Stiff Back & Squats

Starting Stuff:    Camber Bar Bench Press 8 x 135, 5 x 145

Working:            Squat 3 x 215, 3 x 225 x 3, 3 x 235, 5 x 185

Accessory:         Leg Press 8 x 315, 8 x 405 x 2

Weight after workout:   164

I woke up with a stiff back, the result no doubt of a long drive in traffic downtown, followed by a morning of sitting, another long drive in traffic, and a day and a half of sitting. The human body was not designed to withstand sitting. And when we invented chairs, we should have known, at least culturally, they were just for resting, the way a boulder might have been handy for early hominids.

The way we were designed to sit, which is clear if you watch babies, is to squat. So even with a stiff back, Friday is squat day, so that’s what I did.

The hardest thing today was the cambered bench press. It was the first weighted thing I did, and I could not get arch in my back at all without pain. So I did them, but primarily with triceps and leg drive. I did a long-ish warmup on squat, and Last week I did five sets of triples at 220 lbs, so the work today at 225 and 235 represents progression, especially for this early in the cycle. I really could have stayed put and got the work in, and that would have been fine. But I did a little more, and did it all with good depth.

I’m alone this weekend, and I don’t care for that, but I will get lots of rest Saturday before running on Sunday.