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

[Randy Scheingold]

7/6 Week 108 Day 2 (Week 43 with Karl)
Medium Day

Squat 280x5x3
Press 142.5x5x3
Rows 175x8x3 (+2.5lb)

Squats
- Felt solid, slightly less tiring than last week.
- I'm focusing on bending over, breaking knees & hips together, depth, and getting hips back at the start...vs watching them shoot back on the way up
- I do think there is improvement...but I am still getting slight knee slide and my hips seem to go back about 2 inches on the way up...I think this i less than before, but still need to fix.
- I know exactly what to look for, just can't seem to fix it (maybe I'll be a good coach instead of a good lifter )
- 6 min rest

Press
- Felt easier\looked faster than the past 2 medium days
- Tried to focus on the layback + using abs
- 6 min rest

Rows
- Felt good
- Having lost 10lbs, I think it is getting far easier to get into the start of the pulling position. Although, no belt here...so should be easier
- Grip was totally fine...didn't even think about it...easy.
- 5 min rest

Comments
- More thoughts on how to fix squat?
- Vanity note & other info: I had 3 spicy tuna handrolls about 90 min before my workout + middle eastern for lunch (I did stay spot on...on macros). So I look very bloated. But I also had great energy for this workout. 1.5 cups of rice about 90 before workout...need to remember that for heavy day.
- When do I breath on Rows and When do I reset form?. the first set was harder and got sloppier as I went on. The later sets I tried breathing every 2 to 4 reps...and resetting then. Seemed to help form. thoughts?

[Randy Scheingold]

Logging multiple workouts:

7/8 Week 108 Day 3 (Week 43 with Karl)
Heavy Day

Squat 300x5x4 Prescribed, Got 300x5x2 (with high reps), 300x3x2 (with high reps), 280x3
Press 150x5x4
DL 320x5

Squats
- The strength wasn't their today....tried switching to triples, but damage was already done
- I did focus on form though, which seemed OK...when I did hit depth
- 8 min rest

Press
- Got em....rested a lot to (8 min) which helped

DL
- Felt strong, was able to bring my belt in 1 more hole

Comments\Questions
- Family plans tomorrow, so had to do Heavy day today. Technically only 36 hours since Medium day (Thursday night)....may help explain some of my squat issues
- Do we just repeat the 300x5x4 attempt?
- After sets 1 & 2 both had reps 4 & 5 high....what should I have done? The triples or the go right to back off sets?
- What do you think about doing 300x3x7, then 300x4x5, then 300x5x4, then adding weight? It is slow...but could that work?
- Cut is going well. As of this AM, my 7 day macro average was perfect. And I am down 2lbs from last Sunday....woohoo!
- For Press 2.0....I'm not sold yet

After my cut, I want to prep for Fall Classic. I've tried it under Dave's in person coaching and video coaching with you. I don't want to lose 6 months trying to figure it out and watch my press stall. Maybe we give it 1 month...?

[Randy Scheingold]

7/11 Week 109 Day 1 (Week 44 with Karl)
Heavy Day

Squat 300x5x4 Prescribed, Got 300x5 (with high reps), 300x3x5 (with high reps)
Press 152.5x5x4
DL 325x5

Squats
- I'm just going to give you a bunch of videos...different angles, etc.
- 8 min rest

Press
- Got em....rested a lot to (8 min) which helped

DL
- Hard, felt a good stretch in my chest and a not so good stretch in my right inner elbow (on last warm up). but got them done

Comments\Questions
- Macros perfectly dialed in, mid week weigh in tomorrow...hoping for good progress
- Reading the Renaissance Periodization Diet ebook...read it? fascinating. think Practical Programming for nutrition. seriously...read it. not bullshit, real stuff, but with more fine details and lots of studies to back it up.
- Tried out some new protocols for pre/intra/post workout nutrition today per the book. basically stack carbs around workout (which we all know), no fat in/around workouts, and light protein during. The new trick was some very quick absorbing carbs right before and during. I did GU+banana right before, and protein shake + Gatorade sports cubes during....Felt great during the workout and did not crap out for presses or deadlift...even though workout took 2 hours.

DL - technical difficulties, only captured first 2 reps. they all felt good...maybe a very slight hitching on rep 5...maybe no hitching




Set 6 (5th triple) - totally pissed off and said I'm going deep if it kills me

[Randy Scheingold]

7/12 Week ? (lost count...) Day 2 (Week 44 with Karl)
Light Day

Squat 270x5x2
Bench 222.5x5x4
Curl 75x10x3
Prowler Sled+180lb x 30 yards (up & back) x 3 pushes

Squats
- Tried to focus on KNEES OUT
- Not sure if I hit depth or not...
- Filmed from behind
- Set 1 down on the monorack (power racks were occupied), I felt like these were a little high due to over-cautiousness, so moved set 2 to the power rack...which was free)
- Excuse Alert: Compression shorts weren't clean...so maybe these are OK??? and the pockets make it harder to tell???
- 6 min rest

Bench
- These got very hard by the end
- No lift off though, a lift off would have likely helped a lot
- Brand new bench with safeties....very nahce....
- 8 min rest

Curls
- Supersetted with bench
- Had to cheat last 2 reps...at least I got some HIP Bounce in ....good for this Press 2.0 you want me to do
- Time to microload these

Prowler
- I walked these with form that I hope emulated Rip's video
- Decided the track wasn't long enough, so I took my 6 lengths and turned it into 3 laps (up and back)....heart rate was moving much more
- I'll probably work it up to 4 laps and then only add weight or laps if my cut stalls out

Comments\Questions
- Need depth check
- Macros still doing awesome. Getting hungry though....I think this is a sign I am doing something right...I'm hoping it means my body is ready to start dropping more weight ...been averaging 1lb a week, maybe I'll get to 2lbs
- I am now comfortably in my 2nd belt hole, and even squeezed into my 3rd tonight...but was too tight for a solid valsava. I've had days when the 1st (biggest) hole was tight...so this is progress

[Randy Scheingold]

7/15 Week ? (lost count...) Day 3 (Week 44 with Karl)
Medium Day

Squat 285x5x3
Press 145x5x3
Rows 180x8x3

Squats
- Focused on eye glaze
- Some reps good, some not....you judge
- 8 min rest
- Had to work hard for these

Press
- Nothing much to say....tiring, but got them all

Rows
- Played around with when to breathe & reset...landed on set up, 2 reps, breath, set up, 2 reps, repeat.... Helped form
- 5 min rest

Macros still on track...weigh in tomorrow AM, but today I was at 13lb lost since I started on May 25th!! That puts me at 203lbs. Robert thinks first goal should be 190, but ultimately we may go as low as 165. So I am 50% of the way to goal 1. Basically at 33% of the way to the end goal.

Set 2

[Randy Scheingold]

Note: for those following...my depth issues seem to be due to knee collapse. No\better video angle (the normal requested angle of 45deg rear...clearly shows it. look at my last videos with this angle and you can see my right knee is not in line with my foot.....working with big daddy K-dog....to try to fix it.


7/18 Week ? (lost count...) Day 1 (Week 45 with Karl)

Heavy Day

Squat 300x5x4 prescribed, got 300x3x7
Press 155x5x4
DL 330x5

Squats
- Was running out of gas on 3rd rep, so figured I'd focus on form and switch to 7 tripls
- Depth much better....no obvious dogshit reps, but a bunch parallel...very slightly high
- I'm getting knee cave....even when I push out hard (best on 1st rep of each set), I can see it start to cave in at the bottom of the hole.
- Knees out worse for 2nd, 3rd reps....which was causing depth issues
- Still I think these are much better than the past 2 weeks
- tried to narrow grip & stance...ended up moving stance back to normal position...see below
- 5 min rest

Press
- new video angle for you, to make sure full ROM
- hard, needed layback...not good at using abs yet...will keep working on it
- But I GOT THEM ALL!
- Shrug at the top not great on some reps, but this is probably a Volume Day PR tie....or very close to it (maybe I got 5x5 at this weight, never multiple 5 Rep sets above 155 though)
- 8 min rest...I wasn't going to risk these but cutting rest short

DL
- Felt strong, and I'm happy with my form....are you???

Macros are golden pony boy.... weight loss averaging 1.5 lb a week. Down 13+ lbs from the start and down almost 3 full inches at the navel

Questions\Comments
- Rows (from last week) - no grip problems at all...I reset to breath
- Curls (this week) - you gave a 5lb increase, 75x10x3 got pretty hard, should we microload?
- Rows (this week) - you gave a 5lb increase, but we have been microloading...was that a mistake or were my reps quick enough to justify a 5lb jump?
- Squats....do we need to do some remedial work to focus on KNEES OUT more?
- Squats....do we go to 305x3x7 next week and then focus on the 300 for sets of Fahve...when I get there on medium day in a few weeks?
- Or....do we try for 300x4x5 next week and try to add 1 rep per set to get to 20 reps total?
- Squats.....slight twisting/discomfort feeling in my left knee. moved stance back out an inch and got better.
- Squats....how is my narrower grip?

Note: Just watched these videos and I swear depth looked better on my phone...in slow motion !!!


Set 4


Set 3 - new angle

[Randy Scheingold]

7/20 Week ? (lost count...) Day 2 (Week 45 with Karl)
Light Day

Squat 270x5x2
Bench 225x5x4
Curl 77.5x10x3 prescribed, got 77.5x8x4
Prowler Sled+135x30 yards x 4 pushes (90lb on first push...which was too light). On turf this time, not concrete

Squats
- Heavy and slow...still sore from Heavy Day on Tuesday night
- 5 min rest
- Tried to cue Knees Out...even had my son yell it at me a bit
- Filmed 2nd set from my "HIGH" side...which is always about 2in higher than my left.
- Results not great...but they are what they are

Bench
- 12 year old gave me lift offs...count it as 1/2 a lift off...
- Slow on 1st rep eccentric....as usual
- Touched low as shoulder was angry a bit from narrower squat grip
- Got hard but last few reps of the last 2 sets
- 8 min rest

Curls
- Definitely had to cheat these a bit

Prowler
- Nothing to add

Questions\Comments
- I'll leave squats up to you...it is what it is at this point...
- While we can argue it isn't important...I'd like to get to 16in guns before I die I'm at 14.5 to 14.75 depending on bloat ....so...how do we program curls now...that my "curl lp" is slowing
- The cut - down another .6 lb...14lb total...probably slightly more, but bloated due to salty foods...drinking a lot of water so I don't blow my next weigh in
- Even squeezed into the 3rd hole on my belt for Bench....at it wasn't unbearable...May be able to press/squat on that hole in a week or two.

[Randy Scheingold]

7/20 Week ? (lost count...) Day 3 (Week 45 with Karl)
Medium Day

Squat 280x5x3
Press 147.5x5x3
Rows 182.5x8x3 (PR )

Squats
- Filmed from left, behind, and right sides.
- Right is always "higher"...and was high
- Other 2 sets need your judgment on depth
- 6 min rest

Press
- Bar got in front a few times which made the sets harder
- Never in doubt...but had to work for these
- 6 to 7 min rest

Rows
- Getting harder, glad we microloaded

Questions\Comments
- Do you think there is some type of leg length discrepancy that is screwing me up? Dave noticed in the past that my right side was always about 2 inches higher. Should we try to shim this (with a rubber mat or something)? I can't even think through which side I would shim....
- I'm totally making this up...but could my left leg be shorter, causing my femur to not be able to go as low without taking my left leg very low...? Should I try to keep a 1/4 in rubber mat under my right leg and see what happens? Or am I thinking about this totally wrong?
- How bad were my squats...should we redo LP on them?....probably my 5th time doing that to fix depth...over the past 2 years...
- Press - If we move up to 157.5x5x4...that will be a Volume Day PR. I'm fine trying that or do we go conservative with 156.25x5x4? I'd like to hold off on triples as long as I can.

sorry for all the squat videos...but this is clearly my troublespot....

Rear Qtr view


Left view


Right (high) view

[Randy Scheingold]

Note for anyone following: Karl has prescribed a short reLP of Squats to focus on KNEES OUT...thinking maybe my external rotators & adductors are underdeveloped....given I am getting knee collapse even on my light days. We took it down from heavy day sets of 300 to 225...ouch But on the flip side, squat workouts take no time now and are not intimidating at all.

7/20 Week ? (lost count...) Day 1 (Week 46 with Karl)
Heavy Day

Squat ReLP 225x5x3
Press 157.5x5x3 Prescribed, Got 157.5x5,5,4,4,2
DL 335x5

Squats
- A/V difficulties (for got to press record on 2nd set....doh.)
- First set filmed from right "high" side....and just barely at depth. Right knee is out...but there is a tiny bit of waffling in you can see in my ankles/socks when I get to the bottom.
- right side knee also does not seem to go out as far as left side
- Last set filmed from left side, all reps good
- All sets felt exactly the same...for the record
- 5 min rest

Press
- First set stumbled forward on rep 5...but I'm counting it
- Slight knee bend on a few sets...trying to focus on locking knees.
- Bar got in front a few times...I can always tell...because the rep gets MUCH harder
- Note: Even though I didn't get 4x5...this is VD PR!!
- 8 min rest

DL
- Felt a little sloppy on the eccentric
- And I think my hips dropped slightly on a few reps...very slightly
- All in all these felt solid though

Questions
- None really...you tell me thoughts on Squats and thoughts on left vs right videos
- Curious what you want to do with Press....repeat or move up. Note: This workout was done 1 day early...so I wonder with an extra 24 hours rest if I would have gotten those reps in 4 sets


High side


Better side

[Randy Scheingold]

7/27 Week ? (lost count...) Day 1 (Week 46 with Karl)
Light Day

Squat ReLP 205x5x3
Bench 227.5x5x4
Curls 65x12x3
Prowler Sled + 180 x 4 laps (up and back)

Squats
- Focused as hard as I could on knees out
- I think depth is good, but there is still knee collapse at the very bottom and when I come out of the hole
- Funnily...as I focus hard on my right (bad) side, I noticed depth\knee cave is iffy on my left said.... #motormoron
- Groin is sore already...the DOMS I get will be a nice treat.....
- felt harder than it should have....maybe that is caught I really hit depth???
- 4 min rest

Bench
- 2 sets no lift off, 2 sets with lift off
- No Lift Sets were HARD....
- with lift off only got hard on 5th rep
- New spotter touched my 20th rep, but I yelled at him and he let go...I'm counting it still
- 10 min rest, but supersetted curls

Curls
- Feel the burn....
- I think we should microload these

Prowler
- nothing worth noting, tried these Rip style...not too hard

Comments
- Nothing more than form checks....are we taking squats lower???
- Should I use the bad girl machine jk