11/4/20
Cycle 5 - Week Three reps/sets
Bench - 80kg 8
Paused Bench - 72.5kg 72
Spoto - 82.5kg 5*3
Dumbbell Bench - 70lbs 10/8/7
Dumbbell Press - 35lbs 123
Dumbbell Incline Bench - 60lbs 6*3
Forgot where I was on the top set, and did an extra rep…and I had another grindy one in me (maybe two).
We’re close to PR territory here folks!!!
The dumbbell work at 70lbs was too much of a jump from 60lbs, and it killed the rest of the session. But the work with the bar was what counted.
My goal for the meet in January is to FINALLY HIT 100kg IN A COMPETITION…I WILL HAVE IT!
11/5/20
Cycle 5 - Week Three reps/sets
Dead - 177.5kg 7
Dead - 155kg 72
RDLs - 140kg 10*3
Kroc Rows - 70lbs 123
Cable Revs Fly - #4 153
Palof Holds #9 30 sec *3
Wow…
Top set felt great, lot’s left in the tank. I’m pretty close to a dead stop rep PR too.
And that puts an end to a nice weeks work, as good as any I’ve put in - regardless of health.
11/7/20
SBD Saturday
LBS - 110kg 7 / 7 / 4
Paused Bench - 72.5kg 73
Mid Shin Paused Dead - 155kg 3*3
Picked up a nick in my right Quad, just above the knee…WTF I don’t have quads!
Anyway it made the rest of the session interesting. At least I know I’m using my Quads on Squats and with leg drive on the Bench.
We’ll see how if feels tomorrow…
11/8/20
Conditioning Sunday
Airdyne - 6 minutes 60rpm
Sled Pushes - 90lbs 30yrd 5
Step Ups - 24kg 83
BSS - 12kg 83
TKE - green band 203
Sled Pushes - 90lbs 30yrd 5
Rows - 60kg 153
Bent Over Rvs Fly - 30lbs 15*3
Quad is still tender. Hard to say how much of a load it will be able to handle tomorrow.
11/9/20
Cycle 5 - Week Four reps/sets
LBS - 135kg *4…BOOM…session over!
Yeah, we got greedy and pushed for a set that shouldn’t have been attempted with that wonky Quad.
Everything was fine…until it wasn’t. Coming up out the hole, and it felt like if you knit your finger together and then pull them apart…a very distinctive sensation. No pain fortunately, so it can’t be too bad.
Was able to Squat, unweighted, to a 20 inch box without issue. Tried to load a bar with 50kg, and that was too much. So we settled for empty bar work to to get some blood in the area.
Ah well, I was due for a de-load next week anyway. Though I would have loved to have been able to grab some legit PRs for the first time in a year.
Everything was fine…until it wasn’t. Coming up out the hole, and it felt like if you knit your finger together and then pull them apart…a very distinctive sensation. No pain fortunately, so it can’t be too bad.
Sheesh, we’re both having squat issues–and at about the same weight. 295 or so for a single @ 8 is about as high as I feel comfortable with now.
11/11/20
Cycle 5 - Week Four reps/sets
Bench - 82.5kg 7
Paused Bench - 75kg 72
Spoto - 85kg 5*3
Belt Squat - 30kg 10*5
Dumbbell Bench - 60lbs 12 3
Box Squat - 24kg 205
Dumbbell Press - 35lbs 12 3
Dumbbell Incline Bench - 50lbs 103
Good top set, had one more grindy rep in me. We got a new Bench Pad that is IPF regulation height now. My knees are no longer higher than my hips, which helps with my butt lift problem.
Belt and Box Squatting to get some blood flow into the wonky Quad.
11/12/20
Cycle 5 - Week Four reps/sets
Deads - 182.5kg 7
Deads - 160kg 72
RDLs - 137.5kg 103
Cable Revs Fly - #4 153
Palof Holds - #10 30sec *3
Well today was a surprise. I was having a hard time catching my breath during warm ups and was concerned that it would effect my pulls.
But I was able to work through the breathlessness. The quad issue was not an issue to speak of, though I was aware of it as the session went on.
I felt I had a couple more in me without grinding.
Nice end to this cycle, just off rep PRs for Bench and Deads…would have been right there in the Squat too, except for the Quad not cooperating.
11/14/20
Cycle 5 - Week Four reps/sets
Box Squat - 70kg 103 (to an 18" box)
Paused Bench - 75kg 73
Mid Shin Paused Deads - 165kg 3*3
Incremental improvement with the Quad.
Everything else was smooth.
11/15/20
Sunday Conditioning
Airdyne - 8 minutes 60rpm
Step Ups - 32kg 83
Sled Pushes - 90lbs 30yrd 5
TKE - green band 205
BSS - 16kg 103
Cable Revs Fly - #5 123
Pull Up - bw 73
Sled Pushes - 90lbs 30yrd *5
This may be the last day in the gym for a while…more LOCKDOWN bullshit, minimum two weeks.
Fortunately, there’s a gym member who has a home set up that he’s offered to let me use. Guerilla lifting…fight the power!
11/16/20
De-Load Week reps/sets
Box Squat (18" box)- 120kg 33
Belt Squat - 60kg 103
Hamstring Curls - rl green band, ll red band 123
Mid Row - 70lbs 153
Not gonna lie, I thought loading up 120kg was gonna be a mistake… However, everything seemed OK, except for that fact that I’ve forgotten how to Squat.
Damn that was hard. Of course I was making sure not to “explode” out of the hole…understanding that your definition of “explode” and mine are quite different. Suffice to say, with out that effort, everything felt slow…looked it too.
We have no “leg machines” so the curls were a jury rigged affair. My left leg, which is missing the semi tendinosis couldn’t handle the green band without spasming. Maybe it’s the nature of it being a new exercise, but that was an eye opener. Usually there’s a minimal deficit when on a dedicated hamstring curl machine.
Finally figured out how the use our new belt squat set up…I’m a little slow on the uptake.
11/18/20
De-Load Week reps/sets
Paused Bench - 90/92.5/95/97.5kg 1
Paused Bench - 80kg 33
Tempo to Tempo Dumbbell Incline Bench - 45lbs 74
Dumbbell Press - 40lbs 74
So we’re shut down AGAIN. Cuomo says we’ve been bad boys and girls and haven’t had it bad, so it’s penance time for Erie County. Nicklefucker!!!
Gym closes tomorrow for two weeks. I’ll be able to train offsite, with three other folks from my gym who are competing in January.
Beats the alternative of this spring…
Still, there are lessons to be learned here, that are being missed. You can push this shit only so far.
11/19/20
De-Load Week reps/sets
Paused Deads - 170kg 14
Squat - 70 / 90 / 110 / 120 / 130 1
Glute Ham Roller - 154
Back Ext - 84
Row - 60kg 15*3
Left knee was a little wonky. Had to turn regular Deads into Paused work as a work around.
Squats were a loading process to see where we are in the healing phase. Felt pretty good, say 90%. Still had to be careful on the descent not to load the Quad too quickly. Coming out of the hole…No issues!
And the governor, who’s a moron, has closed gyms for two weeks in our country. Y’all need to check out his press conference if you want to see a text book example of arrogance.
deep breath
10/23/20
Cycle Six Week One rep/sets
Squat - 130kg5
Squat - 120kg 52
Paused Squat - 110kg 74
Kroc Row - 70lbs 103
Getting in the work off site due to lockdown rules.
Got a rack, and enough plates to get the big stuff done. Most of the assistance work will have to wait.
Quad feels good. Today was a nice way to ease back into things.
11/24/20
Cycle Six Week One rep/sets
Bench - 85kg 5
Paused Bench - 77.5kg 52
Spoto - 70 103
Dumbbell Press - 40lbs 103
Shoulder Cluster - 10lbs 123
Tempo Dumbbell Incline Bench - 30llbs 123
Good session. Nothing too terribly exciting to report, just punchin’ the clock.
11/27/20
Cycle Six Week One rep/sets
Deads - 415lbs *2 …BOOM!
2020 strikes again. Tweaked my QL…the same place as the last time.
I came in too heavy to start this cycle: my fault. Should have check with my coach first. I swear, this offsite lifting, while nice, is a pain in the ass…or back in this case.
315 felt heavy, 365 was slow, 395 was RPE 9…I should have listened to my body. I forgot all about the de-load week and the increased inactivity due to this second lockdown. I pulled 182.5 for 7 at RPE 8, two weeks prior, so I thought 187.5 for 5 was appropriate for today.
It was the fucking pound plates. Yeah that’s it, the pound plates are to blame.
All kidding aside, I’m pissed. I know better, and I let my impatience get the better of me.
Oh well, live and learn.
All kidding aside, I’m pissed. I know better, and I let my impatience get the better of me.
That is my downfall too, exacerbated by increasing hard-headedness with each passing year!
12/2/2020
Cycle Six Week Two rep/sets
Bench - 80kg 52
Paused Bench - 75kg 53
Spoto - 70kg 10 / 10/ / 8
Still on lockdown. Back is still cranky. Stressors outside the gym are large, and in charge unfortunately.
The back issue kept me from moving more than 80kg comfortably, but truth be told - I didn’t have 87.5kg in me for 5 today anyway.
So, I modified the program, and added a set to the first two exercises…because volume. Am I right…
Had a discussion with the other renegades who I’m lifting with: is it better to sprint through a high rep set, or is it better to be steady Eddie?
All I can say is, trying to be Steady Eddie cost me the last set of Spoto. Make of that what you will. Of course the guy who is Steady Eddie in the group also Benches 187.5kg, so he’s probably right.
12/4/20
Cycle Six Week Two rep/sets
Deadlift - 275lbs 5*5
That’s as much as my back could handle without being cranky. Beats doing nothing!
We’ll try for a day four of Squats and Bench tomorrow!
12/5/20
Cycle Six Week Two rep/sets
Squat - 120kg 54
Bench - 70kg 56
Larsen Bench - 60kg 6*4
No pulls, since we Deadlifted yesterday. Squats were a little high, but the back held up nicely. First time squatting in two weeks, so I’m not to upset with the depth, all things considered.
On the Bench, the person I’m training with had me focus in keeping my chest UP throughout the movement. I have a tendency to let my chest drop with the bar at the bottom. Felt stronger that way…who knew!!!
Looks like another week of lockdown…I have no words!