I just have to wonder when the progress will stop.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m really stoked to see this constant progress. But I have to wonder how long it will keep up.

I opted to up the incline weights because why not. Even still, I was surprised at the # of reps I got today: didn’t think I’d get that many. Everything just keeps going up.

I am starting to think towards the next cycle. Right now today will probably change to something like:

• Flat BB Bench
• Incline DB Bench
• Flat DB Flies
• Some sort of overhead press
• Upright DB Rows

The overhead press I’m not sure about. It may just be simple standing BB overhead, but I’m not sure yet. And upright DB rows because I saw Mike Israetel posting about them a couple weeks ago. Never tired them. I love upright rows, and this might be an interesting variation to try and see.

• Incline Bench
  • 125 x 5
  • 145 x 4
  • 165 x 3
  • 195 x 2
  • 215 x 1
  • 165 x 12
  • 165 x 6
• DB Bench
  • 50e x 10
  • 50e x 10
  • 50e x 10
  • 50e x 10
  • 50e x 10
• Machine Flies
  • 85 x 12
  • 85 x 12
  • 85 x 12
• Seated DB Press
  • 40e x 10
  • 40e x 10
  • 40e x 10
  • 40e x 10
• DB Lat Raises
  • 20e x 12
  • 20e x 12
  • 20e x 10

Solid day. I wasn’t really into the session for whatever reason — mentally elsewhere. But the work was good.

• Close-Grip Bench Press
  • bar x 10
  • 135 x 5
  • 155 x 4
  • 175 x 3
  • 195 x 2
  • 215 x 1
  • 175 x 14
  • 175 x 7
• Skullcrushers
  • 45 x 15
  • 55 x 12
  • 65 x 10
  • 65 x 8
  • 45 x 15
• V-Bar Pressdowns
  • 45 x 13
  • 40 x 15
  • 35 x 20
  • 30 x 23
• BB Curls
  • 45 x 15 (strict)
  • 55 x 12
  • 65 x 8
  • 95 x 4 (cheat)
  • 95 x 4
  • 95 x 3
• Full-stop Hammer Curl
  • 30e x 8
  • 30e x 8
  • 30e x 8
  • 30e x 6
• Cable Curls
  • 55 x 17
  • 60 x 14
  • 65 x 11
  • 55 x 13

Back day is becoming one of my favorites. I think it’s because it’s cool to look in the mirror (well, series of mirrors) and see wow — look at what’s back there! But also because it’s cool to be doing pull-ups. When you’ve sucked at them your whole life and are starting to suck less at them, it’s just great! Plus, I’m really getting a groove of back work: actually getting the back to work, not just pulling and making motions. It’s good stuff.

That said tho, today felt a little stagnant. I didn’t go up much on paper, but I sure felt more work happening. Go figure.

Weighing in at 210. Offically trying to maintain for a bit, then lean on the massing side of things. I am leaning towards staying this course for a couple more weeks, then a deload week, then another 6 or so weeks just hypertrophy work (likely similar to what I’m doing now, but varying it up e.g. instead of bb incline bench and db flat bench, do bb flat bench and db incline bench). Then after that, maybe a Strong-15 short cycle to take a small break and change of pace. After that, we’ll see — that’s some 3 months out, so I’ll figure it then based on progress.

• Pull-ups
  • BW x 8
  • BW x 5
  • BW x 3
  • BW x 3
  • BW x 3
• T-Bar Row
  • 105 x 8
  • 105 x 8
  • 105 x 8
  • 105 x 8
• Curl-Grip Lat Pulldowns
  • 90 x 20
  • 100 x 15
  • 110 x 10
• Cable Row
  • 90 x 15
  • 100 x 15
  • 110 x 9, then drop sets
• BB Shrugs
  • 275 x 5
  • 275 x 10
  • 185 x 23
  • 185 x 18
  • 185 x 14

Felt good to be squatting again.

Had to not squat the past couple weeks due to circumstance, and honestly when I got out of bed I actually felt like just going back to bed and not squatting. But no, 2 weeks is too many, so off I went.

And it felt pretty good.

The front squats continue to be a good thing. I may not continue with them as an emphasis, but I do think it’d be worthwhile for me to keep them around in some respect for some time. I continue to work on keeping myself as upright as possible, which when I do, really works what I need. I could even see myself starting to do something like squat, pause squat, and front squat, then some hamstring focus, and done.

Speaking of hamstring, I’m still trying to “get it” on RDL’s. I upped the weight slightly, but I’m still trying to get form and technique. I actually did hit a few strides where I felt very much like I was working hams and not just my back — which I’m really trying to not do. After the 3×8 I did actually feel something in my hamds and glutes, so maybe I’m starting to get it. But I can’t articulate exactly what I did to feel that so I can repeat it, so I’m a ways off from “getting it”, still, it’s a step forward.

After all those, the leg presses and such… by the time I got the extensions and curls my legs were pretty spent. All in all tho, a good day.

• Front Squat
  • bar x 10
  • 95 x 5
  • 125 x 4
  • 155 x 3
  • 185 x 2
  • 215 x 1
  • 165 x 8
  • 165 x 8
  • 165 x 8
• RDL
  • 205 x 8
  • 205 x 8
  • 205 x 8
• Leg Press
  • 225 x 15
  • 315 x 12
  • 405 x 10
  • 225 x 12
• Leg Extensions
  • 55 x 11
  • 55 x 12
  • 55 x 12
• Leg Curls
  • 25 x 17
  • 25 x 12
  • 25 x 11

I’m having fun, and I think I may just stay the course.

So today continues the trend of things just getting better. Progress continues, slow, but progress. I mean, when you hit a couple more reps than last week, that’s progress. I’m quite happy with all of this, and it’s starting to influence my thinking.

First, I think I’m done worrying about fat loss. After almost 2 years of it, I’ve had enough: mentally, physically and even emotionally. I’m under a lot of stress at work, and frankly lifting is a huge source of stress relief and happiness. But of course, it too is a stress on the body — but one I’m happy to have. So I need to take measures to allow it to work, so eating more and getting more sleep are really helping out. Thing is, while the past some months on the cut didn’t really amount to much on the scale, they amounted to a lot in the mirror. I look a lot better PLUS I can look at things like how I need to buy a new — smaller — belt. So sure, the scale showed little progress, but everything else showed progress. Am I totally where I want to be in terms of fat loss? No, but I think I need some serious break before I head down that road again. I want to get my strength back, I want to get my muscle back, I want to have some fun.

And lifting as I have the past some weeks has been tons of fun for me. I just set up what I wanted to do, and I’m doing it. I’m making progress both in size and strength, so gee… life’s good.

My debate has been to follow some more rigid programs, like going back to 5/3/1, but today I started to think that I won’t do that — at least not yet. That what I’m doing right now is making progress: I’m getting bigger, I’m getting stronger, everything’s doing well, so why mess with it? I’m kinda enjoying the hypertrophy focus and seeing it pay off, and again I’m having a lot of fun.

Will I change it up a bit? I’m thinking so. I’m thinking I’ll probably stick with what I’m doing right now for another few weeks, take a deload, then come back with a similar but varied program. For example, instead of incline BB and flat DB pressing, switch to flat BB and incline DB, y’know? Stick with that about 6 weeks or so, then see from there what I’d like to do. That might call for something like a Strong-15 short cycle just to eek out a little strength work. Who knows… again I’m just enjoying things right now and so long as I’m seeing progress, great.

I’m just having a lot of fun, and the thought of adopting a rigid program right now isn’t flying with me: maybe that’s why I’ve been unable to decide what to do. I’m having fun, I’m making progress so why mess with it?

• Incline BB Press
  • bar x 10
  • 115 x 5
  • 135 x 4
  • 155 x 3
  • 185 x 2
  • 205 x 1
  • 155 x 14
  • 155 x 7
• DB Bench Press
  • 50e x 10
  • 50e x 10
  • 50e x 10
  • 50e x 10
  • 50e x 9
• Machine Flies
  • 80 x 12
  • 80 x 12
  • 80 x 12
• Seated DB Press
  • 40e x 10
  • 40e x 10
  • 40e x 9
  • 40e x 8
• DB Lat Raises
  • 20e x 12
  • 20e x 10
  • 20e x 10, then a drop set, and partial burns

I’ve taken a bunch of time off this week.

With the 4-day instructor class, the lack of sleep, the stress at work, just everything — I’m exhausted. Getting sleep and recoverying, being able to function through all the stress and crap of life right now is far more important. I won’t lose all my gainz. I need my gym time to be fun, productive, and good — my escape from the shit.

So what better thing to celebrate with than arm day. 😉

Was good. Everything continues to go up.

To that end, I’m giving serious thought to just changing gears — even as soon as this Monday. All this cutting isn’t fun, is just more stress, and frankly I need some sort of fun right now. I’m enjoying the gaining I’m doing, and so I’m thinking I’m going to end things now and just move along to my next goals. I’m ok with it. However, I may stick on the current gym plan thorugh Memorial Day due to some logistics. But we’ll see.

Anyways, good day today. Everything’s going up. Made sure I really focused on eccentrics today as I’ve been getting away from that.

• Close-Grip Bench Press
  • 135 x 5
  • 155 x 4
  • 175 x 3
  • 195 x 2
  • 215 x 1
  • 175 x 12
  • 175 x 6
• Skull Crushers
  • 45 x 15
  • 55 x 12
  • 65 x 8
  • 65 x 6
  • 45 x 14
• V-bar pushdowns
  • 45 x 12
  • 40 x 14
  • 35 x 17
  • 30 x 20
• BB Curls
  • 45 x 12 (strict)
  • 55 x 10
  • 65 x 8
  • 95 x 4 (cheat)
  • 95 x 3
  • 95 x 3
• Hammer Curls
  • 25e x 10
  • 25e x 10
  • 25e x 8
  • 25e x 8
• Cable Curls
  • 55 x 19
  • 60 x 12
  • 65 x 9
  • 55 x 14

I’m on the last leg of a long event. I’m pooped, and would rather not dig too deep a hole for myself. I didn’t want to get out of bed this morning (MOAR sleep!), but off I went. I opted to do a semi-jack-shit day: get the work, get a little extra, but don’t dig too deep.

Inclines went up, feel good. Then everything else, I did my normal routine just cut the load in half (e.g. 2 sets instead of 4, etc.). Felt good, got some work, but didn’t feel too taxed.

• Incline Bench Press
  • bar x 10
  • 115 x 5
  • 135 x 4
  • 155 x 3
  • 185 x 2
  • 205 x 1
  • 155 x 12
  • 155 x 6
• DB Bench Press
  • 50e x 10
  • 50e x 10
  • 50e x 10
• Machine Flies
  • 80 x 12
• Seated DB Press
  • 40e x 10
  • 40e x 10
• Lat Raises
  • 20e x 10
  • 20e x 10

Can’t skip arm day. 😉

I opted to do a regular arm day today because I felt good, arm day isn’t all that intensive (relatively speaking), and come on brah… we can skip squatting, but we never skip curls. 😉

If anything, I did skip techniques like drop sets, rest-pause, partials, etc.

Things just continue to go up, so I’m happy. It’s really interesting to watch my weight stay the same, the results in the mirror improve, the results in the gym go up… yet I’m hungry. So much fun. Just a few more weeks….

The cable curls I think are a solid addition. They still feel weird to me because the load is different, but the way they provide tension for sure is good. I’m digging it.

• Close-grip bench press
  • bar x 10
  • 125 x 5
  • 145 x 4
  • 165 x 3
  • 185 x 2
  • 205 x 1
  • 165 x 15
  • 165 x 7
• Skullcrushers
  • 45 x 15
  • 55 x 15
  • 65 x 8
  • 65 x 8
  • 45 x 16
• V-bar Pushdowns
  • 45 x 12
  • 40 x 13
  • 35 x 16
  • 30 x 18
• BB Curls
  • 45 x 12 (strict)
  • 55 x 10
  • 65 x 8
  • 85 x 5 (cheat)
  • 85 x 5
  • 85 x 5
• Hammer Curl
  • 25e x 10
  • 25e x 10
  • 25e x 8
  • 25e x 8
• Cable Curls
  • 55 x 16
  • 60 x 13
  • 65 x 9
  • 55 x 10

I am enjoying just “freeforming it” for a bit.

I’m exhausted and burned out. It’s a lot of things in life, from work to sleep issues, and it’s all adding up. And with a few things on the horizon, I’m trying to pace things a bit. I opted to NOT have my leg/squat session on Tuesday and instead just sleep. I also slept yesterday. Felt good. Then today (and tomorrow) it’s, I guess for lack of better phrasing, a bit of deload. I want to get some work in, but not dig my recovery hole too deep.

So I thought what would be fun? Pull-ups! 🙂 Today was all about that. I’ve done this before and enjoy it. Up to the bar, as many strict pull-ups as possible (truly going to failure), rest 1 minute, repeat. Once I can’t get any more pull-ups, switch to chin-ups and do the same. Then I figured once I was done, I’d just do something else for some reps. I opted to do a pyramid up and down of cable rows, then 1 set of shrugs just to have a bit of reps.

It wasn’t overly taxing — I think the only reason I broke a sweat was because the gym was warm and humid. But I got some work in, and feel good. Huzzah.

I also started thinking again about “where to go next” because that’s coming up. I realized one reason I’m flip-flopping between LRB and 5/3/1 approaches is simple: I’m exhausted. 5/3/1 is effective, but it really taxes me and given the state I’m in I am not sure it would be good for me. LRB stuff seems to be just as effective but doesn’t tax the crap out of me. Yet, I feel like I want the workload of 5/3/1, that LRB alone may not be enough. So I don’t know. But I did think that one must-have is only 3x/week, and the other 4 days I just sleep in as much and as hard as possible. And it may be that I do this for 4-6 weeks to get myself some recoup, then afterwards I forge ahead. For example, a simple LRB-style/Strong-15-style approach (e.g. like the “man-maker” template from the SRL eBook) for 4-6 weeks, maybe then a Strong-15 short-cycle, and if I’m feeling awesome after that, then switch to 5/3/1 SST. Basically, I gotta get my body back on track first, above all.

So we’ll see.

• Pull-ups
  • bw x 8
  • bw x 4
  • bw x 3
  • bw x 3
  • bw x 3
  • bw x 2
  • bw x 2
  • bw x 2
  • bw x 1
  • bw x 1
• Chin-ups
  • bw x 3
  • bw x 1
  • bw x 1
  • bw x 2 (go figure)
  • bw x 2
  • bw x 1
• Cable Rows
  • 90 x 15
  • 100 x 15
  • 110 x 12
  • 120 x 8
  • 110 x 8
  • 100 x 9
  • 90 x 10
• DB Shrugs
  • 70e x 20