Talked through the last couple of days with my wife and it looks like I may have a kidney infection. Called a doctor and got some antibiotics so hopefully it will clear up in 2-3 days. Rotating Tylenol and ibuprofen on last nights shift seemed to help. Going to get 4-5 hours sleep and see if I can still make it in the gym.
6/17
Bench
65.85.100X5 warmup
105X5
125X5
140XAMRAP
15 reps 208 rep max
Joker sets
155.165.175X3
CGBP
4X5X135
Press
75X5
85X5
100XAMRAP
6 reps
Conditioning
3 sets 106# KB carry and ME pull-ups
All in 50 minutes
Kidney infection already responding to the antibiotics. Felt really good today. The conditioning winded me prettt bad, but gotta start somewhere.
1 Like
Squat
95.125.140X5
160X5
185X5
205X5
Working on focused bracing and quality reps b
Joker sets
225X3
245X3
265X3
All moved pretty quickly. Felt like there was at least another 20# jump in the tank. Belt on second hole.
Back off sets
225X5
185X5
135X5
Belt on last hole.
Conditioning
2- 35 yard Farmers carry with 106# KB
2X10 hanging leg raises.
Gym was packed so this didn’t seem practical, so I shut it down and called it a day. In and out in 55 minutes
Bench
65.85.100X5 warmup
Did not feel warmed up
125X5
140X3
Finally feel loose
155XAMRAP
10 reps =200 rep max
Didn’t want to go up for joker sets, but still wanted some relatively heavy sets.
5X3X155
Press
65.85X5
100X3
110XAMRAP
5 reps =125 rep max
All done in 45 minutes. Just a solid day to end 1st wave of Wendler bench and press. I did forget my belt so my back is a little tight, but I felt like I got some good work on bracing both lifts without it.
Squat warmup
BarX10
135X5
185X5
225X5
DL
135X5
225X5
315X2
315X2
315X5
9 people deadlifting each with their own bar when I got there, so time was limited. Same pain from last DL day in my lower left back, though not nearly as intense. Don’t know what to think now. Got sick at my stomach after my DL, did 1 set of Good Mornings. Then just decided it wasn’t going to be productive to do any more.
8 days back and generally I feel good. Soreness is manageable, Diet has been good, but not great. I have got to eat more food. Off energy drinks and only 1 Dr Pepper a day, a large improvement. Sleep has been a little short because I just can’t make myself get in bed immediately after work at 6:30 am. Debating taking a sleep/recovery day tomorrow and every day after DL for this cycle b
Bench
65.85.100X5 warmup
135X5
145X5
155X5
165X5
155X5
145X5
135X10
Forgot to get my correct weights off my computer so I just did a pyramid. It all moved smooth and explosive, even 165.
Press
45.55.65X5
75X5
85X5
95X8
85X5
75X10
4 neutral grip pull-ups after all pyramid sets, 20 total.
Widened my grip on my press about an inch. I really felt like there was a lot more muscle recruitment in the shoulder. Hard to describe other than I felt like it built the width more than the uppEr chest. The weight certainly felt heavier than the last press session. Pull-ups suck, period. I know they are critical for my goals, but I hate them.
On the TRT side, I need to get smaller needles. 22g is just too big. Appetite is string, water intake on point, sleep average. Meal prepped chicken tortilla soup which makes it a lot easier to put 5000+ calories in my body. Eating every 3 hours, stopping 3 hours before I go to bed.
Squat
45.05.135.155X5 warmup
185X5
210X3
235XAMRAP
5 reps (didn’t push it)
Watched video of top set and depth was borderline.
Paused Squat
225X3X5
Actually did 5 on the last set
Good Mornings
45.65.75.75.75X10
Paused on bottom bracing hard with no belt.
Bench
45,65,85.100X5 warmup
105X5
125X5
145XAMRAP
12 reps
155X5
165X4
175X3
155X10
135X10
Press
80X5
90X5
100X5
4 neutral grip pull-ups after each press set
All finished in 45 minutes. Felt pretty good, for being the eighth day in a row. Bench is moving better than I expected. I like the frequency right now, probably have to modify in 2-3 weeks Deadlift tomorrow then a day off is probably in order. I’ve been eating good water intake is great sleep still hit or miss, this the off day.
Deadlift
135X10
185X5
225X5
275X3X2
315X1X4
225X3X3
Good Mornings
3X15X75#
Bad day to run late so just got some work in and was finished in 39 minutes. Recorded several of my sets an my hips are just too damn high. Couldn’t get them down on 315 so backed off to 225 to focus on better form. I think it may be hip mobility or low back issue. Noticed it in my squat depth too so may have to back off on weight until I get it right. Little to no back pain today so that’s definitely a plus. Work schedule is unrelenting so we’ll see how I feel tomorrow. It’ll either be an off day or maybe a rehab session.
Press
45X5
65X10X4
Bench
95X10X4
Barbell Row
95X4X10
Woke up to a problem at work, managed to still make it to the gym, but really felt crappy. Did some deload type stuff and left feeling just about as bad as when I walked in. Definitely taking a day off before squats.
Squat
45.95.135.155X5
185X5 forgot it was supposed to be 3
205X3
235XAMRAP
10 reps
245X3
255X3
There was a lot left in the tank, but trying to be smart, lol.
Box Squats
4X6X135
Below parallel, trying to really stay tight in the hole.
High heart rate, sweat my ass off. Finished it all in about 45 minutes. Upper body feeling really tight, as well as my hips. Did a little mobility work between sets, just can’t seem to get my shoulders to loosen up. Took yesterday off got some sleep, meal prepped for a couple days, pretty productive day off.
1 Like
Bench
45.70.85.105X5
125X5
140X5
160X5
170X4
180X3
155X10
Press/Pull-ups
5X10X55
5X4
58 minutes to pulling out the parking lot.
Bench wasn’t particularly fast at the top, but no sticking points. Pull-ups still suck, but in less than 3 weeks they are progressing. Transitioned to heavy bench or press on upper day and big but boring as an accessory. Pull-ups on bench day, barbell rows on press day.
Started 3rd week of TRT feeling pretty good, appetite comes and goes, but still managing to put the food down. I simply feel like I can’t get enough water, despite drinking 10-12 of 16.9 oz bottles per day. Sleep is still marginal for 3-4 days, then I catch up. Working nights sucks, but I’m managing so far. I have vacation in less than 2 weeks, trying to plan a deload for that week.
Deadlift
Bar.135.165.195X5 warmup
225X3
265X3
295X3
All double overhand, which is a big deal for me because of my missing finger. Belt on second hole.
5X5X225
Belt on first hole
Widened my stance about two inches which moved my grip slightly wider too. This helped me set my back and hips better and it felt a ton tighter and stronger.
1 Like
Press
45.65.75X5
90X3
100X3
115XAMRAP
8 reps
95X10
Bench superset with 4 pull-ups
5X10X115
46 minutes in and out. Didn’t think press would go that well due to overall fatigue, but I was pretty happy with it. Bench was big but boring and with short rest and the pull-ups I was gassed at the end.
Squat
45.95.135.155X5
165X5
190X5
215X5
235X4
255X4
275X3
295X3
Deadlift
5X10X155
1 hour total
Squat felt strong, wanted something heavy on my back because I want to squat 315 on my birthday 2 1/2 weeks from now. I’m old now, sober, and not aiming at any large goals, so I need little pushes here and there. The DL today was interesting, basically big but boring and I did it in about 11 minutes. Back fired up after words, but no pain. I did the first 3 sets with no belt then the last 2 with the belt in my last hole so not super tight.
Here is my last squat set
1 Like
Bench
45.75.95.115X5
135X5
150X3
165XAMRAP
10 reps
Just got warmed up
175X5
185X4
195XAMRAP with spotter
5 reps
Surprised myself on the last set. I got a spotter hoping for 3 reps ended up getting 5 without help.
Press
5X10X55
Superset with 4 neutral grip pull-ups
Finished everything in 37 minutes because I was pressed for tine so the press and pull-ups felt like CrossFit, lol
Deadlift
135.165.195X5
225X5 belt on first hole
275X5 belt on second hole from here on
315X3
315X3
Pulled 315 with right hand switched, no confidence in my grip as I was tired. Pulled really slow, felt extremely heavy to break contact with the ground.
Box Squats
4X10X95
Last 2 sets with small red bands
Felt good, quad and low back pump. All with no belt.
Good Mornings
4X10X95
Never feel like I’m doing these right. Bend the knee slightly I don’t feel my glutes or hamstrings. Don’t bent the knees, and it feels like I’m attempting to intentionally hurt my back. It never hurts, I’m just not sure of the movement.
Press
45.55.65.75X5
95X5
105X3
120XAMRAP
7 reps
95X10
Got to 120 and was hoping to get 3 because every set felt heavy all the way up. 7 was a nice surprise. Did 1 back off set and it still felt heavy, on to bench.
Bench
5X10X115
Three different grips from narrow to standard width. No belt trying to feel my upper back retracting and my feet driving me back. Superset with 10# plate seated rear delt raises 5 sets of 20.
Pretty sure here at the end of 2 Wendler cycles that my TM is spot on for upper body. Squat feels low, but that’s fine. Deadlift doesn’t seem quite right. I feel like the to sets are too heavy, but they move and rep range is good, so I’ll stay another cycle before I decide whether or not to back it down or not.
Overall my recovery has been as good as at any time I can remember. Minimal soreness and weights still climbing. I think a large part is my water and food consumption. TRT has to be helping now that it’s been 3 weeks, but I’m eating, drinking, and have my supplements rock solid. Got 5 or 6 days until I go on vacation, so a little more push then a 6-7 day deload, probably cut my calories slightly from this surplus.
45.95.135.155X10
190X5
225X3
245XAMRAP
10 reps
Box Squats
135X10 (too heavy)
115X10 (quads on fire)
115X8 (all I had)
Good Mornings
4X10X95
Wanted 6 reps on AMRAP set, really pushed and got 10, really pleased with this. Box squats were a nightmare, need to go back down to probably 95. I forgot that 50% should have been 50% of my box squat max which is definitely not 270#. Good mornings felt right for the first time.
All done in 1 hour because i needed bigger rest on the box squats. Afraid this workout is going to leave me extremely sore. Video of AMRAP set below.
7/6 Bench
75.95.115X5
135X5
150X3
165XAMRAP
10 reps
175X5
185X4
195X3
205X4
Press
5X10X65 superset with 6 sets of 4 pull-ups