Nate's Log

[Nate B]

Tuesday, 6/16:

Comp DL:
515x1 @ 8
445x4x4

515 moved much smoother than last week. Backoffs were less taxing than I anticipated.

Comp Bench:
250x4 @ 7
260x4 @ 8.5
265x4 @ 9.5
250x4x3 @ 8, 8, 9

Little bit of a stutter in the bar path on the top set. Not good, not terrible.

2ct Pause Squat:
250x2x12, EMOM

Hit a double EMOM for 12 minutes. I didn't get as tired as I thought I might. Cardio and GPP pays off, I guess, although this was very light weight.

Reverse Nordics:
3 sets of 10 @ bodyweight

DB Hammer Curls:
45s x13x3

DB Lateral Raises:
20s x15x3

[Nate B]

Thursday, 6/18:

Pin Squat:
325x3 @ 6
335x3 @ 6.5
350x3x3 @ 8, 8, 8

TnG Bench:
245x5 @ 7
255x5 @ 8
265x5 @ 10
245x5x3

Could've sworn that I had 265 in the bag for @9, AT WORST @9.5. 255x5 felt like a pretty true 8, and the first four reps of 265 were actually pretty good. Just hit a wall about 4" off the chest on the fifth and it was a slow crawl back to lockout. Bar path was a little shitty. Bench has felt off this week, but its progress kinda comes in waves for me.

WGBP:
215x8x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

One finger width outside the rings. I low key kinda liked how these felt, maybe I'll play around with index fingers on the rings instead of middle fingers as my comp grip width.

LTE, 6ct eccentric:
60x13x3

[Nate B]

Friday, 6/19:

3" Sumo Block Pull:
475x3 @ 6
495x3 @ 7
505x3x3 @ 7.5, 8, 8

Stacked up four 3/4" foam mats to make the "blocks" so this was likely less than 3" because of the squishy material. Just wanted to get something around mid shin. Intentionally went a little easy, I feel like 515 was there but probably not for 3 sets across.

Block Bench:
255x5 @ 7
265x5 @ 8
270x5 @ 8.5
250x5x3 @ 7.5, 8, 8

Still no Ram (delivered the next day...) so I hit block bench again. Went a little easy here as well since I overshot a couple other bench variations earlier in the week.

Lever Rows:
105x8x3 @ 8, 8, 8

DB Hammer Curls:
45s x13x3

[Nate B]

Sunday, 6/21:

I ventured out of my shed and back into my normal gym for this session for the first time since lockdown. I wore my mask when loading/unloading plates, walking between stations, and when generally not lifting like talking to people, getting water, etc., but not when I was actually lifting. Only 6-8 other people were there (typical for a Sunday) but only one of them even had a mask with them, so I'll probably limit the time I'm in here. Probably will just come in for heavy deads, maybe heavy squats, and variations that require special equipment. I'll probably also try to get as much GPP/accessory stuff done here as possible because it's nice to use dedicated dumbbells, cables, and machines vs. loading/unloading DB handles over and over and only having a barbell for rows.

Comp Squat:
415x1 @ 8
360x4x2
335x5x3

I think I had better than 415, but decided to play it safe being in a "new" environment. I also got caught talking to someone between my last warmup and top single so I was getting a little cold. Backoff work was all around RPE 6-7. I was reminded that the floor here isn't exactly 100% level either and the power bars are not as nice as my brand spanking new OPB, so maybe I won't keep coming into the gym for my squat sessions after all haha. I've started to feel safer with the squat stand at home vs. a full cage anyway.

2ct Pause Bench:
235x4 @ 6.5
245x4 @ 7.5
260x4 @ 9
245x4x2 @ 7.5, 8

Really prefer the bench setups they have at the gym to what I've got at home. Both the pad and the floor are noticeably grippier.

CGBP:
205x6 @ 6
215x6 @ 7
225x6x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

Felt a little less fried after 2ct pause bench than last week, so I was able to do 2 plates for my sets across.

DB Hammer Curls:
45s x14x3

Chins:
58 reps in 10 mins

Did these in the morning before I went to the gym.

[Nate B]

Monday, 6/22:

Comp DL:
515x1 @ 8
445x4x4

Shifted my weight a little too far forward before initiating the pull, but I was able to get back in position and executed a pretty smooth rep. Maybe I need to cue pushing through my heels again for a bit.

Comp Bench:
245x4 @ 6.5
260x4 @ 7.5
270x4 @ 9
255x4x3 @ 7.5, 8, 8

Bench feeling much better than last week. Top set wasn't even 4/4 good reps (got out of the groove on the third) but I was just generally feeling strong today.

2ct Pause Squat:
250x2x12, EMOM

Seated Cable Rows:
160x12x3

Machine rows are BACK (no pun intended).

Cable Rope Triceps Extensions:
120x15x3

[Nate B]

Wednesday, 6/24:

300 Tempo HBBS:
305x3 @ 6
315x3 @ 7
325x3x3 @ 7.5, 8, 8

Definitely had a little more in me, but took it easy. All about building momentum, so no sense in overshooting assistance work.

TnG Bench:
245x5 @ 6.5
255x5 @ 7.5
265x5 @ 8.5
250x5x3 @ 7.5, 8, 8

Undershot these a bit as well. Bench is moving much better. Funny how much difference a week makes.

WGBP:
220x8x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

One finger width outside the rings.

[Nate B]

Thursday, 6/25:

3" Sumo Block Pull:
475x3 @ 6
495x3 @ 7
505x3x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

Felt a little more fatigued for these this week than last week, so no increase in top weight.

Ram Bench:
275x5 @ 6.5
285x5 @ 8
295x5 @ 9.5
280x5x3 @ 7, 7.5, 7.5

First time using the Titan Ram and I'm still getting the hang of it. It's not nearly as rigid as the Bench Daddy, but still not as easy to use as a Slingshot - groove is a bit different, I had to touch a bit lower and keep my elbows a bit more tucked than I prefer for my raw bench.

Lever Rows:
105x8x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

Bar kept wanting to roll in my hand, even with straps. Not a huge fan of lever rows, tbh.

DB Hammer Curls:
45s x13x3

LTE, 6ct eccentric:
60x12x3

[Nate B]

Sunday, 6/28:

Comp Squat:
420x1 @ 8
355x5x4

Did this session in my shed. With the recent spike in Covid cases nationwide, I'm only going to go into the gym if I really need to (heavy deads and specialty equipment requirements), especially when litereally nobody but me is even wearing a mask between sets at the gym, Shifted my hips back and dropped my chest a little more than I would've liked on the single, but still executed a pretty clean RPE 8 rep. I still have some more in me. Backoff work was all in the RPE 6.5-7 range.

2ct Pause Bench:
235x4 @ 6.5
245x4 @ 7.5
260x4 @ 9
245x4x2 @ 7.5, 8

CGBP:
205x6 @ 6
215x6 @ 7
225x6x3 @ 8, 8.5, 9

My strength started to fall off pretty considerably by the last couple sets of these. I was cutting my rest about a minute shorter than usual (3 minutes vs. 4-5) so that's probably to be expected.

[Nate B]

Monday, 6/29:

Comp DL:
520x1 @ 8
440x5x4

Really good deads today. The top single was honestly a soft RPE 8, could've probably hit 525 or 530 without overshooting. I was feeling strong going into this session, but I also used the TX deadlift bar instead of my usual OH deadlift bar, so I cheated a little extra on top of my usual sumo cheating (I feel like the TXDB is a little whippier, thus flexes a smidge more before it breaks the floor). Backoffs were all @6-7.

Comp Bench:
290x1 @ 8
255x5 @ 8
250x4x4

Horrendous liftoff for the top single (the dude pulled the bar BACK towards him...) but I was still able to recover and hit the rep at the correct RPE. To me, this means I had a bit more in the tank, which is cool. Hit the prescribed 5@8 nicely and the backoff 4s @ 80% were all in the @7-8 range, so bench went just about as well as deads today. Nice session overall.

DB Hammer Curls:
45s x14x3

DB LTE, 3ct ecc:
30s x15x3

Tuesday, 6/30:

2ct Pause Squat:
255x2x12, EMOM

Bumped the load up 5 lbs because these were feeling a little too easy, plus my 1RM has presumably gone up a bit with my squat generally going up.

Chins:
58 reps in 10 minutes

[Nate B]

Thursday, 7/2:

300 Tempo HBBS:
305x3 @ 6
315x3 @ 7
325x3x4 @ 7.5, 8, 8, 8.5

Some forward movement out of the bottom on all of these - as in the bar path briefly got kicked forward out of the bottom and got back on track about 1/4 of the way up. I can struggle to stay upright when things get heavy, and it especially shows up on high bar and SSB squats.

TnG Bench:
245x5 @ 7
255x5 @ 8
265x5 @ 9
250x5x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

Same loads across the board as last week, but they moved a little slower.

WGBP:
215x8x3 @ 8, 8, 8, 9

Felt a little more fatigued going into these, so I bumped the weight down 5 lbs.

DB Lateral Raises:
20s x15x3

[Nate B]

Friday, 7/3:

3" Sumo Block Pull:
475x3 @ 6
495x3 @ 7
505x3x4 @ 8, 8, 8.5, 9.5

My top sets were repeats, so I kept the load constant, but I probably would've been better off bumping the load back down to 495 after the third set of 505. My erectors and posterior chain in general were cooked after these.

Ram Bench:
285x5 @ 7
295x5 @ 8
300x5 @ 8.5
290x5x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

Already getting better with the Ram. I've got room to build.

Lever Rows:
105x8x4 @ 8, 8, 8.5, 9

BB Curls:
85x12x3

LTE, 5ct eccentric:
65x12x3

Switched to a 5ct eccentric because it's easier to strip one 10 per side off the barbell vs. a 5 an a 2.5 when supersetting with barbell curls.

[Nate B]

Sunday, 7/5:

Comp Squat:
410x1 @ 8
345x5x5

My back was still feeling pretty sore from the block pulls on Friday. Combined with a achy right hip for some reason, a bit of a hangover from the 4th, and 90 deg temperatures in the shed, I wasn't feeling my best for this session. Took 10 lbs off the bar from last week for my top single and even that moved a little slow for a true 8, but didn't feel like it warranted an 8.5. Backoff work strayed into the 7.5-8 range by the last couple sets.

2ct Pause Bench:
245x4 @ 7.5
250x4 @ 8
255x4 @ 9
240x4x3 @ 7.5, 8, 8

CGBP:
205x6 @ 6
215x6 @ 7.5
220x6x3 @ 8, 8.5, 9

Feeling cooked by the time I got to these.

[Nate B]

Monday, 7/6:

Comp DL:
505x1 @ 7.5
435x5x5

My back and hip are still feeling a little off, so I took it a little easy today.

Comp Bench:
290x1 @ 8.5
250x5 @ 8
245x4x4

Used Rogue monolift arms to avoid people with no masks breathing all over me and giving bad liftoffs. These things are awesome...so awesome that I'm driving over an hour to get a used pair from a guy on FB marketplace for my shed gym. Now I can save my wife from having to come out to the shed and stand on 2x4s to give me a proper liftoff, and save myself from the inconsistency of self unracks. My top single was not awesome - little slow and I lifted my butt off the bench pretty blatantly. Adjusted my 5@8 load accordingly and was pretty dialed in for the rest of the session.

DB Hammer Curls:
45s x14x3

DB LTE:
35s x12x3

Tuesday, 7/7:

2ct Pause Squat:
255x2x12, EMOM

Chins:
57 reps in 10 minutes

[Nate B]

Wednesday, 7/8:

300 Tempo HBBS:
295x3 @ 6
305x3 @ 7
315x3x4 @ 7.5, 8, 8, 8.5

My erectors and hip are starting to feel better but strength is still a little down.

TnG Bench:
245x5 @ 7
255x5 @ 8
260x5 @ 8.5
250x5x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

Loaded 260 for my top set because 255 felt like a “hard” 8. 260 ended up being easy. Not complaining!

WGBP:
215x8x3 @ 8, 8, 8, 8.5

DB Lateral Raises:
20s x15x3

[Nate B]

Thursday, 7/9:

3" Sumo Block Pull:
455x3 @ <6
475x3 @ 6
495x3x2 @ 7, 7.5, ouch

My erectors were feeling good, but I decided to start my repeats @7 because of how fatigued I’ve felt all week. Still, I felt a pop in my lower back on the right side of my spine just above my pants waistline on the third rep of my third set. Familiar location and familiar pain sensation, so I’m not too concerned, but I was in some serious pain afterward. If it goes anything how it usually does, I’ll be pretty stiff and painful for about a week and it’ll start to get better. I’ve got some hiking on the agenda for the weekend, so hopefully moving around will help speed up the recovery. I had the right idea in being cautious because I could feel that I had a lot of pent up fatigue, but I guess I needed to be more cautious.

Ram Bench:
285x5 @ 7
295x5 @ 8
305x5 @ 9
290x5x3 @ 8, 8, 8

Lumbar extension doesn’t hurt, so I was still able to finish these up despite the back tweak.

Lever Rows:
90x8x4 @ 7.5, 8, 8, 8

Dropped the load pretty considerably because of my now painful back.