June schedule disruptions are just too much to try and chase consistency in the gym. Going to go on a Pivot until July and (probably) start a short BB Row focused block.
Made this session up as I went trying to fill gaps from the last session, and had fun.
It will be interesting to see how the Swiss Bar translates to my straight bar pressing in the coming weeks. The setup and and initial press is more difficult with this bar so theoretically I could be stronger on a straight bar. This is "only" 15 lbs. off my best Press, but that's still a gulf for the Press.
Thinking I may alternate RDL with ATG Squats each week through the rest of this block. Work that stretch.
I just heard, on the walk to the gym, Eric Helms talking about how agonist and peripheral super-sets don't perform particularly well in studies, and hear I went and did a peripheral super-set of lat pullovers and incline extensions. Meh. Actually looking forward to the DOMS.
I'd been thinking about doing Log Press for my first wave of this Press block, but I didn't want to have to clean every set, and I didn't want to take it from the strongman room to the room with racks, blocks, etc. Then I remembered we have a couple of full-length Swiss bars! This was a fun movement. Requires more lean back, and the touch at the bottom of the reps has to be a bit more controlled to keep from slamming into your collarbone. Weight-wise, this is about right where I want my first Press movement of this block to me at.
I didn't DL at the end of the last block, so I just worked up to something here and then hit RDLs.
Feeling shaky and woozy after the last couple of sets of RDL, and a little bit on curls, too. Maintaining the slow tempo that close to failure is a whole other thing.
Body is definitely feeling the shift from strength-focused work to hypertrophy-focused work. The DOMS isn't bad, but it's very noticeable and it's head-to-toe.
DL went really well. Like all the powerlifts in this first week, the target weight for 15@9 ended up being too light, and just like all the others, I didn't give a shit and will just try to get @9 next week.
275X7 is a Rep PR on RDL. With straps, but I kind of don't care, because I'll probably train this lift with straps from now on. The movement just feels more focused with double-overhand.
I was worried about the Hack Squats, because single-leg Hack Squats in the pivot block were such a shit show. Ended up just fine. These were all fairly deep as well.
Got access to the gym in my office building and am starting to do conditioning on off-days.
Paused HBS were all very easy being at the beginning of a wave. @6-7, but I forgot to take notes. Last set shown.
Top set of Bench felt @ 8, looks @7.
Back-offs were very easy. Again, the beginning of a wave, but probably still too easy. I need to adjust either by % or by going off of top set RPE. Felt @ 6, looks @ 6.
Benching across from me on this day was powerlifting legend, Beau Moore. Just casually benching 455 with no lift off or spotter. Said hello, and shook his meaty, meaty hand. Friendly guy.
So I had a few back spasms this week. I used to get them more frequently, and I've often associated them with RDLs. RDLs seem to help my Deadlift, but they also seem to aggravate my spine. I thought I was toeing the water with only 2 sets a week, but here we are again. OK. To be fair, when I say that RDLs have always helped my DL, I haven't tried that many DL variations. Basically just RDL and deficit pulls off of a plate.
So I decided to try block pulls from about the same height as my RDL depth. I'm still using straps so I can focus on technique and not on grip, but I did work up to 275 double-overhand before I added the straps. I had no idea what the weight would be so I decided to work up to a set of 5 with 275, and titrate up, rating RPE as I went, and adding 5% at a time. I ended up making a double-sized jump to 345 from 315, but that ended up being about the right weight. Now I was surprised that I was able to do 345X5 @ 8 for multiple sets here (I could have done more than 2 sets, but wanted to play it safe because of all the volume leading up to this weight). In fact, this is the same weight I'm programmed to do for two sets of triples on Friday from the floor. That either means that my DL strength is lapping my programming, or this block height is NOT disadvantageous for me. Next week I will try lowering it to just the 4" block and see if that takes some weight off the bar. Still want this to be a "medium" day. The last set felt @ 8, looks @ 7.5.
Last set of paused HBS felt @ 7, looks @ 6. Rep PR.
255X1 is a PR on Bench. Felt @ 10. Didn't get video of last warm-up single, but it was surely faster than this. Will look to see if the top set of 3 in a couple of weeks feels @9 or less. Otherwise, could be in trouble. Last set of back-offs felt @ 8, looks @ 7.
RDL technique was a little all-over the place today, BUT the bar was solid against legs for all but 1 rep. This last set felt @ 7, and looks max @ 6.
No easily perceptible change in bar speed between the first and last reps of the last set. So probably RPE 6 at most. Going back and looking at my heaviest session with this movement from a few weeks ago, that would appear to be the same there. I probably need to up the intensity a bit to get into @7-8 range at least for the last set (shown).
Top set of Bench is interesting. Felt like at RPE 9-9.5, but bar speed between 1st and 3rd rep looks more like @7.5. Mis-grooved the 2nd rep which made it feel harder than it should have been. But technique break-down often comes with high-intensity work. As far as the discrepancy between "bar speed RPE" and "feels RPE," I would submit that my bench strength tends to drop off a cliff more-so than other lifts. Nevertheless, I will try to keep this discrepancy in mind. Back off -sets were all easy <@6. Top-set and last back-off shown.
I think I'm finally figuring out some stuff on the RDL bar path. I'm just not pushing my butt back far enough to keep the bar in contact with my legs throughout. This really felt like it started to click half-way through the last set. For me, the cue might not just be "butt back" OR "bar on legs," but rather BOTH push back so that the bar feels SOLID against the legs. The only thing is that my low back "feels" less extended this way, although it looks fine. No real difference in the bar speed between first and last reps, but it "feels" tough, so I'm gonna call the 2nd set @6. Last set shown.
First week of a new squat wave, so the assistance is light. HB Pause squats were easy. Last set shown.
Bench is also at the beginning of a new wave. Last time I did 225X5 on bench, it was probably around an RPE 8. This was not above a 7 for sure, and probably a 6 (6.5?). Back-offs were very light, so I kept rest time at 2 minutes or less. Top set and last back-off shown.
Still trying to have more control on the RDLs to keep them from swinging out at the bottom. Went a little slower, and also tried to get really deep on the 2nd set. Bar is still swinging out a bit. 2nd set shown.
HB Pause Squats still feeling good. Last set shown.
Bench also felt good. 250X1 ties my PR, but that PR was for 5X1 so nothing to get too excited about. First back-off was too loosey-goosey, but I got it dialed back in by the end. Top set and last back-off shown.
RDL's also felt very good. This was the beginning of a new wave so reduced intensity. Last set shown.
Still getting re-acclimated to bar placement for HB, but got these feeling better by the end. Got focused on technique during the last set and shorted myself a rep. Last set shown.
Bench went well. Only 5 lbs. off my best triple, and I liked the way it moved. Top set, and last back-off shown.
315X5 is a Rep PR for RDLs. These still "feel" hard, but don't look that bad on the video. The main challenge is keeping everything tight and controlled. Last set shown.
