BWare's Intermediate Training Log

[Bruce Ware]

3/29 Session 10-2, Deadlift

Wondering if I am still dealing with the residuals of this weekend's activity as I missed my target rep.

Warm-ups: Leg Curls -- 65 x 12 x 2 with 6 drop-sets -- 60 x 12; 55 x 12; 50 x 12; 45 x 12; 40 x 12; 35 x 12

Deadlift warm-ups: 135 x 5

Volume progression:

240 x 10; 280 x 8; 305 x 6; 325 x 4; 345 x 2 (I got zero, would not even budge off the floor; took off my shoes for a second try and still got zero); 6.5 mins rest between.

I will make some minor adjustments for next week -- the 345 x 2 will go to 335 x 2, and the 1+AMRAP will be at 345. I hope, if there is any residual stress that affected me today that it will dissipate and I'll be better able to hit my targets next week.

Duration: 52 mins

[Bruce Ware]

3/31 Session 10-3, Bench Press

Another set of missed reps - I must be very close to hitting my 1RM's at this volume; i.e., I'm probably seeing the misses due to accumulated stress that I'm not recovering from. I'm curious about what the changes will deliver when I start my "peak" cycle in 2 weeks, as there will be a lot less volume leading up to the max weight trials.

Warm-ups: DB Decline Bench Presses -- 90 x 12 x 2 with 3 drop-sets -- 80 x 12; 70 x 12; 60 x 12

Bench Press warm-ups: 45 x 5 x 2; 135 x 5

Volume progression:

150 x 10; 175 x 8; 185 x 6 (I got 5); 190 x 4 (I got 2); 195 x 2 (I got zero); 5.5 mins rest between. The 8-rep set at 175 was do-able, but the last rep was pretty much all-in (RPE-9, RIR-0 to 1).

Adjustments for next week -- 172 x 8; 180 x 6; 186 x 4; 192 x 2; and a trial at 196 x 1+AMRAP.

Ended session at this point without doing any auxiliary work.

Duration: 49 mins

[Bruce Ware]

4/3 Measurement Sunday

TotWt (spot) 200.4 (-1.0); (week avg) 200.2 (-0.5); (long avg) 199.9 (+0.1)

LBM (spot) 181.7 (-0.9); (long avg) 181.0 (+0.1)
FAT (spot) 18.7 (-0.1); (long avg) 18.9 (nc)

Yields an est BF of 9.4% (spot was 9.3%)

Eating X-bar -- 117/284/89 for 2405 kcals; a little light all-around

Body-part measurements are virtually unchanged since last month's full report. All the main metrics appear to be converging and the bounds of normal variation have become quite narrow; it is very possible that any change +/- 1 pound would be enough to trigger the need to re-compute a new set of process limits. This has to be an indicator of homeostasis, which will need a good kick to see any change. I know I need to complete this training week's squat session before moving on the the third week of this final wave, but seeing the three other sessions (press, deadlift, and bench) result in missed reps at the heavier sets tells me that I may be failing to recover from the stress during the session; that is, the high volume may be too much to be able to complete the session. I'm seriously thinking to call an early halt to the volumizing "Base" cycle, and go into the "Peak" cycle next training week.

[Bruce Ware]

4/4 Session 11-1, Squat

Start of the first 3-week wave of the peak cycle; I elected to terminal the volumizing "base" cycle a week early and start the peak. I also decided to move some sessions around, so squats will come first in the week, press second, then deadlift, and conclude with bench. This first week starts at approximately 85% of the working 1RM on each lift, and although the program calls for "AMRAP" sets, the instructions are to actually only do about an RPE ~7 (reps in reserve ~ 3); (I actually intend to stop at no more than 10 reps for each set, even if I could do more). After 3 warm-up sets, do an 85% AMRAP, an 80% AMRAP, and a 70% AMRAP in this first week. Next week, the percentages start higher, 90%/85%/75%; and in the final week, they jump to 95%/90%/80%. For the next wave, the AMRAP outcome at 95% is factored in to compute the new starting working 1RM, from which the 85% etc. numbers are calculated.

Today, warm-ups began with

Leg Extensions -- 90 x 8 x 2 with 6 drop-sets -- 85 x 8; 80 x 8; 75 x 8; 70 x 8; 65 x 8; 60 x 8; about 40 seconds between sets; next week, go to 10 reps per set.

Squat warm-ups:

135 x 5
185 x 3
225 x 2

Working sets:

255 x 6; 240 x 9; 210 x 10; 5 mins rest between sets.

Duration -- 33 mins

[Bruce Ware]

4/5 Session 11-2, Press

Warm-ups: DB 1-Arm Side Delt Raises (incline supported) -- 30 x 8 x 2 with 3 drop-sets -- 25 x 8; 20 x 8; 15 x 8; go to 10's next week

Press warm-ups:

45 x 5; 75 x 3; 105 x 2

Working sets:

115 x 7; 105 x 10; 95 x 10; 5 mins rest between sets

Aux work --

DB Supported Incline Rows -- 80 x 6 x 4

DB Concentration Curls -- 70 x 8 x 2 with 3 drop-sets -- 60 x 8; 50 x 8; 40 x 8; go to 10's next week

DB Tricep Roll-ups -- 60 x 8 x 2 with 3 drop-sets -- 50 x 8; 40 x 8; 30 x 8; go to 10's next week

Duration -- 60 mins

[Bruce Ware]

4/8 Session 11-3, Deadlift

Warm-ups: Leg Curls -- 65 x 8 x 2 with 6 drop-sets -- 60 x 8; 55 x 8; 50 x 8; 45 x 8; 40 x 8; 35 x 8; go to 10's next week

Deadlift warm-ups:

135 x 5; 225 x 3; 255 x 2

Working sets:

280 x 7; 265 x 10; 230 x 10; 6 mins rest between sets

Duration -- 45 mins

[Bruce Ware]

4/9 Session 11-4, Bench Press

Warm-ups: DB Decline Press -- 90 x 8 x 2 with 3 drop-sets -- 80 x 8; 70 x 8; 60 x 8; go to 10's next week

Bench Press warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2; 95 x 3; 135 x 2

Working sets:

165 x 7; 155 x 10; 135 x 10; 5 mins rest between sets

Aux work:

DB Incline Press -- 110 x 6 x 4

DB Concentration Curls -- 70 x 8 x 2 with 3 drop-sets -- 60 x 8; 50 x 8; 40 x 8; go to 10's next week

DB Tricep Roll-ups -- 60 x 8 x 2 with 3 drop sets -- 50 x 8; 40 x 8; 30 x 8; go to 10's next week

Duration -- 64 mins

This concludes week 1 of the first wave of the peak cycle. Next week's working sets start at 90% then to 85% and then 75%.

[Bruce Ware]

4/10 Measurement Sunday

Totwt -- (spot) 201.8 (+1.4); (week avg) 201.0 (+0.8); (long avg) 200.1 (+0.2)

LBM -- (spot) 183.0 (+1.3); (long avg) 181.2 (+0.2)
FAT -- (spot) 18.8 (+0.1); (long avg) 18.9 (nc)

Yields an est BF of 9.4% (spot was 9.3%).

Eating x-bar -- 137/278/95 for 2515 kcals.

[Bruce Ware]

4/11 Session 12-1, Squat

Warm-ups: Leg Extensions -- 90 x 10 x 2 with 6 drop-sets -- 85 x 10; 80 x 10; 75 x 10; 70 x 10; 65 x 10; 60 x 10; go to 12's next week

Squat warm-ups:

135 x 5; 185 x 3; 225 x 2

Working sets:

270 x 5; 255 x 7; 225 x 8; 5 mins rest between sets

Duration -- 39 mins

[Bruce Ware]

4/12 Session 12-2, Press

Warm-ups: DB Incline Side Delt Raises -- 30 x 10 x 2 with 3 drop-sets -- 25 x 10; 20 x 10; 15 x 10; go to 12's next week

Press warm-ups:

45 x 5; 75 x 3; 105 x 2

Working sets:

120 x 6; 115 x 8; 100 x 10; 5 mins rest between sets

Aux work:

DB Incline Rows -- 90 x 6 x 3

DB Concentration Curls -- 70 x 10 x 2 with 3 drop-sets -- 60 x 10; 50 x 10; 40 x 10; go to 12's next week

DB Tricep Roll-ups -- 60 x 10 x 2 with 3 drop-sets -- 50 x 10; 40 x 10; 30 x 10; go to 12's next week

Duration -- 62 mins