Block 5. Cycle 4. Session B.

BW - 220

Bench -
237.5X2 @9
202.5X6, 6, 6 @8/8.5

Cambered Bench - 165X5, 5, 5 @8

Chin-Ups - Density Block; 7 minutes; BW; 5 reps on 1st set; 30 total reps

Conditioning - HIIT; Stationary Bike; 7 rounds

Solid session.

Even though Bench hasn't made an e1RM jump over the last 3 sessions, everything felt much better today.  Inter-set fatigue seemed lower, the weights sort of..."handled" easier despite the RPE being comparable, and my head felt clearer throughout.

Got a few more reps on Chins again this session which was a bit of a surprise. 

Video is of top sets and final work sets.

Block 5. Cycle 4. Session A.

BW - 220

Squat -
357.5X2 @9
305X6, 6, 6 @~8

High-Bar Squat -
250X5, 5, 5 @8

Bench-Grip Deadlift w/Straps - 305X5, 5, 5 @8

Conditioning - LISS; Stationary Bike; 20 minutes

Solid sessions.  Definitely feel about 95% back from being sick the last couple of weeks.

Squats definitely felt heavy heading into the top set, but the increase in e1RM over last week is about on the average for the last 5 blocks.  I've been tracking week-to-week increases to see if I could reliably predict which weeks would have larger increases during a training block (an old Paul Carter idea).  That kind of seems to be getting blown out of the water, but we'll give it a few more blocks.

High bars felt very good.

BG Deadlift also felt very good, although I was kind of ready for the session to be over at this point.  I think I've let my conditioning work wane a bit the past couple of weeks, and it may be impacting my resistance training.  I'll try to be better about logging the conditioning, and see if that helps with accountability. 

Video is of top sets and final work sets.

Block 5. Cycle 3. Session C.

BW - 219

Deadlift -
380X2 @9
325X6, 6, 6 @8

Pause Squat - 260X5, 5, 5 @8

Axle Bench -
190X5, 5 @~8.5
185X5 @7.5

Rough couple of week of training ended with a mixed bag session.  Illness and poor recovery made these last couple of cycles a bit of a roller-coaster.  This week looks to be a bit chaotic as well, so I'm going to stay buckled in.

Deadlift went very well this session and was clearly the best main lift of the week.  DL is now pushing up against my e1RM from when injuries side-tracked me to the point that I switched over to RPE based programming back in the fall of '18.  It's been a long slog back up the hill.  I hope I've learned some things.

Pause Squats ended up being the same weight as last week.  Not great, but not terrible.  Comp Squats have been very rough the last couple of cycles, so maintaining on the supplement is probably a new win.

Comp bench was really rough this week, and getting RPE dialed-in on Axle Bench was very difficult in this session.  Overall, it ended up being about the same as last week.  Probably fine.

Video is of top sets and final work sets.

Block 5. Cycle 3. Session B.

BW - 219

Bench -
237.5X2 @9.25
212.5X6 @9
202.5X6 @8.5
197.5X6 @8.5

Cambered Bar Bench -
157.5X5 @7.5
160X5, 5 @8

Chin-Ups - Density Block, 7 minutes; 28 total reps

Not a great session.  My low back started bothering me as I was walking into the gym.  Low level, but enough to feel it during the bench set up and somewhat throughout the reps.  No real change to top set strength.  I misloaded the back-off set, and that wasn't great.  Once I got it adjusted, it was still pretty heavy and regressed quickly.

Things were a little bit better on cambered bar bench, but still a regression from last week.

Got a couple more reps on chins, but it feels more like gaming the system than an actual increase in strength.

Top sets and final back off sets shown.

Block 5. Cycle 3. Session A.

BW - 220

Squat -
352.5X2 @9
300X6, 6, 6 @~8

High-Bar Squat -
242.5X5 @7.5
247.5X5, 5 @~8

Bench-Grip Deadlift w/ straps - 300X5, 5, 5 @8

Okay session.  The last several blocks, I've had a good-sized jump in Squat strength in the 3rd and/or 4th week.  Was hoping for that jump today, especially since I was fighting a cold during last week's lackluster Squat session, but it wasn't really to be.  Nevertheless, I was able to put a smidge more weight on the bar at the target RPE, so it's still progress.

I am reminded that I backed-down Squat volume a bit this block to facilitate raising DL volume.  Something to think on.

High-Bars were fine though. 

BGDL was also solid.  Interestingly, it's curving towards the same % relative to comp DL as my data on Deficits off of a plate.  Not sure how to factor the straps into that.

All video is of top sets and final work sets.

Block 5. Cycle 2. Session C.

BW - 217

Deadlift -
372.5X2 @9
317.5X6, 6, 6 @8

Pause Squat - 260X5, 5, 5 @8

Axle Bench - 190X5, 5, 5 @8

Solid session in general.  DL is getting in that range where it feels heavy regardless, and I have to prepare for that when I step up for the first rep.  "It Will Feel Slow; Pull Hard."

My formula said 260 for pause squat on this day which I though was a pretty big jump considering the previous session topped out at 240 @7.5, but 260 ended up being the right number.  I think I was uncertain because my comp squat performance dropped off really quickly last week, and I wasn't sure where my overall squat strength was going to be; especially following DL.  Glad it worked out.

Axle bench "felt" a lot heavier in my hands this week even though the RPE was on target.  Interesting.

Video is of top sets and final work sets.

Block 5. Cycle 2. Session B.

BW - 217

Bench -
237.5X2 @9
200X6, 6, 6 @8

Cambered Bar Bench - 165X5, 5, 5 @8

Chin-Ups Density Block - BW; 7 Minutes; 26 total reps

Solid block.  Surprised to run into Leah Lutz and Jordan Feigenbaum from the Barbell Medicine team.  They're doing a seminar in the area and decided to hit my gym.  Nice to meet them face-to-face.

Bench went well.  3% increase over last week.  Everything felt good.

Cambered Bar Bench had an even bigger jump.  Also felt good.

Got 7 more reps in my chin-up density block.  Some of that may be down to time-management lessons-learned from last session.  I always hit a wall at some point with progressing chin-up training.  We'll see how it goes!

Video is of top sets and final work sets.