Really enjoyed this program layout prior to the Rows specialization block so going back to it for a few weeks. This was a fun session.
Forearms didn't like the 'D' attachment on the rear delt flyes, but a buddy had mentioned using the single rope attachments. I tried those and they felt GREAT.
Skipping BB Rows the rest of the week before the next block to give elbow and wrist more room to keep healing up.
Switched to low handle Trap Bar for the same reason. I forgot how steep the learning curve on these are having not done them for a while. All reps were awkward.
If adding straps, adding wrist extension work, and subbing bike for rower doesn't yield any real relief by EOW, I'll have to make more drastic changes to programming. Issues are effecting me outside the gym too much.
Hit last week's top single on High Bar and it felt like a warm-up, so I went up. Nice little data point in my new approach of hitting the same weights until they feel "easier than they're supposed to."
Press was also slightly easier across the board.
My wrists were feeling a little banged up after HBS (I use a narrow, thumbs-around grip on that variant) and Press. So I controlled the eccentric a bit more on the Push Presses. It actually felt better in general to do them that way, so I'll switch over to that. Who knows, maybe I'll trigger a smidge more hypertrophy with the slower eccentric.
Traps and right wrist bothering me a bit. Traps sometimes get cranky from a lot of pressing, so hopefully they will acclimate to this training. Wrist may have gotten a bit aggravated on curls the day before.
Made sure to be very conservative with everything after Chins. Still feeling beat down after the inadvertently high sRPE sessions last week. Chins are the main lift on this day, so "keep the goal the goal" and just punching the clock on everything else.
I have some wrist and forearm discomfort lingering from last week, so I was especially conservative with the curls. Backed way off and did relatively slow "controlled" reps.
Was still feeling kind of gassed by the time I got through DL warm-ups. It might be that I'm just not used to this much DL volume this late in a training session. Regardless, I was conservative with the top set, and didn't try to push the back-off weight past last week since I was adding a set. Back-off sets ended up being on target AND a 3X7 Volume PR.
Upright Rows were similar to curls. Wrists weren't loving it, so backed off and did slower reps.
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.
Was again nervous about the top set of Squats. 20 lbs. heavier than last week, and the heaviest weight since rehabbing my adductor. And once again, the weight was pretty easy, an the adductor feels fine. Unfortunately, the first set was above parallel. Wah-wah. I deliberated about what to do, and ultimately took it again. Better depth, but still borderline. Decided to take it and try to do better in the future. Originally, the program was to do a single and 5X5 back-off. Since I took an extra single, I decided to only do 4X5 to keep the volume "slots" as programmed. Both singles, and last back-off shown.
After last week's Inclines, I was pretty sure I 4X5 @ +10 lbs. wasn't going to be great. I was prepared to be surprised, but I could tell from the first couple of reps that I needed to cut to 3 reps if wanted to get all of the volume in without a lot of @9+ RPE sets. Totally at peace with that decision. I've decided to incorporate that into the program going forward for the last week of each 3 week Bench wave. I really want the Incline weight to be the same as the back-off weight on heavy Bench day for the psychological benefits of having handled the weight already on the "harder" movement, so that it may "feel" light on the main movement. Last set shown.
I was running out of time, and my right wrist has been bothering me, so I decided to skip Chin-Ups. They can sometimes aggravate my wrists, and I'd like those joints to be fresh for alternate grip DL later in the week.
Week 1 of a new 3-week DL wave, so intensity drops down on BB Rows, but I upped the reps to 7 per set. These did take a little more "leg" to complete all the reps in the sets, but I kept pretty good torso position and the bar touched in the same area (just above the belt) on all reps. Gym was crowded, and so I couldn't get video where I was working.
