Continuous Forward Progress

[danz]

Microloading is very important on the Press. For me when 3x5 started slowing down (when I failed the last rep genuinely), I switched to 5x3 which gave me a few more weeks of progress. Make sure your failures are not technical (i.e. the bar going forward, which puts it in a bad mechanical position). You can then have 2 Press days a week with the first being volume and the other heavy singles.

[RyanW]

Thought I clicked post on this yesterday but I didn’t…

Oct 22, 2024

Squat
240 x 5
240 x 5
240 x 5

Press
95 x 4
95 x 4
95 x 3
95 x 2

Deadlift
290 x 4

Got the squats done. Surprisingly, 3rd set felt better than the first 2. Not sure what to make of that. Didn’t make the improvement I thought I would on the press. Studied form the past couple of days prior to the workout to see if there were things I have been missing. I tried to focus on chest up and general upper body tightness. I did save a few reps that I might have missed otherwise by shifting forward and really focusing on squeezing traps. I think I still need work on bar path. Anyway, it is reset time. Got to read up on how much weight I should reduce and try to run back up with better eating/sleep/technique. If this doesn’t work I’ll use smaller increments. Missing on Deadlift was a surprise. I had to use an unfamiliar platform so that might have had something to do with it. I’ll try again on Saturday.

[RyanW]

Microloading is very important on the Press. For me when 3x5 started slowing down (when I failed the last rep genuinely), I switched to 5x3 which gave me a few more weeks of progress. Make sure your failures are not technical (i.e. the bar going forward, which puts it in a bad mechanical position). You can then have 2 Press days a week with the first being volume and the other heavy singles.

Thanks for the input! I think it’s partially technique and probably being too aggressive on previous increases. I don’t think I’m at the level where I need to adjust programming. Going to reset and try to really nail down technique. I know I let the bar get forward too often.

[RyanW]

Oct 24, 2024

Squat
195 x 5
195 x 5
195 x 5

Bench
150 x 4
150 x 1
135 x 5

Assisted Chin
-24 x 4
-24 x 5
-24 x 4

The day of my last workout, did a half day of work (office job) and drove up to Disneyland and was there walking around with the kids until late, after 11p. Tried to get a full night of sleep but it was tough to override the body clock. Did not eat sufficiently the past two days.

Had been thinking about switching to Heavy/Light/Heavy in a week or so for the squat so I just made the call to start that today. Bench felt shaky from the start. Platforms were being used so I did chins instead of power clean. This workout might be better classified as Exercise than Training.

Weight check, have forgotten to do it first thing in the morning the past few days but after eating half of breakfast today, 196. Need to be more consistent with checking weight.

[RyanW]

Weight this morning: 192.3

[RyanW]

Oct 26, 2024

Weight: 191

Squat
245 x 5
245 x 5
245 x 4

Press
85 x 5
85 x 5
85 x 5

Deadlift
290 x 5

4th rep on my 3rd set of squats was rough, so I didn’t go for number 5. Looking back I wish I had gone for it. I have never “failed” a squat rep, so I have some irrational fear of it. Reset on Press, and tried something different. I set up my feet directly under the bar in the rack and didn’t take a step back. I wanted to force myself to get the feeling of vertical bar path. I only hit the uprights a couple times, and my chin once. It definitely felt weird which means I’ve been losing the bar forward like I thought. I will probably try this a few more times to try to drive home the movement pattern. Deadlifts went without much issue, which is good.

It’s apparent from my weights after the past week that I’m not eating enough. Got to get used to eating to discomfort.

[RyanW]

Oct 29, 2024

Weight: 192.5

Squat
245 x 5
245 x 5
245 x 5

Bench Press
150 x 5
150 x 5
150 x 5

Power Clean
130 x 3
130 x 3
130 x 3
130 x 3
130 x 3

Other than almost collapsing my trachea with a warm up power clean, nothing much to note. Squats felt relatively easy

[RyanW]

Oct 31, 2024

Weight: ??? Forgot to weigh

Squat (Light/80%)
195 x 5
195 x 5
195 x 5

Press
87.5 x 5
87.5 x 5
87.5 x 5

Deadlift
295 x 5

Happy Halloween. Smooth sailing today.

[RyanW]

Nov 2, 2024

Weight: Forgot again

Squat
250 x 5
250 x 5
250 x 5

Bench Press
152.5 x 5
152.5 x 5
152.5 x 5

Power Clean
135 x 3
135 x 3
135 x 3
135 x 3
135 x 3

I am pretty sure this Bench Press is a PR. I might have done the same about 15 yrs ago but I don’t have good records from back then. Next time definitely will be. Squats felt relatively good. Eating more is obviously helping.

[danz]

Congrats on the PR!