1/24/18

Sumo DL:
235x5 @ 5
255x4 @ 5
295x3 @ 6.5
245x8x2

RDL:
110x12 @ 5
120x12 @ 6
130x12 @ 7

Band pullthroughs: 12x3

RKC Plank and pallof press

Two sets of eight feels like straight up cardio. I need to work on keeping my shoulders down.

Switched out split squats for band pullthroughs so I don’t feel hip/quad pain.

1/26/18 (lsRPE = last set RPE)

Squats: 200x8x3, lsRPE @ 8

Comp bench press: 165x5x4, lsRPE @ 8.5

Close grip bench press: 105x12x3, lsRPE @ 7.5

Superset:
Single arm band pushdown: 12x3
BB rows: 130x12x3, lsRPE @ 8

Band face pulls

Squats were back to feeling tough, mainly because I was not keeping my upper back sufficiently tight. It kept feeling like I was holding the bar in my hands by the last couple of reps. I was told I should focus more on breaking at my hips instead of knees to help hit sufficient depth. I think I did that, but depth still looks questionable. I might have to widen my stance.

1/29/18

Pause squat:
180x5 @ 6
190x5 @ 6.5
205x5 @ 7.5
195x5 @ 7

Bench press: 155x8x4, lsRPE @ 9

Superset:
OHP: 90x6 @ 5, 95x6 @ 6, 100x6 @ 7
Weighted neutral grip pull-ups: BW+5 x 5 x 3, lsRPE @ 8.5

Pendlay rows: 135x10x3, lsRPE @ 8.5

Pause squats feel so much better than regular squats. I think I will try slowing my descent on regular squats.

1/31/18

Sumo DL:
235x5 @ 5
255x4 @ 5
305x3 @ 7
250x8x2; lsRPE @ 7.5

RDL:
110x12 @ 5
120x12 @ 6
130x12 @ 7

Band pullthroughs: 12x3

I think I need to build better tension in my legs when setting up. Thoracic extension is as good as I can get it. Curious to see where DLs go from here.

Pulls look great imo. How are you liking the coaching?

Thanks!

By and large, coaching fits my situation great. I enjoy having someone else figure out my programming. My coach is very patient. I ask a ton of questions each time we talk and he always has helpful answers. He is helping me focus on my deficiencies with the big three, but not giving me too many cues to think about. The biggest downside is taping a lot of sets, which is a pain in my garage.

2/2/18

Squats: 205x8x3; lsRPE @ 8.5

Com bench press: 170x5x4; lsRPE @ 8.5

Close grip bench press: 110x12x3; lsRPE @ 7.5

Superset:
One arm band pushdown: 12x3
BB rows: 135x12x3

Band facepulls

I moved out my squat stance in the last set. Seemed to help. Still felt I was pass out at the end due to lack of breath.

2/5/18

Pin squats:
165x5 @ 6
175x5 @ 6.5
190x5 @ 7.5

Competition bench press: 150x6x4; lsRPE @ 7

Superset:
OHP: 100x4 @ 5; 105x4 @ 6; 110x4 @ 7
Weighted neutral grip pull-ups: BW+10 x 4 x 4

Pendlay rows: 145x8x3

Pin squats have exposed two deficiencies: not descending evenly and past parallel. The first couple of reps each set were terrible. Then I found my groove and it didn’t seem so bad.

2/7/18 (AM workout)

Sumo DL:
230x4
260x3
290x2x2, lsRPE: 6
240x6

RDL:
135x10
145x10
155x10 @ 8

Band pullthroughs: 12x3

Deadbugs and pallof press

Deadlifts felt heavier than anticipated. Probably because I lifted an hour after waking up.

I parted ways with my coach yesterday. The short of the long is if you do online coaching, you need to be flexible and ridiculously understanding. I am neither of those things.

I will likely finish this month’s programming, as I still have three weeks more after this week. After that, I have no idea what I will do. I know that I won’t be going back to GSLP. Way too exhausting and grueling on an old like me.

2/9/18

Squats: 200x6x4; lsRPE @6.5

Comp bench press: 160x4x5; lsRPE @ 6.5

Superset:
CGBP: 120x10x3; lsRPE @ 7
Banded facepulls

BB rows: 145x10x3

As is normal these days, squats get better at the end of my sets. I’m still having trouble hitting depth consistently. Plus I am getting some buttwink. At least my bar path is looking a lot better.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before (I suspect I have) but it looks like you're overextending your lumbar at the top, and you're reaching depth by moving past neutral into flexion. Figuring out how you can start at neutral and stay there for the entirety of the lift is going to fix a lot of your issues, I think.

(I wrote the above after watching the first few reps, and damned if your last three or four reps didn't look much improved. )

I wish I could consistently set my lower back at the start. It is like I forget to do so until the second or third rep.

2/12/18

Pin squats:
175x5
185x5
200x5 (below)
190x5

Comp bench press: 155x6x4

Superset:
OHP: 102.5x5, 107.5x5, 112.5x5
Weighted neutral grip pull-ups: BW+12.5 x 4 x 4

Pendlay rows: 150x8x3

Filmed set of squats below wasn’t great. Only one good rep. It got better on the last set, where there was only one bad rep.

This workout took a long time, even with the superset. Over 90 minutes. It was exhausting even though I didn’t squat at the RPEs prescribed. Probably because I have a terrible sense of RPE for squats.

I have been lifting for a while, but my strength is still that of a novice. I’m thinking I might run SS sometime in the next few weeks ago.

2/14/18

Deadlift: 240x4, 270x3, 300x2x2, 250x6x2

RDL: 140x10, 150x10, 160x10

Deadbugs and pallof press

I’m going to have to go mixed grip soon, probably around 315. Form looks decent atm.

RPE < 6

Add weight

Agreed.

2/16/18

Squats: 205x6x4

Comp bench press: 165x4x5

Superset:
Close grip bench press: 130x10x3
Banded facepulls

BB rows: 145x10x3

Too many things to fix for squats. I can’t seem to take a deep breath at the top. I’m having a tough breaking at the hips. Using a thumbs over grip, while helpful with reducing elbow pain, makes it difficult to pull the bar into my back. Lastly, I don’t hit depth consistently. I may switch back to high bar because almost all these problems go away.

2/19/18

Pin squats:
185x5
195x5
210x6 @ 8.5 (oops, was supposed to be x5 @ 8)
200x5

Comp bench press: 160x6x4, lsRPE @ 7.5

Superset:
OHP: 100x4, 107.5x4, 115x4 @ 7
Weighted neutral grip pull-ups: BW+15 x 4 x 4

Pendlay rows: 150x8x3

I’m starting to find a grove with squats. My butt wink is greatly reduced. I have restarted to doing ankle mobility, which seems to have helped with depth. Turning my toes out more seems to help too. My top set below looks better than recent weeks. Third rep was a bit scary, as I got onto my toes. I need to work on keeping my chest up/driving my back into the bar on the ascent. I lost track of reps during the set so I did one extra just in case.

2/21/18

Sumo DL:
250x4
280x3
310x2x2, lsRPE @ 6
260x6x2

RDL: 140x10, 150x10, 165x10

Split squats: 8, 25# plate x 8, empty bar x 8

Deadbugs and pallof press

Deadlifts felt ridiculously easy. Maybe I’m getting stronger. Or I think I figured out my problem with squats and higher rep deadlifts. I have been wearing my belt over a sweatshirt. When putting it on, I realize I have been sucking in my gut. This is probably why I have had trouble taking deep breaths and feel so gassed at the end of my sets. Only downside today is my lower back is feeling sore and tight.

2/23/18

Squats: 185x5x3

Comp bench press: 170x4x5; lsRPE @ 8

Superset:
CGBP: 135x10x3
Banded facepulls

BB rows: 135x10x3

My lower back got super tight Wednesday night. I did some air squats and RDLs Thursday morning, then light squats (up to 115#) in the afternoon. My back still felt tight today, so I took it easy on squats and rows. I’m hoping to be back to normal for next Monday. No problems with shortness of breath during squats today.

2/26/18

Pin squats:
195x5
205x5
215x5 @ 7.5
205x5

Comp bench press: 160x6x4, lsRPE @ 8 or 8.5

Superset:
OHP: 100x4, 117.5x4 (oops!), 115x4
Neutral grip pull-ups: 7,6,6

Pendlay rows:
150x8
145x8
140x8

Lower back issues resolved itself by today. Good thing because pin squats are great. They have been a great help in fixing a lot of my deficiencies. I’m going to miss them. Top set @ 215 felt easier than the previous set @ 205.

Same comment as usual about working more towards a neutral spine versus the overextension you've got now . . . You're starting with the bar over your heels at the top of your reps; maybe stop trying to stick your ass out like an IG thot and see if that helps? (Pretend I asked N1 for advice and inserted the appropriate "just joshin' ya bro" emoji; I'm going for ultra mild Thremp here.) The bar looks reasonably over the midfoot in the hole, so the hard part is done.

I think I’m screwed with starting with a neutral spine at the top. I squeeze my glutes and brace as hard as I can. It doesn’t seem enough.

I guess I am misunderstanding what it means to break at the hips. In the past I have had a problem breaking at the knees first. Does breaking at the hips not mean pushing my hips back? Maybe I am at a point where should start working on breaking at my hips and knees at the same time?

2/28/18

Sumo DL:
255x4
285x3
315x2x2, lsRPE @ 6
265x6x2

RDL: 145x10, 155x10, 165x8

Split squats: 65x10, 75x10, 85x10

Deadbugs and pallof press

RPE for deadlifts are a complete guess. Both sets at 315 felt pretty good. First time I deadlifted three plates in about four years. I’m hoping there are no lower back problems like last week.

For squats on Friday, I plan on going back to my chucks. I have a feeling squatting in oly shoes puts me in an unfixable APT. I will need to do ankle mobility to make sure I can hit depth. I’m hoping those squats will receive the Monte seal of approval.

Here's hoping!

Think more expanding your obliques and bending the bar down over you back and tightening your lats and less "chest up" at the top - I think that's what's causing the hyperextension.

ETA:. I'd call those deadlifts an RPE 2. At most. Add weight.

Thanks for the tips! Maybe I’m doing it wrong, but when I pull the bar across my back at the top, it feels like my chest automatically rises. Is the idea to think about bringing your elbows back or trying to bring your elbows together?

Re: deadlifts, I am finishing up the program that was written for me. It lasts through this week. It seems the deadlifting programming this month was way underestimated. Starting next week, I am going to back to pulling a top set of five, a la Starting Strength.