Shawn's Wanna-be-a-powerlifter Journal

[raynerd]

Morning Weight: 185.8

Hip circle side steps/monster walks/glute Thrusts
BW reverse hypers(elevated bench on one end)
Lat rack stretch

Deads:
135 x 5
225 x 4
315 x 3
405 x 1

Program Sets:
455 x 4 hook grip
455 x 4 hook grip, vid
455 x 4 versa grips
455 x 4 versa grips, vid @9

Bench:
Barx10 of CGBP/ultrawide/comp
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3

Program Sets:
240 x 5 vid
240 x 5
240 x 5
240 x 5
240 x 5 @ RPE 10

Pendlay Rows:
135 x 6
260 x 6
260 x 6 (sloppy)
245 x 6

Dun:

Notes: late one after dayshift today. Honestly felt kind of achy tonight. Deads were heavy, thought I was doing 460 tonight but happy to read it was 455. Got my reps, but worked damn hard for them. Switched to versa grips set 3 as I had a couple callouses that were about to tear.
Bench was ok, first 4 sets were about the same speed and RPE but last set, last rep was slooow to finish with another RPE 10.
Tough workout, but happy with my performance.

[Plateauplower]

4x4@ 455

[raynerd]

Good call on the autoregulation. It might flip flop a bit, but I'm sure you'll be back in the groove before you know it.

Thanks buddy, I think it won't be long. More or less finding a place where I am working hard but not too hard to set me back again like last week. I am going to finish up this TSA cycle the best I can then making a full switch to RPE training making daily adjustments to intensity and training volume due to how I feel that day.

Still some very solid work. Nothing wrong with auto programming. Some days our bodies just aren't feeling it. IMO it's better to just dial it back and live to fight another day rather than spend the next month sitting on the couch with an injury. Great job my friend!

Thanks Trent. I pushed too damn hard to get back to my program numbers the session before that. I have been reconsidering my training approach in general. Finish up the TSA program then make the switch entirely to RPE based programming where not only training intensity, but volume will be adjusted each training day. Thinking RTS generalized intermediate to start, then maybe making a more customized similar program for myself. Some days trying to keep up with the volume and intensity of these programs is doing me more harm then good. A balance of fatigue for my current level and age will be much better realized with daily auto regulation.

Great lifts in here, props to you for all the videos. Love the Slayer I heard in one of 'em \m/

Thanks for stopping in! Gotta have some Slayer in the gym playlist!!

Checking in to add to the admiration. For you, it's a comeback. For me, its beyond my wildest dreams. Really nice lifting there.

Thanks man! Appreciate the kind words. Hopefully I will be back to full potential sooner than later.

4x4@ 455

Haha is about how that felt last night!

[RT1957]

Strong pulls and a ton of reps at 455!!!...same with BP 5x5 with 240 is strong work Shawn.....prow number as always are big

[ElrondHubbard]

Nice vids, and I could see how well you were concentrating on your form. It never looked easy, but it looked good!

[raynerd]

Waking weight after nightshift: 186.2

Rack back stretch
Banded hip work off rack
Hip circle side steps, monster walks, glute thrusts
Baby makers
Lat pulldowns

Squats:
Bar x 7 paused
135 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 2

Program Sets: 310 4x7, modified (there are 25lb plates sammiched between those 45's in case you are wondering )
295 x 7
305 x 7 vid
310 x 7 vid
310 x 7 vid @9

Seated OHP:
Bar x 12
135 x 8
135 x 8 @6

Widegrip pull-ups:
10
10
10 @9

Dun:

Notes: much better squat day today, figured I would start with 295 x 7 and regulate up or down from there. Felt pretty good so took it up to 2 sets of 310x7 which was my scheduled working weight. Definitely getting closer to my full potential.
Took it light on OHP as we heavy bench tomorrow to close up week 5 before Xmas! Nightshift again tonight then off for 5 days.

[Jtbny]

Merry Christmas buddy!

[raynerd]

Strong pulls and a ton of reps at 455!!!...same with BP 5x5 with 240 is strong work Shawn.....prow number as always are big

Thanks Ron, deads were tough but managed to grind it out ok. Bench is just on the edge of not getting my reps but think that is going to wash out as volume drops and intensity increases, this is why I haven't dropped my maxes anymore.

[raynerd]

Nice vids, and I could see how well you were concentrating on your form. It never looked easy, but it looked good!

Thanks! Ya I was doing my best to hold it together, it was damn heavy lol

[raynerd]

Merry Christmas buddy!

You too brother! I'll be shooting you a seasons greetings text soon!

[thehobbes]

Awesome job on squats of rage! Merry Christmas to you Shawn!

[drudixon]

Hey bud, strong weights man. Idk what tsa is, but I'm guessing you like it? Lifts look great. Your squat is different. I don't remember you shrugging before you descend. What does that do? You're strong as hell, leaving me even farther behind

Gdjm!

[SixTribes]

Raynerd- Merry Christmas to you and yours !...im not going to comment on your lifts...I would prefer to remain jealous silently!..Fugg brother , keep bringing it ..just awesome work..

[raynerd]

Waking weight after nightshift sleep: 183.8

Banded shoulder work
Lat pulldowns
Baby makers

Bench:
10xbar of CGBP/ultrawide/comp
135 x 6
185 x 3
225 x 3

Program Sets:
245 x 4 vid
245 x 4
245 x 4
245 x 4 vid @9.5

Paused deads:
135 x 5
225 x 3
315 x 2

Program Sets:
410 x 3 vid
410 x 3
410 x 3 vid @8

Pendlays:
135 x 6
260 x 5
260 x 5
260 x 5 @8.5

CGBP:
225 x 3
230 x 3
235 x 3 @8

Dun:

Notes: good session, glad to finish up week 5! Merry Christmas everyone, been so damn busy I haven't had much time in here. I will catch up as soon as possiible!
Looking forward to week 6 and on!

[raynerd]

Awesome job on squats of rage! Merry Christmas to you Shawn!

Thanks Hammy! Rage and squats seem to go together like peas and carrots Merry Christmas

Hey bud, strong weights man. Idk what tsa is, but I'm guessing you like it? Lifts look great. Your squat is different. I don't remember you shrugging before you descend. What does that do? You're strong as hell, leaving me even farther behind

Gdjm!

Thanks Dru and great to hear from you. TSA is the Strength Athlete's 9 week intermediate program. This is my 4th time running it. Usually turns out pretty good but this cycle and last cycle I had back to back injuries. Week 6 first time through I tore my inner adductor and had to rebuild my squat…then this cycle I hurt my MCL doing renos…and now rebuilding once again So, not actually trying to shrug, and when I do it's actually just a bad habit. What I am doing though, is squeezing my glutes before I decend each rep, it looks funky I know, but it helps get me out of anterior pelvic tilt and get my glutes fired before I drop. Similar to the screwing my feet into the floor cue, I find my squats seem to turn out better with this cue. I dunno, been working on this lift for eternity…one day maybe I'll get it right!
Merry Christmas buddy and thanks for stopping in!

Raynerd- Merry Christmas to you and yours !...im not going to comment on your lifts...I would prefer to remain jealous silently!..Fugg brother , keep bringing it ..just awesome work..

Thanks 6T! Merry Christmas to you and your family as well!!

[raynerd]

Morning Weight: 187.2

Banded hip work
Hip circle
Baby makers
Lat pulldowns

Squats:
Bar x 7 paused
135 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 2

Program triples (modified)
300 x 3
315 x 3
325 x 3 vid
335 x 3 vid
345 x 3 vid @8

Bench:
10xbar of CGBP/ultrawide/comp
135 x 5
185 x 3

Program Sets (all paused)
220 x 6
220 x 6 vid
220 x 6
220 x 6 @8

CGBP
195 x 5
195 x 5
195 x 5
195 x 5
195 x 5 @8

Widegrip pull-ups, slow and paused at top and bottom:
5
5
5
5
5

Dun:

Notes: good session, program weight for squats was 345 5x3 and managed to work up to it without much problems. Squats continue to improve.
Bench was light and pretty easy today.

[RT1957]

Strong year end sessions Shawn the squats at 345 looked strong!!!...big volume in those workouts

[TM79]

I see there's been no shortage of work going on in here Shawn! Hopefully your family didn't mind you spending the entire holidays in the garage. Seems like you are really hitting a good stride now man. Great to see that and really looking forward to seeing how you work up to your meet!

[thehobbes]

Strong squats, good to see you back in there attacking it!

Peas and carrots of rage.

[raynerd]

Morning Weight: 186.6

Hip circle
DB SLDL's
Cat/camels

Deads:
135 x 5
225 x 4
315 x 3
405 x 1

Program Sets:
465 x 2 vid
465 x 2
465 x 2
465 x 2 vid @8.5

Bench:
Barx10 of CGBP/ultrawide/comp
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3

Program Sets:
245 x 4 vid
245 x 4
245 x 4
245 x 4 vid @8

Pendlay Rows:
225 x 6
245 x 6
255 x 6
260 x 6 @9

Dun:

Notes: late one tonight, 8pm after a busy 12 hours at work. Deads went good, bit of trouble finding a consistent form today but still felt pretty good.
Bench felt good today for a change and the 4x4 went well.

[ElrondHubbard]

Nice form and impressive weights all around. 8 pm is a bit late for most people, but I usually start mine about 7:30 Dinner becomes my post-workout.

What's your usual workout time?

[raynerd]

Morning Weight: 187.2

Hip circle
Banded hip work
Baby makers
Pulldowns

Squats:
Bar x 7 paused
135 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 1
315 x 1

Program Sets (actual)
325 x 5
325 x 5 vid
325 x 5 vid @8-8.5

Seated OHP:
Bar x 10
135 x 3
145 x 6
155 x 6
165 x 6 @8

widegrip pull-ups, paused at top and bottom:
8
8
8
8 @9

Glute Thrusts:
135 x 5
255 x 5
275 x 5
295 x 5
315 x 5 PR

Dun:

Notes: feel like a bag of crap from a run of the mill manflu Ebola that I caught
Cold meds and a Monster down the hatch and went to work.
Squats went well, this workout I
finally hit all my program sets.
OHP was strong and PR'd on bar humps

Nightshift for next 2 nights.

[TM79]

Couple of great sessions Shawn! Getting some great sets in! I don't know how you train with the Ebola dude.... Usually, I feel like death and take a week off. I see you didn't miss a beat though. My mind can't comprehend 6x165 on OHP and congrats on the Bar Hump PR. A special thanks for not posting a video of that too. That's one of those lifts that it's just better to hear about. Get better dude!

[grouchyjarhead]

Strong pressing and squatting. Get better soon Shawn.

[drudixon]

Thanks Hammy! Rage and squats seem to go together like peas and carrots Merry Christmas

Thanks Dru and great to hear from you. TSA is the Strength Athlete's 9 week intermediate program. This is my 4th time running it. Usually turns out pretty good but this cycle and last cycle I had back to back injuries. Week 6 first time through I tore my inner adductor and had to rebuild my squat…then this cycle I hurt my MCL doing renos…and now rebuilding once again So, not actually trying to shrug, and when I do it's actually just a bad habit. What I am doing though, is squeezing my glutes before I decend each rep, it looks funky I know, but it helps get me out of anterior pelvic tilt and get my glutes fired before I drop. Similar to the screwing my feet into the floor cue, I find my squats seem to turn out better with this cue. I dunno, been working on this lift for eternity…one day maybe I'll get it right!
Merry Christmas buddy and thanks for stopping in!

Thanks 6T! Merry Christmas to you and your family as well!!

Good explanation. I'm still suffering ****ty squat. Recently moving stance wider to try and get more upright. You and I have similar builds. Did you ever try that, thoughts? My squat has gone backwards this year, so trying like hell to fix.

[raynerd]

Strong year end sessions Shawn the squats at 345 looked strong!!!...big volume in those workouts

Thanks Ron, nice to close out the year on a good note. Nothing ever goes perfectly according to plan but think I still have plenty of time to build a solid total for April!

I see there's been no shortage of work going on in here Shawn! Hopefully your family didn't mind you spending the entire holidays in the garage. Seems like you are really hitting a good stride now man. Great to see that and really looking forward to seeing how you work up to your meet!

Thanks Trent! Ya got some good sessions in lately, luckily I have a very understanding wifey! After this cycle of TSA things will be changing pretty drastically in my programming. Things will be all RPE and no percentages and ton of exercises I have never done before! Its gonna be goooood!!

Strong squats, good to see you back in there attacking it!

Peas and carrots of rage.

lol, thanks Hammy! Things are starting to click finally, looking forward the new year!

Nice form and impressive weights all around. 8 pm is a bit late for most people, but I usually start mine about 7:30 Dinner becomes my post-workout.

What's your usual workout time?

Thanks! I don't mind training late, its just a bit of a grind after a 12 hour shift. I used to do the 5:45am sessions once in a while but can't bring myself to do that craziness again! I bet our sessions average just under 2 hours, some longer, some shorter

Couple of great sessions Shawn! Getting some great sets in! I don't know how you train with the Ebola dude.... Usually, I feel like death and take a week off. I see you didn't miss a beat though. My mind can't comprehend 6x165 on OHP and congrats on the Bar Hump PR. A special thanks for not posting a video of that too. That's one of those lifts that it's just better to hear about. Get better dude!

Thanks Trent, honestly if it wasn't for Drew showing up at 2 I would have taken the session off. Partners can be a great thing for accountability as I had a solid session which I otherwise would have axed. Still feeling chitty today after nightshift, have another tonight then hopefully train tomorrow. I PM'd bar hump vid to you

Strong pressing and squatting. Get better soon Shawn.

Thanks Grouchy! Happy New Years to you and the family!

Good explanation. I'm still suffering ****ty squat. Recently moving stance wider to try and get more upright. You and I have similar builds. Did you ever try that, thoughts? My squat has gone backwards this year, so trying like hell to fix.

In short….yes, I have been very slowly widening my stance the best I can. I agree that the best stance for keeping upright for our builds is wider. I think I am pretty close to my hip socket limit as it is, if i push a bit too wide, my right hip will ache for a day or 2 after squatting. If I get it just right, I feel excellent. I have a chronic sore right hip flexor from squatting as well, and when I get out wider…but not too wide, I notice much less aggravation in my hip flexor. I would love to be able to bring it out a bunch more but I just don't think my hip anatomy will allow it.

[raynerd]

Waking weight after nights: 191

Banded shoulder work
Lat pulldowns

Bench:
Bar x 10 of CGBP/ultrawide/comp
135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 3

Program Sets:
255 x 3
255 x 3 vid
255 x 3
255 x 3
255 x 3 vid @8.5

Paused deads:
135 x 5
225 x 4
315 x 3

Program Sets:
415 x 2 vid
415 x 2
415 x 2 vid @7

Pendlay Rows:
135 x 4
255 x 5
255 x 5
255 x 5
255 x 5
255 x 5 @8

CGBP:
225 x 3
245 x 3
235 x 3 @9

Dun:

Notes: still fighting some Ebola but feeling quite a bit better. Bench went good, was holding much tighter on the bench today.
Paused deads, no issues, used versas today as I tore up a callouse last deadlift workout.
Happy with the 245x3 CGBP but don't think I could have repeated a triple so dropped to 235.
Week 7 incoming

[TM79]

Awesome workout yesterday Shawn! I love how you and Andrew always post your vids on IG at night. Then I see them first thing in the morning and immediately feel like a slacker. Manly sets going on in this one, as usual. Nice and heavy on the CGBP and then some of those paused deads. Looks like everything continues to move along nicely. Great work my friend!

[grouchyjarhead]

I'm always impressed by your rowing strength, seriously strong there Shawn.

[raynerd]

Awesome workout yesterday Shawn! I love how you and Andrew always post your vids on IG at night. Then I see them first thing in the morning and immediately feel like a slacker. Manly sets going on in this one, as usual. Nice and heavy on the CGBP and then some of those paused deads. Looks like everything continues to move along nicely. Great work my friend!

Thanks Trent! Things are really coming together the last week for sure. Very happy with bench and especially squats. Small chance for a squat PR on week 9, very small but see what happens!