12/26/23 - so far so good

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Squats
2x5, 1x15 @185lb
The sensation of having weight on my back will take a few sessions to get used to. This is a very light weight for me and yet it felt heavy just sitting there. Moving the weight was another story. My legs had no problem pushing. I know I could have pushed this set much further but I let myself stop due to discomfort. This is something else I will have to get used to again. Also, my right leg is STILL experiencing discomfort at the bottom. My left leg takes on more of the load to compensate.

Superset

1) Close grip fat bar bench with flat back and knees up
2x5, 1x10 @ 135lb
I chose a variation of the bench press that would target my chest and triceps the most. While I like the fat-bar I'm pretty much using it because it's the only other bar I have available besides my olympic bar. I'm not sure how much better I would have done with a conventional bench press in my weakened state, but I certainly felt humbled by this variation. 

2) Bent-over row (floating)
2x5, 1x13 @95lb
This weight felt more appropriate in comparison to the Yates rows. I want to get much stronger at rows. As I said previously, I've straight up neglected all pulling work for my entire training life and I'm tired of it showing in my physique. Want: Big traps, big 'ceps, big lats. 

Giant Set ASAP 15:00 (4 rounds)
1) Single leg glute hyperextension x10
2) Pike pushup x10
3) Chin-up x5
This went well. The combination of pike pushups and chin-ups was more fatiguing than I thought.

Giant Set
1) French press 3xf (10, 9, 7) @ 45lb
2) Fat bar Curls (12, 8, 5) @ 45lb
3) Lu raises (7, 5, 5) @ 10lbs
Originally I was going to include more glute and ab work for this portion of the workout, but I needed to be honest with myself about what my weak points are and what I need to train. I probably have enough glute work in my program right now and my arms could use attention.

Most of my thoughts were covered in the exercise notes above.... but the one thing that's weighing heavily on my mind is returning to intense squatting. It's both my favorite part of training and what I dread the most. I spent 3 years pushing weight, intensity and volume all for it to come to a screeching halt. Now I have to pick up the pieces and start from nearly 0. Thinking about the work I used to do gives me anxiety, but I didn't get there over night, and in some ways I'm better conditioned now for my comeback. My legs and glutes are stronger. I have a far superior mind-muscle connection with them. Even now that the weight is lighter, I only need to keep trying to push beyond my perceived limits, beyond discomfort. When it comes to leg training, THAT is the only secret.
 

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