Chris Salvato's Log

[Chris Salvato]

Steve and Chris -- thanks for the validation :P I hate resting even though I know it is good for me....I seemingly always come back from my rest weeks with super-human abilities...

Ryan, I wish u the best wherever u put your log -- but it was stagnant on APK for sure :P No one there to help you but me ... steve doesnt even look there anymore

11/14/2008 - 11/17/2008: Still resting. Mid way through my rest week.

Diet has been iffy since I was home for the weekend -- but nothing I would call a "cheat day". While passing a "don't walk" sign I attempted form FL pulls and managed to do one and hold it briefly, which was awesome. Definitely feel stronger but need to ride out this week...

On a side note -- my knee is trashed. Flexion wrecks it...even with 2 legs bearing the load....going to see an ART therapist on Friday when I get back. O.o

Hopefully I can keep up a good diet (i ususally do) while on the road this week. I am going to try fasting while on the road for the first time ever.

[Chris Salvato]

11/18/2008 - 16.5 hour fast. Still resting..

[Chris Salvato]

11/19/2008 - 19.5 Hour Fast. Still resting and travelling...

on the long drives, I am flexing my glutes and making sure my posture is as good as can be...

[Chris Salvato]

11/20/2008: Rest Day, 19.5 hour fast

11/21/2008: Saw a new ART chiro for my knee, work day and 16.5 hour fast.

I met with Dr. Matthews for the first time and I was pretty impressed so far. I told him about my various training ailments, particularly my knee and hips, but also told him about my surgical past on the shoulders. I told him #1 priority is the knee, and he got right to work on it...and we will be ignoring the other problems for now. He identified that the inferior portion of my patellar tendon is VERY VERY tight and has almost no elastic qualities...I am thinking is has something to do with scar tissue buildup from years of this problem compounding on itself. This is causing my patellar tendon to not "float" properly and causes problems with the lever arms. After some intense massage, he was able to totally relieve the pain inferior to the patella but generated even worse pain superior to the patella -- to which he said this was a result of the musculature not elevating the patella properly -- and can likely be alleviated with leg extensions, cycling and rowing. He told me not to avoid any movement unless I experience pain. My training will likely be modified based on this assessment.

Training

Today was somewhat odd since I have a friend in from out of town who is a traditional gym rat. Since I took a week off and I was told to avoid pain on things with my knee (which is pretty much everything that involves flexion for now...) and my friend wanted to Bench Press (which I hadn't done in a while) I decided it would be good to hit that..

Warmup
Rowers were taken...did some rings work
Show my friend various rings workouts since he doesn't use rings often. Got him used to the top part of the dip position in the rings -- he started off shaking horribly but improved. My warmup consisted of some DH Muscle Ups, 360 Pulls, Inverted Hangs to hang (for FL work) and very few reps of TFLPU as well as some ring pushups and variations. Warmed the upper body for sure.

Bench Press
45x5
135x5
185x5
195x5 (worked hard, but no real help here)
225x1 (lots of assist)

I was going to do a traditional 5x5, but wound up just doing this and testing my old 1 RM at the end of the sets. Perhaps the volume was too high, but the 225 was just too hard. It wasn't too bad, I am not sure that I got much out of this, but it was a nice segue back into training.

Weighted Pullups
BWx5
40x3
60x1
80x1 - F on 2nd Rep (Was shooting for 80x3x3)
90xF - (Decided to try for 1RM match..tried to build up to it, but failed on 90..)
90xF - (Tried again, but failed)

I think that I am limited to the fact that I am holding the weight in my ankles. I need to get a weight belt if I want to continue to get heavier here.

Cooldown
C2 Rowing.

Only did about 1:40 on this because I was developing some sort of hip pain on the right side. Was kind of odd. Maybe it was because of working out in sneakers instead of my lifting shoes. Wound up being something like 400 meters..didn't check cals.

[Chris H Laing]

Originally Posted by Chris Salvato

I think that I am limited to the fact that I am holding the weight in my ankles. I need to get a weight belt if I want to continue to get heavier here.

I made one yesterday at my gym, with a weightlifting belt, and some chain that was lying around. It worked pretty well, but I was only doing 10 lbs so i dunno how well it would work with more than maybe 25 lbs handing off it, but its something to think about.

Also i started my log on this forum after a month off from all working out cuz of a weird flu-like thing, so check it out sometime and see what you think.

[Chris Salvato]

11/22/2008: No fast. Rest Day

11/23/2008: No Fast. Work day.

Decided to do some maxing out to see how my rest may have made some supercomp on other lifts...it actually went really well.

Warmup
C2 Rower: 2:36; 637 m; 46 Cal

Deadlift
135x5
185x5
225x3
-------
315x1
335x1
365x1 (PR)
385xF
375xF
365x1

The last rep had a bit of back rounding. But I was really happy with a new PR of 365. That's 1.97xBW...just 5# short of my goal of 2xBW. Getting there!

After this I felt really strong, and even though I usually do Oly first, I wanted to try cleans...so...

P. Clean
183x1
203x1
213x1
223x1 (PR)
233xF

Another PR on the clean...AFTER heavy DLs. Definitely a great day since 225 was my original goal (im considering this 225, fuck it)...thats 1.20xBW...nearing my original goal of 1.25xBW clean. Every attempt here just felt VERY light. The landing on the 233 was just REALLY sloppy and I didn't pull it high enough...i definitely think I could do this next time if I play my cards right.

Dips
BWx8
---------
20x3x5
35x5
45x4 --> Felt like F-1 -- the last rep was very slow but no kipping necessary...

Next time, go to linear progression with 40x5x3 as a starting point.

Leg Extensions
20x4x12

Did this for rehab of my left leg. The left leg had very shaky and weak concentric movements. This is definitely a weak point and I am sure this will all help the knee pain I have been having in the left and probably even help me break through to new PRs on my lifts once I fix this knee problem.

[Chris Salvato]

11/24/2008: 14.5 Hour fast. Pseudo-rest Day

Wound up going to an open gym in Denver. Was great to be back on the mat. Did some standing back tucks, standing gainers with a drop and backflips with a drop as well. Also did really nice front handsprings with only about 20 minutes of work (and never really doing them before) among many other things.

Maybe not the best for my knee but i have felt so disconnected from tricking/acro that I needed the morale boost...

[Chris Salvato]

I can't remember which days I fasted, but it was most of them. Did not fast today (11/29/2008) but definitely fasted on Thanksgiving (about 14 hours i think)...and it was awesome. Lately, my training has taken on a less structured approach. I think this was the change I needed for the time being...

11/25/2008: Rest Day.

11/26/2008: Work day.

Warmup
C2 Rower- 2:35; 594m; 36 cal

OH Press
45x5
95x5
135x3
155x1
------
160x1 + 1 Push Press
160x1 + 1 Push Press
150x2+F
135x5
95x10 (Speed Set)

Well, no real "Progress" but i dont feel that I regressed.

WPU
BWx5
20x5
40x3
60x1
-----
60x3x3

Focused on speed (getting up there asap) and pulling to the sternum rather than chin to bar on the weighted sets. Went well...didn't get all the way there on the last rep but it was very close.

Leg Extensions (Rehab)
10x12
20x12
30x10
20x12

Each leg did both concentrics and eccentrics independently

11/27/2008: Rest Day and Thanksgiving FEAST

11/28/2008: Work Day

Warmup
Cycling: 2:30

Did this instead of rowing to stress leg extension for my rehab...Definitely an inferior warmup, though..

Straight Leg Deadlifts
45x10
90x8
135x5
155x3
-----
177x3x5

Went a bit light here since I feel that I am still getting used to the movement. High volume warmups to drill the movement. I like it a lot, though...I think it will be a good workout to include while rehabbing the knee.

Dips
BWx5
+20x5
------
+40x3x5

Went great...was right where I should have been. Next time, 45x3x5!

Reverse Hypers
+30x3x12

As you can tell, I am taking the break from the core lifts as an opportunity to strengthen and build endurance in my core for when I return to those lifts. I think it may actually help me PR quickly when the knee gets better.

Leg Extensions (Rehab)
10x12
30x3x12

The sets with 30# were done as negatives -- both legs did the concentric, each leg did each set of negatives separately. My left leg is not shaking at all anymore...nice and controlled negatives. I do notice, however, that most of the contribution comes from the vastus medialis moreso than any other muscle in the quad.

[Chris Salvato]

11/29/2008: Rest Day. No fast.

11/30/2008: No fast. Was supposed to be a work day but an old friend was in town and I wound up getting annihilated the night before. Damn alcohol. Was bedridden the whole day on Sunday. I haven't been like that in maybe 2 years...oh well..

Definitely trying to get back in today..though I still have the hints of a headache :P

[Chris Salvato]

12/1/2008: Work Day. No fast.

Felt like crap all day...I think I am getting sick or the alcohol just really dehydrated/beat the fuck out of me this weekend. I have to modify my workout to go light today...but the movement really helped clear my head a bit.

Warmup
C2 Rower - 2:35; 550 m; 31 cal (Went very light here, obviously..2:30 pace or so..)

Straight Leg Deadlifts
45x10
90x8
135x5
155x3
-----
185x3x5

Went well but I think my back angle wasn't deep enough. Going to try to get to a totally parallel back angle next time...some reps were short on this this time around.

WPU
BWx5
+20x5
+60x1

These were supposed to be warmup sets but I felt very week so I just cut it there. Instead, I did TFLPU since they would be light and help my horizontal pulling:

TFLPU
4x1
3x3

Leg Extensions (Rehab)

10x12
20x12
30x12
40x12

Each leg done independently, focusing on a controlled negative. The left leg felt pain on the superior portion of the patella during the last set...which is good because it means my muscles are engaging to pull the patella up whereas they were not doing this before.

After all this I kinda messed around on bars trying my One Armed hang and kip-ups on the bar...was good to fly around again.