I owe hamstrings and abs later, probably while I train my client, and if I'm feeling really meatheaded I might do a set of 20 breathing squats with something around 300.

Took yesterday completely off in a very rare total rest day. Today I did a back regimen called the McGill 3, then a 3-minute shadow kickboxing round before noticing I needed to eat then to make it to work on time.

Weight is still hovering around 220 so I'm adding more organic A2 milk to my diet. Roughly a quart a day at the moment. I'm looking much thicker in the right places, especially traps and shoulders.

Pressed 190x5 yesterday while my elbow was bugging me, so I switched to the log, working up to sets of 180 for 5 after repping 160x8 several times and super-setting them with weighted 45 lb chinups. Began and started with my wrist curl protocol, which always makes it feel good.

Happy to discover there was no pain under the log, though. Will give bar pressing a break for overhead lifts.

Despite that, elbow feels like it's trending in a positive direction. I'm doing the work to heal and training intelligently around it, so all that's left is time.

Deadlifts

535 x 3

Pause deadlifts

405 x 3

RDLs

315 x 3 x 10

10 barbell shrugs at the end of each and every set.

Later at night:

Front squats

170 x 2 x 10

-

Super-set with SSB squats

170 x 2 x 10

Prowler runs

Did some reverse-hypers and then practiced Muay Thai for three 3-minute rounds on the bag. Took it easy and emphasized flow and movement vs crushing power. Also did more wrist curls and hand expansions in a bucket of sand.

Been practicing with a VR opponent using my Quest 2 and the game Thrill of the Fight and it's been great fun.

50 barbell wrist curls and 50 reverse wrist curls before and after session

Reverse-grip axle decline bench 180 x 5

KB high pulls 50s x 5

10 rounds, no rest

Dips x 5

Chin-ups x 5

10 rounds, no rest (last set of dips was x10)

Axle crazy bells

120 x 10, 8, 5

70 x 7, 8

-

Super-set with Band pull-aparts

20, 20, 20

Big pump from this. Elbow hurt waking up today and felt great after this workout. Settling into a pattern of heavy, light, heavy, light days, so next upper-body session will be more traditional and heavier, underhand grip or not.

Woke-up and did 40 burpees, then 50 wrist curls and 50 reverse wrist curls. Elbow was angry at me the past two days after that overhead workout but it feels much better after wrist curls.

After breakfast I headed to a park close to the office and trained my coworker with two 15 lb kettlebells I picked up recently. While she was dying on her rest, I hit 23 neutral-grip chin-ups on the monkey bars. I was surprised at how easy these came while weighing 220 lbs, and could have done more.

Also, yesterday while training the client I meet at my home gym I got in axle Romanian deadlifts with 325x15, followed by 10 shrugs. It had unexpectedly started pouring so when I set the bar down mud splashed all over me, which we both got a laugh from. She works in park services so she's an outdoor person and isn't afraid to train in bad weather or dirt. I found someone as unhinged as me to train.

 A little while later while I was cleaning up, I picked it up while passing by the bar and did 20 shrugs.

I'm pleased with how I'm growing. Just looking like a much stockier, thicker version of myself, but in the right places.

Yukon squats

420 x 11

Giant set

Yukon squats 320 x 21

Kb pullovers 25 x 20

Axle deadlifts

250 x 20

After reading through some of super Squats I made a point to actually do the deep breathing for the first time on the 20. With the Yukon bar I'm wasting a little bit of energy throughout the set keeping the bar from slipping off my back compared to either the straight or SS bar, but tough shit, the point of this isn't to be comfortable.

Press

180 x 9

Super-set with chin-ups

15

* Some pain on the elbow, which has been feeling better the past 2 days (ever since the reverse-grip benching). Continuing to progress.

Shoulder giant sets:

Axle clean once and press away

130 x 10, 10

-

Dips x 20, 10

-

Lateral raises

15s x 12

10s x 10

-

Band pull-aparts

20, 20

BTN press

70 x 13, 10

-

Dips x 12, 10

-

Lateral raises

10s x 12, 112

-

Band pull-aparts

20

Log press

140 x 10

120 x 10

-

Dips x 12, 10

-

Lateral raises

10s x 12, 10

-

Band pull-aparts

20, 20

Poundstone curls

30 lb axle x 100 

This whole medley is so humbling. Between last week and this session, I definitely had to lower some weights to avoid resting too long. Happy to be doing dips again. I should go heavier on the behind-the-neck press next time. It's something I've never pushed but 70 definitely feels too light to start with.

Seem to be finding my stride with the curls. High repetition work has always been the bane of my existence; I just suck at it, which is all the more reason to do it more. And here I was really able to force extra bouts of 10 reps in with a few rest pauses here and there. Keeping my elbow sleeves on everytime I do these so it gets ever so slightly tougher at the top of the rep than normal instead of that being the "free" part of the ROM.

Decline reverse-grip 2-board press

255 x 10, 10, 8

Last set paired with 225x4

-

Super-set with chin-ups

15, 13, 12

* Hah! Found a way to bench heavy with zero elbow pain. I'll say it again about the supinated grip: if it's good enough for the Barbarian Brothers it's good enough for me. The decline was very subtle, just a towel stuck under the bench. I noticed while doing dips that they don't hurt but overhead pressing does, so this angle is gonna have to be my friend for now.

Decline reverse-grip crazy bells

145 x 10

165 x 10, 12

-

Super-set with Band pull-aparts

3 x 20

* Bringing this old favorite from T-Nation back to have some fun. Besides really working the chest, I also got an ab workout from the fight.

SSB squats

315 x 15

-

Super-set with kb pullovers

25 x 20

* Was going for 20 ala Super Squats but had to fight for my back not to fold over on rep 15. Debating whether to bring this down to 290 or keep the weight the same but bring in the Yukon bar. It seems a shame for my back to be a limiting factor when my legs are more than game for this weight and hungry for more. The Yukon is definitely much easier on my elbow than a straight barbell but I'm not totally sure there's zero risk of straining it accidentally by pressing the bar up while I'm hitting 20+ reps. With the SSB you can still press against the weight in your hands but it's the stretch behind my back that I believe compromised my elbow in the first place (again, though, that's the straight bar).

Used the Cerberus soft belt to allow for better breathing, but my lever belt would be better if using the SSB for better back support.

And yeah, I just bought the Super Squats book after basically forever. I've been benefiting from random 20 reps squats too much lately to not dive in.

I'm happy walking away from this session. I should be able to heal like this and still get stronger.

Woke-up and did 40 goblet squats with a 50 lb kb. 

After breakfast and before work, did a quick squat set before going to work with 150 lbs using the SSB. 10 front squats super-set with 10 back squats, ending with 20 pull-ups.

For yesterday's deload session, I did shoulder giant-sets taken from Mythical Strength's Little Book of Bad Ideas.

Axle press
150 x 10
Dips x 20
Lat raises 10 x 15
20 band pull-aparts

90 sec rest

BTN press 65 x 15
Dips x 12
Lat raises 10 x 10
20 band pull-aparts

90 sec rest

Log press
140 x 10
Dips x 8
Lat raises 10 x 10
20 band pull-aparts

Wanted to do dumbbell pressing for the second exercise but they made my elbow hurt.

Rather than run it again for 6 sets I called it a night there. It was almost 10pm, my elbow tendon was hurting, and my shoulders were blown up just from that (I realized mid-workout how sore they were from the reverse-grip benching done on Monday). I'm definitely going to be hitting this again with more intensity and sets for a non-deload session.

About the elbow, it's gotten problematic enough that I'm going to have to take it more serious than just try to avoid aggravating it and expecting it to get better in a few days. I definitely have golfer's elbow, and have a cursory rehab protocol in mind of wrist curls, reverse wrist curls, hand expansions in a bucket of sand, wrist rolling, and backwards hand stretches.

Completely forgot to log two cardio sessions. A few nights ago, did 1 backwards jog up Heart Attack Hill for knee health and to make the actual sprints harder, then 3 max-effort sprints. I'll have to time myself some time, but it's a good steep hill that I estimate runs for about 20 seconds with a hard sprint. Went on a cool-down run afterwards.

Yesterday, did a bunch of shadow kickboxing and a run afterwards.

Been eating like a monster. Will have to weigh myself soon. So much of my day is cooking and cleaning now. Just recently got my dishwasher in commission and it's been a lifesaver.

Woke-up and hit 50 burpees before breakfast.

Elbow at times feels like it's mostly healed and then pain level will flare-up and feel bad again. Hurts most consistently upon waking-up and then starts to feel better, but will get triggered in minor moments throughout the day. I consider this an improvement over bring in constant pain. 

It doesn't hurt that bad lifting heavy. The positioning of my hand and arm makes more of a difference. Bench pressing heavy feels better than doing any kind of push-up, and ABCs are out of the question at the moment. 

Looks like I forgot to hit upload on the deload workout 

Deload

Reverse-grip axle bench

110 x 30, 20, 15

Kb cleans

50s x 20, 20

SSB squats

150 x 20

-

Super-set with SSB good mornings

150 x 20

Bar curls

Done in about 20 minutes.

Deload

Swiss bar bench: 95 lbs x 8 reps

Kettlebell cleans: two 50s x 8 reps

Done for 12 rounds in 15 minutes

Changing the bar up to accommodate my elbow. Supinated gripping feels especially gentle on it. I might have some reverse-grip benching in my near future. If it's good enough for the Barbarian Brothers, it's good enough for me.

Finished with 50 reps of tricep band pressdowns 

Had a work scheduling mishap and rushed to the office after waking up upon hearing nobody was there manning the phones. Only had to stay for about an hour and a half before I came back home and did 50 burpees.

My deload week came at just the right time. Right elbow still continues to be in pain. I could ignore it and keep lifting heavy with it still but it's at the point where I feel that will come back to bite me.

Yukon squats

435 x 8

320 x 20

* Made an effort to bury the reps and go deep, and the carryover effect of doing that with 435 seemed to carryover to 320. Still happy about this performance, it's on the top-set with this particular bar. Back fatigue was a limiting factor compared with the straight bar, as expected.

Press

155 x 5

175 x 3

195 x 7

-

Last set super-set with neutral grip pull-ups 

12

Axle clean once and press away

160 x 9, 10, 10

-

Super-set with neutral grip pull-ups

15, 15, 15

Making progress on the press every week. In the evening I went to the gym of SJSU to train my co-worker. Crazy crowded and most of the good equipment was taken. Along with helping her I did some curls, all the way up a 110 barbell, and then dumbbell pressed the 90s for two sets of eight and then the '80s for a set of 8, still feeling pretty tired from the earlier workout. Finished off with hitting cable chest flyes.

Deadlifts

525 x 3

405 x 17

* Deadlifting heavy more infrequently has been a good thing so far. Felt very fresh pulling over 500 again and was not gun-shy about ripping the weight up at all. Back has been feeling better in general lately too. Definitely going to keep up with the 20-rep squat and deadlift pairing.

Bench press

320 x 3

250 x 11, 8, 9

-

Super-set with dumbbell rows

115sbx 10, 10, 12, 15
* Good showing. Wasn't sure if I'd be able to handle benching today due to my elbow, but it was manageable despite hurting on warm-ups. Being under the 320 was funny, I forgot I was even existing in my body and just powered the weight up in a state of selflessness. As much as I don't like to rely on psych-up rituals, I do find them fun as long as I don't NEED them to perform, and this one Dragonball Super remix with a slow piano intro before Goku starts screaming has been a recent favorite track for my top-set. In the show, the slow part of the song is always at a point when Goku is seriously battered and messed-up before he finds a reserve of power and goes back into the new form, Ultra Instinct. Which is a cool idea in itself because it comes from mastering the art of acting without thinking ala martial arts or powerlifting, rather than some race-based transformation like Super Saiyan. I also loved that it only materializes after taking heavy damage and being backed into a wall, not anger or anything. It was a welcome change and translates great to lifting, when you need to call upon deeper pools of power to get this next set despite feeling like you're tired or even done.

Uh, yeah, anyways, finished off with...

Close-grip block press drop-set

225, 185 x 8

135 x 12

Yukon squats

410 x 11

* Lost count, either got 11 or 12 so I went with the lower number. Definitely feeling the added challenge of this bar and the instability on my back but hit this stronger than I expected.

Yukon squats

320 x 21

-

Super-set with deadlifts

320 x 10+7+4

* This was hard. The squats I can handle by now, but I feel like my quads and back are dying when I rep out the deadlifts right after. Hell yeah. Not real close yet to getting 20 without rest-pauses on the deads but I'm up for the challenge.

Press

185 x 8

-

Super-set with pull-ups

12

* Press is getting stronger, haven't been able to rep that many in years.

Axle clean once and press away

160 x 8, 9, 10

-

Super-set with pull-ups

12, 14, 15

Went inside to get away from the rain finally and started with 7 reps of ABCs before having to answer a work call, then continued with 6 more to get 15 total. Right elbow is still in pain, but it's not getting worse, either. Keeping the sleeves on for now, still.

Band-resisted push-ups and kettlebell high pulls 

 

The brunch cruise over the weekend went much better than last year, when at the time I got called into work and had to cancel the day right after getting off the boat. Ate a lot the first day in SF, but by Sunday my stomach was acting up. The dining that day was off, too. Breakfast was a truly awful bagel with whitefish, which just amounted to very fishy spread and nothing else, and the Chinese dinner in Chinatown was the most underwhelming restaurant in that area I've experienced (not terrible but very bland). Despite the nausea I got enough protein in thanks to Orgain protein shake cartons and a new bag of Chomps grass-fed beefsticks.