SeanThornton gets back in fighting shape!

[positronbomb]

I wouldn't call chin ups or pull ups an assistance exercise, many people refer to it as the upper body version of the squat.

Basically train in any rep range you like, then when you hit a plateau, increase the weight and work in a lower rep range, just keep doing that till your working in the 3 rep range.
When you hit a plateau there, then reduce weight and add an additional set.
Then repeat process of slowly increasing weight again.

When that no longer works try something like 5/3/1.

[positronbomb]

Before you know it, you'll be purchasing a weight belt, and adding weight, instead of reducing assistance.

[SeanThornton]

Before you know it, you'll be purchasing a weight belt, and adding weight, instead of reducing assistance.

Yep. But that also might be related to my memory getting so bad

[SeanThornton]

Just found this post from Rip himself:
why more than 5 reps with chin-ups? and are pull-ups necessary?

explains right there, work up to higher reps with assistance, so that they can then be done at BW (and eventually with added weight) at lower reps. So, that's the plan, cut the assistance down, and move to the next lower amount of assistance at a lower benchmark than 15!

[positronbomb]

Just go to whatever band assistance that allows you to easily do 3 sets of 5 reps.
When you can do 3 sets of 10 reps with that level of band assistance, reduce it further or possibly start doing bodyweight chin ups.
It just seems to take forever to go from 10 reps to 15 reps.
Stay in the 5 to 10 rep region.

[SeanThornton]

4/25/19

Weight - 178.8

Squats - 240 x 5,4,4,2

Was supposed to be 240 x 5 x 3, but didn't have the reps in me for the 2nd and 3rd sets. Did an extra 2 at the end to keep it at 15 reps.
Will move to 4 x 4 next time.

Oh yeah, ties my PR for squat!

[SeanThornton]

Just go to whatever band assistance that allows you to easily do 3 sets of 5 reps.
When you can do 3 sets of 10 reps with that level of band assistance, reduce it further or possibly start doing bodyweight chin ups.
It just seems to take forever to go from 10 reps to 15 reps.
Stay in the 5 to 10 rep region.

Hehe, wandered downstairs to get something, and thought I'd try an unassisted chin, just for grins. Did three, no problem, and might have been able to do one more. So, next chin day, I'll do very minimal assistance, and if I can do 10 for sets across, then the next time after that will be unassisted. Thanks for the encouragement to decrease reps, and assistance!

Edit - last time I tried an unassisted chinup was a couple years ago, and couldn't quite complete the rep. So this was a very pleasant surprise

[positronbomb]

Bloody awesome achievement.

[SeanThornton]

4/26/19

Weight - 179.3

Bench - 156 x 3 x 5
Repeated the weight from last workout, where I had narrowed my grip to be in line with the SS approved form, and deloaded slightly (about 4%). Didn't try for any 4-rep sets, though I think I could have on the first two sets. All reps were no problemo, except for the very last one, which was a bit grindy.

Airdyne - which from now on I'll just refer to as "homegrown HIIT" (4:00 at least 60 RPM, and the last 7 seconds of each minute at least 80 RPM)

No issues, feeling good today, everything went well.

[SeanThornton]

4/27/19

Weight - 179.3

DL - 295 x 5 (PR!)
Similar to the last DL workout, the workset took about 1:25, with the first three reps taking about 22-23 seconds. The issue is just being gassed. I have to catch some air before I can do the last two reps. But, I did them! And from the video, form didn't break down, so that's a bonus.

With some luck, my next DL workout (on 5/2) will break the 300# barrier