Got a new SSB and some other crap, and I feel like logging here again. For right now, my training is gonna be mostly that, SSB squatting. I will DL a little and do some accessory stuff here and there, but the meat and potatoes is gonna be that. Loading will be in the vein of 5/3/1 with BBB.
I am taking a break from pressing cuz I have my first run-in with shoulder issues and I want to see if I can work it out. I got 315x10 on bench not too long ago, and my last bench day 330x3 felt like a max effort and left my shoulder aching.
So going forward with what I can, yesterday I worked up to a heavy triple on the SSB and came up with a projected max at about 500, so moving on with a 450 training max
6/18
SSB Box Squats
317x3
362x3
407x9 (8)
417x3
437x3
462x3 (7)
227x10x5
Note: weights are odd cuz the bar weighs 62#. BBB sets done in 9:42. Also I’m taking my first spin of logging perceived efforts on heavy sets. Why not.
That bar weight would get super annoying. I feel like id just call it 45 so my math doesnt need to change.
[quote]Ass Banana wrote:
That bar weight would get super annoying. I feel like id just call it 45 so my math doesnt need to change.[/quote]
Eh, yeah it’s kinda annoying, but not the end of the world to add 17 to the expected. Also bulldog my own home gym and I only have 3 pair of 45s so once I get to 400ish it’s a math game either way haha. I can get about 600 on the bar, gonna get another pair soon
6/20
SSB Box Squats
272x8
317x8
362x15 (8.5)
372x8 (7.5)
Some abs
Its hard to gauge RPE on high rep sets, I could have popped off another few reps, and had I turned it into a breathing set I could get 20 at that weight no problem. But my goal with this higher rep day is to not turn em into breathing sets (with a break at the top).
Hurt my foot at work yesterday, it feels fine now, but I have a tendancy to not feel anything during training, so I called this session a little early. I feel like I still got some good work in a short time.
Shoulder feels better but Im getting the feeling its gonna be a bitch to fully heal. I have no problems just squatting every other day anyways, for now.
6/24
Reverse Band (mini) SSB Box Squats
382x5
427x5
462x6 (6)
add belt and knee sleeves
522x1
567x1 (7)
592x1 (9) (This is all the weight I can put on the bar, gonna buy another pair of 45s. Single wasn’t overly grindy but I wouldn’t have gotten a double I don’t think)
ditch belt/sleeves
282x10x5
Rough weekend. Wanted to try pressing but my shoulder is still an issue, one more week hopefully.
Why reverse band? The way I have my rack set up, it’s a bitch to unrack the SSB, the weight is all so forward. The weight distribution is the same once Im actually in the squat movement, but unracking I get a little help off the pins, which I think Im going to keep. Minis at that weight I can hardly tell its lighter in the hole (difference is 15 pounds).
Now before anyone gets excited about a near 600 pound squat: my box is about 2 inches higher than USAPL depth, and the minis are taking off 44# at the top and 59# or so at the bottom. I don’t care, I want to box squat with a band and it’s what I have. My full, free, straight bar competition squat is somewhere between 500-550 at a guess. Ill find out at my next meet.
6/26
Reverse band (mini) SSB Box Squats
337x5
382x5
427x14 (9.5)
Done.
Calculated it out to want 15, but I wasn’t sure enough I would get it. I am not accustomed to that much weight on my back for that long yet anyways. I’ve never gotten this much leg pump from 3 damn sets haha. Did not feel like more work was needed today, I’m all jello.
The last four days are pretty much what my log is gonna look like for a bit, hopefully getting benching in on the same loading scheme. Assistance work is gonna just be pull-ups, rows, and abs, I won’t be bothering to log that in much detail, I don’t think. Might DL some, might not, see how recovery is for this frequency/intensity of SSB squatting.
I will have to determine a new training max with the use of a reverse band, what I did the last two sessions was just tack on 45# to each work set, a proper % base I think will be better.
7/3
Rev band (mini) SSB Box squats
387x3
442x3
497x8 (9)
add knee sleeves
507x3 (7.5)
537x3 (7)
ditch sleeves
277x10x5
497 set was rough, my setup was off for the next one. 537 was a little smoother but those other two took too much out of me to attempt the next Joker. BBB sets were an awesome pump, I feel like the reverse band has always had that effect for me.
As for the layoff (6 days!), shoulder is still a mess, and Im pretty sure I have a stress fracture or some such in my foot. Couldn’t walk for a few days. It felt okay today, but I was really focused on staying back on my heels, which I think it was led to a rough groove. Gonna play both of these injuries by ear, and Im sick of waiting for my shoulder to come around, gonna try some light pressing today or tomorrow.
For those interested, body weight is up to a fat 230. My diet hasn’t been great for a while (I plan on competing at 205 in the new USAPL classes)
7/6
Bench
Started at 135, sets of 3, adding only 15 pounds per set. Got up to 300x3 which was way too hard, not sure I woulda got 315x3. My bench makes me cry. Couple months ago I was in the low-mid 4s.
Shoulder still feels off but its not super painful. Im not really sure how to go forward with this.
7/8
Rev band (mini) SSB Box Squats
332x8
387x8
442x13 (9)
482x2
add sleeves
522x2 (6)
552x2 (8.5)
ditch sleeves
287x10x3
Some abs
Getting a lot better, but still seeing grooving problems on this movement, which should mean I have a lot of room to get stronger at it. 552 was pretty ugly, wobbly second rep, and that turned a set that shoulda been about a 7 into an 8.5 RPE. Cant be upset though, put up a couple good sets.
7/10
Bench
205x3
235x3
265x8 (7)
275x3 (6.5)
290x3 (7.5)
305x1 (6)
150x 11, 10, 11, 18 with pretty much no rest
Shoulder was clicky but not super painful today. Any time I got even slightly out of my groove it flared a little though. My goal with this is to keep the RPE down and see I can recover some strength without hindering healing too much. 265 felt super heavy, this is a weight I could probly have gotten for close to 20 in the past, but the heavier sets didn’t feel as bad. 150 felt like nothing, and doing sets of 10 on that weight felt pointless, so I just cranked out 50 reps.
Hopefully this lift gets back to par quickly.
7/11
SSB’s (same as the rest)
412x5
482x3
sleeves on
522x4 (8)
belt on
537x1 (5)
562x1 (6.5)
592x1 (7.5)
602x1 (9)
belt/sleeves off
302x20 breathing set (9.5)
Started off not feeling too strong, 522x4 is a little underwhelming. Next set was the smoothest heavy rep Ive had for this movement so far. 602 is the most I can get on the SSB without ducttape or other crazy shit, but Im not sure I have a need to go too much heavier.
One more round of this session then I want to reintroduce straight bar squats, this programming is working nicely for its purpose but its not a good sustainable plan.
So… I slacked on logging here. Quick update:
Did a few more days of the… SSB acclimation phase I was doin. Don’t recall weights/reps /accessory stuff, doesn’t matter much. I then started a more (slightly) structured program. It’s basically a simple linear progression plan, one day being SSB’s and comp bench, other being Comp ATG squat and strict press. Throwing in a DL day as I feel my recovery can handle it, and going AMRAP on some sets to regulate the intensity some. Going well so far. I will log those days here in a minute.
21 Jul
Comp Bench
220x12 (7)
220x10 (7)
220x10 (7.5)
SSB Rev Band mini Box Squat
382x12 (8)
382x10 (8)
382x10 (8)
Felt sick this day, took the dog for a long walk to cool down
22 Jul
Comp Squat ATG
255x10 (7.5)
255x10 (8)
255x10 (8.5)
Strict press (feet together)
135x12 (7)
135x10 (7.5)
135x10 (7.5)
Again no accessory work.
A note about ATG squats: when I say ATG, I just mean as low as I can go keeping the integrity of my form. Its actually not a hell of a log below parallel, but this is how Im gonna log it.
A note about OHP: Doesn’t bother my shoulder as much as bench does, but it aches more later during the day. Not sure what to think about that. The shoulder itself is slowly improving though.
24 Jul
Comp Bench
230x15 (7)
230x10 (7.5)
230x10 (8)
*slight shoulder ache. first set wasn’t hard (only a 7 RPE) but it destroyed my endurance
SSB’s
402x13 (7.5)
402x10 (7)
402x10 (7.5)
some chins
Best bench set in a long time, this is a little encouraging. My best comparable set would be 255x19 but that was to damn near failure. Im on the right track.
25 Jul
DL against bands (sumo, light bands)
365x2x6
ditch bands
365x2x3
add bands
365x4
BB Rows
135x5x2
185x5x2
205x5
Ab rollouts
3 sets of 6
some seated GM’s (light)
This is what my ‘extra’ DL day will look like, speed doubles against bands. For reference, light bands add a pinch over 100# to the lockout of my sumo pull.
27 Jul
Comp Squat ATG
270x10x2
superset with
Strict Press
145x10x2
Nice quick day. All sets in the 7 range for RPE.
My main computer went down which had the rest of this phase of my programming, so Im just kinda winging it. I dont think the exact weights matter much anyways, just wanna keep the weight going up and the RPE/Intensity steady.
29 Jul
Comp Bench T&G
240x15 (8.5)
240x8 (6)
240x8 (7)
SSB’s
422x15 (8.5)
422x8 (7)
422x8 (7.5)
Bench and the shoulder is continuiing to improve. Still a ways to go though. On squats today, I logged an 8.5 RPE, but that set really killed me, and I even think Im still feeling it today (Aug 1)
31 Jul
Strict OHP
155x11 (8)
155x8 (7)
155x8 (7)
Comp squat ATG
285x8 (7.5)
285x8 (8)
OHP feels decent, but man, these weighs ATG are starting to suck. Which means they will probly improve a weakness, hopefully.