Second week on the new programs, and so far so good.

I’m getting things dialed in in terms of weights, reps, and hitting the things I wanted to hit. So today started to feel a bit more like where I want things. Still not 100% there, but better.

Like with Pressing, the pressing itself was fine. It does feel strange not going for rep PRs, but such is the template. The drop-set I had just picked a weight (60% of training max) and was going to stick with it straight for the cycle, but when I hit the 15 reps easily last week I figured that wasn’t enough. So I’m trying to apply the “first set last” approach, thus today was 70%. That felt like what it should be. I’m guessing next week and maybe as the weeks wear on that I may not hit the 10-15 reps, but that’s fine — I can adjust come that time. Meantime it’s really less about FSL and more about just finding a right weight.

Very happy with my choice of doing behind-the-neck pulldowns as my superset when pressing. I’m working up to 15-reps on each set, so it’s generally light, but that’s the point. I’m doing behind-the-neck to help me with my shoulder and posture mobility issues, so this helps open me up, stretch a bit, and move in ways that I need to be moved. Focus on that fast concentric, pause, slow eccentric. Focus on movement from the elbows, trying to just arc/move my elbows into my side, and really working the muscle. This weight still felt a little light, but I also know I’m not doing all the reps like I need to – still finding that cadence. So I think I’ll keep the weight here another week and continue to improve my form and squeezing every bit I can out of the weight.

DB Pressing is similar: fast concentric, slow eccentric. Still working on that tempo.

And the BB curls… I feel so weak just curling 50#, but when you really focus on just moving it with the biceps and slowly lowering it, it really adds up.

In other news, weight has dropped from 243 to 240. I am not sure how much is tissue loss vs. just de-bloating, but we’ll see how it goes — one more week on “base” and then I’ll move to “cut 1” on the Renaissance template. Or who knows: if I drop another 2-3 this week, I may stay on base longer. You want at least 2 weeks on base, but if you continue to lose on base, stick with it and milk it for all you can.

Based upon 5/3/1 for Powerlifting, off-season for mass

• Press (superset with high-rep behind-the-neck lat pulldowns)
  • bar x whatever
  • 65 x 5
  • 80 x 5
  • 100 x 3
  • 115 x 3
  • 130 x 3
  • 150 x 3
  • 115 x 12 (drop set)
• DB Shoulder Press
  • 45e x 10
  • 45e x 10
  • 45e x 10
  • 45e x 10
  • 45e x 10
• BB Curls
  • 50 x 10
  • 50 x 10
  • 50 x 10
  • 50 x 10
  • 50 x 8
• DB Rear Raises (superset with lat raises)
  • 10e x 10
  • 10e x 10
  • 10e x 10
• DB Lateral Raises
  • 20e x 10
  • 20e x 10
  • 20e x 7