Andy's journal

[Jungledoc]

Saturday, 28 April

c25w2d4 bench accessory, heavy chins, press maintenance, heavy rows

DB Floor Press
8x25
5x35
3x45
3x5x55

Weighted Chins
BW 1/2/3
1x BW+25
1x +45
1x +55
1x +50
1x +45
1x +45

Press
8x45
5x65
2x85
1x92.5
2x105
2x105
2x105
2x105
2x105

DB Row
8x55
3x65
2x75
6x80
6x80
7x80

Floor press—haven't ever done DB floor press, but after the recent discussion with KPj, I want to use these for a few weeks. I assumed that because of the limited ROM I'd lift a little heavier than DB bench. However, lifting from a dead stop with the elbows on the floor, it is a bit harder. I won't do this forever.

Chins—RM not as high as a few weeks ago. Hmm.

Press—hard, but I skipped this last time, so maybe it should be hard.

Rows—Why do I love DB rows so much?

Overall, I've been battling a bit with fatigue. There are other issues in my life than just lifting that I need to deal with better. I'm looking forward to the arrival of my best lifting partner, my son Sam in less than 2 weeks. In the last year he has started squatting and DLing (after years of only training the "mirror muscles"), so it will be fun to lift with him. He and I both want to test maxes shortly after he arrives, so I'm trying to plan a deload to coordinate with that. We don't really compete (he's way stronger than I am) but we like to hit new PRs at about the same time. He's also bringing his new girlfriend who is just starting to lift, and wants my help with programing her training. Interesting and risky!

[Jungledoc]

Tuesday, 1 May

c25w3d1 deadlift, squat accessory, grip

Deadlift
10x45
5x95
3x135
2x185
1x225
1x245
1x265
1x275
4x285
4x285
4x285

Bulgarian Split Squat
5x10xBW

Static Barbell Holds
225x10sec
175x6
315x6
335x4
345x3
345x3
315x5

DL—decided on the fly today to do basic progression reset to a new weight at the base volume, and 185 seemed reasonable. This will give me a slightly smaller volume for fatigue management. Thinking about a possible max week, this may be my last DL workout before a deload and a max.

Bulgarians—I'm really tired, and sleep-deprived today. I wanted to adjust the workout a bit to allow for this, and I want to keep up the total reps for this movement, so I went with all-BW for today.

Static Holds—I'm sorry, Joe, but 3 seconds just doesn't do it for me. I don't feel like I've arrived before the party is over. I think I'll shoot for about 6 seconds most of the time.

Planning—My son and all-time best lifting partner will be arriving home in a week. In the past year, he has taken up DL and squatting, thanks to the influence of a college friend (where the dad apparently had no influence!) We've talked for a while about maxing together when he comes. He and I are not really competitive directly against each other (he's much stronger than me), but there's something companionable about hitting new maxes at the same time. He wants to get in at least a week of training after he gets here, and probably won't deload before we max. That means that this is the my last microcycle ("week") before I deload, so I can be ready to max with him.

Progression tables for my main lifts are here

[Jungledoc]

Thursday, 3 May

c25w3d2 bench, chins, rows

Bench ("singles scene")
8x45
5x95
3x115
2x135
1x155

1x175
1x185
1x185
1x190
1x175
1x175
1x175
1x180
1x180
1x180

Chins (volume)
1/8/8

Omitted rows

Bench—I feel really good about bench right now. The 190 is my PR, and I hit 10 singles within 90% of that. After I hit the 190, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get 6 more singles, so I was doing the minimum. Realized that I had more, and went up to 180 for the last 3. Couldda done more, but I feel good about the coming max. I'm thinking 200.

Work has been long and hard lately. We're short of doctors, but, sadly, not short of sick people. Clinic has been running until 5 and sometimes after for the last couple of weeks. It won't be much better for a while. One of the docs gets back from the US next week, but then there is a series of vacations and other trips away for other doctors over the next few weeks. So it will be a while until I can plan on consistently getting to the gym and then home at a good time. This won't be the last w/o I'll have to cut short in the next few weeks.

[Jungledoc]

Saturday, 5 May

c25w3d3 squat, PC, core

Squat
8x45
5x95
2x135
1x155
1x175
1x195
5x2x215

Pull-Through
15x55
15x70
12x75
12x75

Pallof "Press"
3x10secx20lb
3x10x25
3x10x25

Squat—a lot of hard work today, not feeling strong like the last couple of sessions. Just hard work.

Progression tables for main lifts

[Jungledoc]

Tuesday, 8 May

c25w3d4 bench accessory, heavy chins, press maintenance, heavy rows

DB Floor Press
8x25
8x35
3x45
5x55
5x55
7x55

Weighted Chin-ups
BWx1/2
2xBW+10
1x +25
1x +35
3x +45
3x +45
3x +45

Press
5x52
3x72
1x82
1x92
1x102
1x112
1x112
1x102
1x102

DB Rows
5x55
3x65
2x75
4x85
5x80
5x80

Floor press—still harder than I think they should be.

Weighted chins—I was happy to get all 3 sets!

Press—not bad for a lift I'm not really training.

Rows—hoped to progress a little faster, but I'll take what I can get.

Delayed today's workout from yesterday. We've had two of the longest days at work we've had in years, and yesterday I was coming off call with short sleep, so I waited until today. It was an even longer day, but I felt a lot better. Next workout will be with my son!

[Jungledoc]

Thursday, 10 May

c25w4d1 Deadlift, Squat accessory, Grip

Deadlift
8x45
5x95
3x135
2x185
1x225
1x255
1x275
5x285
5x285
5x285

Bulgarians
3x10xBW

Static Holds
225x10sec
275x10sec
315x7sec

First workout lifting with my son, Sam. He DLd lightly, did some curls. Limited time, so Bulgarians and holds SS, and shortened.

[Jungledoc]

Sunday, 13 May

c25w4d2 Bench, Volume Chins, Light Rows

Bench
10x45
5x95
3x115
2x135
1x155
1x175
1x175
1x185
1x185

Chins
1/2/8/8/7/4/5/4/3/3/3/3 (51)

Seated Cable Rows
12x50
12x60
12x60 (supinated grip)
10x70 (supinated grip)

Weak all around tonight. Enjoyed lifting with my son.

[Jungledoc]

Wednesday, 16 May

c25w4d3 Squat, PC, Core

Squat
8x45
5x95
2x135
1x175
1x185
3x215
3x215
3x215
4x215

Pull-Through
15x55
15x70
12x75
10x80

Pallof
4repsx20lbx10sec
3x30x7
3x30x7

Not a lot to say. Good workout. Schedule has been crazy, with lots of interruptions in the planned workout days.

[Jungledoc]

Thursday, 17 May

c25w4d4, Bench accessory, PC, Press, Heavy Row

DB Bench
8x25
6x35
5x45
6x55
4x60
3x60
4x60

Chins, Weighted
1xBW
2xBW
2xBW+10
1x +25
1x +35
1x +45
2x +50
2x +45
2x +45

Press and DB Rows are postponed

DB Bench—I'm feeling like these have more for me right now than floor press

Chins—Rep record

Late work today, didn't get to gym until almost 5:30, needed to be home by 6:30. This "week" has gotten stretch out severely. I hope I can get things together better next week.

[Jungledoc]

Sunday, 20 May

c26w1d1 Deadlift, Squat Accessory, Grip

Deadlift
8x45
5x95
3x135
2x185
1x225
1x245
1x265
1x275
5x285
6x285
6x285

Bulgarian/Static Hold intersetted

Bulgarians
10xBW
10xBW
10xBW+25
10xBW
10xBW

Static Hold
225x10 seconds
275x10
225x8
235x8
245x3
245x3
225x7

Deadlift—heavy today. I'm feeling sore this evening, and really tired.

Bulgarian—a little more balance issue than the last few times.

Static Holds—I think my usual approach of counting seconds myself isn't very accurate. Q or Sam timed me today.

Overall, a tough day. There's a lot going on in my life right now, but I need to lift and do it regularly.

[Jungledoc]

Wednesday, 23 May

c26w1d2 Bench, Chins (volume), Rows (light)

Bench (1s, 2s, & 3s—2s today)
8x45
5x95
3x115
2x135
1x155
1x175
2x180
2x180
2x180
2x175
3x175

Chins, volume
ladder to 8 and back—64 reps total

Row, seated cable
15x60 overhand
12x60 underhand
12x70 OH
13x70 UH

Bench—supposed to be 5x2, but on the 3rd set felt like I didn't have 2 more sets in me, so I took 5 off, did an easy double, then the last double was so easy I did an extra rep.

Chins—strong on this for some reason. More volume than I usually manage

Rows—just rows

I love lifting with Sam. He occasionally asks my advice, and very occasionally takes it.

[Jungledoc]

Friday, 25 May

c25w1d3 Squat, PC, Core

Squat
8x45
5x95
3x135
1x155
1x175
1x195
1x215
5x2x220

DB Swings
10x30
10x40
10x50
8x50
10x50

Paloff
20 poundsx4repsx10seconds
30x4x10
30x3x7

Squats—gettin heavy for me

DB Swings—Sam took a Kettlebells class at uni this past semester, and this seems like a good thing to do together.

Pallof—just gettin it in

[Jungledoc]

Monday, 28 May

c26w1d4 Bench accessory, Heavy Chins, Press Maintenance, Heavy Rows

Band-resisted BB bench
8x45
Purple* + 45 x 8
+95 x 5
+115 x 3
+135 x 3
+135 x 3
+135 x 6
*we are estimating that the pair of purple bands add about 40 at the top

Weighted Chins
1xBW
2xBW
2xBW+10
1x +25
1x +45
1x +60
3x1x +50

Press
5x52
3x72
1x82
1x92
3x1x102

DB Rows
8x45
3x65
3x5x87

Bench—have the bands, and Sam likes to do these.

Chins—the 60 is a PR

Press—

Rows—better this time

[Jungledoc]

Thursday, 7 June

Max Test, Bench and Deadlift

Bench
8x45
3x95
2x115
1x135
1x155
1x175
1x195—New PR
0x200

Deadlift
8x45
5x135
3x185
1x220
1x275
2x295
1x335—NEW PR

Today was supposed to be just bench max with my son, Sam, but when I was done I felt like lifting some more, since I hadn't lifted in over a week. So decided to just do a little light DL in prep for a max text in a couple of days. Each weight felt good, so I kept going. At 259 I decided to go for it. I locked it out cleanly and put it down with the biggest head rush I've ever experienced. Had to sit down. Well, "sit" sounds more graceful than it was. I'm feeling pretty pumped.

Sam, but the way, hasn't been training consistently the past few weeks, what with the end of the semester, new girlfriend, etc, so he hit a pretty good weight for him on bench, but not a PR.

Thanks to Erik and Ash over at GUS for their help and guidance getting through a discouraging time of little progress, and all of you here for you encouragement!

[Jungledoc]

Monday, 11 June

Max test, Squat, DB Row

Squat
5x45
3x95
3x135
1x185
1x205
1x225
1x250, New PR

DB Row
(I only count reps that I complete with each hand so that a plate on each end of the bell touches my trunk)
8x45
3x65
1x85
1x95
0x105
1x105, new PR

Squat—I'm always waffling between too much warm-up and acclimation, and too little. This may have been too little. Oh, well, got the PR.

Row—First attempt at 105, after a clean rep on the left, the end of the bell bumped my right leg. The bar is really long, homemade from pipe to accommodate lots of plates. Sometimes gets in the way. I only touched with one side of the bell. Rested and tried again and got it.

In the past, I have taken deload after a PR, ended up resetting the loading and losing ground. This time the deload came before the max, and in 2 days I'll be ready to pick up where I left off on my current cycle.