Pete's Strength after 50 Log

[VikingCellist]

Thanks. Friday was good. The great thing is that my low back hasn't been sore since I got my hips a little lower.

[VikingCellist]

Front Squat
70x6@8,8,8.5
Incline
62.5x6@8,9

[VikingCellist]

BW: 99.7
W: 100
Navy BF:23
F:23
LBM:76,7

Squat
142.5x2@10 PR, 132.5x2@9
Pause Bench
89x1@9 PR, 85x1@7.5,8,8,8,9
Deadlift
152.5x2@9, 150x2@9

[VikingCellist]

GPP

HS Ab Crunch
10x12x5
HSILY Rows
25sx12x5
Hammer Curl
8x12x5
C2 Rower
5' warmup, 140:20x7@2'30"/500m:2'/500m
Stretching/Mobility
Plank
2x60s
Back Ext
2x12

Thoughts on Programming:

I've completed 7 weeks of the PIP1 program and I'm considering taking a deload before changing to something else. Monday, the volume/medium day is really long, taking about three hours with 3 minute rest between sets. ID is getting heavy, especially squats. I do feel like I need frequent workouts just for recovery, so I'm not really into less than three days. By my own calculations, the volume is roughly 30% over the last 4 day program I ran, so I will credit that for my improvement. It has not beat me up at all, in fact my Feelz are very good. As for the intensity, last ID my squat was a limit double. I have never had a rep grind that long and it felt good to succeed, but definitely over RPE 9. Realistically it was maybe four seconds, but it felt twice as long. Since I started the PL2Win program 14 weeks ago, my squat has gotten stronger because of the added volume and because paused and front squats helped me consistently squat deeper and be stronger out of the hole and stay in my hips. Okay, I have not been filming, so maybe I'm just fooling myself doing quarter squats, but that's what I think. I need to take some video.

In theory, in order to keep progressing, the rate of progress has to adjust to my adaptation and recovery and its likely that volume will need to increase to provide enough stimulus. I'll have to see if I can adapt to more volume, but I'm not sure if it would be better to deload or just run it out before adding work. Of course there is another program in the intermediate sequence (PIP2). I also reviewed PPST3 and BBRx last night and although many possibilities are discussed, cycling the reps on intensity day looks like the one that can be run for the longest and that's kinda how PIP2 is set up, just with RPE regulating progression of intensity and volume. Jordan's Intermediate program runs similar total volume, but each day has a heavy lift instead of heavy squats, bench and deadlift on one day. I'm thinking that might be an advantage to helping move things faster. I feel pretty confident about using the Rates of PE so that would be good too.

[VikingCellist]

Deload Week

Squat
132.5x1@7.5
2ct Bench
70x4@6.5, 72.5x4@8, 77.5x4@9
Rack Pull
50x6, 70x6, 120x6@6, 160x6@9

Here's the thing: being tired sucks, but detraining sucks too. I decided that the 4 Day PL2Win program is a bit overboard for my goals. Maybe it's because my fatigue levels (physical and mental) are on the higher side, but I need to decide if I want to move further in the direction of a powerlifting focus. Really, I don't, which means I'm hopping over to Jordan's Intermediate General Strength template starting with week five, but cutting out even more of the volume to dissipate my fatigue. Izzy's dedication and intensity are inspiring and I have made some good gains using his template, but I need my own goals and plan. I'm doing paused squats on Wednesday and some tempo squats on Friday, so I just did a heavyish single. I pulled a shorter ROM rack pull from the upper shin using a couple benches instead of 2" deficits. I see how these could be potentially dangerous considering how cool it feels to have that much weight already off the floor. The top set of 2ct bench was exactly where I was last week, but I just did one top set. Wednesday I plan to do a single paused bench plus one set of 4 both@8 and rows, which should be fun and after some deadlifts at no more than RPE 8 on Friday, I'll do the program from week one starting next week.

[VikingCellist]

Tuesday, July 4

Road Cycling
40 minutes, HR: 102 (60%)

Wednesday, July 5

Pause Bench
82.5x1@8, 75x4@8
2ct Squat
107.5x4@7, 110x4@8, 115x4@9
Pendlay Row
60x6@6, 65x6@6.5, 75x6@8

[VikingCellist]

Deadlift
60x5, 80x5, 100x3, 110x2, 120x1, 135x1
150x1@8, 140x3@8
Press
47.5x4@7.5, 50.5x4@9x2
3-0-3 Tempo Squat
20x5, 50x5, 80x6
100x4@7, 100x6@8x2

[VikingCellist]

Squat
135x1@8, 120x5@8,8.5, 117.5x5@8,8
2ct Bench
72.5x4@7, 75x4@8, 76x4@9
I should have done 3-4 sets of these, but accidentally stopped after just one. So much for volume.
RDL
75x6@6, 80x7@7, 90x7@8,8,8,8

[VikingCellist]

Pause Bench
75x1@7, 85x1@9.5, 72.5x5@8,8.5 70x5@8,8,8,8
2ct Squat
105x4@7, 110x4@8, 118x4@9,9, 115x4@9,9
Press
40.5x7@7, 41.5x7@8, 42.5x7@9, 41x6@10, 37.5x7@9,9

Woke up felt like I might be getting a cold. Presses feel weak compared to a couple weeks ago, but if it is because I'm headed towards getting leaner (??), that is alright. As for the three questions, I'm not getting quite enough sleep since it's been hot and humid. I also haven't been eating enough protein. From my weight, it doesn't yet look like I'm in a deficit, but daily calories on average would point to that. I need to get more protein and BCAAs in during the day and perhaps before bed. Rest between sets is between 3 and 5 minutes. I'm not going to go over that or the workout time will get ridiculously long. With a shower today it took 2 1/2 hours. I'm not exhausted so my general conditioning is okay, but on every set after the first@7 I had to grind the seventh rep on the press, so conditioning of higher rep sets definitely has room for improvement. This is pretty much the first workout on this program, so I may just need another workout to get the weights on track or perhaps I need to look at how load drop and fatigue are related on upper body lifts. Squats felt pretty good.

[VikingCellist]

Squat
122.5x1@6, 135x1@7, 123x5@8,8,8 120.5x8,8
2ct Bench
70x4@7, 72.5x4@8, 75x4@8.5, 77.5x4@9,9,10
RDL
80x6@6, 90x7@7, 95.5x7@8,8,8,8