Today was a great milestone for me: deadlifting “5 wheels” (495 lb).
It’s been a long goal to do: 2/3/4/5 wheels (225/315/405/495 lb) or more plainly, 200/300/400/500 lb in press/bench/squat/deadlift.
I’ve pressed 200 lb. I’m close to 300 on bench. And today, hit deadlift.
So why stop at 495? Why not just go for 500? Because it wasn’t part of the progression. Oh sure, I wanted to, but it’s obviously there and I’ll do it soon enough. Plus, I figured why not celebrate 2 milestones instead of 1? đ
What also got me was how easy it went up. Oh sure, it’s not nothing, but I did expect it to be harder than it was. The whole session was oriented with the lift in mind. Explode the weight up, be definitive, commit. I knew if it came off the floor, I’d have it. Sure enough.
Really, to me it’s testimony to just staying on a solid plan of progression and being patient.
1+ week, and Jokers. Work up went alright. That weird groove change last week was gone, but I did a small technique change. My left shoulder still isn’t too happy and I noticed I could get tighter. I normally set up putting my hands on the bar then working my shoulders into position. This time I worked on getting my shoulders as tight as possible THEN putting my hands on the bar. That served to get me a bit tighter, my shoulder a bit more stable. That was helpful
Still, on the 270×4 top set (which was as rep PR too) I hit the left face-saver bar, and again on the 290×1 (all time PR). It’s just the issues with the shoulder.
Thankfully, this strength cycle isn’t much longer – maybe another 1-2 cycles at most. I’m just going to milk it as long as I can, smartly. Like today, just feeling what I did I opted to call it and not do the down sets and put any extra wear and tear on my shoulder. I am doing more work on recovery, so let’s just take the PR and move on.
I’m rather exhausted due to overwork at the day job, and my body had enough this past weekend. I crashed hard on Sunday, sleeping much of the day. A little bummed I wasn’t able to hang out as much with my family, but obviously my body needed it.
And I think it paid off at the gym today because things moved well!
The work up was to 340. Note, my all-time best is 355, so this isn’t too far away. In fact, looking at my logs and I really haven’t singled at this weight – I’ve been in the area, and many of that was some time ago. So this actually is pretty cool to get back into this area again. Plus, doing so with better form, more confidence, no questions on depth, etc.. so this is pretty big for me.
To me, it’s evidence my change up was good. Go from 5/3/1 to Strong-15 style. More work-/warm-up, reduced volume, singles to allow me to focus on technique and pour everything into the single.
I’m working to ensure technique is there on the work-up sets, that every set is done “right” and the same.
I felt really good. Admittedly a little unsure – because I’m getting back into the problem territory that started me in this, so not 100% sure, but going into the sets accepting it, ensuring I hit depth, stay tight, and make it happen.
Tightness is interesting too right now. I have to widen my grip to alleviate some pressure on my elbow, which of course removes some upper back tension/tightness. So, it’s making me more aware to make it tight instead of just trying to let it be tight from the scrunched-up position. I’m taking more time too. Get under the bar, get where I need to be, breathe, unrack. Stand there and let it settle. Breathe. Walk out. Settle. Breathe. Then go. I will say, one thing I’m still adjusting to is that the wider grip is putting my hands almost against the uprights – they do brush it. I have slight concerns about cutting/jamming my hands, and also just the bumping of course is a bump – it can cause things to shift and twist, which isn’t good. But it’s another reason I’m going slow and deliberate, to be able to mind that.
But hey — all in all, happy!
I think 350 should be do-able next cycle, given how this 340 felt.
I did skip leg press today. Last week I lightly strained my left adductor while leg pressing. It’s feeling a lot better now – not even feeling it, really. But that means it’s not time to dive back in. That means it’s mostly healed, but I know from experience it’s best to give it a little more time to ensure it actually is fully healed and not just pain free, y’know?
7th cycle, fixing my squat; modeled after Strong-15
In general, squats went fine. Last cycle’s heavy week worked up to 330, and now this cycle’s medium week is 330 (340 next week). Trying hard to focus on tightness, especially in the upper body.
My elbows weren’t happy, so I pushed my grip out slightly. That relieved pressure, but it also made me lose some tightness that just comes from bunching. I focused more on actively tightnening the back, which was kinda cool — my lats got really engaged and that did some great things. Alas, I couldn’t consistently replicate it, but it’s on my mind now. Also as a result, I could see on video that things didn’t move as well with my lower body – might have led with the knees, too far forward, etc.
I think one of these days I’d like to have an on-site coach to help me out here.
AnywaysâŠ
Then on leg presses, something started to feel bad with my left adductor – like gonna injure/strain/pull it. Not good. I am intentionally trying to go as deep as possible on the leg presses, because I want the stretch, the range, etc. But, this might be too much. Have to be mindful.
7th cycle, fixing my squat; modeled after Strong-15
Squat (superset with band pullaparts)
bar x 10
135 x 8
185 x 5
210 x 4
250 x 4 (did 4 because I didn’t remember it was a 3-set)
It’s 3+ week, so the work-up was to 185. 5 reps there came pretty easily and set a rep PR.
Then I planned to do 1 Joker set of 195×1. But I did tell myself, for a challenge, if it felt good to take 2 then take it. Well, it felt so good I took 3! The only reason I stopped was Jokers are to be 1-3 reps. And that sets a nice rep PR at 195. Consider as well that about a month ago I set an all time PR of 200×1, so getting 3 @ 195? Yeah, 200 won’t stand for long.
My whole plan this 3’s week was to set myself up well for the 1+ week (in 2 weeks). Next week is a 5’s “light” week, and I anticipate the 1+ week should go quite nicely. It’ll be tough, but I’m looking forward to it.
In other newsâŠ
One thing I noticed as I re-watched the video was my sticking point seemed to involve my head. That is, I stuck and my head was still back and not through the arms/bar. I noticed this as I was working and strove to ensure I pushed my head through either at the sticking point or ideally just before it so I wouldn’t stick. It did seem to make a difference, but it also exposed some weakness — not 100% sure where yet, could be my triceps (I’ve notice issues on bench lockout too, so starting to suspect that). Thus going down on the reps in my down sets. but no biggie, all good. Just more things to improve upon.
Back work – the neutral grip does seem to be helping. Huzzah.
I did have to cut a little short today: no hex DB holds, no bike. I have an early morning meeting to get to.
I know you can’t hit PRs every day – but it’s nice when you do. đ
This is 3+ week. I’m also doing Joker sets, and today worked me up to 485 — which is a PR. I hit 480 just last week, so 485 today was great!
Now the top set of 435, I only did 6. I knew I had more in the tank, and looking back I should have done at least 1 more (and I still would have had 1-2 in the tank). But I really wanted to hit the 485 today, and 6 was still a good showing. I’m working to position myself for a good work-up on 1+ week (in 2 weeks) to 495 — 5 wheels! That’ll be a big milestone.
The way 485 moved today? I know I’ll hit 495. It won’t be a cake-walk, but it will go up.
All in all, pretty happy with how things went today.
That feeling of panic when you can’t find your phone. đ
Accidentally left my phone at home, so today’s session was best guessing. Turns out I lifted heavier than I was supposed to: was to do 200, 230, 255, but I did 225, 240, 255. Not really a big deal, but when it’s coupled with the Jokers, I think it is. I have hit 275 before no problem, and I did 285 for a PR last week — but it’s generally been touch and go. Today, my descents were slower and I made a point to pause the first rep of each set. And so the same with the Jokers: a definitive pause on the chest.
and the 285 went up great.
I’m happy with that. 285 last week touch-and-go, 285 this week paused. AND with a harder workup this time too. I take that all as good signs of progress.
That said, apart from the superset back work, it’s all I did. I guess I slept on my left shoulder weirdly and it wasn’t feeling great today. I could feel it as I worked up and was bracing myself for my body to say “stop”. I opted instead of the 175x10x3 to just do 135 for AMRAP and see. Well, I got to 12 and opted to stop because my shoulder was saying “OK, that’s enough”. Not in a bad way, just in a way of “why bother doing any more if it’s only going to make things annoyed and not better”. So I did, and skipped the remaining back work too.
No biggie. Next week is a 5s week and “light”.
Oh, on the rows. I’m holding weight at 100# and just cranking 10 reps/set. I realize my reps haven’t been quality, so I’m wanting to stay here a bit and clean up the reps.
I started back around the end of May, finding 1RMs. I did 3 cycles: 2-leader, 1-anchor, with deloads. Then another such run, which takes me to 6 cycles. It’s typical after 6-8 cycles to need a reset. Well, if I look at what I’m hitting on my 1+ weeks, I still have something in me and don’t NEED a reset. So, I’m just going to keep going. Technically since I just finished I should be taking a deload this week, but given how I feel and looking at my calendar, I’m just forging ahead.
The current plan is to stick with 3/5/1 style, Jokers, with “light” assistance work for another 3-weeks, take a 7th week deload, then another 3 weeks, deload, and so on. Just see how far I can take it, because I don’t expect many more cycles ahead. Oh, and squats will continue with Strong-15 style. I’ll follow the 3rd cycle setup and just increase 10# on my TM each time.
My goal is to milk this strength cycle as much as I can, and see what I can hit by the end of it. I already broke a 200# press, and I am pretty close to a 500 deadlift and 300 bench press. It’d be awesome if I could hit those before things tap out by the end of the year.
So with that, here I am.
TM went up, and while the work-up itself increased the top singles decreased. It’s just the wave nature of the cycle. But things did feel good and moved well. I still see myself slightly tilting right to favor my right leg, and that’s just going to take time to overcome. But things overall felt good. Biggest thing I find myself focusing on is getting the whole body tight, KEEPING it tight, and leading with the hips (not the knees/legs).
7th cycle; modeled after Strong-15
Squat (superset with band pullaparts)
bar x 10
135 x 8
185 x 5
210 x 4
250 x 3
275 x 2
285 x 1
305 x 1
320 x 1
Pause Squats
240 x 5
Leg Press (feet high and wide, going as deep as I can)
