New Cycle, New Personal Records

The biggest piece of news this cycle is that I'm back to doing regular back squats. My left shoulder still bothers me under the bar, but it's not locking up or in agony, and I'm working on rehabbing it. Squats and deadlifts both went well, which is a rarity, and I've now officially pulled 6 plates, something I never imagined myself being capable of. Can I hit 600? Maybe that mythical "old man strength" is finally kicking in (about time, too).

After squats, I hit a four-plate front squat PR with very little strain.

Pressing went very well. This might be the first cycle in which I've met or exceeded all my partial lift goals. Usually I start missing rep goals as the weight gets closer to full range. But this time I hit them all confidently - including a stellar 380 lbs. x 6 on the bench press at the penultimate (next-to-full-range) setting.

I missed 420 lbs. on the bench press for the second time, but I think I'll get it this year. Went back and rage-pressed 405 lbs. for two reps immediately after my failure. "Ramping up" with 390 lbs. might have been a mistake - it went up smoothly, but I'm wondering if it's too much weight for what is essentially a warmup effort. I rested up a bit and set an easy new incline bench PR with 365 lbs.

Overall, this was possibly my most successful partials cycle so far. I haven't been feeling beat up or stressed out either - just smooth, solid lifts all round. Bodyweight has been steady and muscular definition is as good as it's ever been. The isometrics seem to be helping - both with strength, and to fill in small gaps in training, mostly for isolation exercises.

I've eliminated junk volume and these days just focus on a couple exercises per muscle group, a couple of really hard working sets, and call it a day. As you get stronger (and older), volume becomes extremely tough on the body. 2x10 with 225 lbs. might improve your bench press a little, but 2x10 with 325 lbs. are apt to cripple you for days. Maybe figuring out what you need is what strength is really all about. Gainz without a specific program - or on any program. Getting into "a state of mind, being persistent with being consistent", as Lamar Gant (reputedly) said.

Seated military press 295 lbs. x 1 (PR), 230 lbs. x 10 (also might be a PR)

Bench press 390 lbs. x 1, 420 lbs. x fail, 405 lbs. x 2 (new 2RM)

Incline bench press 365 lbs. x 1 (PR)

Squat 530 lbs. x 3, 560 lbs. x 1 (PR)

Front squat 405 lbs. x 1 (PR)

Deadlift 585 lbs. x 1 (PR)

Overhead Press and Deadlift PRs, Other Miscellany

Another partials cycle down, with variable results. I set a confident personal best in the seated military press with 290 lbs. x 1. Managed some excellent repetition work in the lead-up to the cycle on the overhead and incline bench press. My lats and upper back are stronger than before, so I have a better base, and I've gotten stronger and more explosive in the lockout phase. Feeling pretty good overall.

My deadlift training has felt fairly slow and grindy for the past several months. I had not maxed out since 2022 and had no idea what a heavy single would feel like. So I was extremely pleased to set a new PR this cycle. I pulled 575 lbs. with strength to spare - almost six plates.

I crapped out on my bench press attempt with 420 lbs. Then I lowered the weight to 410 lbs., but was too tired after straining against the 420. So no bench press PR this cycle. Based on how the partials were going, I wasn't really expecting one, but it's always nice to be hopeful. I might recalibrate to 410 for the next cycle and build up from there.

No PR on squats either. I hit a relatively solid single with 530 lbs., but 550 lbs. stapled me to the bars. Back squatting with straps is a good replacement for regular back squats, but I'm starting to wonder if a cambered squat bar wouldn't be a better solution for my shoulder issues. Or maybe I just need to forget about max singles in the squat. Or maybe I just need to stop being an idiot and get my shoulder looked at.

Seated military press 265 lbs. x 5, 290 lbs. x 1 (PR)

Squat with straps 530 lbs. x 3, 550 lbs. x fail

Front squat 390 lbs. x 1 (tied PR)

Bench press 340 lbs. x 5, 390 lbs. x 1, 420 lbs. x fail

Incline bench press 310 lbs. x 10, 335 lbs. x 1 

Deadlift 545 lbs. x 1, 575 lbs. x 1 (PR)

Bodyweight was a solid 220 lbs.

End of 2023 Retrospective Post

2023 was the year of the bench press. To some extent, the year of the overhead press too.

After twerking desperately just under the 400-lb. BP mark for several years (375-390-385-395-380-etc.), I finally managed to crack it. 405-410-415 fell in quick succession. I don't know if I can ride this trend to even heavier lifts in 2024, but I'm definitely going to try.

In the seated overhead press, I saw a huge increase from an ugly 255 to a solid 285 lbs. I've never gone this heavy on any version of the overhead press. Hitting 300 lbs. would be nice (and way more than I ever dreamed of), but it's still a long ways away.

Blew through three plates on the incline press and maxed out at 335 lbs. A pretty solid improvement, which is probably due to finally getting consistent with incline work.

Partial presses have definitely helped. Some of the poundages I've handled on the short-range lifts are truly ridiculous (e.g. 500+ for flat bench press reps of 5-6), but I think the real benefit comes from mid-range work. Partial lifts still build a ton of strength across the entire range, and the judicious inclusion of stretch-position isometrics seems to have paid off.

One important takeaway was to reduce triceps exercise volume during my partial cycles. Basically do a few longer-duration isometrics, or nothing at all. Trying to maintain arm exercise volume led to some nasty triceps tendinitis which is only just starting to (hopefully) clear up. Overall, my training philosophy has been drifting away from volume and toward intensity, Stuart-McRobert-style. You simply can't do high volume once the weights get very heavy - at least not un-enhanced and well into your fifth decade of life.

Having my own home gym has also helped tremendously. I was always very consistent in working out, but now I've taken it to a whole other level. Not having to wait for equipment, or feeling like an asshole while doing partials in the rack, or just generally not being around douchebags - all massive improvements. I now have a bench, a rack, 600+ lbs. of weights, 2 x adjustable DBs that go up to 55 lbs., and a rudimentary pulley assembly. And bands. A shitload of bands of different resistance levels. More than I'll ever need.

Back squatting has become problematic due to the weird shoulder pain I've been experiencing. But back squatting (fairly heavy) with straps is still possible. Maybe I've reached my ceiling on back squats. I still have a ton of room for improvement on front squats, and I'd like to push the boundary a little further on deadlifts. Here's hoping my lower back holds up as I pursue this unnecessary and unreasonable, purely-ego-motivated goal.

My routine is fairly minimalist these days:

Monday - front squat, medium-light squat, some isolation exercises for quads and hamstrings

Tuesday - overhead press, some triceps work (or: partial OHP + partial close-grip BP)

Wednesday - back (pullups and rows) and biceps

Friday - heavy squat or heavy deadlift, shrugs, pulldowns

Saturday - bench press, incline press, triceps, biceps (or: partial BP and full-range incline press)

I'd prefer to reduce this to four training days per week, but am too lazy to do longer workouts.

A partials cycle lasts 4 weeks, and is followed up by 2-4 weeks of full-range (slightly higher-volume) training. No partial lifts are done for squats, front squats, or deadlifts.

Overall, it works very well and has helped me keep making gains at an age when common gym philosophy tells me to focus on maintaining, or to "lighten things up". I'm not delusional enough to think it will last forever, or even for much longer. But it's working right now.

To anyone still reading this nonsense, I wish a happy and productive (mostly injury-free) 2024.

Nice Year End Gainz

My left shoulder still refuses to go under the bar on back squats. I'm doing some stretches and rehab exercises for it, but at this point I'm no longer that worried about it. Maybe the shoulder pain I feel with the bar on my back is indicative of some massive impingement that's just waiting to blow up into emergency surgery. Or maybe... it's just random pain. In either case, I won't stop lifting, and my press numbers are better than ever. I'm back squatting with straps within 95% of my all-time best, so it doesn't seem like something I should worry about.

Still no PR on seated overhead press. I failed twice with 290 lbs. Which seems like a helluva lot of weight, but I was hitting some nice rep PRs (full range) before I started the partials cycle, so I thought I'd do better. Pretty pleased with overhead pressing overall.

I progressed my front squats to 325 lbs. for 2 sets x 5, and hit a single with 390 lbs. - new best.

Another bench press PR, and I missed with 420 lbs. twice. Missed 430 lbs. with a SlingShot, but I was pretty tuckered out at this point.

Also made an accidental incline bench press PR of 320 lbs. x 2. Regular sets are now up to 6-8 reps with 300+ lbs., which I've never worked up to before. Heavy singles (after flat bench press) ended up at 335 lb. Not bad for a middle-aged dude with an apparently busted shoulder.

Weighted pullups are up to +25 lbs. x 8.

Seated military press 250 lbs. x 5, 275 lbs. x 1

Bench press 415 lbs. x 1 (PR)

Incline bench press 320 lbs. x 2, 335 lbs. x 1 (PR)

Squat (with straps) 520 lbs. x 3, 530 lbs. x 1

Deadlift 540 lbs. x 2

Front squat 325 lbs. x 2 sets x 5, 345 lbs. x 1, 375 lbs. x 1, 390 lbs. x 1 (PR)

Busted Shoulder Blues

Recently I've been having trouble with my left shoulder. It's been bothering me on and off for the past 6-7 years, but now it's gotten to the point that I can't get the bar on my back to squat. A muscle starts to seize up somewhere under my left scapula, my entire shoulder locks up, and the ensuing pain is unbearable, making it impossible for me to stay stable under the weight.

I'm working on unfreezing my troublesome shoulder and am using straps for my back squats. Kind of like a poor man's safety squat bar (I'd buy one, but don't really have the space for it). The setup is similar to this:

https://www.t-nation.com/training/a-new-trick-for-building-your-legs/

Not sure how stable this setup will be under really heavy weights. I've gone up to 415 lbs. x 5 so far and it felt OK. For now, back squatting with straps is better than not back squatting at all.

Oddly, my shoulder does not hurt during flat bench and overhead pressing at all. I have full (almost entirely painless) range of motion in both shoulders, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that this is just one of those "floating pain" things John Broz used to write about.

Right elbow is still giving me trouble, but it's manageable so far. Dare I say it's getting better? Yes, I dare.

Got to check in with a physio to deal with these nagging injuries. I imagine a decent massage will work wonders for me.

My last partials cycle yielded mixed results. I set a new PR on the bench press, but not on the overhead press. Then again, I've made huge jumps in overhead pressing strength in the past year, so it makes sense I'm hitting a plateau sooner.

Also set a random but exciting PR in the SlingShot bench press. 420 lbs. for an easy single, 10 lbs. for every year I've been circling the Sun for.

Seated military press 265 lbs. x 1, 230 lbs. x 6 - I tried for a new PR with 290 lbs. and failed

Back squat 540 lbs. x 3 (rep PR)

Front squat 365 lbs. x 2, 300 lbs. x 2 sets x 5 - failed with 385 lbs.

Deadlift 540 lbs. x 2

Bench press 380 lbs. x 1, 410 lbs. x 1 (PR), 325 lbs. x 6

SlingShot bench press 420 lbs. x 1 (PR) - almost got two reps here

Bodyweight - consistently in the 215-218 lb. range.

405 lbs. Bench Press Achieved

My partial lift numbers declined a bit compared to last cycle, especially in the "just short of full" range. But I still pressed new personal bests both overhead and on the flat bench. Cutting down on the number of reps, sets, and exercises seems to have helped.

The pain in my right elbow is still there, but I trained through it (using CBD cream and elbow sleeves), and managed okay. I cut out almost all triceps training to compensate. Oddly, dumbbell kickbacks don't hurt at all, but any sort of pushdown or extension is out of the question. So kickbacks it will be until this goes away. Dips are now possible, as long as I don't go too low.

Partials are still working. They may be a little too intense for regular training and I may need to space the cycles out more. E.g. do them 3-4 times per year and just do full-range lifting in between. Although it's hard to resist bench pressing 520 lbs. x 5, even if it is for only a couple of inches.

Seated overhead press 285 lbs. x 1 (PR), 225 lbs. x 7 (may be a PR)

Bench press 375 lbs. x 1, 405 lbs. x 1 (PR), 320 lbs. x 10 (possible PR)

Squat up to 540 lbs. x 2

Deadlift up to 540 lbs. x 2 (possible PR)

Back has felt iffy while deadlifting, so I'm playing it safe. Also I've run out of weights. For the time being, I'll just focus on adding a rep here and there on what used to be 1RM testing weeks.

I'm debating whether to cancel my Gold's Gym membership and buy more weights for home, or keep everything the same and go to Gold's once a month for heavy squat/deadlift singles. My old gym is now closed and the new one will be pretty far when it reopens. Might wait and see what the new gym is like before deciding.

Bodyweight was around 215 lbs. all last week.

400-lb. Bench Press Club Membership Plus Massive Overhead Press PR

Partial lifts continue to deliver full-range results. Following four weeks of travel, I ran another 4-week cycle and set PRs in both presses.

I have had to modify my training a bit to accommodate the insanely heavy loads. Lower the volume to only 2-3 "working" sets, and really re-think exercise selection in general. Next time I do a partials program, I'll cut out all triceps exercises because the added strain is just too much.

Seated overhead press 245 lb. x 1, then 260-270-280 lbs. x 1 (all three lifetime bests)

Bench Press 355 lbs. x 2, 380 lbs. x 1, 400 lbs. x 1 (PR)

Squat - worked up to 540 lbs. 2x2

Front squat 385 lbs. x 1 (maybe PR?)

Deadlift 540 lbs. x 2 singles

I followed up my overhead press PR with 225 lbs. x 6, which is probably also a PR unto itself. This strained my right triceps (part where it attaches to the elbow) pretty severely. By Saturday, I managed to rehab it sufficiently to make bench pressing possible, but it still hurt like hell. Even during warmups with 225 lbs. Finally broke the 400-lb. bench press barrier, with a little strength to spare, but was in a lot of pain. I hope I didn't damage my tricep tendon permanently.

Squats are moving quickly and explosively. Deadlifts less so, but at least I'm not losing strength. May buy some extra weights around the New Year and try to set squat/deadlift PRs in 2024.