Randy's Quest for 5/4/3/2

[Randy Scheingold]

6/23 Week 106 Day 2 (Week 41 with Karl)
HLM Prep week (Medium Day)

Squat 280x5x3
Press 142.5x5x3
Rows 170x8x3

Squat
- Form seemed solid and reps felt good.
- But reps 4 & 5 of each set were very tiring
- Focused on butt back to help knee slide (still there but a little better)
- SOLID head position though
- A little worried about 295x5x4


Press
- Exact same comments as Squat
- I thought 142.5x5x3 would be a nice break, but it was exhausting (damn cut...)
- Some slight knee bend...which was just me being tired and losing focus

Rows
- Starting to feel a little heavy now

Questions/Comments
- I don't want to plan for failure, but if I run into issues with 295x5x4 Squat, what should my back up plan be?
- ditto for press
- Should we start to microload rows?
- Is it OK if I bounce the rows a bit?

Bonus question (not planning to make this routine), but what cue can I give me son to stop his low back rounding on squat:

[Fino]

Randy, I like how the wonder years theme song is playing in the background as your son squats lol. My son just started squatting this week also. It has been two years since he last squatted. But this summer he is committed to staying consistent.

[Randy Scheingold]

David - That's funny. I didn't even notice! But maybe its fate! Mine is still a bit young, so we'll see how this goes. But it gives me a whole new respect for coaching.

[Randy Scheingold]

6/25 Week 107 Day 1 (Week 42 with Karl)
HLM Week 1
Heavy Day

Squat 295x5x4
Press 150x5x4
DL 345x5 Prescribed, got 345x3

Squat
- I did a walkout prior
- Head popped up on later reps
- Cut depth a little bit...on many reps
- But glad I did it. And while tiring at the time, I do not feel like I got hit my a truck right now
- 7 to 8 min rest
- Still focusing on knees out and butt back to fix knee slide, not perfect but not awful

Press
- Felt hard and like limit sets, but got them done
- 6 min rest
- Did focus on squeezing armpits

DL
- First 2 reps felt great, then ran out of gas on 3rd rep
- Note: My 5RM is either 350 or 355, so this isn't too bad given the cut. And I haven't done DLs on Volume Squat day in a very long time (maybe ever)

Questions
- How bad were squats? Should we repeat this weight next week?
- Should we be conservative on Presses, maybe move up 1 or 2lbs?
- For next week's DL...do we ride out triples or do I go for 345x5 again? I'm fine either way. I'm a little worried that triples won't be enough volume. so maybe a heavy triple and then a back off set?
- Should we move bench up 2.5lb so we can slowly but steadily increase?

Worst Set


Press Set 4 - hardest

[Randy Scheingold]

6/27 Week 107 Day 2 (Week 42 with Karl)
HLM Week 1
Light Day

Squat 265x5x2
Bench 217.5x5x4 (+2.5lb)
Curls 65x10x3 (+5lb)
Prowler Sled+180 x 15yards x 5 runs

Squat
- Felt solid and good depth on all reps
- Still some knee slide, although I focused on knees out more and but back...oh well
- head position good
- The best news is.....this is the first time in about 3 months that I did not feel like dogshit after a 4x5 squat day. For the last few weeks I couldn't even get into proper depth until at least 4 days after a heavy 4x5 day....
- 5 min rest, supersetting bench warm ups

Bench
- Felt heavy & slow, but never in doubt
- No lift off...would have been much easier with a lift off
- Tried a wider grip, shoulders & elbows OK...but I'll monitor over next 2 days
- Left hand sore though...in the webbing (is that right term) between my thumb and index finger. Felt weak during my seats....thoughts?

Curls
- +5lb....some burn near reps 9 & 10...but all fast. Let's go to 70x10x3 next week

Prowler
- I did it...not much else to say

No Question for once...other than form critiques
Also, I think I am adapting to less calories and HLM. I have been less tired than I have been for weeks. But I am literally doing Double the squat tonnage a month now...so let's keep monitoring
I start my "in home" sleep study tonight...BCBS was too cheap for in office. Then I 2 weeks I get my results and formal recommendation

Set 2


Bench - Side view


Bench - Front view (for arm width)
Forearms are not at 90 degrees...how do I fix?



Press
- Felt hard and like limit sets, but got them done
- 6 min rest
- Did focus on squeezing armpits

[Randy Scheingold]

6/29 Week 107 Day 2 (Week 42 with Karl)
HLM Prep week (Medium Day)

Note: Went to my older gym (under new ownership tonight, Hybrid Strength (I think) in Chicago. nice set up and nice people.

David - If you are reading...great seeing you and thanks for lending me the B&R bar. Good luck with the coaching!

Now for the workout:

Squat 280x5x3
Press 142.5x5x3
Rows 172.5x8x3 (+2.5lb)

Squats
- Felt solid
- Less tiring then last week, but still have to work for them
- 6 min rest
- Less knee slide...I think
- Note: These were filmed from my left "high" side, which is typically 1 to 2 inches higher than my right. And at slowmo, these are at depth (I think)...or at least 95% of them were.

Press
- ditto squats

Rows
- Felt ugly, how did they look

No big comments otherwise....macros getting more accurate every week. weight slowly coming off. Down 10lb from my all time high. At 206lb now, initial goal of 190...so almost 50% of the way there. Long term goal probably closer to 178...but we'll see how the lifts go and how I feel/look along the way.

Andrew's 2nd round of squats went better Unfortunately, I share custody of him with his mother, so very hard to get any consistency in. But anything is better than nothing.

[Randy Scheingold]

Attention: Fellow Chicago Folks....

Just found out there is an SSC seminar (with Rip) coming to Chicago in November. AWESOME news....

Then checked my calendar and it is the same weekend my wife & I just booked a romantic getaway on the west coast. FML....

So...my ask for all of you: Sell out this seminar and show Rip and the staff a great time. We want them to come back !!!

[Randy Scheingold]

I'm about 5 weeks into my cut, and down 10lbs (woohoo)! Strength down a little, but so is the gut, so I'm good with it. I want to get down another 25lb or so. That would take me to around 178lb. I used to be fat...before I lifted...then I cardio'd my way down to 175lb and looked great...but was weak as hell. then lifted/ate my way back to 215. Oh well...shit happens. Anyways, I decided to read my first few postings from 2 years ago. Here are some form checks that were a real blast form the past:

Link to videos for form checks:

DL WRKSET 060215 - YouTube
SQT WRKSET 060215 - YouTube


Check out those high squats and that round back DL HAHA

[Randy Scheingold]

7/2 Week 107 Day 3 (Week 42 with Karl)
Heavy Day

Squat 295x5x4
Press 150x5x4 Prescribed, Got 150x5,4,4,4
DL 315x5

Squats
- 345x3s walkout (I still feel these help, and I like a 50lb offset on heavy day)
- A lot of really good reps, with about 1/3 of the reps slightly high or shitty.
- 2 videos below to give you a sense of it
- Compared to videos last week, these felt as hard...but looked better and more reps with legit depth
- Tried to focus on breaking knees & hips at same time...at least until sets 3 and 4...when I just focused on doing the reps...

Press
- Couldn't grind out 5 on the last 3 sets

DL
- These felt heavy, but went up fast and with good form

Comments
- thoughts on squats...do we start tapering or cycle reps or doing back offs...or repeat or whatever
- ditto press
- Note: Overall I do not feel like I got hit by a truck right now...which in and of itself is huge progress

[Randy Scheingold]

7/4 Week 108 Day 1 (Week 43 with Karl)
Light Day

Squat 265x5x2
Bench 220x5x4 (+2.5lb)
Curls 70x10x3 (+5lb)
Prowler Sled+180 x 15 yards x 6 runs (+1 run)

Squats
- Needed extra warm ups due some slight lingering DOMS....again, nothing like TM. But took a few sets to get a semi-groove going
- Still battling with some knee slide
- 5 min rest

Bench
- 2 sets with no lift off, 2 sets with lift off
- Tried for wider grip again
- Shoulder feels fine so far
- 6 min rest (with supersetting curls), 10 min rest for last set..was getting tired

Curls
- Getting heavier, had to strain for reps 9 and 10...got them fine, but we should probably start microloading

Prowler
- Added 1 run...I'll cap it at 6 runs total
- Heart rate peaked around 145 or so...much better than a few weeks ago (HR done per fitbit)
- 90 to 120 seconds rest. I'll focus on getting down to 90 seconds rest and trying to go faster next week. then I'll add some weight
- Sleep study follow up planned for next Tuesday (July 11th)...very curious to see if I do indeed have apnea (he said I did...) and how bad...if he prescribes a CPAP

Comments
- Note: I've had my fitbit for about 2.5 weeks now and am getting 10,000 steps per day minimum. A few times a week, I am short...and head to the treadmill for a 20 min incline walk (setting 1..not high), and 2.5 mph...not fast
- Macros mostly doing well....still struggling with fat content (Robert has me at 70g), but things are improving, I think I am starting to look a little leaner