EDITOR'S NOTE: Welcome to the Athlete Journal of world champion powerlifter Chris Duffin. Follow Chris as he trains and competes in various events over the coming year. Chris's journal will be posted every Tuesday. You can also read about Chris on his personal website KabukiWarrior.com.

Athlete Journal, Entry 35: Testing My Limits

I spent the week seeing what I could do and what my limits were with the missing bicep head. The surgeon clarified it was the main head of the inner bicep that attaches to the bone and is reparable. It is indeed only the rotational head, not the main head responsible for flexion of the arm.

MONDAY

Warmup/Mobility 10min

Bench

45x10

45+100chain x5

135+100chain x5

225+100chain x5

315+100chain x4

365+100chain x1

315+100chain x5

Band Dumbbell Floor Press

100+Blue/large x4

100+Green/med x8 ,8

These were bothering my bicep so I quit.

Dips

Bodyweightx12

Bodyweight+100x10,10,10

Grappler Shoulder Press

X10,10,10

Hook Grip Hold 495x45

WEDNESDAY

Moblity/warmup

Dead Bug x 1 set

Rear Leg Elevated Split Squat

Bodyweightx12

106x12

140x12

180x8,8

200x8

These just destroyed my work capacity.

Band Dumbbell Good Morning

140+Large x8,6

Two draining exercises like this in a row…this one was just too much so I moved on.

Hook Grip Hold 555x45

Glute Ham Raise

Bodyweightx30,30,30

FRIDAY

Dumbell Rep Bench

60+min x30

80+minix30,14,12

Dips

Bodyweightx20,20,20

Bottom’s Up Kettlebell Press – Walking

36x10,10,10

Hook Grip Hold 605x30 - Woohoo!

SATURDAY

My remaining bicep head was beginning to get tender through the tendon. With the inner bicep detached I’m getting more extension, which means this bicep has been getting stretched and used more than normal. It also took the brunt of the load when the inner detached.

I messed around doing a bunch of stuff and trying to find movements that would aggravate my bicep. There was a lot more miscelleneous sets and experimenting than shown below.

Windmills

45x5/side

95x5,5/side

Shoulder Rotations while bent in Windmill

95x2-3/side - Wow that was fun. Will be doing more.

Sled Work w/straps to elbows

Bunch of passes lots of different angles

Turkish Getup – Don’t normally go this heavy but wanted to see if they hurt my arm

53x5/side

88x2/side