Week 2 comes to a close.

I’m still mixed on this approach, but I’ll keep going to the end because I know I know almost nothing at this point.

I am looking forward to next week, going 2/fail.

But one thing I do know? Hex/Trap-bar deadlifts are likely to see more rotation in the future. I hate them! As each set wore on I did not want to continue, but that was because they were killing me — they are tough! But I have not felt my quads work like that from anything: back squats, front squats, leg press, leg extensions, whatever! You name it, and I’ve never felt the quad work like I’m getting from the hex-bar deadlifts. It’s pretty awesome and probably just what I need as assistance work to bring up my squat.

Also, the superset of bar curls with db curls? Just slays my biceps. You can see the reps drop off quickly. 🙂

Woke up at 243 lb. I suspect I’m in a bit of a weight flux right now because I’ve been fighting something — no major sickness, just stuffy/runny nose. My body wants to eat more to help manage it, and I’m giving it a little (e.g. had a nice large roast beef sandwich from Thundercloud Subs last night — not quite to macros, but meh). Better to get over this, and if it needs a couple days of food-relaxation, so be it.

RP Physique, Mesocycle 2, week 2

• Hex Bar Deadlift
  • bar x 10
  • 135 x 10
  • 185 x 5
  • 240 x 13
  • 240 x 10
  • 240 x 8
  • 240 x 8
  • 240 x 6
• 45º Back Raise
  • bw x 14
  • bw x 12
  • bw x 11
  • bw x 10
  • bw x 9
• Leg Press (feet high and wider)
  • 225 x 18
  • 225 x 13
  • 225 x 12
  • 225 x 12
  • 225 x 11
• EZ Bar Curl (superset)
  • 55 x 17
  • 55 x 11
  • 55 x 9
  • 55 x 5
• Alternating DB Curl (superset)
  • 20e x 12
  • 20e x 7
  • 20e x 5
  • 20e x 4
• BB Shrug
  • 215 x 20
  • 215 x 15
  • 215 x 12
  • 215 x 11
• Stair Calves
  • 20 x 15
  • 20 x 13
  • 20 x 11
  • 20 x 11
  • 20 x 10
  • 20 x 10
  • 20 x 10

I can say, there’s a lot of volume going on. Hopefully as I get to week 4 it will be death-by-volume: both per-session volume and per-week volume. 🙂

That said, I look forward to getting back to lifting heavy. Sure there’s some wicked burn, and maybe next week when I can go 2/fail instead of 3/fail I’ll feel a little better about all of this. I have been thinking about “what next” and I fluctuate between a few things. Like doing the full suite of RP powerlifting templates, or doing a round of old-school-ish training, or going back to a 5/3/1 base but “smarter”. I don’t know. I think what would be wise for me to do is the full-suite of RP powerlifting templates, just to acquire some more knowledge. Main thing is I’m itching to get back to some heavier lifting.

Today otherwise was uneventful. Push push push. It’s really a blow to the ego to have to use such light weights, but with so much work and so little rest, it’s how it goes. I do get a little sore later on, so I reckon there’s some good going on. I just want to push, that’s all. 🙂

RP Physique, Mesocycle 2, week 2

• Underhand Pulldown
  • 115 x 15
  • 115 x 13
  • 115 x 12
  • 115 x 10
  • 116 x 10
• Normal Grip Pulldown
  • 105 x 12
  • 105 x 12
  • 105 x 10
  • 105 x 10
  • 105 x 9
• 2-Arm DB Row
  • 40e x 12
  • 40e x 10
  • 40e x 9
• Cable Facepull (superset)
  • 65 x 18
  • 65 x 15
  • 65 x 12
  • 65 x 12
  • 65 x 12
• Thumbs Down Lateral Raise (superset)
  • 10e x 15
  • 10e x 12
  • 10e x 10
  • 10e x 10
  • 10e x 7
• Flat DB Bench Press
  • 35e x 10
  • 55e x 5
  • 70e x 15
  • 70e x 12
  • 70e x 9
  • 70e x 7
• Incline Close-Grip Bench Press
  • 110 x 12
  • 110 x 10
  • 110 x 8
  • 110 x 7
• Reaching Sit-up
  • bw x 18
  • bw x 12
  • bw x 10

“What is the reason for me to do this?”

For physical and mental health.

For self-improvement.

To challenge yourself physically and mentally.

To develop the bite that may help you through difficult times.

To honor all the men who have fought before you; it is part of your DNA to fight.

To show/prove to yourself that you can change through will.

In a world of “easy”, it keeps your teeth sharp.

Because we don’t have to chop wood anymore.

Being stronger is ALWAYS better.

To understand that there is cause and effect to action; and inaction.

A stronger body can equal a stronger mind can equal a stronger body.

There is zero negative consequence to being a stronger man.

To be a great example to your children; fat, weak and ignorant is not a good role model.

To exhaust your body and mind so as to suffer/put up with weak fools and ignorant beggars who demand what you have earned.

To learn self-reliance.

To understand that compassion and empathy is noble but not given lightly.

Because a physically and mentally dangerous man will always be needed.

That is why.  Thank you for your question and for your support.  – Jim

Same feels. A bunch of work, you’re dying at the end of the sets, but shortly thereafter it feels like you didn’t do anything. Of course, I am a little sore today from yesterday’s session (e.g. chest muscles were a little tight), but nothing major. Could it just be this style of training? Could I be hitting the wrong numbers? They are all within the prescribed ranges… but then there’s the considerations I read from Jared Feather that make it seem like some of the prescribed ranges are too high, and that in hitting those ranges you may just be using too light a weight to elicit the proper response. But then, I dunno.

I suspect part may also be that it’s just week 2 and still 3/fail on things (and 1 minute interset rest). I’m trying to stop well-short and leave stuff in the tank, allowing for progression in the coming weeks. So, we’ll see. Gotta be patient here.

I was supposed to do 4 sets on the triceps/shoulder work. Alas, I forgot to adjust things in RepCount before I went to the gym, so I only did 3. I’ll just remedy with 5 next time and keep the progression going.

On bodyweight, I woke up at 242. Huh. Down 2 lb in as many days. Is this proper loss? or maybe effects of being lightly ill (no fever, but my nose is a little runny/stuffy). Not sure yet. But if the loss sticks, I guess I’ll keep it. It may well be also due to the further cutback in caloric intake AND the addition of the cardio (20 minutes elliptical at the end of each session). I hope it’s due to the latter, which would be on point with my plan.

RP Physique, Mesocycle 2, week 2

• Front Squat
  • bar x 10
  • 95 x 10
  • 135 x 5
  • 165 x 12
  • 165 x 9
  • 165 x 7
  • 165 x 7
  • 165 x 7
• Leg Press
  • 225 x 18
  • 225 x 14
  • 225 x 12
  • 225 x 12
  • 225 x 11
• Seated Leg Curl
  • 80 x 17
  • 80 x 14
  • 80 x 12
  • 80 x 11
  • 80 x 9
• Calves on Leg Press
  • 80 x 20
  • 80 x 14
  • 80 x 13
  • 80 x 12
  • 80 x 11
  • 80 x 10
• Cable Rope Pushdown (superset)
  • 50 x 10
  • 75 x 5
  • 95 x 20
  • 95 x 12
  • 95 x 10
• Standing DB Shoulder Press
  • 30e x 14
  • 30e x 10
  • 30e x 8
• Standing BB Shoulder Press
  • 70 x 11
  • 70 x 10
  • 70 x 9

Starting week 2 of the metabolite mesocycle. And well… it feels odd.

When I’m in there doing the work, it’s pretty difficult. You push hard, you don’t rest much, and it sure gets tiring. I mean, the weights look silly on that superset of the skullcrushers and DB bench, but when you do set after set of it? Oye! However, shortly after all that work is done, it doesn’t feel like I did a ton of work. I just don’t “feel it”. It feels like “did I actually work today? Did I get enough work?” Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. I don’t know — it’s part of learning this approach.

I do feel like this session went better than last week, but that’s because things are more dialed in in terms of weights and what I’m doing. While I originally didn’t rate the prior session at “1”, I went ahead and modified that this morning and did up the sets today. I’m feeling good and figure it’s good to just keep upping the volume right now to try to get the most of out this.

It’s still 3/fail this time, and I think I held better to that this time, but I really do want to push it. 🙂 Still 1-minute interset rest too.

One side thing I’m trying to work on is ensuring I crush-grip all the things. This seems to take stress off my elbows, which is a good thing. Plus my grip will be happier too.

On the weight-loss front, weighed in at 243 this morning. So that’s down 9 lb in 6 weeks. I’ll take it.

RP Physique, Mesocycle 2, week 2

• Low Incline DB Press
  • 20e x 10
  • 40e x 5
  • 65e x 16
  • 65e x 12
  • 65e x 8
  • 65e x 7
  • 65e x 6
• Dumbbell Skullcrusher (superset)
  • 20e x 15
  • 20e x 10
  • 20e x 10
  • 20e x 10
• Flat Dumbbell Bench Press (superset)
  • 35e x 13
  • 35e x 10
  • 35e x 10
  • 35e x 10
• Close Grip Bench Press
  • 115 x 12
  • 115 x 10
  • 115 x 8
• Cable Row
  • 115 x 18
  • 115 x 12
  • 115 x 11
  • 115 x 10
• Parallel Pulldown
  • 105 x 10
  • 105 x 9
  • 105 x 8
  • 105 x 8
• Cable Upright Row
  • 65 x 15
  • 65 x 15
  • 65 x 12
  • 65 x 10
• Slant Board Sit-up
  • bw x 14
  • bw x 10
  • bw x 9

Week 1 of the metabolite-focus mesocycle comes to a close.

It’s a different approach for sure. Still too early to make a call on it, but I am starting to see why perhaps some of the suggested modifications have been spoken about – and these are mods coming from the RP folks themselves (Dr. Mike, Jared Feather). For example, that instead of running the template as-written, you do meso 1 focusing in the 7-10 rep range, then do meso 1 again but in the 8-12 rep range, then meso 2 in the 8-12 rep range with intensity techniques (like supersets), then a brief meso 3. I’ve also heard other suggestions to not run meso 2 as long as suggested, because for some people you just can’t get much out of it running it that long.

But, when I follow a recipe, I like to do it as-written the first time around. This allows me to understand and know what the author was going for, and I’ll likely learn a bunch as well. From there, I can then adjust and tweak to suit my needs and tastes.

That all said… today.

I have never done hex bar deadlifts before today. They are kinda cool! I won’t say they’re a substitute for traditional deadlifts, but I can see their place. Certainly felt it a lot more in my quads than my posterior chain, and that’s a good thing for me. Doing these plus front squats are likely to serve me well in the future. I used the “lower” handles so I’d get more range of motion. I also used bumper plates so I could lift on the platform itself. I also don’t know how much the bar weighs, tho it felt “normal” (so probably 45’ish). Point all being, bumpers were in kilos and not knowing the bar weight, but I went with basic plate math meaning 230# is 2 “big wheels” on each side, plus the 2.5#.

Since I’m doing leg press twice-a-week this cycle, I’m varying it. Tuesday will be feet lower on the plate, and today will be feet higher. That should hit things a little different.

The curls. Oye. That was actually pretty killer. Very light weight, lots of reps at the start. But it quickly went downhill! 🙂 Supersetting 2 biceps exercises with so little interset rest and man, killed me in no time. This is one where I’m not sure if I should adjust the weight down — but probably not since the first couple sets did hit the proper thresholds.

It’s kinda a weird day, but hey… it is what it is. We’ll see how this pans out over time.

RP Physique, Mesocycle 2, week 1

• Hex Bar Deadlift
  • bar x 10
  • 135 x 10
  • 185 x 5
  • 230 x 12
  • 230 x 10
  • 230 x 9
  • 230 x 8
• 45º Back Raise
  • bw x 12
  • bw x 10
  • bw x 10
  • bw x 18
• Leg Press
  • 215 x 22
  • 215 x 13
  • 215 x 12
  • 215 x 12
• EZ Bar Curl (superset)
  • 50 x 17
  • 50 x 12
  • 50 x 7
• Alternating DB Curl (superset)
  • 20e x 15
  • 20e x 8
  • 20e x 5
• BB Shrug
  • 205 x 22
  • 205 x 15
  • 205 x 12
• Stair Calves
  • 20 x 15
  • 20 x 12
  • 20 x 12
  • 20 x 11
  • 20 x 11
  • 20 x 10

Needs work.

Despite trying to underestimate the weights to use, I still was over the mark. When you have only 1 minute of rest, you really don’t recover much. 🙂

Plus, I found myself at times doing more than “3/fail” because the reps felt too low otherwise (for this mesocycle). Again, a symptom of too-heavy weights. I did adjust a couple things on the fly, but I will need some more tweaking as I go into week 2.

That said, I did still feel some tightness from Monday; nothing bad, not really sore. But between that and not really having the weights dialed in PLUS knowing next week the weights should increase, I’m actually going to rate today’s work at “0” so that there’s no increase in sets. I’m a bit torn on doing that, but I can see how things will get by week 4, and I’d rather keep to starting slower/lighter and let things ramp up so that week 4 can still be meaningful. Whereas if I overdo it now, week 4 will be a disaster.

RP Physique, Mesocycle 2, week 1

• Underhand Pulldown
  • 110 x 20
  • 110 x 12
  • 110 x 10
  • 110 x 9
• Normal Grip Pulldown
  • 100 x 12
  • 100 x 11
  • 100 x 10
  • 100x 9
• 2-Arm DB Row
  • 45e x 11
  • 45e x 9
• Cable Facepull (superset)
  • 60 x 17
  • 60 x 14
  • 60 x 13
  • 60 x 12
• Thumbs Down Lateral Raise (superset)
  • 15e x 12
  • 15e x 10
  • 15e x 7
  • 15e x 5
• Flat DB Bench Press
  • 30e x 10
  • 45e x 5
  • 65e x 15
  • 65e x 10
  • 65e x 8
• Incline Close-Grip Bench Press
  • 115 x 12
  • 105 x 11
  • 105 x 9
• Reaching Sit-up
  • bw x 15
  • bw x 10

Needs some adjustment, but not a bad start.

So mesocycle 2, week 1, first lower-body day. Weights weren’t where they should be, so I had to make some adjustments on the fly. Should be better going forward.

I do believe front squats need to become a staple for me. And resting only 1 minute between sets? Gah. That’s killer.

To vary the leg press, this time I’m putting my feet lower on the platform. I really felt the pain more in my quads, which is good. Since I am going to end up doing leg press 2x/week this cycle, I will get variation by foot placement.

Oh and speaking of killer, the pushdowns supserset with DB press is painful. Then going into a BB press? Pffft — my triceps and delts were fried; I had to really drop the weight down to get the reps in. Again, this meso is NOT good for the ego that likes to lift heavy weights. 🙂

On the rope pressdowns, I am not flaring my hands out. Again, trying to be kind to my elbows and just doing a basic extension. I did change one thing: I’m crush-gripping the rope. A lot of times I just have enough grip to hold on and do what I need to do. But today I crushed the rope. That made a big difference in what was transfered to my elbows. This is curious…

Finished off with 20 minutes on the elliptical. That will remain a staple to help with the fat loss. I won’t keep this forever, just for now. Like after this is over, I may drop cardio in general, or go back to other things like farmer’s walks.

Now that my vacation is officially over, things will tighten up again, especially with diet. I have maybe 6 weeks left and if I could drop 6+ pounds between now and then, that’d be awesome.

RP Physique, Mesocycle 2, week 1

• Front Squat
  • bar x 10
  • 95 x 10
  • 135 x 5
  • 155 x 12
  • 155 x 10
  • 155 x 7
  • 155 x 7
• Leg Press
  • 215 x 15
  • 215 x 12
  • 215 x 12
  • 215 x 10
• Seated Leg Curl
  • 75 x 20
  • 75 x 14
  • 75 x 12
  • 75 x 8
• Calves on Leg Press
  • 75 x 23
  • 75 x 15
  • 75 x 12
  • 75 x 12
  • 75 x 11
  • 75 x 10
• Cable Rope Pushdown (superset)
  • 50 x 10
  • 70 x 5
  • 90 x 18
  • 90 x 13
  • 90 x 10
• Standing DB Shoulder Press
  • 35e x 15
  • 35e x 8
  • 35e x 8
• Standing BB Shoulder Press
  • 75 x 10
  • 65 x 10
  • 65 x 8

That was different.

Starting mesocycle 2. This mesocycle is about mTOR activation — basically, do like Arnold and chase the pump. It’s a different growth pathway. So weight drops, reps increase, interset rest drops, some intensity techniques are added (supersets), exercises favor more isolation but at least try to change them from last cycle. And since it’s a new cycle, everything goes back to 2-4 sets and “light” weight, stopping reps 3/fail. Of course, workload/volume and weight WILL increase over the coming weeks.

For sure I’m going to have to adjust weights. My estimations weren’t too far off, but because the pace of the session doesn’t allow for much interset recovery, you just don’t need that much weight. The ego of course hates it 🙂 But really, there’s just not much needed.

I did like the quicker pace of the session. I’m working to stick to 1 minute interset rest, and truly that. Often other things affect true interset rest time, like I might take a moment when finishing to catch my breath, change weights, record the set in RepCount, THEN start the timer. Or when switching exercises, the time needed to set up the new one and tear down from the prior one. I’m trying to minimize that. As soon as the set is done, timer starts. If I have to set up or tear down, do it as I can, which might mean it trails into the rest periods a few sets before and a few sets after. Whatever it takes to really keep interset rest to 1 minute. The first week of the last mesocycle, sessions were 1-1.5 hours; last week, 2-2.5 hours! Today? 40 minutes (all times not including warm up). I like! Of course that time will increase over the weeks, but I still am happier to get the work in like that.

But then yeah, it was a rough session. Again, it’s hard to stop 3/fail, especially since the sensation here is different. Still, I was pretty floored at the pump I got. I expect some soreness tomorrow, which would be good.

Most things are just what they were, work wise. The one novel bit was the dumbbell skullcrushers. Never done those before, but I’m liking it. My elbows are complaining a bit, and these really helped because I could allow my hands to twist as needed to keep torque/pressure managable. I’m not sure if explicity twisting has any bearing here (may be good, may be bad). It’s not even that I’m doing that (e.g. like a supinating DB curl); it’s more just striving to keep palms up but allowing my hands to twist a bit if that helps manage the pressure. We’ll see how it pans out, but so far I’m thinking positively about it.

On the weight-loss front…

Weighed in this morning at 245 – down 7 lb since I started about 5 weeks ago. I held fairly steady the past 2 weeks I was on vacation, because I did allow myself some enjoyment during the holidays. But still, 7 lb in 5 weeks is acceptable. Things looking better in the mirror too.

I’m going to make 2 adjustments to help this. I’m staying on Cut 1 of the RP Diet template, but switching from “medium” to “light”. That alone drops my caloric intake on gym days by about 250 cals, which is will add up. I’m also adding about 20-ish minutes of elliptical work at the end of my gym sessions, which in theory ought to be burning me another 100-200-ish cals. Those should allow me to stretch out being on Cut 1 a bit longer and should still make an impact on the weight loss.

Anyways, looking forward to seeing how the rest of this first week goes!

RP Physique, Mesocycle 2, week 1

• Low Incline DB Press
  • 20e x 10
  • 40e x 10
  • 60e x 18
  • 60e x 12
  • 60e x 8
  • 60e x 8
• Dumbbell Skullcrusher (superset)
  • 30e x 10
  • 20e x 11
  • 20e x 11
• Flat Dumbbell Bench Press (superset)
  • 40e x 10
  • 40e x 8
  • 40e x 8
• Close Grip Bench Press
  • 125 x 10
  • 125 x 7
• Cable Row
  • 110 x 20
  • 110 x 15
  • 110 x 12
• Parallel Pulldown
  • 105 x 12
  • 105 x 9
  • 105 x 8
• Cable Upright Row
  • 60 x 18
  • 60 x 13
  • 60 x 11
• Slant Board Sit-up
  • bw x 13
  • bw x 9