On the critical path to one-arm pullups. Rotate with weighted pullups in 6 to 8 week cycles until you reach 2/3 bodyweight for ~5 reps then it's just 6 short months of 1-arm lockoffs, 1-arm eccentrics, and banded semi-one arms and whatnot.

Weighted pullups are great but they're actually not that similar of a movement. Archers are a lot more similar but harder to measure progressive overload. They feel like much more of a bicep move, but lats and rear delts are generally more DOMSy.

Demonstrating that it is not yet a big grey beard, as opposed to my brothers'?

For some reason they really seem to mind despite my also getting the cancer and the personality disorders.

Archers are tough, been doing a cheater version on rings where I do the full chin then extend one arm. Maybe typewriters? Idk I suck but I’d like to give a one arm chin one last good go.

I always did typewriters back and forth. Surprisingly chesty.

Eventually you want archers with a wide enough grip to leave the outside arm completely straight, but you can build up to it by doing a fairly normal grip and just pulling your chin to one hand, trying to emphasize that arm. Gradually widen the grip.

Congrats on doing a workout while dressed as a superhero.

Wife thought I looked like Super Mario...

It's a little chilly in the gym.

It's actually pretty impressive that it's so dark and without gray.

12/10 -- 232 lbs 21.8% bf

***Begin Barbell Medicine 3 week "Peaking" Program from week 2***

+rehab Deadlift + rehab Squats

wu snatch pulls, muscle snatch, OH squats, goodmornings, hammer curls, Arnold presses

GHRs 3x8 (hands at shoulders)
Front Squats 3x135, 5x185, 2x8x215 @8s
Close Grip Bench Press 5x135, 3x185, 225 @5, 245 @7.5, 3x235 @8.5, 3x3x225 @8s
HBB Squats 2x8x260 @7, 8
Pin Bench (2.5" above chest) 4x225, 4x240 @7, 4x255 @8, 4x265 @9, 4x255 @8
Deficit Deadlift (2") 8x135, 6x225, 6x275, 5x285

Session RPE = 7. More squat volume and starting to get a little strainy. Bench session was unusual for me but felt my way through it OK.

Just found the BBM peaking template today and it seemed largely close to what I'd done last week and was planning on doing this week, and gives me something to fill in next week other than "resting". Today I essentially traded dips for close grip bench & pin bench.

EDIT: Obviously I'm only trying to peak for bench & OHP. Lower body still building up through periodic discomfort.

12/12 -- ???

BBM 3 week peaking program: Bench Press "stuff" (est. 305 max W12) + Pendlay Rows + Light OHP

wu Snatch pulls, Muscle snatch, OH Squats, Goodmornings, hammer curls, shoulder circles, Arnold Press, RGBP

Bench Press 3x90 (198), 3x110 (242), 2x125 (275) @8, 2x1x135 (297) @8.5, 9, 2x3x121 (267) @8s, 3x115 (254) @7.5
Pendlay Rows 8x95 (11X2), 10x135 (X1X1), 10x185, 10x235, 3x10x250
Swiss Bar OHP (close grip) 5x95, 5x135, 3x155 @8, 2x1x170 @8s, 3x3x155 @8, 8.5, 9

Sled Pulls/Pushes 5x+180


Session RPE=5. Just figured I'd try it.

I liked the outfit! Although short shorts would have been better.

I guess we know what made you think of Snitch.

No it was actually the comment by loco about the Aussie, just reminded me I hadn't seen him in forever.

Banned from log.

I'll do you one better. Dude is spamming no content posts across the forums.

Thanks

12/13

Yoga

12/14 -- 230 lbs 20.4% bf

BBM 3 week peaking program + rehab Squat

Glute-Ham Raises (63X2) 3x10 (hands at shoulders)
2ct Paused Pin Press (shoulder height) 8x95, 3x135, 2x155, 175 @7, 185 @8, 3x170 @9, 2x3x162.5 @8s
HBB Squat 6x185, 5x225, 3x8x265 @7, 7, 8
2ct Paused Bench Press 3x135, 3x185, 3x235 @6, 275 @8, 3x250 @9, 3x3x235 @8, 8.5, 9
Straight-Leg T&G Deadlift 10x135, 3x10x185

Session RPE = 6. Squats felt especially good today. No back discomfort at all. Yesterday's yoga may have helped--seemed like a lot more crust popping off than usual. Been a little lax making it in lately and this was the first session where I felt a little "off" especially with balance and shoulders were too tight to do any binds or even eagle arms.

Usually I'd do heavy dips today but getting more specific. Moving my usual Sunday workout (OHP) to tomorrow so I have more off days before maxouts Wednesday & Friday.

Actually my first time doing paused bench with any real weight; I kinda' liked it. Somewhat guessing on RPE.

12/15--229 lbs 21.4% bf

BBM 3 week peaking program, Overhead Press "stuff" (TM 200 wk 12) + Archer Pullups "stuff" (wk7)

Overhead Press 3x115, 2x150, 180 @8, 195 @10 (ties PR), 185 @ 9.5
2ct Pause OHP 3x175 @9, 3x3x160 @7.5, 8, 8
Archer Pullups 2x3 @8, 4x1 @9s, 10s, 10x3 @8-10s (so 5 sets each side)
Comp Bench Press 3x70 (154), 3x93 (205), 2x111 (245) @7, 121 (267) @8, 130.5 (288) @ easy 10, 3x121.5 (268) @8.5, 3x115.5 (255) @8

Ab Wheel Rollouts, Curls, Triceps


Session RPE = 8. Intense but reducing volume on the backoffs and a little added difficulty from doing the same exercises two days in a row.

OHP the 195 single was harder than it needed to be--neglected getting my head through and think I let my wrists break too much. Pretty sure I could've gotten 200 after that but ramping to Friday.

Comp bench also new to me--I won't be maxing out with it but I like the feel. How does it look?

Archers felt great on singles. Not so great on triples especially after a few sets. It gets really strenuous on your wide arm at the top. Next go around I may reduce the sets across in favor of more singles which mostly avoid that problem. Decided to go ahead and get some "musculature in action" videos (gym was empty which is why I have a tiny spotter on bench press). Guess I've lost some fat back there--I'm starting to make out distinct traps which I don't think I've ever seen before.

12/17 -- 227 lbs 21% bf

BBM 3 week peaking program + rehab Deadlift + rehab Squats

GHRs 3x10 (hands at shoulders)
Front Squats 2x2x165, 5x195, 2x8x225 @8s
Bench Press 5x135, 3x185, 2x235, 275 @6.5, 295 @8
Deadlift 8x135, 6x225, 6x275, 3x6x300
HBB Squats 5x225, 2x8x270 @8, 9
Overhead Press 5x105, 3x135, 2x165 @6, 185 @8, 192.5 @10, 3x170 @9, 3x162.5 @8

Session RPE = 6. Finally feeling squats in my quads, tiny bench volume and small OHP volume that has (hopefully) harder than expected due to happening after bench.

Next stop bench 1RM. I could stand to get more sleep.

Bench looks really loose, which, as a fellow tall, I get - I think you need your setup to be much tighter essentially everywhere, and to control your descent much more then you are currently. So You Think You Can Bench by Dave Tate is a pretty good YouTube series to watch if you're looking for inspiration.

Yeah, I see that. Probably crept in after the back tweaks, but in general with the yoga practice, "as tight as I can get" is too extreme so I'm always dialing it back at least a little bit. Plus the pauses are new to me so probably dominating my thinking.

I've watched that series before but live coaching was what I really needed to fix my bench when it stalled and was producing pain. If it doesn't straighten out just by being more attentive I'll probably go that route since we have actual SS coaches at my gym.

--------------------------------

On a current events note; wife had a successful MRI and we met with a neurosurgeon who's being added to our team long-term. We're not thinking about any surgery, it's just another set of eyes with deep understanding. It did mean reviewing her entire history which is a bit of a grueling endeavor.

Been planning a trip to NY and DC for Xmas. As it has gotten closer we've become more doubtful of the practicality, and more concerned about the potential downsides. Wife was hoping for more functional walking by now and the city is not what I would call wheelchair accessible, at all, and especially compared to here. Her...inability to keep stressers from turning into aggressive attitudes towards me is also not where I would like it at this point. We are working on it--part of that involves me setting boundaries and thinking more about myself. Also taking "me" time and getting away on my own; I have not been able to carve out anything like that during the trip, which is a concern. Probably going to cancel, and feeling bummed about that. Not as bummed as I'd be if the trip turned out to be a ****show of self-torture though.

On the bright side, at least I wouldn't have to improvise something in hotel gyms for a couple of weeks.

Mmmmmmmmm

NOODZ IN ACTION

I consider this a personal Christmas gift. Thank you!

Thanks Josie.

12/19 228 lbs 22.1% bf

Bench Max + rows + OHP peak prep

Bench Press 5x50 (110), 3x70 (154), 2x93 (205), 2x107.5 (237), 120 (264) @6, 132.5 (292) @8, 145 (320) @10 PR, 147.5f (325f)

Pendlay rows 10x135, 10x185, 10x235, 10x255, MyoReps 12x235, 3x5x235, 3x235
Overhead Press 3x105, 2x135, 2x165 @4, 175 @7, 185 @3

Happy to get a PR. Perhaps with a little more sleep and a little less stress this week I may have been able to get the 325, but as played the 320 (while it looks pretty sketchy) was never in doubt while 325 was a hard no. Did effort to get tighter today and everything looked better until it got heavy.

Afterwards, I was thinking of slaughtering myself in the name of a good mood-altering series of pumps, but was feeling pretty drained and hoping for a good OHP friday so just took it easy. Did my first Myo Reps; meh.

Hell yeah man

Thanks, I'm happy with adding 20 lbs. to my yearly PR after having taken a 4 month hiatus this year and shedding about 15 pounds of bodyweight overall. The fact I've lost all the shoulder pain while building up to it is fantastic! Hoping to be more consistent this year and make a bigger increase, but think I'm also going to target cutting down to 15% bf so we'll see.

If I get down to that level I may think about taking up some rock climbing again, especially if I make it to 1-arm pullup land. Used to feel so great doing that.

Nice PR!