31Mar22
Deadlifts
385x1
340x5
310x5
310x5
310x5
Seated Press
95x8
90x8
Split Squat
140x10
140x10
140x10
Nutrition: C
Sleep: B
10Apr22
Squat
335x1
295x5
270x5
270x5
270x5
Paused Bench
115x12
120x12
130x12
115x12
Paused Deadlift
245x6
245x6
245x6
What was supposed to be a long weekend in New Orleans ended up being an unintended deload week, due to flight cancellations, etc. Back at it. Squats felt hard, but I would say it’s completely technique that is at fault. It took me quite a while to feel like I was in my groove on the squats.
Nutrition: F
Sleep: D
11Apr22
Hanging Knee Raises
High Pulls
BB Curls (med. grip)
DB LTEs
30 Minutes on the bike
Nutrition: B
Sleep: B+
12Apr22
Bench
215x1
190x5
175x4
175x4
175x4
Pin Squat
185x8
185x8
185x8
Hip Thrust
220x12
220x12
Nutrition: B
Sleep: B
13Apr22
Ab Rollouts
Landmine Rows
DB Hammer Curls
LTEs
HIIT on the Echo Bike
Nutrition: A
Sleep: B
14Apr22
Deadlift
385x1
340x5
315x5
315x5
315x5
Seated Press
100x8
95x8
95x8
Split Squat
140x10
140x10
140x10
30 minutes on the Echo bike
Nutrition: A
Sleep: B
This is the best my shoulders have felt since September. Hopefully I can start pushing the press numbers.
15Apr22
Got up and did some conditioning work this morning, as well as some ab and pullup work. Feel like I’m really getting in a groove.
17Apr22
Squat
340x1
300x5
275x5
275x5
275x5
Paused Bench
120x12
130x12
140x12
125x12
125x12
Paused Deadlift
235x6
235x6
235x6
Nutrition: F
Sleep: C
18Apr22
Knee Raises
High Pulls
DB Curls
DB LTEs
Conditioning
Nutrition: C
Sleep: F
19Apr22
Bench
220x1
195x5
180x4
180x4
180x4
Pin Squat
190x8
190x8
190x8
Hip Thrust
225x12
225x12
All of my lifts (meager as they are) feel like they’re flying up right now. Excited for the summer.
20Apr22
Hanging Knee Raises
Landmine Rows
Hammer Curls
LTEs
HIIT on the Echo bike
22Apr22
Deadlift
395x1
345x5
315x5
315x5
315x5
Seated Press
105x8
100x8
95x8
Split Squat
140x10
140x10
140x10
Yep. Still getting stronger, slowly. The singles on the main lifts during this block have all been around an RPE 8. I’m doing a small cut. I’m too skinny right now as it is, but the plan is to get pretty lean so I can do a long slow bulk and really push the SBD numbers.
For reference/record I’m 6’4" and stepped on the scales at 207 lb this morning. I’ve always been skinny; my weight through my 20’s and 30’s stayed pretty consistent at 182. I was a gym rat, but really had no idea what I was doing and bought in to the whole “hardgainer” myth.
In 2018 my “why” changed and realized I needed to get stronger. I was 39. Over the next couple of years I got stronger (though not near enough) and ate my way up to 240 lb. It was not a healthy - or pretty - 240. In 2020 I cut from 240 down to 200 in four months and didn’t lose any strength.
For the last few years I’ve stayed right around 210-215 but lost a lot of my “strength” due to some surgeries and other physical stuff. I know I can still get a lot stronger at my current weight, but I think adding some pounds to my frame will help.
Plus, while strength is my focus, my wife prefers me bigger. And, honestly, I felt a lot better when I was heavier. I want to make sure I maintain a healthier waist circumference while I do anything.
That’s all for now. Sorry I’m so chatty today.
23Apr22
Did some conditioning, abs and pullup work this morning in preparation for the day.
Some friends of ours invited us to a local Beerfest. My lovely wife agreed (as I probably would have, anyway), though I’m in the middle of a weight cut. They had bought tickets for us as a gift: $40 to get in and then all-you-can-drink beers all afternoon.
I knew I was the only one in the group that could drink $40 worth of beer in the allotted time, so I spent the afternoon trying to drink enough to cover everyone else ticket, too. We got our money’s worth.
It was fun, but I should have been more disciplined, as it severely affected my training for Sunday (as in, I didn’t).
Time to buckle down and be a good boy from here on out.
25Apr22
Squat
345x1
300x5
280x5
280x5
280x5
Paused Bench
125x12
135x12
145x12
130x12
Paused Deadlift
255x6
255x6
255x6
27Apr22
Bench Press
205x1
190x4
170x4
170x4
170x4
Pin Squat
190x8
190x8
190x8
Hip Thrust
235x12
235x12
Meh. Not a great session, but got it done. I’ve always read/heard that life stress can negatively affect your training. I don’t know that I really believe that, but if it’s true that may have been the case today.
29Apr22
Deadlift
405x1
345x5
315x5
315x5
315x5
Seated Press
110x8
100x8
100x8
Split Squat
145x10
145x10
145x10
02May22
Squat
350x1
305x5
280x5
280x5
280x5
Paused Bench
125x12
135x12
145x12
130x12
130x12
Paused Deadlift
265x6
265x6
265x6
Finally got to try out the new belt tonight. Is good.
Squats felt awesome.
04May22
Bench Press
205x1
190x4
170x4
170x4
170x4
Pin Squat
195x8
195x8
195x8
Hip Thrust
235x12
235x12
My (already weak) bench seems to have stalled. Probably time to switch up programming a little bit.
I seem to have bungled this whole situation. I am a very blessed and fortunate individual, who seems to consistently screw up the opportunities presented him.
I like to squat.
06May22
Deadlift
405x1
350x5
325x5
325x5
325x5
Seated Press
110x8
100x8
100x8
Split Squat
145x10
145x10
145x10
09May22
Squat
345x1
305x5
275x5
275x5
275x5
Paused Bench
125x12
135x12
145x12
130x12
130x12
Paused Deadlift
265x6
265x6
265x6
This was a rough one. But, considering the fact that I spent all day trying to come up with an excuse to not even train and still got in there and did it, I guess we’ll call it a good one.