June 14, 2016 – Week 1, Day 4

Dynamic Warm-ups

Barbell Hip Thrusts
155x5
245x3
335x1
425x6
445x6
465x6

Paused Safety Squat Bar Front Squats
(1 second pauses)
60x5
104x3
148x1
(3 second pauses)
192x5
214x5
236x5

Super Set: One Leg Dead Stop Leg Presses/Frog Machine Squats
+180x12/12:130x10
+180x12/12:150x10
+180x12/12:170x10

45-degree Back Extensions
bwx30

Reverse Hyperextensions
bwx30

4-way Rotary Hips (no breaks)
100x15/15/15/15 (each side)
100x15/15/15/15 (each side)

38 Minutes of Stretching

Comments: Prior to this workout, I had my follow up with the ortho. Now I’m being told it is a lower back muscle strain and I can return to what I feel is comfortable. If not better by 7/10/16, then it could be an issue and an MRI will get scheduled. I wasn’t sure what I would be doing this workout. I had an idea and it was to try some new stuff and see if I could do something “heavy” (like the sled drags) that wouldn’t bother my back. I’m not sure why I hadn’t thought about hip thrusts but they appeared to be an option that could allow me to work deadlift muscles and not put my back in a precarious position. Of course the awkwardness and pain tolerance on my hips was another story. I used to do these real heavy about 5 or 6 years ago so I figured I’d be alright with the weight. I took plate jumps and thankfully, no issues in my lower back. Just odd lift and I know I will be good for more, just need to take my time. Next up was front squats with the ssb. Last time I did rehab training, it had been front squats for 5x12 with the heaviest dumbbell in the gym. I figured it would be better with a bar so that I could keep it close and not have to worry about cleaning a weight to my shoulders. I was slow on the first set and I paused so to make sure everything was fine in the hole with the back slightly stretched. I liked it so I decided to drop the reps and do pauses for lower reps. Usually when I do pauses, I don’t do them on the warming up sets. This time, it made sense to do them so nothing was being relaxed and everything was controlled. I then increased the pause time for the working sets. I was very happy to be doing this much weight already with no pain. Granted, like the hatfield’s, there were aches after racking the weight after each set. The plan was to then do high rep stuff for lower back and hips but I felt I had more in me so I planned a super set right on the spot. Despite making me throw up the first time I did them, I liked the high rep dead stop leg presses. I figured one leg would be a good way to work the legs and test my back. I could probably go heavier here but didn’t want to push it. The other part of the super set was frog squats on the weird hack squat machine. Wide stance squats and touching the platform with my fingers. I saw John Meadows doing these and figured I’d give them a shot as the gym has the machine. Felt good, interesting after prefatiguing on the leg presses. Then on to high rep light stuff. Body weight back extensions and reverse hypers for a single set of 30 reps each. I think next time I will just do the back extensions as I felt nothing on the reverse hypers with no weight (don’t have access to the machine at the Y) and I got a lot of blood pumping in my glutes, lower back and hamstrings on the back extensions. More sets and reps for next time. Then to finish off the day, I got on the rotary hip machine. This was something I had to do back when I ruptured my hamstring about 5 and a half years ago as part of my recovery. Four different exercises and I did them all for one leg and then went to the over leg with no breaks so a total of 240 reps with no stops. Got a good sweat going from that haha. Home to stretch like crazy. One more workout and then a break. Maybe I will catch up on my sleep haha.