I’m liking this.

Based upon Paul Carter’s LRB-365 and Base Building – dealing with ankle injury

• Incline Press
  • 45 x 10
  • 45 x 10
  • 80 x 5
  • 100 x 4
  • 120 x 3
  • 150 x 2
  • 170 x 1
  • 145 x 15
  • 145 x 8
• DB Bench Press
  • 45e x 10
  • 45e x 10
  • 45e x 10
  • 45e x 10
  • 45e x 10
• Behind the Neck Press
  • 70 x 8
  • 70 x 8
  • 70 x 8
• Seated DB Press
  • 30 x 10
  • 30 x 10
  • 30 x 10
  • 30 x 10
  • 30 x 10
• Rope Pushdowns
  • 15 x 100
• KB swings
  • 40# db
  • swing for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds
  • 6 times

This is feeling alright. I am liking this change in program, and think it will suit me well for a while. I’m still getting in the groove of it tho. On the one hand, just getting the weights, reps, and numbers right. I’m close, and hopefully next week I’ll have things dialed in enough to officially start down the “rep progression” route. It’s also the movements, because I’ve been so used to the Wendler 5/3/1 approach for what? 2.5 years? everything’s different and it takes a little getting used to.

But I also like it. I think the change has a good psychological impact I hadn’t considered. You get caught up in numbers. You’re trying to get stronger, so you want to see your numbers go up in the weight and reps (to a lesser extent). With the CarbNite stuff, my numbers went down — no way they wouldn’t. It’s a little depressing, but you know to put it aside. Well, changing the exercises I’m doing, changing the routine, that totally changes the numbers you work with. So I have no reference point… no way to say “oh man, my numbers are blah blah compared to blah blah”. My numbers now are what they are. And yea, they are nothing like the stuff I saw this past weekend watching the RUM7 stream (wow, what a show!), but hey… at least I can’t get caught up in the crap of myself any more. Things just wind up being what they are.

So, I’ve got some minor tweaks to make, but all in all things are looking good.

Oh and KB swings? Holy crap those are kicking my ass. I actually didn’t do the full setup like I wrote… because on the last sets I was just peeding out. I’m not sure if I should lower the weight and work up “more reps”? or if I should just keep going as it is. When in doubt, I’ll stay the course, but I do wonder if maybe I should try dropping down to 30 or 35# to see if I can get 10 minutes out of it without dying, then build up.