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Thursday, March 29, 2018

Snap, Crackle, Pop

Pulled something in my lower back or left glute while deadlifting, and it doesn't feel good. I'm about to take 3 weeks off lifting anyway, so it's not like it matters.

Before that I had a nice stretch of 4 consecutive lifting days, which may have contributed to the strain. Bench presses on Monday felt really good too. I am virtually back to my normal pressing weights, only with a closer grip, and less shoulder pain.

Squat 440x5, paused 375x3 - ramped up the weight over 5 sets and got some nice volume going here.

Bench press 325x5, SlingShot 360x1

Deadlift 460x3 - this was accidental, I thought I had 440 on the bar. Snapped my back next workout with 425x4.

Standing BTN press - 185x5, then 190x3

Seated BTN press - 200x2, 210x2

Thursday, March 15, 2018

Nothing Of Note

Squat 465x3, 375x3 paused

Bench press 330x5, then 330x4

Deadlift 465x2, 455x3

Behind the neck press 165x5 standing

Current weekly goal in the bench press is 4-5 sets of 5 with a weight higher than 315 lbs. I have been hitting this regularly. Then one day of incline and dumbbell shoulder presses, sometimes followed by a few triples with the SlingShot. Shoulders are tired from the extra bench pressing and the overhead press is stalling. I'm also doing these with a closer grip than usual, so that might be the reason.

On inclines, I'm shooting for higher reps and low weight. I have always sucked at incline pressing, so there's nowhere to go but up. It's a difficult lift to program. E.g. I'll pick a weight and do 8-10 reps easily, but then I add 10 lbs. on the next set and barely eke out 3-4 reps, which is not my experience with any other lift. Someday I'd like to work up to a 315-lb. incline press. That day seems very far now.

On squats and deadlifts, I'm working up to whatever feels like a reasonable triple on any given day. Sometimes it's only a double. That's fine, as there are no real goals right now, just maintenance training.

Monday, March 5, 2018

Master of None

Best lifts in the past couple of weeks:


Deadlift 460x3

Squat 460x3, 365x3 paused

Bench press 330x5, 320x4sx5, with SlingShot 360x3

Not sure if 330x5 is a legitimate personal best, but it's a PR with this closer grip. SlingShot press was again done after pre-exhausting with inclines and DB overhead presses.

Press behind neck 190x3 seated, 145x3sx8 standing. Did not go heavy on overhead presses these past couple of weeks.

I've started doing weighted dips. I do them on dip bars, but stay upright to hit the triceps. Not sure how much they're helping anything, but they are fun, and they don't strain my shoulders like normal dips do. You can add a ton of volume without overtraining.

Also I'm already stalling on the seated DB press. My gym doesn't have 75-pound dumbbells. 70s are no longer challenging (I do sets of 6), but 80s seem way too heavy. #firstworldproblems

Push presses are something I'd like to get back into, but have neither the time nor the energy.

Dropped some fat too and am now between 215 and 220 on most days.