Thanks! The package is coming along. Good reality check in honest lighting for me too.
either you are turning more into a bodybuilder than I thought… Or you and I are talking about 2 completely different things 
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Well, yes? Surely everyone else does this
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Option one for sure
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Almost forgot, the week’s highlights
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A quick browsing session on instagram reveals this is normal behavior for people in 2017.
I was also concerned about which package was being referenced 
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Woke at 186.8 lbs, looking OK if maybe a trifle softer and a little bloated around the lower abs. The weight and bloat I’m putting down to being sick and the large amount of vegetables I ate the past two days. Hopefully things will go back to normal within a few days as I feel a ton better. That said, I’m looking well within what I am OK with so no complaints.
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Bodyweight calf raises
Decided to use the bottom of our stairs and pause for a second or so top and bottom
One set
20 toes forward
20 toes out
20 toes in
20 toes out
20 toes in
This felt different, and took a long time. I’ll give it another go tomorrow
Single leg calf raises, flat foot never letting heel touch the floor
5x20 each leg, no breaks
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GAHDAMN! Those cheeks o’ peace tho!
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OK, attempt time - I’m three weeks out so it’s probably a good idea to firm up on them. I’ll go based on last week, as I was stiff from driving and then got sick, so if I base my attempts on performance when not 100% I should be OK.
Squat
Hit 462 for three so that gives an estimated max of 506 lbs.
I’ll go 440/473/500 lbs
I shouldn’t need A or B for one and two, to be honest. Those are very conservative. That means I’ll look to hit 489 lbs this coming week, then most probably either hit it again the week after or hit 473 lbs for a double. That should keep well within the range of knowing how the weight will feel well enough and not getting beat up.
Bench
I’ll take that 269 lbs from last week as my third: there’s no sense in being overly optimistic, because I haven’t locked out more than that in a half year or so. I’ll push bench in October.
I’ll go 236/253/269 lbs
Same deal with no A or B attempts, as everything is conservative. All I’ll do is work to hit 269 lbs once or twice more over the next two weeks.
Deadlift
This is where it gets tricky, because I haven’t hit anything heavy since that stiff bar 561 lbs or that 572 lbs in briefs; and reps have been scarce, last I did was 484 lbs for four sumo on a stiff bar. The RPE rating for my 506 lbs singles this week was 8 to 9, so all told that points to me being good for around 561 lbs either conventional or sumo regardless of bar.
I’ll go 484/517/561 lbs
Those are smaller jumps than I’m used to in meet, but the first two attempts I’d confidently say I’m good for any day of the week so I think I should be fine. No A or B attempts again. I’ll work on hitting 561 lbs or close to it next week or the week after, and remember that I did when I squat that week.
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Woke at 184.4 lbs, all bloat and softness gone. Feeling a bunch better too.
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Bodyweight calf raises
100 in a set, on the stairs all toes forward
20 pause held at bottom and squeeze held at top about a second each
20 full stretch and bottom and squeeze at top without pauses
20 pause held at bottom and squeeze held at top about a second each
20 full stretch and bottom and squeeze at top without pauses
20 pause held at bottom and squeeze held at top about a second each
This was probably the best pump I’ve gotten from the bodyweight calf work, good to know. No need to keep playing around with where my toes are pointing.
Single leg calf raises, heel never touching the ground
4x25/leg, no rests
OK, quick notes for the coming week:
- DL Monday, because I’m squatting Thursday instead of Friday
- ‘hard’ conditioning and weighted calves Wednesday, saves time on Tuesday plus I’m refeeding on Wednesday night (looking like Burger Hero and Dobinson’s at this stage)
- squatting Thursday because I’m refeeding on Wednesday
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Woke at 184.6 lbs, looking about the same as yesterday. Feeling a bit sluggish but I think that’s the cold and flu night medication, felt similar yesterday. Won’t be taking the night ones again.
Still feeling sluggish going in.
Today’s training
Lazy lifter
Conventional DL, DL bar
TM is 506 lbs
Work up from 132 lbs in 44 lbs x3-5 to 60%, 5 neutral grip wide-ish pull-ups between sets - started out feeling off, by the last set felt decent
1x352 lbs, under 6 RPE, double overhand, seemed quite fast
1x407 lbs, under 6 RPE, hook grip - @BOTSLAYER hook grip feeling pretty good and seemed reasonably fast again
1x456 lbs, 6 RPE, hook grip - starting to slow down a little but still quite decent speed
1x506 lbs, 8 RPE, hook grip - bar drifted out and I felt it in my middle back but no real sticking point visible
Despite the reps looking quite quick I was feeling way below what I would call powerful. Had a think, and decided that feelings be damned because bar speed doesn’t lie. Plus, ideally I didn’t want to pull heavy past today - that would give me one more DL session next week when I’ll hit my TM for one and leave it at that until the meet.
1x533 lbs, 9 RPE, hook grip - new hook grip PR and I think I’ve figured out something: I set my thumb before I even reach for the bar, so that all I do is wrap my fingers over my thumb. Minimal sticking point visible, although there was visible technique change with my hips shooting up.
Had another little conference with myself. Decided to push to 550 lbs to get it out of the way, especially because I wanted to know if I could confidently hook grip that weight.
1x550 lbs, 10 RPE, hook grip - very pleased. Didn’t seem too different to 533 lbs and no issues with grip.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVgEzQPl5Wi/
I can now tick off my DL for meet day - I don’t see any major issues with my attempts which is good. I might put up a clip of all my pulls for reference.
Sumo DL paused off the floor 3x3x352 lbs, 6 to 7 RPE - getting better at pausing just off the floor which is good. Noticed my right outer quad golfball, so I think I know what’s causing it.
Squat
5x2x302 lbs, three minutes and 55 seconds
Rest while changing plates
5x2x308 lbs, three minutes and 50 seconds
Rest while changing plates
5x2x314 lbs, three minute and 42 seconds
From what I’ve seen depth not fantastic but getting a good sense of where to sit the bar and how far to lean. I think any depth issues were simply caused by my back and midsection being tired after the DLs.
90 degree back raises
3x25 with pause at top
Abs/shoulders superset
Medium band kneeling cable crunches with pause at bottom 30, 20 - pause makes a hell of a difference
Rope kettlebell upright rows at 35 lbs: 30, 20 - these are awesome
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Today’s work sets
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Very nice!
No grinding there. Just lots of patience and awareness.
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Thanks. I swear the paused sumo DL has been a real game changer for me for both styles. Since adding them my DL has just felt better.
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Woke at 183 lbs, looking pretty much the same as the past two mornings. Energy levels still a little off, seems to be not just the night decongestants as I didn’t take them last night. Probably the tail end of this cold.
Starting to wonder if the low energy levels are the tail end of the cold. On reflection, I’ve been feeling pretty drained for the last two weeks. It kind of figures if my metabolism is picking up, which it would be if I am indeed getting leaner. Since that seems to be happening, I think I’ll go with that as an explanation. If I feel much better Thursday morning after Wednesday night’s refeed, I’ll take it as an indication I’m just low on energy. Timing wise, it fits well because I’m two weeks off going to 2500 cal/day.
As above, feeling pretty flat going in.
Today’s training
Lazy lifter plus shoulders
Bench press
TM is 253 lbs
Work up from bar in 22 lbs x3-5 to 60%, 20 pull aparts between sets
1x176 lbs, under 6 RPE
1x204 lbs, under 6 RPE
1x225 lbs, 6 RPE
1x253 lbs, 8-9 RPE
1x253 lbs, 9 RPE
Left it there. This is fine as a second attempt and no point in pushing further today
Floor press 3x8x176 lbs, 7, 7-8, 8-9 RPE - first set touched too high and got a warning from my left bicep at the shoulder. Other sets were fine
Strict log press
2x5x110 lbs
2x5x121 lbs
1x10x132 lbs, which I’m pretty sure is a rep PR for log - feeling drained or not, it seems like my pressing in both planes is coming along again
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVi0F_uFLMc/
Supersetted these with strict BB rows - actually, did the rows first
2x10x154 lbs
3x10x165 lbs
This is the last set
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVi0Vv-FEKZ/
Again, feeling drained notwithstanding I feel like I’m seeing my strength pick up again. That’s another reason I think it’s not a matter of being sick but just short of energy from low calories. This is kind of exciting.
I like this hitting a log press rep PR weekly. I might (very likely) carry this through to next cycle.
Lat pull-downs, feet back and pause on chest
3x15x77 lbs - finally getting a really good pump from this
Bis/tris giant set
Seated strict incline curls 3x20x20 lbs
U-bar tricep pushdowns 3x20x44 lbs
Minute rest between sets - this felt long, since recently I’ve being doing 30 seconds a lot
Tried holding the contraction at the top for four or so seconds first and every fifth rep thereafter for both exercises. Felt better for pushdowns.
Realised in a moment of genius doing sprints tomorrow is a bad idea, because I’m squatting Thursday. So I won’t, I’ll do incline walks tomorrow instead.
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