IronGeek's Training Log Part Deux: Striving for Mediocrity

[CamLeslie]

One good thing - front squats still hard but better - did "California" squat style. Though not ideal, I at least can old the bar.

Have you tried the strap style? Just curious. I do them with my wrist wrap on and that enables me to hold em but I know people have had success with the straps too.

[irongeek]

11/14/17

Squat - 450 x 1 @8.5ish, 385 x 5@8 (3 sets), 385 x 5 @9
BP (2ct pause) - 220 x4@7, 235x4@8.5, 240 x 4 @9, @9, @9.5
RDL - 275 x 7@6, 315 x 7@7, 345x7@8 (4 sets)
Pullups - as many as possible in 7 minutes.

RDLs feeling less like cardio - must be getting adapted. Squat felt heavy.

[irongeek]

Have you tried the strap style? Just curious. I do them with my wrist wrap on and that enables me to hold em but I know people have had success with the straps too.

Hey Cam, Thanks for the tip! I do remember seeing an Andy Baker video on that a while back. I did try that the first time around with front squats, but I still had problems. I think I may revisit the straps to see if I do better on subsequent workouts. Part of the problem is I just need practice doing front squatsmore - I've only done a handful of sets thus far. I'm so used to low bar squats that standing nearly erect during the entire movement is still foreign to me.

[CamLeslie]

I'm so used to low bar squats that standing nearly erect during the entire movement is still foreign to me.

225x7 is no joke. You'll be crushing 405 on the front squat in no time.

[irongeek]

225x7 is no joke. You'll be crushing 405 on the front squat in no time.

Wow. I'm glad you have such confidence in me! Maybe I'll get there if I can start to feel comfy while doing front squats. We'll see...

[irongeek]

11/16/17

Comp Bench - 280 x 1, 245 x 5, 240 x 5, 240 x 5, 235 x 5
2 ct pause squat - 315 x 4, 345 x 4, 365 x 4 x 3
Press - 115 x7, 125 x 7, 135 x 7 x 2, 140 x7, 135 x 6 (last rep got out in front - shoulders exhausted)

[irongeek]

11/18/17

DL - 495@8, 520@9.5, 445 x 4 @8.5, 435 x 4 @ 9
TnG Bench - 205 x 4@7, 225 x 4@8, 245 x 4@9 - 4 sets
F. Squat - 185 x7@x, 205 x 7@7, 225x7@8 - 4 sets
CGBP - 185x8@6, 195x8@7, 205x8@8 - 3 sets

Funny how training goes. I felt good this evening - no aches or pains, no soreness. But the deadlift felt heavy as hell. Last week I did 445x5x5 and felt great.
Today, 445 only went for one set of 4 reps. Not sure why. Could be cumulative fatigue or that I worked out at night - I usually workout in the morning. Don't know.
The other reason is that I'm just an old guy running a linear regression. Who knows. Gotta take the highs with the lows...

[irongeek]

11/21/17
Squat - 445@8, 385x5@8 x 4 sets
BP (2ct paused) - 220x4@7, 230x4@8, 240 x 4@9.5, 235 x 4@9, @9, @9.5
RDL - 275 x7 @6, 315 x 7@7, 335 x 7@8 x 4 sets

This was a ballbuster. I think I get the gist of Jordan's program. Kill the lifter for 4 weeks, then decrease volume and increase intensity.

[irongeek]

11/23/17
Comp Bench - 280@8, 245 x5@8 - 3 sets, 245x5@8.5, 240x5@7.5
2 ct pause squat - 325 x 4@7, 345 x 4 @8, 365 x 4@9 - 4 sets
Press - 120 x 7 @6, 130x7@7, 140 x7@8

Presses getting stronger. I think my left shoulder is hurting due to squats. It didn't bother me during my BP much, but squats made it ache.

Good workout. Looking forward to lower volume next week...

[irongeek]

11/25/17

DL - 510@8.5, 435x5@8.5, 425x5@8 - 2sets, 405x5@8.5
TnG Bench - 225x4@7, 235x4@7, 255x4@9, @8.5 @8.5, @9
Front Squat - 185x7@6, 205x7@7, 225x7@8 - 4 sets (except one, which I couldn't hold the bar on my shoulders after 5th rep - don't know why)
CGBP - 185x8, 200x8, 210x8@8, @10, 200x8@8, @9.5

Good workout. Front squats have progressed from a profanity-laced shit fest to simple hatred. So, I guess that's progress.
Deadlifts still can't compare to 2 weeks ago's volume PR. Just wanted to get some volume in before the oh-so-sweet deload week.
Gotta learn to lighten up on the heavy deadlift single. Thus far, I'm just a bit heavy to be an @8. But I hate pulling less than 500 for a single. Damned ego.