bean counter's Barbell Medicine Log

[bean counter]

Tuesday 10 November
Week 3, Day 2

Bodyweight: 92.0 kg

Comp Bench
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 5 X 4 @ 8
Wrist wraps
88.75 kg: 1 X 4 @ 7
101.25 kg: 1 X 1 @ 7.5
91.25 kg: 5 X 4 @ 8, 8, 8, 8.5, 8.5
Totals: 25 reps, 2,280 kg

This went very well. However, my tempo got slowed a bit by sharing the power rack. That threw me off and I forgot about wearing my belt until the last set, at which point I thought it was too late to bother. Clearly I didn't need it to hit my targets today.

Front Squat
℞ 1 X 6 @ 8, 4 X 6 @ 9
Rehband sleeves, straps, belt
75 kg: 1 X 6 @ 7
80 kg: 1 X 6 @ 8
85 kg: 4 X 6 @ 8.5, 8, 8.5, 9
Totals: 36 reps, 2,970 kg

Still sharing the rack, this time with the annoyance of changing the hook height every set. Straps worked well and the rack position was comfortable enough. Performance wasn't too far off the levels predicted by my previous front squat PR of 100 kg X 3, despite not front squatting in several months. My knees hurt a bit during the movement, and there is some rather worrying medial pain in my right knee afterwards, which I'm icing as I write this.

The gym was really busy this morning. That stressed me out and along with the pain in my knee I feel quite flat after training, despite a good day on the bench.

[bean counter]

Wednesday 11 November
GPP

Bodyweight: 91.6 kg

My knee doesn't seem too bad after yesterday. I'm not feeling good about front squatting again next week though.

Pullups [8 minutes]
3,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,4 = 28

Moved these before conditioning so they wouldn't be negatively affected.

Battle Ropes
20/1:40 X 7

On the other hand, having back fatigue going into conditioning didn't exactly make that a barrel of laughs.

Planks [8 minutes]
35s X 6 = 3:30

And having most of my upper body fried by this point made these more challenging than last week.

Mobility [10 minutes]
Limber 11 excluding glute roll & cossack squats, + upper back & lats foam rolling.

[bean counter]

Thursday 12 November
Week 3, Day 3

Bodyweight: 92.0 kg

Deadlift
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 5 X 4 @ 8
Belt
150 kg: 1 X 4 @ 7
175 kg: 1 X 4 @ 8
155 kg: 5 X 4 @ 7.5, 8, 8, 9, 9
Totals: 25 reps, 3,875 kg

I had to deadlift on a bar with harsher knurling than usual, which pulled painfully on one of my thumb calluses. The top single went a little better than last week, but, even with the drop to 4s and a cautious load, the volume sets weren't great. I filmed the last set and as suspected my back was rounded. The bar speed looked good for @9 though, so my thumbs might have been the limiting factor today.

Press
℞ 1 X 6 @ 8, 4 X 6 @ 9
Belt, wrist wraps
50 kg: 1 X 6 @ 7
55 kg: 1 X 6 @ 8
57.5 kg: 1 X 6 @ 10
55 kg: 1 X 6 @ 9
55 kg: 1 X 4x @ 10
50 kg: 1 X 6 @ 9
Totals: 34 reps, 1,825 kg

Total mess. I performed nowhere near my normal E1RM levels and even failed a set with a paltry 55 kg. Press isn't going great at the moment with only once a week frequency. 6s @9 are also hard to recover from in short rest periods.

[bean counter]

Friday 13 November
GPP

Bodyweight: 91.5 kg

Spin Bike LISS
30 minutes

~120W felt manageable, but I realized my heart rate was going too high so I dropped to ~80W for the last ten minutes. No knee or ankle problems.

Deadlift
70 kg: 1 X 10

My back is tight after yesterday, so I wanted to flush it out a bit.

Face Pulls [8 minutes]
Fourth pin on the cable stack (12 kg?): a bunch of 12s, dropping to 8s.

L Sits [8 minutes]
15s, 15s, 15s, 10s, 15s, 10s, 10s, 10s, 10s = 1:50

Mobility [10 minutes]
Limber 11 excluding glute roll & cossack squats, + upper back & lats foam rolling.

[bean counter]

Saturday 14 November
Week 3, Day 4

Bodyweight: 92.2 kg [PR]

2ct Bench
℞ 1 X 5 @ 8, 4 X 5 @ 9
Wrist wraps
80 kg: 1 X 5 @ 7
82.5 kg: 1 X 5 @ 8
85 kg: 4 X 5 @ 8.5, 8.5, 8.5, 8.5
Totals: 30 reps, 2,515 kg

I slightly undershot the weight and didn't get up to an @9. Despite that I wasn't feeling especially strong this morning and there was some inconsistency in my wrist position and bar path.

2ct Squat
℞ 1 X 5 @ 8, 4 X 5 @ 9
SBD sleeves, belt, wrist wraps
100 kg: 1 X 5 @ 7
105 kg: 1 X 5 @ 8
110 kg: 4 X 5 @ 8.5, 8.5, 8.5, 9
Totals: 30 reps, 3,225 kg

Paused squat went better than paused bench. Whenever I've pause squatted before it's been at a very poor proportion of my normal squat, but I felt this was a little more credible. Lower back still fatigued from deadlifts and was really feeling it by the end today. Hopefully it'll be well recovered by Monday's main squat session.

Week 3 Summary

[bean counter]

Nutrition summary for Week 3

[Mahendra]

Great job nutrition compliance!

One thing I find difficult is getting in enough carbs. Protein is relatively easy... but carbs, I'm either under (most of the time) or over.

[Gerhard]

Great job nutrition compliance!

One thing I find difficult is getting in enough carbs. Protein is relatively easy... but carbs, I'm either under (most of the time) or over.

I'm always under on carbs, there was a time I'd be over, but now I'm just sick of it. Once things get above 500g a day, your life just becomes rice, oats, and more rice.

[Mahendra]

I'm always under on carbs, there was a time I'd be over, but now I'm just sick of it. Once things get above 500g a day, your life just becomes rice, oats, and more rice.

I have no idea how you do it... 500g of carbs! And I thought I had it hard eating 1 pound of grilled chicken breast in one sitting. Never ending dry goodness.

[bean counter]

Great job nutrition compliance!

One thing I find difficult is getting in enough carbs. Protein is relatively easy... but carbs, I'm either under (most of the time) or over.

Thanks. Apart from on that fateful Thursday I prepared all my own meals, so I had no excuse not to comply this week.

I'm always under on carbs, there was a time I'd be over, but now I'm just sick of it. Once things get above 500g a day, your life just becomes rice, oats, and more rice.

Carbs is the big struggle for me too. Even 480g seems like a mountain each day. I'm still on good terms with oats, but I'm getting sick of rice already.

I have no idea how you do it... 500g of carbs! And I thought I had it hard eating 1 pound of grilled chicken breast in one sitting. Never ending dry goodness.

I'm actually no longer eating a pound of meat in a sitting any more on the new scheme. ~ Half a pound with greater frequency is the pattern at the moment.