do you ever get wobbly in the core when straining for the last reps? That happened to me the other day on my third triple at 195. Makes me think my muscles are stronger than my brain and spine will allow me to put overhead.

Yes, I was wobbly on the 3rd, leaning back a bit. Didn't feel good.

12/20/08

good mornings
95 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
205 x 5
225 x 10

overhead squats - haven't felt this inadequate in a long time
95 x 5
95 x 5
95 x 8

Dang I need to work on my flexibility

lunges
95 x 10
135 x 10
185 x 10

roman chair back extensions
4 sets of 10 - 3 of them holding 40#

overhead squats are very humbling aren't they

yes, it was terrible. Most of mine weren't even deep because I was not flexible enough to get down low. Felt like a total turd.

I was doing them for a while and felt like such a little shit that I had to stop doing them.

what the hell. no training this week. Pussy

Actually, I hit an OHP PR yesterday. Thanks for asking, douchebag.

did you video it? What did you hit? You were close to 300 weren't you?

290 - went up pretty solid too, not a whole lot of pressing to lock out, just a 5# PR

nice job.
315 is just around the corner.

Thanks, here is the whole workout.

12/23/08

OHP
95 x 10
135 x 5
185 x 2
215 x 2
245 x 1
290 x 1

Straight bar curls
95 x 10 x 3

That's all

Great Job!!
You'll nail it soon.

Tony

Thanks Tony! I've decided to try it in little nibbles (5# increments) instead of heaping mouthfuls (15# increments)! LOL

12/26/08

5" deficit DL
135 x 5
135 x 5
245 x 3
335 x 3
405 x 3
500 x 1

Bodyweight pull-ups
x 10
x 10
x 6

Roman chair ab and oblique work

Alright, well I got back spasms and pretty bad ones later in the day on the 26th. My back felt a little tight, but nothing terrible, before doing deficit DLs. I did them without issue and then finished my workout - no problems. Later in the night I'm wrestling with my kids and I tell them they can give me a back rub if they want because my lower back felt a little tight. They very kindly proceed to rub my back and actually do a pretty good job (for a 6 and a 4 year-old). They finish and I try to stand up and my back locks up on me. Shit! I've dealt with these off and on for 15 years and I can tell this is going to be a pretty good one.

The next evening (the 27th) I go to the immediate care center and they give me muscle relaxers and vicodin. I stopped taking the vicodin yesterday (31st) and am now taking the muscle relaxers only before bed to make sure I sleep through the night. I am leaning towards competing on the 17th, but am not 100% certain yet. I still have a couple weeks, but also fear that I may aggravate it with max OHP, 525 DL for reps, 305 farmer's hold, keg carry, and then 260# stone load for reps - all very easy on the lower back...ha! So, right now it just depends on how confident I am that my back will hold up through these 5 events. I know that I don't want to drive from Cissna Park to Plainfield in agony! I'm also fearful of the toll that the muscle relaxers may have taken on my strength. Then again, I'm very excited for the contest and think I could still make a decent showing if the back holds up.

I felt a bit better yesterday and decided to do some very strict close-grip bench presses. When I say strict, I mean strict - feet flat on the bench with knees bent, ass never leaving the bench, at least a 1 second pause on my chest between reps, and very minimal back arching (if any). I wanted to make sure I did not engage the lower back at all. I ended up having a pretty decent workout considering the conditions.

CGBP - 12/31/08

95 x 5
135 x 5
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 5
295 x 5
315 x 3

called it a day after that, didn't want to get greedy.