First deload week in a while.

Wendler 5/3/1 program, cycle 15, week 4

• Deload – Squat (working max: 280#)
  • 2x5x45 (warmup)
  • 2x5x115
  • 2x5x140
  • 2x5x170
• Asst. #1 – Good Mornings
  • 3 x 12 x 95

• Deload – Bench Press (working max: 220#)
  • 3x5x45 (warmup)
  • 2x5x95
  • 2x5x110
  • 2x5x135
• Asst. #2 – Chin-ups, band assist
  • 3 x 7/5/4 x BW
• Pump superset
  • Flat Bench DB Flies
  • JM Press
  • Hammer Cheat Curls, with Fat Gripz
  • 3 sets, 8-15 reps, enough weight to make it hard; on 3rd set immediately drop weight and keep going to failure

To make the cycle weeks even on 3x a week, deload week couples up 1 day. I just opted to compress the first two together, so that’s squat and bench. I just winged it… did the warm-up weights for 2 sets each, picked a relevant assistance exercise and worked but didn’t kill myself, and finished off with a little extra upper body work. No stripped sets, just a little work. It’s deload.

I did work on my form in everything I did. Bench felt a little better, tho it feels stranger with the straighter wrist. My right shoulder continues to be weird to me, and I swear that it’s hanging exercises that are killing me… like chins, the hanging leg raises, and so on. But I also think improving my bench form will help, because today, my shoulder felt the best it has while benching… lower on the stomach, greater elbow tuck. So we’ll see how it goes.

I also worked with my foot positioning. While having my felt out and flat is certainly more comfortable and natural, I found it a lot harder to keep tight throughout the set. Having my feet tucked way back in towards my head was awkward as hell, but I was able to maintain a much tighter form throughout. So, I think I’m going to just keep working with the tuck and get used to it.

Oh, and the Fat Gripz? Man, that made the hammer curls harder. But I want that forearm work, that grip work. Not only helps my deadlift and such, but carryover into my pistol shooting too. 🙂