jask558 The Bridge training log

[jask558]

Sunday 5.7.2020

deadlift [email protected] 120 kg, [email protected] 130 kg, [email protected] 142.5 kg, [email protected] 142.5 kg, [email protected] 142.5 kg

Equipment used: belt

Notes: 3x5 PR. First sets were a bit low because I feel tight before deadlifts. I can increase them next week.

bench [email protected] 80 kg, [email protected] 85 kg, [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 85 kg

Equipment used: wrist wraps

Notes: I tried to do all sets @8 with 90 kg again. Hard to maintain weight on bar with 7 total sets!

3-0-3 tempo squat [email protected] 60 kg, [email protected] 65 kg, [email protected] 70 kg, [email protected] 70 kg

[TxSprinter]

I've seen quite a few times now you've strived to keep the same weight on the bar for the later sets at the same peak RPE, allowing your actual RPE to get higher. That isn't the intention of the RPE managed training, instead it is better to allow the weight to decrease with subsequent sets and maintain the same RPE. This is to ensure the right balance of stimulus to fatigue ratio, so that you recover properly for the next session (even more important in a more physical job like yours).

How are you determining your RPE for a set?

[jask558]

Sometimes I can keep the same weight on bar (depends on sets). I have realised that I can usually do 2-3 good sets @8 with same weight. As you can see, I have overshoot RPE the most with bench. This might be because there are many bench sets. But I think the main reason for missed reps on bench is the fact that bench is the most important lift for me and I want to lift heavy with bench. My ego at gym affects this too. But overshooting RPE can stall my bench...

How do I determine RPE for sets? Before training I have a weight range for my sets. This is based on RPE estimate calculator and previous sessions. I also try to add weight weekly if possible. Of course I can lower the weights if I have a bad day, which I have done. I think my RPE estimates are pretty accurate, ego on bench is not.

[TxSprinter]

Ha, I definitely understand the ego part, it's hard to battle against at times!

On the RPE point, though, I meant how do you decide after a set whether it was @ 8, 8.5, 9, etc?

[jask558]

For me, set @8 for excample, is "hard" so that doesn't really help. My indicators are bar speed and possible grinding. Sometimes it is more quessing, sometimes less. Of course estimating RPE is not 100 % accurate. Sometimes I video my lifts, it shows bar speed.

[jask558]

Wednesday 8.7.2020

squat [email protected] 107.5 kg, [email protected] 112.5 kg, [email protected] 115 kg, [email protected] 115 kg, [email protected] 115 kg

Equipment used: belt

3ct paused bench [email protected] 80 kg, [email protected] 85 kg, [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 90 kg (Missgroove)

Equipment used: wrist wraps

Notes: First set @9 was pretty good, I had one rep in reserve for sure. I missgrooved with my last set, probably because 3ct paused bench is a new excerise. I have experimented with 1-2ct pauses though.

2ct paused deadlift 1" off the floor [email protected] 100 kg (I paused too high, too light for @7), [email protected] 100 kg (not @8 really), [email protected] 120 kg, [email protected] 120 kg

Equipment used: straps

Notes: I practiced technique with first 2 sets. I can increase them next week.

[jask558]

Friday 10.7.2020

pin squat [email protected] 100 kg, [email protected] 102.5 kg, [email protected] 105 kg (missgroove), [email protected] 100 kg

Equipment used: belt

Notes: Wow, missgrooving really affects these. I dropped the weight for last set because I only got 2 but last set wasn't @9.

press [email protected] 50 kg, [email protected] 52.5 kg, [email protected] 57.5 kg, [email protected] 57.5 kg, [email protected] 57.5 kg, [email protected] 55 kg, [email protected] 55 kg

Equipment used: wrist wraps and belt

Notes: 57.5 kg was my old 5 rm. Now it didn't feel like 5 rm at all. Wrisp wraps broke after last set with 57.5 kg, looks like buying the cheapest wirst wraps is not a good idea. For me, wrist wraps don't really make a difference but I am going to buy new ones because many lifters recommend using wrist wraps.

barbell rows [email protected] 70 kg, [email protected] 75 kg, [email protected] 77.5 kg, [email protected] 77.5 kg, [email protected] 77.5 kg, [email protected] 77.5 kg

Equipment used: -

About GPP This week I counted work as GPP. I might do chins, abs and curls during weekend though.

[jask558]

GPP 11.7.2020

chins in 7 minutes 35 reps

planks in 7 minutes 3 min

Notes: I did straight-arm planks now, I got same time with elbow-planks.

curls in 7 minutes with 15 kg dumbells 36 reps

Notes: 2 more than last time

[jask558]

Sunday 12.7.2020

deadlift [email protected] 125 kg (oops, I should have done 4), [email protected] 135 kg (lol), [email protected] 150 kg, [email protected] 150 kg, [email protected] 150 kg

Equipment used: belt

Notes: Good and bad things happened with deadlifts. 150 kg was my 4rm but now it didn't feel like it. After deadlifts my lower back started hurting, I feel pain when I have to bend over... I think this might be lower back fatique from work and gym. Well, barbell medicine forum is the perfect place to complain about lower back pain.

bench [email protected] 85 kg, [email protected] 87.5 kg, [email protected] 92.5 kg, [email protected] 92.5 kg, [email protected] 92.5 kg, [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 90 kg

Equipment used: belt and wrist wraps for sets @8

Notes: Best bench session so far. I didn't miss reps and my old 5rm 92.5 kg didn't feel like 5rm.

beltess squat

4x100 kg (My lower back couldn't handle this at all so I stopped the set), [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 90 kg

Notes: Not sure if I should have skipped these, lower back was the limiting factor here. Sets @9 with 90 kg were not pain-free. Next week I have a holiday week from work so it is traveling time. I won't be loading my spine with heavy weights during the trip, hopefully lower back gets better soon. I might do some bodyweight training in cottage. We are planning to hike in hills, that might be pretty fun. Week 6 starts after one off-week from heavy lifting.

My progress with the Bridge so far

deadlift 150 kg x [email protected] → 150 kg x [email protected] x 2 sets

bench 92.5 kg x [email protected] → 92.5 kg x [email protected] x 2 sets

press 57.5 kg x [email protected] → 57.5 kg x [email protected] x 2 sets

squat For some reason, no significant progress. We will see what happens with the squat later in the program.

[jask558]

Update 18.7.2020

Lower back is not complitely pain free but I think it is feeling little better. At least it is not feeling worse.

Little to no pain with air squats and air deadlifts. Back hurts with atg squats, squats to parallel are ok. I have been pretty active, hiking at least 8 km/day. Lower back is ok with walking and carrying a back, little to no pain. Currently I feel back pain when I round my back sitting or reaching something for example. No pain when back is straight.

Next lifting day is tuesday or wednesday, work continues on tuesday.

[jask558]

Wednesday 22.7.2020

Little to no lower back pain in work today, boxes were light though.

squat (with belt) [email protected] 130 kg, [email protected] 120 kg, [email protected] 115 kg, [email protected] 110 kg

Notes: No lower back pain with squats. Single with 130 kg moved well, 130 kg is the heaviest weight I have ever squated. Back-off sets felt a bit hard.

3ct paused bench (with belt) [email protected] 87.5 kg, [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 92.5 kg, [email protected] 92.5 kg

Notes: I still don't have new wrist wraps, last time I borrowed them. So, I decited to use a belt. Bench moved ok.

2ct paused deadlift (with straps, no belt)

[email protected] 100 kg, 4 x 110 kg (lower back felt funny), 4x100 kg, 4x100 kg

Notes: Last sets with 100 kg were really not @9 but I wanted to play it save with my lower back. That pause made these feel a bit uncomfortable, I think light regular deadlifts/block pulls would have been fine. Pain is definitely multifactorial, after my set with 110 kg I was worried that I hurt my back again. Nothing serious probably happened, I got a lower back pump from these when my lower back was ok.

[jask558]

Saturday 25.7.2020

Pin squat (with belt)

[email protected] 105 kg, [email protected] 107.5 kg, [email protected] 110 kg, [email protected] 110 kg, [email protected] 110 kg (some missgroove)

Notes: No lower back pain with pin squats. I might have used a bit heavier weights for first sets @9 but this was a pin squat pr though.

press (with belt)

[email protected] 65 kg, [email protected] 60 kg (I overshoot RPE), [email protected] 55 kg, [email protected] 55 kg, [email protected] 55 kg

Notes: Single with 65 kg moved well. For some reason, back off sets felt horrible. There was lots of missgrooving with my back off sets while my form was good with my single. Whatever, smooth 65 kg is a solid pr in press. Looks like wirst wraps don't make any difference in my lifts, I still haven't bought new ones.

EDIT 9.8.2020: Single with 65 kg was probably closer to @9 because today I hit 67.5 kg with same bar speed and I rated it as @9.

barbell rows

[email protected] 75 kg, [email protected] 77.5 kg, [email protected] 80 kg, [email protected] 80 kg, [email protected] 80 kg, [email protected] 80 kg

Notes: Some lower back pain with these so I didn't go that heavy.

barbell curls in 7 minutes with 40 kg 21 reps

Notes: A bit too much weight for amrap in 7 minutes. I haven't really done GPP due to work.

[jask558]

Next session is on Sunday, I try doing 2 session during weekend because there is no work on weekend.

[jask558]

Sunday 26.7.2020

deadlift (with belt)

[email protected] 165 kg (should have been @8, back pain mid rep, PR)

Notes: My lower back wasn't complitely rehabbed before deadlifts today. However, warm ups felt good. There was little back pain during warm ups. Still, 150 kg x 1 moved very easily. I decited to go for 165 kg (PR) based on RPE estimate calculator and warm ups. But I felt pretty bad lower back pain mid rep. I have watched Alan Thrall's lower back injury video. I did like he did, I stopped there and did air squats and air deadlifts. Some lower back pain with air squats, more lower back pain with air deadlifts. Barbell squats were pain free this week but I decited to skip them today. Idk if I was too fast with lower back rehab. This sucks, I though lower back was getting better.

bench (with belt) [email protected] 100 kg, [email protected] 105 kg (should have been @8, PR though), [email protected] 92.5 kg, [email protected] 92.5 kg, [email protected] 92.5 kg, [email protected] 90 kg

Notes: Bench went good today at least.

[jask558]

Thursday 30.7.2020

I have continued to work, it hasn't made the situation worse. Now manual labour counts as "light" deadlift training, there is lots of bending over and lifting. Lower back isn't complitely rehabbed though.

squat (with belt) 135 kg fail, [email protected] 130 kg, [email protected] 120 kg, [email protected] 120 kg???, [email protected] 110 kg, [email protected] 110 kg

Notes: I can squat without lower back pain again. Squats went pretty bad today.

pin bench (with belt) [email protected] 85 kg, [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 92.5 kg, [email protected] 92.5 kg

chins in 7 minutes 32 reps

Notes: I didn't do 2ct paused deadlifts today, instead I did chins. I didn't get as many reps as previously but I did these after other stuff though. I feel like manual labour is enough for my lower back currently, next workout is on Saturda. I am doing rows on Saturday, I will see how those feel.

[jask558]

Sunday 2.8.2020

I didn't do 2 workouts during weekend like I planned but next workout is coming tomorrow though.

pin squat (with belt) [email protected] 100 kg, [email protected] 110 kg, [email protected] 115 kg, [email protected] 115 kg, [email protected] 115 kg

Notes: No back pain with pin squats. I lifted heavier than last week, first set maybe wasn't @7.

press (with belt) [email protected] 65 kg (should have been @8), [email protected] 60 kg, [email protected] 60 kg, [email protected] 57.5 kg, [email protected] 57.5 kg???

Notes: Worst press session I have had in a while, can't hit PR:s every workout though.

barbell rows [email protected] 75 kg, [email protected] 77.5 kg, [email protected] 80 kg, [email protected] 80 kg, [email protected] 80 kg, [email protected] 80 kg

Notes: Some back pain with these so I didn't go very heavy. Bar speed was good and I think that my sets @8 were closer to @7.

[jask558]

Tuesday 4.8.2020

I moved this workout to Tuesday.

deadlifts (with belt)

150 kg x 1 moved easily again, little lower back pain here, good bar speed. Then I decited to go for 155 kg as my top single today (well under my estimated max which is 180 kg based on 150 kg x [email protected] x 2 sets) but I had some lower back pain off floor! I stopped the rep there, I didn't even try to finish the pull.

I decited to do back off sets a bit lighter. Pdf says [email protected] x 4 sets. I decited to try how 140 kg feels, I did 2 reps and stopped due to more lower back pain off floor. Then I moved to 130 kg, it moved well without much lower back pain. In my next set first rep moved well with little lower back pain but I had pretty bad lower back pain with second rep! I stopped deadlifts there.

bench (with belt) 105 kg x 1 miss???, [email protected]@8 100 kg, [email protected] 95 kg, [email protected] 95 kg, [email protected] 95 kg, [email protected] 90 kg

Notes: Idk why and how I missed 105 kg, maybe loading 105 kg after 90 kg x 1 was too big jump. 100 kg moved well tough...

some thoughts I skipped beltless squats due to lower body fatique from work (I went to gym after work again), lower back issues and time isssues, this is a long workout. I quess my lower back would have been ok with squats, probably little back pain at most. Looks like I can't pull a heavy deadlift now, currently I can't even pull 85%.

[jask558]

Friday 7.8.2020

squat (with belt) [email protected] 130 kg, 135 kg fail, [email protected] 120 kg, [email protected] 120 kg

Notes: No lower back pain with squats. 130 kg moved better than before so I went for 135 kg again. Maxing out is a skill for sure.

3ct paused bench (with belt) [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 92.5 kg, [email protected] 95 kg

Notes: Those pauses are brutal.

weighted chin ups [email protected] 20 kg, [email protected] 30 kg PR

Notes: I didn't feel like doing 2ct paused deadlifts, I feel like deadlifting 2x/week is too much right now. I did heavy chin ups instead.

some thoughts After this week, I think that I am running the Bridge again because I saw decent (not great) progress but I could have progressed more without lower back issues for sure.

[jask558]

Sunday 9.8.2020

pin squats (with belt) [email protected] 105 kg, [email protected] 110 kg, [email protected] 115 kg PR

Notes: Again, no lower back pain with pin squats. Pin squats went well today.

press (with belt) [email protected] 65 kg (missgroove), [email protected] 67.5 kg PR, [email protected] 62.5 kg (some missgroove)

Notes: I was going for press PR today. I missgrooved with 65 kg so it was slower than it should have been. I still loaded 67.5 kg and it was a smooth rep. Actually, it moved like 65 kg in 25.7.2020. That 65 kg was probably @9 (same bar speed as today with 67.5 kg) even though I rated it as @8. I might have had 70 kg today @10 which is nice. I feel like heavy press is easier to missgroove than some other lifts.

barbell rows 40 kg x 6, 42.5 kg x 6, 45 kg x 6, 45 kg x 6

Notes: I decited to row really light today due to lower back pain in rows and deadlifts. However, this really wasn't enough stimulus for my upper back, I might have to find some other row variation. I had little lower back pain with these, nothing serious though.