How is the Bench progressing mate?
205 x 1 was a while ago now.
I see recent 185 x 3 regularly (and 195 x 3 on the rows)… but no incremental increases on recent sessions?
After a weekend rest are you going to test your bench single max soon?
(love the garage setup. long live the shed gym!)
8-October Conditioning
Alternate:
15 x Kettle Bell swings
1 Pull-up
Continue, adding 1 pull-up per round until failure. No breaks
3 minutes, 40 seconds, 4 full rounds plus 3 additional pull-ups. 13 total.
Alternate:
Push-up
Thruster (65lb)
continue adding 1 push-up per round until failure no breaks.
4 minutes, 40 seconds. 7 full rounds plus 2 push-ups. 30 total.
Notes:
That’s it. Light conditioning day. Day two after leg day and definitely fatigued and a bit sore. Nothing like the first cycle.
[quote]raven78 wrote:
How is the Bench progressing mate?
205 x 1 was a while ago now.
I see recent 185 x 3 regularly (and 195 x 3 on the rows)… but no incremental increases on recent sessions?
After a weekend rest are you going to test your bench single max soon?
(love the garage setup. long live the shed gym!)[/quote]
Hey bro - how are you? Been so busy with work/kids I have not been keeping up with logs as I usually try to. Will check yours out soon.
So I am wary about testing my bench max again. I think that I was doing it too often. And I read people like Paul Carter the Westside-schooled crew cautioning against testing too often. Part of me is just scared that it is not progressing and not wanting to prove this to myself.
Current plan is to be on a hypertrophy/volume kick for 6 weeks. Then I have a business trip for a week where I can de-load. Then I have another 6 week block for emphasizing the bench and deadlift. A one week de-load and the last week of the year to test maxes. Not sure if I should test at all until that last week in December.
Yeah man - garage gym for the win! No one in my rack (except my wife, and she pays here dues)!
All good, it seems like only yesterday we were discussing bench, but its actually been almost a month or so! Time flies!
Going well here too.
Wife in squat rack would be a major distraction surely… haha.
9-October
Rest day. Provided blood for physical. Have not been to the doc in 6 years and as I just turned 40 figured it was time. Asked for a T test to obtain a baseline. Plus curious where I sit. I think that I am probably normal but would like to know for sure. Sometimes I feel like my lifting progress should be faster but my biggest issues are probably lack of sleep/stress.
10-October Cycle 4 Day 2, Deadlift
Deadlift 345 x 3, 305 x 4, 305 x 4, 285 x 5, 285 x 5
SLDL 245 x 6, 235 x 7, 225 x 8
SGHP 155 x 6, 145 x 7, 135 x 8
3 x Superset:
good morning 115 x 10
Leg curls 50 x 10,10,15
Power Clean 135 x 5
Notes:
Went up 5 lbs on Deadlift for 3 and 5 rep sets. Did a bit more weight on the high pulls as well from last cycle. This day still crushes my lower back. Only did 3 super-sets but mostly due to not enough time.
11-Oct Cycle 4 Day 3 Press
Press 120 x 3, 110 x 4, 110 x 4, 100 x 5, 100 x 5
DB IP: 55 x 6, 50 x 7, 45 x 10
Arn. Press: 30 x 6, 30 x 7, 25 x 8
BTN Press: 65 x 8, 2 sets
4x Superset:
Lateral raise: 10 x 15
Band pull-aparts green x 12
Ab Wheel x 10
Notes:
It is difficult for me to determine when I should increase weight. Press moved well for ALMOST all sets. Had one or two reps that slowed just a bit. For this 6-week cycle the emphasis is on hypertrophy so I would rather leave the strength moves if in doubt and just up the assistance work and volume. Which today I did both on DB incline and Arnold press. Plus I went up to green bands for the pull-aparts.
Including a video here of my 120 x 3 set of Pressing. Trying to gauge my speed and form.
12-Oct Cycle 4 Day 4 Row
Pendlay Row: 200 x 3, 180 x 4, 180 x 4, 165 x 5, 165 x 5
Pull-ups: 8, 8, 5+3 (conventional except +3 with red band assist)
T-Bar Rows: 115 x 8, 3 sets. Standing on blocks.
4x superset:
Hammer curls 25 x 10
Barbell curls 65 x 10
Preacher Curls 50 x 10
Conditioning:
3 x Speed walk up 100 meter 5% grade and back while holding 127lbs (vest+barbell). Times: 3:45, 3:15, 3:15
Notes: Pendlay were strong. Will increase 5 lbs next cycle. Pull-ups progressed a few reps. T-Bar was still just a bit under where they should be. Increase to 3 sets of 10 or 12 next cycle.
Arms - destroyed. Conditioning: good stuff.
13-October
Rest Day.
Received my labs back from my physical. So I have never been as in good shape as I am now. However, my cholesterol and ratios are much worse than they have been in the past. I am trying to understand if this truly is a bad thing and if I need to make adjustments.
Total Cholesterol is 236 (history: 216 at age 37, 195 at 33).
HDL is 59 (history 61 at age 37, 63 at age 33).
LDL is 146 (history 129 at age 37, 118 at age 33).
Tri is 156 (history 127 at age 37, 69 at age 33).
Glucose is 101 (history 96 at age 37, 93 at age 33).
D3 is 31 (normal is 30 to 70 - I have no history).
In the past two years I have been eating a great deal more eggs and red meat. 3 eggs every morning and 30% of the time another 3 eggs at night for dinner. 2 cups of milk (non-fat) per day. Tri-tip or ground beef 5-7 times per week.
I am very early into researching this and have heard the conflicting reports about blood cholesterol may or may not be a risk factor for CVD.
Anyway, more thoughts to come. May drop some of the eggs in the short-term until I can more fully determine my course of action. Perhaps substitute with another protein shake (was down to only 1 per day) and/or more tuna.
Also had my testosterone checked. I asked for a full panel that included free T, E2, etc but Doc didn’t seem to hear me (don’t think malicious, probably just not something he knows about; not an Endo). Anyway, only received Total T which is 416 (241-827) range. Seems OK, but I would really like to know the full numbers so will either get another test with this Doc or just do on my own.
14-Oct Cycle 4 Day 5 Squats
Back Squat 275 x 3, 255 x 4, 255 x 4, 230 x 5, 230 x 5
Front Squats 160 x 6, 150 x 7, 140 x 8
Split squats - skipped
4 x Super set:
Glute Ham Raise Red band x 10
Lying leg curls 50 x 12
Front Squats 120 x 10
Notes:
Back Squats felt good. This cycle is about hypertrophy so I won’t go up in weight on these. Video to be posted for form check. Front squats also felt fine after a 5 lb bump. Will increase 5 lbs more both for strength and hypertrophy round of fronts. Also will post form check video. GHR continue to be heavily helped by bands. Went up 2 reps on leg curls. Might go to 15 next round.
14-Oct Back Squat form check - 275 x 3
Angle on camera was not great. Perhaps a bit slow.
14-October Front Squat form check. 160 x 6. Relatively light.
15-October Cycle 5 Day 1 Bench
BP 185 x 3, 170 x 4, 170 x 4, 155 x 5, 155 x 5
DBIP 60 x 8, 60 x 8, 60 x 7
CGFP 150 x 5, 140 x 7, 130 x 8
4x super set:
DB Fly 25 x 12
Skull crusher 45 x 12 (12,12,15,15)
Dips BW x 5,4,2,2
Notes:
Bench continues to move fairly crisp. As planned, goal is to increase hypertrophy work for now. If I can get videos to work, will post 185 x 3 on next post. DB Incline was perfect weight - could not hit last rep of last set.
CG Floor press was easier than last week but still hard. Missed last rep of first set but hit the rest.
Flys and skull crushers are good pump. Dips regressed again. Still not worried as other moves are going up or increasing.
15-October Bench form check 185lb x 3 reps
Should be ready to increase weight once I start a block dedicated to strength again.
15-October
Two updates. First, did 40 minutes walk with 62lb vest last night.
Second, just received results of free T test. I guess the Doctor did not forget or misunderstand my request. Just took another 2 days to receive.
108 reading with 47-244 normal range. So seems fine. Again, no excuses to blame by poor development on! Good to get a baseline.
16-October, Cycle 5, Day 2 Deads
DL - 345 x 3, 315 x 4, 315 x 4, 285 x 5, 285 x 5
SLDL - 245 x 6, 235 x 7, 225 x 8
SGHP - 155 x 6, 145 x 7, 135 x 8
4 x super set:
G Mornings 115 x 10
Leg Curl 55 x 10
Power Clean 135 x 5
Notes:
Getting tired. Not enough sleep. Training fatigue accumulating. Normally today would be a day off but I travel to Europe this weekend.
Deads not as crisp but they moved. Will post speed/form videos. Upped the weight on leg curls.
16-October Dead lift 345 x 3 Form and speed check
17-October Cycle 5, Day 3 Press
Press 115 x 3, 105 x 4, 105 x 4, 95 x 5, 95 x 5
DB IP 55 x 6, 50 x 7, 45 x 8
BTN Press 65 x 8, 3 sets
2 x super set:
lateral raise 10 x 15
Band pull aparts green x 12
ab wheel me x 10
notes:
Was so weak today. Actually started going for 125 on the first set of press (+5 over last cycle) and could not get one rep. Could not even get 120, which I have been hitting consistently for weeks (heck, I have hit 135 for a 1RM). So training fatigue or just life fatigue (only about 6 hrs per night for a long time now) or both. Only had time for two rounds of super sets. I fly tomorrow night to Europe for a week so while sleep will be messed up hopefully the body will get some recovery.
18-October Cycle 5, Day 5 Rows
Pendlay Rows - 205 x 3, 185 x 4, 185 x 4, 170 x 5, 170 x 5
Pull-ups - 8, 8, 7 + 1 w/band assist
T-bar rows - 115 x 10, 3 sets
Barbell Curls - 45 x 100; 5 minute 30 seconds
Notes:
Last day before Europe trip. Rows feeling heavy. Will stay at this weight. Went up on pull-ups; only 1 rep with band assist. T-bar rows went up in reps and found this is the correct number. Doing the 100 rep barbell curls was painful. I was making all sorts of spasmodic movements to keep from putting the bar down. Forearms just burned!
20-October - Planning
Day 1 of Europe trip. Very long trip and very little sleep. Hopefully I will be able to sleep tonight.
Current thinking on rest of year. Remaining goals for the year - deadlift 405 and bench 225. Current 1RM are 375 and 210.
I have 10 weeks remaining upon my return. Will break into:
Block 1 - 4 weeks training
1 week Thanksgiving travel
Block 2 - 4 weeks training
1 week de-load and test.
Block 1:
Week 1: hypertrophy cycle 6 with cycle 4 weights
Week 2-4: MWFS Smolov Jr for Bench and Deadlift; Tue/Thur - Light Assistance; Sunday Rest
Thanks giving week off. Will do some cycling and running.
Block 2:
Week 1: Hypertrophy cycle 7 using cycle 5 weights
Week 2-4: MWFS Smolov Jr for Bench and Deadlift; Tue/Thur - light assistance, Sunday Rest
Assistance is: face-pulls, band pull-aparts, Arnold press (light); front squats (medium with reps); leg curls; box jumps.
Plan to do deadlifts from a deficit; might adjust weight down just a bit to compensate. I am weak off the floor with deads. That is also why the assistance focuses on front squats.
25-October - End of Europe trip. Averaged less than 6 hours of sleep per night. Some much less, one night at 10 hours. Controlled diet but did not strictly count calories. Was ‘aware’ of diet and my estimate is 2500-3000 calories per day. Enjoyed some food not commonly available in the US such as steak cheval (poor Trigger). Tasted excellent. Used the foam roller (yes, I packed this in my luggage) but no training of any kind.
Travel back was typical of this distance: 2 hour train, 2 hour flight, 3 hour lay-over, 11 hour flight, 45 min car ride.