Advanced Novice 4-day program: an experiment

[Tom Lang]

Catching up from the holidays:

12/24: Bench: 225 x 3,3,3,2,2 improved from the week before
12/26 Press: 125 x 3 x 5
12/27 DL: 325 x 5; did some squats since Tuesday is squat day, and the holidays fell on Tuesdays. Did up to 275 x 3. Felt good considering they came after DLs.
1/4/19 DL: 330 x 4, 1. Got all five reps, at least. Move up next week. Press: 127.5 x 3,2,2; 105 x 5. Will try 127.5 for all five sets next week.

DL has moved up on schedule (though today was kind of iffy) for the last few weeks. Finally.

[Tom Lang]

Monday. No spotters in the gym, so:

Bench: 190 x 5 x 5 not too hard. 85% or so of the 225 x 3 x 5 I keep getting delayed on.
LTE: 85 x 3 x 8

[Tom Lang]

Last Tuesday--no lifting.
Thursday, crappy press day. Tried 127.5 x 5 x 3, but managed 3,2,1,1,1 or something. Did a back-off set at 115 x 5.
Friday, DL: 335 x 3 singles; 275 x 5 x 2 @ 1" deficit
Monday, BP: 215 x 3 x 5; LTE 90 X 8 X 3
Tuesday, Squat: 3's x 185, 225, 245; 265 x 3 x 3 haven't squatted since 12/28. Had to fuck around with car battery today, so this is all the time I had. Took video of the 245 set--looked pretty good. The Hudl app failed to record my last 265 set.

[Tom Lang]

Thursday
Wednesday night yoga, with lots of arms overhead stuff, is affecting my press work-outs. I like to believe I'll adapt.
Press, re-set to 120. 5 sets of 3, all good.
Dips x BW: 10, 12, 12

[Tom Lang]

Friday

DL: failed like I always do in this weight range. Could barely break 335 off the floor, much less do any reps. So:

1.75" deficit 275 x 3 x 5. Tried 325 from the floor after--moved it more than the 335.

T-bar: 70 x 8 x 3

[Tom Lang]

Monday
Bench: 220 x 3,3,3,2,2 I'll get 'em all next week
LTE: 90 x 8 x 4

Tuesday
Squat: 265 x 3 x 5 all good
PC: up to 50kg x 3 x 3 We have new bars and bumper plates after a few months without. It was fun to mess around with these.

[Tom Lang]

Thursday. Well, that sucked.
Press: 122.5 x 3,2; 105 x 5,5,3. All those arms-out yoga poses just kill my shoulders. I'm switching press day to Mondays. I'll stick with LP for a bit longer before doing some sort of volume/intensity program.
Chins: 5,5,3,3 haven't done these in a while. Attempted dips, but my triceps felt too tired.
BW: 197.5
Not a good day.

[Tom Lang]

Friday... capping off a crappy week.
DL: 335 x fail--couldn't even break it off the floor. 315, the warm-up single, felt hard. So, did:

1.75" deficit DL 275 x 3; 285 x 3 x 3 went up pretty well. Ron had me step back between reps on the last two sets, so they were more like rapid singles, 3 in a row. Then he told me I was setting up wrong, "look up," "blow out," "get your air at the top," "get your butt down," "you'll make your jugulars brittle", etc. etc. He's old. You don't deadlift with your head, Ron. Valsalva won't kill you, Ron.

T-bar 8's with some plates on the bar.

[Tom Lang]

Monday--now pressing on Mondays.

Press: 110 x 5 x 5 85% or so of 135, which will be singles next week
Press lock-outs, 4" above chest (or so): 185 x 3 x 5 not bad, pretty light, but harder than it looks.

Tuesday:
Squat: 270 x 3 x 5 Ron said some were high, but he was far away and I don't believe him. Here's my last set:

YouTube


1.75" def. DL 3's: 185, 235, 285, 295, 305 Went pretty smooth, good speed. Felt good to these after squatting.

[Tom Lang]

Thursday

Bench: 220 x 3 x 5 all very good
Pin Press. Feeling my way around here, worked up to 125 x 3, 130 x 3, 135 x 2. I think 3x3 after benching is a good start. Next week, 130 x 3 x 3. About forehead height.