Apr. 16
power snatch from hang
bar x 3, 3
28kg x 3
36kg x 3
40kg x 5 (+1 rep)
chin-up/pull-up
bw x 36 (10 sets) (+1 rep)
t-bar row (w/ pause)
1 plate x 8
2 plate x 8
3 plate x 7 (+1 rep)
2 plate x 8
1 plate x 8
(45 mins)
Good. Added a rep everywhere again. I’ll probably have to make some kind of adjustment though. As much as it sucks, I don’t think I’ll be able to add a rep each week to the chins. On the other lifts I wave the volume. Perhaps mixing up the rep scheme or adding some weight on certain weeks is a decent solution.
On the other hand I’m contemplating going back to 4 days and increasing time to roughly an hour per session. Although, despite the low frequency of hitting the gym, nearly all of my lifts are progressing. Perhaps it is best not to rock the boat.
Apr. 20
squat
bar x 6
32kg x 3, 3
45kg x 3
60kg x 3
72kg x 3
85kg x 3
97kg x 3
110kg x 3
119kg x 3
90kg x 6
(50 mins)
Okay. I changed to high bar and a narrower stance. This didn’t prevent my hip from bothering me, but otherwise it was fine. I don’t really understand how this took 50 mins though. Actually, I could probably afford to pick up the pace on all my days…
Apr. 21
military press
bar x 8
28kg x 3 x 2 sets
36kg x 3
40kg x 3
45kg x 3
50kg x 3
55kg x 3
64kg x 4
50kg x 8
db upright row
14k.5g x 10 x 3 sets
bb curl (closer-grip)
bar x 6
24kg x 6
28kg x 6
32kg x 6
36kg x 6
41kg x 6 (+1 rep)
db curl
14.5kg x 9 x 3 sets
(50 mins)
Pretty good. Couldn’t add a rep on the press, but I’m close. Everything else moved well.
May 1
romanian deadlift
bar x 8
45kg x 3, 3
60kg x 3
68kg x 3
76kg x 3
85kg x 3
93kg x 3
deadlift
102kg x 3
110kg x 3
118kg x 3
126kg x 3
135kg x 3
150kg x 4
110kg x 9 (touch and go)
(45 mins)
Good. I’ve been out of commission for the past week or so with the birth of my new son, but I think I’ve got things back in order again. I’ll be lifting much earlier in the day again. I think this is going to be a good thing.
May 3
bench
bar x 8
36kg x 3 x 2 sets
50kg x 3
55kg x 3
60kg x 3
65kg x 3
70kg x 3
76kg x 3
86kg x 3
65kg x 8 (close-grip)
db bench (flat, low, med incline)
22kg x 9, 10, 10
db fly
12.5kg x 8, 9, 9
(45 mins)
Felt sluggish, but I could match last time which was about two weeks ago so I’m satisfied.
May 7
power snatch from hang
bar x 3, 3
28kg x 3
36kg x 3
41kg x 3 (+1 kg)
chin-up/pull-up
bw x 37 (10 sets) (+1 rep)
t-bar row (w/ pause)
1 plate x 8
2 plate x 8
3 plate x 8 (+1 rep)
2 plate x 8
1 plate x 8
(45 mins)
Good. Added a rep everywhere. The first few chin sets were very fast. Felt great. I did slow down by the end though. Next week I might go for a max rep set.
May 16
hang clean
bar x 8
36kg x 3
45kg x 3
53kg x 3
61kg x 3
65kg x 3
squat
bar x 5, 5
45kg x 5
55kg x 5
70kg x 3
74kg x 5
86kg x 5
97kg x 9
ab wheel
bw x 5 x 3 sets
(65 mins)
Finally could train again. I’m going to make some adjustments and follow 531 for the loading of the main lifts. Otherwise things wont be too different from what I’ve been doing. I’ll only have 4 days instead of 5 though as I was just taking too much time between each main lift.
I’ve had good luck with 531 in the past, but I always stall out too quickly. To combat this I’ll be making small increments at the end of each cycle and I won’t be trying to break rep PRs every single time I train.
97kg x 9 is a ways off my best high rep squat, but considering I haven’t squatted in 3 weeks and the hip problems I’ve been having I’m reasonably happy. I’m also squatting deeper than usual.
May 17
Jogging
2km in 14:25
Trying to get a bit of conditioning in. Not too much distance and quite slow. I’ll have to build up slowly. Ha.
I’ll try to log this stuff to keep track of how it impacts my strength work.
May 18
bench
bar x 5, 5
36kg x 5
45kg x 5
55kg x 3
58kg x 5
67kg x 5
76kg x 9
db bench (flat, low, medium incline)
22kg x 10 x 3 sets
bb row
bar x 8
45kg x 8
49kg x 8
53kg x 8
(50 mins)
Not bad. Probably my best high-rep set. Last rep was slow. Good start.
I’ll keep the db bench with 3 angles. I’ve been slowing incrementing that for some time.
Not sure if I’ll keep the bb row. I like db rows, but I’m over 20 reps with the heaviest db I can make. T-bar rows are less strain on my lower back, but I don’t feel them the same way. Less ROM probably.
May 21
mobility & warmup (jump rope, squat-to-stand, cossack squat, shoulder dislocates, rope face-pulls, foam rolling)
romanian deadlift (to warm hams)
bar x 5, 5
45kg x 5
deadlift
65kg x 5
81kg x 5
95kg x 3
103kg x 5 (add belt)
119kg x 5 (mix grip)
134kg x 9
romanian deadlift (straps)
64kg x 8
72kg x 8
76kg x 8
ab wheel
bw x 5, 5, 6
(65 mins)
Nice. That top set was a lot of work, but it felt great. I’ve done 137 x 8 like a year ago, but that was touch and go which is much easier for me. So this feels pretty good. I haven’t been high-rep deadlifting in awhile either.
The rdls were great. I’ve done heavier and for more reps, but I really focused on form today and these blew up my hams. Much more than I ever remember. Also using straps helped focus on my hams.
I’ve done sets of 10 with the ab wheel in the past. This is good and bad. Clearly I’ve been neglecting my abs. On the other hand, some quick progress here should have some impact on all of my lifts.
May 24
overhead press
bar x 5, 5
25kg x 5
36kg x 5
40kg x 3
43kg x 5
50kg x 5
56kg x 7
chin-up/pull-up
bw x 3, 3, 8, 3, 4
seated overhead tri ext (ez bar)
6kg x 8
16kg x 8
21kg x 10 + 4 + 2 (rest pause)
ez bar curl
16kg x 8
26kg x 12 + 7 + 4 (rest pause)
(60 mins)
Not happy with the numbers today, but it was a decent workout. I figured I’d have like 2 more reps on the top set. On the other hand, even during the warmup I could tell I would not be breaking PRs. There are a handful of reasons why today was not gonna be great, but it’s not important. I don’t think that I started to heavy on this lift though. Hopefully not.
I experimented with some rest pause stuff. Painful. I might move the curls to the bench day and add a few more sets of chins to this day. I think one RP movement is enough at a time for me.
I am happy with the 8-rep chin set though. So I might focus on higher rep sets now.
May 28
hang clean
bar x 8
36kg x 3
45kg x 3
53kg x 3
61kg x 3
65kg x 3
squat
bar x 5, 5
45kg x 5
55kg x 5
70kg x 3
80kg x 3
91kg x 3
103kg x 3
ab wheel
bw x 5, 6, 6
(60 mins)
Just went for the minimum reps today. My hip was bothering me and really prevented me from doing quality reps. I have had basically no activity for 3 days. This is always bad news. I’m pretty sure my hip always acts up after a few days like this. I need to get out and at least have a walk every day. I’ve really been struggling to get the days in for the past few months.
Jun. 2
bench
bar x 5, 5
36kg x 5
45kg x 5
55kg x 3
62kg x 3
72kg x 3
80kg x 7
db bench (flat, low, medium incline)
22.5kg x 8 x 3 sets
db chest-supported row
22.5kg x 8, 8, 8, 5
ez bar curl
6kg x 8
16kg x 8
26kg x 18 + 5 + 3 (rest-pause)
(60 mins)
Good day. I’ve only done 5 at 80 before now.
I’m still fiddling around with some kind of horizontal row. The chest-supported rows are a bit awkward with my bench, but at least they give my lower back a break.
I’ll have to increment the curls. Felt great though.
Jun. 5
mobility & warmup (jump rope, squat-to-stand, cossack squat, shoulder dislocates, rope face-pulls, foam rolling)
romanian deadlift
bar x 5
45kg x 5, 5
deadlift
65kg x 5
81kg x 5
95kg x 3
111kg x 3 (add belt)
126kg x 3 (mix grip)
142kg x 6
romanian deadlift (straps)
64kg x 8
72kg x 8
76kg x 9
ab wheel
bw x 6 x 3 sets
(60 mins)
Pretty good. I felt like recovery was really slow today. I was crawling through the two assistance sets. Top set didn’t feel particularly heavy, I just felt beat. Not unhappy with the effort though.
I need to add a notch in my belt. I’m between holes.
Jun 7
overhead press
bar x 8
25kg x 5
36kg x 5
40kg x 3
46kg x 3
53kg x 3
59kg x 6
pull-up
bw x 3, 4, 5
chin-up
bw x 5, 5, 4
seated overhead tri ext (db)
7.5kg x 8
15kg x 8
20kg x 15 + 5 + 4 (rest pause)
(55 mins)
Good. Clearly better than last week. My pressing form does not feel as solid as a few months ago. I could probably afford to widen my grip a cm or two.
Everything else was fine. The db tri ext are a bit rough on my wrists. I also stick my head out a bunch which bothers my neck. Gotta fix this for next time.
Jun 9
hang snatch
bar x 5
28kg x 5
36kg x 3
40kg x 3
squat
bar x 5
45kg x 5 (add belt)
55kg x 5
70kg x 3
86kg x 5
97kg x 3
108kg x 6
ab wheel
bw x 6 x 3 sets
(70 mins)
Not bad. I’ve done about 20kg more for 5, but that was low bar, wide stance with questionable depth and a good hip. I’m pretty happy with today. Nice and deep with probably my best form. No hip pain during the squatting either. Although it is a bit sore now.
Jun. 12
bench
bar x 8
36kg x 5
45kg x 5
55kg x 3
67kg x 5
76kg x 3
85kg x 4
db bench (flat, low, medium incline)
22.5kg x 8, 8, 9
pull-up
bw x 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4
ez bar curl
6kg x 8
16kg x 8
28kg x 18 + 4 + 2 (rest-pause)
(65 mins)
Good. I’ve done 85x5 before, but this was okay. The db pressing was very quick today. That felt great.
Decided to do pull-ups instead of horizontal rowing as my lower back has been slightly bugging me lately. Just trying to keep it a bit easy on the non-squat or DL days.
I guess I didn’t increment the curls enough. Good.
Jun. 16
mobility & warmup (jump rope, squat-to-stand, cossack squat, shoulder dislocates, rope face-pulls, foam rolling)
romanian deadlift
bar x 8
45kg x 8
deadlift
65kg x 5
81kg x 5
95kg x 3
119kg x 5 (add belt)
134kg x 3 (mix grip)
150kg x 4
romanian deadlift (straps)
64kg x 8
72kg x 9
76kg x 9
ab wheel
bw x 6, 6, 7
(70 mins)
Not bad. That matches my best ever DL. It didn’t really feel too bad either. Although I couldn’t have gotten a 5th.
Jun 18
overhead press
bar x 8
25kg x 5
36kg x 5
40kg x 3
50kg x 5
56kg x 3
63kg x 3
chin-up
bw x 3, 5, 3, 5, 3, 5 (24 reps)
seated overhead tri ext (ez bar)
6kg x 8
16kg x 8
21kg x 15 + 5 + 4 (rest pause)
(50 mins)
Pretty good. I’ve done 5 at this weight, so this is kind of a disappointment. For some reason my press took a hit when I swapped to 531. Not really important though.
The seated extensions aren’t really possible to do to failure without a spotter. I’ll try out some new movements next cycle. I may also add a lift to this day.
I’ll probably take a short deload rather than the full week as I haven’t been lifting frequently enough anyway.
Jun. 20
deload
squat
bar x 8
45kg x 5
60kg x 5
70kg x 3
74kg x 3
86kg x 3
97kg x 3
(35 mins)