Calling anyone interested in a friendly strength competition for this spring/summer

[EliKoehn]

@Filmbuff, glad you're following along. Maybe we'll have a strong finale after all.

@CW, yeah, that is a great looking setup. Hope to have something like that someday.

@EC, thank you for those references. Will seriously try to bring those points to bear on tomorrow's benching. Unsure whether I want to continue with the program as written and keep a one count pause with the reduced max as called for or lower weight further and extend the pause, but am leaning towards the former.

6CW Week Two, Monday

Squat:
295 x MR10 (10 achieved @9 or 10!)

Back-Off Squats:
10 x 3 at 285 (short rest, approx 90 seconds; program called for 60 so I fell short of this but not greatly)

One Plate Deficit Deadlift:
3 x 8 at 315

A.S.
Optional Exercise 1 (Seated Calf Raise):
3 x 4 w/ 135 added, paused

Optional Exercise 2 (Hanging Leg Raise):
3 x 4 w/ no added resistance (legs about 75% extended - not familiar with these, just wanted to try something different and more core-focused)

Despite whatever is going on with the bench, my squat seems to be doing a lot better this time around which makes me happy. I had a friend record the MR10 set but unfortunately he must have thought the video was already going when I handed him my phone, and he accidentally started the recording as I was racking the bar. This guy squats above four plates deeply and helped me work on correcting my forward posture that I had earlier this year, and he said I hit depth on every single rep and that my back stayed tight. Am a bit disappointed and would like to have gotten the recording (to address anything in need of correction, even if it's valid) but am more gratified by the fact that I got all ten reps. I would not claim a max without a video, but hope that I have the trust of everyone participating and following along in this thread for training sets.

It was a challenging set and required resolve and focus, but it actually was not nearly as grueling as I thought it would be, or as it was when I first ran the program half a year ago. Granted, it's not even very heavy weight objectively (as several of you here who easily squat four can attest), but it is a good feeling to be able to perform the lift with more confidence and see clear progress follow from concerted effort.

[ECGordyn]

@EC, thank you for those references. Will seriously try to bring those points to bear on tomorrow's benching. Unsure whether I want to continue with the program as written and keep a one count pause with the reduced max as called for or lower weight further and extend the pause, but am leaning towards the former

I don't mean do 2ct every bench day or adjust TM down. I mean do 2ct once a week as technique work.

[Filmbuff81]

You could also just 2ct the first rep of every set and then do TnG the remainder.

wide grip and feet up bench can be beneficial if you’re weak off the chest too.

[CW47]

Can vouch for the wide grip and feet up variants. They've helped out my bench a lot over the last 6 months as I've done them consistently.


December 7, 2021: Conventional Deadlift w/Chains
355 pounds + 2 Chains x 2 reps [PR]

Previous PR was 355 for 1. Wasn't sure what to expect going into it. First rep felt between an 8.5-9 RPE. Didn't like the idea of trying for a new 1RM so I went for a second rep instead. Really good result. Liked the knurling on the new bar. Grip was not a concern at all. For sure got a slight benefit from the flex in the bar, but I imagine it becomes much more pronounced at higher weights.

[EliKoehn]

C6W Week 2, Tuesday

Flat Bench:
230 x 10, 245 x 8, 255 x 6-8 (6 achieved @9 or 10)

Pendlay Row:
225 x 10, 235 x 8, 235 x 8

Standing OHP:
95 x 10, 105 x 8, 105 x 6

Lat Pulldown:
150 x 10, 170 x 8, 190 x 6

Optional Exercises Skipped.


Decided to attribute the immediate reduction in performance to switching form for programming purposes and so not reduce my projected max, instead switching to TnG until then, come what may. Got the prescribed lifts but it was still concerningly hard. (Had a spot on that bench and might have gotten another rep, so should have gone for it really.) Not sure if non-local fatigue effects (from high squat intensity) is relevant here or not, but will pay careful attention to RPE going forward. Did not end up watching those form analysis videos but should get to all of them before next bench session.

Also, everything was feeling heavy today, and my shoulders felt a little funny, not quite strained, but like they were warning me that I was approaching a valid risk of tweaking something by proceeding, so I kept the poundage on the accessories lower and thought it best to skip the optional exercises this time.

[Filmbuff81]

C6W Week 2, Tuesday

Flat Bench:
230 x 10, 245 x 8, 255 x 6-8 (6 achieved @9 or 10)

Pendlay Row:
225 x 10, 235 x 8, 235 x 8

Standing OHP:
95 x 10, 105 x 8, 105 x 6

Lat Pulldown:
150 x 10, 170 x 8, 190 x 6

Optional Exercises Skipped.


Decided to attribute the immediate reduction in performance to switching form for programming purposes and so not reduce my projected max, instead switching to TnG until then, come what may. Got the prescribed lifts but it was still concerningly hard. (Had a spot on that bench and might have gotten another rep, so should have gone for it really.) Not sure if non-local fatigue effects (from high squat intensity) is relevant here or not, but will pay careful attention to RPE going forward. Did not end up watching those form analysis videos but should get to all of them before next bench session.

Also, everything was feeling heavy today, and my shoulders felt a little funny, not quite strained, but like they were warning me that I was approaching a valid risk of tweaking something by proceeding, so I kept the poundage on the accessories lower and thought it best to skip the optional exercises this time.

Are you running a particular program?

Was scanning trying to see.

[MyEgoProblem]

Are you running a particular program?

Was scanning trying to see.

Canditos 6wee strength setup.

http://www.canditotraininghq.com/free-programs/

[Filmbuff81]

Canditos 6wee strength setup.

http://www.canditotraininghq.com/free-programs/

Thank you sir

[CW47]

December 8, 2021: Bench Press - 30 Degree Incline
165 pounds x 1 rep
135 pounds - 3 sets x 3 reps

Felt super strong up until the top rep at 165, which moved far slower than I expected based upon the ramp up. I probably shouldn't be surprised though. It seem to be the case more often than not when I bench. Still, this matched my PR, and I did it easier than I have previously, with much better control of the bar.

[SaviorSelfJT]

Been a terrible week for gains so far, but not in a bad way. Too many nights out with booze, not getting hammered, but killing the gains I'm sure

[EliKoehn]

@CW, I noticed it looks like you design Halo maps from some other videos on your YouTube channel. Did you play Infinite last night since it came out?

Been a terrible week for gains so far, but not in a bad way. Too many nights out with booze, not getting hammered, but killing the gains I'm sure

Lol if it makes you feel any better I just restocked basically a full bar today. Not likely to do me any favors training-wise.

[coachcalande]

@CW, I noticed it looks like you design Halo maps from some other videos on your YouTube channel. Did you play Infinite last night since it came out?



Lol if it makes you feel any better I just restocked basically a full bar today. Not likely to do me any favors training-wise.

Stay hydrated…..squats and shots= strains

[CW47]

@CW, I noticed it looks like you design Halo maps from some other videos on your YouTube channel. Did you play Infinite last night since it came out?

Haven't played the campaign, and probably won't, to be honest. I'm much more into multiplayer. Hearing relatively good feedback on it though, and that's from people that have pretty high expectations. Virtually all of my gaming time has turned into family and exercise time. Can't really even call myself a gamer anymore, even though I run a level design website, lol.

[SaviorSelfJT]

Lol if it makes you feel any better I just restocked basically a full bar today. Not likely to do me any favors training-wise.

Haha nice

Lifting is definitely a secondary objective for me, going out and having a good time takes priority
Not like I was going overboard or anything, but getting buzzed a few times a week isn't optimal

Lifted today, pretty low volume but high volue:
deadlifts, presses, and rows

Pretty weak on everything (especially presses) but thats ok.

I failed a 445 deadlift, I got it up to my knees pretty easily but it just hit a wall. I don't think I can blame that on going out last night, cause last time I deadlifted I got really slow at my knees too. There's probably some musculature I'm neglecting

[CW47]

Lifted today, pretty low volume but high volue

What? lol.
Anyway, it's always going to be a fact that some days are better than others. Nothing to worry about obviously.


I did Wide Stance Squats today. Stance was a little wider than it had been previously because the new setup make it easier to get into that position. I definitely hit a wall faster than I expected today as well. Everything moved fast until I got to 205, which moved relatively slow. Then 225 moved extremely slowly. I didn't do any back off work after this because I'd already grinded more than intended.

Have some good things to take away from this, along with some frustrations. On the good side, I've made great improvement in controlling the weight throughout the movement, rather than dive bombing and losing tightness at the bottom. Unfortunately, this hasn't fixed the issue of having it turn into a Squat Morning like I expected it to. Feeling just a little frustrated at the moment because while I know what he problem is in a general sense, I cannot seem to figure out what the source of the problem is. I suppose it could be something as simple as poor flexibility or balance. Could also be a muscle weakness (seems likely with the stance this wide, but I'm getting the same thing in my normal stance). Lack of tightness is still also a potential issue. Just going to keep working on things.

[EliKoehn]

C6W Week 2, Thursday

Bench:
245 x MR (10 achieved @10)

Pendlay Row:
135 x 10, 185 x 8, 185 x 8

Standing OHP:
95 x 12, 12, 10, 8

Lat Pulldown:
150 x 10, 170 x 8, 190 x 6

A.S.
Optional Exercise 1 (Lateral Raise)
3 x 12 w/ 20s
Optional Exercise 2 (Hammer Curl)
3 x 12 w/ 35s

Kept the rows intentionally quite light because the deadlifts tomorrow are programmed x2 for 3-6 at 415 and I don't want to be going into that with back fatigue, but some light greasing the groove ought do some good - but beyond taking it a bit lighter I trust the authorship of the program more than my own speculation. OHP felt especially heavy, not sure if that had to do with the bench being a failure set or something else, but I legitimately struggled with even those low rep sets at 95.

I realized driving home, however, that this might actually be my first ever achieved bench set of 10 above my bodyweight. I've got some reservations with using bodyweight as a primary metric for performance, but this is one of those "rule of thumb" standards apparently and it's nice having gotten it.

[EliKoehn]

C6W Week 3, Friday

Squat:
315 x 3(4-6) - 6 achieved for all @9, 8?, 9

Deadlift:
415 x 2(3-6) - 3 achieved for both @10

Was not really feeling it today. Despite sleeping plenty last night, woke up tired and yawning all morning, and wanting to relax most of the day. Got absorbed reading about something today and forgot to eat lunch, so I went into this workout having only had one meal. Pleasantly surprised that the squats felt manageable. Deadlift was a grip failure and I ought to have brought my chalk as I felt my hamstrings had more to give.

EDIT: Deadlift work was for 2 sets, not 3. Corrected original post.

[SaviorSelfJT]

What? lol.
Anyway, it's always going to be a fact that some days are better than others. Nothing to worry about obviously.

Lol, whoops meant low volume high intensity. I tried the 445lb deadlift twice, both times failing at knees. Gave it everything I had just couldn't do it

> Unfortunately, this hasn't fixed the issue of having it turn into a Squat Morning like I expected it to
In general do you have longer legs relative to your torso?



-----

Bench press-
295x3 (woo hoo! Got two reps last time)
225x15

Chest supported Rows-
135x3
155x3
185x3
205x3
225x3
245x3 (got up maybe 80% of the way)
275x3 (maybe 50% of the way up)
315x3 (maybe 25% lol but still felt being good getting it off the floor by a good amount)

Deadlifts-
315x5
365x3

Could have done more, but lower back is really tired and those felt heavy

Want to do touch and go reps now, since I'm not failing from the floor seems the way to go


-----

Starting to see the full outline of my traps here. Barely but its there:

[WolfRose7]

CW
I wouldn't take to much from that wide stance squat yet.

You're not used to it so not technically proficient with that stance at all.

It's also hard to judge any squat from that angle.


Still chugging along for my part, bench still in a dip compared to recent blocks.
Squat moving well, hit my peak from last block today so providing I get 2 more solid exposures will be a good test day.

[Filmbuff81]

Strong work fellas, working through the ups and downs and still making some solid progress.

[CW47]

Lol, whoops meant low volume high intensity. I tried the 445lb deadlift twice, both times failing at knees. Gave it everything I had just couldn't do it
In general do you have longer legs relative to your torso?

Got it. That's what I assumed you meant, lol.
Not sure about any of my limb lengths. They all seem to be pretty well in proportion to my torso. It's most likely just a muscle weakness (or are technical issue as Wolf pointed out below).

CW
I wouldn't take to much from that wide stance squat yet.
You're not used to it so not technically proficient with that stance at all.
It's also hard to judge any squat from that angle.

Very true. Extremely possible it's just a technical issue.

Also, good work to the both of you, and to Eli. Keep up the grind.


December 12, 2021: Trap Bar Deadlift
385 pounds x 1 rep [PR]

Weird workout today. For the first time in quite a while I was unable to finish it in one go. I ramped up to 335 and then had to shut it down and take care of something else. Restarted it an hour later. Rushed through the warm up. Failed at 385 the first time, but I tried again knowing that I 100% was capable (just hadn't setup in the right position). Got it without much of a grind the second time. Energy level was low to begin with, and I was totally done after that. Shoveling and snow blowing over a foot of snow yesterday probably took a toll on me. Anyway, very happy to have even made it to 385, considering everything.

[bLinkMoore]

Been slowly chipping away at prep for my next meet, and things are going pretty much perfectly (except bench, but bench will just forever be a bad time for me)

525 for a new deadlift PR
https://youtu.be/5TmslZzht8o

425 on squat. This was my second attempt, since I got nervous and set the safeties too high on my first one--clipped the left side on the way down and totally threw me off. Recouped and nailed it a few minutes later
https://youtu.be/qCQPISG1GBY


Today's the first day of deload, then my peaking program kicks off again! Excited to see where it goes, since I didn't give myself much time between meets (first was October 30, this next one is January 22)

[EliKoehn]

Good to see you again Blink. Excellent lifts. That deadlift especially almost looked submaximal.

C6W Week 3, Monday*

A.S.
Bench:
270 x 5.5 (failed 6th rep), 5, 4
Pendlay Row:
3 x 6 at 255

A.S.
Standing OHP:
3 x 6 at 115 (easier than I thought it would be; might have been able to manage 135, even after the benching)
Pullups:
3 x 6 at bodyweight (supposed to be pulldowns but pulleys were taken and bodyweight is relatively close to the ballpark for weight here, though this was easier than I thought after the rows)

*This was actually programmed for yesterday but today would have been off otherwise and I didn't want to go yesterday.

Enthusiasm is low and today simply felt like checking the box. Not sure what the reason is, but I haven't been feeling the joy of lifting lately and have noticed I'm leaning more into my historical interests (I find a real allure to the thought and history of the medieval world); which is fine. In fact in the name of balance and roundedness that's probably a good thing in context, but consistency with this remains important and I intend never to fall out of regularly lifting or some kind of close substitute. This week actually has Thursday through Sunday off, so maybe I'm simply due for a break and the program has that worked in already.

Matter of fact, my vacation time at work was use it or lose it, and I ended up saving most of mine until now, and so am off for the majority of the rest of this month and don't have any definite plans lol. Hoping to find something engaging and rewarding to go do, besides the usual routine.

[CW47]

Solid PR's bLink. That deadlift was SMOOTH.

I hear you on the 'checking the box' Eli. Sometimes that's just how it is. Enthusiasm for just about anything in life seems to ebb and flow. For me it always comes down to the fact that I have an overriding purpose behind lifting that should stick with me for the rest of my life.


December 13, 2021: Overhead Press
105 pounds x 1 rep
105 x 3
Meant to see if I could improve on my rep max at 115, but I bumped the plates on the upright when walking it out and then couldn't even get up a rep. Dropped back down to 105 and matched my rep max (may have had 1 more, but didn't want a grind today).

[jademonkey]

I haven't been posting much and never done the whole "rep" thing much but apparently I "must spread some Reputation around before giving it to bLinkMoore again."

@CW re. sumo lockout. I tend to do the same thing, not quite fully lock out. I think it partly has to do with the fact that just before lockout is the hardest part for me, so if I get past that I feel done. That last tiny bit is easy so I tend to feel like I'm done.

@Booze. I was doing great only having a few drinks on the weekends for over 3 months. Moving into the van, feeling like I'm camping all the time threw that out the window. Now been in Arizona driveway surfing and spending much time with my brothers, still drinking. Went airsoft camping over the weekend and 7 of us managed to drink about 60 beers and 750 of whiskey. Gonna slow it down and try for a dry few days this week.

Training: just doing whatever I feel like. Not consistent enough to be chasing1 rep maxes.
Bench is really messing with my left shoulder, even under 200 lbs. Tried reverse grip on a whim and the shoulder felt great, but unracking is difficult.
Doing more Pendlay rows lately. Eli making me feel weak lol. I feel like I've got decent back build but never really prioritized barbell rows, much less Pendlay.

After a week off I figured I'd go for 315 AMRAP again.

[jademonkey]

The last several months in my previous gym I'd get shoulder pain on bench press. Now it's still there. Even the first time benching back in the gym after 6 or 7 weeks off. Hoping for a form check. I do tend to start shrugging up my shoulders when it gets hard. I didn't feel myself doing that until the last rep though.

185x10 (no pain):



205x5 (slight pain):



225x3 (slight pain):

[CW47]

Sucks that you're still experiencing shoulder pain. I know all about that, unfortunately. I don't feel like I have enough expertise to offer any feedback on the lift, so I'll leave that to others. Hope you're able to get healed up soon because lifting with pain is no fun.


December 14, 2021: Squat
245 pounds x 1 rep
265 x Fail

The goal for today was not to shoot for a PR since I've already hit my goal for the year on squats. Goals were to work on improving technique and to keep the RPE to less than 9. I accomplished one of those, lmao. But at least it was the more important of the two. I feel like I now have a good handle on where I've been going wrong of late, and I was able to correct it today. On the failed attempt I stayed in good position throughout. The fail was more a result of being tentative. Wanted to be sure I stayed in the groove, and I went slow enough near the bottom that I pretty much got no stretch reflex at all. Also noticed that it was hitting muscles a bit different and I maybe have some weaknesses that need building up. Anyway, I'll call today a win.

My plan is to stay away from really heavy loads for a while, while also adding back in some speed work so that I can work on technique, and specifically work on staying in the groove while exerting a lot of force.

[SaviorSelfJT]

IME Every time I've had shoulder pain from pressing its due to not working the rear parts of the shoulders enough (as in rows, rear delt raises etc)

[jademonkey]

IME Every time I've had shoulder pain from pressing its due to not working the rear parts of the shoulders enough (as in rows, rear delt raises etc)

I do a lot of reverse flys. But I definitely never did 2:1 back to front ratio. Maybe I need to add more of those scarecrow and "Y raise" things.

[WolfRose7]

I do a lot of reverse flys. But I definitely never did 2:1 back to front ratio. Maybe I need to add more of those scarecrow and "Y raise" things.

I'd probably start by taking away things more than adding.
Whether that's intensity, volume or choosing different movement patterns (in that order)