OK, moving forward. I’ve got pretty much everything sorted out: TMs, when to use briefs/how to cycle them, supplemental work and assistance. The main focus is rep PRs, especially on bench and squat. I remember my best squat was when I was hitting 400+ for 10+ reps in sleeves, so that’s my goal before I go back into wraps for October - so effectively two to three cycles. For bench, I want a reliable 220 for 10, because I’m pretty sure that’ll translate into a reliable 280+ for one. For DL I’m less number-focused, but I want to keep the intensity lower so I’ll just plug away at rep PRs on the stiff bar in and out of briefs, both stances.
Tentatively I’m looking at incline presses for bench supplemental as floor presses have a higher chance of irritating my bicep/shoulder and don’t have amazing carryover. I’ll cycle them in and out, but most probably keep them in three to six week rotations at most. I’ll see how three weeks of incline presses go, if they seem to be OK I’ll keep them in, otherwise try something else (Fat Gripz bench is what I’m looking at). Same goes for single arm DB press after bench, I’ll trial it for three weeks and see. Strict barbell rows stay, and I’ll keep the lat pulls - one day Paul Carter style with rope, the other Skip Hill style feet back with bar, the bis/tris setup stays. Bike sprints ditto.
Subbing back raises out for reverse hyper for DL day because I think it fits well with using briefs.Pull-ups between warmups stay, as I can’t think where else to fit them and I really think they help my back. I may or may not keep it after this cycle, I’ll see. I’ve been doing back raises for so long it seems a good idea to rest them for a bit. SSB squats for post DL, I’m looking at 3x10 in briefs with belt so I’ll push the weight a little what with the extra support. Nothing crazy, probably at most three plates per side (330 lbs), but my goal is to up the volume some and this seems a good way to do it. Abs/shoulders staying as well, although I’ll probably change the ab exercise. I’m thinking standing cable crunches.
CGBP day is the one that’s pretty much not changing at all. Same exercises, dips go back to bodyweight with slow eccentric to see how that goes. DB rows I’ll keep, shoot for 20+ at 140 lbs with straps working up as usual, followed by either option for lat pulls.
Squats I’ll go back to narrow stance backoff sets, because I don’t want my quads to get left out now I’m using a wider stance. No high bar, though, definitely keeping the lower bar and lean across all sets. I’m thinking of trying step ups instead of lunges just for variety; and I’m tossing up between keep BB RDLs or doing those GHR back raises for hamstrings. I’m leaning towards the GHR back raises as I’ve been doing RDLs for two or more cycles now. I’ll probably pick a new ab exercise too, but I have no idea what.
I haven’t mentioned the bis/tris or shoulders because I do them more on the fly, taking the approach that as long as I do a bunch of some, I’m good. Now I haven’t got a meet coming up I’ll move away a little from the rehab approach on bis though, and incorporate more machine and BB curls then focusing on DB curls. Shoulders I’ll probably stick with the rope upright rights and DB raise giant sets, mostly because I can’t think of anything else and they seem to keep working.
Diet-wise I’m up to 2500 cal/day from today, and I’m aiming for my weight to pretty much stay around the 184-185 lbs mark unless I add muscle. Jeremy assures me it’s the right time to add an extra 100 cal/day, and certainly it was my intention to go to 2500 cal/day around this time. Then in six to 12 weeks 2600 cal/day, etc. BIA and calipers every six weeks will continue just to make sure everything is moving as it should, and I’ll be relying more on the calipers and mirror than the BIA. I may take some photos later today just as a marker and because why not.
In terms of what I want to hit in October, I’ll know for sure by September. Right now, I’m looking at 517/280/572, for a 1369 lbs total at 181. That’d give me my precious 1.5 times bodyweight bench, and a decent increase on my total in this weight class - as well as a solid shot at qualifying for nationals in 2018, which I’m slating as my last meet at 181. If I don’t make it to nationals, I’ll do the Winter Classic again next year at 181 and then move back to the 198s in 2019 as I’m looking at Phase II ending around April/May 2018. The goal for my mid-2018 meet at 181 would be ideally 550/300/600, which I think is realistic enough.
