RTS Block 8. Week 1. Day 3.

sRPE 28

BW - 227

Block Squats - 

-    245X6 @5.5

-    270X4 @6.5

-    290X2 @7

Bench -

-    182.5X5 @8

-    215X1 @9

-    180X4, 4, 4 @6.5/7.5

Low Pause DL - 350X2 @8

Deadlift - 315X5, 5, 5 @5.5/7.5

Machine OH JM Press - X12, 10, 9 @~9

super-set with

Leg Extensions - X15, 13 @5/6

This week looks a little rough on paper.  sRPE higher than I'd like for Week 1.  e1RMs on mains the lowest they've been since earlier this year.

The perspective I'm trying to take is that I've had LOTS of disruptions to regular training.  Muscle mass is unlikely to have atrophied much if at all, so I'm going to assume it's a loss of general fitness.

I'm not going to let myself try to force myself "back" to the highs of ~April, but rather just try to cruise a bit and see if fitness returns naturally with the more consistent schedule I should have over the next few weeks.

Also hoping the lingering knee pain recedes with the steps we're taking around that.

RTS Block 7. Week 2. Day 3.

sRPE @9

BW - 228

Block Squats - 

-    315X4 @7.5

-    285X4, 4 @~6

Bench - 

-    207.5X3 @8.5

-    190X4, 4, 4 @7/8.5

-    1756X4 @7

Deadlift - 395X2 @9.5

TnG Deadlift - 330X6, 6, 6 @7/8

SM JM Press - 50X16, 11, 9 @~9

Stationary Bike - S.I.T.; 10 minutes

This session got real hard, real fast.  Not sure why.  Maybe heat, humidity, and wildfire smoke.  Hopefully next week bounces back a bit.

RTS Block 7. Week 1. Day 3.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 226

Block Squats - 

-    305X4 @7

-    290X4, 4 @~6

Bench -

-    205X3 @8.5

-    190X4, 4, 4 @7/9

-    175X4 @7

Deadlift - 385X2 @7.5

TnG DL - 325X6, 6, 6 @7/8

SM JM Press - BarX15, 14, 12 @9/10

Stationary Bike - S.I.T.; 0:20/1:40; 6 rounds

Was conservative on Block Squats, and then tried to push aggressive out of the gate for Week 1 on Comp Lifts.

Overshot just a smidge on Bench, so will likely repeat that weight next week and see if RPE comes down.

Undershot on DL (felt RPE 8, video says max RPE 7), so will look to push that aggressively again next week. 

RTS Block 6. Week 4. Day 3.

sRPE @7

BW - 226

Pause Squats - 

-    305X3 @5.5

-    327.5X3 @7

-    340X3 @8

Bench - 195X5, 3, 3, 2, 2 @8.5/7

Deadlift - 372.5X3 @7.5

TnG Deadlift - 345X6, 5, 4 @8/6.5

Smith Machine JM Press - 50X15, 12, 10 @~9.5

Solid session to end the training block.  Weights and e1RM finishing up on comp lifts, and pushed weight up on Supps and Accessories as well.

Week-over-Week from the end of the last block to the end of this one was quite good at 3.2%.  However, the peak e1RM Total (1107) is still the lowest since I added knee sleeves to squats.  This is mostly due to the taper and peak for the mock meet at the end of last block having not gone well.  

If we can get comparable week-over-week improvement next block, that should put peak e1RM right around my best since adding sleeves (1143).  And then hopefully we can keep stacking mostly positive blocks from there.

RTS Block 6. Week 3. Day 3.

sRPE @7

BW - 225

Pause Squats - 

-    290X3 @5

-    310X3 @7

-    320X3 @7.5

Bench - 190X5, 4, 3, 4, 4 @~7.5

Deadlift - 365X3 @7.5

TnG Deadlift - 330X6, 6, 4 @~7

Smith Machine JM Press - 45X17, 13, 12 @9

Nice session.  Pause Squat bounced back from last week, Bench improved a little, an DL improved a lot.

RTS Block 6. Week 2. Day 3.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 225

Pause Squats - 

-    310X3 @7.5

-    315X3 @8

-    325X3 @9

Bench - 187.5X5, 3, 3, 3, 3 @8/7

Deadlift - 355X3 @7.5

TnG DL - 320X6, 5, 4 @~7

Smith Machine JM Press - 45X14, 14, 12 @9/10

Pause Squats were creaky today and took a step back.  We're going to reduce RPE slightly, and also add some squat accessory to the previous day to see if that keeps fitness up a little better.

Bench and DL progressed nicely over last week.

RTS Block 6. Week 1. Day 3.

sRPE @7

BW - 226

Pause Squats - 

-    325X3 @7

-    340X3 @8

-    350X3(PR) @9

Bulgarian Split Squats - +25lb. ChainX11 @7

Bench - 182.5X5, 3, 4, 4, 3 @~7

Deadlift - 350X3 @7.5

TnG DL - 315X6, 5, 3 @~7.5

Smith Machine JM Press - 

-    65X9 @9

-    45X11, 10 @9/10

Expected this session to be a bit of a bear, but it was really fun!  I didn't even realize that was a Pause Squat PR until the next day.

TnG DL is so much less fatiguing mentally.  I hope this block goes well, and we can keep that strategy for back-off sets.

RTS Block 5. Week 3. Day 1.

sRPE @8

BW - 231

Pause Squats - 

-    315X3 @5

-    325X3 @5.5

-    345X3(PR) @7

Larsen Bench - 

-    165X5 @5

-    185X5 @7.5

-    195X5(PR) @9

Deadlift - 

-    410X1 @8

-    350X3, 3, 3 @7/7.5

Incline Bench - 135X12, 10, 15 @8/10

GHR - BWX14, 13 @~9

PRs on Pause Squats and Larsens, and DL top single felt the best it has all block.

RTS Block 5. Week 2. Day 1.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 229

Pause Squats -

-    310X3 @5

-    325X3 @6

-    340X3(PR) @7

Larsen Bench - 

-    175X5 @7

-    185X5 @8

-    192.X5(PR) @9

Deadlift - 

-    405X1 @8

-    350X3, 3, 3 @~7

Incline Bench - 135X14, 12, 10 @~10

GHR - BWX16, 13 @~10

Solid session.

RTS Block 5. Week 1. Day 1.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 227

Pause Squats - 

-    305X3 @5

-    315X3 @5.5

-    335X3(PR) @7

Larsen Bench - 

-    155X5 @5.5

-    175X5 @7

-    190X5(PR) @9

Deadlift - 

-    410X1 @9

-    345X3, 3, 3 @7/7.5

Incline Bench - 130X12, 11, 11 @8/10

GHR - BWX16, 13 @~9

Solid session to start the block.  PRs on Pause Squats and Larsens.  DL was a bigger stepback to start the block than I'd hoped, but hopefully it charges forward from here.

RTS Block 4. Week 3. Day 1.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 226

Low Block Squat -

-    300X3 @6

-    315X3 @7.5

Cambered Bench - 

-    155X5 @7

-    160X5 @7.5

-    170X5 @9

Deadlift - 

-    382.5X3 @8

-    330X4, 4, 4 @~6

Incline Bench - 140X13, 9, 7 @~10

GHR - BWX17, 11 @~9.5

Added weight or reps to everything over last week.

RTS Block 4. Week 2. Day 1.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 228

Low Block Squat - 295X3, 3 @6.5

Cambered Bench - 150X5, 5, 5 @6.5/7.5

Deadlift - 

-    up to 375X3 @7.5

-    330X4, 4, 4 @5/6

Incline Bench - 

-    135X14 @10 (fail on 15)

-    135X9, 8 @~9

GHR - BWX15, 13 @~10

Fun session, though a bit long.  But that's because I took plenty of time before and during Deadlifts to make sure I improved on  last week's performance.

Added weight or reps to everything over last week except for DL top set where I repeated last week's weight at much lower RPE.  Back-offs on DL were heavier AND had lower RPE.

RTS Block 4. Week 1. Day 1.

sRPE @7

BW - 225

Low Block Squat - 285X3, 3 @~6

Cambered Bar Bench - 

-    145X5, 5 @~7

-    150X5 @8.5

Deadlift -

-    up to 375X3 @9

-    310X4, 4, 4 @~7

Incline Bench - 130X12, 9, 8 @~9

GHR - BWX12, 11 @10

Beginning a Tier 2/General Strength/Transmutation block before a peaking block into a mock meet.

I will say, on paper, the difference between this block and the previous blocks seems subtle.  I would characterize it as top triples on the mains, with back-off sets of 4 < 80%, and a reduction in upper back work.  Maybe a slight reduction in total sets and reps.

RTS Block 3. Week 4. Day 3.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 227

Deadlift - 

-    345X5 @6.5

-    360X5 @8

-    370X5 @9

Pause Squats - 

-    up to 375X1(PR) @8.5

-    315X4 @7.5

-    300X4, 4 @6

1-1/4 Bench - 

-    150X4 @7.5

-    155X4 @8

-    165X4 @8.5

GHR - BWX14 @10

CS Rows - 115X15, 10 @10

Last session of the block and another Pause Squat PR.

Last week was rough, but this week was solid-to-great.  Nice way to end the block.

Pivot next week and then on to the next block!

RTS Block 3. Week 3. Day 2-3; Week 4 Day 1.

Week 3. Day 2.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 227

Bench - 

-    175X8 @8

-    190X5 @8

-    205X3 @8.5

-    227.5X1 @9.5

Incline Bench - 155X9, 8, 6 @9

OH Rope Extensions - X16, 15 @10

Pull-Ups - BWX3, 3 @10

Pull-Downs - X9, 7 @10

DB Incline Rows w/Straps - 65sX9, 7 @10

Week 3. Day 3.

sRPE 9.5

BW - 226

Deadlift - 

-    340X5 @6.5

-    355X5 @8

-    365X5 @9

Pause Squat - 

-    up to 370X1(PR) @9.5

-    315X4 @8

-    285X4, 4 @5/6

1-1/4 Bench -

-    145X4 @7

-    150X4 @8

-    155X4 @8.5

GHR - BWX12 @10

CS Rows - 115X14 @10

Week 4. Day 1.

sRPE @7

BW - 230

Squats - 

-    325X5 @5

-    355X5 @7.5

-    370X5 @8.5

Spoto Bench -

-    185X3 @7.5

-    195X3 @8.5

-    205X3(PR) @9

Deficit Deadlift -

-    355X3 @7

-    325X4, 4 @6

Hammer Incline - 70X15, 10 @10

Several health and schedule challenges over the last week.  I got another Pause Squat PR, but that was the hardest training session of the block.

Conversely, Squats were flying yesterday, and everything felt great.  [shrugs]

I suppose I've been doing Spoto Bench for 2 blocks now and it's ok to start calling out PRs on that here at the end of this block.

RTS Block 3. Week 2. Day 3.

sRPE @8

BW - 227

Deadlift - 

-    335X5 @6.5

-    355X5 @7.5

-    375X5 @10

Pause Squat - 

-    up to 365X1(PR) @8.5

-    315X4 @7

-    290X4, 4 @6.5

1-1/4 Bench -

-    135X4 @7

-    145X4 @7.5

-    152.5X4 @9

GHR - BWX10 @10

CS Rows - 

-    125X12 @10

-    115X10 @9.5

Looooong session at just over 2 hours.  Got a PR on pause squats, but should have taken 370.

RTS Block 3. Week 1. Day 3.

sRPE @8

BW - 221

Deadlift - 

-    315X5 @6

-    345X5 @8.5

-    355X5 @8.5

Pause Squat -

-    up to 360X1(PR) @8.5

-    315X4(PR) @7

-    300X4, 4 @~6

1-1/4 Bench - 

-    135X4 @7.5

-    140X4 @8.5

-    145X4 @9

GHR - BW+15lb. Chain X7 @9

Now that my lingering forearm pain has receded, I want to go back to alternating DL grip on worksets.  Use the "weaker" / less recently used grip on the set with 345 and had grip issues, so only made a small jump on the following set.

Two PRs on Pause Squats now that the knee sleeves are in play.  These sets took longer because of pulling sleeves off and on before starting rest timers.  Made the session take longer than expected, and I rushed the setup on GHR, and had to skip CS Rows to make it to a dinner reservation.

RTS Block 2. Week 5. Day 1.

sRPE @7

BW - 228

Deadlift - 

-    up to 412.5X1 @9.5

-    315X4 @4.5

-    325X4 @6

-    340X4 @7

Larsen Bench - 137.5X10, 10, 10 @7.5/9

Low Pin Squats - 

-    245X5 @6.5

-    265X3 @7.5

DB Bench - 

-    65sX13, 9 @10

-    60sX10  @10

Incline DB Rows w/Straps - 70sX9, 8, 7 @10

Was hoping for a PR double on DL, but ended up only being able to pull a single chipping last week's weight.  I did some extra warm-up volume trying to work on a technical note from my coach.  Not sure if the extra volume, or the changes might have impacted top set this week or not.  Back-offs were fine, and all the other work was fine-to-good.

RTS Block 2. Week 4. Day 1.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 224

Deadlift - 

-    410X2 @8.5

-    345X4 @5.5

-    350X4, 4 @7.5

Larsen Bench - 135X10, 10, 10 @8/10

Pin Squats - 

-    250X5 @7

-    265X3 @7.5

DB Bench - 65sX11, 9, 6 @10

DB Incline Rows w/Straps - 

-    65sX8, 6 @10

-    60sX7 @10

Solid session.  If I feel good next week, I'll likely go for a PR double on DL.

Finally got 3X10 with 135 on Larsens.  The burn is real.

RTS Block 2. Week 3. Day 1.

sRPE @8.5

BW - 227

Deadlift - 

-    up to 405X2 @8

-    345X4 @5.5

-    355X4 @7.5

-    335X4 @8

Larsen Bench - 135X10, 10, 8 @8.5/10

Low Pin Squat - 

-    245X5 @7

-    255X3 @6.5

DB Bench - 65sX12, 9, 7 @10

DB Incline Rows w/Straps - 60sX9, 7, 6 @10

I thought I'd DL's 405 in the past 12 months, but turns out it had been since July '24.  Glad to have that back on the board.  Strength dropped off rapidly after this on the back-off sets.

First time actually having a rack available to do the Low Pin Squats.  I'd been having to make do with Squats to Blocks the past 2 weeks.  

I had some low back discomfort starting to creep in on these that made the rest of the session difficult, but that has dissipated as of the following morning.

Took pressing movements closer to failure to start auditing RPE on those.  I perceive my pressing strength to fall off VERY quickly as I approach failure, but coach has been suggesting I've got more reps left than I think.  Looking forward to seeing what he thinks from video and going from there.