Adarq.org

Wednesday 5th May 2021

Upper outer quads achey and tight, relief after soft tissue work
Left quad tendon feeling much better

bodyweight without shoes = 84+ kg in winter clothing

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morning mobility work
upper body stretches
split squat ISO, rear leg straight at 60 degrees - x 1 min

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Afternoon - home

Soft tissue work - lower body

Tendon health and rehab - Heavier session

split squat ISO, rear leg straight at 90 degrees - x 45 secs
Spanish squat x 45 secs
Side plank with abduction on bench x 45 secs
Glute bridge x 45 secs
Plank - x 45 secs


Powersnatch and power clean complex  x 20kg bar
1/2 Overhead squat 12kg bar x 5, 20kg x 10

Pin Squats

All reps 4 sec eccentric, paused and unloaded, to safeties, around 1/4 squat depth

Did these before the back squat of the same load
Front Squat - Iron edge XXheavy band around the knee - 20kg x5, 40kg x3, 60kg x3,
Belt/oly shoes - 80kg x3, 100kg x3, 107.5kg x3

107.5kg, felt good, upper back held strong.

Low bar squat
Did these after high bar of the same load - Iron edge XXheavy band around the knee - 20kg x5, 40kg x5, 60kg x5
oly shoes/belt - 80kg x5, 100kg x5, 110kg x5

High bar squat
minimal shoe/bare feet - Iron edge XXheavy band around the knee - 20kg x10, 40kg x5 , 60kg x5
belt/oly shoes/XXheavy band around the knee -  80kg x5, 100kg x5, 110kg x5 

Iron edge XXheavy band around the knee
120kg x6
127.5kg x6
132.5kg x6
137.5kg x6 @ RPE 7
140kg x 2

Up 2.5kg from last week.
Then took 140kg for a ride, felt good. Not too heavy on the back.
The last time I did walkouts with 140kg it felt crazy heavy. Looks like all these long duration 90 sec SSB calf raise holds have beefed up my upper back

Changed things up today with pin squats instead of squatting down to a bench.
Which completely kills the stretch reflex, no chance for any bounce or hitching, so it should feel harder, but it kinda felt easier
Feels safer and form is closer to my normal squat, and you get rid of that searching for the bench feeling when walking out and squatting down.
On the bad side, each squat type had different depth to the safety bars - front squat the deepest, and low bar the highest....

my form/depth




Pulls/Deadlifts - oly shoes and facing down slope of garage

Clean pull hook grip, lowered under control - 60kg x3
Clean high pull hook grip, lowered under control - 60kg x3, x5
Clean deadlift hook grip, slow eccentric - 100kg x3

3 sec eccentric, belt + straps - 120kg x3, 130kg x6 @ RPE 8

Up 5kg and 1 rep on top set from last week. Felt kinda hard so will stay here for a bit


This group in Oly shoes - alternating sets 2 mins rest

A1) SSB single leg calf raise - arm supported - Olys shoes, 2 inch elevated 3 sec eccentric and concentric, top half of ROM only  - 30kg x5
both sides back to back - ISO 65kg x 45 secs, 65kg x10, 70kg x10 @ RPE 8

A2)SSB Tib raise - in oly shoes - SSB 30kg x 10, 55kg x 5
65kg x8, x10, 70kg x14 @ RPE 8

A3) SSB single leg bent knee calf raise - arm supported -  Olys shoes, 2 inch elevated 3 sec eccentric and concentric, top half of ROM only  - 30kg x5
both sides back to back - ISO 65kg x 45 secs, 65kg x12, 70kg x10 @ RPE 8

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B1) SSB side bends controlled, alternating sides - 50kg x10, 65kg x16, 67.5kg x 16 @ RPE 7 (+2.5kg)

B2) Lying side leg raise  - leg angled in front of body - Powerblock dumbbell on foot - 3 sec eccentric and concentric - BW x5, 5lbs x5, 10lbs 2x7  @ RPE 8


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Rectus femoris  release with 20kg barbell in seated position

stretch except left quad

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12 hour fast - broke with raw carrots, cheese slice, handful of raw pistachio nuts
2700+ calorie burn according Fitbit Charge 3, not including weights
ate 2700

Monday 3rd May 2021

Slightly beat up feeling, but not drained.

Left quad tendon is inflamed, so did too much yesterday.
Right glute medius tendon a little as well.
Right achilles tendon slightly worse, but not too bad.

I bought some 4.5m cam buckle tie down straps today from the local hardware store - and these work great in place of my velcro straps for the ISO work.
With 300kg lashing capacity they plenty strong and doesn't stretch.
Easy to adjust the length, and pull apart. Might even use it for my sled dragging instead of the rock climbing straps.

I tried doing calf raise ISO with it, looping it over my shoulder, carry bag style, with a folded towel for padding, and then under a block of wood.
Worked ok, but puts a lot of stress on the back... still it does allow you to do them without weights.

Could probably use them for safeties if I had a power rack, hanging down from the top. Or for doing suspended partials etc


---
morning mobility work
upper body stretches

---

Tendon health - rehab

split squat ISO, rear leg straight at 90 degrees - x 1 min

Spanish squat ISO - nylon strap vertical shins,  vertical torso, pushing knees out against the strap, 90 degree leg angle - BW x45 secs

rotating sets - 1 lower and then 1 upper

Glute Medius tendon - 
A1-1) Side plank with leg abduction -  Right side - arm on 20 inch bench - 3x 45 secs
starting to feel easier, so eventually will move down to the floor
A1-2)  Lying lateral leg abduction ISO - strap around knees - pushing at 70+% effort - right side only 3x45secs

Patella tendon -
A3) Single leg Extension ISO -  incline bench at 40 degrees, both sides back to back, 60 degree leg angle - 3x45secs

Quad tendon -
A3) Single leg Extension ISO -  both sides back to back - push against tie down strap, lying back, 90 degree leg angle at 70+% effort - 3x45secs

A4) Side plank with leg abduction -  left side - arm on 20 inch bench - 3x 45 secs

Achilles insertion -
1 min rest between each
B1) SSB single leg calf raise -  ISO at neutral -  45 secs x 70kg, 75kg x 2 sets
B2) SSB single leg bent knee calf raise -  ISO at neutral - 45 secs x 70kg, 75kg x 2 sets

Went up another 5kg, not too bad, can go up again tomorrow if things feel ok

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stretch, except for left quad

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45 min walk/hike
middle of the walk - backward walking up a 25-30 degree sloped path x 2.5 mins

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7 hours later

rotating sets
A1) Lying lateral leg abduction ISO - strap around knees - pushing at 70+% effort - right side only 45secs x 4 sets

A2) Single leg Extension ISO -  both sides back to back - push against tie down strap, 90 degree leg angle at 70+% effort - 4x45secs

I put my new tie down strap around all 4 legs of a chair, sat in the chair sideways so the back rest doesn't get in the way, with 2 sets of short flat bands for padding, and it worked well for the leg extension ISO.


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14 hour fast
2600+ calories burned according to Fitbit Charge 3
ate 2000+

Sunday 2nd May 2021

Fatloss cycle 2 - Week 10

Height - 5'8.5"
weighed - 83.3kg (+0.7kg), 183.6lbs

waist - 34.5 inches (+7/8)
hip =  39.75 (+1/8)
upper thigh = 25 1/8 (+1/8)
Right calf = 15.5 
Neck = 15 3/8 
Wrist = 6.5

Tanita scale bodyfat% = 21.3% (+0.2)

Total loss so far - weight -4.2kg Waist  2 5/8 inches Tanita BF% -0.9%

Bloated from the pigging out the last 2 days

Friday 30th April 2021

Quads and glutes feel swole and sore, calves and hamstrings next most sore, upper a bit but not that much

Achilles tendons about the same or slightly better
right glute medius tendon felt better
Left quad tendon - not sure

---
morning mobility work
upper body stretches

---

Tendon health - rehab

Spanish squat ISO - nylon strap vertical shins,  vertical torso, pushing knees out against the strap, 90 degree leg angle - BW x45 secs

rotating sets - 1 lower and then 1 upper

Glute Medius tendon - 
A1-1) side plank with leg abduction Right side - arm on 20 inch bench - 2x 45 secs
A1-2)  Lying lateral leg abduction ISO - veclro strap around knees - pushing at 70+% effort - right side only 3x 45secs


A2-1) Patella tendon - Single leg Extension ISO - both sides back to back - 60 degree leg angle  x 45 secs - 65lbs, 70lbs
A2-2) Single leg sissy squat ISO x 45 secs

Quad tendon -
A3-1) Single leg Extension ISO -  both sides back to back - push against velcro strap, lying back, 90 degree leg angle at 70+% effort - 2x45secs
A3-2) Peterson Step up/Sissy squat hybrid - 8 inch step - x 45 secs
left quad tendon still aches a lot on this

Glute Medius tendon - 
A4) side plank with leg abduction Left side - arm on 20 inch bench - 2 x 45 secs


Achilles insertion -
1 min rest between each
B1) SSB single leg calf raise -  ISO at neutral -  60kg, 65kg x 2 sets
B2) SSB single leg bent knee calf raise -  ISO at neutral - 60kg, 65kg x 2 sets

Upped the weights again to 65kg, semi-hard, with minimal pain for a few secs, small signs of shake.

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rotating sets

wrist curl - hold at top - 20kg x8, 25kg 3x15 @ RPE 8 (+2 reps)
Reverse wrist curl- hold at top - 10kg x8, 15kg 3x11 @ RPE 9 (+1 rep)

Ivanko super gripper 77lbs x 5
77lbs 3x15 @ RPE 8 - right arm (+1 rep)
77lbs 3x15 @ RPE 10 - left arm

time to go up to the next spring setting

Plate pinch grip holds 2 hands 10kg bumper - x30secs
single hand 10kg bumper plate -
left hand x25secs (+2 secs), x22 secs, x 21 secs
right hand x28 secs (+3 secs), x25 secs, x 23 secs

hands are starting to even up, but right hand still feels more solid

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Shoulder/cuff health routine

Loaded torso drop - using wall - 2x15
Cross to Overhead - Rogue light band - 2x12
loaded cross sweep -  Rogue light band - 2x12
Wall Vee - slow-  2x6
High speed band pull apart  - Rogue light band - 3x6

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stretch, except for left quad

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55 min walk/hike
middle of the walk - backward walking up a 35 degree sloped path x 3 mins
towards end of walk - Straight leg, max ROM walk up 30-35 degree sloped path x 2 mins

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16 hour fast
2800+ calories burned according to Fitbit Charge 3
ate 3600+

the pic above, or whatever it is, is not working

Monday 28th April 2021

Didn't get much sleep as usual, but till felt OK
Calves and hips pretty achey

bodyweight at without shoes = 84 kg

--
Morning mobility work

---
Afternoon - home

Soft tissue work - lower body

Tendon health and rehab - Heavier session

Spanish squat x 45 secs
Side plank with abduction on bench x 45 secs
Glute bridge x 45 secs
Plank - x 45 secs

BBall control drills and dribbling - about 5 mins worth

Powersnatch and power clean complex  x 20kg bar
1/2 Overhead squat 12kg bar x 5, 20kg x 10

Squats

All reps 3 sec eccentric, paused, to 18.5 inch bench

Did these before the back squat of the same load
Front Squat 20kg x5, 40kg x3, 60kg x3, 80kg x3
Belt - 100kg x3, 105kg x3

Low bar squat
Did these after high bar of the same load - 20kg x5, 40kg x5, 60kg x5, 80kg x5, 100kg x5, 110kg x5

High bar squat
minimal shoe/bare feet - Iron edge XXheavy band around the knee - 20kg x10, 40kg x5 , 60kg x5, 80kg x5, 100kg x5, 110kg x5 

Iron edge XXheavy band around the knee
117.5kg x5
125kg x6
130kg x6
135kg x6 @ RPE 7

Up 2.5kg from last week
Felt strong today, weights did not feel "heavy" on my back.
A little lower bench height, closer to half squat.
Right glute medius tendon a bit achey on the heaviest sets.


Pulls/Deadlifts - oly shoes and facing down slope of garage

Clean pull hook grip, lowered under control - 60kg x3
Clean high pull hook grip, lowered under control - 60kg 3x3
Clean deadlift hook grip, slow eccentric - 100kg x3, 110kg x3

3 sec eccentric, belt + straps - 120kg x6, 125kg x5 @ RPE 7

Felt solid. +1 rep with 120kg, and up 5kg on top set from last week


This group in Oly shoes - alternating sets 2 mins rest

A1) SSB single leg calf raise - arm supported - Olys shoes, 2 inch elevated 3 sec eccentric and concentric, top half of ROM only  - 30kg x5
both sides back to back - ISO 55kg x 45 secs, 55kg x11, 60kg x8 @ RPE 8

A2)SSB Tib raise - in oly shoes - SSB 30kg x 10, 55kg x 5
65kg 2x8, 60kg x8 @ RPE 8

A3) SSB single leg bent knee calf raise - arm supported -  Olys shoes, 2 inch elevated 3 sec eccentric and concentric, top half of ROM only  - 30kg x5
both sides back to back - ISO 55kg x 45 secs, 55kg x11, 60kg x8 @ RPE 8

----
B1) SSB side bends controlled, alternating sides - 60kg x16, 65kg 2x16 @ RPE 7 (+2.5kg)
I think these hit the glute medius as well

B2) Lying side leg raise  - leg angled in front of body - Powerblock dumbbell on foot - 3 sec eccentric and concentric - 10lbs 2x7  @ RPE 8

Hip hitch - 6 inch step - 50kg x15 + 6 stepups

---

Rectus femoris and TFL release with 20kg barbell in seated position

stretch except left quad

----
12 hour fast - broke with raw carrots, cheese slice, handful of raw pistachio nuts
2800 calorie burn according Fitbit Charge 3, not including weights
plan to eat 2300+

https://strengtheory.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/MASS/Best+Of+Issue/MASS+Best+Of+Issue+2021.pdf




    This PDF is a free sample issue of MASS, the monthly research review by me (Greg Nuckols), Dr. Eric Trexler, Dr. Eric Helms, and Dr. Mike Zourdos made specifically for strength and physique athletes, coaches, and enthusiasts.

    Every article or video in the PDF breaks down a recent study that covers a topic relevant to strength, physique, or nutrition. It explains what the study found and what the results mean practically for you.

This PDF contains a preview of what each issue contains and is released in relation to their charity sale starting April 27th, details at the bottom.

Table of contents:

Improving Muscle Growth by Individualizing Training Volume
​by Greg Nuckols

Time to Reframe the Proximity to Failure Conversation
​by Michael C. Zourdos

A Progression Framework for Hypertrophy
by Eric Helms

Modest Glycogen Depletion May Impact Lifting Performance More Than You Think
by Eric Trexler

Ribosome Biogenesis Influences Whether High Volumes Cause More Growth
​by Greg Nuckols

Penalty: Reduction in Gains for Interference
​by Michael C. Zourdos

Protein Distribution Matters, To An Extent
​by Eric Trexler

Females Fatigue Slower than Males Largely Due to Differences in Blood Flow
​by Greg Nuckols

VIDEO: Volume Cycling
​by Michael C. Zourdos

VIDEO: Translating Nutrition Guidelines to Life
​by Eric Helms

Sunday 25th April 2021

Fatloss cycle 2 - Week 9

Height - 5'8.5"
weighed - 82.6kg (-0.1kg), 182lbs

waist - 33 5/8 inches (-1/8)
hip =  39 5/8 (-1/8)
upper thigh = 25 (-1/8)
Right calf = 15.5 
Neck = 15 3/8  (-1/8)
Wrist = 6.5

Tanita scale bodyfat% = 21.1% (-0.9)

Total loss so far - weight -4.9kg Waist  3.5 inches Tanita BF% -1.1%

Did a bit of diet break this week, but still some deficit