Mustache Method - Log

[TimK]

Noticing all the @10’s before the break. Doing something different?

My failed initial attempt at the Mustache Method. Tried to calculate weights to hit @8 but obviously my e1RMs were laughably outdated/optimistic. Restarting it this week and I'll be more conservative this time.

Got it. Lately I miss all posts that aren’t in threads I’m subscribed to. I didn’t even know about the bench competition until I saw smuts mention it on IG.

Lol don’t feel bad, your question came in before I got that writeup posted.

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 1 (9/29/19 - 10/5/19)

Monday

Bench:
225x8
235x8
255x8 @10
240x8 @10

Squat:
355x8 @8.5
335x8
335x8
315x8

LTE:
105x12,11,10,10

Pullup:
20min E2MOM, 30 reps

Damn, I'm out of shape. My intraset recovery ability and cardiovascular fitness are shit. The last couple sets of squats almost killed me, I was gasping for air and couldn't catch my breath. Probably would have been a good time to take a hit of a rescue inhaler but I haven't had one of those since I was in high school so instead I just collapse in my chair, stare at the ceiling, and hope not to die.

Strength is way down, hopefully it bounces back. Didn't help that I still had DOMS from Friday's squats that did not go away as I warmed up. And Amanda has been sick for like two weeks and now it seems like it's my turn... just a sore throat at this point but I'm looking forward to the hacking cough.

I came up with this program (writeup: The Mustache Method) because I had pretty much reached my limit with HVLF for the time being. I was tired of doing a million sets of the same lifts over and over and I wanted to get some use out of my SSB, dumbbells, etc. Also wanted to spend some time pushing closer to failure for a while for a different training stimulus. This should take me through the end of the year, and hopefully by that time I'll have my Rep One device so I can start playing around with some velocity based protocols.

ALSO! I found out that there's going to be a USAPL meet in Grand Rapids on March 21st. Trying to do a summer or fall meet sucks for me since I'm usually shooting a wedding on any given Saturday, so I'm planning on signing up for this one. So come January I'll switch over to more powerlifting specific training to prep for the meet.

[Allentown]

USAPL meet in Grand Rapids on March 21st

Hmm.
Jan and early Feb are dedicated to preparing for 2 days of very easy ice climbing, but who's to say I can't do 4 weeks of PL-specific work to prepare for a comp?
Though I'm not sure I want to pay fed dues for one comp again.

[TimK]

USAPL meet in Grand Rapids on March 21st

Hmm.
Jan and early Feb are dedicated to preparing for 2 days of very easy ice climbing, but who's to say I can't do 4 weeks of PL-specific work to prepare for a comp?
Though I'm not sure I want to pay fed dues for one comp again.

Good news is you’ll have nine months left on your membership to do another one!

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 1 (9/29/19 - 10/5/19)

Tuesday

Press:
160x8 @8
150x8x3

RDL:
315x9
335x8
345x8
345x8

EZ Curl:
85x15,15,14,14

Hatfield Squat:
245x12x4

Lateral Raise:
25x14,14,11,10

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 1 (9/29/19 - 10/5/19)

Wednesday

DB Bench:
100x8x4

Pendlay Row:
225x8x4

Dips:
BWx14,13,13,12

Sneezing fits and a runny nose are so much fun in the middle of a set of rows. I'm sure deadlifts will be even better tomorrow.

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 1 (9/29/19 - 10/5/19)

Thursday

Seated DB Press:
70x12,12,11,11

Deadlift:
545x7 @9.5
455x8x3

Lat Pulldown:
150x13,12,12,12

Pressdowns:
100x12,13,12,12


Tried to repeat my performance from five weeks ago on deadlifts, despite feeling like shit. Only got seven reps, maybe could have done a death grind for rep 8 but it seemed like a really bad idea. Even dropping 90lbs, the next three sets were brutal to get through.

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 1 (9/29/19 - 10/5/19)

Friday

Incline Bench:
205x8 @9
195x8x3

SSB Squat:
265x8x4

DB Curl:
35x15x4

SSB Good Morning:
155x12
175x12
195x12
195x12 @10

Cable Upright Row:
70x15x4


I just keep getting weaker and weaker on incline bench apparently. Took it a little easy on the SSB squats today, probably could have done another 20 or 30 lbs at least but I knew if I killed myself on those I would probably just end up skipping the good mornings. The good mornings, on the last set at least, kicked my ass. What an awful exercise. I guess that means I should keep doing them.

[TimK]

Catching up on logging/youtube uploading. Unable to edit my old posts to put these where they belong, so I'll dump them here. Videos from August/September:

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 2 (10/6/19 - 10/12/19)

Monday

Bench:
265x6x4 - last set @10

Squat:
365x6
375x6
385x6
395x6 @8 (PR)

Pull Up:
BW x 33 reps in 10 sets, E2MOM

LTE:
105x12,12,10,8




Tuesday

Press:
180x6x4 - last set @9.5

RDL:
385x6
405x6x3 (PR)

Belt Squat:
180x12
270x12
360x12x4

EZ Curl:
95x12x4

Lateral Raise:
25x14,12,10,10





Wednesday

DB Bench:
110x6x4

Pendlay Row:
245x6x4

Dips:
BWx14,14,14,13





Thursday

Seated DB Press:
75x11,11,11,9 (PR)

Deadlift:
565x6 @10
495x6x3

Pressdowns:
110x10,12,12,12 (PR)

Lat Pulldown:
160x10x4


Friday:

Incline Bench:
215x6
220x6
225x6
225x6 @10 (PR)

SSB Squat:
285x6
295x6
305x6
315x6

DB Curl:
40x14x4

SSB Good Morning:
195x12,10,10,10

Upright Cable Row:
80x12,12,12,10 (PR)

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 3 (10/13/19 - 10/19/19)

Monday

Bench:
285x4 @9
290x4 @9.5 (PR)
290x4 @9.5
290x4 @10

Squat:
420x4 @8.5
430x4 @9
440x4 @9.5 (PR)
450x4 @10(PR)

Pull Up:
32 reps in 10 sets E2MOM

LTE:
105x13x4 (PR)




Bench PR is pretty bullshit since I did 295x6 back in May, but whatever. Squat PR is legit though. E1RM is right at 505 so at least I haven't lost strength in the last two months.

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 3 (10/13/19 - 10/19/19)

Tuesday

Press:
205x4 @9.5
210x4 @10
195x4x2

RDL:
425x4x4 (PR) - easy to hit PR's when you try a new rep range

Belt Squat:
360x12x2
380x12 (PR)
380x10

EZ Curl:
105x12,12,11,11 (PR)

Lateral Raise:
25x15x4


Press PR represents a 5lb improvement over two years. Yay?

Flipped the belt squat upside down and got an extra 6" of depth.

Started this workout at 3:24 PM and finished at 10:53 PM after many interruptions.

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 3 (10/13/19 - 10/19/19)

Wednesday

DB Bench:
120x4x3 (PR)

Pendlay Row:
255x4 (PR)
265x4x3 (PR)

Dips:
BWx15x4 (PR)

45 Degree Decline Crunches:
x20


The DB bench was wrecking my elbows and shoulders for some reason. They were aching and by the third set I had some numbness in my arms. I don't know, maybe doing 4's on these is just dumb and I should stick to higher rep ranges. Might change the rotation from 8-6-4 to 10-8-6 for the rest of this program. Or, maybe going to RPE 10 on pressing movements three days in a row is the culprit... HMMMMMM...

I'm torn on the pendlay rows. There's so many conflicting opinions out there. Do them strict for better back hypertrophy, do them cheaty for better deadlift carryover, etc. I thought maybe pulling from blocks would help keep my back in a better position and not have to use so much momentum off the floor so I tried that on sets 3 and 4. No real difference in back angle though. Maybe I just need to drop the weight and be strict. Or increase it and just go crazy with the momentum. Maybe both. Whatever, rows suck.

After the DB bench elbow-shoulder debacle I wasn't sure if I would even be able to do my dips, but surprisingly I hit a new PR for sets across. Maybe because I did one less set of DB bench previously, lol.

Now that Rep Fitness has come out with a heavy duty ladder-style bench I needed to justify my purchase of the AB-5000, so I mounted the leg attachment and did some decline crunches to stave off the buyer's remorse.

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 3 (10/13/19 - 10/19/19)

Thursday

Deadlift:
495x1 (hook)
545x1 (hook - didn't get it locked out)

605x4 (PR)
605x3 - should had just dropped the weight for set 2
545x4x2

Seated DB Press:
75x12,11,11,9 (PR)

Lat Pulldown:
160x13,13,11,10

Pressdowns:
110x12,11,10,10

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 3 (10/13/19 - 10/19/19)

Friday

Incline Bench:
240x4 @9.5
245x4 @10
225x4
225x4

SSB Squat:
335x4
355x4
375x4
385x4 @8? (PR)

SSB Good Morning:
205x12,12,8,8

DB Curl:
40x15,13,12,11

Upright Cable Row:
80x12,10,12,10


I went pretty easy on SSB squats the first couple weeks but I was feeling pretty good for this workout so I ramped the weight up by a lot this time. I've never done 4's before but the best set of 5 I've done was only 330, back when I was recovering from the bicep tear. This should give me a good baseline to figure out weights for the next cycle of 8-6-4 and a 5-10lb PR should be no problem in three weeks.

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 4 (10/20/19 - 10/26/19)

Guess I didn't log at all last week. Time to catch up.

Monday

Bench:
265x7
275x7
280x7 @9.5 (PR)
285x6,F

Squat:
385x7 @7.5
405x7 @8.5 (PR)
405x7 @9
385x7

Pull Up:
E2MOM, 10 sets, 34 reps

LTE:
105x14,13,11,10






Tuesday

Press:
185x7 @9 (PR)
175x7 @9
175x7 @9.5
175x7 @8.5

RDL:
385x8 @7 (PR)
385x8x3

Lateral Raise:
27.5x15,13,13,12

Belt Squat:
360x12x4

EZ Curl:
105x12,12,11,10




Thursday

DB Bench:
90x12
95x12
100x12x2 (PR)

Pendlay Row:
230x8x4

Dips:
BWx15x4




Friday

Deadlift:
565x7 @10 (PR)
495x7x3

Seated DB Press:
75x11,10,10,10

Lat Pulldown:
160x13,11,11,10

Pressdowns:
110x12,12,11,10




Saturday

Incline Bench:
215x7 @9 (PR)
215x7x3

SSB Squat:
335x8 @8.5 (PR)
335x8 @9.5
305x8x2

DB Curl:
40x15x4

SSB Good Morning:
205x12,10,10,10

Upright Cable Row:
80x13x4

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 5 (10/27/19 - 11/02/19)

Monday

Bench:
300x4 @10 (PR)
285x5 (PR) - technically
285x5x2

Squat:
430x5 (PR)
405x5x3

Pull Up:
E2MOM, 10 sets, 35 reps

LTE:
115x10x4

Thought I could hit 300x5 on bench but definitely didn't have another rep in me.

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 5 (10/27/19 - 11/02/19)

Tuesday

Press:
200x5 @9.5 (PR)
190x5x3

RDL:
415x6x4 (PR)

Belt Squat:
360x12x4

EZ Curl:
105x12,12,12,11

Lateral Raise:
27.5x15x4

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 5 (10/27/19 - 11/02/19)

Wednesday

DB Bench:
110x9,F (PR)
110x8x3

Pendlay Row:
245x6x4

Dips:
BWx15x4

Wanted to get 10 reps on the DB bench but wasn't quite there.

[TimK]

Mustache Method - Wk 5 (10/27/19 - 11/02/19)

Friday

Seated DB Press:
75x12,12,10,10

Deadlift:
600x5 (PR)
545x5x3

Lat Pulldown:
170x11,10,11,11

Pressdown:
110x12x4


Last week I took a rest day on Thursday instead of doing all five days in a row and I think it worked pretty well so I'm sticking with that format now that I don't have weddings every Saturday.

My last warmup single for deadlift was 545 and it felt like I was going to die. Repeated it two more times before 600x5 seemed like it would maybe be in the realm of possibility. But then when I went for it, it wasn't that bad. Throwing on some Volbeat probably helped.