4 Days to Stronger

[MWY]

Logging two workouts today.

Yesterday, Monday 11/20

Squat:
320 lbs x 3@6 x 3 sets
270 lbs x 5@6 x 2 sets

Bench:
215 lbs x 3@6 x 4 sets
185 lbs x 5@6 x 2 sets

Hammer Curls:
25 lb. dumbbells x 10 x 3 sets

Conditioning: took the kids to Disneyland with my wife's family!


Today:

Deadlift:
350 lbs x 3@6 x 3 sets
300 lbs x 5@6 x 2 sets

2-count Paused Bench:
4@7.5: 75 kg / lbs x 3 sets

Squat: (no belt)
260 lbs. x 5@6 x 2 sets

Wide-grip Rows: (Bench-grip/touch)
100 lbs x 10 x 4 sets

[MWY]

Playing catch-up with the log.

Friday, 11/24:

Paused Squat:
122.5 kg x 4 x 4 sets

Comp. Paused Bench:
87.5 kg x 5 x 6 sets

Deadlift:
130 kg x 5 x 2 sets


Monday, 11/27:

Squat:
1@7: 160 kg
145 kg x 4 x 4 sets

Comp. Paused Bench:
1@7: 110 kg
95 kg x 4 x 5 sets

Hammer Curls:
25 lbs (dumbbells) x 10 x 3 sets


Tuesday, 11/28:

Deadlift:
1@8: 200 kg
160 kg x 4 x 3 sets

2-count Paused Bench:
4@7: 80 kg x 4 sets

Wide-grip Rows: (Bench-grip/touch)
110 lbs x 10 x 4 sets


I've switched to training after work this week and my first two workouts have been solid. It's really nice going into the gym feeling fully awake.

[MWY]

I've been lax about updating my training log recently, but I haven't missed any sessions. Here's today's session.

Deadlift:
1@7: 195 kg
4@7: 160 kg x 3 sets

2-ct. Paused Bench:
4@6: 87.5 kg x 5 sets

Deadlift wasn't moving as well as I wanted it to today, but I got the volume that I wanted to in so I'm happy with that. The 2-ct. Paused Bench has been getting easier as I've done it for the last few weeks and is catching up to my competition-pause. 85 kg x 4 was RPE7 last week, so 87.5 kg being RPE6 this week was very encouraging.

[MWY]

Today was supposed to start with Paused Squats, but something I ate yesterday was giving me stomach troubles all night and when I woke up this morning. I decided to bench only today, which I was able to do despite feeling a bit queasy between sets.

Bench:
100 kg x 6@8 (This was supposed to be 5, counting is hard)
100 kg x 5@7.5 x 4 sets

Lat Pull Downs:
120 lbs. x 10 x 4 sets

[MWY]

Today:

Squat:
172.5 kg x 1@7.5
135 kg x 5@6 x 3 sets

Comp. Paused Bench:
120 x 1@7.5 (All-time PR!)
102.5 x 4@6 x 4 sets

Solid workout today. Squat is moving along nicely and I hit an all-time PR on Bench that moved smooth as butter.

[MWY]

Footage from yesterday's session:


Today's workout:

Deadlift:
1@7: 197.5 kg
150 kg x 5@7 x 2 sets + 10s hold on last rep

2-count Paused Bench:
90 kg x 4@6 x 5 sets

Squat, no belt:
120 kg x 5@7 x 3 sets

Lat Pull Downs:
120 lbs. x 10 x 4 sets

Longish but really solid workout today. Used mixed grip on the deadlifts and that was my limiting factor today. Hook grip has been getting iffy and I still find it too uncomfortable to use for volume work, but my grip without it definitely needs work.

2-count paused bench is getting better and better each week. The weight jumps week-to-week are keeping pace with my competition/1-count pause but the RPE on each work set has dropped from 7.5 a month ago to 6 for all sets today. Very happy with how my bench is progressing in this block.

Based on some feedback from peeps in the Starting Strength Discord server, I widened my stance for some beltless squats today. Felt good.

[MWY]

Today:

2 ct. Paused Squat:
130 kg x 4@8 x 5 sets

Comp. Paused Bench:
102.5 kg x 5 x 4 sets (RPE: 7, 7.5, 7.5, 8)

Seated Rows:
130 lbs. x 10 x 4 sets

Hammer Curls:
25 lbs. x 10 x 3 sets
30 lbs. x 10

Paused squats felt hard today, I think because I didn't do them last week. RPE on my comp bench volume sets is starting to creep up, so I'm going to keep the volume work at 102.5 for next week.

[MWY]

Today:

Sumo Deadlift:
150 kg x 5@6
150 kg x 4@5 x 3 sets (Hook grip @10)

Press:
60 kg x 6@7 x 3 sets

Lat Pull Downs:
130 lbs. x 10 x 4 sets

Pulled sumo today, which felt great except for my thumbs. I'm trying out hook grip with no tape to see if my grip is improved. It was feeling better by the end of the workout, but the first 2 sets were. . . unpleasant.

[MWY]

Squat:
175 kg x 1@8
140 kg x 4@6 x 3 sets

Bench:
120 kg x 1@7
100 kg x 4@6 x 4 sets (last 3 sets were @7)

Hammer Curls
25 lbs. x 10 x 4 sets

Wasn't sure how today was going to go since I took a couple of extra days off for family Christmas stuff, but Squats and Bench were good enough.

[MWY]

Today:

Deadlift:
1@8: 190 kg
0@10: 200 kg (failed)
4@8: 160 kg

Sumo:
4@6: 160 kg x 2 sets

2-ct. Paused Bench:
4@6: 92.5 kg x 4 sets

Deadlift was awful today. 190 kg was supposed to be my last warmup, but it was RPE8. I decided to go for 200 kg anyway and couldn't break the floor. I switched to sumo after one volume set and it moved much better, so that's a plus I guess.

Bench was much better. The 2-count pause feels like it's going to catch up with competition pause, at least for volume work.