08 Dec Tucker Loken – Off season week 4

The main goals of this program for me aren’t strength related, they are health and form related. I’ve developed some bad motor patterns over the years and my core doesn’t engage like it should, and it’s left me with pain during the deadlift and squat. While talking to team mate Paul Oneid, he said he had the same problems in the past, and the same pain in a similar place, so I decided to team up with him and get my issues ironed out over the next couple months.

At the same time, my diet is being handled by Joel Thomas, an IFBB pro bodybuilder. He’s got some good input on how he likes to handle diets which is different from what I’ve worked with in the past, so this is all a learning and experimentation period for me to learn my body better through a different take on nutrition and training than what I’m used to.

[wa-wps]

This week I was humbled. Big time. Working sets on deadlifts with 275… WTF??? Well there was a reason behind it. Wedging and maintaining tightness at the bottom of the deadlift (and squat for that matter) have been some of my biggest weak points, so Paul assigned me pause squats for sets of 5 with a 3 second hold one inch off the ground. I went to the gym with a friend because I knew I would need someone else to count to 3 for me instead of doing it myself to keep me honest…. 3 seconds felt like an eternity, and I was gassed by the end.

It was kind of refreshing though, and working on weak points is almost as fun as pushing actual weight around. You really feel like you’re being productive, and since it’s a weak point you don’t need much weight to get the job done. It ends up being counter productive to use too much weight because it’ll just disengage the muscle you’re trying to stimulate and the stronger muscles will take over.

The weight felt really light in my hands and didn’t tug on me like something heavy would, but I got the most intense feeling from the middle of my waist down to my upper thigh. My lower core, pelvic floor, low back (not erectors but all the tiny muscles around the top of your hip and bottom of your back), glutes, abductors and adductors were all getting worked like crazy. Front squats were next and I went super light because my core was already tired, and I was able to activate the same muscles again in a different way.

Do you remember when you did sit ups for the first time, and you went too hard and it hurt to laugh for a few days after? That’s how it was after this workout, but really deep inside. Every time I would sit down, stand up, pick something up, laugh or do anything that required core contraction I felt it. This workout was a big eye opener to what I need to continue to do to get healthy and improve, and also gave me faith because I finally found a good routine to help me get there.

Set 5 shown here – @pauloneid giving me the simplest and hardest thing ever. 3 second pause deadlift right in my weakest point of the list. Everything from my belly button down to my glute and hamstring tie in was on fire after this. Just goes to show how important taking some time to refine form is, and how little weight you need to make progress….. Clients beware! This is going to be coming at some of you soon!! #Powerrackstrength #team prs #1020life #bodybuilding #powerlifting #powerbuilding #diet #deadlift #backday #fit #fitspo #fitfam #fitness #hkfitness #健美 #锻炼身体 #减肥 #肌肉

A post shared by Tucker Loken (@tuckerloken) on Nov 23, 2016 at 8:11pm PST

Paused DL 1 inch off floor – 4×6 (2 sets at RPE 6)
Front Squat – 4×6 (2sets at RPE 6)

Bird Dog – 8x10s hold/ side

Barbell Row – 5×5
DB Row – 4×10
Pullups – 4 sets of as many as I could do with bodyweight

Reverse flies SS w/ face pulls 3×12

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Tucker Loken

Tucker Loken is a Bodybuilder turned Powerlifter turned Powerbuilder from Eugene, Oregon. He did his first bodybuilding show when he was still in high school, and has been training male and female competitors for shows since 2011. Several years ago he decided to take a step away from his normal routine and learn how to get strong. He worked with Brian for 9 months, added 200 pounds to his raw total and qualified as an Elite lifter in the 220 pound weight class. He returned back to bodybuilding much stronger and now incorporates the 10/20/Life philosophy into his training to keep himself healthy and making continual progress in the Big 3 as well as adding size and shaping his physique. Now part of Team PRS, he brings his unique expertise of nutritional knowledge and how to balance Bodybuilding with Powerlifting to help athletes achieve their best potential.

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