January 4th and 5th (and technically 6th) - Light Squat, Heavy DL

 04.01.2026

Gosh I have to pull my finger so far to the left to press 6 lol. It was way easier in '21 and '22! Not so much in 2020, although back then I think I pressed it with the right hand hehe.

So, it's technically another after-midnight workout. I just really wanted to do any kind of Squat.

Workout

Warmup - some squat stretches upstairs, putting on clothes, including wool belt and the big belt

Squat

50 - 2 sets of 10 - just loosening my shoulders for a medium-grip high bar hold

100 - 4 sets of 5 - I enjoyed it. I did some additional stability checks and holds before the start of each set, just wiggling around gently with a bar on my back. I feel good about my squat now. I also controlled the movement and the speed very well - I was able to achieve perfect acceleration in bounce, and thus a good speed out of the hole, although this is a light weight. It feels good to be able to lift a light weight as well.

The synthetic underwear I purchased is irritating my skin because of its shape more so than material. Peculiar. They're a little too small after all! May wanna not pull them up too much when I wear them.

Also I've done some front rack stretching and pressing/overhead holds with the bar, feeling the rotator cuffs.

Tomorrow - technically today - I have in mind to do some 4s in DL. Maybe not the heaviest ones, but good ones. Five or six sets of 4.

05.01.2026

Nice day. Ate well, slept almost okay.

Deadlift

20 - 70 - 120 - 160

203 for 2 good OHG reps and about three partial reps, one above knees. I learned that you're supposed to make sure not to curl your hands, not to keep them uneven - that's how a "relaxed" grip was always better before!

233 for 4 - one mixed grip, three straps - that was done intentional cause I wonder about spreading the grip load between not just one warmup set but all of them, if my skin holds on. However, I got pretty unused from doing mixed grip so I was all pretty uneven.

Enjoying some writing. It's finally here, the good kind of writing even if I am doing my typical graphomaniac snailpace. Feet get a little tired standing in the old crocs though lol.

I do speculate they might have got weaker from the new crocs I've been wearing. Cause they're soft and I might be leaning onto the side of my foot. This one is just all over the place, thin worn out sole.

253 for 4 - first rep with reversed mixed grip, really really uneven, then three in straps. Writing, taking time, possibly too much time lol.

I gotta tell you about how I did my literary warmup - after the next set.

258 for 4 - one mixed grip in a rare dip&rip style - I never do em anymore! Then three more, warming up, as I finally remembered I'm supposed to PULL REAL FAST AND NOT SLOW DOWN PAST MY KNEES!

Yes, as I promised for my literary warmup I went ahead and recorded myself reading Huckleberry Finn. It was interesting. I ended up digressing and talking about how much I hate scammers and whether or not Huck's psychology is believable. I didn't live back then, so I think it was! It's just that, however, I'd say it's ain't been enough time - in previous books and at the start of this one - to establish how well Huck has developed his social beliefs. Chapter 31, IYKYK! Can't spoil it in case you haven't read it yet 😁

And it's ain't about race, it's about people. It just is. Argue whatever. People and power, people in power and out of it.

263 for 4 - all straps, tried the first rep with a reverse mixed grip but it rolled. Did it well, real fast; when I think of doing it fast I find myself grimacing quite a lot, interesting! I used to do that more back in the day, you know! Gotta protect the eyes from debris and all that, heh.

265,5 for 4 - nice. Attempted the first rep with a normal mixed grip but the pain made me drop it. I guess when you do that you wanna make sure you only do the mixed grip. It takes a few sessions to get used to it and then it's good and easy, easier than with straps but your skin wears out. I was doing some upper back flexion on this set, but with fully inflated belly; that technique I described in Marco's chapter 16 is a real thing after all. Well, I did write it from my earlier experience, it's just that apparently I had to check it now. Working on "scene 1" of ch18.

268 for 4 - that was a very good, quick set. Very nicely performed! Also, I think it's a small PR 😀 And I wasn't getting knocked out at all, very confidently re-racking, stable right leg 😃 I can't help but think that yesterday's Squats somehow helped me get in good shape, energy and CNS-wise.

Some grip - pinching the plates as I unloaded them but also pinching a pair of blue 20s, about 4 sets - I can hold it in the air with the right hand for a few seconds, a little weaker with the left. Hub pinching - I can very confidently pick it up with the right hand again, left one a little slower but good too 😀 Some holds of rubber 25s - the hand was worn out by that point, and some passes of the pair of 15 kg plates.

Attempted to do some front rack stretching but I really way too tight, my back is, at least. But I did do something, just a tiny bit!

Tomorrow - technically today as well, in about 20 hours I think - I'll do some Bench press.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Coelogyne_corymbosa