LOG # 615
Warm up: Defranco’s Agile 8
Strength day.
Squat:
315x3
•Went off of 5rm give or take. Felt okay, but was lightheaded by rep 3, so parked it there.
Pull: underhand machine rows
x10
x8
x10
x8
x12
Push ups superset w/ DB press
x5
x10
x5
x10
x5
x10
Finish:
15 min airdyne bike
LOG # 616
Day 2 Super Squats
Probably will never get used to that burning stinging sensation of doing these high rep squats.
Mistakenly added 10lbs instead of 5, putting me at 215lbs for the working load. Didn’t notice it until I went to rack the plates, but just for safe measures gonna use the same load for next session, then add 5lbs as usual.
I’m getting uncomfortable once again, with having to eat to sustain this program. Not that I wasn’t eating before, but I’ve spent a great deal of energy slowly cutting after my meet. To now be met with a lot of hunger, and adding more calories back in is really triggering disordered eating habits. So far it’s been manageable, but I get upset if I don’t eat anything that doesn’t come from my home.
LOG # 617
Day 3 Super Squats
After throwing a massive fit over losing my Chuck Taylors that I squat in, I did the squat session in socks. Felt good, so there’s that.
Working weight: 225lbs
Had to change bar height from mid to high, because my arms turn into noodles after the 10th rep or so. Breathing was really off this session, so have to work on that.
PM: pool laps 25m. Tried for 100m, but was trashed and ended up floating in the middle of the pool because I was tired.
Holy crap youre a boss.
LOG # 618
Super Squats Day 4-5
Used 225 for both days. Breathing tempo was much more controlled.
Sciatic nerve isn’t doing too well. Scheduled another PT session for this Thursday, because I’m super stiff and super in pain lol.
Down 10lbs already though. Yay!
LOG # 619
This was supposed to be the third SS day, but I’ve been super beat up so I just flocked to machines and got the most out of what I could.
Don’t know what’s going on with my lower back/hips but it feels like something is stuck right at the base of my spine and it radiates out to either of my hips.
•Leg press (mostly just high rep, and back off sets)
•hack squats
•extensions
•reverse hypers
• machine rows
•machine press (chest and shoulders)
•push ups
•Abs (planks)
Progress-ish picture? Idk.
I’m painfully self conscious of my body so trying once again to wade into progress picture territory.
AM no pump, after a leisure walk down my block. Morning coffee, hadn’t eaten yet
You look awesome girl!
Awww thank you! I always appreciate some kind words. Always way too critical of myself.
LOG # 620
I have confused myself with my last log post, and realized I’ve completed about 2 weeks of SS already. I can’t remember between sessions 3-4 if I put them in my physical log.
Super Squats Day 6
Irritated that injured spot behind my shoulder blade again, so I just swapped the behind the neck press with Bench, and swapped the rader pulls for pullovers, but decided to load them. Idk if it’s a….big boobs thing or not, but the rader pulls not only target that sternum area, but it also radiates out and irritates the ta-ta’s sometimes, hence the swap.
I Also went in for a cortisone shot earlier this week because my sciatic nerve was over the top inflamed to the heavens and back, and I just couldn’t remedy it. RDLs the week prior set it off, so it’s reverse hypers till I get my life together. Which kinda sucks, but not really, given I was trying to adhere to the original movements.
•Bench Press- 135 2x12 (mid width)
These weren’t “to chest”, which kinda threw me off because I’ve always touched the bar to my chest pretty much…like since forever lol. I wasn’t going for that much depth since my triceps hog everything after a certain point.
•BB seal rows- 100lbs
Jumped the gun on these and was too stubborn to go down in weight to actually do 2x15 the first go round, so I ended up doing 3x5, THEN backed off with 85lbs and completed 2x15.
•Squats 230lbs 1x20, narrow stance, high bar.
Again…This is one of those movements that feel drastically different (albeit better), if I mod them when it comes to high rep, sub max-ish loads. Mostly because I’ve only ever trained certain movements with ONE pattern, or to ONE particular degree concerning range of motion. Oh to note, breathing was crap yet again, so 230 is now my friend for the next handful of days.
•Reverse Hypers- 4x15. Started with just two 25s because the goal was to NOT use my tree trunk legs as padding to bounce out of each rep. Added two additional sets because I got the hang of it enough to load 45s after so I can actually load the movement…with meaning lol.
•Pullovers- w/ 25lb plate
Did way too many uncounted reps with the pullover machine, and decided to do pullovers laying down, holding a 25. Had my friend sit on my feet for good measure.
Wanted a good 20 reps out of this but broke it up into 2x10.
•Swim laps
@T3hPwnisher I was wanting to run this by you. The book is kinda lenient-ish (for some things), as far as any modifications go, so long as you’re sticking to the principle.
I’m not jumping in weight as quickly as the book suggests I do, but that’s because I’m kinda taking my time just reaping as many benefits as I can from squatting (and benching).
First handful of sessions I did parallel squatting until I got the breathing pattern down, and also added 15lbs just within the span of 3 sessions, but have since changed the depth to something shy of ATG. Even that mild shift makes me have to spend at least the rest of the week adapting to that. Be it the breathing, or the actual squatting itself.
It’s the same for bench press as well. I trained myself out of the usual arched set up, still driving from the legs/butt/feet, but even a mild change from wide to mid to narrow grip makes me slow down until I’m proficient in whatever positioning, etc.
In hindsight, yeah I’d say it’s fine personally, or even favored as far as gains go, but I’m just asking in general. The book does plainly state to keep in mind form/style over just trying to brute strength everything, I just kinda had a “But what about if I do this too?”, moment.
Just started looking through your log - you’re freaking awesome lady. I hope to one day be as strong as you. Killing it!!
Thank you!
I legit replied to this in my head and never actually wrote it down.
No shame in exprimenting. Biggest thing is the deep breathing between squats. I never did flat bench when running the program.
Lol it’s all good.
I’m still sorta struggling with the tempo that was described in the book. Without fail it turns into huffing and puffing, but I try to break up all 20 squats into 3 rep chunks. Still breathing for each one though.
Given I do another wave, I’ll probably just suck it up and keep the vertical pressing.
LOG # 621
Super Squats Day 7
Weight increase to 235lbs. Managed 17 reps. Legs were absolutely on fire. I don’t think I reached technical failure, but it didn’t help being gassed, and gasping for air.
I powered through the reverse hypers and maybe shouldn’t have. My back is okay, but after the squat sesh, which I did first, everything from the waist down just felt incredibly tight so I ended up spending a lot of time doing mobility stuff. I’m venturing into weighted stretching territory so it’s helping quite a bit as far as strengthening the parts that get overpowered.
LOG # 622
Finished the rest of the work from previous day SS. Upper body felt good so I threw 10 pounds onto my bench press putting me at 155 for the working set.
Heavy rows were at 135. Also the first time (I think?), shaved off the last 5 reps, so 2x10. Will camp on 135 until I can complete all the reps. I’ve done seal rows with an actual loaded barbell versus machine or dumbells.
Finished the day with a light swimming session. Stayed in Zone 2 for 30-35mins. Freestyle only. For time, not distance.
LOG # 623
Strength focused
Didn’t wanna tax my nervous system, but also didn’t wanna work in the 5 rep range, so I opted for heavy singles/doubles.
I’m to the point where big jumps for the work up don’t bother me as much as they once did. Thanks to SS, my working capacity helps to just hustle through whatever it is.
Swapped the deads for trap bar, because I refuse to not pull at least something. Sans the sled, but we’re not talking about the sleds lol
Given bench session the other day, I focused on squatting and pulling, and stuck to unilateral work for lower, and body pulling afterwards.
Trap bar:
Working set
225lbs
x2
x2
Big jump
265lbs
x2
x2
305lbs
x1
x1
x1
I kept dancing around with the last weight, but I haven’t really pulled trap that heavy in like….ever. Sure the strength is there, but I’d like to at least get proficient with the mechanics. I don’t even set up remotely similar to traditional deadlifts like I do trap bar.
Squat
Regular work up. Jumped from 135 to 275 and wasn’t trashed thankfully.
315
x2
x2
x2
x2
x2
x2
x2
x2
Yeah yeah I know…… “Uhh Cyber…why not just do like 2x6 or 3x6 or something?”
Not on paper, doing these doubles was awesome. On paper, it just looks…extra lol
Yes…this took me like 30 mins to do.
•Walking lunges- body weight. Wasn’t measuring distance just wanted to get my heart rate up
•band assisted pull-ups- Again, no set amount of reps, just trying not to suck at pull ups.
•Hanging leg raises- AMRAP (~32 reps)
LOG # 624
Was kinda waiting for the signal that my calories were too low, aaaaaand that was this session.
Putting the weight on the bar was enough to make me start breathing heavy. I couldn’t get past 13 reps for SS, so I racked the weight, caught my breath, and finished the rest.
Bench was fine, but I was pouring sweat. Back down to 135.
•Rows (seated)- 225lbs (probably less given the machine leverages). Idk what my gym calls this contraption, but you can load it heavy so I’m not complaining.
•BB walking lunges- 90lbs (failure)
•Machine Shoulder Press- 80lbs 3x10
•leg extensions- 100lb 10x10
Everything felt like crap.
LOG # 625
SS day 8
Still felt like crap. Backed the weight off to 200lbs even. Everything felt super heavy.
Rotated back to base template. Kept the reps the same since I backed off of almost everything in weight
LOG # 626
Strength focused
•Squat:
335 1x5
I think this is close to my true 5 rep max. So I’ll probably change that in my notes for reference.
Hamstring curls- AMRAP
•Pull:
RDLs- 135lb, clusters of 3. Not set amount of sets
•Power Cleans:
100lb
x2
x3
x2
x2
125lb
x2
x2
x1
Abs:
Weighted planks
Hanging leg raises
