Quoting this in my log because I’m about to make this about me, but feeling you here - I’ve cut down several times and always been disappointed at my abs, I know a large part of that will be genetics, another component will be not being lean enough. But there is also the fact that abs training has been inconsistent and abs can be hypertrophied so they shouldn’t be neglected. I’m down with bigger blockier abs!
Which leads me to program selection - getting stronger in the big 4, an outsized emphasis on back training, a heavy dose of ab work, and not neglecting conditioning… Sounds like a Brian Alsruhe program to me! I failed to complete linear progression earlier this year due to injury. It’s time to take another run at it.
I’ll pay more attention to recovery and life stresses this time round, I know @Koestrizer mentioned that could have been a factor in my injury last time, there was a pattern of poor sleep, over-caffination just to get my butt in the gym, pushing myself when I wasn’t recovered just because it fit my schedule etc.
This time round I’ll make a conscious effort to really listen to the subtle feedback my body provides and if I only make two or three sessions in a week, so be it. I want to hit 40 in peak form, not having had a year of regressing due to injuries.
Maybe I’ll have learnt to listen to my body by the time I make it into the 4th decade!