Alright thanks E.

I haven't read the links you posted yet becaue i've been damn busy working and now painting all weekend. On a plus, the shoulder is feeling almost 100% today.

I'm still going to read the material and figure out what I have to do to keep this from happening again hopefully.

IronWorker

Doesn't sound like a big deal, IW. Like you said, just implement some "prehab" (since it doesn't sound like "rehab" is necessary) and you should be golden. It it hurts...don't do it.

Monday August 25th/2008

Weight: Scale is still off.


ME Deads
-60kg x 5
-80kg x 4
-100kg x 3
-120kg x 2
-140kg x 1
-160kg x 1,1 (current PR)
-150kg x 2,1,1

Well I managed to pull my PR for 2 singles today so that was pretty sweet. A little bit of progress here. I usually like to be able to hit my PR for 2 or 3 singles before I try a heavier weight. Or at least thats the planned/yet unplanned progression I've been using lately.

Front Squats
-bar x 5
-115lbs x 5
-135lbs x 3
-155lbs x 3
-175lbs x 3
-185lbs x 3
-205lbs x 2

This is the heaviest I've ever gone on front squats. I was thinking it went pretty good for an ME deads day.

DE CG BB Military Press (thats alot of acronyms! lol)
- bar x 5
- 65lbs x 4
- 85lbs x 3
- 95lbs 6x3

I wanted to take it easier on my shoulder for one more day just to make sure its doing ok. Its the next day now and it seems fine so thats good. Probably hit up ME bench on wed and see what happens.

Hanging Leg Raises

I'm not sure what I did for reps on this because I think this might be part of what is hurting my shoulder. We usually do this exercise with the bar placed behind the small of my back for support but that puts alot of pressure on my shoulders. I think I'm going to try and do these with no support while hanging in a hammer grip (elbows bent). It will be a bit more bicep work but I guess thats not a bad thing.

Oblique Work
3x5 - 40lbs,45lbs,50lbs

Thougths

I'm pretty happy with my deadlift progress lately. It seems to be steadily coming up bit by bit.

Also, I'm shooting to be damn near done in my apartment by this weekend so the 4 day split workout may start next week.


IronWorker

Why some weights in kg and some in Lbs?

Ever think about just doing something else for abs? Lots of options out there that don't involve the shoulders :)

I use kg's for deads and rows because we generally do those on the pads which use metric bumper plates. Everything else (squat racks, benches etc) are all imperial.

Ya I'm considering just switching the abs all together. The leg raises are very challenging though. Any good suggestions?

IronWorker

Nice lifts .

Thanks Talo!

Another ab workout possibility is holding plates on your chest on a negative incline bench, or using a rope and using a lat pulldown machine (hold the rope around your neck/chest and hunch over. You'll get the idea).

Ya I've done the cable crunch things before. Maybe its time to move back to those.

IronWorker

Thursday Aug 29th/2008

Weight: 184.2lbs (new scale... thats up like ~3lbs. This is also 3lbs shy of my max weight I've ever been. However, I feel significantly leaner then I was the last time I bulked.)

ME Squats
-bar x 5
-135lbs x 4
-185lbs x 3
-205lbs x 2
-225lbs x 1
-245lbs x 1
-265lbs x 1
-275lbs x 1 (current PR)
-275lbs x 1
-225lbs x 7

I got the 2nd single on my own this time. Awesome, thats a PR of sorts.

ME Bench
-bar x 5
-135lbs x 5
-185lbs x 3
-205lbs x 1
-225lbs x 1
-235lbs x 1 (current PR)
-235lbs x 1 (just!)
-205lbs x 4

Well I definately hit max output on the second single. Its good to know you hit your 100% level for that day. Hopefully that sends a message to my body to get stronger, damnit!

Pull-ups
bw x 2
bw + 10 2x3
bw x 2x4

Thougths

Well we left it at that because we were both tired as hell from the double ME day.

I'm feeling some tension in my shoudler again after the workout which sucks. I'm going to try stretching it out a bit and see if that helps tomorrow. I probably won't workout again till tuesday (gym closed monday) so it should be fine by then!

IronWorker

Ice might be a good idea :)

Well I got my gf to give me a massage last night and I think that helped quite a bit. My shoulder is slightly tight today but not painful.

So do you suggest icing it right after the gym?

IronWorker

Yep, absolutely. Right now when I go to PT, the PT won't let me have a training session in his office unless I set aside 20 minutes at the end for him to ice it & do the electric stim. That gives an idea of his thoughts on it. I feel the same way. It will knock down that inflammation pretty quickly.

Well its sunday (I worked out thursday last) and my shoulder is acting up quite a bit. Its been getting progressively more sore as the days go by. wtf

IronWorker

Better stop, evaluate, and do something about it.

I've been trying to stretch it out as much as i can but that doesn't seem to help at all. Do I need to take a break from any shoulder work for a week or something? More?

IronWorker

Stretching it out could mean a lot of different things, not all of them necessarily helpful.

You may want to rest it up for 3 or 4 days but then start in with some specific things.

^^^ That's what I was thinking. If it has been chronically sore & is getting worse, then I think that stretching isn't the best answer...or not the only answer. I would guess that you have a lot of inflammation, and stretching might make that worse. Because you've been doing a lot of heavy pressing, I think you would be best off to take a few days off like E suggested. And when you do get back into it, try some light DE work or something.

maybe throw in some shoulder health movements...prone trap raises...band pull downs...straight arm pulldowns...external rotations...

Ok guys, thanks for all the helpful suggestions. My shoulder is feeling alot less sore today. In fact, its not really sore at all. I can feel that it is tight though. Yesterday I was doing baseboards and alot of moving around. When I finally just let it sit it started feeling alot better. So looks like you guys were right about just leaving it alone for a bit. If I work it at the gym this week it will be DE work and I'll add in some band work. Gotta get this thing healthy again.

IronWorker

Tuesday Sept 2nd/2008

My buddy got sick of my messing around and said we're starting the split today. He programmed most of it with a few suggestions from me. I think it should work well for a while at least. He has started the keto diet. I may in a couple weeks.


ME Deads
-60kg x 5
-80kg x 4
-100kg x 3
-120kg x 2
-140kg x 1
-150kg x 1
-155kg x 1
-160kg x 1

155 and 160 were both very tough pulls. I think I almost blacked out on both of them. I may try for a new PR next ME deads day.

DE Parallel Box Front Squats
-bar x 5
-95lbs x 3
-115lbs 8x3

Started off pretty awkward but I worked up to pretty good speed.

Planks
front plank - 45s
side plank - 30s each
front plank - 45s

I've never tried planks before but I can definately see why you would do them now.


Oblique Work - Cable Twist
3x10 - 40lbs, 45lbs, 50lbs

I know I technically did obliques with side planks but that was stability work. This is more actual oblique strengthening. I don't know how to say it properly.

Thougths

The workout was just over an hour which is awesome. I didn't feel like I was dying at the end of this workout (always a bonus... lol). I think this program should work pretty well.


IronWorker

Nice deads !!

Planks are a very good exercise to add in as a regular.

Thanks Talo! I felt like such a wuss when my core was shaking after 30s lol.

IronWorker

I know how that feels , but it doesn't take long to build it up.

Thursday Sept 4th/2008

Weight: 182.4lbs (down 2lbs from last time... so was my buddy though so maybe its just calibration)

DE MP
-bar x 5
-65lbs x 4
-85lbs 6x3 normal grip
-85lbs 2x3 very close grip


DE Bench
-bar x 5
-95lbs x 5
-115lbs 6x3 various grips

Well I played around with the grips hoping my shoulder would settle in...

Light Shoulder Band Work
Not really sure what exactly I should be doing here.


Pull-ups
bw x 3,5,5,7

Trying to feel out how the shoulder was doing and I stopped really focusing on reps.

Leg Raises
Hurts too much. F that.

Cable Crunches
140bls x 10
150lbs x 10
160lbs x 10
170lbs x 10

Probably stick with these for a while.

Thougths

Well I could feel something going on in my shoulder. I guess I'll find out tomorrow if it was good or bad. I'll let y'all know.

IronWorker

doesn't seem like you ever do any db work....maybe you should rotate some in...

youtube: rear flyes, facepulls, prone trap raises, straight arm pulldowns, band pullaparts, behind the head band pulldowns..


all good for maintaining shoulder health.

I would like to do DB work but its very awkward to do ME DB work I find. Maybe I'll just have to suck it up and do it.

Thanks for the search tips Pity, I looked them up and have some good ideas now. I think I need to get a band for home so I can do some of those things on off days.

IronWorker

i don't really see a reason to do a DE mp and bench on the same day...just do de bench, and a db shoulder press...or even an arnold press.

Well the reason I did DE for both was because I would usually do ME Press and DE bench but I didn't want to go ME due to my shoulder.

Tuesday Sept 9th/2008

Weight: 186.4lbs Back up again? ~.5lbs below my max weight ever! Uh oh. lol I think I'm significantly leaner then last xmas, though so thats a good thing.

ME BB Bench Press
- bar x 5
- 135lbs x 5
- 165lbs x 3
- 185lbs x 2
- 205lbs x 1
- 225lbs x 1
- 235lbs x 1
- 225lbs x 1

I'm hoping to be able to push the PR next ME bench day. Its been a while.

DE DB Push Press
-22.5lbs x 5
-30lbs x 3
-35lbs 8x3

I wanted to incorporate some DB work to hopefully prehab my shoulder a little bit.

Pull-Ups
bw x 3
bw + 10lbs x 3
bw + 20lbs x 2
bw + 10lbs x 3
bw x 5

CG RE Bench Press
bar x 8
95lbs x 5
115lbs x 8
125lbs x 8
135lbs 2x8

Thougths

Well last week I wasn't too faithful at the gym so this week we're going tues-fri instead of the usual mon,tues, thurs, fri. Should be a bit of a marathon week. lol

I'm really hoping my shoulder holds up after this workout. I'll keep ya posted.

IronWorker

Thought I would update that today my front delt is slightly sore. Usually its more the top and back of my shoulder that hurts. So I have no idea why that would be. Yay, injured something new...:gay:

IronWorker

hehe....welcome to the fun world of injuries :)

Wednesday Sept 10th/2008 - LOWER 1


ME Deads
-60kg x 5
-80kg x 4
-100kg x 3
-120kg x 2
-140kg x 1
-160kg x 1 (old PR)
-165kg(~363lbs) x 1 (5kg PR!)
-140kg x 3

Happy!

LOW Box Front Squats
-bar x 5
-115lbs x 5
-135lbs x 5
-145lbs x 5
-155lbsx 5

This sould have been DE... not sure why we didn't. Just forgot I guess. Oh well, these were very low (~10" box) and were very tough. I set the safeties up a little high so I was basically doing Anderson squats.

Planks
front plank - 1:00 min
side plank - 30s each
front plank - 1:00min
side plank - 30s each

Way harder then they looK!

Oblique Work - Cable Twist
3x10 - 40lbs, 50lbs, 55lbs

Thougths

Well it was a late workout but the outcome was still good. I think getting the extra blood flow from the elevated heart rate helped my shoulder. Seems to have loosened up a bit.


IronWorker

Good stuff. Sounds like you had a great workout. Keep it up. :weights:

My lower days have been pretty spot on lately. Its just this upper work that is killing my right now cause of my shoulder. But I'm sure you can relate.

IronWorker

Nice stuff . AND i feel your pain with the planks !

I guess I should report that I felt hitting the gym would just get me more bodily damage last night. I think I'm going to have to switch everything to DBs and start really really light and work back in or something. I was really hoping not to halt my progress with bench but I spose it is what it is.

IronWorker

I went to the gym on friday but couldn't do much. Back was still sore from deads so squats and cleans were a no go. I did some shoulder rehab with bands and light DB and BB. I also did some cables crunches and oblique movements. I determined that its time for a deload so for next week I'm going to be keeping it real light.

IronWorker

Monday Sept 15th/2008

Today is the first day of my deload. I'm doing a few different exercises as well. Focusig on DBs for my presses. Hoping to get the shoulder back in the game.

DB Flat Bench
-20lbs x 8
-30lbs x 8
-37.5lbs x 8
-45lbs x 5
-50lbs 4x5

Just focused on "listening" to my shoulder and not pushing myself too hard. Keeping good tight form. Mind you I was keeping it pretty narrow at the bottom. Is this correct?

DB M Press
-22.5lbs x 8
-27.5lbs x5
-35lbs 4x5
-BB (45lbs) 2x10

I noticed with this that my left shoulder popped as it began to travel back up again. It happened every rep but only with DBs... not with BB.

HS Lat Pull Down
45s x 8
45s + 25s x 8
2 45s 3x8

SkullCrushers
bar (20lbs?) x 8
bar + 20lb x 8
bar + 40lbs x 5,6,7

My elbows and wrists didn't really like this one. Thats why the reps were kinda funky. To clarify I mean the one where you lay on your back and bring a bar down to your head and use your tris to extend our elbows back up. Some people have a different name for this I think.

Thougths

Well I hope I was easy enough on the shoulder. I think I was but I'll know tomorrow. I'll keep ya posted.

IronWorker

Nice deadlifting Idub, those DB Militaries kick ass too, I like to do them 1 arm at a time.