Accessory +Biceps. Week 4.

BW - 210 (big breakfast right before)

Machine Pullovers -
Warm-upX15
Work-SetsX15, 12 (straight-weight; same as last week)

Chin-ups - BWX5, 4, 3 (paused at top and bottom)

Pulldowns (neutral grip) - X13, 12, 8 (straight-weight; same as last week)

Reverse-Grip, EZ Bar, Preacher Curls - 40ishX15, 10, 10, 10
DB Curls - 35sX10, 10, 7, 10
all super-set with
Rope Extensions - X20, 15, 15, 15, 12, 12, 12, 12 (straight-weight; increased over last week)

BB Curls - BarX25

Higher Reps. Week 4. Deadlift

BW - 208

Deadlift -
135X5, 5
185X5
225X4
275X3
315X2
355X2

1/2" Deficits - 295X5, 5, 5, 5

BB Rows - 155X16, 9, 8, 8
DB Rows - 65'sX12, 12
all rows super-set with
Leg Curls - X20, 16, 15, 12, 12, 12 (straight-weight; same weight as last week)

Solid session.  Regular Deadlifts are just intended as a warm-up for the deficits, but the 315X2 felt so easy that I resolved to pull 355 for a double.  All good.

Conditioning is still the main obstacle with the sets of 5 across on deficits, but it seems to be steadily improving.

155X16 is an all-around PR on Rows.

I tried using a decline bench for the DB rows with my shin against the low end, and my forearm set across the peak.  I believe I was feeling it in my mid back a bit more, so I'll try that a few more times to see.

Supersets continue to have me sweating like a fiend.

Higher Reps. Week 4. Bench

BW - 209

Bench -
BarX20
95X5
135X4
155X3
185X2
195X3

CG Bench (no leg drive) - 165X8, 4, 4

Bench (flat back, no legs) - 135X8, 6, 6

DB Press - 35'sX15, 13, 12, 10

Dips -
BW+25X11
BW+25X6, BWX10 (drop-set)
BWX12
super-set with
DB Curls - 30'sX10, 13, 16

Half intuition and half rational thought led me to decide I've been spending a bit too much time and energy on Incline, when possibly more flat benching would help my...flat bench.  I've been doing close-grips with my regular set-up but no leg drive as my back-off sets for a few weeks.  Today I decided to scrap the Inclines for a while and do some more benching with my normal grip, but with a flat back and also no leg drive.  I just don't think it can hurt to spend more time working the actual pressing muscles with variations in a plane closer to the actual lift.  Since I'm pushing for reps and not weight on the bar in my programming at this time, the weights are a bit lighter and so I don't require as much technique to complete lifts.  We'll see how it goes.

DB Press was a lot stronger without the Incline sets before it, and Dips felt strong as well.

Skipped abs again.  May need to switch out Ab Wheel for something new, just to make it seem less dreadful.

Higher Reps. Week 4. Squat

BW - 209

Squat -
135X5, 5 (paused)
135X5
185X4
225X3
275X2

Pause Squats - 235X3, 3, 3

High Bars - 185X10, 6, 5

Hack Machine -
100X12
120X8

Leg Extensions -
pyramid upX15, 15, 15, 15, 10 (top set heavier than last week)
back-offX24 (heavier than last week)

Lunges - BWX22, 20, 22, 22

Dragging ass heading into the gym today.  Did an extra set each out Pausers and High Bars to try to get my motor going before grinding out the bodybuilding stuff.  235X3 is a Rep PR on Pause Squats, but then the bottom fell out a little bit on High Bars and I came up 2 reps short of last week.

I think the Hack Machine may get cut out of my program.  My right knee has been bothering me, and I'm starting to suspect this machine.  Also, when the reps start to get really hard towards the end of sets, I'm losing some stability in my trunk, and that may be aggravating whatever has been going on with my low back.  What's happening is, because the feet are set against the plate, and my shoulders are set against the pads on the track, whenever there is a stability "leak" my butt kind of starts to move around against the sled.  Maybe I'll switch over to leg presses to get some comparable work in.

For similar reasons, I decided to cut out the hypers this week.  They were supposed to be a buttress against the low back issues, but I'm worried they were aggravating it as well.

Accessory +Biceps. Week 3

BW - 209

Machine Pullovers -
Warm-upX15
Work-setsX14, 11 (straight-weight, same as last session)

Chin-ups (supinated) - BWX5, 4, 4 (paused at top and bottom)

Pulldowns (neutral) - X16, 11, 8 (straight-weight; more than last session)

EZ Bar, Reverse-Gip, Preacher Curls -
30X20
40X20, 15, 10

DB Curls - 35sX10, 10, 10, 10

all curls super-set with
Rope Pushdowns - X28, 22, 18, 12
(changed machines) - X15, 16, 15, 16

Higher Reps. Week 3. Deadlift

BW - 209

Deadlift -
135X5, 5
185X5
225X4
275X3
315X2
345X1

1/2" Deficits - 295X5, 5, 5, 5

BB Rows - 155X15, 9, 8, 8

DB Rows - 65sX12, 12

all rows super-set with
Leg Curls - X20, 16, 15, 12, 12 (straight-weight; increased from last week)

Solid session.  345X1 was easy (used to be stapled to the floor, and was about my max a year ago).

Deficits moved faster as well.  Managed to get 5 reps on all 4 sets, although my conditioning is still getting in the way here.

155X15 is an all-around PR on BB Rows.

DB Rows were smoother.

Hamstrings were lit up pretty much from the first set of curls. 

Higher Reps. Week 3. Bench

BW - 210

Bench -
BarX20
95X5
135X4
155X3
185X2
205X1

CG Bench - 165X8, 5, 3

Incline - 115X13, 9, 7

DB OHP - 35sX10, 12, 10, 7

Dips - BWX17, 15, 9, 10
super-set with
DB Curls - 30sX15, 12, 10, 10

Ab Wheel - X14, 14, 10

Felt tired and weak all afternoon.  All the barbell benching sucked accordingly.

Did the DB pressing sitting on the edge of a flat bench.  Lack of stability made a surprising difference, and my upper-back even started to cramp a little.  Not the point, so I'll go back to an upright bench next time.

Gonna throw some light biceps in with Dips on this day going forward and see how that plays out.

Higher Reps. Week 3. Squat

BW - 212 (coming off weekend vacation)

Squat -
BarX10 (paused)
95X5 (paused)
135X5
185X4
225X3
265X2

Pause Squats - 225X5, 5

High Bars - 185X12, 6

Hack Machine -
50X10
100X10
220X9, 10, 4

Leg Extensions -
pyramid up X15, 15, 15, 15, 10
back off set X20

Lunges - BWX20, 20, 20, 20
no rest super-set with
Hypers - BWX20, 20, 20, 20

Solid session.  The double at 265 was fast.

225X5 is an all-around PR on Pause Squats.  Didn't even occur to me coming into the gym that would be the case.

185X12 on High Bars is only 3 reps off of my best, which was set fresh at the start of a workout.  Getting that close to my best after all the low barring feels solid.

Hacks suck, and seemed to be aggravating my lower back.  Try again next week.

At the end of this session I probably had the biggest quad pump I've ever had.  It felt like my legs wouldn't bend properly at the knee.  Had trouble getting to sleep that night because my quads felt so "tightened up" that I had to lay on my side with my legs folded back to get any relief.

Higher Rep. Week 2. Deadlift

BW - 208

Deadlift -
135X5, 5
185X5
225X4
275X3
315X2
335X1

Deficit Deadlift (1/2" mat) - 295X5, 5, 5, 3

BB Rows - 155X14, 10, 8, 8

DB Rows - 65sX12, 10

all rows super-set with
Leg Curls -
X25, 20, 18, 18 (straight-weight; same as last week)
X15, 16 (increased weight)

Okay session.  Regular deads all felt fest.

When I decided to up the weight on my back-off deficits, I originally pictured starting off with sets of 3.  However, since I was moving straight to deficits without doing back-offs of regular deads, I wanted to see what it was like if I reduced the deficit from a 45lb. plate down to a 1/2" mat.  Before I knew it, I was pulling sets of 5 without thinking about it.  Started to run out of gas on the 3rd set, though, and only ended up pulling 3 on the 4th.  Really more of an energy issue than a strength issue, I believe.

155X14 is an all-around PR on bent rows.

Was sweating my balls off by the time I finished up with all the super-set rows and hamstring curls.  Still trying to push that work capacity and conditioning for whenever this fucking snow and ice finally goes away so that I can start getting some running back in.

Higher Rep. Week 2. Bench

BW - 209

Bench -
BarX20
95X5
135X4
155X3
185X2
195X1

Close-grip, no leg drive - 165X8, 5, 4

Incline - 115X15, 10, 8

DB OHP - 35sX12, 12, 12, 10

Dips -
BW+25X7
BW+25X5 / BWX6 (drop-set)
BWX12

Ab Wheel - X12, 12, 12

I'm tightening up my set-up on bench even more, and it hurts like hell but I can push hard with my legs without my butt coming off the bench.  Finally.  Not sure that if felt any stronger, though...

I moved my grip in to almost the smooth for the back-off sets, and used the same set up but did NOT use any leg drive.  Trying to focus on making the primary movers do all the work.

Incline has been nosediving a bit, so I backed the weight way off in order to facilitate more reps.  We'll see how that goes.

Last week I got a baseline for DB OHP, so now I can move forward on trying to push reps with the 35's.

Everything to this point in the session represented a sharp increase in total volume over past weeks, and so it's no surprise that the weighted dips went into the toilet a bit.  Strength still seemed okay on the final, BW-only set.

Higher Rep. Week 2. Squat

BW - 208

Squat -
BarX10 (paused)
95X5 (paused)
135X5
185X4
225X3
255X2

Pause Squats - 225X3, 3

High Bar Squats - 185X10, 5

Hack Squats - 120X10, 10, 10, 10

Leg Extensions -
Pyramid upX15, 15, 15, 15, 10 (top set heavier than last week)
Back-offX20 (same weight as last week)

Lunges - BWX20, 20
super-set with no rest
Hypers - BWX20, 20

Okay session.  I'll be waving the top double on squats while I'm focused on building some muscle.  It was planned to be a single, but these weights are too light.

I still want to stimulate some top-end strength here while being cautious of whatever's going on with my lower back.  I thought pause squats as the back-off sets fit the ticket pretty well.  They force me to take some weight off the bar, while at the same time I get feedback on what's happening in the hole where my low back needs to keep tight.  This was a "getting reacquainted" session for pausers, and I expect to be pushing this up to 3 sets of 5 (similar to what I've been doing with deficit deads).  225X3 already matches my old Rep PR for these.  I'm much stronger now.  I won't push past 3 sets of 5 because I need to make sure I'm still fresh enough for...

High bars.   These will be the 'main' movent, and are starting here with 185X2XAMAP, or what Paul Carter would call a 50% set.  This is kind of a 2nd back-off set.  But as things progress, I hope to be able to push past 2 sets at this weight, and maybe set some volume PRs.

Hack Squats are so stupid hard, I'm basically ignoring the value of the weight on here.  I don't understand why these are so much harder than leg presses.  Over 5 reps on every set was eye-bulging.

Pushed another plate onto the leg extensions.  Feels like it will be awhile before I get that one up to 15.

I mysteriously cut my lunges/hypers after two sets.  In the light of day, I don't know why that was.  Hypers are much easier now that they're not coming right after a free squat movement.

Accessory +Biceps. Week 1.

BW - 208

Machine Pullovers -
warm-up set
work sets X12, 8 (straight-weight; same as previous session)

Chin-Ups (underhand) - BWX6, 4, 4 (paused at top and bottom)

Pulldowns (medium, neutral-grip) - X16, 13, 15

Reverse-grip, ez-bar, preacher curls -
20X15
30X10, 9, 9, 8

DB Curls - 35sX10, 10, 10, 10

all curls super-set with
Rope Extensions - X20, 20, 22, 18, 15, 15, 15, 16, 16

Ab Wheel - X10, 12

Solid session.  Back to a biceps focus for a few weeks.  Brachialis and triceps are really sore from this, two days later.

Running behind schedule and had to cut the ab work short.

Higher Rep. Week 1. Deadlift

BW - 209

Deadlift -
135X5, 5
185X5
225X4
275X3
315X2
365X1
345X2, 2, 2

Deficit Deads -
275X5, 5
295X5, 3

BB Rows - 155X12, 8, 8, 8
DB Rows - 60X12, 12
all rows super-set with
Leg Curls - X20, 20, 15, 15, 15, 15 (straight-weight)

Hmmmmm.  Think my body might be trying to tell me something.  After last week's deadlift session, something in my low back has felt...off.  I did mobility and stretching all week, didn't have any problems on Squat day, but still came in today with some trepidation.  I didn't exactly feel anything 'wrong' today in that area, but my speed off the floor seemed diminished in the way it often is when I'm coming back from a low-back tweak.  Then lying in bed last night and again this morning, the 'off' feeling in my low back seemed a bit stronger. 

Considering that, and that my squat and bench strength also seem to be waning a little bit, I believe it may be time to make an adjustment.  I'd already started transitioning my accessory work from heavy strength movements to body-building style hypertrophy movements.  I believe it's probably a good idea to back the weights off on the main movements as well.  What I'm considering doing with Deads, as an example, is lowering the top single down to the 315-335 range, and then going straight to deficits as my back-offs.  I bumped the deficits up to 295 in this last session, because 275 is starting to feel to easy.  I might stick with that, but also looking at reducing the deficit from a 45 lb. plate to something a little smaller.  This is all spit-balling right now, but I expect the actual plan to be close to this.  I'm going to spend some time thinking about adjusting the Squat and Bench programming in a similar fashion.

Back to this session, I already noted that I bumped the deficits up to 295 for the last two sets.  If I move forward with that, I might back straight off to sets of 3 instead of trying to push 5's all the time.

155X12 is an all-around PR on BB Rows.  The DB Rows were okay.  It's a movement I suck at, and have to focus really hard not to over-rotate and stress my lower back.  Fucking low back.

All the leg-curls super-setting were tough.  I was sweating like a pig, and those things always make my hamstrings scream.

Higher Rep. Week 1. Bench

BW - 209

Bench -
BarX20
95X5
135X5
155X2
185X2
215X2
165X11
165X5

Incline -
135X8, 5
115X10

DB Press -
25sX12
35sX12
45sX5
35sX11

Dips - BWX20, 15, 10

Still not getting anywhere near that 3rd rep with 215.  It took me six weeks to hit my target for 185, so 215 is only half-way there.  Still feels like it's taking forever.  I attempted a 2nd set, and it was fucking ugly-ass nigh-impossible to get 1 rep with so I'm not even counting it.  So close to attempting, and solidifying a 225 bench...

As long as I'm banging my head against low reps with 215, I will continue to push back-off sets with 165.  My Rep PR with 165 is 12 reps; so only 1 off from that today after grinding on 215.  Nice?

Incline was okay.

Swapping out cambered bench for DB over-heads for a few weeks.  Similar to swapping out Front Squats for Hacks and Leg Extensions on Squat day; this will be a small shift over the next month or two towards body-building style accessory work for more of a hypertrophy focus.  Then when the weather starts cooperating, I will start adding some outdoors stuff and look to gradually transition from hypertrophy to conditioning.

Oh, and I've never done 20 reps on Dips before, so Rep, and all-around, PR.  This alternating weighted and un-weighted every week seems to be working out okay!

Higher Rep. Week 1. Squat

BW - 211

Squat -
BarX10 (paused)
95X5 (paused)
135X5, 5
185X4
225X3
275X3
225X5

High Bars - 225X3, 3, 2

Hack Squats -
90X10, 10, 10
110X10, 10

Leg Extensions -
Pyramid upX15, 15, 15, 13
Back-offX20

Lunges - BWX20, 16, 16, 14
super-set with no rest
Hypers - BWX20, 15, 15, 15

Crap session.  Too much partying this weekend.  Didn't even want to be in the gym.  Squatting all sucked, and had to dump the bar on the last set of High Bars.

Luckily, I'd already planned to swap out some of my barbell accessory work for high-rep, body-building stuff heading into Spring.  That stuff was all fine, and more approachable the way that I felt.