Max's Maxes: Squats and Bench Every Day

Training Training Logs
401

Good job Max looking easy

402

Not dead!

Just faffing around for the past week. Did some fun heavy stuff to keep ticking over. Turned 25 on Tuesday and pulled 260kg again, hit a solid enough 130kg bench, and a 2kg PR on the SSB as well as suffering through some log press.

Henriques 6 week programme w1d1 - squat and legs

This guy. Haven't done it in years but it never failed me and it's a good way to get back to working with heavier weight while not having many rules with regard to assistance work so I can still have some fun. 4 day week, upper/lower split (expect chaos over xmas).

Low bar
Bar x some
65kg x 3
85kg x 1
105kg x 1
125kg x 1
Belt in
145kg x 1
165kg x 1
180kg x 2
195kg x 2
207.5kg x 2 - easy start

Tweaked my upper back on 195 so hit my top set and moved on to the fun stuff. Will do a little back off stuff the rest of the time.

Lying leg curl
"46" x 20
"60" x 15
"60" x 15
"74" x 12
"74" x 12
"60" x 20
Drop set
"46" x 10

Power squat
40kg x 20
90kg x 20
130kg x 20
170kg x 20
210kg x 20
250kg x 25 - wtf ow

Really fun machine, feels great sitting back

Hammer strength linear leg press - deadlift stance, feet low on pad
5 plates x 10
5.5 plates x 10
6 plates x 10
6.5 plates x 15

Vomit worthy.

Hammer strength ground base squat RDL
40kg x 12
80kg x 10
100kg x 15

Great little ass day. I have this amazing ability to suffer through the warmup sets then pull an extra 5 reps out of somewhere on the heaviest set.

2 Likes
403

Henriques 6 week programme w1d2 - bench and chest

Bench
60kg x 3 x 5
80kg x 3
90kg x 2
100kg x 1
105kg x 2
112.5kg x 2
120kg x 2

Close grip bench
100kg x 2
107.5kg x 2
115kg x 2

Low incline dumbbell press
15s x 15
30s x 10
35s x 10
40s x 10
35s x 12
30s x 15

Hammer strength fly
ā€œ65ā€ x 15
ā€œ75ā€ x 15
ā€œ85ā€ x 15
ā€œ95ā€ x 10 - whole stack lol
Ss/ Hammer strength wide chest
1pps x 15
1.5pps x 15
2pps x 12
2.5pps x 10

Really weird but good feeling machine, pushing in a downward direction.

Dips
BW x 10
BW x 10
BW x 15

Wrecked

3 Likes
404

Lol.

I did the deadlift and press days for the programme last week but then had a load of time off over xmas so on Friday I just moved some relatively heavy stuff on a couple of lifts and did some speed deads to remind my body how it's meant to work.
Like so

Back to the Henriques programme today but due to new year opening hours I had to do bench and squat on the same day. Iā€™m also redoimg week one because my schedule got so funky.

Working long days Friday through Sunday as well so schedule will still be a bit funky.

Henriques 6 week programme w1d1and2 - squat/legs and bench/chest

Low bar
Bar x some
60kg x 3
100kg x 3
130kg x 2
Belt on
160kg x 1
180kg x 2
195kg x 2
207.5kg x 2

Pause low bar
195kg x 2
180kg x 2

Low bar
EMOM
180kg x 1
180kg x 1
180kg x 1
180kg x 1
180kg x 1

All sets felt very easy but depth was bang on parallel as opposed to my usual very safe depth. Similar problem with Friday's front squats. Think I'm letting my knees travel too far forward. I'm also very stiff at the moment so could be working mobility a bit harder.

Bench
Bar x 5
40kg x 5
60kg x 3
80kg x 2
95kg x 2
Belt on
105kg x 2
112.5kg x 2
120kg x 2 - flew

Close grip
100kg x 2
107.5kg x 2
115kg x 2

All sets on the big movements very easy. Great (re)start to the cycle.

Lying leg curl
"46" x 20
"60" x 15
"67" x 15
"74" x 12
"81" x 10
"60" x 20
Drop set
"46" x 20
Ss/ Low incline DB press
20s x 15
30s x 12
35s x 12
40s x 10
35s x 12
30s x 15
Drop set
20s x 15

Life fitness fly
"65" x 15
"75" x 15
"85" x 15
"95" x 15
Ss/ Hammer strength linear leg press - deadlift stance, feet low on pad
5 plates x 15
5.5 plates x 15
6 plates x 15
6.5 plates x 20

Improvements on all accessories too. Can probably blame xmas BW gains for that.

1 Like
405

Henriques 6 week programme w1d3and4 - deads/back and back/shoulders

Sumo pulls - deadlift bar
Warmups superset with the same on conventional
60kg x 3
60kg x 3
100kg x 3
140kg x 2
Belt on
180kg x 2
200kg x 1
Stop conventional, straps on
207.5kg x 2
225kg x 2
240kg x 2

2 inch block pulls - deadlift bar
200kg x 2
220kg x 2
235kg x 1,F,1 - got the second after giving it 30 seconds

This is just a shitty position for me to pull from on conventionals, really weak spot for me anyway and then I have to take the bar flex into account (all my initial energy goes into bending the bar instead of moving the weight). Don't really know why I chose it as my back off exercise - I'm out of practice on conventional, and I don't actually care what I can do on the deadlift bar with it as it has always felt truly awful so drilling it from a weaker position on a nonspecific bar isn't particularly helpful.
I'd be much better served doing stiff bar conventional as my back off work, so that's what I'll do, with a very pessimistic max. It'll mean switching bars but probably better for me in the long run.

OHP
Bar x 2 x 5
30kg x 5
40kg x 3
50kg x 2
Belt on
60kg x 2
70kg x 2
75kg x 2
80kg x 2

Push press
80kg x 2
87.5kg x 2
95kg x 2
100kg x 2

OHP
60kg x 15 - 3 rep PR

Some of the heavy stuff

Hammer Strength pullover
2pps x 15
2.5pps x 12
3pps x 5
Drop set
2pps x 10
Ss/ LF lateral
55 x 15
65 x 15
75 x 10
Drop set
55 x 12

V-bar T-bar rows
2 plates x 15
2.5 plates x 15
3 plates x 15
2 plates x 20

Need to use 10s instead of 20s for ROM purposes

Seated DB ohp
20s x 15
20s x 15
20s x 15
20s x 15
20s x 15
Ss/ DB rear delts
5s x 15
5s x 15
5s x 15
5s x 15
5s x 20
Last set jump into DB laterals
5s x 20

Fat grip incline curls
12.5s x 2 x 10
Ss/ DB pullovers
35kg x 2 x 10

1 Like
406

Monday

Henriques 6 week programme w2d1 - squat/legs

3 thirteen hour shifts in a row whilst brewing a cold followed by falling asleep on the sofa last night meant I did not feel good coming in today. Got work done but I kept feeling very light headed after every set.

Low bar
Bar x some
60kg x 3
80kg x 3
100kg x 3
130kg x 2
Belt on
160kg x 1
180kg x 4
195kg x 3
212.5kg x 2

Pause low bar
195kg x 3
180kg x 4

Front squat
100kg x 2
127.5kg x 4
140kg x 3
152.5kg x 2

Most of today's squats

Lying leg curl
"46" x 20
"60" x 20
"74" x 15
"81" x 10
Drop set
"46" x 10 - 5 second negatives
Ss/ Frog stretch

Power squat
3pps x 15
4pps x 15
4.5pps x 15
5pps x 15
5.5pps x 15
6pps x 20
Ss/ Leg extensions
"75" x 5 x 20
"115" x 20

I then went and threw up continuously throughout the night. Much better this morning, able to eat and everything but still really fatigued. Entirely possible I got norovirus over the weekend ahifts ( @furo NHS right of passage? Medical outliers eh), I refuse to believe I power squatted myself into gastritis.

3 Likes
407

Henriques 6 week programme w2d2 - bench/chest

Lost 2 kilos over the last two days. Bugger.

Bench
Bar x 5
40kg x 5
40kg x 5
60kg x 5
60kg x 3
80kg x 2
95kg x 2
Belt on
105kg x 4
115kg x 3
122.5kg x 2

Close grip
100kg x 4
110kg x 3
117.5kg x 2

Suitably difficult considering my new trim figure. Still hit what needed hitting but RPE 10 is not the plan right now.

Top benching and puppy pic

Low incline DB press
20s x 20
30s x 12
35s x 12
40s x 6 - down from 10 Last week. Eep.
30s x 12
30s x 12
30s x 12

Life fitness fly
"65" x 15
"75" x 15
"85" x 15
"95" x 12
Ss/ Hammer strength wide chest
1pps x 20
1.5pps x 15
2pps x 15
2.5pps x 10

Dips
12
12
12

Tate press
10s x 15
10s x 15
10s x 15

Decline rolling DB extensions
10s x 15
10s x 15
10s x 15
Drop into
Diamond pressups
5 - lol. Done.

Can't beat myself up over losing a bit of strength when everything of nutritional value has been fast tracked through the back door the past couple of days. Will come back to bench with a vengeance next week.
Still a good showing on the pumpy stuff.

3 Likes
408

Henriques 6 week programme w2d3 - deads/back

Sumo pulls - deadlift bar
Warmups superset with the same on conventional deficit
60kg x 3
60kg x 3
100kg x 3
140kg x 2
Belt on
180kg x 1
200kg x 1
Stop conventional, straps on
207.5kg x 4
227.5kg x 3
247.5kg x 2 - 7.5kg DL bar PR

Conventional pulls - stiff bar
190kg x 4
210kg x 3
227.5kg x 2

You can instantly see the benefit I get from ramming a load of leg power into a stiff bar off the floor.

Hammer Strength pullover
2pps x 15
2.5pps x 10
2.5pps x 10
Drop set
2pps x 10
Ss/ Abductor machine
"102.5" x 3 x 15

Seated cable row
60kg x 15
70kg x 12
80kg x 8
80kg x 8
80kg x 8

Pendlay row
60kg x 2 x 12

GHR
BW x 10
15kg x 10
20kg x 10
20kg x 10

Pullups
6

1 Like
409

Have you recovered yet?
Hell of an effort lifting that weight after chucking all night.

410

Damn Max youā€™re a beast.

411

Henriques 6 week programme w2d4 - press/delts/arms

OHP
Bar x 2 x 5
30kg x 5
30kg x 5
40kg x 3
50kg x 2
50kg x 2
Belt on
60kg x 2
70kg x 4
77.5kg x 3
82.5kg x 2 - PR double

Push press
80kg x 2
87.5kg x 4
97.5kg x 3
105kg x 2

Top doubles

Log press - single clean
Strict
67kg x 8
Anyhow
82kg x 3

LF lateral
55 x 15
65 x 15
75 x 12
85 x 8
Drop set
55 x 12

Seated DB ohp
22.5s x 15
22.5s x 15
22.5s x 15
22.5s x 15
22.5s x 12, rest pause, 3
Ss/ DB rear delts
5s x 15
5s x 15
5s x 15
5s x 15
5s x 25

Hammer strength MTS shoulder press
"60" x 15
"80" x 15
"80" x 15
Ss/ LF rear delts
"61" x 15
"61" x 15
"61" x 15

V-bar cable curls
"30" x 15
"42" x 15
"49" x 12
"56" x 12
"56" x 15

Fat grip incline curls
12.5s x 2 x 10

2 Likes
412

Henriques 6 week programme w3d1 - squat/legs

Low bar
Bar x some
60kg x 3
80kg x 3
100kg x 3
120kg x 2
140kg x 2
Belt on
160kg x 2
180kg x 2
195kg x 2
207.5kg x 2
220kg x 2 - ties PR. Yes, I'm fatter now, but this was important to hit for me.

Pause low bar
207.5kg x 2 - PR is a 212.5kg single so we're in the right range
195kg x 2
180kg x 2

Front squat
100kg x 2
127.5kg x 2
140kg x 2
147.5 kg x 2
155kg x 2 - no idea what my PR double is on these but it's close to this and this was very smooth.

Went naked kneed from here on because Titan Yellowjackets on bare skin pull a LOT.

Lying leg curl
"46" x 20
"60" x 20
"74" x 10
"81" x 5
Drop set
"46" x 10 - 5 second negatives, then 10 pulsed partials
Ss/ Frog stretch
Ss/ Calf stretch

Reps on curls are going down but a lot of that is because Iā€™m doing more honest reps.

Power squat
3pps x 15
Add two thin red bands - 10kg to 25kg on this setup
3pps x 15
4pps x 15
5pps x 15
6pps x 25
Ss/ Leg extensions
"75" x 5 x 20

That was enough.

All top doubles and the last power squat set

413

@I_Luc and @mortdk

Thanks boys. Felt a little rough all week and this weekend just gone I spent the majority of it sleeping. Iā€™d say Iā€™m at about 90% as of this morning, and after how nice stuff felt at todayā€™s session I probably cant still claim to be sick. Definitely threw me a little bir for a few days and its taken quite a lot of work to claw some of the bodyweight I need so much back.

2 Likes
414

Henriques 6 week programme w3d2 - bench/chest

Bench
Bar x 5
40kg x 5
40kg x 5
60kg x 5
60kg x 3
80kg x 2
95kg x 2
Belt on
105kg x 2
112.5kg x 2
120kg x 1,F
120kg x 2
125kg x 1,F

Close grip
100kg x 2
107.5kg x 2
115kg x 2
120kg x 1

OK so was meant to do two top doubles at 97.5% and they went to crap. I even low balled the weights. Its just a bad session coming off the back of a poor days nutrition and hydration, but it means making the smart call and dropping the weights for next session

Low incline DB press
22.5s x 20
32.5s x 12
37.5s x 15
32.5s x 12
32.5s x 10
32.5s x 10

Hammer strength wide chest
Add red bands - 13kg ā†’ 21kg per side
Empty x 12
1pps x 12
1.5pps x 12
2pps x 8
2pps x 8
Drop set
1pps x 12
Drop set, remove bands
1pps x 15

Dips
12
12
12

Tate press
10s x 15
10s x 15
10s x 15
Ss/ High incline fly pulses
10s x 15
10s x 15
10s x 15

Decline rolling DB extensions
10s x 15
10s x 15
10s x 15

Band pushdowns
Red x 20/arm
Kneel
Red x 15/arm
Stand
Red x 20/arm

Like I said, busy day at work and crap nutrition probably contributed to how rubbish barbell pressing felt today. Pumpy stuff felt really good though.
Will take the hit and drop weights by 2.5kg for the rest of the cycle.

2 Likes
415

Henriques 6 week programme w3d3 - deads/back

Sumo pulls - deadlift bar
Warmups superset with the same on conventional deficit
60kg x 3
60kg x 3
100kg x 3
Belt on
140kg x 2
180kg x 1
200kg x 1
Stop conventional, straps on
207.5kg x 2
225kg x 2
240kg x 2
252.5kg x F - didn't break the floor
Straps off
252.5kg x 1,F
252.5kg x 2

Conventional pulls - stiff bar
190kg x 2
207.5kg x 2
220kg x 2
235kg x 1,F

Balls. It's high percentages, but this stuff should move. I used to conventional 240 for a triple weighing about 7kg less. I've pulled 260kg on the deadlift bar sumo twice at the same RPE as today's 252.5 (aka 10.5). Yes Tuesdays leg session was savage, yes I was sick last week, but come on Maxā€¦

Did 3 x 5 pullups and left.

Gonna do tomorrow's session then take a deload next week, and probably hop back on this programme and redo this week. I need a rest.

El shit-show

1 Like
416

Hey Max
Youā€™ve just come of a hypertrophy programme, this looks still like a high volume program.
Youā€™re building up fatigue, meaning you canā€™t hit old PRā€™s or even close.
However when eventually drops the volume and start peaking for a meet youā€™ll end up on the platform pulling bigger numbers than everā€¦ or that should be the theory I think.
What Iā€™m trying to say is, donā€™t stress. You are pulling close to your max, and 252 compared to 260 kg is about 98%.
Max attempts are a mental game as well.

1 Like
417

@mortdk thanks mate, youā€™re 100% right, but a lot of the issue is self created - I shouldnā€™t be doing the amount of bodybuilding esque work with the programme Iā€™m currently running as itā€™s impairing recovery. Legs were trashed coming into yesterdayā€™s session and it was affecting both mobility and strength. Silly calls on my part, pick one or the other etc. Deload and then coming back into it with smarter and more specific assistance work is the right call.
Iā€™m also finding that at the moment Iā€™m absolutely knackered and unproductive at the weekends, sleeping massive hours. Iā€™m fine during the week at work etc but need too nip this in the bud before I get into a proper slump.

Went and did the press day today and missed the top double

1 Like
418

OK so I programme hopped. RTS style full body work will give me the frequency I tend to benefit from, and once this first week is done and the back off sets kick in Iā€™ll have plenty of volume to keep me sane. Also the level of autoregulation will account for the rougher days.

RTS intermediate cycle prep block w1d1

Low bar Up to x4 @ 9
Bar x some
60kg x 3
80kg x 3
100kg x 3
120kg x 3
Belt on
140kg x 4
160kg x 4
180kg x 4 @ 8
195kg x 4 @ a sandbagged 8.5. Somewhere between there was 1 good rep left versus 2 with a bit of form breakdown. I should lean towards the former.

Comp. bench Up to x4 @ 9
Bar x 2 x some
40kg x 4
60kg x 4
80kg x 4
90kg x 4
100kg x 4
107.5kg x 4
112.5kg x 4 @ 9 - last rep kind of bounced off the chest and I only remembered to pause it after it had moved 1 inch upwards. Not really sure why that happened, that was the only thing which made this a true 9.

3 ct pause bench Up to x5 @ 9
90kg x 5 @ 8
100kg x 5 @ 9

First time using RPE for a while, judged it better as the session went on.

Stuff and thangs

1 Like
419

RTS intermediate cycle prep block w1d2

Conventional deadlift Up to x4 @ 9
100kg x 3
100kg x 3
100kg x 3
140kg x 3
Belt on
140kg x 4
160kg x 4
180kg x 4
200kg x 4 @ 7
220kg x 4 @ 9

Floor press Up to x4 @ 9
Bar x 12
40kg x 4
60kg x 4
80kg x 4
95kg x 4
105kg x 4 @ 8.5
110kg x 4 @ 9

Beltless front squat Up to x6 @ 9
Bar x some
60kg x 6
80kg x 6
100kg x 6
120kg x 6 @ 8
130kg x 6 @ 9

Farmers walk
60kg/ hand x 5 x 20m there and back
100kg/hand x 20m there and back

Top stuff

1 Like
420

RTS intermediate cycle prep block w1d3

SSB Up to x5 @9
Bar x 5
72kg x 5
92kg x 5
112kg x 5
Belt on
132kg x 5
152kg x 5 @ 7
172kg x 5 @ 8

Held these here because my SI has been bugging me since pulls on Friday. Better to hit a nice baseline than to pick up an injury in a prep block. I get to repeat this training week in the developmental block in 2 weeks time anyway.

TNG bench Up to x6 @10
Bar x 6
40kg x 6
60kg x 6
80kg x 6
90kg x 6
100kg x 6
107.5kg x 6 8.5
112.5kg x 6 @ 9.5

Need to stop cocking my wrists back and I set up a bit wonky but otherwise this felt good. PR TNG is 110kg for 8 so this kind of fits.

Push press Up to x6 @9
Bar x 6
40kg x 6
60kg x 6
75kg x 6
87.5kg x 6

Push press is a tricky one to do for anything resembling reps.

All of it

2 Likes