So last day of the year, and back in the gym. Started off with squats, as you do, but had to abandon during the warmups as my knee was restricting me from getting full depth, and didn't want to push it. Did deadlifts instead, more volume than usual, to get some work in for the posterior chain. Also did bench, with a little too much weight - still tweaking the TM program, just had too much on the bar for the volume. Finished up with cleans, which mostly felt pretty good, only looped a few, which is pleasing given how infrequently I've been doing them.
D: 5x5x100
B: 3x5x77.5, 2x5x60
PC: 5x3x70
So it's the end of the year and, frankly, I'm not much stronger than I was at the start. But it's been a difficult year, and I've got a good programme laid out ahead of me which I feel I can stick to pretty well. Just have to keep a balance with the rest of life!
31 December 2012
29 December 2012
TM Heavy
Whoops, forgot this one. So 'heavy' in this instance meant 150kg squats for a set, 160kg deads for a set, and 65kg press. Got them all, though deads were a real struggle. The whole setup felt wrong and floppy, almost like in a single week I'd completely forgotten how to deadlift. Weird.
And then I came down with a flu-y sort of thing, all headaches and achiness and dizziness. Not really conducive to lifting. And then, just getting over that, I strain my knee slinging my daughter on a flying fox. What a Christmas! Knee's still sore, but should be back in the gym in a couple of days.
And then I came down with a flu-y sort of thing, all headaches and achiness and dizziness. Not really conducive to lifting. And then, just getting over that, I strain my knee slinging my daughter on a flying fox. What a Christmas! Knee's still sore, but should be back in the gym in a couple of days.
19 December 2012
TM Light
So I decided in the end to go with the Texas Method. For the moment, more or less 'straight', but that will probably change. The main reason was that the weights are getting too heavy for my inconsistency; having to reset or struggle through a couple of weeks if I miss a week is just too hard - and much, much slower than the starting strength linear progression is meant to be anyway.
Doing TM, it feels easier (over this period at least) to be more consistent and if I do miss a day here or there, there are more variables to manipulate (and, of course, potentially fuck up) to keep moving on. Obviously that's to be avoided as much as possible, but... well, it doesn't take much reading back through this log to note what my training can be like...
S: 2x5x105
B: 3x5x67.5
Back Extensions (Hypers): 3x10
Should've done chins too, but ran out of time. And the back extensions are unusual enough for my body that a more gentle introduction to 'accessory' work is probably not a bad idea... not meant to be sore or tired after the light day, after all...
Doing TM, it feels easier (over this period at least) to be more consistent and if I do miss a day here or there, there are more variables to manipulate (and, of course, potentially fuck up) to keep moving on. Obviously that's to be avoided as much as possible, but... well, it doesn't take much reading back through this log to note what my training can be like...
S: 2x5x105
B: 3x5x67.5
Back Extensions (Hypers): 3x10
Should've done chins too, but ran out of time. And the back extensions are unusual enough for my body that a more gentle introduction to 'accessory' work is probably not a bad idea... not meant to be sore or tired after the light day, after all...
17 December 2012
Faulty Programming
So I missed SSS Round 3 on Sunday, which was disappointing. Particularly because the party that my daughter went to ended up going so long I could have dropped her off, gone to race, and then picked her up. Ah well. Plans are already set for the next round, so unless I'm sick or something, I won't miss that!
So off to the gym I went, and learned a lesson about programming. I'm reading PPST (kindle version) and there's a lot to absorb, and the first is - it takes time to recover properly from an intense session, especially where it's not a planned part of a cycle. I went back to my 'normal' 3x5s and it was horrible. I got through 2.4 sets of squats, but my form was awful. After 2 reps of the third set I figured I could just about make it through, but even on the first two sets I couldn't control my body well enough, and I decided that I'd reached the point where continuing would have no positive impact, and even if I'd made all 15 reps, there was no way I'd be progressing anyway.
I got through press with a small deload to 55kgs, but it was a struggle, and by the time I got through a warmup of powercleans where I basically just wrenched the bar on to my shoulders because I had no 'power', I called it a day. To rest, recover (better) and reread through PPST carefully! The main choice is around continuing 'SS"s-tyle programming, or to switch to something like the modified TM that Carl does (or did?) at the Powerhaus. Which would, funnily enough, actually require me to pick up some cycling training. What a thought!
S: 3x5x147.5, 1x2x147.5
P: 3x5x55
PC: 1x4x60
So off to the gym I went, and learned a lesson about programming. I'm reading PPST (kindle version) and there's a lot to absorb, and the first is - it takes time to recover properly from an intense session, especially where it's not a planned part of a cycle. I went back to my 'normal' 3x5s and it was horrible. I got through 2.4 sets of squats, but my form was awful. After 2 reps of the third set I figured I could just about make it through, but even on the first two sets I couldn't control my body well enough, and I decided that I'd reached the point where continuing would have no positive impact, and even if I'd made all 15 reps, there was no way I'd be progressing anyway.
I got through press with a small deload to 55kgs, but it was a struggle, and by the time I got through a warmup of powercleans where I basically just wrenched the bar on to my shoulders because I had no 'power', I called it a day. To rest, recover (better) and reread through PPST carefully! The main choice is around continuing 'SS"s-tyle programming, or to switch to something like the modified TM that Carl does (or did?) at the Powerhaus. Which would, funnily enough, actually require me to pick up some cycling training. What a thought!
S: 3x5x147.5, 1x2x147.5
P: 3x5x55
PC: 1x4x60
13 December 2012
1RM
Today was the first time I've ever gone in to the gym with the specific intention of working up to 1RMs in the 'big three' lifts - squat, bench and deadlift. Partly this was because of the time out of the gym, and the lower weights on Monday, so as to feel heavier weights before returning to 3x5s next Monday. Partly it was because of racing on Sunday, to keep the volume lower. Though it now looks as though I might not be able to race anyway - family stuff, which is a bugger. And partly it was... well, just wanting to get some decent and specific PRs. Because sometimes, that's nice.
Squats I set my sights just above the 1RM of a few weeks ago. I thought about shooting for the 170 again, but decided to stick with 165 as the target, and to go for 170 if it felt really good. So I worked up to that, got the 165, but decided against attempting 170 - 165 had felt very heavy, but I didn't really grind or get stuck. Just a little bit. I thought though that 170 might take a bit too much out of me with deadlifts to follow, so I opted not to. If I was just doing squats, I would have done it, and I think I probably would have gotten it.
Bench I wasn't really sure - I figured probably 85, but I've not really done much benching lately, and mostly it's been 5x5 at lower weights. But I aimed for that, comfortable that it wouldn't be nearly so taxing to 'overextend' a little if I felt I could. And I did - 85 was fairly easy, and then 90 was slower, but still smooth. I was wondering whether or not to ask someone for a spot at 95, but there was noone around that I knew, and I wasn't too concerned about leaving one in the tank. Again, I think I could have got the 95, but not certain enough to try without a spotter.
So on to dead, and I was feeling pretty pleased with my efforts. After the last time I deadlifted, I wanted to make sure that I had better form and kept the back solid. I had the camera with me (which is also how I can be certain that my squats were deep!) and it told a disappointing story - back rounding, and not keeping the bar back against the legs. Obviously I knew this, but seeing it on video is not so pleasant! Just the same, I worked up to 180 and felt pretty good with it - I could have tried more, but my grip was failing on the last rep at 180, and I didn't think I'd lock it out. That, and my thumbs were feeling rather stripped and compressed! Going back to workset weights though, I'm really going to have to focus on keeping the bar back and the back tight, shoulders not too far forward. Hopefully I won't need to drop the weight back, but if I have to, I have to. Don't want to fuck around with that!
So a 'total' of 435kg, or 957 pounds - just a little shy of 1000 pounds. Nice to set a total, and something to aim for next time I give it a go - perhaps in the week before the February round of SSS. I reckon I'll get it that time!
Squats I set my sights just above the 1RM of a few weeks ago. I thought about shooting for the 170 again, but decided to stick with 165 as the target, and to go for 170 if it felt really good. So I worked up to that, got the 165, but decided against attempting 170 - 165 had felt very heavy, but I didn't really grind or get stuck. Just a little bit. I thought though that 170 might take a bit too much out of me with deadlifts to follow, so I opted not to. If I was just doing squats, I would have done it, and I think I probably would have gotten it.
Bench I wasn't really sure - I figured probably 85, but I've not really done much benching lately, and mostly it's been 5x5 at lower weights. But I aimed for that, comfortable that it wouldn't be nearly so taxing to 'overextend' a little if I felt I could. And I did - 85 was fairly easy, and then 90 was slower, but still smooth. I was wondering whether or not to ask someone for a spot at 95, but there was noone around that I knew, and I wasn't too concerned about leaving one in the tank. Again, I think I could have got the 95, but not certain enough to try without a spotter.
So on to dead, and I was feeling pretty pleased with my efforts. After the last time I deadlifted, I wanted to make sure that I had better form and kept the back solid. I had the camera with me (which is also how I can be certain that my squats were deep!) and it told a disappointing story - back rounding, and not keeping the bar back against the legs. Obviously I knew this, but seeing it on video is not so pleasant! Just the same, I worked up to 180 and felt pretty good with it - I could have tried more, but my grip was failing on the last rep at 180, and I didn't think I'd lock it out. That, and my thumbs were feeling rather stripped and compressed! Going back to workset weights though, I'm really going to have to focus on keeping the bar back and the back tight, shoulders not too far forward. Hopefully I won't need to drop the weight back, but if I have to, I have to. Don't want to fuck around with that!
So a 'total' of 435kg, or 957 pounds - just a little shy of 1000 pounds. Nice to set a total, and something to aim for next time I give it a go - perhaps in the week before the February round of SSS. I reckon I'll get it that time!
10 December 2012
Routine?
Yeah, well, anyway. You know me. Semester's finished now, and it's only minor distractions like Christmas coming up, should be plain sailing from here...
S: 5x5x122.5
P: 5x5x50
PC: 5x4x60
B: 5x5x65
S: 5x5x122.5
P: 5x5x50
PC: 5x4x60
B: 5x5x65
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