First week of specialization cycle…
7/29
Squat w/ belt 530x1, 560x1, 575x1 (15# PR), 475x3, 505x3, 535x3, 505x3
Paused bench 335x1, 345x1x2 (paused bench PR, best TnG is 350#), 290x3, 305x3, 320x3, 300x3x2
3ct paused bench 250x6, 265x6, 280x6, 280x5
Notes: 575 moved well, faster than I expected it to move. I’m excited to keep building on this in the coming weeks. :)
7/30
DL + belt 455x1, 500x1, 530x1, 440x3, 465x3, 490x3, 455x3
Bench + minis 295x1, 280x3, 265x3x2
3ct paused SSB 355x6, 375x6, 395x6
7/31
Bent over rows 100 kg x 12 x 3
V sits x 8 min
Echo bike x 30 minutes steady state
8/1
2ct paused squat 523x1, 496x3, 468x3
TnG Bench 347x1, 319x3, 303x3x2
Feet up bench 248x6, 264x6, 281x6x2
8/2
2ct paused DL 405x3, 430x3, 460x3, 435x3
2ct paused bench 330x1, 285x6, 270x6x2
RDL w/ 2ct pause at bottom 315x6, 355x6x2
Arm work x a bunch of sets
8/5
Squat w/ belt 535x1, 565x1, 580x1 (5# PR), 480x3, 510x3, 540x3, 510x3
Comp bench 305x1, 340x1, 350x1x2 (5# paused PR), 285x3, 305x3, 325x3, 305x3x2
3ct paused bench 225x6, 265x6, 275x6
8/6
DL w/ belt 455x1, 500x1, 525x1, 510x1, 415x3, 440x3, 460x3, 425x3
Bench + minis 300x1, 265x3, 250x3x2
3ct paused SSB 335x6, 380x6x2
8/7
Pull ups x 3 sets
V sits x 8 min AMRAP
Echo bike x 30 min @ 6
Arm work x 6 sets total
8/8
2ct paused squat, no belt 530x1, 505x3, 475x3
TnG bench 340x1, 325x3, 305x3x2
Feet up bench 225x6, 255x6, 270x6x2
Notes: Squat and bench are trending up nicely in this spec block. Might send it on the squats in the next week or the last week of the block if things are clicking.
I’m thinking of giving sumo a shot during the pivot. I’ll see if I’m comfortable enough with that to run it as my comp pull in the next dev block going into the meet.
8/9
2ct paused DL 405x3, 455x3, 475x3, 445x3
2ct paused bench 335x1, 290x6, 275x6x2
RDL w/ 2ct pause at bottom 315x6, 365x6x2
8/12
Squat 540x1, 570x1, 600x1…
Stood up 600 and the bar whipped a bit once I finished the lift, mostly due to my bad habit of shrugging it a little at the top. It slid about a half of an inch down my back then came crashing down onto the safety pins. My back was chalked but I was sweaty as hell as it is really humid in NJ right now. There wasn’t any way to save it and I had the pins set up so I just did a WL-style bail. I was sort of bummed out after and scrapped the rest of the session… :(
At least you didn’t get hurt, brother. Get it next time.
Yup… I’ll try to keep that thing on my back next time, for sure. 
8/13
DL + belt 485x1, 510x1, 525x1, 435x3, 460x3, 485x3, 450x3
Comp bench (to make up yesterday’s missed bench work) 345x1, 355x1x2, 285x3, 305x3, 325x3, 305x3x2
3ct paused bench (same deal) 240x6, 255x6, 270x6x2
3ct paused SSB squat 340x6, 365x6, 385x6x2
8/14
Bench + minis 300x1, 285x3, 270x3x2
Lat pull downs x 12 reps x 3 sets
V ups x 8 min
Steady state cardio on echo bike x 30 min
8/15
2ct paused squat 535x1, 510x3 (PR), 475x3x2
TnG bench 330x1, 310x3, 295x3x2
Feet up bench 245x6, 260x6x2
8/16
2ct paused DL 405x3, 455x3, 480x3, 455x3
2ct paused bench 340x1, 295x3, 280x3x2
RDL w/ 2ct pause at bottom 330x6, 375x6x2
8/19
Squat w/ belt 545x1, 570x1, 555x1, 470x3, 500x3, 530x3, 500x3
Comp bench 340x1, 350x1x2, 285x3, 305x3, 320x3, 300x3x2
3ct paused bench 225x6, 275x6x2
8/20
DL + belt 490x1, 515x1, 530x1, 440x3, 465x3, 490x3, 455x3
Bench + minis 305x1, 290x3, 275x3x2
3ct paused SSB 340x6, 390x6x2
Notes: Not a bad day overall but just feel a little bogged down in fatigue at this point in the block. Ready for a little pivot next week and then we start the meet prep. I’ve got about 10-11 weeks to hopefully put together a good total.
8/22
2ct paused squat, no belt 545x1 (PR), 520x3 (PR), 495x3
TnG bench 340x1, 300x3, 280x3x2
Feet up bench 225x6, 275x6, 265x6
8/23
2ct paused DL 455x3, 485x3, 435x3
2ct paused bench 345x1, 290x6, 275x6x2
RDL w/ 2ct pause at bottom 365x6x2
8/24
Bent over rows 100 kg x 15,12,11
V ups x 8 min AMRAP
Echo bike x 30 min @6
Pivot Week
8/26
Squat w/ belt 405x6, 455x6, 475x6
1-ct pause bench 225x6, 275x6, 300x6
6-0-0 tempo bench 225x8, 235x8, 245x8
The pivot continues…
8/27
DL up to 405x6
Floor Press up to 300x6
6-0-0 SSB up to 370x8
Notes: Was carrying a bunch of low back fatigue and DL were just not clicking on this day. Yikes.
8/28
GPP
Pull ups w/ BW x 8 reps x 4 sets
Ab work x 3 sets
Steady state on the Echo bike x 30 min @ 6
8/29
SSB 430x5, 450x5
TnG Bench 275x5, 310x5
Strict Press 115x8, 125x8, 135x8