Morgan's Grip Log

[maidenfan]

Mon 09/04/06 BW - 283

SSB "STR" Pause Squats (safety squat bar "strip the rack") - 65x5, 155x5, 205x5, 245x5, 245x1, 295x1, 335x1

GHR - Body x 8, B+25lbs x 8, Bx8

Grippers (TNS) - T thru #4 (in a row) x 1 up to #3, hard squeeze on #4, G8 #3 x 1/16" (tuff gripper), #3 x 5 reps right, 3 braced reps left

Formulator - (flex) 35x8, 60x9

(ext) 40x3

My leg workouts have been crappy for a while now - the disc problems I've had in my back over the last few years dont allow me to squat really heavy anymore (doesnt really bother me lifting sandbags or dl's - strange). I was going to purchase an Eleiko bar and some more bumpers but decided I'm going to get a combo leg press/hack squat machine so I can train my legs hard. I'm weary about bolt-together stuff but this MACHINE from NYBB seems pretty solid - says its good to 3000lbs too, well beyond what I use. The shipping is free too which is a big bonus. I like the welded stuff better, but its simply too expensive and I gotta pay shipping

[Scott Styles]

Have you tried hip belt squats? I've heard good things about them.

I don't think I'd trust NYBB to get a $1400 piece of equipment right. The things I've gotten from them have really been bare bones, bare minimum acceptable quality. I think with something like a leg press, that could lead to problems. As far as the free shipping goes, they're just hiding it in the price of the item. They do that with a lot of their stuff.

[maidenfan]

Scott,

You are correct about NYBB stuff, and helped me change my mind about the leg press. I've had a few people that own them tell me they are "rock solid", etc, but I suspect, as you obviously do, "they" probably dont train the same as most of us here. Heres another LEG PRESS MACHINE I was looking at. I own a piece of their equipment now and its all welded, bombproof stuff. The problem is the company's customer service is so bad I vowed never to order from them again (for example, it took me "8" months to get the piece I have and wasted three vacation days being home to get the delivery when "they" said it would be delivered). They know they make a good product for the money and really dont care about anything else.

I own an Iron Mind hip belt and use it occassionally - its a strange piece of equipment for me and I get mixed results as its hard to squat the same way with it consistantly (hard to explain). I just need to buckle down and quit being lazy.

Thanks again for the solid advice - saved me a bad purchase. I think I'll look back into a good olympic bar and save my self some money.

Edited September 5, 2006 by maidenfan

[Scott Styles]

That looks like a higher quality piece of equipment to me, if you end up needing a leg press / hack squat. I'm under the impression hack squats put a lot of stress on the knees, and the leg press isn't so good for the lower back. I'm sure it comes down to how a specific movement works for you though.

I think Wannagrip wrote an article for Hardgainer on doing the hip belt squats. At the very least, he's pictured doing them in one of McRobert's books. Might want to see if he can give you any pointers.

[maidenfan]

Nothing special lately - my left shoulder has really been bothering me and I'm unable to support any overhead weight with it. The pulling or grip stuff doesnt seem to bother it. Doc gave me motrin and vicadin. Funny stuff was I told the doc I wasnt going to take the vicadin (never worked for me before) and he insisted that I take it - maybe I should hit him up for the good stuff . Anyhow, physical therapy starts soon. I have two weeks of that then an MRI if that doesnt work. Sucks, as I've never had shoulder issues before.

[maidenfan]

09/11/06

SSB "STR" Squats - barx6, 155x8, 205x8, 205x8

GHR - Body x 8, Bx10

superset w/

Seated ham curl (bands) - Purple x 5, Purple x 3

25min hard (for me) bike ride.

Digging the cycling - makes me feel ready for bed.

[acorn]

Nothing special lately - my left shoulder has really been bothering me and I'm unable to support any overhead weight with it. The pulling or grip stuff doesnt seem to bother it. Doc gave me motrin and vicadin. Funny stuff was I told the doc I wasnt going to take the vicadin (never worked for me before) and he insisted that I take it - maybe I should hit him up for the good stuff . Anyhow, physical therapy starts soon. I have two weeks of that then an MRI if that doesnt work. Sucks, as I've never had shoulder issues before.

Good luck on the shoulder Morgan. I hope the physical therapy works for you. Did you get at all sore from the mini-comp last week? I was just a little. We just got back to Tucson last night. It was a Looong drive.

- Aaron

[maidenfan]

Yes, my hands were sore for a few days. I've been getting up in the morning and doing one set of squeezes on the G-Rex w/me standing on it and one set of thumbs on the Titans Telegraph - gonna keep it up for a while and see how it goes. I may add one or two nails to the routine as I have to get better at bending. I appreciate the tips on the DO bending - I think I just need to practice until I hit my "sweet spot" with it. The workout was great and you guys are welcome to stay here anytime you're in town again.

[maidenfan]

09/12/06

25 min fast bike ride

09/13/06 BW 283

Log Bench - Barx8, 165x5, 255x5 Stopped here - shoulder issues

Face Pulls (bands) - Purple x 10, Purple x 10

One Arm DL (oly bar) - 135x1, 225x1, 315x1, 315x1

Wrist Roll (2" smooth metal roller, 1 rep = 1 flex and 1 ext) - 45x1, 90x1, 135x1, 180x2

Bending (double underhand) - Yellow x 1, Blue x 1, 7" x 5/16" x Kink

2" Rope Pull-ups - Body x 6, Body x 4

Workout felt crappy - start physical therapy on Friday for the shoulder. I've also been doing one good set of two hand squeezes on the G-Rex w/me standing on it and one good set of "thumbs" on the Titans Telegraph each morning before work.

[Scott Styles]

What did the therapist say is wrong? Did you ask them whether or not you should be training?

[maidenfan]

Havent been to PT yet - dunno. The exercises I've been doing give me "zero" problems shoulder-wise, so I assume its okay - maybe not. I had zero issues log benching before, but stopped when I started feeling "not normal" yesterday. The pulling movements feel good.

[maidenfan]

Physical therapy was yesterday - felt good. The therapist seemed to think it was some sort of rotator cuff issue. He did an utra sound massage w/electricity then put some medicated pads on my shoulder then ran an electric current through it for 20mins. Took some of the pain away then but its back now. I'll give it two more sessions then I'm going back to the doc.

09/16/06 BW - 282

Grip workout today

G-Rex (two hand squeeze) - Body x 15, Body x 10, Body x 6

Titans Telegraph (thumbs on top) - 15x10, 20x8, 17.5x6 + 5 negatives

Bending

Dbl Underhand - Yellow x 1

Over/Under - Yellow x 3

Heslep Style - Yellow x 2

Heres a video of me trying to imitate Tommy w/an IM Yellow nail

My bending sucks, but the over/under and out front styles make my wrists feel great.

[Scott Styles]

Interesting approach the therapist had. The only electronic device my therapist has used is the biofeedback machine. She's done a lot of manipulation around the shoulder in the spine, ribs, chest, and neck.

[maidenfan]

The pads had some sort of anti inflam medication on them - the electric current puts it right to the problem spot - least thats what he said. It helped with the pain very quickly, but I can tell its slowly coming back.

[Scott Styles]

When we first met, my therapist told me that she could treat the shoulder pain right away, but if we didn't retrain the muscles and address my misalignments, that there was no point. In six weeks I'd be right back in there working with her again. Maybe that's the type of thing she was referring to.

[FrankyBoy]

The pads had some sort of anti inflam medication on them - the electric current puts it right to the problem spot - least thats what he said. It helped with the pain very quickly, but I can tell its slowly coming back.

Thats what we call Iontophorese here.

Sometimes its used as a therapy for tendonitis also.

The idea is to transport the active agent through the relative thick skin.

Gett well soon Morgan.

[maidenfan]

Thanks Franky, I appreciate it.

09/18/06 BW - 282

SSB "STR" Squats - Barx8, 155x8, 205x8, 255x3, 255x3, 255x3, 255x3

GHR - Body x 3 (stopped here due to calf cramps)

Bending (reverse style) - Yellow x 5

Short workout - bending was fun - first time trying the reverse style - worked pretty good.

[maidenfan]

09/20/06 BW - 281

G-Rex (two hands) - Bodyx10, B+25x10, B+50x5

TT thumbs (both on top) - 15x10, 20x10, 25 x 2 five sec holds (one thumb negatives)

Bending (reverse style) - Yellow x 1, Blue x 1 (HUGE PR), 7" x 5/16" x Fail

Big PR on the blue bend - by far the easiest I've done. My old style was DU, reverse seems to suit me better (its definately easier on the wrists). Reverse style kills my forearms quick though. Heres the blue bend video

BLUE BEND PR

[maidenfan]

09/22/06

Went for my second PT session - same as before. The treatment did nothing for the pain so I'm going back to the doc to see what else he can do.

G-Rex - Body x 10

TT thumbs - 20x10

Bending (reverse) - yellow x 1, 6" Grade 5 bolt x 1

My hands/forearms are absolutely toast - really overdid it this week with the bending/gripping. The Grade 5 was a PR - may be good for a tad more if I was better rested.

[Scott Styles]

Sucks about the PT. I think you might just need a different therapist.

[maidenfan]

09/25/06

G-Rex (two hand) - Body x 12 + 3 one hand negatives ea hand

TT Thumbs (both thumbs on top) - 20x12 + 8 one thumb holds

Bending (reverse style) - Yellow x 2 ea way, 6" G8 x barely kink

5 mile bike ride - ~20mins

[maidenfan]

09/26/06 BW-281

G-Rex (two hand) - Body x 15

TT Thumbs (both thumbs on top) - 20x15

Bending (reverse) - yellow x 1, 5.5" 60d x slight kink

G-Rex (one hand holds) - Body+25x2, Body+50x2, Body+75x1, Body+100x1

Bit off more than I could chew bending - I cut off the ends of a few 60d's and they ended up a tad longer than 5.5" - very hard and very tired. The G-Rex one hand holds were pretty brutal - last set I was able to hold for about a sec then my hand came apart. My forearms are throbbing now - I have to take a week off from the gripping, especially the bending. I really enjoy reverse bending, but its very hard on the tops of my forearms. Gonna limit myself to once a week for a while and focus on more volume w/lighter stuff. I think next monday will be a good starting point. My workouts as a whole have become very un-focused.

[maidenfan]

MRI was denied as they want me to continue PT for 4-6 more weeks - maybe I'm impatient, but the PT doesnt seem to be helping. I made an appointment with an orthopedic/sports medicine doc to get a second opinion.

[maidenfan]

Went to a sports Doc on Friday - much better experience. He actually was able to determine its most likely (through x-ray and some manipulation of my arm) a slight tear in the rotator cuff. Gave me a shot of cortisone and some specific exercises for the next three weeks. If it continues he'll MRI it. Hopefully its not a tear.

10/01/06

Rotator Cuff (bands) - Mini x 10 (ea shoulder, both ways)

G-Rex (two hand) - Body x 10, B+50x5, B+100x2

TT Thumbs (both thumbs on top) - 20x15

Bending:

Yellow (DU) x 1

Yellow (Reverse) x 1

Yellow (Brookfield) x 1/2 (finish DU)

Blue (DU) x 1

Red (DU) x Nice try

Blue (DU) x 1

Grade 8 (DU) x Slight kink

Grade 5 (DU) x 1

Dunno what it is about the reverse style, but it kills the tops of my forearms - DU felt good today so I stuck with that. No pain whatsoever in the shoulder w/the bending.

Heres the G5 bend -

[Scott Styles]

Glad to hear the new doc is better.