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06-26-2020, 06:53 PM
#141
6/26 Session 25-4, Squat
warm-ups:
45 x 5 x 2
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 1
345 x 1
working sets:
370 x 5 x 3; 6 mins rest between; no problem at all on these; next 5's, plus-5.
Rack Pulls -- 405 x 2; aiming for 5, but willing to take anything.
Seated BB Calf Raise (double rest-pause) -- 155 x 15, 15, 15; go to 185 next time.
Chin-up -- 5 set AMRAP, 5/5/4/4/4 = 22
Ab work
Duration: 1h+07m
End of week of 5's.
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06-28-2020, 08:42 AM
#142
6/28 Measurement Sunday
Total weight -- (spot) 203.2 (-0.6); (week avg) 202.7 (+0.4); (long-term avg) 202.1 (nc)
LBM -- (spot) 182.5 (-0.9); (long-term avg) 182.1 (nc)
Fat -- (spot) 20.7 (+0.3); (long-term avg) 20.0 (nc)
Yields a BF estimate of 9.9%.
Eating -- 129 g Protein, 286 g Carb, and 100 g Fat for an average daily intake of 2650 kcals.
Last week I wrote: "Today's graphs showed a very noticeable spike upwards on the body comp charts, but not yet sufficient to be a signal of anything. I will say that a quarter-inch increase in my upper arm measurement and a quarter-inch increase on my calf measurement are good signs that adding some of these auxiliary exercises to the routine could be having an effect; we'll see if it is sustained as this week goes on and next Sunday's tape shows."
This week showed that the upper arm and calf measurements have been sustained (no drop), while just about everything else measurement-wise stayed the same. Kind of a boring week, from a process perspective; however, at least it showed stable numbers. My fat is creeping upward so slightly, but so are the rest of the measures I compute for composition and size.
Today being 6/28, and my intermediate strength targets due, it is necessary to assess how well I did and where I am. I missed all 4 of my main lift targets. Furthest away was Bench Press; Deadlift was off by about 15%; the Press wasn't too far off; closest was the Squat, and I think I could have hit that target if I had been a little more confident over the past 3 week cycle.
OK, so that just means I am re-locating these targets to my end-of-September date, 9/27 (last Sunday of the month). Those targets are (all based on 5 reps successfully executed):
Squat -- 375
Deadlift -- 365
Bench Press -- 225
Press -- 155
If any of these are reached before 9/27, I'll revise and re-adjust to new targets. I expect Squat to be achieved; the rest should not be too far behind. However, it is summer-time and vacation(s) are rapidly approaching where I'll be out of gym for a week+ here and there, so some small-scale re-setting may be needed.
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06-29-2020, 01:43 PM
#143
6/29 Session 26-1, Bench Press
warm-ups:
45 x 5 x 2
135 x 5
165 x 2
working sets:
185 x 4; aiming for 3 o 6 reps; 5 mins rest; good solid set, will stay at this weight one more session to try for 6.
165 x 9, 7; aiming for 2 sets of 6 to 9 reps; 5 mins rest; will stay at this weight one more session to try for second set at 9, but if I get 7 or better, I will add weight.
Press (volume) -- 122 x 5 x 5; 3 mins rest between; go plus-2 next time.
BB Rows -- 235 x 5 x 3; 3 mins rest between; keep this weight until I get 8 reps per set.
Dips (new addition) -- 8 x 3
DB Curls -- 60 x 12 x 2; go to 70 next time.
Rolling DB Tricep Extensions (replaces LTEs) -- 40 x 12 x 2; go to 50 next time.
Duration: 1h+30m
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06-30-2020, 05:03 PM
#144
6/30 Session 26-2, Deadlift
warm-ups:
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 1
working sets:
360 x 2 x 3; 5 mins rest between; *most weight ever deadlifted with a straight bar*; no problems at all; next 2's will be plus-5.
Squat (volume) -- 245 x 5 x 5; 3 mins rest between; plus-10 next time.
Standing BB Calf Raise (double rest-pause) -- 185 x 15 x 3; plus-10 next time.
Chin-ups (pyramid + AMRAP x 1) -- 1/2/3 + 2 = 8; very tired from deadlifting and it seemed to reduce my chin-ups this time, as I had gotten a lot more last week.
Ab work
Duration: 1h+10m
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07-02-2020, 02:10 PM
#145
7/2 Session 26-3, Press
warm-ups:
45 x 5 x 2
95 x 5
125 x 2
working sets:
148 x 2 x 3; 5 mins rest between; really superb lift, and I was very pumped to get 'em all, most weight ever lifted in a strict overhead press -- I am *not* using the hip-pump; the last rep of set #3 was pretty tough, giving it about 3 seconds of push to get to lock-out, but otherwise it was great! Next 2's will be plus-2.
Floor Press -- 175 x 5 x 5; 3 mins rest between; plus-2 next time.
Dips -- 8 x 3
Seated WG Cable Rows -- 125 x 12 x 2
DB Side Delt Raises -- 35 x 15 x 2
Shrugs (double rest-pause set) -- 190 x 15, 15, 15
Duration: 1h+10m
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07-03-2020, 03:03 PM
#146
7/3 Session 26-4, Squat
warm-ups:
45 x 5 x 2
135 x 5
225 x 3
315 x 1
365 x 1
working sets:
390 x 2 x 3; 6 mins rest between; no problem at all; observer reported good depth and control; I took several breaths between each rep; next 2's will be plus-5.
RDLs -- 265 x 8 x 3; 3 mins rest between
Seated BB Calf Raise (double rest-pause set) -- 2185 x 15 x 3
Chin-ups (AMRAP x 5) -- 23, as 5/5/5/5/3
Lying Leg Raises -- 15 x 2
Duration: 1h+06m
Completes week of 2's; next week is 8's, except for bench press.
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07-05-2020, 09:29 AM
#147
7/5 Measurement Sunday
Total weight -- (spot) 203.0 (-0.2); (week avg) 202.3 (-0.4); (long-term avg) 202.2 (+0.1)
LBM -- (spot) 182.0 (-0.5); (long-term avg) 182.1 (nc)
Fat -- (spot) 21.0 (+0.3); (long-term avg) 20.1 (+0.1)
Yields a BF estimate of 9.9%.
Eating -- 137 g Protein, 264 g Carb, and 103 g Fat for an average daily intake of 2585 kcals.
Last week I wrote: "Kind of a boring week, from a process perspective; however, at least it showed stable numbers. My fat is creeping upward so slightly, but so are the rest of the measures I compute for composition and size."
Fat pounds continued to creep upward, but so did total weight, meaning there was no measurable change in BF%. However, both the Total Weight graph and the Fat Pounds graph now have 3 points in a row above their 1-sigma lines, while the LBM Pounds graph is stable near the mean. A "Rule 3" process shift (where 4 of 5 points are on one side of the process average line either above or below the 1-sigma line) *could be* one measurement away from triggering a change in long-term (6-sigma) averages for Total Weight and Fat Pounds. If that change is indicated, both will be on the scale of about a pound each.
Now, additional note is that I will be departing for my annual camping trip on Friday; this means there will be no training or even regular eating for a little over a week, while "roughing it." I expect some decent hiking in the trails around the region while there, but nothing is planned or scheduled. This also means that the normal "Measurement Sunday" won't be occurring -- I plan to take my "Sunday" measurements Friday morning, and get the numbers recorded for the week. The following Sunday will probably be still away, but I will play it by ear. So, this Friday I will get my Sunday numbers early.
And because I'll be leaving town on Friday, I am accelerating my training week to start today rather than Monday, and will be doing a Sunday-Monday-Wednesday-Thursday training week.
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07-05-2020, 02:26 PM
#148
7/5 Session 27-1, Bench Press
warm-ups:
45 x 5 x 2
135 x 5
165 x 2
working sets:
185 x 3-6; got *6*; plus-5 next time
165 x 6-9 x 2; got 9, 9; 5 mins rest between; plus-5 next time
Press (vol) -- 124 x 5, 5, 5, 5, 3; 3 mins rest between; stay at this weight next time (pressing muscles pretty tired from a great bench workout)
Seated Cable Rows WG -- 135 x 12 x 2; plus-10 next time
Dips -- BW x 8 x 3; ok for this week, consider going to 4 sets next week
DB Bicep Curls -- 70 x 12 x 2
EZ LTEs -- 60 x 12 x 2
(Note I switched out the BB Rows from this day, and moved it over to Day 3, the Press day; the BB Rows were really taking a hit as my bench has gotten more stressful, and the triceps and lats are already tired out from benching and pressing; on day 3, with regular press and floor press leading, I should have more "gas" remaining for some good bb rows.)
(Also note I am alternating every week on LTEs between the EZ bar variety and the DB rolling tricep extension variety.)
Duration -- 1h+24m
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07-06-2020, 01:31 PM
#149
7/6 Session 27-2, Deadlift
warm-ups:
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 1
working sets:
305 x 8 x 3; 6 mins rest between; reps 7 and 8 on 3rd set were really hard - I was out of breath and just about out of gas, but I drove them up; next 8's will be plus-5
Squat (vol) -- 255 x 5 x 5; 3 mins rest between; plus-5 next time
Standing BB Calf Raise (double r-p set) -- 195 x 15, 15, 15; plus-10 next time
Chin-ups (pyramid + AMRAP) -- ramped up to 5 (=15 reps) and got 4 on the AMRAP for total of 19; reps were assisted + 30
Ab work
Duration: 1h+23m
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07-08-2020, 03:45 PM
#150
7/8 Session 27-3, Press
warm-ups:
45 x 5 x 2
95 x 5
115 x 1
working sets:
126 x 8, 8, 4; was aiming for 8x3; 6 mins rest between; set 1, rep 7 was a 2-3 sec hard grind, and rep 8 was 3-5 secs; set 2, reps 5, 6, and 7 all needed a good 2-3 secs, and rep 8 was another very hard 5 sec grind; set 3, reps 1-4 went very smoothly, but I was unable to even start rep 5; will use same weight next time 8's comes up.
Floor Press (vol) -- 177 x 3, 5, 4, 5, 3; was aiming for 5x5; 3.5 mins rest between; I was *very tired* from the intensity press; same weight next time.
BB Rows -- 235 x 6 x 3; same weight next time to continue to improve to 8x3
DB Side Delt Raises -- 35 x 15 x 2; solid reps, felt good; same weight next time
Shrugs (double r-p set) -- 200 x 15 x 3; plus-10 next time
Duration: 1h+13m
General notes -- I had a rough session during my week of 5's on this Press intensity last time out, only getting 8 reps out of 15 (3, 4, and 1). With this session having been a miss, too (although, not a bad miss), and a fairly long break coming up at the end of this week, my next press session will be 5's again at the same weight as last time. If I should miss again, that poses an interesting program choice -- try for the max effort in the following week of 2's, or shift over to a routine along the same lines as my current Bench Press routine is running (1 set of 3-6 at max intensity, and 2 sets of 6-9 at back-offs for volume). At this point, I favor going for the max 2's, but it will be a challenge to see how quickly I recover from the break.
Overall, today's session seems to be pointing towards a condition that I have hit "the wall" in terms of volume, and may need to consider what should be done to mitigate this.
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