Cargotruck - Destination: Stronger

[Cargotruck]

Monday 16.4
Squat: 110kg 3x5, 107.5kg 1x5, 105kg 1x5
Barbell row: 77.5kg 3x5, 75kg 2x5
Incline DB press: 32.5+32.5kg 3x8, 35+35kg 1x8

Wednesday 18.4
Bench press: 100kg 1x5, 97.5kg 3x5, 95kg 1x5
Chin ups: 87.5+10kg 3x5, 87.5+7.5kg 2x5
Pause squat (2sec, beltless): 85kg 4x4

Friday 20.4
Overhead press: 60kg 5x5
Deadlift: 135kg 3x5
Seated cable row: 75kg 4x12

Saturday 21.4
Chin ups: 35 in 7min
Push ups: 103 in 7min
Hanging leg raises: 55 in 7min

Strength is still intact, even got 60kg for 5x5 on the overhead press though the last set was definitely @10, and for the first time in my life deadlift feels alright despite cutting daily calories aggressively. Squats took a small blow mainly because I didn't want to risk grinding out reps with questionable form. Been cycling around 15km/10mi a day, weight is now down 2kg/4.5lb.

[Cargotruck]

Monday 23.4
Squat: 110kg 5x5
Barbell row: 80kg 1x5, 77.5kg 4x5
Incline DB press: 32.5+32.5kg 3x8, 35+35kg 1x7

Wednesday 25.4
Bench press: 100kg 5x5
Chin ups: 87.5+10kg 5x5
Pause squat (2sec, beltless): 87.5kg 4x4

Friday 27.4
Overhead press: 60kg 5x5
Deadlift: 137.5kg 3x5
Seated cable row: 80kg 2x12, 75kg 2x12

Saturday 21.4
Chin ups: 36 in 7min
Push ups: 105 in 7min
Hanging leg raises: 56 in 7min

Some places have been getting irritated by high bar squats for a while now, so I'll try switching back to low bar and bump the working weights to 120-125kg. Good week overall, took longer rests on bench to make the 100kg 5x5. Weight is now down almost 3 kilos / around 6 pounds from the start.

[Cargotruck]

Monday 30.4
Squat: 120kg 3x5, 115kg 2x5
Barbell row: 80kg 5x5
Incline DB press: 32.5+32.5kg 4x8

Thursday 3.5
Bench press: 100kg 5x5
Chin ups: 87.5+12.5kg 3x5, 87.5+10kg 2x5
Lying triceps extension: 30kg 3x10
Barbell curl: 30kg 3x10

Friday 4.5
Overhead press: 60kg 5x5
Deadlift: 140kg 3x5
Seated cable row: 80kg 2x12, 75kg 2x12

Saturday 5.5
Chin ups: 35 in 7min
Push ups: 105 in 7min
Hanging leg raises: 59 in 7min

Couldn't work out on Wednesday due to having 8 hours of use of force training and both of my bicycle tires blowing up at which point I called it a day for physical activity. Working out 3 days in a row didn't affect my Friday too much, but definitely affected my GPP chins on Saturday. Removing leg work from Wednesday during the cut due to cycling so much. Getting back to low bar squats was harder than I expected due to my body not being used to that kind of a total load anymore despite the better leverages offered by the movement. Technique sucked for the first 4 sets, then I remembered how to push the hips back after the halfway point. Pulling strength is slowly increasing and pushing strength is still keeping up, but I'm very reluctant on increasing my working weights on pushing movements. Bodyweight is down 3.5kg / 7.5lb total.

[Cargotruck]

Tuesday 8.5
Squat: 3x5 120kg
Barbell row: 5x5 80kg
Incline DB press: 32.5+32.5kg 3x8, 1x7
Barbell curl: 32.5kg 3x10

Wednesday 9.5
Bench press: 100kg 5x5
Chin ups: 86+12.5kg 5x5
Squat (light): 100kg 3x5
Lying triceps extension: 32.5kg 3x10

Friday 11.5
Overhead press: 60kg 5x5
Deadlift: 140kg 3x5
Seated cable row: 80kg 2x12, 75kg 2x12

Sunday 13.5
Chin ups: 38 in 7min
Push ups: 103 in 7min
Hanging leg raises: 55 in 7min

Switched Monday squats from 5x5 to 3x5 and added light squats onto Wednesday. Barbell rows and deadlifts were a lot lighter this week, and chin ups are improving nicely due to the loss in bodyweight. Pressing movements are barely being maintained though OHP felt lighter this week than the previous few. Weight is down 5kg / 11lb, and I'm finally getting used to smaller meals. It's warm enough to go swimming now which is great.

[Cargotruck]

Tuesday 15.5
Squat: 3x5 110kg
Barbell row: 3x5 80kg, 2x5 82.5kg
Incline DB press: 32.5+32.5kg 3x8, 30+30kg 1x8
Barbell curl: 32.5kg 2x10, 30kg 1x10, 30kg 1x8

Thursday 17.5
Bench press: 100kg 3x5, 97.5kg 1x5, 95kg 1x5
Chin ups: 84.5+15kg 5x5
Squat (light): 100kg 3x5
Lying triceps extension: 32.5kg 4x10

Saturday 19.5
Overhead press: 60kg 5x5
Deadlift: 140kg 3x5
Seated cable row: 80kg 4x12

Changed back to high bar squats after Tuesday's workout since my left shoulder started getting bothered by low bar again, and high bar feels a lot better overall. I seem to have about the same strength on both anyway. Pressing strength is suffering a bit although not on OHP, and pulling strength is creeping up slowly. I'm very surprised my deadlift strength is being maintained, because I have had around 900 calories of deficit daily for the last 1½ months. Weight is still down roughly 5kg, holding some water which should be gone in the next 1-5 days.

[Cargotruck]

Monday 21.5
Squat: 2x5 110kg, 1x5 100kg
Barbell row: 2x5 82.5kg, 3x5 80kg
Incline DB press: 32+32kg 3x8, 32+32kg 1x7
Barbell curl: 30kg 3x10, 30kg 1x6

Tuesday 22.5
Running 300m / Walking 100m x 8

Wednesday 23.5
Bench press: 100kg 4x5, 95kg 1x5
Chin ups: 84+16.25kg 5x5
Squat (light): 90kg 3x5
Lying triceps extension: 32.5kg 4x10

Thursday 24.5
Chin ups: 38 in 7min
Push ups: 112 in 7min
Sit ups: 129 in 7min

Friday 25.5
Running 300m / Walking 100m x 8

Saturday 26.5
Overhead press: 61kg 2x5, 60kg 3x5
Deadlift: 142.5kg 3x5
Seated cable row: 80kg 3x12, 1x14

Deadlift and pulling work in general is slowly moving up, everything else is keeping up.

Soul-searching on squats a little bit, I think that from now on I'll be using weights that allow me to go from one rep to another in around 3 seconds or less. High bar squatting with 110kg (and previously low bar with 120kg) has required me to breathe between the last two reps for almost 10 seconds sometimes, not because of heart rate but to recover enough leg strength to make the final rep. It doesn't feel productive, and is very tiring especially psychologically. I don't see anyone else doing it even on the Internet and I follow a lot of hard working lifters, so I'm going to be squatting the sort of weights that allow a pace that's similar to every other movement out of the big 4.

I'll move down to 102.5kg since I've high bar squatted 100kg for sets of 5 with a good pace before, and move up from there. Might do 5x5 instead of 3x5 at least on days when I feel like I have the energy for it, but I'll see. Hopefully I'll be able to get back up to my current weights in just 4 weeks. It's a bit disheartening considering I finished SS with a 135kg 3x5 low bar, but I was 100% focused on squats, had technique down pretty well, and did it 3 times a week. Squats aren't anywhere close to the same priority right now, and I also need my legs for cardio so I can eat more while cutting and stay sane. Weight is down 6 kilos / 13 pounds.

[Cargotruck]

Tuesday 29.5
Squat: 102.5kg 5x5
Barbell row: 80kg 5x5
DB bench press: 33+33kg 2x8
Seated DB press: 23+23kg 1x8, 1x10
Barbell curl: 32.5kg 3x10

Thursday 31.5
Bench press: 95kg 5x5
Chin ups: 83+17.5kg 5x5
Beltless squat (light): 90kg 3x5
Dips: 83kg 1x15, 2x12

Saturday 2.6
Overhead press: 60kg 2x5, 57.5kg 3x5
Deadlift: 142.5kg 3x5
Seated cable row: 85kg 2x12, 80kg 2x12
DB curl: 12.5+12.5kg 2x12, 1x10

Monday 4.6
Squat: 105kg 5x5
Barbell row: 80kg 2x5, 70kg 3x5
Incline DB press: 30+30kg 4x8
Barbell curl: 32.5kg 2x10, 30kg 1x10

Wednesday 6.6
Bench press: 97.5kg 5x5
Chin ups: 82+18.75kg 5x5
Beltless squat (light): 90kg 3x5
Lateral raise: 5+5kg 3x15

Friday 8.6
Overhead press: 60kg 3x5, 57.5kg 2x5
Deadlift: 140kg 3x5
Seated cable row: 85kg 2x12, 80kg 2x12
DB curl: 12.5+12.5kg 2x12, 10+10kg 1x12

Saturday 9.6
Chin ups: 42 in 7min
Push ups: 114 in 7min
Sit ups: 136 in 7min

Stopped running because left knee can't take repeated impacts like that. Squats are feeling great now, and surprisingly deadlifts haven't dropped at all. I deloaded a bit on bench, OHP and barbell row because they started being a struggle, but at least the former two are coming back up as well. Weight is down 8kg / 17.5lb, 9 weeks done. Will probably go for 16 overall, but the nature of the last 4 (i.e. intensity of the deficit) depends on how I feel.

[Cargotruck]

Monday 11.6
Squat: 107.5kg 5x5
Barbell row: 80kg 5x5
Incline DB press: 30+30kg 3x8, 32.5+32.5kg 1x8
Barbell curl: 30kg 3x10

Wednesday 13.6
Bench press: 100kg 5x5
Chin ups: 82+20kg 3x5, 82+17.5kg 2x5
Beltless squat (light): 90kg 3x5
Lateral raise: 7.5+7.5kg 3x15

Monday 18.6
Overhead press: 60kg 3x5, 57.5kg 2x5
Deadlift: 140kg 3x5
Seated cable row: 85kg 3x12, 80kg 1x12
DB curl: 10+10kg 3x12

Wednesday 20.6
Squat: 110kg 5x5
Barbell row: 75kg 5x5
Incline DB press: 30+30kg 3x8, 32.5+32.5kg 1x8
Barbell curl: 35kg 3x8

Friday 22.6
Chin ups: 42 in 7min
Push ups: 115 in 7min
Sit ups: 100 in 7min

Saturday 23.6
Bench press: 100kg 2x5, 97.5kg 1x5, 95kg 2x5
Chin ups: 81+20kg 4x5, 81+17.5kg 1x5
Beltless squat: 90kg 1x5, 92.5kg 1x5, 95kg 1x5
Lateral raise: 7.5+7.5kg 3x15

Monday 25.6
Overhead press: 57.5kg 4x5, 55kg 1x5
Deadlift: 130kg 3x5
Seated cable row: 85kg 2x12, 80kg 2x12
Pushdown: 44kg 3x12

Tuesday 26.6
Chin ups: 43 in 7min
Push ups: 116 in 7min
Sit ups: 129 in 7min

Schedule went a bit out of rails due to a few days of travelling, which will be repeating this weekend. Such times are much needed though, as I would have trouble taking even a single day of complete rest otherwise.

Squats are now back to their highest point (for high bar 5x5) after the 10% deload to work on my pace (in other words finishing the sets in 20-30 seconds rather than 30+) and technique, and they're feeling great. I finish my sets much faster than back when I was almost 10 kilos heavier. Pressing movements and barbell rows sometimes feel good, sometimes weaker. The weaker weeks have happened when I lowered my daily calories by a few hundred, which I likely won't be doing anymore except on days when my appetite is naturally low, though I will probably make up for such occurrences on days when the appetite is higher. I'm now doing the same kind of reset on deadlifts as I did with squats to work on pace. Weight is down 9 kilos but it has been the same for 1½ weeks, so I will likely drop a decent amount of water soon (if it hasn't happened today already).

[Cargotruck]

Thursday 28.6
Squat: 112.5kg 4x5, 110kg 1x5
Barbell row: 75kg 2x5, 77.5kg 3x5
Incline DB press: 30+30kg 4x8
Barbell curl: 35kg 3x8

Monday 2.7
Bench press: 95kg 5x5
Chin ups: 80+20kg 5x5
Beltless squat: 95kg 3x5
Lateral raise: 10+10kg 1x15, 7.5+7.5kg 2x15

Wednesday 4.7
Overhead press: 57.5kg 5x5
Deadlift: 132.5kg 3x5
Seated cable row: 85kg 1x12, 80kg 3x12
Pushdown: 49kg 2x12, 44kg 1x12

Friday 6.7
Squat: 112.5kg 2x5, 110kg 3x5
Barbell row: 77.5kg 5x5
Incline DB press: 30+30kg 4x8
Barbell curl: 35kg 3x8

Saturday 7.7
Chin ups: 45 in 7min
Push ups: 123 in 7min
Sit ups: 139 in 7min

Monday 9.7
Bench press: 95kg 5x5
Chin ups: 78.5+21.25kg 5x5
Beltless squat: 95kg 3x5
Lateral raise: 8+8kg 3x15

Wednesday 11.7
Overhead press: 57.5kg 3x5, 55kg 2x5
Deadlift: 135kg 3x5
Seated cable row (strange angle): 60kg 1x12, 65kg 1x12, 70kg 2x12
Pushdown: 25kg 3x12

Squats stalled but feel a lot faster and more solid compared to where I was at the beginning of the cut. Pulling is maintaining or going up, presses are decreasing a bit most likely due to leverages getting worse. The amount of chins and push ups I can do in 7 minutes is getting a lot better. Weight is down 11 kilos, and only two more weeks to go. TDEE has decreased very little in these last 14 weeks. Either my body is dumb or my approach to cutting is smart.

[Cargotruck]

Friday 13.7
Squat: 112.5kg 3x5
Barbell row: 80kg 3x5
DB bench press: 31+31kg 3x8
Barbell curl: 35kg 3x8

Saturday 14.7
Chin ups: 45
Push ups: 125
Sit ups: 140

Monday 16.7
Bench press: 95kg 3x5
Chin ups: 79.5+21.25kg 3x5
Beltless squat: 95kg 1x5, 97.5kg 1x5, 100kg 1x5
Lateral raise: 9+9kg 3x15

Wednesday 18.7
Overhead press: 57.5kg 3x5
Deadlift: 137.5kg 3x5
Seated cable row (new machine): 77kg 2x12, 68kg 1x12
Pushdown (new machine): 50kg 3x12

Friday 20.7
Squat: 112.5kg 3x5
Barbell row: 82.5kg 3x5
DB bench press: 32.5+32.5kg 3x8
Barbell curl: 30kg 3x10

Saturday 21.7
Chin ups: 47
Push ups: 125
Sit ups (decline): 85

Monday 23.7
Bench press: 95kg 3x5
Chin ups: 78.5+22.5kg 3x5
Beltless squat: 95kg 1x5, 97.5kg 1x5, 100kg 1x5
Lateral raise: 8+8kg 3x15

Wednesday 25.7
Overhead press: 57.5kg 3x5
Deadlift: 140kg 3x5
Seated cable row: 64kg 3x12
Pushdown: 50kg 3x12

Friday 27.7
Squat: 115kg 3x5
Barbell row: 85kg 3x5
DB bench press: 32.5+32.5kg 1x8
Incline DB press: 30+30kg 1x8
Seated DB press: 20+20kg 1x12
Barbell curl: 30kg 3x10

Cut finished with 12kg lost and 11cm off my waist and 8cm off both my thighs (where I store a lot of fat). Made minor gains on squat, deadlift, chin ups and rows during the cut, and pressing took around a 5% hit likely just due to leverages. In terms of bodyfat I look very similar to where I was before SS, except my measurements are bigger in the upper back, legs and though a bit less so, arms, and my weight is 3kg higher.

Now going to bulk for a good 1-1½ years with a 200-300 calorie surplus and a well structured PPL template. Stopping this log here. Was a good time.