Decent session - need to focus on keeping my tighter/back straighter for things like OHP and French press because my low back was a tad sore by the end from arching it a bit too much.
Not quite sure what happened on the first set of bench press - couldn’t manage as many reps as I did a couple weeks back on the test-run, and then nearly managed the same number after the first rest-pause. Maybe shoulders/triceps were tired from the OHP and holding it back or something? I’m sure I can do better next time out.
Front squats - 5 @ 47.5, 55, 61.25
(took about 8:00)
Back squats - 22 @ 47.5
RDL - 12, 11 @ 47.5
(1m rest)
Foot is still hurting but it does seem to be getting slowly better, so I’m hoping to be able to run again by the end of the week, but sticking to gym sessions for the time being. This session aggravated it a little, but it wasn’t too bad as I’m mostly in a static position for these exercises.
Took a little longer on the front squats this week compared to last week - probably did an extra warmup set I reckon. Knees felt decent this time though and I got a couple of extra reps (and at higher weight) on the widowmaker which is good.
Rope curls went OK, although I think my grip was struggling as much with the cold as with the actual weight.
I was a little unsure on my counting for the curls, but only because there was a surprisingly small drop-off - it’s possible they just recover very quickly, but I think chances are I moved on to them quite quickly after the rope curls so they were still quite fatigued and therefore the top set was lower than it would ordinarily be.
Lat pulldown was OK but I was struggling more with the grip on the top set than the back - I stuck straps on for the last two RP sets which helped, but they’re a right pain to put on with the setup I have (as it’s not a proper lat pulldown attachment, plus I had gloves on). Probably meant I had extra rest time as a result.
Kroc rows were tougher than expected - the strict sets actually went pretty well, but I had hoped for more on the loose sets. Went with straps on both accounts which I think was a must at this point in the session, but I should have readjusted the left one because it was pulling off my wrist at an odd angle. I decided to plow on through but it definitely made things awkward - got the right one sorted properly before starting off.
Just a note that this was another annoyingly long session - ended up a good 5 minutes over the time I allocate for these workouts, which is a nuisance. I know the pull days have one extra exercise which is contributing to this, but on the whole I just don’t seem to get up to speed and through everything as quickly as I’d like.
On top of that I feel like as I progress the weights will get heavier, but that might mean more warmup sets/time and I can imagine extra rest time will creep in (not so much on the top sets themselves, where I have it written out, but moreso on the warmup sets, and right before going for the top sets).
It’s making me question this choice of program, and maybe something simpler (or in particular with fewer/easier to setup exercises) would be a better choice. My mind keeps wandering back to 5/3/1 and it’s honestly not a bad fall-back to have…
I’ll keep this going for at least another week and reassess things over christmas. If I want to change it I can do so in that week when my workouts might be a bit funny anyways, and start off the new year on the right footing.
I am thinking I will switch to 5/3/1 after this week - start with a TM test week to check my TMs, and then go with one lift per day, 5’s PRO + BBB, superset assistance work (alternating between sets of main work, Krypteia-style), plus 2 days conditioning which I’m thinking will be running for one of them and maybe complexes for the other (as a sort of conditioning/extra assistance day).
Did a little better on the bench and triceps exts than last time around which is good.
OHP went backwards - my shoulders were a little sore coming into this, which I had a couple of weeks back and I’ve realised it’s the wide-grip BB curls that’s done it (although I didn’t notice while doing them). Probably means I shouldn’t use that movement (with that particular style) as it’s hitting the wrong parts.
It wasn’t as a big of an issue last time because this session was done after a weekend’s rest, but because of the change in scheduling with the running being paused I’m now doing a push day right after that and it really hampered performance.
No training over the weekend - I’d already done 6 days in a row because of the change in scheduling last week, so it seemed prudent to break on Saturday, and then my foot is still not 100% and snow/ice means running is perhaps not the best option right now.
Weighed in @ 13st 3.6lbs on Saturday morning; waist measured 84.5cm/33.5in. I was expecting this to be starting to track upwards as I haven’t been holding back on the mince pies… I might need to rethink eating strategies after Christmas and make sure I am actually getting enough in me.
Both this log and my physical logbook said I did 20 on the reverse curls last time, and for more reps, but I feel like that can’t be right because I loaded 20 today and it felt super heavy. From the warmup sets sequencing I think it must have been either 12.5 or 15, but there’s now way to tell now…
Got more reps on the chinups which is good. I did fewer reps on spider curls than last time, but I feel like I had much better ROM this time around, actually getting to full contraction in each set, so I’m fine with taking that as an improvement.
It also seems I did less overall on the Kirk rows, though I had already planned to drop the weight a tad from the first set last time. I feel like I did a good job hitting the traps though so I guess that’s all that matters.
Now I’ve decided to switch out of this program again at the end of this week there is of course less importance in beating the logbook as I don’t need to worry about keeping these exercises in etc…
Separately, it was way warmer this morning which definitely mean I got up to speed quicker, and got through this about 5 mins quicker than last time. Shame the snow is all gone though…
Pretty decent session - upped reps or weight on all exercises. BTN press felt more comfortable this week by really focussing on keeping my core tight and not over-arching.
I got super sore the first couple of days doing this routine but I’ve noticed it’s pretty minimal now. I thought it might just be from getting acclimatised to it, or possibly not trying hard enough, however I also realised that I started the intra workout at the same time and hadn’t noticed any effects… maybe I need to keep that going
Front squat - 5 @ 51.25, 58.75, 65
(Took about 9 mins)
Back squat - 21 @ 51.25
RDL - 13, 10 @ 51.25
OK session - hamstring stuff at the start and end went pretty well. Front squats felt a bit heavy though and on the back squats I felt like I kept getting the weight over my toes too much and had to try hard to sit back.
I’ve gone back and forwards in my head and I think for the upcoming 5/3/1 restart I’ll go with back squats for the main sets and front squats for the BBB sets - that’s how Wendler would say to use alternative exercises so I should listen.
Didn’t sleep brilliantly last night and woke up very tired, but got into the swing of things OK once I got up to speed.
Rack chins felt pretty decent compared to previous weeks, although I might have had my feet a bit far out in front of me, so I was pulling a slightly more of a horizontal angle than is ideal.
Rows were OK although I didnt get many more reps despite dropping the weight from last time so perhaps something else is the limiting factor.
Last weights session of this mini-cycle; it’s a shame this doesn’t fit my schedule better because things were starting to move forwards and I feel like it does work (albeit with more emphasis on food required).
DB OHP and bench both went well and felt pretty good, although I think I was arching my low back a bit too much again on the overheads. This came up again on the french press where I think things started to get a bit squiggly as my arms tired.
40m total w/ 30m running. Covered 4.31 miles/6.9km in total, which is just a shade less than the previous max distance I did on this timing.
Right foot isn’t fully healed and was a bit painful with every step for the first 5-10 mins but it wasn’t super bad and it kinda numbed after that and didn’t bother me much more.
I did this run half an hour later than normal (y’know, because it’s christmas and I wanted a lie-in), but I think that confused my guts a bit which were kicking up a bit of a fuss on the way back.
I weighed in before the festivities (Saturday morning, after the run) @ 13st 4.8lbs, with waist measuring 86cm/34in.
Need to get my TM tests done before we’re away at the weekend for new year so I think it’ll mean back-to-back sessions, or if I want to get a run in I might have to double-up some lifts. I obviously have a decent idea from the cycles completed only a month back of what the TMs should be, and I think I’ll basically aim to just pick up where I left off.
Dissapppointed to not hit target 5 reps @ 45 - I could have got beyond 3, but the bar wasn’t moving particulalrly quickly so I figured I wouldn’t be able to count it anyways for my starting TM.
Even taking the 3 that gives a TM of 42.5 which is just shy of where I finished the last cycle though so I’ll settle for that.
Supersets were fine - obviously I’d get more done when I have the BBB sets to complete as well.
Threw in the assistance finishers just for fun, but I’m planning to run the first cycle with only the superset assistance, and then I’ll add in finishers for the second cycle, if recovery allows.
Not amazing, but this is the first time doing heavy back squats in a while and I had 80 in mind as a target (perhaps that’s why I topped out there though?).
This was the point the bar started slowing but I was comfortable I had 5 in me so I’m happy to use that as my starting TM - it will only take a few cycles to bump this up anyway.
Pullups and pushups were fine. I was trying to do the pushups as Wendler suggests, with a pause at the top and bottom. Surprisingly my triceps didn’t feel sore at all from yesterday which was nice.
alt s/s KB rows (L/R) - 10 @ 12, 16, 20, 24 ea arm
alt s/s Ab wheel - 5, 5, 5
(took c.18 mins)
This workout took longer than expected - I did do one extra set compared to the other days, just based on how the jumps played out, but I also woke up a bit tired (first day back on the usual/slightly earlier wakeup time) so I think I was moving slowly as a result.
I was aiming for 70 on the top set, and worked the %'s backwards to build up to it. The last rep was slow but not terrible, which I think is a good result for the first time benching heavy (for me) in a while. Think I’ll just run with 70 as the starting TM and assume it’ll get easier as I get into the groove again.