Nate's Log

[Nate B]

Wednesday, 9/1:

BW: 210.6

Pin Squat:
315x4 @ 6
325x4 @ 7
335x4 @ 8.5

I feel like somewhat heavy pin squats are a good choice right now since it will both help with a controlled, balanced descent (want to hit the pins softly) and with confidence out of the hole. 335 felt worse than it moved on video. Thought about rating it as a true RPE 8 based on that, but stuck with my initial assessment. Room to improve.

TnG Bench:
235x6 @ 6
245x6 @ 7.5
250x6 @ 8

Larsen Press:
185x10 @ 6
195x10 @ 6.5
205x10 @ 8

[Nate B]

Thursday, 9/2:

BW: 211

Sumo DL w/ bands:
405x4 @ 6.5
415x4 @ 7
425x4 @ 8

Used two red mini bands for these. Just logging straight weight since, as long as I'm using the same bands, the exact tension doesn't really matter. I think I get about 50-60 lbs. total from the two of them, though.

Spoto Press:
225x6 @ 6
235x6 @ 7
245x6 @ 8

SLDL:
295x10 @ 5
315x10 @ 7
325x10 @ 8

Pullups:
AMRAP w/ bodyweight = 13, 12, 10, 9

[Nate B]

Sunday, 9/5:

BW: 211.4

Comp Squat:
415x1 @ 7.5
350x5 @ 6.5
335x5x4 @ 5-6.5

What a difference a (low stress) week makes. Felt great for these and my technique was clicking. Just trying to get back to where I was like 4 months ago!

Comp Bench:
295x1 @ 8.5
265x4 @ 8
225x5x4 @ 4-5

Kind of an artificial overshoot on the top single. 265x4 @ 8 confirmed it. The guy I had spot me/give me a liftoff had never done it before, and I'm honestly not sure if he'd ever benched before. It was just him and I in the gym, so I didn't really have any other options (besides a self lift off I guess). After explaining what to do, the liftoff went fine, except he wouldn't let go of the bar...I had to tell him like three times before he finally did. By that point, I had to take a bracing breath again and reset my shoulders, and the lift was just off. Stuff happens.

DB Bench:
95s x10x3 @ 8-9

EZ Bar Cable Curls:
110x14x4 @ 8-9

DB Lateral Raises:
20s x15x4 @ 8-9

[Nate B]

Monday, 9/6:

BW: 212.2 (eating and drinking good this weekend)

Comp DL:
525x1 @ 8.5
440x5 @ 6.5
420x5x3 @ 5-6

Not my best execution on the top single. I take my breath at the top and try to set my grip and pull slack pretty quick. Works great usually but I initially gripped a little wide on my pronated left hand and had to regrip, which threw me off just enough for a half RPE overshoot I think. Everything else went fine, though.

3-1-0 Tempo Bench:
255x4 @ 9
225x4x4 @ 5-6

SSB Platz Squat:
220x10 @ 6
230x10 @ 7
240x10x2 @ 7.5-8

Low Row Machine:
+230x14x4 @ 8-9

[Nate B]

Wednesday, 9/8:

BW: 212

Pin Squat:
315x4 @ 6
335x4 @ 8
345x4 @ 9
315x4x2 @ 6.5

Fairly happy with these.

TnG Bench:
235x6 @ 6
245x6 @ 7
255x6 @ 8
230x6x2 @ 5-6

Larsen Press:
185x10 @ 6
195x10 @ 6.5
205x10x2 @ 8

Leg Extensions:
190x15x2 @ 7

[Nate B]

Thursday, 9/9:

BW: forgot

Sumo DL w/ bands:
405x4 @ 6.5
425x4 @ 8
440x4 @ 9
405x4x2 @ 6.5-7

Again, add two red minis to the load.

Spoto Press:
225x6 @ 6
245x6 @ 8
255x6 @ 9.5
225x6x3 @ 6-ish

Little overshoot.

SLDL:
295x10 @ 6
305x10 @ 7
315x10x2 @ 7.5-8

Wasn't feeling quite as strong for these as last week.

High Row Machine:
+200x15x4 @ 8-9

[Nate B]

Monday, 9/13:

BW: forgot again

Comp Squat:
415x1 @ 8
350x5 @ 7
330x5x4 @ 5-6.5

415 didn't move quite as smoothly as it did last week, but still a pretty solid 1@8. I'm cautiously optimistic that my squat is moving in the right direction again - something in the realm of 420-425 might be there by the end of the block if all continues to go well.

Comp Bench:
295x1 @ 8.5
265x4 @ 8
225x5x4 @ 4-5

Small overshoot on the top single again. No bad liftoff this time, just didn't execute how I wanted.

DB Bench:
95s x10x3 @ 8-9

DB Hammer Curls:
45s x15x4 @ 8-10

DB Lateral Raises:
AMRAP w/ 25s, 20s, 15s, 12s (30s rest between sets)

[Nate B]

Tuesday, 9/14:

BW: 214.2 (prob just water retention, but I'll take it as a sign that I might need to start taking my nutrition a little more seriously again)

Comp DL:
530x1 @ 8
445x5 @ 6.5
425x5x3 @ 5-6

Nice single and a big improvement from last week. I seem to be handling the transition from heavy top triples to top singles better than I have in the past, although this could be due to the fact that I only rotated in the 3@8s for one mesocycle.

3-1-0 Tempo Bench:
255x4 @ 9
225x4x4 @ 5-6

Had to skip Platz squats and rows due to time constraints. I'll see if I can get them in on my "rest" day or in other training sessions this week.

[Nate B]

Thursday, 9/16:

BW: 213.8

Pin Squat:
315x4 @ 6
335x4 @ 7.5
345x4 @ 8.5
315x4x2 @ 6.5

Probably should've trusted the RPE 7.5 rating for 335x4 and jumped to 350 for the target RPE 9 set, but still happy to move 345 a little easier than last time.

SSB Platz Squat:
220x10 @ 6
240x10x3 @ 7.5-8.5

Decided to try to make these up from my day 2 session after doing pin squats. Just swapped the straight bar for the SSB, did a set with my 10@6 load from last week, and jumped straight to the 10@8 and did an additional set with that for the sake of time/laziness. Legs felt pretty cooked afterward and have some slight DOMS from basically doing 9 sets of squats in one session, but the work got done. Grateful to have somewhat decent conditioning lol.

TnG Bench:
235x6 @ 6
245x6 @ 7
255x6 @ 8.5
230x6x2 @ 5-6

Larsen Press:
185x10 @ 6
195x10 @ 6.5
205x10x2 @ 8-8.5

[Nate B]

Friday, 9/17:

BW: 210.2

Sumo DL w/ bands:
405x4 @ 6
425x4 @ 7.5
440x4 @ 8.5
405x4x2 @ 6-6.5

Two red minis yet again plus the loads above. These went really well. Guess I might have to bump the load up next week.

Spoto Press:
225x6 @ 6
245x6 @ 7.5
255x6 @ 9
225x6x3 @ 5-6

Almost rated the top set with 255 @ 8.5, but stuck with the @9 rating. Had a decently strong day today.

SLDL:
295x10 @ 5
305x10 @ 6.5
315x10x2 @ 7-8

Probably should’ve used 325 for the two sets of 10@8.

High Row Machine:
+200x15x4 @ 8-9

[Nate B]

Sunday, 9/19:

BW: 211.2

Comp Squat:
420x1 @ 8
355x5x2 @ 6.5-7
335x5x3 @ 6-6.5

Very pleased with the 5 lbs jump on the 1@8. Feels like it's been a long, frustrating road, but I'm slowly but surely getting very close to the loads I was lifting leading into my mock meet last December. Hopefully I can keep riding the wave and build some momentum for a nice PR this December.

Comp Bench:
300x1 @ 8
275x4 @ 9
240x5x4 @ 5-6.5

300 was a solid single, but not solid enough to justify an attempt with 275 for a 4@8. 270 probably would've been the right load, and I knew it, but I kinda just didn't want to load up 270 when I already had 2 plates and a 25 on the bar from the single. I'll try to not be so lazy next week.

DB Bench:
95s x10x3 @ 8.5-9.5

I think the bit higher stress on comp bench wiped me out a little more than usual for these. Might try 90s next week or just not worry about overshooting a little because it's just a DB bench 3x10.

EZ Bar Cable Curls:
100x18x2, 16x2 @ 8-9

DB Lateral Raises:
20s x15x3, 13x1 @ 8-9

[Nate B]

Monday, 9/20:

BW: 211

Comp DL:
535x1 @ slippi
535x1 @ 8.5
445x5x2 @ 6.5-7
422x5x2 @ 5.5-6

Whoopsie. I lost the first crack at 535x1 just above my knees because my grip slipped on my pronated hand - first time I can remember failing a deadlift because of grip. I think the culprits were the humidity in the gym (warm, rainy day) and applying chalk too early. The second attempt actually moved at about an RPE 8 speed, but because I was worried about my grip in the back of my mind, I kinda rushed off the floor, which for me means my hips shot up early, chest dipped, and my back took over a little too much - definitely felt harder than the speed indicated, and I wasn't 100% confident in two more reps with that degree of technique breakdown. Got some stuff to clean up, but I'm confident the strength is there.

3-1-0 Tempo Bench:
255x4 @ 8.5
225x4x5 @ 5-6

Felt extra explosive off the chest today. Yes, besides the top set I'm talking about 4s @ 75%, so they should be moving pretty fast, but they just felt extra fast, idk.

SSB Platz Squat:
220x10 @ <6
240x10 @ 7
250x10x2 @ 8

Low Row Machine:
+230x15x2, 14x2 @ 8-9

[Nate B]

Thursday, 9/16:

BW: 211.4

Pin Squat:
315x4 @ 6
335x4 @ 8
345x4 @ 9
315x4x3 @ 6.5-7

TnG Bench:
225x6 @ 5
245x6 @ 7
255x6 @ 8
235x6x2 @ 6-ish

Larsen Press:
185x10 @ <6
195x10 @ 6.5
205x10x2 @ 8-9

Leg Extension Machine:
+190x18x2 @ 8-9

Pullups:
BWx12x3, 10x1 @ 8-9

[Nate B]

Thursday, 9/23:

BW: 211.8

Sumo DL w/ bands:
405x4 @ 6
430x4 @ 8
445x4 @ 9
410x4x3 @ 6-6.5

+2 red minis. 5 lbs increase was pretty on target.

Spoto Press:
225x6 @ 6
245x6 @ 8
255x6 @ 9
230x6x3 @ 6-ish

SLDL:
295x10 @ 5
315x10 @ 7
325x10x2 @ 8

Better effort this week.

DB Hammer Curls:
40s x18x4 @ 8-9

DB LTE:
40s x12x4 @ 8-9

[Nate B]

Sunday, 9/26:

BW: 215.2 (probably mostly bloat, but nutrition was also absolute trash over the weekend)

Comp Squat:
420x1 @ 8
355x5x2 @ 6.5-7
335x5x3 @ 6-6.5

The single might've been a tad high depth-wise, but I think the strength was there regardless.

Comp Bench:
300x1 @ 8
270x4 @ 8
240x5x4 @ 5-6.5

300 moved well. 270 was much more on target for a 4@8 than 275 was last week.

DB Bench:
95s x10x3 @ 8-9

DB Hammer Curls:
45s x15x4 @ 8-9

DB Lateral Raises:
25s x12x4 @ 8-9