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Simple path

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Oscar

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Consistency in strength training is not my strength. This is where S&S comes to play: a simple routine I have to repeat until reaching simple, and maybe more.

Since mid 2016 Ive been having an annoying tendinopathy in my right patellar tendon. I had the same problem for 10 years on my other leg and got cured, so I know I can get better if I do the right things.

So Ive been doing S&S with the 16 Kg since the beginning of 2017. I was enjoying the practice with not much pain on the tendon, until I went play football and screwed things up. Long story short, I ended up with shockwave therapy and a month of physical therapy.

Luckily I was cleared for swings and get ups, so today was my first session and felt great. I think opening this log will help me be consistent and get some good feedback from this great community.

My goal is to reach simple. Hopefully, start working with the 32 before the end of the year.

I was prescribed by the physical therapist to do slow motion weighted back squats and quadriceps extensions for tendon recovery, and I also have a 2 month old baby girl, so my sessions are a bit messy. Today session looked like this:

- 3 x 8 back squat, 14 kg, very slow motion, 8 seconds down 8 seconds up.
- 6 x 10 one hand swings, 16 kg. Rest time was very long as I was with the baby. Almost GTG.
- 6 TGU, 16 Kg, didnt need rest between reps.
- 3 x 10 quad extensions, 6 bricks. Very slow motion, 8 seconds up 8 seconds down.

My goal is to slowly go back to a normal S&S session, and 3 times a week add at the end the weighted back squats and quad extensions as prescribed by the therapist.

I´m also practicing Buteyko breathing, so I'll register my Buteyko numbers in brief so I can see how they go together with my training.

- Morning CP (or BOLT): 37 seconds. HR 50.
- First session beginning CP: 42.
 
Weight today 74 kg. This is an 8 kg weight loss since I started Buteyko some 8 weeks ago :eek:.

This is good, since I was a bit heavy, but I wasn't training during this period due to the bloody tendinopathy so a great part of the weight loss is probably lean mass. Not much to do about it now, so the only thing I can do is go back to S&S and make sure I get better of the knee.
 
Today practice:

- back squats, 14 kg 3x10 8 seconds up 8 seconds down.
- s&s swings 8 x10 emom, 14 kg.

Didn't have time for the TGU and The quad extensions. Will do those tomorrow.
Emom swings felt more difficult than what they felt before interrupting training. So apparently I lost a lot of conditioning.

Took body measurements to go together with weight. In cm:

Waist: 86
Hip: 93
Chest: 96
Shoulders: 116
Following are left/right measurements
Thigh: 58/57
Arm: 29/29
Forearm: 26/26
Weight: 74 kg.

Following @piratebum post some days back, I'm a bit concerned that my waist to hip ratio is 0.924. I guess it indicates glute atrophy and abdominal fat, which I already suspected about. S&S should help with this.
 
Today practice:

- Buteyko breathing session after waking up.


- Goblet squats 5, halos 5x2, hip bridges 5
- GS 5

- TGU 8x1 14 kg.

- Quad extensions, slow motion, 3x10, 4 bricks.

- Flexible steel hip flexor stretches, 1 per side.

No pain in the tendon during the session. Great.

Woke up with sore hamstrings. Gonna have to take it easy for 2 or 3 weeks. 1 session every 2 days in average, slowly building to 100 swings an 10 GU.
 
Have been doing GTG door-frame pull ups and chin ups at the office. Maybe a total of 5x2 per day, between the two.

Today I tested my max to see where Im standing, where as follows:

- Door frame pull up: 4.
- Door frame chin up: 3. Grip gave in. The chin up grip is weird.

When I find a decent pull up bar Ill try my maxes to see how they compare, hanging from the fingertips seems to be a limiting factor.

Will also try to keep a better log of how many Im doing.
 
Friday 19/05: Day off. Only did GTG pull ups at the office.

Saturday 20/05: Woke up with the idea of a complete S&S session (reduced to 80% as I am progressing). But had tendon pain so at at first I was pretty bummed and cancelled the session. Then I gathered some will power and decided to do a lot of quad and hip flexor stretches, to see if it helps with the pain.

Sunday: Woke up with the idea of doing the session, if I was pain free. I wasnt, so I went for a walk. Will have to call the PT tomorrow to see what to do with this tendon.

General comment: I keep forgetting to GTG pull ups at home. I do remember to do them at the office, but not at home. Have to work on it.
 
Monday 22/05

Wasnt planning on doing anything due to the knee pain. But in the afternoon my wife decided to go out with the baby, so I said: This is my chance! Did a S&S session by the book, with no added squats and quad extensions, and felt great (short session as I´m only starting again).

Warm up, all with 14 kg:
2 x (Goblet squats 5, halos 5/5, bridges 5)

Practice, with 14 kg:
1HS 10 x 6 emom
TGU x 6

At the office: GTG, about 2 x 7 door frame pull ups or chin ups.

S&S session felt great :). No knee pain. Wonder if those squats and quad extensions are the ones causing the tendon pain. Maybe I wont do those for a week and see how it goes?
 
Tuesday: day off. Went walking for the first time to the office, doing breathing exercises. Felt fine. About 30 min each way. I'm doing this to improve my breathing, loose some weight, and spend some more time standing up instead of sitting.

Wednesday: crazy day with work, the baby and a trip the next day. Didn't find time for a full session, but managed to do some swings.

- 1HS 10 x 8 emom. 14 kg.
 
Thrusday 25th May:

Couldnt do any weight training as I had to travel to Paraguay since 3:30 am until 10 pm. Managed to do many breathing practices during the day, so that was nice.

Friday 26th May:

Woke up 6:30, about 2 hours with the baby, then a breathing session that went great. Managed to do a complete (ish) S&S session today :cool: . No discomfort whatsoever in the knee. Did the swings on the 1:20 and only 6 GU as I´m planning on doing another complete session tomorrow.

Warm up, with 14 kg:
- 2 x ( 5 GS, 5/5 Halos, 5 bridges).

Practice:
- 10 x 8 1HS on the 1:20. 14 Kg.
- 1 x 6 TGU, 14 Kg.
 
Saturday 27th May

Woke up with sore glutes, so I decided to take it easy. Replaced the S&S session by a walk with the stroller. Glad I had sore glutes instead of sore hammies, meaning they worked during last session.

Sunday 28th May

Full S&S session after breathing. Went great without any pain in the knee.

Warm up, with 14 kg:
- 2 x ( 5 GS, 5/5 Halos, 5 bridges).

Practice:
- 10 x 8 1HS on the 1:20. 14 Kg.
- 1 x 8 TGU, 14 Kg.

During swings I tried to reduce the contact between the arm and the thigh, following a comment by Anna C I saw somewhere. They felt more natural. I´ll try to explore it a bit more.
 
Monday 29th May

Walk to/from the office with the 10 kg backpack. About 25-30 min each way. Felt that it stretched my hip flexors. I'm really enjoying these.

I read Al Ciampa's article on rucking and I think this walk to the office could be a GTG approach to that.

Wasn't sore from S&S the day before. Good news.

Tuesday 30th may

S&S session un the afternoon. Went fine, but felt a little something in the tendon during a lunge. Hopefully it'll be nothing. I'll monitor if I feel anything tomorrow and the day after.

Warm up, with 14 kg:
- 2 x ( 5 GS, 5/5 Halos, 5 bridges).
- 1 additional set of GS

Practice:
- 10 x 8 1HS on the 1:20. 14 Kg.
- 1 x 8 TGU, 14 Kg.

I'll aim to do these 80% sessions every other day during this week and maybe the next. Then increase a bit.
 
Wednesday 30th may

Rest.

Thursday 31st may

S&S session in the morning, after breathing. went perfect. GU are starting to feel more firm, less shakier than the previous days.

Warm up, with 14 kg:
- 2 x ( 5 GS, 5/5 Halos, 5 bridges).
- 1 additional set of GS

Practice:
- 10 x 8 1HS on the 1:20. 14 Kg.
- 1 x 8 TGU, 14 Kg.

Stretching:
- Flexible Steel hip flexor stretch, 30 reps each leg.

Walk to the office after the session. Did the hip flexor stretch to see if it looses the hips for the walk. We´ll see.
 
Friday 1st June

Walk to and from the office. Did it 3 times this week.

Saturday 2nd June

Warm up, with 14 kg:
- 2 x ( 5 GS, 5/5 Halos, 5 bridges).
- 1 additional set of GS

Practice:
- 10 x 8 1HS on the 1:20. 14 Kg.
- 1 x 8 TGU, 14 Kg.

My body is now used to these 80% sessions every other day. Not feeling tired or sore at all the next day. GU are feeling a lot stronger also. So next week I'll add a few 100% sessions.
 
Monday 5th June

Tried to do a swing session, but felt a little something on my left hamstring, so decided to call it quits. As we say here in Argentina, "soldier that runs can be used in another war". Not very patriotic, but useful.

Tuesday 6th June

Wife´s birthday and a chaotic day, so no time for training. Instead I ate some cake.

Wednesday 07th June

Full, 100% S&S session in the morning, after breathing. Felt strong and easy.

Warm up, with 14 kg:
- 2 x ( 5 GS, 5/5 Halos, 7 bridges).
- 1 additional set of Prying GS

Practice:
- 10 x 10 1HS on the 1:20. 14 Kg.
- 1 x 10 TGU, 14 Kg.
 
Sunday 11th June

80% S&S session at night.

Warm up, with 14 kg:
- 2 x ( 5 GS, 5/5 Halos, 7 bridges).
- 1 additional set of Prying GS

Practice:
- 10 x 8 1HS on the 1:20. 14 Kg.
- 1 x 8 TGU, 14 Kg.

Notes:

- During the swings, I tried to sit back in the hinge and keep the weight on my heels. Felt really well. Helped avoid the flip of the bell at the bottom of the swing.​
 
Friday 16th June

100% S&S session at night.

Warm up, with 14 kg:
- 2 x ( 5 GS, 5/5 Halos, 7 bridges).
- 1 additional set of Prying GS

Practice:
- 10 x 10 1HS on the 1:20. 14 Kg.
- 1 x 10 TGU, 14 Kg.

Had to travel during the week and couldnt train. Chaotic week. I have to do something to manage to do something and avoid 4 days between practices.
 
Congrats to me that Its been more than a month on my training log!

Sunday 18th June

100% S&S session in the morning.

Warm up, with 14 kg:
- 2 x ( 5 GS, 5/5 Halos, 7 bridges).
- 1 additional set of Prying GS

Practice:
- 10 x 10 1HS on the 1:20. 14 Kg.
- 1 x 10 TGU, 14 Kg.

I tried some snatches after the practice just to see how they feel. They are a lot of fun!
 
Tuesday 20th June

100% S&S session in the evening.

Warm up, with 14 kg:
- 2 x ( 5 GS, 5/5 Halos, 7 bridges).
- 1 additional set of Prying GS

Practice:
- 10 x 10 1HS on the 1:20. 14 Kg.
- 1 x 8 TGU, 14 Kg.
- 1 x 2 TGU with a 24 kg dumbell.

A 24 kg dumbell was staring at me and the temptation was too much: I ended up doing 1 set of TGU per arm with it. It was a lot more challenging than I expected, as I had used a 22 kg dumbell for TGU during a trip and it wasnt that hard. Anyway, the weight went up and taught me to remain humble.
 
Thursday 22th June

Took my measurements today. I kept the previous for easier tracking.


Previous / current
Waist: 86 / 82
Hip: 93 /91
Chest: 96 /97
Shoulders: 116 /118
Following are left/right measurements
Thigh: 58/57 // 56/56
Arm: 29/29 // 29/29
Forearm: 26/26 // 26/26
Weight: 74 kg. / 73 kg

Hip to waist ratio: 0,901 / 0,924

Link to previous is: Simple path

Good thing the waist is narrower. For some reason I continue to lose weight even though I'm not dieting. First time in my life this happens. Maybe it is related to the Buteyko breathing. As I still have some fat this is a good thing.

Not so happy with the hip reduction. My glutes are missing in action. Hopefully this will improve as I continue with S&S. In any case, hip to waist ratio is improving and I am now close to leaving the overweight zone. The funny thing is that I dont appear to be overweight at all. So maybe my glutes are really atrophied. On this respect, I feel that S&S is hitting more my hamstrings than my glutes. I´ll pay more attention to the hip bridges to activate the glutes.
 
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