PIVOT. Session C.

sRPE @7

BW - 216

DB Bench - 80sX7, 7, 7 @7/9

Decline Leg Raise - X0

Dips Bar Leg Raise - BWX6, 8, 8 @6/8.5

Standing Calf Raises - 350X8, 8, 7 @8/10

super-set with

Leg Extension - X10, 10, 10 @6/8.5

super-set with

Leg Curls - X10, 10, 10 @5/8.5

Stationary Bike - HIIT; 6 rounds / 10 minutes

I think that the 80s for 7 is a Rep PR on DB Bench.

Tried to do Decline Leg Raise, but the strain in my side said "NOPE."  Leg Raises on the parallel bars were fine though.  So seems like I can stretch and contract the hips OR the shoulders but not BOTH right  now.  Hopefully, it will be fine for static bracing on Squat and Deadlift next week.

BBM PB I Block 1. Cycle 4. Session C.

sRPE @7

BW - 203

Deadlift - 

385X5 @~8

365X5, 5, 5 @~7/8.5

Hammer Incline - 120X8, 8, 8 @7.5/8.5

Seated DB Press - 35sX15, 12, 12, 12 @9.5/8.5

Standing Calves - X20, 20, 20 @~8/10

385 is a 4 Rep PR on DL, and 365 is a 2X5 Volume PR.  This is also a PR e1RM.

BBM PB I Block 1. Cycle 3. Session C.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 207

Deadlift - 

375X5 @7.5

355X5, 5, 5 @7/8

Hammer Incline - 120X8, 8, 8 @8/9.5

DB Seated Press - 

45sX7 @10

35sX12, 12 @8/9

Standing Calf Raises - X17, 17, 17 @~7/8

375X5 is a 4 Rep PR, and 355 for, effectively, 4X5 is a Volume PR on Deadlift.  Top set felt great, but, RPE aside, these back-offs were heavy and hard.  Definitely felt like an "earned" Volume PR instead of "I haven't done sets of 13 in a few years, oh look a volume PR."  Also, gym is humid as hell right now.

Hammer Inclines felt heavy but also smooth?  Avg. RPE was slightly lower than with the same weight last week.

DB Press however cratered.  I assume it was a combination of general fatigue from climate and DL plus specific fatigue from the Hammer Inclines, although...why didn't that effect them this much the previous two sessions?  I dunno, but my delts were definitely feeling more fatigued heading into DB Press.  Maybe I'm just getting more efficient at targeting delts on the Hammer machine.

BBM PB I Block 1. Cycle 2. Session C.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 202

Deadlift - 

370X5 @8

355X5, 5 @7/8

Hammer Incline - 120X8, 8, 8 @8/10

Seated DB Press - 

45sX13 @ 10

40sX12, 10 @9/10

Toes-to-Bar - BWX6, 6, 6 @~8

Standing Calf Raises - X16, 16, 16 @~8

Last session before vacation.  Added the TTB in since I'm skipping all the GPP sessions this week.

On Deadlift, 370X5 is a Rep PR, and 355 for, effectively, 3X5 is a Volume PR.

On TTB, 3X6 is a Volume PR.

BBM PB I Block 1. Cycle 1. Session C.

sRPE @6

BW - 202

Deadlift - up to 365X5 @8

Hammer Incline - up to 120X8 @8

DB Press - 

40sX13 @10

35sX12, 12 @8

333 Tempo Standing Calf Raises - X16, 16, 16 @6/8.5

Can tell I haven't done 5s on DL in a while because this ties some old 5 Rep PR from probably back in my Starting Strength days.

Checked my logs, and this is my first time doing direct calf work since 2014, lol.

Reps and Volume. Week 10. Bench

BW - 208

Incline -
BarX30
95X5, 5
115X3
135X2
155X1
135X15, 6

Reverse Cambered Bench - 185X5, 5, 5, 5, 5

DB Bench - 50sX16, 14, 10
super-set with
DB Rear Delts - 25sX20, 20, 20

DB Hammer Curls - 35sX20, 16, 12, 12

Seated Calves - 90X15, 15, 15

Incline Treadmill Walking - 20 minutes

Wasn't able to hit bench on my regular day, and will be traveling this week, so I got it in on Saturday instead.

135X15 and for >18 total reps meets that goal, so I move up to 145 next time.  Shoulder feels terrible for the first several reps with the empty bar, but by the time I get into the high-teens/low-20s with it everything feels okay and I can do the rest of the programmed day.

Bumped the lockout/triceps work up to 185 for 5X5.  I'll move up to 195 next time.  My thinking with these right now is:  We've got a pin-press bench at the gym.  If I can take this lockout work up to 225 for 5X5 with the cambered bar, then I will move that weight over to the pin-bench and try to stay at that weight while gradually increasing the ROM with ever-lower pins.  All other things being equal, the pin-presses should be easier than the reverse cambered bar.  With the bar, the pad on the camber sort of makes you pause the reps because of the way it sinks into you.  At the same time, you have to keep really tight to stabilize the bar so it doesn't roll forwards or backward on your chest.  With the pin-presses you can actually stop the bar on the pins without having to keep it stable.  Anyway, hopefully this will work out and I can take the pin presses with some good weight down at least to the point where my elbows come even with my center-line.  That seems to be the threshold beyond which ROM starts to aggravate the shoulder.

DB Bench was solid.  Bumped the reps up well past where they've been the last two sessions.  Need to get these to 60-65s for 15-20 to be back in the range of my best DB benching.  If I can do that after Inclines and volume lock-out work, I will feel pretty happy about it.

As my bodyweight is going up, I've been toying with the idea of some direct calf work to add some extra intensity work onto the volume I'm getting by walking around with an increased load.  Tried seated calves followed by incline treadmill on this day, but my calves didn't have any soreness or DOMS.  That's not the be-all-end-all, but I would expect some DOMS for a muscle group/movement pattern I haven't trained directly in a long time.  If I'm gonna do this, I may need to hit it harder and with more variety.

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. 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 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. 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. 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 2. Squat

BW - 199

Standing Calves - 3 sets of 15

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

215X12, 5

Single-Leg Curls - X20, 15, 15, 10

Single-Leg Press - 1ppsX15, 20, 15, 15

215X12 is a Rep PR.  The changes I've made to my form are becoming a bit more natural.  Also, I didn't have the pain in my left quad this time, so that's good.  My right-leg felt like it caved significantly on the last rep of the 12, so I focused hard on 'knees-out' in the back-off set.

Single-leg curls can eat a dick.  Single-leg press was better this time without the quad pain.

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

BW - 197

Seated Calves - 90X15, 140X15, 110X15

High Bars -
BarX15
85X5
105X4
125X3
155X2
185X1
155X20

RDL -
135X15
185X12, 12, 9

Lunges - BWX26, 20, 20, 20

Trying High-Bars for the first time.  I programmed conservatively, and I clearly can bump the #s up a tad.  An old bugaboo reared it's head however.  On one of the reps during the 155X20, I got over my toes AND lost tightness at the bottom.  This always results in a low-back strain.  It's not too bad, as it happened on or around rep 8 and I was able to go to 20.  I've done this to myself a couple of times before front squatting, so I'm familiar with the problem and how bad it can get.  Should be okay to squat again when it comes around in a few days.

Otherwise, I like the high-bar squatting.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 2. Week 1. Bench and Squat

Saturday -
BW - 196

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

165X8, 5

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

+25X7, 3
BWX5

DB Bench -
60sX20, 8
55sX9, 7

Monday -
BW - 200

Calf Raises - 3 sets of 15

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

215X10, 5

Standing Leg Curls - X20, 20, 20, 12 (each leg; no rest between 1st and 2nd, and 3rd and 4th sets)

Single-Leg Press - 1ppsX15, 15, 15, 12 (per leg)

Back into it after a week off.  I went very low carb during my down week and dropped around 5 lbs.  What makes that interesting is that 165X8 on bench is a Rep PR.  My previous best was 165X7 at 203.  So a PR even at the leverage disadvantage.

I videoed my chins to see if I was cheating or cutting them high.  I have mixed feelings about what I see in the video.  On my phone it looked bad, but it looks okay on a larger screen.  Think I will first try keeping my heels back towards my butt and see how that feels/looks.

My goal for the cycle on DB Bench is 65sX15.  Should be close to that now, and will switch to them next session.

I'm still playing around a lot with squat form, and it was going pretty well on the first session back, but then I started having some pain at the top of my left quad.  It was particularly limiting on the back-off set with 215 where the weight felt fine, but the pain limited me.  Here's a vid of the 175X3 set that I took to check my form mid-way through:

Getting a bit more sit-back, and the depth is still good.

Standing single-leg curls were particularly brutal trying to go back and forth with no rest. 

Left quad pain was still there for the single-leg presses, but I think pushing through them may have helped.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 1. Week 5. Arms and Squat

Friday -
BW - 200

Incline DB Curls - 25sX20, 20, 20, 20, 20
super-set with
PJR Pullovers - 40X20, 20, 20, 20, 20

Ab wheel - X14, 14, 14, 14, 12

Sunday -
BW - 199

Standing Calves - 3 sets of 15

Squat -
BarX10 (paused)
95X5 (paused)
115X5
145X4
175X3
215X2
245X1

205X17, 5
145X10

Leg Curls - X20, 20, 15, 12
super-set with
Lunges - BWX20, 20, 18, 18

Was pretty run down on Squat day from a fundraiser I went to the night before.  Had a good time, but I was out late and got a bit drunk, and that always makes for a dicey squat day.  Nevertheless, 205X17 is a PR.  Every single rep of it sucked.  Couldn't even gut out more than 10 with the 145 prep for birthday squats.  Could have just taken my PR and gone home.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 1. Week 4. Squat

BW - 201

Calf Raises - 310X15, 15; 305X15

Squats -
BarX10 (paused)
95X5 (paused)
115X5
145X4
175X3
215X2
245X1

205X16, 7
145X15

Leg Curls - X20, 18, 15, 15
super-set with
Lunges - BWX20, 20, 20, 20

205X16 is an all-around PR, and 16, 7 is a volume PR on the 50% set.  I'd been worried that the 245X1 sets had felt wonky, so I videoed it, and it ended up being smooth as hell.  Psychological maybe.

The super-sets were kind of far apart because I was spotting a guy through his bench session.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 1. Week 4. Front Squats

BW - 202

Seated Calves - 140X15, 15, 15

Front Squat -
BarX10
65X5
85X4
95X3
125X2
145X1

125X20

Squat - 145X15

RDL -
135X10
225X12
185X9

Leg Press - 3ppsX15, 15, 15, 15

125X20 is an all-around PR on Fronts.  Legs were shay-kee.  This will actually be my last Front Squat session of the cycle.  I have one more day scheduled, but I'm using that day for my Birthday Squats.  Deciding now whether to do Fronts again on the next cycle, or try out High-Bar Squats for the first time.

One back-off set of back squats in prep for B-Day Squatting.

On RDLs the warm-up set with 135 felt fine, but as soon as I started my first rep with 225 something felt wrong.  There was pain radiating from, or into my low back on the left side.  I finished the set, and dropped weight, but got no relief that way.  There was no aggravation in that area before the 225, and there have been no issues since I aborted the movement.  I even did some band work at home later on, and felt nothing.  This is frustrating because this movement is one of the big stand-ins for developing my deadlift strength on this program, so not being able to do all my work-sets is delaying that development.  Also, I've got a history of low-back strains when I'm doing Front Squats and DB Rows, and I've done both this week.  But with no incident on those actual movements, it's impossible to tell if they are related.   Lame.

I was determined to get 15 reps on every set of Leg Presses, and they were brutal after the first set.  Nice.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 1. Week 3. Arms and Squats

Friday
BW - 202

Incline DB Curls - 25sX20, 20, 20, 20, 15 (30 sec. rests)

PJR Pullovers - 40X20, 20, 20, 18, 15 (30 sec. rests)

Ab Wheel - 12, 12, 12, 12, 10

Saturday
BW - 202

Calf Raises - 305X15, 15, 15

Squats -
BarX10 (paused)
95X5 (paused)
115X5
145X4
175X3
215X2
245X1

205X15, 6
145X15

Leg Curls - X20, 18, 18, 15
super-set with
Lunges - BWX20, 20, 20, 20

Stretched my triceps out really well before the pullovers by tying a band low on a squat rack, grabbing it behind my head and slowly stepping away from the rack.  Take a step, hold for 15-20 seconds, take another step.  Right triceps still got sore at the shoulder, but it seemed to help, and my triceps isn't nearly as sore there the next day.

205X15 is a big all-around PR since I rest to squat deeper last year.  If I get 18 reps, that would represent my best all-time lift.

I've got my birthday coming up at the end of the month, and just like last year I'm going to do my Birthday Squats.  Last year I squatted 125X35 for my 35th, and this year I'm aiming for 135X36.  So I'll be doing 145XAMAP sets at the end of all my squats to get ready for it.

Decided to super-set my leg curls and lunges.  Pretty good/hard.  Drastically reduced the number of lunges because my quads had so much less time to recover from the squats.  Bodybuilding, y'all.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 1. Week 2. Arms and Squats

Sunday
BW - 198 (bah)

Incline DB Curls - 35sX10, 10, 10, 10, 8

PJR Pullovers - 55sX10, 10, 6 (aborted)

Single-arm cable pull-overs with my right arm - minimal weightXlots

Ab Wheel - 5 sets of 10

Monday
BW - 200 

Calf Raises - 285X15, 305X15, 15

Squats -
BarX10 (paused)
95X5 (paused)
115X5
145X4
175X3
215X2
245X1

205X12, 5

Leg Curls - X20, 20, 14, 12

Lunges - BWX30, 30, 26, 20

Triceps strain in my right shoulder was really acting up at the bottom of each pullover rep.  I hoped it would start to get better from the work, but it didn't so I shut it down and tried to just get some blood through it with some high-rep isolation.  Feels much better today.

The 245X1 on squats was all fucked up.  I think my mind wandered, and I got way out over my toes out of the hole and had to Good Morning it up.  I almost took it again, but wanted to get on to the real work.  205X12 is a Rep PR and my 2nd highest projected 1RM since I reset to lower depth in the Summer of '12.  Still sucking wind toward the end of the 1st set, and sucking wind with shaky knees all through the 50% set.

LRB 365: Big-15. Phase 1. Week 2. Front Squats

BW - 200

Standing Calf Raises - 3 sets of 15

Front Squats -
BarX10
65X5
85X4
95X3
125X2
145X1
125X19

RDL -
135X10
225X12, 8, 8, 11 (straps on last set)

Leg Press - 3ppsX15, 12, 12, 11

Remembered to do the calf raises this time.

125X19 is a Rep PR by default as I've never done high-rep fronts.  It's right at or above a projected 1RM increase as well.  Honestly, I think 20 was do-able, but it's my conditioning that's holding me back.  I've upped my walking frequency the last few weeks, and I'm hoping my wind starts to catch up to my strength so I can squeeze some more out of these high-rep squat days.

I did the front squats in clean position, and I think the strain on my wrists diminished my grip strength for RDLs.  Grip was a limiting factor on all 3 sets until I added straps for the 4th.

I think 3ppsX15 is a good baseline for narrow-stance leg pressing after high-rep front squats.  I'll keep working to push the reps on that weight.  On the last set, I though my right VMO was going to pop clean off.