Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Chins, Hamstrings, Pecs, Triceps

sRPE @8
BW - 221

Chin-Up Partials w/Straps - BWX7, 7, 6, 4 @10

Seated Leg Curls - X15, 14, 17, 13 @~10

Cable Flyes - X11, 10, 10, 9 @9.5/10
super-set with
Cross-Body 1-Arm Triceps Pushdowns - X15, 14, 13, 12 @9/10

Biceps were still pretty sore from training the day before, and that made Chin Partials a little uncomfortable.

The X-Body Pushdowns were probably a bit baroque, but I wanted to see what it would feel like.  Weirdly tired out my mid-trap and rear delts?  Probably some kind of isometric action back there.

Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Dips, Hack Squats, Curls, Shoulders

sRPE @8
BW - 224

Lever Dips - 180X15, 11, 11, 9 @9.5/10

Hack Squats - 100X13, 10, 9, 8 @9.5/10

DB Incline Curls - 
-    20sX12 @10
-    15sX13, 12, 10 @9.5/10
super-set with
DB Incline Laterals - 15sX12, 9, 8, 7 @9.5/10

Start of the Lever Dips wave.  Will probably add a half plate next week and see what happens.  Once I settled on Bench Dips and Lever Dips as my movements for the first two waves, I was on the fence about what order they should go in.  On one hand, Bench Dips are a bit more "body in space," like the main lift, but the pressing angle of the lever dips is more similar and it's a bit easier to load.  We'll see what happens.

All reps of Hack Squat continue to be metal on metal at the bottom.  Feeling good.

Combo of Lever Dips and Incline Laterals got me some nice, anterior delt DOMS the following day.  

Saturday, July 27, 2024

Press, Deadlift, Back, Triceps

sRPE @8
BW - 223

Swiss Bar Press - 
-    up to 150X1 @10
-    100X6, 6, 6 @6/7

RDL w/Straps -
-    up to 275X6 @9.5
-    225X8, 7, 6 @9/10

DB Pullovers - 50X9, 10, 9, 8 @7/10
super-set with
DB Incline Extensions - 30X16, 12, 10, 10 @9/10

It will be interesting to see how the Swiss Bar translates to my straight bar pressing in the coming weeks.  The setup and and initial press is more difficult with this bar so theoretically I could be stronger on a straight bar. This is "only" 15 lbs. off my best Press, but that's still a gulf for the Press.

Thinking I may alternate RDL with ATG Squats each week through the rest of this block.  Work that stretch.

I just heard, on the walk to the gym, Eric Helms talking about how agonist and peripheral super-sets don't perform particularly well in studies, and hear I went and did a peripheral super-set of lat pullovers and incline extensions.  Meh.  Actually looking forward to the DOMS.

Thursday, July 25, 2024

Rows, Legs, Pecs, Triceps

sRPE @6.5
BW - 223

BB Rows - 
-    up to 225X6 (PR) @10
-    185X5, 5, 5 @6.5

Copenhagen Planks - BWX21, 14, 12, 12 @9/10

1-Arm Cable Flye - X12 @8
super-set with
1-Arm Cable Pushdown X15 @8

I haven't really pushed lower-rep BB Rows in almost 10 years. Glad I've gotten stronger since then, lol.

This is probably the hardest I've ever pushed Copenhagen Planks.  Somewhat because I've developed more proficiency with the movement, and partially because I put them earlier in the session and not super-setted.

The cable stack I started to work on for my Pec and Triceps work was all jacked up.  I started to look around for something else, and then just decided I was over it.

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Dips, Good Mornings, Curls, Shoulders

sRPE @8
BW - 225

Bench Dips - BW+35# Chain X16, 11, 10, 9 @~10

Buffalo Bar Straight-Leg Seated Good Mornings -
-    135X11, 12, 11, 10 @8/9.5

1-Arm Behind-the-Back Cable Curls - X12, 9, 9, 8 @10
super-set with
1-Arm Behind-the-Back Laterals - X10, 9, 8, 8 @10

Really nice 3 week wave on Bench Dips.  All reps here are nice and deep with a slight pause at the bottom.  Moving on to Machine Dips in the next wave where I will target increasing weight in the 8-12 rep range before moving on to full dips in the last wave.

Wanted to do something hamstring-y for DL assistance, but didn't really know what.  I've done my go-to RDLs and GHRs in the last couple of weeks so I wanted something different.  Seated Leg Curls seemed to "small" for the 2nd movement of the day, but Deficit DLs seemed a bit too intense.  In the end, I came up with one of the more "conjugate" things I've ever tried.  I think this is my first time really using the Buffalo Bar, this is my first time doing Seated GMs, and I also put my feet up on a calf-stretch board so that they wouldn't slip out from under me when I was pushing into the floor.  Waiting to see what feels most sore from these today or tomorrow!

Speaking of soreness, long-ROM cable curls and laterals never disappoint.

Friday, July 19, 2024

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.

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.