In Search of Strength

[CharlesSwann]

12/02
Wrist wrench DL and hold: 85x12s,8s,5s (peak time: 32s, this time: 25s)
90deg biceps isometric hold: 57.5x15s,15s,8s (peak time: 41s, this time: 38s)
Gripper attempt + assisted close + hold: (parallel choked #3)x1,1,1





Days since:
///
- FS/HB: 3
- BN/OHP: 1
///
- rows: 2
- pinch/sledge/pronation: 2/2/2
- wrist wrench/bis/grippers: 0/0/0
- pull ups: 6
///

[CharlesSwann]

12/03
Paused bench: 295x2, 305x2, 325x2, 325x3
- p1RM/e1RM: 376.667/357.500
Pull ups w/ globes on ropes: 45x10,9,8





Days since:
///
- FS/HB: 4
- BN/OHP: 0
///
- rows: 3
- pinch/sledge/pronation: 3/3/3
- wrist wrench/bis/grippers: 1/1/1
- pull ups: 0
///

[CharlesSwann]

12/04
Beltless ATG highbar: 385x3, 405x3, 425x3
- p1RM/e1RM: 529.167/467.500
Sledgehammer deadlift: (2H+1F)x5,4,3

Squat strength feels good but my knee is in like a steady state. Definitely not worse but not much better. I want to start semi-peaking front squat since I hit a 500+ prediction, but not until I feel totally healthy.





Days since:
///
- FS/HB: 0
- BN/OHP: 1
///
- rows: 4
- pinch/sledge/pronation: 4/0/4
- wrist wrench/bis/grippers: 2/2/2
- pull ups: 1
///

[CharlesSwann]

12/05
Paused bench: 305x1, 335x1, 355x1, 365x1
- p1RM/e1RM: 383.333/365.000





Days since:
///
- FS/HB: 1
- BN/OHP: 0
///
- rows: 5
- pinch/sledge/pronation: 5/1/5
- wrist wrench/bis/grippers: 3/3/3
- pull ups: 2
///

[CharlesSwann]

12/06
Front squat: 405x1, 435x1, 455x1
- p1RM/e1RM: 455.000/455.000





Days since:
///
- FS/HB: 0
- BN/OHP: 1
///
- rows: 6
- pinch/sledge/pronation: 6/2/6
- wrist wrench/bis/grippers: 4/4/4
- pull ups: 3
///

[CharlesSwann]

Gotta take a break from squatting, my knee sucks. Just when I fixed my hip... I really think I want to hit that 500 front squat and take a long break from heavy squatting and focus on my health. I'm falling apart.

12/08
OHP: 205x1, 225x1, 235x1, 245x0, 240x1
Standing ez bar tris extensions: 105x12, 115x12,12
1-arm cable flyes: 80x10,10,10
EZ bar seal row: 235x5,5,6

Also trying IT rolling and 2min single leg stands for my knee...

Tomorrow I'll do grip stuff and more knee rehab.





Days since:
///
- FS/HB: 2
- BN/OHP: 0
///
- rows: 0
- pinch/sledge/pronation: 8/3/8
- wrist wrench/bis/grippers: 6/6/6
- pull ups: 5
///

[CharlesSwann]

12/10
Paused bench: 315x1, 355x1, 375x1
Low bar squat: 405x1, 455x1, 495x1, 525x3
Pinch block DL and hold: 50.5x11s,12s,12s (peak: 43s, this time: 35s)
Sledgehammer deadlift: (2H+1F)x4,3,2
Dumbbell pronation: DBx5,5,8

**** yes!!!!!!!!!! First bench 1RM PR in over four years. And I took my touch-and-go PR up 10lbs. Finally. Feels so good, I'm absolutely elated.

This bar speed tracking algorithm I drew up is working wonders for me, especially for pressing.

First low bar in exactly a year. 525x3 isn't a bad start, but I'd like to hit 525x8 in the near future. I can usually grab a couple more reps each session as I readapt.

Tomorrow should be pull ups and more grip stuff.





Days since:
///
- squat: 0
- press: 0
///
- rows: 2
- pinch/sledge/pronation: 0/0/0
- wrist wrench/bis/grippers: 8/8/8
- pull ups: 7
///

[CharlesSwann]

Knee still sucks. And super sore from the low bar squats. Dying to squat but not going to be doing any in the very near future.

I wanna do some kind of leg work every four days or so, so if I'm still a mess around Monday/Tuesday, I'll try some light split squats or box squats or something.

What I really want is to get some serious front squat going...

12/12
Paused bench: 275x5, 295x5, 305x5
- p1RM/e1RM: 369.167/355.833
Pull ups: BWx15,13,15
Wrist wrench DL and hold: 85x6s,3s,4s (peak time: 32s, this time: 13s)
90deg biceps isometric hold: 57.5x15s,6s,7s (peak time: 41s, this time: 28s)
Grippers: #2.5x5,5,7

I think pull ups are killing my grip work. Kinda obvious, but anyway... really weak work today. Especially my staying power across sets. I'm surprised my wrist wrench was hit harder than my biceps though. Maybe I'm just looking for excuses, haha.

Grippers were decent though.





Days since:
///
- squat: 2
- press: 0
///
- rows: 4
- pinch/sledge/pronation: 2/2/2
- wrist wrench/bis/grippers: 0/0/0
- pull ups: 0
///

[CharlesSwann]

12/14
OHP: 225x1, 245x1, 250x0 -- oh man, that 250 was so, so close. Big grind, locked out my right elbow, and just shy on my left elbow but couldn't see it out today... soon!
Standing ez bar tris extensions: 125x10,10,12
1-arm cable flyes: 80x10,10,10

Definitely hitting 250 before the year is out. Probably would've made it today if I didn't hit the +5lbs PR with 245 before, or if I slept more or didn't skip breakfast. Anyway, nothing to it but to do it.

Tomorrow I'd like to do some kind of squat and rows.





Days since:
///
- squat: 4
- press: 0
///
- rows: 6
- pinch/sledge/pronation: 4/4/4
- wrist wrench/bis/grippers: 2/2/2
- pull ups: 2
///

[CharlesSwann]

12/15
Front squat: 365x1, 385x1, 405x1, 415x1, 405x1, 425x1
- p1RM/e1RM: 437.500/439.167

Front squats felt really weak today. My predicted max from today's work is 20lbs below the single I actually hit a week ago, and even _that_ single was disappointing. Damn.

I hope this is just a rough patch and my front squat turn around soon. I don't really know why my numbers have been so low.

Too bummed to do rows, bumped to tomorrow.





Days since:
///
- squat: 0
- press: 2
///
- rows: 8
- pinch/sledge/pronation: 6/6/6
- wrist wrench/bis/grippers: 4/4/4
- pull ups: 4
///

[CharlesSwann]

12/16
Lowbar squat: 495x1, 535x1
EZ bar seal row: 240x4,3,3

Squats feel really terrible lately. Maybe I should take some time off? I'm tilting hard. I looked at my notes and my e1RMs have been dropping across the board almost all of December.





Days since:
///
- squat: 1
- press: 3
///
- rows: 0
- pinch/sledge/pronation: x/x/x
- wrist wrench/bis/grippers: x/x/x
- pull ups: 5
///

[CharlesSwann]

I'm gonna wind things down a bit, I'm a bit tilted and want some aches and pains to smooth over.

12/17
Cable resisted knee straightening: 135x8,8, 160x8, 180x8,8,8,8
Some band pull down and aparts

Tomorrow I'll do some kind of press and pull ups.





Days since:
///
- squat: x
- press: x
///
- rows: 1
- pinch/sledge/pronation: x/x/x
- wrist wrench/bis/grippers: x/x/x
- pull ups: 6
///

[CharlesSwann]

12/18
Bench: 255x10, 265x10, 275x10 -- first and last rep paused
Pull ups w/ globes on ropes: 45x10,10,10

I'll probably try low bar on Sat/Sun and OHP and biceps on Sun. Otherwise taking things a bit easier. This is like a deload-lite. Cutting assistance and frequency a bit but staying the course.





Days since:
///
- squat: x
- press: x
///
- rows: 2
- pinch/sledge/pronation: x/x/x
- wrist wrench/bis/grippers: x/x/x
- pull ups: 0
///

[CharlesSwann]

12/19
Beltless paused lowbar to high box: 525x5
Lowbar squat: 525x5

Sigh, what a ****ty situation. Low bar bothers my hip and high bar bothers my knee. I have to reevaluate. Though I noticed the high box bothers my hip more than a normal low bar squat... the second set was easier than the first.





Days since:
///
- squat: x
- press: x
///
- rows: 3
- pinch/sledge/pronation: x/x/x
- wrist wrench/bis/grippers: x/x/x
- pull ups: 1
///

[CharlesSwann]

Feel bad.

12/20
OHP: 210x1, 230x1
90deg biceps isometric hold: 57.5x15s,15s,8s (peak time: 41s, this time: 38s)

[CharlesSwann]

I think switching to higher rep bench is killing my OHP singles. Kind of dumb programming.

But anyway, I decided to stop pushing for 250 before year end. Doesn't really matter. Hitting 245 was nice. I'm gonna keep training and try to get 265-275 or something cool in 2021 instead.

My knee is healing OK, hip seems decent. I'll slowly start adding back some squats (maybe 225 for 3x5 front squats tomorrow, something like that to get my knee moving again).

Anyway, gonna kinda wash out everything this year and reevaluate a full plan. Lately I feel all over the place and I need to refocus. Gonna actually sit down tonight and draft out a serious plan that factors in my poor lower body health and some of my goals... like I want to start deadlifting again in 2021.

12/22
OHP: 210x1, 230x1
Cable resisted knee straightening: 180x12,12,12
Conventional DL: 500x5

[CharlesSwann]

12/26
Paused bench: 275x6, 295x6, 305x6
- p1RM/e1RM: 373.333/366.000
Front squat: 315x3, 335x3, 355x3, 375x1, 385x1, 395x1, 405x1
- p1RM/e1RM: 488.333/405.000

Currently limiting my bar speed on front squats to 0.50m/s which is kind of conservative (before it was 0.40m/s). Today was decent, my closest PR is 0.53m/s at 405. Going to try to push my 0.50-max as much as possible to give myself time to adjust to the workload, then I can start lowering the minimum speed and going for some big singles.

[CharlesSwann]

12/28
Low bar squat: 525x8

Awesome! Happy to end the year on a decent squat. Hopefully good things coming.

[CharlesSwann]

12/30
Paused bench: 275x4, 295x4, 315x4
- p1RM/e1RM: accidentally closed out the app... missed my top sets, not interested in extrapolating 275x4
EZ bar seal row: 240x4,4,3
Sledgehammer deadlift: (2H+1F)x4,3,2 -- switching measurement from fingers to cm, and moving it in so it's a little bit easier, I want longer sets. 18.5cm for now.

[CharlesSwann]

12/31
Front squat: 315x3, 335x3, 355x3, 375x3, 395x2, 405x1
- p1RM/e1RM: 471.667/405.000
Pinch block DL and hold: 42.5x1, 52.5x1, 57.5x1, 62.5x1, 67.5x1

Still sore and tired from the low bar PR set, but I wanted to get some front squatting in. Still limiting to 0.5m/s, last set was 0.46m/s so I called it there. Going to start aiming for every other day frequency or so, for now, potentially increasing to every day after a couple of weeks.

Huge pinch block PR, from 57.5lbs up to 67.5lbs.

[CharlesSwann]

01/03
OHP: 185x4, 200x4, 195x5
- p1RM/e1RM: 244.067/227.500
Standing ez bar tris extensions: 125x12,12,12
1-arm cable flyes: 80x10,10,10
Modified stance paused front squat: 225x3, 275x1, 315x1 -- don't like it, scrapping this idea

[CharlesSwann]

01/05
Paused bench: 275x4, 295x4, 315x4, 325x4
- p1RM/e1RM: 377.083/368.333
Sumo deadlift trial: 165x5, 245x3, 335x1, 425x1, 515x1, 605x1, 660x0

First sumo in ages (last in journal is June 2019). Got 660 up to the knees but my hips cramped up and I couldn't lock it out. Damn! Would've been a nice unplanned PR.

Part of me is tempted to set my routine up to hit the single soon, since I'll get stronger as I readd sumo back in, but I know it's not a good idea. I'll shelf a PR for a few months or whatever.

[CharlesSwann]

01/06
Block DL: 700x1

Got my Rogue Crash Cushions and wanted to try them out! I'm still super sore and tired from yesterday's pulling but still managed to squeeze out a heavy single. Love these pads so far but not sure how long they'll last with this kind of weight. Hopefully it's no problem!

[CharlesSwann]

01/07
Paused bench: 275x4, 295x4, 315x4
- p1RM/e1RM: 358.333/357.000
Pull ups w/ 3ct pause: 45x5,5
Pull ups w/ 2 second pause: 45x5

Tomorrow I'll try front squats, but I'll limit the weight a lot. Hoping to feel out/build knee tolerance.

[CharlesSwann]

01/08
Front squat: 405x1
- p1RM/e1RM: 492.500/405.000

[CharlesSwann]

01/10
OHP: 185x3, 205x3, 210x3
- p1RM/e1RM: 240.933/231.000
Standing ez bar tris extensions: 130x12,12,12
1-arm cable flyes: 80x10, 85x10,10

[CharlesSwann]

01/11
Paused tempo front squat to pads: 135x3, 225x3, 275x3, 295x3, 315x3,3,3,3,3

OK! Seems like if I cut depth with the pads just a little bit (still below parallel but not ATG) then my knee is happy. Let's see how I feel tomorrow to make sure. Pretty solid workload so if it's no-go I'm sure I'll feel it... if it's good, we're good!

Next session bench + grip, session after I'll do block pulls + seal rows or something like that.

[CharlesSwann]

01/13
Block DL: 605x3, 635x3, 665x3
Paused bench: 275x3, 305x3, 325x3
- p1RM/e1RM: 376.667/357.500
EZ bar seal row: 240x4,3,4 -- think I wanna work on more reps with 235, like 3x6-8...
Strict EZ bar curls: 105x5,5,8

[CharlesSwann]

01/15
Paused tempo front squat to pads: 320x3,3,3,3, 335x5

I meant to do 325 for 5x3, but I misloaded. Whoops. Did a bunch extra on the last set after I noticed for good measure, maybe balance it out a bit (lol).

If I did 325 I would've done 335 next time? Maybe I still will? The 335x5 wasn't all that bad.

[CharlesSwann]

01/16
Paused bench: 275x6, 285x6, 305x6
- p1RM/e1RM: 369.167/366.000
Pull ups w/ 3 second pause: 45x3, 25x4,5