Novaeer's Training Log: On the Comeback Trail

HTS Week 9 Day 2
October 21st

Paused bench press w/u to 315x1
Reverse band bench 315x3x3 (light bands)
Reverse band 1-board bench 345x1;375x1;395x1;415x1
Face pulls 3x15
I,T,Ys 3x10
Pushdowns 6x15
Curls 3x8

Summary: Good session. Single with 315 still felt like a warm-up, which is re-assuring. The 3x3 with reverse bands was basically a speed bench to focus on getting speed out of the bottom. I was supposed to be using a 2-board, but couldn’t find it and went with the 1-board instead. Last single with 415 felt pretty damn heavy and started to slow down a lot about 2/3 of the way up. I think my PR on full range is close to that. My raw bench might not be up to comparable levels from when that PR was achieved, but I think it’s improving.

HTS Week 9 Day 3
October 22nd

Squat w/u to 335x3;drop set 275x2x8

Summary: All I had time for tonight, but I’d be lying if I said it was easy. Pretty good bang for the buck from this, which means I’ll probably be freaking sore for days, lol.

Been extremely busy with life and work, so training has been a little haphazard, but good nonetheless.

HTS Week 10 Day 1
October 26th

SSB Box squat (1" below parallel) 255x2x2;265x2x2;275x2
3" box pulls 425x1;455x1;485x1;505x1
Pulldowns 5x15
KB split squats 3x12
Band side bends 3x15

Summary: Pretty solid training day. Box squats didn’t have a bunch of speed, but they weren’t too shabby. Box pulls surprised me. I haven’t pulled very heavy from the floor or from pins/boxes for a while and after 455 felt heavy, I almost shut 'er down in frustration. Bumped it up to 485, which felt better. Then decided to jump past 5 bills to 505 and it was even easier than the 485. I decided to end that lift on a high note.

Great work. 505 is solid.

Good to see you’ve managed to pick your way through a busy schedule to get some decent training in. Bench is looking particularly strong!

Thanks bros. Just trying to stay sane in a really hectic period.

HTS Week 10 Day 2
October 28th

Paused bench press 265x3x3;1x10
Wide grip bench 205x2x15;1x14
Face pulls 4x15
Pushdowns 5x15
Barbell curls 3x8

Summary: Another solid session. Bar speed was a little slow on the 3x3 sets, but I don’t think I was putting 100% effort into it. Got things together for the rep out set (had a little left after 10) and the wide grip sets – and that last set of WGs was rough, started seeing the silver flies. That’s what I get for trying to do each set on 1 breath, lol.

HTS Week 10 Day 3
October 30th

Squat (no belt) w/u to 365x2
Reverse band squat (choked light bands) w/u to 435x2
Band clamshells 3x10
Band leg curls 5x15
Ab pulldowns 3x12

Summary: Squats felt pretty decent today. Form felt better than it has in a while, so yay for me. My light bands are stretched out like crazy and they weren’t providing very much deload on the reverse band squats because 435 felt exactly like 435. Lift was a little slow on rep #2, but got it nice and clean.

Still coping with screwed up training schedule, but making the most of it.

HTS Week 11 Day 1
November 3rd

SSB Olympic Squats 225x3x5
Deadlifts 405x3x1
DLs against quad minis 315x1;335x1;355x1
DB rows 120x22,22;21,18
Ab pulldowns 3x15

Summary: Pulls felt good today. I used the jumpstretch platform for the band pulls and it took a few test reps with 225 to get used to the top end tension. My all-time PR is 375, but that was the absolutely hardest pull I’ve ever had in my life. This one was definitely less difficult than that - still a heck of a strain, though.

Solid work. I’d like to get either some bands or chains. This seems like it would help with speed off the bottom.

[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
Solid work. I’d like to get either some bands or chains. This seems like it would help with speed off the bottom. [/quote]

They also help with the top end, by teaching you how to finish the pull. If you don’t finish strong, you probably won’t finish the lift.

HTS Week 11 Day 2
November 5th

Paused bench press w/u to 305x3
Reverse band 2-board press 355x1;385x1;405x1;420x1
Band pull-aparts 4x15
Pulldowns 4x15
Pushdowns 3x15
Barbell curls 3x12

Summary: Decent bench session. Forearms were sore from the DB rows the other day and it was affecting me some. The top single on the reverse bands felt like a lot of weight, but I pressed it nice and solid off the 2 board. What this means for my full-range raw bench, we’ll see, though I will say the supra-max work has helped the heavier weights feel not-so-heavy.