ExRx.net

Sunday, 15 January

c21w4d3

DL assistance, Rows

Snatch-Grip DL
10x45
5x95
3x115
3x135

7x145
4x7x152.5

Week 	Lifts     	        Progression
1 	2x4x142, 2x5x142 	BV
2 	3x5x145, 7x145 	         DP-R,W
3 	3x7x145, 7x147.5 	1 1/2P-R,W
4 	7x145, 4x7x152.5 	TP

Rows (seated, cable)
10x30
10x60
10x70
10x70
10x80
10x90
10x100

SGDL—Didn't really mean to do that many sets. Miscounted, I guess, but since I write it down after every set, this is likely right.

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Monday, 16 January

PC, Chins, Press

Cable Pull-throughs
15x40
15x50
15x60
15x65
12x70

Chins, weighted, SDT
2, 3xBW
3xBW+10
3x5xBW+25

Week 	Lifts          	     Progression
1 	2x4x+25 	                 BV
2 	5x+25, 4x+25, 3x+25 	DP-R,S
3 	4x+25, 4x+25, 6x+25 	SP-R
4 	5x25, 5x25, 5x25 	SP-R

Press
10x45
5x65
7x75

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Thursday, 19 January

Deadlift
10x45
5x95
3x135
3x135
3x185
2x225
1x245

1x265
1x275
1x285
1x290
1x295
1x275
1x275
1x285

5x225
5x185

Got video of most of my lifts. Will post when I can get it successfully uploaded to YouTube.

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Here's the video from Thursday. Feel free to comment in my comments log.

[youtube]<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uuu07giCGNo?hl=en&fs=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/youtube]

OK, somebody tell me what I'm doing wrong.

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Saturday, 21 January

Cycle 22, Week 1, Day 2

Squat, Bench, Chins

Squat DST
Warm-up "third-world squats", "squat to stand", BW squats, etc.
10x45
3x95
2x115
1x135
1x155
1x175
1x185

2x195
2x195
1x205

Week 	Lifts 	                Progression
1 	4x195, 4x195 	                BV
2 	5x195, 4x195 	                SP-R
3 	5x195, 6x195, 1x200 	TP
4 	6x195, 6x195, 2x200 	SP-R
5 	2x2x195,1x205 	        deload

Bench /DST
10x45
5x65
3x95
3x115
2x130

3x6x145

Week 	Lifts 	               Progression
1 	4x155 ,3x155 	               BV
2 	4x140, 4x140 	               NBV :)
3 	5x140, 5x140 	               SP-R
4 	5x140, 5x145, 6x140 	DP-R,S
5 	3x6x145 	                       SP-R

Chins-volume
Band-assisted
black band
12
purple
11
7
11
8

Squat-back feeling tired, needed to take it a bit easy this time around. I've never tried a volume deload, but have always cut intensity. This actually worked well (writing the next day).
Bench-had a friend for hand-off and spotting, and I've been wanting to add a bit more volume on bench, so I increased the acclimation reps a little, and went up on the working sets as well. Felt good.
Chins-Santa finally found PNG, and I got my tension bands. These are actually not as long as I thought they'd be. There is also a big difference between the light (red) and the medium (black) than I expected. I've never done band-assisted chins before, so I thought I'd try it. I'm surprised at what a different exercise it is, especially with the heavier bands. They sort of launch you up into the air, not just decrease the load. Then the fall added even more to the rebound, so it was really a fun ride, but more "arm aerobics" than challenging to strength. I got winded pretty easily! I tried to slow down to a more reasonable pace. I may use the light band occasionally when I want to jack volume, but mostly will go back to BW on volume day.

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Monday, 23 January

C22W1D3

Light Deadlift Practice, Rows, Misc.

Deadlift
3x95
3x115
3x4x135
3x3x185

[youtube]<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GGvX8MgR5vo?hl=en&fs=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/youtube]

Row, Seated Cable
10x35
10x70
10x80
10x90
10x100
15x80

Standing Band-Resisted Hip Thrusts
(yes I made it up)
Sets of 10 up to 2 black bands

DL-tried to correct form with lots of light sets.
Rows-just rows
SBRHT-I was trying to "feel my glutes firing" (though I've always thought that was a silly sort of thing to say). It's easy to feel it at full extension, but I can't feel them or really consciously contract them when they are in even moderate flexion. So after standing and squatting, and going through a deadlift-like movement while feeling the muscles in my butt, I hooked a tension band between the squat rack (with a bar and some weights on it since it's pretty flimsy, and I thought this would pull it over) and a lifting belt worn around my hips, tried to get into a DL starting position and stood up. After experimenting with position and the bands, I decided that this would actually be a useful exercise, so I did several sets, adding bands each set.

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Wednesday, 25 January

c22w1d4
PC, Chins, Press

Pull-Throughs
15x45
15x55
15x65
15x70
15x70

Chins, weighted, SDT

2x2xBW
2x BW+10
6xBW+25
4xBW+25
4xBW+25
6xBW

Week 	Lifts 	Progression
1 	2x4x+25 	BV
2 	5x+25, 4x+25, 3x+25 	DP-R,S
3 	4x+25, 4x+25, 6x+25 	SP-R
4 	5x25, 5x25, 5x25 	SP-R
5 	6x25, 4x25, 4x25 	regression

Press, maintenance
10x45
5x65
5x75
5x75
10x45

PTs-getting stronger, I think
Chins-disappointing. Probably due in part to lack of sleep last night on call. My perennial excuse.
Press-nothing. Just maintenance press. Someday this will be my priority exercise, though that's not a happy thought.
The gym was chaotic when I arrived with 7 people there. I found a bit of floor space to do my warm-ups and drills and took my time at them. By the time I was ready to work, the teens left, and the others did before too long.

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Tuesday, 31 January

c22w2d2

Squat, Bench, Chins

Back Squat, SDT
10x52
5x82
3x102
3x122
2x142
2x162
2x172
1x182
1x192

6x197
6x197
3x202

Week 	Lifts 	Progression
1 	4x195, 4x195 	BV
2 	5x195, 4x195 	SP-R
3 	5x195, 6x195, 1x200 	TP
4 	6x195, 6x195, 2x200 	SP-R
5 	2x2x195,1x205 	deload
6 	6x197, 6x197, 3x202 	DP-R, W

Bench, SDT
10x45
5x65
5x95
3x115
3x135

6x145
6x150
7x145

10x115

Week 	Lifts 	Progression
1 	4x155 ,3x155 	BV
2 	4x140, 4x140 	NBV :)
3 	5x140, 5x140 	SP-R
4 	5x140, 5x145, 6x140 	DP-R,S
5 	3x6x145 	SP-R
6 	6x145, 6x150, 7x145 	DP-R,W

Chins
2xBW
43xred band
6xBW
8xBW

Squats-the workout seemed long and wearying today. Maybe I need to do this with fewer acclimatization reps, or maybe reset base volume. Or both.
Bench-felt good. I don't bench enough, need to put some in somewhere else in the week.
Chins-need to do a max test tomorrow for the Annual ExRx Chinup Challenge, so didn't push it today.
Tired. My sometimes lifting partner Q, came in with his dad (my boss), who was lifting for the first time since college. I tried to help a little, as Q would have had him trying to go pretty heavy. I hope I didn't spoil a father-son time.

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Wednesday, 1 February

c22w2d3

DL assistance, Rows

Chinup max test for reps
Warm-up
3xblack band
2xred band
1xBW
11xBW (down by 3 from last real max attempt, about 11 months ago)

Snatch-grip DL
bunchx45
5x95
3x135
3x145
3x155

7x155
7x155
7x155
10x155

Week 	Lifts 	                 Progression
1 	2x4x142, 2x5x142         BV
2 	3x5x145, 7x145 	         DP-R,W
3 	3x7x145, 7x147.5 	 1 1/2P-R,W
4 	7x145, 4x7x152.5 	 TP
5
6 	3x7x155, 10x155 	         DP-W,R

Row, seated cable
10x40
10x80
10x90
10x100
10x100

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Monday, 6 February

C22W3D1
Deadlifts

8x45
7x95
5x135
3x155
3x185
3x230
3x250
3x270
3x275
3x265
8x230

Felt good today. My body felt solid, I guess. No records here, but not everyone deadlifts on their 59th birthday. I'm thankful that I can.

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Wednesday, 8 February

c22w3d2

Squat, Deadlift, Volume Chins

Squat
BW, etc.
10x45
5x65
5x95
3x115
3x135
2x155
1x175
1x185
1x195

1x210
3x205
6x195
9x197.5

Week 	Lifts 	Progression
1 	4x195, 4x195 	BV
2 	5x195, 4x195 	SP-R
3 	5x195, 6x195, 1x200 	TP
4 	6x195, 6x195, 2x200 	SP-R
5 	2x2x195,1x205 	deload
6 	6x197, 6x197, 3x202 	DP-R, W
7 	1x210, 3x205, 6x195, 9x197.5 	DP-R, W

Bench
10x45
5x95
3x115
2x125
2x135
2x155 (thought 145)

2x6x150
7x150
9x115

Week 	Lifts 	Progression
1 	4x155 ,3x155 	BV
2 	4x140, 4x140 	NBV :)
3 	5x140, 5x140 	SP-R
4 	5x140, 5x145, 6x140 	DP-R,S
5 	3x6x145 	SP-R
6 	6x145, 6x150, 7x145 	DP-R,W
7 	2x155, 6x150, 6x150, 7x150 	DP-R,W

Chins
Density per 10 min=32

Squat—started out feeling tired, but with relatively long rests it went up pretty well. The single was an attempt to get a little potentiation for the sets. Worked OK, but I forgot I was going for sets at 197 1/2. By the time I was doing the last set it felt good, and I kept going. Sorry later, but good at the time.

Bench—This time going a little heavier on the acclimation was just my dumbness, loading 155 instead of 145. But, what the heck, I'll count it as a work set, since it was heavier! The 3 sets at 150 were right at the edge. Nothing left.

Chins—So I was a bit slow mentally all around today. I had intended to do chins first for this month. Oh, well, did them now. I was tired, and didn't really feel like doing them at all. The chins all felt heavy and slow. Nearly quit. Hard to even walk home.

This is the most tired I ever recall feeling from lifting. I came home and stretched out on the couch until supper. I wouldn't have even gotten up, except we had company. I ate a little, excused myself and took a nap on my bed. Hot shower didn't help much. I'll figure this out later. Maybe an extra day off.

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Saturday, 11 February

c22w3d3—DL assistance, Rowing

Snatch-grip DL
7x45
5x95
3x115
1x135
1x145
1x155
1x165
3x4x170

Week 	Lifts 	Progression
1 	2x4x142, 2x5x142 	BV
2 	3x5x145, 7x145 	DP-R,W
3 	3x7x145, 7x147.5 	1 1/2P-R,W
4 	7x145, 4x7x152.5 	TP
5
6 	3x7x155, 10x155 	DP-W,R
7 	3x5x170 	Reset BV

Seated Cable Row
10x50
7x70
3x90
3x10x100

SG DL—I think I'm getting used to the wide grip. These were pretty easy today.

Row—I'm going to have to decide if I'm going to keep doing seated rows and increase volume, or go back to DB rows. The machine is maxed at 100 pounds. I could find a way to hang extra weight on the stack.
I'm officially on vacation. Feels care-free and relaxed. Slept until 9:30 this morning!

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Monday, 13 February

c22w3d4, PC, Chins, Press

Pull-Throughs
5x207x30
5x40
5x50
8x60
15x70
15x75
15x70

Chins, weighted
3xBW
3xBW
3x +10
1x 15
1x +20
6x +25
7x +25
6x +25

Week 	Lifts 	               Progression
1 	2x4x+25 	BV
2 	5x+25, 4x+25, 3x+25 	DP-R,S
3 	4x+25, 4x+25, 6x+25 	SP-R
4 	5x25, 5x25, 5x25 	SP-R
5 	6x25, 4x25, 4x25 	regression
6 	6x25, 6x25, 6x25 	SP-R
7 	6x25, 7x25, 6x25 	SP-R

Press (maintenance)
8x45
5x65
3x75
2x85
1x95
1x100
1x105
1x110

Pull Throughs—I find I'm progressing this as a sort of SDT, although this wasn't the original intention.

Chins—I had feared a plateau, but still got an extra rep!

Press—Eric suggested using singles to maintain this. I was please that I was able to go as high as I did today, since I haven't gone "heavy" on this for weeks, and my PR is only 120!

I'm on vacation this week, although we are just staying at home. I did some maintenance and repairs in the gym, building new supports for the chinup bar. Consequently I had tools and a ladder to take, so I drove. In so doing, I got the mission van stuck in soft ground near the gym, someone had to help tow me out, and I wasted a bunch of time! But got the job done. We are now somewhat less likely to fall unexpectedly to the floor while doing chins, and have more potential positions for the bar. I also made a bracket to add some weight plates to the cable machine's weight stack. I should now be able to do cable rows to 125 or more.

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Thursday, 16 February

c22w4d1—Deadlifts

Deadlift
10x45
8x95
3x135
3x185
2x225
1x245
1x265
4x275
4x285
4x290
3x295
4x280
7x225

This table is a summary of my total workload on DL, Squat and Bench for the past 7 weeks. I included only lifts over about 50% of my 1RM, considering that warmup reps below that level contribute very little to my fatigue. Work is massxdistance, but since my ROM on any given lift stays the same, I add up the weight on each rep. Actually, I just put my lifts in a simple spread sheet, and keep track. Now I can compare approximate total workload from week to week as I consider such things as fatigue. I also look at the total of the three from week to week. My intention is to control the total workload, since I'm not doing pre-determined routines on these lifts. My intention is for it to keep going up in small, controlled increments.

Total Workload
Week 	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 	6 	7 	8
Dead 	3035 	3510 	3446 	4120 	5255 	5005 	6265 	8495
Squat 	3495 	3130 	3515 	3941 	1866 	4662 	5388
Bench 	2335 	1465 	2670 	2870 	3215 	3535 	5060

Well… So much for me taking control of the workload. So a nice careful w/u and acclimation, huh? I honestly don't know what I was thinking. Not thinking, apparently. When it started feeling heavy and I started feeling tired, did I back off? But I did it because I could. It will be interesting to see how I feel over the next 24 hours. Right now I feel pretty beat up, but the good part is I don't feel as bad as I did after squats and bench last week. Which makes me think that I should be careful not to over-do it with squats and bench on Saturday. Next cycle I plan to move into an SDT progression starting at a BV of 3x4 at around 275, which would give a workload of a little over 6500 pounds, a little more than I did last week, but not close to today. I think I could stand that for a couple of weeks.

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Saturday, 18 February

c22w4d2 Squat, Deadlift, Chins

Chins, volume
BW
10/8/7/6

Squat
5x45
3x95
2x135
1x155
1x175
1x185
1x195
1x205
1x215
1x225

Week 	Lifts 	Progression
1 	4x195, 4x195 	BV
2 	5x195, 4x195 	SP-R
3 	5x195, 6x195, 1x200 	TP
4 	6x195, 6x195, 2x200 	SP-R
5 	2x2x195,1x205 	deload
6 	6x197, 6x197, 3x202 	DP-R, W
7 	1x210, 3x205, 6x195, 9x197.5 	DP-R, W
8 	1x195/205/115/125 	Not SDT

Bench
8x45
3x95
2x115
1x135
1x145

6x155
7x155
6x155

10x115

Week 	Lifts 	Progression
1 	4x155 ,3x155 	BV
2 	4x140, 4x140 	NBV :)
3 	5x140, 5x140 	SP-R
4 	5x140, 5x145, 6x140 	DP-R,S
5 	3x6x145 	SP-R
6 	6x145, 6x150, 7x145 	DP-R,W
7 	2x155, 6x150, 6x150, 7x150 	DP-R,W
8 	6x155, 7x155, 6x155 	SP, W

Chins-trying hard to manage fatigue better than last week, so skipped the density session and just did a few sets to near-failure.
Squats-also along the line of fatigue management, decided not to do SDT for the moment, just some singles. Work load right around 2000 pounds.
Bench-here's where I wanted to invest my energy for this session. Work load around 3000 pounds.

_________________
Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan