Codger's Quest

[codgerus maximus]

If you follow what Austin's been up to recently, you'll be pleasantly surprised that know that you don't have to pull "heavy" all the time to make substantial progress.

Shocked the hell out of me it did...

Thanks for pointing that out, Chas. It's very encouraging.

Today: Week 2 day 3

Squat with 80 pounds of chains, no belt: 310 (230 on bar plus 80 pounds chains)[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected], 315x4x1. Four to five minutes rest. I'm actually enjoying these chain squats. It's interesting getting to the bottom of the movement and feeling the load become much, much lighter.

Touch and go bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 205x5x1. Four to five minutes rest

DB press: 38.75 (each)[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 43.75x10x1. Three to four minutes rest.

Upper back work, amrap in 7 minutes. Single-arm DB row, 75 pounds: 22 total reps; lat pull down, 115 pounds: 22 total reps.

Yesterday did some GPP: about an hour of high-incline walking on my treadmill, plus DB curls: [email protected] and triceps press downs: [email protected]

My weight this morning before breakfast: 182 pounds.

[gymdad150]

...My weight this morning before breakfast: 182 pounds.

Really good work there, congrats!

[codgerus maximus]

Really good work there, congrats!

Thanks, Chas. For now I'd have to weigh-in before breakfast to make it into the 83 kg class at a meet. Later in the day after a meal I'm usually a bit over 184. So I might need to lose another couple of pounds.

Today: week 2 day 4

Banded deadlift, no belt: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 345x4x2. Four to five minutes rest.

Slingshot bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 245x4x3. Four to five minutes rest.

Lever row: 45 (only counting plates on bar)[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 50x10x1. Two to four minutes rest.

[codgerus maximus]

Week 3 day 1 on the Powerlifting II template

Squat with belt: [email protected]; [email protected]; 262.5x5x4. Four to five minutes rest.

Comp bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; 195x4x5 (reps, sets). Three to five minutes rest.

Press: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 100x8x1. Four minutes rest.

Upper back work, amrap in 7 minutes. Single-arm DB row with 75 pounds: 18 total reps; lat pull down with 115 pounds: 20 total reps.

About an hour on the treadmill yesterday plus some GPP work: DB curls: [email protected]; triceps press down: [email protected]

[codgerus maximus]

Week 3 day 2

Deadlift with belt: 420x1x8; [email protected]; 342.5x5x4. Four to five minutes rest.

Floor press: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 190x6x1. Four to five minutes rest. Failed on the last (6th) rep of the third set, which surprised me.

3-0-3 tempo squat, no belt: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 180x10x1. Four minutes rest. I hate these things, especially at the end of a long workout. The high reps, the pauses, the breathing...arrgh. I wanted to bail after the first set...

[gymdad150]

Tempo Squats...heh...lol...

Yeah they suck!

[codgerus maximus]

Week 3 day 3

Didn't sleep well the other night so everything felt a bit off today.

Squat with 80 pound chains, no belt: [email protected] (weight on bar including chains); [email protected]; [email protected]; 305x4x1. Four to five minutes rest. I was planning on going for a top set of 330. Wasn't going to happen today! I thought 305 would be an RPE 7...

Touch and go bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 205x5x1. Four to five minutes rest. Last week 215 felt like a 9.

DB press: 40 (each DB) [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 45x10x1. Four minutes rest.

Upper back work, amrap in 7 minutes. Single-arm DB row with 75 pounds: 20 total reps; lat pull down with 115: 22 total reps.

[codgerus maximus]

Week 3 day 4

Banded deadlift, no belt (30-pound resistance band--the rogue red monster band) [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 350x4x2. Four to five minutes rest.

Slingshot bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 247.5x4x2. Four to five minutes rest.

Single-arm DB row: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 70x10x1. Three to four minutes rest. The template called for lever rows, but I did DB rows instead. I tried the lever rows for the first two weeks of the template but didn't like them. I get a better range of motion with the DBs, and it's easier to gauge the RPE. Maybe I'm missing something but I don't see any advantage to doing lever rows over DB rows, unless you don't have heavy dumbbells. (I have a nice old set of powerblocks and they're great--easily adjustable from 5 pounds to 90 for each block.)

DB curl: 35 (each DB) [email protected] Three minutes rest.

Triceps press down: [email protected] Three minutes rest.

[codgerus maximus]

Week 4 day 1 on the Powerlifting II template.

Squat with belt: 325x1xfail! [email protected]?? 227.5x5x4. Four to five minutes rest. First time I've ever failed on a squat outside of a meet. The single at 325 was the same weight I've done for the last 2 weeks but today I stalled halfway out of the hole. Couldn't believe it. I have been experiencing some soreness in my right femur. So I tried to readjust the RPEs for the day. It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow with the deadlift.

Comp bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; 195x4x5. Four to five minutes rest.

Press: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 100x8x2. Three to four minutes rest.

Upper back work, amrap in 7 minutes. Single-arm DB row with 70 pounds: 20 total reps; lat pull down with 115: 20 total reps.

[codgerus maximus]

Week 4 day 2

Deadlift with belt: [email protected]; [email protected]; 347.5x5x4. Four to five minutes rest. These felt fine. I wasn't sure how today would go after failing at yesterday's squat target.

Floor press: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 190x6x2. Four to five minutes rest.

3-0-3 tempo squat, no belt: empty bar [email protected]?? [email protected]?? [email protected]?? 95x10x1. Three minutes rest. I wanted to go very light with these today to see how my sore hip/femur would respond. Everything felt fine with these light loads.

DB curl: 32.5 (each DB)[email protected] Two to three minutes rest.

Triceps press down: [email protected] Two to three minutes rest.

[codgerus maximus]

Week 4 day 3

Squat with 80 pounds of chains, no belt: 265 (including chains)[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 265x4x2. Four to five minutes rest. I dialed these back a bit to see how my sore right leg responded. All the sets felt good.

Touch and go bench. [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 197.5x5x4. Four to five minutes rest.

Incline DB press. 45 (each DB) [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 55x10x2. Three minutes rest.

Upper back work, amrap in 7 minutes. Single-arm DB row with 70 pounds: 20 total reps; lat pull down with 115: 20 total reps.

Weight still hovering around 182 first thing in the morning. By 3pm, after 2 meals, I was up to 185. Still trying to shed a couple of pounds to put me firmly at 83 kg.

[gymdad150]

Glad to hear that your leg is no bothering you too terribly.

[codgerus maximus]

Glad to hear that your leg is no bothering you too terribly.

Thanks, Chas. I think I irritated something in my leg a couple of weeks ago when I overreached a bit with chain squats, doing 4 reps at 330 (including chain weight). I don't think I was quite ready for that level of intensity. My next heavy squat day will be on Tuesday; hoping I don't have to back off too much.

Today, Week 4 day 4 on the Powerlifting II template:

Banded deadlift, no belt: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 360x4x2. Four to five minutes rest.

Slingshot bench: 246.25 (love those microplates) [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 248.75x4x2. Four to five minutes rest.

Pendlay row: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 152.5x10x1. Three to four minutes rest.

DB curl: 32.5 (each DB) [email protected] Two to three minutes rest.

Triceps press down: [email protected] Two to three minutes rest.

[codgerus maximus]

Week 5 day 1 on Powerlifting II template

Squat with belt: [email protected]; [email protected]? 227.5x5x4. Three to four minutes rest. Still taking it easy with the squat, seeing how my leg reacts. So far so good.

Comp bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; 195x4x5. Three to four minutes rest.

Press: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 95x9x2. Three to four minutes rest.

[codgerus maximus]

Week 5 day 2

Deadlift with belt: [email protected]; [email protected]; 347.5x5x4. Four to five minutes rest. These felt strong today. Should be able to add 5 pounds next week.

Floor press: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 190x6x2. Three to four minutes rest.

5-3-0 tempo squat, no belt: [email protected]? [email protected]? [email protected]? 120x10x1. Three minutes rest. It's really hard for me to gauge the RPEs on these high-rep tempo squats. I went very light to baby my right leg. All the reps felt good, and I actually appreciated the opportunity to focus on my form.

Tomorrow: GPP with upper back and arm work, abs, and some time on the dreadmill.