DCR - Can you believe how much I am in heaven?

[DCR]

Sometimes you just gotta go hard! You may not hit it. It is what it is.
You’re making me think that not doing triceps work is one of my many failings. Push downs are the shit. Even rippetoe style.

Until I began this program I basically hadn't done dedicated assistance work in years and had been doing the same four or five movements every session for months, so I am a terrible role model in this regard, and really in any regard that would beget success.

[Zak]

@Zak, I love this squat progression. I did it today with no safety arms, because none of it is in doubt, but it feels like real work.

Yeah, nothing is ever really in doubt unless you empty the tank on that last set. Just have to be willing to stick around awhile and do work.

One thought though, if you're not doing any squat focused assistance, maybe take the backoff set down one more increment (i.e., go back three sets instead of two,) and do high bar squats. Then, if you still want to squat every time in, make the light day like high bar tempo or high bar pauses to offset the load a little more. Quads are the whole game.

Alternatively disregard all that. Just what I would do.

[DCR]

@Zak, I love this squat progression. I did it today with no safety arms, because none of it is in doubt, but it feels like real work.

Yeah, nothing is ever really in doubt unless you empty the tank on that last set. Just have to be willing to stick around awhile and do work.

One thought though, if you're not doing any squat focused assistance, maybe take the backoff set down one more increment (i.e., go back three sets instead of two,) and do high bar squats. Then, if you still want to squat every time in, make the light day like high bar tempo or high bar pauses to offset the load a little more. Quads are the whole game.

Alternatively disregard all that. Just what I would do.

Greatly appreciate the advice. I think that I'm going to keep the progression as is, both because I'm stupidly neurotic but also because my usual squat is somewhere between low and high bar and is pretty quad-y relative to what I believe is the average lifter's low bar squat. That said, I'm going to implement your thoughts in two ways: (1) I've already begun splitting the sessions with lighter sessions in which I do paused, high(er) bar squats, for 20s. I began with absurdly light weight and plan to progress very slowly in 2.5 lb increments. (2) I'd like to actually add some assistance. The new gym down here has a belt squat, which is tempting, but also considering deficit deadlifts, with which I built some pretty impressive quads years back during a period when I had no access to a squat rack.

[DCR]

5/10/23

Shawn Phillips Bench Program
Week 3, Day 4

High Bar Paused Squats 45,102.5x20
RDLs w/ straps 200 x3s x5r
One Arm DB Rows 75s x4,5,5
Close Grip Pulldowns 130 x3s x6r
Incline DB Curls 20s x3s x8r
Jump Rope 41 secs, 34 secs (in both cases, stopped when I fucked up)

Session thoughts:

Three of seven weeks in the books.

Depending on the movement, I dropped either the weight or accepted a drop in reps, per the discussion upstairs re: Andy Baker's recent piece on hypertrophy at lower volumes, which was nothing new but a good reminder. I tried to treat each rep as an opportunity for growth, rather than a piece of a set that I had to complete. One minute and fifteen seconds of total cardio, a joke but a start.

Metal rec of the day: Dodheimsgard, yet again. Listening right now while I work.

[alek]

I started doing the stair stepper today after my workout. Feels less like cardio and more like lifting to me.

I’ve never really jumped rope; may have to think about that.

[DCR]

5/12/23

Shawn Phillips Bench Program
Week 4, Day 1

Squats 45,135,200x10 230x8 250x6 265x4 280x2 300x1 265x4
Bench Press 45,135x10 185,210x6 240x5,5,4
Press 120 x3s x6r
DB Flyes 40s x3s x6r
Preset EZ French Press 60x10 70 x2s x5r
Jump Rope 2s x100 jumps each

Session notes:

Into week 4, now with 7 of 14 bench sessions completed. Passed the “failure test” again, barely, so onward without change.

Completed the first wave of this squat progression and couldn’t be more pleased. Learning by virtue of the differences from past blocks and what feels good (or bad, in the right way).

Lower back much less fuct after presses today. Appears that I was right that the issue was me keeping the bar out in front as I pumped out the reps. Today I performed each rep from a full pause off the chest, and concentrated on getting my head tucked instantly. Better.

Metal rec of the day: Dordeduh/Har. Different. Try it.

[DCR]

5/14/23

Shawn Phillips Bench Program
Week 4, Day 2

High Bar Paused Squats 45,105x20
Lying Leg Curls 40x10 70 x3s x6r
Rows 135 x3s x6r
Pulldowns (supinated MAG) 130x4,4,5
Curls 65x4,5,4

Session notes:

Same story with dropping weights or accepting drops in reps, in an effort to achieve higher quality reps. Pained me to do so with rows, given my well documented view that they ought to be cheated, but my lower back was thankful.

Switched to the MAG for pulldowns because the right elbow pain with the straight bar wasn’t funny anymore.

Metal rec of the day: Nightfell / The Living Ever Mourn. The death / doom scene out of the PNW has been incredible over the past near decade.

[DCR]

5/16/23

Shawn Phillips Bench Program
Week 4, Day 3

Squats 45,135,205x10 235x8 255x6 270x4 235x9
Bench Press 445,135x10 205x6 235 x2s x3r 265 x1+1 forced rep, x1+1 forced rep 305 x negative
DB Bench Press 65s x3s x8r
DB Press 50s x3s x5r
Lateral Raises 30s x3s x6r
EZ Pushdowns 120 x3s x10r

Session notes:

First day of the next squat cycle, unpleasant but all more than doable.

@alek, I bombed out today as well. Was supposed to be two doubles with 265. Almost had the first one at RPE 15, zero chance at the second. Disappointed but (1) I guess 21 and 44 aren't the same, especially given that at the former age I'd never peaked anything; and (2) forty-five minutes of squats first probably wasn't smart. Or... it's just too aggressive. With a starting max of 275, I was gonna hit two doubles with 265 a month later? That's rough. That said, I think I'm gonna stick with it just a bit longer, because the next two sessions appear to be things that I can handle. (A 280 single makes more sense than two doubles at 265, and I haven't hit that in a minute, so why not. I also like the negatives. I'd never held anything over 300 in my hands before. I do think that I've not been getting the full value of the negatives, though. Haven't fully trusted my spotters and been low key reticent to exhaust myself too much on the eccentric when I feel like I'll need to be contributing the very large majority of the concentric.)

I did have the idea that, having done nearly no assistance for years, jumping back into it might yield some quick gains. That obviously wasn't the case, and, actually, I've felt pretty tired and have wondered if the extra volume took me by surprise even despite it being assistance. (Also, too: the squats.) I am, however, noticeably larger in a good way, so all told I'm not complaining.

Got some random compliments these past two sessions over my "real squats" and "pretty good weight" for lack of belt and wraps (and, unspoken, my gray beard). I'll take them.

Metal rec of the day: Impetuous Ritual/Iniquitous Barbarik Synthesis. Had no idea that they had a new one coming, or whether there ever would be. This is the kind of band that just disappears. Anyway, it's even more pure noise than the first three, made for absolutely no one, and also fucking awesome. It's the mood.

[mbasic]

; and (2) forty-five minutes of squats first probably wasn't smart.

yeah, I agree this^ probably didn't help.

When doing a full body day thing ... I would almost always start with bench/incline press or OHP.
Squats or deads will derail whatever upper body exercise comes next; where the opposite hard ever happens.

Also, if the program calls for longer set-rest-periods on the upper body movement, you can really focus on "warming up"
the lower limbs for the coming squats. Air squats, stretching, etc between the bench sets, etc.

Only reason I would do squats first ... if that day was 'special' and the globo-gym was packed and the empty rack was seen.
Better take advantage.

This is one of the very few things I learned at the SS forums. I believe Adam Skillin brought it up.
Funny too because it goes against the the typical SSNLP layout of:
- Squat 3x5
- BP/OHP 3x5
- DL 1x5
Everyone seems to notice the NLP ALREADY sucks for upper mostly, as you are squatting 3x/week.
Another bug in there to deal with ....
It might suck to deadlift after squats? fine, rest 10 min, before starting your 1st warmup set for deads.
Take 2-3 between each DL warmup set

[DCR]

; and (2) forty-five minutes of squats first probably wasn't smart.

yeah, I agree this^ probably didn't help.

When doing a full body day thing ... I would almost always start with bench/incline press or OHP.
Squats or deads will derail whatever upper body exercise comes next; where the opposite hard ever happens.

Also, if the program calls for longer set-rest-periods on the upper body movement, you can really focus on "warming up"
the lower limbs for the coming squats. Air squats, stretching, etc between the bench sets, etc.

Only reason I would do squats first ... if that day was 'special' and the globo-gym was packed and the empty rack was seen.
Better take advantage.

This is one of the very few things I learned at the SS forums. I believe Adam Skillin brought it up.
Funny too because it goes against the the typical SSNLP layout of:
- Squat 3x5
- BP/OHP 3x5
- DL 1x5
Everyone seems to notice the NLP ALREADY sucks for upper mostly, as you are squatting 3x/week.
Another bug in there to deal with ....
It might suck to deadlift after squats? fine, rest 10 min, before starting your 1st warmup set for deads.
Take 2-3 between each DL warmup set

That all makes good sense. After years of generally full body scheduling, and having been nudged out of it slightly by this program, I’ve been considering the following for next:

Three day split of legs (main movement: squats); upper push (main movement: bench press); upper pull (main movement: barbell curl).

I’d actually like to replace bench with slight incline bench, but it’s a bitch to set up at both of my gyms.

I’ve always wanted to see what would happen if I prioritized progressing barbell curls.

[alek]

alek, I bombed out today as well. Was supposed to be two doubles with 265. Almost had the first one at RPE 15, zero chance at the second. Disappointed but (1) I guess 21 and 44 aren't the same, especially given that at the former age I'd never peaked anything; and (2) forty-five minutes of squats first probably wasn't smart. Or... it's just too aggressive. With a starting max of 275, I was gonna hit two doubles with 265 a month later? That's rough. That said, I think I'm gonna stick with it just a bit longer, because the next two sessions appear to be things that I can handle. (A 280 single makes more sense than two doubles at 265, and I haven't hit that in a minute, so why not. I also like the negatives. I'd never held anything over 300 in my hands before. I do think that I've not been getting the full value of the negatives, though. Haven't fully trusted my spotters and been low key reticent to exhaust myself too much on the eccentric when I feel like I'll need to be contributing the very large majority of the concentric.)

I did have the idea that, having done nearly no assistance for years, jumping back into it might yield some quick gains. That obviously wasn't the case, and, actually, I've felt pretty tired and have wondered if the extra volume took me by surprise even despite it being assistance. (Also, too: the squats.) I am, however, noticeably larger in a good way, so all told I'm not complaining.

This is now my thinking; it's just too aggressive--at least for me. With a slightly different loading progression on the bench, I think it would work better for me.

I am enjoying the bro split style set up, although I'm training 3 days per week instead of 4. I do the push and pull accessories on Fridays if I have time.

As mbasic said, I do the bench workout and accessories before doing squats or deadlift on Monday and Friday. On Wednesdays, I don't bench, and I'm doing deadlifts immediately after squat--maybe I should put the pull accessories in between squats and deads...

[DCR]

5/18/23

Shawn Phillips Bench Program
Week 4, Day 4

Deficit Deadlifts DOH 115x10 130x8 140x6 150x4 130x10
RDLs w/ straps 200 x3s x8r
One Arm DB Rows 75s x3s x6r
Close Grip Pulldowns 130 x3s x8r
Incline DB Curls 25s x6,6,7
Jump Rope x2s x110 jumps

Session notes:

Over the past two weeks, on non-work squats days, I did 20-rep squats with light weights... and fucking hated it. I love high rep squats, but I was getting sick of the movement, and these just felt like half ass junk volume to feed my neurosis. Today I tried an alternative, following up on a recent exchange with @hector, and substituted in light DOH deadlifts, with the intention of progressing them that way, slowly, simply because I've always enjoyed the feel of them. To add a wrinkle, I'm going to do them from a deficit. Going to run the same progression as with squats, and started with an absurdly light TM of 185. Result was I enjoyed myself and felt like I was doing something with independent value, rather than a bullshit version of something that I do already.

Kept hitting the damn floor with RDLs so moved my grip out significantly. Not to snatch grip, but well out. Dunno why I didn't do this months ago.

Four weeks of this program down, ignoring that I bombed the last session. Will see how the first day of next "week" goes and make a decision from there as to whether to carry on, or move on.

Metal rec of the day: Ascended Dead / Evenfall of the Apocalypse. While on the subject of awesome shit that's made for (mostly, in this case) no one.

[Zak]

Today I tried an alternative, following up on a recent exchange with @hector, and substituted in light DOH deadlifts, with the intention of progressing them that way, slowly, simply because I've always enjoyed the feel of them. To add a wrinkle, I'm going to do them from a deficit. Going to run the same progression as with squats, and started with an absurdly light TM of 185. Result was I enjoyed myself and felt like I was doing something with independent value, rather than a bullshit version of something that I do already.

100% the right move imo.

I look forward to 2 months from now when, inevitably, all your main lifts on that pb format.

[DCR]

Today I tried an alternative, following up on a recent exchange with @hector, and substituted in light DOH deadlifts, with the intention of progressing them that way, slowly, simply because I've always enjoyed the feel of them. To add a wrinkle, I'm going to do them from a deficit. Going to run the same progression as with squats, and started with an absurdly light TM of 185. Result was I enjoyed myself and felt like I was doing something with independent value, rather than a bullshit version of something that I do already.

100% the right move imo.

I look forward to 2 months from now when, inevitably, all your main lifts on that pb format.

Great, thanks for the vote of confidence.

Funny, bench would be on that progression already were I not trying to stick out this program. Give it two weeks haha.

(So would barbell curls. I’m serious about making those a main movement for funsies.)

[DCR]

5/20/23

Shawn Phillips Bench Program
Week 5, Day 1

Squats 45,135,205x10 235x8 255x6 270x4 285x2 255x6
Bench Press 45,135x10 185,215x6 245 x4, x3 + 1 forced rep, x3
Press 125 x3s x6r
DB Flyes 40s x3s x8r
Preset EZ French Press 70 x3s x6r

Session notes:

Bombed out on bench again, which, after having re-looked at the prescribed session beforehand and considering how tired I’ve felt, I expected. It’s extra frustrating because this isn’t anywhere near the strongest that I’ve been on the movement, in any rep range. I stupidly benched after squatting again but, in my defense, I was doing the same when I was stronger and also, having bombed out of the program, the squats were more important to me today.

Oddly, my (intentionally, over the past year) neglected press slowly is coming back, though.

I’ll probably finish out this “week” and then ditch the program. I’d like to see if I can hit the singles at 280 that are prescribed in the next session. Here’s the thing, though: the answer almost certainly is, “Yes, I can bench 280 tomorrow, if I work up the way that I’d prefer to. However, no, I can’t do it in the session as prescribed, i.e., two triples at 250 and then jump right to two singles at 280.”

Metal rec of the day: Autoneosis / self-titled. This was their debut; there’s a follow up that’s also great and, last I checked, they’re still unsigned, which is criminal. The leads!

[DCR]

5/22/23

Shawn Phillips Bench Program
Week 5, Day 2 [END]

Deficit Deadlifts DOH 115x10 130x8 140x6 150x4 160x2 140x6
Barbell Rows 135 x3s x8r
Barbell Curls 65 x3s x8r
Lying Leg Curls 40x10 70 x3s x8r
Pulldowns (supinated MAG) 130 x3s x6r

Session notes:

Fucked around with form again today. Had gotten real strict on some stuff the past few sessions, and here went for a middle ground: absolute full extension, maybe a slight beat at that point, but not holding the contraction any harder/longer than needed to complete the rep (e.g., not holding rows in my gut). I'm convinced that doing otherwise lets small muscles serve as unnecessarily weak links that keep one from getting anywhere near fully exhausting the bigger movers.

Anyway, this was my last day running this program. Despite my prior thoughts, I decided that there's no reason to do the next bench session or otherwise carry on; it would accomplish nothing. I'm not building any kind of bench base and it's not peaking to anywhere I'd hoped to be. I did today's session because it's a decent pull session, so why not. As of my next session on Wednesday, I'm going to begin the transition into a Legs/Pull/Push split, lifting every other day or more or less often depending on how I feel. The main movements (squat, deficit DLs DOH, barbell curls, bench press) will be on the base building progression that I've been using on squats, with some modifications that I need to work out for the curls, because I don't think that going anywhere over 80% of 1RM on those is a great idea. On everything else (which mostly will be a continuation of the assistance work from this past program, but with additional leg work), default sets/reps will be 3x8, occasionally subbing in DC sets. Been a long time since I've done anything like this, and I always wanted to prioritize barbell curls, so looking forward to having fun and seeing what comes of it all.

Metal rec of the day: Strigoi / Abandon All Faith. Phenomenal death doom from the Paradise Lost guy. I should just make this a death / doom rec of the day, because that’s pretty much where I’m sitting lately.

[DCR]

5/24/23

Squats 45,135,205x10 235x8 255x6 270x4 285x2 305x1 270x4
Bench Press 45,135,165x10 192.5x8 210x6 220x4 192.5x9
DB Press 50s x3s x6r
Incline DB Flyes 30s x2s x6r
EZ Pushdowns 130 x2s x8r

Session notes:

I thought the progression might be easier with bench. Nope - an unpleasant first day but, like with the squats, not overly so. I busted out my change plates to more closely hit the prescribed percentages, whereas previously I was rounding up to the next 5 lb. increment in every case of falling in between (e.g. 221 would become 225). I also may increase each wave by 2.5 lbs instead of 5 lbs, to progress more slowly, since I'm doing the movements every 4 days as opposed to every 7 or 8, for now (instead of the planned Legs/Pull/Push, I think I'm gonna try just Push/Pull for a bit, dividing legs between squats on the former and hinge stuff on the latter). Not certain yet, just tossing thoughts around.

Probably not going to be much fun to read here for a few months, other than potentially experiments with assistance.

Metal rec of the day: Nexorum / Tongue of Thorns. Nothing outstanding, just solid second wave bm, for which I was in the mood.

[hector]

I like those doh deadlifts!!!

[DCR]

I like those doh deadlifts!!!

Ignore the weights plz

[DCR]

5/26/23

Deficit Deadlifts DOH 115x10 130x8 140x6 150x4 160x2 170x1 150x4
Barbell Curls 70 x3s x8r
One Arm DB Rows 80s x3s x6r
Pullups x3s x3r
Jump Rope x130 jumps

Session notes:

As they’re now a main movement, moved barbell curls up front, but chose not to put them on the progression - yet. In not doing them post back work as I always have, I suspect that there will be some easy linear gains to be had, and I’d like to have them.

Pulldowns over pullups for a few weeks really fuct the latter. These were dead hangs, but still, rough.

Metal rec of the day: Kreator / Endless Pain, h/t @Renascent. I always forget how kinda sorta blackened the real early second tier thrash was. I mean this really isn’t materially different from Mayhem prior to DMDS.