Fitness update - new lifting approach and slight relative grip progress

Saturday, 7 June 2014 
60 min., 225 lb. 

walking - 10 min. 

db incline press: 20 x 5 @ 20, 20, 30, 30, 30 lb. 

db press: 20 x 5 @ 40 lb. 

guillotine: 20 x 5 @ 105 lb. 

- 

short head EZ bar spider curl: 20 x 5 @ 40 lb. 

long head EZ bar spider curl: 20 x 5 @ 40 lb. 

underhand curl: 20 x 5 @ 20 lb. 

-

[Later that evening I took a nice 30-35 min. walk with my wife and the kids. My legs actually feel a bit sore today from it. Walking is a great, great thing. If only I could find a good trail to hike....]

+ + + 

For the above, I did the three chest exercises, followed by the three bicep exercises, with moderate rest between all exercises. 

As of today, Sunday, I can report  pleasing soreness in all the right muscles, and a desire to keep this up and see what results I get. My next "pump" workout will be like so (until further notice): 

db MP
lateral delt flye 
neutral grip sternum PU
Pendlay row
Kroc row
CL-P

On my way out yesterday, I spoke with a former trainer at my gym, and I learned two things. 

First, next time I do the chest/bicep "pump" workout, I will raise the weight by about 15% on each lift, and stick to 16-rep sets (allowing for lower "failed" sets towards the end). "20 reps seems like a bit much," he said. And he's huge and vital, so I'll listen. 

Second, as I described what happened to my quad last week, he said, "That's probably an adhesion." As the article just linked notes, 

"[Adhesions] are places where the muscle has become chronically contracted. It can be an entire muscle, but more than likely it is a small band within the greater muscle. ... Things that cause adhesions are dehydration, overuse, and injury. ... The best way to treat an adhesion is with massage and stretching." 

Guilty as charged on the overuse front. And, as I suspected, what happened last week is that my "adhesion" (finally brought about by dead squats) was released under high tension on a front squat. My leg feels better already, but I am taking my time getting back into squatting. 

---------------------

Sunday, 8 June 2014 
Grip training PLUS
25 min., 226 lb. 

warmup - space mace, stretching, ghetto grippers

CoC #2 - 1 close (?) L, 1 close R

CoC #2 - 1 close L, 1 close R

CoC #2 (with chalk) - 1 near-close L, 1 close R

CoC #1.5 - 8 closes

CoC #1.5 (inverted grip) - 7 closes

ab wheel - 12, 12

forehead bridge - 20 sec., 30 sec., 35 sec.

+ + + 

Compared my last grip session, that is progress, though I'm still behind where I was a couple years ago.

It's a shame I don't get called up for battle duty, because, if I could find a compelling reason to avoid alcohol completely, I would be beastly.

For now, though, it's much better to remain...

Patient... Humble... Simple...