Codger's Quest

[codgerus maximus]

Week 10 day 3

Pin squat, below parallel, no belt: [email protected]; [email protected]; 272.5x3x3. Three to four minutes rest.

Touch and go bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; 220x3x3. Three to four minutes rest.

Wide-grip bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Three minutes rest.

I was hoping the heavy touch-and-go single would feel like an 8, but not today. And the triple at 230 felt like a 10, 9.5 at best, when it was slotted to be an RPE 9 effort. I'll see how things feel next week. Might have to drop a few pounds to meet the prescribed RPEs.

[codgerus maximus]

Week 10 day 4

Two-inch deficit deadlift, no belt: [email protected]; [email protected]; 372.5x3x3. Three to four minutes rest.

Close-grip bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; 203.75x3x3. Three to four minutes rest.

Good morning: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Two to three minutes rest.

[gymdad150]

That's strong work for no belt!

I'm still not there yet, though I have started to go longer without a belt as I warm up...it's a process.

[codgerus maximus]

Thanks, Chas! The BBM template I'm following now has me deadlifting twice a week--once with a belt and once without a belt. The belt-less session is usually a deadlift variation--paused or at a deficit. I think it has really helped me.

And you don't seem to be letting your knee problem hold you back. In the meantime I'll continue pouring libations to the lifting gods that everything clicks into place for you for Daytona!

[slowmotion]

Hi codger, looks like the lifting is going well! Strong deadlift work!

[codgerus maximus]

Thanks, Jan! I'm always relieved when my deadlift sets are finished. They make everything that follows seem easy!

[codgerus maximus]

Week 11 day 1 on the Strength 3 template.

Squat with belt: [email protected]; [email protected]; 256.25x5x2; 290x3x3. Three to four minutes rest.

Comp bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 221.25x2x3. Three to four minutes rest.

Feet-up bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; 180x6x3. Two to three minutes rest.

[codgerus maximus]

Week 11 day 2

Deadlift with belt: [email protected]; [email protected]; 362.5x5x2; 410x3x3. Three to four minutes rest.

Pin bench, chest height: [email protected]; [email protected]; 197.5x3x3. Three minutes rest.

Squat, no belt: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Two to three minutes rest.

The pin bench felt really strong. The single went up fast, definitely an RPE 8, and I was expecting the triple with 215 to feel like an RPE 9 but I'm pretty sure there were 2 solid reps left in the old codger tank.

[codgerus maximus]

Week 11 day 3

Pin squat, below parallel, no belt: [email protected]; [email protected]; 275x3x2. Three to four mintues rest.

Touch and go bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; 213.75x3x3. Three to four minutes rest.

Wide-grip bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Three minutes rest.

Some light pain in my lower left back, probably from my deadlfits the other day, but it didn't interfere with the squats today. I'll see how it feels tomorrow when I'm supposed to do some deficit deadlifts and good mornings.

[codgerus maximus]

Week 11 day 4

My lower left back was complaining a bit today so I decided to baby it. I was supposed to start today's workout with two-inch deficit deadlifts but they felt a bit painful so I switched to RDLs for 5 sets of 8 reps with 185 pounds with a minute or two rest between sets.

Then: close-grip bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; 205x3x3. Three to four minutes rest.

I was supposed to finish with good mornings but they felt a little painful as well, so I went with a couple of sets of body-weight Bulgarian split squats: 2 sets of 8.

I'm going to skip the last two weeks of this template, which are designed as a run-up to a meet. Since there's no meet on the horizon for me I'm going to move on to a hypertrophy block. I'll be trying a 7-week hypertrophy template designed by Mike Tuchscherer of Reactive Training Systems. I believe that Mike is, or was, one of Jordan's coaches, and from what I understand he was an early advocate of applying RPE to strength training.

[gymdad150]

Sorry about the cranky back...
Doing a RTS block, nice. I believe you are correct about Mike and Jordan.
This should be a learning experience for us all...

[codgerus maximus]

Sorry about the cranky back...
Doing a RTS block, nice. I believe you are correct about Mike and Jordan.
This should be a learning experience for us all...

I'm looking forward to the new program. Once you purchase a specific template--say, the 7-week Hypertrophy program that I chose--RTS sends you a week of programming at a time. The programming for each subsequent week is based on your performance the previous week--they call it an "adaptive template."

[codgerus maximus]

Transitioning to the RTS hypertrophy block, which I'll officially start next week. But they sent me a pdf that outlines the program so I'm kind of testing the waters this week.

Squat with belt: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Three to four minutes rest.

Close-grip floor press: [email protected]; [email protected]; 185x6x[email protected] to four minutes rest.

Pendlay row: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Three minutes rest.

My back felt more or less normal during the workout. The volume and intensity were quite a bit less than what I've been doing recently with the Strength 3 template. It's a nice break, and I feel fresh after today's workout.

[codgerus maximus]

Day 2 of the RTS transition week

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

Deadlift with belt: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Four to five minutes rest.

Dips: body weight [email protected]; plus 10 pounds [email protected]; plus 25 pounds [email protected] These were supposed to be at RPE 7, 8, and 9, so I'll have to up the weight a bit next time.

Deadlifts felt good--my back didn't complain. I think I switched to a hypertrophy block just in time. Heavy singles were starting to wear me down a bit.

[codgerus maximus]

Day 3

Touch and go bench: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Three minutes rest.

Bulgarian split squat: body weight [email protected]; with 20-pound dumbbells: [email protected]; [email protected] Three minutes rest. First time doing these--challenging in a good way.

Lever row with my new landmine and parallel grip handle: 90 (two 45s on end of the bar) [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Three minutes rest.