Yeah, I've been procrastinating posting my last Upper/Lower cycles. I'll post tomorrow. To be honest, I'm getting bummed about my hip and shoulder. I want to Squat and Bench again, really bad. I know I'm not ready yet.

I did try Benching with just the bar last week, and I could tell I'm not ready. I'm starting to think I may have really done a number on my shoulder by pushing through the pain for so long while doing Rippetoe's SS.

The hip, I have a feeling it's going to get better eventually.

Thanks for asking...I'm still keeping up with everyone's posts...my usual lurking. :rolleyes:

Wednesday 8/22/07
LOWER 1
Deadlift ---------------------------------- 1x5 225
Bulgarian Squat --------------------------- 2x8 90 (45 pounders)
GHR -------------------------------------- 5 Negatives
Cable Ab Pull Down ------------------------ 2x10 120
Russian Twist ----------------------------- 2x10

My lower back has been a little tight lately, so I Deadlifted 225 (I had been raising 5 pounds a week and did 250 last time). It's nothing, but I'm learning to listen to my body. I faithfully do my back movements every morning, so I think I'm getting sloppy with my Deadlift technique.

Thursday 8/23/07
UPPER 1
Cable Rows ------------------------------- 3x10 125
Dumbbell Overhead Press (Scapular Plane) -- 3x8 60 (30 pounders)
Cable Pulldowns --------------------------- 3x8 125
One Arm Dumbbell Scapular Protractions ---- 2x15 50
Scapular Pushups -------------------------- 2x25

Sunday 8/26/07
LOWER 2
Romanian Deadlift -------------------------- 3x8 225
Dumbbell Stepups -------------------------- 3x8 90 (45 pounders)
Hanging Knee Raise ------------------------- 2x15

I had to postpone Saturday's LOWER 2 workout by a day because we had a street sale in my neighborhood. I HATE GARAGE SALES. What a waste of time sitting out there all day long to make 80 bucks. But I did it for my son. He gathered up a bunch of his old toys and games and that's mostly what we sold. Did I mention I hate garage sales?

The Stepups were killer again. I was so out of breath after the third set, I felt like I just ran a 400 meter race. And I do my share of cardio, mostly HIIT. I plan to go lower reps and higher weight next time.

Monday 8/27/07
UPPER 2
Pullups ----------------------------------- 6(4)x6(3)x5(3) (Chinups in parenthesis)
Hi Low Cable Pulley Rows ------------------ 3x8 156
Dip Shrugs -------------------------------- 3x20
Dumbbell Lateral Raise (thumbs up) --------- 2x8 12.5
One Arm Dumbbell Scapular Protractions ---- 2x15 50
Scapular Pushups -------------------------- 3x25

I found 50 pounders are too much for the Scapular Protractions I'm doing as part of my shoulder work. I think they're more effective doing higher reps (20 or 25) and less weight.

I feel ya. Shoulder impingements are not something that can always be returned to utmost functioning. I know I warned you about that but I certainly hope you'll be able to get back to benching. I know that's tough. I'm pretty sure you'll be able to get back to squatting but in the meantime you are getting much stronger and it will only aid the squat in the long run.

When you do try to bench try it with light dumbells. That way you can keep the elbows tucked in tight and do it in a natural way that is most comfortable. You're going to have to learn to love the dumbells for now. The straight bar in general is much tougher on the shoulders.

On the laterals with the shrugh work on increasing the range of motion if you can. Even if it's just a tiny little bit. There is actually a version of overhead shrugs that are like laterals starting with the arms at a parallel to the the floor position. So that you raise the dumbells up sideways to a point overhead that is similar to the grip you would use for overhead barbell shrugs. Which is to say a kinda wide grip. Then you shrug up. So that's a different alternative to regular overhead shrugs but of course the weights would be much lighter.

In your case what you could do is try that exercise with very light dumbells and the arms starting paralles but only raising it as much as you can and then shrugging. And then work on increasing the height of the dumbells before your shrug. You could also combine that concept with the regular laterals sometimes where you start with arms at the side but then go up higher than you normall would for lateral. Except for that I would want you to use a good bit lighter weight than for the plain lateral (in scapular plane of course).

Hope some of that makes sense :)

If the shoulders are being that stubborn it would be great if you could hook up with a pysiotherapist who knows about lifing. I know that may not be possible. If so though the questions would be what else can you do to ensure that scapular mobility is up to par? How do you assess that and know when it is time to start specific strenghening of the external rotators? Since I am not right there with you it's hard for me to know what is going on.

Yeah, I understand this. I just tried it with no weights and I can tell this will help by adding some more shoulder work.

I'll look into this. If you remember, I had the perfect guy, Dr.Lee, the bodybuilder chiropractor, but he left the area to take a job down in Florida. It's probably time to go back to my primary doctor who originally diagnosed my impingement. He did say I should go back if I didn't improve in a few months. Maybe he can refer me to someone more specialized.

Yeah, dude, that is too bad about that guy. It's a find indeed to get a guy like that who acutally lifts. The thing is you just don't want a run o the mill therapist (no insult to therapists intended) who spends most of their time with old people who can barely walk or something. Most of them will tell you DON'T LIFT HEAVY WEIGHTS and they will not be interested or even necessarily know how to get you back in the lifting game. Unfortunately insurance probably isn't going to cover someone more specialized...


But some information is always good. So any therapist who can give you something to go on might help. Meanwhile I feel confident you are on a good path we just need more ideas about which forks to take.

Wednesday 8/29/07
LOWER 1
Deadlift ---------------------------------- 1x5 230
Bulgarian Squat --------------------------- 2x8 90 (45 pounders)
GHR -------------------------------------- 5 Negatives
Cable Ab Pull Down ------------------------ 2x12 120
Russian Twist ----------------------------- 2x10

I did the Bulgarian Squats using three aerobic platforms (used to use two). Definitely added to the challenge. I think I'm getting better at the GHR. I do not have a GHR machine, so I have to do them on my knees with my ankles held down. It's still impossible to do one rep, but I'm making a little progress doing negatives.

This is the 6th time I've done this LOWER 1 workout and each time I still have DOMS for the next 2 days in my upper hams and lower glutes. I don't know if it's the Bulgarian Squats or the GHRs or maybe the combination of the two. Feels good though.

Thursday 8/30/07
UPPER 1
Cable Rows ------------------------------- 2x10 1x8 125
Dumbbell Overhead Press (Scapular Plane) -- 3x8 60 (30 pounders)
Cable Pulldowns --------------------------- 2x8 1x5 125
One Arm Dumbbell Scapular Protractions ---- 2x25 45
Scapular Pushups -------------------------- 2x25

Shoulder felt good during DB OH Press. During my past UPPER 1 workouts I've been trying different weights to gauge how my shoulder feels. The last two I went straight 3x8 60 and did them easily. I plan to start working in a planned progression by adding some reps, then maybe some weight, and see how it goes.

Saturday 9/1/07
LOWER 2
Romanian Deadlift ------------------------- 3x8 230
Dumbbell Stepups ------------------------- 3x6 100 (50 pounders)
Hanging Knee Raise ------------------------ 3x15

The lower reps/higher weight felt good for the Stepups. I wasn't quite so winded after each set.

Sunday 9/2/07
UPPER 2
Pullups ----------------------------------- 6(4)x6(2)x2(2) (Chinups in parenthesis)
Hi Low Cable Pulley Rows ------------------ 3x10 156
Dip Shrugs -------------------------------- 3x20
Dumbbell Lateral Raise (thumbs up) --------- 3x8 12.5
One Arm Dumbbell Scapular Protractions ---- 2x25 45
Scapular Pushups -------------------------- 3x25

I've been working on my Pullup progression lately by adding one rep a week. I'm pretty strong at Chinups and want to get my Pullup numbers up. My goal is 3 sets of 8. I didn't feel good with them at all this workout. We'll see what happens next time.

Eric, I didn't do your Lateral Raise shrug suggestion. I wanted to get a good three sets of regular ones under my belt first, then graduate to the shrug after a rep. I plan to try it next UPPER 2.

That's cool, Phil. Just keep in mind that the scapular muscles are a much more important factor than your delts in this so they are something you want to focus on moving.

Wednesday 9/5/07
LOWER 1
Deadlift ---------------------------------- 1x5 235
Bulgarian Squat --------------------------- 2x6 100 (50 pounders)
GHR --------------------------------------- 5 Negatives
Cable Ab Pull Down ------------------------ 2x15 120
Russian Twist ----------------------------- 2x8

I lowered the Bulgarian Squat reps and upped the weight like I did for Stepups last week. It's becoming a nice power exercise now.

Thursday 9/6/07
UPPER 1
Cable Rows -------------------------------- 3x11 125
Dumbbell Overhead Press (Scapular Plane) -- 3x9 60 (30 pounders)
Cable Pulldowns --------------------------- 2x8 125
One Arm Dumbbell Scapular Protractions ---- 2x25 45
Scapular Pushups -------------------------- 3x25


Saturday 9/8/07
LOWER 2
Romanian Deadlift ------------------------- 3x8 230
Dumbbell Stepups -------------------------- 3x6 102 (51 pounders)
Hanging Knee Raise ------------------------ 2x12

I plan to swap my ab exercises between LOWER 1 and LOWER 2. My arms are too fatigued after the RDL's and then holding 2 50 pound dumbbells for 36 Stepups (18 per leg). I want need to feel the HKR it my abs, not my arms.

Notice Stepups with 51 pounders? I made weights to microload dumbbells. I took the ankle weight slugs from Eric's microloading idea and made some "straps" with duct tape. At each end of the strap are 1/2 pound weights. I just slip the straps over the dumbbell grips to add a little weight. I'm going to be using these a lot. I want to be able to increase weights in smaller increments than 10 pounds (5 pounds per dumbbell). I like progressing with weight rather than adding reps and sets, especially for lower body exercises.


Sunday 9/9/07
UPPER 2
Pullups ----------------------------------- 6x6x5
Hi Low Cable Pulley Rows ------------------ 3x11 156
Dip Shrugs -------------------------------- 3x20
Dumbbell Lateral Raise (thumbs up) -------- 3x8 12.5 with Shrug at parallel
One Arm Dumbbell Scapular Protractions ---- 2x20 45
Scapular Pushups -------------------------- 3x25

I added a shoulder shrug at the end of the Lateral Raise reps, while my arms were parallel. Unfortunately, I reread Eric's Later Raise Shrug suggestion again after I did these and I should have gone past parallel before shrugging. The way I did them felt OK for my shoulder, so I'll go higher next time.

LOL, adding reps and sets to those uni exercises kills doesn't it?

No, that's perfect. That's what you have to do anyway. You slowly find and add to you comfortable ROM.

You're doing great on this.

Have you tried a squat lately?