Will I stand up next to a mountain?

[ICTRob]

Friday April 14

Squats <none>
Presses 140x3x5
Deadlifts 350x5

Lifted at lunchtime due to scheduling conflicts in the evening. Did deadlifts first, then presses, and didn't have time for squats. The deadlift work set is a work set PR.

[ICTRob]

Monday April 17

Squats 350x3x5 (ties work set PR)
Presses 160x2x5,1x3 (new PR)
Paused deadlifts 225x5

I've never pressed 160 before today. I was done after the third rep on the last set today, so next week I will raise the weight to 165 and attempt three triples. Squats were challenging, but solid, so I will raise the weight to 355 next week and attempt 3x5 for a new PR.

In PPST, the HLM program progression increases the weights continuously from week to week, while lowering work set reps as necessary until you are down to heavy singles, and then cannot raise the weight anymore. That's the plan I will follow for all of my lifts, which are just squats, presses and deadlifts. I have half-pound plates (saucers?), so at the very end of the cycle, I will use those to milk as much progress as possible.

Let's go for some GAINZ!

[ICTRob]

Wednesday April 19

Squats 285x3x5
Presses 135x3x5

A good light day. Heavy deadlifts on Friday.

[ICTRob]

Friday April 21

Squats 315x3x5
Presses 145x3x5
Deadlifts 355x5 PR

Squats and presses were fine, although the bar felt unbalanced at the beginning of my 2nd squat work set. I checked the plates, and they were balanced, so I don't know what that was about. Maybe I slid over a bit to one side when I went under the bar? Or, more likely, the bar wasn't centered in the rack, and I forgot to check it before my 2nd set.

Deadlifts were a new PR! They were challenging but solid, and I feel confident about raising the weight to 360 next week.

[ICTRob]

Monday April 24

Squats 355x3x5 PR
Presses 165x3x3 PR
Paused Deadlifts 235x5

Squats were harder this time, because 355 is a new PR. My form wasn't as good on the last set - it felt like my knees were moving back toward my heels as I rose out of the hole, instead of straightening out naturally. I'll need to focus more on stability and steadiness. Presses were a solid PR, and I look forward to increasing the weight for both squats and presses next week.

The paused deadlifts were a nice way to finish things, and I will go for a new deadlift PR this Friday.

[ICTRob]

Wednesday April 26

Squats 285x3x5
Presses 135x3x5

A good light day. Heavy deadlifts on Friday.

[ICTRob]

Friday April 28

Deadlifts 360x5 PR
Presses 150x3x5
Squats 325x3x5

Did deadlifts first because all of the racks were occupied. Everything today went well. I raised the weights on medium squats and presses by 10 and 5 lbs, respectively, compared to last week, and did deadlifts first, which probably explains why the medium lifts were pretty challenging. I need to take a video of my deadlifts to see if I'm rounding my lower back. It talks to me loudly, both on the platform and away from it, but the weird thing is that now it feels fine.

<Uninformed Blabbering>

I've noticed frequently that when part of my body is sore or tight before I lift, that soreness or tightness is gone afterwards. My guess is that when a lot of blood rushes through the parts of the body that are straining to lift heavy (for me) weights, that the blood flow soothes whatever is complaining.

</Uninformed Blabbering>

[ICTRob]

Wednesday May 3

Squats 360x3x5 PR
Presses 170x3x3 PR
RDL 95x5

I skipped Monday because I was tired and congested, either due to a cold or allergies. Today I felt much better, so I did the heavy squats and presses that would normally happen on Monday.

The first work set of squats felt easy, probably because of my extra rest. The second and third sets were harder, but manageable, and I'll go for 365x3x5 next week. The presses are starting to test my limits, but I did them with confidence, and plan to go for 175x3x3 next week.

I did a few light sets of Romanian deadlifts, because it's the first time I've done them. My back could use some assistance right now.

Looking forward to heavy deads on Friday or Saturday.

[ICTRob]

Friday May 5

Squats 295x3x5
Presses 135x3x5
Deadlifts 365x5 PR

A very good day. I was worried that I'd be too tired for the deadlifts, because I did the heavy squats and presses on Wednesday instead of the usual light routine, plus I started standing at work with a standing desk, but I finished my set for more gainzzz.

[ICTRob]

Monday May 8

Squats 365x3x5 PR
Presses 175x2,1 PR
RDLs 105x5

The squats were challenging but solid. I could feel my right knee moving slightly inward during ascent in the first work set, so I focused on keeping it in line with my foot the last two sets, and that fixed it. I will go up to 370 next week.

Presses have finally reached a limit - five lb. increases can't go on forever. I was going to do more doubles after first set, but the single rep after that was all I could do. I will probably bring out my 1/2-lb weights and try 172 next week for three triples.

The Romanian deadlifts went pretty well, although I kept the weight light because I'm still learning how to do it.

Wednesday will be a light day.