Block 4 (Accumulation). Cycle 1. Session B.

BW - 217

Bench -
150X9 @6
155X9 @6.5
192.5X1 @6
205X1 @6.5
215X1 @7.5
220X1 @8.25
165X9, 9, 9 @~8

DB Bench -
45sX15@6
55sX18, 13, 12 @9.5 (350 Method; 43 total reps)

Inverted Row w/feet flat - BWX12, 10, 10 @8/10

Second session of the new block went pretty well.  A bit of fatigue and DOMS from the first session, but so far doesn't seem as bad as the first cycle of the last block, so I'm hopeful I have my approach to pivot blocks more dialed-in.  We'll see how everything feels for Session C which is a full body layout.

Bench went very well, and I tried to go past my target but ended up over-shooting slightly.  Back-offs were all right on target.

DB Bench this cycle is using Paul Carter's old "350 Method."  Pick a weight you can get 15-20 reps with, and do 3 AMRAP sets with short-ish normal rests.  You use the same weight each session until you get more than 50 total reps, then you go up in weight.  Looking back through some old logs, I saw that sometimes when my bench made big progress, I was doing high rep DB assistance work.  So I dusted off this method to revisit that idea.

I threw strict, straight-legged inverted rows into my pivot block and quickly discovered that I couldn't do very many.  One day, a strong-ish guy worked in with me on those and I noticed that he put his feet flat on the ground with bent knees.  Basically unloading the feet and shank from the movement.  I'm decided to roll through into the development block with that adjustment, and it got me well into the rep range I want for this block.  I suspect that before the block is over, I will start playing with "one leg up" etc. to increase the difficulty. 

Only took video of the comp bench today.  Top two singles, and final back-off.

Block 4 (Accumulation). Cycle 1. Session A.

BW - 215

Squat -
225X9 @6
237.5X9 @7
295X1 @6
310X1 @7
327.5X1 @8
250X9, 9, 9 @7.5

Rack Chin-Ups - BWX8, 8, 7 @~8.5

Sumo DL w/Straps -
245X7
275X7, 7 @~7

Nice first session for the first training block.  Had to hold myself down out of the gate because I was so jazzed to get rolling.

Squats went very well.  I was a bit hesitant to jump from 238X7 to 295X1 after not having gone over 245 for a couple of weeks, but it was all good.  The top single looks faster than it felt.  I probably left some weight on the table, but I'm fine to start a tad lighter and progress.  Back-off sets definitely felt easier than expected.  When the first back-off came in at 7.5, I decided not to go up because I thought I would fatigue quickly.  That did not happen.

First time doing rack chins.  This is setting up with a low-ish chin up bar (smith machine in this case) and putting your feet up on something in front of you.  Basically the chin-up version of bench dips.  I want to find ways to get higher rep chin-up volume in besides pull-downs and band chins as neither of those have ever really seemed to translate very much to my chin-up strength.  These felt awkward to start, but I was hitting them with confidence by the end.  Looking forward to progressing on these and possibly even moving into holding one foot up off the bench as a way of adding intensity and also stimulating the abdominal bracing portion of chin-ups.  I thought I may need straps for these, but I did not.

Also did Sumo DL for the very first time ever.  I had no real expectations.  I plugged in, like, 90% of my recent DL e1RM.  I was working in with a good lifter who was also pulling Sumo, and he kept encouraging me to go up.  Where I ended up projects as 102% of my recent DL e1RM, and that coming off a two week pivot block and never having done this movement before.  Because my squat has long been ahead of my pull, I believed there was a chance I could pull Sumo more than Conventional.  And that may be the case.  I called these RPE~7 but that might even be sandbagging a bit.  Looking forward to seeing where these go this block.

All video is of top sets or final work-sets.

Pivot Block. Cycle 3. Session B.

BW - 216

5-3-0 Tempo Deadlift -
232.5X4 @5
245X4, 4 @6

Single-Leg Elevated Hip Thrusts - BWX15, 13 @~8

5-3-0 Tempo Bench -
135X4 @5.5
140X4, 4, 4 @~6.5

JM Press - 85X8, 8, 8 @6/7

Pull-Downs - X11, 9 @~9

Leg Raises - X17, 14 @~9

Last session of the pivot block.  Everything went very well.  Very, very ready to start my next developmental cycle.

Video of the last sets of the tempo lifts.

Pivot Block. Cycle 3. Session A.

BW - 216

5-3-0 Tempo Squats -
232.5X4 @5
245X4, 4, 4 @~6.5

Front Racked Split Squats - BarX8, 8, 8 @6

High Incline Bench -
115X7 @5
120X7, 7 @5.5

Inverted Rows - BWX7, 6, 6 @~10

BB Curls - 55X10, 10, 10 @8/9

Everything was solid, and felt pretty good.

Pivot Block. Cycle 2. Session B.

BW - 216

5-3-0 Tempo DL -
225X4 @5
235X4, 4 @6 (w/straps)

Single-Leg Elevated Hip Thrust - BWX14, 12 @8

5-3-0 Tempo Bench -
125X4 @5
135X4, 4, 4 @5.5/6.5

JM Press -
80X8 @5
85X8 @5.5
90X8 @7.5

Lat Pull-Downs - X10, 8

Leg Raises - X15, 14

Added straps for the tempo DL.  Did mixed grip on the last warm-up, and played around with breathing at the top vs. breathing at the bottom, but it was clear grip was going to drive up the RPE, and that wasn't the point of this movement.

Added a set of DL to my upcoming developmental block, so I also added a set of the single-leg DL accessory here just to keep total volume in line.  Crazy low back pump after doing these.

Tempo bench took a big jump.  Hopefully a sign of residual fatigue falling away.

Conversely, I had a hard time dialing in JM Press and then the bottom fell out on it.

Only took video of the tempo lifts today.

Pivot Block. Cycle 2. Session A.

BW - 216

5-3-0 Tempo Squats -
225X4 @5
235X4, 4, 4 @~6

Front Racked Reverse Lunges - BarX8, 8, 8 @~6.5

High Incline Bench -
115X7 @5.5
117.5X7, 7 @6

Inverted Row - BWX6, 5, 5 @~10

BB Curls - 50X10, 10, 10 @ ~8

Nice light session.  I did get the front racked reverse lunges to feel okay on my quad by doing more extensive warm-up sets with BW first holding the squat stand for a set of 8, and then just free standing for a set of 8.  I would have thought the tempo squats were enough of a warm-up, but last time that proved not to be the case.  Anyway, I'm glad I got these to work, as the gym doesn't really have a good bench for the high-step ups I did last time.

Where there is video, it is of final sets.

Pivot Block. Cycle 1. Session B.

BW - 217

Tempo DL 5-3-0 - 225X4, 4 @6, 7

Single-Leg Elevated Hip Thrust - BWX12 @8

Tempo Bench 5-3-0 -
135X4 @7.5
125X4, 4 @6

JM Press -
85X8 @8
75X8, 8 @6

Pull-Downs - X9, 7 @9

Leg-Raise - X10, 15 @6,10

Tempo DL was even harder than I expected.  Thought the weight would be light enough that I could go double-overhand, but had to switch to mixed grip and that still ended up being a challenge.  In this case, 5-3-0 means a 3 second pause right off the ground, and a 5 second eccentric.

Haven't done these single-leg elevated hip thrusts since back my DeFranco training days.  Still feels like it could be a useful movement in this context.

Nothing really to note about anything else.  Video is just of DL, Bench, and JMs.