Adarq.org

Date: 20/12/2018
Soreness: back near the hip bone a little sore
BW: 10st 02.8lbs

Condition: Slight congested chest. Blocked ears, nose and congested chest with coughs = Bad combo. I brought jumper and it was cold outside but with the sun shining slightly.

Warm up
   ankle mobility
   calf stretch
   hamstring stretch lying
   seated hamstring stretch
   single leg glute bridges
   hip thrusts
   high knee hip holds x 15 seconds /w 50kg feet strap
   back stretch front and back

   Treadmill runs 18km/h @15% - getting easier

Workout
   Jump Squats
      - 3 x 5 @30kg

   Bulgarian Split Squats
      - 1 x 5 each leg @bw
      - 1 x 3 each leg @20kg
      - 3 x 1 each leg @40kg - no rest between legs
      - 1 x 5 each leg BSS jumps with high knee @bw

   Single leg calf raises
      - 1 x 7 each leg
      - 3 x 7 each leg @40kg

   Bent single leg reverse hyperextensions
      - 1 x 5 each leg @20kg
      - 3 x 5 each leg @35kg

Cool down
   stretch
   walk back

Comment
It was a good session.
   

Date: 08/01/2019
Soreness: shoulders, nothing else (sitting)
BW: 65.6kg

Condition: It was sunny but cold as well, but inside the gym, wind is cancelled out so all you can feel is the heat from the sun, which is was a little bit more than my liking. Workout lasted 2 1/2 hours.

Warm up
   Ankle mobility
   ankle stretch
   hamstring stretch seated
   quad stretch on bench
   hip thrust on bench
   lying hamstring stretch
   lying single leg glute bridge
   high knee hip holds single leg @50kg x 20 seconds
   back stretch front and back
   
Pre-workout treadmill run
   23km/h run at 15% incline holding on to support for 30 seconds or so
      - Hopefully get my stride frequency fast enough that I can do it without holding

Workout
   Counter movement Jump Squats
      - 2 x 5 @40kg
      - 1 x 5 @30kg

   Box Squats
      - 1 x 5 @60kg
      - 3 x 7 @100kg

   Prayer Break

   Bulgarian Split Squats
      - 1 x 5 each leg @bw
      - 1 x 3 each leg @20kg dumbbells in each hand
      - 1 x 1 each leg @40kg dumbbells in each hand
   
   Single leg calf raises on edge of 4-5 inch plate
      - 1 x 5 @bw each leg
      - 3 x 7 @50kg each leg

   Single bent leg hyper-extensions
      - 1 x 5 each leg @15kg
      - 3 x 7 each leg @35kg

   Shoulder press front and side
      - 2 x 7 @15kg dumbbells

   Planks
      - 1 x 1-2 min @15kg weight on back

Cool down
   stretch
   walk back

Comment
It was a good session, the box squat on bench does not work because of the sponge, so I place weight plate on it, which is about 2-3 inches thick. My low back does hurt when I do it, but it's not a type of pain that I have to stop and avoid but rather my back is under stress but not a dangerous stress. I squeeze my abs for dear life when squatting so pain has gone down and I minimize sitting to back to put my low back in danger but like a normal squat sitting on a chair. I stand with my legs on each side of the bench to get that good width and then sit back, sit lean back and then lean forward and squat up, after the squats back feels good. I also decided to add a 1 rep BSS so as not to lose strength in that type of movement. The rest of the workout was good too, same as normal.

Date: 13/01/2019
Soreness: none
BW: 65.4kg

Condition: Cold and really windy, shed was locked so no access to sled weights.

Warm up
   ankle mobility
   calf stretch dynamic
   hamstring stretch - dynamic - seated and swinging legs
   quad stretch walking
   single leg hip thrusts
   high knee hip holds single leg @50kg standing
   back stretch

Pre-workout
   treadmill run - 15% incline @23km/h holding with sporadic letting go of the handle.

Track Warm-up
   A walk x 2
   A skip x 2
   A Run x 2
   
Workout
   10m Sprint Starts x 3

   30m Acceleration sprints x 3

   50m Sprints x 2

   Sprint starts 1st step for distance x 2

   Planks x 3 min

   Seated arm swings 1 x 10 @4kg dumbbells in each hand
   Seated arm swings 1 x 20 @bw

Cool down
   stretch
   walk back

Comment
It was a good session, the wind made it difficult especially the 50m sprint, the wind was really powerful. Strong but would have liked it more quicker explosive drive out of the start but runs were strong despite the wind.

Date: 19/01/2019
Soreness: hamstring a little, mid back little
BW: 145.2lbs

Condition: It was cold af, not much wind but very cold. 1 hour workout a lot can be done, warmed up from 11:30 to be 12:00pm. Workout from 12pm to 1pm, which is when gym closes.

Warm up
   20 min walk to gym
   Ankle mobility
   dynamic calf stretch
   hamstring stretch dynamic
   bss jumps bw with high knee in the air x 3
   hip thrusts single leg x 5 /w 5 sec pause
   single leg high knee hip holds x 15 sec /w 50kg cable foot strap
   back stretch front and back
   barbell only squats

Pre workout routine
   Treadmill 23km/h 15% incline - couldn't use it but I guess I don't have to do this during speed workouts only during gym work.

Gym warm-up
   A walk x 2 x 20m
   A skips x 2 x 20m
   A runs x 2 x 20m
   high knee drills x 1 x 30m

Workout
   10m heavy sled (45kg) sled runs x 2
   
   10m sled runs @15kg x 2

   10m sprints x 2

   30m sled sprints @15kg x 2

   30m sprints x 2

   50m sprints x 1

Cool down
   stretch
   30 min walk back

Comment
Cold as heck, but the workout session was good. The sled sprints are really effective but after when running without the load on the first run I stumbled at the start as I was too close to the ground but on the second run it got better was low and managed to maintain balance. The longer runs felt strong and felt fast when load is removed.

I would really watch the back pain on the squats there bud. Just because it warms up during the reps, doesn't mean there's not something going on. It may not fix itself by continuing to put more weight on the bar. Here's two good videos (1, 2) about some other exercises you could be doing to strengthen the lower back outside of squatting. Doing squat jumps with >50% BW is also way too much. I don't even think KF did that much when he was doing them.

Also, just the semi-regular reminder that you're not doing any sprints over 50m for many months now. Of course, I'm not sure what your plans are in terms of athletics - specifically, if you're just doing gym stuff now and not planning on running 100m.

Thanks for the advice. In regards to the jump squats I only do them at 30kg <50%, but the counter movement jump squats where I squat down and rest the bar on the pin and then just jump up and 10kg doesn't feel heavy. But I guess I should go down to under 50%.

Oh, a counter-movement jump doesn't have any rest phase. You're confusing the squat jump (lower-pause-jump) with the counter-movement jump (an SVJ, but sometimes done with no arm swing). Either way, most coaches/sources I've read would only prescribe ~20-30% max for jump squats. The movement still has to be fast. It might be why your back is sore!

In regards to the box squats, I have a scale where if the pain is unbearable I don't do it, but I can bear the pain and I am constantly having to deal with back pain but it's small, this just flares it up not in an injury type of way, but heavy squats is strangely not painful at all but will do those back stretches you mentioned.

I already back stretches warm up where I lie down on my back, lift one leg straight and rotate to the side while keeping my upper body facing upwards. then i lay facing down and basically a scorpion stretch, rotate lower body to one side and lift leg as far back.

Strengthening is the key. Strong, conditioned muscles that can comfortably handle the tension exerted on them don't get injured. This discussion is probably worthy of a post by itself, but stretching probably does very little to alleviate a new pain. Make sure you're doing some isometric holds, rotational core stuff as well as stretching it in your warmup. Back extensions are good, so keep them up. My warmups go for 20+mins nowadays - about 1min of that is stretching!

Date: 29/01/2019
Soreness: low back pain only at certain postures, glutes a little
BW: 146.8lbs

Condition: It was cold outside, but warm inside the gym, not crowded so I could do my workout without any disruptions.

Warm up
   ankle mobility
   calf stretch
   seated hamstring stretch
   quad stretch on bench
   hip thrusts using bench
   high knee hip holds single leg foot strap attached to cable @50kg for 15 seconds
   back stretch on bench

Pre workout treadmill run
   23 km/h @15% incline running for 20 seconds

Workout
   Jump Squats Counter movement - squat down, pause for a second then jump
      - 3 x 5 @ 30kg

   Box Squats
      - 1 x 5 @20kg - empty bar
      - 1 x 3 @60kg
      - 1 x 3 @100kg
      - 1 x 5 @140kg
      - 1 x 1 @150kg 
      - 1 x 5 @140kg - I failed on the 4th rep because I had wide stance, left food was slipping and so I was off balance so I went back on the seat and did it again and finished 5th rep without difficulty. not much grip on my shoes, so will have to make sure to increase grip with the floor.

   Calf raises - barbel on shoulders
      - 1 x 5 @ 20kg empty bar
      - 1 x 0 @ 100kg - Bar on my shoulders was putting stress on my lower back and it was too painful to hold weight on my shoulders
   
   Calf raises while holding bar in front like top of deadlift but not enough grip

   Calf raises using cable where I attach a handle to both cables
      - 3 x 20 @140kg - 70kg from both cables weights

   Back extensions on bench at 40 degree
      - 1 x 5 @bw - painful for my lower back
      - 3 x 5 @60kg barbell - heavy and my lower back holding my hamstring back so will do back extensions light holding on top plate and then do reverse hyperextensions or RDL for hamstring work

   Cable twists
      - isometric holds while in lunge position for 10 seconds on each leg - 10kg
      - standing cable in and outs - stand 90 degrees to cable with arm straight in front and holding cable handle so tension on core to rotate towards cable then I bring hands towards chest and then out, both sides.
      - cable twists holding handle 90 degree to cable then you rotate it 180 degrees to the cable and bring back in front and then repeat 10 reps to work both side of core - 10kg

   Planks 2 min

Cool down
   stretch
   walk back

Comment
Good session, I felt comfortable with the 140kg a little struggle I just wanted to try and go for the 150kg and it went up nicely but would only manage 2 - 3 reps only. But after I couldn't hold weight on my shoulders as weight on lower back. But the counter movement squats jump where I squat down pause and jump up actually made the box squats a little less painful in the lower back than before, thanks acole for the advice.

congrats on the PR man!! 150kg, strong.

Quote from: seifullaah73 on January 23, 2019, 07:58:11 am

Funny thing is I can't seem to find anyone on youtube doing counter movement jumps with barbell.

it's too risky imho. i've mentioned that a few times, i just don't think the risk-vs-reward ratio is worth it.

i fell out of favor with "REA squats" and "jump squats" a long time ago.

putting safety first (AELS), impact shock with a barbell on the back is def risky.

if you continue to do it, keep it safe (obviously).

but like acole said, having any back pains and performing jump squats might not be the best combo.

pc!

Thanks  .

I try to keep safe by listening to my body, observing how my body reacts and how it changes e.g when I do squat jumps I try and maintain form and sometimes I see that sometimes I hyperextends to make it easier to jump but I make sure to avoid that.

The jump squats with the pause doesn't hurt my back at all as I only add 5kg plates, but the jump squats the reactive version i'm not so sure.

I will miss out the jump squats and see how my back feels from that.