a_welch503 WORKOUT JOURNAL - Page 20

**.V.** · 06-Dec-04, 11:08 AM

12-06-2004

Back

Pull Ups.......................40x3x4
Conventional DL..........240x3x6
Bent Over Row............170x3x6

Well, it happened again. Yesterday was supposed to be abs day and I didn't get up until 0725 to get ready for work and had no time. Then had a busy day at work and could not get them.

Everything today went as planned. I'm going to try for 250 on CDL next time. I have found the weak point in this one now that my grip isn't shot by the time I get to it - it is my quads. My legs have been too wobbly by the time I got to it before. Now that I do back only on back day - it works out much better and I am able to really concentrate on the work at hand instead of the legs giving out and then having to straighten up the back separately from the legs.

I've looked at the videos to make sure my form is right and believe I'm doing the exercises correctly - but I feel the SLDL primarily in the low back while doing it - and have EXTREMELY sore hamstrings and butt the next day. The CDL is supposed to be a back exercise, but with correct form - it really seems to hit the quads and low back pretty hard. Then the next day I feel it in the lower part of the traps, the lats, and the quads. Since they feel like they are pulling in the lower back during the work, I still have to wonder if I'm doing them correctly.

I did notice one thing I do differently from the video clip on the SLDL is that the guy in the video is bending the knees way more than I do - I just slightly bend them to ease the low back pressure. If they are bent too much, that seems as if it would take away from the hamstring work. And the guy in the video clip for bent over row - looks almost like he's doing a half a deadlift - bending the knees and the back to get very low and coming up higher than I do. I don't raise the torso quite as much as he does because I want to keep the force of the exercise on the lats and by coming up as high as he does - it seems to make the exercise too easy. I will have to review these again and see if my form needs correction.

gcs118 · 06-Dec-04, 12:19 PM

Those are some damn good BORs!

**Firehawk** · 06-Dec-04, 12:33 PM

yea, is that a typo or wat? lol

**.V.** · 06-Dec-04, 12:40 PM

Nope, last time I posted up that number it WAS a typo. I edited it to correct my error. This time, it is real. Thanks guys.

Well, I should have actually looked with both eyes at that one shouldn't I.

Klinger · 06-Dec-04, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a_welch503

I did notice one thing I do differently from the video clip on the SLDL is that the guy in the video is bending the knees way more than I do - I just slightly bend them to ease the low back pressure. If they are bent too much, that seems as if it would take away from the hamstring work.

I was doing these with true straight legs and I ended up hyperextending my left knee a bit. It smarts, but it isn't so bad that I can't lift. To put an end to the nagging pain, a trainer at my gym told me to keep a slight bend in my knee, maybe 15 degrees or so. He also said the term "straight-legged" is a bit of a misnomer in this exercise.

Hope that helps.

**Firehawk** · 06-Dec-04, 03:03 PM

I'd love to see you row 270 since you can't even deadlift 270. I don't mean to sound like a jerk there man, please don't take it that way. But think about it. How can you only deadlift 240 lbs with your entire body, but then manage to just pull with your lats 270 lbs? That just doesn't seem right at all.

Are you 100% sure that's the weight on the bar? Are you doing this with free weight barbell or using a machine of some sort?

EDIT: Not to mention, your bench press would be alot higher if u could barbell row 270 lbs. The 160 3x6 sounds alot better considering your other lifts.

**Firehawk** · 06-Dec-04, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klinger

I was doing these with true straight legs and I ended up hyperextending my left knee a bit. It smarts, but it isn't so bad that I can't lift. To put an end to the nagging pain, a trainer at my gym told me to keep a slight bend in my knee, maybe 15 degrees or so. He also said the term "straight-legged" is a bit of a misnomer in this exercise.

Hope that helps.

Ive heard that too, but when I do SLDL's, i do them with perfectly straight locked knees, and i have no soreness at all in my back, and I can SLDL 275 for 5 sets of 4, which is more than i can do for deep squats lol. I think it's a sign if you do have soreness in your lower back that you may be using it more than you think instead of pulling with your hamstringers.

To me it seems the more you bend your knees the more you are going to use your back.
Just my view of it.

gcs118 · 06-Dec-04, 03:23 PM

I've always done SLDLs with locked knees. I've never felt any tension or pain on my knees, only sore hamstrings and/or lower back. Granted I'm only around 180 lbs or so, but if Firehawk is at 275 and still no trouble...I'd think they are relatively safe (unless you have other knee problems).

**Firehawk** · 06-Dec-04, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gcs118

I've always done SLDLs with locked knees. I've never felt any tension or pain on my knees, only sore hamstrings and/or lower back. Granted I'm only around 180 lbs or so, but if Firehawk is at 275 and still no trouble...I'd think they are relatively safe (unless you have other knee problems).

Well, that's im sure gonna be on a individual basis. But yeah, my knees are holding up well thus far "knock on wood".

**.V.** · 07-Dec-04, 11:08 AM

I guess I should have went back and looked at what I had typed before I said not a typo. Damn fingers -- 170 would have been the correct number. I have corrected it now. A 270 on that would be awesome for me - but isn't a very likely number. Let's try that again:

Bent Over Row..........170x3x6

**.V.** · 07-Dec-04, 11:20 AM

12-07-2004

Chest

BB Bench Press.................155x1x5
DB Bench Press..........60x1x4, 50x3x6

BB Bench Singles..............160, 165

Oh yeah - thanks guys for the pointers on the sldl. I want to always get better at this and NOT get hurt.

Now that the rib feels completely healed, I should be making progress instead of a step forward and 2 steps back. Damn this MS, I woke up this morning feeling tingly and weak on my left side. Got the kids ready and off to school, ate my pre-workout breakfast and waited for it to pass. It didn't. Went to workout and should have done better than I did. Could only get 60lb for one set on the db bench press. Then could not even get the weight into position for the other sets. Ended up having to go down to 50 and do 3 more sets. When I did singles and tried for 170, I could not even get it off of my chest - had to roll it off.

I'm beginning to think about taking the doc's advice about the monthly solu-medrol or decadron treatments. She says this will eliminate the strength issues by supressing the immune system and reducing the frequency of these attacks. Since my form of the disease is secondary progressive - that means that each attack leaves some permanent damage - even after the attack is over - reducing the frequency may be the best choice. The drawback to this is the damage left by the corticosteroid therapy - brittle weak bones. Next time I dump a dumbell in my chest - instead of a cracked rib and a contused lung - I could end up with a flailed chest and a tension pneumothorax - along with the dentures that come after the teeth begin to crumble and break off. The only other option at this time would be anabolic support to reduce the strength issues. Again - the damage done would be more than I am willing to deal with. So, for now I guess I will keep plugging along the way I am. If it gets too bad, I may have to end up switching to a liquid protein diet - from the tooth loss. YUKKKKKKK.

gcs118 · 07-Dec-04, 11:34 AM

Wow. I think I'd be so depressed I would never work out. It's amazing you are doing as well as you are and still remain dedicated. Excellent job!!

**Firehawk** · 07-Dec-04, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a_welch503

I guess I should have went back and looked at what I had typed before I said not a typo. Damn fingers -- 170 would have been the correct number. I have corrected it now. A 270 on that would be awesome for me - but isn't a very likely number. Let's try that again:

Bent Over Row..........170x3x6

270 3x6 BOR would be awesome FOR ME LOL

I have a video of a guy doing 405 x 4 or 5 reps Bent over rows...just ridiculous weight.

**Firehawk** · 07-Dec-04, 12:57 PM

Yeah you are doing a killer job dude! KEEP IT UP! You are catching up to me..i better get my butt in gear lol.

**.V.** · 07-Dec-04, 02:41 PM

Thanks guys - Sometimes it is irritating when you have big plans for a killer workout and the body just won't cooperate. But - it is either lift and get stronger - or pick out a chair with wheels. I remember seeing all those people that I used to meet when I went to the Shepard Center then the MS center of Atlanta for treatment - they just kept getting worse. I decided that I wasn't going to let that happen to me anymore. It is easy to sit around and feel sorry for yourself - but then you just get fat and lazy. Then when the weakness hits, you have nothing to fight back with. When I have these bad days, I just remember what my doc told me when I was first diagnosed. She said, "at least it's not ALS". People with that have the same symptoms, same kind of progression - only MUCH faster AND they have a death sentence at the end of it - within only a few years. If I keep doing what I am - I have hopes of being pretty much OK until I am very old.