OckhamsRazor's Log

[OckhamsRazor]

I read the 30 degrees and thought, hey that sounds pretty warm. Then I realized you were talking about the angle of incline.

Lol! Yeah, I work out in my basement, so I have it really easy compared to you guys in your garages. It's not exactly balmy down there, but it never gets much colder than 55 or so.

[SpinyNorman]

Mid 50s is a pretty nice temperature to lift in. I love spring or fall days when it's cool. If it's mid 20s or higher outside then it's not bad in the garage once you get warmed up. When it's in the teens or single digits outside it never gets comfortable.

I took a thermometer out with me last night and it went down to 25 degrees. That was actually warmer than I thought it was going to read. I think the temp outside was 15 or something.

[Allentown]

Mid 50s is a pretty nice temperature to lift in. I love spring or fall days when it's cool. If it's mid 20s or higher outside then it's not bad in the garage once you get warmed up. When it's in the teens or single digits outside it never gets comfortable.

I took a thermometer out with me last night and it went down to 25 degrees. That was actually warmer than I thought it was going to read. I think the temp outside was 15 or something.

Me too- I brought the laser out and the bar was 21deg before I started. It was actually not bad out there yesterday- some days the bar and your hands get so cold you have to visually check which finger is on the marks because you can't feel if that smooth spot is under your ring finger or middle finger or thumb or anywhere at all...

[OckhamsRazor]

Brutal. I commend you guys for training in those temperatures. That's the beauty of the basement gym - stays fairly cool in the summer and fairly warm in the winter.

[SpinyNorman]

Mid 50s is a pretty nice temperature to lift in. I love spring or fall days when it's cool. If it's mid 20s or higher outside then it's not bad in the garage once you get warmed up. When it's in the teens or single digits outside it never gets comfortable.

I took a thermometer out with me last night and it went down to 25 degrees. That was actually warmer than I thought it was going to read. I think the temp outside was 15 or something.

Me too- I brought the laser out and the bar was 21deg before I started. It was actually not bad out there yesterday- some days the bar and your hands get so cold you have to visually check which finger is on the marks because you can't feel if that smooth spot is under your ring finger or middle finger or thumb or anywhere at all...

I took the laser out and the bar was 15deg before I started. I tried to measure it during the session, but it returned an error and the lcd display was really dim. I guess it was too cold for the thermometer.

[SpinyNorman]

Brutal. I commend you guys for training in those temperatures. That's the beauty of the basement gym - stays fairly cool in the summer and fairly warm in the winter.

Tall ceilings in the basement is moving up the priority list for things to look for in a new house!

[OckhamsRazor]

Brutal. I commend you guys for training in those temperatures. That's the beauty of the basement gym - stays fairly cool in the summer and fairly warm in the winter.

Tall ceilings in the basement is moving up the priority list for things to look for in a new house!

I hear you. I really lucked out with the ceiling height. If I were just a little taller, I wouldn't be able to press.

[SpinyNorman]

My brother in law has a basement gym and he can only press if he keeps the plates between joists.

[OckhamsRazor]

That's actually the situation I'm in as well, but it works.

[OckhamsRazor]

1/6/18 - Week 8

BW: 190.8 this morning

LBS w/belt
430 x 1 @9
380 x 5 @8
355 x 5 @7
355 x 5 @7
355 x 5 @7 (5 minute rests)

3-count Paused Bench
205 x 4 @6
215 x 4 @6.5
225 x 4 @7
230 x 4 @7.5
230 x 4 @8 (4 minute rests)

SLDL (oly shoes, no belt)
320 x 5 @6
345 x 5 @7
365 x 5 @8
365 x 5 @9 (4 minute rests)

LTE
85 x 10, 90 x 10 x 2, 75 x 10

My squat continues to stagnate (or even regress), but I've developed some technique issues that I'm trying to iron out, so I suppose can't expect to progress while making changes (I'm working on maintaining better thoracic extension and not dipping my left side lower than my right). My bench, on the other hand, seems to be progressing a little, which is great since it's been very stubborn over the past year or so. SLDLs also felt good. 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

[OckhamsRazor]

1/7/18 - Week 8

DB Row: 65 x 12 x 3
EZ Bar Curl: 70 x 10 x 3
Plank: 70s x 3

Airdyne: LISS, 20 minutes

[OckhamsRazor]

1/8/18 - Week 8

Comp Bench
265 x 1 @7.5
235 x 5 @8.5
235 x 5 @9
225 x 5 @8
225 x 5 @8 (5 minute rests)

Beltless Pin Squat (just below parallel)
275 x 4 @6.5
285 x 4 @7
300 x 4 @7.5
300 x 4 @8
300 x 4 @8 (4 minute rests)

Beltless Press
140 x 7 @6
145 x 7 @7
150 x 7 @8
150 x 7 @8 (3 minute rests)

Pronated Grip Chest-supported DB Row
35 x 10 x 4

Had a good workout today. Bench seems to be improving and squats felt a lot better than they have been lately.

[OckhamsRazor]

1/10/18 - Week 8

DL w/belt
485 x 1 @8.5
415 x 5 @7
415 x 5 @7
415 x 5 @7.5 (4-5 minute rests)

Paused Slingshot Bench
250 x 5 @6.5
260 x 5 @7.5
270 x 5 @9
265 x 5 @9.5 (5 minute rests)

3-0-3 Tempo Squat (no belt)
205 x 6 @6
215 x 6 @7
225 x 6 @8 (more like 4-0-4)
225 x 6 @7.5 (4 minute rests)

Pendlay Row
185 x 7 @6
195 x 7 @7
200 x 7 @7.5
200 x 7 @8 (3 minute rests)

Decent session, but I felt a little flatter than I did on Monday. Replaced high bars with 3-0-3 tempo squats for technique work.

[OckhamsRazor]

1/11/18 - Week 8

Incline Tng Bench (~30 Degrees)
205 x 7 @6
215 x 7 @7
220 x 7 @9
215 x 7 @8 (3-5 minute rests)

3 Circuits of:

• Face Pull: Orange band x 10

• EZ Bar Curl: 70 x 10

• Plank: 1 min

Standing One-armed DB Tri Ext: 25 x 12 x 4

Airdyne: LISS, 20 minutes

[OckhamsRazor]

1/13/18 - Week 9

BW: 190.5 yesterday morning

LBS w/belt
430 x 1 @8
385 x 5 @8.5
365 x 5 @7
365 x 5 @7
365 x 5 @7.5 (4-5 minute rests)

3-count Paused Bench
210 x 4 @6
220 x 4 @7
230 x 4 @8
230 x 4 @8 (4 minute rests)

SLDL (oly shoes, no belt)
325 x 5 @6.5
345 x 5 @7.5
365 x 5 @8.5
345 x 5 @8 (3-5 minute rests)

LTE
90 x 10 x 3, 80 x 10

Last week I worked on keeping may ass back and staying in my hips on pin squats and tempo squats and that focus paid off today; squats felt a lot better than they have in a while. They weren't perfect, but it's a step in the right direction. A good session overall.

[OckhamsRazor]

1/15/18 - Week 9

Comp Bench
270 x 1 @9.5 (mess of a rep)
235 x 5 @8.5
235 x 5 @8.5
235 x 5 @8.5
235 x 5 @9.75 (4-5 minute rests)

Beltless Pin Squat
275 x 4 @6
290 x 4 @6.5
305 x 5 @7.5
310 x 4 @7.5 (4 minute rests)

Beltless Press
145 x 7 @6.5
150 x 7 @7.5
155 x 7 @8.5
150 x 7 @8.5 (3-4 minute rests)

Chest-supported Pronated-grip DB Row
35 x 10 x 4

Started things off with a very frustrating opening bench single. I had a really difficult time unracking the bar (I set up to far away from the posts), which wasted lots of energy, and then botched my bar path on the way down. Though I overshot my desired RPE on my last set, my fahves felt fine, so hopefully the single is not indicative of my, yet again, hitting a wall around this weight. Pin squats continue to improve and presses were pretty standard.

[OckhamsRazor]

1/17/18 - Week 9

DL w/belt
490 x 1 @9
420 x 5 @7.5
420 x 5 @7.5
420 x 5 @8 (5 minute rests)

Paused Slingshot Bench
250 x 5 @6.5
260 x 5 @7.5
275 x 5 @9.5
260 x 5 @8
260 x 5 @8 (4-5 minute rests)

Beltless 3-0-3 Tempo LBS
205 x 6 @6
215 x 6 @6.5
230 x 6 @8 (3 minute rests)

Pendlay Row
185 x 7, 195 x 7, 205 x 7 x 2


I think it's time to put an end to this cycle. I'll do my bench/GPP session tomorrow and then deload next week. After that, I plan on running the BBM GPP hypertrophy bias template.

[OckhamsRazor]

1/18/18 - Week 9

Incline TnG Bench (~30 degrees)
210 x 7 @7
215 x 7 @8
215 x 7 @8.5
210 x 7 @8.5

3 Circuits of:

• Face Pull: Orange band x 10

• Standing One-armed DB Tri Extension: 30 x 10 x 2, 25 x 10

• EZ Bar Curl: 70 x 10

• Ab Roller: 10 reps from knees

Airdyne: HIIT - 30 sec on / 2 minutes off, 5 rounds

Last workout of this cycle. Deload next week.

[OckhamsRazor]

1/20/18 - Deload/Low Stress Week

BW: 190 yesterday morning

LBS w/belt
405 x 1 @6.5
365 x 5 @6.5
365 x 5 @7

3-count Paused Bench
210 x 4 @6
215 x 4 @6.5
225 x 4 @7

SLDL (oly shoes/no belt)
325 x 5 @6
345 x 5 @7

LTE
90 x 10 x 2

Taking a different approach with the deload this time around. I'm keeping the weight heavy, just cutting volume by about half.

[OckhamsRazor]

1/22/18 - Deload/Low Stress Week

Comp Bench
275 x 1 @9.75
225 x 5 @6.5
225 x 5 @6.5

Beltless Pin Squat (pins just below parallel)
285 x 4 @6.5
300 x 4 @7

Beltless Press
140 x 7 @6.5
145 x 7 @7

BD Row
65 x 12 x 2

No matter what I do my bench stays the same. Pretty remarkable. Oh well. Maybe I should just focus on the press from now on.