Adarq.org

I might be in the minority but i think the nordic ham curl is pretty swell. I very rarely get doms though even when i was training bodybuilding style 10-15 hrs/week. But i think some bend at the hips is still good stimulus for the hams, just because you change the target range of motion a little bit and make the body lever smaller, you still get a good ham workout. And if you push off the ground with your hands the correct amount the concentric portion can still be challenging. And heavy eccentric singles is actually a thing!! I dont remember if its from triphasic training by cal dietz but it might be. But of course if it consistently gives you way too much doms it might not be worth it.

Tuesday 30th March 2021

A bit achey all over
Glute medius tendon continues to improve, no major pain now walking up and downstairs

---

morning mobility work
knee over toes heel elevated split squat at 60 degrees - 2 x 1 min

upper body stretches and shoulder dislocate stretch

Tendon health

rotating sets

single leg calf raise -  ISO BW x30 secs, +10kg 3x40secs, 1 inch ROM slow reps 2x40secs
single leg bent knee calf raise -   ISO BW x30 secs, +10kg 3x40secs, 1 inch ROM slow reps 2x40secs

Lying side leg raise ISO leg angled in front of body, Iron Edge XXheavy band around knee - 5x40secs

Bottom of Peterson step up/sissy squat ISO, both feet on floor,  6 inch step - 3x40secs, no support leg 2x40 secs

---

Band leg extension ISO - 30kg band set at 60 degree knee angle  - 2x40secs, at 90 degree x 40secs


Couch stretch, calf, and ankle/knee to wall stretch, hip flexor stretch

1 hour 38 min walk/hike
start of walk - backward walking up a 25-30 degree sloped path x 4 mins
middle of the walk - backward walking up a 35 degree sloped path x 3 mins
sideways walk up a 35 degree sloped path x 2 mins, each side

towards end of walk -
Straight leg, max ROM walk up 30-35 degree sloped path x 2 mins
Bear crawl - fowards and back - 20m x2, 3 mins rest

Found a new long sloped road, which the side path can only be reached via the hiking trail, so no one to bother me, but cars driving past
Got a pep in my step, starting to notice the loss of bodyfat

---
19  hour fast
3000+ calories burned according to Fitbit Charge 3
ate 1900

Thursday 1st April 2021

Feeling decent, in terms of soreness, but probably not all that fresh.
Felt a bit "weak" and queezy today, from calorie deficit no doubt, but to be expected

--
morning mobility work
knee over toes heel elevated split squat at 60 degrees - 2 x 40 secs

----
bodyweight at home without shoes = 83.7 kg

Soft tissue work - feet, glutes


BBall practice session at WLC outdoor courts -  72 mins

Bottom of Peterson step up ISO, both feet on floor,  8 inch step - 2x40 secs
Right leg lateral ISO hold 2x 40secs

1) 15 mins dribble and ball control drills
2) medium to high intensity moves, shots, layups, threes
3) jumps at the 40 min mark, and a few dunks on 8 feet netball rim
4) A few sets of easy pogo jumps, and speed hops inbetween jumps and after

5) rotated sets with the stuff below -
Box Jumps, with a reset, landing with straight legs, 20 inch wall - 5 sets of 3

Felt a bit "weak" and queezy today, from calorie deficit no doubt, but to be expected

Right glute medius tendon was achey on hard effort 2 legged jumps, so I didn't push the issue here.
Just did the hard efforts on single leg jump, which was back up to current best, but a little higher.
A good time to get more practise on it I suppose

No aches on the box jumps though, probably due to less hip bend/depth, even though I don't intentionally do so,


Resistance


Netball rim pullups to sternum - Hang and 20 scap shrugs to warmup, BW x 1 single
Dead hang/paused -
1x6 @ RPE 10 - chest an inch short of rim on 6th rep

"+" = 20 secs rest
1+2+3+2+1 @ RPE 9 on last rep

L hang pull up to neck x 2
Pull up to sternum, body horizontal x 1

That rest paused set was harder than expected, thought I'd recover a bit more from the break between each mini set


20 inch feet elevated pushup - BW 3x8 explosive

pretty easy, but some dull ache in left shoulder before I warmed up

Wall tib raise 4x8

Front lever hold BW x 5 secs x 2
dang pretty hard today, guess my lats were too fatigued from the pull up, rest paused set

Inverted rows explosive BW 2x9 @ RPE 7

Straight bar dip explosive  BW 2x9 @ RPE 7

L sit hold  BW x 30secs - getting a bit easier

Hanging leg raise, feet to hands BW x6, x5 @ RPE 10
last reps not quite feet to hands, +1 rep each set
------

Bottom of Peterson step up ISO, both feet on floor,  8 inch step - 5x40 secs, 2x10
Lying Lateral leg raise ISO - right leg only Iron Edge XXheavy band 4x40secs

single leg calf raise -  controlled 14kg weightvest - ISO 2x40secs, 2x15
single leg bent knee calf raise - controlled 14kg Weight vest - ISO 2x40secs, 2x15
felt too easy, will up to 16kg

Single leg squat to 20 inch wall 2x10
shallower on right leg to avoid glute medius tendon ache

lateral Monster band walk Iron Edge XXHeavy + Heavy band - 2x10 steps each direction
crazy glute medius burn and pump

stretch upper

----

45 min walk/hike - moderately steep trail
backwards walking 30-35 degree sloped path - 2.5 mins x 2
sideways walking 30-35 degree sloped path - 2mins each side

stretched lower

----
14 hour fast - broke with raw carrots, cheese slice, handful of raw pistachio nuts before BBall

3300 calorie burn according Fitbit Charge 3
Ate 2300

Saturday 3rd April 2021

Not feeling all that fresh or great, but I decided to train anyway

Right glute medius tendon flares with with any deep squatting position with heavier loads
Even Peterson step ups and deeper sissy squats are no go.
But it seems to be fine on any deadlifts.
And quarter squats or higher, and leg extensions are fine.

So may have to roll with quarter squats, deadlifts and leg extensions for my tendon health needs, and strength/size maintenance, for however long till my glute medius tendon mends...
Who knows, maybe some new gains from the novel stimulus...

I also made a sled of sorts with an old rubber tyre, that already had a hole, which I slipped in a combination of rock climbing nylon harness, and a dip belt.
Adding a 20kg plate ontop, lights up my quads with 1 min of reverse dragging, and 30 secs of forward dragging gives great posterior chain stress and pump.
It does seem like I'm way stronger in reverse dragging than forward

Dragged it on my outer public front lawn next to the road, had to make 2 trips. Might put it in the car and try it at the park down the road for a longer drag.
Will replace a few of my backward hill walks with it, as it lights up my quads in a smoother and harder manner. You can lean back more.



bodyweight at home without shoes = 84.3 kg

--

Morning mobility work
knee over toes heel elevated split squat at 60 degrees -  2x 1 min


---
Afternoon

Soft tissue work - lower body and some upper

Tendon health - Heavier session

BBall control drills and dribbling - about 10 mins worth

Bottom of Peterson step up ISO, both feet on floor,  8 inch step - 2x 40secs
Lying lateral leg raise ISO, belt around knee - 4x40secs
Plank - x 40 secs
Side plank - x 40secs

Sled drag - tyre+20kg plate - reverse drag x1 min + forward x30secs, x2 sets

ATG splitsquat BW x12

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


Squats

All reps slow and controlled

Did these before the back squat of the same load
Front Squat - 1/4 squat20kg x5, 40kg x5, 60kg x5, 70kg x5,
Belt - 80kgx 5, 90kg x5, 100kg x5

Low bar squat
Did these after high bar of the same load - 40kg x3, 60kg x3, 70kg x3,
belt 80kg x3, 90kg x3, 100kg x3, 1/4 squat 110kg x3

High bar squat
bare feet 20kg x10, 40kg x5 , 60kg x3, 70kg x3 
Oly shoes + belt - 80kg x3, 90kg x3, 100kg x3, 110kg x2

Left glute medius tendon was achey on the lighter loads and started to flare up past 80kg, so shut things down


Deadlifts - oly shoes and facing down slope of garage

Snatch grip deadlift hook grip, slow eccentric - 60kg x3, x3
straps - 100kg x3, 110kg x 1

bailed on the 110kg set, skin on inner thumb got ripped up!
My ROM is also crazy deep on these - short arms and oly shoes = back angle almost horizontal.
So it feels way harder than the other deadlifts

Clean deadlift hook grip, slow eccentric - 60kg x5, 100kg x3
straps 110kg x3
hook grip 110kg x 4

Sumo Deadlift hook grip, slow eccentric - 60kg x5, x5, 100kg x3
straps 110kg x5, x5

All deadlift sets felt hard, much harder than squats with the same load for me, which reminds me why I hate em... I'm just not built to deadlift
Glutes feel roasted right now, gonna be sore as hell tomorrow!


This group in Oly shoes - alternating sets 2 mins rest

A1) SSB Good Morning, explode onto toes 30kg x6, 50kg x6, 60kg x10, 60kg x10 @ RPE 7

A2) SSB single leg calf raise - arm supported - 6 inch elevated controlled  - BW x 10, 30kg x5
ISO at neutral position 50kg x 40secs, 60kg x 40 secs
controlled 60kg 2x8 @ RPE 8
both sides back to back

A3)SSB Tib raise - in oly shoes - BW x5, SSB 30kg x 6, 50kg x6, 60kg x10, 70kg x10

A4) SSB single leg bent knee calf raise - arm supported - 6 inch elevated  controlled - BW x 10, 30kg x5,
ISO at neutral position 50kg x 40secs, 60kg x 40 secs
controlled 60kg 2x8 @ RPE 8
both sides back to back


----

B1)SSB Peterson step up - arm supported - right leg only, controlled - 30kg x10, 50kg x 10, 60kg x12 @ RPE6

B2) High Angle rows - 20kg x 15, 40kg x8, 60kg x5, 72.5kg x1
72.5kg 2x7 @ RPE 9 (+1 rep)

feeling near limit now, so if I do fail next week, I will change things up

B3) AB wheel on knees - BW x 6
down to floor, slow and controlled, paused x12 @ RPE 8

B4) lateral Monster band walk - Iron Edge XXHeavy + Heavy band - 2x10 steps each direction @ RPE 8

B5) SSB side bends alternating sides - 30kg x10, 50kg x10, 60kg x 12 @ RPE 8

---

PowerBlock dumbbell single leg extension controlled, slow eccentric, hold at top - 15lbs x10, 20lbs x10
30lbs x10, x10 (right side lying back) @ RPE8
left side only, lying back 30lbs x 10   @ RPE8

So it turn out that the Powerblock dumbbells shape makes it easy to hook your feet into to do leg extensions, but also stresses the tibialis.
hence why I also tried tibialis raises on them below
Lucky my Ironmaster bench is higher than normal and can tilt, so had enough ground clearance to do these.
Felt pretty good, no aches in my left patella or quad tendons.
Tried lying back to get at the rectus femoris better

Leg extensions used to light up my left knee with pain, many years ago, no sign of that today

PowerBlock dumbbell single leg tiblias raise 15lbs 2x15

---

Rectus femoris release with 20kg barbell in seated position

stretch

----

14 hour fast - broke with raw carrots, cheese slice, handful of raw pistachio nuts
2900+ calorie burn according Fitbit Charge 3, not including weights
eating 2600+

Hey nice sled! I incidentally made a very similar one a while back except its over top of a childrens hill sled. I might get back into it, those backwards drags especially seem like a stimulus that might be useful. Don't think I've tried that variation.

Also about your quarter squat comment that it might be a good novel stimulus. I love that approach, I think westside barbell which uses a similar approach really had it down. I think Louie Simmons made some off-hand remark about how training pro athletes with the westside method was "too easy". But I feel like quarter squats are kind-of underrated. It's the most sport specific ROM, only problem is back becomes the limiting factor pretty fast when you use higher weights. If only there was some way to lessen the back angle.. maybe like super low bar (wouldn't shorten the back angle but since the weight is closer to the hips i'm supposing that would take stress off the back? Low bar deep squats use more back but maybe the quarter range would be less). Not sure how front squats would affect it, there's probably something to that as well

I'm doing them with a front squat to keep my upper back strength up, as that would be the limiting factor with heavier loads
I think 1/4 squats with an SSB would be the best as you can hold the rack with your arms and take balance and your lower back out of it.
It would be like a leg press in a way
aka Hatfield squat

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbFgN5kwgqg" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbFgN5kwgqg</a>

Sunday 4th April 2021

Mild drained feeling and medium soreness all over.
Quads are fairly sore despite the low squat reps/volume, so maybe the leg extensions did something
Or the deadlifts as well.

Right glute medius tendon, thankfully no worse today, despite it hurting on the heavier squats.
Left quad/patella tendon and right achilles tendon progressing

---

morning mobility work
knee over toes heel elevated split squat at 60 degrees - 2 x 1 min

upper body stretches and shoulder dislocate stretch

Tendon health

Trying out some new stuff

rotating sets

single leg calf raise -  ISO BW x30 secs, +18kg 2x40secs, +20kg x 40secs, +25kg x 40 secs
single leg bent knee calf raise -   -  ISO BW x30 secs, +18kg 2x40secs, +20kg x 40secs, +25kg x 40 secs

Added more weight to the vest, and still not too hard. So may have to go up to 30kg daily with the SSB
These ISO are supposed to be near 70% intensity and higher, so it should feel hard to hold for 40+ secs
Tendons, unlike muscles need fairly heavy loads to respond, but building up has given time for my feet and calves to adapt as well

Lying side leg raise ISO leg angled in front of body, Iron Edge XXheavy+Light band around knee - 2x40secs
Iron Edge XXheavy+ Powerblock 20lb dumbbell on foot - 3x40secs

I find the dumbbell better instead of all bands, as I find it hard to judge how much force I'm exerting.
That 20lb dumbbell + band feels fairly hard to hold for the full duration

Spanish squat ISO - nylon strap vertical shins, hamstrings at parallel, vertical torso, pushing knees out against the strap - BW 2x40secs
5kg plate on chest 3 x 40secs

Loads the quads/tendons fairly hard, but without any pain at least just slightly above parallel.
Added 5kg later to make a bit harder, but maybe will move up to 10kg next time, with weight vest.
Not unlike a sissy squat unit you find in gyms, except without the patella compression loading

Bottom of Peterson step up/sissy squat ISO no support leg 2x40 secs
This feels a little harder than the Spanish squat, but a bit more achey.


1 hour 15 min walk/hike
start of walk - backward walking up a 25-30 degree sloped path x 4 mins
middle of the walk - backward walking up a 35 degree sloped path x 3 mins
sideways walk up a 35 degree sloped path x 2 mins, each side

towards end of walk -
Straight leg, max ROM walk up 30-35 degree sloped path x 2 mins

stretch

---
16  hour fast
2900+ calories burned according to Fitbit Charge 3
plan to eat 2100+

Tuesday 6th April 2021

A little tired from yesterday, but not too bad.
Light to moderate soreness, mostly in my hamstrings

Dropped the Calf raise ISOs today to give my foot muscles a rest

---

morning mobility work
knee over toes heel elevated split squat at 60 degrees - x 1 min

upper body stretches and shoulder dislocate stretch

Tendon health

rotating sets

Lying side leg raise ISO leg angled in front of body, Iron Edge XXheavy+ Powerblock 20lb dumbbell on foot - 2x40secs
Powerblock 20lb dumbbell on foot - 3x40secs

Spanish squat ISO - nylon strap vertical shins, hamstrings at parallel, vertical torso, pushing knees out against the strap - BW 2x40secs
10kg plate on chest x 40secs, 20kg weight vest x 40secs

Bottom of Peterson step up/sissy squat ISO -no support leg, +20kg x40 secs, BW x 40 secs


1 hour 30 min walk/hike
start of walk - backward walking up a 25-30 degree sloped path x 4 mins
middle of the walk - backward walking up a 35 degree sloped path x 3 mins
sideways walk up a 35 degree sloped path x 2 mins, each side

towards end of walk -
Straight leg, max ROM walk up 30-35 degree sloped path x 2 mins

stretch

---
18  hour fast
2900+ calories burned according to Fitbit Charge 3
ate 2300+

Thursday 8th April 2021

tendons felt much better today, so whatever I did yesterday is working, despite the heavy loads

But I feel a bit achey as a result, so not good for performance, but I'm focusing on getting healthy and ripped to shreds
So come spring time in 4 months, I'll be ready to focus on jumping without distractions
It's going to take that long as is to get to sub 8% bodyfat and for tendons to heal

Looking into cutting back on the backwards walking on the lower angled slopes, as I think the repetitive ankle stretching and flexing, is not exactly helping my right insertional achilles tendinopathy. Although keeping the ankle locked and flexed is ok, and steeper slopes/sled dragging is done with a more flat foot due to the greater body lean

--
morning mobility work

knee over toes heel elevated split squat at 60 degrees -  x 1 min 
(mostly using these to stretch my hip flexor on the rear leg and lat mobility with my arms locked out overhead, and test where my left quad and patella pain is at)

----
bodyweight at home without shoes = 83.4 kg

Soft tissue work - upper and lower body

BBall practice session at WLC outdoor courts -  60 mins

Single leg ISO, both feet on floor,  8 inch step - 2x40 secs
Right leg lateral ISO hold 2x 40secs

1) 15 mins dribble and ball control drills
2) medium to high intensity moves, shots, layups, threes
3) jumps at the 35 min mark, and a few dunks on 8 feet netball rim
4) A few sets of easy pogo jumps, and speed hops inbetween jumps and after

Felt "weak and tired"

left Quad/patella tendon and right glute medius tendon feels much improved, but still sore on harder effort 2 legged jumps so I'm avoiding these
Achilles/feet felt strong and soft, so not a major issue now.

Was able to do left leg single leg running jumps at max effort without pain, and it has gone up again, 0.5-1 inch, despite being fatigued, although still only touching roughly around 9'6"
Still I suspect this will improve more as I get lighter, more so than my 2 legged jump, which is 6 inches higher.
I was 3 inches away from the rim, off 1 leg, at 19 in high school weighing 70+ kg, so I'm hoping by the time I get back down there again, with way less bodyfat and far greater strength and power, I'll be a good 6 inches or more higher. Despite being 50 years old though

Dropped the box jumps today, just had no energy for these by then, and didn't want to risk tendon pain.


Resistance

Netball rim pullups to sternum - Hang and 20 scap shrugs to warmup, BW x 2 singles
Dead hang/paused -
1x6 @ RPE 9  (+1 rep)
1x5 @ RPE 9
1x5 - last rep an inch short of chest

L hang pull up to base of neck x 3 @ RPE 9 (+1 rep)

got that 6th rep full range, so getting leaner is helping

20 inch feet elevated pushup - BW 3x10 explosive  (+2 reps)


Front lever hold BW x 5 secs x 2
fairly tough

Inverted rows explosive BW 2x10 @ RPE 8

Straight bar dip explosive  BW 2x10 @ RPE 8

Hanging leg raise, fat bar, feet to hands, BW x6, x5 @ RPE 10
last reps not quite feet to hands

Fat bar hang -  4 inch diameter - BW x 30 secs
grip felt noticeable more solid than the last time I tried these, gripper work paying off


stretch upper

----

60 min walk/hike - moderately steep trail
backwards walking 30-35 degree sloped path - 2.5 mins x 2

----
14 hour fast - broke with raw veges, cheese slice, handful of raw pistachio nuts before BBall

3300+ calorie burn according Fitbit Charge 3
Ate 2500

weighed 82.8kg this morning, and 82.4kg post exercise