BWare's Intermediate Training Log

[Bruce Ware]

3/25 Session 11-4, Squat

warm-ups:

95 x 5
135 x 3
225 x 3

working sets:

232 x 12 x 5; 5 mins rest between; best that can be said is I didn't pass out from the 60 reps LOL; seriously, I felt really good about body posture, bracing, and depth, working especially on pushing the knees out; it was a challenge, particularly around set #4 when I started thinking "do I really need to finish this wave? or can I just move on to the 10-rep wave?" But I hung on, and feel pretty darn good about getting 'em all.

C&V

Seated BB calf raises (r-p) -- 185 x 30 x 4

Duration -- training 40 mins; C&V 4 mins

PS - Received my first round of the 'VID vaccine yesterday; injection site at left shoulder is a bit sore today, but no other noticeable effect.

[Bruce Ware]

3/27 Session 12-1, Bench Press

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3

working sets:

124 x 10 x 3; 5 mins rest between; no unusual issues with this, just the typical first set left arm tightness (bicep area) that eased up quickly in later sets

C&V

2DB Coffin Press -- 70 x 20, 20, 16
2DB Partial Flyes -- 50 x 20, 20, 14
Bench Dips (chest focus) -- 15, 12, 12
Rotating Push-ups -- 6, 6, 6 x ea side

BB Row (r-p) -- 105 x 20 x 3
1-Arm DB Row -- 40 x 10 x 10 x ea side
2DB Lat Pullovers (20 + 3 drops) -- 60 x 20, 50 x 14, 40 x 12, 30 x 16
2DB Hi-elbow Wall Rows (15 + 3 drops) -- 50 x 15, 40 x 11, 30 x 12, 20 x 15

Duration -- training 16 mins; C&V 45 mins

[Bruce Ware]

3/28 Measurement Sunday

Tot weight -- (spot) 202.4 (-0.6); (week avg) 202.1 (-0.5); (long avg) 201.9 (+0.1)

LBM -- (spot) 183.1 (+0.1); (long avg) 182.5 (+0.1)
Fat -- (spot) 19.3 (-0.7); (long avg) 19.4 (nc)

Yields an est. BF of 9.6%.

Eating was quite a bit different from last Sunday's report --

(P/C/F in grams) 133/286/100 for 2580 kcals intake; something like 450 kcals/day less this week than last and my macro percentages are still not close to being on target (21/44/35, when I'm aiming to 30/40/30). I feel good and my body-part measures and fat pinches do not show any significant changes occurring from not being on macro target or getting enough calories. This high-volume phase I'm working in may be "masking" any changes, either pro- or con-. In a few weeks, I'll be changing the training over to a peak building phase, and then we'll see how the eating effects these processes.

[Bruce Ware]

3/29 Session 12-2, Deadlift

warm-ups:

135 x 5
225 x 3

working sets:

248 x 10 x 3; 5 mins rest between; no problem at all getting these, and video self-check form looked solid

C&V (calves only)

Body-weight Calf Raises -- 4 x 30

Duration -- training 22 mins; C&V 5 mins

This is a very short session compared to upper-body days; I may try to add in some more volume work with unilateral dumbbell work -- e.g., lunges -- next week.

[Bruce Ware]

3/30 Session 12-3, OHPress

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
65 x 3

working sets:

100 x 10 x 3; 5 mins rest between; no problem at all on these lifts at this weight

C&V

DB Side Delt Raises (3-sec count up & down; 10-15 + 3 drops) -- 20 x 12; 16 x 11; 10 x 12; 6 x 15
Lying Rear Delt Raises (pronated hold; 20 + 3 drops) -- 30 x 20; 15 x 24; 20 x 20; 16 x 15; increasing weights next week
2DB Front Delt Raises (15 + 3 drops) -- 30 x 15; 24 x 15; 20 x 15; 16 x 15; increasing weights next week
Reverse Arnolds's (15-20 + 3 drops) -- 24 x 20; 20 x 12; 16 x 12; 10 x 14; increasing weights next week
25# Bus Drivers -- 10 x 4
Seated Supinated DB Shrugs -- 100 x 20 x 3
Standing DB Shrugs w/ 2-sec hold at top -- 110 x 20, 10, 10 (forearm/grip failure -- couldn't hold the DBs any longer)

Duration -- training 17 mins; C&V 43 minutes

[Bruce Ware]

4/1 Session 12-4, Squat

warm-ups:

95 x 5
135 x 3
225 x 3

working sets:

251 x 10 x 3; 5 mins rest between; no problem at all, save for needing to take a few extra breaths between reps on the last couple of set 3

C&V (calves only)

Seated BB Calf Raises -- 185 x 30 x 4

Duration -- training 22 mins; C&V 5 mins

Next week all main lifts move up to 4 x 10's at same weights. I'll continue to hold on to as much C&V work as possible on upper body days, but I'm not sure about adding anything on lower days yet. Deadlifts and Squats leave me plenty tired without adding much extra, although I do feel good about getting some calf work accomplished. We'll have to see if I can muster up the ooooomph! to add in some extra work on those days.

[Bruce Ware]

4/3 Session 13-1, Bench Press

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3

working sets:

124 x 10 x 4; 5 mins rest between; usual first-set bicep/shoulder tension, but everything else went very smooothly

C&V

BB Row w/2-sec hold at top -- 105 x 20 x 3
1-Arm DB Row -- 50 x 10 x 10 x ea side
2DB Pull-overs (20 + 3 drops) -- 60 x 20, 50 x 17, 40 x 20, 30 x 20
2DB Hi-elbow Row (15 + 3 drops) -- 50 x 15, 40 x 15, 30 x 15, 20 x 15

2DB Coffin Press -- 70 x 20, 14, 12

(I switched up the C&V, putting back-focus ahead of chest-focus this time, to see what the effect would be; the back workout took a lot of gas, and I didn't do all the C&V on chest that I had planned. Will switch 'em back next week.)

Duration -- training 23 mins; C&V 48 mins

[Bruce Ware]

4/4 Measurement Sunday

Tot weight -- (spot) 202.0 (-0.4); (week avg) 201.4 (-0.7); (long avg) 201.9 (nc)

LBM -- (spot) 182.1 (-1.0); (long avg) 182.5 (nc)
Fat -- (spot) 19.9 (+0.6); (long) 19.4 (nc)

Yields an est. BF of 9.6%.

Six-sigma processes for all metrics are really very stable and there are no signals of any impending change.

Eating avgs -- 141/262/112 (22%/40%/38% -- p/c/f) for 2620 kcals intake. I've managed to come up with a method to increase my daily protein intake without increasing fats, but was only able to implement a trial in the last few days of the week. We'll see if this method has any greater success in the next week.

Not a whole lot to talk about this week. I'm keeping my cals up nicely to accommodate the high-volume training regime, and everything seems to be doing okay with it. I'm beginning to look forward to the start of the peak phase in a few weeks -- just have the rest of this week's 4x10's to do, then next week's 5x10's, then 3 weeks of 8's in the final wave.

[Bruce Ware]

4/4 Session 13-2, Deadlift

warm-ups:

135 x 5
225 x 3

working sets:

248 x 10 x 4; 5 mins rest between; no problem

C&V

Squatting Bodyweight Calf Raises -- 4 x 30

Duration -- training 25 mins; C&V 3 mins

[Bruce Ware]

4/6 Session 13-3, Press

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
65 x 3

working sets:

100 x 10 x 4; 5 mins rest between; no problems, but started feeling a bit "gassed" on the last couple of reps of set 4.

C&V

DB Side Delt Raises (3 count up/3 count down; 15 + 3 drops) -- 20 x 15, 16 x 12, 10 x 15, 6 x 15; increasing next time
DB Rear Delt Raises (pronated; 20 + 3 drops) -- 35 x 20, 30 x 12, 24 x 15, 20 x 20; increasing next time
2DB Front Delt Raise (15 + 3 drops) -- 35 x 15, 30 x 15, 24 x 15, 20 x 12; increasing next time
Rev Arnolds (15 + 3 drops) -- 30 x 15, 24 x 12, 20 x 12, 16 x 12; same weights next time

Bus Drivers -- 25 x 20, 12, 15, 12

Seated Supinated DB Shrugs -- 100 x 20 x 3; go to 110 next time
Standing DB Shrugs w/ 2-sec hold at top -- 110 x 20, 14, 14; same weight next time

Duration -- training 24 mins; C&V 49 mins