Eternal (Flame) Warrior, Week 10, Day 2
10 min cardio
Squat prep cycle
Incline bench 95, 115, 135, 155, 170, 185 x 4
Assistance circuit x 3
Cardio circuit x 3
Meh. Just putting in the work.
Eternal (Flame) Warrior, Week 10, Day 3
10 min cardio
Pull prep cycle
Deadlift, 135, 185, 225, 255, 285, 315 x 4
Assistance circuit x 3
Cardio circuit x 3
Putting in even more work. I was a sweaty, gross mess of a man by the end.
1 Like
Eternal (Flame) Warrior, Week 11, Day 1
10 min cardio
Bench press prep cycle
Back Squat, ramp to 270 x 2
Assistance circuit x 3 (still OMFG )
Cardio circuit x 3
Two weeks ago, I started dry heaving during the assistance circuit. Last week, I started dry heaving 45 minutes afterwards, during dinner. This week, there was no dry heaving. None. Zero. Just like Eternal Warriors are supposed to squat: without the threat of vomit.
This was also one of my best squat seshes in a while.
Eternal (Flame) Warrior, Week 11, Day 2
10 min cardio
Squat prep cycle
Incline bench 95, 115, 135, 155, 175, 195 x 2
Assistance circuit x 3
Cardio circuit x 3
Another Wednesday, another press workout. My shoulders feel really good, there’s minimal pain with pressing and I seem to be making progress again.
I’ve never hit 225 x 1 on the incline; I won’t quite get there next week, but will be within striking distance. I may keep inclines as the main movement when I reintroduce flat benching for another 6-12 week cycle.
Eternal (Flame) Warrior, Week 11, Day 3
10 min cardio
Pull prep cycle
Deadlift, 135, 185, 225, 265, 295, 325 x 2 (psyched myself out and bailed on 335 x 2)
Assistance circuit x 3
Cardio circuit x 3
More of the same. Hoping for 345 x 1 next time.
Hey, what’s happening? You okay?
Thanks for checking in–I appreciate it.
The past few years, I’ve tried to get fit for summer. I’m a teacher and summer training is hit and a whole lotta miss.
I’m headed home tomorrow for three weeks; I should get a lifting session in on Tuesday.
1 Like
I guess I stopped logging two weeks before my trip to Michigan.
For peak week
I pulled 340 x 1
I squatted 290 x 1
I incline pressed 205 x 1
I’d like to get those numbers up to 4, 3, and 2 plates over the next year.
I lifted today, working up to about 65-percent for a top set of four on my version of the big three. It felt easier than I expected.
Summer will involve lots of false starts due to travel…my hope is to spend most of my workouts with top sets of 4-6 around 80-percent of my training max.
Then, I’ll run a less demanding version of 915 once or twice to see where I land this fall/winter.
1 Like
Today
Squat 3x2 @75%
Front squat 1x5
Incline bench 3x2 @75%
Flat bench 1x5
Deadlift 3x2 @75%
Incline Row 1x5
Next workout, I’ll shoot for sets of four at 80% training max. My goal is to maintain my strength for the summer deapite two upcoming vacations, then shoot for new strength PRs in the fall and winter.
2 Likes
Today
Back squat 2x4 @ 80%
Incline bench 2x4 @ 80%
Deadlift 1x4 @ 80%
Deficit deadlift 1x4
Incline DB Rows 1x8
Squats felt almost impossibly heavy–they’re weird that way. Squats alway feel heavy, even if they’re relatively light and I can do more. I think I lose tension in the bottom 1/3 with lighter weights because I’m not respecting the weight.
Incline bench, to the contrary, felt ridiculously light.
I’ll either add a set or rep next week; the next workout, in two days, is the same weights with technique and speed focus for sets of two.
Today
Back Squat 3x2 @ 80%
Front squat 2x5
Incline bench 3x2 @ 80%
1&1/4 Incline bench 2x5
DB Row 1x6
My attempt at summer maintenance continues.
Next time, same weight on the big lifts for sets of five.
Is the point of this training strength maintenance? Such low volume, I’m guessing so.
I appreciate the question.
Yes, the point of these workouts is to end the summer roughly where I began strength wise. This summer is weird–I have a couple 10 day vacations, so summer is chopped into three three-week blocks.
As for low being low volume, I don’t know, is it? I squat and bench three times per week and deadlift twice. I hope to work up to 3x6 @ 80% of my current training max over the next three week cycle. I’ll gradually increase the assistance work as well.
Low volume I was looking at per session. Six or 10 repetitions for each lift.
Gotcha.
I’m easing back in after two weeks off.
The strategy comes from a Thibs article. One workout/week (yesterday’s three sets of two) is speed/technique practice; the next follows a preplanned progression…something like
2x4 @ 80%
2x5 @ 80%
3x5 @ 80%
3x6 @ 80%
…and so on.
Friday
Back squat 2x5 @ 80%
Incline bench 2x5 @ 80%
Incline DB Row 2x6
Today
Back squat 3x2 @ 82.5%
Front squat 2x5
Incline bench press 3x2 @ 82.5%
1 1/4 Incline bench press 2x5
DL 2x5 @ 80%
Neutral Chins +20lbs 2 x 4 (too heavy)
Its funny how a set of two can feel impossibly heavy one day, then, two days later, the same weight feels ridiculously light for sets of five. This is all the more reason I dont trust RIR or RPE based training for myself.
If I can complete two sets of six @80% training max this week, I’ll feel good about this progression–Thib’s 915 at about half the volume–and will have faith in it in August when I can return to true training.
1 Like
Today
Back squat 3x6 @ 80%
Incline bench press 3x6 @ 80%
DB Rows 2x8 @ 90lbs
I’m very happy with this. One more workout then a trip out east. I’m not entirely sure what I’ll do when I get back, but it’ll probably look pretty similar to what I’ve been doing lately.
1 Like
Today
Back squat 3x3 @ 90%
Incline bench 3x3 @ 90%
Deadlift 3x3 @ 90%
Was kinda in a hurry and misread my notes. I ended up jumping ahead in my planned progression (that I stole from 915) by two weeks. Everything still moved well, but I like the idea of slowly getting acclimated to each load.
When I get back from my trip out east, I’ll test the waters at 3x2 @90 % and go from there.
Today
Back squat 225 @ 3x2 (speed and technique)
Front squat 165 @ 2x5
Incline bench 155 @ 3x2 (speed & technique)
1.25 Incline bench 135 @ 2x5
Deadlift 295 @ 3x2
DB Rows 100 @ 2x5
I’m back and in terrible shape. A new school year is almost here, so my schedule will be boring and predictable–conducive to getting stronger and less slovenly.
I’d like to use a very conservative progression over the next 4.5 months to add 20lbs to my squat, 20 lbs to my incline press, and 30-40 to my deadlift.
As always, we’ll see.
Last Wednesday
Back squat 265 @ 3x2
Incline Bench 195 @ 3x2
Deadlift 305 @ 3x2
Last Friday 85% of Weds
Back squat 225 @ 4x3 (technique)
Front squat 175 @ 2x5
Incline bench 155 @ 4x3 (technique)
1.25 Incline bench 140 @ 2x5
Deadlift 255 @ 4x3 (technique)
DB Rows 100 @ 2x5
Monday 75% of Weds
Back squat 205 @ 4x3 (speed and technique)
Incline bench 145 @ 4x3 (speed & technique)
Deadlift 235 @ 4x3 (speed & technique)
Today
Back squat 275 @ 3x2
Incline bench 200 @ 3x2
Deadlift 315 @ 3x2
DB Row 100 x 5, 5
I plan on doing some volume and assistance work on Friday, speed work on Monday, then work up to 105-110% of my training max on Wednesday for three sets of one.
The week after, I’ll ramp to a soft 1RM and use it as my new training max for whatever comes next. I hope to slowly work myself back into decent shape–life kinda went off the rails for a bit this summer.
But… I’m looking forward to getting back after it, entering 2026 stronger than ever.
Weight: 7 million pounds