Friday 5/26
EASY DEADLIFT DAY
Sumo Deadlift
5x135
4x225
3x315
1x405
1x405
1x425
Usually have been doing a 5-4-3-2-1 here, but on my would-be “double” at 405 my grip felt very loose after first rep (humid day and hadn’t chalked my hands yet) so I just reset, did a second single with 405, then finished with 425. The rep at 425 felt great and I had more in the tank but I don’t have to do a max effort every week.
Saturday 5/27
STRONGFIRST PRESS: WEEK 10, DAY 3
Kettlebell Press
6x53
6x53
8x53
8x53
6x53
6x53
6x63
6x53
8x53
8x53
7x53
7x53
8x53
8x53
Sunday 5/28
PULL-UPS & STUFF
Pull-ups
1, 2, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2
Decided that I’m probably overdoing the total amount of “pressing” since I’ve been doing StrongFirst kettlebell pressing 3 times per week plus 5/3/1 bench press workouts on Wednesdays and upper body gym workouts on Sundays…where I just always seemed to bench press again out of habit though it’s not really needed. Since kettlebell pressing is my big goal at the moment, I’m gonna drop the bench press on Sundays & do a bunch of pull-ups (which I have neglected for awhile) instead. A dedicated pull-up day is a good idea. I’ll work myself back into better shape for sets of higher reps but for today I kept em all low since it’s literally my first time doing pull-ups in…gulp…a long time.
Monday 5/29
SQUAT 5/3/1: 1’s DAY
Back Squat
5x135
5x225
5x265
3x295
1x345
Tuesday 5/30
STRONGFIRST PRESS: WEEK 11, DAY 1
Kettlebell Press
3x62
3x62
4x62
4x62
3x62
3x62
5x62
5x62
3x62
3x62
4x62
4x62
Wednesday 5/31
BENCH 5/3/1: 1’s DAY
Bench Press
5x135
5x165
5x195
5x225
3x245
1x265
Thursday 6/1
STRONGFIRST PRESS: WEEK 11, DAY 2
Kettlebell Press
2x80
2x80
1x88
1x88
2x80
2x80
3x80
3x80
2x88
2x88
Feeling good. Doubling up with the 88 gives confidence that I’ll nail the 97 next week.
Friday 6/2
MAX EFFORT DEADLIFT
Sumo Deadlift
5x135
4x225
3x315
2x405
1x495
Nice solid single at 495 to end today. Happy this is still seemingly an every-time weight.
Saturday 6/3
STRONGFIRST PRESS: WEEK 11, DAY 3
Kettlebell Press
6x53
6x53
6x53
6x53
6x53
6x53
6x53
6x53
6x53
6x53
Sunday 6/4
KETTLEBELL PRESS LADDER
Kettlebell Press
2x18
2x26
2x35
2x44
2x53
2x62
2x70
2x80
2x88
Not part of StrongFirst program; just couldn’t go to gym today and decided to do quick little press ladder instead.
Monday 6/5
SQUAT 5/3/1: FILLER WEEK
Back Squat
5x135
5x225
5x255
3x285
1x315
1x345
Have a week of travel coming up soon where I will have gym access but it will be a different setup, so this week I’m gonna take it a little easy and then start my next 5/3/1 squatting cycle after I get back. I also want to stay fresh as I hit the end of the StrongFirst press program with my new 1RM coming up on Thursday.
Tuesday 6/6
STRONGFIRST PRESS: WEEK 12, DAY 1
Kettlebell Press
3x62
3x62
4x62
4x62
3x62
3x62
5x62
5x62
Last press day before new 1RM attempt.
Wednesday 6/7
EASY DEADLIFT
Sumo Deadlift
5x135
4x225
3x315
2x405
2x425
Wanted to take it a bit easy ahead of tomorrow’s press 1RM, so gave the upper body a day off and just did some easy deadlifts. Nice double at 425 to wrap the day. New press 1RM coming tomorrow.
Thursday 6/8
STRONGFIRST PRESS: WEEK 11, DAY 2
Kettlebell Press 1RM Test
2x70
2x70
1x80
1x80
1x88
1x88
1x97
1x97
1x97
1x97
First rep with the 97 went up so easily that I did a few more. Nice to reset this as my new max. Oddly enough, the different shape and size of handle makes pressing the 97 feel different than the 88, almost easier (I think the handle being a bit longer ends up giving a little better leverage).
Friday 6/9
EASY DEADLIFT DAY
Sumo Deadlift
5x135
4x225
3x315
2x405
2x440
Saturday 6/10
KETTLEBELL PRESS LADDER
Kettlebell Press
5x62
4x70
3x80
2x88
1x97
1x97
Change to logging style starting today and carrying through future StrongFirst pressing programs: listing something once (eg 5x62) implies it was done with both hands unless otherwise specified. Feels silly of me to write 2x as much.
Sunday 6/11
EASY DEADLIFT DAY
Sumo Deadlift
5x135
4x225
3x315
2x405
2x440
Monday 6/12
HOTEL ROOM WORKOUT
Dumbbell Press
6x50
6x50
6x50
6x50
6x50
6x50
Having just completed the StrongFirst press program, I was going to take a week off from kettlebell pressing, but a change of travel plans left me in a hotel where the best option for a workout was probably this. Basically just the equivalent of my “light” pressing day from the last cycle. Fine for an in-between week, methinks.
Tuesday 6/13
QUICK SQUATS
Back Squat
3x154
3x242
3x242
3x242
3x242
3x242
3x242
Wednesday 6/14
QUICK PRESS WORKOUT
Kettlebell Press
2x70
2x70
2x70
2x70
2x70
2x70
re: last 2 days - I am traveling for a work-related conference this week and happen to be put up in a hotel with my favorite little hotel gym ever - despite a fairly small space there is a squat rack, a decent barbell very similar to a Rogue Ohio Bar, some decent bumper plates and newly this year - some proper cast-iron kettlebells (up to 32 kg / 70 pounds). Couldn’t resist those beauties, so I’ll probably just alternate days squatting and pressing this week.