Convergentsum's log

[convergentsum]

This morning's numbers:

squats: (20x2, 40, 60, 80)x5, 90x3x5
bench: 20x2x5, 50x5, 70x2 , 60x(2x5, 7)
power clean: hang 40x3, floor: 40x3, 52.5x5x3
chins: 5, 5

Disappointed not to get more reps on bench press at 70kg, especially after the light squat session. I'll attempt 68.5 next time.
It's possible the longer commute yesterday took something out of me (weekly mileage is now >60); but it's probably mostly an accumulation of damage over the last few squat sessions. I need to somehow persuade my humerus to rotate at the shoulder, so my elbow and wrist can be more relaxed. Think I'll do another light session then work back up.

[convergentsum]

squats: (20x2, 50, 70x2)x5, 90x3x5
press: 20x2x5, 35x3, 40x2, 46x4x3, 40x7
deadlift: 60x5, 90x3; belted: 110x2, 130x5; unbelted; 90x8
chins: 5x4


Full disclosure: the chins weren't all from a dead hang, my feet touched the ground between reps. I didn't jump though, promise. I spread them out throughout the workout, fitting them between sets of other work. I think they helped make my rear delt "shelf" more prominent for the squats -- I ended up placing them higher than I usually do, but it felt more correct. I'll try and reproduce that position as I ramp the weight back up. I think I can make the shelf by pulling my elbows in, close to my torso. (as well as the usual cues, squeeze the scapula together, proud chest etc.)
No complaints so far from switching to triples on the press (I definitely couldn't have managed any 5s at that weight), but need to run it for longer before I can tell if it's driving progress. If I can micro-load up close to 50kg I shall be delighted.
Equaled my PR on the deadlift. Felt so good I decided to do a backoff amrap set, which made my back tired the rest of the day but I regret nothing.

[convergentsum]

squats: (20x2, 50)x5, 70x3; belted: 90x2, 100x3x5
bench: 20x5, 40x3, 60x2, 70x4, 62.5x3x5
power clean: 40x2x3, 50x3, 55x3x3
chins: 4x4, 5

Squats feel far more stable and require less extreme shoulder contortions now I'm making a decent shelf, but they're still deloaded. Be interesting to see how the feel when a build back up to PRs.

[convergentsum]

squats: (20x2, 50)x5, 70x3; belted: 95x2, 105x3x5
press: (20x2, 30)x5, 40x2, 47.5x3x3, 40x5
deadlift: 60x5, 90x3; belted: 115x2, 132.5x5
chins: 4, 3, 4

Squats feel fantastic -- heavy, but stable. The deadlift workset was really a triple plus two singles, but I used the hook grip for all of them. The chins all came at the end, hence the lower volume.

[convergentsum]

Squats: (20x2, 50)x5, 70x3; belted: 95x(2, 1), 107.5x3x5
Chins: 5, 5, 5 (PR)
Bench: 20x5, 55x3, 70x(2, 1) 63.5x(5x2, 2)
Power clean: (40, 50)x3x3

Fitted chins between squat warmup sets. Will abandon ego (been impatient about hitting 70) and microload the bench up from 65. Decided to drill technique on the cleans rather than trying for a PR. I'd like to get my elbows to whip out further in the rack, and avoid the bar hitting my throat. I guess the shoulders have to move from retraction for the floor pull to protraction to catch the bar.

[convergentsum]

squats: (20x2, 50)x5, 70x3; belted: 95x2, 110x3x5
press: (20x2, 30)x5, 40x2, 48.5x3x3 (PR), 42.5x5
deadlift: 60x5, 90x3; belted: 105x2, 135x5 (PR)
chins: 4, 3, 2

All the chins at the end, after a difficult set of deadlifts. They're fully strict now, breathing at the top and utilising the stretch reflex at the bottom of each rep. I'll keep it this way so that progress is measurable.
The deadlift was brutal. It was more like two doubles and a single than a proper set of 5, so I shall repeat it next time.
Very happy with the press!

[convergentsum]

squats: (20x2, 50)x5, 75x3; belted: 95x2, 110x3x5
bench: (20x2, 40)x5, 50x3, 67.5x3x5
power clean: (40, 50, 55)x2x3
chins: 4, 4, 4, 3

Started with chins and empty bar overhead press between the squat warmups -- still think that helps the shoulders assume the low bar grip -- plus one set of chins at the end. Managed three sets of 5 on the bench by repeating the weight. Will micro-load from here.

[carson]

You do chin ups when you are supposed to be resting? Or did I misunderstand?

[convergentsum]

Not between work sets, just during warmup. Started doing it just to save time, but seemed to help me find my "shelf" for the low back squat - upper back stimulation making my rear delts stick out? I've since learned to find the shelf even when I skip the chins, but they seem to correlate with a good confident squat workout anyway. Plus I like being fresh for the chins - I'm impatient to start weighting them.

[carson]

That's seems like a worthwhile plan.