Pivot Cycle 2. Session B.

sRPE @5.5

BW - 216

530 Deadlift - 310X4, 4 @6

1-Leg Elevated Hip Thrusts - BWX13, 13 @8

Bench Dips (paused) - BWX20, 16, 13 @5.5/8

530 Bench - 155X2, 2 @6

DB Rolling Triceps - 45sX6 @6

Pivot Cycle 1. Session B.

sRPE @6

BW - 216

530 Deadlift - 305X4, 4 @6

1-Leg Elevated Hip Thrusts - BWX12, 12 @8

Bench Dips - BWX20, 20 @5.5/8

530 Bench - 155X2 @7

DB Rolling Triceps - 45sX6 @8

Pivot Block. Cycle 2. Session A

 BW - 222

Band Chins (under knee) - BWX5, 5 @6/7

DB 1-Arm Rows - 80X8, 8 @~8

BB Curls - 62.5X14@7.5

DB Hammer Curls - 35sX10, 10, 10 @7.5/8.5

320 Beltless Deadlift - 285X3 @5.5

GHR (low setting) - BWX12, 12 @6/7

DB Upright Rows - 42.5sX12, 12 @~9

Pivot Block. Cycle 1. Session A and B.

 BW - ~225

Session A.

Band Chins (knee) - BWX4, 4 @6

DB One-Arm Rows - 80X8, 8 @~7

BB Curls - 60X14@6

DB Hammer Curls - 32.5'sX10, 10, 10 @7/8.5

320 Beltless Deadlift w/ Straps - 275X3 @5.5

GHR (low setting) - BWX11, 11 @~7

DB Upright Rows - 40'sX12, 12 @7.5/9

Session B.

Paused Dips - BWX7@6

Rope Pushdowns - X15, 15

Paused Bench - 190X3@6

DB Bench - 50'sX15, 15 @~6

Leg Raise on Elbows - BWX10, 10, 10@6/8

Band Chins (foot) - BWX7, 6 @7

Mostly old favorites here so nothing to really note.  Hoping a lot of banded chin up work of varying difficulty combined with sub-maximal chin ups (in dev blocks) will start to yield gains where other chin up strategies have fallen short.

Haven't done Paused Bench in a while.  Felt totally comfortable.

Pivot Block. Cycle 2. Session B.

 BW - 232

Waist - 44"

BB Drag Curls - 32.5X12, 12, 12 @7/8

3-2-0 Tempo Bench - 140X4, 4 @~6

DB Bench - 75sX8, 8 @7.5/9

3-2-0 Tempo Beltless Deadlift - 270X4, 4 @~6

GHR - BWX8, 8 @~8

Machine Press - 92.5X10, 10 @~7

Doing the 75s for 8 on DB Bench is a Rep PR.

Moved the settings on the GHR to a little bit harder than last week.

Pivot Block. Cycle 1. Session B.

 BW - 232

Waist - 44"

BB Drag Curls - 25X12, 12, 12 @6/7.5

3-2-0 Tempo Bench - 120X4, 4 @~6

DB Bench - 65sX8, 8 @7.5

3-2-0 Tempo Beltless Deadlift - 260X4, 4 @6

GHR (Setting: 2 back; 10 down)- BWX8, 8 @~8

Machine Seated Press - 90X10, 10 @~7.5

Pivot Block. Cycle 2. Session B.

BW - 227

Waist - 43"

Scapular Pull-Ups - BWX12, 12, 10 @5/8 (grip limiting)

3-2-0 Tempo Deadlift - 275X5, 5 @6

3-2-0 Tempo Press - 80X5, 5 @6.5, 7

DB Curls - 30'sX10, 10 @8, 9

Pivot Block. Cycle 1. Session B.

BW - 231

Scapular Pull-Ups - BWX10, 10, 10 @~7 (grip limiting)

3-2-0 Tempo Deadlift - 275X5 @7

3-2-0 Tempo Press - 75X5 @6.5

DB Curls - 30'sX10 @~9

Pivot Block. Cycle 2. Session X.

BW - 230

Waist - 43.25"

sRPE @ 8

3-2-0 Beltless Deadlift - 275X4, 4, 4 @7/7.5

DB Press (350 Method) - 35sX25, 13, 10 @~9.5

Inverted Row (Myo-Reps; 30 sec. rests) - BWX15, 5, 6, 6, 6, 8 @8/9

Flexed-Arm Knee-to-Bar - BWX7, 5, 5 @9.5/10

Pivot Block. Cycle 1. Session C.

BW - 227

Waist - 43"

sRPE @ 7

3-2-0 Tempo Deadlift -
255X4, 4 @7
260X4, 4 @~7

Single-Leg Hack Squat -
20X8, 8 @~8
10X8 @~9

NG DB Bench - 55sX15 @8

RG EZ Curls - 50X15, 15 @8,9

Odd session.

Tempo always takes a while to get used to, especially a new tempo, so I was fine with it being difficult to get the tempo pulls dialed-in.

And I also know that Hack Squats can be pretty tough, especially relative to Leg Press.  I did NOT expect them to be "almost hitting failure with 10 lbs." tough.  My left leg in particular seemed to kind of hate these.  I tried staggering which leg I started with, but it didn't seem to make much difference.  Not really looking forward to doing these again this week, but kind of curious what full hack squats are going to be like next block.  I'll be doing them for myo-reps, and right now I'm thinking it will be fairly looooow weight.

Neutral grip DB bench, keeping the elbows close to mid-line throughout, is meant to be pivot assistance for Dips.

Trying out some reverse grip curls because my right brachioradialis has been kind of achy during the prior block from chins.  Seeing if some more direct hypertrophy work for it while I'm not doing chins will help when I bring them back next block.

Pivot Block. Cycle 2. Session C.

BW - 224

Waist - 43.5"

5-3-0 Tempo Deadlift w/ Straps - 245X5, 5, 5 @6~7

Machine Single-Arm Dip -
125X7 @8.5
115X7 @7

Lying Single-Leg Curl - X7, 7, 7 @~8

DB Hammer Curls - 30sX10, 8 @~8

Pivot Block. Cycle 1. Session C.

BW - 228

5-3-0 Tempo Deadlift w/ Straps - 240X5, 5, 5 @6.5/8.5

Machine Single-Arm Dip - 115X7, 7 @~7.5

Lying Single-Leg Curl - X7, 7, 7 @6/9

DB Hammer Curls - 30sX10, 10 @~8.5

All good.  Continuing to see that RPE is increasing quickly set-over-set.  Expecting to see that flatten out this next week.

Pivot Block. Cycle 5.

BW - 223

Waist - 42.25

5-3-0 Tempo Squat - 280X2, 2 @~6

5-3-0 Tempo Deadlift - 285X2, 2 @~6

Bulgarian Split Squat - 55X7, 7 @~6

5-3-0 Tempo Bench - 155X2, 2 @~6

DB French Press - 30sX6 @6

Flex Arm Hanging Knee Raise - BWX6, 6

BB Curls -
50X10 @6
60X10 @7
65X10 @8

Conditioning - LISS; Rower; 20 minutes

Nice and fast pivot session.  Only a couple of notes.

Upped the chain weight on the BSS.  Weighed out most of the chains now, and had to mix a couple of different ones.

Switched to DB overhead extensions for triceps.  Maybe I'll keep the train moving and do yet another triceps variation for the last session of the pivot.

Only took video of the BSS because they're so goofy.

Pivot Block. Cycle 4.

BW - 225

Waist - 42.25"

5-3-0 Tempo Squat - 275X2, 2 @~6

5-3-0 Tempo Deadlift - 282.5X2, 2 @~6

Bulgarian Split Squat - 48X7, 7 @~6

5-3-0 Tempo Bench - 150X2, 2 @~6

Overhead Cable Triceps - 50X6 @8

Flex Arm Hanging Knee Raise - BWX6, 6

BB Curls -
60X10 @7.5
62.5X10 @~8

Conditioning - LISS; Treadmill Walking; 20 minutes

Good session.

Switched to two 24# chains for the split squats.  Much easier than trying to keep using handheld weights.  Also gives me the chance to start weighing out chains for use in an upcoming block.

Subbed Cable overhead extensions for the rolling triceps.  MUCH better on my elbow/triceps tendon even though I lost focus and went @8 instead of @6.  Now that I'm using a lower impact movement, I don't mind going a little harder.

Curls weirdly took a big jump.

Pivot Block. Cycle 3.

BW - 221

Waist - 42.25

5-3-0 Tempo Squat - 270X2, 2 @~6

5-3-0 Tempo Deadlift - 275X2, 2 @5.5

Bulgarian Split Squat - 45X7, 7 @~6

5-3-0 Tempo Bench - 145X2, 2 @~6

DB Rolling Triceps - 40X6 @6

Flex Arm Hanging Knee Raise - BWX6, 6

BB Curls - 55X10, 10 @~8

Good session.  Moved quickly through everything, and had no trouble adding weight to anything except rolling triceps.

The rolling triceps thing is still bothering the bottom of the muscle/tendon just above the elbow.  I though it got better last session, but it seemed to have gotten a bit worse this session.  At this point I'm going to switch it out for a different movement, because I don't want to carry any unnecessary inflammation, etc. into my next dev block.

Only got video of the lower body tempo work.

Pivot Block. Cycle 2.

BW - 225

Waist - 41.75"

5-3-0 Tempo Squat - 265X2, 2 @~6

5-3-0 Tempo Deadlift - 270X2, 2 @~6

Bulgarian Split Squat - 35X7, 7 @~6

5-3-0 Tempo Bench - 140X2, 2 @~6

DB Rolling Triceps - 40X6 @5.5

Flex Arm Hanging Knee Raise - BWX5, 5

BB Curls - 52.5X10, 10 @~8

Conditioning - HIIT; Stationary Bike; 7 rounds

Moved through this nice and quick with rest times ~2 minutes or less.  Resistance training was finished in about an hour even with remembering to do the ab and biceps work.  I rearranged the order so that all the lower body work is together at the beginning and all the upper body at the end.  This flowed much better.

Because the rolling triceps seemed to be bothering my left elbow, I left the weight the same.  There was still some discomfort there, but not as much as last time.

Couldn't be bothered with video.

I track waist circumference and I'm going to add that into this log because BW fluctuation isn't telling the whole story.

BW fluctuation over the last month:

Waist fluctuation over the last month:

Pivot Block. Cycle 1.

BW - 221

5-3-0 Tempo Squat - 257.5X2, 2 @~6

5-3-0 Tempo Bench - 137.5X2, 2 @~6

5-3-0 Tempo Deadlift - 262.5X2, 2 @~6

Bulgarian Split Squat - 25X7, 7 @~5

DB Rolling Triceps - 40X6 @6.5

Conditioning - LISS; Treadmill Walking; 20 minutes

Next block will be using single session cycles because of time constraints.  I'll be using this pivot to kind of feel that out a little.

Tempo lifts were all fine and were max @6.  Probably a little lower, but I'm not really worried about the first session of the pivot block.  I like to still see the weight progress in these blocks, so I don't mind starting "too" light.

I did the BSS with a 25 lb. bumper.  I looked around for a 15 kg, but couldn't find one, so I just stayed @5.  I think holding the grippy plate is a bit easier on getting into position and on balance than using a DB, so I'll find a 15 kg next time.

My right triceps near the elbow were not super happy about the heavy eccentric on the rolling triceps.  Gonna be real careful about that next session and be prepared to swap out a different movement.  It would suck to get an injury in a pivot block.

Didn't get video of the tempo pulls.

Pivot Block. Session C.

BW - 221

5-3-0 Tempo DL - 225X5, 5, 5, 5 @~6

HB Split Squat - 65X7, 7, 7 @~6

Push-Ups on DBs - BWX11, 10, 7 @8/10
super-set with
BB Curls - 55X10, 10, 7 @8/10

Last session of the Pivot.  Felt bone tired walking into the session, and was afraid I was getting sick.  Started feeling better during the DLs, and was okay by the end.  Skipped conditioning.

Expected DB Push-Ups to have been easier.  Maybe just novelty.

Pivot Block. Cycle 3. Session B.

BW - 216

5-3-0 Tempo Deadlift -
232.5X4 @5
245X4, 4 @6

Single-Leg Elevated Hip Thrusts - BWX15, 13 @~8

5-3-0 Tempo Bench -
135X4 @5.5
140X4, 4, 4 @~6.5

JM Press - 85X8, 8, 8 @6/7

Pull-Downs - X11, 9 @~9

Leg Raises - X17, 14 @~9

Last session of the pivot block.  Everything went very well.  Very, very ready to start my next developmental cycle.

Video of the last sets of the tempo lifts.

Pivot Block. Cycle 2. Session B.

BW - 216

5-3-0 Tempo DL -
225X4 @5
235X4, 4 @6 (w/straps)

Single-Leg Elevated Hip Thrust - BWX14, 12 @8

5-3-0 Tempo Bench -
125X4 @5
135X4, 4, 4 @5.5/6.5

JM Press -
80X8 @5
85X8 @5.5
90X8 @7.5

Lat Pull-Downs - X10, 8

Leg Raises - X15, 14

Added straps for the tempo DL.  Did mixed grip on the last warm-up, and played around with breathing at the top vs. breathing at the bottom, but it was clear grip was going to drive up the RPE, and that wasn't the point of this movement.

Added a set of DL to my upcoming developmental block, so I also added a set of the single-leg DL accessory here just to keep total volume in line.  Crazy low back pump after doing these.

Tempo bench took a big jump.  Hopefully a sign of residual fatigue falling away.

Conversely, I had a hard time dialing in JM Press and then the bottom fell out on it.

Only took video of the tempo lifts today.