Higher Reps. Week 4. Deadlift

BW - 208

Deadlift -
135X5, 5
185X5
225X4
275X3
315X2
355X2

1/2" Deficits - 295X5, 5, 5, 5

BB Rows - 155X16, 9, 8, 8
DB Rows - 65'sX12, 12
all rows super-set with
Leg Curls - X20, 16, 15, 12, 12, 12 (straight-weight; same weight as last week)

Solid session.  Regular Deadlifts are just intended as a warm-up for the deficits, but the 315X2 felt so easy that I resolved to pull 355 for a double.  All good.

Conditioning is still the main obstacle with the sets of 5 across on deficits, but it seems to be steadily improving.

155X16 is an all-around PR on Rows.

I tried using a decline bench for the DB rows with my shin against the low end, and my forearm set across the peak.  I believe I was feeling it in my mid back a bit more, so I'll try that a few more times to see.

Supersets continue to have me sweating like a fiend.

Higher Reps. Week 4. Bench

BW - 209

Bench -
BarX20
95X5
135X4
155X3
185X2
195X3

CG Bench (no leg drive) - 165X8, 4, 4

Bench (flat back, no legs) - 135X8, 6, 6

DB Press - 35'sX15, 13, 12, 10

Dips -
BW+25X11
BW+25X6, BWX10 (drop-set)
BWX12
super-set with
DB Curls - 30'sX10, 13, 16

Half intuition and half rational thought led me to decide I've been spending a bit too much time and energy on Incline, when possibly more flat benching would help my...flat bench.  I've been doing close-grips with my regular set-up but no leg drive as my back-off sets for a few weeks.  Today I decided to scrap the Inclines for a while and do some more benching with my normal grip, but with a flat back and also no leg drive.  I just don't think it can hurt to spend more time working the actual pressing muscles with variations in a plane closer to the actual lift.  Since I'm pushing for reps and not weight on the bar in my programming at this time, the weights are a bit lighter and so I don't require as much technique to complete lifts.  We'll see how it goes.

DB Press was a lot stronger without the Incline sets before it, and Dips felt strong as well.

Skipped abs again.  May need to switch out Ab Wheel for something new, just to make it seem less dreadful.

Higher Reps. Week 4. Squat

BW - 209

Squat -
135X5, 5 (paused)
135X5
185X4
225X3
275X2

Pause Squats - 235X3, 3, 3

High Bars - 185X10, 6, 5

Hack Machine -
100X12
120X8

Leg Extensions -
pyramid upX15, 15, 15, 15, 10 (top set heavier than last week)
back-offX24 (heavier than last week)

Lunges - BWX22, 20, 22, 22

Dragging ass heading into the gym today.  Did an extra set each out Pausers and High Bars to try to get my motor going before grinding out the bodybuilding stuff.  235X3 is a Rep PR on Pause Squats, but then the bottom fell out a little bit on High Bars and I came up 2 reps short of last week.

I think the Hack Machine may get cut out of my program.  My right knee has been bothering me, and I'm starting to suspect this machine.  Also, when the reps start to get really hard towards the end of sets, I'm losing some stability in my trunk, and that may be aggravating whatever has been going on with my low back.  What's happening is, because the feet are set against the plate, and my shoulders are set against the pads on the track, whenever there is a stability "leak" my butt kind of starts to move around against the sled.  Maybe I'll switch over to leg presses to get some comparable work in.

For similar reasons, I decided to cut out the hypers this week.  They were supposed to be a buttress against the low back issues, but I'm worried they were aggravating it as well.

Accessory +Biceps. Week 3

BW - 209

Machine Pullovers -
Warm-upX15
Work-setsX14, 11 (straight-weight, same as last session)

Chin-ups (supinated) - BWX5, 4, 4 (paused at top and bottom)

Pulldowns (neutral) - X16, 11, 8 (straight-weight; more than last session)

EZ Bar, Reverse-Gip, Preacher Curls -
30X20
40X20, 15, 10

DB Curls - 35sX10, 10, 10, 10

all curls super-set with
Rope Pushdowns - X28, 22, 18, 12
(changed machines) - X15, 16, 15, 16

Higher Reps. Week 3. Deadlift

BW - 209

Deadlift -
135X5, 5
185X5
225X4
275X3
315X2
345X1

1/2" Deficits - 295X5, 5, 5, 5

BB Rows - 155X15, 9, 8, 8

DB Rows - 65sX12, 12

all rows super-set with
Leg Curls - X20, 16, 15, 12, 12 (straight-weight; increased from last week)

Solid session.  345X1 was easy (used to be stapled to the floor, and was about my max a year ago).

Deficits moved faster as well.  Managed to get 5 reps on all 4 sets, although my conditioning is still getting in the way here.

155X15 is an all-around PR on BB Rows.

DB Rows were smoother.

Hamstrings were lit up pretty much from the first set of curls. 

Higher Reps. Week 3. Bench

BW - 210

Bench -
BarX20
95X5
135X4
155X3
185X2
205X1

CG Bench - 165X8, 5, 3

Incline - 115X13, 9, 7

DB OHP - 35sX10, 12, 10, 7

Dips - BWX17, 15, 9, 10
super-set with
DB Curls - 30sX15, 12, 10, 10

Ab Wheel - X14, 14, 10

Felt tired and weak all afternoon.  All the barbell benching sucked accordingly.

Did the DB pressing sitting on the edge of a flat bench.  Lack of stability made a surprising difference, and my upper-back even started to cramp a little.  Not the point, so I'll go back to an upright bench next time.

Gonna throw some light biceps in with Dips on this day going forward and see how that plays out.

Higher Reps. Week 3. Squat

BW - 212 (coming off weekend vacation)

Squat -
BarX10 (paused)
95X5 (paused)
135X5
185X4
225X3
265X2

Pause Squats - 225X5, 5

High Bars - 185X12, 6

Hack Machine -
50X10
100X10
220X9, 10, 4

Leg Extensions -
pyramid up X15, 15, 15, 15, 10
back off set X20

Lunges - BWX20, 20, 20, 20
no rest super-set with
Hypers - BWX20, 20, 20, 20

Solid session.  The double at 265 was fast.

225X5 is an all-around PR on Pause Squats.  Didn't even occur to me coming into the gym that would be the case.

185X12 on High Bars is only 3 reps off of my best, which was set fresh at the start of a workout.  Getting that close to my best after all the low barring feels solid.

Hacks suck, and seemed to be aggravating my lower back.  Try again next week.

At the end of this session I probably had the biggest quad pump I've ever had.  It felt like my legs wouldn't bend properly at the knee.  Had trouble getting to sleep that night because my quads felt so "tightened up" that I had to lay on my side with my legs folded back to get any relief.