cesimpson

I’m off to Chicago for An Event Apart, but I’ll be back Wednesday.

Morning Workout

I’ve been working on my pull-ups. I’ve always been able to do at least some moderate amount of chin-ups (supinated grip) without too much trouble, but pull-ups (pronated grip) have caused me serious pain. Not only could I not do them, they hurt all the tendons around my right elbow. Terrible.

I’ve been really working on that - increasing my chin-up strength and doing pull-up negatives. Slowly - oh so slowly - strengthening my arms and back and all the associated soft tissue. Today, I did two face-completely-above-the-bar pull-ups. And the best part is, my arm does not hurt today.

No sternum touching the bar. Yet. But I’m getting closer.

Still working on my squat cleans. I got 140# today, uncomfortably. I can power clean more than that, but for some reason I am having lots of trouble dropping to catch the bar at anything above 135# or so. Very awkward. I’m sure if I hired a reasonable coach, s/he could straighten me out in no time.

Unfortunately, I have neither the funds nor the access to an O-lifting coach - both of which are necessary if I wanted to hire a coach. I will continue to struggle.

New Overhead Squat PR of 140# for a double. That was nice.

Tried the Sots Press today. I don’t get it. It seems to provide nothing for me a military press doesn’t already do, and puts my shoulders in an odd - and seemingly non-functional - position for doing them.

Unless someone can convince me otherwise (and you’ll have to work very hard), today was my first and last Sots Press.