Looks like fun sessions plannig to steal some ideas ahaha
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Friday, October 25 - Light squat/heavy deadlift day
Squat
315x2x6 - 45 sec. rest
Deadlift
560x2x2 - This didn’t go as planned, if I could have done all that in one set I would be happy. The first two reps moved well but the bar rolled away and I was out of position for a 3rd, I didn’t actually start to pull but I tried to get back in position and everything felt off so I stopped there. By the looks of the first two reps I definitely had another rep, maybe even 2, but the bar rolling away fucks me up. So instead of a down set I figured I would take another shot at it, the goal was a triple and at the very least I told myself I needed a double, unfortunately it was a hard double and it did not look like another rep was going to happen so that was it.
Obviously I’m greedy for PRs, so reality doesn’t always line up with expectations. So 2 weeks ago I pulled 540x4, back in April I pulled 550x3 and 575x1 (575 was fairly easy, not a max attempt). Today isn’t really that bad, it more or less where I would expect to be and at least I’m recovered from my back injury. It just looked like I was on a roll for a moment so I was trying to capitalize on that. Next week I will see what I can do with 565-570.
Barbell row
335x8x2
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Still a strong couple of sets man. When do you plan on competing next?
It wasn’t terrible, it just fell short of what I wanted.
I’m not sure when I will compete again, there are a couple of meets out of town in the next two months but I’m not really on track for any big PRs so travelling and spending a bunch of money on hotels doesn’t seem to be worth it. If it wasn’t for messing up my back I would have signed up for something in the fall, but shit happens. If something in Ottawa comes up in early winter or spring I will sign up, and EPC (the IPL/USPA affiliate) should have something in Kingston early next year too. Right now I’m just focusing on getting stronger, competing isn’t much use if you aren’t making progress and aren’t at an elite level already.
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Monday, October 28 - Main bench day
Bench press
345x5 - New 5rm - The way the 4th rep went up I’m surprised I got the 5th, this was like RPE 11.
315x8, 6 - I think the first set is a PR too
Neutral DB pushups
+super mini band x15, 10
Floor pause DB flys
65’s x12, 10, 8
Chin ups - close neutral grip
bw+55x8, 6
+25x10
Well, this was a good session.
4 Likes
Tuesday, October 29 - Main squat day - easy session
Squat
435x2x2
Bulgarian split squat
20lb dumbbells - managed a set of 10 on each leg after some screwing around. I told myself I would have to switch this for Hatfield squats if I can’t at least manage 10 reps, I guess the subconscious part of my brain hates those even more than I realized. Balance is worse on my right leg for some reason, but I’m getting it done.
Thursday, October 31 - 2nd bench day
Bench press
385x1 - It was smooth, no sticking point or slowing down, but could have been faster. I think I will stick with this weight for my last warmup (if you can call it that) for slingshot bench and when it’s moving fast enough for my liking I will go for 400-405.
Slingshot bench
400x5, 5 - both sets I might have had another rep, not really worth the risk of failing though. 2 weeks ago I did 395x6 for 2 sets so I was expecting more here but maybe I was just extra excited after the bench PR.
Military press
225x6
205x8
JM press
240x9, 7, 6
Underhand band pull apart
light band x24, 16, 13
Barbell curl
90x15, 12, 11
I smell a PR also just around the corner
I’m trying to restrain myself.
Friday, November 1 - Light squat/heavy deadlift day
Squat
315x2x6 - 45 sec. rest
Deadlift
570x2 - I wanted a triple but I wasn’t sure about another rep. Not quite up to my expectations, but it’s still a PR of sorts. Until it’s an all time world record I’m never satisfied.
515x3 - I didn’t use straps for this because they always seem to throw me off and it seems like my thumbs have toughened up, but instead on the 2nd rep the nail on my left middle finger caught on the bottom of my shorts and almost pulled my hand open. I had to reset my grip and that messed me up a bit on the 3rd so I cut it there. I should have been able to do at least 5 reps. I always roll up the waist of my shorts when I deadlift to avoid these sorts of issues but I had some sort of wardrobe malfunction today.
Barbell row
345x8x2 sets
So not a bad day, just not as great as I had envisioned. But I’m making progress and I’m ahead of old PRs (575 was a PR single) so I’m doing something right. I think I might start doing singles around 80-85% after my top set instead, I had good results with that in the past and coincidentally that is what Yury Belkin recommends to Stefi Cohen in her video with him.
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Congrats on the PR dude!
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My back is fine, no problems at all since back in the summer. At no point did I re-injure it. If I had immediately gone back to heavier weights I probably would have, and maybe messing around with conventional deadlifts wasn’t a bad idea since sumo made my left hip/back area feel funny. I think maybe there was something going on with the SI joint, but whatever it was is done now. I’m still doing McGill big 3 every day too.
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Monday, November 4 - Main bench day
Bench press
350x4 - Not sure about another rep but I wasn’t expecting more than 4 since I barely got the 5th one with 345 last week. I think I could do 360x4 in a couple weeks, maybe 365.
320x7, 6
Neutral DB pushups
+light band x8, 7
Floor pause DB flys
65’s x13, 10, 9
Chin ups - close neutral grip
bw+60x7, 5
bw+30x10
I can’t imagine what they could have done for me that would help more than what I did myself. McGill is the man when it comes to back problems.
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Tuesday, November 5 - Main squat day
Squat
475x3 - Not bad, 3rd rep was a serious grind. Still not great but I’m making some sort of progress. I should be squatting mid 500’s for reps.
I haven’t posted any squat videos lately, so here is this one:
Squat in wraps
515x2 - I wanted to go for a triple but grinding out the previous set drained my energy, better not push my luck. This moved pretty good, technique is holding together too but this is still light.
Pause squat
385x4 - I was starting to feel lazy at this point
SSB good morning
240x8x2
I skipped Bulgarian split squats, towards the end I was pretty much dragging myself so I didn’t see the point of doing some single-legged nonsense, more fatigue for no benefit. The last couple days I have been feeling a little tired, a combination of the grey miserable weather we have now plus daylight savings messing with my head. Performance is still decent so I can’t complain, I just don’t want to accumulate more fatigue for nothing.
4 Likes
Woah serious grind there. By the looks of the 2nd rep, I thought you were gonna rack it already
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I should have posted that 485x2 from a couple weeks ago, that was even worse and it felt like my head was going to burst. This one was comparatively easy.
Thursday, November 7 - 2nd bench day
Bench press
385x1 - Pretty easy, 405 is coming soon.
Slingshot bench
405x5, 5 - I’m getting better at grinding on bench, which is exactly what I need.
I cut out military press, my right shoulder still isn’t 100% and it seems like that aggravates it more than anything. Sometimes I feel some vague tightness when I bench but it’s nothing really significant, but on military press I don’t like how it feels. It was worse a couple months ago and I felt it at the side and back, now it’s only right at the front, better let it heal up rather than irritate it more. It seems to have started after injuring my back as a result of doing side planks (McGill big 3) plus sleeping on that arm. Nothing to be too concerned about, but I don’t want any lingering aches and pains because eventually they can become a problem.
Front raise - incline bench with barbell
45x10, 9, 8 - I thought this was going to be a warmup but it turned out to be a working weight. I haven’t done a front raise in a long time.
Side raise
20’s x12, 10, 9
Underhand band pull apart
Light band x15, 12, 10 - My shoulders were pumped like crazy and this was way harder than it should be. Hopefully that’s a good sign.
Barbell curl
90x18, 13, 11
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Friday, November 8 - Light squat/deadlift day - easy session
Squat
315x2x6 - 45 sec. rest
Deadlift
485x5 singles - 1 min. rest
Where’s the split squats? Please don’t tell me you’ve already given up on them