2014-05-23 training log

/ hsoi

Based upon Paul Carter’s Base Building – Mass cycle

  • BB Rows
    • 140 x 8
    • 140 x 8
    • 140 x 8
    • 140 x 8
    • 140 x 8
  • Seated Cable Rows
    • 100 x 15
    • 100 x 15
    • 100 x 10
  • Meadows Shrugs
    • 50e x 12
    • 50e x 12
    • 50e x 12
    • 50e x 12
    • 50e x 12
  • Wide, Neutral-grip Pulldowns
    • 95 x 15
    • 100 x 12
    • 100 x 12
    • 100 x 12
    • 100 x 12
  • BB Curls
    • 50 x 8
    • 50 x 8
    • 50 x 8, then rest pause

    • Actually felt good today. The rep-deaths of the past 2 sessions didn’t appear to be an issue today.

    I did try some minor tweaks.

    Rows. These are still BB rows, not strict Pendlay Rows, but between each rep I set the bar down on the ground. I kept fairly strict, but just not keeping the bar in the air the whole time. I don’t know why I did this, but I did it and went with it, and it seems better. I felt a lot more worked in my back. I think when I keep it in the air the whole time, my arms bear a lot of the work. But here, I can ensure I come off the ground and really initiate the work with the back. Certainly felt it more in my back than I normally do. Good thing.

    On the Meadows Shrugs, I probably went too light because it wasn’t killing me like it was last week. But I played around with my positioning to try to get a better range of motion. What I settled on was DB’s hanging mostly in front of me, tho not strictly as if I’m holding a bar in front of me (they are DB’s, let them rotate a bit to a natural position). Angle the torso slightly forward at the hips, just very slightly (5º? 10º?). Then “turtle” the head/neck forward. This allows the shoulders to get a little higher at the top. Try it. Suck your chin in and really pull your head back. Shrug your shoulders and hold it up there. Now “turtle” your head/neck/chin forward and see how your shoulders move up a little more? More range of motion. So I’ll go with that

    I also dropped the reps and increased the weight slightly on pulldowns — why not keep experimenting? That felt a LOT better to me, aiming for 12 reps instead of 15. It just worked a bit better, I felt more worked in my back and not in my arms. So, I’ll keep going with that emotion.