Been a while since I’ve logged here, and while lifting is going great, my own offline logs have been crap, I want to get back to recording progress. My training lately has been ridiculously simple, I’m taking an entry level strength class 2 days a week where I’m doin 5/3/1 for T&G bench and box quats (should note, lowest the boxes go are still a bit above parallel).
Accessory work on those days is just high rep stuff with the decent equipment they have. Some deadlifting. Other days I’m in my home gym where I’ll often just bench or just squat, and thats it.
Two days into a fresh log and I already messed up my loading haha, this was supposed be the 5/3/1 day, not the 3+ day, so I did the same weights I did two squat days ago (got 8 at 420). Not realizing this, I did recall I recently repped out 420 so I decided to focus on joker sets. 440x3 was smooth, 465 I misgrooved the first rep so called it.
Was about to type that this session sucked, but really its just the first bench day that wasnt above average for a long time. 340x5 was harder than 360x5 a few days ago, and Im not sure I woulda got 380 for another rep today. Think it might be because of the temperature, I dunno. havent decided if Im gonna push through winter months or try a space heater or something, or just get a membership til spring. Anyone used to training in the cold can weigh in on that here if they would like.
Fresh training cycle, I don’t feel like I need a deload at all and its easy to see why looking at the last two days. Not much for volume right now but it seems to be working. Left reps in the tank at 450 cuz thats what Im repping out on my 5/3/1 day in a week. Back in a real gym tomorrow, might start a new bench cycle, might dick around with OHP I dunno.
Didnt leave anything in the tank on that bench set, but 330x8 is a nice rep PR. Not sure if my OHP has dropped off or that benching just took a lot out.
DB bench
85s x 5
95s x 5
105s x 5
115s x 5
125s x 10
Chins x 5 superset with rope push downs x 10
6 rounds
Hammer strength high row machine
3 sets of 15 paused
Low row machine
6 sets of 10
Lat pull downs x 15 superset with push ups x 15, no rest
5 rounds
Stuck in minneapolis this weekend so got a day pass to burn time. 310x10 without a spotter, I should be good for 315x10 next cycle which has been a goal for way too long.
Box Squats
355x5
405x3
450x6 PR
belted up for singles
475x1
500x1
525x1
Leg Press
748x20 long paused last rep
838x3 all paused
928x3 all paused
Some leg curls, RDLs, and leg ext.
405 felt heavier than it should have which caused me to get a little more jacked up than I probly needed to for the following sets. Wasnt gonna let 405x3 being heavy make this session suck. Consequently everything past that was pretty damn easy, including 525. However Im positive I couldnt bring that weight to depth yet (these box squats are 4-6 inches above USAPL passable). One more training cycle of these then Im gonna focus on some proper depth, maybe even paused squats. I am satisfied with how this box squatting has helped out with a few things though, my walk out, my confidence with heavy weight on the back (of course thats relative) and trained my hips while I wasnt deadlifting as much.
Same thing with bench next session, I got a 5/3/1 day, then one more cycle basically just to get a look at 315x10 on my 5+ day and fill out a couple more PRs, then Im gonna get back into paused benching and maybe get my OHP back up.
Edit: forgot to note, 4 days off was due to being busy and out of town, but it serves as a mini-deload that I probably needed. Not worried about it.
Popped a nice nosebleed on the 345 set, think it cost me a rep, and gives me my first bench day in a while where a PR wasnt matched or set. Then I went on to touch 365 way too high on my chest and it made me think heavier singles werent a good idea today.
Instead of BBB sets I wanted to gtfo so I put 2 plates on the bar and set a 5 minute clock, kinda pissed I didnt hit 50, but I know fresh Im good for way more.
Also, its colder in my garage than it is outside, wtf?
Leg Press
worked up in sets of 20 to 1000something x 10 with some pausing
Good Mornings 5x5
Bunch of leg curls, a few leg ext
Box squats at this height have really ran their course I think, but still gonna finish out this training cycle. Felt like 410 wasnt enough weight to be doing anything and it was just cardio almost. Leg Press is kinda the same thing, but I really like the pump from that movement.
I seem to progress super fast in this lift, so setting PRs on it comes easy. As such, Ive been hitting PRs and not really pushing any harder, and since this is my last cycle of box squats I went for an actual all out set with 435x9. Maybe had 10 in me. After that 460x3 was cake, but when I got up to 485 I was out of gas. I think those two joker sets might be cheapy PRs too though, not sure.
Left a rep or two in the tank and got a PR on a relatively easy set, which is one of the things 5/3/1 is built around, I’ll take it. 370 on the other hand was a grind, dont think I had 3 in me on that today.
MIxing up my BBB weight today, wanted more weight less reps.
Box Squats
365x5
410x3
460x7 PR
485x1
510x1
535x miss
Leg Press
1000x15
some deficit straight leg pulls, some leg curls and ext
Last day of box squats for a while. I could keep setting PRs but I think I got what carryover I could for now. on the 535 rep, I grabbed two spotters, and Im almost positive one of the guys was taking weight off one side for no reason, and I had an uneven bar. I never have an uneven bar for squats. This is close to the most weight Ive had on my back, but I still think something was goin on there. Didnt feel like it was worth pushing through, although I think I couldve. Oh well.
Leg training going forward: 5/3/1 Front Squats, and 5/3/1 pause squats with a little narrower stance. Also gonna add a DL day against bands, and dedicate the rest of that day to back work.
Pressing plan: Gonna ride out my current 5/3/1 for T&G and see how long it takes til I have to reset. Im thinkin I might end up going something like 14 cycles (started this one at 350, think I could still hit required reps with a 425 TMax). Also gonna add in a second pressing day, thinkin something I havent done much of like paused close grip. For some reason I dont care about my OHP right now, gonna leave it on the back burner.
This last few months of overly simple training worked well, but I think it ran its course. Excited to get goin on something else.
Paused Close Grip Bench
225x3
245x3
265x3
285x3
305x3
325x2
some other light bench work
some light pec flies
some light OHP
some curls
some chins
Some kinda deload today, with one other goal: try to eye-ball a training max for my paused close grip. Woulda been good for 3-4 at 325, maybe 5 if I had to. Gonna go with a 315 Tmax there.
It’s likely my next training session will be similar, get a ballpark of a Tmax for the two squat variations I wanna run, and thats about it. Between that and the holidays I should be nicely deloaded and ready to go.
Fronts: I was good for at least 4-5 at 260, but 260x3 is a PR and this is a deload. I dont train this lift enough, gonna be setting PRs like crazy, looks like. For the paused squats, a quick description: I will be pausing every rep at/below parallel, and will be exhaling and inhaling in the hole on the last rep, as per this article Add 100 Pounds to Your Squat I am so weak in the hole it’s ridiculous haha. Expected though, with my recent training. I think it might work, something like a ROM progression.
5/3/1 loading, but I’m going to be choosing my battles with when I rep out hard or focus on jokers, etc, especially with the breathing squats as I need to know exactly what rep number I’m shooting for every single set. Training maxes to start out: Front Squats 255, Breathers 295 (want to be pretty conservative here)
Left one in the tank on the 350 set, maybe shoulda pushed it for a PR. 390 was a bit of a grind today, everything felt fine, didnt misgroove or anything but it was just slow. Shouldve known that was probly gonna happen when the 370 was light and easy but slow.
Quick note on my deloading: I just do it when I think I need to. I dont plan deloads, ever. If it happens in the middle of a cycle like it did here, oh well. Its been working so far, even though I have to admit I could probly deload slightly more often. Seems like something a lot of guys struggle with haha.
Edit: got bored with the BBB and lumped the last two sets together. Oddly felt like I coulda went for a rep record with 225 (29 is my best)