It’s been 6 weeks on (2 5/3/1 cycles), so it’s time for a deload.

I’m trying the “7th week protocol, deload flavor” for the first time. It’s a bit different from prior deload approaches, which were using light weights for just a few sets and reps. This approach is basically to work up to your training max for a single. It’s simple, lightweight, not a lot of work — but certainly more stressful than a few sets with a few reps at a light weight.

For one day of try? I like it. It was fun working up like that, and none too stressful. Just a few sets of assistance work afterwords. Really not bad, and really fun.

That said, tho, the top set felt horrible. I’m not 100% sure why, but I think it was my setup. See, I did something different today.

I took video of my squats. If you’re curious, you can find them on my Instagram.

It was distracting. I’m not used to it, and it adds a bunch of crap to my setup (set the camera, is everything in frame? is it an OK angle? etc.). Then there’s the constant thought of “hit depth, or quartersquatgang is going to start hating”. LOL Not that that matters too much (I hit depth). Oh, and there’s no music because I have only my 1 phone and when recording video you can’t play music. So, everything was different. On the top set? I actually brain farted when I stepped up to the bar — I didn’t remember my grip width! I actually sat there fiddling around — and I know I didn’t take my correct grip, so I unracked and everything felt weird and off.

I mean, the weight went up, but I know I was out of groove and it just felt heavy. I wasn’t happy.

I am thinking about videoing all my lifts this week, just because. But after this week? I may not. It’s just too distracting for me. Maybe if someone else could do the video so I didn’t have to think about it all.

But squats were fine. Fun.

Other stuff.

Band pullaparts. I think I’ve been overdoing it and it’s been stressing my elbows. It’s angle of stress — so I’m now trying to keep my hands with palms down and not allow them to turn at extension and thus put some sideway pressure on my elbows. Also trying to bring the band more across my nipple-area than up above my shoulders — that improves the angle too. I also took a wider grip so there wasn’t as much band tension. I think these and front-plate raises are causing me some new arm problems. So that with the bands. And with the front plate raises, I would have my arms in a way where my elbows pointed out. That was really good at helping the medial delt engage, but I think it’s causing some stress on the elbow and biceps tendon. So now I’m trying to point my elbows more towards the floor. I lose some medial delt tension, but I also feel a lot less stress on the elbow. We’ll see how it goes.

1-leg leg press is good. I moved my foot lower on the plate, and doing that with a curled toe and pushing through my heels really helps more. It’s harder and I actually cut depth a bit because of the knee issues — after a few reps I can and do go deeper. But I think over time this is going to be a big help.

And then about 16 minutes on the bike.

5/3/1 (Based on: Forever, BBB, 5’s PRO)

• Squat (superset with band pullaparts)
  • bar x 5
  • 135 x 5
  • 165 x 5
  • 195 x 3
  • 230 x 5
  • 260 x 3
  • 295 x 1
  • 325 x 1
• Band Pullaparts
  • Not tracked, but 15 each set
• 1-leg Leg Press
  • 90 x 10e
  • 90 x 10e
• Front Plate Raises (all the way overhead)
  • 35 x 15
  • 35 x 15
• Stair Calves
  • 70 x 15