Chris Salvato's Log

[Chris Salvato]

2/20/2010 - Snowboarding day. Did my first successful jib on a slide up rail today. Fucking awesome!

2/21/2010 - Work Day. I was lacking energy AGAIN. I don't know whats up with me lately but I am really draggin ass at the gym.

Warmup
Box Squats:
45x5 on 15 inch
45x5 on 13.5 inch
45x5 no box
95x5 on 13.5 inch
115x2x5 on 13.5
115x5 no box

I like this progression. Going to keep doing this and do rowing as my warmup, instead.

Dips
BWx5
BWx5
45x5
70x3
---------
100x2x5
100x4+F

I was really pissed. I am going to progress to 105x3x5 anyway.

Front Lever: Inv hang to hang
1x1 lay
1x1 straddle
3x3 adv. tuck

Cooldown
Hip flexor stretches

[Chris Salvato]

2/22/2010 - Rest Day and Travelling.

2/23/2010 - Work Day. In a foreign gym. On the road.

Warmup
500 m Row on level 7 in 1:51

Weighted Chins
BWx5
30x3
-------
55x3x4

Was sore from last workout so performance suffered. Wanted to do 55x3x5.

Squat
45x5
95x5
-----
125x3x5

No box so a bit wary of form. making sure I feel it mostly in the glutes.

HSPU (full ROM on boxes)
1x4
1x3
1x3

Cooldown
Hip flexor stretches

2/24/2010 - Rest Day. Traveling.

2/25/2010 - Rest Day. Traveling.

2/26/2010 - Rest Day. Traveling.

2/27/2010 - Work Day. Back home.

Warmup
500 m Row on level 7 in 1:52

It was exhausting. Way out of shape on this.

Squat
45x5
45x5
95x5
115x5
-------
135x3x5

No box. Focused on making sure the glutes felt it most.

Deadlift
90x10
133x5
177x3
------
227x5

Good - want to keep on progressing on this.

Dips
BWx5
45x5
90x1
------
105x4
105x3
105x3

Wanted 105x3x5. Felt strong but I couldn't do what I wanted. I am sure I can try again next time or drop down to 95x3x7 to drill in the strength.

2/28/2010 - Rest Day.

[Chris Salvato]

3/1/2010 - Rest Day.

3/2/2010 - Rest Day. Was supposed to do gymnastics but wound up having to bail out.

3/3/2010 - Work Day.

Warmup
Row 500m on level 7: 1:51

Squat
45x5
95x2x5
----------
145x3x5

Focus on forcing the knees out and leanign back a bit more. Good though, felt it mostly in posterior chain ass opposed to anteriorly.

Deadlifts
90x5
133x5
199x3
------
239x5

Weighted Chins
BWx5
25x5
--------
55x3x5

Good. Can progress to 60x3x5 now.

3/4/2010 - Rest Day.

3/5/2010 - Work Day.

Warmup
Row 500m on level 7: 1:51

Squat
45x5
95x5
135x5
----------
155x3x5

Still a bit wary of ROM. Good though, felt it mostly in posterior chain ass opposed to anteriorly.

Dips
BWx5
45x5
90x1
------
105x3x4

Doing sets of 4 was definitely the way to go here. Try for 105x3x5 next time.

OLFL Pull to Neg
1x2 (each leg once)
1x2 (each leg once)
1x4 adv. Tuck

Should work on 3x5 Adv. Tuck before trying to do full, half, straddle or one legged...

3/6/2010 - Rest Day.

[Chris Salvato]

3/7/2010 - Work Day. Strength training.

Warmup
500m Row at level 7 in 1:53

Squat
45x5
95x5
135x2x3 (wanted to fix form)
--------
165x3x5

Felt good - all int he posterior chain. Final verification here would be a video check. I think I am good to go on my squats though. On with it! It causes some tingling in the knee but no real pain. This is normal, from what I hear, after very chronic patellar tendinitis.

Deadlift
90x5
133x5
199x3
--------
250x5

Good - all in posterior chain.

Weighted Chins
BWx5
25x5
-----------
60x5
60x4+F
60x5

Middle set was a fluke because I spent too much time just hanging on the last one. Progress to 65x3x5 for sure.

3/8/2010 - Parkour Day - teaching.

3/9/2010 - Gymnastics Day - learning. Getting back handsprings down very solid on tramps and tumble tracks. Want to get these down and get my backflip fear removed.

3/10/2010 - Sick Day...

[Brendan Dudley]

Chris,

Have you moved from Weighted Pull-Ups to Weighted Chins? Are you using a supinated grip?

I have plateaued at 50# for WPU atm, this is why I'm asking.

P.S. Nice job on the back handsprings!

[Chris Salvato]

Originally Posted by Brendan Dudley

Chris,

Have you moved from Weighted Pull-Ups to Weighted Chins? Are you using a supinated grip?

I have plateaued at 50# for WPU atm, this is why I'm asking.

P.S. Nice job on the back handsprings!

Thanks man.

I have always used Chin (supinated) grip for my pulling exercises because of the bicep contribution and high translation to pulls. Just pulled 65x3x4 today with that grip (as shown below).

If you plateau'd I would suggest keeping on increasing the weight and decreasing reps, then when you plateau again, go back and try the lower weights at higher volume again. Just my opinion because its simple and it works - though it may not be optimal.

3/11/2010 - Gymnastics Day. Went back and worked more on those handsprings. Need to man up and start doing them on tumble tracks.

3/12/2010 - Visit. Rest Day. Was way overworked from this week so needed the rest.

3/13/2010 - Visit. Rest Day.

3/14/2010 - Rest Day.

3/15/2010 - Rest Day. Taught Parkour Class but this was very low intensity.

3/16/2010 - Sick Day. Slacked. Went well considering I hadn't done it in a while. Did not feel strong at all.

Warmup
500m on lvl 7 in 2:00

Squat
45x5
95x5
135x5
-------
170x5
170x4

Pain under the R. Patella so cut it short. Pain never resurfaced. Fluke..?

DL
133x5
199x5
-------
260x5

Form went to total shit at 260. Stepping back the weight.

Dips
BWx5
45x5
90x1
--------
105x1 + interrupted + .5
90x3
90x5

I think all the sugar I have been eating has been screwing with strength and recovery. Also, it was a very off day. Will try 105x3x5 again next time because I do believe I have it...maybe need a session at lower weight to build back up to it but I SHOULD have it.

3/17/2010 - Rest Day.

3/18/2010 - Rest Day.

3/19/2010 - Light Snowboarding Day. Was showing someone the ropes so it was a very low intensity day for me. That person, though, woke up in QUITE a lot of pain! haha

3/20/2010 - Rest Day. Hung out around town.

3/21/2010 - Visit ended. Work Day. Felt stronger than last time.

Warmup
500m on lvl 7 in 1:52

Squat
45x5
135x5
-------
165x3x5

Felt great. All in the posterior chain.

DL
135x5
185x5
-------
225x5
225x3

Feels OK but I think form is going to slow. Progress VERY slowly. 230x3x5 next time. Focus on a tight back.

Weighted Chins
BWx5
25x5
--------
65x3x4

Did not want to go for 5 because I didn't want to push too hard for the 5th rep. Decided to stick with sets of 4. 65x3x5 next time! Whoo!!!!

[Chris H Laing]

Originally Posted by Chris Salvato

felt it mostly in posterior chain ass opposed to anteriorly.

I dunno if you did this on purpose but either way I laughed.

[Chris Salvato]

So...this has been kind of a disaster. Life is keeping me very busy and tired right now and my training has kind of sucked. I was focusing mostly on snowboarding and I wound up taking a nasty fall on 3/27/2010 and injured my shoulder very badly. I think I suffered an AC joint separation. I have an appointment on 4/20/2010 to get it Dx'd.

With that in mind, I went to the gym yesterday to brainstorm about some ideas for goals I can work on while the shoulder is recovering. It will likely take several weeks, at least. I found that I can still work on the following goals while not angering the shoulder too much.

DLs - focusing on getting back to 10x225 with good form. The low weight, high volume should help with some form problems that I had.
Pistols - My left leg has been lagging behind since it has been injured. Would like to get both legs up to 1x10. The right can already do this but I would love for the left to get there, also.
K. OAP - This is pretty much the only vertical pulling that I can do right now. I like it as the negatives are difficult and the kipping one armed is an interesting technique.
Dips - Very low weight, high volume. More of a rehab movement right now since higher volume and weighted causes shoulder pain.
DB Clean & Press - Unilateral. I like the way it feels and it would be nice to develop the power technique again.
DB Snatch - Unilateral. I like the way it feels and it would be nice to develop the power technique again.

With that said, this is the workout that I did while experimenting. I will only be doing 3 movements a day as per my usual but this day was kind of like a feel-it-out session.

4/6/2010 - Feel it out session.

DLs
111x20
133x10
170x5

Pistols
3x3 alternating each leg.

Left leg struggled much more through the sets. In the following day, there was some patellar soreness when I tried a pistol so I am just going to let it recover.

Kipping OAPs
3x2 with negative

Dips
BWx4
BWx5
BWx3

Pain started kicking in in the last set.

DB Clean and Press
60x3x3 (OH Press)
70x3 (Jerk)

[Chris Salvato]

Since my last posting I did some other workouts but no sense in posting them now. I dislocated my elbow and will be out of business for at least 6 weeks - more like 6 months. I have to identify some other goals, now, assuming my elbow can take the stress. Here is a short list of ideas.

OA Pull/Chin
OA Snatch
OA Straddle L-sit
OA Dip
Running
OA Clean
OA Press/Jerk
Pistols
OA Bench
OA Elbow Lever (?)
OA OH DB Squat
Farmer's Walks
Suitcase DLs
OA HS Press
Lunges
Step Ups

The ones in bold are those i want to work on the most but need to figure out how/if its possible. I will also be doing PT as recommended by the PT i will likely see in a few days.

Appointment with ortho on 4/20/2010. Surgery with plate/pins/screws is possible. Please wish, pray and cross your fingers for me that this is not necessary. My main hobbies are all on hold for a year.

I am going to have to watch my diet a bit more carefully. I am used to a caloric surplus so will likely need to break this habit again. I may be IF'ing as well - will need to decide. I will be avoiding carbs to minimize inflammation but that may lead to an increase in depressive mood so i will attempt to monitor this carefully.

Thankfully, i beat off a lot so typing with one hand is second nature. j/k, of course.

[Chris Salvato]

4/18/2010 - Came up with a workout plan but had to modify it because I can't do everything I planned. Below is the plan that is still tentative to change.

OH DB Squats
25x5
45x4x5

OA Rows
2x5
1x6

Do 3x6 next time. Approach 3x10 over long term.

OA Dip

Just doesn't work. Not possible while in a sling.

Pistols
BWx3
25x2x5 (R full, L negs)

Going to do pistols every work day from now on to get the left leg up to par.