More Questions than Answers

Going to run BBB until next year. Something quick and painful. The assistance exercises are focused on my weak points to hopefully bring those up to snuff.
W1D1 BBB
Squats up to 315 for 5
Supplemental 185 5x10 did these heel elevated and moved the bar higher up the back.
Left knee was definitely hurting up until the 275 set. Then I got a little anxious and left some the reps a little high. But on the 185 squats with heels elevated and doing a full rom, I didn’t notice it at all. No clue wth is going on there. Maybe start with the meadows method and leg curls before squats?

Nordic Curls to platform 3x8
Decline Bench DB Tricep Extensions 50s 3x10
Pendlay Rows 135 1x12,2x10

I’ll do some stupid zone 2 stuff this evening. Also even on BP meds, my blood pressure does not seem to be going down at all. The weight cut is looking eminent.

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BBB W1D2 Bench
Up to 190 x 5
Wide Grip Bench 115 (sigh…) 5 x 10
I thought since this is stupid light lets make this more chest dominant and wide grip it. I didn’t have shoulder pains, but I had this pain from my mid delt down to my elbow. Felt like my biceps tendon is starting to get some tendonitis. Which I was wearing sleeves until the last couple of sets…in hindsight should have left them on. Or just never ever do wide grip bench even with baby weights… I’m dumb.
Giant set for assistance of Arnold Presses 45s 3x8, Lateral Raises 20lbs 3x20, and Walking Lunges 300ft.
Wendler Rows 135 3x25
Weight is coming down…not what I want just yet, but it’s like I’m priming the pump.

Sleep last night was much better than the night before. 3 Z-12 seem to be the ticket now. I can remember when just 1 would work and now its three. Just curious if anybody else just gets sore from lying in bed. It just seems I can’t stay still or else I just start to hurt and I end up flopping all around the bed.

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BBB W1D3 Deads
Up to 355 x 5
210 5 x 10 Deficit
Pulldowns 180 3x12
Tricep Pressdowns 50 3x25
Leg Extensions 110 3x15-20
Red Band Leg Curls 3x30

Blood pressure has been awful, and because I feel like crap I haven’t been eating so weight is dropping quick. I figured out that the medicine that is supposed to help with BP is causing it to sky rocket…so I’m stopping that crap. I’ll call the doc and see what he thinks. MY BP before wasn’t terrible, 130/71, just not ideal and with the medications it was awful causing headaches.

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Hell yeah dude

Always an outstanding choice

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Probably should have deloaded a bit longer. I ended up coming down with whatever crud is going around. Everybody seems to be getting sick from something. Anyway it finally caught me. Getting over it now though should be back in the saddle by tomorrow hopefully.

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This is the ‘likeable’ part.

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Backlog here. I did OHP from the first week just can’t remember what exactly went on but right after got sick.
Last Thursday/Friday I did W2D1 BBB Squats, and I remember it not going too well. I did the top set of 325 or 345 I believe for only 1 then racked it. Did the 5x10 set at 185 I think but cut it short after that.

Yesterday was a bit better. I am getting settled back in, but definitely not full strength which blows.
W2D2 Bench
Up to 205 for 1…not 3. I was shaky just holding this weight. Wild stuff.
5x10 at 115 superset with 5x10 135 Wide Grip Tbar Rows for upper back and rear delts.
Upright Rows with the bar 3x17-20 superset with Leg Extensions 3x17 at 110.
Did 50 chins at work too.

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W2D3 BBB Deads
Up to 375 for 3
5x10 210 I did the first 20 snatch grip. Whatever upper respiratory crap I had is causing me to get pretty gassed on these. I had to switch back up to conventional. These 50 were harder than it normally should have been.
Rolling DB Tricep Extension 50s 3x10 superset with DB Seated Leaning Shrugs 65s 3x20.
Ab wheel 3x10
I am going to get my transformation challenge pic up here in the next couple of days. And then I am going to switch up the training entirely to some RP Bodybuilding stuff. Ready for a change.

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RP Custom Template
W1D1
Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press 2 65 3/fail 19
Barbell Row to Chest 2 95 3/fail 24
T-Bar Row 2 145 3/fail 24
Dumbbell Skullcrusher 2 25 3/fail 28
Hammer Curl 3 45 3/fail 28
Barbell Facepull 3 65 3/fail 36
Barbell Upright Row 3 50 3/fail 39

See how legible that is…hard to do from my phone. Weird trying to figure out 3 reps from failure and doing the RP strict super ROM form. Makes the weight selection really hard for me to guage. But the template seems pretty good. It will add sets and reps depending on how I rate my soreness level and pump. Pump wasn’t there today but I can see where it would be…

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RP Build Your Program
Day 2

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Close Stance Feet Forward Squats 2 225 3/fail 16
Deficit Deadlift 3 250 3/fail 21
Lying Leg Curl 2 80 3/fail 21
Glute Ham Raise 2 3/fail 11
Seated Dumbbell Shrug 3 65 3/fail 45
Dumbbell Standing Wrist Curl 3 10 3/fail 69

Weight selection is getting better, but I’m still learning.

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RP BYP Day 3

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Wide Grip Pulldown 2 160 3/fail 15
Dumbbell Pullover 2 50 3/fail 20
Incline Machine Chest Press 2 205 3/fail 20
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 45 3/fail 19
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 3 15 3/fail 31
Cable Rope Twist Curl 3 55 3/fail 24
Cable Triceps Pushdown 2 70 3/fail 20

Day 4

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Deadlift 2 275 3/fail 20
High Bar Good Morning 2 140 3/fail 20
45 Degree Back Raise 2 50 3/fail 21
Leg Extension 2 120 3/fail 24
Barbell Shrug 3 145 3/fail 42
Barbell Standing Wrist Curl 3 45 3/fail 45

Busy busy busy weekend. Week one done. Seems pretty easy so far, but I know this one builds. Not much more to add except…did I mention being busy? As long as I get time to get these sessions in, I think this will work well. Did cardio this morning when I couldn’t sleep. But trying to get easy 30 minutes in 3-4 times a week. Weight has come down a bit 220, but I didn’t have time to eat right the last few days. I know not to put too much stock into that number.

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RP BYP W2D1

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press 4 65 3/fail 34
T-Bar Row 4 165 3/fail 37
Barbell Row to Chest 4 95 3/fail 40
Barbell Skullcrusher 4 70 3/fail 38
Hammer Curl 5 25 3/fail 44
Barbell Facepull 5 65 3/fail 51
Barbell Upright Row 5 50 3/fail 49

W2D2

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Close Stance Feet Forward Squats 3 185 3/fail 20
Deficit Deadlift 3 255 3/fail 24
Lying Leg Curl 3 80 3/fail 31
Glute Ham Raise 3 3/fail 18
Seated Dumbbell Shrug 5 65 3/fail 75
Dumbbell Standing Wrist Curl 5 30 3/fail 65

Explaining the squats here. Using big wedges and very big rom makes a world of difference. My hip flexors are feeling it. They are with out a doubt the limiting factor here. I started off with sets of 6 with 230 and realized I need to back it off and work that bottom range more. I hope to bring that up a bit as I go here. I think that may need more focus in the future, but right now the posterior chain is the focus. Traps are toast btw.

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RP BYP W2D3

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Wide Grip Pulldown 3 165 3/fail 27
Straight Arm Pulldown 2 50 3/fail 25
Incline Machine Chest Press 2 210 3/fail 20
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 40 3/fail 21
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 3 15 3/fail 36
Cable Rope Twist Curl 3 55 3/fail 24
Cable Triceps Pushdown 3 70 3/fail 30

Traps are still lit up from previous session, and this one set my shoulders on fire. I did the DB Laterals first then superset the Seated DB Shoulder Press to finish off the delt.

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Thought I posted W2D4 but guess I didn’t. Had a ton of family stuff this weekend and at the beginning of the week, so I didn’t get to train again until last night. Anyway here it is.
RP BYP W2D4

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Deadlift 2 280 3/fail 20
High Bar Good Morning 2 145 3/fail 20
45 Degree Back Raise 2 50 3/fail 24
Leg Extension 3 125 3/fail 37
Barbell Shrug 2 155 3/fail 24
Barbell Standing Wrist Curl 3 65 3/fail 33
RP BYP W3D1
Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press 5 70 2/fail 32
T-Bar Row 4 170 2/fail 27
Barbell Row to Chest 4 100 2/fail 36
Barbell Skullcrusher 4 75 2/fail 36
Hammer Curl 5 30 2/fail 60
Barbell Facepull 5 70 2/fail 37
Barbell Upright Row 5 70 2/fail 38

My shoulders and upper back/rear delts are still on fire. I had to train late last night to get this session in, and I was so sore my sleep suffered. The weights are so light but the form and rom are so dialed in here that it is causing a different kind of pain than I am used to. Also really moving slow on the eccentric. Weight is still about the same even though I had a few rough diet days this past week.

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RP BYP W3D2

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Close Stance Feet Forward Squats 3 190 2/fail 28
Deficit Deadlift 3 265 2/fail
Lying Leg Curl 3 85 2/fail 35
Glute Ham Raise 3 2/fail 26
Seated Dumbbell Shrug 5 70 2/fail 54
Dumbbell Standing Wrist Curl 5 30 2/fail 60

Passed on Deads because I felt like I was getting sick again, but weirdly after the high bar squats, which were killing my head, everything seemed to get a bit better. Still didn’t feel great, but better. Instead of GHRs I am doing Nordic Curls. I will either go to a platform slowly or get in the power rack and use a band. I go back and forth. But all in all this session was really good for the posterior chain.

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RP BYP W2D3

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Wide Grip Pulldown 3 170 2/fail 31
Straight Arm Pulldown 2 55 2/fail 28
Incline Machine Chest Press 3 215 2/fail 25
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 40 2/fail 30
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 3 15 2/fail 32
Cable Rope Twist Curl 4 45 2/fail 36
Cable Triceps Pushdown 4 55 2/fail 42

W3D4

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Deadlift 2 290 2/fail 21
High Bar Good Morning 2 145 2/fail 25
45 Degree Back Raise 2 55 2/fail 24
Leg Extension 3 125 2/fail 42
Barbell Shrug 2 160 2/fail 24
Barbell Standing Wrist Curl 3 70 2/fail 39

Dialing this stuff in is getting there. Definitely going to run this again now that I have a clue. I dropped weight on the curls and pushdowns from 65 to 45 on the curls and 75 to 55 on the pushdowns. If you ever do this program, watch the videos BEFORE you just throw down a number on the weights. I would even go so far as to try them possibly first as they are done in the video. Even then, I’m sure you will still need to dial in the weights as your running through it the first time. Everything they do has a fairly extensive ROM. For example, hammer curls I always thought lock your elbows in at your side don’t sway/swing the weights. Which they advocate against the swinging, but they want you to finish the rep with the weights damn near by your ears which pushes your elbows out away from you. It’s not bad, but it is different.

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RP BYP W4D1

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press 5 70 2/fail 45
T-Bar Row 4 155 2/fail 32
Barbell Row to Chest 4 120 2/fail 32
Barbell Skullcrusher 5 75 2/fail 60
Hammer Curl 6 30 2/fail 63
Barbell Facepull 5 65 2/fail 44
Barbell Upright Row 5 65 2/fail 48

This session always kills me. Horrible way to start the week. It takes so long if you do proper rest between sets…which I don’t do often. It doesn’t seem bad by looking at it, but my upper body is toast afterwards. Today’s session is a killer too.

Side note, got some labs and recommendations back from Marek Health. I was proud of my total test and free test markers actually being over double from where they were a year or 2 ago. This is with me doing everything and taking every supplement I can trying to get it right as well. However, they believe it could be much better…bummer, but at least I know what I was trying and I did have a very positive effect on the numbers. So what I was doing and spending on supps wasn’t totally in vain. Also, most of their suggestions I am doing, so I am heading in the right direction. I take Elite Pro Minerals which covers 50% of their suggestions. I take I-Well along with Super K. I take Boron 3mg 2-3 times daily.

Side, side note. Over the past 2.5 years my white count has consistently been low. My PCP did an ANA panel and it came back positive but none of the titers were positive. The nucleus appears “speckled”. Not sure what that means. However, it would seem I have some sort of auto-immune disease. My PCP did the IGA/IGG/IGM tests and those came back negative so arthritis may not be it even though it runs in the family. BUT…from internet sleuthing, which is dangerous I know, lupus is a possibility which I didn’t know could be a thing guys could get. I don’t really have any other symptoms but fatigue and when it is dry enough out I get that red rash around my nose. It doesn’t go all the way out across my face, but just around my nose and no amount of the wife’s face moisturizer stuff seems to fix it.

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RP BYP W4D2

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Close Stance Feet Forward Squats 3 195 2/fail 36
Deficit Deadlift 3 270 2/fail 30
Lying Leg Curl 3 85 2/fail 38
Glute Ham Raise 3 2/fail 18
Seated Dumbbell Shrug 5 70 2/fail 60
Dumbbell Standing Wrist Curl 5 30 2/fail 67

Quad pump on the squats was pretty awesome. Deficit Deads were right after the squats…ouch. Nordic’s suck especially after the Deads. I use the leg curls to finish off the posterior chain, and it does the trick nicely.

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RP BYP W4D3

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Wide Grip Pulldown 3 170 2/fail 29
Straight Arm Pulldown 2 55 2/fail 24
Incline Machine Chest Press 3 220 2/fail 24
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 45 2/fail 26
Dumbbell Lateral Raise 3 15 2/fail 40
Cable Rope Twist Curl 2 50 2/fail 28
Cable Triceps Pushdown 4 55 2/fail 52

W4D4

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Deadlift 2 295 2/fail 20
High Bar Good Morning 2 150 2/fail 24
45 Degree Back Raise 2 55 2/fail 24
Leg Extension 4 130 2/fail 46
Barbell Shrug 2 160 2/fail 24
Barbell Standing Wrist Curl 3 70 2/fail 36

W5D1

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press 5 70 1/fail 44
T-Bar Row 4 160 1/fail 40
Barbell Row to Chest 4 120 1/fail 40
Barbell Skullcrusher 5 75 1/fail 75
Hammer Curl 7 35 1/fail 58
Barbell Facepull 5 65 1/fail 48
Barbell Upright Row 5 65 1/fail 50

W5D2

Exercise Sets Weight Rep Goal Rep Results
Close Stance Feet Forward Squats 4 205 1/fail 38
Deficit Deadlift 3 275 1/fail 31
Lying Leg Curl 3 90 1/fail 35
Glute Ham Raise 3 1/fail 24
Seated Dumbbell Shrug 5 70 1/fail 75
Dumbbell Standing Wrist Curl 5 35 1/fail 75

Slacking on posting but I’m lucky to have even got these sessions in…it has been a crazy and crappy year so far.

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I feel that pain!! I’m sorry you’re having the same 2023 experience so far too. It’s gotta get better, right?

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