Block 17. Cycle 1. Session B.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 218

Bench -

215X1 @8

185X3, 3 @~6

175X3 @5

Chin-Ups - BWX4 @7

Density - 2 reps every 0:30; 3:00; 12 total reps @8

DB 1-Arm Rows - 75X10 @7

Squat -

320X3 @5.5

195X14 @5

DB Curls - 30sX10 @6.5

As expected, this session was much tougher than session A.  I decided to move Squats from Slot A3 to Slot B3 because I put Deficit DL in A4.  Because DL is a focus this block, I decided it was better to be fresher for the DL accessory than for Squats.  I may need to either give myself a much longer break between the upper-back work and the Squatting, or pull back a little on RPE on 1-2 of the upper back movements.  Those Density Chins are really high in short-term fatigue, and I do want to try and keep sRPE <@8 or lower on average this block.  I kept it <@7 on average last block, and believe I saw benefits from that.

On the bench, I'm trying out an idea this block that the Data Driven Strength guys talk a lot about: A highly specific top set, followed by low-rep / low-RPE volume work.  Aiming to keep rest times between the volume triples at around 90 seconds.  Once the block is fully ramped up, should be doing 1@9 followed by 5X3 @6.  Overshot RPE slightly here in the low fatigue intro week.  

Block 17. Cycle 1. Session A.

sRPE @5.5

BW - 219

Curls - 62.5X10 @10

Press - 

130X2 @6.5

85X12 @5

Upright Rows - 65X15 @6

Toes-to-Bar - BWX2, 2 @~7

Plate Deficit DL - 300X5 @5.5

Curls were pretty weak to start of the block.  Pretty massive drop-off.  Hopefully I'll see a bounceback next week.

Everything else was more or less on target.  Press felt strong.

Block 16. Quick Recap.

 Solid block.

Average sRPE ended up being ~6.5.  I was targeting 7, but I also had two sessions get split out into 4 smaller sessions for occasional group training with friends.  That being said, aches and pains from training were very minimal, and there were none that made me have to alter my training plan.

As has been usual with this approach, I started hitting Rep and/or Volume PRs around mid-block.  The glaring exception to this was Bench.  I did get a 3X10 PR, but the 3rd set was near-maximal.

This was block 1 of 2 focusing on Curls, Bench, Deadlift, so I'm hopeful that "the way is prepared" for some Bench PRs next block.

I started tracking a "maxi-total" in Block 13.  That is the combined peak e1RM for each of the 8 lifts I consider my benchmarks: S, B, D, P, Chins, Dips, Curls, TTB.  That block I posted a 2255, but then Block 14 was a pretty crap block for me.  I started digging out last block with mixed results, but now have climbed back up and hit a new high of 2380.

Inner-cycle, week-to-week improvement after week 1 was solid at an average of 8.3%, but inter-cycle from the end of the previous block was even better with an average of 5.8%.  That's by far my best cycle-over-cycle improvement since I expanded tracking beyond the powerlifts.

This block was best for:

Curls: 9.5% increase inner-cycle; 14.25% increase inter-cycle; 9 Rep PR

Deadlift: 8.5% inner-cycle; 14.1% increase inter-cycle; 3 Rep PR

Chin-Ups: 11% inner-cycle; 4% inter-cycle; 9 Rep PR

Dips: 5.4% inner-cycle; 7.6% inter-cycle; 1/6/10 Rep PRs

This block was worse for:

Toes-to-Bar: 2% inner-cycle; -1.67% inter-cycle; 3X4 PR

Bench: 6.5% inner-cycle; 2.3% inter-cycle; 3X10 PR

Block 16. Cycle 7. Session C.

 BW - 217

sRPE @5.5

Dips - 

BW+85X6 @10

BW+45X10@9

PJR Pullovers - 65X15@8

Continuing with final cycle fun, decided to AMRAP 300 total pounds on Dips.  302 (BW+85) is a 1 Rep PR on Dips, and I got 6.  

All the other stuff I would have done on this day is getting done in group training tomorrow.

Block 16. Cycle 7. Session B.

BW - 219

sRPE @6

Bench - 245X1 @9.75

Chin-Ups - BWX9 @9.65

Rope Rows - X8, 9 @8/10

Toes-to-Bar - BWX4, 4, 4 @~8

Incline DB Curls - 40sX9, 9 @9/10

Kept with the final week theme of reaching for some heavier weights and or PRs and otherwise cutting back on things.

Decided to max-ish Bench.  Not quite where I'd hoped it would be at the end of this block, but still my heaviest actual bench since Nov. '19.  Did a lot of 10s this block, and will do some more low rep volume next block and see if that transfers better (not the case with all my lifts, but maybe this one).  Definitely started re-learning some heavy bench lessons towards the end of this block.

219(BW)X9 on Chins is a Rep PR since I tried to re-set my form to a longer ROM.  I haven't videoed my chins in a while because the reps were so low that I assumed they were a good ROM.  I should probably grab videos now anytime I think I might have a PR to keep myself honest.

219(BW) for 3X4 is a Volume PR on TTB.

Block 16. Cycle 7. Session A.

BW - 219

sRPE @6.5

Curls -

80X9, 9 @8/9.5

Slower Eccentric - 65X9 @10 

Press - 160X1 @10

DB Laterals - 30sX14@10

Squat - 385X2 @9

GHR - BWX15, 16 @8.5/9.5

As is common in the last week of a training block, I find myself dropping volume a bit and reaching for some stuff for fun.

80X9 is a Rep PR on Curls.  Did a couple of those and then did more of a "bodybuilding" backoff set with a slower eccentric to failure.  Dropped the 4th workset I'd been doing.

Decided to max Press.  This was nice because it both indicated a slight increase in 1RM over the prior week's estimate and was almost EXACTLY what I estimated e1RM to be at for this week.  I don't usually get in my head about the difference between RPE based E1RM and "actual," but it was nice to see this.  The rep was a real grind.  Been a while since I'd done one of those.

Dropped the high-rep back-off set, and just did one AMRAP on laterals instead of two sets.

Worked up to a heavier double on Squat than I've been doing in this block to see what that was like.  This is my heaviest sqaut since I did a 387.5X1 @8.25 in November of last year.  This seems like at least slight improvement over that.  Interestingly, that training block also had Session A's that went Curls, Press, Squat.

Also dropped the back-off sets of 10 on Squat.  I had it as a possibility to do a 3X10 Volume PR on this day, but that just sounded hard in a boring way, and not in a fun way.

Block 16. Cycle 6. Sessions B and C.

Session B:

BW - 217

sRPE @7.5

Bench -

235X1 @9

175X10, 10, 8 @6/8

Chin-Ups - 

BWX7 @9

Density Block; 1 rep every 0:10; 2:00 (12 total reps) @10

Rope Rows - X8,9 @8/10

Toes-to-Bar - BWX3, 3, @7

Incline DB Curls - 35sX12, 8 @7.5/10

Session C:

BW - 219

sRPE @8

Deadlift -

405X3 @8.25

330X8, 8 @~6

Dips - BW+50X10 @7

PJR Pullovers - 85X8 @7

DB Bench - 65sX8, 8, 12 @7/9.5

Drag Curls - 60X10, 12 @8/10

Fatigue is definitely building up.  Went into that last session thinking I needed to drop some volume but only cut volume on the pullovers.  Need to really gauge my fatigue next week when I'm trying to close out the block.

The bench day was fairly flat.  Those density chins in 10 second intervals fucking suck.

However, on DL 405X3 is a Rep PR, and 330 for 2X8 is a Volume PR.  Those were nice.

269 (BW+50)X10 is also a Rep PR on Dips.

Block 16. Cycle 6. Session A.

BW - 219

sRPE @7.5

BB Curls - 77.5X9, 9, 9, 9 @8/9

Press -

142.5X1 @7.25

75X17 @6

DB Laterals - 30sX15, 11 @8/10

Squat -

350X2 @7

245X10, 10 @~5

GHR (slightly higher setting than last week) - BWX12, 10 @~8

77.5X9 is a Rep PR for curls.  As always, nice to get single-set rep PRs for sets across.  As usual in the last couple of weeks of a training block, I'm letting rest times increase set-to-set to try and keep the same weight in target RPE range.  I think I took 3:15 between the 3rd and 4th sets here.

Press single was a bit flat from last week, but 75X17 is a Rep PR.

Block 16. Cycle 5. Session C.

BW - 222

sRPE @7.5

Deadlift -

395X3 @8

325X8, 8 @6/7

Dips - BW+37.5X10 @7

PJR Pull-Overs - 85X8, 9 @8/9.5

DB Bench - 35sX8, 8, 10 @7/9.75

Drag Curls - 57.5X8, 10 @8/10

Tumult in my schedule caused me to have to move this Friday afternoon session to Sunday AM.  Probably my least favorite time to train during the week.  While I think that may have bumped up the sRPE slightly, the results were still pretty good:

On Deadlift, 395X3 is a Rep PR and 325 for 2X8 is a Volume PR.  Last couple of years have been really good for DL PRs.  Since September of 2019, I've hit Rep PRs on DL at every interval from 1 rep up to 15 reps except 5 reps (because fuck sets of 5, lol).  I 100% credit this to: A) normalizing my set and rep schemes to be similar to what I do for any other lift; i.e. not afraid to do more than 1-3 sets, and not afraid do do medium-to-high reps, and B) doing reps touch-and-go.  More volume and variety, and more intra-set tension.

260 (BW+37.5)X10 is a Rep PR on Dips.

Accessories were all solid.  As I'm typing this 24 hours later, I'm still amazed by the DOMS I'm getting from PJR Pullovers 5 weeks into this training block.

Block 16. Cycle 5. Session B.

 BW - 221

sRPE @7.5

Bench - 

235X1 @8.75

170X10, 10, 10 @7/9

Chin-Ups -

BWX6 @8

Density block; 1 rep every 0:10; 3:20 (20 total Reps ) @9

Rope Rows - X8 @9.5

Toes-to-Bar - BWX4, 2 @9/7

DB Incline Curls - 35sX12, 10 @8/10

170 for 3X10 is a Volume PR on bench.  3rd set was harder than I hoped it would be, but I also added the 3rd set this week.  2 more weeks in this block to see if the RPE stabilizes. 

Density Chins were still really tough even though I backed off total time/reps.  Going to pull that WAY back next week.  Don't need to be hitting @9s on secondary, compound movements if I want to keep sRPE moderate.

TTB was also tough.  Maybe just a tough day.