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!

Closed-Grip Bench, Hack Squats, Upper Back

sRPE @7.5

BW - 224

Close-Grip Bench - 

-    up to 225X1 @9

-    185X3, 3, 3 @~7

Machine Flies w/ rest-pause partials - X10/10 @10

Hack Squats - 1ppsX12, 11, 10 @~8

Upper Back Attack - 

-    CS Rear Delt Rows w/ rest-pause partials - 45X18/11, 14/11 @10

-    CS Rows w/ rest-pause partials - 100X11/7, 10/6 @10

-    CS Scapular Retractions - 100X11, 10, 10 @10

225 ties my previous CG Bench PR.  Not a bad place to start the wave.

Hack Squats felt fresher than usual today for some reason.

I realized I was doing "Upper Back Attack" and "Big Hippers" on Fridays when I wasn't also Deadlifting on that day.  Now that I'm pulling at the end of the week, I thought it might save me some intra-session fatigue to move the upper back work to Bench day, and put Biceps on DL day instead.  We'll see how it goes.

Sumo DL, Upper Back, Hips

sRPE @9

BW - 223

Sumo DL - 

-    up to 385X1(PR) @9.5

-    w/ Straps 315X6, 6, 4 @7/10*

Upper Back Attack - 

-    Inverted Rear Deal Rows - BWX12, 12 @~10

-    Inverted Rows - BWX12, 10 @~9

-    Inverted Scapula Shrugs - BWX12, 11 @10

Big Hipper Supersets -

-    VKR Bent Knee Raise - X11, 10, 10 @10

-    Glute Hypers - X12, 10, 10 @9/10

-    Adductor Machine - X14, 12, 9 @10

Pushdowns - X14, 12, 9 @~10

365 moved so well that I thought I would get 405, but still got a PR.  *I had a back spasm on the 3rd back-off set so I cut it there.  No lingering pain from that.

Similar to the Seal Row, the Inverted Row feels ok on Rear Delt and regular rows, but on the Scap Retractions I'm really missing the ability to take my thoracic spine through a good ROM.  I think CS and Cable Rows are just superior in this regard.  I might try this with 1-arm DB rows if I'm feeling really good one day and have plenty of time.

Discovered I could basically due a full concentric rep on hypers just by contracting my glutes.  Fun!  I then tried contracting my glutes on the concentric, but then relaxing them at the top and letting my erectors handle the eccentric.  Kind of a lot to focus on, but ok.

Sumo DL, Upper Back, Hips

sRPE @8

BW - 224

Sumo DL - 

up to 365X1 (PR) @9.5

add straps 315X6 (PR), 6, 6 @~8

Upper Back Attack -

-    CS Rear Delt Rows - 55X20, 17 @9/10

-    CS Rows - 100X10, 8 @9/10

-    CS Scap Retractions - 100X12, 10 @~10

"Little Hipper" supersets -

-    Hanging Bent Knee Raise - BWX11, 12 @7/9

-    Adductor Machine - X15, 13 @10

I don't think I've ever actually pulled Sumo mixed-grip before.  Supinated hand swung way out on the top set.

Back-off sets were harder than I expected at this weight.  Felt like my eye was gonna pop out.

Because of the Sumo, etc. decided to not do any hip extension on the "Hipper" super-sets. I did mess around with trying to keep my knees bent back throughout the knee raises with the idea of keeping the RF more lengthened.

Deadlift, Dips, Upper Back

sRPE @7

BW - 222

Deadlift - up to 405X1 @8.5

Dips - up to BW+50X6 @10

Upper-Back Attack Giant Set -

-    CS Rear Delt Rows - 45X19@9.5

-        Long ROM Partials - 45X11@10

-    CS Rows - 100X10 @9.5

-        Long ROM Partials - 100X6@10

-    CS Scap Retractions - 100X9@9.5

-        Long ROM Partials - 100X8 @9.5

Final session of testing week.

First comp DL since late February.  First 4 plate pull since mid-September. (geez those last couple of blocks were trash for my DL)

Heaviest Dips since early August.  Would have needed 3 more reps for a PR at this combined BW+Weight.  I didn't really expect a PR here as Dips usually need more frequent training for me to progress them.  

Just hit the Upper Back attack as one long set.  Back was immediately sore.

Possible Take-aways:

1)    I split time evenly this block between DL and Squat variations and supplements.  Assistance work was a arguably more Squat-specific: Leg Press, Hack Squat, Hip Flexion, Adductor work.  But also some Hip Extension and LOTS of Upper Back Work.  That's a big pile of little rocks, but maybe there's something there.

2)  Dips need attention to maintain and progress.

3)  This week's 955 total on the PLs was 35 lbs. better than the heavy SBD specific block I ran previously, and 120 lbs. heavier than any actual weight lifted in the low RPE block before that.  e1RMs were also better.  I would characterize this block as a bit more high-fatigue/low-specificity with a BIG DASH of "doing whatever I felt like."  Now to figure out how to operationalize the former while leaving room for the latter.

Upper Back, Hips, Triceps

sRPE @8

BW - 225

Upper Back Attack -

-    Seal Rear Delt Rows - 80X10, 9, 10 @9.5/10

-    Seal Rows

    -    130X8 @9.5

    -    100X9, 8 @10

-    Seal Scapular Retractions - 100X11, 10, 9 @~10

Big Hipper Giant-Sets -

-    Double-Crunch Machine Knee Raise - BWX10, 12, 10 @8/10

-    Hypers - BWX14, 12, 11 @8/10

-    Adductor Machine - X16, 15, 14 @~10

Pushdowns - X14, 10, 10 @~10

Firs time using the Seal Row bench.  I liked it for the Rear Delt Rows, but didn't like it for the other two movements.

Big Hipper felt good.

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.  

Upper Back, Hips

sRPE @7

BW - 227

Upper-Back Attack - 

-    CS Rows - 100X16, 12, 10 @9.5/10

-    CS Scap Retractions - 100X12, 12, 11 @9.5/10

-    CS Rear Delt Rows - 45X15, 13, 10, @9.5/10

-    Cable Rear Delt Flyes - X9, 9, 7 @10

"Little Hipper" -

-    HLR - BWX7, 6, 6 @8.5/9

super-set with

-    Cophenhagen Planks - BWX15, 12, 12 @8/9

Only plan going in today was Chest-Supported Rows.  Decided to just park myself at the CS Row and do a bunch of upper back stuff.  The CS rear delt rows were a little funky so I hit some rear delt flyes to make sure they got good and worked.

If I was going to do this again, I might start out with the Flyes then go CS Rear Delts -> CS Rows - > CS Retractions.  Or maybe it would depend on whether I was prioritizing Rear Delts vs. General Upper Back.

I've had an idea of super-setting HLR, GHR, and Cophenhagens, and in my mind I was calling it "The Big Hipper."  I did GHR in the previous session, so I did a "little" version.  

Here the next day, my upper back is very fatigued, and my hips are very sore.

Hybrid Training. Week 9. Light Upper

BW - 227

Warm-up:
Cable Pushdowns - X20
Cable Stiff-Arm Pushdowns - X15

Bench  - 177.5X2, 2, 2, 2

CG Bench (4/0/0) - 157.5X3, 3, 3, 3

Rolling, EZ Bar Extensions - 80X6, 6, 6

Chest-Supported Rows - 115X8, 6, 9
super-set with
Chest-Supported Retractions - 115X10, 9, 9

Reverse-Grip Preacher Curls -
50X8, 8, 8
drop-set - 50X6, 40X4, 30X3

Face-Pulls - X20, 18, 15

Good session.  Had a lot of energy for a Friday.

Bench moved pretty fast.  I got a hand-off for all my work-sets to make sure I could stay as tight as possible.  Losing that little bit of tightness unracking myself seems to make a real difference in speed.

Added 1 sec. to the eccentric on close grips.  No problem at all.

Tried switching to rolling ez bar extensions this week.  Not sure if I got much out of them.  Will try to push them a bit more next week.

Really dug chest-supported rows to near failure into the retractions.  There was a bit of controlled thoracic extension on these as well.  My upper back was achy as shit for the next two days.

Hybrid Training. Week 7. Heavy Upper and Intervals

BW - 227

Bench -
up to 185X5, 5
then 155X10

JM Press - 95X5, 5, 5 (slow concentric, slight pause)

CG Pulldowns - X10, 8, 7 (straight-weight)

T-Bar Rows - 115X6, 4

Chest-Supported T-Bar Retractions - 90X15, 15

Intervals - 8, 1/4 mile intervals @ ~2:30

 Had a consult this week with a coach from Complete Human Performance, the company founded by the author of the Hybrid Training program.  Some of the new info gleaned went into this session.

I did a second top set of 5 at 185.  These were do-able but getting difficult.  I felt a 3rd set may have been overkill on this day.

I went for a rep out on one back-off set, instead of doing multiple sets for proscribed reps.

I tried JM Presses for the first time here as another heavy, triceps option.  The movement was much more difficult at much lighter weight than I expected.  Good.

I hit some pulldown and row variations.

The coach from CHP mentioned that he'd had great luck bringing up his upper back with chest-supported scapula retractions.  Never done this kind of thing before, but my upper back was really tired, and fried feeling after this.

Did intervals a couple of days later.  The coach said the important thing is to start getting the combined interval distance to match the race distance and at race pace.  So I added a couple of intervals here, and will look to add two intervals a week until I hit 12 quarter-miles, and then drop down to half-miles and work up to 6.