>>probably taken a year
I damaged something (bicep/elbow) a few years back and kept reinjuring it. I think I did it by either deadlifting bent arm or trying to catch the weight on the down after power cleans. Anyway, I finally had to go a year and a half without doing pullups and being super careful to fully lock out my elbows during deadlifts.
I'm still pretty bad at pullups, but I'm working on ramping back up too. Mostly, I'm trying to get my "lock off" back. That's where you pull up with both hands, usually hand close, facing opposite directions on the bar and at the top you let go with one hand and try to hold with the other arm and if possible do a controlled lower. Right now, even with a 20-pound counterweight, I still can't fully lock, but I can do a slow, controlled drop with 20-pounds of help.
So far, no bicep pain, but it has been a long road.
>> protein
I'm on a low-protein, low-sugar diet... that's not the goal, but more an unfortunate (in the case of protein) or fortunate (in the case of sugar) consequence. I've been experimenting with diet just the last few days, above all trying to avoid FODMAP foods, but also others that I think are problematic. RC and, more relevantly since we share genetics, my sister have both mentioned this. Too early to tell, but I have finally decided my digestive system has some issues that are worth exploring. Interestingly, though my gut feels no better or worse, I have slept better the last couple of nights.
>> hangry
Have you ever tried fasting? I used to regularly have what a friend called "food emergencies" where I would just start to crash without food. I did a two-day fast a few years ago sort of by accident (stomach felt off and so I just didn't eat for two days). I also started doing a morning run in a fasted state, again not for some ideology, but just because it was the easiest way to fit it in. Strangely, though, after that, no more hangry for a really long time. Even a few years down the line, I'm much better than I was. I can now go for a two-hour run and not feel calorie-starved when I'm done. I usually crave a glass of water cut with a quarter cup of juice (before the low-FODMAP diet anyway), but otherwise not starved.
It sounds like you're doing well on the plan you're on an you probably don't want to fast if you're lifting frequently. Still, you could try a Saturday night to Monday morning fast. That would not hurt your recovery and might give a nice additional boost to the blood-sugar management.
BTW - when I was younger, I would occasionally go hiking for the weekend without food and fast the whole time, just to see if I could do it, as a sort of mental training/toughening. Those fasts did not seem to help at all with the hangry thing, but I suspect that's because the rest of my diet all the other days was not conducive.
>> all 6 abs this summer
Sounds pretty reasonable based on everything you're doing. I think that's usually around 9-10% body fat for most men. That's a good level. I hope to get there this summer too... but I hope that every summer.
