Pivot Block. Cycle 1. Session A and B.

BW - 225

Session A:

5-3-0 Tempo Squat - 215X6, 6, 6 @~7

Single-Leg Horizontal Leg Press - 135X8, 8, 8 @~7

Single-Arm Chest Supported Row - 25X5, 5, 5 @7

DB Curls - 

20sX12 @~7

25sX12 @~8

Session B:

5-3-0 Tempo Bench - 125X5, 5, 5 @7/8.5

Standing DB Press - 40sX7, 7 @7, 8

Machine Pullovers - 65X10, 9 @9

Flexed Arm Hanging Curl Ups - BWX4, 4 @~9

LISS - 25 minute brisk walk home

Missed two weeks of training due to a variety of health issues.  Doctor's orders not to go to heavy pending my next specialist consultation.  So a two week pivot to prepare for what will hopefully be my next dev block. 

This was all fine, although (and I've noticed this before) it seems like after a complete layoff, RPE increase much more drastically between work sets.

Block 7. Cycle 2. Session B.

BW - 226

Waist - 42.5"

Bench -
237.5X1 @8
242.5X1 @8.75
247.5X1 @9.25
215X4 @~8
195X7 @8.25

Chain Squats - 300+45(345)X3, 3, 3, 3@8

Deadlift Paused below Knee - 290X4, 4, 4 @~7.5

Solid session.

Tried to push Bench a bit a overshot slightly.  Still a slight increase in e1RM over last time.

Also pushed Chains Squats.  I had adductor DOMS going into my last session with these, and knew that was limiting me.  Upped the bar weight by 15# this time, and these were @8 max.  Felt good.

Did NOT want to DL afterwards, however.  Could have gone up in weight on these a little bit, but was just feeling gassed and ready to get it over with so stuck with the target weights.

Video is of top sets, and final work sets.

Block 7. Cycle 2. Session A.

BW - 228

Waist - 42.5"

Squat -
355X1 @8
362.5X1 @8.75
367.5X1 @8.75
322.5X4, 4 @8
292.5X7 @7.5

Paused Bench - 190X4, 4, 4 @8

Deadlift w/ Straps - 345X3, 3, 3, 3 @8

Solid session even though I was dog tired running on only 4 hours of sleep.  I got an iced coffee on the commute to the gym, and just kept topping it off with water all session to keep the caffeine drip running.  Seemed like it may have helped get through.

Squats felt pretty good.  The second to last single was on the heavy side, but then the top single felt as easy if not easier.  I thought about going up one more, but I didn't want to push it with so much work still to do in the session.  Back-offs all felt very good.

I pushed the weight up a bit more than projected on both Paused Bench and DL w/ Straps.  All went pretty well.  DL felt fairly heavy, but still @~8, and it IS meant as overload, so...

Video is of top sets and final work sets in each rep range.

Block 7. Cycle 1. Session C.

BW - 228

Waist - 42.5"

Deadlift -
365X1 @8
370X1 @8.5
375X1 @9
330X4, 4 @~8
300X6 @8

Beltless Squat - 297.5X4, 4, 4 @~8

Single-Ply Bench - 230X3, 3, 3, 3 @8

Good session.

I had a feeling that DL was going to be better than my Training Max would indicate and it was.  This projects to be around the same e1RM as I ended the last block.  Not sure why this happened, or why I intuited it, but it was nice to have happen.  I did fatigue a bit by the end, and ended up only doing 6 reps on the last back-off set.  That set is meant to be 5-7 stopping @8, so that's fine.

I haven't done beltless worksets on Squat in a while so I had no idea what to expect.  This weight came in around 93% of Monday's belted Squat.  I was a little nervous about heavy-ish squatting with no belt, especially after DL, but it seemed fine.

A buddy at the gym gave me an extra single-ply, Inzer Blast bench shirt a while back, and I'm trying it out this block as my bench overload movement.  I cut open the back to make it easier to get on and off.  I thought I might get as much as 20% out of it, but starting off this is about 105% of Wednesday's regular bench.  Interested to see where this goes.

Video is of top sets and final work sets in each rep range.

Block 7. Cycle 1. Session B.

BW - 223

Waist - 42.75"

Bench -
230X1 @ 8
235X1 @8.75
240X1 @8.75
215X4 @8.5
212.5X4 @8.25
190X7 @7.75

Chain Squats - 285+45(330)X3, 3, 3, 3, @8

Pause Deadlift - 285X4, 4, 4 @~8

Interesting session.

Bench was a little bit difficult to get dialed-in, but I did hit my target top single relatively easily, but then the back-off weights didn't quite line up with that projection.  I think execution on the top set was just above average.

I'd expected to get a lot more weight on the bar for Chain Squats.  I was struggling with some lingering adductor DOMS from Monday's Squat session, and that was likely a confounder.  I'd expect this to climb as I get re-acclimated to regular training.  Still, the proprioception of the heavy weight in the walk out and the descent may be a bigger factor that I anticipated.  I'd been hoping for an e1RM on these 5-10% over regular squat, but this was only about 0.7%. 

Pause Deadlifts went slightly better than expected.  Had targeted 90% of Deadlift TM.  We'll see what the actual DL ends up being on Friday.

Video is of top sets and final work sets in each rep range.