Grind

GOOD MORNINGS:
Bar x10
65lb x8
85lb x6
85lb x6
65lb x8
Bar x10
••••••••••
SPLIT SQUATS:
(each leg)
20lb x10
40lb x8
50lb x6
••••••••••
[20lb KB walking lunge x20 / 55lb KB squats x5] 3x
•••••••••• 
[Strip the rack (bar) x10 / Orange Band face pulls x10] 5x
••••••••••
SEAL ROWS:
25lb x10
40lb x8
I was going to try to do Gorilla rows with the DB, but it didn't work - they kept hitting my legs. So I moved on
••••••••••
PRONE OH PLATE TRI. EXT.
[25lb x10 / 35lb x8 / 45lb x6] 2x
••••••••••
PLATE PRESS / PULLOVER:
[25lb x10 / 35lb x8 / 45lb x6] 2x
••••••••••
CORE:
SU x15
Leg Lifts x15
SU x15
Butterflies x15
SU x15
Bicycle x15
••••••••••
I'm pleased, so far with alternating weeks of main lifts / accessory work. The last time I squatted and then tried to do split squats, I only could do body weight and even those were painful. This week, I actually did weight. 
I should have done more core, but I was already sore from the pullovers, so I cut it short. 
This night surely was a grind because my body has been feeling 100% depleted as of late. I've had some bloodwork done and a couple things were off, so hopefully with minor tweaking I'll start to get back to the old me. There will always be days when our energy wanes, but what I'm feeling right now is more than that. I ate two snacks during my session last night - it helps to give me a boost. I had a tangelo and a banana. It seemed to work and anything that works is OK in my book.
Not sure what I'll get to tonight. Right now, I feel like making dinner will be a win. Sheesh.

Accessories Are A Girl's Best Friend

GORILLA ROWS:
[35lb KB x10 ea.] 5x 
●●●●●●●●●●
HIP ABDUCTION WORK:
Lateral bent leg raise 5lb x20 ea
                                       10lb x10
                                        15lb x5e
Lateral straight leg raises 5lb x20 ea
                                               10lb x10 
                                                15lb x5
●●●●●●●●●●
CORE:
Sit ups x15
Flutter kicks x15 (2 count)
Sit ups x15
Leg raises x15
Sit ups x15
Bicycle x15 (2 count)
Sit ups x15 
Russian twist x15 (2 count)
Sit ups x30
●●●●●●●●●●
First night of doing just accessory stuff and I feel pretty good. Much easier, time wise to fit this in and it feels better on my body as well.

Light Weight, Light Head

3 Part Bench (Bar) x10
Bar 4/1 x10
65lb x3
85lb x3
95lb x3
[110lbs x5] 5x
••••••••••
12lb Lat. raise x5 / Front raise x5 / Kickback x5
12lb Lat raise x10 / Front raise x10 / kickback x10
••••••••••
[25lb O.H. Plate raise x15] 5x
••••••••••
Bent Rows:
45lb x8
55lb x6
65lb x3
••••••••••
Shrugs 65lb DB x20, x15
••••••••••
DB Goblet Box Squats
30lb x3
45lb x3
55lb x3
[65lb x5] 5x
••••••••••
[B.W. Split squats x10 ea / 100lb (total) calf raises x20] 3x
••••••••••
Reverse Hyper / 45° Back raises
••••••••••
Core:
Sit ups x10
Leg lifts x10
Sit ups x10
Butterfly kicks x10
Sit ups x10
Twists x10
Sit ups x10
Bicycle x10
Situps x20
••••••••••
I had blood drawn before the gym so I kept things light, there were still a few times when I was a bit dizzy. 
I kept the bench at the same weight as the previous bench session because it felt weak the last time. Next time - 5lbs more. 

Moving On

***I was having pain in my right wrist, for some reason, but I didn't think it would affect anything too much.

DEADS:
135lb x10
155lb x3
185lb x3 
215lb x3
215lb FAIL
●●●●●●●●●●
HAMSTRING CURLS / LEG EXTENSIONS
[65lb x10 ea.] 3x 
●●●●●●●●●●
SPLIT SQUATS :
BW x12 ea.
Tried adding 29lbs but it hurt so I stopped.
●●●●●●●●●●
I've come to the conclusion that major lifts plus accessories are just not going to happen for my lower body. They just aren't.  So I'll have to keep dead lifts and squats by themselves or paired with upper body and then do leg accessories on a separate day. 
I've also come to the conclusion that trying to maneuver around a dog is a royal pain in my ass.
Anyhow....a new PR on deads, so I'm pleased.

The Quiet Was Nice

SQUATS:
Bar wide x10 / mid x10
Hanging knee raises x10 (slow)
95lbs x3 / HKR x10
115lbs x3 / HKR x10
135lbs x3 / HKR x10 (belt, no knee sleeves)
[155lb x5 / HKR x10] 5x (belt. no sleeves)
••••••••••
Reverse Hyper x10 (machine wt.)
45° back raises +5lbs x10
hang from reverse hyper
••••••••••
PRESSES:
Bar x10
65lb x3 (strict)
85lb x3
[105lb x4] 3x (belt)
••••••••••
SEAL ROWS:
20lb x12
25lb x8
30lb x6
35lb x4
••••••••••
And that finished me off. My back had that familiar old tight feeling. The best way to describe it is this: it's like someone strapped me into a very tight, uncomfortable girdle. The hanging knee raises do help pop me back into position though, that's why I threw them in between the squats. With the weight getting heavier, I know there's going to be some discomfort, so I'm going to do my best to minimize it. That just may mean doing my main lifts on certain days and saving all accessory work for the other days. This might actually work better for me though because it means shorter training sessions which means I'm better able to squeeze them in. 
I was the only one in the weight room last night and it was fairly quiet, lights were off, and I was able to concentrate on form. I've found there's a fine line for me between enjoying the interaction and company of others in the gym, but also needing enough quiet to concentrate. Nothing is more irritating to me than people yakking and idly chit-chatting while I'm trying to lift. Not that I mind people talking, but honestly, if you're just sitting your ass on a bench and talking about the day's events, please take it to another room. 
So, anyhow....still hanging in there, still pushing, still working towards....something.

Just Another Wednesday

90° Back Raises x10
●●●●●●●●●●
SQUATS:
Bar x10 - paused
95lb x3 
115lb x3 
135lb x3 (belt)
[145lb x5] 5x
Bar wide/mid/narrow x10 ea
●●●●●●●●●●
SPLIT SQUATS:
B.W. x10 ea
40lb x8 ea
60lb x3 ea
●●●●●●●●●●
90° Back Raises x10
●●●●●●●●●●
BENCH:
Bar 4/1 x10 
65lb x3 
85lb x3 
95lb x3 
[115lb x3] 5x 
●●●●●●●●●●
Plate press /tri. Ext (on bench)
25lb bumper plate x20
35lb bumper plate x10
45lb regular plate x5
●●●●●●●●●●
No records or earth - shattering weights tonight, just solid lifting. I couldn't get the 115lb on the bench for 5, so I kept it at sets of 3. Next week I'll get the 5. 
Now I'm tired so that's all for now. G'night all.

I Just Did That NEW PR!!!

DEAD LIFTS:
115lb x3
135lb x3 (belted up)
185lb x3 
210lb x3
210lb x2
220lb x1
230lb FAIL
●●●●●●●●●●
HAMSTRING CUTLS:
40lb x20
55lb x10
65lb x8 
LEG EXTENSIONS:
65lb x20
55lb x20
45lb x20
●●●●●●●●●●
That was all I had time for, but it was enough. I did it. Me. I. Did. That. 210lbs for at least 3 reps. Next week will be 5, I know it. I felt pretty good so I managed the 220lb, but the 230lb only made it a few inches off of the ground. By that time, both my back and my grip were giving out. I don't like a mixed grip, I don't like the unevenness of it. That means that my grip is just going to have to get stronger. As the weather becomes a bit more reliable, I can get back outside doing weighted carries. Until then, I'll just cue myself to squeeze the bar tighter. 
And with that new PR, I retire to the kitchen to do dishes and make dinner. Peace out y'all.

That Settles It

Warmed up with some reverse hypers and hanging from the reverse hyper table
60lb DB shrugs x30
•••••••••
PRESS:
Bar x10 strict
65lb x3 strict
Push Press:
85lb x3
[95lb x5] 2x
95lb x4
95lb x3
95lb x2
95lb x1
65lb x10
•••••••••
O.H. Tri. Extentensions:
Universal Bar x10
Single DB:
20lb x10
25lb x10
30lb x8
35lb x8
•••••••••
Plate Press / Pullovers:
(bumper plates)
25lb x20
35lb x10
45lb x5
•••••••••
1/2 Armageddon Curl Routine:
[25lb hammer x12 / 20lb Spartan x12 / 15lb Curl x12] 2x
•••••••••
SQUATS:
[Box Squat w/S.S. bar x10] 3x
[Split Squats B.W. x10 ea leg] 2x
•••••••••
I was having aches and pains from sitting all day and so I was nervous to do my normal 5x5 on squats. Last week I completed it at 140lb. Just these lightweight box squats did me in. I was in total cramp mode by the time I finished the split squats so I just went and hung from the table and did some light swings and back raises. It's definitely the low weight/high rep combo that kills me. It just puts too much strain on my hips/back and I realize that sounds weird. But for my body, heavy weight and low rep is much easier to accomplish. I should have just done my regular program and I think it would have been OK. Even if I didn't add any weight and just kept it at 140lb. 
The frustrating part is knowing that my legs are more than strong enough to get that weight up, it just this weak back of mine that complicates the issue. But if I've learned anything, it's knowing when to stop. If I had continued to push through that cramping I know I would have really set myself back with major muscle spasms and that would have pissed me off royally. So I stopped and now I live to fight another day. I'm still sore and now sitting again for 8 hours isn't going to help matters either. 
At least I know now that high rep stuff (on certain parts of my body) are out for the time being. Maybe as I get stronger I can change that, but maybe it's something that's always going to be this way and maybe it's something I just need to work around. It's not going to be anything that I'll allow to stop me though.