Bryan's journal

[Bryan Dobson]

Monday 16 March 2015

squatwith rehbands and belt

385x5x5 10 # 5x5 pr
@8,8-,8.5,8.5,9

Took a fall today not related to training and was not feeling 100%

[DV]

Considering you are just easing into it, lifting although not 100% etc. I am sorely impressed at your squat poundages. 4plates for 5x5 coming up soon.

[Bryan Dobson]

Wednesday 18 March 2015

Hrv indicates I should take it easy. ( poor sleep last night, indigestion , sinus drainage, cedar fever etc..)
I decided to warm up and do the first planned workset and see how it feels

Deadlift in squat shoes
135x5,225x3,315x1,365x1
425x3@8. Bah, I don't feel any better, decided that I am indeed taking it easy today (Did 10 second snatch grip tension hold)
365x1( snatch grip holds followed)
315x1(snatch grip holds)
225x1 (snatch grip holds x3 this one hovered)

Some hip stretching and to the hot tub.
I can lift a lot of heavy weight next time.

[Bryan Dobson]

Thursday 19march 2015

Squat no belt
307.5x4x5

[Bryan Dobson]

friday 20march 2015

Upper body gpp.
cable rows 6x12
rolling dumbell tricep extensions 5x12
bicep curls 5x12

practiced really slow controlled motions trying not to irritate the issue.

[Bryan Dobson]

Monday 3/23/15
Bwt 226.4

Squat with belt and rehband sleeves
395x5x5 @9,8.5,8.5,9,8.5
10more # 5x5 pr
Heavy enough to get technically challenging ...note the non linear variable RPE.


Added 2.5 grams of creatine today , total of 7.5 daily for a stretch here.

[Mosin Warrior]

I agree. I tend to plan my blocks and weekly plans fairly well. Example of when I am healthy I may plan this.
Volume
W1 low
W2 med
W3high if I am recovering well I may add a week here.
Intensity
W1 low
W2 high
W3 med.
I then adjust based on TRAC and real time recovery data

Sorry for the late bump, just saw this as I was catching up on your log.

When you're say low, medium, or heavy, I imagine you are talking accumulated fatigue and fatigue drop, correct?

For example, taking your above template and putting reps to it:

Volume
w1 low x4 @9, 5% load drop
w2 med x4 @9-9.5, 7% load drop
w3 high x4 @9-9.5, 9% load drop

Intensity
w1 low x2 @9.5, 5% load drop
w2 high x2 @10, 9% load drop
w3 med x2 @9.5-10, 7% load drop

Am I thinking this out correctly, or am I way off base here? Curious, because the above template is what I'm running right now.

[Bryan Dobson]

Sorry for the late bump, just saw this as I was catching up on your log.

When you're say low, medium, or heavy, I imagine you are talking accumulated fatigue and fatigue drop, correct?

For example, taking your above template and putting reps to it:

Volume
w1 low x4 @9, 5% load drop
w2 med x4 @9-9.5, 7% load drop
w3 high x4 @9-9.5, 9% load drop

Intensity
w1 low x2 @9.5, 5% load drop
w2 high x2 @10, 9% load drop
w3 med x2 @9.5-10, 7% load drop

Am I thinking this out correctly, or am I way off base here? Curious, because the above template is what I'm running right now.

You are correct except my fatigue percentages are a bit lower than you posted. I apply these fatigue percentages across all movement slots for a given week.
low=0-3%
Medium =4-6%
High =7-9%

I will add or subtract fatigue percents based on the feedback from TRAC. Sometimes I am lagging, sometimes I am superman and can handle more.it just happens, when it is happening that is why keeping recovery data is important, you need to ride them superman days hard.

Another thing I do is I have a rep range, say 3,4,5 for a block. Each week I will go through all the rep ranges of the block
Example for squat
Comp squat w1(5) w2(4)w3(5)
The other 2 squat slots for that week I will roll the dice ( literally)for the other two movements. Just not repeating the competition form rep range for the week.
So a training block may look like
Comp squat (5s)
Belt less squat naked knees 4
Pause squat 3s
Week 2
Comp squat 4s
No belt no sleeves 3s
Pause squats 5s
Week 3
Comp squat 3s
No belt no sleeves 5s
Pause squats 4s

This is an example. You can modify the structure and movement selection as long as you are varying your rep ranges a little bit throughout the week. I try not to duplicate the same pattern back to back.


Another add. I like to have variation in intensities as well. Every day doesn't need to be @9 an RPE at 8 is a great way to accumulate volume without killing yourself. If you must push your comp lifts for prs( it's fun) at least give your intensity a break on the secondary movements that week.

[Mosin Warrior]

You are correct except my fatigue percentages are a bit lower than you posted. I apply these fatigue percentages across all movement slots for a given week.
low=0-3%
Medium =4-6%
High =7-9%

I will add or subtract fatigue percents based on the feedback from TRAC. Sometimes I am lagging, sometimes I am superman and can handle more.it just happens, when it is happening that is why keeping recovery data is important, you need to ride them superman days hard.

Another thing I do is I have a rep range, say 3,4,5 for a block. Each week I will go through all the rep ranges of the block
Example for squat
Comp squat w1(5) w2(4)w3(5)
The other 2 squat slots for that week I will roll the dice ( literally)for the other two movements. Just not repeating the competition form rep range for the week.
So a training block may look like
Comp squat (5s)
Belt less squat naked knees 4
Pause squat 3s
Week 2
Comp squat 4s
No belt no sleeves 3s
Pause squats 5s
Week 3
Comp squat 3s
No belt no sleeves 5s
Pause squats 4s

This is an example. You can modify the structure and movement selection as long as you are varying your rep ranges a little bit throughout the week. I try not to duplicate the same pattern back to back.

Interesting, and thank you for the details. I may have to tune my fatigue percentages down, but we will see. I'm only 25, so I can probably handle more volume than someone who is older.

What's the rationale between rotating the reps for the week?

[Bryan Dobson]

Interesting, and thank you for the details.
What's the rationale between rotating the reps for the week?

The rationale is that the variations are not boring( 5s-again!), it helps vary the intensities through the week( like DUP but overly complex) on top of changing movement variations, it makes you better at hitting an RPE target and not some number. You are still driving volume up over time. I personally find the variation in reps to be helpful mentally and believe they have a physiological benefit as well.
If you can stand it, and you can make progress doing so You can stick to 5s or apply linear 8-to 5 progression...if you can handle hitting the same reps multiple times throughout the week ..it can work.

In case you missed my edit from above
I like to have variation in intensities as well. Every day doesn't need to be @9 an RPE at 8 is a great way to accumulate volume without killing yourself. If you must push your comp lifts for prs( it's fun) at least give your intensity a break on the secondary movements that week.

So you will be undulating fatigue targets, intensities and rep ranges most of the time. As you approach a meet or test situation you may want to get a bit more western. In terms of dropping volume and reps in a more linear fashion.