LAST THREE DAYS

▼ 1. 6/30/09 - Tue - CARDIO/FLEXIBILITY

Weight: 219 (after gym). Time: 0:45. 

  Almost didn't go today. Very tired.

• Cardio - bike 20 mins

• Flexibility - gastroc, soleus, adductor on leg press, seated groin, IT band

▼ 2. 6/29/09 - Mon - SHEIKO #7

Weight: 216. Time: 2:30.

  Had a big meal before the gym. It made the first bench feel a little weird, but I think it helped a lot on the last sets of squats because the belt was snug. Overall, a decent day, but I really wish my squat would feel better.

• Bench 155x5 (50), 185x4 (60), 215x3x2 (70), 230x3x4 (75)

• Squat 55x10x2, 145x5x3, lungesx15x3, 235x5 (50), 285x5x2 (60), 325x5x5 

(70), 155x5x2, lungesx15x3

Used PL bar again that weighs 55 lbs. Pretended it was 45 though for my sets, so everything is 10 lbs heavier. In retrospect, this was stupid considering my squat hasn't been feeling great lately. I tried a few things on these sets. No knee sleeve/wrap, by the way ... knees felt solid for some reason.

Set 1: Tried to use 'old form' of faster decent. Didn't feel that great, but not terrible.

Set 2: Tried 'new form.' Sat back further, tried a slightly slower descent, weight on the outside of the foot. This felt slightly worse. I just feel slower without the rebound from the bottom.

Set 3: Back to form from set 1. Felt a little worse because I was tired.

Set 4: Add belt. Felt MUCH better. Used same form as sets 1 & 3.

Set 5: Add belt. Use form kind of like set 2. This also felt good. So, I think the belt is making a bigger difference than my form.

  Conclusion: I'm going to try to slowly incorporate a more controlled descent and change where my weight is placed while keeping rebound. Also, based on experience from my next group of benching, I'm going to try to keep everything much tighter. I really need to isolate what is making my squat feel worse.

• Bench 165x5 (55), 195x4x2 (65), 215x4x5 (70)

Like usual lately, my last sets of bench are feeling amazing. I think it is because I get everything super tight and it just feels like a board press. I need to do this on all of my reps. Also, benching hurts my knee more than squatting because of the isometric tension. Go figure.

• Dumbell bench 50x10x5

• Yoke bar good mornings off pins 135x5x5

More fun. Not sure what the bar weighs -- I'll call it 45 even though its more like 85 probably.

▼ 3. 6/28/09 - Sun - CARDIO/FLEXIBILITY

I don't really remember what happened today -- but it isn't important.

• Cardio - bike 25 mins

• Stretching - usual?