Dan's Log - I used to lift. I still do, but I used to, too. (Gary Knuckles Style currently)

[Dan]

Saturday 6/24/18

Prowler push 8 x 40yds (2 empty, 6 w/ 50lbs)

Way harder than usual. Cut it short by 2 pushes. Might need a deload week after the past few workouts.

[Dan]

Week 17

Monday 6/25/18

Bench 170 4x4, 4x3

Front Squat 95x4 @7, 115x2 @9, 105 4x3 @8

T bar rows 65lbs, 41 reps in 7 minutes

Bench was slow to warm up, but got feeling better in the later sets. Been keeping up with my hip mobility, so I felt out some front squats today. Form with empty bar was horrendous, 75 was not great, but 95 all of a sudden looked pretty OK. Bar path nice and straight, depth was fine, possibly a little too deep, and lower back position was better than my average back squat. My upper back is a bit rounded, but I'm not sure there's much I can do about that. Too many years of bad posture in my teens and 20's. Was looking for sets of 3 to 4 at @8. Overshot with 115 (ha!) but 105 was pretty OK. Will be totally autoregulating squats because the last thing I need is a return of the hip pain. Love T bar rows, they're a lot of fun.

[Dan]

Tuesday - 7 minute abs

Wednesday 6/27/18

Press 135 @7.5, 75% 110 6x5 last set @9

Dead
300x3 @7
345 @8
300x3 @8
300x3 @8.5
285x3 @8
285x3 @9

DB hammer curls 25lbs 4x8, 15lbs 2x10

Feeling beat up this week. Probably a combination of needing a deload and also working phone support on overnights. Haven't slept for sheeit. Decided I'd better undershoot pressing a bit and get some volume in. Sets across on deads might not be the best idea anymore. Followed the 5% drop fatigue guideline and tried to not exceed @8. Next week is washout week for sure.

[Dan]

Friday 6/29/18

Bench 215 @8, 195 3x(2 + 1 paused)

SGRDL 195x3 @8, 150 3x3

Got my first full night of sleep last night. It was glorious. Workout started well. Bench was going great until the last rep, which was like hitting a wall. Called it there, moved on to SGRKDHJGKSs which sucked bad and now the workout week is over. I should learn to throw a low stress week in occasionally before I get to this point.

[Dan]

Week 18 - deload/washout/low stress

Monday 7/2/18

Bench 145x5, 155x5, 165 2x5, 155x5, 145x5 no set got to @8

Front squat 105 5x3 - just technique practice

Close grip cable rows 50 lbs - uncounted reps for 9 minutes

Wednesday 7/4/18

Beltless press 115x3 @8, 125x2 @8, 135 @8.5, 105 4x3 last set @8

Dead 315 5x1

Front squat practice reps at 95

DB hammer curls 25lbs 4x8

Not much to report here, just doing whatever for a week to eliminate some fatigue. For bench and press, the fatigue is not bad, but I think the pulling volume became a bit much for me. The first couple weeks of MM felt easy, but that didn't take long to change. Also not sure if the SGRDLs are better than just a second deadlift day. I use them primarily to stretch the Honeybaked Hams, but then they can just be part of my warmup for deads. Front squats have gone from total dogshit to possibly workable. Still trying to figure out my stance and how to best hold the bar. Think I'll put some videos in the Technique section and see if I'm on the right track.

[cgeorg]

It took me about 4 weeks of front squatting once/week to dial it in, there's definitely some muscle groups that don't see much work with back squatting that need to catch up.

[Dan]

It took me about 4 weeks of front squatting once/week to dial it in, there's definitely some muscle groups that don't see much work with back squatting that need to catch up.

Thanks for chiming in with that. It's turning out to be an unforgiving lift. I haven't done a set with more than 3 reps without missing my balance or letting the bar roll forward. But I like the challenge to my mobility and posture.

[Dan]

Friday 7/6/18

Bench 175 4or5x2

RDL165 3x7ish

The most deloady of this deload week. Not even counting reps, the shame! I will be so ready to get back to it.

[Dan]

Really should have put this in post #1


Week 19 - stretchin' and spreadin' (out the deadlifts)

Monday 7/9/18

Bench 165 7x5

Front squat 115 5x3

T-bar row 65lbs 48 reps in 10 minutes [new goal - 58]

Trained in a Youfit in St. Petersburg, FL. Chill people. Woke up with a sore throat and hoped it was just allergies from the exotic hothouse flora, but no, I was getting dizzy by the end of the workout. Ah, poop.

Wednesday 9/11/18

Press 145 @8, 80% 125 3x3 @8, 70% 110 2x5 @8.5

Dead 70% 265 3x5

DB hammer curls 30lbs 4x6, 15lbs 2x12

OK, yes totally sick now. Just a head cold, but my balance sucks. Cut off a set from the presses and deads. Keeping track of the RPE of the final set in a sets-across situation. Will do heavier deads on Friday. I have an idea how to progress them over a 4 week cycle.

[Dan]

Friday 9/13/18

Bench 215 @8, 185 3x(3 + 1 paused)

Dead 345 @8, 82% 300 4x1 @8.5

Front squat 95 2x4, 115 2x4

Still keeping the volume at about three-quarters normal because of the mystery sickness.* I would have envisioned somewhere between 6 to 8 singles at 82% on deads. Other than that, I'm fine with where my bench and dead are. They'll both be moved to a 4 week cycle. I videoed my front squats for the form check forum, but at this point, crossed arms suits me better. I want to try with straps next week and see how that goes.

*Really felt awful after dinner and ran down to the walk in clinic 20 minutes before they closed. Mother. Fucking. Strep. Throat. What am I, 9 years old? She gave me a week of antibiotics and some liquid hydrocodone/acetaminophen for the pain, which is brutal. Coughing is enough to make me tear up. Speaking of 9 year-olds, the hotel I stayed in last weekend was hosting a family reunion with no shortage of grade school kids, running up and down the halls, the stairs and the elevators, probably breathing on everything. Monday morning I woke up with a scratchy throat.

[heidikay]

Bleccch. . . strep throat is the worst. You've got some tenacity training through it. Hope you get some rest and feel better soon.

[Dan]

Well training does make me feel better, at least while it's happening. Today I woke up and magically a lot of things are better. Times like these make me grateful for $5 antibiotics.

[Dan]

Week 20

Monday 7/16/18

Bench 175 3x4, 4x3

Front squat 125 5x3

T bar row 65lbs 43 reps in 7 minutes

Took PatrickDB's advice and only kept my first and second fingers on the bar during the front squat rack. Quite a big difference in elbow elevation. Only got two sets in before my puny wrists started hurting and then went to crossed arms. Will continue to see if I can get better with the two fingies. Still dragging a bit from the strep, but that's almost over, thanks very much Sir Alexander Fleming.

[Dan]

Wednesday 7/18/18

Press 145 @8, 74% 115 5x5 @8

Dead 73% 275 3x4

DB hammer curls 35lbs 4x4, 20lbs 2x12

Still about 1 set short of where I want to be on the main exercises, but my energy has not fully bounced back yet. Deads looking very clean, but not what I would call easy.

[Dan]

Friday 7/20/18

Bench 205 @8, 82% 180 3x(2 + 1 paused)

Dead 345 @8, 85% 320 2x1 @8

Not a great workout that day, feeling beat up. Wack bench @8.

Week 21

Monday 7/23/18

Bench 165 8x5

Front squat 125 2x3

T bar row 65lbs 57 reps in 10 minutes - 1 rep short of goal!

Front squats were total garbage. Probably fucked up by training as normal while having strep throat. My joints hurt, my ears are clogged and the cough and sinus drainage are really hanging on. Plus, I was feverish for a few hours after this workout. I need to repects the streps. To that end, I am taking the rest of the week off. If I train next Monday it will be to repeat this workout, if I start on Wednesday, I'll pick up where I left off. Don't be like me kids, strep as a 42 year old is NOT an annual head cold.

Know what I'm sayin? Fuck it.

[Dan]

I'm just going to continue this as Week 21

Wednesday 8/1/18

Press 140 @8, 70% 100 4x5 @9

Dead 76% 285 3x3 @8

DB hammer curls 30lbs 4x8, 20lbs 2x10

Even though I upped the protein a bit and the carbs more than a bit during my sickness, I still managed to lose 5lbs. Not sure if I'm feeling that or just the effects of the layoff, but everything was a bit heavy. No surprise, I guess. Would have liked one final set on press and deads, but trying to be smart about it. 8 days of not lifting were not fun, but lesson learned: take the time off at the front end when necessary.

K Flay is my spirit animal.

[Dan]

Friday 8/3/18

Bench 215 @8, 80% 185 3x(3 + 1 paused) last @9

Dead 350 @8, 88% 335 3x1 @8

My bench Strength days have not been super productive as far as getting bigger singles, but my technique and work capacity are generally up as my Hypertrophy days steadily increase. Shirts are tighter too. Bench today was more fatiguing than I expected, but that could be from weight loss. I looked back at the start of this log and I was 225lbs. These days I'm down to 215. The last 5 of that was from being sick, of course, but I guess I'll take it. I would have preferred one more round of 3 + 1, but the third one slowed way down.

Deads felt great. 350 was DOH, 335 were mixed grip. No bro work today, trying to conserve recovery. Due to travel I need to move Monday's workout to Sunday. H bench 48 hours after S bench might be a little hairy. Or not.

[Dan]

Week 22

Sunday 8/5/18

Bench 175 4x4, 4x3

Front squat 95lbs for a few triples, lost count

T bar rows 65lbs, 45 reps in 7 minutes

Did front squats until I felt the hip pain coming on. Might have to try a pause with them. Stupid hip. The mobility drill has helped, but not as quickly or dramatically as I hoped. Maybe when something is bad for years it takes more than a couple months to fix. Upper body stuff is fine.

All I get are bews.

[Dan]

Wednesday 8/8/18

Press 145 @8, 80% 125 4, 4, 3, 3 @9

Dead 79% 295 3x2

Front squat 95 6x3, 3 sets w/ 2 fingers on bar, 3 sets arms crossed, all reps paused

DB hammer curls 35 4x6, 20 2x12

Press single was on the light side of @8, so I tried some heavier volume after that. Maybe a bit too heavy, thought I could go 4x4. I'm using a smaller valsalva on deads and it seems to allow even more extension in the starting position. Friday I shoot for a new 1rm. Everything for the last 4 weeks has been calculated from an e1rm of 375. I remembered seeing cwd mention his anterior hip pain with squats and how he has to pause a lot, or all, of his reps. Tried that on front squats yesterday and today there is nothing more than an occasional dull throb. Not the persistent burning I'm used to. Yes, the weight is light, but typically even bodyweight squats will flare it up. I left a message on his log because I'd like to see what his general strategy is. Also, got 3 sets in with fingers around the bar before the wrist pain got too bad. Video shows the arms crossed rack produces a better upper back position though. Curls, breh.

Mood: Encouraged

[Dan]

Friday 8/10/18

Bench 220 @8, 84% 200 4x1 @9 (first two singles paused)

Dead 385 @9.5, a PR at this body weight (217)

I've been hanging around in the same range for bench for a while. Hypertrophy is on the upswing, but max strength has been stagnant. Figured I'd better push the @8 single. It felt harder than that at the time, but video showed a brisk, grooved rep, so let's call it an @8 today. I paused the first two singles, which was probably 1 too many. I thought I could get 5 to 6 singles total, but #4 was kinda grindy. Went for a new 1rm on deads, got a clean 385. Probably could have gotten 390, which is my all time PR, but this rep at 217 was much better than the 390 was at 230-ish. Previous 4 weeks of dead programming were from a e1rm of 375, so I would consider that a modest success. Also had bad/missed workouts from the strep throat, so I feel prettay, prettay...OK about it.

For those playing along at home, I deadlifted two days per week like so:

Day 1

Week 1 - 3x5 @70%
Week 2 - 3x4 @73%
Week 3 - 3x3 @76%
Week 4 - 3x2 @79%

Day 2

Week 1 - single @8, 4 to 6 singles @82%, keeping them @8
Week 2 - single @8, 2 to 4 singles @85%, keeping them @8
Week 3 - single @8, 1 to 3 singles @88%, keeping them @8
Week 4 - single @10, hopefully a PR

Let it be known I originally wanted 4 sets on Day 1, but 3 sets always felt like enough. Also only got 4, 2 and 3 singles on the first 3 weeks of Day 2. I am going to run this one again, healthy this time, and see what I get.