9/12/18
A hard night of grappling. 5, 6 minute rounds with 20 seconds rest (so long as laying on someone doesn’t count as rest…) My conditioning is nearly back, and I’m able to start working technique .
9/13/18
Front squat: 200x2x4@6, 7: concentrating on staying midfoot and being careful of slide. At this verticle angle, it predictably hurts my knees if I screw up.
Bench: 288.5x4x4@~7
Barbell row: 255x4x4
9/14/18
Incline: 215x1x4, 220x3x4@6-7
Squat: 390x3x4@7
Deadlift: 410x4x4@7-8
9/18/18
190x3x6@8, 205x1x6@10: Dangit. I keep reading the numbers wrong on these and on the squats…. I thought I was doing too little in the first 3 sets and switched it up to what I thought was the proper number on the last set to see how hard it was. It was hard, so then I was convinced I was detrained given its difficult. (I may still be). On squats, I started out way too heavy (still pretty happy I hit 420 for a fairly easy 6, @8 or so), and then lowered to the proper number, which felt about as hard at that point. In other words, I can’t believe it’s only Tuesday….
Squats: 420x1x6@8, 390x3x6@8
SLDL: 335x3x6@7
9/19
Squats: 340x2x6@7
Bench: 270x4x6@8-8.5
Barbell Rows: 235x2x8@8-9, 225x2x8@7.5-8
9/21/18
Deadlift: 385x4x6@8
Incline: 205x4x6@7.5-8
Squats: 370x3x6@7-8
9/25/18
Squat: 415x4x5@7-8
Press: 205x1x3–>197.5x1x2, 197.5x3x5@8.5. I started this program to focus on BJJ, cutting the volume from previous programs a bit to allow for recovery. (The program’s written for early intermediates, and it’s lower volume overall than the Bridge, which I successfully completed but found exhausting; hence a lower-volume program for focusing on a different sport.) I predicted that, on this program, I’d be able to make slow strength gains, and it seems I am with squat and deadlift (although I’ve increased my deadlift volume for the program). It’s hard to say whether my press/bench is going up. I definitely had to drop the prescribed weight, which I did to about an RPE 8/197.5. I don’t think I have enough volume with either bench or press to make any real gains, and I may even me detraining a little. I was hoping incline was a happy medium point through which some added volume could help both bench and press, but, alas, it’s not a magic pill but just a different movement with different hypertrophic effects with its own skill base. I don’t know one way or another that it transfers directly to either press of bench, but it’s fun! I think I’ll complete this three week block, of which I’m in the second week, and make a decisions with regard to how I’m going to move. I’m considering hitting BBM’s hypertrophy template for a break, and I think the recovery will be possible with BJJ, so long as I don’t roll hard every time. In other words, decisions about priorities and all that.
SLDL: 360x3x5@7.5-8
9/27/18
303 tempo squat: 370x2x5@8
Bench:287.5x4x5@8
9/28/18
Barbell Row: 235x4x6
9/30/18
I said screw it and went back to a BBM template, hypertrophy. It’s hard to give up the inherent flexibility of RPE once used to it, even if it can be a real pain in the ass.
Squat w/belt: 390x6@6, 400x6@7, 410x6x2@8
Press w/belt: 180x6@6, 185x6@7, 192.5x6x2@8-8.5
Barbell Row (myoreps): 175x14@8, 175x4, 175x4, 175x4, 175x3
10/2/18
Bench: 265x6@7, 275x2x6@8.5-9, 255x6@6: I’ll lower the middle amount next time.
RDL: 315x6@8 (oops.), 275x8@6, 285x8@7, 295x8x2@8. Damn not being able to read templates sometimes.
Dumbbell Bench: 65x8@6?, 70x8@6, 75x8@7, 80x8x3@8. I was just noticing that these were marked as I did them on the template in one spot and were likely supposed to be myoreps based on the structure of the template and weekly analysis. I’ll do them as myoreps from now on.
10/6/18
Deadlift: 375x6@6.5, 390x6@7, 405x6x2@8
Close grip incline: 185x6@6, 190x6@7, 195x6x3@8
High bar squat: 245x14@7-8. Got a pressure headache. Couldn’t finish the myoreps. I’d love to have access to leg press for this reason. Oh well. I may have to switch these simply to sets of 8-10 or do them lowbar so I don’t put so much pressure on the muscles surrounding my lower neck, the seeming cause of these headaches.
Dumbell curls: 25x15@6.5-7, 30x2x14@8
Laying dumbell tricep extensions: 30x3x15@8
10/7/18
Squat w/belt: 390x6@6, 400x6@7, 410x6x3@8–maybe a little too easy in the end.
Press w/belt: 180x6@6, 185x6@7, 190x6x3@8-9.5–I got lower this number next time. I think I was underestimating my RPE. It probably started at more of an 8.5, which shows in the fatigue.
Barbell Row (myoreps): 185x14, 4x3, 3.5
10/9/18
Bench: 255x6@6, 265x6@7, 275x3x6@8–I’ll drive these up slowly, maybe 2.5lbs at a time, if I can without the frequency.
RDL: 275x8@6, 285x8@7, 295x8x3@8–kept the same as last week. Could have gone up five pounds or so. Will do next time.
Dumbbell flat bench: 50x16@6, 60x14@8, 5x4, 4. I enjoy the myoreps for the change of pace, but I’ll be damned if I can judge them well.
10/13
Dumbbell curls: 30x12x3@8-9
Lying dumbbell tricep extension: 30x15x2, 30x14
10/14
Press: 180x6@7, 185x6x3@8, 175x6@6–These were about right finally in terms of intensity. I know this isn’t a strength template, but I don’t feel like I’m getting enough volume with presses. Since I’m out on squats (see below), I’ll experiment for a couple weeks to see if some dumbbell presses of a myoreps variety do any damage or help in any capacity.
Block Pull (below knee): 365x8@6, 385x8@7, 405x8x3@8–I can’t do squats because of either some bursitis or some an mcl injury. I’ll go to my doctor to get a real diagnosis this week Doing block pulls instead to at least keep some extra volume in the legs and back somewhere, maybe even helping to increase my deadlifts. Might have been one set too many. Should’ve started with a 405x2 for the sake of working these up. I’ll sub out my light squats with more barbell rows, sets of 8.
Dumbbell Press (myoreps): 50x13, 50x5, 50x5, 50x5, 50x5, 50x4
Barbell rows (myoreps): 190x13, 190x5, 190x5, 190x5, 190x4
10/16/18
I hit the doc up today, and I likely have a strained but not snapped ligament in my knee. I’m On some NSAIDs and won’t squat or wrastle for a good month. (I’ll start some light squats when the pain seems tolearble and duller.) I may turn into a serious bro with all my upper body volumeI’ll compensate with.
Bench: 260x6@?, 270x6@7.5, 277.5x6x2@8-8.5, 275x6@
RDL: 280x8@6, 290x8@7, 300x8x3@8
Dumbbell Bench: 65x14@8, 5, 6, 6, 6, 5
Bicep curl: 30x12x3
Lying tricep extension: 30x14, 30x13x2
10/18/18
I’m working some 1/4 squats to try to retain mobility. Past a 1/4 squat, however, the pain gets too acute for now. I’ll lower these as I can.
Good mornings: 185x8@6, 195x8@7, 205x8@7.5, 215x8@8–just an attempt to get some lower body and back volume.
Close grip incline Bench: 175x8@6.5, 180x8@7, 185x8x3
Chins: bodyweight–266x6x3, 266x3–it was these or heavy barbell rows for about the same weight. These were easier to setup.
10/21
I’m doing ⅓ squats now with maybe 135 on the bar. Looking forward to hitting some squats again.
Rack Pulls (mid-shin): 315x8@6, 335x8@7, 355x8x2@8
Press: 177.5x6, 182.5x6@7, 187.5x6x2@8
Barbell row: 195x15, 5, 3
Bro it up!
Dumbbell press: 60x13, 5, 4
Dumbbell bicep curl: 30x13, 30x12, 30x12
Lying dumbbell tricep extension: 30x12, 30x13, 30x13–laying? Lying? I do like the idea of trying to impress people by lying about these, using a whole 30lbs in each hand.
10/23
Bench: 270x6@7, 275x6x2@8, 265x6@6
When your kids get lice, you can’t finish your workout. You have to pick nits out of their hair instead. Gross.
10/24
RDL: 285x8@6, 295x8@7, 305x8x2@8
Dumbbell bench press: 70x14, 5, 5, 4
Dumbbell curl: 32.5x12, 32.5x12, 32.5x12
Tricep Extension: 32.5x14, 32.5x14, 32.5x14
10/26
Deadlift: 365x6@6, 385x6@7.5, 395x6x2–Back at these in full. I’ve detrained a bit, but I should be able to pull them back pretty quickly.
2ct Incline: 175x8@6, 180x8@7, 185x8x2@8
10/27
Pullups: bodyweight–268x7x2, 268x5
Squats: 135x8x3–made it to about bro-squat level. Getting there!
10/28
I’m splitting the 3-day hypertrophy into a 4-day. It’s just necessary based on my schedule right now, especially if I’m going to actually hit GPP and such.
Squats: 135x8x4–I put on knee-sleeves and was able to get what I think was depth. I’ll take it slowly working my way back up. I was hitting that 410x6 pretty easily, so whatever I’m at is going to be a letdown.
Barbell rows: 195x14@8, 195x5, 195x4
DB preacher bicep curls: 25x15, 25x14x2, 25x12
Lying DB tricep extension: 30x15, 35x12x3
10/29
Press: 220x1@8, 187.5x6x3@8
DB Incline: 60x15, 5x3, 4
Hammer curls: 30x15x4
Dips: Bodyweight–268x12x2, x9, x10–I can’t do 4 set of 12 on these, but I can work up to that. I want a little variety for bis and tris if I’m hitting these 3x a week.
This turned into an unintentional upper body night given that I want one more day before squatting again and that it’s my wife’s night with the barbell.