Thursday 1/27 - Upper
Press............176x5x5
DE Bench......185x3x10 red bands
LTE...............107.5x10x3
Friday 1/28 - Lower
DE Squat.......270x2x10 red bands
Haltings.........455x6,2
Airdyne steady state 15 min
First time doing haltings, and I started too heavy. I'll take some weight off and try again in two weeks. I replaced dips with curls on Monday. I've been doing dips on two barbells across my spotter arms and my shoulders and elbows really don't like it, especially when paired with LTEs later in the week. I need to get one of those angled dip things for my rack.
02-07-2022, 07:49 AM
Nikola Blagojevic
Four Day Split
Monday 1/31 - Upper
Bench...........275x5x5
DE Press.......123x3x10 red bands <-- slowing down; took bands off for last three sets
Barbell Curl...95x8x3
DB Concentration Curl 25x14,10; 20x15
Thursday 2/17 - Upper
Press............182x5x5
DE Bench......220x3x10
Rolling DB Ext 40x8; 30x15,13
Friday 2/18 - Lower
DE Squat.......320x2x10
Rack Pull........535x0
DB Row..........70x12; 60x20
Friday 2/18 - PM Session
Rack Pull........535x5
Volume PRs all the way across. Rack pulls didn't budge off the pins in the morning, but after breakfast and lunch and a rest, they went. I might need to do my heavy pulling before I squat.
02-28-2022, 08:36 AM
Nikola Blagojevic
Four Day Split
Monday 2/21 - Upper
Bench...........290x5x5
DE Press.......144x3x10
DB Curl.........45x8x3
Barbell Curl...65x15; 55x15; 50x15
Tuesday 2/22 - Lower
Squat...........405x5x5
Power Clean..225x1x10
Thursday 2/24 - Upper
Press............184x4,5,4,4,5,3
DE Bench......235x3x10
Friday 2/25 - Lower
Haltings.........440x8
DE Squat.......345x2x10
DB Row..........75x12; 65x20
LTE...............117.5x8x3
This was the last week of heavy 5x5s. 405x5x5 squat feels like a big deal, as does the 225 power clean. Caught a virus, which affected Thursday and Friday training.
03-04-2022, 08:14 AM
Nikola Blagojevic
Four Day Split
Monday 2/28 - Volume Upper
DE Bench........170x3x10 red bands
DE Press.........102.5x3x10 red bands
Barbell Curl.....100x8x3
DB Conc Curl...30x15; 25x13; 20x18
Rolling DB Ext..40x12; 35x12; 30x14
Tuesday 3/1 - Volume Lower
DE Squat.........245x2x10 red bands
DE Deadlift......320x1x10
Rough start to the max effort method. I got greedy on bench, and the failure impacted my press singles. I based the 515 squat attempt on my competition PR of 502 instead of my gym PR of 495 - rookie mistake. I still managed to add five pounds to my rack pull after the failed squat, which is a small relief. Bench and squat will come around again soon; I'll have to be more careful.
03-11-2022, 07:10 AM
Nikola Blagojevic
Four Day Split
Monday 3/7 - Volume Upper
DE Bench........185x3x10 red bands
DE Press.........113x3x10 red bands
DB Curl..........50x8x3
Barbell Curl.....70x16; 60x15; 50x15
LTE.................120x8x3
Tuesday 3/8 - Volume Lower
DE Squat.........270x2x10 red bands
DE Deadlift......350x1x10
Airdyne HIIT 10s/50s for 12 cycles
Friday 3/11 - Intensity Lower
Front Squat.....335x1; 355x0; 305x3
Halting............445x8
DB Row...........85x12; 75x20
Solid close grip max effort single. This was my first time doing front squats; pretty happy with 335.
03-18-2022, 07:36 AM
Nikola Blagojevic
Four Day Split
Monday 3/14 - Volume Upper
DE Bench........200x3x10 red bands
DE Press.........124x3x10 red bands
Barbell Curl.....105x8x3
DB Conc Curl...35x13; 25x15; 25x13
Rolling DB Ext..40x15; 35x13; 30x15
Tuesday 3/15 - Volume Lower
DE Squat.........300x2x10 red bands
DE Deadlift......380x1x10
Airdyne HIIT 10s/50s for 12 cycles
Friday 3/18 - Intensity Lower
Pin Squat........445x1; 410x3
Rack Pull.........545x1 <--failed set of 5
DB Row...........90x12; 80x16
It might be time to admit I can't do a max effort squat and pull in the same day. I think max effort benching is detracting significantly from press singles as well. Could be time to start alternating max effort squats and pulls week to week and maybe just working the press into the max effort rotation. This won't be good for my press, but there does come a time for all of us when we have to pick one to specialize in.
03-25-2022, 05:41 AM
Nikola Blagojevic
Four Day Split
Monday 3/21 - Volume Upper
DE Bench........220x3x10 red bands
DE Press.........135x3x10
DB Curl...........55x8x3
Barbell Curl.....75x15; 65x12; 55x12
Dips...............BWx12x3
Tuesday 3/22 - Volume Lower
DE Squat.........320x2x10 red bands
DE Deadlift......350x1x10
Goblet Squat....25x10x3
TRX GHR..........3x8
Thursday 3/24 - Intensity Upper
Bench..............340x1; 345x0; 305x3
DB Bench.........55x12x3; 5x15
DB Row............95x12; 80x18
LTE..................122.5x8,7,6
Now I'm on a more conventional Andy Baker-style concurrent split inspired by his articles on the conjugate method. I am prioritizing the bench over the press; the press will be a max effort lift every third week as a break from heavy bench variations. Starting with a rotation of six movements. For lower body, I am alternating a max effort squat variation with a rack pull 5RM and doing haltings as my supplemental movement after max effort squats. I'll take that as far as it goes before I bring more variety to the pulling schedule.
04-04-2022, 06:41 AM
Nikola Blagojevic
Four Day Split
Monday 3/28 - Dynamic Effort Upper
DE Bench........240x3x10
DE Press.........146x3x10
Barbell Curl.....107.5x8x3
DB Conc Curl...35x14; 30x12; 25x14
Dips...............BWx13x3
Tuesday 3/29 - Dynamic Effort Lower
DE Squat.........355x2x10
DE Deadlift......380x1x10
Goblet Squat....25x12x3
Leg Curl...........3x15 green band
Thursday 3/31 - Max Effort Upper
Press...............210x1,0,0; 190x3
DB Bench.........60x12x4
DB Row............100x12; 80x19
Rolling DB Ext...45x10; 35x12,10
Friday 4/1 - Max Effort Lower
Rack Pull.........545x5
Front Squat.....255x3x3
Belt Squat.......225x8x3
May as well just use DE and ME terminology. Trained on the road Thursday and Friday - had lots of fun trying out a belt squat machine and real dumbbells.