caveman goes for 5/3/1 for 300/400/500

[caveman]

Bench - 290 for 2. Elbow didn't feel that good warming up. I did take advil before hand, but that didn't seem to make much difference. Probably could have done a 3rd rep, but it definitely wasn't guaranteed and I figured not going for it was the smarter play.

OHP - 185 for 1 and 1. ALL TIME PR!! Was supposed to do 162.5 for a double, but that would have been fairly easy given last week's performance. So my plan was to do 165 for my last warmup and if that felt like I could get 5 then I would load up 185 and give it a go. 165 went up pretty quickly and more importantly no elbow pain to initiate the rep. Got some good music going, broke out the old bottle of ammonia (which was completely dead), and got it! And not an epic grind. I decided I wanted a video so waited about 5min and then did it again! Noice!

I called it there. Will do some stretching later today and maybe some pushups or light accessories to get a pump and hopefully promote some healing.

I was not sure if I would ever be able to set an all time PR again.

[caveman]

Deadlift - 370 for 3. Felt like I could have done 5. But just wasn't feeling it today. Actually pretty happy that this wasn't an all out effort for just a double.

Anywho, I am feeling kind of banged up right now. I think I will take next week as a deload, focus on some stretching, do some lighter weight higher rep sets and then start the next block.

[caveman]

Decided to go for a deload week.

Squats - 225 for 12 and 8 beltless
Front squats - 135 for 5, and 185 for 5
Sumo deads - 225 for 10

Got a decent sweat going. Had some discomfort in my right knee, kinda like it needed to crack.

Might just do dumbbell pressing tomorrow instead of any bar work to give my elbows a break. Not sure yet....

[caveman]

Well, I was sore AF after my deload squat session. Really surprised by that.

Did some dumbbell bench and inclined bench for my deload, which was good for my elbows but my shoulders didn't like these too much. A good rest week, was hoping to get a little more done, but that's not how it played out this time.

Intensity squats 275 for 8. No problem.
Front squats - 135x5, 185x5, 225x5. 225 was definitely heavy and didn't feel like my form was dialed.
Sumo deads - 285 for 10.

Next day
Bench 245 for 8. Felt like I could have got 9. 9 puts my e1RM at 315. Might give that a whirl for heavy double week. We have a move coming up so not sure how long the gym will be out of commission. I did do 315 once in commercial gym, but who knows how much that actually was...

OHP - 125 for 8, 8, and 8. Last set of 8 was tough.

Inverted rows - 6 and 6, I think
Tricep rope - 40 for 30
Hammer curls 20 for 20.
Pushups - 20.

Will do intensity deads and volume squats this morning. Took an extra rest day because I was sore AF again.

[caveman]

Deads - 315 for 10. DOH grip, though it was starting to not be solid around rep 8. Low back felt fine, and the weights moved well for all 10.

Squats - 245 for 8, 8, and 8. Volume squats for 8's is always the hardest day of the block for me.

I was done after squats. No accessory work besides some stretching of my arms because my left elbow was complaining a little bit in the squat position and it turns out it was extremely tight. Will try and some additional stretching later today.

[caveman]

OHP - 140 for 10. Felt like I could have gotten 11. The idea of pressing 200 is pretty cool! Not quite there, and I doubt I will be before the move, but close...

Volume bench - 225 for 8, 8, and 8. Meh, first set was rough on the elbows but then everything calmed down and the last set was the smoothest and easiest of the 3.

Inverted rows (slightly easier foot position) - 7 and 9

Tricep rope - 40 for 30. easiest this has been in a long time. Might have to put some kind of 2.5 or 5lb add-on for the stack. I gave mines away a long time ago, sadly.

EZ-curl bar - 30lbs added (I really need to weigh this bar). I think I did 20. Might have stopped at 15, can't remember now

Pushups - 15. could have grinded out to 20, but I was done.

[caveman]

Squats - 295 for 10. Target was a set of 5, but was feeling it and ran it out for 10.

Front squats - 135 x 5, 185 x 5. Called it there. Was feeling fatigued from back squats, and am wondering if the front rack is pissing off my elbows.

Sumo squats - 315 for 10. Target was 5, but these felt really good. All DOH grip with a bit of a static hold on the 10th.

Got to lift with my son today. Between me exceeding expectations and lifting with him, that's most fun I've had lifting in a long time.

[caveman]

Bench - 270 for 5. not sure I could have gotten 6, 50/50'ish. However, elbows felt mostly OK, so that is encouraging!

OHP - 140 for 5, 5, and 5. No problems.

Inverted rows - 8 and 11. Big improvement there!

Tricep rope - 40 for 40. Will need to add some weight to these. Will look on amazon for a 5lb weight to add, otherwise will make something tomorrow.

barbell curls - just trying to move the bar around and not feel pain, did a bunch of half'ish reps mostly pain free. Just trying to stretch more than anything.

Pushups - 30. Last 5 were a grind.

Got to lift with my boy again. Fun, fun, fun!

[caveman]

Deadlift - 350 for 6. Could have done 8 or 9, but I was still feeling sore from last leg day and my left leg was feeling iffy

Squats - 275 for 1. Left hip was bothering me a bit during warmups, got better after 185, but first rep at 275 did not feel great. So I racked it and decided to postpone or skip this effort.

We are moving houses in less than one month and I cannot afford an injury at this time. As a result will probably skip 2's week for lower body stuff. Probably should for upper body as well, but I would really really like to try and hit a 315 bench.

[caveman]

OHP - 155 for 8. Felt like I could have got 9, but it would have probably been a grinder. e1RM 192. Knocking on 200!

Volume Bench - 245 for 5, 5, and 5. Elbows felt meh for all sets.

Had a sort of long break, then continued.

Inverted rows - 15 and 11. My son challenged me and he set the bar at 14. I didn't think I was going to get him. But I did.

Tricep rope - 50 for 40. Damn. That extra break really helped me out...

Hammer curls - 20 for 30. Really had to work for those last 5.

Pushups - 20. Did not feel like grinding these.