Masons get lean log!
- Thread starter Mason-
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It’s really light to be fair. Might do 5kg increments for a while til I find a point where it’s hard. New to the machine so hard to know where the limit is.
Checks own current max, leaves thread
Sorry wasn't trying to come across as arrogant, more to say I've only been using this particular chest press machine for a couple of weeks and haven't found where the weight should be yet. I find it's really hard to gauge weight on machines relative to free weights.Checks own current max, leaves thread
you definitely weren't and I didn't take it as if you were
I was just poking a bit of fun at my own weakness Lightweight baby! We’re close to having to PR squats and deadlifts every week again.
Today’s session:
Squats: 5x157.5, 4x5x142.5
Bench: 5x90, 4x5x80 (well chuffed with my PR here!)
Seated row: 5x5x141
Bicep curls: 3x12x27.5
Bodyweight: 94.33kg - haven’t been this light in 15 years.
I bought some fractional plates, a pair of 0.125, 0.25 and 0.5s because I know incrementing bench 2.5kg a week is gonna fail very soon.
I know it’s not summer but the extra warmth today really hit me like a truck doing the squats, sweating buckets and breathing heavy. I’ve been doing 2 minute rests since I deloaded in January and today I had to do 3 minute rests on the last 2 bench sets. Getting really tough now, but feeling really proud of myself for pushing through.
Roll on deadlifts on Wednesday for a PR matching 5x165.
Today’s session:
Squats: 5x157.5, 4x5x142.5
Bench: 5x90, 4x5x80 (well chuffed with my PR here!)
Seated row: 5x5x141
Bicep curls: 3x12x27.5
Bodyweight: 94.33kg - haven’t been this light in 15 years.
I bought some fractional plates, a pair of 0.125, 0.25 and 0.5s because I know incrementing bench 2.5kg a week is gonna fail very soon.
I know it’s not summer but the extra warmth today really hit me like a truck doing the squats, sweating buckets and breathing heavy. I’ve been doing 2 minute rests since I deloaded in January and today I had to do 3 minute rests on the last 2 bench sets. Getting really tough now, but feeling really proud of myself for pushing through.
Roll on deadlifts on Wednesday for a PR matching 5x165.
Deadlift day.
Deadlifts: 5x165, 4x5x147.5
Incline BP: 5x8x67.5 (PR)
Chest Press: 5x5x75
Lat pulldown: 3x8x70
Bodyweight: 94.8kg
Was shattered, my boy took ages to go to sleep tonight so I didn’t get to the gym until 21:30. Surprisingly deadlifts felt very solid today. And that’s my pre-deload PR matched, so from next week we’re in uncharted territory with the deadlift.
After the second set of incline I thought I’m gonna fail for sure on the last sets. But somehow I pulled it out, last rep on the last 2 sets I really had to push. It’s quite a lot of volume, 40 reps.
Deadlifts: 5x165, 4x5x147.5
Incline BP: 5x8x67.5 (PR)
Chest Press: 5x5x75
Lat pulldown: 3x8x70
Bodyweight: 94.8kg
Was shattered, my boy took ages to go to sleep tonight so I didn’t get to the gym until 21:30. Surprisingly deadlifts felt very solid today. And that’s my pre-deload PR matched, so from next week we’re in uncharted territory with the deadlift.
After the second set of incline I thought I’m gonna fail for sure on the last sets. But somehow I pulled it out, last rep on the last 2 sets I really had to push. It’s quite a lot of volume, 40 reps.
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Friday evening Pause SBD day.
Pause Squats: 3x140, 4x3x125
Pause Bench: 5x3x81 (lowered my increment to +1kg a week)
Pause Deadlifts: 2x3x147.5
Dips: 3x8x???
Bodyweight:94.1kg
So on dips. I’ve been doing assisted, supposedly today it was -7.5kg but the platform that rises is damped and it moves so slowly at this weight that I feel as though I’m doing mostly unassisted dips. You be the judge (last set):
Regardless next week I’m just gonna sack off the assist and do bodyweight dips and see how I get on.
Also perfect month in February haven’t missed a session. And only missed one since I started again in January… can we do a perfect March too.
Pause Squats: 3x140, 4x3x125
Pause Bench: 5x3x81 (lowered my increment to +1kg a week)
Pause Deadlifts: 2x3x147.5
Dips: 3x8x???
Bodyweight:94.1kg
So on dips. I’ve been doing assisted, supposedly today it was -7.5kg but the platform that rises is damped and it moves so slowly at this weight that I feel as though I’m doing mostly unassisted dips. You be the judge (last set):
Regardless next week I’m just gonna sack off the assist and do bodyweight dips and see how I get on.
Also perfect month in February haven’t missed a session. And only missed one since I started again in January… can we do a perfect March too.
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It was only meant to be a week off. But ended up being a week and a half. I was shattered Monday, spent all day insulating my son’s bedroom so was very tired.
Probably should have deloaded…:
Squats: 5x160, 4x5x145
Bench: 3x92.5, 5x82.5, 3x82.5
Bodyweight: 93.04kg
That’s a PR matching squat. I hit that on 26th November. But I was 2.5kg heavier. Bench is technically a PR but I was supposed to get 5. Will try it again next week, if I fail I’ll deload bench only.
After I failed one of the back off sets of bench I’d had enough. Back home. Let’s see how deadlifts are on Friday.
Probably should have deloaded…:
Squats: 5x160, 4x5x145
Bench: 3x92.5, 5x82.5, 3x82.5
Bodyweight: 93.04kg
That’s a PR matching squat. I hit that on 26th November. But I was 2.5kg heavier. Bench is technically a PR but I was supposed to get 5. Will try it again next week, if I fail I’ll deload bench only.
After I failed one of the back off sets of bench I’d had enough. Back home. Let’s see how deadlifts are on Friday.
Deadlift day.
Deadlifts: 5x167.5 (PR), 4x5x150
Incline BP: 8x70, 2x8x62.5, 6x62.5 (?), 8x62.5
(Skipped accessories because I CBA today).
Decided to go to back off sets on incline instead of straight sets. Weirdly failed one of the back offs, but got the last set? 8x70 is a PR. But I managed 5x8x67.5 2 weeks ago… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
That PR flew up. Pretty proud of that considering my quads were so sore from squats on Wednesday. I think it’s safe to say I’ve got plenty in the tank on deadlifts.
Goals for 2026:
5x100 bench
5x180 squat
5x200 deadlift
Ambitious, but I’d rather aim high.
Deadlifts: 5x167.5 (PR), 4x5x150
Incline BP: 8x70, 2x8x62.5, 6x62.5 (?), 8x62.5
(Skipped accessories because I CBA today).
Decided to go to back off sets on incline instead of straight sets. Weirdly failed one of the back offs, but got the last set? 8x70 is a PR. But I managed 5x8x67.5 2 weeks ago… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
That PR flew up. Pretty proud of that considering my quads were so sore from squats on Wednesday. I think it’s safe to say I’ve got plenty in the tank on deadlifts.
Goals for 2026:
5x100 bench
5x180 squat
5x200 deadlift
Ambitious, but I’d rather aim high.
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I was about to say, hitting deadlifts like that after a big squat session is "not optimal" unless you're going for some self-flaggellation...?
Very epic, however. It will be great to see what this all amounts to when you decide to taper, as that volume must be murder.
Very epic, however. It will be great to see what this all amounts to when you decide to taper, as that volume must be murder.
I’m just following this program. Workout A is squats, Workout B is deadlifts, Workout C is (lighter) pause squats and deadlifts.
I know what you mean though. The last set of 150 was more taxing than the top set. I don’t really know what I’m doing - just following this program. It was supposed to initially be to retain as much muscle mass as possible while losing weight. But I’m more or less at my goal weight now. My new goal is strength.
I suspect I’ll have to change program at some point. Probably one where you alternate heavy squats/deadlifts once per week rather than doing both per week.
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Pause squats: 3x142.5, 4x3x127.5
Pause bench: 3x82.5, 4x3x74
Pause deadlift: 2x3x150
Bodyweight: 93.18kg
First time in my lifting so far I’ve felt ‘something’ in my left knee. I don’t wear any wraps/straps; all I wear is a belt for >=140kg. It didn’t hurt, didn’t persist, but could feel something in my knee at the bottom of my reps on squats and on deadlift.
Is it worth investing in some straps/sleeves? Would they help me stay injury free for my knees?
Pause bench: 3x82.5, 4x3x74
Pause deadlift: 2x3x150
Bodyweight: 93.18kg
First time in my lifting so far I’ve felt ‘something’ in my left knee. I don’t wear any wraps/straps; all I wear is a belt for >=140kg. It didn’t hurt, didn’t persist, but could feel something in my knee at the bottom of my reps on squats and on deadlift.
Is it worth investing in some straps/sleeves? Would they help me stay injury free for my knees?
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Probably not. They just make your knees warm so they "feel" better.
Some are heavier elastic which add some rebound, but just buy some tubigrip if you feel your knees creaking.
Might want to look at a video of your form to see if it is consistent with any leaning/twisting.