In my mind I'm doing low bar but that doesn't mean that is what I'm actually doing. I have even watched the Alan Thrall vids on that very issue which I thought got me headed in the right direction on breaking at the knees at the same time as breaking at the hips but that clearly went out the window this morning (and maybe previously too). Time to re-watch and re-try. Thanks Monte.

eta: seems to have been happening as reps get higher but as weight has gone up it has been happening more and more frequently

March 27 – 155.4 lbs

Rest day.

1580 cal/91 carb/60 fat/164 protein/34 fibre

Was curious to see how much I could cut back on carbs for a day. I was okay getting down to under 100g but I would have a tough time getting down to something closer to 50g. Not eating until lunch makes cutting total cals for a day okay. Might try to do this on rest days to cut back a bit.

March 28 – 154.4 lbs

Rest day.

1537 cal/92 carb/58 fat/168 protein/29 fibre

Took another shot at a lowish carb day and it looks like 90g is a sticking point for me. 21g of carbs in there each of the last two days comes from a Quest bar which would be easy to cut out but without that I would come up quite a bit short on fibre. I guess more fibrous veggies are required to get there and I felt like I ate a pile of veggies the last two days. The next biggest carb source for me was an apple today (~20g) and blueberries yesterday (~11g). There was some squash, peas and carrots mixed in the last couple days which are on the starchy end of veggies too and contributed to the carb totals. Anyway, curiosity sated, crazy low carb diet not likely for me.

March 29 – 153.7 lbs

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

OHP – 5x45lbs, 2x5x77.5, 6x77.5
Chin-ups – 8x, 7x +10lbs
Squats – 15xbw, 2x10x45lbs, 2x5x65, 5x95, 4x125, 2x5x155, 7x155

2x12 hanging leg raises
65 chinups
120 pushups

2016 cal/185 carb/70 fat/174 protein/55 fibre

Thought I had another press in me but failed a 7th rep so early in the rep I can’t even call it an attempt. Squats felt a bit better than last go around – Thank you Doctor Monte. I might have left 1 squat in the tank but I was wiped after so maybe not. All main lifts are PR’s every time weight goes up. I did most of my core stuff at the office today and I need to do this more often. It only takes 15 minutes or so but makes a huge difference to free up that little amount of time at night and I don’t really miss it during the day at all.

March 30 – 150.9 lbs

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

2x12 hanging leg raises
65 chinups
120 pushups

1772 cal/137 carb/65 fat/165 protein/36 fibre

March 31 – 152.8 lbs

2x12 hanging leg raises
65 chinups
120 pushups

90 minute massage

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

Bench – 10x45lbs, 2x5x65, 5x85, 3x115, 2x5x130, 7x130
Curls – 12x67.5lbs, 11x67.5
RDLs – 2x8x45lbs, 8x95, 8x115
DL – 2x5x95lbs, 5x125, 5x165

2123 cal/230 carb/56 fat/181 protein/44 fibre

On DLs my hips were moving up an inch or two before anything else moved tonight on several reps.

23 core/mobility/stretching sessions (a couple of which were slightly pared down versions), 18 lifting sessions (4 of which were only a couple lifts), 2,460 push-ups and 1,550 chin-ups for the month while working 29 out of 31 days. My back still feels good. Again managed to sneak in some decent sleep now and then. Another good month overall.

Good lord, awesome work as usual.

I think your hips being a bit low may have something to do with lowering them a bit to set your back as opposed to raising your chest harder. I have the same issue.

Bench is improving a lot. Prob about as good as it can get without getting a bigger arch.

Thanks Monte! I have not been focusing on raising my chest much at all when getting set so I will have to pay more attention there.

Thanks Renton! The set up has been feeling much better. Seems to be a balance between getting my feet back but not back so far that my legs are totally useless. Still working on the arch and still surprised at the difference between how my "arch" feels compared to what I (don't) see on vid.

April 1 – 153.9 lbs

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

2x12 hanging leg raises
120 pushups
65 chinups

1622 cal/113 carb/62 fat/161 protein/35 fibre

April 2 – 152.1 lbs

AM:
25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff
OHP – 5x45lbs, 3x65, 2x5x80lbs, 5x80
Chin-ups – 8x, 7x +12.5lbs
Squats – 15xbw, 2x10x45lbs, 2x5x65, 5x95, 3x125, 2x145, 2x5x160, 6x160
2x12 hanging leg raises

PM:
RDLs – 2x8x45lbs, 8x95, 6x125
DL – 2x5x95lbs, 5x125, 3x145, 5x165

Mostly PM:
65 chin-ups
120 push-ups

2560 cal/314 carb/79 fat/175 protein/67 fibre

Morning workouts on an empty stomach continue to be tough. My upper body was still sore this morning from the workout on Friday night I think. OHP and weighted chins were both a struggle. I had extra rest before the last set of squats. I am pretty sure that I would have not gotten the 6th rep without it as the 5th rep on each of the first two sets were pretty grindy. I did not try to sneak in a 2nd bench session this week and will just let that go according to the regular GSLP schedule now. Will drop the extra DL session soon too.

April 3 – 152.9 lbs

Rest day

1489 cal/93 carb/59 fat/154 protein/36 fibre

Attempting lowish carb/low cal days on rest days this month. Also trying to get to bed earlier on rest days. I have been reasonably successful at getting to bed but not so much at getting quality sleep.

April 4 – 153.8 lbs

Rest day

1437 cal/74 carb/56 fat/163 protein/31 fibre

Given your struggles with benching, it might not hurt to switch to benching 2x a week and ohping 1x. You can then add some assistance work on bench days if you feel you're not getting enough shoulder work. IME, bench technique responds better to at least 2x a week frequency.

Yeah, benching twice a week was helping a lot and I will get back to making sure it gets hit twice a week once I get through this month. I am strapped for time in the midst of work overload and it is going to be a struggle just to keep up with any sort of workout schedule for the rest of this month.

April 5 – 153.8 lbs

120 push-ups
2x12 hanging leg raises
65 chin-ups

25 mins mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

Bench – 10x45lbs, 2x5x65, 5x95, 3x115, 2x5x132.5, 6x132.5
Curls – 5x45lbs, 12x60, 11x60
Squats – 15xbw, 2x10x45lbs, 2x5x65, 5x95, 3x125, 2x145, 2x5x165, 5x165

2149 cal/193 carb/72 fat/192 protein/49 fibre

Tired and everything was tough. Cutting back on cals probably not helping with strength. Surprise surprise. No clue how I got 6 reps on bench, barely got 5th rep on previous two sets. Had trouble with 5th rep on all squat sets. Looks like some resets are coming soon.

April 6 – 151.1 lbs

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

2x12 hanging leg raises
120 push-ups
65 chin-ups


1651 cal/96 carb/63 fat/170 protein/17 fibre

Nice progress on bench. You're still not getting leg drive though. Did you try my method of setting up further up the bench, setting your feet to their normal location and keeping them there, then pushing yourself down the bench using the uprights? It should result in feet farther back and knees lower than hips. It's not a comfortable position but its the only way to get leg drive.

Thanks Renton. Yeah, that is how I have been trying to set up. I start with my head out past the bar, plant my feet (though this is where I am not likely planting them far enough back to start) and then push myself back down the bench using the uprights until my eyes are pretty much under the bar. When I try to start out with feet even further back I end up on my tip toes and feel like my legs are completely useless whereas where I have been ending up they only feel borderline useless. Definitely uncomfortable and my body fights discomfort at every step. Still a work in progress.

April 7 – 152.1 lbs

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

OHP – 5x45lbs, 3x65, 2x4x82.5lbs, 4x82.5 – fail, will reset to 70
Chin-ups – 8x, 6x +15lbs
RDLs – 2x8x45lbs, 8x95, 3x125
DL – 2x5x95lbs, 5x125, 3x145, 5x170

2x12 hanging leg raises
65 chin-ups
120 push-ups

2099 cal/183 carb/62 fat/210 protein/53 fibre

5th reps on OHP were not even close. Barely got the last rep. Knocked the weight on the dip belt into some stuff hanging on the wall and got distracted on the 2nd set of chins but may have ended up at 6 reps anyway, 8 was a real grind on the first set. Last set of RDLs felt terrible and I just bailed early. DL's felt pretty okay. Had a little tweak in my back prior to lifting that had me worried but just did some extra warm up and stretching and all seemed good.

April 8 – 153.7 lbs

25 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

2x12 hanging leg raises
120 push-ups
65 chin-ups

1636 cal/124 carb/57 fat/162 protein/33 fibre

In order to achieve a healthy body, one must always have a goal. Yours is never too late, you just need determination and discipline. At first, its really hard to break a bad habit like eating late at night and eating fatty foods but sooner or later your diet will totally change. You really have a good cardio exercise and is a proper way to lose excess fats and have a healthy heart as well. Maybe you can do hiking as well, its really a good cardio exercise. Also, a very nice adventure experience for a health conscious like you.

April 9 – 153.6 lbs

AM:
12 mins mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

Bench – 10x45lbs, 2x5x65, 5x95, 3x115, 2x5x135, 5x135
Curls – 13x60lbs, 12x60
Squats – 15xbw, 2x10x45lbs, 2x5x65, 5x95, 3x125, 2x145, 2x5x170, 5x170
2x12 hanging leg raises

PM:
15 mins core and warmup stuff
RDLs – 2x8x45lbs, 8x95
DL – 2x5x95lbs, 5x125, 3x145, 5x170

AM/PM:
65 chin-ups
120 push-ups

2537 cal/274 carb/74 fat/206 protein/58 fibre

Felt stronger than usual as far as fasted morning workouts go. My rest periods before last sets have been drifting past the 2 minute mark. I almost reset squats today as the last session was such a grind but I was feeling pretty good so added the 5 pounds and managed to get it done. Looks like I am letting my hips break before my knees again.

April 10 – 154.5 lbs

Rest day

1402 cal/79 carb/58 fat/149 protein/28 fibre

Schedule is getting bounced around so no back-to-back rest days this week I think.

April 11 – 153.4 lbs

15 mins core, mobility and dynamic stretching stuff

OHP – 5x45lbs, 2x5x70lbs, 9x70
Chin-ups – 7x, 7x +17.5lbs
Squats – 15xbw, 2x10x45lbs, 2x5x65, 5x95, 3x125, 2x155, 5x175, 2x4x175

2x12 hanging leg raises
135 push-ups
70 chin-ups

2019 cal/164 carb/74 fat/180 protein/44 fibre

Reset OHP and was not able to get any additional reps compared to the last time I did 70lbs. Not quite sure I got the 7th rep on the second set of chins, I had to stretch my chin over the bar. Right adductor and knee were complaining during squats and I ended up cutting the last two sets short. I will scale back to 155lbs for the next session and move on from there.