Strength Training Blog

Fractionals

Lately I’ve been having trouble with linear progression, and getting stuck on certain weights for more than one session.. I’ve been doing half reps and then full reps to the following workouts to progress.. However I think muscular adapation does not take place efficiently when the weights are lifted in such low reps (like 2-3 reps). I think it would be much better to use fractionals to make smaller increments.

Fractionals being so expensive, I’ve decided to make my own.

$fractionals$

My home gym

So I’ve finally got most of the stuff I ordered, still waiting for 4x5kg plates and a weights rack to put all the weights, realised I really do need the weights rack because the plates are all over the place and making my training a bit hazardous, during the nights; because the plates get in the way when I walk around.

The rig is spacious enough to do all the lifts I want, however squezzing around the rack when changing the plates is a bit annoying, something I will get used to over time.

Here are the pics

There was a little space at the far end of the garden which was heavily neglected by everyone, and I decided to clear the place up and put in a small workout area, in pictures it didn’t look like much, but in person I thought there was plenty of space to work here.

It took me a while to get off my ass and clear the area up, however after I eventually did, I saw the potential in it, and the next say got the rack delivered, I eagerly set up the rig, only to find that there wasn’t enough space to do my lifts practically.

Moving the shed forward by a half a metre was a task I dreaded and didn’t want to do, however it needed to be done badly, otherwise I have no space. I had to empty out the shed, put some rollers underneath it and push the shed forward inch by inch, I didn’t realise how heavy the whole thing would be.. It was really heavy.

After a week of having the rack set up, I quickly realised how rust prone the rack was in the open rain, I never planned to leave it outn in the open like this but doe to planning problems I couldn’t get delivery of the materials on time.. the painted surfaces were OK, however the holes in the rack where the safties go started to rust.. it was only out in the rain for 10 days max, I didn’t realise how rust prone metal was.

I fabricated a baboo shelter bery quickly, quick enough to put a tarp sheet over it.

Then I began to reinforce the sides and make the structure more stable and resistant to winds and the light rain.

I’m fairly happy with my rig, I had to get some weightlifting shoes and some under armour cold gear base layer clothing to keep my warm in the faboulous british climate we have over here.

Bill Starr's Rehab Protocol

My back tweaked up recently and I decided to do build starr’s rehab protocol.

The Bill Starr rehab protocol is abit elusive, but thanks to Mark Rippetoe we’ve manged to grab hold of a very good 2nd had explanation of it

Here is the tried-and-true injury rehab method for muscle-belly injuries we got from Starr and that has worked for years better than any other method I’ve ever used. It also works well on orthopeadic injuries in general, and should be tried before anything more elaborate is used. Wait 3-4 days until the pain starts to “blur”,which indicates that the immediate process of healing has stopped the bleeding and has started to repair the tissue. Then use an exercise that directly works the injury, i.e. that makes it hurt, in this case the squat. Use the empty bar and do 3 sets of 25 with perfect form, allowing yourself NO favoring the injured side. If it’s ready to rehab you will know by the pain: if the pain increases during the set, it’s not ready, if it stays the same or feels a little better toward the end of the set, it is ready to work.

The NEXT DAY do it again, and add a small amount of weight, like 45 x 25 x 2 , 55 x 25. Next day, 45 x 25, 55 x 25, 65 x 25. Continue adding weight every day, increasing as much as you can tolerate each workout. It will hurt, and it’s supposed to hurt, but you should be able to tell the difference between rehab pain and re-injury. If you can’t, you will figure it out soon enough. This method works by flushing blood through the injury while forcing the tissue to reorganize in its normal pattern of contractile architecture.

After 10 days of 25s, go up in weight and down in reps to 15s, then to 10s, and finally to fives. During this time do NO OTHER HEAVY WORK, so that your resources can focus on the injury. You should be fixed in about 2 weeks, squatting more than you hurt yourself with.

This method has the advantage of preventing scar formation in the muscle belly, since the muscle is forced to heal in the context of work and normal contraction, using the movement pattern it normally uses. The important points are 1.) perfect form with 2.) light weights that can be handled for high reps, 3.) every day for two weeks, and 4.) no other heavy work that will interfere with the system-wide processes of healing the tear.

It is also very important through the whole process of healing the injury that ice be used, during the initial phase after the injury and after the workouts. Use it 20 on/20 off, many times a day at first and then tapering off to morning, after the workout, and before bed. Ice is your best friend in a muscle belly injury, holding down inflammation and fluid accumulation (“swelling”) while at the same time increasing beneficial blood flow through the injury. But DO NOT USE ICE MORE THAN 20 MINUTES AT A TIME. More than that can cause more damage than it repairs.

This may actually be the most useful post on this entire little forum of mine, and if you use this method exactly you can save yourself many weeks of lost training and long-term problems with muscle-belly scarring. Try it and see.

To have an idea of how I fared with the bill starr rehab protocol, here is how I implemented it on order to sort out my tweaked back.

day 6; 35kg, 40kg, 45kg for reps of 25,
day 7; 40kg, 45kg, 50kg @ 25 reps

The workout is tough, especially the last set, after about 10 reps you start to feel like you can’t go on, however you just have to push through mentally.. The last set is always tough and the first set is quite easy.. It’s not really the load that’s hard but muscle fatigue from the earlier sets which makes it tough..

The form is always strict, low dept, back tough etc.

day 8 45kg, 50kg, 25 reps, 55kg @ 25 reps
day 9 50kg, 55kg, 60kg @ 25 reps, last set @ 17 reps
day 10 55kg@ 25 reps; 60kg @ 20 reps; 65kg @ 15 reps
day 11 60kg @ 15 reps; 65kg @ 15 reps; 70kg @ 15 reps
day 12 65kg@ 15 reps; 70kg @ 15 reps; 75kg @ 15 reps
day 13 70kg @ 10 reps; 75kg @ 10 reps; 80kg @ 10 reps
day 14 75kg @ 10 reps; 80kg @ 10 reps; 85kg @ 10 reps
day 15 80kg @ 10 reps; 85kg @ 10 reps; 90kg @ 10 reps
day 16 85kg @ 10 reps; 90kg @ 10 reps; 95kg @ 9 reps
day 17 90kg @ 10 reps; 95kg @ 10 reps; 100kg @ 7 reps
day 18 95kg @ 10 reps; 100kg @ 7 reps; 105kg @ 5 reps
day 19 100kg @ 5 reps; 105kg @ 5 reps; 110kg @ 5 reps
day 20 105kg @ 5 reps; 110kg @ 5 reps; 115kg @ 3 reps

So that does it, I’ve completed ill starr rehab protocol and I’m back on my normal workout routine all over again, feels good, I have to say.

However I must admit that I don’t think doing squats on bill starr rehab protocol for lower back pain is best, I think it would have been far better to good mornings, I also supplemented my rehab work with magnificent mobility which I think helped tremendously.

Stuck on a plateau

TOday when to the gym, well nourished and good rest, however I am still stuck on some old lifts.

Squat 117.5kg Reps 4, 3, 2
Bench press 70kg Reps 3,2, 5x60kg
Deadlift 125kg Reps 1

Need to up the foot intake

Got back from the gym about 2 hours ago, disapointing day today. I’m a bit stressed out with work and stuff and other things which are running through my mind. When I get stressed I tend to undereat.

I woke up and waited about 2 hours before I ate a protein shake and toast breakfast (bad idea), and then waited about 3 hours until I got some fast food down me, and then went to the gym.

I did

117.5kg Squat (5 reps, not enough depths)
37.5kg Overhead press (3 reps)
65kg Powerclean (4 reps)

Funny gym video

How much do you bench press?

How much do you bench press (2)?

Failing at linear progression

I went back to my workouts today, however my form sucked a**

Squats were too high, bench press was too high and deadlift wasn’t enough reps.

Squats 117.5kg
Bench press 70kg
Deadlift 135kg

Now, this is my first day back since my last w/o about a week ago, suffered from a bad cold and a recurring neck injury I had.. My health sucks right now.. I still went training today, I’ve got this blocked nose for some reason for the last 5 days, I got sick of waiting for it to clear up and thought I’d go training anyway.. Man’s gotto train right??

Now on my last w/o, I was doing 2.5kg less on all these lifts, and I did them for about 3 reps so I told myself that I needed to repeat the lifts and get all 5 reps. But it sucks having to repeat the same weight as last w/o because you don’t feel like you’re progressing (even if you’re targeting more reps).

I also found from past experience that if you get stuck on the same weight for too many sessions, just chasing high quality 5 reps. You’ll likely not get it, and end up performing worse the longer you’re stuck on the weight because you have no motivation to lift heavy.

It’s like this, when you go up on a lift, you’re fired up, and you’re proud of yourself, you’re one step closer to your goal lift (whatever it may be), when you’re stuck on the same weight you’re reminding yourself that you failed last time, how much of a struggle this weight was last time.. You don’t feel any different physically since last time either, so you think what happened last time, will happen all over again.

I thinm it’s important to take a step back now.. say to myself 117.5kg is a GOOD squat, stick with this weight, go lower (below paralell), and complete the set for 5 reps. At this pace, doing half sets, and without full ROM, you’re setting yourself up for an injury further along the line.

First day back after a week off (from neck sprain)

Just got back form the gym improved all 3 lifts in the same day

Squat 115
Bench press 67.5
Deadlift 130

However I will need to repeat all the lifts because I did them all for about 3 reps each.

Squat was paticularly interesting, I did a walkout for 160kg, felt very heavy, and also attempted 1RM for 120kg squat, I went all the way down and couldn’t lift it back up, I think it was psychological, I think I could have lifted it back up.

My bent Legs

Picture of my bent legs for all to see

112.5kg squat

Yeah, fucking, yeaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!

Today I just successfully did a 112.5kg squat a few months back, I would have never thought that I would be sitting here celebrating something like this, what’s more. I am starting to get the flared thighs to go with it.

Mirko

Obviously mine aren’t as big as mirko’s but they’re getting there, Mirko, I beleive squats 200kg, so I still have a long way to go to get these big tree trunks… But will be getting there, one day though.

Only reservation I have is that my squat wasn’t deep enough, so I’ll stick with this and try and sort out the form.