2014-04-04 training log

/ hsoi

My back seems to respond to slower work.

Based upon Paul Carter’s LRB-365 and Base Building

  • BB Rows
    • 135 x 8
    • 135 x 8
    • 135 x 8
    • 135 x 8
    • 135 x 8
  • Seated Cable Rows
    • 90 x 15
    • 90 x 15
    • 90 x 13
  • Shrugs
    • 185 x 20
    • 185 x 20
    • 185 x 17
    • 185 x 15
    • 185 x 15
  • Wide, Neutral-grip Pulldowns
    • 90 x 15
    • 90 x 15
    • 90 x 15
    • 90 x 13
    • 90 x 12
  • BB Curls
    • 40 x 12
    • 40 x 12
  • 20 minutes elliptical

    • While on paper it doesn’t look like much progress, it is.

    I am working to be a bit more bodybuilder-like in what I do, at least for any exercise that isn’t a power/strength movement (e.g. the 5,4,3,2,1 sets of bench/squat). I’m trying to not just move weight through space, but feel the muscle working and have the muscle really do the work. Trying to have a slower pace, not any sort of 2-0-4-0 type of tempo, but again to move slow enough and have enough of a little pause or hold or whatever to avoid momentum such that if I suddenly had to change direction I could without overshooting. That does put more emphasis on the negative (eccentric) part of the movement.

    And boy, what a difference it’s making.

    It’s rare that I feel my back work. I get a nice forearm and biceps pump, and something to my back, but rarely does my back (esp. the lats and traps and such) feel like they’ve been worked in any way. Sometimes I get it, but not often. Today? Really got it. I tried to make every movement something I can feel and really control. Now, shrugs, I think I’ll drop the weight on those and make them slower because I know those aren’t being done that way (I do it like Marc Rippetoe describes, which is basically like trying to clean up a barbell that’s too heavy). Or maybe I won’t and just see how many reps I can still muster and adjust from there.

    Also, I’m trying to ensure I move from the elbow. I don’t want this to be a big biceps workout. Have all the movement come from the elbow, and really focus on the back muscles. I don’t get that so much with those wide-neutral-grip lat pulldowns… so I may try playing with the grip more. But all in all, yeah….

    So on paper, it doesn’t look like much, but it’s progress. Just gotta keep at it. Probably need at least 3 months of this before I can really pass judgement.