HLM. Week 6. Day 2.

BW - 227

High Bar Pause Squat - 245X5, 5, 5

Bench -
240X3
190X5, 5, 5, 5

RDL - 320X5, 5

No easily perceptible change in bar speed between the first and last reps of the last set.  So probably RPE 6 at most.  Going back and looking at my heaviest session with this movement from a few weeks ago, that would appear to be the same there.  I probably need to up the intensity a bit to get into @7-8 range at least for the last set (shown).

Top set of Bench is interesting.  Felt like at RPE 9-9.5, but bar speed between 1st and 3rd rep looks more like @7.5.  Mis-grooved the 2nd rep which made it feel harder than it should have been.  But technique break-down often comes with high-intensity work.  As far as the discrepancy  between "bar speed RPE" and "feels RPE," I would submit that my bench strength tends to drop off a cliff more-so than other lifts.  Nevertheless, I will try to keep this discrepancy in mind.   Back off -sets were all easy <@6.  Top-set and last back-off shown.

I think I'm finally figuring out some stuff on the RDL bar path.  I'm just not pushing my butt back far enough to keep the bar in contact with my legs throughout.  This really felt like it started to click half-way through the last set.  For me, the cue might not just be "butt back" OR "bar on legs," but rather BOTH push back so that the bar feels SOLID against the legs.  The only thing is that my low back "feels" less extended this way, although it looks fine.  No real difference in the bar speed between first and last reps, but it "feels" tough, so I'm gonna call the 2nd set @6.  Last set shown.

HLM. Week 5. Day 1.

BW - 227

Squat -

360X5

290X5, 5, 5

Incline Close-Grip Bench - 180X5, 5, 5, 5

Chin-Ups (neutral grip) - BWX3, 3, 3

BB Rows - 185X5, 5, 5

Top set of Squats were too loosey-goosey.  Look ok on video, but felt too chaotic in the moment.  May need to take more care with my warm-ups to make sure I'm ready for these top sets.  Back-off sets were easy-peasy with the intensity and volume reduction to begin the new wave.  Top set and last back-off shown.

Inclines felt pretty good.  Obviously the back-off in intensity to begin the new wave makes them easier, but I think it also allows me to lock in some of the technical stuff I developed over the last wave.  Busy gym, so no good place to put the camera and grab video of these.

Had a light-bulb moment last week and realized that if supinated chins are bothering my wrist, but I don't want the volume reduction that comes with pronated, I should try neutral grip.  Haven't done these in a while and they felt GREAT.  Honestly, strength felt comparable to supinated despite a longer range of motion.  I was shooting for RPE 9 on all these, and probably could have gotten that extra rep on all of them.

Weird % programming thing that Rows this week are with the same weight as last week, but for less reps.  I didn't even notice that until I went to log the first set.  I guess I could have added 5 lbs. at that point, but whatevs.  Again, to busy in the gym to find a spot for video.

Maintenance / Rehab Block. Week 6. Day 1.5.

BW - 224

Squats - 75X25, 25, 25

DB Inclines - 60s, 65s, 70sX8@~9

Pull-Ups - BWX3, 3, 3

RDL -
225, 245X6
255X7@~8

Hammer Curls - 40sX10, 8

Weird day.  Had to train on back-to-back days because I wouldn't be able to make it during the gym's limited, 4th of July hours.  So this became of a mix of things that I hoped: a) wouldn't be negatively impacted by the previous days session, b) or I didn't care if it would be impacted, c) and would possibly disrupt homeostasis in most of the major muscle groups without d) having a potential negative impact on Friday's "regular" training session.

So, Starr Rehab squats continue.  These were fine, but I also realized I think these are supposed to be increasing in weight set-over-set, so I'm going to start with that next session.

Since I'd done hard Pressing the day before, I didn't want to go for PR territory Bench on this day.  I opted for DB Inclines for sets of 8.  I haven't done them in a long time so I knew that I wouldn't be able to go hard enough to unduly stress the system, but I should be able to get enough tonnage to disrupt homeostasis. Titrated up, and 70sX8 is technically a PR.  Probably about RPE 9.5.

Just threw in 3X3 on pull-ups.  Last set was the only limit set, and that probably because of all the vertical pulling volume the previous day.

Tried out a set of DL with 135 to see how the adductor felt, and it didn't like them very much.  Realized I might be able to do RDLs and that turned out to be the case.  Made sure to keep my stance close and my feet pointed straight forward.  Haven't done these in a long time, either, and they used to really give my low back trouble.  But I use a belt now, and these seemed okay.  Titrated up to an AMRAP set at ~RPE 8.  Low back was vulnerable feeling the next day, but that may have just been DOMS from lack of pulling.  1st and 3rd sets shown.

Maintenance / Rehab Block. Week 6. Day 1.

BW - 223

Squat - 265X25, 25, 25

Press -
125X5@7
130X5@8
137.5X5@9

Chin-Ups - BWX8, 5, 5, 5, 4 (27 total reps)

Pull-Downs - X6, 5, 5 (straight-weight; same weight as last time, but different machine)

BB Curls - ~55X12, 10

Starr Rehab Squats continue just fine.  Conditioning getting much more acclimated.  First set with no thought to stop for extra breaths.  No trouble from the adductor.

Press felt a little bit better today.  I pulled the warm-up weights down a bit.  I'd been going 45, 75, 95, 115, all X5, and I thought maybe I was getting a bit too much fatigue.  So this time I went 45, 85, 105, 115.  The 115 felt much fresher, and so did the first work set.  Enough that I felt confident finally bumping up the weight for the last set, and it still felt @9.  This is all very squishy.

Chin-ups started off feeling very strong for the first few sets, but I also hit a 15 month low in measured body weight.  Still got 1 more total rep than last time.

Pull-Downs were very hard, however I was having to use the "lesser" pull-down machine.  It's not as ideal of a bar path, and who knows how the actual resistance compares to my usual machine.

Curls were a bit stronger.

Maintenance / Rehab Block. Week 5. Day 2.

BW - 226

Starr Rehab Squats - 45X25, 25, 25

Press -
115X5 @ ~7
125X5 @ ~8
130X5 @ ~9
135X5 @ ~9

Chin-Ups - BWX8, 5, 5, 5, 3 (26 total reps)

Pull-Downs - X8, 8, 6 (straight-weight; same weight as previous)

BB Curls - ~55X11, 8

Adductor strain has settled into persistent guerrilla warfare with me. Hides out until I've forgotten about it, and then strikes out of nowhere.  Decided to start trying the Starr Rehab Protocol thingy.  Starting of with 3 sets of 25 on squats.  These were okay.  Haven't noticed any real difference the next day.

Still fucking around with BBM and RPE on Press since it had been stuck for a while anyway.  Because I thought the extra volume of doing my normal warm-up jumps but with all 5s might have been fatiguing last time, I tried taking some bigger jumps to start this time.  Was hoping 125 was going to be @7, but 115 felt like it might be that when I got there.  Still I made my planned jumps to 125, 130, and 135.  These were okay.  I think the 135 felt a bit better than last week which seemed about @10

Chin-ups were only okay as were pull-downs.

Added weight to curls and they still went pretty well.

Maintenance / Rehab Block. Week 4. Day 2.

BW - 225

Press -
130X5
135X5
125X7

Chin-Ups - BWX8, 5, 5, 5, 4

Pull-Downs - X8, 6, 5 (straight-weight, +"5 lbs." over last week)

BB Curls - 50X12, 12

Training day before a camping trip.  Decided to play around with RPE a bit (shhhhh, don't tell).  Was going to to shoot for 3 sets of 5 @ RPE 7, 8, 9.  Regular programming called for 142.5 for 3X5, so I was targeting that for my final set.  That ended up shooting me in the foot a bit.  125X5 felt a bit heavier than expected.  I jumped to 130X5 hoping for an @7, but it ended up being more of an @9.  Went up to 135, and it was just about a limit set.  Not sure what the take-away is.  Either it was a bad day, and I wouldn't have gotten the 142.5 for sets across even though I got 140X5X3 last week, or the additional volume of warm-up sets being all 5s generated enough fatigue to limit performance at higher intensity.  Probably the only real take-away is that I made a bunch of changes at once, and now I can't determine causality. 

Chin-ups went well, though.  More total reps in the same number of sets.

Upped the weight on pull-downs, and they really dropped off.  Will try that same weight next time.

Got to 12 on both sets of curls, so will up the weight next time.