Cole's Data Driven Strength

[cole]

Monday, Apr 8th, 2024
DDS C2, Build Block, Attack Week

Squat with Belt

395lbs x 1 @ 9
330lbs x 4
330lbs x 4

Notes: primary slot. I felt like I was shifting the load to the hip extensors (good morning it) but after video review, it doesnt look too bad

2ct Pause Hip Belt Squat

135lbs x 6
135lbs x 6

Notes: growth slot. used a slow tempo and pause

Tempo Bench Press

255lbs x 2 @ 8
225lbs x 5
225lbs x 5

Notes: skill slot. 3 count tempo with a pause on chest.

Inverted Rows

x 10
x 10
x 10

Notes: upper back growth. wide grip, touch chest to bar, elevated feet.


*** Good session, 395 went fairly easy but I called it a 9 since there was a little grind through the sticking point. A double would have been about all so I think im pretty close on that rating. still sticking with hip belt squats for now even though they are a pain in the ass. I really dont want to switch movements mid cycle. I want as much diagnostic clarity as possible after its done so I can make minimal but profound changes.

[cole]

4/9/24
Conditioning

Treadmill / airdyne intervals - 30 minutes @ rpe 6

bodyweight: 225
waist: 39.5"

[KarlM]

Squat looks strong and deep @cole!

Do you like tempo work on bench? If so, what do you get out of it? I've never deliberately done tempo work on, well, anything really. I'm wondering if it will dial in a consistent bar path for me.

[cole]

@KarlM hey karl

3:1:0 TEMPO BENCH PRESS
→ Control the eccentric (lowering phase) for 3 seconds, pause on the chest for 1 second, and press with maximal intent. Don't cheat the tempo!
→ This is our go-to skill exercise if a lifter needs to work on constant leg drive. Push aggressively through the quads ("leg drive") to keep the chest high throughout the entire set.
→ When performing backoff sets for higher reps, you can choose to only perform the tempo on the first rep of the set.

for me, tempo helps to keep the nuero skill there in regards to maintaining leg drive and arch the whole time. for me, its not as effective for bar path work as a pin bench is.

[cole]

Wednesday, Apr 10th, 2024
DDS C2, Build Block, Attack Week

Deadlift (conv)

435lbs x 1 @ 9
365lbs x 4
365lbs x 4

Notes: Primary slot. went 10 lbs over the top end suggested range bc its attack week and i was feeling strong. glad i did bc i think this was the right rpe call. working on patience off the floor. grip bar hard and push with the quads put dont extend the knees too soon or it turns into a stiff leg rack pull

Romanian Deadlift

245lbs x 6
245lbs x 6

Notes: growth slot. easy. will go up. widened stance and grip a bit to emphasize hip extensors instead of low back

1ct Pause Bench Press

305lbs x 1 @ 9
260lbs x 5
260lbs x 5

Notes: primary slot. hell yea. i have 3 wheels in me right now guarantee. bench seems to be doing the best right now.

2" Deficit Push Up

x 10
x 10
x 10

Notes: growth slot iso. max pec stretch and pump! holy shit these are crazy. two plyo boxes plus the pushup handles and legs elevated on bench make this killer.



*** superset some db curls w/pushups. might as well try to get some arms for once. never trained them really so i suspect i could make some newby gains maybe the wife will dig
*** going to the AVS game with the fam this sat against Winnipeg. Go Avs! Mackinnon for Hart trophy!
*** E1RMs this bloc : 415, 320, 455

[DCR]

1ct Pause Bench Press

305lbs x 1 @ 9
260lbs x 5
260lbs x 5

Notes: primary slot. hell yea. i have 3 wheels in me right now guarantee. bench seems to be doing the best right now.

Nice! You sure do, at least.

*** superset some db curls w/pushups. might as well try to get some arms for once. never trained them really so i suspect i could make some newby gains maybe the wife will dig

If you had told me 20 years ago that there were people - later myself included for a long period - who didn’t train for or care about jacked arms, I would have thought you were speaking another language. It’s fucking crazy. Hope you see those big, fast gains.

[cole]

@DCR i know, when i was younger i definetly cared more about looks, so if i did go to the gym with friends we usually benched and did curls. thats just not as appealing to me as training for performance and hitting PRs

[cole]

4/11/24
Conditioning

Treadmill / airdyne intervals - 30 minutes @ rpe 6

bodyweight: 226
waist: 39.5"

[cole]

Friday, Apr 12th, 2024
DDS C2, Build Block, Attack Week

Tempo Squat

330lbs x 3 @ 8
285lbs x 4
285lbs x 4

Notes: skill slot. felt great. awesome quad mind connection. felt explosive on the ascent. good mid foot balance the whole session

Bulgarian Split Squat

85lbs x 8
85lbs x 8

Notes: growth slot iso. well these really fry the quads even though they are light. they are still clumsy but i am liking them.

Low Pin Bench Press

275lbs x 3 @ 8
245lbs x 5
245lbs x 5

Notes: skill slot. bull dog grip

Close Grip Bench Press with Feet Up

225lbs x 6
225lbs x 6
225lbs x 6

Notes: growth slot. tough with the close grip, flat back and feet up


***great attack week of training. end of build block. moving on to perform block, next week will be an intro/less stress.

[DCR]

Usual disclaimer that I always feel dumb giving any advice to someone who is twice as strong as I am.

That said, I know that you're looking to bring up your quads and I know a bit about that. Your descent looks great in terms of getting your knees right where they need to be and sitting down into your quads. However, immediately as you begin to ascend, you can see that your knees kick back under you and the movement becomes very hip dominant. Max Aita, who is big into a quad-centric squat, has a great cue to "keep your knees in front of you as long as possible." Check out the video in my log from today, from the front, for what it looks like. It's essentially doing a leg press, while standing.

In order to get it I spent weeks squatting with the weight sitting juuuuuust in front of midfoot, making sure that my toes were forced down to the floor through the entire ascent, and making sure that my sternum went straight down and straight up. Regarding that last point, you can see in the video that the symbol on your t-shirt comes straight down on your descent, but on the ascent it dips back before rising / coming forward again. It should come straight up just as it went straight down, with no movement back / forward.

Once my quads got stronger I was able to let the above go by the wayside other than occasional reminders - I now can hold knee position with the weight over midfoot, without having to think toes down (they stay down naturally) or sternum straight up and down (again, it does so naturally).

[cole]

@DCR I definetly favor the hips on the ascent. maybe in part due learning to squat with the SS method. quads do seem to be my strength limiter, which is why i have added the split squats and hip belt squats. next cycle i will probably replace the hip belt squats with paused high bar squats and really focus on doing what you just laid out...keeping the knees forward longer on the ascent. Also planning on doing some pin squats to work on the chest fall pattern, or as you put it keeping the sternum straight up and down.

funny bc you would think since im hip dominant in the squat that i would be a strong puller, but that is not the case. i bet i could squat pretty close to my DL max.

anyways, thanks for the tips!

[cole]

Labs came back after 6 weeks on TRT (2nd go around). Everything looked good blood wise and I was in the normal range for everything except T (obviously) I was just over the top end range at 960. Kind of crazy bc im at one of the lowest doses they prescribe at only 80mg/wk. I guess this may explain why the 1st go around sucked balls for me - I was prescribed 160mg/wk which is double what im on now and so I bet my levels were too high. Anyway, feeling way better this go around, Ive been sleeping through the night, anxiety is gone, workouts feel good, and I actually have some desire without any of the dysfunction I previously had. So far so good.

[cole]

Monday, Apr 15th, 2024
DDS C2, Perform Block, Intro Week

Squat with Belt

355lbs x 1 @ 6
340lbs x 2

Notes: primary slot. working on keeping the knees out in front a little longer on the ascent. in other words, being a little patient out of the hole and letting the quads work rather than bailing right away to let the hip extensors take over.

Tempo Hip Belt Squat

135lbs x 6
135lbs x 6

Notes: growth slot. tempo and pause to make these hard enough.

Tempo Bench Press

240lbs x 1 @ 5
230lbs x 3

Notes: skill slot

Inverted Rows

x 10
x 10

Notes: upper back growth



*** First week of 2nd block of this cycle. Intro week, nice and easy.

[JohnHelton]

Squat with Belt

355lbs x 1 @ 6
340lbs x 2

Notes: primary slot. working on keeping the knees out in front a little longer on the ascent. in other words, being a little patient out of the hole and letting the quads work rather than bailing right away to let the hip extensors take over.

I think this was good advice.

Glad the TRT is going well. I think it will make a big difference for you.

[MattimusMaximus]

Glad to hear you’re getting treated for low T. My doc freaked out and treated me like a junkie for being on 75mg/wk and I had to beg for that dose. Anything lower felt worse. I’ll probably have to get back on it eventually. Just need to find a better doc that knows what they’re doing. Coming off 2 years ago was a horrible crash.

[cole]

@JohnHelton ive been tempted to buy a hack squat/leg press combo like @Skid but they aint cheap. I just need a better way to tax my quads without taxing my low back too. As far as T,it has been going well, better than expected.

@MattimusMaximus thats exactley why I went to a clinic, not my PCP. i can imagine what she would say if i told her i thought i had low T haha. anyways, i doubt she would have prescribed anyway since i was techincally in range (i was mid 300's and the range is 300-900). the clinic is not gonna judge you, they are gonna optimize you so they are all about prescribing. you gotta pay out of pocket, but its cheap.

[cole]

4/16/24
Conditioning

Treadmill / airdyne intervals - 30 minutes @ rpe 6

bodyweight: 227
waist: 39.5"


might get rid of the treadmil, its in bad shape. i want to move the airdyne into the garage gym anyway so i can warmup with that easier before training. then i can convert the treadmil room into a bad ass old man office with a recliner and fireplace and old school honey oak desk.

[DCR]

a bad ass old man office with a recliner and fireplace and old school honey oak desk.

I relaxed just reading that.

[houzi]

Notes: primary slot. working on keeping the knees out in front a little longer on the ascent. in other words, being a little patient out of the hole and letting the quads work rather than bailing right away to let the hip extensors take over.

This is something I really need to fix too.

Strong lifting mate!

[cole]

a bad ass old man office with a recliner and fireplace and old school honey oak desk.

I relaxed just reading that.

haha we must have similar interests