HLM. Week 3. Day 3.

BW - 229

SSB Squat - 270X5, 5, 5, 5

Press -
145X1
115X5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Deadlift -
350X1, 1, 1
315X5

SSB Squats still feeling pretty good.  They're challenging, but not grind-y.  Last set shown.

Press still feels heavy through the last warm-ups, but then I "get up" for the work-set and it feels pretty good.  Back-off sets were all fast.  Top set and last back-off shown.

DL felt okay.  Working hard to get back to a strong "chest-up" position to start the lift.  I feel like I was better at this pre-adductor lay-off, and am working to get it back.  Currently "squeezing" my chest up to "take the slack out of the bar" as the final set-up cue before I pull.  Not quite there yet, but getting a bit better.  Last single and back-off set shown.

Texas Method Team Training. Week 7. Intensity Day

BW - 224

Squats - 320X5

Bench - 200X5

Deadlift - 320X5

Squats are still feeling the best of the 3.

Bench felt pretty good on this day, as every rep felt well executed.  Bench is very dependent on that for me at these weights.

A lot of confidence rolling on Deads as well.  It doesn't feel as "easy" as Squats at this weight, but I've embraced the idea that they never will, and I step to the bar expecting a fight.  That's helped a lot at this point.

Oh, and 320X5 on both Squats and Deads is a PR since my 1st meet.

LRB 365: 100 Reps. Week 5. Deadlift

BW - 196

Pause Squats -
BarX10
95X5
135X5
185X3, 3

Deadlift -
135X5
185X5
205X4
235X3
265X2
285X1
295X1
305X1 (held for 10 seconds)

BB Shrugs - 135X80, 25 (no straps)

Weighted Vest - 40 minutes; walking

Awesome session.  I don't really know how it happened.  I indulged in a bunch of eating and drinking and assorted debauchery the day before and closed down a bar and everything.  Woke up hung-over, ate some eggs, had some coffee and OJ and ibuprofen.  I got down to the gym and warmed-up, and went through the Pause Squats, and they felt pretty good.  Smooth, and the 2nd set with 185 felt better than the first.

Then the bar hit the floor, and for some reason my pulse started racing and I felt aggressive as hell.  I had to calm myself down a little on my work sets because I was worried I was going to spaz out and lose my form.  I just can't describe how awesome these pulls felt.

I took that same aggression to the shrugs and got the PR at 80 reps.  It was my grip that gave out.

Went home and had some more food, and then the wife came along for my walk. And the weather was even pretty nice.  Just an awesome, awesome training day.