Phase 1. Week 5. Deadlift

BW - 212

Deadlift -
135X5
185X4
225X3
275X2
315X2
325X2, 1

Deficit Deadlift (45 lb. Plate) - 275X3, 3

RDL - 225X3, 3

BB Row - 135X10

Under the weather today, and everything felt heavy as shit and broke slow off the floor.  Goal for 325 is 2X3 and then 1X5.

The deficits still felt okay, so considering I'm sick, I'll take that as a good sign.

Out of gas for RDLs and Rows.

Phase 1. Week 5. Bench

BW - 210

Bench -
BarX15
95X5
115X4
135X3
155X2
185X7, 2

Cambered Bench -
155X2
135X5, 5

Incline Bench -
155X4, 4
135X7

185X7 is barely at my goal for this weight.  I went for an 8th, and the bar got back over my face way before lock-out.  Both I and my spotter thought I would have had the rep if I hadn't mis-grooved.  Nevertheless, I think I'll stay at this weight for next session.

All the accessory lifts felt heavy as hell, and I ended up backing off weight on both of them.  Wondering if it would be a good idea to stay at lower weight and hit higher reps on these for the rest of the cycle.  I'd actually planned on the opposite: Higher Weight, Lower Reps More sets through the end of the cycle, and then trying to use the same weights for Higher Reps, Less Sets and the beginning of the next, but maybe that's backwards.

Phase 1. Week 5. Squat

BW - 212

Squat -
BarX10 (paused)
95X5 (paused)
115X5
135X4
155X3
185X2
225X2
255X6, 3

High Bar - 185X5, 5, 5

Fronts - 155X5, 5, 3

255X6 is a Rep PR, and beats my program goal of 255X4.  Moving up next week.

Felt a little gassed after the low bar sets.  Managed to get 3X5 on High-Bars, but by the last set of Fronts I was done, and could only get 3 reps.

Oh, and my bodyweight ties a lifetime high.  I feel a lot healthier and a tad leaner than last time I hit that weight; about 2 years ago.

Phase 1. Week 4. Accessory

BW - 209

Machine Pullovers - X15, 15, 8

Chins (Close, V-Grip) - BWX5, 4, 3 (paused at bottom)

Close-Grip Pulldowns - X12, 11

BB Rows - 135X10, 5

Hammer Curls -
25sX12
30sX8
20sX12

Transitioning this day into a straight body-building style lats day.  My shoulders and elbows were starting to feel beat up, so I thought cutting out extra OHP and triceps work might be beneficial for now.  This routine is based mostly on Dorian Yates lat training.  By being almost total lats, there was no difficulty doing this the day after I deadlifted, however I may still prefer to have rows on the Deadlift day.

Pullovers, pulldowns and rows were all very strict with a strong concentric, squeeze at the contraction, and a controlled eccentric.  I stopped every set when I could no longer complete full ROM in this strict fashion.  An interesting note, my triceps were quite sore the next couple of days from the pullovers.

I'm hoping that doing pullovers to pre-exhaust my lats, and then pausing at the bottom of my chins will help the chins carryover to lat growth instead of just practicing the movement of chinning.

Phase 1. Week 4. Deadlift

BW - 209

Deadlift -
135X5
185X4
225X3
275X2
315X4, 4

Deficit Deads - 275X3, 3, 3

RDL - 225X5, 5

Good session.  2 sets of 4 with 315 was my goal, so I will move up next week.

Deficit deads felt faster than ever.

Phase 1. Week 4. Bench

BW - 207

Bench -
BarX10
95X5
115X4
135X3
155X2
185X6, 3

Cambered Bench - 155X3, 3, 3

Incline - 155X5, 5, 5

Decent session.  Added a rep to each set of 185 over last week, and still without a spotter.  185X6 is a Rep PR.

Cambered bar bench is still very slow.  If this continues, I may look at backing down to 135 and busting out sets of 5.

Upped the weight on Incline back to 155, and that was fine.

Phase 1. Week 4. Squat

BW - 207

Squat -
BarX10 (paused)
95X5 (paused)
115X5
135X4
155X3
185X2
225X2
245X6, 3

High-Bar Squat - 185X5, 5, 5

Front Squat - 155X5, 5, 5

245X6 is a Rep PR.  Last rep was pretty slow, but I may have been able to get one more.  Beat my goal for this weight, so moving up next week.

First set with high-bars felt faster than they have.  Next week, I may be able to add a set or 2.