Son of a Bench Week 8. Day B.

sRPE @6

BW - 223

Bench - 185X1, 1 @6/7

Deadlift - 315X1 @5

SLDL - 225X5 @4

Machine Flyes - X10, 8 @10

super-set with

Rope Bayesian Curls - X8, 7 @10

DB Floor Rolling Tris - 35sX9, 8 @~8

super-set with

Machine Calf Press - X13, 10 @10

Rower - HIIT; 5 rounds

Nice and easy for the second session back.  

Son of a Bench Week 6. Day B.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 222

Bench - 205X1, 1, 1 @~7

Deadlift - up to 365X1 @7

SLDL - 275X5, 5 @7/8

Pec Flyes - X10, 9, 6 @10

super-set with

Rope Bayesian Curls - X9, 8 @10

Pushdowns - X10, 8, 8 @10

super-set with

Machine Calf Press - X12, 12 @10

Rower - HIIT; 5 rounds

Was feeling a bit too good today and decided to push SLDL without thinking that, because of getting sick, it had been weeks since I DL'd.  And because of ending one training block and starting another, it had been over a month since I SLDL'd 275.  

My back was all "Huh?!," and today it's all "See?!"

It'll probably be fine in a couple of days.

Son of a Bench Week 2. Day B.

sRPE @7

BW - 225

Bench - 195X3, 3 @~8

Deadlift - up to 365X1 @8

SLDL - 225X5, 5 @6

Machine Flyes - X8, 7 @8

super-set with

Rope Bayesian Curls - X8, 6 @8

Floor DB Rolling Triceps - 45sX6, 5 @~9

super-set with

Machine SL Calves - X12, 10 @8/9

Rower - HIIT; 5 rounds

Sleep quality and schedule have been disrupted the last few days, and that may have played into the unexpected heaviness of the first two movements.

Pressin' Out Week 9. Pivot

sRPE @6

BW - 225

Press - up to 170X0

Machine Flyes - X7, 7, 7 @8/9.5

super-set with

Machine OH JM Press - X6, 7, 6 @9/10

Deadlift - up to 365X1 @7.5

SLDL - 275X5, 5 @~6

Twisting Rope Curls - X10, 8, 7 @9/10

Machine Calf Presses - X8, 9, 9 @8/10

Tried hitting 170 again on Press, but still not there.  Likely, I'll take a few days off then come back and start a Bench focused block.

I've been dealing with some plantar fasciitis or similar the last few months.  Saw direct calf work as one of the suggestions from BBM to maybe help work through it.  I've started taking the bus to and from the gym a bit more to cut back on walking.  Will look to supplement that with some more conditioning work in the gym until this clears up.

Pressin' Out Week 8. Day B.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 222

Press - 125X3, 3, 3 @7/8

1-Arm Cable Front Y Raise - X14, 11, 10 @~10

Deadlift - up to 365X1 @7

super-set with

Rope Bayesian Curls - X14, 13 @10

SLDL - 275X5, 5 @6/7

PJR Pullovers - 60X8, 8, 8 @8/9

Going to try and work some supersetting back in as sessions are starting to get longer.

Pressin' Out Week 6. Day B.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 223

Press - 125X3, 3, 3 @7.5

Incline DB Raise - 15sX15, 11, 9 @~10

Deadlift - up to 365X1 @7

SLDL - 275X5, 5 @8

Rope Bayesian Curls - X12, 8 @10

PJR Pullovers - 55X13, 10, 8 @9/10

Decided I might start working PL Deadlifts and Squats back in just as singles before rep work on the longer ROM variations.  This my first PL DL since July.  Only about 5% off from my e1RM back then, so it seems like all the SLDL work has allowed me to maintain pretty well.  

I cut this off @ RPE 7.  This is probably the heaviest absolute weight I've lifted at all since July, and it felt like my back was starting to struggle a lot more than my lower extremities.  About to do a quick out of town trip, and didn't want to risk dealing with a back tweak during travel.  This is just a starting point, anyway, for working the heavier stuff back in.

Pressin' Out Week 4. Day B.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 223

Press - 125X3, 3, 3 @~7.5

Incline DB Raise - 15sX14, 10, 9 @10

SLDL - 

-    up to 345X1 @9.5

-    275X5 @7

Rope Bayesian Curls - X12, 10 @10

PJR Pullovers - 55X11, 11, 8 @9/10

Upped weight on "light" Presses and they felt fine. 

Also upped reps on Front Raises, and upped weight on Triceps Pullovers.  All feeling good.

Pressin' Out Week 2. Day B.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 223

Press - 115X3, 3, 3 @~6.5

Incline DB Raise - 15sX12, 9 @10

SLDL - 

-    315X1 @8

-    275X5 @8

Lying DB Curls - 20sX9, 9 @~10

Rope Pushdowns - X15, 13, 11 @10

Solid.

Dippin' into Dips Week 2. Day B.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 225

Dips - BWX5, 5, 5 @7/8

Incline DB Raise - 30sX13, 9 @~10

SLDL - 

-    335X1 @9.5

-    275X5, 5 @7/8.5

Lying DB Curls - 25sX8, 6 @10

DB LTEs - 20sX14, 11 @10

Solid session despite being back-to-back.

Reload Day

sRPE @6.5

BW - 227

ATG Pause Squat - 225X3 @6

MG Cambered Bench - 155X3 @7

SLDL - 275X3 @6.5

Chin-Ups - BW+25X3 @10

Hanging Flexed Knee-to-Chest - BWX3 @6.5

DB OH Extensions - 55X10 @10

DB Curls - 40sX9 @10

Holiday week got away from me and so I didn't train for over a week.  Swept into the gym yesterday and just hit a little bit of everything so that I can start my new training block on Monday not completely de-trained. 

Chin-Up War Week 10. Day B.

sRPE @7

BW - 226

Chins -

-    up to BW+45X1(PR) @10

-    BWX3, 3 @~8

Pullovers - X16, 13, 11 @10

SLDL - 

-    up to 315X1 @8

-    275X5, 5 @7/8

Pushdowns - X20, 16 @7/10

Rope Bayesian Hammer Curls - X13, 12, 10 @~10

Haven't done weighted chins in a long time so I decided to see what was what.  Will probably start working them in more regularly.

Chin-Up War Week 8. Day B.

sRPE @7

BW - 221

Chin-Ups - BWX3, 3, 3 @~7

Machine Pullovers - X13, 10 @~10

SLDL -

-    up to 355X1(PR) @10

-    275X5, 5 @8/9

BW JM Press - BWX13, 12 @9/10

Rope Curls - X13, 10 @10

Solid session.

I'm doing the Rope Curls with the really long rope attachment and my back to the rack, and my arms stretched out behind me.  They feel pretty good.

Chin-Up War Pivot. Day B.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 222

Chin-Ups - BWX3, 2 @7.5/6.5

Machine Pullovers - X12, 10 @8

SLDL - 

-    up to 335X1 @9

-    275X5, 5 @~7.5

Rope Pushdowns - X9, 8 @10

Rope Curls - X6, 6, @8/9

Nice easy session except for SLDL.  Mental fatigue definitely dissipating quickly as sleep has been good again for several nights in a row, and I'm having to hold myself back from pushing sets harder in the gym.  Expect some of the physical fatigue will continue to dissipate as well, and I'm hoping to feel great to start pushing again next week.

Chin-Up War Week 4. Day B.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 223

Chins - BWX2, 2, 2 @7/8

Lat Pushdowns - X14, 11, 10 @10

Triceps Pushdowns - X15, 10 @10

DB Hammer Curls - 35sX12, 8 @10

SLDL - 

-    up to 345X1(PR) @9.5

-    275X5, 5 @7.5/8.5

Solid session.  Pushed SLDL to the end so I could train it alongside a friend. 

Chin-Up War Week 2. Day B.

sRPE @7

BW - 223

Chins - BWX2, 2, 2 @~8

Lat Pushdowns - X16, 11 @9.5/10

Triceps Pushdowns - X12, 10 @10

SLDL - 

-    up to 315X1 @9

-    275X5, 5 @8/9

DB Hammer Curls - 30sX13, 10 @10

SLDLs were tough, but overall a nice session.

Press, Deadlift, Back and Triceps

sRPE @

BW - 226

Press -

-    up to 135X1 @8

-    155X0, 0

-    135X4 @10

Push Press - up to 165X1 (PR) @9.5

SLDL - up to 335X1 (PR) @9.5

Pulldowns - X12, 10, 8, 8 @10

super-set with

Pushdowns X18, 16, 14, 12 @10

Strict Pressing strength was not there on this day, so I pivoted to Push Press and grabbed a PR there.

Still working on technique on SLDL.  I've done thousands of RDLs, but starting and returning to the floor hits different.

Press, DL

sRPE @6.5

BW - 226

Press - 

-    up to 155X1 @9.5

-    135X1, 1, 1 @~8

SLDL - 235X5, 5, 5, 5 @6/7

Not a terrible place to start the Press wave.  We'll see how the next couple of weeks go.

SLDL felt great even with more weight.

Time crunched so had to skip accessories.

Press, DL, Back, Triceps

sRPE @8.5

BW - 222

Press Paused at Forehead -

-    up to 150X1 (PR) @10

-    115X3, 3, 3 @7/8

SLDL Touch-n-Go - 225X5, 5, 5, 5 @6.5/8

Band Chins - Band Under FootX7, 6, 5, 4 @9.5/10

super-set with

Standing BB OH Extensions - 45X12, 10, 9, 9 @~10

Press out on the Pause Press top single was sloooow.  Almost looks like I've got a second sticking point right before lockout.  Upped the weight on the back-offs, and that felt good because it forced me to a be a bit more disciplined with technique than last week.

I've been enjoying ATG Squats recently as my main Squat movement, so I thought I'd start messing around with SLDL.  These were done with a belt and mixed grip.  A good starting point for a movement I've rarely ever trained.

12 years since I did OH Extensions with a straight bar, lol.  It is challenging to keep good upper arm position with a regular barbell.

Novice LP. Session 40 (Greyskull Squats and Press)

BW - 226

Press - 122.5X5, 5, 9

SLDL - 190X5, 5, 5

Chin-Ups - BWX5, 5, 4, 4
super-set with
Dips - BWX12, 12, 12

122.5X9 is a Rep PR in Press.  Had to "get up" for it a bit, and also pre-plan how I was going to break the reps up into sections i.e. 3 reps, extra breaths, 2 reps, breaths, 2 reps breaths, 1, breath, 1.

Decided to do SLDL for the first "DL" day back from my vacation.  I will start throwing this in occasionally as necessary if my low back is feeling to fatigued for regular DL.

Used the belt on Press, but wasn't sure if I needed it for SLDL.  My back felt a little wonky on the first set, so I belted up for the next two.  The weight isn't heavy, but trying to keep to form perfect is dicey as I haven't done these in a while.

Had just been doing dips on this day, but through in some more chins to try and help balance out the shoulder work.

Novice LP. Session 34 (Greyskull Squats)

Squat - 315X5, 5, 7

Press - 140X2, 1

SLDL - 185X5, 5, 5

Went and got a tune up yesterday with my old coaches at Kratos.  I wanted them to review my programming to date, talk about next steps, take a look at my squat form, and help get me acclimated to using a belt.

I've decided to start using a belt to see if it will help this lingering back pain.  I've used one a couple of times in the past, and it no doubt helps lift heavier weight in the squat.  But will it help with the pain?  I've found conventional DL to be really fucking uncomfortable in them, but I'll just have to work that out.

315X7 is a Rep PR in the Squat.  The low-back discomfort was there even with the belt, but no where near as painful or all-around limiting as it has been.

Crapped out on Press though.  I suspect some of this is reversing the order I've been lifting in.  I'll try it again next go-round with pressing first and see if I get it.  If not, I will give it a shot on the GSLP and see if I can break some walls down that way.

These guys would like to see me move to an HLM program sooner than later.  Part of that would be SLDLs.  I'm not ready to switch over whole sale just yet.  Current plan, per lift, is as follows:
 - Squats: Continue to run the GSLP.  If it stalls, reset ONCE and run up again, or switch to HLM.  Depending on how I'm feeling with the belt.
 - Bench: Continue to run the Advanced Novice LP.  That includes pushing into triples like I did with Squats.  If it stalls, try resetting to GSLP and go from there.  Eventually moving into HLM.
 - DL: Adding the belt.  I got all my reps this last time with the current programming of top-triple/back-off-triple, so I'm going to progress that with the addition of the belt.  We'll just have to see how the belt changes things.  If it's better, I continue on this path.  If it stalls, I will go ahead and reset to HLM, which is just the same old 1X5 per week.
 - Press: Try 140 again, but as the first movement of the day.  If I get it, continue.  If I fail, I will try resetting to the GSLP and see how that goes.  Eventually moving into HLM.

Now the question is whether I should try to incorporate the prescribed SLDLs sooner rather than later, and what would that look like.  One way may be to pull chins back to 1-2X/week, and alternate DL and SLDL every other week.