RTS Block 7. Week 2. Day 1.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 232

Squats - 

-    342.5X3 @6

-    355X3 @7

-    372.5X3 @7.5

Feet-Up Bench - 

-    140X8 @5.5

-    150X8 @8

-    155X8 @7.5

-    162.5X8 @8.5

1" Deficit DL - 330X5 @7

RDL w/Straps - 270X7, 5, 4 @8.5/7

Hammer Incline -

-    80X8 @6.5

-    85X8 @7.5

-    90X8 @8.5

-    95X8 @9

Rower - S.I.T.; 10 minutes

Another solid session with heavier week-over-week top sets and e1RM increases on all movements.  This block will only be 3 weeks because of travel, so it would be convenient if we keep making big jumps.

RTS Block 7. Week 1. Day 1.

sRPE @7

BW - 231

Squats - 

-    340X3 @6

-    350X3 @6.5

-    367.5X3 @8

Feet-Up Bench - 

-    145X8 @7

-    147.5X8 @7.5

-    152.5X8 @9/9.5

1" Deficit DL - 325X5 @7.5

RDL - 267.5X7, 5, 5 @8.5/8

Hammer Incline - 

-    70X8 @5.5

-    75X8 @8

-    80X8 @8.5

-    85X8 @9.5

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

RTS Block 6. Week 4. Day 1.

sRPE @8

BW - 227

Squats - 

-    350X4 @7

-    362.5X4 @8

-    375X4 @9

Larsen Bench - 

-    135X10 @6.5

-    145X10 @7.5

-    155X10(PR) @9.5

-    147.5X10 @9

Deadlift Paused Below Knee - 330X5 @8

RDL w/Straps - 300X5, 3 @~9

Hammer Incline - 

-    70X10 @7.5

-    80X10 @9

-    90X7 @10

-    80X8 @10

Tough session as I pushed weight a little bit on everything here in the final week.  Everything came in more or less on target except for the RDLs where coach called for a 25+ lb. jump that wasn't quite there for 6 reps @ RPE 8.

RTS Block 6. Week 3. Day 1.

sRPE @7

BW - 228

Squats -

-    345X4 @7

-    362.5X4 @8.25

-    372.5X4 @9

Larsen Bench - 

-    135X10 @6.5

-    145X10 @8

-    152.5X10, 10 @8.5/9.5

DL Paused below Knee - 325X5 @7.5

RDL w/Straps - 275X6, 5 @8/7

Hammer Incline -

-    75X10 @7.5

-    80X10 @8.5

-    85X10, 10 @~10

Was originally targeting 375 for today, but backed off slightly after the first two ramping sets.

Repeated last week's weights on Larsens and Paused DLs, but at lower RPEs.

Pushed weight a lot on RDLs and a little on Hammer Incline.

RTS Block 6. Week 2. Day 1.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 227

Squats - 

-    337.5X4 @6.5

-    352.5@4 @7

-    367.5X4 @8.5

Larsen Bench - 

-    140X10 @7

-    145X10 @8.5

-    152.5X10(PR) @10

-    142.5X10 @8.5

DL Paused Below Knee - 325X5 @8

RDL w/Straps - 265X6, 5  @7.5

Lever Incline - 

-    70X10 @6.5

-    80X10 @8.5

-    85X10  @9.5

-    85X8 @10

Humidity was rampant in the gym today, but still managed to push weight on everything while still keeping target RPE and general fatigue in check.

RTS Block 6. Week 1. Day 1.

sRPE @7

BW - 225

Squats - 

-    332.5X4 @6.5

-    245X4 @7.5

-    360X4 @9

Larsen Bench - 

-    135X10 @5.5

-    145X10(PR) @7.5

-    150X10(PR), 10 @9/10

DL Paused Below Knee - 315X5 @7.5

RDLs w/Straps - 255X6, 5 @~8

Hammer Incline -

-    60X10 @6.5

-    70X10 @8

-    80X10, 9 @10

Fun session to kick off the new block.  Nice mix of different things.

RTS Block 2. Week 5. Day 2.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 226

Squats - 

-    up to 330X2 @8.5

-    270X5, 5 @~6

Spoto Bench - 

-    170X3 @6.5

-    182.5X3 @8

-    192.5X3 @8

Dips - BW+25X7, 6 @~8

RDL w/Straps - 290X7(PR) @10

Pullups - BWX4, 4 @~10

Pulldowns - X8, 7, 5 @~9

Squats were still a bit of a struggle today, but not as bad as last week.

Everything else was awesome. 

Maybe unlocked something with my pause on the top set of Spoto Bench.  We'll see.

PR set of RDLs.

RTS Block 2. Week 4. Day 2.

sRPE @8.5

BW - 221

Squats - 

-    335X2 @9

-    270X5, 5 @~7

Spoto Bench - 

-    175X3 @7.5

-    185X3 @9

-    192.5 Fail on 3

Dips - BW+25X8, 5 @~8

RDL w/Straps - 290 Fail on 5

Pullups - BWX4, 3 @10

Pulldowns - X8, 7, 6 @10

Performance cratered across the board.  Gonna chalk it up to life stress and move on.

RTS Block 2. Week 3. Day 2.

sRPE @7

BW - 225

Squats - 

-    up to 345X2 @8.5

-    280X5, 5 @~6.5

Spoto Bench - 

-    170X3 @6

-    175X3 @7

-    185X3 @8

Dips - BW+20X8, 5 @9/8

RDL w/Straps - 280X7 @9

Pullups w/Straps - BWX4, 3 @~10

Pulldowns - X6, 8, 8 @9/10

Everything was feeling good today.  Was able to push weight up on just about everything.

RTS Block 2. Week 2. Day 2.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 227

Squats - 

-    up to 340X2 @8.5

-    280X5, 5 @7

Spoto Bench - 

-    160X3 @6.5

-    170X3 @7

-    182.5X3 @8

Dips - BWX10, 6 @9/8

RDL w/Straps - 285X7(PR) @9.5

Pullups - BWX3, 3 @9.5

Pulldowns - X7, 6, 7 @~9

Out late for the wife's birthday the night before, and was dragging some ass coming into the gym.  Squats felt unstable at the bottom on warm-ups and slow over 300lbs.  Just chipped last week's weight.

Also chipped top set on Spoto's just trying to rally.

Back half of the session was a little better with a Rep PR on RDLs.

RTS Block 2. Week 1. Day 2.

sRPE @8

BW - 227

Squats - 

-    up to 335X2 @8

-    275X5, 5 @~7

Spoto Bench - 

-    165X3 @6.5

-    170X3 @7

-    180X3 @7.5

Dips - BWX7, 6 @~8

RDL w/Straps - 225X5 @10

Pullups - BWX3, 2 @10

Pulldowns - X7, 6, 7 @8.5/9.5

Back was feeling much better today, and Squats were fun.  I wasn't sure what I'd be able to tolerate, but I did ramping doubles starting at 275, and ended up only 10 lbs. shy of my initial target for starting the block.  Confident I'll zoom past that starting next week once back discomfort has fully dissipated.

Bench was actually much harder as I had trouble getting my legs at their usual angle because of the low back tightness.  Had to go with feet more in front of me than out to the side.

Very tentative on RDL.  Just kind of gave up on them.

RTS Pivot Block 2. Week 1. Day 2.

sRPE @5.5

BW - 228

Beltless 320 Squat - 225X2, 2 @~4

Beltless Press - 

-    115X5 @8

-    105X5, 5 @~7

TnG Bench - 145X10 @8

Beltless 2" Deficit DL - 285X2, 2 @~6

Beltless WG RDL w/Straps - 225X9 @8.5

Beltless TnG Pendlay Rows w/Straps - 155X8, 8, 8 @6/8.5

New Year's gym availability threw a wrench in my schedule, so I kind of mashed the last two sessions of the pivot block into one.

I enjoyed the little DL, RDL, Pendlay sequence.

RTS Block 1. Week 5. Day 2.

sRPE @8

BW - 228

Squats - 

-    up to 330X4 @8

-    315X4, 4 @8/9

Bench - 

-    up to 200X3 @8.5

-    225X1 @9

-    175X5, 5, 5 @8/9

Incline Bench - 135X11, 6, 6 @9/8

RDL w/Straps - 275X8(PR), 4 @9/8.5

DB Incline Rows w/Straps - 50sX12, 10, 9 @10

Comp Bench was heavy today, but everything else progressed.  Another RDL PR.

RTS Block 1. Week 4. Day 2.

sRPE @8.5

BW - 227

Squats - 315X4, 3, 3 @7/8.5

Bench - 

-    200X3 @8.5

-    225X1 @9

-    175X5, 5, 5 @7/8.5

Incline Bench - 130X10, 7, 6 @9/8

RDL w/Straps - 265X8, 4 @8.5/10

DB Incline Rows w/Straps - 50sX11, 9, 8 @~10

PR on RDLs.  Failed on rep 5 of the second set.  I think I just ran out of gas in the bottom of the lift.

RTS Block 1. Week 3. Day 2.

sRPE @7

BW - 227

Squats - 

-    up to 305X4 @7.5

-    290X4, 4 @6.5

Bench - 

-    up to 195X3 @8.5

-    210X1 @9

-    165X5, 5, 5 @7/8

Incline Bench - 125X11, 8, 7 @10/8.5

RDL w/Straps - 225X8, 6 @8/7

DB Incline Rows w/Straps - 45sX13, 11, 9 @10

Nice session.  Coach calling for more weight on Squat, Bench, and a lot on RDL next week.

RTS Block 1. Week 2. Day 2.

sRPE @7

BW - 225

Squats - 

-    up to 295X4 @8

-    280X4, 4 @~7

Bench - 

-    up to 185X3 @8

-    200X1 @9

-    160X5, 5, 5 @~7

Incline - 115X10, 7, 7 @9/9

RDL w/Straps - 205X8, 7 @~8

DB Incline Rows w/Straps - 45sX12, 9, 9 @10

This session felt much easier than last week even though I pushed weight up.  Encouraging. 

RTS Block 1. Week 1. Day 2.

sRPE @8

BW - 224

Squats - 

-    up to 285X4 @8

-    275X4, 4 @~7

Bench - 

-    up to 180X3 @~8

-    190X1 @8

-    155X5, 5, 5 @7.5/8

Incline Bench - 

-    115X10, 7, 7  @9/8

RDL w/Straps - 185X8, 6 @8/7

Incline DB Rows w/Straps - 

-    60sX6 @10

-    45sX9, 7 @10

First comp day of the new program.

Squats felt good.  

Bench and Incline were a slog.

RDLs felt good.

Incline DB Rows are awkward as hell.  Assumed weight would be much closer to my 1-arm DB Row weight, but it's more like 50%.

Pivot

sRPE @6

BW - 224

RDL (Beltless w/Straps) - 225X7, 7 @8

CS Rows - 125X7, 6 @~10

Cable Flyes - X9, 11, 10 @7.5/10

super-set with

Cable Rear Delt Flyes - X7, 7, 7 @10

Hypers - BW+25X14, 10 @8.5

super-set with

Machine Press - X12, 10 @~10

Machine Preacher Curls - X9, 7 @~10

super-set with

Machine SL Calf Press - X15, 12 @10

June schedule disruptions are just too much to try and chase consistency in the gym.  Going to go on a Pivot until July and (probably) start a short BB Row focused block. 

Made this session up as I went trying to fill gaps from the last session, and had fun.

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.

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.