Block 3 (Transmutation). Cycle 7. Session A.

BW - 213

Squat -
265X7 @5.5
305X3 @6.5
325X3 @7.75
330X3 @8
282.5X7, 7, 7 @7/8

CG Bench -
165X6 @6
177.5X7 @6.5
182.5X7, 7, 7 @7/7.5

Plate Deficit DL -
240X7 @7
252.5X7, 7 @7

Not sure about that 330X3 @8.  I had to go to a competition level of focused aggression that is pretty different from the other squat sessions this cycle.  Barring surprising increases in Bench and Deadlift next session, I think it's going to be time to pivot.  Everything is starting to hurt, sleep is getting tougher, etc. 

That said, close-grips made a big jump commensurate with the jump comp lift took this week.  This movement has averaged about 95% of the prior comp lift session, and this was right there.

Deficit DLs were also right in line with the comp lift.  Averaging about 92%.

All video is of top sets and final work sets.

Block 2 (Accumulation). Cycle 3. Day 1.

BW - 214

Squat - 235X8, 8, 8 @~6.5

Tempo Incline 2-2-0 - 110X5, 5, 5 @~6.5

Tempo Row 0-2-0 - 105X8, 8, 8 @6/7.5

Everything felt pretty good.  Especially considering it was a weekend afternoon, which is the time I feel worst training.

Squats felt pretty good, but I had to really dial in my focus because I'd had a lot of coffee that AM.  Last set felt easier than the first two.

Tempo Inclines feel like I'm getting acclimated better.  Feels set for a real jump.

Rows start off feeling strong, but the bottom continues to fall out.  That static hold at the top is a real gasser.

LRB 365: 100 Reps. Week 5. Deadlift

BW - 196

Pause Squats -
BarX10
95X5
135X5
185X3, 3

Deadlift -
135X5
185X5
205X4
235X3
265X2
285X1
295X1
305X1 (held for 10 seconds)

BB Shrugs - 135X80, 25 (no straps)

Weighted Vest - 40 minutes; walking

Awesome session.  I don't really know how it happened.  I indulged in a bunch of eating and drinking and assorted debauchery the day before and closed down a bar and everything.  Woke up hung-over, ate some eggs, had some coffee and OJ and ibuprofen.  I got down to the gym and warmed-up, and went through the Pause Squats, and they felt pretty good.  Smooth, and the 2nd set with 185 felt better than the first.

Then the bar hit the floor, and for some reason my pulse started racing and I felt aggressive as hell.  I had to calm myself down a little on my work sets because I was worried I was going to spaz out and lose my form.  I just can't describe how awesome these pulls felt.

I took that same aggression to the shrugs and got the PR at 80 reps.  It was my grip that gave out.

Went home and had some more food, and then the wife came along for my walk. And the weather was even pretty nice.  Just an awesome, awesome training day.

LRB 365: 100 Reps. Week 5. Bench

BW - 197

Bench -
BarX15
95X5
105X4
135X3
145X2
155X1, 1
165X1

Pulldowns - X50, 50

EZ Bar OH Extensions - 28X50, 50
super-set with
EZ Bar Curls - 28X50, 50

Weighted Vest - 35 minutes; walking

I was angry and frustrated when I left work yesterday (mainly with myself), so it was a great time to hit they gym.

Bench was fast and aggressive, and everything had a lot of pop.  Rest times were basically just changing weight plus a couple of breaths.

Upped the weight on the pulldowns to dramatic effect.

Also threw 5s on the 18lb. EZ curl bar.

I was still a bit riled up heading home, but after I threw on the vest and did my walk, everything had sort of fallen away and I was feeling at peace again.

LRB 365: 100 Reps. Week 4. Deadlift

BW - 198

Pause Squats -
BarX12
95X5
135X5
165X3, 3, 3

Deadlift -
135X5
165X4
205X3
235X2
265X1
285X1
295X1 (held for 10 seconds; double-overhand)

BB Shrugs - 135X70, 30 (no straps)

My schedule got all flipped around the last week, and that plus some hard partying this weekend means my workout schedule is getting a bit inverted now as well.  Because Deads had to get moved to the end of the workout "week," that means Week 5 will have to start with Bench so that I have a couple days off between Pulling and Squatting.  Starting my week with Bench...I'm such a bro now.

Also, I ended up wanting a lot of down-time this weekend because I was staying out drinking so much, so I missed my 3rd weighted vest walking session of the week.  I'll pick all this slack back up this week.

Even though I was sweating out a lot because of all the drinking this weekend, this session was still solid.

Pause Squats all felt strong.

Deadlift was a little bit rough, and the 285 felt slow going up.  But I rallied, got my mind right, and the 295 came up like it should have.  Wish I could have held it a bit longer, but I was able to do the shrugs still without straps so I'm okay with it.

5/3/1 Full-Body: Cycle 5. Week 2. Bench

BW - 201

Pause Squats -
BarX10
95X5
135X5, 5
185X3
210X3
235X1

BW Lunges - 3 sets of 10

Bench -
BarX15
95X5, 5
120X3
140X3
155X7
95X12

Chins - BWX10, 8, 5, 5, 5

Pause Squats felt good.  Something that occurred to me about starting every training session with squats:  it forces me to take everything seriously.  Obviously I should take everything seriously, but the thrill/danger of squatting just puts me in a different place from the very first set than anything else.  And I'm not just talking about starting off with calves or neck or something.  Even benching and deadlifting with an empty or light bar does not snap me to attention in the same way that back squats will.  And once I'm in that place, I'm pretty much there the rest of the session, and able to focus in on every rep and set even at the end of a session when I'm fatigued and the last thing I want to do is another set of paused-chins.

Getting that extra leg work in with lunges here.

Bench felt really, really solid today.  155X7 is my 2nd best lift since I reset my form.  I went back to thumb around here, since thumbless didn't seem to help at all last time.  I good cue that I found this session was squeezing my shoulder blades together throughout the lift.  I realized that at the top of reps, I was extending my shoulders all the way forward and was losing tightness in my back.  This worked very, very well, and was something I hadn't understood about the lift previously.

I believe 201X10 is an all-around PR since I started pausing my chins as the bottom.