Forgot to record 200 bodyweight squats the day after my bench day.

Strict press
175 x 5
200 x 5
222.5 x 5
Good stuff. Was concerned about my back but it held up. I even twinged it a tiny bit picking up a 45 plate before the max (stupid).


175 x 9, 8, 7
155 x 7 -> 135 x 3

Lying dumbbell rows
125s x 8, 10, 12, 12, 12

Behind-the-neck press
65 x 22

Pull-ups
15

Short rest times to make it in time for work. I have an early day tomorrow so I will probably do chest and biceps tomorrow afternoon.

Very frustrating week. Last Tuesday I twinged my back doing mat pulls. It wasn't too bad, but the next morning while half asleep I stretched in bed and hurt my back much worse just from that, lol. That took me out the rest of the week until today. While getting ready for a bench press workout, I hurt my back again while setting a 50 lb kettlebell down on the stands to anchor them.

I managed to get my workout done fine by sticking with barbell work and thereby avoiding any more accidents stooping over to pick up dumbbells, but I'm going to have to stick with bodyweight squats for now. Spirits remain high and I'm ever vigilant.

Bench press
Up to 275 x 6, 6
225 x 12, 10
185 x 15, 15, 12

Pull-ups
10, 10, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12

Behind-the-neck press
65 x 25

Dumbbell curls
50s x 10

Post-workout and my back feels better. Weird. Something about arching during the bench press put pressure in the right way on it.

Strict press
195 x 5
220 x 3
247.5 x 1

175 x 9, 8, 8, 8

Lying dumbbell rows
125s x 8, 12, 12, 12, 12

More to come after work.

Did a bodybuilding-style workout for upper-body the day after mat pulls. Incline benching hurt my shoulder but flat benching was fine, surprisingly. I tried a tactic I've heard before of isolation exercises before compounds and it gave me a crazy pump. After 5 sets of skullcrushers super-set with curls I benched 185 lbs for 8-10 reps across 3 sets (super-set with slow bodyweight pull-ups) and some behind-the-neck pressing and lots of chest flyes. Fun.

Managed to do my entire squat workout before work after getting up an hour early. Sad note: I slightly strained my back doing yoga the night before.

SSB squats
330 x 3
380 x 3
425 x 3
Weight felt heavy today so I did the minimum easily. Will go all out next week. Quads have been perpetually sore the last few weeks, maybe go easier on the RE day.

320 x 10, 10, 10
290 x 10

Neck crunches
Forward with band: 25, 25
Backward with 35: 10, 8

Dumbbell lunges
50s x 20

Band leg curls
60

Mat pulls (9)
530 x 10
Pretty easy. No rest pauses, but will add them next week. Feels shockingly high after spending three weeks deadlifting.

SSB squats
150 x 30, 30, 25

Strict press
180 x 3
210 x 3
235 x 4 (PR)
Killer, was not expecting to be so strong. Have been warming up my triceps more with band pressdowns lately and they seem to be helping.

175 x 8, 8, 8
155 x 10

Lying dumbbell rows
125s x 10, 12, 12, 12, 12

As usual, will do some isolation stuff after work.

SSB squats
310 x 5
355 x 5
400 x 8

320 x 10

Stopped here for work and finished up the rest at night.

SSB squats
320 x 10, 10

Leg curls

Knee was feeling tender, probably from kneeling on the hard bathroom floor to install a bidet. Didn't do more squat sets because of that.

Bench press
Up to 275 x 6

225 x 15, 12, 10, 10

Pull-ups
10, 12, 20, 15, 20 

More accessory work

Yesterday:

Deadlift
Up to 600 x 1 (PR [duh])

It was hard, but not as hard as I thought it would be. I remember the ascent feeling far longer than the video shows. Still, the feeling of a fight is something I was not able to grit through before. When I had my weak streak, if the weight was coming up too slow my body would just shut down and abort the lift. I mentally had no confidence in the durability of my back. Here, when I felt the strain I KNEW my back wouldn't get hurt. Mat pulls and rest pauses have helped me learn how to grind, especially the latter under fatigue.

Had work after this (15th straight day in a row), so afterwards I trained until about 11:30pm.

SSB squats
31, 30, 30

Leg curls

Abs

Strict press
170 x 5
190 x 5
220 x 4, 5
> Whew, good progress.

170 x 10, 8, 8
155 x 10

Lying dumbbell rows
125s x 10, 12, 12, 12, 12

Push-ups and curls

Trained until midnight, felt like death. These late sessions really make me feel like hell.

Deload

Bench press
Up to 225 x 5

185 x 10, 10, 10
135 x 18

Pull-ups
10, 10, 10, 10
45 x 8
90

Skullcrushers, curls

Deload

SSB squats
185 x 5
230 x 5
280 x 5

210 x 10, 10, 10, 8

Deload

Mat pulls
Up to 500 x 3

SSB squats
150 x 25,

Trained in an absolute swamp. Didn't feel like going out there in the rain before work but it must be done!

Deload

Strict press
105 x 5
135 x 5
160 x 5

125 x 10, 10, 10, 10

Lying dumbbell rows
100s x 10, 10
125s x 10, 10, 10

Bench push-ups
35

Keg curls
160 x 15

Dumbbell curls
50s x 8

SSB squats
350 x 5
400 x 3
440 x 1
Tweaked my lower back on the 440. If I didn't have my belt on I'd have probably had to dump the weight mid-rep, but I managed to stand up and walk it back in pain.

I tried to 320 for one rep with the belt on tight, didn't feel good about it, and started taking plates off to do RE with 150 before deciding no, fuck this. I put everything back on, made sure to lean my weight back, and did my sets alright.

320 x 3 x 5

Dumbbell lunges, leg curls

Bench press
Up to 335 x 1

225 x 14, 10, 15
185 x 13

Pull-ups
10, 12, 12
90 x 8, 7

Push-ups, curls

Deadlift
Up to 570 x 1 (PR)

 

SSB squats
150 x 3 x 30

Dumbbell lunges, leg curls

Bench press
Up to 315 x 5
Only intended to do a cautious single and it felt stupid light. If my shoulder was healthy I could have easily done another. Probably a stupid move but it did wonders for morale. All that time of holding back hasn't hurt my bench at all.

225 x 17, 15, 12

Pull-ups
15, 15
90 x 8, 8, 10

Skullcrushers
50s x 8, 8

Band pressdowns, Behind-the-neck press, curls

My shoulder hurts a little more than it should now, but it's from grinding out some last reps on the 225 rather than the 315. Gotta remember to stop when the bar speed slows.

SSB squats
350 x 5
400 x 3
445 x 1

320 x 4 x 10

Walking lunges
50s x ?

Band leg curls

Legs felt shaky last week and this from RE squats.

Strict press
190 x 5
217.5 x 3
245 x 1

175 x 10, 10, 5

Lying dumbbell rows
125s x 10, 10, 10, 12, 12

Push-ups and curls

Deadlift
555 x 1 (PR)
I've only deadlifted 600 with tires so this was a big step forward for me. I have the back strength, it's just been keeping things tight when past a certain depth that I've always struggled with. I'm thinking I'm going to go for 570 next time, and in general just seeing what my current limit is before resetting my cycle with the mats.

After work:

SSB squats
150 x 30, 30, 30

Band leg curls

Planks and reverse crunches

Bench press
Up to 275 x 6

225 x 15
185 x 16, 12

Pull-ups
15, 15
90 x 8, 8, 8

Skullcrushers, curls, rear-delts

Had a massive birthday feast afterwards at a fine German restaurant courtesy of my coworker's treat, along with cake and ice cream for dessert. Had a Quest bar while out drinking later.

 Strict press
180 x 3
205 x 3
235 x 3
Damn, I should take a week off more often. I failed to record what happened here last week but I couldn't even get a single rep of this last time.

175 x 10, 8, 8

Behind-the-neck press
135 x 10

Lying dumbbell rows
125s x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10

Bench push-ups
35, 35, 25

Keg curls
160 x 15, 15

Dumbbell curls
50s x 12

Currently on the second to last day of a five-day visit with my girlfriend. On the first day before she arrived I did a full-body workout consisting of SSB squats to start with (320x3x10), then bench pressing up to 275x6, stopping before the bar speed slowed down. Accessory work went great. I was able to bench 225x15 with no pain for a set before stripping down to 185 and then 135, finishing up with behind-the-neck presses and curls.

We might hit up the dinky hotel gym for fun (they don't even have dumbbells), but if we don't get around to it I'll be fine until Wednesday when I can lift after work.

Squats
300 x 5
350 x 5
395 x 9

320 x 3 x 8

Dumbbell lunges
50s x 20

Neck crunches

Reverse crunches

Friend in San Francisco had to cancel lunch date today due to feeling sick so I have ample time to do some cardio and yoga.

Actually did some cardio yesterday after work. 3 hill sprints and a jog after.

Bench press
Up to 275 x 6
295 really hurt my shoulder last time so I'm sticking with 275 at gradual rep increases. I felt the 6th rep a little bit, so I think the key is stopping before the bar speed starts to slow too much and I'm straining.

185 x 21, 15, 11
135 x 20

Pull-ups
20
45 x 10
90 x 8, 8, 8

Behind-the-neck press
135 x 8, 10

Curls

Deadlifts
515 x 4
Good for a "bad day". No rest pause, got 4 and then tried to get a 5th after resting and couldn't come up.

SSB squats
150 x 3 x 30

Planks and reverse crunches

Have a bunch of posts on the back-log to post.

Strict press
167.5 x 5
195 x 5
217.5 x 3, 5
Was really frustrated about that 3 and channeled the anger into a not-too-difficult 5. Been a pattern with my press lately.

175 x 10, 10

Bradford press
135 x 6

Behind-the-neck press
135 x 8, 9

Less emphasis on going ball-busting heavy in favour of getting the rear delts to work more. Gonna try this out and see if that improves my left shoulder and being able to bench.

Lying dumbbell rows
125s x 10, 10, 10, 12 ,12, 12

Wide-grip push-ups, face-pulls, curls

The next day and my upper-back and posterior delts are sore. Good sign.

Deload

SSB squats
Up to 275 x 5

225 x 3 x 10

Deload

Mat pulls (5)
Up to 500 x 3

SSB squats
150 x 25, 20, 20

Deload

Bench press
Up to 225 x 5
Slight shoulder pain. 295 really wasn't good for me last cycle.

Close-grip bench press
155 x 5 x 10

Pull-ups
15, 13, 13, 13, 13

Keg curls
160 x 15

Deload

Strict press
105 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 5

125 x 10, 10, 10, 10

Lying dumbbell rows
125s x 8, 8, 8, 10, 10

Keg curls
160 x 15

Tweaked my back squatting last night so I cut it short after a rep of 390. Just did bodyweight squats after, a set of 70 and another of 60.

Bench press
Up to 295x5

Eccentric close-grip bench press
185 x 15, 10
135 x 12

Eccentric chin-ups
15, 13, 10, 10, 10

Isolation work

Glad to be benching more.

Mat pulls (2)
515 x 7 (PR)

SSB squats
30, 20, 20

Went a little easy on the squats. Early work day tomorrow and this was close to bedtime, which is why I didn't do more.

Strict press
190 x 5
215 x 2
217.5 x 3
242.5 x 0, 1

155 x 12, 12, 11, 11, 11

Lying dumbbell rows
125s x 10, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12

Isolation work

Did this until midnight after work, dead tired.

SSB squats
320 x 3
365 x 3
410 x 8 (PR)

315 x 10

Will finish up after work.

Bench pressed up to 285x5. Wasn't as easy as I would want that weight to be but it's possible the thumbless grip kept me from seriously exploding the weight up. Next time, grip the bar hard. I'll go up to 295x5 and from there increase in 5 pound increments weekly while monitoring my shoulder health.

Speaking of which, I think I set its recovery back a little attempting 135 lb barbell skullcrushers. I got up to 5 before changing the exercise to dumbbells. Was seriously hard on the front delt.

Mile time tonight while actually trying was 8:11. I did a good job pacing myself, so next time I'll try to push the last lap even harder and get into the 7- range. Legs cramped up when I was done due to squats the night before but didn't affect performance while I was on the track.

Edit: this time last year resulted in a mile time of 8:02, darn.

Deadlifts
515 x 1, 3
Will reset back up to 2 mats and, failing that, to 3. Pulling so low to the ground feels weird. On the last squat day of each training cycle I'm going to do RE deadlifts with 405.

SSB squats
150 x 30, 30, 20

Strict press
180 x 3
205 x 3
232.5 x 2, 3
This was my most heroic press effort ever. 205 felt heavy and shitty. I stumbled backward on the first rep and forced the reps out. Did some band pull-aparts and beat my arm muscles with a rock (I don't think I've ever recorded this, but this has been my ritual for YEARS before a max attempt; I got it from Pavel's calisthenics book) and went for 232.5. Whoa, felt completely different from 205. My arms felt like pistons and I was so stable it felt like a machine (granted, I was now wearing a belt, but beltless should not have felt as poor as it did). Still, I didn't get my attempted 3 so I tried a repeat set, felt good but failed the third again, took a big breath with the bar on my chest and pressed and then got the third.

180 x 8, 8, 8, 8

Lying dumbbell rows
125s x 8, 10, 10, 10, 15

Squats
300 x 5
315 x 5
390 x 9

315 x 3 x 10

Dumbbell lunges
50s x 16

Farmers' walk
200s

Leg curls

Benched heavy for the first time in quite a while. Got up to 275x5 and forced myself to stop. Felt very little pain. This is good news. I'll incrementally go further and further every week and carefully gauge how my shoulder feels.

Have really been hammering my chest lately, but disappointingly my arm size has remained the same over the past few years, around 17.2 inches.

A little behind on training because of Christmas but that's okay. Between work lunch, eating at my sister's, and then my aunt's, I had a feast. Didn't get any presents except for a pair of shoes and an AMC gift card from a coworker.

Managed only 515x1 for mat pulls at a 2-mat height yesterday before work. Came back at night with the intention of doing RE squats but the bar was still set-up for mat pulls so I decided to give it another try and got 5 reps. Afterwards, did 150 x 30, 30, 25 on SSB squats, along with neck harness crunches and band leg curls.

Strict press
167.5 x 5
192.5 x 5
217.5 x 4

180 x 8, 8, 8, 8

Lying dumbbell rows
125s x 10, 10, 10, 10, 10

Did my normal bodybuilding day for deload upper-body, but went a little easier on the volume and forced reps due to it being deload week.

Deload

SSB squats
180 x 5
225 x 5
270 x 5

220 x 10, 10, 10

Deload

Mat pulls (5)
500 x 3

SSB squats
150 x 25, 20, 15

Really didn't feel like training but there's a Christmas party at work tomorrow and I'm going in earlier than is typical for the afternoon and I wanted to make sure I got this done in case I sleep in.

Deload

Strict press
105 x 5
135 x 5
155 x 5

125 x 10, 10, 10 ,10

Lying dumbbell rows
100s x 12, 10
115s x 8, 8, 12

Incline bench
55 x 30

Keg curls
160 x 12

SSB squats
335 x 5
380 x 3
425 x 4
Good number to be at, especially with the SSB. Woke up to my lower back hurting so bad the previous morning that I delayed this to today. Still hurts but is getting better. It's either from push pressing (not likely) or sitting in a really uncomfortable chair at my sister's engagement party on Sunday for a long period of time. Ended up tweaking my left upper back near or at the rhomboid, an injury unique to the SSB, so I muscled through this in some pain.

315 x 10, 10, 10

Leg curls, neck crunches, reverse crunches

Push press
225 x 5
250 x 0, 0, 0
250 x 0, 1

Problem was a matter of catching it in the right spot. Rest of the session was typical upper-body bodybuilding.