Despite forgetting my belt, today was excellent.

First, update on my shoulder/arm pain. I feel MUCH better. Had my first session on Friday and still today everything feels good and loose. I’m working to find ways to keep my pectoralis minor stretched, as that’s for sure the main culprit. Continuing to evolve my warm-up accordingly.

In terms of getting under the bar for squatting, I’m still a ways away in terms of the mobility needed, but I am continuing to adjust my form. So elbows are back instead of down (i.e. forearms closer to parallel to the floor than perpendicular). There’s a lot of disagreement on this “in the community”, but I’m taking that Mark Rippetoe approach here because yes it means less pressure on the arms/elbows/shoulders — precisely what I need. I still have a thumbless grip, but the wrists are bent as it’s just going to take time to get to a straight-wrist position; but I will keep working towards that mobility. But either way, the main goal is to keep pressure off the arms.

But in the end? I have no pain. I experienced zero pain or aggravation during my squat sessions today. Most awesome. Tomorrow when I bench press will be interesting.

I did forget my belt today. Ugh. The gym has a belt, but it’s one of those cheap Everlast belts. It’s like 5mm thin, old, maybe 3″ wide in the back and 2″ in the front, double-prong, flimsy…. ugh. But it’s better than nothing. I wore it, but reversed it (so the buckle was on my back and the wider part of the belt across my abs).

And so, I worked up to 8 reps at 285, which surprised me. I take my approach: 1 rep at a time. I just kept going and everything felt good, so I kept going. When I finished 8 I felt like I could do 9 and it might grind a wee bit and 10 would certainly grind, so I went ahead and racked it at 8. That’s still really good given how I’ve been going, the progression of things. I’m really surprised and happy about it.

Is it because of the pain reduction? The form change? The fact I’ve been working on my sleep and getting a little bit more of it the past few weeks? That I took last week as a deload and the break did me good? That I carbed up just right this past weekend? Or it’s just solid progression? Who knows. But I’m happy.

Everything else just continues to be — it’s assistance work. But that said, RDL’s I continue to focus more on form than weight. I’ll probably stay at 165 a little longer and see about going a little deeper, getting a little more range and form. But so far so good.

Happy day.

5/3/1-based program

• Squats
  • bar x whatever
  • 135 x 5
  • 165 x 5
  • 200 x 3
  • 220 x 5
  • 250 x 5
  • 285 x 8 (8RM PR)
• Romanian Deadlift
  • 165 x 10
  • 165 x 10
  • 165 x 10
  • 165 x 10
  • 165 x 10
• Hyperextensions
  • BW x 12
  • BW x 12
  • BW x 12
• Crunches
  • BW x 15
  • BW x 15
  • BW x 15
• Standing Calf Raises
  • 85 x 12
  • 85 x 12
  • 85 x 8