It may be slow progress, but it’s progress.

I use an app called RepCount to help me track my workouts (mostly gym stuff, as I keep a more detailed spreadsheet at home). I paid for the upgrade and get all the stats and graphs, and that’s been really helpful towards tracking progress. Yes there’s waver, yes things come and go on a daily basis, but looking over time it’s really great to see the trend line going upwards. It may not be the steepest slope, but it’s still an upwards trend. If I can keep myself relatively healthy, I expect if I don’t hit my goals by the end of 2017 that I should be close to it.

That is really helpful in terms of picking workout goals. For example, looking at the stats I knew if I made at least 7 reps today on the top set, that would be a good rep PR. So there’s my goal.

I did achieve that goal. What I liked about it was when I compared it to prior (recent) sets/sessions that I had to pass to make the PR, they were done with less volume. That’s something that you can’t see in just a simple set-rep-weight number: the context (another useful thing in using RepCount, even moreso than my spreadsheet). Much more volume and work done prior to the PR, so it makes the PR even better because I did better than before in a few measureable ways.

On top of that, I continue to use the new (improved) setup and technique. It is making a BIG difference. The cue where you expand the chest, not only does that get the whole torso in position, but I’m finding how much it loads the posterior chain and really gets me tight and set to pull. As well, today a refinement happened regarding my breathing, and the pulls were even stronger because everything was so tight. I am considering this a really good change in technique because I did it at this point in my greater cycle and it didn’t set me back; I’m still progressing quite well, and arguably better than if I had stayed at prior technique. Huzzah!

So, a good day.

BTW, one thing I’ll probably start next cycle is adding in one more warm-up set. Since my warm-up now starts at 185, I think I’ll add one in at 135, then next set will be the calculated starting value (40%). I may also switch to Wendler’s other suggested warm-up technique that he speaks about in “Beyond 5/3/1”. We’ll see.

• Deadlift
  • 185 x 5
  • 225 x 5
  • 270 x 3
  • 295 x 5
  • 340 x 5
  • 385 x 7 (7 rep PR)
  • 340 x 6
  • 295 x 8
• Hyperextensions
  • BW x 12
  • BW x 12
  • BW x 12
  • BW x 12
• Leg Curls
  • 55 x 12
  • 55 x 12
  • 55 x 9
• Crunches
  • 25 x 15
  • 25 x 15
  • 25 x 9