BWare's Intermediate Training Log

[Bruce Ware]

5/22 Session 19-4, Squats

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
135 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 2

working sets:

328 x 3, 3, 4; 6 mins rest between; working extra hard on depth/knees/toes; 1 extra rep on AMRAP set 3 means add 4 pounds to next week's lift

C&V

Leg Extension (10-15 + 3 r-p) -- 155 x 15, 12, 8, 7

Seated Calf Raises (3-way + tibialis) -- 205 x 30 x 4

Duration -- training 28 mins; C&V 13 mins

HR data -- max 165; avg 120; "fit" 34:55; "fat" 6:22

[Bruce Ware]

5/23 (late entry)

Measurement Sunday

I was away from home last weekend, so didn't record the 5/16 check.

Total weight -- (spot) 197.8 (-2.6); (week avg, n = 5) 198.7 (-1.0 from 2 weeks ago); (long avg) 198.0 (-3.6)***

LBM -- (spot) 179.3 (-2.4); (long avg) 179.5 (-2.6)
Fat -- (spot) 18.5 (-0.2); (long avg) 18.5 (-1.0)

Yields an est BF of 9.4%.

*** This total weight (spot) triggered a Rule 1 process shift downwards, requiring the establishing of new process limit lines. Since roughly the end of March, my weight had been in a gentle decline, but during the 2-week period from 5/9 to today, the numbers declined quite quickly. The new process limits (the average line along with basic upper and lower ranges for defining a stable process) also transferred over to LBM, since Fat pounds remained mostly stable. There are only 2 data points setting these new lines, so we'll see if things don't settle down over the next few weeks.

I believe most of this weight-loss has occurred as a result of increased outdoor walking as well as prep for the rowing season. At the same time, the strength training workouts have shifted over to a low-volume/high intensity approach that I have tried to off-set with increased dumbbell (body-building-type) exercises.

Eating -- while I may have missed recording some of my eating during my time away last weekend, I made a decent record of this week's diet.

(n=5 averages) 147/272/90 (grams protein, carb, fat) @ 2590 kcals. Which is not far off my usual eating habits, so I can't really say that this contributed to my dive-off-the-cliff weight drop. Again, it seems to be more of an indication to how my training is progressing, and what I am looking to accomplish in this summer's rowing season, which looks like it will be kind of short anyway. And, of course, normal life gets in the way of training as a "masters athlete," so I'll have to deal with the summer camping trip, our planned get-away to Iceland, and a few other events as well.

All-in-all, though, I look good. Not trying for "visible abs" -- I'm not a 20-year-old getting "beach-body" ready for the summer. But it's nice to see the medial delts getting that nice "cap" look, the pecs firm, the quads shaping out under my shorts, my kids marveling at my ripped-looking calves, etc. LOL!

[Bruce Ware]

5/24 Session 20-1, Bench Press

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3
135 x 3

working sets:

172 x 1, 1, 3; 4.5 mins rest between; 2 extra reps on AMRAP set 3 means add 3 pounds to next week's lift (2 x 5's)

C&V

Close-grip pull-ups -- 10, 10
Wide-grip Retracted pull-ups -- 10, 10
Wide-grip Protracted pull-ups -- 10, 8

By-passing the usual dumbbell/body-building type exercises for this week, but I wanted to get some back emphasis work in.

Duration -- training 21 mins; C&V 11 mins

HR data -- max 119; avg 89; "fit" 1:35; "fat" 30:20

I discovered that the "fit" range includes time spent in Zone 3, and today's workout only hit Zone 3 for the peak moments of the bench press. I guess that makes sense.

[Bruce Ware]

5/27 Session 20-2, Deadlift

Even though I am away from my home (gym), I managed to get a training session in as a guest.

warm-ups:

135 x 5
225 x 3
275 x 2

working sets:

328 x 1, 1, 4; approx. 4 mins rest between; felt really good, belt-less and wearing my pair of Keen solid-bottom hiking shoes, rather than my normal lifting shoes; 3 extra reps on AMRAP set 3 means adding 7 pounds to next week's lift at 2 sets of 5, with set 2 being 5+AMRAP

No C&V

Duration -- training 25 mins

No HR data

[Bruce Ware]

6/4 Session 20-3, Press

Finally, got an opportunity to train at my son's gym, and was able to knock it out. Felt really good, too, using a weight that was slightly above my planned training weight.

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3

working sets:

135 x 1, 1, 3; 4 mins rest between; this was 1 pound more than I had planned to do (my son didn't have his micro-plates with him), and I was very pleased to get those extra reps on set 3; 2 extras means that next week's training weight will be 2 sets of 5 at 124, with set 2 being 5+AMRAP.

Aux work:

Seated Pin Press

95 x 6 x 3; firs time doing these and it felt good; I was planning on doing 2 sets, but elected to push on for a third

No C&V work.

Duration -- training 25 mins

No HR data

[Bruce Ware]

6/7 Session 20-4, Squat

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
135 x 5
225 x 3
295 x 3

working sets:

332 x 1, 1, 4; 4 mins rest between; 3 extra reps on set 3 means next week's training weight will be 2 sets of 5 at 340

C&V

Leg Extensions -- 155 x 15, 12, 12, 8

Seated BB Calf Raises -- 205 x 30 x 3 + Tib lifts 205 x 30

Duration -- training 22 mins; C&V 14 mins

HR data -- max 163; avg 107; "fit" 20:31; "fat" 15:53

[Bruce Ware]

6/8 Session 21-1, Bench Press

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3
135 x 3

working sets:

171 x 5, 5; 5 mins rest between; no additional reps on AMRAP set 2, so weight next week will be 175

C&V

Close-grip Bench Press -- 145 x 6; 135 x 6 x 2; was aiming for 6 x 4, but it was much heavier than I thought

Pull-ups (3-way) -- 5, 5, 5

Duration -- training 14 mins; C&V 20 mins

HR data -- max 134; avg 103; "fit" 10:54; "fat" 23:13

[Bruce Ware]

6/9 Session 21-2, Deadlift

Went ahead with a third day in a row lift session, since I have been feeling very pumped by how well the training is going and how I feel afterward.

warm-ups:

135 x 5
225 x 3
295 x 2

working sets:

335 x 5, 5; 6 mins rest between; no extra reps, so next week will be 340 (the next 5-pd increase)

C&V

Romanian Deadlifts -- 225 x 6 x 4

Standing BB Calf Raises (3-way) -- 135 x 40 x 3

Duration: training 25 mins; C&V 25 mins

HR data -- max 147; avg 98; "fit" 6:50; "fat" 43:31 -- quite clearly, the "fit" range occurs only during those spikes in the big lifts, and things drop down into the Zone 1&2 area and stay there for much longer. I think HR data during this 5-3-1 modification shows a solid correlation between high intensity ("fit") spikes during the max effort, and lower intensity ("fat") during the rest periods and the C&V work.

[Bruce Ware]

6/11 Session 21-3, Press

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3

working sets:

133 x 5, 4; 5.5 mins rest between; on set 1, reps 4 & 5 were very hard grinds, as #4 got a bit too far in front of me and I had to fight to recover; on set 2, I was off to a solid and nice moving start, but rep #4 was *it*, and I could not execute rep 5; since I've done singles at 135 and felt good doing it, I will use 135 at next weeks 2x3's even though I fell short today

Seated Pin Press (aux work) -- 95 x 6 x 4; 3 mins rest between

No C&V work today.

Duration -- 30 mins

HR data -- max 154; avg 106; "fit" 15:55; "fat" 13:50

[Bruce Ware]

6/12 Session 21-4, Squat

Ugh! Something went pretty wrong. After the first set of light warm-ups, I felt a twinge on the inside of my right knee; the heavier warm-ups were definitely not working it out, and I felt some concern about it as a prepped for my first working set. That concern had me squatting to less-than-optimal depth on the working sets, and although I recognized that I was coming up a bit short, I didn't feel confident enough to force myself down further.

warm-ups:

45 x 5 x 2 (no prob)
135 x 5 (first twinge)
225 x 3 (definite discomfort and not feeling as strong as it should)
295 x 3

working sets:

340 x 5, 5; 6 mins rest between; per above concerns, will hold this same weight for next week's 2x3's, and work on driving to depth as I think/hope the knee issue will be resolved

C&V

Leg Extensions -- 155 x 18, 10, 11, 10; this actually made my knee feel better

Seated BB Calf Raises (3-way) -- 205 x 40 x 3, + tibialis squeeze 205 x 30

Duration -- training 22 mins; C&V 13 mins

HR data -- max 158; avg 111; "fit" 13:13; "fat" 21:48