Pressin' Out Week 9. Day A.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 224

Press - 

-    up to 160X1 @10

-    135X3, 3, 3 @7/8.5

Cambered Bar Bench - 155X6, 6, 6 @8/9.5

GHR - BWX12, 10 @8

super-set with

Machine Pullovers - X11, 9 @8/9

EZ OH Extensions - 55X13, 11, 9, 8 @10

Top end strength wasn't quite in the same place as last week on the Press.

Upped reps on Cambered Bench and OH Extensions over last week.

Pressin' Out Week 8. Day A.

sRPE @8

BW - 225

Press - 

-    up to 165X1 @10

-    135X3, 3, 3 @7/9

Cambered Bench - 155X5, 5, 5 @7/9

Hack Squats - 100X10, 10 @~9

Pull-Downs - X12, 9 @~10

1-Arm DB OH Extension - 25X14, 12, 8, 7 @~10

Was feeling fatigued walking into the gym, so I took a lot of time with  my Press warm-ups.  Things started feeling pretty good as I hit 135, and I ended up tying my PR.

Despite going heavy on Press, Cambered Bench felt about the same as last week.

Because Squats were so hard last week, I decided to do something a bit more stressful than Roman Chair Squats for my Squat assistance today.

Beat the log book on pulldowns.

All the EZ bars were weirdly occupied, so I did single arm OH extensions.

Much longer session today because more warm-ups were needed on the first 3 movements, and doing unilateral work on the last one. 

Pressin' Out Week 7. Day A.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 226

Press - 

-    up to 155X1 @9.5

-    135X3, 3, 3 @7/8

Cambered Bar Bench - 155X5, 5, 5 @7.5/8

GHR - BWX16, 13 @~9

Machine Pullovers - X17, 14 @9.5

EZ OH Extensions - 55X12, 10, 8, 7 @10

Had to leave town unexpectedly for a few days last week, and missed a training session.

Top single on Press was about the same as last week, but back-offs were maybe a tad stronger.

Over the previous 6 weeks, I'd hit a few PRs on DB Bench, so I decided to swap it out for Cambered Bar Bench.  I will likely pivot to focusing on Bench after this Press-focused training runs it's course.  Cambered Bench allows me to start splashing in some skill work on that while continuing to "overload" the delts beyond what I can OHP, but still with a lengthened movement.

Really tried to "beat the log book" instead of just "punching the clock" and add reps on GHR and Pullovers over recent performance while maintaining good technique.  I do a lot of GHRs, and that's definitely a PR at anything close to this BW. 

After all that, Overhead Extensions went in the tank a bit on the initial sets, lol.

Reload Day

sRPE @6.5

BW - 227

ATG Pause Squat - 225X3 @6

MG Cambered Bench - 155X3 @7

SLDL - 275X3 @6.5

Chin-Ups - BW+25X3 @10

Hanging Flexed Knee-to-Chest - BWX3 @6.5

DB OH Extensions - 55X10 @10

DB Curls - 40sX9 @10

Holiday week got away from me and so I didn't train for over a week.  Swept into the gym yesterday and just hit a little bit of everything so that I can start my new training block on Monday not completely de-trained. 

Chin-Up War Week 9. Day C.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 225

Chins - BWX3, 3, 3 @7.5/8.5

1-Arm Pulldowns - X10, 9, 8 @~10

CG Cambered Bench - 

-    up to 225X1(PR) @10

-    155X5 5 @6/7.5

Leg Curls - X14, 12 @~10

Lying DB Curls - 15sX14, 12, 10 @~10

Lots of little PRs sprinkled in the last couple of weeks.  Nice.

Chin-Up War Week 7. Day C.

sRPE @7

BW - 222

Chins - BWX3, 2, 2 @~6

1-Arm Pulldowns - X8, 7 @~10

CG Cambered Bench - 

-    up to 205X1 @9

-    155X5, 5 @6/7.5

Leg Curls - X13, 10 @10

Lying DB Curls - 15sX11, 10 @10

Solid session. 

Chin-Up War Week 5. Day C.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 225

Chins - BWX2, 2, 2 @7/8

Pull-Downs - X14, 11, 10, 10 @10

CG Cambered Bench - 

-    up to 205X1 @9

-    155X5, 5 @7.5/8.5

Leg Curls - X12, 9 @10

Bayesian Curls - X11, 10, 8 @10

Gonna pivot next week with reduced volume on upper back and biceps work, RPE caps ~8 across the board, and swapping out upper back and biceps accessories.  I want to let some of the general fatigue (achiness, sleep and mood disruption, etc.) dissipate a bit if I can.  

Will start upping volume and RPE again after that.  It's very possible that I can't run another 5 weeks after that, but we'll see.  Just want to shore up these chin-up gains and at least see if I can make some more before switching focus.

This block has already been a general success with some Rep and Volume PRs on Chins and Curls.

Chin-Up War Week 3. Day C.

sRPE @7

BW - 222

Chins - BWX2, 2, 2 @7/8

Pull-Downs - X14, 12, 8 @10

CG Cambered Bench -

-    up to 205X1 @10

-    155X5, 5 @7.5/8.5

Leg Curls - X11, 10 @10

Bayesian Curls - X13, 10 @~10

Performance was slightly muted here at the end of the week.  Some lingering anterior delt DOMS from the prior session may have played a part on Bench as I had difficulty maintaining  bar path.

Having the weekend off may help!

Chin-Up War Week 1. Day C.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 225

Chins - BWX2, 2 @8

Lat Pushdowns - X14, 11 @10

Leg Curls - X14, 13 @10

CG Cambered Bench - 

-    up to 210X1 @9.5

-    155X5, 5 @~8

Lying RG DB Curls - 15sX13, 12 @~10

Gym wasn't too busy so I took the chance and hit Leg Curls during Bench warm-ups.  

Dips, Bench, GHR

sRPE @6.5

BW - 223

Dips - BW+45X5, 5, 5, 5 @9/10

CG Cambered Bench - up to 205X1 @10

GHR - BWX14, 12, 12, 9 @9/10

268 (BW+45) for 4 sets of 5 is a Volume PR on Dips.  e1RM to end this block isn't great all time, but at least it's nice to end with some kind of PR.  

Thinking of making CG Cambered Bench my primary Bench movement for a while, so got a little test on it here.  

Cambered Bench, Quads, Curls

sRPE @7.5

BW - 223

Cambered Bench - 

-    up to 230X0 @11

-    155X6, 6, 6 @7/8.5

Both-Feet Elevated Split Squats - BWX12, 11 @~9

Open Hip Leg Extensions - X10 @9.5

Rope Curls - X12, 10, 10 @9/10

Tried to chip my previous Cambered Bench PR, but it wasn't there.  Failed pretty shortly off the chest.

Elevated my front foot for Bulgarian Split Squats.  Took some setting up, but once I got it I could really feel it in my quads.

Also messed around with moving the pad way back on Leg Extensions so I could open my hips more and lengthen the RF.  Also put a pad in front of my shins to try and close the knee angle a bit more.

Cambered Bench, Roman Chair Squats, Curls

sRPE @6

BW - 225

Cambered Bench - 

-    up to 215X1 @9.5

-    155X6, 6, 6 @7/8

Roman Chair Squats - BWX12, 10, 9 @~8

DB Incline Curls w/ rest-pause partials - 15sX16/11, 14/8, 12/8 @~10

Looking at the numbers, Cambered Bench was flat over last week, but it subjectively felt more "under control" if that makes sense.  I had hoped to match my PR of 225 today, but that's ok.  

Cambered Bench, Hack Squats, Curls

sRPE @7

BW - 222

Cambered Bench - 

-    up to 205X1 @8.5

-    155X6, 6, 6 @6.5/8

Hack Squats - 25psX10, 10, 10 @~7

DB Curls - 25sX12, 10 @9.5

DB Incline Curls - 20sX10, 8 @10

Singles on Cambered Bench felt good, but difficulty ramped up precipitously on the back-off sets.  

Adductors and Glutes were still pretty sore from SSB on Monday, so I just threw a little weight on the Hack Squat and tried to get some blood in there.  Each set felt better than the last, but I didn't feel the need to push weight.

Upper Push, Leg Press, Curls

sRPE @8

BW - 225

Cambered Bench - 

175X1 @7.5

195X1 @8.5

210X1(PR) @9

225X1(PR) @10

185X4(PR) @10

Machine Flyes - X20, 15, 10 @~10

super-set with

Machine OH JM Press - X20, 15, 10 @8/9

Leg Press - 3ppsX12, 8, 9 @8/9

Seated DB Curls - 25sX12, 10, 9 @8.5/10

Thought I was gonna just chip my previous 205 PR with 210, but got a spot from Nick and 210 felt smooth.  Went YOLO for 2 plates and ground out a slow-ass PR.  Debated skipping the 4 Rep PR attempt, but I was till feeling fresh so I went for it.  Cambered Bench is obviously "weaker" than my competition Bench.  My last comp bench was 205 @8 so feeling good about where that might be sitting right now.

Definitely felt like something low stress was in order after all that so hit some Pec/Triceps supersets. 

Fatigue caught up to me heading into Leg Press and DB Curls. 

Upper Push, Lower Accessories, Curls

sRPE @7

BW - 223

Cambered Bench +50# Chains - 185X3, 3, 3, 3, 3 @8/9

High Incline Bench - 

95X5, 5 @5.5/7*

up to 155X1 @9.5

Leg Extensions - X11, 10, 10 @10

super-set with

Adductor Machine - X14, 9, 10 @10

Glute Kickback Machine - X13, 10, 8 @~9.5

Gaspari Bar Curls - 

 -   straight set - 45X10, 8 @~10

-    w/ rest-pause Long-ROM Partials - 45X8/4 @10

Continuing to do pick movements on a whim in the moment around a loose structure.

I really nailed my chain set up on Cambered Bench.  Resistance curve was totally flat throughout.

*I got some leg cramping trying to do reps on High Incline so I switched and worked up to a hard single.

I didn't feel like having to set up anything plate-loaded for lower body, so I did a little machine circuit.  Never used the glute kickback machine before.  With a little fiddling, I was able to get it set up for a pretty good ROM.

Mid-Rep Volume PRs. Pivot Session E.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 225

Box Squat - up to 380X1 @9

Roman Chair Squat - BWX10, 10, 10 @7/9

Dips - up to BW+65X1 @8

Decline Bench - up to 225X3 @7.5

Cambered Bench - 135X6, 6, 6, 6 @7/8

Messing around the couple of sessions before I go on a trip.  Decided to work up on Box Squat. Everything felt really good, especially once I called spotters in.  Heaviest I've squatted to a box is 335X5, so this is certainly a PR on this lift.

Worked up on Dips just because I haven't hit them in a couple of weeks.

Then a buddy from the Konjugate Krew came in and I worked in with him on Max Effort Bench stuff.  I'm sure I've done Decline Bench in my life, but I have no record of having done it going back 13 years.  So...PR?

Mid-Rep Volume PRs. Week 5. Session C.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 212

Deadlift - 

385X1 @7

315X9, 9, 9 @7/8

Cambered Bench - 135X6, 6, 6 @6

Reverse Cambered Bench - 205X15 @9

Pull-Downs (myo-reps) - X17, 5, 5, 3, 3 @~10

DB Incline - 50sX12, 10 @~8

315 for 2 and 3 sets of 9 are Volume PRs.

Erector and Quad achiness are starting to get pretty continual so probably about time to deload and start a new block.  Hoping a 3X10 PR will be there for me on Squats on Monday, and then will probably pull back.

Mid-Rep Volume PRs. Week 4. Session C.

sRPE @8

BW - 212

Deadlift - 

385X1 @8

305X9, 9, 9 @6.5/7.5

Cambered Bench - 135X6, 6, 6 @6

Reverse Cambered Bench - 185X19 @9

Pull-Downs (myo-reps) - X15, 5, 5, 4, 4 @10

DB Incline - 50sX11, 11 @7/8

305 for 3X9 is a Volume PR on DL.  My low back was TAHRED after this, and I had to carefully manage the rest of the session, and the rest of my day, as a result.

But the reduced volume on the supplemental lifts still kept sRPE a bit in check.

Mid-Rep Volume PRs. Week 3. Session C.

sRPE @9

BW - 209

Deadlift - 

375X1 @6.5

295X9, 9, 9 @6.5/8.5

Cambered Bar Bench - 

140X6 @6.5

135X6, 6, 6 @6/8

Reverse Camber Bench - 185X13 @8.5

Pull-Downs (myo-reps) -

X12, 3, 3, 3, 3 @~10

X11, 3, 3, 3, 3 (reduced weight) @~9.5

DB Incline - 50sX10, 8 @8

Had to train barbells on back-to-back days because of travel.

sRPE is consistently creeping up, I'm getting gassed out earlier and earlier in sessions, and I'm having to just will myself through workouts.  I may have exceeded my current volume tolerance, and will reduce by 1 set on most supplements and accessories next week. 

Mid-Rep Volume PRs. Week 2. Session C.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 211

Deadlift - 

365X1 @6.5

285X9, 9 @6/7

Cambered Bar Bench - 140X6, 6, 6, 6 @~6

Reverse Cambered Bar Bench - 140X22 @10

Pull-Downs (myo-reps) - X13, 4, 3, 3, 3 @~10

DB Incline - 50sX13, 13, 10 @7.5/8