Sumo DL, Upper Back, Dips

sRPE @8

BW - 224

Sumo DL - 

-    up to 365X1 @8.5

-    315X6, 6, 4* @6/7

Cable Rear Delt Laterals - X10, 9, 7 @10

Cable Rows - X15, 14, 10 @9/10

Bench Dips - BWX15, 16, 14 @9/10

*started getting some glute discomfort on the last Sumo back-off set, so I cut the set short.

A little low energy training on a Saturday early afternoon, and with the glute issue, decided not to do the "big hippers."  

Sumo DL, Upper Back, Hips

sRPE @9

BW - 223

Sumo DL - 

-    up to 385X1(PR) @9.5

-    w/ Straps 315X6, 6, 4 @7/10*

Upper Back Attack - 

-    Inverted Rear Deal Rows - BWX12, 12 @~10

-    Inverted Rows - BWX12, 10 @~9

-    Inverted Scapula Shrugs - BWX12, 11 @10

Big Hipper Supersets -

-    VKR Bent Knee Raise - X11, 10, 10 @10

-    Glute Hypers - X12, 10, 10 @9/10

-    Adductor Machine - X14, 12, 9 @10

Pushdowns - X14, 12, 9 @~10

365 moved so well that I thought I would get 405, but still got a PR.  *I had a back spasm on the 3rd back-off set so I cut it there.  No lingering pain from that.

Similar to the Seal Row, the Inverted Row feels ok on Rear Delt and regular rows, but on the Scap Retractions I'm really missing the ability to take my thoracic spine through a good ROM.  I think CS and Cable Rows are just superior in this regard.  I might try this with 1-arm DB rows if I'm feeling really good one day and have plenty of time.

Discovered I could basically due a full concentric rep on hypers just by contracting my glutes.  Fun!  I then tried contracting my glutes on the concentric, but then relaxing them at the top and letting my erectors handle the eccentric.  Kind of a lot to focus on, but ok.

Sumo DL, Upper Back, Hips

sRPE @8

BW - 224

Sumo DL - 

up to 365X1 (PR) @9.5

add straps 315X6 (PR), 6, 6 @~8

Upper Back Attack -

-    CS Rear Delt Rows - 55X20, 17 @9/10

-    CS Rows - 100X10, 8 @9/10

-    CS Scap Retractions - 100X12, 10 @~10

"Little Hipper" supersets -

-    Hanging Bent Knee Raise - BWX11, 12 @7/9

-    Adductor Machine - X15, 13 @10

I don't think I've ever actually pulled Sumo mixed-grip before.  Supinated hand swung way out on the top set.

Back-off sets were harder than I expected at this weight.  Felt like my eye was gonna pop out.

Because of the Sumo, etc. decided to not do any hip extension on the "Hipper" super-sets. I did mess around with trying to keep my knees bent back throughout the knee raises with the idea of keeping the RF more lengthened.

ME Lower Team Training

sRPE @8.5

Reverse Safety Bar Box Squats - up to 290@8.5

Sumo Rack Pulls w/Straps - up to 405X1 @8.5

Inverted Rows - BWX14, 14, 12 @8.5/9

GHR Sit-Ups - BWX14, 10, 10 @~8

Standing Cable Abs - some

Belt Squat March - 1:20@9.5

Belt Squat Static Holds - 

Full Dept X0:30 @9.5

Half Depth X0:30 @9.5

Awful.  Awfully fun!  Training with the conjugate crew.

Block 15. Cycle 7. Session C. and Block Recap

BW - 221

sRPE @8

Squat -

360X1 @7.5

277.5X6, 6, 6 @6/7

Chin-Ups -

BWX7 @8.5

Density Block - 1 rep every 0:15; 6:00 @8.5

Pull-Downs - X8, 8 (straight-weight) X8.5/10

Dips - 

BW+55X5 @8

BW+15X15 @9.5

DB Incline - 60sX8 @8.5

277.5 for 3X6 is a Volume PR on Squats.  Top single wasn't moving very well today, but as usual during the last week of a block, I pushed past target RPE in places like getting the 3X6 PR.

7 Reps on Chins @ 221 is a recent Rep PR on Chins.  It's not necessarily a lifetime PR, although it's probably a PR at this longer range of motion compared to what I used to do.

Added another 0:30 to the density block and it felt a little bit better than last week.  Hard not to feel like these density blocks have been a big success for my chin ups.

Both works sets of Dips are Rep PRs.  Total weights of 276X5 and 236X15.

I believe doing the 60's for a set of 8 might be a Rep PR on DB Incline, but I don't track those very closely.  My right leg started cramping hard during the set, and so I just did one.

Quick wrap on the training block:  

Highs: Finished some single-set and multi-set PRs in the second half of the block which is always nice to keep spirits up.  Chins, Curls, and Toes-to-Bar all showed above average improvement during the block.  Press and Toes-to-Bar all had some recent highs for e1RM.

Lows: Deadlift slid back fairly consistently week-over-week.  Previously, DL has performed well in blocks with Leg Press and Sumo w/Straps but not this block.  Going to focus on DL a bit next block and try a mix of GHR and higher-rep back off sets; both of which have also worked well previously.

Block 15. Cycle 6. Session B.

BW - 220

sRPE @ 8

Press -

140X1 @8.25

112.5X6, 6 @7/7.5

110X6, 6 @7

Deadlift - 387.5X1 @7.25

Sumo w/Straps - 342.5X5, 5, 5 @6/7

DB Curls - 80X8, 11 @8/10

Rope Curls - X8, 12 (straight-weight) @7.5/10

342.5X5 is a Rep PR on Sumo DL.

Block 15. Cycle 5. Session B.

BW - 218

sRPE @ 8

Press - 

137.5X1 @8

110X6, 6, 6, 6 @7

Deadlift - 395X1 @8

Sumo w/Straps - 337.5X5, 5, 5 @6

DB Curls - 37.5sX8, 11 @7.5/10

Rope Curls - X10, 14 (straight-weight) @8/10

110 for 4X6 is a Volume PR on Press.  Top single finally popped above the block baseline as well.  I set a 12 mo. PR at the end of the last block, and I'm within distance to maybe top that in the last couple of cycles of this block.  Still some good distance to go to get into Lifetime PR territory, but current BW is ~10-15 lbs. lighter than when I set some of those lifetime, low rep PRs.

Deadlift is stagnant-to-regressing a bit.  Not too worried about it.

337.5 is a Rep PR on strapped Sumo, and got if for 3 sub-max sets.  I tweaked my back in the middle of the first set, but was able to complete the set, and still do the others.  One of the reasons I rated sRPE a bit higher than target.

One quick note on RPE disparities apparent in something like the Rope Curls.  You might look at 10@ 8 followed-by 14@10 and say "well, you're clearly overestimating RPE on your sub-max sets."  Maybe, maybe not.  First, I'm not THAT worried about being off by 1 or 2 on RPE because over time I'm confident that it will wash out.  Second, there's a difference in approach on a low fatigue movement like rope curls.  The first set is more non-stop until I hit my RPE target.  Knowing that I want to take that last set to absolute failure, I take more min-breaks along the way, and so I'm "fresher" for the final reps.

Block 15. Cycle 4. Session B.

BW - 217

sRPE @ 7.5 (Humid AF)

Press - 

132.5X1 @8

105X6, 6, 6, 6 @~6

Deadlift - 395X1 @7.25

Sumo w/Straps - 335X5, 5, 5 @6

DB Curls - 37.5sX8, 13 @8/10

Rope Hammer Curls - X11/13 @7/10

Back-off sets for Press were supposed to be @7, but I mis-read my notes / so fucking humid in the gym today it was hard to think straight, lol.  Press continues to be flaaaaaat.

Top-single on conventional DL was also, flat, but 335X5 is a rep PR on Strapped Sumo again for 3 sub-max sets.  Mid-back LIT UP by these.

37.5sX13 is possibly a Rep PR on DB Curls.  Hard to tell because I used to record the weight of the individual DB rather than the combined weight.

Block 15. Cycle 3. Session B.

BW - 219

sRPE @ 7

Press - 

137.5X1 @8.25

112.5X6, 6, 6 @ 7/8

Deadlift - 395X1 @7.5

Sumo w/Straps - 330X6, 6 @6

DB Curls - 

35sX8 @6.5

37.5sX11 @10

Rope Curls - 70X10, 14 @8/10 (lol)

Press was flat again this week in general, BUT 112.5 for 3X6 is a Volume PR.

Conventional DL was flat as well, but 330X5 is a Rep PR for Sumo w/ Straps, and I got it for two sub-maximal sets.  My lats and traps are lit up the next day which is kind of nice.

Decided to push the second sets of curl accessories to AMRAPs with breaks for breath, etc.; really trying to push the set.  DBs were more or less on target based on the first set RPE, but the RPE on the first set of Rope Curls was a little further off.  No big.

Block 15. Cycle 2. Session B.

 BW - 216

sRPE @ 6

Press - 

137.5X1 @8.5

117.5X6 @8.5

110X6 @7

Deadlift - 390X1 @7

Sumo w/Straps - 322.5X5 @5.5

DB Curls - 31.25sX8, 8 @~7

Rope Curls - X10 @8

Press was tough today for some reason.  Kept getting lightheaded during reps.  Top set performance flat from last week, and back-off sets took a step back.

No problems on DL, though.  Didn't increase volume on these because of the condensed training schedule this week.

Block 15. Cycle 1. Session B.

BW - 217

sRPE @ 6

Press - 

135X1 @8

110X6 @5.5

Deadlift - 385X1 @7

Sumo w/Straps - 320X5 @6

DB Curls - 30sX8 @7

Rope Curls - X10 @8

Everything felt crisp.  

My best and last set of Sumo w/Straps is 325X5 @8.5 from Feb. of last year.  Nice to see that's more-or-less kept up whilst not being trained at all!

Block 10. Cycle 4. Session A.

BW - 228

Waist - 43.5"

sRPE @ 8

Squat -
350X3 @8
300X7, 7, 7 @7/7.5

Front Squat -
155X9 @8
147.5X9 @8
140X9, 9 @7, 7.5

Sumo w/ Straps -
325X5 @8.5
315X5, 5 @~8

GPP Day -
- DB Circuit: Curls, Upright Rows, COne-Arm Rows - 7 minutes; 3 rounds; sets of 10
- Stationary Bike - LISS; 20 minutes

Up-and-down session.

e1RM on the top Squat set is fairly flat with last week despite being more weight.  However, 300 is a 3X7 PR fwiw.

I haven't slept well the last couple of nights, and was kind of ready to just go home after Squats.  Tried to just hit Front Squats at the same weight as last week, but it wasn't there.  Ended up having to drop to the lower weight than I've used this block just to his target RPE.  A little bummed about that, but also happy that I didn't just throw in the towel on the 4X9 or the session as a whole.

Hoped I would rally a bit on Sumos, but adding weight wasn't there.  Ended up using the same weight as last week, which is fine.

Going back and looking at the block from March/April '19 that had Front Squats and Sumos in it, I realize that they weren't all on the same day with back squats.  I probably should have paid more attention to that when I was laying out this program, but this part of the block is almost over.  I may have this session again next week, or I may move on to Phase 2, depending on how the rest of this week goes.  I need to find a way to get some better sleep the next few days, and put myself in the best position to succeed.

On GPP day, I decided to flop the first and last movements for a couple of weeks just to give them a slightly different stimulus.  Also did LISS on a bike.  May do HIIT on the bike for the next few sessions just to mix it up.

Block 10. Cycle 3. Session A.

BW - 228

Waist - 43.25"

sRPE @ 8

Squat -
340X3 @7
290X7, 7, 7 @~7

Front Squat - 155X9, 9, 9, 9 @~7

Sumo w/ Straps - 315X5, 5, 5 @~8

GPP Day -
- DB Circuit: One-Arm Rows, Upright Rows, Curls - 7 minutes; 3 rounds; sets of 10
- Rower - HIIT; 6 rounds; 12 minutes

Good session.

sRPE had been sub-target for two sessions in a row, and RTS' TRAC system also indicated an increase in volume, so I took their suggestion and added 1 set per movement.  This is the volume I'd originally envisioned for the program, but gave it a couple of weeks for fitness/DOMS to get inverse.  sRPE ended up being over target on this day, but this is the hardest session of the cycle, and is the only one that has rest days before it.  That's all to say that increasing the volume felt good, though hard, on this day, and that I'll keep an eye on it, but expect it should be fine.

Surprisingly, e1RM for squat on this day is the 2nd highest of the past year.  That result seems unlikely, but we'll see how it plays out.  The absolute intensity is still well off from my highest of the past year which was, I believe, 380X2@9.

Block 10. Cycle 2. Session A.

BW - 230

Waist - 43.75"

sRPE @ 7

Squat -
332.5X3 @8
292.5X7 @7.25
287.5X7 @7

Front Squat - 150X7, 7, 7 @7

Sumo w/ Straps - 300X5, 5 @~8

GPP Day -
- DB Circuit: One-Arm Rows, Upright Rows, Curls - 7 minutes; 3 rounds; sets of 8-10
- Rower - HIIT; 5 rounds; 10 minutes

Solid little session.

Went in expecting to get a lot more on LBS and Sumo than the previous session, and that turned out to be true.  Just the way I felt on the previous session, and some experience of how this tends to go over the last year played into that expectation.  Still, I used RPE on warm-ups to calibrate what the top set would actually be.  I tend to go in with the assumption of a larger than average jump, but a 4% jump is WELL above average for me cycle-to-cycle.

First set of back-offs on the Squat were a touch harder than target, and so dropped back on the 2nd set.  I expect to be adding a set to each movement over the next couple of weeks, so don't see any reason to push intensity on those now.

Front Squats ended up not progressing as quickly.  Maybe just fatigue still from the low bar sets.

Sumo was a bit weird.  This is actually the same e1RM as last week, but the RPE dropped slightly on the 2nd set.  I think it's technical acclimation coming into play.  Likely see a big jump next week if I had to put money on it.

On GPP Day, I still got a third round of the circuit.  Switched over to HIIT from LISS on the rower.  Last week was just an intro for that.  Cut the total conditioning time in half, and will look to add a round or two every session until I'm up in the 7-10 range.  Then maybe switch movements?

Block 10. Cycle 1. Session A.

BW - 229

Waist - 43.75"

sRPE @ 7

Squat -
320X3 @8
275X7, 7 @~7

Front Squat -
150X9 @7.5
145X9, 9 @7

Sumo DL w/ Straps - 290X5, 5 @7

GPP Day -
- DB Circuit: One-Arm Rows, Upright Rows, Curls - 7 minutes; 2 rounds; sets of 7-10
- Rower - LISS; 10 minutes

First session getting back to it after a rough few weeks of derailed training and a week of travel.

Testing some stuff I've observed with Emerging Strategies in this block.  Based on the last year of using that framework, my best results occur in the first 5 cycles of a training block, and then taper off for a couple of cycles before I pass my peak.  This will be a 10 cycle block where the first 4-5 cycles are my "2nd best" rep ranges and assistance movements transitioning into a 2nd round of 4-5 cycles with my "greatest hits" rep ranges and assistance movements.  With no pivot block in between, I'll see if I can extend my Time to Peak and if the cycle-to-cycle gains stay high, or if it still tapers off after the first 4-5 weeks and/or peaks around 7-8 weeks.

Something else I'm trying is cutting a set from each movement in the initial session/week to see if that helps with DOMS after little to no training the last couple of weeks.

Squats and Front Squats both went well.

Sumos w/ straps we're way off where I expected them to be on paper, but I was just a little gassed at this point, and didn't want to push the sRPE up.

Also taking advantage of the office gym to get some conditioning and some isolation/hypertrophy work that I always find it difficult to wedge into regular training sessions.

Block 4 (Accumulation). Cycle 4. Session A.

BW - 219

Squat -
255X9 @6
270X9 @7
335X1 @6.5
352.5X1 @7.5
365X1 @8.5
275X9, 9, 9 @~8

Rack Chins - BWX8, 6, 5 @~8

Sumo w/ straps -
265X7 @6
280X7 @6.5
292.5X7, 7 @7

Conditioning - LISS; 20 minutes; stationary bike

Tougher session.  Probably pushed the squats a little harder than I should have.  The last two blocks I had about a 5% jump in Cycle 4, and I was trying to will that to happen here.  It clearly wasn't in the cards, but I then tried to force a 10 lb. jump, and ended up overshooting a bit on my singles.  I brought it back in line for the back-off sets, and they felt about right. 

Rack Chins dropped off a bit, but I was also "holding the squeeze" pretty hard at the top of each rep.

I was pretty wiped by the time I got to Sumos, but they actually had a bit of a larger jump than last week.  I just really had to will my focus.

I'm traveling next week for work and vacation, and I've decided not to try and shoehorn any training into that trip, so I will be cutting this block short after this cycle.  Would have been interesting to see where it went, though.  Lots of intriguing things happening.

Video is of top sets and final work sets.

Block 4 (Accumulation). Cycle 3. Session A.

BW - 220

Squat -
252.5X9 @6
265X9 @7
322.5X1 @6
337.5X1 @7
355X1 @8.5
270X9, 9, 9 @~8

Rack Chins - BWX8, 7, 6 @~8.5

Sumo -
270X7 @6.5
285X7, 7 @7.5

Conditioning - LISS; Treadmill Walking; 20 minutes

What an adventure.  I ended up looking at last week's programmed DL numbers instead of my squat numbers.  Didn't realize it until have my last warm-up set of 9.  But that set felt @7 so....I went with it.  Top set ended up being a touch heavier than I wanted, so probably should have been closer to my original target of 345.  Still I decided to push the back-off sets up by 5 lbs., and that worked out okay...although it might have negatively impacted my sumos later in the session. 

Interestingly, this is the third block in a row of having a big jump on squats in cycle 3 and/or 4.  Interested to see what happens next week.

Rack chins took a little step back with the increase in BW.  Need to get that increase under better control.

Sumo were actually a little weaker than last week.  285 was supposed to be my last warm-up, but was clearly @7+ so I stayed there.  As I mentioned above, I suspect going a little harder on Squats earlier in the session  may have contributed. 

Video is of top sets and final work sets.

Block 4 (Accumulation). Cycle 2. Session A.

BW - 217

Squat -
235X9 @6
247.5X9 @6.5
305X1 @6
325X1 @7.5
335X1 @8.25
255X9, 9, 9 @7.5

Rack Chins - BWX9, 7, 6 @~8.5

Sumo DL -
255X7 @5
285X7, 7 @7

Squats came in a little under target, and chin strength was fairly level.  I think my stance was a bit wide on Squats.  Sumo feels like it's going to march, though.

Block 4 (Accumulation). Cycle 1. Session C.

BW - 216

Deadlift -
245X9@6
322.5X1@6
337.5X1@7
355X1@8.5
265X9, 9 @6.5

Front Squats -
135X7 @6
145X7, 7, 7, 7 @~7

Dips -
BW+10X7 @5.5
BW+15X7 @6.5
BW+20X7 @7
BWX12 @8

Not sure entirely what happened here.  I moved my feet back an inch or so on my deadlift set-up and ended up with my biggest DL in 6 months...at the beginning of a new training block.  So you could say it's the stance adjustment.  I also pulled Sumo for the first time ever earlier in this cycle.  When that came in at 112% of my Training Max (TM), I just assumed that I might be better at Sumo because I'm a good squatter.  But now my conventional pull comes in at 115% of my TM, but also with a slightly altered stance so....

I don't know.  We'll see.  I also got confused a bit by working on a bar pre-loaded with 100 lb. plates, and got it in my head that my back-off sets were supposed to be @7 rather than @8.  So I did less volume on the warm-ups, and less intensity on the back-offs.  Interested to see how it goes this week.

Front squats came in about where expected 53-58% of squat.  Movement felt very comfortable even though I haven't done them in a long time.  I think I'm just better at being "in my body" on squats than I've ever been.  How to move so that the fleet stay flat and the bar path stays fairly vertical.  Also, didn't have much trouble with the cross-arm rack position, but as weight increases, I expect the pressure on my chest to get uncomfortable like it has in the past.

Dips also came in about on target.  Expected 240-ish for the top-set weight, and ~15 reps for the back-offs.  Satisfied with where these are starting out. 

Video is of top sets and/or final work sets.

Block 4 (Accumulation). Cycle 1. Session A.

BW - 215

Squat -
225X9 @6
237.5X9 @7
295X1 @6
310X1 @7
327.5X1 @8
250X9, 9, 9 @7.5

Rack Chin-Ups - BWX8, 8, 7 @~8.5

Sumo DL w/Straps -
245X7
275X7, 7 @~7

Nice first session for the first training block.  Had to hold myself down out of the gate because I was so jazzed to get rolling.

Squats went very well.  I was a bit hesitant to jump from 238X7 to 295X1 after not having gone over 245 for a couple of weeks, but it was all good.  The top single looks faster than it felt.  I probably left some weight on the table, but I'm fine to start a tad lighter and progress.  Back-off sets definitely felt easier than expected.  When the first back-off came in at 7.5, I decided not to go up because I thought I would fatigue quickly.  That did not happen.

First time doing rack chins.  This is setting up with a low-ish chin up bar (smith machine in this case) and putting your feet up on something in front of you.  Basically the chin-up version of bench dips.  I want to find ways to get higher rep chin-up volume in besides pull-downs and band chins as neither of those have ever really seemed to translate very much to my chin-up strength.  These felt awkward to start, but I was hitting them with confidence by the end.  Looking forward to progressing on these and possibly even moving into holding one foot up off the bench as a way of adding intensity and also stimulating the abdominal bracing portion of chin-ups.  I thought I may need straps for these, but I did not.

Also did Sumo DL for the very first time ever.  I had no real expectations.  I plugged in, like, 90% of my recent DL e1RM.  I was working in with a good lifter who was also pulling Sumo, and he kept encouraging me to go up.  Where I ended up projects as 102% of my recent DL e1RM, and that coming off a two week pivot block and never having done this movement before.  Because my squat has long been ahead of my pull, I believed there was a chance I could pull Sumo more than Conventional.  And that may be the case.  I called these RPE~7 but that might even be sandbagging a bit.  Looking forward to seeing where these go this block.

All video is of top sets or final work-sets.