Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Rows, Legs, Pecs, Triceps

sRPE @7.5
BW - 223

BB Hanging Rows - 
-    up to 205X5@8.5
-    185X5, 5, 5 @7.5/8

GHR - BWX12, 10, 9, 9 @10

DB Flyes - 15sX11, 10, 10, 9 @10
super-set with
DB LTE - 15sX18, 15, 12, 10 @10

Moving the rows into a top-set w/ back-offs format to try and facilitate a 5 Rep PR next week. 

Messed around with the set-up in GHR to try and increase difficulty without making it more uncomfortable.

Might not have really done DB Skulls/LTE before.  Took a couple of sets to get the execution such that I had an intense strain in the lengthened position. 

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

Dips, Quads, Curls, Shoulders

sRPE @7.5
BW - 223

Bench Dips - BW+25# ChainX16, 12, 10, 10 @10

Roman Chair Squats - BWX10, 10, 10, 10 @9.5/10

DB Preacher Curls - 20sX14, 12, 10, 10 @10
super-set with
Seated DB Laterals - 20sX9, 9, 9, 7 @10

Adding weight to the Bench Dips to get the reps more in the range I expect to eventually be training full Dips in.  Much triceps burn.

Thought about doing something higher stress for legs, but it was pretty darn sweaty in the gym, and I wanted to make sure I had energy to drive through the full workout.

I think this may be the first time I've done DB Preacher Curls?

Friday, July 12, 2024

Press, Deadlift, Back, Triceps

sRPE @8
BW - 225

Swiss Bar Press - 
-    up to 140X1 @9.5
-    100X6, 6, 6 @6/7.5

Deadlift - up to 405X1 @8.5

RDL w/ Straps - 225X9, 9, 6 @9/10

Pull-Downs - X9, 9, 8, 8 @10
super-set with
Cable OH Extensions - X13, 12, 10, 10 @10

I'd been thinking about doing Log Press for my first wave of this Press block, but I didn't want to have to clean every set, and I didn't want to take it from the strongman room to the room with racks, blocks, etc.  Then I remembered we have a couple of full-length Swiss bars!  This was a fun movement.  Requires more lean back, and the touch at the bottom of the reps has to be a bit more controlled to keep from slamming into your collarbone.  Weight-wise, this is about right where I want my first Press movement of this block to me at.  

I didn't DL at the end of the last block, so I just worked up to something here and then hit RDLs.

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Rows, Legs, Pecs, Triceps

 sRPE @8
BW - 225

Hanging BB Rows - 195X5, 5, 5, 5 @8/9

Leg Press - 3ppsX13, 11, 8, 9 @9.5/10

Pec Deck Flyes - X10, 10, 10, 10 ~10
super-set with
Cable Pushdowns - X20, 13, 11, 10 @10

First time doing BB rows in 6 months.  Feels like I got the weight about right to start.  Would like to see if I can push the first set for a 5 rep PR over 3 weeks.

I felt like my work capacity was going up at the end of the last block, so I'm gong to try upping supplement and accessory work to 4 sets each on average instead of 3. I also shortened rest periods last block to ~2 minutes, so it doesn't really take that much extra time.

Monday, July 8, 2024

Dips, Hips, Curls, Shoulders

sRPE @7
BW - 225

Bench Dips - BWX18, 15, 16, 13 @8.5/10

Machine Knee Raise - X13, 12, 10 @10

Incline DB Curls - 40X12, 30X13, 13 @10
super-set with
Incline DB 45-degree Raise - 40X9, 30X10, 8 @10

Training and Recovery were both disrupted around the 4th of July holiday.  I was able to get into the gym on Sunday, but didn't feel up to Deadlifting.  Decided to go ahead and start my new block of training instead.  Will be focused on Vertical Pressing (Dips, and Overheads), and Upper Back Pulling.

Thursday, July 4, 2024

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.

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Squat, Pullups, Triceps

sRPE @8
BW - 222

Squat - 
-    up to 385X1 @9
-    315X1, 1, 1 @6/7

Pull-Ups - BWX5, 4, 4 @10

Pull-Downs /w rest-pause partials - X13/7, 8/4 @10

1-Arm DB Incline Extensions - 15X14, 13, 11 @~10

+30 lbs. on Squat over last week.  Got good sleep over the weekend, and temperature and humidity in the gym weren't too bad.  Bounce out of the hole felt on point in warm-ups, and that's when I was pretty sure I would have a good day.

That's a 1055 gym total from last week's Bench session to today.  That's 20#s over what I think was my past, best week of SBD.  Also, a 301.7 DOTS?  I've never really tracked that.  My best DOTS in competition was 268.4.

1-arm DB Incline extensions felt most comfortable of all the variations so far.  Not sure if that's just getting acclimated or not.  I'll try it with the EZ bar again next week and see if they feel easier than previous or not.