Ryan's Training Log

[rkjohns1]

W8D2 - Wednesday, August 25, 2021

No training (illness)

[rkjohns1]

W8D1 of NLP version 2.0 - Monday, October 18, 2021

Squat: 250x5x3 (45x5x2, 95x5x1, 135x3x1, 185x1x1, 225x1x1)
Press: 110x5x3 (45x5x1, 65x5x1, 85x3x1, 95x1x1)
Back Ext: BWx10x3
Chins: 8, 8, 8

I'm back! After taking the last week of August off due to illness, and for a variety of other reasons, I decided to blow up my NLP (version 1) and start over. Trying to emulate an early-30's former D-I football player probably wasn't a good way to start my first NLP, but I did learn a lot (form, nutrition, belt-usage, etc). I've been mostly following the example given in BBRx for my NLP version 2, going a little bit heavier in the pressing movements. The only mistake I've made thus far is going all out on the chins when I transitioned to BBRx program 1C, getting 10, 10, 9. Holy DOMS in the arms! Reminded me of my beginnings with Crossfit! I haven't been posting mostly due to embarrassment, but now that I'm at the same point as my previous NLP, I feel okay posting again.

My rest between squat sets is 4 minutes. Is this about par for others when in the mid-200's?

[David Hooper]

Glad to have you back!

So far as rest: I was at 5 or 6 minutes for mid-200s squats (I can't remember which). I'm currently at 7 minutes and have been there for a while. I wouldn't be surprised at all if you tolerate shorter rests than me; I am still a very de-conditioned person and it takes a while for me to catch my breath after squats. I'd love to do some conditioning work to help with rest times, but it's hard to fit it into my schedule.

[Bill Anders]

Glad to see that you're back!

As a perpetual re-starter of NLP (because lifting is an accessory to my life, not the centerpiece), I find that I learn a lot more of the programming and techniques each time I run through it. So don't worry about what numbers are on the bar, especially since they're going to be different for all of us.

Currently I'm in the upper-200's and run 5+ minutes between each workset. That was true when I was in the mid-300's too, although I should have probably stretched that out like Hooper, who's a bit younger than you while I'm a bit older (53). I've been thinking about adding those times to my log here, but just haven't got around to it. That would be helpful info if everyone posted their rest breaks.

Keep at it!

[William MG]

My rest between squat sets is 4 minutes. Is this about par for others when in the mid-200's?

Hi Ryan,

I'm 58 and 8 months into this and that may influence my answer, and I have had injury upon injury, which I am working through. So take this with those grains of salt.

Light days like today, I just hit them. Heavy days...
I'm old man lol. I start with 4 minutes but may go as high as 8 by the last reps.

Good luck Ryan,

Bill

[rkjohns1]

October 19, 2021 Weigh-in: 174.8 lbs, a 2.0 lb decrease from last week. I'm still dealing with some residual issues from my illness in late August, so my weight has been all over the place (but still a net gain). I have an appointment with my doctor on Friday to hopefully diagnose and treat these issues for good.

I appreciate all of the discussion on rest times, it's definitely helpful to see what others are doing. I'll be posting my rest times going forward. I still have a rushed mentality to working out stemming from my Crossfit years (i.e. 10 minutes to find a 1RM). Sitting for 4 minutes between sets still feels weird, but I am quickly understanding the need to do so and will likely increase my rest times.

I saw yesterday's main page video on warm up sets. I was a little surprised by the warm up set scenario for the 285 deadlift (225x3x1, 275x1x1). This seems a lot less than what is typically prescribed, but the premise makes sense. The body should be warm already from the squats and pressing movements, and further taxation on the body via warm up sets may impact the work set. I have a 280 deadlift scheduled for Monday, so I'm debating this over my current warm up scheme (read, overthinking...)

[William MG]

Ive been working with JD since Feb Ryan and the warm up routine he outlines is basically what I have been following - except for the light days. I still do a bit of a warm up but not much. So for today my bench started with 5 empty bar, 5 at 95, then 3 @ 135 and then right into the 3 sets of 5 at 175. But on Friday for my heavy day, I will do more warm ups and some singles at close to my programmed weight before doing the program.

[rkjohns1]

W8D2 of NLP version 2.0 - Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Squat: 255x5x3 (45x5x2, 95x5x1, 135x3x1, 185x1x1, 225x1x1; 5 minute rest between work sets)
Bench: 170x5x3 (45x5x1, 95x5x1, 135x3x1, 155x1x1; 2 minute rest between work sets)
Clean: 135x3x5 (65x3x1, 95x3x1, 115x3x1; 1 minute rest between work sets)

The squat is getting grindy and slow. Funny how sometimes one really good rep is immediately followed by what feels like a really sloppy rep. That happened on reps 3 and 4 of the final work set - rep 3 felt great and rep 4 I somehow tilted forward and had to struggle more to get the weight up. The final rep seemed to take ages.

All good with the bench and clean, but I may reduce these to 2.5 lbs jumps going forward.

[David Hooper]

I hear that. A sloppy 1st rep is generally forgiveable for me, but a wonky 4th rep, and I know that the 5th is going to be just brutal.

I probably should have reduced my clean jumps to 2.5 lbs a long time ago. It might have helped save me from this purgatory where I continually make technique mistakes in a vain attempt to add 5 lbs.

[rkjohns1]

W8D3 of NLP version 2.0 - Friday, October 22, 2021

Squat: 260x5x3 (45x5x2, 95x5x1, 135x3x1, 185x1x1, 225x1x1; 5 minute rest between work sets)
Press: 112.5x5x3 (45x5x1, 65x5x1, 85x3x1, 95x1x1; 2 minute rest between work sets)
Back Ext: BW+5x10x3
Chins: 9, 8, 8

Lately, every squat session recalibrates my definition of hard. I'll be implementing a Wednesday light squat day next week, so I guess this means I'm transitioning to Program 1D in BBRx.

Press, back extensions, and chins all went well.