Cole's Data Driven Strength

[cole]

Deadlift and bench looks good. Nice work!

Thanks Jan!

[cole]

When you shoot your hips up, the bar isn't really moving, but you are and so it feels like you have some speed. When you keep your knees forward, your body moves less, but the bar tends to move quicker.

never really thought about it that way but it totally makes sense. tempos have been alright for helping this, but i think i need to be doing pin squats next cycle to work on minimizing chest fall.

[cole]

That's a really solid observation.

agreed.

[cole]

Friday, May 3rd, 2024
DDS C2, Perform Block, Climb Week

Tempo Squat

375lbs x 1 @ 8
325lbs x 3 @ 7
325lbs x 3 @ 7
325lbs x 3 @ 7
Notes: skill slot. slow today

Bulgarian Split Squat

95lbs x 8 @ 8
95lbs x 8 @ 8
Notes: growth slot iso.

Low Pin Bench Press

300lbs x 1 @ 8
265lbs x 3 @ 7
265lbs x 3 @ 7
265lbs x 3 @ 7
Notes: skill slot. overshot top single a little.

Close Grip Bench Press with Feet Up

235lbs x 6 @ 7
235lbs x 6 @ 7
235lbs x 6 @ 7
Notes: growth slot. feet up no arch close grip.



*** Tough day today, wasn't really mentally there and felt lethargic and weak BUT it was a real good week of training. I need 2 days off and next week is the attack week, so I aim to hit top singles @9.

Trying to be a good boss and offer health insurance premiums to my staff so they stick around. Didnt do my homework enough and realized after I committed to them just how expensive its gonna be. Fuck....I wish I thought shit through better.

[JohnHelton]

Damn! Your big bench is coming back. That moved really well.

[cole]

Monday, May 6th, 2024
DDS C2, Perform Block, Attack Week

Squat with Belt

415lbs x 1 @ 9
365lbs x 2 @ 8
365lbs x 2 @ 8
365lbs x 2 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 2.35,
Notes: primary slot. top single slow and grindy, i raised my chest too early and it killed my hip drive. just felt a little slow and beat up in general. it was the heaviest ive gone in over a year though, so thats cool.

2ct Pause Hip Belt Squat

135lbs x 8 @ 7
135lbs x 8 @ 7
Notes: growth slot. saying goodbye to these.

Tempo Bench Press

285lbs x 1 @ 8
255lbs x 3 @ 8
255lbs x 3 @ 8
Notes: skill slot. a little slower than id like. did not feel the usual pop off the chest.

Inverted Rows

x 10
x 10
x 10
Notes: upper back growth


*** Just felt wiped for some reason. maybe i blew my load last week during the last climb week. i did hit singles @ 8 so thats pretty much an attack week for me. going forward i will ask for 5,6,7,8 so i end attack week on @8's. I dont seem to do well above 8 and i dont seem to do well with back to back weeks of 8+ intensity on SBD. even my delt is feeling a little dull ache. so....ill keep open the idea of still hitting a DL single and Bench single @9 to match the squat @9 today but it may not be the load i was hoping for.

[DanCR]

I know that head shake well. Still, it went without doubt.

[cole]

Damn! Your big bench is coming back. That moved really well.

Thanks John! Everything moved well last week. This week, so far not so much

[cole]

I know that head shake well. Still, it went without doubt.

It just sucks when you get one chance at a top single per week on the comp lift and you blow it. I honestly wanted to try it again but I felt like a dead rat so I just wanted to finish the session.

[cole]

Wednesday, May 8th, 2024
DDS C2, Perform Block, Attack Week

Deadlift (conv)

445lbs x 1 @ 9
395lbs x 2 @ 8
395lbs x 2 @ 8
395lbs x 2 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 2.44,
Notes: primary slot. moved ok. betterthan squats this week. low back is fatigued.

Romanian Deadlift

275lbs x 6 @ 7
275lbs x 6 @ 7
Notes: growth slot. lowered the weight a bit due to fatigue

1ct Pause Bench Press

320lbs x 1 @ 9
285lbs x 2 @ 8
285lbs x 2 @ 8
285lbs x 2 @ 8
Total x Stress: @ 2.48,
Notes: primary slot. moved ok. not as good as last week. thats alright.

2" Deficit Push Up

x 10
x 10
x 10
Notes: growth slot



*** Lots of low back and delt fatigue this week. Last weeks climb week with top singles @8 was my peak. Suppose to be this week, but I can tell im flat. I am resubmitting for next cycle tonight and will ask for a slightly more conservative top single load/rpe progression. All in all, it was a good cycle, made double digit improvements in all 3 lifts E1RM. Last weeks singles were crisp and fast. I am gonna take a rest day friday instead of doing session 3 (its the last session of the cycle and its just skill slots, no comps.) I think an extra couple days rest is in order.

*** End of cycle E1RMS - 435,335,465

[cole]

bodyweight: 230
waist: 40"

just checking in, taking the week off. my low back was really tight/achey/weak after that last 8 week cycle and motivation has been low. plus my wife is out fo town on a work trip so i have the kids alone and im working on a bunch of home improvement projects at the moment. one week of rest already low back feels so much better and im getting some motivation back. i will start C3 next monday with some minor changes to the skill and growth slots but keeping the basic structure the same since it worked. i just need to find a way to manage low back and delt fatigue and joint inflammation. i may need to focus more of my volume on growth slots or very moderate-low load skill slots. also i do think there is something about absolute load threshold. as i get to a certain load, regardless of how adapted or able i am to handle the load, it seems to wreak havoc on the low back and shoulder joints. these loads are conveniently 405 and 315 right now. so i may need to wave load the top singles to avoid frequent exposures to those loads i am not tolerating well consistently.

[DanCR]

@cole, quality check in. Reading about you being smart with the week off helped me put into perspective what a little bitch I’m being about having to take a week off squatting. (Ok it’s gonna be longer than that, but still.)

[MattimusMaximus]

Always been jealous of that bench @cole

[cole]

@cole, quality check in. Reading about you being smart with the week off helped me put into perspective what a little bitch I’m being about having to take a week off squatting. (Ok it’s gonna be longer than that, but still.)

i think you might find the time off relaxing, and hopefully come back fresh

[cole]

Always been jealous of that bench @cole

uh, i would say thanks but isnt your 1RM like 340?

[MattimusMaximus]

@cole my best tested was 340 yeah but that was like 2 years ago. I’m weak af right now lol. You always seem to build your bench quickly if I remember correctly.

[cole]

Monday, May 20th, 2024
DDS C3: Build Block, Intro Week

Squat with Belt

315lbs x 1 @ 5
275lbs x 6 @ 6
Total x Stress: @ 0.64
Notes: primary slot. a little rusty, but easy

Hack Squat

95lbs x 6 @ 5
90lbs x 6 @ 5
Notes: growth slot. foam roller between back and wall, barbell held by hands w straps under legs 1st set, DBs 2nd set. I liked the DBs but I dont have heavy enough to progress so ill use BB

Tempo Bench Press

215lbs x 2 @ 5
185lbs x 6 @ 6
Notes: skill slot.

Dumbbell One Arm Row

45lbs x 12 @ 7
45lbs x 12 @ 7
Notes: upper back growth slot. damn i havent done high rep anything and these made me want to puke


*** I took the last week off for a number of reasons. I noticed my achy delt has resolved and my low back is 95% better. These were intro week loads, so not very challenging, but overall I didnt feel like I lost much and I physically feel much better. Good day 1 of Cycle 3.

[JohnHelton]

Do you think switching your top set from singles to triples would reduce the back issues? If I remember correctly, that was an option with DDS programming.

[cole]

Do you think switching your top set from singles to triples would reduce the back issues? If I remember correctly, that was an option with DDS programming.

That is an option, although I did not select that as a preference when doing my end of cycle quiz. First, I would like to try keeping the top singles (specificity, better measure of absolute strength and progress, more fun) I will just have to throttle back on the intensity, as I believe intensity was the catalyst for the recent low back inflammation. Instead of doing singles @6,7,8,9 for weeks 1-4 and again 5-8, I will be doing 1 rpe less. So it will be singles @5,6,7, and end with the attack weeks @8. Last block of last cyle I ended @9 trying to best the previous weeks @8, and that proved to be a bit much on the delt and low back. My single @8 week was excellent, peaked. Then I fell off. So im thinking this cycle ending @8 will do the trick. If not, changing the protocol to something like top set triple may be indicated.

[JohnHelton]

Do you think switching your top set from singles to triples would reduce the back issues? If I remember correctly, that was an option with DDS programming.

That is an option, although I did not select that as a preference when doing my end of cycle quiz. First, I would like to try keeping the top singles (specificity, better measure of absolute strength and progress, more fun) I will just have to throttle back on the intensity, as I believe intensity was the catalyst for the recent low back inflammation. Instead of doing singles @6,7,8,9 for weeks 1-4 and again 5-8, I will be doing 1 rpe less. So it will be singles @5,6,7, and end with the attack weeks @8. Last block of last cyle I ended @9 trying to best the previous weeks @8, and that proved to be a bit much on the delt and low back. My single @8 week was excellent, peaked. Then I fell off. So im thinking this cycle ending @8 will do the trick. If not, changing the protocol to something like top set triple may be indicated.

That makes a lot of sense.