Destroy:Erase:Improve -- PBs Training Journal

[Protobuilder]

I knock 100 pounds off all my lifts so I don't seem like quite such a superhuman to the little people on this board.

 

[Tweakle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl1XrHeG1WI&search=curls

just for the inspiration

 

[Protobuilder]

Week 3, Sun. (workout 3)

Squat

2x3x205 (wanted 5 to match old PR but didn't get it . . . geesh)
5x185
10x145

Bench

3x3x175 (feels pretty heavy and I still haven't gotten back to old 5RM . . . fuck)
15x125
7x125

Row

3x8x150

Front Squat (just b/c)

2x5x145 (+10)

BTN Press (just b/c)

5x125
3x145 (not real used to this movement & high risk of injury if I fuck up the lockout so stopped)

Skulls

10x90
6x90

Hanging knee lifts (knees up to chest)

12xBW
10xBW
6xBW

I swear. Taking time off (deload or w/e) screws me up. I guess I shouldn't complain to much as I'm only in week 3, but I really thought I"d be back to my PRs by now. Bench is just a mess--it went NOWHERE last 8 wk. cycle and I'm still not feeling strong enough to get my all time PR. Maybe I just need to go back to the old 1x3 & 1x5 progression pattern. Front squats are going up nicely for some reason though. LoL I'm really REALLY hoping that next week I can get 5x210 for a back squat PR.

 

[BiggT]

Good work PB.........do you feel the deload screws you up? or time away from the lift?

I know what you mean about the bench, for me when it goes great it goes great, but then the times when it pisses me off everything feels heavy and SLOW, it'll come together.....

 

[Protobuilder]

do you feel the deload screws you up? or time away from the lift?

Well, it's not so much time away from the lift b/c I've been squatting for months now on end, the only thing that chnages is the weight on the bar and the volume really. So, I'm getting plenty of 'practice' w/ the lift. I'm not sure if its the deload or what. It may just be that I really need to force myself to take a break after 2 weeks of PRs no matter what. I may be running myself into the ground a bit too much or something. This last cycle, I went 8 weeks, pushing PRs for probably 4 weeks, often twice a week (5x5 & 1x5 maxes). I didn't feel real wore out or anything but was getting some aches & pains, etc. so took a light volume/frequency week or two and started ramping again. And here we are. It's just kind of annoying that people swear taking a week off of deadlifting or coming back from a deload and they're magically stronger. Not me. LoL That's why I started this cycle a bit heavier, b/c I thought maybe my body needs to stay right on top of the heavy weights or I lose too much. And I'm wondering if I can't stay heavy, just force a week off after 4-6 weeks regardless of how I feel, and keep on w/ the heavy weight, using good ol' linear progression.

Another factor "could" be that I'm doing 3x5 rather than 5x5 on Tuesday's squats due to time/energy from work. Maybe those 10 extra reps make the difference in helping me hit PRs. Additionally, this cycle hasn't been perfect due to work again. This week, for example, I'm missing Tuesday's workout due to travel. So, come Sat., I'll shoot for another 1x5 PR but w/out having the benefit of Tuesday's volume. We'll just see how it plays out. I think it'll be fine and I'll get some progress, just not as organized as I"d like. And I really may need to force a week off after hitting PRs, and see how that goes, whether I can come back sooner and heavier and hit PRs more often. I"ve still got tons of linear progress ahead of me.

 

[BiggT]

Proto,

I read Madcow's post right below yours on Tweakle's thread on what worked for getting lifts up......and it got me thinking......You might want to try something like this...

Have one day where you grease the groove and 'maintain' your flat bench....maybe 5x5 pyramiding up to your 5 rep PR and just keeping there.....then the second day can be a HEAVY incline or close grip day.....just a thought.

If that doesn't work, I suggest investing in a 'Chairman of The Board' membership, as that will unlock the secrets that neither you nor I know of at this point.

PS,

I'm not gay, the Plat membership was a gift from George Spellwin for being a board member for 1 year, lol.

 

[Protobuilder]

Not a bad idea. I'm going to let this cycle run and next cycle, I'm going to push close-grip bench, which I"ve never really tried before. I tend to be a stronger presser w/ a clsoe-grip so maybe this will make a difference. And, yeah, I may very well do exactly what you set out. Or, I may just be done w/ it and invest in a pec deck. They're good for wicked cuts.

 

[anotherbutters]

I'm not gay, the Plat membership was a gift from George Spellwin for being a board member for 1 year, lol.

lol at being embarrassed about being a plat.

PB, how about a lot more volume on the squats? I've been quite surprised at being able to carry on adding more weight to the bar whilst following this high volume Korte and I'm definitely stronger because of it.

 

[Protobuilder]

AB -- Thanks for stopping by! I'm cutting volume due to time constraints and lack of energy due to long work hours. Due to circumstances, I'm seeing how I grow/adapt to lower volume, and hoping for the best.

Week 3, Sun. (workout 3)

Squat

w.u.
3x5x195 (+5 . . . 15 rep PR I guess . . . went up fairly easy, probably could've got 5x5 but time constraints and I'm gonna see how this 3x5 does for my 1x5 max . . . )

Bench

5x172.5 (LoL . . . easy, whereas 175 a week ago was hard, so hopefully w/ these small jumps, I'll get back to 5x180 and beyond)
15x135

Rows

2x5x175 (pretty easy; haven't done 1x5 rows in awhile so was glad to be 5lbs away from my alltime PR . . .)
burnout at 145

Short and sweet. Not bad for a guy who just took a 2 day bar exam (6 hours straight each day of non-stop testing).

 

[Maks]

a bar exam ? Does that mean you did cocktails for 6 hours straight on 2 days ? Surprising you could lift something at all ...