There is no spoon

[blue9steel]

Wednesday Jul 22 - Pull Day A (HB-5x8@65%)
-----------------------------------------------------
Chinups(lg Purple) 5x8xBW
Upright Rows 5x8x69w45
V Pulldowns 5x8x135w90
TRX Rev Flies 5x8xbw
RDL 5x8x256.5w135
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

Starting 5s microcycle, definitely noticed the extra volume. In theory when that's finished I'm going to try going back to 3s and bumping to 67.5% and run another three microcycles before doing my RM testing. It sounds doable but I won't know for sure until I actually try it.

[blue9steel]

Thursday Jul 23 - Push Day A (HB-5x8@65%)
----------------------------------------------------
Inc DB Press 5x8x50w25
Bench 5x8x132w95
Face Pulls 5x8x58.5
Rope Pushdowns 5x8x33.25w20
SSB Squats 5x8x159.75w135
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

[blue9steel]

Friday Jul 24 - Pull Day B (HB-5x8@65%)
------------------------------------------------
Upright Rows 5x8x69w45
Calf Raises 5x8x223.75w135
Bent Rows 5x8x146w95
Plate Raises 5x10x25
Deadlifts 5x8x335w225
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

Didn't even bother doing any mixed grip on Deadlifts today, strapped up for all sets. Given my goals I'm having trouble deciding if mixed grip is worth the extra fatigue and loading on less directly relevant areas. I suppose I could treat it as a different exercise in future and just accept that it's going to have its own separate, lower, 1RM number. I mean extra back and forearm / grip stimulus are nice, but is that really a good reason to pull less weight and not stress the hamstrings / glutes as much? On the plus side 335 was moving well today, I could tell my work capacity was up, honestly I felt like I could have cranked out another set no problem.

[blue9steel]

Monday Jul 27 - Push Day B (HB-5x8@65%)
--------------------------------------------------
Inc DB Press 5x8x50w25
Banded Bench 5x8x95.25w45
Face Pulls 5x8x58.5
Front Squats 5x8x105.5w45
Wrist Roller 5x8Ex40.5
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

Cardio last week as normal. Moved 150 bales of Hay on Sunday. Program is going well this cycle.

[blue9steel]

Tuesday Jul 28 - Pull Day C (HB-5x8@65%)
--------------------------------------------------
GHR+2 (Lg purple) 7x8xBW
T-Bar Rows 5x8x148w90
Upright Rows 5x8x69w45
Calf Raises 5x8x223.75w135
Pullovers 5x8x80w45
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

Fatigue is definitely building up, glad that tomorrow is that last day of the 5s cycle. Had to switch to the other side of the platform for calf raises since the new heavy bag is in the way, that means a longer distance between the floor and platform which makes the exercise harder.

[blue9steel]

Wednesday Jul 29 - Push Day C (HB-5x8@65%)
-------------------------------------------------------
Inc DB Press 5x8x50w25
Paused Bench 5x8x100w45
Face Pulls 5x8x58.5
Rope Pushdowns 5x8x33.25w20
Squats 5x8x218w135
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

Very fatigued this morning, but I'm done with 5s cycle, hurrah! I'm questioning the sanity of dropping back to 3s and upping the weight to run another series before rm testing. I'm going to ponder tonight what I should do.

[blue9steel]

Thursday Jul 30 - Pull Day A (HB-RM@65%)
--------------------------------------------------
Chinups(lg Purple) BW SETS: 1 15
Upright Rows 69w45 SETS: 1 14
V Pulldowns 135w90 SETS: 1 14
TRX Rev Flies SETS: 3 14
RDL 256.5w135 SETS: 1 16

Decided to go with rm testing / deload instead of ramping the intensity for another cycle. Based on the way I'm feeling this morning that was a good idea and I hit some nice new rep max PRs.

[blue9steel]

Friday Jul 31 - Push Day A (HB-RM@65%)
------------------------------------------------
Inc DB Press 50w25 SETS: 1 16
Bench 132w95 SETS: 1 16
Face Pulls 58.5 SETS: 1 17
Rope Pushdowns 33.25w20 SETS: 1 16
SSB Squats 159.75w135 SETS: 1 16

Smashed some new rep max PRs this morning! Very happy with how that went.

[blue9steel]

Monday Aug 3 - Pull Day B (HB-RM@65%)
------------------------------------------------
Upright Rows 69w45 SETS: 1 16
Calf Raises 223.75w135 SETS: 1 14
Bent Rows 146w95 SETS: 1 14
Plate Raises 25 SETS: 1 20
Deadlifts 335w225 SETS: 1 15

[blue9steel]

Tuesday Aug 4 - Push Day B (HB-RM@65%)
---------------------------------------------------
Inc DB Press 50w25 SETS: 1 16
Banded Bench 95.25w45 SETS: 1 16
Face Pulls 58.5 SETS: 1 16
Front Squats 105.5w45 SETS: 1 16
Wrist Roller 40.5 SETS: 1 14

[blue9steel]

Wednesday Aug 5 - Pull Day C (HB-RM@65%)
-----------------------------------------------------
GHR+2 (Lg purple) BW SETS: 1 14
T-Bar Rows 148w90 SETS: 1 15
Upright Rows 69w45 SETS: 1 15
Calf Raises 223.75w135 SETS: 1 15
Pullovers 80w45 SETS: 1 15

[blue9steel]

Thursday Aug 6 - Push Day C (HB-RM@65%)
---------------------------------------------------
Inc DB Press 50w25 SETS: 1 15
Paused Bench 100w45 SETS: 1 16
Face Pulls 58.5 SETS: 1 16
Rope Pushdowns 33.25w20 SETS: 1 16
Squats 218w135 SETS: 1 14

[blue9steel]

The last mesocycle went really well with an overall increase in theoretical maxes of 229.5lbs. Everything went up but a few exercises didn't go up by as much as I'd like so I'm going to add a bit of volume to those to bring them more in line with the progress I'm seeing elsewhere. I think I can manage that while still staying under my systemic MRV limit. Exercises to add an additional set:

Bent Rows & V Pulldowns (Horizontal pulling wasn't great overall, T-Bar rows were mediocre but I'm being conservative with what to add)
TRX Rev Flies
Wrist Roller (The real issue is I'm only doing it once per micro-cycle but there isn't room to do it twice)
Incline DB Press (Actually did pretty well but I want to keep pushing my chest / bench work and I think it'll fit)

[blue9steel]

Friday Aug 7 Pull Day A - (HB-3x8@65%)
-----------------------------------------------
Chinups(lg Purple) 3x8x10 *Kind of weird adding weight and using a band at the same time but that's how I hit the load I need
Upright Rows 3x8x76.75w45
V Pulldowns+1 4x8x137.25w90
TRX Rev Flies+1 4x9xbw *No easy way to add weight so I added a rep
RDL 3x8x285.75w185
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

Tentative plan for a full macro cycle 8s / 10s / Metabolite / Low vol strength. Still working on some of the final details for the metabolite and strength cycles but I've got the basics figured out and that's two months away so plenty of time to refine before then.

[blue9steel]

Monday Aug 10 Push Day A - (HB-3x8@65%)
---------------------------------------------------
Inc DB Press 4x8x55w25
Bench 3x8x147w95
Face Pulls 3x8x68.25
Rope Pushdowns 3x8x37w20
SSB Squats 3x8x178w135
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

Cardio as normal last week. (Curls at 1x12x25, GHR Situps at 1x12x5 daily, both ready to go up again soon)

Workout went well today, it's crazy but after the RM microcycle I feel completely refreshed and ready to smash some weights, whereas at the end of 5s I was worn out with a reduced desire to train. That likely means I've got my fatigue management roughly correct.

[blue9steel]

Tuesday Aug 11 Pull Day B - (HB-3x8@65%)
---------------------------------------------------
Upright Rows 3x8x76.75w45
Calf Raises 3x8x237.75w135
Bent Rows 4x8x148.5w95
Plate Raises 3x8x35
Deadlifts 3x8x356.25w225
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

[blue9steel]

Wednesday Aug 12 Push Day B - (HB-3x8@65%)
--------------------------------------------------------
Inc DB Press+1 4x8x55w25
Banded Bench 3x8x106w45
Face Pulls 3x8x68.25
Front Squats 3x8x117.5w45
Wrist Roller+1 4x8Ex41
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

[blue9steel]

Thursday Au 13 Pull Day C - (HB-3x8@65%)
---------------------------------------------------
GHR+2 (Lg purple) 5x9xBW *It didn't seem to make sense to hold a 2.5lb plate so I added a rep
T-Bar Rows 3x8x157.25w90
Upright Rows 3x8x76.75w45
Calf Raises 3x8x237.75w135
Pullovers 3x8x85w45
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

GHRs felt good, calf raises and pullovers felt a bit heavy.

[blue9steel]

Friday Aug 14 Push Day C - (HB-3x8@65%)
---------------------------------------------------
Inc DB Press+1 4x8x55w25
Paused Bench 3x8x111.25w95
Face Pulls 3x8x88.25
Rope Pushdowns 3x8x37w20
Squats 3x8x221.75w135
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

[blue9steel]

Monday Aug 17 - Pull Day A - (HB-4x8@65%)
----------------------------------------------------
Chinups(lg Purple) 4x8x10
Upright Rows 4x8x76.75w45
V Pulldowns+1 5x8x137.25w90
TRX Rev Flies+1 5x9xbw
RDL 4x8x285.75w185
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

Cardio last week as normal. Sadly, as I've collected more data it appears my original estimate of calorie discounting on the recumbent bike was actually correct. (divide by 1.4) Apparently I just burned more for a while because I hadn't done it for a long time and had to adapt. Starting 4s microcycle this week, so far doing well this meso.

[blue9steel]

Tuesday Aug 18 - Push Day A - (HB-4x8@65%)
------------------------------------------------------
Inc DB Press+1 5x8x55w25
Bench 4x8x147w95
Face Pulls 4x8x68.25
Rope Pushdowns 4x8x37w20
SSB Squats 4x8x178w135
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

[blue9steel]

Wednesday Aug 19 - Pull Day B - (HB-4x8@65%)
---------------------------------------------------------
Upright Rows 4x8x76.75w45
Calf Raises 4x8x237.75w135
Bent Rows+1 5x8x148.5w95
Plate Raises 4x8x35
Deadlifts 4x8x356.25w225
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

[blue9steel]

Thursday Aug 20 - Push Day B - (HB-4x8@65%)
-------------------------------------------------------
Inc DB Press+1 5x8x55w25
Banded Bench 4x8x106w45
Face Pulls 4x8x68.25
Front Squats 4x8x117.5w45
Wrist Roller+1 5x8Ex41
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

[blue9steel]

Friday Aug 21 - Pull Day C - (HB-4x8@65%)
--------------------------------------------------
GHR+2 (Lg purple) 6x9xBW
T-Bar Rows 4x8x157.25w90
Upright Rows 4x8x76.75w45
Calf Raises 4x8x237.75w135
Pullovers 4x8x85w45
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

[blue9steel]

Monday Aug 24 - (HB-4x8@65%)
--------------------------------
Inc DB Press+1 5x8x55w25
Paused Bench 4x8x111.25w95
Face Pulls 4x8x88.25
Rope Pushdowns 4x8x37w20
Squats 4x8x221.75w135
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

Cardio last week as normal except Saturday, did a 3 Mile hike to Drift Creek Falls instead (485ft rise).

[blue9steel]

Tuesday Aug 25 Pull Day A - (HB-5x8@65%)
----------------------------------------------------
Chinups(lg Purple) 5x8x10
Upright Rows 5x8x76.75w45
V Pulldowns+1 6x8x137.25w90
TRX Rev Flies+1 6x9xbw
RDL 5x8x285.75w185
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

Progress has been good this cycle, I was cranking out reps like a machine this morning.

[blue9steel]

Wednesday Aug 26 - Push Day A - (HB-5x8@65%)
----------------------------------------------------------
Inc DB Press+1 6x8x55w25
Bench 5x8x147w95
Face Pulls 5x8x68.25
Rope Pushdowns 5x8x37w20
SSB Squats 5x8x178w135
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

Squats hit my back quite a bit today though I was still able to complete all the work.

[blue9steel]

Thursday Aug 27 - Pull Day B - (HB-5x8@65%)
-----------------------------------------------------
Upright Rows 5x8x76.75w45
Calf Raises 5x8x237.75w135
Bent Rows+1 6x8x148.5w95
Plate Raises 5x8x35
Deadlifts 5x8x356.25w225
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

Deadlifts for volume, what's not to like? The stimulus to fatigue ratio isn't optimal but it hits the spinal erectors like nothing else.

[blue9steel]

Friday Aug 28 - Push Day B - (HB-5x8@65%)
----------------------------------------------------
Inc DB Press+1 6x8x55w25
Banded Bench 5x8x106w45
Face Pulls 5x8x68.25
Front Squats 5x8x117.5w45
Wrist Roller+1 6x8Ex41
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

[blue9steel]

Monday Aug 31 - Pull Day C - (HB-5x8@65%)
----------------------------------------------------
GHR+2 (Lg purple) 7x9xBW
T-Bar Rows 5x8x157.25w90
Upright Rows 5x8x76.75w45
Calf Raises 5x8x237.75w135
Pullovers 5x8x85w45
Band Work (red) 6x5E4

I've become quite a fan of step loading, really lets you feel like you've mastered a weight before moving up.