The Syla5 Files
- Thread starter Syla5
- Start date
Dang page two of the logs forum, you can tell its new year, lets hope everyone keeps it up at least.
Missed training on monday due to not being able to find my wallet for 25 mins in the morning....nice one! at least i have no fixed program at the minute, so carried out my mobility drills at home.
Today
Mobility drill: 8 different movements/stretches
DeFrancos Agile 8, this is a nice warm up on its own and once i have made decent progress with my mobility i will be making sure that at a minimum i will be doing this before every session.
Bench
Bar x20
WG Bar x20
40x10
60x6
80x5
85x4
85x5
85x5
85x5
all micro paused, so not TnG but not a true comp pause.
Squat
Bar x8
60x8
100x5
110x5
120x5
after all the mobility these felt nice! Main issue is still around my left ankle - why you no respond
Pull Ups (assisted) SS Side Planks SS Laying Leg Raises
-18x10 + 30sec each side + 20
-18x10 + 30sec each side + 20
-18x10
Also cleaned up my diet a bit and on a sort of cut. Not being to dedicated to dropping weight but while I have no progressive plan i may as well do something about the gut.
Missed training on monday due to not being able to find my wallet for 25 mins in the morning....nice one! at least i have no fixed program at the minute, so carried out my mobility drills at home.
Today
Mobility drill: 8 different movements/stretches
DeFrancos Agile 8, this is a nice warm up on its own and once i have made decent progress with my mobility i will be making sure that at a minimum i will be doing this before every session.
Bench
Bar x20
WG Bar x20
40x10
60x6
80x5
85x4
85x5
85x5
85x5
all micro paused, so not TnG but not a true comp pause.
Squat
Bar x8
60x8
100x5
110x5
120x5
after all the mobility these felt nice! Main issue is still around my left ankle - why you no respond
Pull Ups (assisted) SS Side Planks SS Laying Leg Raises
-18x10 + 30sec each side + 20
-18x10 + 30sec each side + 20
-18x10
Also cleaned up my diet a bit and on a sort of cut. Not being to dedicated to dropping weight but while I have no progressive plan i may as well do something about the gut.
Mobility Drill: as above.
Agile 8: more like agile 5 this morning lol.
Slow and steady gains as far as mobility goes.
Weight this morning at 177lb, 80.5kg, 12st 10lb. All done on the semi-light gym scales so ad another lb on at least, but thats a 3kg loss in a the last 2 weeks of cut back diet.
Bench
Bar x20
WG bar x20
40x10
60x5
80x3
90x5
90x5
90x5
Squat
Bar x10
60x5
100x5
120x5
120x5
120x5
Paused RDL's
60x8
70x8
70x8
crazy forearm pump at the end of the last 2 sets made me regret not wearing my straps for them, oh well its all about the grip gainz
Pull Ups (assisted) SS Leg Raises
-9x10 + 15
-9x10 + 15
these are getting tough now i am close to no assistance, i want to keep the reps clean though so shall keep up the assistance while its needed.
Agile 8: more like agile 5 this morning lol.
Slow and steady gains as far as mobility goes.
Weight this morning at 177lb, 80.5kg, 12st 10lb. All done on the semi-light gym scales so ad another lb on at least, but thats a 3kg loss in a the last 2 weeks of cut back diet.
Bench
Bar x20
WG bar x20
40x10
60x5
80x3
90x5
90x5
90x5
Squat
Bar x10
60x5
100x5
120x5
120x5
120x5
Paused RDL's
60x8
70x8
70x8
crazy forearm pump at the end of the last 2 sets made me regret not wearing my straps for them, oh well its all about the grip gainz
Pull Ups (assisted) SS Leg Raises
-9x10 + 15
-9x10 + 15
these are getting tough now i am close to no assistance, i want to keep the reps clean though so shall keep up the assistance while its needed.
More a case of keeping up my strength while i work on mobility, and outside of a fixed plan make sure i go heavy still. Strengthwise I am currently aiming to maintain while i cut a bit. Soon time to reintroduce my belt, and get ready for RMSR, oh and start eating a decent amount of food again.
Paused RDL's been using them a while (on your advice
) and they are awesome for lighting up everything 
Mobility Drill + 4 of Agile 8
Bench
Bar x 20
WG Bar x 20
40x12
60x5
80x5
90x3
95x3
CGBP
60x10
70x10
70x7 + DS BW Dips x8
Deadlifts
Bar x10
70x8
90x8
110x8
130x3
I think ive spotted that I dont hip hinge properly on the negative. When the bar gets to my knees I dont crouch down I just let my back go, need to fix this.
BOR's
60x10
60x10
60x10
Pull Ups (assisted) SS Leg Raises
-9x10 + 15
-9x10 + 15
Mobility wise I have gone from barely being able to touch my toes when cold, to being able to put my hands almost flat on the floor. My hump in my lower thorasic/upper lumbar area is less prominent now when i bend over and my hips feel less impinged, but still tight. My left ankle is still very tight, and although I have made progress my hips and Tspine still need a lot of work. 2nd physio visit tomorrow to see how things are going.
Received delivery of my Stick last night and its awesome for smashing all sorts of odd angles.
Bench
Bar x 20
WG Bar x 20
40x12
60x5
80x5
90x3
95x3
CGBP
60x10
70x10
70x7 + DS BW Dips x8
Deadlifts
Bar x10
70x8
90x8
110x8
130x3
I think ive spotted that I dont hip hinge properly on the negative. When the bar gets to my knees I dont crouch down I just let my back go, need to fix this.
BOR's
60x10
60x10
60x10
Pull Ups (assisted) SS Leg Raises
-9x10 + 15
-9x10 + 15
Mobility wise I have gone from barely being able to touch my toes when cold, to being able to put my hands almost flat on the floor. My hump in my lower thorasic/upper lumbar area is less prominent now when i bend over and my hips feel less impinged, but still tight. My left ankle is still very tight, and although I have made progress my hips and Tspine still need a lot of work. 2nd physio visit tomorrow to see how things are going.
Received delivery of my Stick last night and its awesome for smashing all sorts of odd angles.
Physio session, went well, full right up to follow. Mobility gains being had and more to come. Focus over the next 3 weeks is hammies. Might even pull together a more structured program to fit in extra work to help all this mobility out. May ditch the idea of smolov bench for now as bench progress is ok and it takes a lot of time out of each session benching 3 days a week.
More Detail.
Hips: improving, still tight, stick to what mobility work i am doing and they will continue to loosen up. Progress over the last 2 weeks mobility wise has been good.
Tight Hamstrings: Previously nothing directly on these but now my hips are loosening up he wants me to start some stretching and some more exercises that focus on taking the hamstrings through full ROM to really help improve them. SLDL's, Good Mornings, Paused RDL's, GHR's so I have some fun times ahead.
Lumbar/Thorasic Spine: Range improving and reduction to lower lumbar rounding when i am setting up at the bottom of a deadlift, this will continue to improve as i work on everything else.
Deadlift specific advise: Keep working on Technique, look at incorporating speed work, pulling from pins and over time reducing the height. Once comfortable pulling from the floor add in deficit work.
Additional Core and single leg work advised to help bring up weaker areas that get nicely hit by single leg work. Core work is just for generic core strengthening.
All in all I will probably shelve the idea of smolov jr bench as this will take so much time out of the session especially on RMSR days.
Also an update on my experience with the orthotics, I can entirely see how most peolpe who use them will start to rely on them as an aid, rather then a curing tool. However seeing as I am fully aware that my goal is to fix my flat footedness and not become reliant on orthotics they are actually serving my quite nicely as a constant reminder to maintain my arch throughout the day. Before I always tried my best to remember to maintain a good foot position and arch, now its like a constant reminder. Hopefully this is going some way to improving things.
More Detail.
Hips: improving, still tight, stick to what mobility work i am doing and they will continue to loosen up. Progress over the last 2 weeks mobility wise has been good.
Tight Hamstrings: Previously nothing directly on these but now my hips are loosening up he wants me to start some stretching and some more exercises that focus on taking the hamstrings through full ROM to really help improve them. SLDL's, Good Mornings, Paused RDL's, GHR's so I have some fun times ahead.
Lumbar/Thorasic Spine: Range improving and reduction to lower lumbar rounding when i am setting up at the bottom of a deadlift, this will continue to improve as i work on everything else.
Deadlift specific advise: Keep working on Technique, look at incorporating speed work, pulling from pins and over time reducing the height. Once comfortable pulling from the floor add in deficit work.
Additional Core and single leg work advised to help bring up weaker areas that get nicely hit by single leg work. Core work is just for generic core strengthening.
All in all I will probably shelve the idea of smolov jr bench as this will take so much time out of the session especially on RMSR days.
Also an update on my experience with the orthotics, I can entirely see how most peolpe who use them will start to rely on them as an aid, rather then a curing tool. However seeing as I am fully aware that my goal is to fix my flat footedness and not become reliant on orthotics they are actually serving my quite nicely as a constant reminder to maintain my arch throughout the day. Before I always tried my best to remember to maintain a good foot position and arch, now its like a constant reminder. Hopefully this is going some way to improving things.
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Weight update, down to 12st 11lb according to home scales, and 12st 9lb according to gym scales. Going by both sets of scales i have lost 3kg in the last 2-3 weeks. not bad, only 6 to go haha.
Mobility Drill and 4 of Agile 8.
Squat
Bar x11
60x10
100x3
belt on from here
100x3
120x3
130x3
130x2+2 some stop to losen belt as tried it one notch tighter and I am still to fat
130x4
my planned starting weight for RMSR is 127.5kg so i am making sure i am hitting that kind of weight until i start the program proper.
SLDL
Bar x10
60x6
80x5
100x5
DBSS (weight per DB and reps per leg)
16x8
16x8
16x8
Pull Ups SS Core Pull Down SS Laying Leg Raises
-9x10 + 14x10 + 15
-4.5x10 + 18x10 + 15
Mobility Drill and 4 of Agile 8.
Squat
Bar x11
60x10
100x3
belt on from here
100x3
120x3
130x3
130x2+2 some stop to losen belt as tried it one notch tighter and I am still to fat
130x4
my planned starting weight for RMSR is 127.5kg so i am making sure i am hitting that kind of weight until i start the program proper.
SLDL
Bar x10
60x6
80x5
100x5
DBSS (weight per DB and reps per leg)
16x8
16x8
16x8
Pull Ups SS Core Pull Down SS Laying Leg Raises
-9x10 + 14x10 + 15
-4.5x10 + 18x10 + 15
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Still spending easily 1 hour + per day at it.
Gains being had my friend. Two weeks ago i had a physio appointment and i could just about touch my toes from cold. He set me up with a stretching routine to do as often as i wanted, so that replaced my daily stretching to a certain extent, and i have added in Joe Defrancos Agile 8 as well, plus some additional soft tissue work still spending at least an hour a day doing it all, and on training days i do the stretching/mobalising before training and in the evenings.
As far as progress goes its kind of hard to gauge, but a very noticable difference is I can put my palms flat on the floor from cold so things are heading in the right direction.
http://www.the-stick.co.uk/?travel
Careful trending is happening, my form regardless of its issues is quite considerably better the 99% of others in gyms so I am far from at the risky end of snap city territory, but I heed your advice, and as you know, will tread carefully.
My lumbar control appears to be improving considerably with improved mobility, and also the control issues (spotted through lumbar rounding) are being exaggerated by my quite well developed electors (mentioned now by 3 different physio's)
Can you expand on this a bit? What's wrong with pulling from pins (or in my case 2 plates/1plate etc) and also from a deficit? Bare in mind the deficit will not be until I have the range to do it.
Yeap, that's exactly what he said, which is why I do it everyday regardless and I also do it twice on training days.
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Bit of a slack weekend as far as diet was concerned, 2 meals out, and junk the rest of the time. Hey ho it's only fat.
On to the training. Setup a new routine and giving it a trial run this week to see how it works out for time. Evening session today and the gym was packed. I just plodded about and got on with my work. Took about 2 hours to get the actual lifting done, + some extra mobility work.
Mobility drill, got half way through and the rack freed up so started squatting. Finished off what I could between sets and the rest at the end, including some PNF hamstring stretches oh the deep joy.
Squats - RMSR day 1
Bar x 15
Bar x 15
60x8
80x5
100x3
120x2
127.5x2
127.5x2
127.5x2
127.5x2
127.5x2
127.5x2
Felt comfortable but could have been faster. Need to improve my speed in general on everything really. 90sec rest all round.
Last set.
SLDL from 4" blocks
Bar x 10
50x5
70x5
70x5
70x5
70x5
BOR's
70x5
80x5
80x5
80x5
Walking lunges
12x10
12x10
12x10
Face pulls SS tricep extensions
18x10+20x10
23x10+20x10
23x10+20x10
Pull ups SS Laying leg raises
-4.5x10 + 15
-4.5x8 + 15
-9x10 +15
On to the training. Setup a new routine and giving it a trial run this week to see how it works out for time. Evening session today and the gym was packed. I just plodded about and got on with my work. Took about 2 hours to get the actual lifting done, + some extra mobility work.
Mobility drill, got half way through and the rack freed up so started squatting. Finished off what I could between sets and the rest at the end, including some PNF hamstring stretches oh the deep joy.
Squats - RMSR day 1
Bar x 15
Bar x 15
60x8
80x5
100x3
120x2
127.5x2
127.5x2
127.5x2
127.5x2
127.5x2
127.5x2
Felt comfortable but could have been faster. Need to improve my speed in general on everything really. 90sec rest all round.
Last set.
SLDL from 4" blocks
Bar x 10
50x5
70x5
70x5
70x5
70x5
BOR's
70x5
80x5
80x5
80x5
Walking lunges
12x10
12x10
12x10
Face pulls SS tricep extensions
18x10+20x10
23x10+20x10
23x10+20x10
Pull ups SS Laying leg raises
-4.5x10 + 15
-4.5x8 + 15
-9x10 +15
Mobility drill as per usual
Day 2 of new routine
Paused bench
Bar x20
WG bar x 20
40x10
Paused onwards
60x5
80x5
85x5
85x5
85x5
Paused RDLs
Bar x10
70x5
80x5
90x5
90x5
DBSS - skipped as left knee is giving me jip doesn't bode well for Friday squats but we shall see.
OHP
Bar x5
30x5
40x5
50x5
50x5
50x5
50x5
50x5
Reverse hypers SS land mines SS dips
20 + 20x10 + 15
20 + 20x10 + 20
20 + 20x10 + 15
Banded Psoas stretching and some PNF hamstring stretchs.
Day 2 of new routine
Paused bench
Bar x20
WG bar x 20
40x10
Paused onwards
60x5
80x5
85x5
85x5
85x5
Paused RDLs
Bar x10
70x5
80x5
90x5
90x5
DBSS - skipped as left knee is giving me jip doesn't bode well for Friday squats but we shall see.
OHP
Bar x5
30x5
40x5
50x5
50x5
50x5
50x5
50x5
Reverse hypers SS land mines SS dips
20 + 20x10 + 15
20 + 20x10 + 20
20 + 20x10 + 15
Banded Psoas stretching and some PNF hamstring stretchs.
Well my knee woes have worsened I believe caused by turning around to quickly last friday while my foot didnt move, then while not feeling to bad on monday the squatting definitely didnt help. Everything else through the week has not helped either and now walking down stairs is uncomfortable so time to stop any lifting that involves the legs until its fine. Hopefully wont be to long before its back to normal.
Mobility as per usual, with additional Hamstring PNF stretching.
Inclined DB Bench
7.5x20
16x10
22x10
28x10
Seated Row
59x10
59x10
59x10
Core Pull Downs
23x15
27x15
27x15
ha loads of lifting going on.
I believe caused by turning around to quickly last friday while my foot didnt move, then while not feeling to bad on monday the squatting definitely didnt help. Everything else through the week has not helped either and now walking down stairs is uncomfortable so time to stop any lifting that involves the legs until its fine. Hopefully wont be to long before its back to normal. Mobility as per usual, with additional Hamstring PNF stretching.
Inclined DB Bench
7.5x20
16x10
22x10
28x10
Seated Row
59x10
59x10
59x10
Core Pull Downs
23x15
27x15
27x15
ha loads of lifting going on.
Ha, well I got sore knees at the start of the year as well for no apparent reason, not good. Not sure if its the cold weather. This time though i believe that it is to do with twisting on it and my foot not turning so pulling at it to much. Shouldnt have started my squat routine this week.
Seems to be the year of the dodgy knee. Trying to rest up the knee while not missing training, so today I took part in national chest day
Bench
Bar x 20
WG Bar x 20
40x10
Paused onwards
60x5
80x2
90x2
100x2 first one easy, second a bit of a grind but comfortable.
105x1 equal pb while on a cut, pleased with that straight in to drop set
60x15 drop set pb!
DB shoulder press
20x10
24x10
24x10
Dips
BW x10
15x10
25x10
30x10
Seated row SS Brocep curls
59x10 + 20x10
59x10 + 20x10
59x10 + 20x10
Followed this up with most of my regular mobility drill except for things that aggregate my knee.
Bench
Bar x 20
WG Bar x 20
40x10
Paused onwards
60x5
80x2
90x2
100x2 first one easy, second a bit of a grind but comfortable.
105x1 equal pb while on a cut, pleased with that straight in to drop set
60x15 drop set pb!
DB shoulder press
20x10
24x10
24x10
Dips
BW x10
15x10
25x10
30x10
Seated row SS Brocep curls
59x10 + 20x10
59x10 + 20x10
59x10 + 20x10
Followed this up with most of my regular mobility drill except for things that aggregate my knee.
So my knee is getting back of track but I don't want to jump back in, still a little ache when I walk downstairs but able to do some of my mobility drill that I had to stop doing.
Squats
Bar x 12
40x5 paused
40x5 paused
Front squat
40x3
OHP
Bar x 5
BTN 30x5
30x5
40x5
52.5x5
52.5x5
52.5x5
52.5x5
52.5x5
DB rows
30x10
30x10
30x10
Chins SS core pull downs SS laying leg raises
10 + 23x10 + 15
5 + 23x10 + 15
8 + 14x10 (different cable stack, love the consistency!) + 15
More mobility and stretching.
Squats
Bar x 12
40x5 paused
40x5 paused
Front squat
40x3
OHP
Bar x 5
BTN 30x5
30x5
40x5
52.5x5
52.5x5
52.5x5
52.5x5
52.5x5
DB rows
30x10
30x10
30x10
Chins SS core pull downs SS laying leg raises
10 + 23x10 + 15
5 + 23x10 + 15
8 + 14x10 (different cable stack, love the consistency!) + 15
More mobility and stretching.