[Update: 3/29/2018]

Squat 280 x 5 x 3
Bench 155 x 5 x 3

Left gym early because I have a coaching scheduled. Skipped rows. Might hit some chins tonight.

I have been fairly stressed and focusing hard on a project. I've been wanting to get back to gaining weight, yet I seem to have lost 3-4lbs in the last week. Just weighed myself at 191lbs (at night). No wonder my 155lb bench was RPE-10

[Update: 3/31/2018]

Squat 285 x 5 x 3
Press 110 x 5 x 3
Deadlift 275 x 5

[Update: 4/2/2018]

Squat 290 x 5 x 3
Bench 157.5 x 5 x 3
Deadlift 285 x 5

Squat and bench felt good. Deadlift I think I lost tightness on the last two reps. Will start increasing only by 5 lbs from now on

[Update: 4/5/2018]

Squat 295 x 5 x 3
Press 115 x 5 x 3
Rows 145 x 5 x 3

Was having heart palpitations that freaked me out. Went to a cardiologist, did an echo, and he told me everything was fine.
Funny how the mind works. I had one big palpation that spooked me (thought I was going to faint) and then every day I felt like something was wrong. But after seeing the doc, magically, everything feels fine again.

Went to the gym once between the palpitations and the doc visit: did 3 x 5 x 300 squat, but quit after because I thought something felt wrong.

Back to it last night.

[Update: 4/14/2018]
Squat 305 x 5 x 3
Press 110 x 5 x 3
Deadlift 275 x 5

Squat - overshot this. Last two sets we're "bone-on-bone" rpe 10s. I think partly because I had a week break, and partly because I weigh 15lbs less than the last time I squatted 305.

[Update: 4/17/2018]
Squat - 310 x 5 x 3
Bench - 150 x 5 x 3
Deadlift - 280 x 5

I felt like squat form was breaking down. Decided to lower weight. Will try to eat a lot next few days see if it gets easier, if not I'm just going to jump to the bridge. Don't care to grind out reps every day.

[Update: 4/19/2018]
Squat - 305 x 5 x 3
Press - 115 x 5 x 3
Rows - 145 x 5 x 3

Just haven't been as focused on eating last few weeks. All of my focus has been going into a few projects I'm working on.

[Update: 4/21/2018]

Squat - 310 x 5 x 3
Bench - 155 x 5 x 3
Deadlift - 285 x 5

Squat felt better. Bench was easy.
Deadlifts sucked. I thought I was going to fail reps 3, 4, and 5

Sick squat, man. 3x5x315 next time is going to be sweet!

[Update: 4/24/2018]
Squat - 315 x 5 x 3
Press - 117.5 x 5 x 3
Rows - 150 x 5 x 3

Suqats felt better than 310 but not as good as the last time I squatted 315. I am ~12lbs lighter than the last time though.

Press felt good.

Forgot to bring wrist straps so subbed rows for deads.

Thanks! Yeah it does always feel good getting another set of blue plates on the bar.

I showed this to another doc who sometimes lifts with us and also has seen my stem cell doc. He told me to show it to the stem cell doc and he could easily fix it. Bingo. My stem cell doc says it is Dupuytren's contracture and it is easy and relatively inexpensive for him to fix it. I am planning to get it taken care of after APF nationals. Something to keep in mind: there are probably only a handful of doctors in the world who are as good as my stem cell doc at doing this kind of stuff. If yours does get worse and turn into this, get a hold of me and I can ask him to refer you to one of the people he knows who is good at this stuff who is closer to you - he knows all the good ones, and there are not many of them.

Thanks Cha, I really appreciate how much help/advice you offer me <3

[Update: 4/26/2018]
Squat - 320 x 5 x 3
Bench - 160 x 5 x 3
Deadlift - 290 x 5

Squats we're grindy but not too bad.
Bench was easy although I have some pain where the forearm/biceps meet. Probably irritated the tendon and I wouldn't be surprised if it was from my squat grip.

I thought I'd fail deadlifts, considering how heavy they felt last time. But they felt easy this time.
I am not doing a great job of keeping my back flat, however. It isn't like horrible, but it's not strict.

[Update: 4/28/2018]

Squat - 325 x 5,5,2 (think I had 1.5 more, but tapped out)
Press - 120 x 5 x 3
Rows - 155 x 5 x 3

Thats it. I am voluntarily forfeiting my Novice LP.
I could probably squeeze another 20-ish lbs out of my squat if I ate correctly and reset. But I'm kinda tired of grinding out near 5rm sets 3x a week.
My press and bench aren't back to my old PRs yet, but that doesn't really matter in the long run.

In I think 3ish months total (excluding time off from injury) my PRs went something like:

Squat: 115 -> 325
Bench: 85 -> 180
Press: 75 -> 137.5
Deadlift: 135 -> 295

On Monday I'll start running BarbellMedicine's "The Bridge". Exciting times.

Those are some beastly squat numbers. I’m looking forward to your thoughts on the Bridge. I’m thinking of trying it after my LP runs out.

[Update: 5/1/2018]

Cliffs: I have no idea what I'm doing here.

Squat (w/ belt):
-- 295 x 5 @ 8 (wat?)
-- 285 x 5 @ 7?
-- 290 x 5 @ 8??

Bench (close grip):
-- 145 x 4 @ 6.5-ish?
-- 155 x 4 @ 7.5?
-- 165 x 4 @ 8.5

Rack pull (mid shin):
-- 225 x 7 @ 7
-- 235 x 7 @ 7.5-ish
-- 245 x 7 @ 8

Notes: Pretty sure most of my RPE guesses are off. Also very surprised at how heavy 295 felt (it was my calculated RPE@6, if I read the charts correctly).
Going to have to do more reading and hopefully someone experienced can chime in with tips.


jd2b2006,
Thanks! I'll keep ya posted. GLGL on your LP.

Pretty impressive squats, but 295 @6 implies a 390 1RM!

295 @8 implies a 365 1RM

I used this spreadsheet to calculate my lifts when I ran the bridge, easier than constantly referencing a calculator: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

Yeah, that's correct. I did a 325lb x5 squat a few days ago with 1.5-2 left in the tank (first set). That's around a 390lb e1RM, according to the charts.
(flex) [/brag]

I think I am just doing a bad idea guessing RPE. I was expecting things to be much lighter sub-3x5-max weights.


Thanks for the spreadsheet. I'll check that out.

[Update: 5/3/2018]

Squat (2ct pause, no belt) x 4:
-- 245 @ 6.5ish (x2 sets, oops!)
-- 260 @ 8
-- 265 @ 8.5

My RPE's are bull**** though, because I feel like this last set on video is clearly like a 7.


Press (w/belt) x 5:
-- 105 @ 6
-- 115 @ 7
-- 125 @ 9


Rows (note: now doing strict pendlay rows) x 8:
-- 115 @ 6
-- 125 @ 7.5
-- 130 @ 9


RPE is just something I suck at right now but I'll keep getting better. Clearly I'm confusing 'this feels heavy' with 'i could only do 1-2 more' when that isn't the case.

I forgot GPP was a thing. Didn't do it.

[Update: 5/5/2018]
Deadlifts (w belt) x 5:
-- 255 @ 5.5
-- 265 @ 6
-- 275 @ 7.5

Bench (1ct pause) x 5:
-- 145 @ 5
-- 155 @ 7
-- 160 @ 8

Squat (3-0-3) x 8:
-- 185 @ 6 (mostly from running out of breath)
-- 190 @ 6
-- 210 @ 7

My 303s were more like 202s. Gotta get the tempo down.
I really like these, tho. It feels like they are helping me learn better movement in the squat.
I undershot RPE because I was just fatiguing (breath) from holding air that long under stress more than the weights. Looking forward to practicing these more.

Bench felt great. Both in that I felt strong and felt my RPE was accurate.

Deads we're fine. Undershot these too, but I don't mind too much, I think my deadlifts need form improvement and it's easier to get that at slightly lower weights.

[Update: 5/8/2018]

Squat (w belt) x 5:
-- 280 @ 6 (oops 6 reps)
-- 295 @ 7.5
-- 300 @ 8.5
-- 300 @ 8.5
-- 300 @ 9

Bench (CG) x 4:
-- 155 @ 6
-- 165 @ 6.5?
-- 170 @ 8
-- 170 @ 8.5

Rack pulls (mid shin) x 7:
-- 225 @ 5.5
-- 250 @ 6.5
-- 260 @ 7.5? (x 3 sets)

Feel like my RPE guesses are getting better. Still tough telling on some dead/bench ones, because I've never failed those + some mental hurdles with those lifts (deads too easy to quit, benches too scary to fail)

[Update: 5/10/2018]

Squat (2ct pause) x 4:
260 @ 6.5
265 @ 7
275 @ 8.5
275 @ 8.5

Press w belt x 5:
115 @ 6
120 @ 7.5
120 @ 8
120 @ 8.5
120 @ 8.75
120 @ 9

Rows x 8:
120 @ 6.5
120 @ 7
125 @ 8
125 @ 7.5
130 @ 7.5
130 @ 7.5

Made some adjustments to my row at the start which made things harder. Figured it out in the final sets.

[Update: 5/12/2018]

Squat 3-0-3 x 8:
185 @ 5?
205 @ 6.5
215 @ 7
225 @ 7? Lol

Bench 1ct *
155 @ 6.5
160 @ 7
165 @ 8
165 @ 8.5

Deadlift w belt x 5
265 @ 6.5
270 @ 8?? (Accidentally did 4)
270 @ 8
270 @ 7.5
270 @ 8

303's mess me up because I'm just so out of wind no matter how much weight I use. I also tend to pause at the bottom on accident.

Bench felt good and pretty decent about RPE guesses.

Deadlifts just felt like ass tonight.

I really need to focus on my diet (protein) if I want to see results. I have been eating so little and so much low protein foods.
Must start tracking again tomorrow, because feeling weaker deadlifting 5lbs less is really frustrating.

[Update: 5/15/2018]

Squat w belt x 5:
285 @ 6.5
295 @ 7.25 (6 reps, oops)
315 @ 8.5
315 @ 9
310 @ 9 (misgroved)

CG Bench x 4:
165 @ 6.75
170 @ 7.5
175 @ 8
180 @ 9

Rack pull (mid shin) x 7:
255 @ 6.5
270 @ 8.5
lighter sets because of hip-joint/lowback pain.

[Update: 5/19/2018]

3-0-3 Squat x 8:
185 @ who cares
225 @ 6
was irritating hip so stopped.

Bench 1ct paused x 5:
160 @ 6.5
165 @ 7
170 @ 8.5
170 @ 8.75
170 @ 8.5
170 @ 8.5

Deadlift x 5:
warmed up with 135, 175. hip pain. quit.


About the pain:
On 5/15 I was getting pain after finishing my squat sets. Like, as soon as I put the bar on the pins and the weight got off of my body this pain in my lower back/pelvis and hip joints. Most of the discomfort would slowly fade over the next few minutes. On the 16th I would get like jolts of pain (4-5/10) just moving in random ways. Skipped gym on 17th. Went in today with the mindset of just not irritating it, let myself heal up over the weekend, and see how things are on Monday.