Nick's Intermediate Log

[NCuba]

Mon 8/21:
BS 5x5 @ 295, 295, 300, 300, 295
BP 272.5x4, 237.5 3x4 - bumped weight and got fourth rep
DL 435x5

Wed 8/23:
FS, 3x3 @ 245, 235, 225
BS 260 3x5
P 185x5, 165 2x5, 160x5 - again, bumped up the weight and would have been fine with x4 but the fifth was there
chins 4,6,5 - bw 228

Fri 8/25:
BS 365x1, 4x5 @ 302.5, 302.5, 305, 307.5
BP 217.5 3x7
DL 325 3x5

Was a super good week for BP and P. I decided to just keep increasing the weight and run out the reps but everything was firing and I so I hit reps as well.

I don't think the sleeves really do anything on FS, but I am liking them on the high volume BS days. I also think feeling them constrict at the bottom is helping me stop myself from going too low, and losing tightness.

As BS weights get back up I'm going to cut back on FS. Likely some heavier singles next week.

[NCuba]

Mon 8/28:
BS 305 5x5
BP 275x3, 240 3x5 - did not push for fourth rep on top set but added a rep to back off sets
DL 440x5

Wed 8/30:
BS 262.5 3x5
P 187.5x4, 165 3x5
chins 3x5
some curls

Fri 9/1:
BS 390x1, 303.75 4x5
BP 218.75 3x7
DL 2x7 @ 390, 340

This week went fine overall. Back to normal hours at the gym so I've been able to get in the workouts in a little earlier, which I like. Adductor still does not feel normal but it's not a problem either.

Monday 5x5 was a bit more difficult than I anticipated, both in the moment and then afterwards, so I dropped front squats from Wed. Will plan to run it like this for a while.

[NCuba]

Mon 9/4:
BP 277.5x3, 242.5 2x5, 237.5x4 - workout was rushed and fell off after a few sets even with weight reduction
P 135 4x5

Tues 9/5:
BS 310 5x5
DL 445x4 - forgot chalk and slipping bar likely cost me a fifth rep

Thurs 9/7:
P 190x4, 166.25 3x5
BP 185 3x6 - with as fast a concentric as possible
chins 5,6,5 at bw 228.4

Fri 9/8:
BS 275 5x5 - forgot belt today so went lighter for an extra set here and did not deadlift
rows 135 for 8, 10, 12, 12
curls to 40s

This week I did a split in order to avoid legs on Monday. Some weird knee pain sprung up last weekend, where my left knee felt abrupt pain and a kind of loss-of-control when I locked my knee in extension or tried to pivot with weight on the foot. No idea where that came from but it started on Sunday and lasted into Tuesday when it actually had no effect at all on squatting/dls, and perhaps went away bc of them! Split ended up working well in the end bc I was super busy on Labor Day anyway and only had about 45 mins in the evening to work out.

Week of decent progress that could have been better if I didn't forget chalk on Tues and (stupidly) my belt today. Tweaked my mid-back on the last rep of top press set, even after first 3 reps flew up, so I'll take it easy on that for a few weeks and not try to grind out any reps.

[NCuba]

Sun 9/10
S x1 @ 370, 400
BP x1 @ 270, 287.5
P x1 @ 192.5, 206.25

Wed 9/13
S 315 5x5
DL 450x5
rows 145 2x12

Thurs 9/14
BP 280x2, 242.5 3x5
P 135 x7, x7, x6
chins x5, x8

Sat 9/16
S 406.25x1, 305 4x5
DL x1 @ 465, 505

Mon 9/18
P 192.5x2, 167.5 4x5

So fucking busy the last week or so. Been feeling kind of weak on bench lately, but squat volume going well and got some good deadlift sets in.

[NCuba]

Tues 9/19
S 320 5x5
DL 455 1x5
rows 155 3x8

Thurs 9/21
BP 257.5x5, 243.75 2x5, 240x5
P 190x1, 153.75x6, 150x6, 145x6
chins 3x6 at bw 228.4

Fri 9/22
S 412.5x1, 307.5 4x5
DL 3x7 @ 395, 345, 325

I'm liking the 4-day split, which is a lot more flexible. One or two more weeks like this and then will start volume cycling.

BW up a bit or steady at best over last couple months, but pants and lifting belt are fitting looser now so I'm happy. Has been tempting to switch the rung when I lift in the AM without much in the belly. Think I might make an effort to get into the low 220s sometime this fall/winter, and then decide if I want to push lifts up or drop further and get back into windsurfing next summer (I used to be decent at that and still have good gear lying around that would suit me if I was down around 200 lb, given the wind we get around here).

[NCuba]

hotel gym db stuff on 23rd, 24th, and 26th

Wed. 9/27:
S 325 5x5 - a drag by the end. knee pain after last set, think bc of foot angle.
SLDL x7 @ 135, 185, 205, 225 - took it v easy w knee

Thurs 9/28:
BP 265x3, 245 x5,5,3,2 - split last set bc I wasn't feeling 5
P 125 x30 EMOM in 8 mins

Sat 9/30
DL 466.25x4, 415x4 - felt I didn't have the reps in me for 460x5 so I picked a weight that would be a recent PR at both 3 or 4 reps.
S 310 5x4 - a bit gassed so short sets

Sun 10/1
P 193.75x2, 167.5 x5/4/4, 162.5 x4,3
BP 190 3x6 w. fastest possible concentric
chins 3x6 (last set pull ups)
curls

Tough coming back from a trip but tried to get all my volume. Had a great DL set on Saturday and am happy about that.

[NCuba]

Wed. 10/4:
S 330 5x5
SLDL x5 at 225, 245, 265, 285

Thurs 10/5:
BP 290x1, 246.25 3x5
P 127.5 x30 EMOM in 8 mins

Sat 10/7
DL 471.25x4, 415x4
S x1 at 360, 390, 418.75, then 300 3x4 - a bit gassed so cut backoffs short

Sun 10/8
P 195x2, 170 x4/4/3 - at some point I screwed up my back with too much extension while pressing. Not a problem until I feel my spine screaming. Not going to press heavy for a while
BP 195 3x6 w. fastest possible concentric
pull ups 3x5
curls

[NCuba]

Wed. 10/11:
S 335 5x5
SLDL x5 at 235, 260, 280, 300

Fri 10/13:
BP 292.5x1, 247.5 4x4
db OHP up to 45s
db rows 40 3x5

Sat 10/14
DL 475x4, 415x4
pin S 225 3x5 - adductor tendon felt great the next day

Mon 10/16
BP 200 5x5 w. fastest possible concentric
db seated OHP 55s 2x5
db rows 50 3x5
chins 2x6

I ate something gnarly Wed. before the workout and even during squat sets I began to feel nauseous. By evening I could barely stand up. It passed in 36-48 hours, but I'm lucky I opted for an early session that day!

[NCuba]

Wed. 10/18
S 315x5, 340 4x5 - tried dropping weight on that first set to help adjust but later sets still ended up messy.
SLDL x5 at 250, 285, 310

Thurs. 10/19
BP 295x1, 250 4x4, 240x4
light db OHP
db rows 60 3x5

Sat. 10/21
S 385, 425x1 - all time best for me. wanted to get this in before shifting up squat volume day
pin S 240 4x5 - first set a couple inches too high, rest a half inch or so too low
DL 415x6 - no chalk bc I forgot. taking it easy ahead of some heavy singles next week anyway

Mon. 10/23
BP 205 5x6
P 135 3x3
db rows 65 3x5

[NCuba]

Wed. 10/25
S 295x6, 318.75 4x6
SLDL x5 at 265, 290, 320

Thurs. 10/26
BP 260x5, 252.5 3x4, 247.5x4, 242.5x4 - creaky af by the end of this
db rows 70 3x5

Sat. 10/28
pin S 255 4x5
DL 480x4, 420x4 - decided against heavy singles and happy with this

Mon. 10/30
BP 210 5x6
P 145 4x3
S 245 3x8
db rows 75 3x5

My groin tendon is feeling better this week, perhaps due to the lower intensity/higher volume plan. I thought i'd start to rotate heavy day loading but am tempted to just stick with this kind of set up if it lets me heal.