Today could have been better.

“Week 4” – Deload

• Deload – Deadlift (working max: 265#)
  • 2x5x105
  • 2x5x135
  • 2x5x160
• Asst. #1 – Deadlift
  • 5 x 10 x 135
• Asst. #2 – ab work…
  • 1x7xbw – hanging leg raises
  • 4x10xbw – crunches
• Metcon – jump rope
  • 1 Tabata set – all single hop

Again, since this is deload week and the warmup and “work” weights are the same, I just lumped them into 2×5 groups. Worked out easier that way. When I hit the assistance deadlifts tho… I wanted to go up in weight because I know 95 wasn’t cutting it, and while originally I thought 110 well… it’s deload, I wouldn’t be as exhausted from work sets, so why not? While it wasn’t strictly about 135 as a weight, it was about getting that plate diameter so the bar was at a proper height off the ground. Frankly, it was too much. 5x10x135 with a minute rest in between was too much for me. Oh sure I was able to pound out the reps, but last reps might take a second or two more rest before I did the rep, I could feel my lower back rounding and form slipping, and so on. I’ll certainly drop back to 110 next workout.

On rounding, gym owner mentioned it to me. I know I’ve been rounding, but I haven’t been able to tell just why. It it just having poor form? Not totally, because I try to reset before each pull and flatten my back out; but I have noticed that sometimes when lowering the weight I’m not keeping flat and kicking in my legs/knees at the right time so touching the weight to the ground sometimes has my back rounded. So there is some form involvement. As well, could it be flexibility in that bottom position? That may be part of it. Could be something else. Nevertheless, it’s something for me to think about, and part of me is thinking next cycle instead of assistance #1 being deadlifts to do Good Mornings to help that area, plus some stretching of those muscles.

On the leg raises well… remember how after the lat pulldowns on Monday my shoulders felt a little wonky? They’ve been feeling that way since then, and when I started the leg raises they were unhappy. That concerns me. So I opted to stop after 1 set and just do some crunches instead. Yeah, I laid over a swiss ball to do them… best thing in the gym for the motion since I can get an increased range of motion.

So… .today was a mixed bag. I’m happy for the long weekend coming up so I can get a little more rest. I’ll see how my shoulder feels on Friday, when I do bench press.