Helton Intermediate Log

[John Helton]

8/23/17

BW: 208
SQ (Light): 215x5x3. Needed the light weight today as my legs still feel Monday's heavy squats.
BP: 237.5. New 5RM. Last rep was tougher.
BP (BBB): 135x10x5. Superset with Rows. No issues.
Rows: 145x5x3.

[John Helton]

8/28/17

BW: 209

Programming and nutrition for the next 6 month via Dr. Feigenbaum.

Comp. Squat: 5@6, 5@7, 5@8x3 -> 265x5, 285x5, 305x5x3 @ 8 RPE. e1RM=376.
Comp. Bench: 4@6, 4@7, 4@8x3 -> 205x4, 220x4, 235x4x3 @ 8 RPE. e1RM=281.
Pendley Rows: 8@7, 8@8, 8@9x2 (3-5% less on 2nd set) -> 155x8, 167.5x8, 172.5x8 @ 9, 165x8 @ 9. e1RM=228.

First time using RPE. Really liked it for finding my numbers. The chart works given history of doing SSLP. And then RPE was really useful in determining the right weight for the rows. Will be posting new PRs based on e1RMs. Jordan is also helping me lose some fat while I get stronger.

8/29/17

BW: 207
Conditioning: 30 minutes on treadmill with heart rate between 110-120. 3.1 mph walk at 5% incline.

[John Helton]

8/30/17

BW: 207

Comp. Deadlift: 5@6, 5@7, 5@8x3 -> 325x5@6, 345x5@7.5, 350x5@8, 350x5@8.5, 345x5@9. e1RM=433. Fatigue of 5%.
Comp. Press: 4@6, 4@7, 4@8x3 -> 135x4@6, 142.5x4@7, 150x4x3@8. e1RM=180
Chin-Ups: 8@7, 8@8, 8@9 -> 8x207@8, 8x207@8, 8x212@9 (forgot to do 2nd set at 9 RPE). e1RM=280

I thought the deadlifts were going to kill me by the end. I am use to doing only 5 reps of heavy deadlifts. This felt like 25. For the last set, I pulled and the weight didn't come off the ground on the first rep. I had to gather myself and try again. I was whipped. I've never experienced that much fatigue between sets. I think I'm going to have to go down in weight so that I can do the 3 sets across to finish the exercise. Poor sleep and restricted calories recently. However, I just think my body isn't quite use to that volume. It will get there.

The other lifts felt fine.

[John Helton]

9/1/17

Week 1-3

BW: 208

2ct Pause SQ: 245x4@7, 265x4@8, 272.5x4@9, 265x4@9. e1RM=315
CGBP: 215x4@7, 225x4@8, 235x4@9, 225x4@9. e1RM=272
Lever Rows (not including bar): 50x8@7, 55x8@8, 60x8@9, 57.2x8@9. e1RM=80

Good workout. Plenty of energy after taking yesterday off completely. Also have been getting better sleep the last couple of nights. I was surprised by how good the pause squats felt. I haven't done those in a long time. The lighter weight and pause makes working on form easier. I find the asymmetry of the lever rows awkward.

[John Helton]

Date	Week	Day	e1RM	Exercise	Volume	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Max RPE	Reps	Tons/Lift	Tons/Day
09/02/17	1	B		Sprints	7x20 sec sprints
09/04/17	2	1	382	Comp. Squat	5@6, 5@7, 5@8x3	290.0	300.0	310.0	310.0	310.0					8	5	7600
			287	Comp. Bench	4@6, 4@7, 4@8x3	225.0	230.0	240.0	240.0	240.0					8	4	4700
			233	Pendley Rows	8@7, 8@8, 8@9, @9 less 4%	165.0	172.5	177.5	170.0						9	8	5480	17780
09/05/17	1	A		Steady Pace	30 minutes at 110-120 HR
09/06/17	1	2	419	Comp. Deadlift	5@6, 5@7, 5@8x3	320.0	330.0	340.0	340.0	340.0					8	5	8350
			182	Comp. Press	4@6, 4@7, 4@8x3	137.5	145.0	152.5	152.5	152.5					8	4	2960
			283	Chin-ups	8@7, 8@8, 8@9, @9 less 4%	206.0	206.0	216.0	206.0						9	8	6672	17982

[John Helton]

Date	Week	Day	e1RM	Exercise	Volume	1	2	3	4	5	6	Max RPE	Reps	Tons/Lift	Tons/Day
09/08/17	2	3	322	2ct Pause Squats	4@7, 4@8, 4@9, @9 less 4%	260.0	270.0	277.5	265.0			9	4	4290
			275	CG Bench Press	4@7, 4@8, 4@9, @9 less 4%	222.5	230.0	237.5	227.5			9	4	3670
			141	Lever Rows	8@7, 8@8, 8@9, @9 less 4%	97.5	102.5	107.5	105.0			9	8	3300	11260
09/09/17	2	B		Sprints	7x20 sec sprints
09/11/17	3	1	388	Comp. Squat	4@6, 4@7, 4@8x4	305.0	315.0	325.0	325.0	325.0	325.0	8	4	7680
			290	Comp. Bench	3@6, 3@7, 3@8x4	235.0	242.5	250.0	250.0	250.0	250.0	8	3	4433
			236	Pendley Rows	8@7, 8@8, 8@9, @9 less 4%	167.5	175.0	180.0	172.5			9	8	5560	17673
09/12/17	3	A		Steady Pace	30 minutes at 110-120 HR
09/13/17	3	2	424	Comp. Deadlift	4@6, 4@7, 4@8x4	335.0	345.0	355.0	355.0	355.0	355.0	8	4	8400
			185	Comp. Press	3@6, 3@7, 3@8x4	150.0	155.0	160.0	160.0	160.0	160.0	8	3	2835
			283	Chin-ups	8@7, 8@8, 8@9, @9x2 less 4%	206.0	211.0	216.0	211.0	206.0		9	8	8400	19635
09/15/17	3	3	324	2ct Pause Squats	4@7, 4@8, 4@9, @9x2 less 4%	265.0	272.5	280.0	270.0	265.0		9	4	5410
			278	CG Bench Press	4@7, 4@8, 4@9, @9x2 less 4%	225.0	232.5	240.0	230.0	225.0		9	4	4610
			144	Lever Rows	8@7, 8@8, 8@9, @9x2 less 4%	100.0	105.0	110.0	105.0	100.0		9	8	4160	14180
09/16/17	3	B		Steady Pace	30 minutes at 110-120 HR
09/18/17	4	1	394	Comp. Squat	4@6, 4@7, 4@8x4	310.0	320.0	330.0	330.0	330.0	330.0	8	4	7800
			293	Comp. Bench	3@6, 3@7, 3@8x4	237.5	245.0	252.5	252.5	252.5	252.5	8	3	4478
			240	Pendley Rows	8@7, 8@8, 8@9, @9x2 less 4%	170.0	180.0	182.5	177.5	170.0		9	8	7040	19318

[John Helton]

9/22/17

Week 4-2

BW: 202.5. Averaging ~2330 calories per day.

Comp. Deadlift: 340x4 @ 6, 350x4 @ 7, 360x4x4 @ 8.
Comp. Press: 152.5x3 @ 6, 157.5x3 @ 7, 162.5x3x4 @ 8. New e1RM=188.
Chin-Ups: 207.5x8 @ 7, 212.5x8 @ 8, 217.5x8 @ 9, 212.5x8 @ 9, 207.5x8 @ 9. New e1RM=285.

The deadlift volume is finally getting a little easier. Week 1 it was just a killer. Wasn't as bad today. Hard of course, but not as bad. On the press, I don't know if I was at an RPE of 8 or 9. However, I didn't suffer fatigue, which would seem to indicate an 8 rather than a 9.

I will be missing my 3rd workout of the week, due to a head and chest cold that knocked me down in the middle of the week. I was able to do GPP yesterday and plan more for tomorrow.

[John Helton]

9/25/17

Week 5-1

BW: 201.7. No change to the macros for this week.

Comp. Squat: 315x4 @ 6, 325x4 @ 7, 335x4x4 @ 8. New e1RM=400. Wasn't pretty but I kept the weight moving.
Comp. Bench: 235x3 @ 6, 247.5x3 @ 7, 255x3x4 @ 8. New e1RM=295. Easier than the squats.
Pendley Rows: 172.5x8 @ 7, 180.0x8 @ 8, 185.0x8 @ 9, 180.0x8 @ 9, 170.0x8 @ 9. New e1RM=243.

Glad to see the e1RMs keep going up. Not easy. Especially in a caloric deficit. Workouts taking forever. Thankfully, the last workout of the week is usually shorter.

[John Helton]

10/2/17

Week 6-1

BW: 201.3

Comp. Squat: 320x4 @ 6, 330x4 @ 7, 340x4x4 @ 8. New e1RM=406. Big improvement in form. Finally remembering to stay with my hip drive. Made the effort so much easier.Comp. Bench: 237.5x3 @ 6, 250x3 @ 7, 257.5x3x4 @ 8. New e1RM=298.
Pendley Rows: 172.5x8 @ 7, 180.0x8 @ 8, 187.5x8 @ 9, 180.0x8 @ 9, 172.5x8 @ 9. New e1RM=246.

Last week was a disaster. I missed my 2nd and 3rd lifting workouts given a bad tooth / root canal. Good to get that behind me. I'm super happy with the improvement in my squat for. Feels a bit like a breakthrough.

[John Helton]

10/04/17

Week 6-2

BW: 201.

Comp. Deadlift: 340x4 @ 6, 350x4 @ 7, 365x4x4 @ 8. New e1RM=436. Felt really good. Good energy through all the sets.
Comp. Press: 152.5x3 @ 6, 157.5x3 @ 7, 162.5x3 @ 10, 152.5x3 @ 8, 145x1. Terrible. First press in 2 week. Felt weak. Then I had elbow pain. Not good.
Chin-Ups: 206x8 @ 7, 211x8 @ 8, 216x8 @ 9, 211x8 @ 9, 206x7 @ 9. No issues.