AB's Keeling Over Reeling Through Exhaustion

[Jim Ouini]

Sorry to hear about the missed reps. 5kg is kind of a big jump towards the end of a cycle as you said. I missed my target bench and deadlift at the end of my Korte if it's any consolation, although I think it was more overestimating my target

At any rate, you've got a nice base to work off of for your upcoming 5 x 5

 

[anotherbutters]

Korte: Week 8, Day 2

I reduced my bench target for today from 78kg to 76kg and got it. It was more realistic. Very hard, but I got it. I followed that with a single at 80kg (1 1/2 plates) and got it. I've tried that before and failed. It was hard, but not as hard as I expected. I guess there's a PR in there somewhere. PR!

I skipped deads. I did a big GM during one of the squats on Monday, which at one point would have crippled me. It didn't cause any lower back pain at the time, but I'm a little tender there now. 'Heavy' benching always makes it worse too, so given the 3 plate dead I want to do on Friday, I didn't think there was any point in doing deads today. This will be my last week of the Korte, so I don't mind a little deconditioning.

Bodyweight: 183.6lb - back to 'normal' from Wed's low.

All weights in kg, warmups excluded.

................Squat...................Bench...................................Deads...........
W1 D1: .... 67 x 6 x 5 reps ..... 48 x 6 x 6 reps (WSNWSN) ....... 87 x 6 x 5 reps ... (147lb/106lb/191lb)
W1 D2: .... 67 x 7 x 5 reps ..... 48 x 7 x 6 reps (NSWNSWN) ..... 87 x 7 x 5 reps
W1 D3: .... 69 x 7 x 5 reps ..... 50 x 7 x 6 reps (NSWNSWN) ..... 90 x 7 x 5 reps
W2 D1: .... 71 x 7 x 5 reps ..... 52 x 7 x 6 reps (NSWNSWN) ..... 92 x 7 x 5 reps
W2 D2: .... 71 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 54 x 7 x 6 reps (NSWNSWN) ..... 94 x 7 x 5 reps
W2 D3: .... 73 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 56 x 7 x 6 reps (NSWNSWN) ..... 96 x 7 x 5 reps
W3 D1: .... 75 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 58 x 8 x 6 reps (NSWNSWNS) ... 98 x 7 x 5 reps
W3 D2: .... 78 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 59 x 8 x 6 reps (NSWNSWNS) ... 101 x 7 x 5 reps
W3 D3: .... 80 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 60 x 8 x 6 reps (NSWNSWNS) ... 103 x 7 x 5 reps
W4 D1: .... 82 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 61 x 8 x 6 reps (NSWNSWNS) ... 105 x 7 x 5 reps
W4 D2: .... 84 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 62 x 8 x 6 reps (NSWNSWNS) ... 108 x 8 x 5 reps
W4 D3: .... 86 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 63 x 8 x 6 reps (NSWNSWNS) ... 111 x 8 x 5 reps
W5 D1: .... 92 x 3 x 3 reps .... 57 x 5 x 4 reps ....................... 105 x 3 x 3 reps ... (202lb squat)
W5 D2: .... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... 66 x 3 x 3 reps ...................... 105 x 3 x 3 reps ... (145lb bench)
W5 D3: .... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... 57 x 5 x 4 reps ....................... 120 x 3 x 3 reps .. (264lb dead)
W6 D1: .... 98 x 3 x 3 reps .... 57 x 5 x 4 reps ....................... 105 x 3 x 3 reps ... (216lb squat)
W6 D2: .... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... 70 x 3 x 3 reps ...................... 105 x 3 x 3 reps ... (154lb bench)
W6 D3: .... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... 57 x 5 x 4 reps ....................... 128 x 3 x 3 reps .. (282lb dead)
W7 D1: .... 104 x 2 x 3 reps ... 57 x 5 x 4 reps ....................... 105 x 3 x 3 reps .. (229lb squat)
W7 D2: .... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... 74 x 2 x 3 (+1x2) reps ........... 105 x 3 x 3 reps ... (163lb bench)
W7 D3: .... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... 57 x 5 x 4 reps ....................... 135 x 2 x 3 reps ... (297lb dead)
W8 D1: .... 109x1, 105x2, 100x2 ... 57 x 5 x 4 reps ............... 105 x 3 x 3 reps .. (240lb squat)
TODAY: ... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... 76 x 3, 80 x 1 reps .................. skipped ... (168x3 & 176lbx1 bench)

 

[anotherbutters]

Korte: Week 8, Day 3

Well, I kind of got 3 plates. First set I managed one good rep, then started to lose my grip and couldn't properly lock out the second rep. I tried another set with straps and managed 3, although there was a hitch on the final rep. My previous best was 3 attempts over 3 weeks at 135 and the best I managed then was 4 reps with some hitching. I think that's a PR!

My schedule's all out of whack because I have a friend from Australia staying over, so I did this on Saturday afternoon after a few beers (not a lot) on Friday night. I dare say I could get 3 reps without hitching on a better day.

This will be my last workout on the Korte. I'll write some comments to summarise later.

All weights in kg, warmups excluded.

................Squat...................Bench...................................Deads...........
W1 D1: .... 67 x 6 x 5 reps ..... 48 x 6 x 6 reps (WSNWSN) ....... 87 x 6 x 5 reps ... (147lb/106lb/191lb)
W1 D2: .... 67 x 7 x 5 reps ..... 48 x 7 x 6 reps (NSWNSWN) ..... 87 x 7 x 5 reps
W1 D3: .... 69 x 7 x 5 reps ..... 50 x 7 x 6 reps (NSWNSWN) ..... 90 x 7 x 5 reps
W2 D1: .... 71 x 7 x 5 reps ..... 52 x 7 x 6 reps (NSWNSWN) ..... 92 x 7 x 5 reps
W2 D2: .... 71 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 54 x 7 x 6 reps (NSWNSWN) ..... 94 x 7 x 5 reps
W2 D3: .... 73 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 56 x 7 x 6 reps (NSWNSWN) ..... 96 x 7 x 5 reps
W3 D1: .... 75 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 58 x 8 x 6 reps (NSWNSWNS) ... 98 x 7 x 5 reps
W3 D2: .... 78 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 59 x 8 x 6 reps (NSWNSWNS) ... 101 x 7 x 5 reps
W3 D3: .... 80 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 60 x 8 x 6 reps (NSWNSWNS) ... 103 x 7 x 5 reps
W4 D1: .... 82 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 61 x 8 x 6 reps (NSWNSWNS) ... 105 x 7 x 5 reps
W4 D2: .... 84 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 62 x 8 x 6 reps (NSWNSWNS) ... 108 x 8 x 5 reps
W4 D3: .... 86 x 8 x 5 reps ..... 63 x 8 x 6 reps (NSWNSWNS) ... 111 x 8 x 5 reps
W5 D1: .... 92 x 3 x 3 reps .... 57 x 5 x 4 reps ....................... 105 x 3 x 3 reps ... (202lb squat)
W5 D2: .... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... 66 x 3 x 3 reps ...................... 105 x 3 x 3 reps ... (145lb bench)
W5 D3: .... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... 57 x 5 x 4 reps ....................... 120 x 3 x 3 reps .. (264lb dead)
W6 D1: .... 98 x 3 x 3 reps .... 57 x 5 x 4 reps ....................... 105 x 3 x 3 reps ... (216lb squat)
W6 D2: .... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... 70 x 3 x 3 reps ...................... 105 x 3 x 3 reps ... (154lb bench)
W6 D3: .... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... 57 x 5 x 4 reps ....................... 128 x 3 x 3 reps .. (282lb dead)
W7 D1: .... 104 x 2 x 3 reps ... 57 x 5 x 4 reps ....................... 105 x 3 x 3 reps .. (229lb squat)
W7 D2: .... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... 74 x 2 x 3 (+1x2) reps ........... 105 x 3 x 3 reps ... (163lb bench)
W7 D3: .... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... 57 x 5 x 4 reps ....................... 135 x 2 x 3 reps ... (297lb dead)
W8 D1: .... 109x1, 105x2, 100x2 ... 57 x 5 x 4 reps ............... 105 x 3 x 3 reps .. (240lb squat)
W8 D2: .... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... 76 x 3, 80 x 1 reps .................. skipped ... (168x3 & 176lbx1 bench)
W8 D3: .... 80 x 3 x 3 reps ..... skipped .................................. 140x2, 140x3 reps ... (308lb dead)

 

[blut wump]

Congrats on the PR.

 

[anotherbutters]

Thanks. Even if they weren't perfect reps, I'm definitely stronger at these. A 130x1 warmup went up pretty easily. I'm going to try to get more work in above 140kg in the coming weeks, working doubles. Not sure how much to back off for next week yet. I'm thinking 135x4x2 reps, then increase by 2kg every week.

 

[blut wump]

Give some thought to Prilepin's table when you're working at the higher weights. They can be a lot of strain on your joints but very satisfying.

It seems to me that you've had some solid benefits from the Korte. Maybe not anything startling but some solid progress.

 

[anotherbutters]

Percent............Reps/Set............Optimal Total............Range
55-65.................3 - 6......................24..................18 - 30
70-75.................3 - 6......................18..................12 - 24
80-85.................2 - 4......................15..................10 - 20
> 90...................1 - 2.......................7...................4 - 10

From this, the optimal total number of reps for heavy doubles is 7, so I'm fairly comfortable with 4x2. If I went for 5 or 6 sets, I'd end up going lighter to accommodate the extra sets.

To push doubles, I'm not yet sure whether to back off a bit to create a bit of a ramp or carry on pushing from where I am right now. With squats for example, I've recently done 104x2x3 (triples), 109x1 and 105x2. So to push hard, I'd try 104x4x2 today and try to add 2kg every week. I'm starting to cut too. What do you think?

 

[blut wump]

Since you've been groaning a little this past week and you'll be increasing the volume and you're cutting, I'd be inclined to back off further. Maybe 100, 104, 106.

I'd also suggest throwing in a couple of back-off sets of 8-10 reps.

There's no hard and fast methodology for this, you just have to feel out your own tolerances for pushing hard at low reps. Don't be too surprised if your strength mysteriously abandons you on later sets and be prepared to attack another set even if you find yourself dropping down to singles.

 

[anotherbutters]

Korte: Summary

Here are my initial 1RM's and projected 1RM's from the beginning, followed by the actual weights I lifted in the final week:

................ old 1RM ...... projected 1RM ....... actual final week
Squat: ......... 100 ................ 115 .............. 104x2x3, 109x1 and 105x2
Bench: .......... 77 .................. 82 .............. 76x3 and 80x1
Dead: .......... 140 ................ 150 .............. 140x2/3

I went for triples in the intensity phase rather than singles. I've definitely made progress, although it hasn't been as spectacular as I'd have liked. My squats were stuck around 90kgx5 before, even though my old 5RM before the layoff was 105kg.

I think the Korte has basically taken me out of the post-layoff stage and put me back at my old maxes. I also feel like I now have a solid base for more single factor gains.

The volume phase was pretty gruelling but I managed to push a lot more than I thought I'd be able to. I don't think all that work translated well into being able to lift heavier weights in the second half though. I feel like I ought to have done some higher intensity work in there too. I also developed some pain in my right shoulder (rear delt) when deadlifting in the volume phase, but that had cleared up completely by week 8. And I learnt to deadlift with the bar closer to my shins

My bodyweight went up by a few pounds in the middle of the run, but I let it drop towards the end. Overall, I'm up by about 4 pounds, so no big change.

In summary, I'm glad I ran the Korte. I knew it wasn't particularly well suited to me when I started it, but I wanted to see what the volume phase would be like, and get plenty of practice at squatting, benching and deadlifting. It didn't bury me as much as it has some others, but I think that's because the weights really weren't that heavy in absolute terms. I'm not sure I'd run it again for a long while, but I'm still glad I ran it.