9/24/22
3rd Cycle - Week Four rep/sets
Squat -
Tempo Pause Low bar singles at 120/127.5kg; down sets at 112.5kg 4*3;Tempo Down Belt Squats 140lbs 10*4. Single Arm Pulldowns and Cable rows, as well as single leg work for successories.
This is an RPE 9 week, and to be honest I think the singles were closer to 8. Had a little issue with my left lower leg...just a bit of a bite at the top of the peroneal longus.
Bench -
Larsen singles at 85/90kg; T&G sets at 78kg 4*3; 5 Count Spoto sets at 65kg 7*2. Some single arm tempo down dumbbell sets, and the usual blow up the arms Bi's and Tri's.
The top single was a closer to RPE 9.5. In fact, the whole day was hard. I had to widen the grip on the Spoto sets, and I missed a set of LTEs due to fatigue. The only legit work at 9 were the T&G sets. It happens...
Deadlift -
Paused singles at 182.5/195kg *1; down sets at 175kh 4*3; Tempo Down 3 Count Bench singles at 77.5kg 1*4. Some dumbbell hip thrusts, Mod Rows and Revs Flys, as well as single leg extensions and Copenhagen Planks Hip Dips.
!82.5kg was solid, but 195kg was all a back pull...hips shot up and there was no leg drive...very sad. That said, the down sets were solid, and in fact I did the last set dead stop re-sets and it was really strong.
SBD Saturday -
Tempo Down SSB 100kg 6*2; Larsen Bench 70kg 8*3; Big Wheel Pulls 193kg 1*3. Successories were those damn Double Rack Goblet Squats, Front and Back Flys, Shoulder Clusters and Cable Hi Rows.
Pretty solid day four week four...knee felt reasonably good, but the lower back was a little tight.
It looks like this program continues on RPE 4 / 5.5 / 7.5 / 9 for the next cycle. Seeing as the next round of blood tests don't happen for another week or two, I suppose it's appropriate to continue on as we have been.
My weight is holding in the 203/206lbs range. My energy levels are much improved (but still not fully back to normal). My knee has been responding reasonably well to the increased demands I'm placing on it. Squash season is upon us...that will be the real test. It is in the back of my mind that if I can't handle Court time, Lifting, and some GPP, I may have to look into a knee replacement (fingers crossed that's no the case).
All in all, I think this has been a successful cycle. My Squat is still a ways away from where I'd like, but I've been working on box squats for the past few cycles, and I don't really know how they'll translate to a regular back squat. My Bench is also not where I'd like, but I'm not as concerned as I'm girthier through the shoulders than I have been in the past. That should translate into a stronger Bench once I get the meds dialed in. I'm having a harder time determining where my Deadlift is, relative to days past. I'm starting to get into the proper weight and rep range that equate to a pull in the mid 210s...I'm OK with that at the moment.