Everything's Lighter at 8000ft: Pat's Training Log

[HiCntry]

3/31/16

BW: 240


Squat: 275x5x5

Press: 140x6x1, 117.5x8x2

PC: lots of warmups to 135x1x5 on the minute

CGBP: 175x5x1, 175x6x2

then some curls for the girls

Whoa! This was almost like a normal workout again. My back feels much better squatting, although there is still some pressure (not exactly pain) at the very bottom but much better than the last few weeks. Although my back did feel a bit more fatigued than I would expect for this weight, but all the reps were pretty crisp.

Press continues to feel strong, although for some reason the backoff sets felt really heavy so only 8 reps. It might have been the throbbing sinus headache I had that got much worse after 5 sets of squats with nice big valsalva's. Shit made me feel like my head was gonna explode.

PC's were better than expected considering I haven't done any since December. My back didn't seem to mind but the weight was light and I was pulling pretty slow off the floor.

Probably should have bumped up the weight on CGBP but at that point my headache was making it hard to concentrate so I repeated last week, but did get an extra rep on the last two sets.

[HiCntry]

4/5/16

BW: 241

Squats: 315x5x1, 225x15x1

Bench: 202.5x5x1, 175x10x1, 175x9x1

DL: 315x5x1, 225x5x1

v-grip pulldowns: 200x5x2, 170x10x2


Squats felt strong, back felt almost back to normal on these. Backoffs weren't too bad, kinda nice actually. I spent most of the 3 years before I started SS as a conditioning/cardio junky and still enjoy it. High rep back squats are a particular kind of pain but they feed my masochistic streak quite nicely.

Bench was strong, although the last two weeks have felt noticeably harder and slower for the last rep or two. Still pretty sure I can keep up 2.5lb jumps for a bit but we'll see. Should have had the 10th rep for the last backoff but wussed out.

DL felt much stronger than last week but there is still noticeable discomfort and pressure. 315 felt easy everywhere but my lower back. I worked hard on really locking it down but that kind of pain just makes it feel weak and you can't help but be hesitant. But it's progress I guess so I'll take it. Wanted to do 2 backoff sets but I was lifting in front of the squat rack(but not really blocking it) since nobody else uses it and it's one of the few places to setup DL that doesn't block tons of people or machines. Well true to form for my gym someone needed to do some rows and you just can't row off the floor so you have to start them on the pins in the rack, which put my nose in his ass for DL, so I cut it short.

[HiCntry]

4/7/16

BW: 243

Squats: 280x5x5

Press: 142.5x5x1, 117.5x8x2

PC: 135x3x3

CGBP: 177.5x5x3

Back was a little more sore than I would have liked. I may have pushed deads too hard on Tues. Squats were fine otherwise though. Been working on keeping a more upright back angle since I think for my height and stretched out proportions I was leaning over too much and that causes more back strain and the good-morning effect on my squats. When I keep the more upright back angle I can hit depth easier and feel stronger out of the hole.

Press was good but definitely more of grind than last week. Backoffs felt way heavier than they should of for the 3rd week in a row.

PC's were good, felt strong and easy compared to the last time I was at this weight. Worked on getting my elbows around faster and a big jump.

[HiCntry]

4/12/16

BW: 241.5

Squat: 320x5x1, 230x15x1

Bench: 205x5x1, 177.5x8x2

DL: 335x5x1, RDL: 225x8x1

Pulldowns: 205x5x2, 175x10x2


This felt like the first real workout in like 6 weeks. Back felt pretty much back to normal. Squats felt strong and technique felt pretty on point.

Bench felt good but reps are definitely starting to feel slower and heavier. I was hoping to ride 2.5lb jumps for sets of 5 up to 225 but I may have to start smaller jumps or run out these rep ranges pretty soon. I've also been toying with switching out pulldowns for incline DB press for variety and cosmetic/bro reasons. I'm pretty broad shouldered and my chest still isn't very filled out, probably because my bench is still so weak. I figure incline db press will still help bench and press and help aesthetics? We'll see, I'm pretty sure extra lat work will always be more useful but I'm kinda itching to mix it up.

DL felt pain free, but my lower back still feels weak and fatigued. The last 2 reps @325 felt like they should have been reps 9 and 10, instead of 4 and 5. RDL's felt pretty good but kinda heavy for this weight.

[HiCntry]

4/14/16

BW: 242

Squat: 285x5x5

Press: 145x3x1, 117.5x9x2

PC: 140x3x3

CGBP: 177.5x6x3


Squats felt strong. I've been working on my back angle and think I've found the sweet spot. These squats felt strong and fast and only the last set had a few reps were I got too far forward and my hips shot up before my back/shoulders. Also been fighting the habit of lifting my head a bit when things start to slow down.

Press has been getting slower and harder for the last few weeks but I was hoping I could keep the momentum going. I'll try this again next week and then probably go to 1.5lb jumps. I think I'd rather ride smaller jumps for 5's for as long as possible before running out rep ranges. I don't ever feel under-recovered going into Thurs but as my bench #'s have gone up and I only have one day between it and Press I'm worried that will start being a problem soon. I have started to notice just the slightest bit of soreness during press warmups the last few weeks that I never noticed before.

PC's felt kinda off but I was kinda fatigued at that point since time was tight today and I was moving through stuff faster than usual. My head wasn't really in it.

CGBP was fine. Went for an extra rep on each set and will bump up to 180 next week.

[HiCntry]

4/19/16

BW: 240.5

Squat: 325x5x1, 230x13x1

Bench: 207.5x5x1, 180x9x2

DL: 335x5x1, RDL: 225x10x1

DB incline press: 40x12, 35x15, 30x15


Just punching the clock today. Squats felt way heavy and the last 2 reps felt slooooow. DL was the same way. I knew I'd get every rep but it felt pretty heavy for 335. But my back felt almost 100% for DL so that's good news.

I think I've reached a point were my volume day squats are going to have to be closer to or at 90% of ID because of the fact that I have 4 days off between the two. I think my squat is detraining without a tougher volume day. This is the 3rd time I've worked up to 330x5 for squats and each time it feels like it's gotten tougher. Volume day is definitely getting to be a grind but I haven't experienced some of the exhaustion and out of body experiences others attribute to a brutal TM volume workout.

The last rep of bench was the slowest I've had in a few weeks and my ass was fully off the bench to finish. I think it's time to start 1.5lb jumps. Not sure I wanna eat my way up to 245 or 250 just yet.

First time doing db incline so I started too low. Definitely had gas left in the tank for all these sets. Kinda fun to try something different but we'll see if there is any carryover to bench/press or if this is purely cosmetic.

[HiCntry]

4/21/16

BW: 242

Squat: 290x5x5

Press: 145x5x1, 120x10x1, 120x8x1

PC: 145x3x3

CGBP: 180x5x3

Squats felt solid and snappy, no surprises here. Pretty sure this a volume PR, last two times I got here I think I only did 3 or 4 sets due to back tweaks.

Barely got the 5th press rep. It's time to start smaller jumps. Oddly the backoffs felt stronger than the last few weeks, although I did use different plates I think so that may be it.

PC was a mixed bag; some good, some bad. I may go back to timed singles as I liked those better. But doing them in sets with a longer rest means I can superset them with CGBP, which helps when time is running short.

CGBP was fine, nothing to see here.

[Mahendra]

Nice work on the squat volume PR.

Although I don't do power cleans anymore, I did enjoy doing 10 - 15 times singles. I think I did them every minute.

But I understand the time issue and the benefits of super sets.

[HiCntry]

Nice work on the squat volume PR.

Although I don't do power cleans anymore, I did enjoy doing 10 - 15 times singles. I think I did them every minute.

But I understand the time issue and the benefits of super sets.

Thanks. Didn't feel like much of a PR since this is like the 3rd time in 4 months I've worked up to these weights. God I love intermediate programming!!!!

Yeah timed singles definitely keep my form sharper, especially when i'm already fatigued. That's probably where I'm headed, I mean time-wise it's really maybe 10-15min difference.

[HiCntry]

4/26/16

BW: 241

Squats: 330x4x1, 235x15x1

Bench: 209x5x1, 180x10x2

DL: 345x2x1, RDL: 230x10x1

DB Incline: 50x10, 45x11, 40x12


Had a bunch if personal shit going on that I did a poor job of leaving at the door today. I've also been trying C4 preworkout for the last 2 weeks on my little bro's recommendation, mostly because it doesn't seem bother my stomach like Red Bull and caffeine pills do sometimes. Well I took a little extra today just to see and it was too much; too jittery and by the end of the workout my focus and fatigue were in the toilet. Oh well. "Strikes and gutters man, strikes and gutters."