I broke the 91 kg / 200# barrier and I’m done with a 3-week quick Bulgarian block…
So it’s time to cut.
No gainz anymore!..
Well, gonna cut only 5 kg so that shouldn’t be a big deal for my strength.
Bench AMRAP day
5 x 120 kg (264 lbs) meh, felt horrible. But that’s still kinda PR at this weight.
BTN Push press
8 x 90 kg (198 lbs)
2 x 8 x 95 kg (209 lbs) PR
New exercise borrowed from Greg Nuckols: Tempo front squat - 3-5s eccentric, 3-5s pause, 3 rep cluster with 10 sec between reps.
110-120 kg destroyed me.
Bodyweight from 90.00 kg (198.4 lbs) down to 86.9 kg (191.6 lbs).
Strength goes up.
No cardio.
Masochistic tendencies reveal themselves.
Some PRs from last week:
High-bar back squat (yeep, widowmakers again) 20 x 132.5 kg (292 lbs)
Sumo deadlift
5 x 210 kg (463 lbs) no belt w/ straps, after some front squatting
BTN push press
3 x 6 x 102.5 (226 lbs)
4 x 8 x 97.5 kg (215 lbs)
I alternate high-rep high-bar with low rep tempo/paused/regular front squats (one back squat session for every 2 FS sessions) for a change of pace and building work capacity, which became my primary focus.
Cleans 8 x 3 x 105 kg (231 lbs) - not bad, not bad. Certainly better than last week’s 6x3. It’s still 90% of my all time 3RM but I made a lot of technique progress.
Bodyweight 86.6 kg (190.9 lbs) - I started from 90 and my goal is 83 kg so basically I’m right in the middle of the cut.
Of course the tempo of dropping weight is purposefully slower than usual to make sure that I won’t lose any muscle and to get dem strength gainz.
Conservative start with more dynamic approach. A lot of smooth clean reps.
Push press behind the neck
8 x 3 x 100 kg (220 lbs) in 10 minutes
High-bar back squat
6 x 3 x 145 kg (319 lbs) in 10 minutes
Some close-grip bench
2 x 8 x 100 kg (220 lbs)
then some back-offs with feet up
Chin up - 2 sec contraction, full stretch at the botom
+10 kg x eaaasy 7
+20 kg x 5
+30 kg x 2 sets of 3, challenging
CHIN UPS are going to be my favourite exercise during this cut. Bodyweight goes down - 85.7 kg / 188.9 lbs. Weight suspended between my balls when pullin’ goes up.
7 x +15 kg super easy
5 x +25 kg easy
2 sets of 4 x +35 kg RPE like 9
More than 120 kg of total weight, pause at the top, full stretch at the bottom.
Weeell, bench & skwoots feel like shit though.
Today’s bench:
4/4/7 x 112.5 kg (248 lbs) gentle pause
Today’s high-bar: beltless, meh form
2 singles with 160 kg (352 lbs)
2 singles with 165 kg (363 lbs)
2 x 6 x 142.5 kg (314 lbs)
Sumo deadlift PR
5 x 215 kg (474 lbs) straps, no belt. Surprisingly easier than expected.
===
New nice rep PR on da Bench.
12 x 100 kg (220 lbs) not really that impressive, however it sucked for a long time and went down during my cut.
I went to the local park with my bud and we did some chin ups.
Some.
18 sets, some weighted, some on rings. Wide grip, narrow grip, neutral, mixed, all kinds.
When I woke up I realized it was sooo bad idea. I don’t know if I’ve ever been that sore in lats.
1 kg and +5 points to my suntan levels since the end of my cut = just a PR city.
Behind the neck PUSH PRESS
Ramp to 3 x 112.5 kg (248 lbs) with solid lock-outs, holding at the top for a sec
Back sqwaats
3 x 3 x 160 kg (352 lbs) beltless. Well, it’s my 8RM from the mass phase but I got it beltless, for multiple sets and weighing less.
Slow road to 200 kg.
Deficit deadlift
8 x 180 kg (396 lbs) after some speed deads. I prolly could go for 10. I actually hardly ever pull off a deficit so that’s a nice change of pace.
Legit paused bench
4 x 4 x 117.5 kg (259 lbs) definitely a PR.
It’s my 6RM touch and go but I’ve never tried anything above shaky triple with 120 for a couple of paused sets.
Chin up with hold at the top
Ramp to 5 x BW + 40 kg thaaat was really heavy but I made it. 2 rep PR
Tryin’ to bring up my OHP. It’s so bad it’s not even worth mentioning
I am finally fat again (+1.5 kg since cutting) so my squat went up.
3 sets of 2 x 175 kg (385 lbs) small PR, I did 170 for one set of 4 when I was heavier.
Finding pleasure in speed deadlifts with almost no rest.
previously: 12 x 3 x 160 kg (352 lbs) EMOTM
today: 12 x 3 x 170 kg (374 lbs) 1 min rest
What do you think your max is at the moment?