Daily training. Annual improvements.

[hector]

Fewer truer log titles. I admire your persistent excellence.

If only!
But ditto!

[hector]

2024 Apr 20 Wed

Main
Ssb Squat: 300 x 3s x 5r
F Squat: 200 x 3s x 5r
Bench: 280 x 3s x 5r

Total: it doesn’t matter

#####################

Rushed today. Worked two shifts at two different job sites, so only had a short period to lift. Got in what I could. Front squats felt easy and great.

[hector]

2024 April 2025 (Off Day)

Bench: 305 x 4s x 1r

Didn’t move too badly. Surprised how well they moved considering how heavy sets of 5 @ 280 felt last night.

[hector]

2024 April 26 Friday

Main
Trap Bar Deads: 450 x 1s x 5r
Trap Bar Deads: 400 x 3s x 5r
Bench: 280 x 3s x 5r
Dumbbell Bench: 90 lb’ers x 3s x 8r
T-Bar Rows: 200 x 5s x 10r

Aux
-add later

Tonnage
Trap Bar Deads: (2,250 + 6,000) = 8,250
Bench: 4,200
Dumbbell Bench: 4,320
T-Bar Rows: 10,000
————————————————————————-
Total: 26,770

##################################

Thought I was going to bench 280 x 6 sets x 5 reps for a new PR. Then reality hit when I was lifting, today was just one of those days, and 3 sets was all I had in me.

For a minute I was disappointed. Then I reminded myelself, like I have a million times before, that it’s not about any one session. It’s about the long term.

Finished early. Then, while taking a shower, I realized the reason I finished early was because I forgot to do front squats. F.

[DCR]

For a minute I was disappointed. Then I reminded myelself, like I have a million times before, that it’s not about any one session. It’s about the long term.

It’s almost as if daily training results in annual improvements.

[hector]

For a minute I was disappointed. Then I reminded myelself, like I have a million times before, that it’s not about any one session. It’s about the long term.

It’s almost as if daily training results in annual improvements.

Keeping my fingers crossed!

[hector]

2024 APR 27 Saturday (Off Day)

Bench: 305 x 4s x 1r
Overhead Press: 150 x 3s x 5r
Front Delt Barbell Raise: 35 x 5s x 10r
EZ Curls: 100 x 5 x 5

##################################

Bench singles moved well. Surprised. 305 moved well two days ago also, but I thought it was a fluke.
Best benching I ever did was 310 for 3, about a year ago. (And that was a true, true 1RM.)

Read PlagueOfStrength recommendation to incorporate front Delt raises, and I think he’s on to something. I always assumed I didn’t need to do front Delt work since benching works front delts and I bench all the time. However, I found out today that my front delts are weak, so obviously my logic/belief-system about possessing decent front Delts and already performing sufficient front Delt work is some bullshit.

If I stick with this assortment of exercises on off days, then instead of calling them “off days” I might call them “narcissistic, t-shirt muscles day.”

[hector]

2024 APR 28 Sunday

Main
Ssb Squat: 300 x 3s x 5r
Bench: 280 x 3s x 5r
F Squat: 225 x 3s x 5r
Dumbbell Bench: 90’s x 3s x 8r
T-Bar Rows: 200 x 5s x 10r

Tonnage
Ssb Squat: 4,500
Bench: 4,200
F Squat: 3,375
Dumbbell Bench: 4,420
T-Bar Rowz: 10,000
——————————————-
Total: 26,795

#####################

Traveling this work week. Got in one last session before leaving on Sunday. Lifts are moving slowly, but trending upward.

[platypus]

If I stick with this assortment of exercises on off days, then instead of calling them “off days” I might call them “narcissistic, t-shirt muscles day.”

If you're still wearing t shirts instead of tank tops, it may be time to make the switch. Especially since you're doing your curls and delt raises.

[DCR]

If I stick with this assortment of exercises on off days, then instead of calling them “off days” I might call them “narcissistic, t-shirt muscles day.”

If you're still wearing t shirts instead of tank tops, it may be time to make the switch. Especially since you're doing your curls and delt raises.

+1000000

(Not to be a downer at the party, but re-reading that very fun piece also caused me to re-read his years later piece on masculinity, which everyone should read.)

[hector]

If I stick with this assortment of exercises on off days, then instead of calling them “off days” I might call them “narcissistic, t-shirt muscles day.”

If you're still wearing t shirts instead of tank tops, it may be time to make the switch. Especially since you're doing your curls and delt raises.

I’m in!

[hector]

2024 APR 20 Tuesday

Main
F Squat: 225 x 5 x 5
Dumbbell Bench: 100’s x 5 x 5
Dips: 5 x 5

Tonnage
F Squat: 5,625
Dumbbell Bench: 5,000
——————————————-
Total: 10,625

####################

Lowest tonnage session I can remember. But fun!

I’m still out of town. Lifting at the all night powerlifting gym in Charlottesville I went to last time I was in town years ago. Still great!

I thought maybe I wouldn’t be able to do dips since the last time I dipped I was a svelte 30lb lighter. Wrong! Did 5x5! Felt great! Better than ever!

This makes me want to buy a dip attachment. Which I know I shouldn’t! Skull crushers are perfectly adequate! Still, so tempting!!!!!

Skull crushers have actually hurt my elbows lately. Dips didn’t. Weird. Maybe a reason to actually get a dip attachment?

[DCR]

Skull crushers have actually hurt my elbows lately. Dips didn’t. Weird. Maybe a reason to actually get a dip attachment?

Give the below a watch starting around 3:20 (or, since it’s so early on, just watch from the beginning. They address a technique tweak for skull crushers (with a fucking straight bar no less) that may lessen elbow pain.

[hector]

Skull crushers have actually hurt my elbows lately. Dips didn’t. Weird. Maybe a reason to actually get a dip attachment?

Give the below a watch starting around 3:20 (or, since it’s so early on, just watch from the beginning. They address a technique tweak for skull crushers (with a fucking straight bar no less) that nay lessen elbow pain.

DCR, can’t wait to check it out! Thank you!

[hector]

2024 May 02 Thursday (Off Day)

Bench: 300 x 1s x 1r
Bench: 300 x 1s x 3r

##################

300 for 3 is the heaviest triple I’ve benched in quite some time. Heaviest ever was last year when I got 310 for 3.

Excited to be home and able to get in a real session tomorrow. Traveling again next week. Ugghh.

When I was young I’d get excited about traveling. These days, I’d rather just remain on curmudgeon mode and stay home.

[hector]

2024 MAY 03 Friday

Main
Ssb Squat: 300 x 3s x 5r
Bench: 280 x 4s x 5r
F Squat: 200 x 5 x 5
Dumbbell Bench: 90’s x 3s x 8r
T-bar Rows: 200 x 5s x 10r

Aux
Jefferson Curls: 45lb

Tonnage
Ssb Squat: 4,500
Bench: 5,600
F Squat: 5,000
Dumbbell Bench: 4,320
T-Bar Rows: 10,000
——————————————-
Total: 29,420

#####################

Back home for the weekend. Pumped to get in a garage gym session. Started off exhausted, but enthusiasm picked up once I was lifting.

Started watching this video assessment of a guy who likes Rip, agrees with Rip on trap bar Deads and their lack of utility, and is big into old timey strongman lifts. Not the most compelling, but maybe worth listening to in your car on a long drive.