I think you did the right thing dropping the size of the jumps. A couple of things allowed my to ride out LP to about 330lb squat before grinding to a stop.
1. Switched to 1kg (2.2lb) jumps (I'm Aussie so metric it is). Much faster in the long run to keep plugging away with 1kg than to constantly reset.
2. Add a light day in the middle of the week when this starts to get hard. It was very refreshing mentally. Also helped my deadlift as I saved that for my light squat day.
cheers
Damo
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Squat 240x5x3
Bench 161x5x3
Deadlift 310x5 PR
Squat
Every set felt like a 5RM.
Bench
Every set felt like a 5RM.
Deadlift
Alternate grip today. Feels much easier than double overhand, of course.
Barely made the last rep. My legs were burning with lactic acid. Dragged it up my thighs and it bunched up my shorts, and I had to give it an extra shrug at the top to get over them. It may or may not have been flagged in a competition as a hitch. Not sure, rather gray area.. This has been a very long linear progress, my height and long limbs kill me on the other lifts, so I'll take the long arm advantage on the deadlift.
Next session 3 plates! Might try to do a heavier power clean next session to help the deadlift. It was brutal. I feel an inch shorter, and very tight in the lower back. I could feel it rounding a little in the last rep. But what a rush. Loved it this time. And the feeling of victory locking it out. Gonna be shot tomorrow.
Last edited by John Watson; 08-31-2014 at 10:22 AM.
That last few sessions have left me slightly under recovered, since i can't yet quit my job and sleep all day, I'm considering program change to what used to be called the Onus Wunsler program.
Either that or a light squat day mid week.
But the addition of chins, pullups might be good for my somewhat atrophying, but nonetheless, not highly stressed in powerlifting movements, biceps.
Either that or workout, skip two days, workout again.
Seems strange to spread deadlifts so far apart, and continue to make gains. I'm 5 lbs from 3 plates, and I refuse to regress after that landmark. But of course I'll need to work hard for it.
Tuesday, September 02, 2014
Squat 241x5, 241x2
Dear Diary,
Today I was a total piece of shit.
First set of squats went good.
Second set of squats, my lazy ass decided to quit after two reps.
I have lots of excuses;
-it's been goddam hot and humid, and i didn't have my AC in
-by the time I got off work, ate and walked the dog, and got trapped in a conversation, and finally started lifting, it was getting late
-I have to get up early
-I took two sick days last week, just on fatigue
-it was too soon after dinner
Conclusion, my damn job is interfering with my training. Yeah, that's it.
Solutions;
<strikethrough>Quit job</strikethrough>
Do Onus Wunsler program
Add a light squat day per week
Train every two days
Get to the damn weights earlier
<strikethrough>Reset to an easier weight</strikethrough>
I can't cede any ground after 6 months of workouts.
Last edited by John Watson; 09-02-2014 at 08:28 PM.
2014-09-07
Squat 225 (reset)
Press 100x4,5,5 (reset)
Deadlift 285 (reset)
Squat
Easy
Press
Easy, Didn't rest long enough after warrmups and only goy 4 reps the 1st set
Deadlift
Easy. After 310 last week 285 was pie.
Notes
I am switching to Onus Wunsler programming, due to being too tired after heavy pulls. Let's see if it helps. I also reset. I wanted to do a 315 deadlift, but the time will come. Hopefully the gains keep coming.
I hadn't done a full workout in over a week. So decided to go light.
2014-09-09
Squat 230
Bench 155
Back Extensions 10,8,8
Chins 3,3,3 @ 209 BW
Squat
Felt easy, worked on form, and going down slow, maybe picking up some speed at the bottom, for a deep bounce. Focus on hips rising out of the hole, and tight hamstring position.
Bench
Will microload from here 1.25lb increments
Back ext
Working it up slowly to 3x10
Chins
Slowly going to work up the reps. I don't enjoy chins, but my biceps need them.
2014-09-13
Squat 232.5
Press 101.25
Power Clean 120
Squat
This reset is still easy.
Press
Changed hand position to narrower, after re-reading SS. Fingers are at 16" apart instead of 3-4" wider. Felt much better.
Power Clean
Felt good. Launched the bar higher with only 120 lbs on it. Maybe I'll microload.
Notes
Entered in October Iron Fest. 10/25. I'm mostly microloading in LP still. Might have to bump things up into the grinder zone to get to some bigger numbers.
2014-09-15
Squat 235
Bench 156.25
Back Extension - tomorrow
Chins - tomorrow
Ran out of time and did half the workout.
Finish up tomorrow
2014-09-17
Squat 1RM 285 PR
Press 1RM 120 PR
Deadlift 1RM 335 PR
Notes
Today was 1RM day ahead of October Iron Fest.
Squat
My back could feel that this was way more than it's been accustomed to. I might have been capable of a little more.
Finished with one set of 237.5x5 for some volume. My regularly scheduled weight.
Press
120 went up good. subsequently missed at 130 and then 125.
Finished up with a set of 5 of 102.5
Deadlift
This bastard felt so heavy to me that for the first attempt, I got it an inch off the ground and gave up, thinking I would smash my floors on the way down. I don't have a platform where I lift (my living room) on my year 1899 built house. Decided I could do it, then landed it like like a feather. Might need a platform when I get to big weights.
This was a great mental and physical exercise. Knowing my current 5RM is useful for the meet, and psychologically. I know that I can eventually do reps with these.
When I go back to 3x5 mentally it'll help that the weights are lighter.
It was also nice to stray from the mostly rigid program, and experiment a little.
Volume's been draining me a little so I just started on PP3 method of cleans/deads alternating with back ext and chins. I may try a different way of lessening volume that allows me to deadlift/clean more.