Week 1, Day 1, RPE 7 - 8
Bench - 1 x 1, 225
Bench - 1 x 3, 210
Bench - 3 x 4, 90% of Set 1, 195
OHP - 3 x 9, 75
Smith Machine JM Press - 2 x 10 - 15, 75 x 10
Smith Machine JM Press - 2 x 10 - 15, 90% of Sets 1 and 2, 70 x 15
Lateral Raises - 3 x 10 - 15, 22.5 x15
225 on a Week 1 and a 210 x 3 Week 1 PR
Best part is these weights don’t feel scary anymore!
Week 1 Day 2, All RPE 7-8
DL - 1 x 1, 425
DL - 3 x 4, 90% of Set 1, 375
Safety Bar Squat - 1 x 5, 215
Safety Bar Squat - 1 x 5, 225
Hack Squat - 3 x 10, 230
Leg Curls - 3 x 10 - 15, 100 x 15
Calf Raises - 3 x 10 - 15, 235 x 15
Week 1, Day 3, RPE 7-8
Lat Prayers - 3 x 10 - 15, 52.5 x 15
Assisted Pull-ups - 3 x 10 - 15, Assistance 50% of BW x 12
Machine Row - 3 x 10 - 15, 105 x 15
Smith Machine Upright Rows - 3 x 10 - 80 x 15
Machine Rear Delt Fly - 3 x 10 - 15, 110 x 15
Preacher Curls - 3 x 10 - 15, 50 x 12
Week 1, Day 4, RPE 7-8
Bench - 1 x 5, 205
Bench - 3 x 5, 93% of Set 1, 190
Machine Chest Flies - 3 x 10 - 15, 105 x 15
Tricep Pushdowns - 3 x 10 - 15, 45 x 15
Incline DB Curls - 3 x 10 - 15, 20 x 15
Lateral Raises - 3 x 10 - 15, 22.5 x 15
Week 1, Day 5, RPE 7-8
Squat - 1 x 2, 315
Squat - 95% of Set 1, 300
Squat - 3 x 6, 275
Deficit DL - 1 x 4, 350
Deficit DL - 2 x 4, 315
Leg Extensions - 3 x 10 - 15, 80 x 15
Standing Calf Raises - 3 x 15 - 20, 225 x 20
Decided to be more conservative with my squat openers, become really solid in the low-mid 300s and then try being more aggressive
For the most part everything feels better with me still needing to get foot pressure down. Wider stance seemed to improve things as well.
Week 1, Day 6, RPE 7-8
Pin Press, 1 x 3, 210
Pin Press, 3 x 3, 95% of Set 1, 200
Seated Cable Row, 3 x 10 - 15, 155 x 15
Lat Prayers, 3 x 10 - 15, 90 x 15
Hammer Curls, 3 x 10 - 15, 30 x 15
Lateral Raises, 3 x 10 - 15, 22.5 x 15
It’s interesting how I can feel bench performance taking a slight hit on the third bench session of the week and then two days off enough to make me feel like new again
Being a little more aggressive on starting weights where I can
Week 2, Day 1 RPE 7.5 - 8.5
Bench - 1 x 1, 240
Bench - 1 x 3, 215
Bench - 3 x 4, 90% of Set 2, 200
OHP - 3 x 9, 80
Smith Machine JM Press - 2 x 10 - 15, 80 x 10
Smith Machine JM Press - 2 x 10 - 15, 90% of Sets 1 and 2, 75 x 15
Lateral Raises - 3 x 10 - 15, 25 x15
Bench PR of 240 on week 2! The bar felt a little heavy on the way down so it was crazy how much power I seemed to feel off my chest. I was pretty sure I could make the lift even if it was a grind, I just didn’t expect it to be that easy!
Pumped to have top and back off sets all in the 200s
Week 2, Day 2, All RPE 7.5 - 8.5
DL - 1 x 1, 440
DL - 3 x 4, 90% of Set 1, 405 / 385
Safety Bar Squat - 1 x 5, 225
Safety Bar Squat - 1 x 5, 235
Hack Squat - 3 x 10, 250
Leg Curls - 3 x 10 - 15, 105 x 15
Calf Raises - 3 x 10 - 15, 245 x 15
440 was a little more sticky than I was expecting, but not horrible
Downsets I was actually going for 385 but had a pair of extra 10s on the bar by mistake. No wonder these felt like depth. 405 x 4 is a PR though!
Week 2, Day 3, RPE 7.5 - 8.5
Lat Prayers - 3 x 10 - 15, 55 x 15
Assisted Pull-ups - 3 x 10 - 15, Assistance 50% of BW x 13
Machine Row - 3 x 10 - 15, 110 x 15
Smith Machine Upright Rows - 3 x 10 - 85 x 15
Machine Rear Delt Fly - 3 x 10 - 15, 115 x 15
Preacher Curls - 3 x 10 - 15, 50 x 15
Week 2, Day 4, RPE 7.5 - 8.5
Bench - 1 x 5, 215
Bench - 3 x 5, 93% of Set 1, 200
Machine Chest Flies - 3 x 10 - 15, 110 x 15
Tricep Pushdowns - 3 x 10 - 15, 47.5 x 15
Incline DB Curls - 3 x 10 - 15, 22.5 x 15
Lateral Raises - 3 x 10 - 15, 25 x 15
215 x 5 is a PR! Felt a little heavy on the last few reps so going to be more conservative with the progression next week
Pumped to have all of my downsets be in the 200s this week
Week 2, Day 5, RPE 7.5-8.5
Squat - 1 x 2, 325
Squat - 95% of Set 1, 305
Squat - 3 x 6, 285
Deficit DL - 1 x 4, 360
Deficit DL - 2 x 4, 325
Leg Extensions - 3 x 10 - 15, 85 x 15
Standing Calf Raises - 3 x 15 - 20, 235 x 20
Widened my stance a bit more and feeling more stable and stronger
Squat is interesting as my base strength seems to be increasing (downsets and everything in the low 300s easier), but my top end seems a bit more stagnant and isn’t going up the way my DL and bench are. I’ll talk through this one with my coach and see if we can get to the bottom of this.
Week 2, Day 6, RPE 7.5 - 8.5
Pin Press, 1 x 3, 215
Pin Press, 3 x 3, 95% of Set 1, 205
Seated Cable Row, 3 x 10 - 15, 165 x 15
Lat Prayers, 3 x 10 - 15, 95 x 15
Hammer Curls, 3 x 10 - 15, 35 x 15
Lateral Raises, 3 x 10 - 15, 25 x 15
Week 3, Day 1 RPE 8 - 9
Bench - 1 x 1, 250
Bench - 1 x 3, 220
Bench - 3 x 4, 90% of Set 2, 205
OHP - 3 x 9, 85
Smith Machine JM Press - 2 x 10 - 15, 85 x 10
Smith Machine JM Press - 2 x 10 - 15, 90% of Sets 1 and 2, 80 x 15
Lateral Raises - 3 x 10 - 15, 27.5 x15
250 PR, now up 25 lbs for the year on bench!
Misgrooved my bar path and didn’t have the best pause and push off my chest but once I got the bar off, it moved pretty well. I’d peg a YOLO perfect day bench at 260-265. This is actually a somewhat persistent issue in the 200s but shouldn’t be the hardest thing to fix either.
Nice PR and great progress! Keep up the good work.
Thanks, @SvenG ! I appreciate the support and for following along with my log. Bigger and better things to come in 2024!
Week 3, Day 2, All RPE 8 - 9
DL - 1 x 1, 455
DL - 3 x 4, 90% of Set 1, 395
Safety Bar Squat - 1 x 5, 235
Safety Bar Squat - 1 x 5, 245
Hack Squat - 3 x 10, 270
Leg Curls - 3 x 10 - 15, 110 x 15
Calf Raises - 3 x 10 - 15, 255 x 15
With an upcoming mini-break for the holidays, I decided to be more aggressive with a couple of my progressions since I know there’s a good chance that my sessions next Saturday and Sunday will be a little weaker due to the time off(just the nature of the beast of getting slightly detrained). This way I would have at least one last try on DL and bench for 2023. I’m also restarting Week 3 after I get back from seeing my fam, and Week 4 will be pushed back a week too.
455 PR! It actually felt easier off the floor compared to the 440 last week. I have know added 90 lbs to this lift over 2023. It’s a good reminder to really take the time in warmup to get things feeling the way they should and not rush.
My coach and I are going to tweak squats to give me a little more practice at higher intensities to help me break through my 350 on squat feels hard ceiling. I’m really happy I made this realization because it’s a sign of how much I’ve grown as a lifter. Now, I know some things are non-issues, but at least I can have the discussion with my coach and filter out the unnecessary worrying or fixing problems that don’t actually exist.
Small training break over the holidays but I’m getting my daily steps in along with some body weight work. I’ll do a couple of light sessions at my apartment gym once I’m back there on Thursday and Friday and I should be good to jump back into things on Saturday (yes, I’m weird in that Saturday is my Day 1).
Week 3 Reset, Day 1 RPE 8 - 9
Bench - 1 x 1, 255
Bench - 1 x 3, 225
Bench - 3 x 4, 90% of Set 2, 210
OHP - 3 x 9, 90
Smith Machine JM Press - 2 x 10 - 15, 90 x 10
Smith Machine JM Press - 2 x 10 - 15, 90% of Sets 1 and 2, 85 x 15
Lateral Raises - 3 x 10 - 15, 30 x15
Last bench session of 2023 and closed it out with a bang! 255 PR so now up 30 lbs for the year! I’m especially proud of this one coming off the break and not coming back detrained at all. Rep also got a little sticky in the middle but fought through and finished strong.
Had a call with my coach and laid out my plans for 2024 and should be another good year. Realistic goals and somewhat stretch ones but ones that will still challenge me to be my absolute best.
Week 4, Day 2, All RPE 8 - 9
DL - 1 x 1, 460
DL - 3 x 4, 90% of Set 1, 400
Safety Bar Squat - 1 x 5, 245
Safety Bar Squat - 1 x 5, 255
Hack Squat - 3 x 10, 290
Leg Curls - 3 x 10 - 15, 115 x 15
Calf Raises - 3 x 10 - 15, 265 x 15
Last session of 2023 done! Happy to unlock one last PR on DL!
One of the first times both my top sets and my downsets are in the 400s!
Safety bar squats didn’t feel the best but happy I just worked through it instead of feeling frustrated or annoyed with myself
Week 3 Rest or Maybe Week 4, Day 3, RPE 9
Lat Prayers - 3 x 10 - 15, 57.5 x 15
Assisted Pull-ups - 3 x 10 - 15, Assistance 45% of BW x 15
Machine Row - 3 x 10 - 15, 115 x 15
Smith Machine Upright Rows - 3 x 10 - 90 x 15
Machine Rear Delt Fly - 3 x 10 - 15, 120 x 15
Preacher Curls - 3 x 10 - 15, 55 x 15
First lift of 2024 done!
Just really focused on quality and intensity.
We’ll see how I feel at the end of the week, but I may call this at Week 4 instead of a repeat of Week 3. I’m feeling a little more run down than I would have expected, but then again sleep hasn’t been the best due to time change from travel. If I feel better after next Friday, I’ll extend the phase, but if not, onto a deload week.
Week 4, Day 4, RPE 8-9
Bench - 1 x 5, 220 x 4
Bench - 3 x 5, 93% of Set 1, 205
Machine Chest Flies - 3 x 10 - 15, 115 x 15
Tricep Pushdowns - 3 x 10 - 15, 50 x 15
Incline DB Curls - 3 x 10 - 15, 25 x 15
Lateral Raises - 3 x 10 - 15, 30 x 15
Misgrooved my top set and settled for 4 reps instead of 5 which would have been a PR.
Happy with myself for not letting the miss affect the rest of my workout. Also good job making adjustments on my downsets on bench as needed.