14.04.14
Realization, week 1
Sumo deadlift:
5 x bar
4 x 62 kg
4 x 82 kg
3 x 104 kg
3 x 124 kg
2 x 144 kg
2 x 164 kg
1 x 184 kg
1 x 204 kg @RPE 9
1 x 219 kg @RPE 9-10
0 x 229 kg
1 x 229 kg (hitched) @RPE 11
Windshield wipers hanging leg raises (toe to bar)
BW x 4 5 x 3
So I found out this morning that the “calibrated” bumper-like plates that I often use for deadlifting and squatting are in fact about one kilo heavier than advertised owing to the addition of the rubber bumpers. They’re still 44 cm in diameter (maybe 44.5 cm), so I have no idea how the manufacturer managed that. Anyways, that means that I’ve been deadlifting 4 kg more than I thought most of the last weeks, since I usually use four of them.
That also means that I hit a “liberal-technique” PR this morning of 229 kg/503 lbs. I don’t think there was as much hitching as there was shaking and non-movement of the bar. It would’ve flown in the IPA but would’ve been immediately red-lighted in the IPF. Anyways, I’m happy having finally broken through the 500 lb barrier. Just gotta work on my lockout. Ah, and I tore up a callus pretty bad… Got a vid if anyone’s a blood fetishist.
Hey, while I’m usually a bit of a form Nazi that prefers clean, solid reps, sometimes you just have to get the weight up any old way ONCE to build the confidence you can do it. That hitched, ugly 503, while not ideal in the long run, might be the mental breakthrough that allows you to cleanly hit 500 next time you try it. Congrats!
[quote]ActivitiesGuy wrote:
Hey, while I’m usually a bit of a form Nazi that prefers clean, solid reps, sometimes you just have to get the weight up any old way ONCE to build the confidence you can do it. That hitched, ugly 503, while not ideal in the long run, might be the mental breakthrough that allows you to cleanly hit 500 next time you try it. Congrats![/quote]
Hey man, thanks! I also usually cut my reps short if the bar stops moving, but I really wanted that rep just to get past the mental barrier you spoke of. It wasn’t IPF-legal, but it was by no means of the CrossFit variety, either. The good news is that I couldn’t cleanly lock out because of muscular fatigue and not because of form issues. I think I would’ve done it cleanly on a good day.
Just realized that I never really posted my annual goals here. I’ve revised them since my success with sumo DL, so here goes:
By the end of 2014:
Squat: 165 kg (currently 140-150 kg)
Bench: 135 kg paused, 140 kg TnG (currently ca. 120 kg paused, 125 kg TnG)
Deadlift: 250 kg (currently ca. 225-230 kg)
For a year-end “hypothetical” total of 550 kg/1210 lbs. Ideally I’d like to consistently be at 90-92 kg/around 200 lbs bodyweight at that time with my present level of leanness or a bit leaner.
I think my squat goal is a bit ambitious, but I also put that amount on last year and am really trying to work on form issues, which I think are impeding me to the greatest extent. This should also help my deadlift significantly, since I’m now leaning more and more towards sumo.
By the way, I’d also given thought to lifetime goals, keeping in mind that I’m not the youngest anymore. There’s no reason to think that I can’t keep hitting lifetime PRs in ten years time after I’m 40, but it’s not as likely as it will be in the next ten years. So here goes:
Squat: 250 kg
Bench: 180 kg
Deadlift: 330 kg
…For an ideal lifetime hypothetical total of 760 kg/ca. 1670 lbs at an ideal max bodyweight of ca. 100 kg/220 lbs. That would be awesome and I think achievable for me if I can maintain good health and training habits. Again, the squat seems to be the most ambitious goal, as I’m really not built for that, but I have a ton of room for improvement there, too.
16.04.14
Realization, week 1
Bench press (competition pause):
5 x bar
4 x 40 kg
4 x 50 kg
3 x 60 kg
3 x 72.5 kg
2 x 85 kg
2 x 97.5 kg
1 x 110 kg
1 x 120 kg (paused PR, vid) @RPE 9-10
2 x 0 x 127.5 kg (TnG)
Paused bench press:
2 x 3 x 100 kg @RPE 9
DB curls:
9, 8, 8 x 15.5 kg
Band pull-aparts:
8 x 12 x double red
Mixed feelings about today’s training: on the one hand, I hit a new PR with a competition pause and felt as though I had about 5 kg left in the tank. On the other hand, I failed both attempts at a 127.5 kg touch-and-go, which would’ve been a 2.5 kg PR for me. Considering my bench has been lagging over the last couple of weeks, this isn’t all bad. I have to bear down on bench in my next mesocycle.
Here’s the PR competition bench:
17.04.14
Realization, week 1
Squat (high-bar, narrow-stance):
5 x bar
4 x 42 kg
4 x 62 kg
3 x 72 kg
3 x 87 kg
2 x 104 kg
2 x 116.5 kg
1 x 131.5 kg @RPE 9
1 x 144 kg @RPE 9-10 (high-bar PR!)
0 x 151.5 kg @RPE pinned
Hyperextensions:
25 x BW
2 x 15 x BW 10 kg
Training went pretty well today. I’m focussing on improving my high bar and working on getting that stretch reflex out of the hole. I tried to keep bar speed up. I smoked 131.5 kg and 144 kg, a new high-bar PR, felt pretty good. I then went for 151.5 kg and got pinned. Was somewhat frightening since I had nowhere to go, but I could bail without much problem. Remind me to set the pins a bit higher next time.
So, pretty burned out after that last week of training. Felt really beat-up on Friday night and had a fairly strong fever last night without any other real symptoms. All fingers point to having trained at RPE 11 for a week and probably not having got enough quality food and sleep. Things are somewhat better now, but I won’t be training tomorrow and will have to wait and see for Monday.
Aaaand I’ve still got an elevated temperature, although things are slowly getting a little bit better. Needless to say, I won’t be training tomorrow. Tuesday morning my wife and I are headed off to visit friends and relatives in Canada for two weeks, which will also be a training hiatus (except for one possible workout with a former training buddy). I think I can use the break!
Trained yesterday with a buddy of mine while visiting my hometown. We went to a gym that I had worked out at almost fifteen years ago in high school, and it looked much better than I remembered. Lots of new toys.
Squat (high-bar, narrow stance):
Work up to 1 x 125 kg @ RPE 9
Sumo deadlift:
Work up to 1 x 205 kg @ RPE 9
Glute-ham raise (first time!):
3 x 8 x BW
Prowler push on rubber track:
3 x ca. 50 m x 50 lbs
So the little AYF workout felt pretty good, though I’d noticed not getting enough protein and sleep while on holiday. I did GHR for the first time and it felt awesome – I’ve got to concoct a ghetto device in my gym back home. Also did a prowler push for the first time as a hard finisher and it was super hard, partially because I was pushing on a rubber track, partially because my conditioning sucks. Anyways, it got me wondering if I need to do more.
I also squatted and pulled up to a single at RPE 9. Could’ve deadlifted another few kilos but my healing torn callus felt a bit iffy.
Will be back in the gym on Sunday!
So I’m pretty jetlagged at the moment and will not be headed to the gym today. I’ll hit it up tomorrow, but won’t expect any miracles.
The good news is that I was able to maintain my bodyweight (within 1 kg) while on my twelve-day vacation, although I’m sure that some muscle mass was lost and some fat was gained. Damn you, beer and fries.
I’ll probably do one to two weeks of lower-intensity “reconditioning” work to get my ass in shape again before beginning with another intensification phase. I need to focus on truly staying between RPE 8 and 9 during intensification and only going to RPE 10 during the peaking weeks. At any rate, I’m feeling confident that I’ll be able to hit a 230 kg deadlift with better technique in the coming mesocycle and hope that I can increase my squat by 5 kg by focusing more on high-bar work and strengthening my quads.
Reconditioning, week 1
Bench press (paused, widish grip):
8 x 40 kg
6 x 70 kg
5 x 80 kg
4 x 90 kg
3 x 3 x 100 kg @RPE 8-9
Overhead press:
5 x 40 kg
4 x 45 kg
3 x 50 kg @RPE 9
Barbell rows:
6 x 50 kg
6 x 60 kg
6 x 70 kg
3 x 5 x 80 kg
Band triceps pushdowns:
3 x 12 x double red band held halfway up
Band pull-aparts:
8 x 15 x double red
Back to the gym. I’m not as weak as I expected to be, but I think that made me push things a bit too much. The last sets of bench and OHP were a struggle, but the other sets felt pretty good. I was surprised at my speed in barbell rows, seems as though I haven’t lost much there.
We’ll see tomorrow how the lower body is looking after essentially two weeks off.
06.05.2014
Reconditioning, week 1
Sumo deadlifts:
5 x 104 kg
4 x 144 kg
3 x 164 kg
3 x 3 x 174 kg @RPE 8-9 (with strap on left hand in order to protect my callus tear)
Sumo deadlifts, paused at knee:
3 x 3 x 144 kg @RPE 8
Sumo deadlifts from blocks:
3 x 144 kg
3 x 184 kg
2 x 204 kg @RPE 9
Front squats:
3 x 3 x 80 kg (back gave out at this point, so I went super-light)
Leg raises from Roman chair:
15, 12, 10 x BW
Holy crap am I detrained. My spinal erectors are so sore just from having done bent-over rows yesterday. I got through my workout without too many problems and tried to keep the intensity moderate, but now I feel that so much deadlift volume maybe wasn’t such a hot idea. Back is seizing up just sitting at my desk. That’s what I get for binging on inflammatory foods for two weeks! Yayvacation!
07.05.2014
Reconditioning, week 1
Bench press:
5 x 60 kg
3 x 80 kg @RPE 7
3 x 90 kg @RPE 7.5
3 x 90 kg @RPE 8
3 x 90 kg @RPE 8
Floor press:
5 x 60 kg
3 x 80 kg @RPE 8
3 x 90 kg @RPE 8.5
3 x 95 kg @RPE 9
3 x 90 kg @RPE 8.5
Seated cable rows (narrow grip):
8 x 30 kg
8 x 50 kg
8 x 65 kg
8 x 75 kg @RPE 9
8 x 70 kg @RPE 8
8 x 70 kg @RPE 9
DB curls:
3 x 7 x 15.5 kg
Band pull-aparts:
7 x 15 x double red
Felt a bit tired today and was still super-sore from my first two training sessions after my vacation, so I kept things pretty light, especially on bench. Working seated rows again felt really good, I think I’ll keep up with that for the next few weeks.
09.05.14
Reconditioning, week 1
Squats:
5 x 60 kg
5 x 80 kg
3 x 100 kg @RPE 7.5
3 x 110 kg @RPE 8.5
1 x 120 kg @RPE 8.5
5 x 100 kg @RPE 9
Bulgarian DB split squats:
8 x 12 kg
2 x 8 x 16 kg
45-degree hypers:
2 x 10 x BW + double red band, paused at top
Training actually felt pretty good today, so I decided to work up to a moderate single. 120 kg moved up about as fast as it ever had. I still need to work on my speed. I think if I feel good this weekend I’ll begin my new program next Tuesday.
11.05.14
Reconditioning, week 1
Overhead press:
5 x 40 kg
3 x 50 kg @RPE 7.5
3 x 55 kg @RPE 8.5
2 x 3 x 50 kg @RPE 7.5-8
Bench press (competition pause):
6 x 50 kg
4 x 80 kg
2 x 3 x 100 kg @RPE 8
Seated rows:
8 x 75 kg
2 x 8 x 80 kg @RPE 9
Band pull-aparts:
4 x 15 x double red band
Training felt pretty good today, so I’ll commence my new program tomorrow.
I’ll be beginning a new program based on autoregulation and RPEs tomorrow. Mostly a linear block periodization, with the first two weeks for accumulation, weeks 3 to 7 intensification and the last two weeks as a sort of realization/peaking microcycle.
I’ll be using the following weeklyplan:
Monday: 1. sumo deadlift, 2. high-bar squat/paused squat, GHR, heavy abs
Wednesday: 1. bench press (competition pause/TnG), 2. incline DB press, pull-ups/rows, biceps
Friday: 1. high-bar squat, 2. block pulls, Bulgarian split squats, hyperextensions
Sunday: 1. overhead press, 2. bench press (competition pause), rows, triceps
And the following volume/intensity progression:
Main lifts:
W1. Up to 5 @RPE 8
W2. Up to 4 @RPE 8, drop 2-4%
W3. Up to 5 @RPE 9, drop 5%
W4. Up to 4 @RPE 9, drop 8-10%
W5. Up to 3 @RPE 9, drop 2-4%
W6. Up to 4 @RPE 9, drop 5%
W7. Up to 2 @RPE 9, repeat, drop 8-10%
W8. Up to 2 @RPE 9
W9. Retest maxes (RPE 10)
Second lifts:
W1. Up to 5 @RPE 8
W2. Up to 4 @RPE 8, drop 2-4%
W3. Up to 5 @RPE 8, drop 5%
W4. Up to 4 @RPE 8, drop 8-10%
W5. Up to 3 @RPE 8, drop 2-4%
W6. Up to 4 @RPE 8, drop 5%
W7. Technique
W8. Technique
12.5.14
Week 1: accumulation
Sumo deadlift:
5 x 104 kg
5 x 124 kg
5 x 144 kg
5 x 154 kg
5 x 164 kg @RPE 8
Squats:
5 x 62 kg
5 x 82 kg
5 x 92 kg
5 x 102 kg @RPE 8
Leg curls:
8 x 50 kg
8 x 60 kg
8 x 70 kg @RPE 8.5
7 x 70 kg @RPE 9
Ab wheel:
2 x 8 x BW (3 from top, 5 from floor)
Farmer’s walk:
42 kg DBs on a ca. 13 m length x 4, 4, 3
First day of the new program today, felt really good.
14.05.14
Week 1: accumulation
Bench press:
5 x 50 kg (paused)
5 x 70 kg (paused)
5 x 85 kg
5 x 95 kg @RPE 8 (shit!)
Incline DB bench press:
5 x 27.5 kg
5 x 33 kg @RPE 9 (shiiiat!)
5 x 28.5 kg @RPE 8
Chin-ups:
8 x BW
6 x BW 10 kg @RPE 8
5 x BW 10 kg @RPE 9
DB curls:
3 x 7 x 15.5 kg
So, my upper-body strength has definitely decreased following my vacation layoff and the preceding fever that kept me from training for altogether two and a half weeks. I was tired waking up this morning and couldn’t really get into things, but I the days when I benched 100 kg for 8-10 reps seem long, long ago. Oh well, I’m sure the strength will come back quickly enough.
16.05.14
Week 1: accumulation
Squat:
5 x 62 kg
5 x 82 kg
5 x 92 kg @RPE 7
4 x 104 kg @RPE 8
Block pulls (below knee):
5 x 62 kg
5 x 104 kg
5 x 144 kg
5 x 164 kg @RPE 7.5
4 x 184 kg @RPE 8.5 (Oops)
Bulgarian DB split squat:
10, 9, 8 x 16 kg
Hyperextensions:
2 x 15 x BW 10 kg
Coming into this morning’s session my joints were super stiff and sore. I don’t know what I did to deserve that! Nevertheless, the squats felt decent and bar speed was good. The top set might’ve even been a 7.5 but I didn’t want to add any more volume. I overloaded the bar for my last set of block pulls and only fired off four reps before cutting the set short. Didn’t want to accrue too much fatigue. I hope I can rest up this weekend so we can push the intensity up somewhat next week.
18.05.14
Week 1: accumulation
Overhead press:
5 x 30 kg
5 x 40 kg
5 x 50 kg @RPE 7.5
Barbell floor press:
5 x 50 kg
5 x 80 kg
5 x 90 kg @RPE 8
Bench press (competition pause):
5 x 40 kg
5 x 80 kg
5 x 100 kg @RPE 8.5
Seated rows:
8 x 75 kg
2 x 8 x 80 kg
Band triceps pushdowns:
3 x 12 x double red
Band pull-aparts:
4 x 15 x double red
I felt pretty good this morning so I decided to throw in some more pressing volume. Did both floor press and competition-style press up to about an RPE 8 and it felt strong again. I’m going to be on the road this Tuesday and Wednesday and might have to train bench at a commercial crapshoot, so I’m happy that I was able to get some quality sets in today.