Fraser_9to5

[Fraser_9to5]

5 Feb

Left: 51.6, 49.7, 48.7
Right: 51.4, 50.6, 48.9

That brings 8 weeks to an end. My average from a best of 3 started at 49-50kg, rose to 54kg by week 6 then reached a plateau and even dropped a bit when I tried to take days off.

I’ve been using the Heavy Tension Grip Master (9lbs) but have now ordered the XX-Heavy (13lbs). I skipped the 11lbs because I can probably do a few reps on the most difficult one already.

8 Feb

Power Grip – 3 x 10 x 5 secs
Sock Stretch – 50 reps

I switched from holds to reps on the finger extensor work (stretching a sports sock, hence the exercise name). I ditched the Power Pinch as my little finger doesn’t need its own workout.

10 Feb

Power Grip – 2 x 3 x 5 secs (NEW XX-Heavy Tension Grip Master)
Sock stretch – 50 reps

Wow. There’s a considerable size difference which makes wrapping my fingers round the new one quite tough. I can’t quite put the middle section of each finger over the end which is a little frustrating. My little finger can’t close it but the other three finger can (index finger only just!). All future exercises will be with the XX-Heavy tension unless specified.

13 Feb

Power Grip – 4,3,4 x 5 secs
Sock stretch – 50 reps

Left: 54.0, 52.6, 53.4
Right: 51.8, 52.8, 53.4

Still settling into this new gripper, it’s so much harder but I’ve gone from 9lbs to 13lbs which is almost 50% so no real surprise. If I took up a new exercise in the gym and could only do 3-4 reps I’d expect to take months to reach 10 reps, so we’ll see. I’ll test my grip each Sunday and if it keeps trending upwards I’ll stick with it.

[Fraser_9to5]

7 Feb

Throw Ins (Session 24) – 10 throws, median 19.8m

A really strong start then faded a bit. New personal best of 21.8m and my first five were the longest 5 throws.

9 Feb

Bench Press – 5 x 4 x 80kg
Push Press – 5 x 4 x 55kg
A1 EZ Skull Crushers – 3 x 8 x 31kg
A2 EZ Bicep Curl – 3 x 8 x 31kg

12 Feb

Incline Bench Press – 5 x 4 x 70kg
DB Pullover – 5 x 4 x 25kg
A1 DB Row – 3 x 8 x 30kg
A2 Pull ups – 3 x 7
Rotator Cuff Resistance Band – 2 x 10

I like these two sessions a lot. My incline was set one higher (by mistake) so it was tougher. One more week of this 🙂

[Fraser_9to5]

1 Feb

Front Squats – 3 x 62.5kg, 3 x 70kg, 3 x 80kg
Stiff Leg Deadlifts – 5 x 10 x 50kg

Continuing on with 5/3/1 but not pushing the top set.

3 Feb

Stiff Leg Deadlifts – 3 x 50kg, 3 x 57.5kg, 8 x 65kg
Front Squats – 5 x 10 x 62.5kg

REHAB

Patrick Step Up – 2 x 10
Horizontal Hop: Left – 1.58m, Right – 1.60m
Vertical Hop: Left – 33cm, Right – 37cm
A-Skips – 2 x 20 secs

These are some of the advanced exercises, it’s my left knee that’s recovering but nice to see it can almost perform as well as my right knee. I wasn’t trying 100% in either hop.

6 Feb

Rowing Machine – 2km in 8:00

Terrible weather so I stayed indoors. I wasn’t sure I could handle 8 flat as I tend to fade, but I could have sprinted at the end and chose not to. I won’t be doing this every week as it still takes a lot of me.

[Fraser_9to5]

REHAB – MCL Strain (?)

22 Jan

Bird Dogs – 2 x 10
Lawnmowers – 3 x 10 x 6kg
Front Squats – 10 x 20kg, 10 x 30kg, 10 x 35kg
Walk – 1.2 miles in 19:45

The intermediate recovery stage suggests walking a set distance faster each time until you are able to do a full jog. The other milestone I need to pass is 50% of my 1RM in the squat, which would be 50kg.

23 Jan

Walk – 1.2 miles in 18:00
Front Squats – 10 x 35kg, 10 x 40kg, 10 x 45kg

25 Jan

Rowing Machine – 500m in 2:16
Front Squats – 5 x 52.5kg, 5 x 57.5kg, 5 x 65kg, 5 x 75kg
Stiff Leg Deadlift – 5 x 10 x 40kg

This isn’t far off my usual session and I’m quite pleased that squats is one of the first things I’ve regained the ability to do.

27 Jan

Jog – 1.2 miles in 13:30
Bird Dogs – 2 x 10
Stiff Leg Deadlifts – 5 x 47.5kg, 5 x 55kg, 8 x 62.5kg
Front Squats – 5 x 10 x 60kg

30 Jan

Run – 1 mile in 6:59, 0.5 miles in 3:25, 2 x 400m (1:42, 1:20)

I set out at 8 minute pace but realised I could push it and go for 7 minutes. That tired me out and I wasn’t able to repeat the feat, so I took 3 min breaks every lap or two. That’s my intermediate recovery completed, my knee isn’t near 100% but I can start some gentle plyometrics next week.

[Fraser_9to5]

26 Jan

Left: 53.0, 53.5, 55.1
Right: 52.5, 53.6, 52.7

28 Jan

Left: 50.7, 49.0, 49.6
Right: 50.2, 48.2, 47.4

30 Jan

Left: 55.5, 50.2, 48.1
Right: 50.6, 49.7, 47.6

I don’t know where that 55 came from, but that’s the end of week 7 and I plan to approach this again with the XX-Heavy Tension Grip Master. I’m now capable of 3 sets of 10 reps with 5 second holds for the “power grip”, and the power pinch is only really training my little finger.

I tested each finger separately as well as testing without my little finger, and it contributes 5-6kg towards my total score. The heavy tension grip master I own is only actually 9lbs of force per finger, so everything but my little finger can achieve that easily. The XX-Heavy is 13lbs and the most resistance they sell, so if I can’t improve with that then my question is answered whether they offer any benefit for weightlifters.

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