Nate's Log

[Nate B]

Wednesday, 10/28:

2ct Pause Squat:
315x4 @ 6
325x4 @ 7
335x4 @ 8

TnG Bench:
245x5 @ 6
255x5 @ 7.5
260x5 @ 8

WGBP:
205x8 @ 6
215x8 @ 7
225x8 @ 8

Pendlay Rows:
185x14x4

[Nate B]

Friday, 10/30:

My town has a weird tradition of having trick-or-treat on the last Thursday before Halloween, so had to push training off to Friday. I put together a 10 ft length of 2" PVC and painted it the local school's colors, and used it to slide candy from the front porch to the sidewalk to keep everything socially distanced. A lot of the younger kids seemed to have fun with it, so that was an added bonus.

Sumo DL w/ Band:
395x4 @ 6
405x4 @ 7
415x4 @ 8

Spoto:
225x5 @ 6
235x5 @ 7
245x5 @ 8

Snatch Grip RDL:
295x8 @ 6
305x8 @ 7
315x8 @ 8

[Nate B]

Sunday, 11/1:

Comp Squat:
420x1 @ 8.5
375x4 @ 7.5
345x4x5 @ <6-6

Single wasn't very good. Got pitched forward a little coming out of the hole. Might need to start cuing "traps" again to remind me to push my traps into the bar and not let my chest cave. Considering how relatively easy the set of 4 was after it, the overshoot was probably more due to a flaw in technique/execution than strength.

Comp Bench:
280x1 @ 7
290x1 @ 8
270x3 @ 8
250x3x5 @ <6-6

Happy with all these sets.

Incline CGBP:
195x6 @ 7
205x6 @ 8
215x6 @ 9.5
195x6x2 @ 7, 7.5

[Nate B]

Monday, 11/2:

Comp DL:
515x1 @ 8.5
470x4 @ 9
425x4x4 @ <6-6.5

Fuck. Rated the top single as an 8 when I probably shouldn't have (was on that borderline where it felt like an 8.5 but moved more like an 8 on video) and ended up with a hard 4@9 set when I had programmed 4@8. My low back was/is definitely feeling sore afterward, but didn't pop it or anything. I'll have to keep an eye on it and my fatigue for the rest of the week. My RPE assessment for deads has felt slightly off since I came back from my rehab period. Might have to intentionally err on the side of undershooting for a while until I get re-dialed in.

2" Pin Bench:
255x3 @ 6
265x3 @ 7
275x3 @ 8
255x3x3 @ 6, 6.5, 7

At least these went pretty well. I wore my slippers for these and discovered that they have surprisingly great traction haha - better than my Sabos or tennis shoes.

300 Tempo HBBS:
255x6 @ 6
265x6 @ 6.5
275x6x3 @ 7.5, 7.5, 8

Played it safe with my RPE ratings here after my deadlift debacle.

Tuesday, 11/3:

Pendlay Rows:
185x14x4

[Nate B]

Wednesday, 11/4:

2ct Pause Squat:
315x4 @ 6.5
325x4 @ 7
335x4 @ 8
310x4x3 @ 6, 6.5, 6.5

I was supposed to ramp from RPE 7-9, but went with an RPE 6-8 scheme because my low back was still feeling a little wonky...really don't want to risk reaggravating anything.

TnG Bench:
245x5 @ 6.5
255x5 @ 7.5
265x5 @ 8.5
245x5x3 @ 6.5, 7, 7

WGBP:
205x8 @ 6
215x8 @ 7
225x8 @ 8
215x8 @ 7.5

[Nate B]

Thursday, 11/5:

Sumo DL w/ Band:
395x4 @ 6
405x4 @ 7
415x4 @ 8
385x4x3 @ 6, 6.5, 6.5

These were supposed to be ramping from RPE 7-9, but dialed it back to 6-8 like I did with pause squats yesterday. Low back is feeling better but still not good enough to feel comfortable pushing above RPE 8, especially considering I've got a specialization block coming up and want to head into that feeling as good as possible.

Spoto:
235x5 @ 7
245x5 @ 8
255x5 @ 9
235x5x3 @ 7, 7, 7

Snatch Grip RDL:
295x8 @ 6
305x8 @ 7
315x8 @ 8
295x8 @ 6.5

DB Curls & Band Lateral Raises:
4 sets of 15-18 reps

[Nate B]

Monday, 11/9:

Wasn't able to train on Sunday.

Comp Squat:
425x1 @ 8
385x4 @ 8
355x4x5 @ <6-6.5 375x1

Borderline depth on the single - looked deep enough for 2 whites in real time, but in slow motion it was probably a tad high. Followed the top sets up with a bunch of backoff work and a light, fatigued single.

Comp Bench:
280x1 @ 6.5
290x1 @ 7.5
275x3 @ 8
255x3x5 @ <6-6

Everything moved really well. 315 at my mock meet is seeming more and more likely by the week.

Incline CGBP:
195x6 @ 7
205x6 @ 8.5
210x6 @ 9
195x6x2 @ 7, 7

Not related to incline CGBP, but noticed a sharp pain in my right knee toward the end of this workout. Hopefully something that just goes away on its own, but I'll keep an eye on it.

[Nate B]

Tuesday, 11/10:

Comp DL:
515x1 @ 8
465x4 @ 8
425x4x4 @ <6-6 460x1

Happy with how this session went. Single moved great, and I realized that I should probably factor in that the slow eccentrics make rep work a little more challenging, so I bumped about 5 lbs off my projected 4@8 based off the 1@8 - perfect. Not so happy with my right knee, though - the pain started to flare up pretty badly right before the fatigued single. Feels like I might have some patellar tendinopathy or something going on. Loading that knee at all was starting to get borderline unbearably painful, so I skipped my supplemental tempo HBBS for now. Gotta stay active to recover, though, so I'll give something a try tomorrow - will likely have to alter loading and/or exercise selection. May have to call an audible on my mock meet at this rate, but we'll see how things progress.

2" Pin Bench:
255x3 @ 6
265x3 @ 7
275x3 @ 8
255x3x3 @ 6, 6.5, 6.5

Had to limit my leg drive a little because of the knee pain. These still moved pretty well in spite of that.

[Nate B]

Thursday, 11/12:

500 Tempo LBBS:
305x4 @ 6
315x4 @ 7
325x4 @ 8
305x4x2 @ 6, 6.5

My knee pain drastically dissipated between Tuesday and today, but it still didn't feel totally normal. I swapped pause squats out for 500 tempo squats after doing some research on tendinopathy - apparently tempo eccentrics can be good for tendon issues. These actually felt pretty good and moved well. I'm going to make some other adjustments to my programming going forward, namely reducing squat frequency and volume, but I'm feeling pretty encouraged. Maybe I'll be able to do my mock meet after all.

TnG Bench:
245x5 @ 6.5
255x5 @ 7
265x5 @ 8.5
245x5x3 @ 6.5, 6.5, 7

Bench continues to feel really good. Might have to bump up the load next week.

WGBP:
205x8 @ 6
215x8 @ 6.5
225x8 @ 7.5
215x8 @ 7

[Nate B]

Friday, 11/13:

Sumo DL w/ Band:
405x4 @ 7
415x4 @ 7.5
430x4 @ 8.5
395x4x2 @ 6, 6.5

These went pretty well and the knee held up great. I'm starting to think that whatever the little tweak in my patellar tendon was earlier in the week wasn't too serious after all, which is obviously a big relief. I'm still going to play it a little safe with my squat programming going forward, so I'll be pretty pleased if I can still put up decent numbers in my mock meet in spite of that.

Spoto:
235x5 @ 6.5
245x5 @ 7
260x5 @ 9
240x5x3 @ 6.5, 6.5, 7

These went great.

Snatch Grip RDL:
295x8 @ 6
305x8 @ 7
315x8 @ 8
295x8 @ 6.5

Saturday, 11/14:

Pendlay Rows:
195x12x4

Arms & Shoulders:
4 sets of 12-18 reps each

[Nate B]

Sunday, 11/15:

Comp Squat:
425x1 @ 8.5
390x4 @ 9
355x4x3 @ 6-7
385x1 @ 6

On the top single, I descended a little far in my heels and was a little off balance, hence the overshoot. In an effort to try to hit depth more reliably, I tried widening my stance 1/2" or so and turning my toes out a bit more than usual to help cut forward knee travel and open my hips up respectively, so this was likely the culprit. Just need some time to adjust. All the other sets went fine. Tiny bit of knee discomfort by the time I got to the single @ 85% at the end, but not very bad at all and it went away quickly. Encouraging.

Comp Bench:
280x1 @ 6.5
295x1 @ 8.5
280x3 @ 9
255x3x3 @ <6-6
265x1 @ 6

I swear I have the strength 295x1 @ 8, but it didn't happen. Touched a little low on the top single and pressed up too much and not back enough, hence the overshoot. I know "RPE 8 with a misgroove" is a meme lol.

CGBP:
215x4 @ 6
225x4 @ 7
235x4 @ 8.5
215x4x2 @ 6.5, 6.5

Getting more specific with my variations.

[Nate B]

Monday, 11/16:

Comp DL:
515x1 @ 8
465x4 @ 7.5
430x4x3 475x1 @ 6

Surprised myself a little with how easy 465x4 felt.

3ct Pause Bench:
245x3 @ 7
255x3 @ 8
265x3 @ 9
235x3x3 @ 6-6.5

DB Bulgarian Split Squat:
60x14x3 @ 8

Pretty brutal pump. Knee felt good. Might switch back to a barbell variation next week or the week after if the knee feels good to keep comp specificity high leading up to the mock meet.

[Nate B]

Tuesday, 11/17:

Pendlay Rows:
195x12x4

Arms & Shoulders:
4 sets of 12-18 each

[Nate B]

Thursday, 11/19:

300 Tempo Pin Squat:
315x4 @ 6.5
330x4 @ 8
340x4 @ 9
315x4x2 @ 6.5, 7

I'm doing pin squats in this slot as initially planned, but I'm keeping a bit of a tempo in the eccentric portion just to be cautious with the knee (which has been feeling great the past couple days).

TnG Bench:
245x5 @ 6.5
260x5 @ 8
270x5 @ 9
250x5x2 @ 6.5, 7

My 245 --> 260 jump felt about right, so I tried out 270 for the top set @9 and it was spot on.

Larsen Press:
215x6 @ 6
225x6 @ 7.5
230x6x2 @ 8, 8

[Nate B]

Sunday, 11/22:

Comp Squat:
420x1 @ 7.5
435x1 @ 8.5
395x4 @ 8.5
370x4x3 @ 6-7

Pretty good session in spite of a bad headache. Targets for the singles were 7.5 & 8.5 so load selection was spot on. Was between weights and probably could've probably afforded 400x4 (target was RPE 9) but went with the sure thing. Depth looked much better this week - I think slightly widening my stance and turning my toes out a bit more helped. Knee feels pretty much 100% now so that's cool.

Comp Bench:
290x1 @ 7.5
300x1 @ 8.5
240x3x2
260x3x3 @ 6.5-7

Happy with everything here. Technique has been really dialed in for several weeks now without really any cueing. Although I've been capable of it for a while, I think this was technically the first time I've benched 300 lol.

CGBP:
225x4 @ 6.5
235x4 @ 8
245x4 @ 9
225x4x2 @ 7, 7

Chins:
55 reps