AdamWW's Retrospective 'Intuitive Eating' Test Log

[Heisman2]

Good to see you're making consistent progress.

[AdamWW]

Good to see you're making consistent progress.

Thanks man, i'm glad its happening on some of my lifts.

However, i've been feeling super annoyed at my pressing strength. Bench is moving so slowly, while my back and legs are shooting up very quickly.

I suspect that maybe it's just a matter of gaining more total bodyweight, but who knows... sometimes leverages can make or break the progress.

[Heisman2]

Have you considered if your pressing movement programming is subpar?

[AdamWW]

Have you considered if your pressing movement programming is subpar?

Well, i'm following a pretty time-tested pattern which I've used in the past with great success, but I mean, anything is possible.

When I ran a similar program in the past I was able to get my 5x5 bench up to 210lb... but that did involve being heavier than I am now of course (I was around 170 or so)

Right now, I'm only at 145 for a 5x5-6, though it's better than when I started.

Basically my squat and DL are at an intermediate level, but my bench is still novice (based on BW)

[Heisman2]

Yeah, my point moreso is that if you are able to progress well with squat/deadlift then there is likely something wrong with the way you are programming your bench. If the issue was sleep/calories/general stress/etc then I would expect the other lifts to also be impacted. Feel free to post up what you're doing for upper body pressing stuff if you're open to tinkering with it at all.

[AdamWW]

Yeah, my point moreso is that if you are able to progress well with squat/deadlift then there is likely something wrong with the way you are programming your bench. If the issue was sleep/calories/general stress/etc then I would expect the other lifts to also be impacted. Feel free to post up what you're doing for upper body pressing stuff if you're open to tinkering with it at all.

No problem.

Right now I lift 5 days a week:

Monday: off
tuesday/wednesday/thursday: Push, Legs, Pull (in that order)
Friday: off
Sat/Sun: Upper/Lower (in that order

on the 'push day' (tues), I do this:

bench press 4x5-6
weighted dips 4x10-12
Skullcrusher 3x12-15
Upright row 3x10-12
hanging Leg raises
1 Sets of pushups to failure

on the UPPER day, the whole workout looks like this:

bench 4x5-6
bb row 4x10
weighted dip or OHP (rotates weekly) 3x12
pull ups (BW) 3 sets to failure (usually 10 reps or so)
Skullcrushers or band tricep extensions 3x15
Face pulls (bands) 2 sets of 20+ to failure
2 sets of abs, if I have time/energy


basically, once I hit 4 sets of 6 reps, I add 5lbs and usually that resets it back to 4x5... and I keep the weight there until I can do 4x6, then add 5lb again for the bench.

[Heisman2]

How many of your bench/dip sets are close to failure? Are they all typically within 1-2 reps of failure? You may have simply gotten to the point where you need to move away from linear progression like this. Even if your lifting numbers are "novice" that doesn't mean you need to stick novice programming.

[AdamWW]

How many of your bench/dip sets are close to failure? Are they all typically within 1-2 reps of failure? You may have simply gotten to the point where you need to move away from linear progression like this. Even if your lifting numbers are "novice" that doesn't mean you need to stick novice programming.

Yeah, all within 1 rep of failure, every time. What would you recommend instead of going linear?

[Heisman2]

If you like your current set up you can probably just keep doing the same thing but stop 2-3 reps shy of failure. For hypertrophy somewhere in the 10-20 set per week range seems to do a good job; you're doing 15 pressing compound sets weekly all really close to failure which is probably impeding recovery now that you have exhausted the linear progression approach. Try taking sets to 2-3 reps shy of failure and 1-2 reps shy of failure with the isolation exercises and your progress may start climbing again.

[AdamWW]

If you like your current set up you can probably just keep doing the same thing but stop 2-3 reps shy of failure. For hypertrophy somewhere in the 10-20 set per week range seems to do a good job; you're doing 15 pressing compound sets weekly all really close to failure which is probably impeding recovery now that you have exhausted the linear progression approach. Try taking sets to 2-3 reps shy of failure and 1-2 reps shy of failure with the isolation exercises and your progress may start climbing again.

Gotcha, so basically lower the weight and just use a higher RIR?

[Heisman2]

Gotcha, so basically lower the weight and just use a higher RIR?

Yep. Try it for a couple of weeks and see how it goes. If you choose a weight that is like a 10 rep max and stick to doing 7-8 reps (do the concentric as explosively as possible) or so that will probably serve you well.

[AdamWW]

Yep. Try it for a couple of weeks and see how it goes. If you choose a weight that is like a 10 rep max and stick to doing 7-8 reps (do the concentric as explosively as possible) or so that will probably serve you well.

Alright, worth a shot!

[AdamWW]

Decided to change things up and increase the reps on lower body while also swapping out for a new exercise: barbell split squats.

I had been noticing a lack of quad growth so I figured another movement might be helpful.

I also decided to try more of a pyramid style set/rep scheme to see how I do.

The workout was very enjoyable actually so I’m looking forward to see how it goes!


Squats
175x7
185x7
195x7
195x7
175x7

Good mornings
140x11 (pr)
140x10
140x10
140x10

BB Split Squat
45x11
45x10
45x10

Band Face Pull
3 sets of 20

Banded Ab Work
3 sets to failure



The 5 straight sets of 7 was a nice change really. I noticed that just doing 2 'peak' sets with higher than a 5-rep allowed me to keep form tighter. Also, it made GM's feel lighter, and I still felt the sensation of fully being stimulated in the quads.

Another thing i've noticed is my shoulder girdle is feeling stronger from facepulls and i'm able to use a higher band tension... seems to be helping with squat strength and holding the bar up on my 'shelf'.

Split squats, while VERY light, just feel 'good' on my legs. I enjoy the whole 'balancing' aspect of it compared to the BB squats, and quite frankly I don't think the band pull-throughs for my hams was doing all that much; I even notice a good engagement on my hams during the split squats anyway.

[AdamWW]

Very productive lower body session today.

Hadn't done a 'long' lower body day for a while, but ended up hitting a couple great PRs for my current programming.

Squats

175x7
185x7
200x7 (rep PR)
200x7
185x7

Deadlifts

225x1
265x1
275x1 (Sub-maximal PR... felt like RPE 7 or so)

Good Mornings

140x11
140x10
140x10

Split Squats

45x11
45x10
45x10

BB Curls

3 sets of 15-18

Band Laterals

2 sets to failure

Banded ab Work

2 sets of 20-25


Not gunna lie I was super tired after the squats, but took enough rest to get everything in with good form.

These workouts only ever seem to happen on the weekends when I have more time for the warm-ups, etc... but feels good to continue making them gains.

Hadn't deadlifted in several weeks so I was shocked when the bar flew up so fast even after the heavy squats... honestly I feel like I had 315 in me if I wanted to max out.

[AdamWW]

Well, yet again, more gains for LOWER body this week.

I did SLIGHTLY increase my bench and deadlift weight, but nothing like the progress im seeing in lower body. It's crazy.

Squats

175x7
195x7 (+10lb)
205x7 (PR)
205x7
185x7

Good Mornings

145x10 (new PR)
145x10
145x10
145x10

Split Squats

55x10 (+5lb)
55x10
55x10

Lateral Raises

3 sets to failure

Banded ab Work

2 sets of 20-25

[AdamWW]

Not lifting related, but just got my first vaccine dose about 2 hours ago.

Training-wise, i'm actually back in a gym now because my new house doesn't have proper garage yet for my rack. Hopefully in the next month or so I will refinish the floors and start training out there!

[faithbrah]

Thanks man, i'm glad its happening on some of my lifts.

However, i've been feeling super annoyed at my pressing strength. Bench is moving so slowly, while my back and legs are shooting up very quickly.

I suspect that maybe it's just a matter of gaining more total bodyweight, but who knows... sometimes leverages can make or break the progress.

opened this log by chance, found something very relatable...

exactly the same thing for me, hard to imagine average form would handicap me that badly, so it must be something else like. sometimes i feel like i'm eating enough and it still moves slowly - especially with incline. any idea if it's better to swap incline for regular flat bench "higher rep" work? how many times per week do you bench?

[Omni]

Not lifting related, but just got my first vaccine dose about 2 hours ago.

Training-wise, i'm actually back in a gym now because my new house doesn't have proper garage yet for my rack. Hopefully in the next month or so I will refinish the floors and start training out there!

Hopefully you don't have any bad side effects later today/tonight from the second dose! I luckily didn't respond at all to my second dose while my s/o got it at the same time and it crippled her for 2-3 days lol (this was Moderna)

[AdamWW]

Hopefully you don't have any bad side effects later today/tonight from the second dose! I luckily didn't respond at all to my second dose while my s/o got it at the same time and it crippled her for 2-3 days lol (this was Moderna)

Yeah it seems highly variable. It's been over 3 hours and I literally feel nothing but, we'll see ;o). I got the Pfizer... this was my FIRST dose.

My dad felt nothing from either doses... he got Pfizer

My mom only felt bad for 24 hours after the second one... she got the Moderna

[AdamWW]

opened this log by chance, found something very relatable...

exactly the same thing for me, hard to imagine average form would handicap me that badly, so it must be something else like. sometimes i feel like i'm eating enough and it still moves slowly - especially with incline. any idea if it's better to swap incline for regular flat bench "higher rep" work? how many times per week do you bench?

Im honestly not sure about the swapping... lately i've been doing flat bench just to mix it up, but I imagine either one would be a good option.

I'm benching twice a week right now.

Usually one my first pushing day I do flat bench and OHP, then the next time I do bench and Dips, just to mix with the supporting work.

It may also be I still have more weight to gain before my leverages improve tho... we'll see. Definitely annoying tho!

[EliKoehn]

Usually one my first pushing day I do flat bench and OHP, then the next time I do bench and Dips, just to mix with the supporting work.

I do this pattern often and it's worked well for me!

@Faithbrah you could try doing OHP exclusively or primarily for a week or two and see how that affects your bench.

[AdamWW]

Well, couple days after getting shot #1 and I feel totally normal...

Can't really say I felt anything except a sore arm and maybe a little tired? But I mean, I'm always kind of tired lately so... not really a side effect, hah.

I've been going back to the gym lately which has been really fun using all the equipment again until I fix up my garage floor to hold the weights and rack.