jask558 The Bridge training log

[jask558]

Wednesday 12.8.2020

The Bridge cycle 2 week 1

squat (with belt) [email protected] 110 kg, [email protected] 112.5 kg, [email protected] 115 kg

Notes: I went 2.5 kg heavier than in cycle 1 but RPE was the same.

close grip bench (with belt) [email protected] 85 kg, [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 95 kg (missgroove), [email protected] 95 kg

Notes: Close grip bench felt stronger than in cycle 1. First 2 sets were heavier than in cycle 1. I was a bit too confident after first 2 sets and I went for 95 kg. I would have had 92.5 kg [email protected] today which is 2.5 kg heavier than in cycle 1.

Instead of block pulls, I did some GPP stuff: 7 min chins and 7 min triceps. Jordan recommended 5-3-0 RDL:s due to lower back pain in deadlifts, I do them on workout 3. It is unlikely that I detrain in deadlifts because lifting in general will avoid detraining.

chins in 7 min 32 reps

Notes: My best is 35 reps so 32 after other stuff is ok. Seems like bodyweight chins in 7 min work for increasing weighted chins as well, I hit 3x30 kg PR last week.

lying triceps exctensions in 7 min with 15 kg dumbells 29 reps

Notes: I did these Rippetoe-style, all the way down and all the way up.

[jask558]

Saturday 15.8.2020

Pretty bad training session. I did lat pulldowns istead of bb rows due to lower back pain.

2ct paused squat (with belt) [email protected] 100 kg, [email protected] 105 kg, [email protected] 110 kg

press (with belt) [email protected] 50 kg, [email protected] 55 kg, [email protected] 57.5 kg (should have been @8)

lat pulldowns 8x77 kg, 8x81 kg, 5x86 kg, 8x77 kg

[jask558]

Sunday 16.8.2020

Again, pretty bad training session. Wednesday's session was pretty good though. I still have lower back pain.

5-3-0 RDL Experimenting 3x8-10 with 40 kg

Notes: Sometimes I Iost rep count with these because there is lots of counting here lol.

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

Notes: Idk what happended with last set. The worst bench set in a while.

[jask558]

Wednesday 19.8.2020

Pretty good session overall.

squat (with belt) [email protected] 105 kg, [email protected] 110 kg, [email protected] 115 kg, [email protected] 115 kg, [email protected] 110 kg

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

Notes: [email protected] 92.5 kg is a close grip bench PR.

chin ups [email protected], [email protected] (only 1 minute rest)

[jask558]

Saturday 22.8.2020

Pretty bad session.

2ct paused squat (with belt) [email protected] 100 kg, [email protected] 105 kg, [email protected] 110 kg, [email protected] 110 kg

Notes: Not the best but not the worst squat day.

Today I decited to do bench instead of press. I decited to do press tomorrow.

bench (with belt) [email protected] 85 kg, [email protected] 87.5 kg, [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 85 kg, [email protected] 87.5 kg??? (I got pinned under 87.5 kg wtf)

Notes: Bad bench session. Idk why this was so bad, I hit a close grip bench PR on Wednesday. Getting pinned on bench is rare for me. I was very mad after getting pinned under 87.5 kg, I though about stopping the Bridge and buying Powerbuilding 1. But I wouldn't like to buy it now because I can't do heavy deadlifts...

Next I experimented with BB rows. I did 60 kg for 5 reps, I had some lower back pain so I didn't do rows today. Then I did 9 chin [email protected], not the best day for chins either.

row machine 90 kg x [email protected], 90 kg x [email protected] (Only minute rest)

Notes: 90 kg is the full stack in my gym's row machine hahaha. Pretty funny to lift ALL the weight for sets of 10.

[jask558]

Sunday 23.8.2020

press (with belt) [email protected] 50 kg, [email protected] 52.5 kg, [email protected] 55 kg, [email protected] 55 kg, [email protected] 52.5 kg, [email protected] 52.5 kg (I should have rested 3 minutes instead of 2 here, 5 [email protected] with 52.5 kg felt pretty easy)

I decited to try block pulls.

block pulls below the knee (with belt) 60 kg x 5, 100 kg x 5, 120 kg x 5, 140 kg x [email protected]

Notes: Less back pain than with regular deadlifts, these went surprisingly well. I could deadlift pretty heavy with these as well. To be honest, I really didn't have back pain with these even though my back is not complitely pain free. I worked up to a set of [email protected] This means that I can do block pulls as they are programmed in later sessions, I might add some tempo when lowering the weight though to limit what I can lift and still hit RPE 8 for example (I am still not confident hitting a high RPE with any pull).

barbell curls in 7 min with 32.5 kg 31 reps+8 reps

Notes: I did 8 reps before I started doing curls in 7 min because I forgot to put the timer on haha.

[jask558]

Saturday 29.8.2020

I skipped Wednesday's session. I had evening shift this week and I find it hard to find time and energy to workout during evening shift weeks. I also had to cycle to work this week so that was extra fatique too.

Squat rack was being used so I started with close grip bench.

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

Notes: Close grip bench went well, first time I did 2 sets with 92.5 kg.

squat (with belt) [email protected] (should have been @6 wow) 100 kg, [email protected] 100 kg, [email protected] 100 kg

Notes: Weak squating today. Last time I squated I did 115 kg x [email protected], now I did 15 kg less? I think this is because I had to cycle to work this week and there were lots of containers at work. I skipped 2 sets due to fatique. I never though it would be possible to squat 15 kg less than previous week!

I decited to do bb rows instead of block pulls today.

barbell rows 50 kg x 5, 70 kg x [email protected], 70 kg x [email protected], 77.5 kg x [email protected]

Notes: I tried how bb rows feel in my lower back. Surprisingly, these didn't feel as bad as previously, not much pain. I wanted to prove to myself that I don't break my back every time I pull a barbell.

[jask558]

Sunday 30.8.2020

2ct paused squat (with belt) [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 95 kg, [email protected] 100 kg

Notes: Legs felt crushed. I skipped 1 set because of that.

press (with belt) [email protected] 50 kg, [email protected] 52.5 kg, [email protected] 55 kg???, [email protected] 55 kg (I stopped the set, reps would have been very grindy), [email protected] 50 kg, [email protected] 50 kg

Notes: Bad pressing today, idk why. Front delts were a bit sore from close grip bench.

chins in 7 min 35 reps

Notes: Ties PR. But this was after other stuff.

[jask558]

Wednesday 2.9.2020

I skipped workout 3 and just started week 4.

squat (with belt) [email protected] 100 kg, [email protected] 105 kg, [email protected] 110 kg, [email protected] 110 kg, [email protected] 110 kg, [email protected] 110 kg

Notes: Squat is coming back. I did 4 sets @8 with same weight which is something I usually can't do, interesting. Maybe first sets were lighter than @8 or then my work capasity is better. Idk, difference between @7 and @8 is nuanced haha.

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

Notes: I felt a bit tired when I was doing 3rd set, probably from squats. I missgrooved a bit during that set and it slowed the reps. Anyways, close grip bench has been going well lately.

block pulls (mid shin, with belt) 5x60 kg, 5x100 kg, 3x105 kg (lower back pop), 7x100 kg

Notes: I decited to try mid shin block pulls because I had no pain with below the knee block pulls. I used a belt with these because Jordan recommended using a belt in BBM video if you have lower back injuries and it reminds me to stay tight. I decited to do [email protected] with 105 kg because warm ups (60 kg and 100 kg) moved well. I had little lower back pop with that set so I stopped the set. I walked around and it didn't feel that bad so I lowered the weight to 100 kg and did a set of 7 with it. No pops with 100 kg for some reason. This means that I keep doing below the knee block pulls because I currently can't do RPE with these.

I quess that pop made the lower back feel a bit worse 12-24 hours after the workout, I stick to block pulls below the knee for a while as I said.

[TxSprinter]

I always wear my belt for all squats, deadlift and OHP, even if the BBM program says not to, because I've also had a couple of painful back tweaks in the past, and like you say it gives a good reminder to stay tight and focus on that each rep/set.

[jask558]

That sounds like a good idea. Btw how is your hamstring doing?

[TxSprinter]

Well, it was going pretty well, gradually increasing the weights in the squat and restarted deadlifting but just at light weights (I'd progressed back up to 130kg for easy sets of 5)...until Wednesday night

I'd squatted 132.5kg for a double on Monday before back off work, so on Wed I did a triple at 130kg and decided to then do a single at 135kg (which should still be comfortable). And so it turned out..it moved so smoothly that in that split second I decided to turn it into a double. However, when I was a couple of inches back up out of the hole my hamstring popped again and I had to dump the bar

It's put me back a couple of weeks. It felt like it did about 3 days after I originally injured it. Very frustrating, but perhaps a valuable lesson for how slowly and gradually to build things back up this time! If only I'd stuck to the original plan of a single, it would probably still be fine now!

[jask558]

Saturday 5.9.2020

I skipped gym today, I was feeling pretty tired. Lower back issues decrease my training motivation a bit. However, I have a chin up bar at home. I haven't done max chins in a while so I decited to do max chins for fun.

chin ups 15 [email protected] (at 85 kg bw)

Notes: My all-time chin up PR is 20. That was when I was skinny and couldn't even bench bodyweight (which was under 70 kg). I have always been pretty good at chin ups and not so good at barbell lifts. Lately I haven't been focusing on max chins and I don't currently care that much about my max chins. I am happy with 15 currently. Instead of doing 20 chins again, I'd rather bench 3 plates for example. In my option, chin ups are overrated in fitness because you can be skinny and have no muscle mass and still do lots of chin ups.

[jask558]

Sunday 6.9.2020

I decited to try how sumo deadlifts feel in my lower back. I have never done a sumo deadlift before.

sumo deadlift [email protected] 120 kg, [email protected] 120 kg, [email protected] 120 kg

Notes: No lower back pops here. I'd say that these were somewhat tolerable (not 100 % pain free) and those sets were @8 really. Sumo is new for me so technique needs some work, pulling sumo felt odd. Currently my sumo numbers are about 30 kg less than my best conventional numbers before the injury. Some people pull more with sumo, I might be stronger with conventional.

bench [email protected] 80 kg, [email protected] 87.5 kg, [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 85 kg, [email protected] 85 kg, [email protected] 85 kg

Notes: Weak benching again, no idea why. Close grip has been going well but normal bench isn't going well? Makes no sense.

3-0-3 Experimenting with 60 kg

Notes: I missed these haha. I felt like I was rushing the count once again so I didn't go heavier than 60 kg here.

I try to do all 3 workouts next week.

[jask558]

I just purchased Powerbuilding 1, that sale got me.

[jask558]

Wednesday 9.9.2020

It's time to start PB 1.

squat (with belt) [email protected] or something 100 kg (too light), [email protected] 110 kg (too light again), [email protected] 117.5 kg PR

Notes: Wow, squat went well. My latest squat sessions have been bad. First 2 sets were too light so I use more weight for them next time.

press (with belt) [email protected] 50 kg, [email protected] 52.5 kg (oops I overshoot RPE), [email protected] 52.5 kg

Notes: Ok press session, not the best but not the worst.

romanian deadlift 10x70 kg, 10x80kg, 10x90 kg

Notes: I have never done these before. No lower back pops and stuff here. Hard to rate PRE for these, set 1 and set 2 were limited by grip. I put straps and belt on for last set and it moved pretty well. I might have to add like 20 kg to these next time. Not a problem though, I am happy that I didn't have lower back issues with these.

barbell curls with 30 kg 12, 12, 9 (1 min rest)

Notes: Curls for powerbuilding.

[jask558]

Saturday 12.9.2020

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

Notes: Bench is going well again, nice.

squat [email protected] 80 kg (undershot RPE), [email protected] 90 kg, [email protected] 92.5 kg

Notes: Sets of 10 on squats were brutal, I wasn't recovered from Wednesdays 117.5 kg x [email protected]

barbell rows 60 kg x 15, 60 kg x 5 x 4 sets

Notes: First time doing MYO-reps. My lower back didn't like doing this many reps of rows so I stopped. Maybe I should have used more weight though because I didn't fail to get 5 reps.

triceps pushdown 3x8-12

[jask558]

Sunday 13.9.2020

sumo deadlift [email protected] 120 kg, [email protected] 130 kg, 4x130 kg (back pain!)

Notes: Really? I hurt my back again? So sumo deadlifts are banned now too. I might get a consultation with my gym's sports doctor, he might have reasonable advice. My gym has physios too but I quess doctor would be a better choice.

close grip bench [email protected] 75 kg, [email protected] 77.5 kg, [email protected] 82.5 kg

Notes: Sets of 8 with close grip bench were pretty fun.

press 50 kg x 8, 45 kg x 7, 40 kg x 7

Notes: Program says AMRAP with 70%. My estimated max on press is 70 kg based on 67.5 [email protected] It didn't go well because I had just done close grip bench. Then program says 2x12 with 63%. I got 7 with 63% and I lowered the weight. I still got 7! So yeah, press after close grip bench is hard. Good shoulder and triceps pump.

[jask558]

Monday 21.9.2020

Last week was bussy and tough, I didn't do any sessions. I didn't do RDL:s today, back wasn't feeling good.

squat [email protected] 100 kg, [email protected] 105 kg, [email protected] 112.5 kg, [email protected] 105 kg

press [email protected] 50 kg?, [email protected] 50 kg?, [email protected] 50 kg, 3 x 52.5 kg (I wasn't happy with bar speed so I stopped), [email protected] 50 kg?

Notes: No idea what happened with press today, very weak pressing. My pressing technique probably isn't the best because I missgroove these a lot.

ez bar curls with 30 kg (I think the bar weights 10 kg but I could be wrong) 15 reps, 12 reps

ez bar lying triceps with 30 kg (Rippetoe-style) 15 reps, 12 reps