Limie Messes with Texas

[LimieJosh]

Thurs, Feb 16th

Press 172.5 X 5
Made it this week so it was definitely a recovery issue from too much bench volume. I'm going to drop back down 5lbs to 235 for next monday, which is 90% of intensity day bench

Bench 260 X 4
I tried benching in the rack for the first time today because I find the hooks on the regular benches too low (they are nonadjustable). The set up was good in terms of setting the safety pins, but the J hooks were massive so for me to be far enough away from them that I could do finish the rep unobstructed I was too far away to unrack it properly int he first place so it defeated the purpose of even going in the rack. I thought I had the balance right by the final work set, but I cracked the hell out of the hook on the 4th rep and lost my position so gave up. I'm pretty sure I've got it next week.

Triceps 10 X 3 on last weight stack of the cable press downs (2 mins)

[LimieJosh]

Two additional points:

The last rep on the press was quite a struggle, but then I realised I hadnt fully got under the bar. This seems to be what happens when I fail a press so I must concentrate on doing that quicker.

This was the the first day I used my inzer belt. It didnt feel as tight as my cheapo Sports authority one, but I felt much more stable. It was difficult to find a spot for it though in between my hips and ribs so squatting tomorrow with it is going to be interesting.

[LimieJosh]

Fri, Feb 17th

Good day

Sqt 340 X 5
Felt great.
http://youtu.be/MznGKvLTaYs

Dead 385 X 5
After last weeks questions about back extension I recorded them this week
Warm up - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiolIHsqgdc
Work set - http://youtu.be/Dbvx7D31hyw

The lumbar region actually looks fine, and a hell of a lot better than it felt, but I'm unsure about whether the give in the thoracic is acceptable.

Good Mornings
65 X 10, 85 X 10, 10

Chins +60 X 5, 4 (and a half), 4

Abs
Hanging leg raises 15 X 4
Weighted crunch +25 X 15, 15, 12
Plank +25 @35 seconds.

[LimieJosh]

Fri, Feb 17th

Sqt 340 X 5
Felt great.
http://youtu.be/MznGKvLTaYs

This came on the back of a slightly reduced load for volume day this week - 285 down from 290 for the past couple of weeks. I'm going to go back up 290 next week (84% of next weeks intensity) and creep it up 1lb per week.

[strong_over_matter]

Nice work to get it!

I'm having the same issues now. My squat is stuck at 330lbs for 5 reps. I keep missing last rep (2 weeks in a row). I've been doing my volume day on Sunday when I have plenty of time and no stress and doing intensity on Thursday night after work. This past week I got 305x5x5 and felt like I recovered from it well for Thursday. I realize I don't have a big spread. Maybe I'll drop volume day back some and see if it helps. I have a hard time getting my head into lifting on Thursday night after a long day, so I think that is part of it.

When you were missing and decided to cut volume did you feel recovered or were you still sore etc.?

[LimieJosh]

I've only failed on the squat once and that was a result of subbing in DE style deads for cleans on volume day. I gave up that experiment after one try and have been progressing nicely every time since. Despite not finding the volume workout particularly challenging at 290 I dailed back the weight in response to the general conversation about the appropriate Volume-Intensity ratio. I am starting to realise I am far better at completing a volume session than I am recovering from it so I was just being extra careful to reign in myself. With that said, as well as I had been doing on intensity day up until now I definitely felt more recovered this morning. Whether that's the result of better acclimation to the volume workout or the result of the 5lb drop I dont know, but it's another reminder to balance carefully the need to drive adaptation with the need to be recovered enough to go heavy later in the week.

If I were you, even it it's only for a week for the sake of experimentation I would drop back on volume by 20-30lbs just to see if you can feel the difference in whether you are more recovered in time to go for 330.

[LimieJosh]

Mon, Deb 20th

Bench 237 X 5 X 5
My last volume bench session on Feb 2 wasnt difficult to complete, but I simply didnt recover from it. I scaled back 3lbs and concentrated on working through the sets quickly (around 3 mins a time)

DE Press 115 X 3 X 8

Pull ups - accumulated 40 in 4 sets (12, 10, 7, 6, the rest)
I havent been making progress on my high volume pull ups so decided to change it up a bit. My goal was simply to accumulate 40 reps in however many sets it took, without doing any more than 12/set and not pushing any set to failure. For progression I'm going to try and hit them all in 4 sets and then ramp up to 45 then 50, then add 5lbs and start again.

[LimieJosh]

Tue, Feb 21st

I have meetings all day so was forced back to my old morning routine and a 6am workout.

Sqt 290 X 5 X 5
These were great and got through them on a fairly strict 3min rest interval with relative ease.

Clean 189 X 12 on the minute
3 mins rest
195 X 1, 202 X 1, 203 X 1

Good session

[LimieJosh]

Thurs, Feb 24th

Press 175 X 4
Bench 260 X 5
Push Press 185 X 1 and 197 X 1
Triceps - Cable push downs 92.5 (second last weight on stack) X 10 X 4

It seems I do less well on this session the week I do volume bench.

[LimieJosh]

Fri Feb 25th

Sqt 345 X 5

Dead 390 X 4
Rip commented that in my set last week I was too far in front of the bar at set up with too horizontal a back angle, which produced a forward drift of the bar off the floor and contributed to the thoracic rounding. I think they were better this time, but bailed on the last rep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rayR7PCOXe4

Singles
390 X 1
395 X 1
405 X 1

No additional back work because of the extra deads.