Just because you reset doesn’t mean you still can’t PR. 🙂
“Week “
- 5/3/1 – Deadlift (working max: 325#)
- 1x5x135 (warmup)
- 1x5x165
- 1x3x195
- 1x5x245 (work)
- 1x3x280
- 1x6x315 (PR)
- 5/3/1 – Press (working max: 145#)
- 2x5x45 (warmup)
- 1x5x60
- 1x5x75
- 1x3x90
- 1x5x110 (work)
- 1x3x125
- 1x6x140
- Asst. #1 – DB Row
- 3 x 10 x 70
- Asst. #2 – Hanging Leg Raises
- 3 x 10/7/1 x BW
- Asst. #3 – Dips
- 3 x 5 x BW
- Asst. #4 – DB Hammer Curls
- 3 x 10/8/8 x 30
To me, it’s at least a rep record, doing 6 reps of 315 on the deadlift. I’ve actually moved 320 but only for 3 reps (during my aborted “3 month challenge” run, which forced the rep limit). But even during that run I only did 315 for 3 so… it’s at least a rep PR. Form continues to improve too. I felt good…. probably a bit due to the ego boost 3 wheels gave me.
The press wasn’t really a PR, since looking back over my notes I’ve done 140 for 6 before, but this was a lot easier and a lot better form, plus it was after deadlifting (i.e. not fresh first exercise). So hey, I don’t care what it really amounts to, other than I reckon I’m getting stronger, even if only slightly.
All of my assistance work I did as a circuit/superset… just one after the other, 2 minutes in between runs. On the 3rd set of leg raises, that weird shoulder issue in my right delt hit me HARD… sharp pain shot through me, it hurt like hell, I literally dropped off the bar, and that was all she wrote. I don’t know… I opted to try just 1 dip to see how it felt, but dips were fine. It’s gotta be a nerve thing, getting moved or pinched just the right way when I’m hanging, I guess.
But the circuit was kinda nice to do… it was harder, and should do a little better for my conditioning. I’m thinking on my “day 1” routine that I might try doing the same…. tho since that involves chins, the chins I might still do throughout… like after each set of squats, after each set of bench press… just whatever to get lots of volume on it, then the back raises, db bench, and face pulls do as one circuit and really push it to get my heart pumping.
Much to think about.
But it’s weird to be done with the cycle, have no deload, and start next week. I am liking how 2 days a week is working out for me in terms of my schedule and progress. We’ll see how it works for me long-term tho… at least 3-4 more cycles before I can make that call, I would assume.
Stuff From Hsoi 
For me it’s my left delt. I don’t lift anything like the amount of weight that you do (being a 54 year old woman), but I’ve struggled with a general problem around the left arm and shoulder since I started a weight program a year ago. I’m seeing a massage therapist who does deep tissue stuff and I found that the delt flares up because I’m really having trouble with another muscle at the top of the shoulder (with an obscure name I can’t remember). Anyway, I’m just dropping a comment here to suggest you might want to let a therapist get in there and dig around, or this might be a nagging problem for you. Naturally, I assume you are intelligent enough to know that, but can’t resist my two cents. Love the blog, being both a workout and gun enthusiast.
I hadn’t considered a massage therapist, mostly because well… I don’t know exactly what the problem is, so there’s little point in coming up with a solution prior to fully understanding the problem.
Since recently adding in dips and not feeling any shoulder issues there, I’m growing less inclined to think it’s a joint issue and that it’s muscle, nerve, tendon or other sort of “soft tissue” issue. So yes, a massage therapist might be a reasonable consideration. Want to collect more data, but certainly this is on my mind now. Thanx!