Nick Tangi's training log

The elbow is still hurting a bit but it's not noticeacle at all when I'm just relaxing or even when I move it. Even when I flex my arm hard and move it in different directions it feels fine in most positions. It's only when I pull and when I mimick a reverse tricep pushdown that it hurts a bit.

I've got this book on trigger point therapy and it has worked very well. I've been massaging certain pressure points in my arm, my lower arm had some really tender areas but these have reduced dramatically. The pain in my elbow is coming more from trigger points in my tricep which are a little harder to get too.

It's funny because I think I have some golfers elbow too. I'm working on a particular area to reduce the pain on the inside of my elbow.

21/10/09

Trapbar lift - Worked up to 187kg x 1
Leverage Overhead Press - Worked up to 120.5kg x 1, 121kg x 1
Row with special bar - 75kg x 3 x 5
Ab work

Notes: I went for more treatment on my elbow today and I saw the person who I usually see. I was told that it isn't tennis elbow but a sprain that has caused tennis elbow like symptoms. It's interesting because it makes sense, I remember the pain happening in an instant. It starts from irritaion to the neck which I got treatment for and this can go into the shoulder and elbow.

I need to go back next week and I need to completely rest in the meantime which will be hard to navigate at work but hopefully I'll work my way around it. It's a shame because the TB lift was at that point where I was ready to shift a gear. I can't explain it but sometimes an exercise feels tough to start with in the first few weeks and even months and progress can be a grind, but then all of a sudden something shifts in me and I get this strength to make a surge in progress.

Hopefully this is the start of a full recovery. There isn't that much pain but when I lift something in a rowing/pulling type of fashion it causes pain and leaves the area feeling worse. I think it's just because the treatment I've had hasn't had the rest it needed to go with it.

1/11/09

Barbell Squat starting from the bottom at parallel - 150kg x 3 x 3
Seated Overhead Press with special bar - 60kg x 5, 67kg x 3, 72kg x 1
Bent Over Row with special bar - 70 x 3 x 5
Abs

Notes: It's been about three years since I've done Barbell Squats, I'm dropping the Trapbar Lift for a while and instead will do the Barbell Squat on one day and the Leverage Squat on the other. The first rep on the Barbell Squat is from a dead stop at the bottom the following 2 reps are done with a light touch and go. I like the Squat, something about it brings out the fighter in me.

The Press and Row were done with a special bar which I've spoken about before, the handles are welded at angles and give the feel of using dumbells. I used relatively light weights in these movements to allow for my elbow to adapt and to give myself a break in period for the new exercises.

I'll be squeazing the EZ Curl and the Leverage Incline on alternative workouts once my elbow is up to full speed.

aaron plant wrote:Great work on the squats Nick

Thanks Aaron but I've got some catching up to do looking at your log!

150kg felt good but a little tough, with hindsight I should have started a little lighter because my quads are very sore today.

4/11/09

Leverage Squat - Warmup then 215kg x 3 x 3
Seated Overhead Press with special bar - 65kg x 5, 70kg x 3, 77kg x 1
Bent Over Row with special bar - 78kg x 3 x 5
Leverage Incline - 105kg x 3, 100kg x 5, 95kg x 7
Abs

Notes: Good workout, I'm breaking in slowly in the upper body work but I'm sore all over today!

Trapbar Lift - 100kg x 5, 115kg x 5, 119kg x 5
Overhead Press with Special Bar - 65kg x 3 x 5
One Arm Row 40kg x 3 x 5
Abs

Notes: After some long thought I'm going to stick with the TB lift. I've decided to do reps of 5 and will eventually be doing 1 top set of 5 followed by 90% of the top weight of that day. This is something I've used in the past successfully after reading it in Pavels 'Power To The People' book.

I had to start light. For some reason the TB lift is one of those that even if I start with moderately heavy weights after having done singles for so long the rythm isn't there. It's also refreshing psychologically to start out light, I feel I can build intensity in the movement.

One other interesting point about the TB lift for me is that a couple of years back I was doing them starting 1" off the ground, the idea was to help my leverages to make it slightly safer on my lower back. The ironic thing is that it was actually harder at that point than it was pulling from the ground so it's something I might consider. I know from past experience that I can transfer that strength to the full movement.

Another intersting point about starting 1" above the ground is that it actually helps me squat the weight, I find the full range of movement has me stooping over at the start and sort of puts me a deadlift position, this is where I fall naturally and most comfortably when handling the big weights, however when starting 1" above I was squatting the weight up and down. Anyway, I haven't decided for sure but I'll give it some thought. I've always thought of things like that as cheating, all my reps are done from the fullest range of motion on all my lifts but if something makes it safer whilst keeping it productive it might not be a bad thing.

The Overhead Press with the special bar has changed to 3 x 5, it's been a tried and true rep/set format for me in all my pressing movements. I got a good pump from it and I felt good after. The special bar feels very comfortable and is helping my elbow. The weights have decreased because of the leverages but despite having to fight hard on the last rep I know I'm in the adaptation phase and hopefully I can get close to my straight bar weight.

I did the one arm row because I wanted to take some pressure off my lower back. It felt good, I had Pullum Sports cut me an extra long bar so I can load it with smaller plates to get a good range of motion. The progress with the rows and pulling movements in general will be more by ear, I will probably repeat the weights from time to time to make sure I've mastered it. It's also to help my elbow adapt to the increases.

The Incline press and the curl were missing because of my elbow. I'm almost there recovery wise but it still needs time, eventually they will be included in some way. I've also ordered some weaker springs from David so I'll be doing some Vulcan Gripper training and some other grip moves too, this might be all put into a middle day with the curl and other auxilary movements eventually.

I've started some grip work today, nothing streneous just some rehab work for my elbow.

Ulnar flexion - 1kg x 3 x 50

That was all for today, the little elbow pain I have almost completely disappeared after doing it. Maybe it was all the blood going into what seems to be a restricted area. I will be adding other stuff slowly, my main focus will be Dave's Vulcan gripper.

In terms of progression I'll probably add reps to each set or slowly add washers.

I haven't been posting but I have been training. I've had some problems with my elbow but now I'm going to make sure it finally heals by doing everything I can to assist it in healing.

12/11/09
Overhead Press with Special Bar - 66kg x 3 sets x 5 reps
Trapbar Lift - Warmup then 127kg x 5, 137 kg x 5
One arm Row - 41kg x 5 on both arms then stopped due to discomfort in my elbow
Abs

15/11/09

Seated Overhead Press with special bar - 67kg x 3 sets x 5 reps
Trapbar Lift - 139 x 5
Lat Pulldown using a lat bar - 60kg x 5, 60kg x 2 x 4
Tricep Rope Pushdowns - 15 kg x 2 x 8
Abs on pulley machine.

Notes - I went out and bought myself a lat pulldown machine. I'm not that good at the pulldowns, suprisingly I'm much better at chins but I will only count the rep if the bar hits the centre of my chest, the elbow felt ok after it too. The tricep pushdown was included to pump blood in the area that's hurting and the pain completely went but when the arm cooled down the pain was there and possibly a little worse.

18/11/09
Seated Overhead Press with special bar - 68kg x 3 sets x 5 reps
Trapbar lift - warmup then 141kg x 5
Lat Pulldown with lat bar - 60 x 3 x 5
Pulley curls - 20 kg x 3 x 5
Abs on pulley machine

Notes - The press is feeling very good, I've got a good feeling about this one, it will probably need some time but give it 6 months and I believe I'll be using a weight as good as that on a straight bar and possibly more.

I started curling using a very light weight on the pulley machine, it was a short straight revolving bar that came with the pulley but I've ordered a ez bar which should be more comfortable. The pulley feels much better for putting constant tension the working muscles and I get a better pump which is useful for the elbows, I might up the reps to 6's or 8's when I start working it seriously.

Once things settle I might even do 3 x 5 in the TB lift splitting my workout into 3 days doing the TB lifts on their own with abs and grip. Pulldowns felt much easier, I think it was just having more confidence with my elbow.

21/11/09

Seated Overhead Press with special bar - 69kg x 3 sets x 5 reps
Trapbar Lift - 143kg x 2 x 5
Pulldown with lat bar - 61kg x 3 x 5
Leverage Incline - 90kg x 3 x 6
EZ Curl (Free weights) - 25kg x 3 x 12
Pulley Crunch

Notes: I went to see this lady who is a kinesiologist and she checked me to see if I'm low on anything. It came up that I was low on magnesium which is for relaxing muscles and nerves. I feel better after just one days use, my arm feels more relaxed and elastic.

I want to start a cycle of flat benching, I'm just waiting for my arm to get right. It's getting there and by the next few workouts it's likely I'll start benching. My workouts are a little all over the place but they should settle down.