Block 18 (Exploratory). Cycle 7. Session A.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 218

Curls - 95X7 @10

Bench - 

215X1 @6

167.5X13 @8

Machine Flyes - X11@10

Deadlift -

405X1 @7

320X10 @8 (grip)

SSB Pause Squat -

210X9 @7

250X4 @6.5

300X1 @6.5

95 lbs. is a 1 Rep PR on Curls, and I did 7.  Sets of 95X10 across is a near term goal for me on this movement, so I decided to do a rep test here in the last week.  With this performance, this block seems to have out-performed the previous Tier 2, or "second best," block.  That previous Tier 2 is what my next block of Curl training is based on.  Will be interesting to see how they compare!

167.5X13 is a Rep PR on Bench.  I wish I hadn't skipped the back-off set last week, or I might have gotten two of these in a row.  I think this is my first Bench Rep PR (vs. Volume PR) on Bench in over a year.  Even though it was a secondary lift this block, it's worth nothing that the prior two blocks had Bench as a focus.

320X10 is a Rep PR on Deadlift.  Rated is @8 RPE because the bar was starting to come out of my left hand at the end.  Top single was a little harder than last week.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the SSB Pause Squats here in the last week, so I ended up working up in "big" increments.  Bar+1.25pps, bar+2pps, bar+2.25pps.  Interesting that it kind of got easier as I went up, and projects as an almost 50# increase over last week's e1RM.  Maybe it's just easier to do low reps at the end of a session.

At a bit of a minor programming "crisis" as I realize that the e1RM on my back-off sets of Bench is drastically higher than the e1RM of the top single.  PL programming would say to track off the single, and that's what I've always done.  For PL, that makes sense because it "keeps the goal the goal," but my goals are progress in a much wider variety of rep ranges.  Only tracking off of the lowest rep sets is the more conservative approach for sure.  More likely to undershoot vs. overshoot block-over-block targets in all rep ranges.  But it might also mask the actual progress being made in a block.  

For Bench this block, the back-off set had the higher RPE, and more closely mirrored the rep range of the Flyes, the accessory chosen specifically for bench.  So would it be more accurate to say I was training the higher rep range on bench this block, and if so, shouldn't I track e1RM off of that?  I think I should.  The downside is that it will likely over-project my  low-rep strength to start the next block, and I'll have to auto-regulate the weight down.  Not really that big of a deal as long as I'm conscious of it, and don't think something is "wrong."

I wrote out some new guidelines around this for future programming: 

    What rep range is getting "more" trained on the secondary and tertiary movement (higher RPE, more sets, more similar to accessory)?  Track e1RM for that range, BUT LOOK BACK at end of block and see which progressed more and base off of that.  Be prepared to have to auto-regulate projected performance in less similar rep ranges up or down at the start of the next block.

Block 18 (Exploratory). Cycle 6. Session A.

sRPE @6.5

BW - 216

Curls - 82.5X6, 6, 6 ,7 @7/10

Bench - 215X1 @~6

Machine Flyes - X10, 14 @7/10

Deadlift - 

405X1 @6

295X10 @5.5

SSB Pause Squat - 210X9, 9 @~8

82.5 is an all-time weight PR on Barbell Curls, and so every rep and set here is a PR as well.  

I skipped the back-off set on Bench trying to keep volume down outside of this blocks main lifts.  Kind of wish I hadn't because I didn't realize I was projecting a 13 Rep PR this week.  Oh, well, maybe I'll do that next week instead of the top set.  Although does that generate more pressing fatigue ahead of the last Press session of the block?  Hmmmm....

Deadlift was feeling really strong.  10 lbs. over last week's weight at the same RPE.  Back-off sets were a little harder though.

Block 18 (Exploratory). Cycle 5. Session A.

sRPE @7.5

BW - 217

Curls - 80X6, 6, 6, 10 @7/10

Bench -

212.5X1 @6

165X13 @8

Machine Flyes - X10, 10 @~8/10

Deadlift -

395X1 @6

290X10 @5

SSB Pause Squat - 205X9, 9 @~8

80X10 is a Rep PR on Curls.

SSB Pause Squats getting harder and finally hitting squarely on my RPE target.

Block 18 (Exploratory). Cycle 4. Session A.

sRPE @7

BW - 216

Curls - 80X6, 6, 6, 9 @~8/10

Bench - 

210X1 @6

165X13 @8.5

Machine Flyes - X10 @10

Deadlift -

390X1 @6

285X10 @5

SSB Deep Pause Squats - 195X9, 9 @~7

80 lbs. on Curls would have been a 3 sets of 1 PR, and I got 3X6 and 1X9.  Love those low-hanging Volume PRs.

165X13 ties a Bench PR.  Bench felt much smoother, stronger, and under control this week for some reason.  I think  I was just more focused on controlling the weight on the way down plus keeping leg drive tight throughout instead of trying to "pop it up" at the bottom.

Perhaps coincidentally, Flyes have been uncomfortable to perform the last couple of weeks with shoulder discomfort, but gave me NO trouble today despite being more weight.

DL also felt stronger on the top set.

Added weight to the paused, A2G SSB Squats and the RPE was actually lower than last week.  Acclimation is amazing.

Block 18 (Exploratory). Cycle 3. Session A.

sRPE @7

BW - 216

Curls - 77.5X6, 6, 9 @7/10

Bench -

210X1 @6.5

157.5X13 @8

Machine Flyes - X10 @10

Deadlift - 

395X1 @7

280X10 @5

SSB Pause Squats - 190X9, 9 @7.5

Interesting how quickly Bench and Deadlift top-end strength is plateauing with this low volume "maintenance" approach following two dedicated blocks.  This is only the third block trying this set up where slot 2 is medium stress maintenance + hypertrophy, and slot 3 is low stress maintenance.   

Results over the last two blocks were mixed, with the first block showing generally very good results for the lifts that weren't the block focus, and the second block having poorer results.  But on average, I showed improvement on the non-focus lifts within each of the 2 blocks, and even the poorer, 2nd block averaged an increase on those lifts.  

Inter-block is a little bit of a different issue as I had generally poor results coming out of the pivot into Block 17, so although there was good improvement within the block, some of the non-focus lifts ended up with a lower Peak e1RM than in the previous block (Dips and Squats).  Anyway, just something I'm keeping an eye on.

SSB Pause Squats still feeling really good.  

Block 18 (Exploratory). Cycle 2. Session A.

sRPE @6

BW - 219

Curls - 65X6, 12 @6.5/10

Bench - 

205X1 @6

155X13 @8

Machine Flyes - X10 @10

Deadlift - 

395X1 @~6

275X10 @~5

SSB Pause Squat - 180X9, 9 @~7

As usual, curls made a big jump in week 2.  One of the great things about curls always seeming to make a big jump in week 2, is that it seems to be independent of the drop-off between cycles.  Hopefully, in the next two blocks, using the data I've compiled over the last couple of years, I can get less of a drop-off between cycles,  AND get above average increases cycle-to-cycle.

These SSB Pause Squats are ass-to-grass.  Very bodybuilder-y and fun.  I am looking to push these closer to failure, but today the second set was actually easier than the first.  There's some acclimation to get through here before I'll really be able to push them.

Block 18 (Exploratory). Cycle 1. Session A.

sRPE @5

BW - 218

Curls - 65X6, 11 @7/10

Bench -

195X1 @5

135X13 @6

Machine Flyes - X17X7.5

Deadlift -

375X1 @5

255X10 @4

SSB Pause Squat - 160X9 @6

Curls tend to have a bigger drop off between blocks for me than most lifts, but this was still a below average change.  Still only dropped me back to the early middle of the previous block, and presuming an average progression, might still end up above where I finished the previous block.

Bench strength was retained a bit better than usual, and DL a bit lower.

Paused Safety Squats felt good.  Didn't push them at all today getting acclimated, but looking forward to adding some effort and volume next week and seeing how they go.

Also, the scale I've been using at the gym had me at, like, 212 today, which just seemed low.  I grabbed a 10 lb. plate and tested it on the scale and it showed, like, 5 lbs.  There's a similar digital scale in another part of the gym, and I tried that with a calibrated 5k plate, and it came in at 4.9.  I'll use that scale from now on.