Dillon's Intermediate Log

[Dillon Spencer]

Haha that's why I love my gym's new plates! All my lifts look way more badass than they are. I didn't actually buy his template. He's written a fair bit about it on his blog though. A recent post basically laid out a full 4 day 8/5/2 program. I think I saw you were considering trying it out, so his blog is well worth checking out. I'm kind of in no man's land where my presses stalled out, and I wanted to cut a bit anyways, so I'm just trying to piece together and test drive an upper body program for a bit. Hoping it'll lead to some new PRs, but even if I just maintain while cutting a bit I'm cool with that. Sticking with TM for the lower body, because the PRs are still coming fast and furious.

Each upper body day, the main lift follows a rotating 8/5/2 rep scheme, and then I'm throwing in some assistance stuff that's mostly more strength focused than bodybuilding focused. Some combination of incline bench, pin presses, dips, or LTEs. Depends on what equipment is available and how much time I have. I'm in flagrant violation of the Principle of Minimum Effective Dose, but I'm enjoying the flexibility and variety.

2/20/19
BW: 215
Press 137.5x8x3 (8PR)
CGBP 190x5x3
DB curls 35x10x3
Dips 35x6x4

Not much to report here. Everything went up pretty comfortably. Even messed around with some curls for something to do between bench sets. Weighed in at 215 today, after PRing my squat last night. So far leaning out and maintaining strength seems to be going reasonably well. If I can manage another 5-10 lbs off without missing any lifts before taking off on vacation, I'll be one happy camper!

[Dillon Spencer]

2/23/19
BW: 215
Bench 187.5x8x3 (8PR)
Pin press 147.5x3x3
Incline bench 170x8,7,7
LTEs 70x10x3
C2 intervals 6x30s on 60s rest

So I did something super clever last night. Grabbed a hot pan that had been in the oven. Solid burn. Luckily gripping a barbell was still manageable. Deadlifts tomorrow might be interesting though. Might strap up. Bench was pretty easy. Pin presses felt really strong too. Probably could have handled a bit more weight, but don't want to get greedy. Pretty optimistic that getting these up will help me set new press PRs when the time comes.

[Dillon Spencer]

2/25/19
Deadlift ID 370x5x1 (5PR)
Squats VD 315x5x3
Chins myo reps 10-3-2-2 30s rest
C2 intervals 6x30s on 60s rest

Got another 5 rep PR on the deadlift. Squats were a bit of an adventure though. Decided I hate squatting with my gym's new Eleiko bars. Slippery AF and kept creeping up my back, even with chalk on my shirt. Switched to a different bar after the first work set, and it felt a lot better. Trying a new thing with my squat volume. Since I'm keeping the weight static for three volume days at a time, I'm going to try adding a set each week so I hit 5x5 before increasing it. 3 and 4 sets seemed to let me hit my intensity day numbers last cycle, so I'm hoping it'll do the same if I do it this way. These felt harder than they should have today. Might have just been because I was gassed from my deadlifts and my first set with a slippery bar, but I was real happy to only do 3 sets today. Hit some quick chins and C2 intervals and called it a day.

[Dillon Spencer]

2/26/19
Press 147.5x5x3
CGBP 192.5x5x3
DB rear dealt flyes 25x12x3
Dips 35x7x3
Cable lateral raise myo reps 4 plates x14x5,5,4

[Dillon Spencer]

3/2/19
BW: 213
Squats ID 350x4 (fail but also PR!) @thatguydillon on Instagram: “350x4 Supposed to be 5 but my knee felt weird so decided not to go for the last one. Only ever tripled this though, so technically still a…”
Deadlift VD 300x5x2
Rows 210x7x3
C2 intervals

Bit of a weird one today. 350x5 on the docket, but only did four. Probably had the last one in me, but my right knee didn't feel good so I decided not to attempt what would have been a real grinder. Sometimes I get a weird sharp pain in my knee that usually works itself out during warmups. I don't usually worry about it because it comes and goes. This time it decided to show up in the middle of my work set. Was there on rep three, and was worse on rep four, so I chickened out of rep five for the sake of living to fight another day. I'm not proud of it, but it's still technically a PR because I've only ever tripled 350 before. Debating whether to repeat 350x5 next week, or come back to it next cycle. Everything else was pretty fine, but suspect I might have been using a bit too much english on the rows. Should probably go down to sets of six. Just hoping to make it up to 225 by the time I'm down to fahves.

[Dillon Spencer]

3/3/19
Bench 212.5x5x3
Pin press 155x3x3
Incline bench 170x8x3
LTE myo reps 14,5,5,4
Curls myo reps 14,5,5,5,4
C2 intervals 7x30s on 60s rest

Best upper body day in a while! 212.5x5 isn't a PR exactly, but it is for sets across, and it felt like cake today. Probably had two in the tank on each set. Pin presses felt strong so I took a 7.5 pound jump and hit it no problem. Really optimistic about these helping hit new press PRs. Was a bit tired out by the time I hit the incline, but still got my sets of 8s, so more weight next time. Quick bit of arm assistance myo rep style for the sake of time, and intervals because I'm in my last week before vacation in Costa Rica! Down ~10 lbs since I started trying to cut, and have kept hitting some PRs, so I'm happy with that. Especially after a workout like today where nothing was a struggle!

[Dillon Spencer]

3/6/19
Deadlift ID 375x5x1 (5PR)
Squats VD 315x5x4

Another solid workout! This will be where I start rotating reps on the deadlift. Means first day of singles will be at 405, which was the goal. Form on squats felt better than it has the last few workouts, so that was nice. Skipped my chins because I got to the gym late and pizza was beckoning. I'll try to get them in with my upper body lifts today.

[Dillon Spencer]

3/7/19
Press 157.5x2x3
Pin Press 160x3x3
CGBP 195x5x3
Chins 12,3,3,3,2 rest pause

Yet another solid workout! These doubles are still a bit below my PR, so they went up nice and smooth. Got a little greedy on the pin presses with a 5 lbs jump, but managed to get them done. Last reps took more lay back than I'd like, and the last rep of the last set took a good 7 seconds to lock out. Good practice for when I get back up to setting PRs. CGBP is still LPing up nicely. Did my chins rest pause style again for time's sake, and they felt stronger than they have in a while. Used to be able to knock out sets of 15 back when I was 185, and trying to get back there at 200+.

[Dillon Spencer]

3/9/19
Squats ID 360x3x2 (3PR)
Deadlift VD 300x5x2 1 plate deficit
Rows 215x6x3
Sled pushes/backwards drags 300 x turf x 5 60s rest

Squats felt great today! Definitely hard, but form felt good. Knee didn't bother me like last intensity day. Now that I'm starting to rotate reps on deadlifts, I tinkered with adding stress to volume day without adding weight. Pulled these from a deficit, which was a first. Might try snatch grip next time, or maybe just a slightly higher deficit. Knocked out my rows and some sled pushes for conditioning and that was that.

[Dillon Spencer]

3/10/19
Bench 237.5x2x3
Pin Press 160x3 162.5x3x2
Incline bench 172.5x7x3
DB curls 40x8x3
C2 intervals 7x30s on 60s rest

Last workout before ten days in Costa Rica! Crashing with the folks, and my dad's already found us a Crossfit box for a couple of workouts while I'm down there, hopefully. These bench doubles were only 2.5 lbs off my PR, and they felt pretty casual. Very confident about some bench PRs in the next little while. Pin presses at 160 were a bitch last workout, so I decided to repeat it. First set went up so easy that I went up to 162.5. It was smoother than 160 the other day. Again, very optimistic about these helping me hit new press PRs. My best prest triple is 160, so these have officially surpassed it and are still LPing up every workout. Some curls for the girls between sets of incline bench, some intervals for the beach bod, and another solid workout in the books!