The Comeback - 1.5 year hiatus

[positronbomb]

Being consistent over a long period of time is what matters, you will either reach your plateau in 2 months, 3 months, 4 months, or 5 months.
In 12 months there will be hardly any difference how you got there, you'll be riding the plateau of intermediate gains.

[iamgmo]

Squat:
45x5x2
135x5
175x3
205x2
230x5x3 EZish Still. Should I still add 10? mmm... From now on not only working very hard on bar position being correct but also increasing rest periods to 5 minutes. Better safe in terms of rest (yes, i know how to 'feel' if i am ready by now with all my past experience but don't want to suddenly rush and have it cost me).

Bench Press:
45x5x2
105x5
140x5x3 EZ enough. Again did a 10lb jump because i found my shoulder sleeve that helps my bad arm work fine. The last set felt the best, so i will add another 10lb next time. Yes i know it shouldn't be done this way, BUT since I am not a total novice i find things work differently. I just need to improve my warmups bc my arm gets better as sets progress which indicates maybe a little more warming up might help. But again, real EZ.

Power Clean:
45x5x3 (practising rack position, dropping, catching, etc... it has been like 6 years since i last did these)
95x3
110x3x5 - Just as expected, i suck at these in terms of weight i can move but that is genetics... but don't want Rip to yell at me if i have some questions so i'll keep doing them while on LP.

[iamgmo]

W4D1 - Monday

Squat:
45x5x2
135x5
185x3
215x2
240x5x3 EZish Still. Bar is not slowing down in video review and it felt great so courageously adding 10lbs still.

THE Press:
45x5x2
65x5
80x1
100x5x3 +5 now Felt so much better than in the previous sessions because i found my elbow sleeve for my 'bad' arm.

Deadlift
135x5
225x3
265x2
305x5 EZ for sure another 20lb jump next time. Again, not a real novice just coming back form a long layoff sooooo whatevs.

[iamgmo]

W4D2 - Wednesday

Squat:
45x5x2
135x5
185x3
205x2
225x1
250x5x3 EZish Still. Bar is not slowing down in video review and it felt great so courageously adding 10lbs still for what might be the last time. Hard to tell if what i felt under the bar was more an issue of lack of sleep/rest than anything else.

Bench Press:
45x5x2
95x5
125x3
150x5x3 EZ enough. Again did a 10lb jump because i found my shoulder sleeve that helps my bad arm work fine. The last set felt the best, so i will add another 10lb next time. I just need to improve my warmups even more bc my arm gets better as sets progress which indicates maybe a little more warming up might help. But again, real EZ.

Power Clean:
45x5x3 (practising rack position, dropping, catching, etc... it has been like 6 years since i last did these)
95x3
115x1
120x3x5 - Just as expected, i suck at these in terms of weight i can move but they are getting done. Shouldn't have added the full 10 bc last time was too easy but 10lb here is just too much. Anyway, moving forward just 5lbs.


My sleep disorder kicked in the past couple of days and i have only slept about 8 hours total between them. And not all in one go... still letting my muscle memory take over and getting it done.

[iamgmo]

W4D3 - Friday

Squat:
45x5x2
135x5
205x3
230x1
260x5x3 EZish Still. Bar however did slow down a little bit AND it felt minimally challenging under the bar, so it is time to go to only +5lbs.

THE Press:
45x5x2
65x5
85x3
105x5x3 +5 still. Form and feel keep improving as sets go up so, happy here.

Deadlift
135x5
205x5
245x3
285x1
325x5 not so EZ anymore and slow enough that I am doing only +10lb jumps now, and after next week when it is only done once chinups will be introduced so that the deadlift is performed only once every 4th workout.

In a little under a month I've gained: 105lbs in the squat and 140lbs in the deadlift. Not too shabby!

[iamgmo]

W5D1 - Monday

Squat:
45x5x2
135x5
205x3
230x1
265x5x3 Just the right kind of not so EZ on the third set. Bar position has improved and shoulders were a bit tight before starting but 1 minute under the bar took care of that.

Bench Press:
45x5x2
95x5
135x3
160x5x3 EZ enough.I will add another 10lb next time.My arm gets better as sets progress which indicates maybe a little more warming up might help. But again, real EZ.

Power Clean:
45x5x3 (practising rack position, dropping, catching, etc... it has been like 6 years since i last did these)
95x3
115x1
125x3x5 -Much better than the past two weeks. No belt helps me bc it doesn't get in the way of the drop to catch position.

[iamgmo]

W5D2 - Wednesday

Squat:
45x5x2
135x5
205x3
240x1
270x5x3 Worked on bar position and recorded sets from behind today. They felt so much easier than last session, which is good and bad at the same time. Filming from behind makes it hard to judge depth but i felt it as proper depth under the bar, so I'l just assume that improving bar position makes the hip-drive much easier.

THE Press:
45x5x2
95x3
110x5x3 +5 still. Form and feel keep improving as sets go up so, happy here.

Deadlift
135x5
225x3
265x2
305x1
335x5 not so EZ anymore but they feel right for a DL at this stage and sticking with +10lb jumps now, holding back a bit longer before they are done only once every 4th workout.

[iamgmo]

W5D3 - Friday

Squat:
45x5x2
135x5
215x3
245x1
275x5x3 Depth was much better than last time, for sure. Recorded from behind again, but did these in the platform, because the best of all strength coaches aka Rip concurred with me that there was too much of a lean to the right on the descent. I think the corner where i used to squat has real uneven flooring that was causing this and i THINK the recording of today confirms that in a platform the lean is basically not there. Will, however, go to the local coach that has the SSC certification on Monday for a form check (was going to do this anyway but now two birds get killed with one stone).

Bench Press:
45x5x2
95x5
135x3
155x1
170x5x3 No longer real EZ. I need to work on the old 'breathing' pattern once the bench starts to get heavy. Basically three reps, take air IN (wihtout letting any out) and do the last two. Up till now i was able to do it without needing to do the air in portion, but as it gets heavier things change. Other than that it felt good. Better safe than sorry so only +5lb jumps from now on.

Power Clean:
45x5x3
95x5
115x1
130x3x5 just the right kind of EZ. Form is improving.

[iamgmo]

W6D1 - Monday

Squat:
45x5x2
135x5
225x3
255x1
280x5x3 Felt as they should. Video shows speed is just fine for this stage, under the bar a little tired bc i only slept about 5 hours... something important was taking place this morning and did not want to miss it no matter what!

THE Press:
45x5x2
95x3
115x5x3 +5 still. Form and feel keep improving as sets go up so, happy here. Set 2 and 3 felt real real good, extra umph.

Deadlift
135x5
225x3
275x2
315x1
345x5 not so EZ anymore but they feel right for a DL at this stage and sticking with +10lb jumps now, holding back a bit longer before they are done only once every 4th workout.

[iamgmo]

W6D2 - Wednesday

Squat:
45x5x2
135x5
225x3
255x1
285x5x3 Felt as they should. Video shows speed is just fine for this stage. First set a little rougher than two and three. Three by far the best, it happens sometimes in the skwat too.

Bench Press:
45x5x2
95x5
135x3
160x2
180x5x3 better EZ than last time. Breathing pattern started to get sorted out plus some other visualization techniques*.

Power Clean:
45x5x3
95x5
115x1
135x3x5 first two sets i was jumping almost from the shins LOL. Still got them but set 4 and 5 were textbook.