Week 1b - Day 3
So my thigh is black and blue, with a barbell shaped bruise on it. Apparently I smashed the bar against my leg deadlifting 2 days ago, didn’t even realize, lol.
Bodyweight: 164.8lbs (PR)
2ct Pause Squat
265x4 @ 7
285x4 @ 8
285x4 @ 8
285x4 @ 8
Pin Press (shoulder level)
120x4 @ 7
125x4 @ 8
125x4 @ 8
125x4 @ 8.5
Closegrip Bench Press
135x10 @ 7
145x10 @ 8 (PR)
140x10 @ 8
Week 1b - Day 4
Bodyweight: 164.8lbs
Changing this day up a bit from the original template. Doing pause deadlift instead of rack pulls, because I need/want the technique practice of breaking the weight off the floor. Also replacing sldl/rdl with pendlay rows, in an attempt to reduce overall stress on my low back, as I’ve been having nagging lingering low back injuries.Keeping sets/reps/RPE the same.
2ct Pause Deadlift
275x4 @ 7
295x4 @ 8
295x4 @ 8
295x4 @ 8
Now that’s a nice way to make your head feel like it’s going to pop off.
Press, beltless
120x4 @ 7
130x4 @ 8.5
130x4 @ 8.5
125x4 @ 8
Pendlay Rows
135x10 @ 7
145x10 @ 8
145x10 @ 8
Analysis
| Week | Squat Volume | Squat Tonnage | Squat e1rm | Press Volume | Press Tonnage | Press e1rm | Deadlift Volume | Deadlift Tonnage | Deadlift e1rm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 73 | 17855 | 383 | 136 | 17785 | 152 | 73 | 16250 | 389 |
Week 1b - GPP 2
Bodyweight: 165.0lbs
Chinups
Bodyweight x AMRAP x 1 set
Total Reps: 11
Total Tonnage: 1815bs
Lat Pulldowns
75lbs x AMRAP x 7mins EMOM
Sets: 17, 8, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7
Total Reps: 60
Total Tonnage: 4500lbs
Total Upper Back Tonnage: 6315lbs
Dumbbell Bicep Curls
20lbs x AMRAP x 8 mins EMOM
Sets: 16, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 5
Total Reps: 56
Total Tonnage: 1120lbs
Planks
Bodyweight x AMRAP x 8 mins
Sets: 45s, 45s, 45s, 45s, 30s, 30s
Total Time: 4m 0s
Week 2b - Day 1
Bodyweight: 165.2lbs
Competition Squat
340x1 @ 7
365x1 @ 8 (PR) (Maybe 8.5…)
290x5x5
Squats have been smooth sailing.
Competition Press
135x1 @ 7.5
142.5x1 @ 9 (PR)
122.5x4x5
My 5RM seems to be pretty close to my e1rm for the press, even though I pause every rep at the bottom.
Closegrip Incline Bench
105x10 @ 7
115x10 @ 8
105x10 @ 8
Week 2b - Day 2
Bodyweight: 165.4lbs
Competition Deadlift
340x1 @ light speed
365x1 @ 8 (PR)
290x5x5
Feeling confident about deadlift for the first time in a long time.
Competition Bench
200x1 @ light speed
215x1 @ 9 (PR)
177.5x4x5
Technical mess up on heavy single. Bench strength seems to be increasing even though I’m focusing on the press. Cool.
Front Squats
155x10 @ 7?
175x10 @ omg I’m dying aka 8ish
165x10 @ 8
Decided to give front squats a try, since the template actually does recommend belt squats or split squats (something less stressful on low back). Since I don’t have access to belt squat machine or leg press, I’ve just done regular back squats. I liked doing these front squats tho, lots of leg work without my low back complaining. They were way harder than expected though lol.
Week 2b - GPP 1
Bodyweight: 165.4lbs
Chinups
Bodyweight x AMRAP x 1 set
Total Reps: 12
Total Tonnage: 1985bs
Lat Pulldowns
80lbs x AMRAP x 7mins EMOM
Sets: 16, 8, 8, 6, 6, 6, 6
Total Reps: 56
Total Tonnage: 4480lbs
Total Upper Back Tonnage: 6465lbs
Dumbbell Bicep Curls
20lbs x AMRAP x 8 mins EMOM
Sets: 17, 8, 7, 6, 6, 6, 6, 5
Total Reps: 61
Total Tonnage: 1220lbs
Planks
Bodyweight x AMRAP x 8 mins
Sets: 45s, 45s, 45s, 45s, 30s, 30s
Total Time: 4m 0s
Week 2b - Day 3
Bodyweight: 165.8lbs
2ct Pause Squat
275x4 @ 7
295x4 @ 8
295x4 @ 8
295x4 @ 8.5
Pin Press (shoulder level)
125x4 @ 7
130x4 @ 8
130x4 @ 8
130x4 @ 8.5
Closegrip Bench Press
135x10 @ 7.5
140x10 @ 8
140x10 @ 8
Week 2b - Day 4
Bodyweight: 165.8lbs
2ct Pause Deadlift
275x4 @ 7
295x4 @ 8
295x4 @ 8
295x4 @ 8
Really hard to maintain form. Got a little sloppy towards the end and cut the pause short, but bar speed was good. Here’s the 3rd set of 295:
Press, beltless
125x4 @ ez
135x4 @ 8.5
135x4 @ 9
135x4 @ 10
I pushed the RPE on these today cuz I wanted to prove that my first rep is considerably harder than the rest. Here’s my last set:
The first rep looks like RPE 9 or 10, and would have been red lighted in comp for downwards motion, but the 2nd Rep FLEW, and I cranked out another 2. So the 1st rep was RPE 7?
Pendlay Rows
140x10 @ 7
150x10 @ 8
145x10 @ 8
Week 2b - GPP 2
Bodyweight: 166.0lbs
Chinups
Bodyweight x AMRAP x 1 set
Total Reps: 12
Total Tonnage: 1992lbs
Lat Pulldowns
80lbs x AMRAP x 7mins EMOM
Sets: 17, 8, 8, 6, 6, 6, 6
Total Reps: 57
Total Tonnage: 4560lbs
Total Upper Back Tonnage: 6552lbs
Dumbbell Bicep Curls
20lbs x AMRAP x 8 mins EMOM
Sets: 18, 7, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6
Total Reps: 61
Total Tonnage: 1220lbs
Planks
Bodyweight x AMRAP x 8 mins
Sets: 45s, 45s, 45s, 45s, 30s, 30s
Total Time: 4m 0s
Week 3b - Day 1
Bodyweight: 166.2lbs
Competition Squat
345x1 @ 7
370x1 @ 8.5
295x5x5
Squats going well as usual. Jordan and Austin often talk about how different individuals can respond to the same training stress very differently. I’m wondering if one individual can have wildly varying adaptations to stress from different lifts. As in, I’m a good responder to squat stress, but a poor responder to deadlift stress. Or perhaps I’m just much more technically proficient at squats and so they are progressing very well.
Phone bugged out filming the top set unfortunately, but here’s 345 which went very smoothly.
Competition Press
137.5x1 @ 7
145x1 @ 9
125x4x5
Closegrip Incline Bench
105x10 @ 7
110x10 @ 8
105x10 @ 8
Week 3b - Day 2
Bodyweight: 166.4lbs
Competition Deadlift
345x1 @ 7
370x1 @ 8.5
295x5x5
Competition Bench
205x1 @ 7
215x1 @ 8.5
180x4x5
Front Squats
165x10 @ 7
185x10 @ 8
175x10 @ 8
Week 3b - GPP 1
Bodyweight: 166.2lbs
Chinups
Bodyweight x AMRAP x 1 set
Total Reps: 12
Total Tonnage: 1994lbs
Lat Pulldowns
80lbs x AMRAP x 7mins EMOM
Sets: 18, 7, 7, 6, 6, 6, 5
Total Reps: 55
Total Tonnage: 4400lbs
Total Upper Back Tonnage: 6394lbs
*slight decrease from last time - can I blame the deadlift volume PR from yesterday?
Dumbbell Bicep Curls
20lbs x AMRAP x 8 mins EMOM
Sets: 18, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6
Total Reps: 60
Total Tonnage: 1200lbs
Planks
Bodyweight x AMRAP x 8 mins
Sets: 45s, 45s, 45s, 45s, 30s, 30s
Total Time: 4m 0s
Week 3b - Day 3
Bodyweight: 166.2lbs
2ct Pause Squat
275x4 @ 7
295x4 @ 8
295x4 @ 8
295x4 @ 8
295x4 @ 8.5
I hate these. And pin squats, tempo squats, 10 rep squats, front squats… But I couldn’t imagine life without squatting.
Pin Press (shoulder level)
120x4 @ 7
125x4 @ 8
125x4 @ 8
125x4 @ 8
125x4 @ 8
I was a good boy and didn’t overshoot my press RPE this time.
Closegrip Bench Press
135x10 @ 7
145x10 @ 8
140x10 @ 8
Week 3b - Day 4
Bodyweight: 166.6lbs
Somewhere between 1ct and 2ct Pause Deadlift
275x4 @ 6.5
295x4 @ 7.5
295x4 @ 8
295x4 @ 8
295x4 @ 8
Press, beltless
125x4 @ 7
130x4 @ 8
130x4 @ 8
130x4 @ 8.5
130x4 @ 8.5
Pendlay Row
140x10 @ 7
150x10 @ 8
145x10 @ 8
Week 3b - GPP 2
Bodyweight: 166.8lbs
Chinups
Bodyweight x AMRAP x 1 set
Total Reps: 12
Total Tonnage: 2002lbs
Lat Pulldowns
90lbs x AMRAP x 7mins EMOM
Sets: 15, 7, 6, 5, 5, 5, 5
Total Reps: 48
Total Tonnage: 4320lbs
Total Upper Back Tonnage: 6322lbs
Dumbbell Bicep Curls
25lbs x AMRAP x 8 mins EMOM
Sets: 12, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 4
Total Reps: 43
Total Tonnage: 1075lbs
Broke out the bad boys today: 25lbs dumbbells. Gettin’ swole
Planks
Bodyweight x AMRAP x 8 mins
Sets: 45s, 45s, 45s, 45s, 30s, 30s
Total Time: 4m 0s
Week 4b - Day 1
Bodyweight: 167.0lbs
Competition Squat
350x1 @ 7.5
375x1 @ 9 (PR)
300x5x5
Wasn’t feeling too hot on warmups but went for my target @8 anyways, ended up being @9 and maybe half an inch too high. Oh well.
300x5x5 went really well other than being horribly out of breath cuz I’m a lazy turd who doesn’t do cardio 
Competition Press
137.5x1 @ 7
145x1 @ 9
125x4x5
My 5RM is about 93% of my 1RM lol.
Closegrip Incline Bench
105x10 @ 7
115x10 @ 8
110x10 @ 8
105x10 @ 8
Week 4b - Day 2
Bodyweight: 167.2lbs
Competition Deadlift
350x1 @ 7
375x1 @ 9
300x5x5
Competition Bench
205x1 @ 7.5
215x1 @ 9
180x4x5
Top singles haven’t been going well for any lift, but the volume work is going well.
Front Squats
165x10 @ 7
175x10 @ 8
165x10 @ 8
165x10 @ 8
Week 4b - Day 3
Missed GPP yesterday due to life events, oh well.
Bodyweight: 167.4lbs
2ct Pause Squat
275x4 @ 7
295x4 @ 8
315x4 @ 9
295x4 @ 9
295x4 @ 9
Pin Press (shoulder level)
125x4 @ 7
130x4 @ 8
135x4 @ 9.5
127.5x4 @ 9
127.5x4 @ 9
TnG Press, beltless
90x10 @ 7
100x10 @ 8
95x10 @ 8
90x10 @ 8
Week 4b - Day 4
Bodyweight: 167.4lbs
2ct Pause Deadlift
275x4 @ 7
295x4 @ 8
315x4 @ 9
295x4 @ 8.5
295x4 @ 9
Press, beltless
130x4 @ 7.5
135x4 @ 8
140x4 @ 9.5
130x4 @ 8.5
130x4 @ 9
Pendlay Rows
145x10 @ 7
150x10 @ 8
145x10 @ 8
145x10 @ 8
Week 5b - Day 1
Bodyweight: 167.6lbs
Competition Squat
360x1 @ 7
380x0.9 @ 9
305x5x5
Perfectly hit parallel on top single but needed to get half an inch deeper, so I guess it’s technically not a full rep. Need to work on that.
Knees ached a bit during the volume work, first time that’s ever happened, I hope @neandrewthal 's knee issue isn’t contagious.
I can’t stress enough how happy I am that was my last 5x5 squat for a couple months. Time to peak.
Competition Press
140x1 @ 7
145x1 @ 8
125x4x5
Closegrip Incline Bench
105x10 @ 7
115x10 @ 8
110x10 @ 8
105x10 @ 8