Great PR, mcl. Congrats!
Moving over 400# just amps the psyche.
It really does!
I’m looking forward to the deload next week, though. 
Checked my weight this morning, 2 weeks after starting the gallon-of-milk-a-day thing.
Weight: 242. Up 5 lbs.
I was originally going to cut back if I was gaining too much, but I decided instead that I’d just stop in two more weeks.
Weight: 243.5.
Cycle 2, Week 3, Day 3.
“weak” is right. I don’t know what’s up with my final sets these past few weeks, but I’m not cranking them out like I used to.
Warmup: 10 dislocations, 10 facepulls@40.
Bench: 5@145, 3@165, 9@185. Not a PR. Well, it’s a rep PR at that weight, but it’s also the first time I’ve done this weight on 5-3-1.
BBB: 10@165, 10@145, 10@125, 10@105, 10@95
Accessory: 5x10 DB rows @75. I think I’m going to stop increasing the weight on these, as they’re really starting to tax me, and they’re supposed to be accessories.
Cardio: about 10 minutes alternating between figuring out how to work the speed bag, and realizing my wrists are limp and weak on the heavy bag.
Another 10 minutes spent trying to figure out how to get the 2nd glove on without help. Ended up using my teeth, badly (I don’t have a very good front bite).
mcl- Nice work.
Could the issue on the money set just be fatigue (your body being ready for the deload)? I run into that…and the fact that I don’t often get enough sleep.
[quote]LittleStrick wrote:
mcl- Nice work.
Could the issue on the money set just be fatigue (your body being ready for the deload)? I run into that…and the fact that I don’t often get enough sleep.[/quote]
Quite possibly. I’m still not sleeping very well, though the GABA and 5-HTP help. I’ve got an appointment to do a full overnight sleep study on August 4, right after I get back from Vegas. They’ll wire tons of electrodes to me and see just how and why I’m not sleeping well. Hopefully after that, I can quickly get…whatever it is I need to get to start sleeping well again.
Between switching up my squat form and repeatedly doing actual 1RMs on the deads in the middle of 5-3-1, I’m probably overdoing it just a tad.
Or, it could just be one of those low-T periods we all go through, when it’s just not coming together in the gym. Thankfully, I /do/ also have those days when I can go in and tear up anything put in front of me. I just need to wait for them to come back around.
Until they do, I’ll keep pushing myself as far as I can. I’m still determined to hit a 300 bench and 400 squat by the end of the year, and a 450 deadlift. That way, I can go for 400/500/600 next year.
Great goals! And all very attainable. There was a time when I thought turning 40 (as I did in May) meant the most I could hope for was to tone up. The folks here have shown me a very different reality. The max attempts do seem to wear on me harder now, than when younger (since you mentioned the DLs). When I keep those under control, I feel like the sky is still the limit.
I have sleep issues as well. I have tried various supps to no avail. Anymore, the only thing that works for me is melatonin. Two of those before bed and I am out cold in no time…and sleep more soundly. I have tried ZMA, but it seemed to screw with my blood pressure. I seem to have narrowed it down to the zinc. Not sure why it affects me that way, but all of my experiments seem to point to it.
I definitely know what you mean about low-T periods. I seem to have ever increasing symptoms. I have an appointment with an Endo in about 6 weeks (only 1 in our network…hopefully a good one). That is one reason I asked about the Alpha Male. I don’t know if it will actually raise my T, but if it only gives me some of my mental edge back, it will be worth it.
Alpha Male won’t raise your total T, but it is supposed to increase your free T. And you’ll definitely notice it: in the gym, in the morning, and in the boudoir. 
Just make sure you cycle it per instructions (5 days on, 2 off).
I have no trouble going to sleep…it’s that I toss and turn and constantly wake up throughout the night. The 5-HTP and GABA (which are pretty much ZMA without the zinc) help me sleep a bit deeper. I’m still tossing and turning and waking up, but it makes it harder for me to come completely out of sleep when I am doing that.
My endo’s the one who insisted I go to the sleep study center, because he refused to even consider that I have low T or anything else.
If this doesn’t help things other than my sleep, I’m going to tell him to go to hell, and go to what I discovered are some really good longevity doctors in my immediate area. I’ll have to pay for everything out of pocket (unless I can wait til next year, and I switch my health plan to a PPO), but it’d be worth it.
I am SO ready for the deload.
Cycle 2, Week 3, Day 4:
Warmup: front plank @1:00, shoulder stretches.
Squat (new, improved form): 5@230, 3@260, 4@290 (not a PR. Estimated 1RM=330, which is probably about right.)
I noticed that I’m feeling these in my inner thigh quite a bit, to the point that I began to worry about pulling my groin. I’ve really gotta watch my knee position.
I’m also having a very hard time with oxygen management. In fact, it’s why I stopped at 4 on the money set. Muscle-wise, I probably could have cranked out another 2 reps. I don’t think it’s the belt, because I take it completely off below 200, and still have the same problem. I think it may be the new form…I’m just not used to it yet (I hope).
BBB: 10@230, 10@200, 10@170, 10@135, 10@135
Accessory: 5x10 leg curls @60. Something must be working, because other than general fatigue, these felt like nothing. They’ve really killed me in previous weeks.
All in all, I’m feeling rather crappy about everything except deadlifts at this point. I’m going to put it out of my mind, enjoy the deload, and focus on future gains. At least I’m 10 lbs away from squatting 300 for reps, when my only tested 1RM on squat was 315, with incredibly bad form and very little depth. So I gues that’s something. 
Sorry, just being really down on myself because my goal at the end of 2008 was to squat 315, and bench 205, both of which I managed for one rep. But here it is, July 2009, and I’m just now getting around to repping at 300 and 200 respectively. I was sort of hoping to be 20 or 30 pounds above those points by now.
Cycle 2, Week 4, Day 1:
I will never understand my body. After feeling weak for two weeks:
deload:
warmup: 10 facepulls @ 30, 10 dislocations
military press: 5@45, 5@55, 5@65
BBB: 5x10@65
accessory: 3x5 unassisted neutral-grip pullups (which is, I think, the most unassisted pullups I’ve ever done while getting my chin above the bar every rep).
Weight: 244.5. So, I basically rep PR’d pullups with good form after gaining 10 lbs. WTF?
The effect of the extra food kicking in? Nice work! Are the assistance reps cut back during a standard deload? I don’t remember reading one way or the other and am too lazy right now to go look.
[quote]soldog wrote:
The effect of the extra food kicking in? Nice work! Are the assistance reps cut back during a standard deload? I don’t remember reading one way or the other and am too lazy right now to go look.[/quote]
According to the PDF, p.73, yeah, you cut back on assistance. it didn’t say reps or weights, so I just cut back the accessory reps (3x5 rather than 5x5). I didn’t cut back the BBB assistance work. In fact, I didn’t pyramid down. I know. Bad me.
Could be the food. Might not be. We’ll see in another month.
Nice work mcl. Food or no, never look a gift pullup in the mouth…or sets of them for that matter.
Cycle 2, Week 4, day 2:
Warmup: plank @1:00.
Deadlift (about 2.5" deficit, for giggles): 5@115, 5@140, 5@170
BBB (no deficit): 5x10@140
Accessory: 2x10 reverse crunches
1x10 hanging leg raises. As I suspected, I have real trouble with these. I can get my feet above hip height, but that’s about it. I’ll keep trying to do them, so I can get stronger at them (and help my main lift).
Out of curiosity, while the bar was on the ground at 115 after all my deads, I decided to try a set of 5 Zerchers. Wow! I think I’m going to have to incorporate these as accessories for my squats next cycle. Very nice! Should definitely help me on my depth.
No cardio.
Weight: 246.
EDIT: Hm. After reading around a bit, it seems what I did was a Zercher deadlift (start with bar on ground, squat down, hook arms under, stand, squat, lather, rinse, repeat.)
[quote]mcl wrote:
Cycle 2, Week 4, day 2:
Warmup: plank @1:00.
Deadlift (about 2.5" deficit, for giggles): 5@115, 5@140, 5@170
BBB (no deficit): 5x10@140
Accessory: 2x10 reverse crunches
1x10 hanging leg raises. As I suspected, I have real trouble with these. I can get my feet above hip height, but that’s about it. I’ll keep trying to do them, so I can get stronger at them (and help my main lift).
Out of curiosity, while the bar was on the ground at 115 after all my deads, I decided to try a set of 5 Zerchers. Wow! I think I’m going to have to incorporate these as accessories for my squats next cycle. Very nice! Should definitely help me on my depth.
No cardio.
Weight: 246.
EDIT: Hm. After reading around a bit, it seems what I did was a Zercher deadlift (start with bar on ground, squat down, hook arms under, stand, squat, lather, rinse, repeat.)[/quote]
Those are VERY hard.
[quote]DaCharmingAlbino wrote:
mcl wrote:
EDIT: Hm. After reading around a bit, it seems what I did was a Zercher deadlift (start with bar on ground, squat down, hook arms under, stand, squat, lather, rinse, repeat.)
Those are VERY hard.[/quote]
So I discovered! But they’re fun, in a masochistic sort of way. I think a few light sets might help my squats and DLs a bit. I’ll try them next cycle as accessories to see.
You know, I really appreciate deload weeks, but at the same time, I hate going to the gym, barely breaking a sweat, and then leaving 30 minutes later. I want to LIFT, dammit!
Cycle 2, Week 4, Day 3:
Warmup: 10 dislocations, 10 facepulls @ 30. My right shoulder’s still acting up. Could be a month without fish oil (something I’m correcting Friday).
Bench: 5@80, 5@95, 5@115
BBB: 5x10@115
Accessory: 3x10 DB rows @ 40.
Weight: 246. Laying off the milk today, because I’m feeling bloated and fat. I probably shouldn’t be drinking it during a deload, anyway. Having a glass post-workout, and that’s it.
All the stretching worked. Shoulder feels much better today. Oddly, while stretching last night, something popped, and it started feeling better.
Anyway…
weight: 245
Cycle 2, Week 4, Day 4: I’m so ready for the deload to be over, so I can get back to real work!
Warmup: 10 dislocations.
Squat: 5@120, 5@155, 5@185
BBB: 5x10@135
Accessory: 3x10 leg curls @30
The new squat form’s feeling more natural and dialed in now. 135 is still almost as exhausting as 270, but 270 feels almost as light as 135. I definitely get the whole “push the knees OUT” thing now. I’m hitting the pins on almost every trip down, and my butt’s well below parallel as long as I’m not sitting forward.
The reps were so fast today that my quads and hams were pumped solid. I was having trouble walking. I had to watch how long I was resting, lest my legs almost freeze up.
Really looking forward to the new cycle!
[quote]mcl wrote:
All the stretching worked. Shoulder feels much better today. Oddly, while stretching last night, something popped, and it started feeling better.
Anyway…
weight: 245
Cycle 2, Week 4, Day 4: I’m so ready for the deload to be over, so I can get back to real work!
Warmup: 10 dislocations.
Squat: 5@120, 5@155, 5@185
BBB: 5x10@135
Accessory: 3x10 leg curls @30
The new squat form’s feeling more natural and dialed in now. 135 is still almost as exhausting as 270, but 270 feels almost as light as 135. I definitely get the whole “push the knees OUT” thing now. I’m hitting the pins on almost every trip down, and my butt’s well below parallel as long as I’m not sitting forward.
The reps were so fast today that my quads and hams were pumped solid. I was having trouble walking. I had to watch how long I was resting, lest my legs almost freeze up.
Really looking forward to the new cycle![/quote]
Good news hearing that the form work is paying off!
Cycle 3, Week 1, Day 1:
Warmup: 10 dislocations.
I really should have done some activation work (side planks, etc.) because I was REALLY shaky on my last set of…
Military Press: 5@75, 5@85, 14@100 (tied rep PR)
BBB: 10@95, 10@85, 10@65, 2x10@55
Accessory: 5x5 BW pullups (neutral grip) supersetted with
5x5 BW dips
Had to get dips back into the routine, because my shoulder always seems to behave better when I’m doing them. I also noticed my triceps were getting a bit weak. More reason to throw them back in the mix.
Also, I’m starting up cardio again, and backing off to about 1/2 gallon of milk a day. After cutting out the milk for about 5 days, what I feared was true: the weight I put on wasn’t coming off, and I sincerely doubt I packed on 10 lbs of lean mass in a month. So,
30 minutes steady-state moderate cardio (elliptical)
Weight: 246
I also reset my DL max to 400 lbs. We’ll see how that goes tomorrow. I’m going to add in light Zercher DLs as an accessory tomorrow, too.