Michael's Training Log

[bennett.michael0]

All of my training is logged here in Evernote.

I originally planned on posting some training as feedback for The Bridge, but I figured that I’d just post all of my training. I started goofing around in the weight room December 2017, rediscovered Starting Strength and did a decent LP for three months. Training then lost my interest, and I basically just continued the same LP for another two months, before running (ew) for ROTC throughout the summer. When ROTC fell through, I got back on my garbage of goofing off with the same weights, July 2018 to October 2018. I then switched to The Bridge, November 2018. From then on my training is documented.

Height: 6’1". Starting bodyweight: 180 lbs (November 2017). Current bodyweight: 198 lbs (January 2019). Age: 20. Abdominal circumference: 37 in.

The “Baraki Method” of bodyweight is how I diet. I weigh myself every morning, dry. Then I weigh myself at night. I just try to maintain bodyweight.

I’m battling nonspecific knee pain due to inflammation that I am treating per my physician. Note that I go BACK to the novice LP after starting The Bridge. My main point in posting this is the peak that’s obvious in my recovery training. I log my training on paper and will post images of it.

Please let me know if you have comments, questions, suggestions, or other CONSTRUCTIVE feedback. I’m not a competitive powerlifter, but I do see a meet in my future.

[bennett.michael0]

The Bridge: 11/5/2018 - 12/5/2018

Working sets from end of LP:
Squat: 255
Bench: 155
Deadlift: 355
Press: 110
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Week 1 - low stress
11/5 day 1
Squat 235 @6, 235 @7, 240 @8
Bench close grip 145 @6, 150 @8, 150 @8.5
Rack pulls 295 @6.5, 315 @7, 325 @8, alternate grip (height was one pin too high, next will be lower), (grip started to fail on last set)

11/7 day 2
Squat pause 225 @6.5, 235 @7.5, 245 @8.5
Press 95 @7, 95 @8, 95 @8
Rows 135 @6, 135 @6.5, 155 @8, 155 @8

11/9 day 3
Deadlift 315 @5.5, 325 @7, 345 @7.5
Bench pause 135 @6.5, 140 @7, 150 @8.5
Squat tempo 135 @5, 155 @6, 185 @7.5

11/10 GPP
Chin ups 7 minutes 3 x 8
Prowler 25 minutes 45 x 2 x 9 (one rep is down and back)

Week 2 - mod stress
11/12 day 1
Squat 235 @6.5, 235 @7, 245 @8, 245 @8.5, 240 @8.5
Bench close grip 150 @7, 155 @9, 150 @8, 155 @
Rack pulls 295 @6.5, 315 @7.5, 315 @8, 315 @8.5 (severe back pain, need to belt)

11/14 day 2
Squat pause 225 @7, 230 @7, 245 @9, 245 @9
Press 85 @6, 90 @7, 95 @8, 95 @7.5, 100 @8, 100 @8.5
Rows 135 @6, 145 @7, 155 @8, 155 @8, 155 @8

11/16 day 3
Deadlift 325 @6, 335 @7, 345 @8, 345 @8.5, 340 @8
Bench pause 140 @6, 145 @7, 150 @7.5, 150 @7.5, 155 @8.5, 150 @8.5
Squat tempo 155 @5.5, 170 @6.5, 185 @7.5, 185 @8

11/17 GPP
Chin ups 7 minutes 3 x 8
Prowler 25 minutes 70 x 2 x 8

Week 3 - mod stress
11/18 day 1
Squat 235 @6, 245 @6.5, 260 @8.5, 255 @8, 255 @8
Bench close grip 145 @6.5, 155 @8.5, 155 @9, 155 @9
Rack pull 315 @6, 345 @8, 350 @9.5, 345 @10

11/21 day 2
Squat pause 225 @7, 230 @8, 235 @9, 235 @9 (right knee pain from external stress)
Press 85 @6, 90 @7, 100 @8, 100 @8, 100 @8, 100 @8.5 (forgot belt on first work set, core was very shaky. Perhaps some beltless variations for core development)
Rows 135 @5, 150 @7, 155 @8, 155 @8.5, 155 @8

11/23 day 3 - left knee injury
Deadlift 325 @6, 335 @7, 345 for single and knee gave out
Bench pause - felt something pop in knee, cannot bend or put any weight on it

[bennett.michael0]

Here is a calculated 1RM based on RPE of working sets. I use VLOOKUP to automatically pull the multiplier number. I can email this to anyone who wants it.

[bennett.michael0]

Starting Strength Novice LP - Advanced: 12/7/2018 - 1/5/2019

I start another LP here, then switch to an “advanced LP” using the BBM novice bench/press plugin (which I recommend strongly). I went on a ski trip in January so I kind of goofed around the last couple workout sessions so that I could start my low stress week of The Bridge on my vacation. I also practiced RPE and rated the relative intensity of the last working set.

Note how quickly I make progress here. I quickly reached a 300x5x3 squat. In September 2018 I “maxed out” (dummy) at 300 lbs. I’m going to attribute this to a “peak” of the time off from the injury that detrained me. My current run of The Bridge actually shows minimal progress, but I’m sure my progress will be noticed during the low stress week at the end.

[bennett.michael0]

The first half of The Bridge is going well. I’ve dealt with some sickness and some New Years Resolutioners filling the gym. Luckily I have a deadlift platform, squat rack, and an incomplete weight set at home. I am eyeing an RPS meet in July, and ordered a singlet. My right knee has been quite painful recently - tempo squats have been extremely painful, as well as hack squats. I subbed in pin squats, then I noticed The Bridge has no more tempo squats for the rest of the program.

[bennett.michael0]

I signed up for a meet May 25th, I will be using the 3wk peaking template for a slow peaker. Below is the remainder of The Bridge. I wasn’t too impressed with squat, bench, and deadlift, but my press saw great improvement. I’m currently running a heavily modified Texas Method (so not really TM anymore), and really saw my numbers improve three weeks in for all three lifts.