re: Daily Strength Check-In

Today:

Deadlift: 375 x 1 x 1, attempted 395 after hitting a 385 PR last week but it wasn't going up
Pin press: 170 x 1 x 2, 170 x 4 x 1 (had written to do 165 in my notebook but decided to go off memory instead of notebook like an idiot and didn't realize until afterwards I was lifting 5 pounds more than I intended to)

My Captain of Crush Grippers (Trainer, 100 lbs) came in yesterday so I've been playing with that.

DB one arm Incline bench curl
1 x 25 10# DB
2 x 20 15# DB
1 x 20 20# DB

Hammer Curls
1 x 25 15# DBs
2 x 20 20# DBs
1 x 15 30# DBs

EZ curls
4 x 20 35#

Seated incline DB Curls
2 x 20 20# DBs

Tricep pushdowns
4 x 15 70# Res Bands

Skullcrushers
4 x 20 35#

My left elbow has some tendonitis going on. I think this is golfer's elbow so I'm going to do lighter weights higher reps for a few weeks and work in some reverse Tyler Twists to calm this down. I also think I strained the rotator cuff in my right shoulder doing deadlifts Tuesday night. It's been pretty sore, but responding to ice packs well. Hopefully this will calm down, too.

I’ve now done a heavy bench, heavy squat, and volume OHP with the Kabuki Duffalo bar. I love it.

It’s thicker than a normal bar at 29mm so it rests more comfortably on your back. From a muscle recruitment standpoint, I really couldn’t tell a difference between the Duffalo bar and my Rogue OPB. The heavy and lengthier knurling in the middle of the bar was definitely a plus in keeping it on my back. For squats, the only real discernible feels were the middle knurling and it is much more comfortable in the shoulders. I think it also made it easier for me to brace. Highly recommend for anyone with limited shoulder mobility. Not sure I’ll go back to squatting with a normal barbell because it really felt no different other than being easier on my shoulders.

For bench, it does feel more different in a good way. The bigger bar makes it rest more comfortably in my wrists. The bend is also nice because it feels easier on the elbows. You also get more ROM going down to your chest with the bend so you feel it more in your chest. That said, I don’t think I’ll be totally discarding my OPB for bench like I probably will for squat. There’s definitely a different feel to it with the deeper ROM. I think I will continue to use my OPB for heavy bench days but use the Duffalo for my volume days.

The only qualm I really have is the bar sits a little awkwardly in J-cups if you don’t hinge them in with the force coming from inside the rack instead of outside. It will push them to the side a bit if the J-cup force is coming from the outside (not sure I’m explaining this clearly). If I had sandwich cups, it would probably be a non-issue. However, this is a very minor inconvenience and really doesn’t take away from the bar as a whole.

The comfort in my shoulders was noticeably different on every lift. Kabuki is just knocking it out of the park with their products. I still love my trap bar and use it almost every workout. Their stuff is definitely priced at a premium, but feels second to none for quality, construction, and variable applications. You definitely get what you pay for imo and it’s a great buy for home gym owners because of the versatility in their products.

I’ll give an update when my Transformer Bar comes in in December.

First day back after a 17 day break. Everything felt light and easy except my traps were about to explode. Haven't done shrugs in 4 months

Bench Press (Barbell)
Set 1: 45 lbs × 20 [Warm-up]
Set 2: 45 lbs × 20 [Warm-up]
Set 3: 45 lbs × 20 [Warm-up]
Set 4: 45 lbs × 20 [Warm-up]
Set 5: 120 lbs × 4
Set 6: 140 lbs × 4
Set 7: 150 lbs × 4
Set 8: 150 lbs × 4
Set 9: 150 lbs × 4
Set 10: 150 lbs × 4
Set 11: 150 lbs × 4

Overhead Press (Barbell)
Set 1: 95 lbs × 5
Set 2: 95 lbs × 5
Set 3: 95 lbs × 5
Set 4: 95 lbs × 5

Skullcrusher (Dumbbell)
Set 1: 15 lbs × 12
Set 2: 15 lbs × 12
Set 3: 15 lbs × 12
Set 4: 15 lbs × 12

Bench Dip
Set 1: (+25 lbs) × 12
Set 2: (+25 lbs) × 12
Set 3: (+25 lbs) × 12

Wrist Rotations
Set 1: 15 lbs × 25
Set 2: 15 lbs × 25
Set 3: 15 lbs × 25
Set 4: 15 lbs × 25
Set 5: 15 lbs × 25

SUPERSET
Pull-a-parts
Set 1: 35 lbs × 20
Set 2: 35 lbs × 20
Set 3: 35 lbs × 20
Set 4: 35 lbs × 20
Shrug (Dumbbell)
Set 1: 50 lbs × 20
Set 2: 50 lbs × 20
Set 3: 50 lbs × 20
Set 4: 50 lbs × 20

Only did main lifts. After screwing off since Thursday, everything felt heavy today.

Bench Press (Barbell)
Set 1: 45 lb × 8 [Warm-up]
Set 2: 95 lb × 8 [Warm-up]
Set 3: 125 lb × 8 [Warm-up]
Set 4: 145 lb × 8
Set 5: 145 lb × 8
Set 6: 145 lb × 8

Squat (Barbell)
Set 1: 45 lb × 6 [Warm-up]
Set 2: 95 lb × 6 [Warm-up]
Set 3: 135 lb × 6 [Warm-up]
Set 4: 155 lb × 6 [Warm-up]
Set 5: 185 lb × 3 [Warm-up]
Set 6: 205 lb × 6
Set 7: 205 lb × 6
Set 8: 205 lb × 6

Workout Notes: W6D1

Warmup
Stretching

DB lunges
1 x 10 20# DBs
1 x 8 30# DBs
3 x 6 40# DBs

Sumo Squats
1 x 10 30# DBs
1 x 10 40# DBs
3 x 10 50# DBs

DB Leg Curls
2 x 10 30# DB
2 x 10 40# DB

DB Deadlifts
1 x 10 20# DBs
1 x 10 30# DBs
1 x 10 40# DBs
1 x 7 50# DBs

Calf raises
3 x 30 bw

Usually don't like early morning workouts, but this wasn't so bad once I got through my 3rd set of lunges.

Today's lifts:

Squat: 320 x 1 x 5, 320 x 2 x 4
Standing OHP: 155 x 1 x 1
Deadlifts: 295 x 3 x 5

Bench Press (Barbell)
Set 1: 120 lbs × 8
Set 2: 130 lbs × 8
Set 3: 130 lbs × 8
Set 4: 130 lbs × 8
Set 5: 130 lbs × 8

SUPERSET
Front Raise (Dumbbell)
Set 1: 10 lbs × 10
Set 2: 10 lbs × 10
Set 3: 10 lbs × 10
Lateral Raise (Dumbbell)
Set 1: 10 lbs × 10
Set 2: 10 lbs × 10
Set 3: 10 lbs × 10
Upright Row (Dumbbell)
Set 1: 10 lbs × 10
Set 2: 10 lbs × 10
Set 3: 10 lbs × 10
Curl>Overhead Press
Set 1: 10 lbs × 10
Set 2: 10 lbs × 10
Set 3: 10 lbs × 10

Bench Press - Close Grip (Barbell)
Set 1: 105 lbs × 8
Set 2: 105 lbs × 8
Set 3: 105 lbs × 8
Set 4: 105 lbs × 8

Triceps Pushdown (Cable - Straight Bar)
Set 1: 35 lbs × 25
Set 2: 35 lbs × 25
Set 3: 35 lbs × 25

Wrist Rotations
Set 1: 20 lbs × 25
Set 2: 20 lbs × 25
Set 3: 20 lbs × 25
Set 4: 20 lbs × 25
Set 5: 20 lbs × 25

SUPERSET
Pull-a-parts
Set 1: 35 lbs × 25
Set 2: 35 lbs × 25
Set 3: 35 lbs × 25
Set 4: 35 lbs × 25
Shrug (Dumbbell)
Set 1: 50 lbs × 25
Set 2: 50 lbs × 25
Set 3: 40 lbs × 25
Set 4: 40 lbs × 25