Back to Scheduled Programming

I finished my four-week higher-volume intro program with power to spare. All the weight targets were hit easily, which means that I programmed them correctly.

Squat 430 lbs. 3s x 5

Bench press 295 lbs. 3s x 5, close grip 280 lbs. x 4

Standing overhead press 165 lbs. 3s x 5

Deadlift 440 lbs. x 3 reps

I'm still dealing with pain on overhead presses, which is part of the reason why those numbers are so low. But I think I've pinned down the issue and will keep hammering away at it in the hope it gets better.

On Monday, I'm resuming my pre-pandemic program, with a few tweaks. Hopefully the gym will stay open long enough for me to get close to my old numbers. Right now it looks like we're heading for a shitshow in the fall/winter.

One Step At a Time

Week 2 down, and all the weights still feel easy. Except the deadlift. My back is pretty beat from squatting 400+ lbs. twice a week, then deadlifting in the same weight range. One option is to dial back the assistance work, however I barely do any. Just one death-set of leg presses and one of machine Romanian deadlifts, up to 20 reps. I'm also leery of low back strain, as this has been a problem for me in the past.

It's a good, minimalist program. I'm tempted to keep milking it until the gainz run dry. But I'm also trying to be realistic. It's possible to squat/pull heavy, or to squat/pull often, but not both. Also these aren't real gainz - all I'm doing is getting back to where I was before.

Squat 415 lbs. 3s x 5

Bench press 280 lbs. 3s x 5, close-grip 265 lbs. x 5

Standing overhead press 150 lbs. 3s x 5

Deadlift 420 lbs. x 3

Landmine Lifts Are the New Plyometrics

First week of programmed gym work is now completed. I started off pretty conservatively and hit all the planned numbers with power to spare. Although the weights are low, the frequency is much higher than before to "grease the groove". E.g. now I bench press three times and overhead press twice per week, where my old program only called for one day each (plus close-grip bench presses on overhead press day). Or I squat "heavy" twice and deadlift once in the same week, where I used to alternate the two. Anyway, I'll keep this up for 3 more weeks, then probably go back to the tried and tested stuff.

Squat 405 lbs. 3s x 5

Bench press 270 lbs. 3s x 5

Standing overhead press 140 lbs. 3s x 5

Deadlift 410 lbs. x 3

Still having shoulder issues while overhead pressing. The pain is getting better, but doesn't seem to be going away. So I'm still taking it pretty easy.

Gym hasn't changed much in the last year and change. I see more bros doing landmine lifts. Remembering the plyometrics craze, I'm glad that T-Nation has decreed that landmine lifts are the new pointless thing that looks cool but doesn't improve strength, athleticism, or muscle mass. At least the bros are not hopping on / falling off boxes with terrible form anymore.