HLM. Week 9. Day 1.

BW - 221

Squat -
385X3
310X5, 5, 5, 5

High-Incline Bench - 150X5, 5, 5, 5

Chin-Ups - X3, 3, 3

BB Rows - 200X3, 3, 3

My quads are getting really achy.  Kind of a DOMS way, but kind of unusual as well.  They were distractingly achy during my first back-off set of squats.  And I woke up to them aching this morning.  For me, DOMS is usually a 24-48 hours later thing.  I would think it had to do with diet, but I don't see a reason why that would be effecting my quads and not anything else.  It may just be that back squat objective intensities are just the highest of any of my lifts.  I'm going to try using RPE to see if it raises the objective intensity of my Squat assistance movements so that my legs get more acclimated to heavier loads.  I started off this program with assistance at 80% of BACK-OFF sets on light day, and 90% on medium.  I've been saying they were too light, so I think that's biting me in the ass.

Anyway, top set of Squats felt @ 9.  Didn't get much sleep the night before.

Last back-off set felt @ 8.  Fatigue was tempting me to rush these AND get sloppy with them.  Really had to focus to be both patient and focused.

Last set of Inclines felt @ 8.  Looks fast though.  Again, poor sleep.

Had to use the shitty pull up station for neutral grips.  They were fine.  Was hoping my lighter bodyweight would make a noticeable difference, but I guess 3% isn't that big an off set, haha.

Rows were fine.  No straps.  Played around with hook grip a little, but finished with plain ol' DOH.  Gym was crowded so no video.

HLM. Week 8. Day 3.

BW - 222

Safety Bar Squats - 260X5, 5, 5, 5

Press -
150X3
120X5, 5, 5, 5

Deadlift - 345X3, 3

Tempting to credit the first week of diet work from BBM with the weight loss here, but it was also a weekend morning session as opposed to my usual weekday afternoon.  Still, that's my lowest bodyweight since April '17.

Top set of SSB felt @ 7.5, looks @ 6.5.  I'm a couple weeks into documenting this "feels" RPE and "speed" RPE data, so it's time to start thinking about how I want to use it.

Top set of Press felt @9.5, looks about like that.  It's so strange because the first two reps looks like I could do a set of 5, but just a little bit of bar path deviation ups the difficulty on the 3rd rep into max effort territory.

Last back-off set felt @ 7, and looks @ 6.  For me, there seems to be two kinds of "feels" RPEs right now: Strength and Fatigue.  This felt @ 7 because I was just getting gassed.  I guess the lesson here is that I should add some conditioning in, and get my work capacity up.

2nd set of DL felt @ 7 and looks @ 6.  Definitely not heavy enough, but I hope that's in part because the programming has been working.

HLM. Week 8. Day 2.

BW - 226

High Bar Pause Squat - 230X5, 5, 5

Bench -
230X5
185X5, 5, 5

Deadlift - Elevated 5" (4" block + 1" mat) -
275X5 @ 6
290X5 @ 6.5
305X5 @ 7
315X5 @ 7
345X5, 5 @ 8

Paused HBS were all very easy being at the beginning of a wave.  @6-7, but I forgot to take notes.  Last set shown.

Top set of Bench felt @ 8, looks @7.

Back-offs were very easy.  Again, the beginning of a wave, but probably still too easy.  I need to adjust either by % or by going off of top set RPE.  Felt @ 6, looks @ 6.

Benching across from me on this day was powerlifting legend, Beau Moore.  Just casually benching 455 with no lift off or spotter.  Said hello, and shook his meaty, meaty hand.  Friendly guy.

So I had a few back spasms this week.  I used to get them more frequently, and I've often associated them with RDLs.  RDLs seem to help my Deadlift, but they also seem to aggravate my spine.  I thought I was toeing the water with only 2 sets a week, but here we are again.  OK.  To be fair, when I say that RDLs have always helped my DL, I haven't tried that many DL variations.  Basically just RDL and deficit pulls off of a plate. 

So I decided to try block pulls from about the same height as my RDL depth.  I'm still using straps so I can focus on technique and not on grip, but I did work up to 275 double-overhand before I added the straps.  I had no idea what the weight would be so I decided to work up to a set of 5 with 275, and titrate up, rating RPE as I went, and adding 5% at a time.  I ended up making a double-sized jump to 345 from 315, but that ended up being about the right weight.  Now I was surprised that I was able to do 345X5 @ 8 for multiple sets here (I could have done more than 2 sets, but wanted to play it safe because of all the volume leading up to this weight).  In fact, this is the same weight I'm programmed to do for two sets of triples on Friday from the floor.  That either means that my DL strength is lapping my programming, or this block height is NOT disadvantageous for me.  Next week I will try lowering it to just the 4" block and see if that takes some weight off the bar.  Still want this to be a "medium" day.  The last set felt @ 8, looks @ 7.5.

HLM. Week 8. Day 1.

BW - 227*

Squat -
365X5
290X5, 5, 5

High Incline Bench - 145X5, 5, 5, 5

Chin-Ups (neutral grip) - BWX3, 3, 3

BB Rows - 190X5, 5, 5

*Day 1 of a new diet.  I'm working with a dietitian from Barbell Medicine.  BW should start to drop going forward, and training will have to be adjusted as necessary.  That could go a couple of ways.  The one thing I want to make sure is that I'm both keeping practice of high intensity weights in the program, but that I'm also keeping plenty of volume in.  So, will continue with top sets and back-off sets, but top sets may stop majority 5s and 3s, and become something more like 1-3 heavy-ish singles before back-off work.

Top set of squats was pretty good on this day.  Felt @ 9, looks @ 8.

Back-offs were all fast.  Last back-off felt @ 7.5, looks @ ~7.

As the Press has continue to feel harder than "it should," I've decided to switch from the lower incline bench for my Medium pressing movement to a higher incline.  To start, I just used last week's top-set weight of Press as my weight.  Maybe on the light end of the correct range.  Last set felt @ 8.5, looks @ 6.5.  It feeling so much harder is probably a fatigue issue plus a bit of "novelty" of the movement.  I may need to seek some guidance on "feels" RPE vs. "speed" RPE. 

Chins were fine.  They continue to not feel any stronger, but also not feel any weaker.  It will be interesting to see what happens with them as I drop weight.

Rows were very easy.  Likely far too easy.  Last set felt @ 6, looks @ 6.

HLM. Week 7. Day 3.

BW - 227

Safety Bar Squats - 290X5, 5, 5, 5

Press -
145X5
115X5, 5, 5

Deadlift - 340X5

290X5 is a Rep PR on SSB.  Last set "felt" @ 8.5, bar speed is @ ~7.

Press top set felt @ 10, looks @8.5.  Not sure what to think about that.  Doesn't seem like fatigue.  The warm-up sets were harder than I would have liked as well.

Last back-off felt @7, looks @7.

Deadlift top-set felt @ 7 for overall strength, but @ 8 for grip.  Bar speed looks @ ~7.  Gonna drop straps for all sets of rows, and see if that's enough of a kick in the butt for grip to keep pace.  I won't drap straps for heavy RDLs because they go to shit double-overhand for me.

HLM. Week 7. Day 2.

BW - 228

High Bar Pause Squats - 255X5, 5, 5

Bench -
255X1
205X5, 5, 5, 5, 5

RDL - 305X5, 5

Last set of paused HBS felt @ 7, looks @ 6.  Rep PR.

255X1 is a PR on Bench.  Felt @ 10.  Didn't get video of last warm-up single, but it was surely faster than this.  Will look to see if the top set of 3 in a couple of weeks feels @9 or less.  Otherwise, could be in trouble.  Last set of back-offs felt @ 8, looks @ 7.

RDL technique was a little all-over the place today, BUT the bar was solid against legs for all but 1 rep.  This last set felt @ 7, and looks max @ 6.

HLM. Week 7. Day 1.

BW - 226

Squat -
400X1, 1
320X5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Low Incline Bench - 205X3, 3, 3, 3

Chin-Ups - BWX2, 3, 3

BB Rows - 185X7, 7, 7

Top set of Squat was a shit show.  It looks like I let my chest drop when I hit the hole, sliding the bar forward of mid-foot, and making the concentric an RPE 10 gut punch.

I decided to take it again.  I'm showing the last warm-up single and this 2nd top single to compare speed on both.  The second single was a "feels" RPE @ 8, but while it was a touch higher than the last warm-up, the speed wasn't much slower, so would be a "bar speed" @ 7.

320X5X5 is a 5X5 PR.  All sets were strong.  I rated this last set @ 7.5, and video looks close to that.

Inclines were fairly tough at this weight.  205X3 is a Rep PR.  Last set was a "feels" @ 9.5, and video was "speed" @ 8.

Chins were fine.  No video.  Tried to stop @ ~9.

Rows were also fine.  I used straps on the last set just to make sure I could focus on the lift.  Last set was "feels" @ 7, and "speed" @ 6.

HLM. Week 6. Day 3.

BW - 227

Safety Squat - 270X5, 5, 5, 5

Press -
150X1
120X5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Deadlift -
350X1, 1, 1
320X5

Going to try tracking RPE "feels" after sets, so that I can compare them to "bar speed" RPE from the video.

Last set of SSB felt @8.  Video says @ 6.  Started dialing-in a new cue to "keep my triceps in my lats" on these.  Felt like upper back looseness was making it difficult to keep my chest "up" coming out of the hole. I believe the lower arm position caused by this bar makes it less natural to keep the upper back muscles tight.  Trying to push my triceps into my lats to open my chest up, and that seemed to help.

Top set of Press felt @9.  Video says about the same.  Was hoping this weight wouldn't feel so tough.

Last back-off set of Press felt @ 8.5.  Video says about 7.5.  These were all fairly easy, so my rating was probably due to keeping rests between back-off sets at 2 minutes or less. 

For the DL, I rated both the first and third top-sets @ 7.5.  Video definitely says they're at about the same speed.  Not sure about RPE.  May need to film my last warm-up set in order to get accurate bar speed RPE for singles.  These all felt smooth, and relatively easy.

For the back-off set, it felt @ 7.  Video says about 6.5.

HLM. Week 6. Day 2.

BW - 227

High Bar Pause Squat - 245X5, 5, 5

Bench -
240X3
190X5, 5, 5, 5

RDL - 320X5, 5

No easily perceptible change in bar speed between the first and last reps of the last set.  So probably RPE 6 at most.  Going back and looking at my heaviest session with this movement from a few weeks ago, that would appear to be the same there.  I probably need to up the intensity a bit to get into @7-8 range at least for the last set (shown).

Top set of Bench is interesting.  Felt like at RPE 9-9.5, but bar speed between 1st and 3rd rep looks more like @7.5.  Mis-grooved the 2nd rep which made it feel harder than it should have been.  But technique break-down often comes with high-intensity work.  As far as the discrepancy  between "bar speed RPE" and "feels RPE," I would submit that my bench strength tends to drop off a cliff more-so than other lifts.  Nevertheless, I will try to keep this discrepancy in mind.   Back off -sets were all easy <@6.  Top-set and last back-off shown.

I think I'm finally figuring out some stuff on the RDL bar path.  I'm just not pushing my butt back far enough to keep the bar in contact with my legs throughout.  This really felt like it started to click half-way through the last set.  For me, the cue might not just be "butt back" OR "bar on legs," but rather BOTH push back so that the bar feels SOLID against the legs.  The only thing is that my low back "feels" less extended this way, although it looks fine.  No real difference in the bar speed between first and last reps, but it "feels" tough, so I'm gonna call the 2nd set @6.  Last set shown.

HLM. Week 6. Day 1.

BW - ??? (un-reliable scale at away gym)

Squat -
365X3
305X5, 5, 5, 5

Medium Incline Bench -
165X1
145X5, 5, 5, 5

Chin-Ups - BWX3, 3, 3, 3

BB Rows - 195X3, 3, 3

Had a conflict tonight, and so got my work-out in at an "away" gym that I found in the area.  The gym was mostly fine, however none of the barbells had a center knurling, and the only spare belt they had was a nylon and velcro affair. 

Because of the above, I conservatively lowered my top-set weight for squats from 380 to 365.  I kept the back-off weight the same, however.  Top set weight was fine, however the old problem of sliding forward at parallel instead of dropping down below parallel crept back in here.  Something to watch out for.  Same problem was apparent on a few reps of the back-off sets.  Top-set and last back-off shown.

The incline benches at this gym were standard 45 degrees, whereas the one I usually use is more horizontal.  To gauge it, I worked up to a heavy-ish single, and then backed off.  The back-off weight ended up being a bit too light, so I just kept rest periods down.  Main floor of this gym was packed, so no video of anything but Squats.

No neutral grip chin options available, so these were all supinated.  Felt fine on my wrist actually, and generally fairly strong.  Still tried to keep all sets below RPE 10.  Last was probably @10, but whatevs.

BB Rows, were not from the floor, but from a fairly horizontal hang position.  Wasn't sure if the staff would appreciate me doing Pendlay's on their regular gym floor with iron plates even though it was a padded floor.  These were fine.

HLM. Week 5. Day 3.

BW - 229

Safety Bar Squats - 260X5, 5, 5, 5

Press -
142.5X3
145X3
115X5, 5, 5

Deadlift - 340X3, 3

SSB squats were fairly easy with the Wave 1 weight reduction.  Last set shown.

Mis-loaded the top set of Press with a 5 on one side, and a 2.5 on the other.  Decided to reset with the correct weight, do the set, and then just drop one set off the back-off work so that the total volume "slots" were the same.  Correct top-set and last back-off shown.

Deadlifts felt great.  This is 50 lbs. off my best 2X3, so it SHOULD, but is HASN'T, so I'm HAPPY.  Last set shown.