Time Crunch + Forearm Pain Week 1. Day A.

 sRPE @6.5

BW  - 227   

SSB -

-    up to 300X1 @9

-    250X3 @8

Reverse SSB Box Squats - 210X3, 3, 3 @~7.5

Circuit -

-    Leg Curls - X9, 8, 8 @8

-    Hypers - BW+25 behind head X8, 8, 7 @8

-    Leg Extensions - X12, 10, 10 @8/9

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

Schedule is all over the place this month and next, plus I think I need to just back off anything that puts much stress on grip for a while.

Not letting perfect be the enemy of good, I'll just go in when I can and try to hit some stuff, and maybe a plan will emerge.

S/B/D/R+ Week 4. Day A.

BW - 225

Squats - 

-    up to 355X1 @9.5

-    290X3 @~7

BB Rows w/Straps -

-    200X5 @8

-    200X3, 3 @7

Leg Curls - X8, 8, 7, 6 @8

super-set with

Leg Extensions - X10, 9, 9. 9 @8

Rear Delt Flyes - X8, 8, 8, 7, 7 @7.5/9

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

Only training session from last week.  Got hit by a combination of schedule crunch and a cold. 

Son of a Bench Week 12. Day A.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 223

Bench - 

-    up to 225X1 @9

-    185X5 @7

Lever Dips - 205X10, 8, 8 @~10

Circuit:

-    Leg Extensions - X12, 11 @8

-    Adductor Machine - X12, 10 @8

-    Lat Pushdowns - X8, 8 @~9

-    Cable Curls - X10, 8 @8/9

1-Arm DB OH Extensions - 25X10, 9, 7 @~10

super-set with

Machine SL Calf Press - X17, 13 @10

Rower - HIIT; 5 rounds

We threw a dinner party the night before, so I was coming in pretty rough to train in the AM.  However, we're leaving town this weekend for a camping trip, so I had to train if I want to get 3 sessions in this week.  Top-end performance was quite muted.

When it came time for the Hack Squats / Pull-Downs super set, I just could not.  Did an iso circuit instead. 

Bench, Legs

sRPE @7

BW - 221

Bench - 

-    up to 250X1 @10

-    205X1, 1, 1 @6/7

Belt Squat - 105X11, 9, 8 @~9

Smith Machine Incline Bench - 65X10, 12, 12 @8/10

Leg Extensions - X12, 11, 9 @10

Top set on Bench was a real grind.  That puts my rolling "gym week total" at 1060.  Probably still have some headroom to push that up on Deadlift and Squat in the coming week, but everything would likely have to be perfect to add to the Bench.  Or maybe get a hand-off.  Maybe.

My new, Mike Israetel inspired technique on Belt Squats continues to feel great.  No longer a high fatigue, low-specificity Squat supplement, but rather a smooth, hard-burning compound quad accessory.

I don't think I've ever actually done any kind of Pressing, Squatting, etc. in a Smith Machine before.  Always just used it for Inverted Rows and BW JM Press.  Everyone always talks about Smith Machine like it's "weenie," etc., so I expected to be able to use more weight than I could for barbell Incline.  NOPE.  Glad I decided to warm-up a little instead of just jumping to a couple of 25s+.

Still had some gas left, and threw on some more quad assistance.

Deficit DL, Pecs, Legs

sRPE @8

BW - 223

Deficit DL - 

-    up to 410X1(PR) @ 9

-    375X3(PR) @8.5

-    315X3, 3 @~6

DB Bench - 50sX15, 12 @~10

Machine Flyes - X10 @10

Leg Accessory Supersets -

-    Seated Leg Curls - X15, 11, 11 @9/10

-    Machine Adduction - X13, 13, 11 @9/10

-    Leg Extensions - X8, 10, 10 @9/10

Really didn't think I was going to be able to get a PR single on Deficit pulls this block.  I was thinking a lot about starting position and how to initiate the pull on the way to the gym, and possibly some things came together at the right time.

Been hitting triceps pretty consistently, and wanted to give pecs some love before I head into a comp bench wave.

I've started getting an itch to work leg curls, so moving downstream from Big Hippers to...Thigh Blasters?

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.

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.

3 Day FB Hypertrophy. Cycle 5. Session A.

sRPE @9

BW - 221

Squats - 270X3, 3, 3 @~6

031 Tempo Work:

-    Leg Extensions - X12, 11 @10

-    DB 1-Arm Rows - 90X11, 11, 11, 11, 10 @8/10

-    EZ OH Extensions - 40X11, 11, 11, 9 @7/10

Under the weather and dragging ass.  Got a good workout on what I could get through, but hit the wall hard and cut out conditioning and the last set of triceps.

3 Day FB Hypertrophy. Cycle 4. Session A.

sRPE @8

BW - 224

Squat - 270X3, 3, 3 @5/6

031 Tempo Work:

-    Leg Extensions - X12, 10 @10

-    DB Rows - 90X10, 10, 10, 10, 10 @7/9.5

-    EZ OH Extensions - 

    -    45X10 @10

    -    35X10, 10, 10, 10 @7/8

Stationary Bike - HIIT; 10 minutes

Starting the new wave.  Volume back up, and proximity to failure back down.  Except on the first tempo movement.  Those movements are "coupled" to the initial, strength movement of the day, and because they're only 2 sets, I've decided to take those to failure for this block.  We'll see how that goes on the various DB pressing movements.  

Really milking the tempo on the OH Extensions and so had to back the weight further down.

3 Day FB Hypertrophy. Cycle 3. Session A.

sRPE @8.5

BW - 220

Squats - 270X3, 3, 3 @4.5/5.5

031 Tempo Work+:

-    Leg Extensions w/ Long ROM Partials - X11/3, 11/2 @10

-    1-Arm DB Rows w/ Long ROM Partials - 90X9/3, 7/2 @10

-    EZ OH Extensions w/ Long ROM Partials - 

    -    60X7/2 @10

    -    50X8/2 @10

Rower - HIIT; 10 minutes

I'd dabble with the Long ROM Partials drop sets before, but hoo-boy it's a whole other thing to do almost a full session of that.  I'll be doing these or rest-pause sets on all my supplements and accessories for this 2 week microcycle.  Hopefully?

3 Day FB Hypertrophy. Cycle 2. Session D.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 220

Deadlift - 315X3, 3, 3 @4/5.5

031 Tempo Work:

-    Leg Extensions - X10, 10 @8.5/9

-    Pull-Downs - X9, 9, 9, 9, 9 @8/9.5

-    Machine Flyes - X8, 8, 8, 9, 9 @7.5/10

Stationary Bike - HIIT; 10 minutes

I think I was a little too cute doing the Squats/Leg Curls and Deadlift/Leg Extensions thing.  I think I'll flop those around starting next cycle.  In this case, the day before I did 5 sets of 8 on Roman Chair Squats, so it was a bit silly to do 2 sets of Leg Extension the following day, when Leg Curls would have had more impact following Deadlift.

3 Day Full-Body Hypertrophy. Cycle 1. Session D.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 220

Deadlift - 315X3, 3, 3 @~5

031 Tempo Work

Leg Extensions - X9, 8 @7.5/8

Pull-Downs - X8, 8, 8, 8 @7/9

Machine Flyes - X7, 8, 8 @7/8.5

Stationary Bike - HIIT; 10 minutes

Slight increase to volume over last week.

Mid-Rep Volume PRs. Squat, ME Upper

sRPE @8

BW - 221

Squats - 

315X1 @7

290X9, 9 @~8

Leg Extensions - X12, 12 @~9

High Incline - 

175X1 @8.5

185X1 @9

3-Board Bench - 225X5, 5, 5 @~8

DB Tate Press - 

30sX15 @9.5

35sX12, 15, 15 @9/10

290 for 2 sets of 9 is a Volume PR on Squats.  That was my goal for the day.  "Made up" volume with Leg Extensions after that.

Then I worked in on Max-Effort Upper Day with one of my Konjugate Krew buddies.

185X1 on High Incline is a PR on that lift.

Never done 3-Board Bench before, so that's all technically PRs on that.  My best Reverse Camber Bench is 185X19, but I think that's more of a 4-board.

DB Tate Presses were fun.  I haven't done them much, but got a nice little triceps pump from them. 

Higher-Rep Volume PRs. Week 6. Session C.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 217

Bench - 

225X1 @6.5

145X20 @9

GHR Sit-Ups - BWX10, 9, 9 @~7

Leg Extensions - X14, 12, 13 @9/10

145X20 is a Rep PR on Bench.

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.

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

sRPE @7.5

BW - 214

Bench - 

225X1, 1 @7.5/7

145X14, 14 @6.5/8

Toes-to-Bar - BWX6, 6, 6, 6 @8/10

Leg Extensions - X10, 10, 10, 10 @7.5/10

super-set with

Seated Leg Curls - X10, 10, 10, 10 @6.5/8.5

4 sets of 6 is a Volume PR on Toes-to-Bar.

Still giving my right Achilles some time off from conditioning and also decided it was prudent to replace lunges this week.  Super set machine work instead. 

Mid-Rep Volume PRs. Week 6. Session C.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 211

Deadlift - 425X1 @8

Toes-to-Bar - BWX5, 4, 4 @~9

Leg Extensions - X21, 19 @9

Lat Pushdowns - X16, 13, 13 @8/9.5

DB Incline - 50sX13, 13 @7/9.5

Last day of the training block, and as usual I'm just fucking around a bit.

Worked up to a gratifyingly fast 425 on DL after not touching anything heavier than 385 during the rest of the block.

Going into this block, my goals were the following Rep and Volume PRs:

Dips >203 4X9

Chins 3X7; >205 3X6

Squat >250 3X10

Bench 3X11

Deadlift >300 3X9

Press 2X12; >65 1X20

Curls >40 4X17

TTB 2X8

I achieved or surpassed everything but Chins and TTB.  I ended up with:

Dips 226 for 4X9

Squat 255 for 3X10

Bench 155 for 3X11

Deadlift 315 for 3X9

Press 90 for 2X12 and 70 for 1X20

Curls 45 for 4X17

Mid-Rep Volume PRs. Week 6. Session B.

sRPE @6

BW - 210

Bench - 225X3 @9.5

Dips - BWX16 @10

Box Squat - 275X1, 1 @~7.5

Leg Extensions - X11, 10 @10/9

DB Full ROM Laterals - 15sX14, 11 @8/10

Last week of the training block, and I was in a hurry, so I just pushed AMRAP sets on the main lifts, and then got some quick work in on supplemental and accessory lifts. 

BBM PB I Block 2. Cycle 4. Session A.

sRPE @8

Squats - 

355X1 @8

335X3 @8.5

315X2 @7

295X3, 3 @6

Press -105, 110, 105X6 @7/8

SLDL - 275X8, 8 @7/8

Leg Extensions - X18, 15, 14, 14 @7.5/8

BBM PB I Block 2. Cycle 3. Session A

sRPE @7.5

BW - 206

Squat - 

355X1 @8

325X3 @7.5

315X3, 3, 3 @6.5/8

Press - 105X6, 6, 6 @7.5

SLDL - 275X8, 8, 8 @7.5/8

Leg Extensions - X17, 14, 12, 12 @7.5/9