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Great job! Especially after everything you’d done before.
Even greater job! Congratulations man!
Thanks mate!
BTW for the record I don’t consider this race to 92kg over just cos I got a single reading below it on a fluke then ballooned back up to 94. It’s on.
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K so having had a good press on Wednesday Friday’s squats were crap. Full disclosure.
Henriques squats w5
Morning BW 93.1kg
Yesterday 93.3kg
Low bar
Bar x some
40kg x 5
60kg x 2 x 3
80kg x 3
100kg x 2
120kg x 2
140kg x 2
Belt on
160kg x 2
172.5kg x 2
185kg x 2
200kg x 2 x 1 - RPE 9, then 10
Cock
Front squat
100kg x 2 x 2
Belt on
120kg x 2
130kg x 2
140kg x 2
150kg x 1 - RPE 9
150kg x F
Cock
Low bar - switched to flat shoes
60kg x 5
100kg x 5
Belt
120kg x 2
140kg x 2
Everything but squats feels good at the moment. Maybe coincidentally I keep squatting on days where my bodyweight is fluctuating on the low side, or after long shifts.
But it’s annoying. They’re supposed to be my best lift. They also felt amazing up to 160kg today. Then it was knee cave and excessive forward lean.
I tried out flat shoes for the first time in a while and they felt different, not sure if better. Certainly depth didn’t suffer from the swap and knees tracked better but I also didn’t go as heavy. I’ll be training in flats in Tonga in any case.
No real idea why they feel off and I don’t want to over think things.
Sod it, I’ll l try again on Monday after a morning off.
Prowler push
Sled x 4 x 8m - alternate poles and low handles
+30kg x 2 x 16m - start on low handles, turn at halfway and come back on the poles
+65kg x 2 x 16m - same
+100kg x 2 x 16m - same
+120kg x 2 x 14m - same but the last 2 metres the carpet changes and it’s more slippery :L
Did Prowler as a semi strength exercise which would make me suffer now but not later. Because no eccentric or something.
Redemption squats
Low bar
60kg x 2 x 3
100kg x 2 x 2
120kg x 1
140kg x 1
Belt on
160kg x 1
180kg x 1
200kg x 2 - RPE 8.75. Yes.
Front squat
100kg x 2 x 2
120kg x 2 x 1
140kg x 1
150kg x 2 - RPE 8
165kg x F - ballsy PR attempt after the double felt easy. Bit of a jump. It felt very good on the way down at least.
Pulls - deadlift bar
60kg x 5
80kg x 3
100kg x 1
120kg x 1
140kg x 1
160kg x 1
Belt on
180kg x crazy hip flexor spasm
180kg x 1
200kg x 1
200kg x 1
210kg x 1
Pulls not so great today. Not bad, just not how 210kg should be moving.
2 inch blocks
180kg x 2
200kg x hip flexor spasm and peace out
Bro back and bis
Squats felt much better. I wish 200kg moved like it used to - I hit a set of 4 a few months ago, but I’m down 5kg since then so this is acceptable.
Front squats were infinitely better than Friday up until I got greedy.
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Bit of benching
Close grip/comp bench
Perform set close grip, then repeat it regular grip
Bar x some
40kg x 2 x 5
60kg x 2 x 3
80kg x 2
95kg x 1
105kg x 1
112.5kg x 1 - 2.5kg close grip PR 
very slick
115kg x failed close grip, smooth comp bench
I basically did bench this way cos I wanted to hit something heavy on both variations, and thought a PR attempt was there on close grip but not regular. 115 would’ve gone up close grip with a easier warmup (volume all added up). It moved well enough on regular bench (slowed at lockout because triceps) and I was happy to leave it there for the day after the warmup volume.
Front squat
Bar x some
60kg x 2 x 3
80kg x 3
100kg x 2
120kg x 1
Belt on
140kg x 1
152.5kg x 1
160kg x fainted
Front rack holds
160kg x 2 x 5 seconds
170kg x 5 seconds
180kg x 10 seconds
190kg x 10 seconds
200kg x 10 seconds - lol
Its a shame I can hold 200 without fainting but once 150 is on the bar doing a squat gets a bit dicey.
OHP
Bar x 10
40kg x 5
50kg x 5
60kg x 4 x 5
Ss/ Pullups
6 x 5
1 x 8
Curls and laterals and tris and rear delts
Some
Average session. Nice first close grip PR in a while. Might experiment with bringing my regular grip in a bit cos close grip regular feels a lot more comfortable (if 5kg weaker).
Having “finished” that Henriques cycle my training’s gone a bit all over the place. I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to train over the next week or so with work and some other commitments meaning I’ll be away. Might fit that mock meet in next week but that’s tentative.
And then Tonga, which will l be sick but I’m not planning my training for while I’m there until I get there.
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Mock meet/gym total
Weighed in 93.something this morning.
Squats - squats with a dicky tummy are not ideal
Bar x some
60kg x 3
80kg x 3
100kg x 2
120kg x 2
Belt on
120kg x 2
140kg x 1
160kg x 1
180kg x 1
Attempts
195kg x 1
205kg x 1 - nearly sharted
215kg x 1 - 93kg class PR.
Heaviest squat in 1 and a half years.
Bench
Bar x 2 x some
40kg x 5
60kg x 3 x 3
80kg x 2
95kg x 1
Attempts
102.5kg x 1 - misload, should’ve been 105, forgot a 2.5 from one side. Felt a bit wonky at unrack but otherwise no problems.
110kg x 1 - little enthusiastic on the press
117.5kg x 1 - solid smooth rep but slowed down enough that I don’t think trying to push past 120 was worth it with no spot. Default 93kg class PR.
Pulls - deadlift bar.
60kg x 2 x 3
80kg x 3
100kg x 1
120kg x 1
Belt on
140kg x 1
160kg x 1
180kg x 1
Attempts
200kg x 1
215kg x 1
227.5kg x F - just a little greedy but don’t regret going for it. Anything lighter would’ve gone up, but I didn’t want anything lighter. Would’ve been nice to pad the gym total a bit more but no harm done. Since I’ve hit this for a double at 93 this is the only lift with no PR for the day 
8/9, 547.5kg @ 93 class is up there with my bests from when I was 100+ so I’m happy with how today went.
High time I pushed closer to 600.
Not convinced the deadlift bar’s actually helpful for me - I’m very leg dominant in my pulls and it takes away any momentum I build off the floor by transferring it all to the slack in the bar. Still, fun to toy with and to laugh at bar bend with all the bumpers on it. And if it tells me anything, it’s that more back and posterior chain strength is what I need to work on.
Shins to bar
5,5,5,8 - don’t know if I’ve ever actually done 5s on these so big PR
Cgbp
60kg x 5
80kg x 3
95kg x 2
105kg x 1
115kg x F - failed in the same spot as last week. It comes up very quickly off the chest - really speedy.
Enough for today. Hip flexor didn’t start acting up until close grip bench, so I must have pushed the STBs too hard.
I had a google and it looks like there will be access to a squat rack and bench in Tonga. I won’t be following a strict programme, nor will I have any gear due to space in luggage. I’ll probably train in my Chucks. I’m gonna use the next few months to accumulate some volume and work on some fun goals in lifts other than the big three.
Quick spitball of ideas:
High bar paused beltless back squat: 180kg x 3 - can hit a triple at RPE 7-8 each time I go in - warm up to it quickly and move onto other stuff. Just to keep my squats ticking over.
CGBP: 100kg x 5 x 5 - no idea how close I am to this now, but I feel like this would be about RPE 8-9 by the last set on comp bench.
Pullups: 5 x 10 - maybe the ballsiest goal. Depends on keeping elbows happy.
OHP: 60kg x 10 - I may have done this before with all the gear on, super RAW it’d be a PR.
Various gymnastics stuff: front lever and muscle ups especially. These I expect to come with weight loss and improvements in pullups frankly but they’re obviously skills which need practicing.
And there should be a big pulling movement in there as well. Maybe every other session I’ll hit a semi heavy deadlift or rack pull.
Finally keep weight well within cutting limits of the 93 class.
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Morning BW 93.9
Paused high bar - in bare feet, no sleeves or belt - feeling out the movement since it’ll be my main squat for the next two months
Bar x 5
40kg x 5
60kg x 3
80kg x 2
100kg x 2
120kg x 2
130kg x 2
140kg x 2
Stopped there, lower back getting a little antsy after Thursday’s session and a load of manual handling at work yesterday.
Movement feels good and fluid, but obviously not as strong as a comp squat.
100kg x 2 in shoes. Shoes make it feel a lot more comfortable tbf.
Cgbp
Bar x some
40kg x 5
60kg x 2 x 3
80kg x 2
95kg x 1
107.5kg x 1
115kg x 1 - hahahahahaha hahahaha PR
100kg x 3 x 3 - ez. Gear (elbow sleeves, belt, wrist wraps) free for the last 2.
Last 3 sets Ss/ Chins
BW x 3
10kg x 3
20kg x 3 - PR
Sternum chins - slow eccentric
5 x 3
Ss/ OHP
Bar x 10
40kg x 10
50kg x 3 x 8
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXGm970lfAA/
Good little session.
Pulls
Bar x some stuff
60kg x 2 x 5
80kg x 3
100kg x 3
120kg x 2
Belt on
140kg x 1
160kg x 1
180kg x 1
200kg x 1
220kg x 1 - this feels like an everyday weight which is where I expect it to be. In Tonga I’ll do some variation of a pull every other workout, and I want to be working above 200kg every time, just so my back remembers it’s supposed to be able to support that sort of weight.
Floor press
Bar x 5
40kg x 5
60kg x 5
80kg x 2
90kg x 2
100kg x 3 x 2
110kg x 1 - just set a bench mark weight on these. I might do some while I’m away, and I’ll definitely get them into the rotation once I’m back. Because they’re hard, right where my bench starts to stick.
100kg x 4
Barefoot raw ass high-bar (BRAH) squats
Bar x some
50kg x 3
80kg x 3
110kg x 2
130kg x 2
150kg x 2
Fine. Leading up with my ass so that’s something to work on.
If I don’t take spare underwear I can fit my belt and shoes in…
Rear delt machine
Some x 3 x 20
Ss/ Hammer strength mts shoulder press
Some x 3 x 20
Hammer strength front pulldown
1pps x 20/hand alternating
1.5pps x 15/hand alternatimg
Straps
2pps x 5/hand alternating, 5 bilateral
2pps x 12 bilateral
JM press
Bar x 15
40kg x 12
60kg x 3 x 8
So Tonga has several gyms, one of which is a crossfit box, which means I can at least pull, squat and do gymnastics on nice equipment. Bench is a bit dodgy but workable. Went there for the first time today. It’s 2k away and I’ll probably jog there most days but this time I walked straight after work finished - at 11pm 
Also went for a 4k jog on Saturday but didn’t time it.
Otherwise, nutritional options in Tonga are limited, so I’ll probably be on the potatoes and eggs. It’s also sunny as… So if I can’t get jacked, I’ll at least be tan.
2 months of sun, sea, and squats coming right up.
BRAH squats
Warm up
140kg x 3 x 3 - RPE 8s
Cgbp
Warm up
90kg x 3
100kg x 2 x 3 - RPE 9s
Deads
Warmup
180kg x 1
Dropset
200kg x 1
Drop
190kg x 1
Drop
180kg x 1
Ohp
4 warmups superset with straight arm pullups for sets of 5 - they’re a progression for muscle ups but with how hard they feel right now muscle ups are a ways off
60kg x 3 x 4
Ss/ Chins
3 x 8
T-bar row
40kg x 10,10,12
Ss/ Lying ham curls
Some x 3 x 20
Bench was harder than I’d like, squats I can move up in weight fairly quickly but my goal of 180kg x 3 is still a significant jump.
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In the morning spent 15 minutes trying to do handstands. It’s being confident enough to kick up hard enough that I risk going too far that I need to work on. Will do a load of this at beaches where it’s cushioned.
Then checked out one of the other gyms on a whim. It’s more expensive, further, and not as good. So nah. Got an ok but brief session in anyway.
Did a bunch of high rep stuff on leg machines (first leg press since the last one gave me a brain haemorrhage and I maxed the stack out easily so I guess I win?) and the lat pulldown whilst waiting for the squat rack. I don’t know how to say “can I work in” in Tongan yet and all I was getting was blank stares when I mimed it.
High bar paused
Warm up
140kg x 2
150kg x 1
155kg x 1
140kg x 1 - long pause
Squats not feeling great but I was taxed from yesterday and the fair volume of leg press I did in the warmup.
Cgbp
Warm up
90kg x 5 x 3
95kg x 3
100kg x 2
Ohp
Cold
70kg x 1 - hah
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Overhead squat
Bar x some
30kg x 3
40kg x 3
50kg x 2
60kg x 1
70kg x 1
BRAH pause squat
Warmup
130kg x 2
150kg x 3 x 2
Cgbp
Warmup
EMOM
80kg x 3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,6 - final set RPE <6
Snatch grip pulls
Warm up
140kg x 2
150kg x 1 - all I could manage with no chalk
Deads
150kg x 1
170kg x 1
190kg x 3 - solid beltless triple
Ohp
4 warmups superset with shins to rings for sets of 3
60kg x 3,3,3,3,5
Ss/ Pullups
5,5,5,5,8
Run
2km - c. 8mins - 4mins/km
Not an awful pace for an end of session run in this heat when I’m deconditioned from running as well. Yet to try running to the gym before lifting. That will kick my ass.
5 fairly successful handstand attempts at the beach.
Cgbp
Warm up
80kg x 2
95kg x 2
105kg x 2
100kg x 2 x 3
Overhead squat
Bar x 5
30kg x 3
40kg x 3
50kg x 2
60kg x F,1,1,1,F
BRAH squats - speed reps, no pause
60kg x 3
80kg x 3
100kg x 3
120kg x 3
140kg x 5 x 2 - RPEs <7
SURPRISE! The pause makes it harder.
Ohp
4 warmups superset with straight arm pullups for sets of 5
50kg x 7,7,7,10
Ss/ Chin ups
10,10,10,10 - last two sets cheated a bit
BRAH pause squat
Warm ups superset with ring inversions - lowering through back lever
140kg x 2
150kg x 2
160kg x 1,1 - RPEs 9,9
Cgbp
Warm up
80kg x 2
90kg x 5,5,5,5,7
Mat pulls 2/3rds up shin - real weak spot for me
Warmup
170kg x 2
190kg x 2
210kg x 2 - hook grip slipped on the second at the top - first time it’s ever failed but only because of sweat
Ss/ Chins on adjacent ropes
Some x 2, last set 4
Ss/ Med ball OH throw
12kg x some x 2
Pinch grip plate farmers - to put them all away
Dips
BW x 10,10,20 - maybe a 2 rep PR?
Ss/ BB curls
40kg x 3 x 10
Last set drop to
30kg x 10
Drop
Bar x 30s (21s but with 3 extra reps each section)
Handstands
15 minutes - one pushed 3 seconds
Successful 6-7 second handstand among several shorter ones earlier.
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Deficit deads - 1 inch
Warmup
160kg x 2
180kg x 2
190kg x 2
200kg x 2 - RPE 8 or less - good speed, only limited by slippery grip
Ss/ Med ball OH throw
12kg x some x 2
BTN push press
The intention was definitely to push jerk these but reviewing the video of at least the 100kg set there was no rebend in the knee so I’ll call it a push press and walk away with an accidental PR push press instead of just a solid push jerk double
Warmup
60kg x 2
70kg x 2
80kg x 2
90kg x 2
100kg x 2 - PR
90kg x 3 - focused and definitely jerked the first two, but the third my body took over and pressed it.
“Interesting” side note.
If I try and rebend the knees then I cut my initial “push” short. So the bar gets less height and I have to drop further - which I’m not good at. To compensate for this my body is kicking in and making me complete the drive to full triple extension, which lets me drive it to lockout without the need for a knee bend.
So until I can nail the timing and balance aspect of a rebend in the knee I’ll probably push press more than I jerk.
I’m not an oly lifter and generally put heavy stuff overhead for fun and to build a bit of confidence and strength with weight overhead, so the intricacies of how it gets there aren’t that important to me - I just like to get the lingo correct.
BRAH pause squat
6 warm ups superset with working sets of push press and also shins to bar for sets of 3
140kg x 4 x 4 - RPEs <8
OHP
4 warmups superset with chins on adjacent ropes for sets of 4
60kg x 4,4,4,6
50kg x 10
Ss/ Pullups
6,6,6,6,10 - last a little kipped
Walked home.
Pressups - few different widths, just cos I neglected horizontal pushes today, last benched on Friday and won’t again until Wednesday.
3 x 20
Solid session. Deadlifts are ticking over well with minimal work while I focus on squats. I feel like a beltless 220kg pull is on the cards so long as I can keep hold of it but really not something I’m fussed about right now. Squats moving up in weight whilst keeping RPEs low. Nice surprise PR on a lift I don’t do all that often. Chins and pullups feeling strong.
Schedule got messed up a bit on account of rumours of a tropical storm coming in, hit this session a day early. Winged it a bit but got the important close grip sets in even if they did feel a bit wonky after yesterday’s shoulder stuff.
Cgbp
Warmup
92.5kg x 5 x 5
BRAH pause squat
Warmup
140kg x 1
150kg x 1
I wasn’t planning on squatting today so was wearing a pair of semi baggy canvas pants and mobility was not there in them. Just hit a requisite single and moved on.
Floor press
60kg x 10
80kg x 5,7,8
Ss/ Rope inverted row
4 x 8
Heat has turned up this week and I’m feeling it. Didn’t really hit much in the way of accessories today.