Test Day

Testing for a 8-12 rep max on bench press and front squat.

The BP test is a bit complicated since my most recent cycle was all narrow grip.  To warmup and to get used to a normal grip, I did:

135 lb, narrow: 1
135 x 1 inch wider, 2
135 x middle of knurling, x 3
135 x pinkies on the rings x 4
135 x ring fingers on the rings x 5

So far, so good, and I will keep ring fingers on the rings as my competition grip - wider feels weaker to me.

145 x 5 - started fast, were slower by the end

With spotters:

155 x 8


FSQ

135 x 1, 2 - feeling rusty, not feeling tight at all, 5 - better

145 x 2 - enough

160 x 3 - nervous system tired (from BP, I presume), decided not to do more, will just go with 155 on _both_ lifts for next cycle.


Finish w/ 32 kg x 20 2-hand swings - felt good: posture good, pushing through feet, explosive.

Onward and Upward

Planned Down Time

After my Heavy Day last Friday, which completed my ladder cycle, I had two very busy days over the weekend - drive to Philly with a stop on the way down, 4 hour rehearsal there, take my wife's 92-year-old Aunt out to dinner, another 4-hour rehearsal on Sunday, and the drive home.

Monday, just some walking and some stretching

Tuesday: bodyweight.  3 OAOL 2-step pushups as alternating singles, 1 pistol each way, more walking, more stretching, plus 10 2-hand swings w/ a 32 kg

Today, Wednesday: some stretching, plus:

10 x 2-hand swings w/ 32 kg, 24 kg press x left, right singles

10 more 2-handed swings w/ 32 kg, 24 kg press x 3 left, 3 right.

Maybe, maybe, some sort of max test tomorrow - might look for a 10-rep max on FSQ and/or BP.

Onward and Upward

Heavy Day

Nothing except walking and stretching yesterday - was going to lift but ended up waiting 3 hours to see my doctor for my should-be-annual-but-the-last-one-was-three-years-ago physical examination.

Warmup - walking a few miles, stretch

Finished 5 ladders to 5!!!!!

(BP: 135 narrow x 1-2-3-4-5, FSQ 145 x 5) x 5

Notes - BP is getting so much stronger!  Not hard to knock these out now.

Messing around with bar position on left shoulder - have been actually putting pressure on protrusion at end of clavicle, letting the bar rest slightly more forward but still pushing against my throat, feels much better on left shoulder.

DL - narrow sumo

275 x 8 right under - focus on legs, head relatively up, minimal t-spine flexion

275 x 8 left under - solid!

Onward and Upward

Variety - Pushup, Pistol, Pullup

A few OAOL 2-step height pushups,

a few pistols,

2 towel pullups,

24 kg on foot pullups x 3 left foot, 3 right foot - for the frequency of my pullup training, 3 reps is probably OK, but I could go 28 kg and settle for a single or a double and that might serve my purposes better.

Heavy Day - tomorrow, 3 ladders to 5!

Medium Day: 5 ladders to 4

A very busy day yesterday - drive 30 minutes, played in church, drove 2-1/2 hours to a 4-hour rehearsal in Philly, drove 2 hours home.

Today, medium day, with the hope of another Heavy Day on Thursday

Warmup - walked some, stretched some

BP: 135 x 1-2-3-4 x 1, FSQ without bands this time, trying to get better posture: 135 x 5 x 1

added a 5 to each side of the FSQ bar for 145 total

BP: 135 x 1-2-3-4 x 3, FSQ without bands this time, trying to get better posture: 145 x 5 x 3

Tried, on both bench and SQ, to have better mid-back posture.  I didn't do as well as the reps and sets wore on, but I can live with that - these are new-to-me muscles and I'm beginning to be able to feel them working.  It's just that by the last set of SQ, they were too tired to help, and I did more of a hips up first finish.

Onward and Upward

Life's Getting Busy - 4 days off, then Easy Day

Really, 5 days between Heavy and next, which is today's, Light workout.  The last workout, which included my first ladders to 5, really took it out of me, and life is getting nuts here, too.

Today:

BP: 1-2-3, FSQ x 5 - two of thoese

BP: 3-3, FSQ x 5 - three of those except, for the final set of squats, worked with my wife and tried to really straighten my upper back - but it did _not_ feel good, and I stopped after one rep

That's it for today.

Onward and Upward!

Variety - PU/Pistol

walk

1 bw pistol each side, 1 OAOL pushup, 2-step height, each side

frequent stretching to deal with the tight back and hips from all the BP and FSQ.

Onward and Upward

Heavy Day - 2 x (1-2-3-4-5), 3 x (1-2-3-4) + FSQ, + DL 265 x 8 reps x 2 sets

Sunday - 5 mile walk

Monday, Heavy Day.  Started lifting a 5 PM after a long, tedious day - DMV, banking, grocery store, kid-related errands several times, and that's not the half of it.  The program must be followed, however, and tomorrow I'm working too much to handle heavy day, so here we go:

2 x BP 135 narrow, paused x 1-2-3-4-5 + FSQ 135 + bands, paused, x 5

3 x BP as above x 1-2-3-4 + FSQ as above

Had been hoping for 5 ladders to 5 but it wasn't to be today

DL:

based on last week, right under is our weaker grip so I'll do that one first today

265 x 8 right under - form was good, did it w/ legs, 8 reps felt like plenty

265 x 8 left under - form still good, focus is legs, legs, legs

This is our mini-wave because 265 x 8 is, according to 1RM calculator, easier than 255 x 10.  275 x 8 should be the same as 255 x 10, and maybe we can hit 285 x 8 - we'll see:

Onward and Upward - finished lifting at 7 PM.

Barbell Ladder - Medium Day

Today, Saturday: Medium Day

Decided to swap JS red bands, which are 25 lb., for purple, which are 50 lbs. but I'm not putting much tension on them.  They're not doubled up around the squat stands to shorten them, but if today's squats feel OK, I might do that, either mid-workout or for the next one.

Warmup -

Walk

24 kg kb press x 2L, 2R

Towel PU x 1 w/ pause at the bottom, top, and bottom again

Workout Proper:

BP: narrow grip, 135 lb x 1-2-3
FSQ: 135 lb., JS purple on either side of the bar, 5

The above x 5

Ladder #2-5, double bands at bottom for FSQ
Ladders #3-4, BP: 2 sets of 3 instead of 1-2-3, ladder #5, 1 set of 6

Medium day felt kind of, well, medium - a good workout without being on the edge.

Next workout, probably Monday, we'll see how many 1-2-3-4-5 ladders of the press we can get

Onward and Upward

Light Day: BP/FSQ

Decided to wait an extra day, so Monday was heavy, and Thursday, today, will be light.

Warmup -

Long walk,

24 kg mil press, lf, 4 each way

24 kg bell-on-foot tactical pullups, left foot first, 2 each way


The Workout Proper

BP: as usual for this cycle, narrow grip, 135 lbs, 5 x (1-2) (ladder #1=1-2, remainder = 1 set of 3 each)
Each ladder supersetted with
FSQ: 135 lbs, shortened mini bands, 5

And that's it for today

Onward and Upward

Heavy Day, Week 2

Lots of driving over the weekend.

Today, walk 3 miles, then:

BP: narrow, 135 lb., 1-2-3-4 x 1,  rest 2-3 min
FSQ: shortened minis, super deep, paused, 135 lb.: 5

Above repeated after long rest for a total of 5 times - big jump but appropriate given the light weight and relative ease of performance for me.

DL:  narrow sumo, started left under, full hand grip instead of just finger hooks:

255 x 10, left under

rest

255 x 10, right under - upper back rounded, don't know if grip preference is an issue but I was way more tired for this set than the first one, that's for sure.

Onward and Upward

Light Day

Yesterday, Thursday, lots of driving with our relatives, a few OAOL pushups and pistols in the morning, along with some qigong.  When I got home, 24 kg mil press x 3 each side plus stretching

Friday, lots more driving ahead, so a short morning walk then some stretching (cossack sequence) then some quick lifting:

BP: Narrow for this cycle, 135 x 3, 4

FSQ: 135 w/ shortened mini bands, going for maximum depth, paused: 2, 3

Kneeling Wheel, full extension and pause, 3

Onward and Upward!