S/B/D/R+ Week 3. Day B.

sRPE @8

BW - 223

Bench - 

-    up to 225X1 @9

-    185X3, 3, 3, 3, 3 @7/7.5

FFE BSS - BWX11, 10, 8, 6 @8/9

NG Cable Rows - X10, 10, 8 @~8

super-set with

Bent Knee GHR Sit-Ups - BWX8, 8, 6 @~8

Machine Standing Calf Raises - X8, 7, 7, 6 @8/9

Stationary Bike - HIIT; 0:20/1:40; 14 minutes

Felt good coming in today, but Bench was flaaaaaat.  Everything else seemed fine.

S/B/D/R+ Week 2. Day B.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 220

Bench - 

-    up to 225X1 @8

-    195X3, 3, 3, 3 @7.5/8.5

FFE BSS - BWX11, 10, 9, 8 @8

Cable Rows - X11, 10, 9 @8

super-set with

GHR Sit-Ups - BWX9, 8, 6 @8

Machine Standing Calves - X8, 7, 8, 7 @~8

Stationary Bike - HIIT; 0:20/1:40; 14 minutes

Solid session.  I've been taking a bit more time on my warm-up singles this week trying to feel out where my top set should be.  On both Squat and Bench, I re-took my last warm-up single and both times found the 2nd set easier allowing me to go for something higher on the top set.  Patience, I guess.

S/B/D/R Week 1. Day B.

sRPE @7

BW - 223

Bench - 

-    up to 215X1 @7.5

-    190X3, 3, 3 @7.5/8.5

FFE BSS - BWX12, 10, 10 @8/9.5

Cable Rows - X11, 9, 9 @8

super-set with

GHR Sit-Ups - BWX11, 8, 7 @8

Machine Standing Calves - X7, 7, 7, 7 27.5/10

Stationary Bike - HIIT; 0:20/1:40; 14 minutes

I've been low-key a coward about putting Front Foot Elevated Bulgarian Split Squats into my program regularly, and yes:  they suck.  Time to get good at them!

Fun session.

Pivot. Week 3. Day C.

sRPE @8.5

BW - 224

Deadlift - 

-    up to 360X1 @7.5

-    315X3, 3, 3, 3 @6/7

DB Bench - 65sX9, 7, 6, 6 @8

Cable Rows - X12, 9, 8 @8

BB Curls - 70X7, 6, 6, 6 @8

super-set with

GHR Sit-Ups - BWX8, 7, 6, 5 @~8

Rower - HIIT, 7 rounds

Basement of the building was full of water again, and the humidity in the gym was pretty rough.  DLs felt weak out of the gate, and it's hard to tell if that was environmental or other.  Everything else was fairly flat compared to recent sessions, but overall session RPE was definitely elevated by the atmosphere.

Pivot. Week 3. Day B.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 228

Bench - 

-    up to 205X1 @7

-    185X3, 3, 3, 3 @6.5/7

Leg Press - 2ppsX12, 10, 9, 9 @7.5/8.5

Cable Rows - X12, 10, 9 @~8

super-set with

GHR Sit-Ups - BWX8, 6, 6 @8/9

Machine Standing Calf Raise - X9, 7, 6, 6 @~9

Rower - HIIT; 7 rounds

Back from my last, expected out-of-town trip for a few months.  I'll keep at this "Pivot"/General program through next week, and then plan to jump into a short-ish, Row specialization block.

I haven't done Leg Press in a long time, and performance was WAY off my best, but also standing calf raises were also way down.  Maybe all the swimming I did over the weekend (humble brag)?

Pivot. Week 2. Day C.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 227

Deadlift - 

-    up to 355X1 @6.5

-    325X3, 3, 3@~6.5

DB Bench - 65sX9, 7, 7, 6 @~8

Cable Rows - X11, 9, 8 @~8

GHR Sit-Ups - BWX7, 7, 7 @~8

super-set with

Machine Standing Calves - X13, 9, 7 @~9

Rower - HIIT; 7 rounds

I was a bit tentative on DL because of last week's lower back issues, but no problems today.

Backing off of intensity has allowed me to push volume in this "pivot" block to 17 worksets in a session over 2 weeks still with headroom to add more.  The last few blocks before this I've been capping out around 14 worksets before fatigue demanded a change.

I'm glad I gave a shot to pushing intensity instead of volume, but I think I may be a volume boi.  

I've got one more out of town trip this weekend, and then I should finally have a runway for more consistent training for a while.  However, I might let this program run a couple of extra weeks just to see what happens before I go back into another specialization block.

Pivot. Week 2. Day B.

sRPE @7

BW - 228

Bench - 

-    215X1 @7.5

-    185X3, 3, 3 @~7

Hack Squats - 100X9, 8, 8, 7 @~8

Cable Rows - X11, 10, 10 @8

GHR Sit-Ups - BWX8, 7, 7 @8

super-set with

BB Curls - 70X8, 7, 7 @8

Rower - HIIT; 7 rounds

Solid session.  Low back didn't like me using flexion on the cable rows, but was fine with a rigid spine. 

Pivot. Week 1. Day C.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 227

Deadlift - 

-    up to 345X1 @6.5

-    315X3, 3 @7/7.5*

DB Bench - 65sX8, 7, 6 @8

Cable Rows - X12, 10 @7.5/8

BB Curls - 70X6, 6 @~8

super-set with

GHR Sit-Ups - BWX8, 7 @8

Rower - HIIT; 7 rounds

*tweaked my back on the first back-off set, and the 2nd back-off set was done with a slow tempo.

I was able to complete the workout without any issue, and the rest of the workout was fine. 

Pivot. Week 1. Day B.

sRPE @6

BW - 227

Bench - 

-    up to 205X1 @6

-    195X3 @7.5, 185X3 @6.5

Hack Squats - 100X8, 8, 8 @~8

Cable Rows - X11, 10 @8

super-set with

GHR Sit-Ups - BWX8, 7 @~8

Machine Standing Calf Raise - X12, 10 @~10

Rower - HIIT; 7 rounds

Out-of-town visitors came in the night before, and performance was a bit muted on this day.  

However, this volume (very similar to what I was doing in the last block) at these RPEs felt fairly easy.  The last few months, I've been pushing higher RPEs on average while being really conservative with volume.  I've been thinking to flip that script a bit and see if pushing volume again while holding back on intensity might alleviate some of the nagging aches and pains that have started to develop.

Bench, Legs, Back

sRPE @7.5

BW - 226

Bench - 

-    up to 245X1 @10

-    205X1, 1, 1 @6/7.5

BFE Split Squats - BWX13, 12, 12 @9/10

Cable Rows - X17, 14, 13 @10

Cable Rear Delt Flyes - X11, 9, 7 @10

This is where my Bench tested out at the end of the last block.  Hopeful to see some improvement over the next two weeks.

Both-Fee-Elevated Split Squats are awesome.  Real Real rubber-izer.

Close-Grip Bench, Belt Squats, Upper Back

sRPE @7

BW - 226

CG Bench - 

-    up to 235X1(PR) @9.5

-    210X3(PR) @8

-    185X3, 3 @6.5

Belt Squat - 

-    105X10, 10 @7/8

-    140X6 @9

Upper Back Attack - 

-    Cable Rear Delt Rows - X17, 17, 13 @9/10

-    Cable Rows - X15, 14, 11 @10

-    Cable Retractions - X12, 11, 10 @9/10

A couple of nice PRs on CG Bench.  The Data Driven Strength guys recently put out 3 new RPE charts based on recent studies.  I initially copied over the "Average Rep Capacity" chart for my use, but after the last couple of sessions, I've revised to the "Low Rep Capacity" as it seems to line up better with how my heavy singles compare to my heavy triples.  

I've always fucking hated Belt Squat.  I was always trying to do them and maintain BB Squat position with a high chest etc.  I recently saw videos of Mike Israetel doing them for bodybuilding where his upper body was somewhat relaxed, he was holding onto the bars, and was just trying to go as deep as possible.  More like a Hack Squat or a Leg Press.  I tried that out today and it felt GREAT.  Couldn't use as much weight because of the longer ROM, but very happy to have another tool for training legs that I actually might like!

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."  

Upper Back, Hips, Triceps

sRPE @7

BW - 227

Upper Back Attack (all done with Thoracic Extension/Flexion) -

-    Cable Rear Delt Rows - X18, 14, 14 @10

    -    Rest-Pause Long ROM Partial - X7 @10

-    Cable Rows - X17, 13, 12 @10

    -    Rest-Pause Long ROM Partial - X7 @10

-    Cable Scapular Retractions - X13, 12, 12 @10

    -    Rest-Pause Long ROM Partial - X7@10

Big Hipper Super-Sets -

-    GHR Bent-Knee Sit-Ups - BWX11, 11, 10 @8.510

-    GHR - BWX13, 10, 10 @9/10

-    Copenhagen Planks - BWX12, 11, 10 @8.5/10

BW JM Press - BWX10, 9, 9 @~10

I'd encourage anyone to try incorporating Thoracic motion and Long ROM Partials with their upper-back hypertrophy training.  The thoracic extension/flexion feels like a more complete movement, and the partials give a very compelling burn.

Got to try the full "Big Hipper" super-set idea out.  Chose to also try out a bent-knee GHR sit-up variation instead of my usual Hanging Leg Raise.  Thinking is that the bent knee will stretch out the Rectus Femoris and hit it a bit harder as a result.

I think you could go really nuts with super-setting Hip Flexion, Extension, and Adduction.  The most ridiculous version I can think of is Hanging Toes-to-Bar, RDLs, Sumo Belt Squat.  Recovery better be on point for that.  On the other end of the spectrum, you could do Seated Knee Raises, 45 Degree Hypers, and the Adduction machine.  

Low-Rep Volume PRs. Week 2. Session B.

sRPE @7

BW - 221

Chins - BWX2, 2 @~8

Cable Rows w/end-ROM drop-sets - X16/4, 14/4 @~10

BB Curls - 50X12 @6

DB Curls w/end-ROM drop-sets - 25sX10/4, 11/4 @~10

DB Rolling Triceps (021 tempo) - 40sX10, 10 @9/10

Think I've been training like this a bit too long.  Feeling a bit burnt out on it.  Might just scrap this and do something fairly different for a while.

Low-Rep Volume PRs. Week 1. Session B.

sRPE @6

BW - 218

Chins - BWX2, 2 @~8

Cable Rows - X14, 12 @~9

BB Curls - 65X12, 12 @8.5/9.5

DB Rolling Triceps - 40sX9, 8 @~8.5

Rower - HIIT; 10 minutes

Curls were unexpectedly tough.  Hopefully that's just a blip and strength rebounds next week.

Pivot. Week 1. Session B.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 223

Deadlift - up to 365X1 @7

Bench - up to 205X1 @7

All movements below done with mechanical drop-sets where I took the full ROM to failure and then did long-ROM partials to failure:

Cable Rows w/ Thoracic Extension - X11/5, 10/5 @~10

Seated Leg Curls - X12/8, 11/5 @~10

Seated OH Cable Extensions - X14/4, 10/4 @~10

Much better pivot session and what I probably should have done in the previous session.

Just worked up to a smooth single on DL and Bench and then played around some more with the drop-set partials.  Lots of burn on all of these.

BBM Peaking Block. Cycle 4. Session C.

sRPE @6

BW - 212

Deadlift - 

405X1 @7.5

435X1 @9

365X2 @6

Incline - 

up to 205X1 @8

155X2, 2 @~4.5

Hack Squat - 150X10 @9.5

Cable Rows - X17 @10

Fought through the polar vortex to get to the gym.  Only did a bit of a half session because motivation was low.  Pushed Inclines and Hack Squats up a bit for fun.

BBM Gen.S+C Block 2. Cycle 5. GPP Session A.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 209

Chin-Ups - BWX6, 6, 5, 5 @8/10

BB Curls - 55X18, 14, 11 @8/10

super-set with

Straight-Bar Pushdowns - X19, 19, 19 @7/8.5

Cable Rows - X19, 14, 12 @9/10

Leg Raise on Dips Bars - BWX12, 12, 10, 10 @8.5/9

Combining 2 days of GPP and skipping conditioning ahead of holiday.

BBM Gen.S+C Block 2. Cycle 3. GPP Session B.

sRPE @6

BW - 208

Toes-to-Bar - BWX7, 7, 7, 7 @8/10

BB Curls - 55X16, 14, 8 @8/10

super-set with

Cable Pushdowns - X17, 17, 17 @6.5/8.5

Cable Rows - X17, 12, 10 @8.5/10

Rower - LISS; 25 minutes

Schedule tight again.  Kind of combined GPP sessions, but also had to cut GPP short.

BBM Gen.S+C Block 2. Cycle 2. GPP Session B.

sRPE @5

BW - 208

BB Curls - 55X15, 13, 11 @8/9

super-set with

Straight-Bar Pushdowns - X16, 16, 16 @7/8.5

Cable Rows - X16, 12, 12 @7.5/8.5

Rower - LISS; 30 minutes

Airdyne bike is out of order so I'll probably just be using the rower for the foreseeable.