In Search of Strength

[CharlesSwann]

07/11 - Russian Squat Routine Day 6/18
Beltless ATG highbar: 405 for 6x5
EZ-bar curls: 115 for 3x5

Started harder and ended easier than I expected! I'm definitely squeezing up closer to my limit here but I've hopefully got some runway left. I can't believe I did this same cycle with 435 back in December! I was 10lbs heavier and I burned out halfway through though. Hopefully I can make it up by seeing this one out. 6x6 in a few days will be fine as long as I'm recovered. I'm sure I would've made it today if I tried.

[CharlesSwann]

07/13 - Russian Squat Routine Day 7/18
Beltless ATG highbar: 405 for 6x2
Grippers: #2.5x5,1,1 -- no idea what happened the other two sets, probably still setting badly


Wow, squats felt good today! Still sore and heavy, but the actual reps were very solid and fast. Feeling good for the upcoming 6x6 as long as nothing goes terribly wrong.

Tomorrow will be rows/pronation, day after is rest. Then 405 for 6x6.

[CharlesSwann]

07/14
Seal row: 245 for 3x5
Sledgehammer pronation: 7.5 for 5x10 -- 5, 2.5, clip

[CharlesSwann]

07/16 - Russian Squat Routine Day 8/18
Beltless ATG highbar: 405 for 6x6

Awesome! Whenever I run RSR this is my first major checkpoint. If I made it at least here I feel I've done some good work. Of course, I did the same with 435 last December (but failed the next hard session), so hopefully this time I can take it a bit further to feel like I'm back in peak form. Day 10 will be 430 for 5x5 which is some pretty good work I'm hoping to survive.

Wrote all this the day after, by the way, and to be honest I'm way more sore and beat up than I expected. I think I do have the strength for the 430 day but it'll hinge more on my recovery.

[EliKoehn]

That is so impressive. ATG highbar 405 for reps is very high-tier. I barely managed it for a proper single and I weigh more and only got it to parallel. Keep up the great work.

[CharlesSwann]

07/19 - Russian Squat Routine Day 9/18
Beltless ATG highbar: 405 for 6x2
Wrist roller hold: 70 for 3x15s

Today was tough! Probably the most beat up 6x2 day yet, and this time my left knee ached (first pain of this round).

Still, definitely way better than Day 9 back in December, so hopefully it's a good sign for surviving Day 10 and on.

That is so impressive. ATG highbar 405 for reps is very high-tier. I barely managed it for a proper single and I weigh more and only got it to parallel. Keep up the great work.

Thank you! I totally fell in love with the deep weightlifting style high bar and mostly switched over even though low bar was my main squat, there's just something about it that feels so right, haha.

Current routine is gearing up for a 535 single in about three weeks, I'll be thrilled if I get there.

[CharlesSwann]

07/20
Bench: 300 for 3x5
Sledgehammer DL: (9cm) for 3x30s

Tomorrow squat + pinch, next day pull ups + curls.

[CharlesSwann]

07/21 - Russian Squat Routine Day 10/18
Beltless ATG highbar: 430 for 5x5
Pinch DL & hold: 47.5x12s,12s,10s

Alright! Happy to hit this session. Think this puts me close to my December level.

I was fatigued today as I expected: low back ached a bit on warm ups and things felt decently heavy warming up. First set was very solid and I could've squeezed a bunch of extra reps out, but I drained pretty fast. Last set something in my groin started to think about threatening to talk about a pull and I misgrooved my last rep. Still hit all sets fairly solidly with maybe a bit of ugly room to spare.

Still a recovery race when it'll come to day 12, which is 4x4 with 455. If I hit that, I might start putting myself above my December level to new highs. Fingers crossed!

[CharlesSwann]

07/24 - Russian Squat Routine Day 11/18
Beltless ATG highbar: 405 for 6x2

This one was brutal. Harder than day 10, haha. I was still very much beat up from last session. Kind of nervous for day 12 now (which is 4x4 with 455).

Admittedly getting kinda lazy with the non-squat work, will try to be a bit better. I'm kinda dying here though, haha.

[CharlesSwann]

07/27 - Russian Squat Routine Day 12/18
Beltless ATG highbar: 455 for 4x4

Absolutely brutal. Coming in tired and (lightly) grinding most of the reps. Last rep was decent speed overall but this felt tough.

07/30 - Russian Squat Routine Day 13/18
Beltless ATG highbar: 405 for 6x2

I can't even tell if the 6x2 days are getting harder anymore. The only thing that is certain is suffering. Still knee pain, still hip pain, still heavy and slow.

08/02 - Russian Squat Routine Day 14/18
Beltless ATG highbar: 475 for 3x3
Bench: 305 for 3x5
Pull ups: 95 for 3x6 -- low quality reps
Sledgehammer DL: (10cm)x30s, 27s, 24s
EZ-bar curls: 120 for 3x5 -- mid-low quality reps
Assisted gripper close from parallel clamp: (#3) for 5x1 -- weak today, not close to closing #3 lately

Let's gooo!!! Miraculously, compared to the last few days, this session felt super easy and strong. Even if I stopped here this has been a great run of RSR, feeling great now. I felt like I could've hit a couple extra reps on my last set.

[CharlesSwann]

So, day after my triumphant RSR turnaround on the 2nd, I got super sick. Like fever nightmare exorcist vomitting 'am I going to die like this' sick.

I am still sick almost two weeks later. I was sick so long that I tried to squat a few times anyway (???). Just sick of being sick and lifting is one of the things that keeps me going I guess. I didn't do any other workouts though.

08/09
Beltless ATG highbar: 455x1, 505x0

08/11
Beltless ATG highbar: 405x1

08/14
Beltless ATG highbar: 505x2
Bench: 315 for 3x3
Seal row: 255 for 3x5
Pinch DL & hold: 47.5x11s,13s,9s
Wrist roller hold: 75x15s,13s,10s
Sledgehammer pronation: 7.5 for 5x10

Funny. Still fever. Still headache. Lost a bunch of weight. This is still a pretty big PR though. Wonder what I'd be capable of 100% healthy. Onwards and upwards, anyway, I guess.

[CharlesSwann]

08/16
Sledgehammer DL: (10cm)x30s,29s,20s
EZ-bar curls: 125x1,2,3 -- better quality reps, good to focus
Grippers: #2.5x3,1, #2x10

Still a bit sick, but tomorrow I'll restart RSR with a new max (base session 420 for 6x2 instead of 405 last run), but I think I'll swap the 6x2 days with front squats. Not sure if that works but let's see I guess. I have to be careful because it's possible that volume of front squatting will bother my hip, so worth paying special care to hip health.

Day after that should be OHP + pull ups.

Also forgot to mention but it ended up being COVID. Pretty unlucky that it's lasted me more than two weeks, I heard a lot of people have a much faster time about it. Is what it is I guess.

[CharlesSwann]

Fever down and feeling better. Not 100% but doing okay.

08/17
Beltless ATG highbar: 420 for 6x2
Pinch DL & hold: 47.5x8s,6s,5s

Tomorrow should be OHP and pronation.

[CharlesSwann]

Felt awful yesterday, pushed OHP back. Better today.

08/19
Front squat: 365 for 6x2

Tomorrow should be OHP, pull ups, and pronation, and wrist roller.

[CharlesSwann]

Health has been bad past few days. Still have a slight fever, but mostly energy issues. I think I need to be a bit tactical and flexible with my routine and not expect a regular schedule.

08/21
Overhead press: 205x2, 215x2, 225x1
Sledgehammer pronation: 10 for 5x10 -- 5,5,clip

Need to do squat, pull ups and wrist roller soon.

[CharlesSwann]

08/22
Beltless ATG highbar: 420 for 6x3
Wrist roller hold: 75 for 3x15s

Next up, pull ups + sledge DL.

[PhDPepper1111]

Good work all around brother. I love that you keep at it even when not feeling well.... being careful to listen to your body and not push it too much.
I've really been working on my tendency to work at too high of intensity lately. Not easy for someone who always likes to push it.

[CharlesSwann]

08/25
Bench: 315x4,3,3
Pull ups: 115 for 3x3
Sledgehammer DL: (10cm)x30s,30s,25s

Good work all around brother. I love that you keep at it even when not feeling well.... being careful to listen to your body and not push it too much.
I've really been working on my tendency to work at too high of intensity lately. Not easy for someone who always likes to push it.

Haha, thank you. It's a gift and curse. I think pushing (too) hard can be great for progressing and good when things are good, but once things get a bit off the rails...

I think one of the journals on here has a great signature about the hardest part of lifting is not lifting. Way too true!

[CharlesSwann]

08/26
Front squat: 365 for 6x2
Pinch DL & hold: 47.5x6s,7s,6s (PR 34s) -- I'm having problems here with my implement, it's definitely too slick and chalky, have to clean it and work on my chalking

Some useful grip cues for me: full grip + focus on raising the shoulder girdle.

[CharlesSwann]

08/29
Beltless ATG highbar: 420 for 6x4 -- first set easy but got tough near the end.. felt SI a bit which is unusual for me
EZ-bar curls: 125 for 3x3
Grippers: #2x10,10,12

Tomorrow OHP, rows, and grip.

[CharlesSwann]

09/01
Front squat: 365 for 6x2
Dumbbell pronation: 10 for 5x10 -- clip,5,5,clip -- bit too tough, drop or repeat

More FS:
- narrow grip
- torque hands
- outer palm pressure
- raise shoulder girdle into bar
- drive by (elbows + hands)

FSs have improved a ton! Reworking my rack cues has gotten rid of my blacking out and dropped the RPE some too. I could stand to raise the weight here in theory, but I also know some of the later RSR days build a ton of fatigue and you get some really bad "easy" days, so I'll play it safe and work on form.

Still need to do OHP, rows, and grip ASAP.

[CharlesSwann]

09/03
OHP: 205x1, 215x1, 225x1,1,2 -- hoping to start building more consistent reps at this weight
Seal row: 255 for 3x5
Wrist roller hold: 80x10s,8s,6s

Tomorrow high bar (6x5 day) + grip.

[CharlesSwann]

09/04
Beltless ATG highbar: 420 for 6x5
Sledgehammer DL: (10cm)x30s,28s,23s

No SI problems this time, just a one-off I guess. Squats were decent, I'd probably hit 6x6 today. Just stay healthy and rested and it's on to the fun half of the routine.

Ideally tmrw is pull ups + grip, and day after is bench + grip.

[CharlesSwann]

09/06
Bench: 315 for 3x4
Pinch DL & hold: 47.5x7s,10s,8s (PR 34s)

Tomorrow FS + grip, then pull ups ASAP.

[CharlesSwann]

09/07
Front squat: 365 for 6x2
Grippers: #2x15,20,15

Front squat still going great with my new cues. I might make a push for a 475+ single after this routine.

Not sure what happened with grippers today, felt like I could just keep going and going. Not complaining!

[CharlesSwann]

09/10
Beltless ATG highbar: 420 for 6x6
Dumbbell pronation: 10 for 5x10 -- clip,5,5,clip -- still too tough, drop or repeat

Squats were good! Definitely not easy but also had no doubt I'd make it. The program starts tapering now, but I think my fatigue keeps building until around the 3x3 day, so I'd like to keep a good momentum up 'til there.

And yea... about those pull ups... Haha, any day now. I'm not pressing very often either and I'm just trying to maintain balance, so it's not the end of the world. Definitely not motivated with back work lately though. Maybe I'll switch something up soon to try and get a bit more into it.

[CharlesSwann]

09/11
Pull ups: 115x4,3,3, BWx20
Wrist roller hold: 80x8s,10s,7s

[CharlesSwann]

09/14
Front squat: 365 for 3x2, 375 for 3x2
Sledgehammer DL: (10cm)x30s,30s,27s

Finally took the plunge and increased the program's FS working weight.

The 365s were just way too easy, and seemed to be getting better every week even with program fatigue going up.

Looks like my new front squat cues finally brought me around to a good place with these. I'm not fighting blacking out anymore either.

Hopefully I don't regret it when it comes to high bar, haha. The next two HB sessions are pivotal. Probably the indirect effect on HB is way more important than how the actual FS sessions feel week-to-week too. But, still, the 365 just felt way too easy.

The 375s were fast and easy too, but let's not push it, haha.

[CharlesSwann]

09/16
Beltless ATG highbar: 445 for 5x5
Pinch DL & hold: 47.5x9s,7s,11s (PR 34s) -- seems like wipe down then drown hands in chalk

Let's go! That's a good session. First set of five was easy, last set was admittedly very tough. The middle of this routine is all about endurance/survival for me, especially as a low volume/low rep lifter.

If it mirrors my last run, the upcoming 4x4 at 470 might be a bit tougher in that sense (in that case risk of failing for sure), but after the 4x4 last time I breezed through the 3x3. Hoping for similar this time!

[CharlesSwann]

Comfy leg soreness from yesterday.

09/17
Strict EZ-bar curls: 125 for 3x3
Grippers: #2x8,8,10

Should hit OHP and rows tomorrow. Front squats on Monday.