2016-04-15 training log

/ hsoi

I’m having a lot of fun.

I think that’s important. I’ve got so much crap going on, I need something to give me some fun and not be a source of more “consuming” energy. For sure this just gives back to me. More on this at the end.

Still happy that all things are going up. But some things aren’t going up in simple weight or reps, but on technique. For once in my life I’m really finding myself enjoying hypertrophy techniques, such as the slow eccentrics, squeezing at the peak, and so on. I’m finding I’m getting a lot more out of it — all hail this cycle’s goal of “just chase the pump”. It’s been quite fun, and quite eye-opening. So for instance some of the isolation movements here technically went down from last week, but they went up in terms of how slow I was going, how much focus I was putting into isolating that muscle and that whole “mind-muscle connection” thing. It felt more quality.

So hey, this is fun.

And because of that, perhaps that’s why I’m feeling like putting off the 5/3/1 switch for a bit. I’m actually really enjoying this hypertrophy work, and still getting stronger too. Paul Carter’s protocols I think may serve me well if I want to keep chasing this. And I keep coming back to some light past experience where Paul’s stuff did just as much as 5/3/1 in the same amount of time yet I didn’t feel so beat up. So I guess I am feeling like it might be good to give it a serious go, since I’ll finally be off the “cutting” rollercoaster.

As for specifics here:

Happy to see my close-grip going up.

The cable curls may be the ticket. They do feel weird because the bar just balances and pulls different than a free-weight BB, but they are giving me the constant tension. I’ll stick with them for a bit.

  • Close Grip Bench Press
    • bar x 10
    • 125 x 5
    • 145 x 4
    • 165 x 3
    • 185 x 2
    • 205 x 1
    • 165 x 11
    • 165 x 6
  • Skullcrushers
    • 45 x 15
    • 55 x 14
    • 65 x 7
    • 65 x 7
    • 45 x 15
  • V-Bar pushdowns
    • 45 x 15
    • 40 x 15
    • 35 x 13
    • 30 x 16 (then 2 rest-pause sets)
  • BB Curls
    • 45 x 12 (strict)
    • 55 x 10
    • 65 x 8
    • 85 x 5 (cheat)
    • 85 x 4
    • 85 x 4
  • Hammer Curl (Paul’s style)
    • 25e x 10
    • 25e x 8
    • 25e x 8
    • 25e x 8
  • Cable Curls
    • 50 x20
    • 60 x 12
    • 65 x 8
    • 50 x 14, then 2 rest-pause sets.