RTS Block 8. Week 2. Day 2.

 sRPE @6.5

BW - 227

SBS -

-    220X8 @7

-    180X8, 8 @~5

Spoto Bench - 

-    177.5X3 @7

-    180X3 @7.5

-    187.5X3 @9

Dips - BWX9, 7, 6 @~9

Cable Rows - X16, 13, 11, 11 ~9

RG Pulldowns - X13, 9, 10, 10  @8.5/9.5

super-set with 

Leg Extensions - X15, 14 @5.5

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

RTS Block 8. Week 2. Day 1.

sRPE @8

BW - 227

Pause Squat - 300X2 @7.5

Squat - 280X5, 5, 5 @~5

Larsen Bench - 

-    135X10 @6.5

-    140X10 @8.5

-    142.5X10, 7 @9.5/10

TnG DL - 325X6, 6, 6 @~8

GHR - BWX13, 10, 9 @7/8

super-set with

Leg Extensions - X16, 13 @~5

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

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 8. Week 1. Day 2.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 225

SBS -

-    220X8 @6.5

-    185X8, 8 @5

Spoto Bench -

-    175X3 @7

-    182.5X3 @8

-    190X3 @8.5

Dips - BWX8, 7, 5 @~9

Cable Flexion Rows - X15, 12, 11, 10 @9/10

RG Pulldowns - X12, 10, 9, 10 @9/10

Leg Extensions - X14, 11 @~5

Stationary Bike - SIT; 10 minutes

Nice, low stress session.  Everything moved well.

RTS Block 8. Week 1. Day 1.

sRPE @ 8

BW - 226

Pause Squat - 295X2 @7.5

Squats - 277.5X5, 5, 5 @~6

Larsen Bench - 

-    140X10 @6.5

-    145X10 @8

-    147.5X10 @10

-    140X10 @10

TnG DL - 325X6, 6, 6 @7/9

GHR - BWX12, 9, 9 @7/8

Leg Extensions - X13, 11 @5.5/6.5

Stationary Bike - SIT; 10 minutes

Training was pretty crap the last couple of weeks across illness, travel, and just general disruptions.  Also dealing with some tendinopathy in my right knee.  Hoping I'll get a solid 4 week run of training in this block.

Training: DL+Full Body

sRPE @5.5

BW - 228

Deadlift - 

-    285X3 @4

-    305X3 @6

-    320X3 @6.5

-    335X3 @7.5

-    345X3 @9.5*

PJR Pullovers - 60X9, 8 @~10

GHR - BWX10, 8 @~9

Machine Flyes - X9, 9 @10

Leg Extensions - X11, 9 @10

First time DLing in a couple of months because of schedule and forearm pain.  I supinated grip only on the arm with the forearm issues, and on all reps including warm-ups, and didn't really have any pain issues during or since.

*grip on the supinated hand was giving out on the top set ahead of everything else.  Possibly just a detraining thing, or possibly my previous practicing of alternating my mixed grip on every set was somehow less stressful on each hand than keeping one supinated on every set.

Triceps are sore as hell 36 hours later like they always are when I do DB Triceps Pullovers for the first time in a while. 

Time Crunch + Forearm Pain Week 1. Day A.

 sRPE @6.5

BW  - 227   

SSB -

-    up to 300X1 @9

-    250X3 @8

Reverse SSB Box Squats - 210X3, 3, 3 @~7.5

Circuit -

-    Leg Curls - X9, 8, 8 @8

-    Hypers - BW+25 behind head X8, 8, 7 @8

-    Leg Extensions - X12, 10, 10 @8/9

Stationary Bike - HIIT; 0:20/1:40; 14 minutes    

Schedule is all over the place this month and next, plus I think I need to just back off anything that puts much stress on grip for a while.

Not letting perfect be the enemy of good, I'll just go in when I can and try to hit some stuff, and maybe a plan will emerge.

S/B/D/R+ Week 4. Day A.

BW - 225

Squats - 

-    up to 355X1 @9.5

-    290X3 @~7

BB Rows w/Straps -

-    200X5 @8

-    200X3, 3 @7

Leg Curls - X8, 8, 7, 6 @8

super-set with

Leg Extensions - X10, 9, 9. 9 @8

Rear Delt Flyes - X8, 8, 8, 7, 7 @7.5/9

Stationary Bike - HIIT; 0:20/1:40; 14 minutes

Only training session from last week.  Got hit by a combination of schedule crunch and a cold. 

Son of a Bench Week 12. Day A.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 223

Bench - 

-    up to 225X1 @9

-    185X5 @7

Lever Dips - 205X10, 8, 8 @~10

Circuit:

-    Leg Extensions - X12, 11 @8

-    Adductor Machine - X12, 10 @8

-    Lat Pushdowns - X8, 8 @~9

-    Cable Curls - X10, 8 @8/9

1-Arm DB OH Extensions - 25X10, 9, 7 @~10

super-set with

Machine SL Calf Press - X17, 13 @10

Rower - HIIT; 5 rounds

We threw a dinner party the night before, so I was coming in pretty rough to train in the AM.  However, we're leaving town this weekend for a camping trip, so I had to train if I want to get 3 sessions in this week.  Top-end performance was quite muted.

When it came time for the Hack Squats / Pull-Downs super set, I just could not.  Did an iso circuit instead. 

Bench, Legs

sRPE @7

BW - 221

Bench - 

-    up to 250X1 @10

-    205X1, 1, 1 @6/7

Belt Squat - 105X11, 9, 8 @~9

Smith Machine Incline Bench - 65X10, 12, 12 @8/10

Leg Extensions - X12, 11, 9 @10

Top set on Bench was a real grind.  That puts my rolling "gym week total" at 1060.  Probably still have some headroom to push that up on Deadlift and Squat in the coming week, but everything would likely have to be perfect to add to the Bench.  Or maybe get a hand-off.  Maybe.

My new, Mike Israetel inspired technique on Belt Squats continues to feel great.  No longer a high fatigue, low-specificity Squat supplement, but rather a smooth, hard-burning compound quad accessory.

I don't think I've ever actually done any kind of Pressing, Squatting, etc. in a Smith Machine before.  Always just used it for Inverted Rows and BW JM Press.  Everyone always talks about Smith Machine like it's "weenie," etc., so I expected to be able to use more weight than I could for barbell Incline.  NOPE.  Glad I decided to warm-up a little instead of just jumping to a couple of 25s+.

Still had some gas left, and threw on some more quad assistance.

Deficit DL, Pecs, Legs

sRPE @8

BW - 223

Deficit DL - 

-    up to 410X1(PR) @ 9

-    375X3(PR) @8.5

-    315X3, 3 @~6

DB Bench - 50sX15, 12 @~10

Machine Flyes - X10 @10

Leg Accessory Supersets -

-    Seated Leg Curls - X15, 11, 11 @9/10

-    Machine Adduction - X13, 13, 11 @9/10

-    Leg Extensions - X8, 10, 10 @9/10

Really didn't think I was going to be able to get a PR single on Deficit pulls this block.  I was thinking a lot about starting position and how to initiate the pull on the way to the gym, and possibly some things came together at the right time.

Been hitting triceps pretty consistently, and wanted to give pecs some love before I head into a comp bench wave.

I've started getting an itch to work leg curls, so moving downstream from Big Hippers to...Thigh Blasters?

Cambered Bench, Quads, Curls

sRPE @7.5

BW - 223

Cambered Bench - 

-    up to 230X0 @11

-    155X6, 6, 6 @7/8.5

Both-Feet Elevated Split Squats - BWX12, 11 @~9

Open Hip Leg Extensions - X10 @9.5

Rope Curls - X12, 10, 10 @9/10

Tried to chip my previous Cambered Bench PR, but it wasn't there.  Failed pretty shortly off the chest.

Elevated my front foot for Bulgarian Split Squats.  Took some setting up, but once I got it I could really feel it in my quads.

Also messed around with moving the pad way back on Leg Extensions so I could open my hips more and lengthen the RF.  Also put a pad in front of my shins to try and close the knee angle a bit more.

Upper Push, Lower Accessories, Curls

sRPE @7

BW - 223

Cambered Bench +50# Chains - 185X3, 3, 3, 3, 3 @8/9

High Incline Bench - 

95X5, 5 @5.5/7*

up to 155X1 @9.5

Leg Extensions - X11, 10, 10 @10

super-set with

Adductor Machine - X14, 9, 10 @10

Glute Kickback Machine - X13, 10, 8 @~9.5

Gaspari Bar Curls - 

 -   straight set - 45X10, 8 @~10

-    w/ rest-pause Long-ROM Partials - 45X8/4 @10

Continuing to do pick movements on a whim in the moment around a loose structure.

I really nailed my chain set up on Cambered Bench.  Resistance curve was totally flat throughout.

*I got some leg cramping trying to do reps on High Incline so I switched and worked up to a hard single.

I didn't feel like having to set up anything plate-loaded for lower body, so I did a little machine circuit.  Never used the glute kickback machine before.  With a little fiddling, I was able to get it set up for a pretty good ROM.

3 Day FB Hypertrophy. Cycle 5. Session A.

sRPE @9

BW - 221

Squats - 270X3, 3, 3 @~6

031 Tempo Work:

-    Leg Extensions - X12, 11 @10

-    DB 1-Arm Rows - 90X11, 11, 11, 11, 10 @8/10

-    EZ OH Extensions - 40X11, 11, 11, 9 @7/10

Under the weather and dragging ass.  Got a good workout on what I could get through, but hit the wall hard and cut out conditioning and the last set of triceps.

3 Day FB Hypertrophy. Cycle 4. Session A.

sRPE @8

BW - 224

Squat - 270X3, 3, 3 @5/6

031 Tempo Work:

-    Leg Extensions - X12, 10 @10

-    DB Rows - 90X10, 10, 10, 10, 10 @7/9.5

-    EZ OH Extensions - 

    -    45X10 @10

    -    35X10, 10, 10, 10 @7/8

Stationary Bike - HIIT; 10 minutes

Starting the new wave.  Volume back up, and proximity to failure back down.  Except on the first tempo movement.  Those movements are "coupled" to the initial, strength movement of the day, and because they're only 2 sets, I've decided to take those to failure for this block.  We'll see how that goes on the various DB pressing movements.  

Really milking the tempo on the OH Extensions and so had to back the weight further down.

3 Day FB Hypertrophy. Cycle 3. Session A.

sRPE @8.5

BW - 220

Squats - 270X3, 3, 3 @4.5/5.5

031 Tempo Work+:

-    Leg Extensions w/ Long ROM Partials - X11/3, 11/2 @10

-    1-Arm DB Rows w/ Long ROM Partials - 90X9/3, 7/2 @10

-    EZ OH Extensions w/ Long ROM Partials - 

    -    60X7/2 @10

    -    50X8/2 @10

Rower - HIIT; 10 minutes

I'd dabble with the Long ROM Partials drop sets before, but hoo-boy it's a whole other thing to do almost a full session of that.  I'll be doing these or rest-pause sets on all my supplements and accessories for this 2 week microcycle.  Hopefully?

3 Day FB Hypertrophy. Cycle 2. Session D.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 220

Deadlift - 315X3, 3, 3 @4/5.5

031 Tempo Work:

-    Leg Extensions - X10, 10 @8.5/9

-    Pull-Downs - X9, 9, 9, 9, 9 @8/9.5

-    Machine Flyes - X8, 8, 8, 9, 9 @7.5/10

Stationary Bike - HIIT; 10 minutes

I think I was a little too cute doing the Squats/Leg Curls and Deadlift/Leg Extensions thing.  I think I'll flop those around starting next cycle.  In this case, the day before I did 5 sets of 8 on Roman Chair Squats, so it was a bit silly to do 2 sets of Leg Extension the following day, when Leg Curls would have had more impact following Deadlift.

3 Day Full-Body Hypertrophy. Cycle 1. Session D.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 220

Deadlift - 315X3, 3, 3 @~5

031 Tempo Work

Leg Extensions - X9, 8 @7.5/8

Pull-Downs - X8, 8, 8, 8 @7/9

Machine Flyes - X7, 8, 8 @7/8.5

Stationary Bike - HIIT; 10 minutes

Slight increase to volume over last week.

Mid-Rep Volume PRs. Squat, ME Upper

sRPE @8

BW - 221

Squats - 

315X1 @7

290X9, 9 @~8

Leg Extensions - X12, 12 @~9

High Incline - 

175X1 @8.5

185X1 @9

3-Board Bench - 225X5, 5, 5 @~8

DB Tate Press - 

30sX15 @9.5

35sX12, 15, 15 @9/10

290 for 2 sets of 9 is a Volume PR on Squats.  That was my goal for the day.  "Made up" volume with Leg Extensions after that.

Then I worked in on Max-Effort Upper Day with one of my Konjugate Krew buddies.

185X1 on High Incline is a PR on that lift.

Never done 3-Board Bench before, so that's all technically PRs on that.  My best Reverse Camber Bench is 185X19, but I think that's more of a 4-board.

DB Tate Presses were fun.  I haven't done them much, but got a nice little triceps pump from them. 

Higher-Rep Volume PRs. Week 6. Session C.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 217

Bench - 

225X1 @6.5

145X20 @9

GHR Sit-Ups - BWX10, 9, 9 @~7

Leg Extensions - X14, 12, 13 @9/10

145X20 is a Rep PR on Bench.