bean counter's Barbell Medicine Log

[bean counter]

Weekly Nutrition Summary

[lou t]

Pretty consistent

[bean counter]

Pretty consistent

One of these weeks I'll get all green.


Monday 21 December
Week 9, Day 1

Bodyweight: 93.7 kg

The next four reps are a peak block, with the aim of hitting max singles at the end. Still feeling moderately ill, but not as bad as yesterday.

LBBS
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 1 X 1 @ 9, 3 X 4 @ 9
Belt, wrist wraps, SBD sleeves
135 kg: 1 X 4 @ 7+
153.75 kg: 1 X 1 @ 8
158.75 kg: 1 X 1 @ 9
143.75: 2 X 4 @ 8.5, 9
140 kg: 1 X 4 @ 9
Totals: 18 reps, 2,565 kg

The target @7 set generally seems to feel a bit harder than it should, but I've learnt not to back off my weights if that happens. I think I'm usually just a little under-warmuped at this point.

I was quite scared of the @9 single, as it was the second heaviest squat I've ever done. But the @8 single went well and while the @9 rep was pretty slow it didn't feel too maximal. My squat confidence is increasing and I'm feeling good about improving on my 160 kg PR in this cycle.

I caved towards the right (injured side) a bit on the final rep of the final set. Today was hard work.

Pin Bench
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 3 X 3 @ 9
Wrist wraps
90 kg: 1 X 3 @ 7
100 kg: 1 X 1 @ 8-
95 kg: 1 X 3 @ 8
97.5 kg: 2 X 3 @ 8.5, 8.5
Totals: 13 reps, 1,240 kg

First time doing this. Couldn't get a good pin height due to large rack spacing and ended up with it being an inch or so high, even after propping the bench up on plates. I didn't push too hard, but even so my shoulder is playing up again.

[Chris McCarthy]

Good work under less than ideal conditions - I think you'll see a nice increase in your squat when you get to push it.

[bean counter]

Good work under less than ideal conditions - I think you'll see a nice increase in your squat when you get to push it.

Thanks, I might have paid the price a bit today.


Tuesday 22 December
Week 9, Day 2

Bodyweight: 93.6 kg

Yesterday took a lot out of me. My lower back and hips feel very fatigued. Still ill, but slightly better once again.

Comp Bench
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 1 X 1 @ 9 3 X 4 @ 9
Wrist wraps, belt
93.75 kg: 1 X 4 @ 7
107.5 kg: 1 X 1 @ 8
111.25 kg: 1 X 1 @ 9.5 [PR]
100 kg: 1 X 4 @ 9.5
97.5 kg: 1 X 4 @ 9
95 kg: 1 X 4 @ 8.5
Totals: 18 reps, 1,765 kg

My first poor bench day in a while. Performance was more at a 114 kg E1RM level compared to last week's 117 kg. I got a PR on the top single, but only by 0.25 kg, and it was ugly, so I have no great sense of satisfaction there. I had to keep dropping weight on the volume sets to keep RPE under control. Shoulder not very happy.

Squat without belt
℞ 1 X 6 @ 6, 1 X 6 @ 7, 3 X 6 @ 8
SBD sleeves, wrist wraps
107.5 kg: 1 X 6 @ 6
111.25 kg: 1 X 6 @ 7
115 kg: 3 X 6 @ 8, 8, 8.5
Totals: 30 reps, 3,385 kg

I wasn't looking forward to this after yesterday's draining squat session, but it went OK. I managed to hit a nice groove for the 115 kg sets.

[bean counter]

23 December 2015
GPP

Still not feeling great.

Bodyweight: 93.2 kg

Spin Bike LISS
25 minutes @ c. 120 - 130 bpm

Pullups [7 minutes]
8 X 3 = 24

Mobility
12 minutes

Planks [7 minutes]
1 X 60s, 5 X 35s, 1 X 30s = 4:25

Deadlift day tomorrow, then a couple of days break for Christmas.

[bean counter]

Thursday 24 December
Week 9, Day 3

My nose dripping is away, but I'm not feeling too unwell. Two coffees before training today.

Bodyweight: 93.8 kg

Deadlift
℞ 1 X 1 @ 8, 1 X 1 @ 9, 3 X 4 @ 9
Belt
160 kg: 1 X 4 @ 7+
182.5 kg: 1 X 1 @ 8
188.75 kg: 1 X 1 @ 9 [PR]
170 kg: 1 X 4 @ 9 [PR]
160 kg: 2 X 4 @ 8.5, 8.5
Totals: 18 reps, 2,970 kg

188.75 kg represents a 3.75 kg improvement on my previous PR. The rep was slow and tough, but felt solid. The lock jaw style clips didn't entirely fit on the loaded bar.

While 170 kg X 4 was also technically a PR for 4s, I could feel my hips dropping as I got squoze and my back rounding during the lift, so I wasn't happy with it. Because of that I took a fairly generous drop back to 160 kg for the remaining volume sets, which felt a bit better, but still not great.

Glad that I had no recurrence of the hip/glute pain from last week, although my hips are both a bit stiff still after Saturday/Monday/Tuesday squats. The lower back feels very fatigued again post session.

Close-Grip Bench
℞ 1 X 6 @ 6, 1 X 6 @ 7, 3 X 6 @ 8
Wrist wraps
82.5 kg: 1 X 6 @ 6
86.25 kg: 1 X 6 @ 7
90 kg: 1 X 6 @ 7.5
91.25 kg: 2 X 6 @ 8, 8
Totals: 30 reps, 2,650 kg

Nice and easy, hit a good groove. Performance on this lift seems quite up and down, but I'm hesitant to push too hard after the recent shoulder tweak it gave me. My lat cramped on the final rep of the final set.

There will be no Day 4 this week due to Christmas, so here's my progress summary:



I didn't perform quite as well as last week, but I hit a couple of PRs and I feel good about my prospects for a decent peak in a couple more weeks.

Happy Christmas all.

[lou t]

nice deadlift PR

[Chris McCarthy]

nice deadlift PR

x2.

Nice work.

[Gerhard]

200kg by March, or else!!!

Well done my man!