Week 24 – Lower Body Session
Date: June 9, 2026
Bodyweight: ~81 kg
Context: Second week post-deload. This session served as both a normal lower-body training day and a diagnostic check on your elbow recovery via reintroduction of bodyweight pull-ups. Lower body workload remained stable while connective tissue recovery continues to be monitored.
Squats
Warm-Up
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| Bar | 1 × 15 |
| 60 kg | 1 × 10 |
| 80 kg | 1 × 8 |
| 100 kg | 1 × 5 |
Working Sets
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| 115 kg | 2 × 5 |
Hamstring Curls
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| 48 kg | 2 × 12 |
Leg Extensions
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| 68 kg | 3 × 12 |
Preacher Curl Machine
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| Moderate | 3 × 15 |
Rope Hammer Curls
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| Moderate | 3 × 12 |
Pull-Ups (Recovery Assessment)
| Load | Sets × Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight | 2 × 10 | Strength intact; slight ache remains in left elbow |
Back Extensions
| Load | Sets × Reps |
|---|---|
| Bodyweight | 3 × 15 |
Treadmill
| Duration | Speed | Incline |
|---|---|---|
| 20 min | 5 | 7 |
🧠 Session Interpretation / Why This Session Matters
The most important part of this session wasn’t the squats.
It was the pull-ups.
Pull-Up Assessment Result
This is actually a very encouraging result.
You performed:
Bodyweight Pull-Ups
- 2 × 10
- Strength fully present
- Slight left elbow ache remains
That tells us several things:
Good News
You have not lost meaningful pull-up performance despite several weeks away from them.
That’s exactly what I’d expect.
Strength doesn’t disappear that quickly, especially when you’ve continued training:
- rows
- high rows
- bench
- incline DB work
The pulling musculature stayed trained.
Even Better News
The ache was:
“still there”
not
“significantly worse”
or
“sharp”
or
“immediate”
That distinction matters.
Had you reported:
- increased pain
- worsening symptoms
- lingering irritation afterward
I’d be much more cautious.
Instead, what we have is:
A lingering symptom
without obvious performance limitation.
Squat Progression
115 × 2 × 5 continues looking exactly right.
What I like is that your squat training has become:
- consistent
- predictable
- repeatable
without chasing unnecessary fatigue.
Compared to several months ago, there is much less drama in the squat logs:
- no back issues
- no recovery concerns
- no grinding
That’s usually a sign that the programming is working.
Back Extensions
I’m increasingly becoming a fan of these in your program.
You now have multiple weeks of:
- back extensions
- stable squatting
- no recurrence of the lower-back pop
That’s not proof of causation, but it’s certainly encouraging.
The Most Interesting Trend Right Now
If I compare where you were three weeks ago versus today:
Three Weeks Ago
- Shoulder irritated
- Elbows irritated
- Pull-ups removed
- Dips removed
- Deload beginning
Today
- Heavy bench volume restored
- 120 × 4 × 3 completed
- Pull-ups reintroduced
- Strength retained
- General joints improved
- Shoulder stable
- Elbow improved but not fully resolved
That’s exactly the recovery trajectory I’d want to see.
What I’d Do Next
For now:
Pull-Ups
I would not immediately jump back to:
- weighted pull-ups
- high volume pull-ups
- frequent pull-ups
Instead:
Keep them in “assessment mode.”
Something like:
- 1–2 sessions/week
- bodyweight only
- moderate volume
for another week or two.
Let’s see if the elbow continues improving.
Current Recovery Status
Bench Strength
95–100%
Squat Strength
100%
General Joint Health
90–95%
Left Elbow
85–90%
Left Rotator Cuff
80–85%
Overall Recovery
Very good
🏁 Bottom Line
The headline from today’s session is:
Pull-up strength is fully retained, while elbow irritation appears improved but not completely resolved.
That’s actually a near-ideal outcome.
You got confirmation that:
- you didn’t lose pulling strength,
- the deload worked,
- the exercise substitutions worked,
while also receiving useful information that the elbow likely needs a little more time before aggressively reintroducing weighted pull-ups.
Overall, this was another strong session and continues the trend that the last three weeks have been moving in the right direction.