Mid-Rep Volume PRs. Week 5. Session A.

sRPE @9

BW - 222

Squats - 

315X1 @5.5

345X1 @7.5

280X9, 9, 9, 9 @6/9

Bench - 

205X1 @6

225X1 @8

185X9, 9 @8/9

Rope Extensions - X13, 12, 12, 12 @7.5/9

First, full, regular session back after Covid isolation.  Only tried to add 5 lbs. to the main lifts (have been adding 10).  I probably should have repeated the weight from prior sessions instead.

280 for 3+ sets of 9 is a Volume PR on Squats.  I very much wanted to stop after the 2nd set.

I then I fully hit the wall on Bench.  Top set was much harder than the same weight last week, and I was nearing failure by the 2nd volume set.

I called it there for Bench, and added 2 sets to the triceps extensions to get comparable volume for the day if not comparable training stress.

Also probably need to get back on my supplementation routine.  I fell out of the habit of my morning shake during isolation, which means I haven't been getting any creatine.

Mid-Rep Volume PRs. Week 4.5. Session A.

sRPE @5

BW - 221

Bench - up to 225X1 @6.5

Press - 100X6, 6, 6 @~6

Belt Squat - 

140X7 @5

175X4 @6

BB Curls - 55X20, 14 @6.5/9

Just getting back into the gym after an unexpected 1.5 weeks off. 

BBM General S+C Block 1. Cycle 1. Session B.

sRPE @7

BW - 205

Paused Swiss Bar Bench - up to 160X5 @7.5

Leg Press - up to 270X8 @~6.5

Tempo Lever Shrugs (myo-reps) - 200X17 w/straps, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 @~7

Copenhagen Planks - BWX11, 11 @~7

Got my COVID booster and flu shot the day before this session, and I was WIPED OUT.  I expect a lot of these numbers to jump next week if I'm feeling more normal.

Was originally going to do Paused Close Grip Bench on this day, but made a last minute decision to switch to the Swiss Bar.  Trying to commit to exploring unfettered low-specificity this block.

Similarly, I was going to do Chest-Supported Rows, but decided to do machine shrugs instead.  I've been dealing with nagging trap achiness the last couple of blocks, and want to see if a little burst of direct trap training can make a positive difference. 

Copenhagen Planks were weirdly strong out of the gate.

BBM Low-Fatigue Template Block 1. Cycle 1. Session A.

sRPE @8

BW - 201

Squat -

295X3 @8

225X6, 6, 6 @5

CG Bench - 

140X5 @6

147.5X5 @6.5

155X5 @7.5

2" Deficit Deadlift -

275X6 @6

285X6 @7

295X6 @8

030 Tempo GHR - BWX6, 6, 6 @6/7

Was out of the gym for 10 days after contracting Covid.  Between that and still being focused on reversing my Diabetes diagnosis, I decided to out-source my programming.

I've been a long-time follower of the Barbell Medicine crew and their content, and thought their new-ish, Low Fatigue program might be just the thing.  

After 10 days off, this session was pretty hard, and I was very tired at the end.  It's a lower average RPE, and and only a few total work reps more than what I was doing pre-COVID, but is 50% more work sets.  Hopefully, my conditioning etc. bounces back / catches up fairly quickly.

The tempo GHRs with a hold under tension at the top are new to me.  The hold is MUCH more challenging than I expected.

Block 13. 7 Cycles. Recap

Starting BW - 221

Ending BW - 222

Overview:

Was out of the gym for almost 3 months avoiding the holiday Covid surge.  Did some BW stuff at home and on playground equipment in that time.  

The main purpose of this block was to just build work capacity back up on the gym lifts.  The layout was generally worst lift first on day one, 2nd worst lift first on day two, etc.  I started off only doing 1-2 sets of 1-8 reps in the first week, to 4 sets of 3-10 reps in the last week, and Toes-to-Bar and Press went from 1 slot per week to 2 slots per week.

Things went generally well.

Lifts in order of priority:

Toes-To-Bar - Went from doing hanging leg raises to just above parallel, to getting my first toes-to-bar in week 4, to doing sub-max sets of 3 in the last week.  Taking this up another level will be the focus of the next block.  Hopefully at the end of that block, I will be able to formulate some long term goals for this family of movements.

Press - Went from 117.5X1@7 (e1RM 132.5) to 135X1@7.75 (e1RM 147.5).  I also hit some volume PRs: 100X3X8 and then 100X3X10

Bench - Went from 215X1@7.5 (e1RM 237.5) to 250X1@9 (e1RM 257.5; I went for some #'s in the last week).   Volume PR: 165X3X10

BB Curls - 70X8@8 (e1RM 95) to 72.5X10@7 (e1RM 112.5).  Volume PRs: 65X3X12 and 67.5X4X10

Deadlift - 380X1@8 (e1RM 420) to 405X1@7.5 (e1RM 447.5; e1RM PR).  Volume PRs: 310X3X8 and 300X3X10.  DL continues to be the lift that has survived-and-thrived the most in all the tumult of the last year.

Squat - 345X1@7.5 (e1RM 382.5) to 365X1@8 (e1RM 420).  This lift struggled the most this block, as I got some lingering soreness in my right adductor that started making heavier sets painful.  I dropped top singles for the bulk of the block and just focused on ramping volume up to 3X10.  Volume PR: 250X3X10

Chin-Ups - Ugh.  BW(221)X3@9.5 (e1RM 245) to BW(223)X3@8 (e1RM 260).  The worst, but I can't bring myself to do another Chins focus block for a bit.

Dips - BW (223)X8@7 (e1RM 317.5) to BW+45 (268.7)X6@8 (e1RM 342.5).