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. 

Son of a Bench Week 5. Day A.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 225

Bench - 

-    up to 245X1 @9

-    200X5 @8.5

Lever Dips - 205X8, 7, 6 @7/6

Seated Leg Curls - X6, 7 @6/8

super-set with

Rope Lat Pushdowns - X7, 6 @8

1-Arm DB OH Extensions -

-    30X6 @8.5

-    25X6, 6 @8

super-set with

Machine SL Calf Press - 180X17, 13 @~10

Getting on the other side of this gnarly cold and got to the gym again.

My two goals today were:

1)  See if I can work up to something heavy on Bench

2)  Get in volume on everything else regardless of proximity to failure

Was actually able to add weight on Bench over last week although the RPE was higher, too.  That meant my 80% back-off weight was actually a touch lower than last week.

Pulled back on RPE on most everything else and got the volume in.

Subbed leg curls for GHRs because I wasn't sure 180 degree upper body swings would be compatible with sinus pressure.

EX bar lat pushdowns have been bothering my elbow tendinopathy, so I subbed in rope handles and that felt MUCH better.

Similarly, 2-handed DB OH extensions have also been bothering my elbow, so I switched to single-arm and that felt great. 

Son of a Bench Week 3. Day A.

sRPE @6

BW - 224

Bench - 

-    up to 235X1 @8

-    200X5 @8

Lever Dips - 205X10, 8 @10

GHR - BWX11, 8 @8

super-set with

Lat Pushdowns - X8, 8 @~9

DB OH Extensions - 70X8, 6 @10

super-set with

Machine SL Calf Press - X12, 10 @~9

Rower - HIIT; 5 rounds

Both sets of Bench felt strong and smooth at 5# > last week.

Pushing most bench accessories to failure starting this week (not DB Bench yet), and adding volume to non-pressing movements.

Next week, I start adding volume week-over-week to bench accessories.

Son of a Bench Week 1. Day A.

sRPE @5.5

BW - 224

Bench - 

-    up to 225X1 @8

-    190X5 @7.5

Lever Dips - 205X7, 6 @8

GHR - BWX12, 9 @8

super-set with

Cable Lat Pushdowns - X8, 8 @8/9

DB OH Extensions - 70X6, 5 @8

Nice and easy to start off the new block.  Making sure the movements and sequence feel good.

TOTALLY forgot to do either calves or conditioning which are habits I need to get into early before volume and intensity ramp up.

Dippin' into Dips Week 3. Day A.

sRPE @8

BW - 224

Dips - 

-    BW+90X1 (PR) @10

-    BW+50X5, 5, 5 (PR) @8/9.5

DB Incline - 50sX12, 7 @10

GHR - BWX15, 10 @~10

Lat Pushdowns - X14, 8 @10

DB OH Extensions - 55X13, 10, 8, 7 @10

Rep and Volume PRs on Dips.  Normally, I prefer using a DB for weighted Dips, but I couldn't miss the chance to use two 45s for this set.

Dippin' into Dips Week 1. Day A.

sRPE @6

BW - 224

Dips - 

-    BW+75X1 @9.5

-    BW+25X5 @8

DB Incline - 45sX12, 8 @10

Lat Pushdowns - X9, 8 @~10

GHR - BWX12, 11 @~10

DB OH Extensions - 55X9, 8 @10

1st day of a short, Dips-focused block between Thanksgiving and the Winter Holidays.

Chin-Up War Week 5. Day B.

sRPE @8

BW - 226

Chin-Ups - BWX2, 2, 2 @~8

Lat Pushdowns - X10, 8, 6 @ 10

ATG Pause Squats - 

-    up to 275X1 @7.5

-    185X5, 5 @6/7

Pushdowns - X16, 14 @9.5

DB Hammer Curls - 35sX13, 10, 8 @~10

Sleep has been bad for a few nights, and I was really dragging ass coming into this session.  I thought about swapping out Squats for something easier, but decided to just get the volume in at an easier weight.

Chin-Up War Week 4. Day B.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 223

Chins - BWX2, 2, 2 @7/8

Lat Pushdowns - X14, 11, 10 @10

Triceps Pushdowns - X15, 10 @10

DB Hammer Curls - 35sX12, 8 @10

SLDL - 

-    up to 345X1(PR) @9.5

-    275X5, 5 @7.5/8.5

Solid session.  Pushed SLDL to the end so I could train it alongside a friend. 

Chin-Up War Week 3. Day B.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 225

Chins - BWX2, 2, 2 @7

Lat Pushdowns - X13, 11, 9 @10

ATG Pause Squat -

-    up to 315X1(PR) @9

-    225X5, 5 @~7

BW JM Press - BWX12, 10 @10

DB Hammer Curls - 35sX11, 9 @10

Solid session.  Strength on just about everything was bumped up today.

Chin-Up War Week 2. Day B.

sRPE @7

BW - 223

Chins - BWX2, 2, 2 @~8

Lat Pushdowns - X16, 11 @9.5/10

Triceps Pushdowns - X12, 10 @10

SLDL - 

-    up to 315X1 @9

-    275X5, 5 @8/9

DB Hammer Curls - 30sX13, 10 @10

SLDLs were tough, but overall a nice session.

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.  

Press, Squat, Back, Triceps

sRPE @8

BW - 224

Swiss Bar Press - 

-    up to 145X1 @10

-    100X6, 6, 6 @6.5/8

ATG Squat - 225X5, 5, 5, 5 @7/9.5

Lat Pushdowns - X14, 11, 9, 8 @10

1-Arm DB OH Extensions - X11, 10, 9, 7 @10

Not a big difference in top end strength on Swiss Bar this week, BUT on the back-offs I did start to remember some old pressing tricks for squeezing the quads and glutes.  We'll see if I can translate that into a bigger single next week.

Messed around seeing how deep of a barbell squat I could get.  I thought it would be high bar, but my body naturally wanted to lean forward, so it ended up being low bar with the heels pulled closer together and the toes pointed further out.  These were fun.

3 Day FB Hypertrophy. Cycle 4. Session E.

sRPE @8

BW - 221

Press - 100X3, 3, 3 @4.5/5.5

031 Tempo Work:

-    DB Bench - 60sX10, 7 @10

-    Leg Press - 3ppsX9, 9, 9, 9, 9 @7/10

-    Lat Pushdowns - X10, 10, 10, 10, 9 @8/10

Good session.  

Pausing the DB Bench with the side of the DBs touching the the side of my trunk.  Streeeeeetch.

Leg Press was bugging my left hip a little.  Will probably go away.

On Lat Pushdowns, I'd been having an issue where my triceps were getting tired just from holding the extension.  I tried relaxing my elbows slightly, and that seemed to keep them a bit less engaged.

Running late and had to skip conditioning.

3 Day FB Hypertrophy. Cycle 3. Session E.

sRPE @8.5

BW- 221

Press - 100X3, 3, 3 @5/6

031 Tempo Work w/ Intensity Techniques:

-    DB Bench w/ Lengthened Partial Drop-Set - 60sX9/3, 7/3 @10

-    Leg Press w/ Rest-Pause - 3ppsX10/4, 7/4 @10

-    Lat Pushdowns w/ Lengthened Partial Drop-Set - X11/4, 11/3 @10

Rower - HIIT; 10 minutes

3 Day FB Hypertrophy. Cycle 2. Session E.

sRPE @ 7.5

BW - 220

Press - 95X3, 3, 3 @4.5/5

031 Tempo Work:

-    DB Bench - 60sX9, 9 @9/10

-    Leg Press - 3ppsX9, 9, 9, 9, 8 @8/10

-    Lat Pushdowns - X9, 9, 9, 9, 9 @8/9.5

Rower - HIIT; 10 minutes

Upper body pressing and pulling muscles have a bit of DOMS the next day.  Quads just feel "muted."  Expect they will feel very interesting in the next couple of days.

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

sRPE @6.5

BW - 221

Press - 95X3, 3, 3 @ ~5

031 Tempo Work

DB Bench - 60sX8, 8 @9/9.5

Leg Press -

315X6 @7.5

270X8, 8 @7.5/8.5

Lat Pushdowns - X8, 8, 6 @8/10

I was conservative with the Leg Press volume because I had a weekend trip and didn't want to be DOMSing around all over the place.  Turned out to be fine, so I should be able to raise that going forward.

Med.-Rep Volume PRs. Week 2. Session D.

sRPE @5.5

BW - 224

Deadlift - 365X1 @7

Lying Leg Curls - X10, 10, 8, 7 @~10

Machine Dips - 180X14, 12 @~9

V-Bar Pushdowns - X22, 5 @6.5/10

Lat Pushdowns - X11, 10, 8, 9 @8.5/10

Caught a cold.  Went to the gym to see how it would go, but could tell from working up on DL that meaningful strength work wasn't going to happen today without a subpar performance that would also drive me into the ground.

Subbed in a bunch of low-stress hypertrophy work for the usual volume.

Mid-Rep Volume PRs. Pivot Session A.

sRPE @7

BW - 219

Horizontal Leg Press - X9, 9, 9, 9 @~6

GHR - BWX15, 15, 10 @7/8

Paused PL Machine Dips - 180X10, 10, 10 @6/8

Paused Bench Dips - BWX15 @9

Lat "Prayers" - X16, 13, 8 @9.5/10

EZ Cable Face-Pulls - X13, 12, 11 @~9.5

Feeling run down and beat up most of the week, and have a lot going on over the weekend, so decided to do an ad hoc pivot session.  I actually felt pretty good most of the day and was tempted to just do my regular training, but decided to stick with the plan.  

Interestingly, the RTS Stress app reads this as MORE stress than what I usually do.

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 5. GPP Session B.

sRPE @6

BW - 212

Toes-to-Bar - BWX4, 3, 3 @9.5/7.5

Lat Pushdowns - X15, 15, 10, 9 @7/10

super-set with

BB Drag Curls - 40X13, 13, 13, 10 @7/10

Stationary Bike - HIIT; 8 rounds / 16 minutes

Haven't done TTB in a while and I felt it.