Thanks I’ll pay attention to those next time I squat. Still figuring out what to do with my TM.
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Shit happens. I squatted 285lbx6 21 days ago according to my log. 285lbx4 was my limit today.
I would think that it’s very normal to have fluctuations if training is not something you pay a great deal of attention to.
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07/9/17
C2W3D2
Med ball throw: 2x5x5
Bench press (TM-75):
2x10x20, 5x40, 3x50, 5x57.5, 5x65, 5x72.5, 5x10x52.5
Superset with pull aparts: 12x20
Barbell rows:
5x40, 5x45, 5x50, 5x55, 10x40
Superset with:
Kettlebell swings- 2x5x16, 3x5x12
Waiter walks- 2x2x16, 3x2x12
Sled push: 6x30
Reverse curl to curl dropset: 20+10x15
Face pull dropset: 15x15-15x10-20x5
Had a good session today. I was able to take my time a bit more than usual and I felt OK energy wise. My shoulders felt a bit funny after benching so I’m going to move my grip in slightly in future for the BBB sets. Decided to do a few curls and facepulls at the end for fun and got a decent pump.
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Struggling to train more than three days a week at the minute with work. I’m also going to move back to university on a Wednesday instead of Sunday which only gives me 2 or 3 days for the last week of the cycle.
Making a note for myself of what days I’ll have to go to the gym to make it work.
11/9-17/9
Monday: C2W3D3+4 (deadlift and OHP)
Wednesday: C3W1D1 (squat)
Saturday: C3W1D2+3 (bench and deadlift)
18/9-24/9
Monday: C3W1D4 (OHP)
Tuesday: C3W2D1 (squat)
Wednesday: C3W2D2 (bench)
Friday: C3W2D3 (deadlift)
Saturday: C3W2D4 (OHP)
25/9-1/10
Monday: C3W3D1+2 (squat and bench)
Tuesday: C3W3D3+4 (deadlift and OHP)
Wednesday: University
I’m not sure what better solution there is without missing days. It’s going to be very difficult recovery wise so I’ll probably cut most of the assistance out. At least I’ll have a deload the week after and I’ll probably take the rest of that last week off too.
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Many people have built awesome physiques with the strength to mach while only training three times a week, so don’t sweat it
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I have no problem training three days a week and did do for the past few months, it’s more a case of wanting to do the workouts I’ve planned. I see it as a challenge almost and would be unhappy if I couldn’t finish them all.
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11/9/17
C2W3D3+4
Giant set
Deadlift (TM-110):
8x20, 5x60, 5x85, 5x95, 5x105, 5x5x85
Overhead press (TM-40):
2x8x20, 5x30, 5x35, 5x37.5, 5x10x22.5
Chins: 5x1xBW
Lying leg raises: 5x5
Side bends: 5x10x16
Band pull aparts: 5x20
Everything felt good today which was nice. Both top sets were fast and smooth and the supplemental work were all decent reps. All deadlift sets were double overhand other than the top one which was with straps. My grip has definitely improved from last cycle where I had to use straps for some of the FSL sets with 80kg. Did it as a giant set again which went deadlift, chin/pull aparts, OHP, abs and timed two minutes of rest between the back off sets.
Conditioning
This was inspired by one of Alpha’s mindset challenges but I made it LOTS easier. I walked for one minute with a 16kg kettlebell in each hand and wearing a weighted vest (guessing no heavier than 10kg). Rested two minutes then did it again trying to go further than before. The first time I did four lengths of the distance I’d laid out then the second I did about four and a half. Alpha’s version is five minutes each way instead which would have been horrible.
I only wanted something easy for conditioning and to hit my upper back pretty hard so while I feel like I kind of copped out I achieved what I wanted to. It was a good day of training.
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13/9/17
C3W1D1
So I’ll start off by saying I’ve dropped by squat training max a bit. It was supposed to go to 100kg but I’ve set it as 85kg due to struggling a bit the last couple of weeks. I also looked back to when I felt like squats were going really well and the highest my training max was in the few cycles running up to that was also 85kg. I upped the BBB percentage to 60% though so I’m still doing it with 50kg this cycle.
Squat (TM-85):
2x5x20, 5x40, 5x55, 5x65, 5x72.5, 5x10x50
Superset with:
Press ups- 5x5
Ab wheel roll outs- 5x5
Lat pull down drop set:
10x30-10x20-10x10
Immediately followed by a 60s stretch at the top position with 40kg.
I’m glad I lowered my TM because I felt bad again today. I’m working a fair bit recently as I mentioned before and it seems to be taking a bit out of me. My legs feel very tired at the minute- I’ll get an Epsom salt bath in hope it helps. The drop set at the end was fun and really fried my lats.
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Epsom bath and massage work well together!
Unfortunately I can’t get a massage, at least not that I can afford, but I’ve started getting epsom baths recently. Other than the first time I can’t say I’ve felt any better but I’m hoping it helps and I don’t notice, plus it’s a nice way to relax mentally. How much salt do you usually use in one go?
It depends on the tub. But I put 3-5 cups of Epsom Salt when I do it. Water starts out VERY HOT, and then I let it cool a bit before I get in. I usually stay in it for like 30-45 minutes.
Ah what I do is similar. I’ve been buying 1kg bags and using half each time. It does say on the back though to use 500g-1000g so perhaps I should try more.
It seems like you are too cautious to me. Your squats look pretty good in all videos that you have posted, like experienced powerlifters like @MarkKO confirmed as well. Not wanting too much is a good thing as is being conservative and patient when it comes to strength training but being just too cautious can hinder your progress as well.r
Also squats always feel a lot better and smoother when the load is lighter, haha. Having something near 100% of your 1 RM on your back feels pretty awful and you get nervous because you don’t know if you will be able to really get up with it once you go down. If you get to the point where you really have to fight the bar and grind out a super slow rep it always feels like shit while you are at it.
I am in no way saying that you should go balls to the wall and try to set a new 1 rep pr every workout but I am saying that shit gets uncomfortable and that you can be too cautious. I hope you understand what I am talking about.
Let us know. I have heard a lot about this. I can’t try it though because I can not fit in our tub it is way too short and even too narrow so I can’t really fit my shoulders in it 
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This is a very good point.
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I understand what you are saying and it’s something I’ve been thinking myself. The thing is though that this ‘phase’ of my training has been about getting lots of practice in with submaximal weight and building up strength. I don’t want any reps to be grinds or particularly slow- that will come after this cycle when I do WS4SB and work up to a 5RM weekly. It’s only three more weeks so I think it’s worth trying as long as I keep working hard in other areas and squatting as hard as I can but you may well be right.
When I said my squats felt like they were going well I meant it felt like I was getting stronger and was at my strongest afterwards. I could have worded it a lot better. After the cycles I mentioned I squatted 5x100 but I aren’t confident I could do that now and that was in April too so I’ve had plenty of time to get stronger.
About the epsom baths I haven’t noticed much of an effect from them but that could just be me and as I mentioned in a post above I might not be using very much.
Thank you for your input, I always appreciate it.
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I’d suggest you try looking at the double-progression method. My personal opinion is that the average people who are just looking to get stronger and look good don’t need anything else.
Thanks I’ll check it out.
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Might have done something to my back recently. Been having a strange tingling/numb feeling in the left side of my back at about nipple height which seems to have built up over the last few days. I first noticed something probably a week ago, I think after barbell rows, but didnt think anything of it because it was so minimal. Still not painful but feels odd and kind of hot when I pick things up sometimes. I’ll take it easy the next week and swap some of my back work with curls.
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Me personally i find any barbell row using two arms hurts my back in a bad way,however dumbell bent over rows, single arm dumbell rows, kettle bell rows and any chest supported or tbar row feels fine. If it continues maybe consider doing some kind of chest supported row etc. And you cant go wrong with them honestly because they take te lower back out of the equation and you can focus on your back.
Yeah I agree which is why I’m always conservative with barbell rows. It isn’t my lower back that’s got the issue though, I think it’s my lat.
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