Greaps Training Log

[MikeRichard]

Much better tempo on the deadlift. In the other vids of yours I felt like yelling "Hit the ball, Sergio!" Not on this latest session, though. Good work! That bar is flying off the floor, so you seem to have quite a lot of weight still to add on your LP. Like Carson said, you're going to be really, really strong in a few months.

[Greaps]

WORKOUT 20
Squat 235X5, 235X5, 235X5
Deadlift 280X5
Press 140X5, 140X5, 140X5

Rest between sets 4:00m, and on Press 5-6m

+Been feeling rather exhausted this week from stress and new work routine which is messing my recovery up, its hard to hydrate and eat enough protein and workouts have had to be rushed, I have not felt rested going into these last couple workouts. I have one more week of this this new work routine before I get back normal. I am going to try my best.

+Squat first set I was a rock star, then suddenly on set two I immediately felt weaker than normal, I woudn't call it a grind at all.

+Deadlift, well I warmed up, and went at it, felt weak going in, been so tight from sitting to damn much at work and the 2 hour commutes, my mid back did not feel fully recovered prior to todays workout. Well I see I had issues, hips rising faster than shoulder at the bottom and mid-upper back rounding. I have seen this happen to me before at lower weights and thought that this form breakdown would continue but it would only appear for one workout at a time, then auto correct next session. I am in hopes that this was just a bad session and things will look stronger next workout.

+After more review, I think it problems relate to fatigue going in and not getting setup as well normal, can't wait to get my routine back to normal, and dial back in better recover. Speed was still decent, just that little rounding, I hate seeing it.

+I also hope this form breakdown doesn't mean its time to alternate deadlifts!! Let me know what you think.

+Press went up, last set was a grind, I increased rest to get them done.

SQUAT YouTube
DEADLIFT YouTube

[Greaps]

WORKOUT 21
Squat 240X5, 240X5, 240X5
Deadlift 285X5
Bench 220X5, 220X5, 220X5

Rest between sets 4:00m

+Squat is getting harder, second set onward- video is of set #2

+Deadlift is getting slower, I think its from poor recovery, one more workout to go and I'll switch back to my normal 3 days off between workouts, and more food ect.

+Bench was no problem

+This week is a challenge for sure, outdoor job training next 3 days in the heat, going to be hard to recover.

[Greaps]

WORKOUT 22
Squat 245X5, 245X5, 245X5
Deadlift 290X5
Press 145X5, 145X4, 145X4

Rest between sets 4:00m

+Squat is approaching a little benchmark I had established in my mind, it is definitely stronger than it had ever been in the past.

+Press, first time not making reps on this lift or any other lift for that matter. I will do this weight again and I bet I will make reps. The routine has been a little messed up due to a temporary work schedule adjustment, but now its back to normal.

+Deadlift I did 6 reps instead of 5 on error, not a terrible set, just a little slower than I would of liked, although it was that last rep that added the most time. Strongest deadlifts I have ever made.

[Greaps]

Yes, alternating heavy/light DL is fine. I do this often with trainees. I often lower the load anywhere from 5-20% from the heavy day and increase the volume a bit to 2-3 work sets. Start with a 10% reduction in load and perform 2x5. If it seems too easy then either reduce the % offset a bit or add a set. If it's too hard then increase % offset to 15-20%

-Starting Strength programming sub forum

Whats your opinion alternate 1X5 Deadlift with 2X5 @85-90% Deadlift, or alternate 1X5 Deadlift with 3X5 Barbell Row, the second option means deadlift every 6 days, and Row every 6 days.

Currently that would look like 265 2X5, on the light day, and 295 1X5 on heavy. Does 90% training intensity seem productive and at the same time add to recovery toward my 1X5 day where I add weight?

[Greaps]

WORKOUT 23
Squat 250X5, 250X5, 250X5
Deadlift 295X5
Bench 225X5, 225X5, 225X5
Barbell Curl 45X10, 45X10, 45X10

Rest between sets 4:00m

+Squat milestone today
+Deadlift feels sloppy but video shows better than it feels, no pain, just doesn't feel right, I think alternating in a 90% day would help with speed. I think my hips want to drop a little.
+Bench, no problems, widened my grip slightly, one finger wider, did it last bench day and today, and have to say I feel it a lot more in my chest, which seems like a good thing.
+Added in barbell curl, my underhand and biceps are weak, I have done every deadlift double overhand and I want to be able to chin up eventually. I think I will continue to do these at the end to prepare myself for chin ups. Even the underhand grip felt very tight in my forearms and shoulders from a flexibility standpoint. I will probably keep rep range as it is, and attempt to add weight LP style for as long as I can, frequency will be every 3 days for now. I don't think it will affect my main lifts. I will eventually drop it off almost entirely when I make it to chins or pull ups. (pull ups have always felt better to me)

SQUAT YouTube
DEADLIFT YouTube

[Greaps]

WORKOUT 24
Squat 255X5, 255X5, 255X5
Deadlift 300X5
Press 145X5, 145X5, 145X5
Barbell Curl 55X10, 55X10, 55X10

Rest between sets 4:00m
Weight 299lb

+Squat Video is third set, I need to focus on staying more in the hips and lean over more, this workout I definitely improved on head position and in my opinion is my best squat form to date.

+Deadlift, well last rep seemed to have a little hitching as I think its described, I think I may be nearing the end of phase 1, and will begin alternating heavy deadlifts, with 90% deadlifts or barbell row, I really am having a hard time deciding. I just don't want to screw the program and that is what draws me toward barbell rows which are more traditionally used in replacement of cleans. But I don't know this is the hard part of being a novice with no coach, I felt like alternating and slowing progress 40lb's ago, maybe I have another 20-50lbs to go based on bar speed.

+Press was a success, I think im going to use fractional plates now, it was a bear.

SQUAT YouTube
DEADLIFT YouTube

[Greaps]

WORKOUT 25
Squat 260X5, 260X5, 260X5
Deadlift 305X5
Bench 230X5, 230X5, 230X5
Barbell Curl 65X10, 65X10, 65X10

Rest between set 4:30m

+Squat form looked better than last session, speed seemed good with care not to dive bomb, hamstrings felt more loaded, and left inner thigh feels very so slightly tweaked, im not overly concerned and thinking about it, it had been tight the last few days along with the calves, going to keep lightly stretching things out. Feeling heavy but the speed looked good, going to put up safety arms soon.

+Deadlift, tried a new video angle, it doesn't really help with my issues, but it was cool to see the setup. The set felt good, last rep again had a little hitching, moved faster through the set. Discovered a long exhale is helpful between reps.

+Bench, is becoming harder now and earlier than I had expected it to be. But no problem, no pains, no missed reps, so carrying on.

+Chin up, following deadlift I attempted a test chin-up, and I am still very much to weak and or heavy for these as an effective exercise to train on. 7 years ago at 210lb's I could do 18 dead hang pull ups, and was doing sets of 5 with +45lbs hanging on the belt chain. So I have a long way to go to on this movement.

+But for now going to continue doing what I need to do to maximize my NLP. Working to build a strength base, and eventually a conditioning base, and im not talking about wanting to become an endurance athlete. Just general health and work capacity conditioning base.

SQUAT YouTube
DEADLIFT YouTube

[Greaps]

WORKOUT 26
Squat 265X5, 265X5, 265X5
Deadlift 310X5
Press 147.5X5, 147.5X5, 147.5X2
Barbell Curl 75X10, 75X10, 75X7

Rest between sets 5:00m

+Becoming very hard, this was my hardest workout to date, felt done after squats, video is of second set, third set I tossed on safety's and on rep 2-3-4-5 it tapped, but I worked with it.
+Squat, it is hard to focus when the weight is feeling heavy, no issues with tightness or pain, feeling well.
+Deadlift, I tried to set my hips a little higher, and noticed I had been pulling from my heel this set video I was pulling from mid foot.
+Deadlift, on my warm up's I began having dizzy spells, like stop and hold on on type of blacking out, not sure why, I figured just exhausted after squats. I have not had this occurrence before.
+Press, well I mico-loaded it, and failed, so we have that to repeat, before that lift I mistakenly setup to bench and did a warm up of 155X5, man it felt good, would of smashed 235X5 if I had been doing the right workout.

+Curl failed, but that doesn't matter. After curls I did plate pinches to work on grip, 3 sets of max hold time with 25lb plates.

[Greaps]

I was big and weak and still am, but getting stronger by the day.

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26 WORKOUTS, 11 WEEKS OF TRAINING
Squat 115X5 - 265X5
Deadlift 135X5 - 310X5
Press 80X5 - 145X5
Bench 135X5 - 230X5

Weight 282 lb - 299lb +17 lbs (intentional, I was overweight to start, but I wanted to go all in to ensure gains)

Squat: I think I have couple more sessions, of +5lb jumps, before I bring in a alternating light day and intensity day, other than adding a little time to my LP I don't see a downside at this point adding in this lighter recovery day. I want to avoid a reset here, I may do 1 more squat session, and then bring in the alternating light recovery sessions.

Deadlift: I have deadlifted every workout for 11 weeks, and think I am officially reaching the end of phase 1, I hope to hit one more +5lb, to hit that 315lb. I have decided to alternate it with Barbell Rows. The day I start Rows, I will put 155lb on the bar and make jumps until it feels challenging for 3X5. Have to stay on conservative side to not overreach.

Press: Its starting to give me trouble, I grind like hell on this exercise, going to carry on, and eventually do a 10% reset.

Bench: I honestly don't see it stalling for a little while, but when it does will do that 10% reset.
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