Thanks, bro.

Typoed the link to the squat set:



(edit: my log has a "last page" link now. Way bigger achievement than any PR, I think.)

Nice work.

Thanks.


Thursday, September 14, 2017 Training
Strength Block C2W2

1. Press (kg):
TM47 4x5 @80%

20x5x2
25x5
30x2
34x2
37.5x5
37.5x5
37.5x5
37.5x5

2. Chin-up (@60kg):
w/ Hanging Leg Raise (2ct hold): 0x20x3

0kg x5
6.25kg x5
12.5kg x4 @10 failed 5th
6.25kg x7 @10

3. Sumo Deadlift (kg):
w/ Cable Lateral (lb): 10x11, 10x13x3
TM144 67.5%x5, 72.5%x5, 77.5%x5

60x4 DOH
75x3 DOH
90x2 DOH
97.5x5 straps from here
105x5
112.5x5

4. 10ct Hook Grip Holds in Rack w/ Sumo Stance (kg):

80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110f (thumbs were done)

Training time: 2:01

***

Presses today felt as good as they ever have. I tried a new unrack routine where I set up with my feet where they'll be during the set before I pull myself under the bar. It was way less dynamic (read: less room to **** up) and seemed to result in better balance and a smoother first rep. The sets were almost easy, and I kept the rest intervals fairly short.

Chins are pretty much maintaining or making very slight gains. I may need to increase the volume and frequency of these. Deadlifts were miserable, and for the first time made me appreciate the inclusion of this light day. I think my form was decent, but the sets were just way harder than they should have been.

Since I didn't hook any of my deadlift sets, I trashed my thumbs afterward. Basically, I set the bar at just above my knees, took my same sumo stance, and locked them out for 10 counts. Rest between reps was just however much time it took to load the bar and re-chalk. I will probably do this for my hook grip training going forward, as it seemed pretty specific and time-economical.

Saturday, September 16, 2017 Training
Strength Block C2W2

1. Reverse-grip Bench (kg):
TM72 3x5 @80%, 1x5+ @80%

20x5x2
35x5
45x2
52.5x2
57.5x5
57.5x5
57.5x5 @8.5
57.5x5 @10

2. 2ct Pause HBBS (kg):
w/ Cable Straight-back Crunch (lb): 65x17x4
TM129 3x4 @72.5%

20x4x2
40x4
60x3
80x2
87.5x1
92.5x4
92.5x4
92.5x4

3. Machine Seated Row (lb):
w/ Machine Triceps Extension (lb): 70x17x4

145x9
145x10
145x10
145x10

Training time: 1:44

***

I still can't seem to put up a consistent performance for bench press. The first two sets were crap and probably resulted in some unnecessary fatigue. The third set was the best, and the fourth set was decent until the 5th rep mis-groove. I'm going with a tiny TM increase that will result in the next 5's day being at the same weight, but it will still be progress because 5x5 is more than 4x5. More on this later.

Squats were "easy" and felt really good. More big gains on rows, which is weird considering that my chin-ups are stalling. More on this too.



I did some additional neckbearding of my program last night with the following goals in mind.

1. More barbell benching.
2. More weighted chin-ups and treating it like a main lift in how I program it.
3. Fewer assistance exercises.
4. Separating my max effort bench and squat days into days that I either ramp up to a single PR set or that I do sets of 5 across, instead of doing both on the same day (4x5, 1x5+). Basically, the same as I'm doing for my press and deadlift.

I came up with this:



It's basically a 2-week cycle; the other two weeks have the same schedule with a bit more volume. Volume is about the same as my current program with the movements shifted around. There's an extra chin-up, squat, and bench day per 2 weeks. I removed most of the assistance work, including the RDLs, to fit these in.

It still may not be enough benching, but I'll just add bench sets if necessary. Barbell bench 5 times in 2 weeks (with one day of DB bench) is a decent frequency, I think.

Sunday, September 17, 2017 Training
Strength Block C2W2

1. Sumo Deadlift (kg):
TM144 4x5 @80%

60x4 DOH
80x3 DOH
92x2 DOH
105x2 straps from here
115x5
115x5
115x5
115x5

2. Press (kg):
w/ Band Facepull: #1 x19x3
TM47 4x10 @65%

20x5x2
25x5
30x10
30x10
30x10
30x10

3. DB Flat Bench (lb):
w/ Chin-ups (@63kg*): 0kg x6, 5kg x5, 0kg x6
w/ Hook Grip Holds (kg, 10ct reps): 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115f

45s x9 slow eccentrics
45s x9
45s x9

Training time: 1:51

* From gym scale. Previously this was based on my morning weigh-in (which is 2kg lighter typically).

***

Tough session. I usually just link the "good" sets so for balance today I linked some bad ones. The first two sets were really smooth. The third set was kind of a trash fire, with me losing balance on the 4th rep and doing a total rounded-back pull on the 5th. The last set, while not perfect, was much much better. Things I feel I need to work on:

1. Not cranking my neck. I did pretty well with this today.

2. A more consistent setup routine in reps after the first one, i.e. less dancing around the bar like a tard. Again, not so bad with this one today.

3. Lockout harder with my glutes. This one is tricky because sometimes I feel like I'm doing it but then the video shows otherwise. It's also really only visible from the side, which is not an angle I commonly film.

4. I think I may be pulling with my shoulders too far back. You can see in the 4th set that my hips rise just a bit. They weren't doing that in the first two sets so I think I was just tired by this point and not getting tight enough.



Gym is closed for 3 days after tomorrow so this will probably be the biggest lapse in training since I started the log. Which I guess is a brag.

Week 76 Diet
Mass Phase Week 16



Crossing the 4-month threshold for the "bulk" which has transformed lately into the "maintain! maintain!" Calories are slightly higher and protein slightly lower than I like, but not a big deal. Missed a bunch of weigh-ins this week and one that I didn't miss was a cringey 135.8, but probably it was an aberration. I don't feel as fat lately if that matters. My plan is to stretch out this "not cutting" phase for as long as I continue making constant PRs, then probably embark on Son of Cut after that.

Pretty legit brag.

Friday, September 22, 2017 Training
Strength Block C3W2

1. Sumo Deadlift (kg):
TM144 75%x5, 80%x5, 85%x5+

107.5x5 straps
115x5
120x8 [PR] {TM+3}

2. Press (kg):
TM47 4x5 @80%

37.5x5
37.5x5
37.5x5
37.5x5

3. Chin-up (@63kg):

0kg x7
0kg x7
0kg x7

Training time: 1:32

***

So, that set was supposed to be 122.5. During the first rep, I was thinking "man this feels a bit heavier on the left side." I immediately assumed that my grip was just uneven, so I adjusted it a little and continued the set. Then, afterward, I saw that I left the right side uncollared (these collars are 2.5).

It's still a big PR, but kind of disappointing. 122.5 would have been over double bodyweight. I don't want to speculate on whether the unbalanced bar made it as hard or even harder than 122.5. Just gonna call this 120 and go for 125 in two weeks.

I'm starting the new program in week 2 to better line up with my former programming.

Nice dude, almost 2xbw for 8 reps is good going. My max isn't even 2xBW

Wow wow wow!!!

Color this man golden. That's going to be tough to beat.

Hilarious , I read this and thought to myself, I have never misloaded and not realized during the set.

THen this morning I misloaded my OHP by 1.25 on one side and didnt even notice till after 3 sets were done.DOH!!

if you don't cut that belt I'm flying to cambodia, murdering a hooker, and stuffing her in your suitcase.

KC,

Setting up a justification defense doesn't work if you've already murdered the hooker; I'm pretty sure Cambodian CSI has the ability to differentiate time of death by the month.

Renton,

Nice pulls!

Yar, nice dude.

lol
The tail on that belt is so hilariously long it would almost be sacrilege to cut it at this point. The power of Renton's gains come from that tail.

good stuff in here renton, getting stronger every week. what's the most you have ever pulled? agree with floppy that all gains made are tail related

good job!

Thanks, everyone.

With conventional (i.e. rounded-back abortions) I got up to 110x5 a while back. From blocks, about the same but I had a flat back at least. I've only been doing sumo for a little while now and it was clear from the start that I had way better levers for it. I still haven't really had all of the variables line up for me to be able to pull a true limit set, so I expect for the PRs to continue rolling in if only from getting better at things like being tight, putting the same amount of weight on each side of the bar, **** like that.

Kind of reminds me of a thought I once had playing live poker. I'd often see people misread their hands in huge pots and I thought about how ludicrous that would be. Then it happened to me eventually. I stacked off in PLO with ace high thinking I had a nut flush draw.


I actually bought a piece of velcro that I was going to put on the belt so at least the tail wouldn't hang, but I lost it so you guys are stuck with seeing it for the foreseeable, I'm afraid.

The tail was, I'm sad to say, depleted of its ectoplasm for today's workout.


Saturday, September 23, 2017 Training
Strength Block C3W2

1. 2ct Pause HBBS (kg):
TM129 3x3 @77.5%

100x3 @9
100x2 @9
95x3

2. Reverse-grip Bench (kg):
TM73 3x6 @75%

55x6
55x6
55x6

3. Machine Seated Row (lb):

160x7
160x7
160x7
160x7

Training time: 1:29

***

I could kind of tell from the start that it wasn't going to be a great squat day when I couldn't reach depth with the bar. I did some stretching and it got a bit better, but then 100 was too hard. I may need to tweak the percentage down on this day or do sets of 2 instead. I'm not crazy about doing @9 sets two days before my main volume squat day.

Bench started off poorly (like usual), then got better with each set (like usual). I felt like something clicked for the third set but that's probably just my imagination and I'll be back to Sisyphean benching next time.

Week 77 Diet
Mass Phase Week 17



Not the greatest week of macros, but I ran out of whey on Tuesday and the store didn't open again until yesterday. A bit under calories, but there was less lifting this week so that's probably for the best. My weight is very stable at 133 every morning.

Is whey as expensive as it is in Thailand?

I forget how much I was paying for it when I lived there. Here, I get ON gold standard 5lb for either $69 or $72 depending on the source. Pretty expensive.


Monday, September 25, 2017 Training
Strength Block C3W2

1. Press (kg):
TM47 75%x5, 80%x5, 85%x5+

35x5
37.5x5
40x6 @10 [PR] {TM+1.5}

2. HBBS (kg):
TM129 4x5 @80%

102.5x5 [rep PR]
102.5x5
102.5x3 (misgrooved 3rd and racked it)
102.5x5 @9.5 {TM-4} (see below)

3. 2ct Pause RG Bench:
w/ Band External Rotations: #0 x16x3
TM73 4x3 @77.5%

56x3
56x2f
56x2 @9.5
52.5x3

Training time: 1:51

***

First, I must celebrate the continued press progress.



Okay now that I've got that out of the way, it's time to lay out some concerns.

1. The 37.5 felt like a warmup set so I think 40 should have gone up more than six times. I plainly am descending too quickly when the weight gets heavy and leaking power because of it. Not the biggest concern, just something I need to address next time.

2. Even though I got to lift a heavier weight for 5, I think going from 100x5,5,5,8 to 102.5x5,5,3,5 is a setback, not progress. Even if I hadn't botched the 3rd set, the RPEs would still have been far too high. I think it all leads to my TM simply being too high for the percentages. I'm supposed to work up to 85%x5+ on Saturday which would be 110x5. Probably not possible. I think I should go for 105 on that day and I should have handled 100 again in today's session. So the TM will be reduced to 124 (105/0.85). By contrast, I think the TMs for my Press and Deadlift are dead-on (naturally, since they're based off real maxes).

3. Today gave me more evidence that my paused triples are too heavy or done in too-close proximity to max effort work. This is kind of a bummer because I don't want to reduce the percentages; I like handling weights in my paused work that are near to what I'll be handling in my main work. Not sure how to solve this one.

4. Last but not least, I think something might be going on with my lower back. During the 4 days off, it felt like my body decided to let me know how much fatigue had accumulated there. Just a lot of soreness and tightness. It felt fine today during squatting but I feel discomfort when I bend over in daily tasks. I actually think it's more likely that my squat is causing an issue there than my deadlift. I pull with a flat back 99% of the time, but I do exhibit a little buttwink in the squat. I think it's too early to tell on this one, but I'm probably going to do a deload in the near future.

Yea about the same then. I often ask visiting family or friends to take supplements for me since it’s less than half the price in Europe.

Nice pressing

Just saw the gif, nice

Thanks. It feels pretty great to get that lift moving again.


Wednesday, September 27, 2017 Training
Strength Block C3W2

1. Chin-ups (@63kg):

6kg x5
6kg x5
6kg x5
6kg x5 @9

2. Press (kg):
w/ Band Facepull: #0 x30x3
TM48.5 4x10 @65%

31x10
31x10
31x10
31x10

3. Light Sumo Deadlift (kg):
w/ Cable Straight-back Crunch (lb): 57.5x25x3
TM147 67.5%x5, 72.5%x5, 77.5%x5

100x5 hook
107.5x5 first 2 reps w/hook
115x5 first 2 reps w/hook [PR for hook grip]

Training time: 1:39

***

This is kind of the redheaded stepchild day of my microcycle, as I'm generally going to be too fatigued on it to do anything impressive. Still, I managed to make it interesting with some nice hook grip progress. For me, it seems that hook grip stamina is taxed more by repetition than by the amount of weight on the bar. The fifth 100 rep felt way more ****ty than the second 115 rep. I'm still having trouble with lockout and the eccentric phase of reps that I hook. I think that will get better once the pain subsides a little more.

From your 9/13 squat vid, what pants are those?

Fake Nikes from a busto Cambodian market. The swoosh is just a piece of rubber that I'm surprised hasn't dissolved in the washing machine by now.

It's funny how much fake **** is in this country, the irony being that this is probably where the real Nike manufactures it's **** to export elsewhere.