Texas Method - Week 5 - Intensity Day (coached)

BW - 229

Squats -
BarX5
135X4
205X3
265X2
315X1
355X3

Bench -
BarX5
95X4
135X3
175X2
200X1 (paused)
220X1, 1, 1 (paused)

Cleans - up to an ugly set of 150

Squat went well today.  Definitely felt like I could have gotten 5.  355X3 is a Rep PR.

Added commands in on bench.  Tried to go for 3, but failed on 2 so we did two more singles.  Been a long time since I paused.  I never really noticed the difference before.  My best set previously with pauses was 215X2, I believe.  So it is what it is.  220X1 is still a Rep PR.

Cleans were just not coming together for me today.  My coach was trying some new cues, and I was not adapting quickly.  Actually DROPPED the bar across the end of my collar-bone on my top set.

Texas Method - Week 4 - Intensity Day

BW - 229

Squats -
BarX5
135X4
195X3
255X2
315X1
350X3

Bench -
BarX5
95X3
135X2
185X1
215X3

Cleans - 144X3X5

Rep PRs in Squat and Bench.  2nd Squat rep was probably a little high.  Bench felt pretty good.

Cleans felt okay.

Texas Method - Week 3 - Intensity Day (coached)

BW - 232

Squats -
BarX5
135X4
205X3
265X2
305X1
345X5

Bench -
BarX5
95X3
145X2
180X1
210X5

Cleans - up to 144X3

345X5 is an all-around PR in the Squat, and 210X5 is an all-around PR in Bench.  Squats were very strong despite not getting the rebound and having to gut out my 3rd rep, and Bench was heavy but do-able.  Coach says starting next week, we'll keep the weight progression the same, but go to triples on the intensity day for a couple of weeks, and then down to singles for the last couple of weeks before the meet.

I spent Sunday spotting and loading for a USAPL women's meet at my gym.  I wanted to get a feel for what a meet is like, and it was definitely informative.  It was also great to watch a bunch of dedicated women get after it on the platform.

Texas Method - Week 2 - Intensity Day

BW - 229

Squats -
BarX5
135X4
185X3
245X2
305X1
340X5

Press -
BarX5
75X3
105X2
125X1
145X2

Cleans - up to
4 sets of 3 @ 133
1 set of 3 @ 141.8

340X5 is an all-around PR on Squats.  Heavy, but smooth reps throughout.

145X2 is a Rep PR on Press.  Not sure why I failed on rep 3 on the Press.  I did 5, 4, 5 with 140 at the end of the LP, and I would have thought that put me much closer.  Oh well, go for it again next time.

Cleans were feeling very smooth, with the bar flying up and landing very nicely on my shoulders.  So I added 2kg to each side and did one more set.  All good.

Texas Method - Week 1 - Intensity Day

BW - 227

Squats -
BarX5
135X4
185X3
245X2
305X1
335X5

Bench -
BarX5
95X3
135X2
185X1
205X5

Cleans - 133X5X3

First intensity day, or "PR Friday," on the TM.  Squat is an all-around PR and Bench is a Rep PR.

Squats were a bit slow, but fairly smooth.  Bench felt pretty strong.

Cleans took awhile to get going, but I finally got them popping up and receiving on my shoulders.

Novice LP* - Session 35

BW - 230

Squats -
BarX5
155X4
205X3
255X2
305X1
332.5X5

Press -
BarX5
85X3
105X2
125X1
140X5, 4, 5

Cleans -
up to around 133 for 4 sets of 3
then a very ugly 155X3

332.5X5 is an all-around Squat PR!

*My coach only programmed a single set of 5 here, because we'll move on to the Texas Method with the next session and that will be a 5X5 day.

140X5 is an all-around Press PR!  Missed the last rep on set 2.  Oh well.

Cleans started feeling good so I tried adding some weight, but I kept catching it in my hands instead of on my shoulders.

Novice LP - Session 32

BW - 231

Squat -
BarX5
155X4
205X3
245X2
295X1
325X5, 5, 5

Bench -
BarX5
95X3
135X2
175X1
202.5X5, 5, 4

Cleans - Up to 133 for 3 sets of 3

Good session.  Got all my set of 325 and felt strong doing it.

Bench felt pretty good, but didn't have enough left for that last rep.

Cleans went okay.

Novice LP - Session 29

BW - 228

Squats -
BarX5
155X4
205X3
255X2
305X1
320X5, 5, 5

Press -
BarX5
90X3
105X2
125X1
135X3, 5, 4

Cleans -
up to around 133X3, 3, 3,

Felt very strong on Squats this day.  All 3 sets were smooth.  Rep PR, and right around my best project 1RM.

Press felt really uncontrolled on the first set.  Came back strong and got all 5 reps on set 2, but the 5th rep on set 3 stalled just above my head.  Will try this weight again next time.

Cleans were fine.

Novice LP - Session 26

BW - 227

Squat -
BarX5
145X4
195X3
235X2
275X1
305X5, 5, 5

Bench -
BarX5
105X3
135X2
175X1
197.5X5, 5, 5

Cleans -
Up to 1 yellow and 1 white per side

Good session.  Felt pretty strong throughout. Got waaaaay far forward on the 3rd rep on my last squat set, but managed to push through and gut out the last two reps to complete the sets.  Felt really pumped about getting through that.

Got all the reps on bench with no spotter to unrack for me.  Felt good about that too.

Cleans aren't pretty but I didn't have any trouble getting these to land mostly on my shoulders.

Still had energy to spare walking out of the gym.  Nice day.

Novice LP - Session 23

BW - 225

Squats -
BarX5
130X4
170X3
210X2
250X1
285X5
295X5, 5

Press -
BarX5
80X3
95X2
115X1
127.5X5, 5, 5

Cleans -
Up to 133X3, 3, 3

Screwed up and used the wrong weight on my first squat set.  Whatever.  Everything went okay, but my low back felt beat up by the end.

Novice LP - Session 22 (coached)

BW - 226

Squats -
BarX5
125X4
165X3
205X2
245X1
290X5, 5, 5

Bench -
BarX5
85X4
115X3
145X2
165X1
185X5, 5, 5

Deadlift -
135X3
225X2
285X1
320X5

Good session.  Felt strong all the way through, and all the lifts moved well.

Still coach decided to err on the side of slow progress, and we're going to go with 5s on S/B/D and 2.5s on Press going forward, plus Deadlift will start alternating with Cleans again now that I've worked back up to around pre-Holiday numbers.