Experimenting with programming

[CommanderFun]

11/15/2022

Squat 235xx5x3
Deadlift 355x5
Pulldown (prone grip) 165x10,10,8

Was debating not going for it today with the squats, glad I did. I think the back is still a little beat from the previous deadlift volume but I was able to get the work done. Went with a double overhand grip on the deadlift work set today, it barely made it to rep 5. I'll be going ahead and hook gripping future work sets. 355x5 is a new PR for double overhand grip anyway, so I'm pleased.

[CommanderFun]

11/17/2022

Bench 217.5x5x5@8
Press 120x5x5 @7
LTE 80x10x3

Well, dropping the extra pressing seems to have bumped up the LTEs just like it did the curls.

[CommanderFun]

11/18/2022

Squat 245x5x3
Barbell Row 185x5x3
Pulldown (supine) 200x10,10,6

Used the belt for these squats for the first time since I started squatting again. I'm trying out rows as an alternating exercise for deadlifts on lower days. I definitely need to give my back a bit of a break, the deadlifting is piling up. My back actually felt kind of unstable even when I pressed yesterday. I'll also probably make tuesday a light day for my squats.

[CommanderFun]

11/21/2022

Weigh-In: 297

Press 140x5x5 @9
Bench 195x5x5 @7
Barbell Curl 75x10,10,8

Don't know why, but I felt sluggish today. Left elbow is starting to nag a bit. Could be the LTEs. Not sure why I felt so slow in general, might be the head cold I'm recovering from. But then again, I was working out last thursday through it at its worst. Could also just be a bad day.

[CommanderFun]

11/22/2022

Squat 195x5x3
Deadlift 375x5 @7
Pulldown (prone) 165x10,10,9

Light squats today. Deadlifts felt decently heavy. Last rep of pulldowns only lightly touched the chest.

[CommanderFun]

11/24/2022

Bench 220x5x5 @7
Press 121x5x5 @7
LTE 90x10,6,4

Those benches came out really strong. I've been dealing with some kind respiratory bug this week, I'm glad I'm getting back to pushing hard. Press felt a little weak due to the back again. It's like muscles involved in extending the mid-back are really beat up. Could be I need to switch my lower days so heavy deadlifts fall on friday while tuesday is the lighter pulling. Something to keep in mind.

New weight on the LTEs, I probably could've very slowly squeezed out one more rep on sets two and three, but decided not to. Gives me room to move up.

[CommanderFun]

11/25/2022

Squat 255x5x3
Barbell Row 195x5x3
Pulldown (supine) 200x10,10,5

Squats went pretty well, was still able to bounce back with 2 minute rests. Still kinda iffy on these barbell rows. I don't feel it as much in the back as I do pulldown variations. At the same time, even though the back's not getting hit as much, it is definitely struggling a little bit. I also think they're biting into the pulldowns, either that or they have become well and truly stale.

[CommanderFun]

11/28/2022

Weigh-In: 298

Press 141x5x5 @8
Bench 197.5x5x5 @7
Barbell Curl 75x10,10,7

Not bad. Kinda annoyed I lost a rep on the curls though. They felt so much stronger last week.

[CommanderFun]

11/29/2022

Squat 205x5x3
Deadlift 385x5 @8

Skipped pulldowns today, was stressed out and it took 30 minutes of wait time to get a squat rack. On the other hand, I actually saw people performing jefferson deadlifts in real life. So there's that. Decided to try and rate the deadlift again today. Felt like an 8. Guess it could've been a 7 still. Deadlifts seem to have a lot more grind-out potential, so they start to slow sooner before failure.

[CommanderFun]

12/1/2022

Bench 225x5x5 @8
Strict Press 122x5x5 @7
LTE 90x10,7,5

Was really antsy for that 225x5x5, so I just went for the 5 pound jump. I'd never done it before, and it's always nice to hit something new like that.