02/08
Bench to 8th pin: 345x4
CG w/ feet up: 260x4, 260x6, 260x7
Pull ups: 2 x BWx10, BWx12
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02/08
Bench to 8th pin: 345x4
CG w/ feet up: 260x4, 260x6, 260x7
Pull ups: 2 x BWx10, BWx12
02/11
Low bar squat: 2 x 240x8, 240x15
Single-Leg RDL: 4 x 155x8
Trying to ease back into squatting yet again. Artificially dropping max to about 60% for my working set calculations. The work today felt 'healthy', so I hope that slooow and steady gets me back to normal... eventually.
02/12
Low bar squat: 2 x 250x8, 250x15
Bench: 3 x 280x7
Incline bench w/ 2-ct pause: 215x3, 225x3, 235x1
02/15
Low bar squat: 2 x 260x8, 260x15
Bench to 9th pin: 345x3
CG w/ feet up: 2 x 260x7, 260x6
Cheat row: 3 x 325x8
02/18
Bench: 2 x 280x8, 280x7
Low bar squat: 2 x 275x8, 275x15
Double progression on bench has slowed on me. It's the third week trying for 3x8, so I'm going to mix it up, even though I'm getting closer each week (20 reps the first week, then 21, and now 23). I figured out a good weekly volume to aim for, so I rejigged everything to work around that point.
I'm going from:
D1: pin press ROM progression, 3x8 paused CG with feet up
D2: 3x8 bench, 3x3 paused incline
To:
D1: pin press ROM progression, 5x5 incline
D2: 4x4 bench, 3x5 CG Spoto press
The volume will be similar. Slightly lower at first but with higher avg intensity. Keeping the same general variations but modifying them a bit and changing the order.
Beltless RDL: 2 x 355x7, 355x10
Pull ups: 3 x BWx12
Bench to 10th pin: 345x3
Incline bench: 5 x 195x5
Plank: 45x(40 seconds)
Next week is full ROM bench. This is about an inch high, so I might go for a double. Original goal is one rep, though, and I'd be happy enough with that.
Started getting ab cramps (youch) so I didn't get all three sets of planks in.
02/26
Bench: 4 x 300x4
CG Spoto press: 3 x 270x5
Cheat row: 3 x 325x8
03/01
Bench: 345x1
Incline bench: 5 x 200x5
Beltless RDL: 2 x 415x5, 415x6
Easy single. On to 355 ROM progression.
03/05
Bench: 4 x 305x4
CG Spoto: 275x3
Cheat row: 3 x 330x8
Cut CG short, felt a bit much by then. Maybe I should swap it with the incline. Or just dip the weight since bench is tougher now. Actually, definitely that one for now. I'll figure out a drop that makes sense later.
Anyway, pretty happy with the 4x4 today!
03/08
Bench to 7th pin: 355x6
Beltless RDL: 455x3, 475x3
Pecs still feeling really rough, so I cut the incline assistance work. Maybe it's just the transition to a new intensity range. My main focus is avoiding injury, so I'll take it easy and feel it out next sessions.
03/12
Bench: 225x3
Push ups: 3 x BWx20
Front squat: 4 x 175x5
Plan for bench was 4x4 with 310, but my pecs are still killing me. I guess I need to back off a while? Swapped in some push ups work for blood flow and stuff.
Also, trying to ease into squatting yet again. I'm starting light and adding 10lbs per session until around 70%, then 5lbs. I'll see how that goes.
03/13
Beltless highbar: 4 x 225x5
Cheat row: 3 x 335x8
As I get back into squats, I'm finding that I have to consciously cue using my hips and glutes. I guess while dealing with this injury I've developed a tendency to avoid aggravating the hip. Cueing seemed to fix it just fine for now, though, and the weight and pacing should be easy enough that I can get back in the groove.
I'm starting 4x5 high bar and front squats at 225/175, and adding 20lbs each session until I hit 335/285, then adding 5lbs. My goal is to slowly build back up to normal working sets at a moderate intensity (70-75%) and high volume (mid-20,000lbs per week).
03/14
Front squat: 4 x 195x5
Overhead press: 4 x155x8
Squats starting to feel more natural already. Also, decided to appease my pecs and treat this week as a chest deload and swap all press work for OHP. I'll see on Sunday if I can handle regular benching again or if there's still too much tenderness.
03/15
Beltless highbar: 4 x 245x5
Beltess RDL: 2 x 375x8, 375x10
Pretty similar issue to last time, and it seems worse with highbar than front squats. I still shy away from loading the hips, and I have to consciously cue that away. This time instead of just focusing on using the posterior chain, I noticed that I was shying away, forwards, instead of sitting into my hips. Like before, went just fine when I focused on cueing it correctly.
Next week has front squats at 215 and 235, and high bar at 265 and 285. Hopefully the pace is slow enough to acclimate and avoid reinjury!
I really miss squatting heavy.
03/19
Front squat: 3 x 215x5, 215x10
Overhead press: 3 x 160x8
03/20
Beltless highbar: 3 x 265x5, 265x10
Cheat row: 3 x 335x8
03/21
Front squat: 3 x 235x5, 235x10
Illegal-wide bench: 45x30, 95x20, 115x20, 135x20, 155x20, 175x20, 195x16, 215x6
03/22
Beltess highbar: 3 x 285x5, 285x12
Overhead press: 3 x 145x8
Beltless RDL: 3 x 315x12
03/26
Bench: 310x4, 2 x 310x3
Front squat: 4 x 255x5
Easing back into benching, not doing full volume and variations yet. I might swap one of the variations for OHP too.
03/27
Physio had me doing some squats during the session. Something like:
Beltless highbar: 315x5, 335x6, 335x4, 335x5
03/29
Front squats: 275x5
Bench: 2 x 235x8, 235x14
Good mornings: 3 x 45x20
Some token squats and bench today, to keep the groove going. I've been doing a lot of lower back stretching and rolling and I feel really sore and tired there. Hip feels better though. Going to start a 'real program' soon if everything turns out okay. I seem to be able to tolerate loads around 70% without pain.
Pushing training out a bit, and adding more rehab. I'd rather lose training time than make this worse.
04/01
Split squat: 135x5, 135x8, 145x8, 155x8, 165x8, 3 x 175x8
04/02
Bench: 2 x 225x12, 225x16
04/09
Bench to 8th pin: 355x3
Front squat w/ 3-ct pause: 4 x 315x3
DB row: 3 x 130x8
One arm DB OHP: 3 x 60x8
First semi-real squat session since December. RPE was still low, maybe @7, but it was some decent weight for once. Playing around with 420 as my estimated max, and hoping to push for 455 in the near future, and 475 by end of year. (The most I've actually hit is 440 a while back.)
... All this pending health, of course... I'm really trying to be careful, thorough, and safe. But you never know. And I'm falling apart pretty bad lately, overall.
04/10
Hypers: 25x15, 5 x 65x12
One-hand farmer's walk: 100x1, 120x1, 170x1, 2 x 140x1
Plank: 25x(45 seconds), 2 x 25x(60 seconds)
Super set with:
Palloff press and raise: 3 x (black band)x5
04/12
Bench: 310x4, 310x3, 310x2, 310x3
Pull ups: 3 x BWx10
Incline: 5 x 195x5
04/13
Waiter carries: 3 x 60x1
Super set with:
Plank: 3 x 45x(45 seconds)
Super set with:
Palloff press and raise: 3 x (black band)x5
I was supposed to do three sets of 405x6 on beltless RDLs but they were hurting my hip on warm ups. This makes me very sad.
I miss lower body lifts. I just want to squat and deadlift. It's been months.
04/15
Bench to 9th pin: 355x2
DB row: 3 x 140x8
One arm DB OHP: 3 x 65x8
04/17
Front squat unrack: 4 x 405x(30 seconds)
One-hand farmers' walk: 3 x 150x1
Super set with:
Plank: 3 x 70x(45 seconds)
Super set with:
Palloff press and raise: 3 x (black band)x5
These core days feel amazing. I feel better the next day too.
04/19
Bench: 3 x 310x4, 310x3
Incline bench: 3 x 135x15
Pull ups: 3 x BWx10