BWare's Intermediate Training Log

[Bruce Ware]

1/26 (late post) Session 5-1

Squat (intensity) --

Warm-ups:

135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 3
335 x 2

Working set:

370 x 5; OMG, I can't believe I nailed this with little trouble. I did take about 6 minutes rest after the last warm-up set, and felt that it would be heavy but do-able, and it turned out to be, well, I won't say "easy" but very smoothly done.

Back-off sets:

335 x 5 x 2

Deadlift (volume) --

225 x 5
315 x 3

I had wanted to go for a 2 x 2 at 345, but I was just so gassed from the squats, even after the 8 minutes or so rest period, that I just decided to forget about it.

Chin-ups: 5 x 3

EZ Curls: 65 x 12 x 3

Duration: 1h+15m

[Bruce Ware]

1/27 Session 5-2

Bench Press (intensity) --

Warm-ups:

45 x 5
135 x 5
175 x 3

Working set:

205 x 2, F; aiming for 3 reps, this was my second failure at try for this weight. For this exercise, I am going to change up the routine to back off on the weight and try Baker's 8-5-2 progression to drive new strength into this lift. Next week will try 8x3 at 155.

Press (volume/DE) --

Warm-ups:

45 x 5
95 x 5

Working sets:

110 x 3 x 10 using DE bar speed. This will be the last DE round for this exercise.

Assistance Exercises:

DB Incline Press: 70 x 10 x 3
DB Decline Press: 70 x 10 x 3
BB Rows: 145 x 12 x 3

Duration: 1h+15m

Having realized that I missed 3 of my 4 targets last week, I am giving this week as my drive to either make the target reps or make the MED change. I believe that the 3 missed lifts (deadlift, bench, and press) all failed due to a shortage of volume over the past 3 weeks, and that to make up for it, I need to put more effort into intensity. I've decided to program the bench along those lines, and while I do not *plan* to fail the deadlift or press later this week, I know I can make the MED change to overcome that failure. Squat is still moving well, so it will not change along with the other 3 lifts until such time as I observe it's stall.

[Bruce Ware]

1/29 Session 5-3

Deadlift (intensity) --

Warm-ups:

225 x 5
275 x 5
315 x 3

Working set:

355 x 0, F; could not even budge it from the floor, and I had allowed a nice 8 minutes or maybe even more after my last warm-up to prep. I also made sure that last week's low calorie intake prior to the session wasn't repeated - I ate a nice bunch of food. So no excuses! I suspect that the problem is the same as I am having with the bench -- a drop in volume from the start of January has led to some de-training. I'm going to spend some time tomorrow, check out my logs, and see what the difference is -- particularly with respect to my squat, which has *not* suffered any slow-down or decline in progression. And I think it's because the squat volume throughout the week has remained relatively high, while the other lifts have dropped.

Squat (volume) --

Warm-ups:

135 x 5
225 x 5
275 x 3

Working sets: 290 x 5 x 3

Shrugs: 160 x 20 x 3

Duration: 1h+10m

[Jeff Brophy]

Have you considered going to rack pulls every other week with your heavy deadlifts?

[Bruce Ware]

Have you considered going to rack pulls every other week with your heavy deadlifts?

I did rotate in rack pulls, BB shrugs, and halting deadlifts with my normal deadlifts in November and December, when I hit my first major stall. It's certainly worth consideration to try that again, but I think initially my main issue right now is that my total volume of deadlifting per week had gone down since January, and that led to some level of de-training.

To make up for that, I'm going to spend the next few weeks really hammering on increasing volume, while taking a weigh re-set and using an 8-5-2 weight progression.

Just thinking about 3 sets of 8 deadlifts, even at an appropriate weight, is making me sweat! LOL!

Thanks for the input. If this 8-5-2 doesn't jolt me through this stall, I'll most likely work in rack pulls as you suggest.

[Bruce Ware]

1/31 Session 5-4

Press (intensity) --

Warm-ups:

45 x 5
95 x 5
115 x 3

Working set:

130 x 3

Back-off sets:

120 x 3 x 4

CG Bench -- 140 x 8 x 3
LTE -- 65 x 10 x 3
DB Tricep OH Extension -- 25 x 12 x 3 each side

Duration: 1h+15m

This was the last workout of this variant. On Sunday, I'll be starting with an 8-5-2 variant to try and recover some of the lost volume.

[Bruce Ware]

2/2 Measurement Sunday

Total weight -- (spot) 200.6 (+1.8); (week avg) 197.9 (-0.9); (long-term avg) 198.3 (+0.3)

Lean Mass -- (spot) 180.8 (+1.3); (long-term avg) 179.0 (+0.4)

Fat Mass -- (spot) 19.8 (+0.5); (long-term avg) 19.3 (-0.1)

Yields a BF% est of 9.89%

Body-part measures are all within the normal range of variation, although there does appear to be some growth in measurement of neck and hip circumference. Neck could be due to trap exercises, and hip could be due to glute/ham growth. So far, the changes have been small but I'll keep tracking them.

Week's eating averaged 134g Protein, 332g Carbs, and 104g Fat for 2760 kcals; a decent increase overall, which I hope will support the new workout routine that starts today.

[Bruce Ware]

2/2 Session 6-1, first week of 8-5-2 3-week microcycle

Chest

Bench Press

Warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
95 x 5
135 x 3

Working sets:

145 x 8 x 3; no problem at this weight, good movement and form, good bar speed and control.

Incline DB Chest Press: 70 x 10 x 3
Decline DB Chest Press: 70 x 10 x 3
EZ Bicep Curls: 65 x 12 x 3

Duration: 0h+55m

[Bruce Ware]

2/3 Session 6-1

Deadlift

Warm-ups:

135 x 5
225 x 5

Working sets:

245 x 8 x 3; pretty good "cardio" workout!

Box Squat: 135 x 12 x 3
Standing Hamstring Curls: 60 x 12 x 3 each leg
Seated Barbell Calf Raise: 135 x 20 x 3

Duration: 1h+00m

[Bruce Ware]

2/4 (rest day addition) - Bachata and Salsa dance class: 65 mins

2/5 Session 6-3

Press

Warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
75 x 5

Working sets:

95 x 8 x 3

Seated DB Shoulder Press: 60 x 12 x 3
CG Bench Press: 145 x 8 x 3
LTEs: 65 x 10 x 3

Duration: 0h+55m