tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37755478494924530212024-03-26T10:02:09.542-07:00Heavy As A Really Heavy ThingIt was a truism that all civilizations were basically neurotic until they made contact with everybody else and found their place within the ever-changing meta-civilisation of other beings, because, until then, during the stage when they honestly believed they might be entirely alone in existence, all solo societies were possessed of both an inflated sense of their own importance and a kind of existential terror at the sheer scale and apparent emptiness of the universe.Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.comBlogger1129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-80694851737483471432024-02-02T11:50:00.000-08:002024-02-14T08:58:37.348-08:00Overhead Press and Deadlift PRs, Other Miscellany<p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Seated military press 265 lbs. x 5, <b>290 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>Squat with straps 530 lbs. x 3, <strike>550 lbs. x fail</strike></p><p>Front squat <b>390 lbs. x 1 (tied PR)</b></p><p>Bench press 340 lbs. x 5, 390 lbs. x 1, <strike>420 lbs. x fail</strike></p><p>Incline bench press <b>310 lbs. x 10</b>, 335 lbs. x 1 </p><p>Deadlift 545 lbs. x 1, <b>575 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>Bodyweight was a solid 220 lbs.</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-91348223838893785122024-01-04T14:14:00.000-08:002024-01-09T08:48:31.007-08:00End of 2023 Retrospective Post<p>2023 was the year of the bench press. To some extent, the year of the overhead press too.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>My routine is fairly minimalist these days:</p><p>Monday - front squat, medium-light squat, some isolation exercises for quads and hamstrings</p><p>Tuesday - overhead press, some triceps work (or: partial OHP + partial close-grip BP)</p><p>Wednesday - back (pullups and rows) and biceps</p><p>Friday - heavy squat or heavy deadlift, shrugs, pulldowns</p><p>Saturday - bench press, incline press, triceps, biceps (or: partial BP and full-range incline press)</p><p>I'd prefer to reduce this to four training days per week, but am too lazy to do longer workouts.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>To anyone still reading this nonsense, I wish a happy and productive (mostly injury-free) 2024.</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-11997941988596984842023-12-04T09:26:00.000-08:002023-12-04T09:26:12.444-08:00Nice Year End Gainz<p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>I progressed my front squats to 325 lbs. for 2 sets x 5, and hit a single with 390 lbs. - new best.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Weighted pullups are up to +25 lbs. x 8.</p><p>Seated military press 250 lbs. x 5, 275 lbs. x 1</p><p>Bench press <b>415 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>Incline bench press <b>320 lbs. x 2</b>, <b>335 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>Squat (with straps) 520 lbs. x 3, 530 lbs. x 1</p><p>Deadlift 540 lbs. x 2</p><p>Front squat <b>325 lbs. x 2 sets x 5</b>, 345 lbs. x 1, 375 lbs. x 1, <b>390 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-77855061220451081812023-10-18T04:00:00.000-07:002023-11-14T06:10:27.653-08:00Busted Shoulder Blues<p>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.</p><p>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:</p><p>https://www.t-nation.com/training/a-new-trick-for-building-your-legs/</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Right elbow is still giving me trouble, but it's manageable so far. Dare I say it's getting better? Yes, I dare.</p><p>Got to check in with a physio to deal with these nagging injuries. I imagine a decent massage will work wonders for me.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Seated military press 265 lbs. x 1, 230 lbs. x 6 - I tried for a new PR with 290 lbs. and failed</p><p>Back squat 540 lbs. x 3 (rep PR)</p><p>Front squat 365 lbs. x 2, 300 lbs. x 2 sets x 5 - failed with 385 lbs.</p><p>Deadlift 540 lbs. x 2</p><p>Bench press 380 lbs. x 1, <b>410 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b>, 325 lbs. x 6</p><p>SlingShot bench press <b>420 lbs. x 1 (PR) </b>- almost got two reps here</p><p>Bodyweight - consistently in the 215-218 lb. range.</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-28281287565647494162023-08-09T06:25:00.002-07:002023-08-09T06:25:41.915-07:00405 lbs. Bench Press Achieved<p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Seated overhead press <b>285 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b>, 225 lbs. x 7 (may be a PR)</p><p>Bench press 375 lbs. x 1, <b>405 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b>, 320 lbs. x 10 (possible PR)</p><p>Squat up to 540 lbs. x 2</p><p>Deadlift up to <b>540 lbs. x 2 (possible PR)</b></p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Bodyweight was around 215 lbs. all last week.</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-1551976847753323042023-06-26T06:20:00.001-07:002023-06-26T06:20:15.740-07:00400-lb. Bench Press Club Membership Plus Massive Overhead Press PR<p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Seated overhead press 245 lb. x 1, then <b>260-270-280 lbs. x 1</b> (all three lifetime bests)</p><p>Bench Press 355 lbs. x 2, 380 lbs. x 1, <b>400 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>Squat - worked up to 540 lbs. 2x2</p><p>Front squat <b>385 lbs. x 1 (maybe PR?)</b></p><p>Deadlift 540 lbs. x 2 singles</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-58670284950161993272023-04-19T06:49:00.004-07:002023-04-19T06:56:26.145-07:00Partial Lifts for Partial Results?<p>Instead of moving right into another 12-week bench press training cycle, I decided to mess around with partial lifts (progressive distance training) for a few weeks and see what happens.</p><p>There are some partial lift programs floating around teh Interwebz, but I did my own thing. Press off pins at a certain height, work up to a heavy set, then lower the pins in the next workout and see how heavy I can go. Not a lot of structure, so I mostly pushed the weight until I couldn't push it any further. Sometimes I did a back-off set, other times not.</p><p>To keep the "groove greased", or whatever, I followed up every partial workout with 1-2 full-ROM sets with a medium heavy weight (e.g. 185x10 on seated presses, 275x10 on bench presses, close and normal grip). Or incline bench presses to follow up partial flat pressing. Supplemented these with isometrics - empty bar pressed into pins for max effort sets of 10-12 seconds, usually below whatever range I was working that day.</p><p>I applied this method to the following exercises:</p><p>Seated overhead press</p><p>Close-grip flat bench press</p><p>Regular-grip flat bench press</p><p>Squats and deadlifts were trained as normal. I don't have enough weight plates for partial squats/pulls, and I don't care about PRing these that much.</p><p>After 4 weeks of gradually working my way down the rack, the full-ROM results were:</p><p>Seated overhead press 245 lbs. x 1</p><p>Regular-grip flat bench press 375 lbs. x 1 (went up very easily, but 395 lbs. was a no-go)</p><p>Squat: 530 lbs. x 3, <b>550 lbs. x 1 (tied PR)</b></p><p>Deadlift: 505 lbs. x 3 (did not max out as I ran out of time)</p><p>I thought I'd set a new squat PR, then went through my training logs and realized I'd already done 550 lbs. for a single. This was mildly disappointing, as I'm sure I could have added an extra 5 lbs.</p><p>As much as I hate to judge by the mirror, my shoulders and arms seem noticeably bigger. Most important - I was definitely in less overall pain, even when using ridiculous weights (405x10 and 445x5 on partial bench presses).</p><p>So am I 100% sold on progressive distance partial training? Maybe. I feel it might work better as a shock tactic than as regular training. Maybe it's just an irrational resistance toward partials after 20+ years of "normal" lifting. Studies seem to dismiss partial-ROM training, but I've never found exercise studies to align with what works for me.</p><p>Either way, who can resist repping 405 lbs. for double digits on the bench?</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-65291963829946945052023-03-28T08:37:00.000-07:002023-03-28T08:37:09.716-07:00Mixed Bag<p>Mixed bag of lifts lately. Squat and overhead press are going very well, deadlift and bench press not so well, but not badly either.</p><p><br /></p><p>Squat: 520 lbs. x 2 sets x 3, 525 lbs. x 3</p><p>Bench press: 340 lbs. 3x3, 360 lbs. x 2, 375 lbs. x fail</p><p>Seated overhead press 215 lbs. x 3 sets x 5, 225 lbs. 3x3, <b>245 lbs. x 1 (tied all-time PR)</b></p><p>Deadlift 500 lbs. x 3 (missed a session due to travel)</p><p>Never managed anything like 520x2sx3 on squats before, so am pretty happy. On the other hand, my bench press strength has gone to shit lately (but overhead pressing has never been better). Maybe it's time to start focusing on the OHP and put the flat bench press on the back burner.</p><p>Back still feels a little unstable during deadlifts. I'm still watching out for any twinges.</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-4610807374610435232023-02-13T08:35:00.001-08:002023-02-13T08:35:18.028-08:00Quadratus Lumborum Lumberings<p>My back has put me on notice.</p><p>Recently I finished my light/moderate squat workout, went to set the bar back in the rack, and slammed it hard into the J-hook on the left side. The rebound set off a twisting motion with my low back and hips as the fulcrum. I managed to not collapse under the weight and put it down safely, but my quadratus lumborum muscle on the opposite (right) side immediately went into a painful spasm.</p><p>The next two days were bad. A deep breath would set my QL cramping. I managed to get in some upper body work, and by Thursday I'd rehabbed it sufficiently to complete a moderate deadlift workout. A couple of weeks later the pain is almost gone. But my back is still twitchy and I'm unwilling to push the lower body lifts very hard for the time being. Or maybe ever again.</p><p>Is there really a point in pushing an aging body toward new 5-lb personal bests? Or would scaling my squat and deadlift 1RM back to 500-ish, avoiding injury and doing more quality reps in the 400-450 range, be a better idea? A sensible person probably wouldn't be asking these questions.</p><p>Squat: 495 lbs. x 3, 525 lbs. x 1</p><p>Bench press: 305 lbs. x 3 sets x 6, 315 lbs. x 3 sets x 5, 325 lbs. x 4 sets x 3</p><p>Seated overhead press: 205 lbs. x 6-6-5, 210 lbs. 3s x 5</p><p>Deadlift: 505 lbs. x 3, 515 lbs. x 3, 540 lbs. x 2s x 1 (all the weight I have at home, so I did two singles)</p><p>Front squat: 315 lbs. x 1 (crapped out on these after back squats)</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-3877664026228993202023-01-09T05:10:00.001-08:002023-01-09T05:10:38.547-08:00New Year<p>Not much to report on the lifting front. I'm training at home 4 days per week and at the gym one day per week (heavy squats or deadlifts). Finally have enough plates for heavy bench presses and moderate squats, 490 lbs. total. It's taking me some time to adjust to the new equipment and I've taken a step back on all upper body lifts to work on improving my form.</p><p>My bodyweight has dropped by a significant amount (6-8 lbs.) without me really noticing it. Probably one of the reasons driving my bench press numbers down. My other lifts don't seem to be seriously affected, although I feel that the constant lower back fatigue is holding back my deadlift a little. Might be a good time to reassess my assistance exercises and lower overall volume.</p><p>There are a few niggling pains now and then, but nothing serious.</p><p>Maxed out on squats and deadlifts this week, as I'm back on my usual training cycle. Threw in some front squats in my home gym because I can. Back squat and deadlift singles were done at the globo gym on the same day. I barely hit the squat single, but feel like I could have gone a little heavier on the deadlift. Still, great numbers (if no PRs) overall.</p><p>Added some incline bench presses and I'm embarrassingly weak on these. In the first week I pushed more weight overhead than I did on the incline. It's hard to think that I was five pounds shy of incline pressing three plates a mere three months ago.</p><p>Seated overhead press: 190 lbs. 3sets x 6</p><p>Squat: 505 lbs. x 3, 525 lbs. x 1</p><p>Front squat: 355 lbs. x 1</p><p>Bench press: 290 lbs. 3 sets x 6 (second week of 12-week cycle)</p><p>Deadlift: 505 lbs. x 2, 545 lbs. x 1</p><p><br /></p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-80969266732685904042022-12-19T08:37:00.001-08:002022-12-19T08:37:20.175-08:00Home Gym Extravaganza<p>Piece by piece, the home gym is coming together. I have the rack set up and it comes with a pullup bar and a removable dip attachment. Have been cranking out dips and pullups twice per week.</p><p>I ordered a bar and bunch of weight plates, but they are arriving slowly. Right now I have enough for overhead presses and stuff like curls and rows.</p><p>The idea is to get up to 400+ lbs. of weights so I can train most of my lifts at home. I'd still hit the globo gym once per week for heavy squats, shrugs, and pulls. Something about 500+ squats done at home scares the shit out of me, and heavy pulls are likely to cause floor damage, so I'd rather beat up someone else's equipment/facility if I have the option.</p><p>Dumbbells of the selectable sort were also purchased. I only ordered up to 50 lbs. as I don't anticipate ever going heavier than that on DB exercises.</p><p>I'm not following any particular program right now. Squats and pulls are strong, but my bench press strength has been all over the place. I've been experimenting a bit with setup, grip, and tempo. But it may be time to start another official training cycle and get back into the groove of things.</p><p>Squat - 485 lbs. x 3, followed by 505 lbs. x 3, which went smoothly.</p><p>Deadlift - pulled a massive 535 lbs. x 3 with a slightly messed-up back.</p><p>Bench press - usually a few sets of 315 lbs. x 5, have not gone over that number in a while.</p><p>Seated shoulder press -190 lbs. x 4. Weak.</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-82178061462677340562022-11-21T07:57:00.000-08:002022-11-21T07:57:22.542-08:00Treading Water<p>Training volume has been low lately due to several reasons. One of them was 10 days of vacation, during which I lifted, but only sporadically. The other one was a mild bout of the plague.</p><p>It seems almost like defeat, having avoided getting sick for the past 4+ years. But all it meant is that I took some time off from the gym until my symptoms cleared up and used isometrics/bodyweight movements. Squatted 485x3 and 500x3 on my first day back, so I suppose that worked out all right.</p><p>I also moved houses about two weeks ago and my lower back and legs are still beat up from it. All I've been doing since the move are maintenance workouts. On the plus side, I'm finally realizing my lifelong dream of setting up a home gym. Rack, bar, and plates, nothing fancy. Keep your eyes peeled for the headline "man gruesomely mangled by barbell in own home".</p><p>Squat: 500 lbs. x 3, 525 lbs. x 1</p><p>Deadlift: 515 lbs. x 1</p><p>Reactive Slingshot bench press: 365 lbs. x 1, 385 lbs. x 1, 405 lbs. x 1, 415 lbs. x fail</p><p>Seated military press: 205 lbs. x 3, 215 lbs. x 2</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-28638728511821067962022-10-10T14:25:00.006-07:002022-11-23T11:47:50.704-08:00Busy Time<p>Another squat/deadlift cycle down. This time I matched my all-time squat 1RM goal, but did not feel like trying for a deadlift record. Things have been hectic lately, but I'm still getting all scheduled workouts in.</p><p>My pressing is progressing nicely. Looks like I'm on track for a 390-395 lb. bench press at the end of this cycle.</p><p>Seated overhead press: 200 lbs. x 3 sets x 5, 205 lbs. x 4</p><p>Bench press: 335 lbs. x 3 sets x 5, 345 lbs. x 2 sets x 3, 350 lbs. x 4</p><p>Squat: 495 lbs. x 3, <b>550 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>Front squat: <b>370 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>Deadlift: 500 lbs. x 3, 525 lbs. x 2, 555 lbs. x 1</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-40997843781846034362022-09-06T07:10:00.002-07:002022-09-06T07:10:31.506-07:00A Few New PRs<p>A pretty strong month of lifting overall. Isometrics are continuing to yield decent results, even in lifts I no longer train dynamically. A miracle for aging lifters who need to baby their joints a little.</p><p>Squat: 490 lbs. x 3, 505 lbs. x 1, 525 lbs. x 1, <b>545 lbs. x 1 (tied all-time PR)</b></p><p>Front squat: 275 lbs. x 3, 315 lbs. x 1, 335 lbs. x 1, <b>355 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>Also had a close front squat fail with 365 lbs.</p><p>Seated overhead press: 190 lbs. x 2 sets x 5</p><p>Bench press: 320 lbs. x 3 sets x 6, 385 lbs. x 1</p><p>Of course I gave 395 a shot. Of course I didn't make it.</p><p>Incline bench press: 265 lbs. x 5, <b>310 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>Deadlift: 520 lbs. x 2, 535 lbs. x 1, <b>570 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>I made some adjustments to this 12-week bench press cycle. Substituted seated for standing overhead presses, and will be using these exclusively as my bench press assistance exercise. So instead of:</p><p>Day 1: standing OHP + close-grip BP</p><p>Day 2: regular BP + incline BP</p><p>I'll be doing:</p><p>Day 1: seated OHP (heavy) + CGBP</p><p>Day 2: regular BP + seated OHP (light)</p><p>Not 100% sure, but back when I did both seated and standing presses regularly I recall them being about the same. E.g. my all-time best standing press in 245 lbs. for a single, and I may have gotten 255x1 on the seated press. So I'm curious to see how it goes this time round.</p><p>I can't tell if the close-grip bench presses are doing anything for me. I use them as a light second BP day, but lately I've been wondering if they're just useless volume and if I wouldn't be better off dumping them altogether, focusing on going heavier on my regular BPs. Adding volume in general has been pretty much of a crapshoot for me when it comes to strength gains - sometimes it works, mostly it doesn't. I'll probably stick with CGBP for another training cycle at least.</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-64037625671248853592022-08-01T04:39:00.003-07:002022-08-01T04:39:39.478-07:00Pulling<p> Another squat/deadlift cycle down, another (significant) deadlift PR. I did not expect to improve much on 550, but 5 weeks later I've added another 15 lbs. After years of zero pulling progress, it feels almost too good to be true, but I'll take it.</p><p>I'm still working on the 12-week progression for the bench press. It's going mostly according to plan, I've started missing reps here and there as the weights get heavier, but that tracks with my previous experience with the program. Moving into two low-rep weeks, working up to a max single day on 13 August. If I had to predict a 1RM, it would be 380-385 lbs. We'll see how close I get.</p><p>Squats went okay, but I just couldn't hit the groove with front squats, so those were a bit disappointing. An abominably ugly 325 lb. single was my best effort.</p><p>Squat: 475 lbs. x 3, 495 lbs. x 2, 500 lbs. x 1, 510 lbs. x 1</p><p>Front squat: 325 lbs. x 1</p><p>Bench press: 350 lbs. x 2s x 3 (plus a double), 355 lbs. x 3, 365 lbs. x 2</p><p>Incline bench press: 270 lbs. x 2s x 5</p><p>Standing overhead press: 190 lbs. 3s x 5, 200 lbs. x 3</p><p>Deadlift: 505 lbs. x 2, 545 lbs. x 1, <b>565 lbs. x 1</b> (all-time PR)</p><p>Bodyweight was at 216 lbs. this week, lowest it's been in a while.</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-49332589661867285482022-06-27T05:00:00.000-07:002022-06-27T05:00:20.123-07:00RIP Wei Ruis<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxCanNPcEXRmDcPYztt05Q-DJw2X-Ejitrj8pxmmFQzIw1QTPzsMH00djMIm0L4gVdzuFBdiFi3V8XhhVvXYbLJ2IFosolgHpPO660bULgS3zKOtDjfvQFncLvW06EmJUg5NsWbAek2zvJSIM-axaZ0Xv02gOu8-ug-dTX2idpSs4Lc-If-7n1Q0-w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="563" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxCanNPcEXRmDcPYztt05Q-DJw2X-Ejitrj8pxmmFQzIw1QTPzsMH00djMIm0L4gVdzuFBdiFi3V8XhhVvXYbLJ2IFosolgHpPO660bULgS3zKOtDjfvQFncLvW06EmJUg5NsWbAek2zvJSIM-axaZ0Xv02gOu8-ug-dTX2idpSs4Lc-If-7n1Q0-w" width="248" /></a></div><br />On Monday morning, I put on my weightlifting shoes and headed over to the power rack to do some squatting. Immediately I tripped over something and stumbled. Looking down, I saw that the bottom of my left Wei Rui lifting shoe (rubber sole plus raised heel) had come almost entirely unglued and was hanging by a patch under my toes. Glad it didn't happen while I was walking out a heavy barbell from the rack. So the Wei Ruis went into the trash, marking the end of an era.<p></p><p>They had a good run. I bought them in October 2011, almost 11 years ago, and they're the only weightlifting shoes I ever owned. I might buy a replacement pair, but squatting in my thin-soled, $10 Everlast gym shoes actually felt better and way more solid. It even eliminated the knee pain I've been dealing with for a while. Maybe this is the year I discover that elevated-heel squats are not for me.</p><p>Lifting has been going well. I changed up my press training program and am not deloading (doing singles) every fifth week like before. Squat and deadlift, I follow the usual cycle of 4 weeks regular training, then one week of heavy (submaximal) singles.</p><p>Squat: 465 lbs. x 3, 485 lbs. x 2, 495 lbs. x 1, 505 lbs. x 1</p><p>Front squat: 275 lbs. x 3, 300 lbs. x 1, 320 lbs. x 1, <b>340 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>Bench press: 325 lbs. 3 sets x 5</p><p>Incline bench press: 270 lbs. 2 sets x 5</p><p>Standing overhead press: 180 lbs. 2 sets x 6</p><p>I widened my grip a bit on overhead presses. For the past decade, I've been pressing from the rack or from stands, but have stuck with the narrow grip I used in my clean-and-press days. Which seems unnecessary. A wider grip lets me use more shoulder strength and less triceps, and alleviates some of the shoulder pain I've been dealing with on and off. All fairly basic logic, but it's funny how we tend to stick to ingrained patterns.</p><p>Deadlift: 465 lbs. x 3, 500 lbs. x 2, 510 lbs. x 2, 530 lbs. x 1, <b>550 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>Back when I started lifting (seriously) for strength, I set 550 lbs. as my lifetime squat and deadlift goal. It was encouraging to finally hit this number on one of the lifts. Squatting 550 is not a realistic goal anymore, but I feel like I have a few more pounds to squeeze out of the deadlift. Either way, it feels good to still be setting PRs at this geriatric lifting age.</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-30798307400740167902022-04-28T13:31:00.004-07:002022-04-28T13:31:58.191-07:00Interrupted<p>Won't get to complete this training cycle, as I'm taking the next three weeks off for travel.</p><p>I've decided to tweak my bench and overhead press training a bit, and will move to a more sets x reps approach when I come back. It's a <a href="https://www.powermagonline.com/ted-arcidi-powerliftingtraining.html" target="_blank">12-week routine</a> I've used with decent success in the past, going from sets of six to a 1RM in a gradual progression. Squats and deadlifts will be trained as usual, with regular deload/low volume weeks.</p><p>Some recent highlights:</p><p>Squat: 485 lbs. x 3, 490 lbs. x 3</p><p>Standing overhead press: 150 lbs x 11, 170 lbs. x 9, 190 lbs. x 4</p><p>Bench press: 325 lbs. x 8, 345 lbs. x 2</p><p>Incline bench press: 240 lbs. x 2 sets x 6</p><p>Deadlift: 475 lbs. x 2, 480 lbs. x 2, 500 lbs. x 2</p><p>It feels like I'm getting better at reps on the bench press, but my heavy sets have stalled almost completely. This new routine should shake things up a bit.</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-8993794038882735252022-03-31T07:39:00.001-07:002022-04-05T06:27:29.381-07:00Lifting Weights and Ruminations<p>First full cycle down after I restarted weight training in March. There are some strength losses across the board, but nothing dramatic.</p><p>I also took some time to assess my training goals going forward. Not ready to give up working toward PRs yet, but it's no longer the focal point. For me, a personal record is the maximum weight I have ever lifted for a single complete rep. I.e. not adjusted my lifts for age, bodyweight, speed, or number of repetitions (e.g. "three-rep max"), as I don't see the point in that. However, I also no longer see a point in basing my workouts around glacially slow 1RM increases. Progressive resistance is the name of the game, but max singles are not the only progression in town.</p><p>"Getting older" is often blamed for slowing/ceasing gains, but that's never made much sense to me. A seventy-year-old who takes up lifting weights for the first time ever will build considerable muscle size and strength. It seems to boil down to reaching one's "genetic potential". After 10-12 years of correct, hard training and decent nutrition, you'll have built all the strength and size your body has the ability to build. From there, you have two options: anabolic steroids, or getting sloppy-fat to keep lifting heavier weights (and deluding yourself the lard gain is really muscle). Neither of those options seem particularly attractive to me.</p><p>Without formulating any kind of bullshit theory or philosophy about working out (BTW anyone who uses the term "weight training philosophy" ought to be slapped upside the head), here are some general guidelines I have settled on. None of these are new or different - I've been working out like this for the past 5-6 years at least.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Base the workout around compound barbell lifts with a strength focus.</li><li>Assistance exercises are done for high reps - I use a modified version of DoggCrapp sets, i.e. try to hit 20 reps with two rest-pauses. When I can do more than 20 reps, I increase the weight by 5 lbs., but am not slavish about the weight progression.</li><li>Add some pump work at the very end, as applicable.</li><li>Pullups get their own day, and are paired with biceps.</li><li>Isometrics are done as a warmup, for assistance work, and sometimes as stand-alone sets.</li><li>Focus on low-intensity cardio - daily walking, jogging once, and sprinting/jumping once per week.</li></ul><div>PRs are welcome when they happen, but no longer the focus.</div><div><br /></div><div>The cycle itself went well. My shoulders seem to have magically healed, or maybe it's just that the pain has migrated into my right knee. I've brought in my grip for close-grip bench presses, and now lift considerably less weight, but feel like I'm hitting the triceps more.</div><div><br /></div><div>Squat: 405 lbs. x 5, 425 lbs. x 5, 475 lbs. x 3, 500 lbs. x 1.</div><div><br /></div><div>Front squat: 275 lbs. x 3, 320 lbs. x 1</div><div><br /></div><div>Overhead press: 165 lbs. x 10, 185 lbs. x 4, 205-215-225 lbs x 1</div><div><br /></div><div>Deadlift: 405 lbs. x 5, 470 lbs. x 2, 505 lbs. x 1, 525 lbs. x 1</div><div><br /></div><div>Bench press: 320 lbs. x 9, 340 lbs. x 4, 355 lbs. x 1, <i>failed with 365 and 375 lbs.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Close-grip bench press: 315 lbs. x 1</div><div><br /></div><div>Incline bench press: 275 lbs. x 1, 295 lbs. x 1</div><div><br /></div><div>At least now I know that I can fail heavy bench press attempts safely in the rack?</div><div><br /></div><div>Bodyweight dipped slightly to 218 lbs. this week, and stayed fairly consistent.</div>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-56779262682663384742021-12-31T08:01:00.002-08:002021-12-31T08:01:23.468-08:00Back In Lockdown<p>COVID-19 cases are rising steeply in my area, and my gym isn't requiring patrons to show proof of vaccination. So I'm heading back into voluntary lockdown. I.e. working out at home and outdoors. As before, I'll keep an eye out on the numbers and </p><p>During my first self-imposed gym absence (16 months), I was annoyed about the situation and worried about losing size/strength. This time it doesn't feel like a hardship at all. I enjoy the flexibility of exercising at home, fresh air in the park and recreation areas, and the absence of non-mask-wearing/potential unvaccinated idiots in my immediate vicinity. Moreover, I have figured out a training system that lets me maintain my lifting gainz without touching a weight. The first 16-month no-weights experiment was a roaring success, and I don't anticipate this second "lockdown" taking anywhere near that long.</p><p>In the short time that I deemed it safe to go to the gym this year (June-December), I hit some numbers I have not been capable of in years. I almost tied my all-time best bench press and squat, was only 10 lbs. off matching my top standing overhead press, and set all-time PRs in the front squat and deadlift. Frequently pulling and squatting over 500 lbs. for reps. 2021 turned out to be one of my best lifting years ever. </p><p>I turned 40 a couple of months ago. Last time I was anywhere near these numbers was in 2014. Was really looking forward to bench pressing 400 lbs. before my 40th birthday, but oh well. It gives me hope that one can maintain, if not increase, strength and muscle mass as one cruises into middle age. Don't want to attribute it all to isometrics, but for high levels of joint-sparing muscle tension, they can't be beat.</p><p>Hopefully this will be a short hiatus, but I won't be holding my breath. I know the weights are there when I'm ready to go back to them.</p><div><br /></div>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-16724140181199873552021-12-13T08:54:00.000-08:002021-12-13T08:54:01.695-08:00Deadlift PR, But Still No 400 lb. Bench Press<p>Another 5-week cycle down, the last one I'll complete this year.</p><p>Started out with high hopes of hitting 400 lbs. in the bench press, as all the stars seemed to be aligned. Last week I did 355 for a triple, and this week my warmups went great. 325-355-380 lbs., the last one popping up as if it were 50 lbs. lighter.</p><p>Then I unracked 400, lowered, strained. The bar stayed welded in the bottom position.</p><p>I took a few minutes to collect myself, got under the bar, tried again. Shoved so hard the world turned red. This time I moved the weight about halfway up before it slowly, inexorably, started its downward descent to failure.</p><p>Back to regular programming, with a few adjustments to the assistance exercises. I think I'll have 400 once I can triple 365 lbs. or so. Maybe do some isometrics at the halfway point to get stronger.</p><p>I've hit a wall with close-grip bench presses. After managing a set of five with 330 lbs., I've been unable to get more than two reps with 335 lbs. for two consecutive weeks. Feels like I'm doing too much heavy work for the shoulder girdle, and my bench press days are painful and sluggish. My pecs hurt, my shoulders twinge, and my triceps feel like they're about to rip off the bone. In other words, normal everyday meathead feelz.</p><p>It could be that my narrow- and regular-grip weights are too close together. E.g. the program I'm using calls for "close-grip bench presses to a five-rep max", then a separate bench press day. But the guy who wrote it (<a href="http://castironknowledge.blogspot.com/2011/10/bread-and-butter-approaches-pressing.html">Marc Keys</a>) uses a much lower percentage of his BP max for his CGBP sets, so I guess he's able to recover more quickly? Either way, I don't want to drop the CGBP completely, but I might lower the weight to 275-300 lbs. and start over.</p><p>Just for kicks, I did a few sets of incline presses, another lift I train only with isometrics, and worked up to a really hard single with 255 lbs. Not bad, but I was sort of expecting more.</p><p>Squats and deadlifts are progressing nicely. At this point, I'm just interested in maintaining, but will pursue a modest PR whenever possible. I hit a double with 500 lbs. in the squat (no belt - not for any RAWISWAR reasons, but b/c I forgot it at home) and a triple in the deadlift with the same weight, which I'm extremely pleased with. Then a deadlift single with 545 lbs., which is an all-time PR.</p><p>Squat: 410 lbs. x 5, 500 lbs. x 2 (beltless), 515 lbs. x 1, <b>530 lbs. x 1</b></p><p>Front squat: <b>335 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>Bench press: 335 lbs. x 8, 355 lbs. x 3, 380 lbs. x 1</p><p>Close-grip bench press: 330 lbs. x 5, 335 lbs. x 2, <b>365 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>Incline press (NEW): <b>255 lbs. x 1</b></p><p>Standing overhead press: 195 lbs. x 6, 210 lbs. x 4, 215 lbs. x 3, <b>235 lbs. x 1</b></p><p>Deadlift: 500 lbs. x 3, 525 lbs. x 1, <b>545 lbs. x 1 (PR)</b></p><p>Barbell curl: 120 lbs. x 3</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-84289798455088544652021-11-04T08:00:00.001-07:002021-11-04T08:00:16.786-07:00Singles Club<p>Small but consistent increases across the board, which is encouraging. I doubt I'll be able to sustain this for many more cycles, but am happy where my strength levels are at right now. I have not been this strong across all lifts since 2014 or so, and I (probably) tied my best deadlift with a lift of 535 lbs.</p><p>Overhead press is still lagging. Not sure if it's because of overwork, or what. It may be time to reduce the close-grip bench press weights.</p><p>Decent increase on the front squat as well, which is not bad, given I don't actually train the lift (except isometrically) and only do a handful of reps on singles day.</p><p><br /></p><p>Squat: 410 lbs. x 5, 490 lbs. x 3, <b>525 lbs. x 1</b></p><p>Front squat: 300 lbs. x 1, <b>320 lbs. x 1</b></p><p>Bench press: 330 lbs. x 8, 340 lbs. x 5, 370 lbs. x 1, <b>390 lbs. x 1</b></p><p>Close-grip bench press: 325 lbs. x 4, 335 lbs. x 1, <b>355 lbs. x 1</b></p><p>Deadlift: 470 lbs. x 3, 490 lbs. x 2, 515 lbs. x 1, <b>535 lbs. x 1</b></p><p>Standing overhead press: 185 lbs. x 7, 205 lbs. x 3, <b>225 lbs. x 1</b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p>Went after 400 lbs. in the bench press again and failed. Also failed with 395 lbs. But I got 390, which is more than last time, so that's a win.</p><p>Recovery-wise, nothing to complain about. Shoulders are feeling fine, and my elbow/wrist pain had disappeared, but there is a touch of pain in my right knee. Looks like John Broz was right about his "floating pain" theory:</p><p>"<i>Your body has to hurt somewhere. It will simply migrate from one place to the next while you sleep, and when you awaken you'll discover where it landed.</i>"</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-39125406949750508832021-10-02T07:08:00.001-07:002021-10-02T07:08:11.549-07:00Circling Back<p>Second cycle down, nice increases across the board. Now it's just the overhead press I'm lagging behind on. All other lifts are on par with my pre-pandemic numbers.</p><p>Squat: 470 lbs. x 3, 490 lbs. x 2, 505 lbs. x 1, <b>515 lbs. x 1</b></p><p>Bench press: 310 lbs. x 10, 315 lbs. x 8, 330 lbs. x 6, 355 lbs. x 2, 375 lbs. x 1, <b>385 lbs. x 1</b></p><p>Close-grip bench press: 310 lbs. x 5, 325 lbs. x 1, 335 lbs. x 1, <b>350 lbs. x 1</b></p><p>Deadlift: 465 lbs. x 3, 495 lbs. x 2, 505 lbs. x 1, 515 lbs. x 1, <b>525 lbs. x 1</b></p><p>Standing press: 180 lbs. x 8, 200 lbs. x 2, 205 lbs. x 1, 215 lbs. x 1, <b>220 lbs. x 1</b></p><p>EZ bar curl: 105 lbs. x 5, 110 lbs. x 3</p><p>I felt very strong on the bench press and gave 400 lbs. a shot. Twice. And got pinned. Twice. Wasn't even close.</p><p>Another training cycle or two and I should have it. Fingers crossed.</p><p>Also tried out full-range front squats for the first time in probably 3-4 years, and got a single with 300 lbs. Which is probably an all-time PR, because I've never maxed out on the front squat. Another testament to the power of isometrics.</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-74210048092754892672021-08-30T05:35:00.000-07:002021-08-30T05:35:04.175-07:00Cycle Gainz<p>First cycle of my regular program is now complete. I did four weeks of heavy volume and one intensity week, where I reduce the volume and work up to a few singles on the big lifts. So far so good. Here are some highlights (obviously not all from the same workout):</p><p>Squat: 405 lbs. x 5, 475 lbs. x 3, 500 lbs. x 1, 505 lbs. x 1</p><p>Bench press: 265 lbs. x 11, 315 lbs. x 6, 335 lbs. x 1, 355 lbs. x 1, 365 lbs. x fail</p><p>Close-grip bench press: 315 lbs. x 1, 325 lbs. x 1</p><p>Overhead press: 165 lbs. x 9, 185 lbs. x 3, 200 lbs. x 1, 210 lbs. x 1</p><p>Deadlift: 465 lbs. x 3, 475 lbs. x 2, 500 lbs. x 1, 510 lbs. x 1</p><p>I'm very happy with the 500+ squat and pull, and have regained some lost ground on the bench press too. Feels good to be repping 3 plates again. Overhead press is still lagging, but progressing nicely.</p><p>Here is a list of isometronic exercises I've used in the same period. Isometronic = short-range exercise between two sets of pins, with an all-out isometric exertion against top pins on the final rep. When I can complete the six reps and isometric push easily, I increase the weight a bit. As my gym doesn't have a power rack with two sets of pins, I'm doing these in the Smith machine instead:</p><p>Standing press - start</p><p>Standing press - middle</p><p>Standing press - top</p><p>Bench press - start</p><p>Bench press - close-grip lockout</p><p>Front squat - start</p><p>Front squat - middle</p><p>I haven't found good isometronic exercises for back squats or deadlifts, but I do plain old isometrics at home using straps and a metal bar. Also isometrics for bentover rows, good mornings, hip thrusts, and a few other assistance exercises.</p><p><br /></p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-23745133069823059142021-07-26T07:19:00.005-07:002021-07-26T07:19:41.705-07:00Back to Scheduled Programming<p>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.</p><p>Squat 430 lbs. 3s x 5</p><p>Bench press 295 lbs. 3s x 5, close grip 280 lbs. x 4</p><p>Standing overhead press 165 lbs. 3s x 5</p><p>Deadlift 440 lbs. x 3 reps</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3775547849492453021.post-50372367959965543322021-07-12T12:11:00.001-07:002021-07-12T12:11:42.730-07:00One Step At a Time<p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Squat 415 lbs. 3s x 5</p><p>Bench press 280 lbs. 3s x 5, close-grip 265 lbs. x 5</p><p>Standing overhead press 150 lbs. 3s x 5</p><p>Deadlift 420 lbs. x 3</p>Fatmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18077817670776459628noreply@blogger.com1