Return of the Rat

[hrat]

I can't do both heavy in the same session and still hit deadlifts hard. The solution for me is to squat and do my other lifts in the morning, then hit deads at lunch time. I work at a college and it is convenient for me to use the gym there. It's a small college and only a couple of people lift so it is like having a private facility. The couple hour break in between makes a big difference in what I am able to deadlift.

I am lucky enough to have a gym in my garage, since the one at my Uni sucks. Well, it did. They're rebuilding, but given they are using spinlock standard bars for the glamorous computer generated "coming soon" shots, I am not confident. They have this way of spending a lot of money on useless fluff, while missing the essentials. I spied 8 45 degree hypers in their video, but only 2 racks with the aforementioned spinlocks.
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But heavy day on Sunday works for me, so I could try splitting. At the moment I am leaning towards moving heavy day squats to 1-set plus backoffs, and seeing if that leaves more in the tank. The other option would be to split heavy/volume day over Sat and Sunday. I could then add a little conditioning on Sunday after the heavy stuff is done.

[hrat]

Tuesday 8th ("light" day)

Front squat 20 x 2 x 3, 30 x 3, 40 x 2, 50 x 1, 60 x 3 x 3. Wrist wraps for third set. I tend to lose the upper back a touch on last reps as it gets heavier.

Press 20 x 2 x 5, 25 x 3, 30 x 1
36.5 x fail, misloaded, can't count. (I have a maths-physics degree, of course I can't count).
34 (actual target weight) 4, 3, 3. Wanted 3x4. this will do. Caught an inconvenient shelf on rep 2 of set 2 so had to lock it out twice. Without that I suspect could have got another.
35 x 1, 36 x 1. Couldn't resist. Proper grinder on the 36, but it went up. Spitting distance of my old PB.

Chins 4 x 1 (red band). Still not quite there unassisted, but no longer dangle helplessly. Will move back to jumping chins soon I think. The bands aren't so good for moving on.

DB bench 5eae (about 14.25kg each DB) 3 x 8.

All in all, things are still going in the right direction. Press is definitely more solid than it used to be, even if not any heavier. And I am now pressing what was a mildly challenging weight to squat in September. Not too bad, eh?

[hrat]

Thursday 10th
About an hour later than usual, so a bit tired and hungry.

Squat 20 x 2 x 5, 40 x 5, 50 x 3, 60 x 1, 71 x 3 x 8. This felt disturbingly light on the back, and the first set was pretty easy, but the others got a bit grindy.

Incline bench 20 x 2 x 5, 25 x 3, 30 x 1, 35 x 3 x 5. Flagging a bit. For some reason, getting a bit light headed and vision clouding on the 4th rep, but less so on the 5th. Very odd. I think I'm just not getting a full deep breath in the top position.
20 x AMRAP = 15 (Just for fun and to see)

RDL 40 x 5, 62.5 x 3 x 8. Straps for first two sets. No belt. 3rd set DOH, no hook, no straps, no problem.

Thick bar holds @50kg 12 sec, 9 sec

On vid my squat depth might be marginal. I'll review in slo-mo but hmm. I think marginal on some reps is better than going too deep, which is my old problem. But might be better served getting an inch or two lower on some.

[hrat]

Not sure if I am ill (have a mild sore throat and cough) or just not sleeping too well. Had an hour nap yesterday evening, and a nice lie-in, but have felt drowsy all day. Was expecting session to suck, but actually, it went well. Felt better as it went on even.

Sunday 13th
Squat 20 x 2 x 5, 40 x 5, 50 x 3, 65 x 1, 75 x 1, 83.5 x 3 x 3. These were hard and heavy, but mostly OK. Little bit of knee slide on some reps.

Bench 20 x 2 x 5, 30 x 5, 35 x 3, 42.5 x 1, 48.5 x 3 x 3. Wraps, belt etc. Felt nice and tight and pretty solid. On 3rd set, got greedy and tried for a 4th, but it did not go.

Deadlift 60 x 5, 80 x 5 (all DOH), 112.5 x 3 (hook, belt), 100 x 5. Not too bad. Back is still rounding a touch on the top-set, but I was really working on setting it, and it was a little better. On the 100, tried a rep DOH, but it went nowhere, so hooked up. Really painful tonight.

DB OH 2.5 eae (~9.25) 10, 10, 9. Did not have another rep.

Amusing bit on the bench - I have the rack safeties set to just clear abdomen which clears my touch-point when flat. But it does not QUITE clear the, ahem... upper-chest (I am a girl). Usually I just slide out upwards, but tonight I had my lovely lever belt on. Cue wriggling to get that unshipped before I could get out...

[hrat]

Still a bit of a cough, and feel tired. But not properly ill.

Tuesday 15th
Front squat 20 x 2 x 3, 30 x 3, 40 x 2, 50 x 1, 61 x 3 x 3. Nice and deep, bounce from the bottom. Wrist wraps on, smooth and pretty easy.

Press 20 x 2 x 5, 25 x 3, 30 x 1, 35 x 3 x 3. Wrist wraps, belt etc from 30 up. 30 flew up. Some of the 35s were a little grindy, but generally good. Tried a 4th rep on last set - did not have.
Tried 37.5 for 2 fails. Probably stupid, but I wanted to try. First one got just above the top of head, second only to forehead.

Chins (red band) 2, 2, 1 (no 2nd), Fail. Done in by the last set.

DB bench 5eae (14.25 kg each DB) 10, 10, 8

[hrat]

Still just-a-touch ill, but it's coming and going. Very irritating.

Thursday 17th
Sucked. Had a nap earlier, but it wasn't enough, and it's near freezing, so garage is not warm even with heater. Just felt generally sluggish and drained, so shortened things a bit.

Squat (dropped from 3x8 in plan) 20 x 2 x 5, 40 x 5, 50 x 3, 62.5 x 1, 72.5 x 2 x 8. All over the place really. Good and deep, but knee slide, hip break etc etc. Second set a touch better than first.

Incline bench (plan 3 x 5) 20 x 2 x 5, 25 x 3, 30 x 1, 36 x 4, 5 (did not try 3rd) This was probably a combination of "illness" and just pushing up against heavy. Still using wide (for me) grip here, where I'm pretty weak.

RDL 65 3 x 8. No problem with this. First two sets with straps, 3rd DOH, although dropped 8th rep and had to reset grip.

Hopefully just a bad day. 2 full days rest should help.

[hrat]

Feeling rather better, I think. Still sort of sleepy, but that seems to be my life now.

Sunday 20th
Squat 20 x 2 x 5, 40 x 5, 50 x 3, 65 x 1, 75 x 1, 85 x 3 x 3. These were seriously hard, but depth looks solid and they all happened. Touch of knee slide on some, touch of good-morning on some too. Final rep was pretty all out.

Bench 20 x 2 x 5, 30 x 5, 35 x 3, 40 x 1, 45 x 1, 50 x 3, 3, 2. Aim was 3x3. Last rep got about half-way. But generally these felt solid.

Deadlift 60 x 5, 85 x 5 , 115 x 1, 100 x 5. Aim was 115x3, stopped 2nd as upper back was seriously rounding. I think it's time to drop back and go back to 5s where I left off, so 105.

DB OH 2.5eae (~9kg ea) 12, 12, 7. I was tired and done, so short rests and it showed.

[hrat]

Tuesday 22nd
Bit chilly; the small heater is just barely holding its own in the garage. Thermal undershirt required.

Front squat 20 x 2 x 3, 30 x 3, 40 x 2, 50 x 1, 62.5 x 3 x 3

Press 20 x 2 x 5, 25 x 3, 30 x 1, 32.5 x 1, 36 x 2, 2, 1 (aim was 3x3) Backoff 32.5 x 4 1/2. Got a 5th to nose level.
Mildly dissapointed, was hoping for 3x3 or at least 3x2, but it just felt so heavy. Not entirely sure what to do - I think I'll try again for 3x3 next week, and if that fails, maybe go to a top set and 2 backoffs.

Chins (red band) 2, 2, 1 3/4, 1

DB bench 5eae (14.25 kg DBs) 12, 10, 9

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Thursday 24th

Squat 20 x 2 x 5, 40 x 5, 50 x 3, 62.5 x 1, 72.5 x 3 x 8. Hard, but got them all. Losing the upper back and left wrist on last reps of last set. Also, these were good and deep.

Incline bench 20 x 2 x 5, 25 x 3, 30 x 1, 36 x 5, 5, 4. Close on last rep, but not quite. One more try at this weight.

RDL 40 x 5, 67.5 x 3 x 8. Straps on first 2, DOH on 3rd. Dropped 8th rep and became more deadlift. Going to want belt on these soon.

Thick bar holds @ 40 kg: 30s, 20s.

[hrat]

Sunday 27th
Not feeling it much today, seriously considered skipping out. Didn't.

Squat 20 x 2 x 5, 40 x 5, 50 x 3, 65 x 1, 75 x 1 (heavy?), 86 x 3 x 3. Pretty hard, some a bit wobbly, but deep and did get them all.

Bench 20 x 2 x 5, 30 x 5, 35 x 3, 40 x 1, 45 x 1, 50 x 3 x 3. Wraps, belt etc. 2nd set sucked, but 3rd flew up. I was getting all ready to fight and just... didn't need. Can't put finger on the difference, but something in setup, because even the unrack felt off on set 2.

Deadlift 60 x 5 (as high pulls), 85 x 5 (DOH), 105 x 5 (belt, hook). Grip sucked - I was staining some shelves and after scrubbing overspill off my hands, had no friction.

DB OH (2.5 eae, ~9kg ea) 12, 12, 10.
Ass. dips 3, 5 (blue band), 2 (red band). I seriously suck at dips. At the bottom my shoulders seem to have no leverage at all.