Nate's Log

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1

Page 1-2 (posts #1 - #19): 7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy 3-day version.

Page 2- (posts #20 - #62): 12-Week Strength

26M - 6’1" - 207lbs. Body fat = 15-18% (Navy method & “eye test”).
S / B / D (e1RMs in lbs) = 370 / 250 / 430

I just completed the Bridge 1.0 last week as my free introduction into Barbell Medicine programming (my log is in this forum if you want to find it for some reason). I had varied results, but was overall pleased with how I responded to it. My bench and press improved but not by much, squat saw moderate improvement, and my deadlift skyrocketed +33lbs in 8 weeks. I ran the Bridge 1.0 to get re-focused on strength, with my sights set on my first powerlifting meet in April. I was then going to run the 7-Week GGP/Hypertrophy template as a sort of volume/recovery block, followed by 12-Week Strength leading up to the meet. I learned last week, however, that the meet has been cancelled (bummer). As of now, I’m still going to go ahead with my training as if the meet was still on, and possibly test maxes in a mock meet after finishing 12-Week Strength. This week is the start of the 7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy template (3-day version). I was in a slight caloric surplus during the Bridge 1.0 (roughly +1 lb/month) and plan to remain in a surplus for the duration of this program (goal is 1-1.5 lbs/month).

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 1:

Monday, 10/29:
Bodyweight = 206.6

Squat:
260x6 @ 6
275x6 @ 7
290x6 @ 8, 8

Depth looked a little too close for comfort on video, but I also had my camera set up a few inches above knee level so it was probably fine.

Seated OHP:
105x6 @ 6
115x6 @ 7
120x6 @ 8, 8

I have always followed general strength programs where the press is treated like a competition lift. After deciding to focus on powerlifting, I don’t care enough about the standing press to treat it like a competition lift (I’m not anticipating on doing singles @ 8 when the time comes in week 5 because practicing heavy singles is unnecessary for my goals). I decided to do seated OHP because I figured I could lift more weight than a standing press. That wasn’t the case today, but I figure maybe after I get a little more accustomed to the movement it will be. If not, I’ll just throw on a belt and switch back to the standing press. Like I said, I’m not too concerned with this lift, just want to get some general pressing volume in.

Pendlay Rows Myo-reps:
125x14 @ 8
125x4, 4, 3

I did not expect these to be as hard as they were! I’m definitely not used reps >8. 125 was about 56% of my e1RM, so I definitely anticipated getting more like 15 or 16 reps @ 8 for the activation set, and then more than two sets of 4 before losing a rep. I have to admit, I felt like kind of an asshole for banging out 25 loud Pendlay rows in the span of about a minute and a half. The gym I go to has two platforms with some bumper plates, and making a little noise has never been a problem, but I felt pretty self-conscious doing these.

Barbell Curls:
60x12x3 @ 8

Cable Triceps Extensions:
110x12x3 @ 8

2

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 1:

Wednesday, 10/31:
Bodyweight = 206.8

Bench
180x6 @ 6
190x6 @ 7.5
195x6x2 @ 8, 8

Felt a little sluggish today. Not quite as explosive off the chest as I expected to be. Hopefully just an off day and next week will be better.

RDL:
245x8 @ 6
255x8 @ 7
265x8x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

I used to train RDLs pretty regularly in my previous programming, but I haven’t done them in a while. Already feel the DOMS in my hammies.

DB Bench Myo-reps:
60lb DBs x 15 @ 8
60lb DBS x 4, 4, 4, 4, 3

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 1:

Thursday, 11/1:
Bodyweight = N/A

Had a conflict after work today and was not able to get into the gym to do my GPP work. This is the first workout I’ve straight up missed in a long time, so it feels pretty crappy. I’ll try to make up for it later in the week.

Friday, 11/2:
Bodyweight = 208.6

Deadlift:
315x6 @ 6
325x6 @ 7
335x6x2 @ 8, 9

I was still feeling DOMS pretty bad from the RDLs on Wednesday, and boy did it affect my deadlifts. I couldn’t get my hamstrings set tight, which screwed up my set up. Felt weak off the floor. Still managed to pull decent weight, but gassed pretty quickly. Hopefully I adapt to the RDLs soon, otherwise I might have to move them to Monday to get them further away from my deadlifts.

Incline CGBP:
115x8 @ 6
125x8 @ 7
135x8 @ 7.5
140x8x2 @ 8, 8

Too conservative with RPE at first. 140 ended up being right.

Leg Press Myo-reps:
+360 x 15 @ 8
+360 x 4, 4, 4, 4, 3

I have not done leg press probably since high school. Holy smokes I have never felt my quads burn like this - it was physically uncomfortable during my 5 breath rest periods. My muscles felt like they were going to burst. At least it gave my legs a pretty nice pump the rest of the time at the gym.

Barbell Curls:
60x12x3 @ 8

Cable Triceps Extensions:
110x12x3 @ 8

LISS Cardio:
25 mins treadmill - 3.5mph, 10% incline

Did my LISS cardio today because I missed my GPP day.

3

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 1:

Saturday, 11/3:
Bodyweight = N/A

Making up the GPP day that I missed earlier in the week.

Chins:
44 reps in 7 mins

Ab Rollouts:
70 reps in 7 minutes

Face Pulls w/ Cables:
80x12x3 @ 7.5

I was trying to follow the same set & rep scheme as the arm work, but it’s difficult to get an accurate read on RPE because it’s so easy to use a little body english doing these. Doesn’t really matter though, as long as I’m getting my rear delts some work to prevent imbalances.

LISS Cardio:
25 mins treadmill - 3.5 mph, 10% incline

4

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 2:

Monday, 11/5:
Bodyweight = 206.8

Squat:
260x6 @ 6
280x6 @ 7
295x6 @ 8, 8.5
285x6 @ 8

Depth looked better this week - I think it was just the camera angle. Pleased with the 5 lbs jump from last week to this week. I don’t expect to make great strength gains on this program, while only squatting 1x/week, but maybe a little rest from squatting 3x/week is helping me realize gains right now.

Seated OHP:
110x6 @ 6
115x6 @ 7
125x6 @ 8.5
120x6 @ 8, 8

T-Bar Rows Myo-reps:
+90x15 @ 8
+90 x 5, 5, 5, 4

Really preferred doing the chest supported T-bar rows for these myo-reps. I know that it isn’t what the program prescribes, but I felt like they targeted my lats much better than the Pendlay rows. I’ll save those for when I’m back on a strength program, or swap them back in towards the end of this program to help transition back to competition specificity with my assistance lifts.

Barbell Curls:
60x12x3 @ 8

Cable Rope Triceps Extensions:
100x12x3 @ 8

Wednesday, 11/7:
Bodyweight = 208

Bench
175x6 @ 6
185x6 @ 7
195x6x3 @ 7.5, 8, 8

Was kicking myself for not attempting 200x6 for my first set @ 8, because it felt smoother than a true 8. Oh well. I decided to not add any weight to the bar for the subsequent sets, which was a good decision because they felt a lot more like true @ 8s.

RDL:
245x8 @ 6
255x8 @ 7
270x8 @ 8, 8.5
265x8 @ 8

I’ll see if I can get all 3 reps @ 8 at 270 next week. DOMS weren’t nearly as bad after these this week.

DB Bench Myo-reps:
60lb DBs x 15 @ 8
60lb DBS x 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3

I used to love DB press and bench press back in my bro-lifting days. It’s pretty fun to do them now with a goal in mind and not just mindlessly chasing a pump (the pump is pretty nice, though).

Thursday, 11/8:
Bodyweight = N/A

Chins:
44 reps in 7 mins

Abs:
72 reps in 7 mins

Face Pulls w/ Cables:
80x12x3 @ 7.5

Barbell Curls:
70x12 @ 8.5
60x12x2 @ 8, 8

Cable Rope Triceps Extensions:
100x12x3 @ 8

LISS Cardio:
25 mins treadmill - 3.5mph, 10% incline

5

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 2:

Friday, 11/9:
Bodyweight = 208.6

Deadlift:
315x6 @ 6
325x6 @ 7
340x6 @ 8.5
335x6 @ 9
325x6 @ 8.5

What a goddamn mess this deadlift session was. I definitely got too greedy attempting 340, and it messed me up for the next two sets. I definitely needed to go down more in weight than 335 for the second set. 325 probably would’ve been perfect - something I could finish out the last two sets with. Hopefully this doesn’t hurt my recovery too much.

Incline CGBP:
125x8 @ 6
135x8 @ 7
140x8x3 @ 7.5, 8, 8

I needed to be this conservative with my deadlifts! I’ll give 145 a try next week if I feel up for it.

Leg Press Myo-reps:
+360 x 15 @ 8
+360 x 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3

I was able to get one more set of 4 than I did last week. Legs didn’t feel quite as on fire this time.

Sunday, 11/11:
Bodyweight = N/A

Chins:
45 reps in 7 mins

Ab Rollouts:
72 reps in 7 minutes

LISS Cardio:
25 mins treadmill - 3.5 mph, 10% incline

6

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 3:

Monday, 11/12:
Bodyweight = 208.6

Squat:
265x6 @ 6
280x6 @ 7
295x6x3 @ 7.5, 8, 8

Was surprised how great 295 felt on the first set. Decided to just shoot for sets across rather than jump up to 300 for the second set. Result was two smooth sets. Very happy with bar speed upon video review - looked even better than it felt. Maybe I was just having a good day, but I think 300 should be in the cards next week for at least a set or two.

Seated OHP:
110x6 @ 6
115x6 @ 6.5
125x6 @ 8, 8, 8.5

Much like the squats, I was surprised I was able to do sets across here.

T-Bar Rows Myo-reps:
+90x16 @ 8
+90 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 4

Added a rep in the activation set and added another set of 5 after that.

Barbell Curls:
70x12x4 @ 8

Cable V-Bar Triceps Extensions:
110x12x4 @ 8

7

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 3:

Wednesday, 11/14:
Bodyweight = 209.2

Bench
175x6 @ 6
190x6 @ 7
200x6x2 @ 8, 8.5
190x6 @ 7.5

192 or 195 probably would’ve been closer an @ 8 for the final set. I sometimes forget that auto-regulating with RPE is still a relatively new concept for me (only been doing it for about 3 months) and I’m still getting the hang of predicting how much of a % drop off there’ll be, on average, for different lifts.

RDL:
245x8 @ 6
260x8 @ 7
275x8 @ 8, 8, 8.5

Felt very solid in warmups. I keep surprising myself with unexpected sets across this week!

DB Bench Myo-reps:
60lb DBs x 15 @ 8
60lb DBS x 5, 5, 5, 5, 4

Thursday, 11/15:
Bodyweight = 208.8

Chins:
47 reps in 8 mins

Ab Rollouts:
78 reps in 8 mins

Face Pulls w/ Cables:
80x12x4 @ 8

Barbell Curls:
70x12x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5
60x12 @ 8

Cable V-bar Triceps Extensions:
110x12x4 @ 8

LISS Cardio:
30 mins treadmill - 3.5mph, 10% incline

8

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 3:

Friday, 11/16:
Bodyweight = 208.6

Deadlift:
305x6 @ 6
320x6 @ 7
335x6 @ 8.5
325x6x2 @ 8, 8

I’m in a bit of a rut with my deadlifts, which sucks since I ended The Bridge 1.0 so strongly deadlift wise. I think the supplemental deadlift movements that very closely mimicked my competition deadlift on The Bridge 1.0 (paused deadlifts & rack pulls) were really beneficial. I also just generally don’t do great with higher rep sets of deadlifts (>4 reps) in regards to both consistently repeating my set up and getting fatigued. It’s entirely possible that, for me, 6 reps @ RPE 8 is a smaller percentage of my 1RM than 79%, because based on my singles @ 8 from just a few weeks ago, I should be hitting 340x6 @ 8 rather than 325-330.

Incline CGBP:
125x8 @ 6
135x8 @ 7
145x8x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

Leg Press Myo-reps:
+410 x 15 @ 8
+410 x 4, 4, 4, 4, 2

I was thinking about it, and realized that I just kind of arbitrarily decided that 8 plates was “about right” the first week I did these. If I’m being honest, I wasn’t really quite @ 8 by the end of the activation set. So,I decided to throw on a pair of 25s on top of the usual 8 plates this week and ended up not seeing much of a drop off.

9

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 4:

Monday, 11/19:
Bodyweight = 209.2

Squat:
265x6 @ 6
285x6 @ 7
300x6x2 @ 8, 8.5

300 ended up being in the cards. 285 moved so well that I considered going after 305, but played it safe. Ended up being the right call.

Seated OHP:
115x6 @ 6
122x6 @ 7
127x6x2 @ 8, 8

Didn’t quite feel ready to jump up to 130, so I threw on the 1 lb. micro plates.

T-Bar Rows Myo-reps:
+95x15 @ 8
+95 x 4, 4, 4, 4, 3

Added 5 lbs. Felt good.

Barbell Curls:
70x12x4 @ 8

Cable Rope Triceps Extensions:
110x12x4 @ 8

10

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 4:

Wednesday, 11/21:
Bodyweight = 207.6

Bench
185x6 @ 6
195x6 @ 7
202x6x2 @ 8, 8.5

RDL:
265x8 @ 6
275x8 @ 7
285x8 @ 8, 8.5

Weight keeps going up. Either I was undershooting my RPE earlier in the program, or there was a bit of a re-learning curve going on here.

DB Bench Myo-reps:
65lb DBs x 15 @ 8
65lb DBS x 4, 4, 4, 4, 3

Last week doing DB bench for myo-reps. Decided to go out with a bang by moving up 5lbs on the DBs. Next week, I’ll switch to TnG bench.

Thursday, 11/22:
Bodyweight = 209.2

Managed to squeeze in a GPP session before heading out of town for Thanksgiving.

Chins:
48 reps in 8 mins

Ab Rollouts:
79 reps in 8 mins

Face Pulls w/ Cables:
80x12x4 @ 8

Barbell Curls:
70x12x4 @ 8, 8, 8, 8.5

Cable V-bar Triceps Extensions:
110x12x4 @ 8

LISS Cardio:
30 mins treadmill - 3.5mph, 10% incline

Friday, 11/23:
Bodyweight = N/A

Deadlift:
305x6 @ 6
320x6 @ 7
335x6 @ 8, 8.5

Deadlifts went much better this week. Did a better job of picking my top set @ 8 than before. I didn’t have to work today, so I didn’t feel as rushed and took my time a little more with my warmups, so maybe that helped. I’ll have to try to do a better job of that from here on out. A few more extra minutes in the gym is worth it if they feel like productive minutes.

Incline CGBP:
125x8 @ 6
135x8 @ 7
145x8x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

Leg Press Myo-reps:
+450 x 14 @ 8
+450 x 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 2

Decided to try 10 plates before switching to SSB squats next week.

HIIT Cardio:
20 mins C2 Rower - :20 / 1:40 intervals

11

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 5:

Monday, 11/26:
Bodyweight = 211.2 ← Thanksgiving leftovers all weekend haha. I’m guessing I’ll weigh in a little lighter as the week goes on.

So, I didn’t have a great training session today, but I’m not too discouraged because I found another powerlifting meet somewhat nearby. I was excited to compete before the meet I was previously interested in was cancelled, so now I’ll just be that much more motivated once its time to run 12-Week Strength! The date of this meet is actually more convenient than the cancelled one - I should be able to jump right into to 12-Week Strength once I’m done with the GPP/Hypertrophy template, and “week 13” will be meet week. I’ve read other logs in these forums of people who have successfully used the 12-Week Strength template to peak, so hopefully I have a good experience as well.

Squat:
345x1 @ 8
295x6x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

After how well 300x6x2 moved last week, I was hoping that 350-355 was going to be a possible single @ 8. I pretty quickly realized that this wasn’t going to be the case when I was warming up. Still not too discourage by 345, just an off week after a holiday weekend of a little too much alcohol and bad food. My lower back also felt a little tight throughout the entire squat session, which definitely had a negative effect. Also, not training heavy singles for several weeks likely did as well.

Seated OHP:
115x6 @ 6
122x6 @ 7
127x6 @ 7.5
130x6x2 @ 8, 8.5

127 ended up feeling too light. Moved up to 130 no problem. I’m foregoing the single @ 8 with OHP because I don’t really feel the need to practice heavy singles. I might add some more volume - maybe another set or two @ 7 - to continue developing.

T-Bar Rows Myo-reps:
+110x12 @ 8
+110x12 @ 3, 3, 3, 3, 2

Barbell Curls:
70x12x4 @ 8

Cable V-Bar Triceps Extensions:
120x12x4 @ 8

12

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 5:

Wednesday, 11/28:
Bodyweight = 209.2

Bench
235x1 @ 8
200x6x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

235x1 felt like RPE 8, but the bar speed was more like an 8.5. Lost tightness on the chest, something I’ve been fighting since I started pausing reps.

SLDL:
235x8 @ 6
245x8 @ 7
255x8x4 @ 7.5, 7.5, 8, 8

My back was still feeling kind of tight today, so I took it a little easy. Definitely think I could’ve loaded 5-10 more lbs on the bar, but still got some meaningful volume in.

TnG Bench Myo-reps:
155 x 12 @ 8
155 x 4, 4, 3

Accidentally did comp. grip instead of the prescribed CGBP. I’ll switch to CGBP next week, and also get a spotter because I feel like probably had another set of 4 in me, but didn’t want to fail and get trapped under the bar and roll of shame.

DB Curls:
30s x 12 @ 7
35s x 12x3 @ 8

Switched to DB curls to mix it up. Started a little too light.

Cable Rope Triceps Extensions:
100x12x4 @ 8

Tris were a little fried from the TnG bench myo-reps.

13

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 5:

Thursday, 11/29:
Bodyweight = 209.6

Chins:
53 reps in 9 mins

Ab Rollouts:
86 reps in 9 mins

Face Pulls w/ Cables:
80x12x4 @ 8

LISS Cardio:
30 mins treadmill - 3.5mph, 10% incline

Friday, 11/30:
Bodyweight = 210.4

Deadlift:
385x1 @ 8
330x6x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

Deadlift strength is a little down from where it was on the Bridge. Exposure to heavy singles again should get it back up soon enough.

Incline Bench, TnG:
135x8 @ 6
145x8 @ 7
155x8x4 @ 8

Nothing significant to report here. May have been able to get away with 160.

SSB Squat Myo-reps:
205 x 13 @ 8
205 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

This was a weird one. I started to get out of breath during my activation set, which I think caused me to stop a few reps short of what should’ve been @ 8. I think this showed in the subsequent reps, because while I was breathing hard, my legs weren’t getting tired. I was also inadvertently resting longer than I would for, say, leg press. The process of racking the bar, taking five deep breaths, unracking it, and walking it out takes significantly longer than locking, taking five deep breaths, and unlocking the leg press machine. Maybe selecting a heavier load next time would remedy some of this.

Barbell Curls:
70x12x4 @ 8

Cable Rope Triceps Extensions:
110x12x4 @ 8

14

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 6:

Monday, 12/3:
Bodyweight = 208.8

Squat:
350x1 @ 8.5
295x6 @ 8

The 350 single was very tough - closer to @9 than @8, but still felt I had two more in the tank, with the last rep being a grinder. I got thrown out of position at the bottom because what was just lower back tightness/discomfort last week has developed into an acute pain. I started feeling it at the beginning of last week, but it didn’t affect my squats all that much at the time - not the case this week. It was present the entire squat session, though it was mild when the weight was lighter, and feels the worst right as I hit depth at the bottom of the squat. It must get triggered when I get to a certain point of lumbar flexion, because my lower back flexes slightly at the bottom of my squat (not anything remotely extreme), and I also feel the pain when I flex my back when I’m not training, like when I bend over to tie my shoes or something. Anyway, I only did one set of 6 after the single because of the pain. It wasn’t intense enough - probably a 5/10 at its worst - to prevent me from hitting depth, it just hurt to do so.

I watched a video featuring Dr. Baraki about how to manage pain that was very informative (shoutout to the BBM guys for producing great, no bullshit content). Until the pain dissipates, I’ll try to find a weight that I can squat with that doesn’t hurt my back. If I can’t do that, I’ll see if other variations - like high bar, front, or SSB - don’t aggravate it as much. I’m pretty bummed about this because I was really looking forward to starting the 12-Week Strength program feeling fresh, give it my all, and set some halfway decent PRs at my meet in March, and now I feel like I’ve shot myself in the foot. Who knows, I could feel better by the time I start the program. I’ve experienced acute pain before while training that went away after a week or two, so hopefully that’s the case this time and I can avoid detraining my comp squat too much in the process.

Seated OHP:
115x6 @ 6
125x6 @ 7
132x6x4 @ 8, 8, 8, 8.5

Added 2 lbs to the sets @ 8, but didn’t even feel that happy about it. The back pain kind of put a black cloud over the rest of this training session.

T-Bar Rows Myo-reps:
+110x12 @ 8
+110x12 @ 4, 4, 4, 4, 3

DB Curls:
35s x 12x5 @ 8

Cable Rope Triceps Extensions:
100x12x5 @ 8

15

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 6:

Wednesday, 12/5:
Bodyweight = 209

Bench
240x1 @ 8
205x6x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

Felt good today. Single at 240 was smooth, as were the sets of 6 @ 8.

SLDL:
245x8 @ 6
255x8 @ 7
265x8x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5
255x8 @ 8

Didn’t feel the sharp pain in my back during my warmups, so I loaded up the bar with 265. Hopefully my back keeps feeling a little better each day.

TnG CGBP Myo-reps:
135 x 13 @ 8
135 x 4, 4, 3

DB Curls:
35s x 13x2 @ 8
35s x 12x3 @ 8

Able to add another rep for the first two sets. I superset these with triceps extensions and only end up resting about 90-120 seconds, so I end up gassing a little fast, hence backing down to 12 reps.

Cable Rope Triceps Extensions:
110x13x3 @ 8
110x12x2 @ 8

As always on Wednesdays, my triceps were fried from comp bench and CGBP myo-reps.

Thursday, 12/6:
Bodyweight = 208.6

Chins:
56 reps in 10 mins

Ab Rollouts:
92 reps in 10 mins

Face Pulls w/ Cables:
80x12x5 @ 8

LISS Cardio:
35 mins treadmill - 3.5mph, 10% incline

Friday, 12/7:
Bodyweight = 209.2

Deadlift:
395x1 @ 8.5
330x6x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

Again, oddly enough, deadlifts don’t really hurt my back. It feels a little tender, but nothing that prevents me from doing the movement. Thought 395 would move better than it did based on warmups, but granted it was in the top end of my range (thought I’d have between 385-395 in me). Felt closer to a true 8 than a 9, but still wasn’t confident enough I had two left in the tank. Sets of 6 went well.

Incline Bench, TnG:
135x8 @ 6
145x8 @ 7
160x8x4 @ 8, 8, 8, 8.5

SSB Squat Myo-reps:
225 x 13 @ 8
225 x 4, 4
225 x 12 @ 8

Just felt stupid. I thought that maybe adding a few more pounds to the bar would make a difference, but I was still going to be sucking wind again way before my legs gave out. Decided to cut the myo-reps short, rest for a couple minutes, and do another set @ 8, which ended up being 12 reps.

On the plus side, I barely felt anything in my back. I had been doing air squats all week, trying to find a position that didn’t hurt, and I discovered that I feel the pain the most when I really bury the squat. If I stop just an inch or so below parallel, I can prevent my lower back from going into flexion - which is what really seems to trigger the pain response. I realize that an inch or so below parallel is really where I should be stopping, but I’ve been really paranoid about getting called for depth at my upcoming meet, so I’ve been deliberately squatting a few inches deeper than I should be for a while now. I don’t know if cutting my depth was what did it, or if being more upright helps somehow, but I’m encouraged.

Barbell Curls:
70 x 13x2 @ 8
70 x 12x3 @ 8

Cable Rope Triceps Extensions:
120x15x2 @ 8
120x14x2 @ 8
120x13 @ 8

16

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 7:

Monday, 12/10:
Bodyweight = 210

Squat:
345x1 @ 8
295x6x3 @ 8

While I wasn’t able to add any weight to the bar, this was a very encouraging session. Hell, worrying about adding weight to the bar when I probably shouldn’t have been was probably part of what got me into this situation in the first place. I was able to get through warmups and the working sets with barely any back pain. I focused very hard on cutting depth just below parallel and keeping my entire back very tight. My descent was a little slower on account of trying to not go too deep, and I lost some bounce out of the hole as a result, so maybe I need to widen my stance a hair to get a better stretch reflex. The most important thing is that I was able to squat heavy pain free, which I was very worried about after last week. I’ll continue to focus on keeping tightness/not going into lumbar flexion at the bottom of the squat, as well as being more intelligent and humble about load selection.

Seated OHP:
115x6 @ 6
125x6 @ 7
135x6x4 @ 8, 8, 8, 9

Added some weight to the bar yet again this week. I like the extra set of 4 rather than the single @ 8 for these. Not sure what happened on the fourth set, the third felt like a genuine 8, not an 8.5. Maybe a slight misgroove?

T-Bar Rows Myo-reps:
+110x13 @ 8
+110x12 @ 4, 4, 4, 4, 3

DB Curls:
35s x 13x2 @ 8
35s x 12x3 @ 8

Cable V-Bar Triceps Extensions:
120x14x2 @ 8
120x13x3 @ 8

17

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 7:

Wednesday, 12/12:
Bodyweight = 209.2

Bench
240x1 @ 8
205x6x2 @ 8.5, 9
200x6 @ 8.5

No idea what happened with the sets of 6 @ what was supposed to be 8. It made me doubt whether 240x1 was a true @ 8 or more like an @ 8.5. Felt like @ 8 and the bar speed looked solid on video, so I rated it as such. I got into the gym late and was only resting about 3 minutes between sets vs. my usual 4 minutes, but I didn’t expect it to make that big of a difference. Treat it as a learning experience and hope my recovery isn’t too compromised. With next week being the pivot week 1 of 12-Week Strength, I’m not too concerned.

SLDL:
235x8 @ 6
245x8 @ 7
255x8x4 @ 8, 8, 8, 8.5

Back felt a little funny, so I stuck with 255. SLDLs and I have never really got along. I’m happy to be done with them for a while.

TnG CGBP Myo-reps:
135 x 13 @ 8
135 x 4, 4, 4, 3

DB Curls:
35s x 13x3 @ 8
35s x 12x2 @ 8

Cable Rope Triceps Extensions:
100x13x4 @ 8
100x12 @ 8

Triceps were definitely feeling it already from CGBP and a little too much comp. bench intensity.

18

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Week 7:

Thursday, 12/13:
Bodyweight = 211.4

Chins:
56 reps in 10 mins

Ab Rollouts:
90 reps in 10 mins

Face Pulls w/ Cables:
80x12x5 @ 8

LISS Cardio:
35 mins treadmill - 3.5mph, 10% incline

Friday, 12/14:
Bodyweight = 210.4

Deadlift:
385x1 @ 8
325x6x3 @ 8, 8, 8.5

Did a better job of picking a load for the single @ 8 than last week. Rounded down to 325 for the sets of 6, which was probably the right choice as well.

Incline Bench, TnG:
140x8 @ 6
150x8 @ 7
160x8x4 @ 8, 8, 8, 8.5

SSB Squat Myo-reps:
235 x 12 @ 8
235 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 4

Tweaked this a little bit, and it went much better than the previous two weeks. I picked a heavier load for the activation set, and took 10 deep breaths to rest, and committed to 5 reps for the subsequent sets. These changes gave me more of a chance to catch my breath and ensured that I was wearing out my muscles rather than my lungs. I think I have pretty decent work capacity (maybe I’m wrong) but true myo-reps for a full compound movement like a squat variation feels like a lot to ask.

DB Curls:
35s x 13x3 @ 8
35s x 12x2 @ 8

Cable Rope Triceps Extensions:
100x15x2 @ 8
100x14x3 @ 8

Saturday, 12/15:
Bodyweight = 210

Chins:
55 reps in 10 mins

Ab Rollouts:
88 reps in 10 mins

Rear Delt Flys Machine:
50x15x4 @ 8

HIIT Cardio:
24 mins C2 rower - :20/1:40 intervals

19

7-Week GPP/Hypertrophy - Results & Thoughts:

These are changes from the end of the Bridge 1.0/beginning of GPP/Hypertrophy.

Bodyweight:
207.2 → 210 (+2.8)

Squat:
370 → 373 (+3)
Bench:
250 → 259 (+9)
Deadlift:
429 → 416 (-13)

Estimated Total:
1,049 → 1,048 (-1)

I have mixed feelings about this program. The positives:

  1. I am pleased with my progress with the bench press. This lift progresses very slowly for me, so I was happy to see that the increase in volume resulted in some pretty good gainz. To be honest, I had kind of hoped for even more progress, but +9 lbs in 7 weeks isn’t too shabby, considering how much I tend to struggle with my bench. Also, while the program is set up to minimize strength loss, the primary focus is to increase muscle hypertrophy, not necessarily drive up 1RMs. I anticipate my bench numbers continuing to climb on 12-Week Strength.

  2. I wish I had taken more body measurements than just my weight, but I do think the program succeeded in adding some size. My wife has even commented that my arms and chest look noticeably bigger (I’m at least pretty sure that she’s not just trying to flatter me). Of the roughly 3 lbs of bodyweight I put on, I’d guess at least a pound was muscle. I do wish that there was a little more focus on lower body hypertrophy, but I’m certainly not complaining about the upper body gainz. I was also pleased with myself for not going crazy with my bulk and sticking to my ~ 0.5lb/week weight gain goal.

  3. I had never heard of myo-reps before and I love them - especially with non-compound/non-barbell movements like leg press and DB press. They get a nice pump and minimize my time in the gym. I felt like they were able to accomplish what I could do with like 3x10-12 in less than half of the time.

Negatives:

  1. As I mentioned above, I don’t think this program did much for my lower body. I would’ve hoped that my squat basically stalling and my deadlift regressing would’ve at least had the trade-off of some better hypertrophy gains, but that wasn’t the case.

  2. I didn’t love some of the exercise selection. I try to follow templates as written, but I made some tweaks to this one and wish I had made some other tweaks. For example, SLDLs and I have never really gotten along. I wish I would’ve stuck with RDLs or switched to some other variation that I could do for high reps. I realize that’s a very individual critique and not an inherent fault of the program, but that was my experience.

  3. Another fault of my own and not of the program itself, but I struggled with sticking to the prescribed RPE on this program. I think it was more of an ego problem than anything - wanting to keep driving up my numbers. I think this load management contributed to me dinging my back up a little bit.

I will take what I’ve learned and run something similar to this program again, or more likely the 4-day version, as a volume/recovery block in the future (probably after my meet in March). Overall, I think the positives outweighed the negatives, and most of my negative feelings weren’t inherent problems with the program itself, but rather my approach to it. Now its on to 12-Week Strength to get ready for my meet in March.

20

12-Week Strength - Week 1:

Monday, 12/17:
Bodyweight = 210.8

Squat:
295x5 @ 7
305x5 @ 8
315x5 @ 9

My lower back issue is feeling better and better, but it’s still in my head a little bit. I’m a little gun shy about loading my posterior chain, and I’m staying a little too upright/allowing my knees to travel a little too far forward as a result. I’ve always had to be a little more upright and have my knees a little further in front of my toes to keep the bar over midfoot than a lot of low bar squatters I’ve seen (I’m not 100% sure what in my anthropometry causes that) but today was definitely a bit too much. I’ll try to clean that up as I start to trust my back again.

Seated OHP:
135x5 @ 7
137x5 @ 8
142x5 @ 9

I started doing seated press during the GPP/Hypertrophy program and I like it a lot more than standing. Standing press was always that lift that I just hated. I have no aspirations to compete in strongman, oly lifting, strengthlifting, etc. that would emphasize overhead pressing strength, so I figured I might as well do a press variation that I like. I think I’ll stick with seated for the time being.

Pendlay Rows:
145x10 @ 7
150x10 @ 8
155x10 @ 8.5

Back to barbell Pendlay rows after a stint with chest supported rows during the GPP/Hypertrophy program. 155 was a borderline 9, probably more like an 8.5, but I didn’t want to chase after another set on a pivot week. I’ll have plenty of opportunities to increase the weight down the road.