Phase 1. Week 2. Deadlift

BW - 209

Deadlift -
135X5
185X4
225X3
275X2
315X1
305X3, 3, 3

Deficit Deads - 275X3, 3

RDL - 225X3, 3

BB Row - 135X10

All strap-less.  I can't remember for sure, but I think I only used mixed grip on the 275X2 set of Deads, and on both the deficit sets.

The 315 and 305 sets were way slower off the floor than I expected.  For now, I'm going to assume I need to re-acclimate to the movement after barely touching it through 12 weeks of the Big-15.  I will stay at 305 for my back-off sets until I'm satisfied with the speed on both those and the top single at 315.

Regarding my speed off the floor, it's convenient that I already had deficit deads programmed in here.  When I sat this up to have 3 heavy assistance movements on Deadlift day, I wasn't sure how many sets of each, so I limited it for this session to see what I had left in the tank by the end.  Based on this session, and my need for bottom-end work, I will add at least one more set to the deficits moving forward, and possibly more.

My hamstrings feel decently tight/sore today, so I'm going to leave the RDLs at 2 sets for now.  However, I may end up moving the rows to another day so I can do more quality volume, in which case I will add another set of RDLs here.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 6. Bench

BW - 206

Bench -
BarX10
95X5
115X4
135X3
155X2
185X1

165X10, 5

Chins (Close, V-Grip) -
BWX5
+15X5
+20X3, 3
+25X2
+30X1

+25X6, 4
BWX7, 3

DB Bench - 65sX15, 6, 6, 5

Solid session.  I benched without a spotter, so cut the back-off set of bench at 10.  Feel confident I would have gotten at least 1 more with a spot, so I don't think this is really a step back from last week.  Also, I had trouble with my set-up.  The bench I was using had less 'grip' to it, and I had hard time getting set so that I could use leg-drive without sliding backwards on the bench.

Chins and DB Bench were all fine.  Similar to last week, with maybe a bit more volume thrown in.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 6. Shoulders

BW - 203

DB Laterals - 15sX15, 15, 15, 15, 15
super-set with
Face-Pulls - X15, 15, 15, 15, 15

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 6. High Bar

BW - 207

High Bar Squat -
BarX10 (paused)
95X5
125X4
145X3
185X2
215X1

185X15

RDL -
135X12
155X10, 10, 8

Lunges - BWX20, 20, 100 (last set R/P)

Solid all around session.  Still skipping calf raises because of right food soreness.

185X15 is my cycle goal for High Bars.  This was by far the most comfortable I've felt with this movement.  Finally finding a good spot on my traps for the bar, and also moved my grip in and am using a thumbs-around.  Felt good and tight throughout the movements.  I think I've set a nice baseline for incorporating this movement into programming going forward.

On the other hand, RDLs are feeling uncomfortable without straps.  I actually did my last couple of sets mixed grip.  I'm working hard to keep my knees tight and stretch the hamstrings way out.  It was kind of exhausting, and I need to replace my lost straps.

Decided to just rest/pause my way up to 100 on the last set of lunges.  Why not.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 5. Arms

BW - 204 (work gym)

DB Hammer Curls - 30s, 25s, 20s, 15sX20 each

Rope Extensions - X20, 20, 20, 12, 13 (straight weight)

Ab Wheel - X15, 15, 10

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 5. Incline

BW - 206

Incline -
BarX20
75X5
95X4
115X3
145X2
155X1

145X16, 8

DB Press - 40sX15, 8, 6

Machine Pullovers - X15, 11, 10 (straight-weight)

BB Rows - 135X12, 9, 8, 6, 6

145X16 is an all-around PR on Inclines and beats my cycle goal of 145X15.  Good stuff.

Met my cycle goal of 40sX15 on DB OHP.  Cut it short after 3 sets because my shoulders were screaming.

Very, very strict on the pullovers and rows.  Sharp concentric, squeeze at the top, controlled eccentric.  My upper lats were burning at the end of the pullovers, and everything back there was on fire after the rows.

Good session.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 5. Shoulders

BW - 204

DB Laterals - 15sX20, 20, 20, 15, 13
super-set with
Face-Pulls - X20, 20, 20, 20, 22

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 5. Squats

BW - 204

Squats -
BarX10 (paused)
95X5 (paused)
115X5
145X4
175X3
225X2
255X1

215X12, 5

Single-Leg Curls - X15, 20, 18, 15

Single-Leg Press - 1ppsX23, 20, 20, 20

Three days off of hectic working, drinking, and staying up late lead to a sub-par Squat session.  Big surprise.  Moving along.

I'm gonna lay off the calf work for the rest of the cycle, because I've got a lingering pain in my right foot.  I'm a little nervous it's plantar fasciitis.

Pushed the single-leg work as hard as I could.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 5. Arms

BW - 204

BB Curls - 40ishX20, 20, 20, 20, 15
super-set with
BB French Press - 40ishX20, 20, 20, 10, 14

Ab Wheel - X15, 15, 12, 10

Just tired today.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 5. Bench

BW - 205

Bench -
BarX15
85X5
105X4
125X3
155X2
175X1

165X12, 3

Chins (close, v-grip) -
BWX5
+25X2, 2
+45X1

+25X6, 3
BWX7, 5, 5

DB Bench - 65sX15, 6, 6

Good session.

165X12 is a Rep PR and my goal for the cycle.  I got a 13th rep, but the spotter had his fingers on the bar, and I have no idea how much he may have helped.

I tried to switch some stuff up with the chins by running up faster and to a heavier single.  I was hoping that would leave more in the tank for the back-offs AND make them feel even lighter.  Didn't work out this time, and so I added a couple more BW sets to make up for the lost volume.

65sX15 is my cycle goal for the DB Bench.

2 goals hit to start Week 5.  Good stuff.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 4. Shoulders

BW - 204

DB Laterals - 25sX10, 10, 10, 10, 12
super-set with
Face-Pulls - X10, 10, 10, 10, 15

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 4. Squat

BW - 204

Standing Calves - 3 sets of 15

Squat -
BarX10 (paused)
95X5 (paused)
115X5
145X4
175X3
225X2
255X1

215X15, 6

Standing Leg Curls - 3 sets of 12-15

Single-Leg Press - 1ppsX20, 20, 20

Good session, but exhausting.

215X15 is a Rep PR and is in the ball-park of projected 1RM increase.  Also my first time getting 6 reps on the back-off set with this weight.  Took a video to check in on my adjusted low-bar form:

I'm going to have to watch this several more times before I have a take-away though.  I think most of the reps look good, but I need to get into it in more detail.

I was tuckered out after this and cut the assistance down to 3 sets each.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 4. Arms

BW - 204

BB Curls - 50ishX10, 10, 10, 10, 10
super-set with
EZ Bar French Press - 60ishX10, 10, 10, 10, 10

Ab Wheel - 5 sets of 15

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 4. Bench

BW - 200

Bench -
BarX10
85X5
105X4
125X3
155X2
175X1

165X11, 4

Chins (close, v-grip) -
BWX5
+15X5
+20X3, 3
+25X2
+30X1

+25X8, 5
BWX8

DB Bench - 60sX20, 11, 9, 6

Good session.  It was early in the morning so I kept having to check myself from zoning out, and renew my focus.  Otherwise really nice.

165X11 is a Rep PR on bench, and 1 rep off my target for the cycle.

Chins had a general increase in volume across the three back-off sets.  No PR, but more reps per set than last time.  That's nice, because these had been trailing off a bit over the last few sessions.

Similarly with the DB Bench, I managed to up the overall volume across the 4 sets over what I'd done the last couple of sessions.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 4. Shoulders

BW - 201

DB Laterals - 20sX15, 15, 15, 15, 15
super-set with
Face-Pulls - 5 sets of 15

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 4. High Bar Squat

BW - 201

Seated Calves - 3 sets of 15

HB Squat -
BarX10 (Paused)
95X5
125X4
145X3
185X2
215X1

185X12

RDL -
135X12
155X12
185X10

Lunges - BWX20, 20, 20

Had to cut the last 2 movements short because of fielding phone calls related to family issues.

185X12 is an all-around PR on high-bars.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 3. Arms

BW - 203

BB Curls - 40ishX15, 15, 15, 15, 15
super-set with
EZ Bar French Press - 40ishX15, 15, 15, 15, 15

Ab Wheel - 5 sets of 14

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 3. Incline

BW - 204

Incline -
BarX20
75X5
95X4
115X3
145X2
155X1

135X18, 10

DB Press - 35sX15, 10, 10, 9

Pullover Machine - 3 sets of 15

BB Rows - 135X10, 8, 8, 7

Deadlift (practice) -
135X5
185X4
225X3 (mixed-grip, right hand)
275X2 (mixed-grip, left hand)
315X1 (double-overhand, held for 12 sec.)

Nice session; a lot of fun.  The 2nd pressing day has consistently been my favorite day on the Big-15 program.

135X18 is an all-around PR on Inclines.  I mis-read my notes, though, and I was supposed to back-off with 145.  I'll move that up next time.

DB Pressing felt "good" in that bodybuilding way where everything burns and is uncomfortable, and you miss all your last reps.

Added one more plate to every set of pullovers.  Still squeezing the contraction, and controlling the eccentric. 

My back really feels 'ready to go' on rows after the pullovers.  135X10 is actually a Rep PR on hanging BB Rows.  Mostly always fucked around with Pendlays before.  Again, these were very strict with a fixed back angle, squeezing the contraction into my torso, and stopping each set when I couldn't touch the bar that way anymore.

Deadlift practice was good.  Although I couldn't hold the final rep as long as last time.  All the reps felt really fucking strong, though.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 3. Squat

BW - 203

Calf Raises - 3 sets of 15+

Squat -
BarX10 (paused)
95X5 (paused)
115X5
145X4
175X3
225X2
255X1

215X13, 5

Standing, Single-leg curls -
3 non-stop sets of 12
1 set of 15 (failure)

Single-leg press - 1ppsX20, 20, 15, 12

13th rep on Squats was slow, but smooth through-out.  Rep PR.

Got a good pump on the leg curls, and the single-leg presses were stronger this week.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 3. Bench

BW - 202

Bench -
BarX10
85X5
105X4
125X3
155X2
175X1

165X10.75!, 5

Chins (close, v-grip) -
BWX5
+15X5
+20X3, 3
+25X2
+30X1

+25X5
BWX10, 7

DB Bench - 60sX18, 11, 9, 5

Early morning sessions are often dicey for me as my body doesn't feel like it's 'going' yet. 

This is the first time I think I've ever missed a bench at lock-out.  I was SOOOO close to that 11th rep.  I think grinding and failing on that one took a chunk out of me for the rest of the session.

On chins I felt so weak on the back-off with 25, that I didn't want to gut out a 50% set of 2-3, so I dropped the weight and pounded out some more BW chins to up the total volume over last session.

I pushed the 1st set of DB bench a little farther also trying to up the over-all volume, but my strength was leaving me pretty quickly at this point as evidenced by the final set being only 5 reps (failed on the 6th).