Dillon's Intermediate Log

[Dillon Spencer]

3/13/19 (Costa Rica)
Deadlift ID 390x3x2 (3PR)
Press 140x8x3 (8PR)
Squats 300x5x2

So this workout happened at the local Crossfit box in lovely Coco, Costa Rica. Was hoping to get two workouts in while I was there, but the box kept weird hours and there was lots to do, so this was the only one. Hit deadlift and press PRs, and had some time left so did a couple of lighter squat sets. It was pretty much empty while we were there, so I was able to get video (Instagram), which I can't always manage at my home gym. Was quite unimpressed with my deadlift form, so I've got some work to do there. I was also squatting way too deep, so I'll be conscious of that too.

3/21/19
Bench 190x8x3 (8PR)
Pin press 165x3x3
Incline bench 172.5x8,7,6
Curls myo reps 50x14,5,5,5,4
LTEs myo reps 60x14,5,5,5,4
C2 tabata

Big gap between workouts here, so I wasn't sure how it would go. Managed to pick up right where I left off, adding weight or reps to everything. Bench was easy peas. Pin press was not. Last rep took what felt like 10 seconds to lock out. Everything else is just accessory stuff so whatever, but it was all better than last time. Back in the swing of things!

[Dillon Spencer]

3/22/19
Squats ID 370x1x5 (1PR)
Deadlift VD 300x5x2 snatch grip
Sled push/backwards drags 300xTurfx5 60s rest

Squats felt pretty strong today. Didn't feel like there were any real issues, besides my suspicion that I took a couple of them deeper than I had to. Continued my experiment with adding stress with deadlift variants instead of upping the weight on volume day. Discovered that snatch grip is probably too stressful of a variant for this plan. 300x5x2 snatch grip was MUCH more difficult than adding the deficit was. They were fun though! Put in a question to Wolf about this little scheme of mine, and I suspect he'll tell me it's dumb. Don't think it'll hurt that I tried it for one cycle though.

[Dillon Spencer]

3/23/19
Press 150x5x3
Pin press 165x3x3
CGBP 197.5x5x3
Dips 35x8x3
KB lateral raise myo reps 8 kg x 10,5,5,4
C2 intervals 7x30s on 60s rest

Getting excited to get back to hitting some PRs on my presses soon! Really I've already hit some for sets across. Like my bench, today was only 2.5 lbs off my five rep PR, but it was a single set on intensity day. Next cycle I'll hit it for 5x3, and the one after will be new territory for the fahves. It's taken a bit to work back up, but I'm happy with it. Really liking this 8/5/2 program! It's been fun to include some variants and assistance exercises, and with the way near-PR weights are feeling these days, I'm very optimistic about it paying off with some new PRs. In fact, I think I might try for 170 on the press next week, just to see if I can get it. It was my nemesis back in January. It'd be jumping the gun a bit, but my programmed doubles are still low enough that I think I can go for the PR and still hit them afterwards.

[Dillon Spencer]

3/25/19
Deadlift ID 405x1x5
Squats VD 315x5x5

Good, but long, workout! Singles at 405 were smooth. A gym buddy even said they looked easy. I'll take that! I felt better about my form today too. Technically I should have upped my squat weight today, but Costa Rica messed with my schedule and it had been a while since my last squat volume day, so I stuck with 315. Workout took forever with 10 sets, lots of rest, and waiting for a rack (and my gym has seven of them!!!) after my deads, so I skipped my chins. Meh.

[Dillon Spencer]

3/30/19
Bench 215x5x3
Pin press 165x3 167.5x3x2
Incline bench 172.5x8,8,7

Had a bit of a tough time making it to the gym this week. Just slammed with getting back to work and getting my usual routine back in the groove. Had to be a bit quick today too, so no arms. Oh well! This felt the closest to hitting a real PR in a while! Last time I did 215x5, it was for one set on intensity day, and felt heavy enough that I dropped down to triples the next week. This was for sets across with gas in the tank. Looking forward to hitting more PRs in the weeks to come!

[Dillon Spencer]

4/1/19
Squats ID 350x5x1 (5PR)
Deadlift VD 305x5x2
Rows 225x5x3

Decided to stay and grab the 350x5 I came up a rep short on a few weeks ago. Been a bit inconsistent lately so figured I'd just pick the low hanging fruit. And WTF is a 4 rep PR anyways? Deadlifts felt awkward today. Just a little inconsistent. Decided to go for 225 on the rows tonight, for some reason. Was a bigger jump than I should have taken since I haven't done them a while, but I just wanted to give it a go. Got them all done, just a little more english than I'd like. Nothing too egregious though.

[Dillon Spencer]

4/4/19
Press 170x2 (2PR!!!) 160x2x2
CGBP 200x5x3
DB curls 45x8,7,7
Dips 45x6x3

Press PR! Press PR! Press PR! Was getting eager to attempt 170 again, so went off program just a wee bit. I failed it for singles two weeks in a row back in January, prompting me to switch to my current 8/5/2 program for the upper body lifts. I did a bit of a reset when I started it too, but probably too much of one. I should have thought it through better. Every week of 8s is a PR, but it's taken months for my 5s to get back to PR territory, and would have been months more for my 2s to get there from where I started them. My pin presses were making me feel pretty confident I could hit 170 today, so the plan was to attempt a single and then do my programmed doubles. I really threw my hips into it, and it flew. So easily, in fact, that I was worried I might have let my knees break and push pressed it a bit. Only solution was to try to do it again. Second rep was almost as smooth as the first. I did my programmed doubles as back offs. I think I might go with that format on my 2s week from now on. Try to hit a PR single or double, and then do a couple of back offs. I'm excited to get back to hitting PRs on the presses! Hopefully this was just the first of many to come.

[Dillon Spencer]

4/6/19
Deadlift ID 380x5x1 (5PR)
Squats VD 320x5x4
Chins myo reps 10,3,3,3

Not much to report here. Another pretty manageable 5 rep PR on the deadlift, and the volume squats felt pretty solid too. First time chinning in a few weeks, but even those felt pretty good, considering.

[Dillon Spencer]

4/7/19
Bench 240x2x2, 3x1 (3PR!)
Pin press 170x3x3
Incline bench 172.5x8x3
Assorted sub max pull ups and band shit between sets

Today's program was 240 for doubles, which tied my previous PR. They were moving so well I made the last set a triple for the sake of grabbing a new PR. Probably had at least one more in the tank too. In two weeks I'll tie my previous 5 rep PRs on the bench and press, and after that it will be PRs for every lift every week, assuming everything goes according to plan.

[Dillon Spencer]

4/9/19
Squats ID 365x3x2 (3PR)
Deadlift VD 310x5x2
Rows 225x5x3

Well shit! These were the diciest squats I've done in a while. Got onto my toes at the bottom of the second rep of the first set and almost got decapitated by the bar. Managed to save it and really focused on keeping it over midfoot for the rest. Last rep of the second set felt like a real grind, but probably wasn't as slow as it felt. Volume deadlifts always feel pretty easy, but I felt good about form today. Rows at 225 felt less jerky than last time. The last reps of the last set had a bit more English that I'd like, but my workout was getting long so I was rushing my rest a bit. Probably stick with the weight until they feel smooth enough to keep going up. Maybe another week or two.