22/06/17 - The Return
It has been a very long time since I have logged my training as things were very one and off over the past few months and there were various factors that contributed to that. About 5 weeks ago I started training whenever I could and did a basic volume phase with low intensity to get back into the rhythm of things. Bench was fine during this phase but I was having hips and knee problems prior to this which persisted throughout the phase and are still somewhat present which meant squats were very hit and miss. Bench volume was very high, squat volume was lower, and deadlift volume was considerably lower. Bench and deadlifts have been moving well and I've started playing around with box squats with a vertical shin to stop pressure and clicking in the knee. There is nothing structurally wrong but it looks like it just needs some rest from the 10 billion reps of high bar I had been doing over the previous months and then followed with inactivity which always ruins me unfortunately.
In the past week I have transitioned out of my volume phase and into a strength phase, with the possibility of a bench only competition coming up in August in Scotland with my partner. My training is becoming interesting again and I've always enjoyed receiving comments on my training, hence the return of the log. With the exit of the volume phase the total volume has dropped but there is currently considerably higher volume at much higher intensities (this'll become apparent in this week's update below), and with the change in phase comes the change in exercises. Incline bench and close grip bench has gone and floor press and 1" board press has been introduced. For squats because I can't handle normal squats currently, and I have no need to either, I've introduced the box squat in my suit with the straps down just for support in the hips. As for the deadlifts I've reduced the amount of conventional volume and swapped out my conventional deficit for a sumo variation.
On with the return of the log.
12/06/17 - Monday - Light Squats
Today was the first day that I decided to start doing box squats to rest the knee for a while. I know there is some controversy about box squats but it's currently the only variation I can execute without concerning noises going on in the knee. Some form of leg work is better than none, and at the very least it'll hopefully give some carry over to my sumo deadlift since I'm using a wide stance (outside shoulder width - not crazy westside).
SSB Box Squats
80kg x 7x6
That's it, there is no other equipment or exercises available for further leg work (for today at least) so that will have to do. Box squats, with sitting on the box and not just touching and going, are far harder than they look. I kept the weight very light today since I'm new to the movement and the knee can't handle much right now anyway. It's day one and I'm not training for a competition so there was no point in going nuts.
14/06/17 - Wednesday - Medium Bench
Had to travel to London and ended up in an old school body building gym, the equipment was useable but terrible. The session started off with floor presses and then bench press but it should have been the other way around. Sure enough no one had seen floor press before, some people were intrigued and others thought I had no idea what I doing and kept trying to correct everything.
Floor Press
Bar x lots x lots
40kg x 5
60kg x 5
70kg x 5
80kg x 5
75kg x 5x5
Bench
60kg x 3
70kg x 3
75kg x 6x5
70kg x 2x5
Fatigue kicked in towards the end so the sensible thing to do was drop the weight and keep going rather starting to wobble and ingrain poor technique.
DB Incline Press
22.5kg x 10
17.5kg x 2x10
Fatigue and hit me hard so had to go really light on the accessories.
DB OHP
15kg x 3x10
Pleased with the session and it would have been interesting to see what happened if I had benched first and floor pressed second. This amount of volume at this relative intensity though is huge, I am looking forward to it dropping later in the cycle.
15/06/17 - Thursday - Heavy Deadlifts
Today went much better than expected, and despite it not being heavy in comparison to so many other lifters, it was a win for me and a weight/set/rep pb too so I'll take that.
Sumo Deadlift
Bar (RDL) x lots
60kg x 5
80kg x 3
100kg x 3
120kg(S) x 2
140kg(S,B) x 1
150kg(S,B) x 3x4
I had to use straps because the bar was so terrible there was literally no knurling to hold onto where my hands were placed. I'm really pleased with this and the weight felt right for the given %.
Sumo Deadlift Block Pulls (~3.5")
160kg(S,B) x 2x4
These were rather hard after the other deadlifts but again another pb so I'm happy.
Coan Rows
60kg x 4x10
I like this variation a lot and will continue to use it after my deadlift sessions.
Back Extensions
BW x 3x10
Just trying to stretch out the back and get a little bit of core work done.
Knee Raises
5x20
Pleased to get some core work done and this helped stretch the back too.
Chuffed with that session and that's the heaviest deadlift session of the cycle completed too. Lighter session coming up next week but with higher volume.
18/06/17 - Sunday - Heavy Bench
Tad tired today after a long few days so I really wasn't expecting much. Pleased with bench but too shattered for anything more.
Bench
Bar x lots x lots
40kg x 5
50kg x 3
60kg x 3
70kg x 3
80kg x 8x4
That is a lot of volume... but wait, there's more!
Slingshot Bench
87.5kg x 6x4
Done.
The guy that I was working in with was the worst lift-off's I have ever had and he would unrack on his count of 3 rather than on mine for when I was ready. On pretty much every set my shoulders were pulled out of position and the bar was just dumped back in my hands. I was very pleased knowing this was my last bench session in London before going home.
Bench Grip Pendlay Rows
40kg x 10
45kg x 10
47.5kg x 10
50kg x 10
Done. Always nice to do some back work after benching as it always makes my shoulders feel better.
19/06/17 - Monday - Medium Squat
I've got my hands on my old squat suit now and will be using it with the straps down just so I have support in the hips for the wide stance onto the box.
SSB Box Squat
The bar might be 25kg, it might be 30kg, it might be 35kg... The owners have absolutely no idea so I'll count it as 25kg.
Bar x lots
45kg x 5
65kg x 3 - suit no straps went on after this, not sure why so early
85kg x lol nope
105kg x - still high
115kg x 1 - feels like too much for sets of 5
107kg x 7x6
Really odd at how just 2kg extra was enough to get me to the box. That was enough volume for squats today, particularly with the suit cutting into me.
Conventional Deadlift Block Pulls (~3.5")
70kg x 5
100kg x 3
120kg x 3
138kg(S,B) x 2x6
First set was no straps but then strapped up or the second. I was using a weightlifting bar rather than a power bar and could feel it roll in my hands.
Seated Good Morning
Bar x some
45kg x 3x10
Niceeeee. Quite like this variation because it allows me to just focus on my back rather than having tow sorry about my hips making me go all wonky.
Good session. Box squats felt strong and conventional block pulls felt brilliant.
20/06/17 - Tuesday - Light Bench
More bench, a lot more bench.
Medium Grip Bench
Bar x lots x lots
40kg x 5
50kg x 3
60kg x 3
70kg x 8x6
Lawd.
Medium Grip 1" Board Press
75kg x 6
70kg x 3x6
70kg x 5,f
65kg x 5
65kg x 5,f
Fatigue hit me hard and it was quite hard to determine with the board press as the press would feel strong and then suddenly the next rep was death. Oh well, first time playing around with boards so I'll adjust things for next time.
Bench Grip BOR
40kg x 4x10
Nice and easy to finish up with. Should be able to add at least 5kg next time.
Bit miffed with the session due to the board presses but with hat much volume it's to be expected. Fortunately the bench volume starts to decrease.
21/06/17 - Wednesday - Heavy Squats
The aim of today was to work in the 80% to 85% range or work up to a a top set of 4 and take it from there. Because I was in my suit with straps down again, and now a different box setup it took some wiggling to work out what was going to work. To through things off again the bar this time weighed 30kg so plate math was all over the place to begin with.
SSB Box Squats
Bar x lots
50kg x 5
70kg x 3
90kg x 3
110kg(B) x lol nope - increased height of box
110kg(B) x 4 - good set, decreased box height
110kg(B) x 4 - good set, decreased height again to now parallel
115kg(B) x 4
120kg(B) x 4
125kg(B) x 4
115kg(B) x 2x4
Happy with that as it was a lot more weight since monday.
Did not have time to deadlift today which means deadlifts tomorrow and goodness it's going to be a battle. Eat, sleep and recover is the aim and take the lighter deadlifts tomorrow.
That concludes the first instalment of training and will hopefully keep it up frequently like I used to.
