5th Set - Bench Micro 3/Meso 1 (Time flies, I had to triple check that I was already on micro 3 of this program)
Flat Bench
280lbs x 2
280lbs x 2
280lbs x 2
280lbs x 2
280lbs x 6 - +5lbs, same reps as last microcycle
Floor Press
160lbs x 15
160lbs x 15
Will increase weight again next week.
Side Delt Raises
35lbs x 12
35lbs x 12
Rear Delt Raises
15lbs x 15
15lbs x 15
Bonus Work:
DB Flyes
50lbs x 10
50lbs x 10
Cuban Press
25lbs x 8
25lbs x 8
Congratulations on your offspring! Thatās some very happy news. Wow the house building process seems really slow but all that matters is that itās worth in the end (well and that you stay in budget, haha).
Thatās understandable. Still impressive that you can keep up and get as much work done as possible in a hectic life situation.
Well letās put it that way: Sports are going okayā¦ the rest not so much.
I am honored to be on the list, haha.
5th Set - Squat Micro 3/Meso 1
Squat
45 x 5
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 3
385 x 2
385 x 2
385 x 2
385 x 2
385 x 7 - +5lbs, same reps as last microcycle
Band Pullthroughs - green band
10
10
10
10
10
BB Rows (OH)
185 x 12
205 x 12
Move up in weight next week.
DB Rows
100lbs x 15
BB Shrugs
205lbs x 15
205lbs x 15
Move up in weight next week.
Calf Raises
100lb DBs x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
This is probably the longest, most difficult day of the week and it is still completed in less than an hour.
Iām only training 3 days per week for less than an hour per session and Iām loving it. I feel like my strength is coming back nicely, hopefully this will be confirmed in the new year when I finally put it to the test!
Had to browse a bit, saw you bailed on deep water.
5th set looks like it suits you well.
Good to see things are good over on your side of the pond.
Next year Iāll start with some 3 day a week stuff too.
Yeah, didnāt really even start deep water, just dabbled with some workouts from the program on a more spaced out schedule.
5th set seems to be right up my alley right now.
Thanks Mort, things are going pretty well overall.
3 days a week is much more manageable for me right now, if Iām able to see progress on 3 days per week, Iāll be very happy.
5th Set - WG Bench Micro 3/Meso 1
Wide Grip Bench (ring finger on rings)
45 x 10
135 x 10
175 x 25
175 x 25
First time completing both sets of 25 reps, moving up to 180lbs for next week.
Rolling Triceps
35lbs x 15
35lbs x 15
35lbs x 12
35lbs x 12
Cable Triceps Extensions
50lbs x 25 overhand
50lbs x 25 overhand
50lbs x 25 underhand
50lbs x 25 underhand
TRX Pullaparts
4 x 10-15reps
I did these with my torso falling away from the suspension training at ~45 degree angle. Then pulled my straight arms back to make a āTā. Sort of the opposite strength curve as band pullaparts, as these start difficult and get easier as your torso gets more vertical.
5th Set - DL Day Micro 3/Meso 1
Sumo DL
45 x 10
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 3
430 x 3
430 x 3
430 x 3
430 x 3
430 x 3
Block Pulls - below knee
430 x 3
430 x 3
430 x 3
Band Pullthrough - green band
15
15
15
Pullups/Chins
11
12
Hammer Curls
35lbs x 15
35lbs x 12
Some strong pulls done in here!!
Thanks Pappa, Iām hoping the deadlift will come back quick and that I can PR my deadlift by the end of 2020. 700lbs is the ultimate goal.
5th Set - Bench Micro 4/Meso 1
Flat Bench
285lbs x 2
285lbs x 2
285lbs x 2
285lbs x 2
285lbs x 5 - +5lbs, -1 reps from last micro
Floor Press
155lbs x 15
165lbs x 15
Will increase weight of second set again next week.
Side Delt Raises
35lbs x 12
35lbs x 12
Rear Delt Raises
15lbs x 15
15lbs x 15
Fat Grip BB Curls
50 reps without putting the bar down
This day was all over the place, so I was pleased to hit 5reps on that top set. Once my top set only hits 3reps, I reset all my lifts and start a new mesocycle over (of +5lbs per micro).
5th Set - Squat Micro 4/Meso 1
Squat
45 x 5
135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3
315 x 3
390 x 2
390 x 2
390 x 2
390 x 2
390 x 10 - +5lbs, +3 reps as last microcycle
Squats are coming back nicely. I feel like a 500lb squat is there right now.
Band Pullthroughs - green band
10
10
10
10
10
I like these. They light up my hips and pretty sure have had a positive role in my good hip health recently.
BB Rows (OH)
185 x 12
215 x 12
DB Rows
100lbs x 15
BB Shrugs
225lbs x 25
225lbs x 15
Move up in weight next week.
Calf Raises
100lb DBs x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10
Did this workout before jumping in the car for 3.5hrs to head to the in-laws for the holidays until Xmas. Hope to get my workouts in while Iām here. Diet will be sub-par, but that is fine leading up to my before pictures for the T-ransformation Challenge.
12/23/2019
I went to my mother-in-lawās little private gym to get my workout in. It is a nice little gym for non-powerlifters. A good variety of Atlantis machines, but not the best in terms of free weights.
5th Set - WG Bench Micro 4/Meso 1
DB Incline Bench
45 x 10
65 x 10
85 x 10
100 x 10
100lb Dbs for 10 reps was pretty near max effort. I wasnāt really sure what I was going to get going into that set.
Wide Grip Bench (ring finger on rings)
45 x 10
135 x 10
180 x 10
180 x 10
180 x 10
This was supposed to be two sets of 25 reps at 180lbs. This was done on a smith machine thing that moves in both the horizontal and vertical plane. It is still attached to vertical posts, but the bar is able to drift front and back. Iām going to assume that the bar + brackets weighs more than 45lbs, because 10reps was all I could muster with 180lbs loaded. There were no barbells other than this and one Smith machine which only had vertical movement.
Rolling Triceps
35lbs x 15
35lbs x 15
35lbs x 12
35lbs x 12
Cable Triceps Extensions
50lbs x 25 overhand
50lbs x 25 overhand
50lbs x 25 underhand
50lbs x 25 underhand
Rear Delt Machine
4 x 12reps
12/27/2019
Holiday festivities led to a little more time in between workouts than I hoped for, but I had a great (busy) time with family and travelling with the little man. Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday.
I took part in plenty of eating and drinking, so my before photo is going to be awesome for the T-ransformation Challenge.
5th Set - Deadlift Micro 4/ Meso 1
Sumo DL
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 3
365 x 3
435 x 3
435 x 3
435 x 3
435 x 3
435 x 3
These werenāt moving super quick, but I was being a little social so my focus wasnāt really there. The last set was probably the fastest when I decided to dig in.
Rack Pulls - second hole, just below knee
435 x 3
435 x 3
435 x 3
Band Pullthroughs - green band
15
15
15
Pullups
12 Pullups
12 Chinups
Iām not really pushing these too hard right now, they tend to flare up my elbows when I do.
Hammer Curls
35lbs x 15
35lbs x 15
I see you used the same weight as your main lift. Do you find these to be more difficult than a full pull?
The program calls for the same weight (or at least how I interpreted it). I find breaking it off the pins a little awkward as it is in a tricky spot for me to get properly braced, but overall less difficult just because of the reduced ROM.
12/28/2019
5th Set - Bench M5/M1 (sorta)
135 x 5
185 x 5
225 x 3 - 225lbs is usually a pretty good indicator of how Iām feeling on bench, these reps felt like 135lbs, so I decided to go off script and see where my bench was at.
275 x 1
315 x 1 - flew up
335 x 1 - slowed down a bit, damn
355 x 1 (touch and go)
355lbs is a recent PR. I hit 347lbs at my last competition (Nov 2018), so the fact that my bench is still right there is a good thing. Just mean I need to get my squat and deadlift back to where they were. I was kind of hoping 355lbs would fly up and then I could try to tie my lifetime PR of 375lbs, but it wouldnāt have been there today.
Floor Press
155lbs x 25
170lbs x 25 (move up next week)
Side Raises
35lbs x 15, 15
Rear Delt Raises
15lbs x 15, 15
Fat Gripz BB Curls
45lbs x 50 (one set, rest pause)
Feeling a tad guilty for not hitting the prescribed main work, but Iāll get back on track moving forward.
Nice benching. Good to know you still got it. 
Yea hitting 95% of all time PR while not being peaked at all I would consider an increase in strength.
@simo74 - haha still plugging away over here!
@BOTSLAYER - yeah, not unhappy with it. Peaking doesnāt seem to have much effect on my bench for some reason. Seems to make a big difference for my squat/dead though.