LRB Back & DL. Vertical Pulling

BW - 208

Chins -
BWX5
+10X5
+20X4
+25X3
+35X1
+45X1, 1, 1
BWX16

WG Pulldown - X10, 9
RG Pulldown - X8, 8

DB Shrugs - 100sX20, 15

Bumped up the weighted sets a bit on chins, and also hit an all-around PR of 208(BW)X16.

Pulldowns were also feeling stronger.

Grip was the limiter on shrugs, I just didn't feel like chalking up on top of my straps for these.  Probably either need to just do that, or get regular straps.

LRB Back & DL. Vertical Pulling

BW - 207

Chins -
BWX5
+10X5
+20X4, 3
+25X2
+35X1, 1
+45X1
BWX16

WG Pulldowns - X10, 8
RG Pulldowns - X8, 10

DB Shrugs - 100sX20, 15


207X16 is an all-around Chin PR!

Used the super-wide grip pulldown bar.  Much harder.  Usually I'm all right with that, but I didn't love the way this felt.

Grip gave out on shrugs.  May be the Oly straps I'm using, or maybe grip was just fried from high-rep RDLs the day before.

LRB Back & DL. Week 4. Vertical Pulling

BW - 205

Chins -
BWX5
+10X4
+20X4, 3
+25X2
+35X1, 1, 1
BWX15

WG Pull-downs - X8, 9 (straight-weight; same weight as previous)

RG Pull-downs - X8, 9 (straight-weight; same weight as previous)

DB Shrugs - 100sX20, 18

Upped the weight a little bit on the singles.  Got an extra rep on the last set of both pull-down movements.

LRB Back & DL. Week 2. Vertical Pulling

BW - 207

Chins -
BWX5
+10X5
+20X4, 3
+25X2
+30X1, 1, 1
BWX15

Wide-Grip Pulldowns - X8, 9 (straight-weight)

Underhand Pulldowns - X8, 9 (straight-weight)

DB Shrugs - 100sX20, 15

Reverse-Grip Curls - 40ishX25, 25, 20

15 chins at a BW of 207 is an all-around PR!  Since I just started this programming, the routine can't get the credit.  I suspect it's having Chins be the first lift of the session, after years of having them fall after something else.  Fatigue isn't masking strength in this case.

LRB Back & DL. Week 1. Vertical Pulling

BW - 205

Chins -
BWX5
+10X5
+20X4, 3
+25X2
+30X1, 1, 1
BWX15

Wide-Grip Pull-Downs - X8, 8 (to a top set)

Underhand Pull-Downs - X8, 8 (to a top set)

Incline Curls - 25sX15, 15, 12

15 chins at a BW of 205 is an all-around PR.  Kind of surprising after a two week lay-off, but I'm not a super-strict chinner either.  Still, all the weighted chins were quite do-able as well, and that feels nice on it's own.

Pull-downs were all fine.

I wasn't sure what I was going to do at the gym today when I left the house, so I didn't grab straps.  The final movement here was supposed to be DB Shrugs, but, strapless, I did curls instead.

LRB 365: Strong-15 Short. Week 1. Deadlift

BW - 195

Deadlift -
135X5
155X5
175X4
195X3
225X2
245X1
255X1
275X1

215X3, 3, 3, 3, 3

RDL - 215X12, 11 (straps on 2nd set)

DB Shrugs - 100sX26, 15

Chins - BWX8, 6, 4

DB Curls - 35sX17, 12

Exhausting session.  Deadlifts were all pretty good.  I was at my 'away' gym, so I had to use stop-sign plates, which makes the rep sets feel awful.

I felt like I could have done 215X3 for forever, but after the RDLs I was pretty tired.  215X12 is a Rep PR, and I didn't use straps on that set.

I couldn't find a good way to do barbell shrugs at this gym, and even the smith machine was occupied by someone benching, so I had to go with the heaviest DBs they had.  Used straps on these as well, but even so my grip felt kind of fried afterwards.

At this point, I was so tired that I think these chin-up sets look pretty good, considering.

BLAB Log: Week 9.Day 1

Simple-6

BB Bench Warm-up - 45X5, 65X5, 95X5

BB Bench - 125X5, 135X3, 145X10

DB Alternating Bench - 50sX12, 10

"J" Rope Push-downs - 45X12, 55X10, 10, 9

Defranco's "Shoulder Shocker" - 25/20s/20sX10/10/10, 10/7/4

30 sec. DB Shrugs - 160X24, 150X24, 140X24
super-set with
Alternating Hammer curls - 35sX8X3

"BeZercher" Complex - 65X10, 45X9,8

145 is a 10 rep PR.  I would be in danger of taking this for granted, but there will always be push-ups around the corner to humble me.  Also the REALLY STRONG guys working out across the room.  635 lb. elevated deads below the knee anyone?


Uh, DB Bench and J pulldowns were fine.  Didn't get the last reps, but that's because I tried to push the weight so I'm okay with missing a rep or two.

These damn shoulder super-sets are tough, Joe.  I kind of wish I'd used the 15 lb. DB's so that I could have finished out the 2nd super-sets.

I tried to go up to 80s for the timed DB shrugs, but I couldn't finish out the 30 seconds.  I tried dropping the weight, but my grip was fried.  I could only make about 15-20 seconds on these sets.

Tried to start off with weight on the bar for the complexes, but the lunges became a sticking point, and I had to pull the weight off.  Single-leg work!  This is why I'm going to keep it for my 531 program.

BLAB Log: Week 8.Day1

Simple-6

BB Bench Warm-up - 45X5, 65X5, 95X5

BB Bench - 115X6, 130X4, 140X10

DB Alternating Bench - 55sX10, 55sX7

"J" push-downs - 30X12, 40X12X3

Defranco's "Shoulder Shocker" - 45/50X10 (fail on the Clean&Press), 25/30X10 (fail on the C&P)

DB Timed Shrugs - 120X30sec. (34 Reps), 140X30sec. (40 Reps)
super-set with
Alt. Hammer Curls - 30sX10, 35sX10

DB Complex - 25X6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Jefit says 140X10 is a PR.  Nice to have those continue.

Made a stupid mistake on the shoulder super-set.  Tried to go at it with roughly the same weight Defranco used in the instructional video, namely a full plate for the front raises and something in the 25lb. range with the DBs.  Fail.  Got to the Clean & 1/2 Press and just stalled out.  It was better after I switched to the 25lb. plate and the 15s, but my shoulders were already toast.  I'll start off with that weight next time, and hopefully get the prescribed reps.

I think I did the right thing on the shrugs, namely reps for time.  I thought there might be a chance it was supposed to be a 30 second hold, but all the vids I found for timed shrugs involved reps.  And my traps were sore as shit for two days, so that's what I'll do next week as well.

Last week of the DB complexes.  They will be missed.