Just coming back to this forum after a layoff from posting. Glad to see another 40-something guy's thread on the front page! We're around the same size too. I'll definitely keep an eye on your progress. Best wishes for success!
Just coming back to this forum after a layoff from posting. Glad to see another 40-something guy's thread on the front page! We're around the same size too. I'll definitely keep an eye on your progress. Best wishes for success!
Thanks K.Diesel.
Wednesday 12/28/2016
Squat:
335x5x3
Deadlift:
440x5x3 +5 lb PR
I'd like to reduce intensity a bit on deadlifts by just doing sets across rather than all out rep maxes every week. Today went according to plan. I'm pretty new to training triples and singles but, based on my 5RM to 1RM conversion, I should be adding about 3% per rep. So from fives to triples will be a 6% increase in weight, then another 6% or so for singles. This should keep me away from pulling at my max constantly, allow a bit more volume and hopefully better recovery. Might have to adjust a little bit, but should be a good ball park. I can attempt new rep maxes every 2nd or third cycle as I feel like it. If I can stick to the plan, this will put me at 465 or so for triples across. I'd like to apply the same principle to squats...little reduction in intensity and a little more volume.
Thursday 12/29/2016
Bench: Smolov Jr. W3, D3 Rx=260x4x8
260x4x7
260x5 Five minutes rest all sets.
Saturday 12/31/2016
Smolov Jr Week 3 Day 4; Final workout
Rx=275x3x10 (recent 3RM)
275x3x10 Rest 5,5,5,6,6,8(prior to set 7). Made the decision to shorten rest(6 minutes) and get a spot on 3rd rep of last 3 sets. I think I could have done the last 3 sets unassisted with ten minute rests but I was pretty tired of benching. I feel like this will have almost zero impact on the training stimulus of the session. I'm really happy with this result considering I did a full 10 lb increase for both weeks 2 and 3 of the program.
Test 1RM Friday or Saturday.
Monday 1/2/2017
Squat: Today is heavy volume day for 5's week. I decided to lighten things up a little bit and do 4x6 instead of a heavier 3x5. Even took an extra day off for improved recovery.
350x5,5,2 these all felt terrible. Painful to brace to unrack the bar. WTF. 3x5 PR is 390. 5RM is 405.
315x5x2
Chins:
+40x5x1 +5 lbs. Need to let the shoulders rest up a little more after completing Smolov Jr. Bench. Feel like this weight will go for 3x5 without issue though.
I was either: 1) just having a bad day, it happens. 2) wrecked from Saturday's 10x3 bench with 92%. 3) 3x5 deadlifts @ 84% last wednesday was too much to recover from.
I'm going on the assumptions of a combination of 2 and 3. I had decided to reduce deadlift intensity and do sets across rather than a rep max, but I will drop this back much further....maybe 70-75% for 3x5. Number one priority for me right now is being able to get in really good squat sessions without feeling like death. I'll dial back on deadlifts as much as I need to in order to make maximum progress on squats for a while.
Last edited by BarryF; 01-03-2017 at 09:51 AM.
Question: what sold you on Smolov?
The programming is simple but the 3 week blocks seem unforgiving.
Well, its a short program, so I figured, as long as I don't get hurt, what have I got to lose? Will be fun to try it. Also, I'm 15 lbs away from a 3 plate touch and go bench, and many report 10-20 lbs from the program. I also needed to take a break from pressing for my shoulders, so the timing worked for that.
Tuesday 1/10/2017
First day of training since I got the crud. 8 days of no lifting.
BW 199.2 for training, down about 5 lbs.
Squat:
135x5
225x5x2
315x3 I have some nagging pain in my right thigh that I need to get resolved.
Bench:
135x8
185x3
225x1
245x1
265x1
285x1
Obviously not tons of volume, and kept intensity low on squat, but its a start.
On another note, these 8 days of not lifting have made me aware of another issue. In recent months, I feel as though I have been really struggling to find the right balance of volume, intensity, and recovery. I just can't seem to lead into a session feeling recovered, strong, and ready to smash weight, even though I don't expect that every session. Warmups are painful and seems to take longer to get warmed up. I have attributed this to not having my programming ironed out quite right i.e. recovery.
However, after 8 days of not lifting and about two weeks since deadlifting, any lifting related fatigue/soreness/pain should be gone. But I currently have pain/soreness in my back that I have been attributing to being not recovered from squatting and/or deadlifting, but that appears to just not be the case. I wasn't expecting to be at my strongest after being sick and not lifting for 8 days, but I didn't expect my body to feel like it is beat up from lifting. I'm beginning to think maybe my age is starting to have a larger affect on how I feel in general? Maybe its time to just pop some ibuprofen on training days and man up.
Last edited by BarryF; 01-10-2017 at 03:25 PM.