Son of a Bench Week 11. Day C.

sRPE @

BW - 225

Bench - 190X3, 3 @7

DB Bench - 75sX10(PR), 8, 5 @9/10

BB Rows - 185X6, 6 @~8

super-set with

Seated Leg Curls - X12, 9 @~10

Pushdowns - X12, 10, 9 @10

super-set with

Machine SL Calf Press - X16, 13 @10

Rower - HIIT; 5 rounds

Good session.

Added a rep to DB Bench for a PR with the 75s, and also added a set there.

Son of a Bench Week 10. Day C.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 224

Bench - 185X3, 3 @~7

DB Bench - 75sX9(PR), 6 @9/10

Chin-Ups - BWX2, 2 @7/8

super-set with

Copenhagen Planks - BWX15, 11 @8/9

Pushdowns - X17, 12, 11 @10

super-set with

Machine SL Calf Press - X14, 12 @10

Rower - HIIT; 5 rounds

Haven't been able to get a 3rd session in a training week very often the last month or so, and this one felt good.

When I do get one in, I've usually gotten a DB Bench PR like I did today, and that's always encouraging about the direction my general pressing strength is trending.

Son of a Bench Week 5. Day C.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 225

Bench - 200X3, 3 @7.5/8

DB Bench - 70sX11(PR), 8, 6 @8

BB Rows -

-    190X8(PR) @9

-    165X7, 5 @8

super-set with

Seated Leg Curls - X12, 8 @10

Pushdowns - X13, 10, 8 X10

super-set with

Machine SL Calf Press - X13, 11 @10

Rower - HIIT; 5 rounds

Basically, fully recovered from the cold, and the concomitant down time and fatigue.

DB Bench and BB Row PRs to show for it.  Misloaded the first set of Rows with 10 kg plates instead of 10 lb. plates, so PR, lol!

Also resumed conditioning. 

Son of a Bench Week 3. Day C.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 223

Bench - 200X3, 3 @~7.5

DB Bench - 70sX10(PR), 7 @8

BB Rows - 165X8, 8, 8 @8/9

super-set with

Seated Leg Curls - X9, 8 @~8

Pushdowns - X11, 10 @10

super-set with

Machine SL Calf Press - X13, 10 @~9

Rower - HIIT; 5 rounds

Another PR on DB Bench even still keeping RPE @8.  Next week I push these to AMRAPs, and then start adding volume in the following weeks.

Added a set to BB Rows.  Felt solid.  Probably stay at this weight and rep range for most of this block.

Son of a Bench Week 2. Day C.

sRPE @6

BW - 222

Bench - 195X3, 3 @7

DB Bench - 70sX9(PR), 7 @~8

Chins - BWX3, 3, 3 @8/10

super-set with

Copenhagen Planks - BWX12, 10 @7.5

Pushdowns - X8, 8 @~9

super-set with

Machine SL Calf Presses - 180X13, 11 @~9

Rower - HIIT; 5 rounds

Was confident DB Bench PRs would start falling this week.  Plenty of room to keep pushing those.

Pressin' Out Week 6. Day A.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 225

Press -

-    up to 155X1 @9.5

-    135X3, 3, 3 @7.5/8.5

DB Bench - 65sX14(PR), 9, 6 @~10

Roman Chair Squats - BWX11, 10 @~9

Pulldowns - X11, 8 @10

EZ OH Extensions - 55X16, 11, 7, 7 @10

Upped the top single a bit on Press, and grabbed another Rep PR on DB Bench.  

Pressin' Out Week 5. Day A.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 226

Press - 

-    up to 150X1 @9

-    135X3, 3, 3 @~8

DB Bench - 65sX13(PR), 8, 7 @10

GHR - BWX14, 10 @~10

EZ OH Extensions - 55X15, 11, 8, 6 @10

Upped the weight and dropped the reps on the Press back-offs.  Now that volume has ramped up on accessories, I should be getting enough hypertrophy volume for Delts and Triceps that I can pivot work on the main lift to lower reps.

Nice to grab a DB Bench PR.  Doing DB Bench after heavy Pressing really lights up my pecs. 

Didn't look closely at my program, and inadvertently skipped upper back work.  Life goes on. 

Inter-Holiday Session

sRPE @5.5

BW - 227

Press (beltless) - up to 145X1(PR) @9.5

CS Rows - 135X10, 10 @8/9

Hanging Flexed Knee-to-Chest w/straps - BWX12(PR), 9, 7 @8.5/10

Pivot-y kind of session before I start a Press-focused block next week.  

I haven't done a ton of beltless Pressing, but I'm pretty sure that is a PR.  

Lockout on this an all of the singles working up to it felt different than they did recently when I was going after the Press.  I'd been hitting a pretty hard sticking point about 2/3 of the way up, and I'd tried attacking it with Pin Presses and Push Presses, with little success.  These sets hit that sticking point and slowed a little, but still smoothly pushed through to lockout.

If that feel holds through the beginning of the block, I'd be tempted to chalk it up to all of the triceps work I did on my Dips mini-block. 

I'm also pretty sure 12 reps at this BW is a Rep PR on Hanging Flexed-Knee-to-Chest, but I haven't done that variation too often.  Had to use straps on these because left forearm discomfort continues (and may become a confounder in my Pressing; fingers crossed).

Dippin' into Dips Week 4. Day A.

sRPE @8

BW - 226

Dips -

-    BW+100X1(PR) @10

-    BW+60X5, 4 @10

DB Incline - 50sX12, 8, 7 @~10

Roman Chair Squats - BWX12, 11 @~10

Pull-Downs - X9, 7 @~10

DB OH Extensions - 60X10, 8, 8, 7 @10

Happy to get a PR rep with the 100# DB.  Tried to go for some Volume PRs with a 60# DB, but didn't have the juice.

Despite the holidays disrupting training, I've hit a couple of milestone Dips PRs with 2 plates last week, and the Hundo DB this week.  I'll probably just mess around the rest of this week, and then start a new block next week.

Dippin' into Dips Week 3. Day A.

sRPE @8

BW - 224

Dips - 

-    BW+90X1 (PR) @10

-    BW+50X5, 5, 5 (PR) @8/9.5

DB Incline - 50sX12, 7 @10

GHR - BWX15, 10 @~10

Lat Pushdowns - X14, 8 @10

DB OH Extensions - 55X13, 10, 8, 7 @10

Rep and Volume PRs on Dips.  Normally, I prefer using a DB for weighted Dips, but I couldn't miss the chance to use two 45s for this set.

Chin-Up War Week 11. Day B.

sRPE @7

BW - 224

Chin-Ups - BWX3, 3, 3 @~8

Machine Pullovers - X11, 8, 7 @~10

ATG Pause Squats -

-    up to 325X1(PR) @9

-    225X5, 5 @~7

Rope Pushdowns - X13, 12 @10

Rope Bayesian Curls - X10, 9, 8 @10

I wasn't going to go for a ATG Squat PR, but a buddy was at the gym so I had to.

Chin-Up War Week 11. Day A.

sRPE @7

BW - 220

Chins -

-    up to BW+45X1 @9.5

-    BWX5, 5, 5, 5 @7.5/9.5

CS Rows - 160X8, 7, 5 @9.5/10

GHR - BWX15, 11 @9.5/10

DB OH JM Press - 30sX11, 8 @~10

BB Curls - 95X10(PR) @10

Been a rough week, but managed to drag myself to the gym and grab a Rep PR on Curls.

Chin-Up War Week 10. Day C.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 223

Chin-Ups - 

-    up to BW+45X 1@10

-    BW+25X3, 3 (PR) @8.5/9.5

1-Arm Pull-Downs - X12, 10, 9, 7 @9.5/10

Dips - 

-    up to BW+90X1(PR) @9

-    BW+60X5, 5(PR) @~10

Machine Adduction - X12, 11 @10

Lying DB Curls - 20sX9, 9, 7 @~10

Nice little group of Rep and Volume PRs on Chins and Dips.

Chin-Up War Week 9. Day C.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 225

Chins - BWX3, 3, 3 @7.5/8.5

1-Arm Pulldowns - X10, 9, 8 @~10

CG Cambered Bench - 

-    up to 225X1(PR) @10

-    155X5 5 @6/7.5

Leg Curls - X14, 12 @~10

Lying DB Curls - 15sX14, 12, 10 @~10

Lots of little PRs sprinkled in the last couple of weeks.  Nice.

Chin-Up War Week 8. Day C.

sRPE @7

BW - 225

Chin-Ups - BWX3, 3, 3 @~7.5

1-Arm Pull-Downs - X10, 9, 8 @9.5

Dips - 

-    up to BW+85X1(PR) @9.5

-    BW+55X5, 5(PR) @9.5/10

Adductor Machine - X19, 16 @~10

Lying DB Curls - 15sX12, 10 @~10

Everything felt pretty good today.

1 Rep and 2X5 PRs on Dips was a bit unexpected.

Chin-Up War Week 8. Day A.

sRPE @7

BW - 223

Chin-Ups - BWX9, 5, 4, 4 @10

CS Rows - 135X13, 9 @~10

Roman Chair Squats - BWX15, 12 @~9

BB OH Extension - 45X12, 10 @9

BB Curls - 85X13(PR), 8(PR) @10

Chins felt a little flat week-over-week.

Rep and Volume PRs on Curls. 

Chin-Up War Week 7. Day A.

sRPE @7

BW - 226

Chins - BWX9(PR), 5, 4 @10/9

CS Rows - 135X11, 10 @10

Hypers - BWX16, 14, @8/9

EZ OH Extensions - 55X12, 10 @10

BB Curls - 85X12(PR), 7(PR) @10

Another Rep PR on Chins, but barely got that last rep over the bar.

Wasn't feeling GHR today, so just kicked out some hypers instead.

85 for 12 is a Rep PR on Curls, and for 2 sets of 7 is a Volume PR as well.  Feel like I may shoot for a new 95# Rep PR with a 45# barbell at the end of the block.  

Chin-Up War Pivot. Day A.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 224

Chins - BWX8, 4 @9.5/8

CS Rows - 135X8, 7 @7.5/8

GHR - BWX14, 12 @9.5/9

1-Arm DB OH Extensions - 25X13, 10 @10

BB Curls - 85X8(PR), 6(PR) @~8

Reduced volume and intensity and swapping out Chin-Up Accessories this week.

85X8 and for 2 sets of 6+ are Rep and Volume PRs on Curls.  I didn't even know that at the time.  Nice to get some PRs at lower RPE.

Chin-Up War Week 5. Day A.

sRPE @9

BW - 224

Chins - BWX8(PR), 6(PR), 4, 4 @~10

DB Rows - 100X11, 10, 8 @~10

GHR - BWX13, 11 @~10

DB OH Extensions - 45X13, 10 @9/10

BB Curls - 75X16(PR), 12, 12(PR) @~10

224 BWX8 is a Rep PR on Chins, and for 2 sets of 6+ is a Volume PR.

On Curls, 73X16 is a Rep PR, and 3 sets of 12+ is a Volume PR.

Things are getting a bit gut busting, so I think I'll push through this week, and then do a slight pivot to some different accessories.

However, my Chin-Up and Curl strength have increased by over 10% from where I started this block.  By my metrics, Chin-Ups are no longer (currently) my worst lift.  I want to do another block to see if I can at least shore up these gains if not make more, and then I'll switch focus to something else.

Chin-Up War Week 4. Day A.

sRPE @7

BW - 225

Chins - BWX7(PR), 5, 4, 4 @10

1-Arm DB Rows w/Strap - 100X11(?PR?), 9 @~10

Belt Squat - 105X10, 10 @~8

EZ OH Extensions - 55X11, 10 @~10

BB Curls - 75X15(PR), 10 @9/10

7 reps of Chins at this BW is a PR, and also got another PR set of Curls.  

I think my heaviest set of DB Rows is 100X9, so that set of 11 is probably a PR too, but I haven't been keeping a log of my DB Row PRs.  I was supposed to do 3 sets today, but I forgot.  I'll likely stay at 100 next week while I add that extra set in.