Tag: trap bar deadlift

Day off

I did spend some time on my project and I finally saw why one of my “bright” ideas was complete nonsense. At least I can now write up what I have, which, I think, is what I was trying to avoid.

So, about the workout: I did wake up early! And I did start deadlifts early too:

10 x 134, 10 x 190, 10 x 225 low, 10 x 260 4 inch, 4 x 300 8 inch. All were within my abilities.

Then I drove to Forest Park Nature Center and, at about 9 am, started the outer loop. 1:02 (on the button) for the outer loop; I didn’t walk “with urgency” but I stayed deliberate, Then I added the hill on Deer Run, Cardinal, Bee Tree Loop, valley loop and then back with just a bit extra to ensure that I got 5 miles.

Though the mileage was speculative, it more or less matched what the maps have. There was some traffic on the trails but it wasn’t too bad.

End of May

Today: errands, leisurely workout. And I worked past some embarrassing misconceptions.

PT, deadlifts (10 x 134, 10 x 190, 10 x 225, 10 x 255 4 inch), then a 4 mile walk that I altered due to construction, tree trimming, etc.

I am not going to pretend that 156.2 miles is a lot of miles in a month; it really isn’t. I am also struck at how much COVID set me back; I expected the 2 weeks, but I also got a back flare up that I had to work through; I had the 2 weeks of sickness and 4 weeks to build back up.

Weight: 194 in the morning before the workout.

Fizzle and Frazzle

Well, last night’s game (seen with Tracy): the box score tells the story:

It started very well and in the 9’th: the 3’rd Chiefs reliever (who was good in the previous innings) loaded the bases with 2 walks and a single. Then came the next reliever who got a strike out..then gave up a single to tie the game. Then came strike out no. 2. Then..broken bat hit into right field..ok, that is one run..but the fielder misplays the ball and it gets by him. That allows all 3 base runners to score.

And that was basically the game.

Tracy and I had a nice sunset. B still does not like baseball.

Oh, the workout today:

PT, deadlifts downstairs: 10 x 134, 10 x 190, 10 x 225 low

10 x 255 4 inch, then 4 x 300 8 inch. These felt, well, good.

Then to the Forest Park Nature Center for an “outer loop” plus: 59:50 (49:57 at Wilderness, 40:27 at Possum Path. Total was 4.38 (due to parking lot); extra was Cardinal to Bee Tree..up that big hill again.

The milestones, such as they are: most miles in a month since, well, I don’t know when. I’d say: maybe 2019? Maybe earlier? I am at 139 miles for May with more days to come.

Where these 30-36 mile weeks will lead to: not sure. I can see upping one walk to 10 and another walk to 20 which would be an addition of 20 miles..but that is in the distant future, if it comes at all.

Mixed

Last night: The Chiefs fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first. But, as is the case many times this year, they crawled back into it, and hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 9’th to extend the game to extra innings: 3-3.

But in the top of the 10’th: the dam caved in. The Loons started with a “ghost runner” on 2’nd, got a walk..new pitcher who promptly gave up a double. The carnage continued until it was 7-3. The Chiefs got one run in the bottom, but it was not enough.

I was kind of bummed that there weren’t more people here, but the Chiefs seem to rely on group sales; the walk up market is still soft.

Workout notes:

One of the weirdness is that, while a “long” (for me, right now) hike leaves me with sore legs, it rarely affects my lifting. So I did PT, and some trap bar deadlifts:

10 x 134, 10 x 184 (low), 10 x 256 (4 inch), 4 x 300 (8 inch; felt the form start to get ragged and so quit)

Dare I say that these felt GOOD? They did; no pain of any kind, though the legs and glutes got tired.

Then walking on the Riverfront: Garmen got 5.27 but the course correction gave me 0.2 miles more; I’d guess is 5.35 is about right.

Ok, day one of Freedom

And yes, I got some “mandatory training” out of the way, so maybe start on some math tomorrow.

I do have a sneaking suspicion that my admin duties won’t be fully over yet though.

Today: leisurely; PT, then some deadlifts:

low: 10 x 134, 10 x 184, 10 x 204 focusing on the hip hinge)

10 x 260 8 inch to get some work in (these were easy, and should have been)

Though I am still learning the “hip hinge” and I am still making mistakes (hip rise is too fast on rep 1 with the low handles) I am getting better, and I can sure feel it in my thighs, hamstrings and glutes. The lumbar feels next to no stress at all.

Then I did a 5.3 mile walk; it was my “5 hill, out and back” course, with the longer approach to Bradley Park, plus a mini loop on cooper to get a bit more distance.

While my walking is NOT setting speed records, I am handling hills ok and the back feels good; very little ache. This would have been unimaginable a year ago.

Day before marching

I napped and screwed around; not much else. Ok I did complete a couple of training modules; 2 to go.

Workout: PT, deadlifts, flat 4.25 mile (2 1.3 laps, then .6 miles plus another campus loop) in 1:00:37; 14:16 mpm.

The deadlifts: very light (sore from yesterday) and the first set of 204 saw me feel my back slightly; stretching took care of that.

10 x 134, 10 x 184, 4 x 204 (abort), 10 x 204 (much better; no strain at all)

Catching up again

Workout wise: kind of a rough one yesterday, at least in terms of lifting. I did PT, then tried to do deadlifts:

10 x 134, 10 x 184, then 234 (low), 2, 3, 3, and these were hard. I tried to hip hinge and get the glutes into it and this felt like 280!

But: my glues (NOT back) were sore the next day. The walk went ok though:

I did the long way to get to the course, then 2 lower loops and back the shorter way for 5.27 in 1:14:48 (14:12 with the Dog Park hill done twice).

This morning, stretch, walk only (PT too) W. Peoria course (5.15) in 1:12:28 (14:04)

Yesterday: baseball with Ms Vickie! The Chiefs were down 2-0 but rallied after the Dayton starting pitcher was pulled (due to pitch count); the winning run came off of a ground out to first in the 8’th..

The deadlifts: well…we will see:

Home stretch

I made last night’s Chiefs game and this afternoon’s game; then I went to dinner with Barbara and Lynn (who bailed on the game due to it being cold)

I’ll say more about the games at the end of the post.

Today: PT, deadlifts, walk.

The walk: some slight discomfort around mile 3, but it did not last. It was effectively painless. Course: 1 mile to the start of Bradley Park, 2 loops (one Cornstalk, one lower) which meant I had 4 hills altogether; 2 dog park, 1 upper Bradley, 1 Cornstalk. This is perhaps my best post-COVID walk.

And speaking of COVID and sports: if you have a big competition coming up in the next 3-4 months, avoiding COVID might be as important, if not MORE important, to your preparation. We are in the final week of April and I am finally back to where I was mid January. Finally. Of course, in my case, you have age and the fact that I have a chronic back condition.

Deadlifts: 10 x 134, 10 x 184, then: 5 x 234 low (not hard but my form was disappointing), 3 sets of 5 x 265 (4 inch), 5 x 300 (8 inch). My last two sets were the best. Then the walk.

Chiefs baseball:

Both games were cold.

And the first game looked good after 5 innings; the Chiefs stole 6 bases in a single inning and lead 3-1 going into the 8’th. Then:

They took out the pitcher for a reliever in the 8’th when it was 3-2. Then 6 runs or so later, relief pitcher no 2..the disastrous 8’th saw the Chiefs use 3 pitchers total. It ended 11-4.

Then came today:

Cold..again. But this one ended 9-0 Chiefs..

not shown was a bunt with runners on 1’st and 2’nd…and the Tincaps did not cover first base!

This one ended 9-0 Chiefs.

Better lifting with Naproxen?

I got off of Naproxen this week. The upside: back/butt feel fine; I can handle regular 4 mile walks (28 miles a week now).

Downside: I am stiff as a board when I wake up, when I’ve been sitting for a while, and my elbows and knees ache just a bit. Yes, I have arthritis but I am wondering if I can do things to improve my elbows; might try using some Swiss Bar in the bench this week.

Today: PT, deadlifts, and a halfway decent 4 mile walk.

I did this loop 3 times plus an out and back to Bradley Ave. My watch (which habitually cheats me) gave me “credit” for only 4.1 though Strava gave me 4.37.

I was at about 54:30 for 3 loops.

The lifting: well, the 10 x 134, 10 x 184, 10 x 224 low were not THAT bad (body position issues in the 3’rd set) but..when it came to try 280 with the 4 inch handles, I stopped at 6 reps. Not that fatigued, but I could feel my technique getting bad.

Then with 8 inch: 2 reps with 300..and quit.

Dang it..I yelled at myself and got 7 more.

Still..compared to last week: better on the 224 (low vs 4 inch), 4 fewer reps with 280, but 2 more reps with 300 at 8 inch.

In terms of effort, it was a wash. But I think I can feel my knees, hips and elbows now and that keeps me tentative.

I can honestly say that my bench press has tanked, but that started before I got off of Naproxen. I last got 185 in March, 21 but have fallen apart since.

April 2

The down side is that my neck was stiff and painful when I woke up; fortunately it went away within 5-10 minutes or so. I added shrugs to my PT between sets.

Full PT. Deadlifts
low: 10 x 134, 10 x 184
4 inch: 10 x 224, 10 x 280 (a bit ragged, almost bailed)

8 inch: 7 x 300 (quit with a few reps left).

I need to work on my hip hinge.

Then a 4 mile walk; very mild discomfort in the final .4 miles or so.

Later: made some Bradley Baseball!

Well, this is how it went:

Yeah, we got beat up.

It was 7-0 after 4, then SIU got 9 runs in the 5’th. It was 16-0 in the bottom of the 7’th when BU salvaged 4 runs, but it ended 16=4 after 7. It was just one of those days. Pretty day for a game though.

I caught the second half of the LSU vs Iowa championship basketball game. Iowas scored 85 but the LSU bigs dominated inside; they got second chance points all day long. And yes, they have an excellent coach.

But what drew a lot of attention:

My take: the WNBA is probably salivating …can you imagine the build up if (ok, *when*) these two meet again? That will draw some attention! Ka-ching!