Just trying to get big

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Squat (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar
8 x 135
4 x 180
2 x 205
1 x 225
5 x 4 x 180

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Press (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar
6 x 90
3 x 105
2 x 120
5 x 4 x 95

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Deadlift
8 x 135
4 x 225
2 x 290
1 x 320
1 x 335
1 x 350
5 x 5 x 320 +7.5 lbs. from last w/o

Highly unmotivated to do deadlifts today; the weight's getting close to the point where I'm afraid of failure, or else I don't feel like summoning the concentration and effort to get through the sets. There's this thing in the back of my mind where if I fail on 1 or more of the warmup singles, I think the whole workout is going to be bad. 350 definitely didn't feel like my max -- maybe 370.

After set 3, I told myself, "it's okay if you only get 4 now." Then, during the set, I started to dread the next heavy workout, thinking of how heavy 330 will feel next week. At this point, my mind played tricks on me, almost getting me to not even try to do 5 reps so that I can repeat 320 and have an easy workout next week. I then called out this part of my mind for what it was -- Loser Talk -- and then murdered it and finished all reps on all sets. I felt like a champ on rep 5 of set 5. Felt like I won an IPF meet hahaha.

This kind of workout reminds me of why I train squat and deadlift -- and why I think a lot of people train squat and deadlift. It's because, aside from the great physical benefits, they build mental toughness that carries over to all other lifts and even to life in general.

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Incline Bench (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
2 x 10 x bar (1 set medium grip, 1 set close)
8 x 115
4 x 150
2 x 170
1 x 185
5 x 4 x 150

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Squat
10 x bar (pause @ the bottom on the first 5 reps)
8 x 135 (pause @ the bottom on the first 4 reps)
4 x 195
2 x 225
1 x 240
1 x 255
5 x 5 x 235 +10 lbs. from last heavy day

Gradual but consistent improvement

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Press
10 x bar
6 x 90
3 x 115
2 x 125
1 x 135
5 x (5/4/4/4/3) x 125 +5 lbs. from last week

Deadlift (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
8 x 135
4 x 225
2 x 275
1 x 325
5 x 4 x 260

Finally got the press warmup single with 135. I haven't been able to press 135 for around a month, not sure why. I hope this means that I'll be able to do it all the time now, no bid deal. The workout itself was difficult. I really wanted 5 reps on set 2, but I didn't have a chance.
Deadlift was obviously easy.
Today feels like the kind of workout where I didn't impress myself with the numbers, but I know I got in some good work that will lead to an impressive workout soon.

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Incline Bench
2 x 10 x bar (1 set medium grip, 1 set close)
8 x 125
4 x 165
2 x 185
1 x 205
5 x 4 x 185 +5 reps from last heavy workout

Psyched about getting an additional rep per set from last w/o! For the last 2 sets, I didn't think I'd get the 4th rep, but I kept repeating in my head "I want the 4th rep! I want the 4th rep!" On set 5, I really had no right to even attempt rep 4 because I thought for sure it would come back down on my chest. But incline isn't dangerous in the same way that flat bench is because the bar will easily roll off you and onto the bench if you get stuck. Yeah, but I brought the bar down, paused on the chest, and fought through the sticking point to lockout. On to 5x5.

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Squat (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar
8 x 135
4 x 185
2 x 210
1 x 235
5 x 4 x 190

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Press (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar
8 x 85
4 x 105
2 x 115
1 x 125
5 x 4 x 100

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Deadlift
8 x 135 (suicide grip)
4 x 225 (matched grip)
2 x 315 (begin mixed grip)
1 x 335
1 x 355
5 x (5/4/4/4/4) x 330 +10 lbs. from last w/o

Been unmotivated for my heavy workouts recently, which is opposite of how I usually feel. Had a ****ty day today, though, so I tried to channel the negativity into my workout. It definitely helped.
For the actual workout, I knew this would be the week when I don't get all 5x5. I didn't even expect to get 5 on set 1; thought it would end up, like, 4/3/3/2/1. But I want to keep making steady progress; I don't want to get mired at 330 for several weeks! 350 for 5x5 is my short-term goal: that will be twice my bodyweight for 5x5. I think that's a worthy benchmark! So yeah, the sh!tty day and my desire to get to 350 probably motivated me to get in a couple extra reps. With any luck, I'll get all 5x5 next heavy w/o!

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Incline Bench (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar
8 x 115
4 x 150
2 x 170
1 x 185
5 x 4 x 150

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Squat
10 x bar (pause @ the bottom on the first 5 reps)
8 x 135 (pause @ the bottom on the first 4 reps)
4 x 225
2 x 245
1 x 255
1 x 265
5 x (5/4/4/4/4) x 245 +10 lbs. from last heavy day

Didn't realize it today, but my warmup sets were much heavier than last session. I did 4x195 last heavy squat day and did 4x225 today! This means 225 will just keep getting easier and easier. I'm steadily getting back to a 315 1-RM.

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Press
10 x bar
8 x 90
4 x 115
2 x 125
1 x 135
5 x (5/5/4/4/4) x 125 +2 reps from last heavy w/o

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Squat (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)

8 x 135
4 x 185
2 x 225
1 x 245
5 x 4 x 195

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Incline Bench
2 x 10 x bar (1 set medium grip, 1 set close)
8 x 125
4 x 165
2 x 185
1 x 205
5 x (5/5/5/5/4) x 185 +4 reps from last heavy workout

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Squat (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar (pause @ bottom for first 5)
8 x 135 (pause @ bottom for first 4)
4 x 225
1 x 245
5 x 4 x 195

Press (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar
8 x 85
4 x 105
2 x 115
1 x 125
5 x 4 x 100

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Deadlift
8 x 135 (suicide grip)
4 x 225 (matched grip)
2 x 315 (begin mixed grip)
1 x 340
1 x 365
5 x 5 x 330 +4 reps. from last w/o

First time lifting 365 in a while. I felt well-rested and strong today, so it was easy. I definitely could've gotten 375 or a little more.
I've been dreading this workout for days, but it was actually easy. I didn't even take long rests. On to 340.

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Incline Bench (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar
8 x 115
4 x 140
2 x 165
1 x 185
1 x 205
5 x 4 x 150

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Squat
10 x bar (pause @ the bottom on the first 5 reps)
8 x 135 (pause @ the bottom on the first 4 reps)
4 x 225
2 x 245
1 x 255
1 x 265
5 x 5 x 245 +4 reps from last heavy day

Press
10 x bar
8 x 90
4 x 115
2 x 125
1 x 135
5 x 5 x 125 +3 reps from last heavy w/o

Very busy at work this week. Haven't been getting much sleep or eating as much and didn't really have time for the gym anyway. But besides that, I dreaded this workout! I'm getting close to the point where I'm lifting heavier weights than I ever have before for a particular set/rep range, and it's psyching me out a bit. I've never been the type to get psyched up for a lift -- like try to get angry and stuff -- but I felt I had to today in order to fight the dread. But also, I didn't want to have to use these same weights for yet another workout. It's one thing to swallow your pride, work only with weights you can manage, and be patient with your progression; it's another thing to subconsciously hold yourself back because your scared of the weight. I won today, but I'll have to get tougher mentally if I'm ever going to go far past my limitations.

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Incline Bench
2 x 10 x bar (1 set medium grip, 1 set close)
8 x 125
4 x 165
2 x 185
1 x 205
5 x 5 x 185 +1 reps from last heavy workout

I got all 25 reps, but I'm not satisfied with how the last 2 sets went. I came all the way down and touched the chest, but I didn't give complete pauses: it felt like I would've failed on rep 5 if I gave full pauses. I'm gonna use 185 for another workout and aim for full pauses on every rep.

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Squat (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar (pause @ bottom for first 5)
8 x 135 (pause @ bottom for first 4)
4 x 225
1 x 245
5 x 4 x 195

Press (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar
8 x 85
4 x 105
2 x 115
1 x 125
5 x 4 x 100

I was busy today, so I did them in supersets to save some time.

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Deadlift
8 x 135 (suicide grip)
4 x 225 (matched grip)
2 x 315 (begin mixed grip)
1 x 340
1 x 365
5 x 5 x 340 +10 lbs. from last w/o

Incline Bench (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar
8 x 115
4 x 150
2 x 170
1 x 185
5 x 4 x 150

I just realized that I forgot to post Monday's light deadlift workout...
For deadlift, I was surprised that adding 10 lbs. wasn't a big deal. I tweaked my back slightly on rep 5 of set 1. I'd had to put the bar down and readjust my grip on that rep. The rep was harder than I expected, and when I put the bar back down, I noticed that a small area in my lower back felt weird. It still feels a bit weird, but it didn't affect the rest of my workout. Can't believe I got all 5x5 with 340 when it took me 2-3 workouts to get 5x5 with 330! Maybe those extra workouts with 330 put me on a different level so that adding just 10 lbs. isn't significant.

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Squat
10 x bar (pause @ the bottom on the first 5 reps)
8 x 135 (pause @ the bottom on the first 4 reps)
4 x 225
2 x 250
1 x 275
5 x (5/4/4/3/3) x 255 +10 lbs. from last heavy day

First time squatting 275 in months. It wasn't very difficult. I had to work hard for rep 5 on set 1. When I'm working with a new weight, it's a confidence booster to get all reps on at least the 1st set. There was no way I could reproduce that for set 2, and rep 4 on set 3 felt just as difficult as rep 5 on set 1. The last two sets were pretty manageable, although I still couldn't have gotten a 4th rep without breaking form.

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Press
10 x bar
8 x 95
4 x 120
2 x 135
1 x 145 FAIL
5 x (4/3/3/3/3) x 130 +5 lbs. from last heavy w/o

First time in some months that I pressed 135 for more than a single. I thought 145 would be a struggle, but I didn't expect to fail. I failed pretty low, too. Guess it'll take a couple more weeks to get it and also to get the full 5x5 with 130. I'm happy I got 4 on set 1; I thought I might've only had 3 in me. There was no way I could've gotten 4 reps on set 2, though. Sets 3-5 were easier than I expected.

The realm of a bodyweight press is way off in the distance...but it's gradually becoming visible.

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Squat (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
8 x 135 (pause @ bottom for first 4)
4 x 225
1 x 240
1 x 255
1 x 4 x 225
4 x 4 x 205

The w/o was supposed to be 5x4x205. I accidentally had on 225 for the first set.

[SecondsOut]

Press (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar
8 x 95
4 x 115
2 x 125
1 x 135
5 x 4 x 105

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Deadlift
8 x 135 (suicide grip)
4 x 225 (matched grip)
2 x 315 (begin mixed grip)
1 x 375
5 x (5/5/4/4/4) x 350 +10 lbs. from last w/o

Incline Bench (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
10 x bar
8 x 115
4 x 150
2 x 170
1 x 185
5 x 4 x 150

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Squat
10 x bar (pause @ the bottom on the first 5 reps)
8 x 135 (pause @ the bottom on the first 4 reps)
4 x 225
2 x 250
1 x 275
5 x (5/4/4/4/4) x 255 +2 reps from last heavy day

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Press
10 x bar
8 x 95
4 x 120
2 x 135
5 x 4 x 130 +4 reps from last heavy w/o

Strangely, 135 felt heavier than last week. I almost couldn't press the 1st rep. I thought for sure I wouldn't get as many reps as last week, but I actually improved. There was still no way I could've gotten 5 reps on set 1.

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Deadlift (1 less rep per set @ 80% of weight on heavy day)
8 x 135 (suicide grip)
4 x 225 (matched grip)
2 x 315 (begin mixed grip)
1 x 350
5 x 4 x 280