30.01.14
Russian squat program, W5D3
Squat:
3 x 80 kg
6 x 2 x 102.5 kg
Barbell rows:
10 x 60 kg
8, 7, 7 x 75 kg
Incline DB press:
6 x 34 kg
6 x 36 kg
4 x 38 kg
That’s a wrap. Tomorrow’s a big day.
31.01.14
Russian squat program, W6D1
Squat:
3 x 80 kg
2 x 100 kg
1 x 115 kg
2 x 2 x 127.5 kg
Paused squat:
4 x 2 x 100 kg (3-4")
Hyperextensions
3 x 15 x BW
Starting to feel the wear and tear from this program. Today’s training was OK, the two work sets went up, but very, very slowly. I tried recording my first set and noticed that my form had gone to shit, too, which isn’t good. The video recorder on my iPhone broke down following that, so I don’t know how my second set looked, but I think it was a bit better. I’ve got to work on getting my knees out, maybe using more paused squats in the coming weeks. I began to widen my stance a bit a few weeks ago, but I think I might need to bring it in a couple of centimetres in order to balance things out.
So, going to go for a new PR next week if I’m feeling it.
02.02.14
Russian squat program, W6D2
Squat
3 x 80 kg
6 x 2 x 102.5 kg
My knees were asking “WTF?” today. I think it’s good that this program is almost over.
Bench press (competition pause):
5 x 60 kg
3 x 80 kg
3 x 100 kg
2 x 105 kg
1 x 110 kg
2 x 1 x 115 kg
45 degree hypers:
25 x BW
Bit beat up today, but my bench felt really good. I could’ve probably done a paused 120 kg today but didn’t want to overdo it. I’ll go for a new touch-and-go PR on Thursday. I noticed this last year on the Russian squat program: while my squat did improve, my bench made huge strides in the six weeks. Funny.
04.02.14
Russian squat program, W6D3
Squat:
4 x 80 kg
3 x 100 kg
2 x 110 kg
1 x 120 kg
1 x 130 kg
1 x 135 kg
1 x 140 kg (tied PR)
Front squat:
8 x 60 kg
5 x 80 kg
3 x 3 x 100 kg
So, that’s the end of another run of the Russian squat program. It went OK; I didn’t feel to great today so didn’t shoot for a new absolute PR, but ended up tying my previous PR and felt as though my form was much better. I still collapsed a bit forward, so I’ll be focussing on front squats and paused squats for my next training cycle. Am currently debating over whether to run block periodization for the time being or to return to 5/3/1, designing the rep ranges in order to simulate block periodization. At any rate I would like to do a squat variation twice per week and a bench press variation twice per week. I’ve had the best results from this type of protocol.
05.02.2014
Bench press, week 6
Bench press:
5 x 60 kg
5 x 87.5 kg
3 x 100 kg
1 x 110 kg
1 x 115 kg
1 x 120 kg
1 x 125 kg (PR)
Barbell rows:
5 x 5 x 80 kg
Band pull-aparts:
4 x 15 x red band
Hit a touch-and-go PR in bench press this morning and I’m really happy about it. It was one of the slowest reps of my life and my technique was shite, but I’ll take it. Butt may have come 0.5 cm off of the bench, but you judge based on the following video. If so, does anyone have any technique pointers? I’m fairly long-legged, so it’s sometimes hard to keep my knees beneath my hips, as you can see.
Woohoo, deload!
P.S.: Don’t mind the interesting techno music that my gym plays.
So, time to deload. Today I went to the gym with my wife and actually did the following:
SGHP:
5 x 40 kg
4 x 50 kg
3 x 60 kg
3 x 2 x 70 kg
3 x 3 x 60 kg
Tricep rope extensions:
3 x 15 x 45 kg
Barbell curls:
10, 8, 6 x 25 kg
Baaam. Won’t train again until Monday and will then decide if I continue to deload or start with a light accumulation phase.
Don’t know what’s happening with my log, it won’t accept a few posts.
I began my new program today; I’ll be running variations of 5/3/1 arranged in an order that mimics block periodization.
10.02.14
Accumulation, week 1
Deficit deadlifts (4 cm):
5 x 100 kg
5 x 117.5 kg
5 x 135 kg
7 x 152.5 kg (straps; cut the set at 7 reps since I banged up my shin); RPE @7-8
10 x 117.5 kg; RPE @8
Paused squats:
3 x 8 x 72.5 kg
Leg curls:
2 x 15 x 40 kg
1 x 15 x 30 kg
Decline crunches:
BW x 20
Ab roller:
BW x 20
So I know this volume is nothing compared to what some people in these forums do, but it was a lot for me and I hadn’t reached this level in a while. Needless to say, it kicked my arse. I’m either going to have to reduce my training maxes a bit (especially for lower body) or just power through and hope for adaptation. Should happen.
12.02.14
Accumulation, week 1
Bench press:
10 x 40 kg
5 x 70 kg (paused)
5 x 80 kg (last rep paused)
10 x 92.5 kg @RPE 8-9
14 x 70 kg @RPE 8-9
Chin-ups:
3 x 8 x BW
Incline DB press:
2 x 10 x 25.5 kg
1 x 7 x 25.5 kg (dead)
DB curls:
12, 10 x 11 kg
Band pull-aparts
6 x 15 x single red band
So, I’m most definitely not used to this kind of volume. Apart from the fact that I still had killer DOMS from Monday’s training and that I haven’t slept very well this week, I was just absolutely gassed after bench press, even though I was using lighter weights. I’m glad that I’m running this phase because I can’t do high-reps for beans. I might do some light conditioning tomorrow to get ready for Friday’s squat funfest.
14.02.14
Accumulation, week 1
Front press:
5 x 70 kg
5 x 80 kg
7 x 92.5 kg @RPE 8-9
10 x 70 kg @RPE 8-9
Kettlebell swings:
3 x 20 x 16 kg
Walkung lunges:
3 x 11 x 22 kg
Hyperextensions:
2 x 17 x BW
1 x 15 x BW
Another training session that totally gassed me. My DOMS from Monday was just barely good enough to train with any kind of intensity today. Front squats felt really easy, but the more “fitness-oriented” stuff afterwards was effing hard. Way too hard. I’m so out of shape.
16.02.14
Accumulation, week 1
Overhead press:
10 x 20 kg
5 x 40 kg
5 x 42.5 kg
5 x 47.5 kg @RPE 8-9
7 x 40 kg @RPE 8
#Barbell rows:
15 x 35 kg
20 x 40 kg
Close-grip paused bench press:
3 x 8 x 57.5 kg
Seated rows:
12 x 55 kg
10 x 60 kg
8 x 65 kg
Triceps pushdowns:
12 x 45 kg
2 x 10 x 45 kg
Some more higher-volume work for the accumulation phase. I hadn’t done overhead press in over three months and it felt really crappy; I think I programmed my max a bit high. I’ll try to tough it out for the remaining two weeks of the mesocycle, but if it’s too hard I’ll have to reduce my training max in the next phase. Oh, yes, and my overhead mobility sucks, hence the girly weights.
17.02.14
Accumulation, week 2
Deficit deadlifts (4 cm):
5 x 90 kg
4 x 125 kg
3 x 145 kg
5 x 162.5 kg @RPE 8-9 (with straps)
8 x 125 kg @RPE 8
Paused squats:
3 x 8 x 77.5 kg
Leg curls:
2 x 15 x 40 kg
1 x 15 x 30 kg
Ab roller:
2 x 10 x BW
Feeling good today, although my lower back was a bit messed up from overhead pressing yesterday. Gots to work on my mobility.
19.02.14
Accumulation, week 2
Bench press:
5 x 60 kg
3 x 75 kg (paused)
3 x 85 kg (paused)
8 x 97.5 kg @ RPE 8
14 x 75 kg @ RPE 8
Chin-ups:
3 x 8 x BW
Incline DB press:
3 x 10 x 25.5 kg
Lateral raise countdown:
5,4,3,2,1 x 3 kg
5,4,3,2,1 x 4 kg
DB curls:
2 x 10 x 15 kg
Band pull-aparts
3 x 15 x single red band
Workout felt pretty good today, although I was somewhat weak in the bench press. I decided to cut my top sets with a couple of reps left in the tank. Tried out the lat raise countdown from Ben Bruno’s article yesterday and it was pretty humbling, but a lot of fun. Seems like a good way to get some delt volume in in little time.
21.02.14
Accumulation, week 2
Front squat:
5 x 60 kg
3 x 70 kg
3 x 80 kg
6 x 97.5 kg @RPE 9
10 x 70 kg @RPE 8
Romanian deadlifts:
20 x 60 kg
18 x 60 kg
16 x 65 kg
Walking lunges:
12 x 24 kg
2 x 10 x 28 kg
45-degree hypers:
2 x 25 x BW
So, feeling a bit under the weather today, so everything was a bit heavier. For whatever reason, my form in front squats also went to shit today. But I got the training in and will try to rest up for next week.
23.02.14
Accumulation, week 2
Overhead press:
3 x 40 kg
3 x 45 kg
5 x 50 kg @RPE 8
7 x 40 kg @RPE 8
Barbell rows:
4 x 10 x 60 kg
Close-grip paused bench press:
4 x 8 x 62.5 kg
Triceps pushdowns:
15, 10, 10 x 45 kg
Lat raise countdown
2 x 5,4,3,2,1 x 4 kg
Training felt good today, didn’t push too hard on anything and my lower back felt much better overhead pressing than last week. Tried to consciously focus on shrugging my shoulders with the lockout.
24.01.14
Accumulation, week 3
Deficit deadlifts (4 cm):
3 x 120 kg
5 x 135 kg
3 x 152.5 kg
3 x 170 kg @RPE 8
1 x 180 kg
Deadlifts:
1 x 190 kg
1 x 200 kg @RPE 9
0 x 210 kg
Paused squats:
3 x 6 x 85 kg
Leg curls:
2 x 15 x 40 kg
1 x 12 x 40 kg
Ab roller:
2 x 12 x BW
I got bored of doing deficit deadlifts for reps and decided to do a few heavy singles from the floor following my main work sets. 200 kg felt good and I ended up getting 210 kg off the ground easily before my back and buttocks decided to tell me that they weren’t in the mood to grind anything out today. So I let off. Pretty sure I could go for 215 kg on a good day.
26.02.14
Accumulation, week 3
Bench press:
5 x 60 kg
5 x 80 kg (paused)
3 x 92.5 kg (paused)
5 x 102.5 kg @RPE 8-9
2 x 110 kg @RPE 9-10
12 x 80 kg @RPE 7
Chin-ups:
3 x 8 x BW
Incline dumbbell press:
2 x 10 x 27.5 kg
DB curls:
12, 10 x 12 kg
Lat raise countdown:
2 x 5,4,3,2,1 x 4 kg
Band pull-aparts:
5 x 15 x single red band
Training felt good today; I again decided to go a bit heavier on bench than prescribed and was somewhat humbled by my training max. I guess I wasn’t on top of my game after not having lifted heavy for four weeks, but doing a top reps set with 80 kg felt super-easy, felt like I could’ve knocked out another five or six.
Good work with the 531. Nice deadlifting!
[quote]MightyMouse17 wrote:
Good work with the 531. Nice deadlifting![/quote]
Thanks dude. Interestingly, my deadlift has only gone up by about 10-12 kg in the last year and a half, which is also about how much bodyweight I’ve gained in this time. I’ve got to do something about that, but I still haven’t pinpointed the right volume/intensity balance to keep things improving. Any pointers?
28.02.14
“Accumulation” ??? Week 3
I only got four hours of sleep last night due to our charming neighbours. Our apartment building was built during the housing emergency immediately following the destruction of the city in the Second World War and is subsequently of very low structural quality. So we basically hear it when people two floors away have a normal conversation at night. And it drives us insane. Anyways, no excuses:
Front squats:
5 x 60 kg
5 x 80 kg
3 x 92.5 kg
4 x 102.5 kg @RPE 9
2 x 110 kg @RPE 9-10
1 x 120 kg @RPE 10
0 x 127.5 kg (PR attempt) @RPE 11 (Spinal Tap)
7 x 80 kg @RPE 9
Walking lunges (with kettlebells):
10 kg in each hand x 14, 12, 12
Kettlebell swings:
2 x 20 x 16 kg
45 degree hypers:
2 x 15 x BW = dead
I have no idea why, but although I was physically exhausted this morning, I mentally wanted to go balls to the wall. It went against pretty much everything I have planned for for this program phase (“accumulation” my butt), but felt somehow redeeming. I went for a PR attempt on front squats and narrowly failed. As you can see in the video of the single at 120 kg, I’ve got to work on keeping my weight on my heels and driving back and up. Might post this one for a form check… At any rate, this was one of the stupider workouts that I’ve had in a while. Going to try not to go above RPE 9 for the next six weeks. We’ll see if I can resist temptation.